Ch. 1324 - The Demon Edict

A Sage Monarch was the pinnacle of the five stages of the Saint Sovereign realm.

That in itself was not surprising, otherwise, how could the Ancient Demon Realm have ruled the Godfiend Abyss Heaven for so long?

Although the Vast Heaven God Realm possessed three Saint Sovereigns, their cultivation realms were not high. Even combined, they were likely no match for a single Sage Monarch.

The crowd fell into deep thought.

The path of a Saint Sovereign had always been arduous, one in tens of trillions could hope to achieve it. But for Ancient Demons, it was even harder.

It was as if the laws of the world themselves rejected them, making enlightenment nearly impossible.

Occasionally, a heaven-defying genius would appear among the Ancient Demon Race, one who grasped the Primal Daos and achieved sainthood, such as the Malevolent Demon who once created the Ancient Demon Road.

Yet these newly risen Saint Sovereigns rarely lived over a century before they mysteriously perished.

And that was absurd, for a Saint Sovereign’s lifespan was already almost equal to the universe itself, how could they die within a mere hundred years?

But the Ancient Demons did die, and none knew why. The Ancient Demon Realm never pursued the truth.

Rumors circulated endlessly.

Some claimed their lifespans had simply reached their end. Others whispered that they had been slain.

Countless theories existed, but never a definitive answer.

Now, hearing Xu Zimo’s words, many Ancient Demons trembled. A cold chill ran down their spines, as if something within them had been awakened, something they did not want to face or believe.

“So you mean… our Ancient Demon Race cannot become Saint Sovereigns because of the Heavenly Dao? And those ancient geniuses who died young… were killed by Heaven itself?” one demon asked in a trembling voice.

“You already know the answer in your heart,” Xu Zimo replied calmly. “Why ask me to confirm it?”

Indeed, they were not fools. Many Ancient Demons had long suspected as much but dared not voice it.

Even those who had never considered the idea quickly understood, once Xu Zimo hinted at it.

“I don’t believe it! What about the Demon Master? What about the Ancient Ancestor? Let’s ask them for an explanation!” one demon shouted defiantly.

“Why do you refuse to believe?” Xu Zimo asked, his eyes fixed on the speaker. “You’re afraid.”

“I…” The demon wanted to refute him, but the words caught in his throat. He was afraid, and he knew it.

For the Ancient Demon Race, compared to the great powers of the world, the Heavenly Dao was far beyond reach. The Heavenly Court could easily annihilate them.

“It’s fine to fear,” Xu Zimo said. “But you must not cower. Fear is human nature, it can be forgiven. But once your heart gives in to cowardice, you’ll never rise again. Even if a weapon lies in your hand, you will not dare to swing it.”

He turned his back to them, his gaze sweeping across the entirety of Dragon Mountain.

“I do not want you to cower, not for my sake, but for the sake of our entire race. Those who follow me, even if you are weak as a child, even if you face an enemy as mighty as a Saint Sovereign, You may die, you may fall, but you must never yield. Never let your heart tremble with fear! If anyone cannot do that, you may leave Dragon Mountain now. In three days, I will depart the Ancient Demon Realm. I will never set foot here again, and you shall have your peace!”

At these words, hesitation rippled through the crowd.

Some Ancient Demons began to quietly slip away.

They had come mostly out of curiosity, but upon hearing that Xu Zimo meant to wage war on Heaven once again, all courage drained from them.

“Everyone has their own path,” Xu Zimo murmured to himself.

He felt no anger, nor disdain for them.

Their ways were simply different, and there would be no future between them.

If they crossed paths again, and they stood in his way, he would show no mercy.

“With what shall we fight Heaven?” one demon asked thoughtfully, voicing the worry in many hearts.

“You have hands, you have feet, why should victory be impossible?” Xu Zimo said.

“Eons ago, we created the Demon Descent Era where Ancient Demons reigned supreme. Why should we not do so again?”

“And if we lose?” another demon pressed. “I mean, what if, just what if, we fail?”

“Then we begin again,” someone answered before Xu Zimo could speak. “Isn’t that how everything in the world works? Perhaps Heaven hasn’t completely eradicated us yet, but what about a thousand, ten thousand years from now? We may return to dust, but what of our sons, our grandsons, the generations to come?”

“I have never seen the Infernal Lord myself,” said another demon. “But I’ve read the ancient records and long admired him. I’ve always wished I could have lived in that age of war against Heaven, to follow the Lord into battle.”

“Exactly! Even if not for ourselves, we should fight for our descendants, for their right to live freely!”

As voices rose one after another, more and more Ancient Demons were stirred.

Yet many still hesitated.

To declare war on Heaven was not something one could agree to in a moment of passion.

Just then, a deep, resounding horn echoed through the Ancient Demon Realm.

It was a heavy, ancient sound, reverberating through the wild lands, shaking the heavens and earth.

The blast came again and again, each louder than the last.

“That’s the Summoning Horn!” someone cried.

“It’s been millions of years since it was last blown!”

“Yes, whenever the Summoning Horn sounds, all Ancient Demons must gather. I remember the last time, it was two million years ago, when we marched to conquer the Northern Sea.”

“What do we do now? Do we go?”

“No! The Lord is here today, we follow him! As for the horn, we await his command!”

“Await the Lord’s command!” the chant spread like wildfire through the crowd.

At that moment, a figure approached from the distance, walking on air.

It was the Ancestral Warden, whom Xu Zimo had met when he first entered the Ancient Demon Realm.

Clad in white robes, he hovered high above the mountain.

“The Ancestral Warden is the personal disciple of Hellfire Asura,” someone whispered. “If he’s here now, what does it mean?”

“Did you notice? Many of the disciples under Hellfire Asura aren’t here today.”

“Could it be that the Ancient Ancestor and the Lord have fallen into conflict?”

As murmurs spread, the Ancestral Warden swept his gaze over the crowd, his expression darkening slightly.

He hadn’t expected that Xu Zimo, having done nothing but speak a few words, could win over so many Ancient Demons so quickly.

From his sleeve, the Ancestral Warden drew out a golden scroll, shimmering with demonic light.

“The decree of Hellfire Asura,” the Ancestral Warden announced solemnly, unrolling it.

“All Ancient Demons are to assemble at Myriad Year Mountain. None are to remain on Dragon Mountain within three days. Those who disobey will be banished from the Ancient Demon Realm.”

At those words, every face turned pale.

The meaning could not have been clearer.

The Ancient Ancestor and the Infernal Lord were divided.

The Ancestral Warden rolled up the decree and looked down at the Ancient Demons below.

“What are you all waiting for?” he said coldly. “Do not forget, this Ancient Demon Realm is your home. You were born and raised here. Will you really abandon it, all because of a few words from this man?”

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