Chapter 74: 【Final Mission Activated—】
Such a brilliant starry sky could never belong to the Demon Realm.
Most demons had never been to the human realm; they had never seen the moon or the stars.
Countless demons looked up at the suddenly appearing stars, their eyes filled with shock and awe.
Beneath the starry sky, wisps of resentment gathered, forming a blood-red sea in the sky, threatening to engulf the starlight.
Li Yu’s heart sank, and she rushed towards the source of the resentment.
As the resentment intensified, the stars shifted and swirled, forming a brilliant nebula.
The nebula, as if drawn by an invisible force, began to spin.
Even the sea of resentment was pulled into the vortex, swirling beneath the nebula.
It resembled the scene they had witnessed in the City of the Undying, although smaller in scale, it felt far more oppressive.
Because the stars weren’t just hanging in the sky, they were falling, like snowflakes, through the swirling resentment, from the heart of the nebula.
Not just above, but all around, seemingly within reach.
They spun and danced, a breathtaking spectacle of cosmic proportions.
As the starlight swirled, the vortex seemed to devour the world.
The resentment, caught in the starlight, became threads of red.
Dark lights surged towards the vortex, twisting and merging with it, becoming part of the swirling mass.
Li Yu felt the world around her distorting, bending under the vortex’s pull.
Suddenly, black flames erupted.
The resentment, the starlight, all consumed by the flames.
Black flames, blood-red clouds, and starlight, a grotesque painting against the distorted sky.
A scene of impending doom.
Li Yu knew Mu Tao was making her last stand.
And it all happened in a flash.
She rushed forward, wanting to enter the vortex, but she couldn’t.
The swirling energy within was too powerful. With her limited strength, she couldn’t even see what was happening inside, let alone help Mu Tao.
Li Yu stood there, frozen, outside the vortex.
She felt like someone who couldn’t swim, caught in a raging storm, tossed around by the waves, unable to reach the shore.
“Exalted God!” Xiang Hanyu landed beside her, panic in her voice. “I just received a message from Mu Tao, but before I could arrive, these stars appeared… What’s happening? Why is the black-robed figure in the Demon Realm?!”
Li Yu looked at the vortex. “Can you get inside?”
Xiang Hanyu looked at the swirling mass of energy, then shook her head slowly after a moment of silence.
Yan Buqiu, arriving shortly after, also frowned.
“The clash between those two powers is incredibly strong; it has created a barrier.” Yan Buqiu said. “Not only can we not enter, but any external force will just be absorbed into the vortex…”
“It’s similar to the formation in the City of the Undying, but far more complex,” Xiang Hanyu said in a low voice. “To break it, we need a much stronger force to separate the two powers within, or…”
Li Yu: “Or?”
Yan Buqiu: “Or…one of the powers dissipates.”
Xiang Hanyu’s voice was filled with anxiety. “We don’t know what’s happening inside. Will Mu Tao be alright…?”
Li Yu: “…”
Xiang Hanyu and Yan Buqiu continued talking, but their voices became a distant murmur, fading from Li Yu’s awareness.
She had been too naive…
Such power, a preemptive formation wouldn’t be enough to contain it.
—At least, not something Xiang Hanyu could create.
And it happened so quickly; they didn’t have time to prepare.
She couldn’t describe her feelings.
Her heart was burning with anxiety, yet beneath the flames, a strange calmness, a numbness.
A sense of helplessness, like sinking into quicksand, despair threatening to freeze her.
Yet, she could still think.
Perhaps because she had always known this day might come, just unwilling to face it.
In her chaotic thoughts, she had even considered the possibility of Weisheng Xuanzhu already being in the Demon Realm, waiting for the curse to be transferred.
So, should she be grateful that the stars didn’t appear immediately, that he at least had some decency,
That he hadn’t been lurking in the shadows like a rat,
Waiting to ambush them in their wedding chamber, knock Mu Tao unconscious, and take her away?
He had even given them some time…for their wedding night!
How…considerate of him.
Li Yu felt a hysterical laugh rising in her throat.
She now understood why the author abandoned the original outline. With a boss of this level, how could the protagonists possibly win?
Surely not by appealing to his conscience?
And he might not even be the final boss!
The Heavenly Demon he wanted to revive was, according to the novel’s setting, the most powerful demon in existence.
Even Mu Tao, with just the Demon Bone, possessed world-destroying power.
If the Heavenly Demon was truly revived, with the current state of the human realm, this world would likely be destroyed.
The system had said its mission was to help her save this world.
And her choices so far had been guided by the system.
Even when the curse was transferred to Mu Tao, the system hadn’t warned her.
So, this wasn’t the end, perhaps just a necessary step towards the next stage of the main storyline.
She could still do something, she had to…
But what could she do to turn the tide?
Li Yu forced herself to calm down, recalling every detail since arriving here, fearing she had missed a crucial clue.
Just then, the system spoke.
【Attention, Host, the final mission is about to begin!】
The final mission…
Li Yu froze, then saw the black flames within the vortex gradually extinguishing, the resentment dissipating.
The blood-red swirl began to shrink.
Within seconds, only the dreamlike nebula remained in the sky.
As if the resentment and the black flames had never existed.
The falling stars, no longer swirling, froze in place, as if time itself had stopped.
The vortex was gone, and the distorting barrier disappeared along with it.
Li Yu finally saw Mu Tao.
The slender girl in red, trapped in the starlight, motionless, unconscious.
Weisheng Xuanzhu hovered beside her, his dark eyes fixed on Li Yu.
His gaze, usually emotionless,
Now held a flicker of…hesitation.
It wasn’t her imagination; she was almost certain that he wasn’t completely resolute.
“Do you…have to revive the Heavenly Demon?” Li Yu couldn’t help but ask.
They were far apart, her voice soft, but she knew he could hear her.
He just stared at her, his usually unreadable eyes filled with an unsettling intensity, as if trying to see through her.
But he didn’t answer, just as she had never answered his questions.
He took Mu Tao and left, no one able to stop him.
Li Yu instinctively tried to follow but was held back by the lingering starlight.
“Exalted God!”
Xiang Hanyu and Yan Buqiu rushed forward, their spiritual energy swirling as they tried to break the starlight cage.
Black and white lights flickered before her eyes.
But the figure, carried away by the starlight, gradually disappeared from view.
【Final Mission Activated—】
【Mission Objective: Rescue the protagonist, Mu Tao, and prevent the revival of the Heavenly Demon!】
【Mission Location: North Sea Abyss!】
【Time Limit: Five days!】
【The success or failure of this mission depends entirely on the host’s choices. The system cannot interfere but will provide assistance as needed.】
So this was her final mission…
So, in the author’s original outline, the antagonist, after plotting for over three thousand years, weakening the original owner, severing the connection to the Heavenly Realm, and finally obtaining both the demonic soul and the Demon Bone, went to the place where the Heavenly Demon perished, to revive it.
The reason the system prevented her from explaining earlier was because “Mu Tao being cursed” was a necessary part of the final arc.
Li Yu looked up at the dissipating nebula, a bitter smile on her face.
If you had told me earlier, I wouldn’t have…
【If the system told you earlier, would you have been able to willingly hurt the protagonist again?】
“…”
【The system detected your lingering guilt and internal conflict regarding the previous deception—This would greatly affect your judgment and decision-making.】
“…”
【Considering the inevitability of this plot point, the system decided to minimize your emotional distress by using “external force” to lessen your guilt.】
“So, I should be thanking you?”
【You’re welcome. Assisting the host is the system’s duty!】
“I’m not thanking you.”
The system was silent for a moment, then said,
【Assistance for [Jinxu Gui] unlocked.】
The world-protecting artifact, Jinxu Gui?
Unlocking its assistance now, was this the author’s intended solution?
Before Li Yu could think further, a pale green light gently dissolved the starlight cage.
She saw Si Qinglan’s concerned face.
Xiang Hanyu: “Qingxuan Revered One!”
Si Qinglan’s brow was furrowed, her eyes filled with anxiety. “You must already know, Weisheng Xuanzhu is the black-robed figure. He wants to revive the Heavenly Demon—Now that he has both the demonic soul and the Demon Bone, we have to stop him!”
Xiang Hanyu was shocked.
The person who took Mu Tao did indeed wield the black-robed figure’s stellar power.
She had known about his plan to revive the Heavenly Demon, but she never imagined it was Lingyao Revered One—Weisheng Xuanzhu, the Kun Peng Monarch of the North Sea.
“How could this be…” Xiang Hanyu couldn’t believe it. “He’s…he guarded the Upper Spirit Lamp for over three thousand years…”
Yan Buqiu shook her head and sighed.
“Why are you surprised?” Si Qinglan retorted. “Four thousand years ago, the ancient god who released the Heavenly Demon Soul Seed and fell into darkness in the North Sea Abyss…wasn’t he also the guardian of the Upper Spirit Lamp?”
Xiang Hanyu: “…”
Four thousand years ago, the North Sea Abyss…
That fallen god…was also the guardian of the Upper Spirit Lamp?
Li Yu felt like she had grasped something important.
She grabbed Si Qinglan’s wrist. “Come with me!”
“Wh…” Before Si Qinglan could finish, Li Yu pulled her to a deserted corner. “What are you doing? Shouldn’t we be chasing after them?”
Li Yu: “Can you defeat him?”
Si Qinglan opened her mouth, then after a long moment, said, “Are you saying…we’re just going to…let this happen?”
“He took Mu Tao too, she’s the perfect vessel for the Heavenly Demon. Once the seal on the Lamp is broken, the Soul Seed will devour her, she’ll lose her consciousness!” Si Qinglan looked at Li Yu, her eyes filled with confusion. “Are you…just going to…ignore this?”
She frowned. “If you don’t stop him, when you see her again, she won’t be Mu Tao anymore, but the Heavenly Demon.”
Li Yu: “I will save her. That’s why I’m here.”
Si Qinglan: “…”
Li Yu looked down at the Netherbloom Flowers blooming all around them.
She took a deep breath and said softly, “Si Qinglan, what I’m about to ask…you might find it strange, but please tell me everything you know about it.”
Si Qinglan looked confused but didn’t ask any further questions, just waited patiently.
Li Yu: “What exactly…happened in the North Sea four thousand years ago?”
Si Qinglan: “You…”
Li Yu: “Just tell me everything you know, don’t ask anything, I can’t give you any answers.”
【Warning! Warning!】
【The host’s character compatibility is rapidly decreasing!】
Li Yu frowned and said again, “Si Qinglan, this isn’t the time for other matters! We have to find a way to stop the Heavenly Demon’s revival!”
Si Qinglan: “Why are you asking me this?”
【Character Compatibility: 82%!】
“Because Weisheng Xuanzhu wants to know.” Li Yu said seriously. “He’s trying to revive the Heavenly Demon…to get an answer.”
“What answer…”
【Character Compatibility: 69%!】
“I don’t know,” Li Yu said with a wry smile. “If I knew, I would have told him already.”
Si Qinglan’s confusion deepened.
【Character Compatibility: 54%!】
“He kept asking me the same question!”
“He asked me if I was still unwilling to tell him the truth about what happened back then!”
“He asked me what exactly happened in the North Sea four thousand years ago!”
Li Yu’s voice rose with agitation. “Even before he sealed my consciousness, he was still asking me about what happened back then!”
Si Qinglan: “…”
“I can see…it’s his obsession!” Li Yu said. “We have to find the answer he wants, only then can we convince him to stop!”
Her eyes reddened, and she shook her head helplessly. “But I don’t know, I truly don’t know, I can’t answer his questions…”
Si Qinglan: “…”
【Character Compatibility: 46%!】
“I’ve been thinking, if I had been able to give him an answer back then, perhaps everything would have been different.” Li Yu looked at Si Qinglan, her gaze unwavering. “Perhaps…it’s not too late. Can you…put aside your doubts and help me…?”
“…”
“After we find the answer, I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”
“…”
“Si Qinglan, right now, your doubts are insignificant compared to the revival of the Heavenly Demon.”
The drop in her compatibility stopped.
【Character Compatibility: 33%!】
Si Qinglan’s breath seemed to catch.
She was silent for a long time, then sighed and sat down against a nearby tree.
“I wasn’t there four thousand years ago… All I know is…common knowledge.” She muttered. “Even if I tell you everything, it won’t be the answer you want.”
Li Yu: “Just tell me everything you know, that’s all I’m asking.”
She had a suspicion, and perhaps with more information, she would know what to do.
Si Qinglan thought for a moment, then said softly, “Four thousand years ago, the human realm…it was practically drowning in resentment.”
“Demonic calamities were rampant, not just ordinary people, but even the immortal sects were struggling, unable to do anything but watch as the resentment deepened.”
“With so much resentment in the world, everyone knew that the Heavenly Demon’s revival was inevitable, a calamity waiting to befall the Three Realms. Everyone lived in fear.”
“And even more tragically, during the last revival, there were thirteen ancient gods to suppress it—but this time, only two remained, both nearing the end of their ‘burning candle’ phase.”
“One of them was the goddess Yetan, who entrusted the Upper Spirit Lamp and the Jinxu Gui to you before her soul dissipated.” Si Qinglan sighed. “And the other…was the guardian of the Upper Spirit Lamp, unwilling to accept his fate, who sought to control the Heavenly Demon’s power and achieve immortality, later known as the previous Heavenly Demon—the fallen god, Qing Nü.”
Si Qinglan said that the Upper Spirit Lamp was an ancient artifact created to seal the Heavenly Demon, and its guardians were always the most powerful gods in existence; Qing Nü was no exception.
But as the other ancient gods faded, Qing Nü also disappeared.
No one knew where she went, she simply vanished along with the Upper Spirit Lamp.
“Disappeared…” Li Yu hugged her knees.
“Yes, there was no trace of her anywhere. With the resentment in the human realm intensifying, and the guardian of the Upper Spirit Lamp nowhere to be found, many assumed she had been burned out, her soul dissipated.” Si Qinglan’s voice was filled with emotion. “But she hadn’t died, just…when she reappeared, she was already the fallen god, consumed by the Heavenly Demon’s power, her mind lost.”
“I understand,” Li Yu said, sighing softly. “He wants to revive the Heavenly Demon; breaking the seal on the Upper Spirit Lamp would be enough, so if he wants the Demon Bone…it must be to…find her.”
Si Qinglan pondered this, then seemed to understand.
She looked up at Li Yu. “Are you saying…Qing Nü was in the North Sea all those years she was missing?”
Li Yu: “I’m not sure, but…perhaps.”
Si Qinglan: “…”
Li Yu: “Perhaps…he wants to know why Qing Nü became the Heavenly Demon.”
Si Qinglan: “Everyone saw what happened. She broke the seal on the Upper Spirit Lamp, absorbed the Heavenly Demon Soul Seed, and fell into darkness, using the resentment in the world to become the Heavenly Demon…”
Li Yu: “But that’s not the answer he wants.”
Si Qinglan frowned. “…Then why ask you?”
Li Yu: “Perhaps…because I was there.”
Si Qinglan: “If that’s why, then your answer is the one he least wants to hear.”
Li Yu: “…”
Si Qinglan asked again, “Then why does he keep asking you?”
Li Yu: “…”
Si Qinglan: “Many people were there that day, including terrestrial immortals. Why does he only ask you? Why is he so certain you lied? And why does he think you know something others don’t?”
Li Yu: “…”
Si Qinglan: “There must be a reason. If you don’t remember anything, how will you find the answer?”
Li Yu shook her head, her thoughts in disarray.
How could she possibly know the answer?
She didn’t have any of the original owner’s memories…
【Assistance for [Jinxu Gui] unlocked.】
Was this a hint to use the artifact?
Li Yu hesitated, then slowly raised her hands.
A blue light flickered, and the green jade sundial materialized in her palm.
Si Qinglan looked surprised. “The Jinxu Gui?”
Li Yu nodded, staring at the sundial, confused.
—What was this thing even for?
She activated the system assistance.
The next second, her spiritual energy flowed into the sundial.
Si Qinglan’s expression changed drastically, and she grabbed Li Yu’s arm, extinguishing the light. “Li Yu, are you crazy?! You want to activate the Jinxu Gui?!”
Li Yu: “Can’t I?”
Si Qinglan took a deep breath, her voice rising in anger. “NO!!!”
Li Yu: “…”
Such a strong reaction, was this thing dangerous?
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