fēng yún jì huì ， lóng shé hùn zá 。
风云际会，龙蛇混杂。
Storms and clouds gathered, with all sorts of characters mingling.
gǔ xiū shì zūn bǎo fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， jǐn guǎn xīn zhōng yí huò ， yě yǒu yuè lái yuè duō de xiū xiān zhě qián pū hòu jì de lái le 。
古修士遵宝非同小可，尽管心中疑惑，也有越来越多的修仙者前仆后继的来了。
Despite the doubts in his heart, many cultivators continued to arrive one after another as they believed that the ancient immortal’s treasure was no small matter. Some thought there might be a conspiracy, but what did it matter? Cultivation was inherently perilous, and high-ranking cultivators had all come through blood and sweat.
suī rán yě yǒu rén xiǎng dào kě néng yǒu yīn móu ， dàn nà yòu rú hé ， xiū xiān běn jiù wēi xiǎn biàn bù ， gāo jiē xiū shì shuí bú shì xīng fēng xuè yǔ zhōng zǒu guò lái de 。
虽然也有人想到可能有阴谋，但那又如何，修仙本就危险遍布，高阶修士谁不是腥风血雨中走过来的。
Even if the ancient immortals’ treasure wasn’t real, with so many fellow practitioners entering, they could still take advantage of the situation to kill for treasures. Such thoughts weren't limited to just a few; an ominous atmosphere seemed to permeate the air.
jiù suàn gǔ xiū shì lián bǎo wèi bì shǔ shí ， zhè me duō tóng dào jìn qù ， yě kě yǐ ；$ shuǐ mō yú ， chèn jī gàn nà shā rén qiǎng bǎo zhī shì 。
就算古修士连宝未必属实，这么多同道进去，也可以；$水摸鱼，趁机干那杀人抢宝之事。
Outside Yunling Mountain, on a small, unremarkable mountain peak.
ér qiě cún yǒu zhè zhǒng xiǎng fǎ de bìng fēi yí gè liǎng gè ， kōng qì zhōng sì hū dōu mí màn qǐ yī gǔ wēi xiǎn de qì fēn lái le 。
而且存有这种想法的并非一个两个，空气中似乎都弥漫起一股危险的气氛来了。
Atop the mountain stood two figures, one slightly younger than Lin Xuan, around seventeen or eighteen years old, with skin as white as jade. His eyebrows and hair were like winter snow, his demeanor calm and peaceful. If the elders of Stone City saw him, they would be shocked—this was their revered city lord.
yún lǐng shān wài cè ， mǒu zuò bù qǐ yǎn de xiǎo shān fēng 。
纭岭山外侧，某座不起眼的小山峰。
Why should North Void True Monarch come out of seclusion to Yunling Mountain?
；I。 dǐng zhī tǔ ， ào rán chù lì zhe liǎng gè rén yǐng 。
；I。顶之土，傲然矗立着两个人影。
The person next to him was even more shocking. He was shrouded in a black aura, with features that seemed different from those of humans. His aura was particularly similar to that of the ancient demon Kala.
zuǒ biān yí gè ， bù guò shí qī bā suì nián jì ， bǐ lín xuān hái yào xiǎo yī xiē ， jī fū yíng bái rú yù ， rán ér tā de tóu méi máo ， què rú tóng dōng tiān de bái xuě 。
左边一个，不过十七八岁年纪，比林轩还要小一些，肌肤莹白如玉，然而他的头眉毛，却如同冬天的白雪。
His identity remained a mystery, but his cultivation had reached late-stage元婴.
qì zhì chōng dàn píng hé ， rú guǒ mán shí chéng de zhǎng lǎo men jiàn dào kěn dìng dà jīng shī sè ， cǐ rén jū rán shì tā men suǒ jìng wèi de chéng zhǔ 。
气质冲淡平和，如果瞒石城的长老们见到肯定大惊失色，此人居然是他们所敬畏的城主。
With his eyes closed, he secretly released his divine sense and after a moment, a satisfied expression appeared on his face: "Not bad, not bad. There are at least ten thousand cultivators who have come to Yunling Mountain seeking their deaths. With so many sacrificial offerings, our plan will definitely succeed."
běi míng zhēn jūn bù yīng gāi zài dòng fǔ nèi bì guān xiū liàn zhí lái ， lái zhè lǐ zuò shén me ？
北冥真君不应该在洞府内闭关修炼直来，来这里做什么？
"But among these people, there are more than seven or eight high-ranking cultivators in the late-stage元婴 phase. More might follow behind them. Shouldn’t we be cautious?"
gèng lìng rén jīng yà de shì tā páng biān de nà ge jiā huo 。
更令人惊讶的是他旁边的那个家伙。
"Of course not," the figure with the black aura chuckled. "If you weren't a half-demon, I wouldn’t trust you to collaborate."
hún shēn lǒng zhào zhe yī tuán hēi qì ， wǔ guān suī kàn bù qīng chǔ ， dàn yǐn yǐn de yǔ rén lèi dà bù xiāng tóng ， yóu qí shì tā suǒ sàn chū lái de qì xī ， jìng yǔ jiā luó gǔ mó jīng rén de xiāng sì 。
浑身笼罩着一团黑气，五官虽看不清楚，但隐隐的与人类大不相同，尤其是他所散出来的气息，竟与迦罗古魔惊人的相似。
North Void True Monarch frowned but quickly regained his composure: "But I didn’t expect there to still be demons and monsters in Yunzhou after all these years."
shēn fèn chéng mí ， dàn xiū wèi yě dào le yuán yīng hòu qī 。
身份成谜，但修为也到了元婴后期。
"Hmph, what’s so strange about that? In ancient times, we were indeed severely injured by the ancient immortals. But saying we were completely exterminated is an exaggeration. It’s just that here on this mortal plane, we can’t match you humans, so we had to endure and recover in those remote lands. After a million years, it's perfectly normal for us to have thousands of clans."
nà jiā huo shuāng mù jǐn bì ， qiǎo rán ér yǐn mì de jiāng shén shí fàng chū ， piàn kè yǐ hòu ， liǎn shàng lù chū mǎn yì zhī sè ：“ bù cuò ， bù cuò ， dào yún lǐng shān mài lái zhǎo sǐ de xiū shì ， méi yǒu shí wàn ， yīng gāi yě yǒu bā qiān le ， yǒu le zhè me duō xuè jì zhī wù ， wǒ men de jì huà yí dìng huì chéng gōng de 。”
那家伙双目紧闭，悄然而隐秘的将神识放出，片刻以后，脸上露出满意之色：“不错，不错，到纭岭山脉来找死的修士，没有十万，应该也有八千了，有了这么多血祭之物，我们的计划一定会成功的。”
"What do you mean by 'this mortal plane'?" North Void True Monarch frowned, showing signs of suspicion.
“ bù guò zhè xiē rén zhī zhōng ， chú le dī jiē xiū xiān zhě ， guāng yuán yīng qī lǎo guài yě jìn qù le qī bā gè ， hòu miàn yě xǔ hái huì gèng duō ， zhēn de méi yǒu wèn tí me ， gé xià què dìng bú huì nòng qiǎo chéng zhuō ？”
“不过这些人之中，除了低阶修仙者，光元婴期老怪也进去了七八个，后面也许还会更多，真的没有问题么，阁下确定不会弄巧成拙？”
"Is something wrong? With your powers, shouldn’t you be familiar with the concept of planes? You should know that there are three major planes—Heavenly Realm, Spirit Realm, and Ancient Demon Realm. Each is vast and unique. But mortal realms, which number nine, follow a pattern of 9x9, converging into one," the demon said lightly.
běi míng zhēn jūn huǎn huǎn de kāi kǒu le 。
北冥真君缓缓的开口了。
"I understand this. So what?"
“ fàng xīn ， wǒ xīn zhōng yǒu shù ， dī jiē xiū shì shù liàng suī duō ， dàn ruò méi yǒu jǐ wèi yuán yīng qī xiū shì de jīng hún zuò wèi kāi qǐ zhèn fǎ de yào shi ， yī jiù méi yǒu bàn fǎ dǐ xiāo jiè miàn zhī lì ， mó zǔ fēn hún yě jiù hěn nán shùn lì jiàng lín hào -o” nà hēi qì zhōng de rén yǐng huǎn huǎn de kāi kǒu le ， xiǎn de xiōng yǒu chéng zhú ：“ bù guò wǒ dào méi yǒu xiǎng dào ， běi míng dào yǒu shēn wèi mán shí chéng zhī zhǔ ， jū rán huì xīn hěn shǒu là dào rú cǐ dì bù ， lián shǒu xià zhǎng lǎo yě yī shì tóng rén de piàn qù sòng sǐ 。”
“放心，我心中有数，低阶修士数量虽多，但若没有几位元婴期修士的精魂做为开启阵法的钥匙，依旧没有办法抵消界面之力，魔祖分魂也就很难顺利降临号-o”那黑气中的人影缓缓的开口了，显得胸有成竹：“不过我倒没有想到，北冥道友身为瞒石城之主，居然会心狠手辣到如此地步，连手下长老也一视同仁的骗去送死。”
"This is obvious: in about four out of the nine mortal planes, humans and demons are dominant, while our demon clans have been completely wiped out. In another plane, there’s a three-way balance with more bloodshed than others. As for the remaining four..."
“ nǐ zhè me shuō kě shì fěng cì yú wǒ ？” běi míng zhēn jūn de liǎn shàng xiàn chū bù kuài zhī sè ：“ zài xià de dǐ xì nǐ yòu bú shì bù qīng chǔ ， bù guǎn zài rén zú hái shì yāo zú dōu dà shòu pái chì ， jí biàn shēn wèi dà xiū shì ， kě yí dàn shēn fèn bào lù ， yě bù kě néng zài zuò chéng zhǔ ， tā men jì rán méi yǒu jiāng wǒ dàng chéng zì jǐ rén ， wǒ píng shén me yào zài hū tā men de sǐ huó ， dāng chū jiā rù mán shí chéng yě bù guò shì wèi le tì shēn fèn zhǎo yǎn hù ， yǒu yí gè ān jìng de xiū liàn zhī suǒ ， rú jīn gèng shì dàng zuò lì yòng de gōng jù bà le 。
“你这么说可是讽刺于我？”北冥真君的脸上现出不快之色：“在下的底细你又不是不清楚，不管在人族还是妖族都大受排斥，即便身为大修士，可一旦身份暴露，也不可能再做城主，他们既然没有将我当成自己人，我凭什么要在乎他们的死活，当初加入瞒石城也不过是为了替身份找掩护，有一个安静的修炼之所，如今更是当作利用的工具罢了。
"How so?" North Void True Monarch was surprised despite his growing intuition.
“ bù cuò ， dào yǒu ruò fēi bàn yāo zhī xiū ， wǒ hái xǐ bù fàng xīn yǔ nǐ hé zuò 。” hēi qì zhōng de rén yǐng guài xiào zhe shuō 。
“不错，道友若非半妖之休，我还喜不放心与你合作。”黑气中的人影怪笑着说。
"Exactly as I said: in those four planes, our demon clans are strong, while your human and demon clans are merely surviving," the demon said excitedly.
běi míng zhēn jūn méi tou yí zhòu ， dàn hěn kuài jiù shén sè rú cháng ：“ bù guò wǒ dǎo shì méi yǒu xiǎng dào ， zài yún zhōu ， jū rán hái yǒu yāo mó cún zài ， ér qiě shù liàng rú cǐ zhī duō 。”
北冥真君眉头一皱，但很快就神色如常：“不过我倒是没有想到，在云州，居然还有妖魔存在，而且数量如此之多。”
"You’re serious?"
“ hēng ， zhè yǒu shén me hào qí guài de ， zài shàng gǔ shí qī ， wǒ men suī rán què shí bèi gǔ xiū shì zhòng shāng le yuán qì ， dàn ruò shuō miè shā dài jìn ， wèi miǎn tài guò kuā dà qí cí ， zhǐ bù guò zài zhè chù rén jiè ， wǒ men què shí wú fǎ hé nǐ men xiāng pǐ dí ， suǒ yǐ bù dé bù rěn qì tūn shēng ， mào yú nà xiē qióng shān è shuǐ de mán huāng zhī dì ， màn màn de xiū yǎng shēng xī ， rú jīn bǎi wàn nián guò qù ， yǒu shù qiān zú rén shì zài zhèng cháng bù guò de shì 。”
“哼，这有什么好奇怪的，在上古时期，我们虽然确实被古修士重伤了元气，但若说灭杀殆尽，未免太过夸大其辞，只不过在这处人界，我们确实无法和你们相匹敌，所以不得不忍气吞声，茂于那些穷山恶水的蛮荒之地，慢慢的休养生息，如今百万年过去，有数千族人是再正常不过的事。”
"Why would I lie to you? As a demon, I won’t break my word to you." The figure with the black aura waved his hand firmly. "This opportunity came by chance. Our clan has always wanted to connect with our counterparts in the upper realms, but it took a million years to succeed. Unexpectedly, the Demon Sovereign used great power to contact us and passed down this Ten Thousand Soul Blood Refinement Great Formation. Once activated, it can neutralize the boundary force, allowing the Demon Sovereign’s spirit fragment to descend."
zhè chù rén jiè ， gé xià zhè huà shì shén me yì si ？” běi míng zhēn jūn méi tou yí zhòu ， liǎn shàng xiàn chū jǐ fēn jīng yí 。
这处人界，阁下这话是什么意思？”北冥真君眉头一皱，脸上现出几分惊疑。
"You and I are both late-stage元婴. The Demon Sovereign promised that if we succeed, he will take us back to the upper realms. The cultivation resources in the Ancient Demon Realm far surpass those on this mortal plane. With your and my abilities, it would be extremely difficult for us to advance beyond the Separation Stage here. But there…," the demon's face lit up with excitement.
“ zěn me ， yǐ dào yǒu de shén tōng ， nán dào duì jiè miàn zhī shuō hái bù qīng chǔ ， nǐ yīng gāi zhī dào xiān jiè ， líng jiè ， hái yǒu gǔ mó jiè zhè yàng de shàng wèi jiè miàn guǎng dà wú bǐ ， qiě dān gè wéi yī ， kě xià wèi jiè miàn de rén jiè ， què gòng yǒu jiǔ chù ， àn hán jiǔ jiǔ guī yī de yì tú 。” nà yāo mó qīng xiào zhe shuō 。
“怎么，以道友的神通，难道对界面之说还不清楚，你应该知道仙界，灵界，还有古魔界这样的上位界面广大无比，且单个唯一，可下位界面的人界，却共有九处，暗含九九归一的意图。”那妖魔轻笑着说。
"You are a demon, so you have no worries when entering our realm. However, I heard that even at the Separation Stage, flying to our realm requires transforming into demons through demonic essence induction, which is extremely harsh and can be fatal for most. As a late-stage元婴, how could I possibly survive?"
“ zhè lú mǒu zì rán qīng chǔ ， nà yòu rú hé ？”
“这卢某自然清楚，那又如何？”
"Don’t worry about it," the demon comforted him earnestly. "Our clan has strict rules. If you help me achieve great success this time, why would the Demon Sovereign ignore us? Once we reach the upper realms, with the Demon Sovereign personally overseeing, you will be completely safe."
“ zhè bú shì míng bǎi zhe ， jiǔ gè rén jiè zhī zhōng ， dà yuē yǒu sì gè ， shì rén zú yǔ yāo zú wéi zhǔ ， ér wǒ men mó zú ， zé bèi tú chuō yī kōng ， hái yǒu yí gè sān zú dǐng lì ， yuǎn bǐ qí tā rén jiè yǒu gèng duō de xīng fēng xuè yǔ ， zhì yú shèng xià de sì gè ……”
“这不是明摆着，九个人界之中，大约有四个，是人族与妖族为主，而我们魔族，则被屠戳一空，还有一个三族鼎立，远比其他人界有更多的腥风血雨，至于剩下的四个……”
"I don’t doubt your sincerity, but such a guarantee is insufficient for something so critical," North Void True Monarch replied cunningly. He wouldn't trust verbal promises; he might face betrayal.
“ rú hé ？” běi míng xǐ jūn xīn zhōng jǐn guǎn yǐ yǐn yǐn jīng dào le ， yī jiù rěn bú zhù bó rán biàn sè 。
“如何？”北冥喜君心中尽管已隐隐精到了，依旧忍不住勃然变色。
"What do you suggest?" the demon was displeased.
“ zì rán fǎn guò lái ， nà sì gè rén jiè zhī zhōng ， wǒ men mó zú shì lì xióng qiáng ， ér nǐ men rén yāo liǎng zú ， zé bù guò shì gǒu yán cán chuǎn bà le 。”
“自然反过来，那四个人界之中，我们魔族势力雄强，而你们人妖两族，则不过是苟延残喘罢了。”
"It’s simple: sign a life-and-death pact with me. I will have no reservations and will fully assist you." North Void True Monarch stepped forward, his voice firm.
“ jìng yǒu cǐ shì ？”
“竟有此事？”
"A life-and-death pact? That sounds too extreme," the demon was taken aback.
“ wǒ yòu hé bì piàn nǐ 。” yāo mó de shēng yīn mǎn shì dé yì ：“ dào yǒu xiǎng bì yě zhī dào ， líng jiè yǔ mó jiè zhī jiān ， shí cháng huì shēng dà zhàn ， kě yì wàn nián lái ， què bìng jià qí qū ， shí lì shǐ zhōng xiāng chā wú jǐ ， ér zuò wèi shàng wèi jiè miàn ， suī rán yě yǒu tǔ shēng tǔ zhǎng de xiū shì yǔ yāo mó ， dàn tóng yàng yě lí bù kāi fēi shēng zhě zuò wèi bǔ chōng ， ér nǐ men rén yāo liǎng zú de lí hé qī gāo shǒu ， ruò fēi wàn bù dé yǐ ， gēn běn bú huì xuǎn zé fēi shēng qù mó jiè ， rú guǒ bú shì lìng jǐ chù rén jiè yǐ yāo mó wéi zhǔ ， ràng mó jiè yě kě yǐ dé dào chōng zú de fēi shēng zhě bǔ chōng ，「 duò ！ nián guò qù ， líng jiè zǎo jiù dà zhàn shàng fēng 。”「「 yàn yīn běi míng zhēn jūn - diǎn le diǎn tóu ， zhè fān huà dào yě zài qíng lǐ zhī zhōng 。
“我又何必骗你。”妖魔的声音满是得意：“道友想必也知道，灵界与魔界之间，时常会生大战，可亿万年来，却并驾齐驱，实力始终相差无几，而做为上位界面，虽然也有土生土长的修士与妖魔，但同样也离不开飞升者做为补充，而你们人妖两族的离合期高手，若非万不得已，根本不会选择飞升去魔界，如果不是另几处人界以妖魔为主，让魔界也可以得到充足的飞升者补充，「堕！年过去，灵界早就大占上风。”「「堰阴北冥真君-点了点头，这番话倒也在情理之中。
A life-and-death pact is an ancient mysterious agreement akin to a master-servant blood oath. Both parties must enter willingly without any hesitation.
hé kuàng tā zhī suǒ yǐ wèn yě shì yīn wèi xīn zhōng hào qí ， zhè xiē shì qíng běn yǔ tā méi yǒu duō dà guān xì 。
何况他之所以问也是因为心中好奇，这些事情本与他没有多大关系。
Once signed, there are no benefits; its sole purpose is to bind two lives together. If one party dies, the other will also mysteriously perish due to cosmic laws, regardless of whether they were harmed or not.
yuán yīng hòu qī fàng zài rén jiè gù rán yǐ shì dǐng jí de cún zài ， bù guò jù lí fēi shēng yī jiù xiān lù yáo yuǎn 。
元婴后期放在人界固然已是顶级的存在，不过距离飞升依旧仙路遥远。
Such an agreement was rarely used because it benefited neither party. However, for North Void True Monarch, this was perfect. By signing this pact, he wouldn’t fear betrayal.
niàn jí zhì cǐ ， běi míng zhēn jūn chén jiù le xià qù ， guò le piàn kè ， cái yòu huǎn huǎn de kāi kǒu le ：“ zhè cì de shì qíng ， zhào dào yǒu suǒ shuō ， nǐ yǒu jiǔ chéng bǎ wò ， nà chéng gōng yǐ hòu ， duì wǒ de xǔ nuò yī yī r yī yī yī ”
念及至此，北冥真君沉就了下去，过了片刻，才又缓缓的开口了：“这次的事情，照道友所说，你有九成把握，那成功以后，对我的许诺一一r一一一”
Facing the demon's anger, his expression remained warm: "What’s there to be afraid of? This pact can always be rescinded once we reach the upper realms. If I succeed in my body induction and become a fellow clan member, we can dissolve the pact afterward. You said the Demon Sovereign would protect us; with no danger involved, what do you have to fear?"
“ fàng xīn ， zài xià suī shì yāo mó ， dàn yě jué bú huì duì dào yǒu shí yán de 。” hēi qì zhōng de rén yǐng bǎi le bǎi shǒu ， zhǎn dīng jié tiě de shuō r：“ zhè yī cì de shì qíng ， qí shí yě shì jī yuán qiǎo hé ， suī rán wǒ men zhè yī jiè de zú rén yì zhí xiǎng yào yǔ shàng jiè tóng zú qǔ dé lián xì ， dàn bǎi wàn nián lái dōu wèi néng chéng gōng ， méi xiǎng dào shù nián qián ， mó zǔ què shī zhǎn dà shén tōng ， zhǔ dòng yǔ wǒ men lián xì shàng le ， bìng chuán xià zhè wàn hún xuè liàn dà zhèn ， kāi qǐ zhī hòu ， kě yǐ dǐ xiāo gé jiè zhī lì ， ràng mó zǔ dà rén de fēn hún jiàng lín 。”
“放心，在下虽是妖魔，但也绝不会对道友食言的。”黑气中的人影摆了摆手，斩钉截铁的说r：“这一次的事情，其实也是机缘巧合，虽然我们这一界的族人一直想要与上界同族取得联系，但百万年来都未能成功，没想到数年前，魔祖却施展大神通，主动与我们联系上了，并传下这万魂血炼大阵，开启之后，可以抵消隔界之力，让魔祖大人的分魂降临。”
The demon remained silent, his eyes flashing with intent. For an instant, murderous intent leaked out uncontrollably. But North Void True Monarch ignored it, smiling even more warmly.
“ ér nǐ wǒ dōu shì yuán yīng hòu qī ， mó zǔ dā yìng shì chéng zhī hòu huì dài wǒ men fǎn huí shàng jiè ， gǔ mó jiè de xiū liàn zī yuán kě yuǎn bú shì rén jiè néng gòu xiāng bǐ ， yǐ nǐ wǒ de zī zhì zài rén jiè hěn nán jìn jiē lí hé qī ， bù guò dào le nà lǐ ……” shuō dào zhè lǐ ， hēi qì zhōng de yāo mó méi fēi sè wǔ ， mǎn liǎn xīng fèn zhī sè 。
“而你我都是元婴后期，魔祖答应事成之后会带我们返回上界，古魔界的修炼资源可远不是人界能够相比，以你我的资质在人界很难进阶离合期，不过到了那里……”说到这里，黑气中的妖魔眉飞色舞，满脸兴奋之色。
After a long moment of staring, the demon’s anger suddenly vanished, and he smiled: "You’re right; I’m genuinely willing to cooperate. If you still have doubts, we can sign the pact."
“ gé xià běn shì yāo mó ， dào le mó jiè zì rán shì méi yǒu dà ài ， kě wǒ tīng shuō ， rén yāo liǎng zú ， jí biàn shì lí hé qī xiū shì ， fēi shēng dào mó jiè ， yě yào jīng lì mó qì yòu tǐ ， cái néng zhuǎn huà wèi yāo mó ， ér nà shì fēi cháng yán kē de xǐ suǐ duàn tǐ zhī shù ， lí hé qī de fēi shēng zhě ， shí yǒu ** yě chéng shòu bú zhù ， bào tǐ ér wáng le ， zài xià zhǐ yǒu yuán yīng hòu qī ， qǐ bù ……”
“阁下本是妖魔，到了魔界自然是没有大碍，可我听说，人妖两族，即便是离合期修士，飞升到魔界，也要经历魔气诱体，才能转化为妖魔，而那是非常严苛的洗髓锻体之术，离合期的飞升者，十有**也承受不住，爆体而亡了，在下只有元婴后期，岂不……”
"Thank you for your understanding," North Void True Monarch said with a laugh. "Rest assured, I will do my utmost to ensure the Demon Sovereign’s spirit fragment descends successfully." He was overjoyed and quickly added: "But there's one thing that has puzzled me. The Demon Sovereign is an upper realm entity; why would he come here? Could it be preparing another invasion like in ancient times?"
“ zhè ge dào yǒu bù yòng dān xīn ， wǒ mó zú shǎng fá fēn míng ， zhè huí nǐ xié zhù wǒ lì xià dà gōng ， mó zǔ zěn me kě néng xiù shǒu bù gù ， dào le shàng jiè yǐ hòu ， yǒu mó zǔ qīn zì chū shǒu zhào fú ， nǐ jué duì shì yǒu jīng wú xiǎn de 。” yāo mó máng kāi kǒu ān wèi ， shēng yīn yǔ qì ， wú bù chéng kěn yǐ jí 。
“这个道友不用担心，我魔族赏罚分明，这回你协助我立下大功，魔祖怎么可能袖手不顾，到了上界以后，有魔祖亲自出手照拂，你绝对是有惊无险的。”妖魔忙开口安慰，声音语气，无不诚恳以极。
"Of course not," the demon shook his head. "A million years ago, our clans invaded this mortal plane due to a special reason that weakened the boundary force. This allowed many demons and monsters to descend into the lower realms. Such events only happened a few times over billions of years; it’s impossible for another invasion to occur."
Storms and clouds gathered, with all sorts of characters mingling.
Despite the doubts in his heart, many cultivators continued to arrive one after another as they believed that the ancient immortal’s treasure was no small matter. Some thought there might be a conspiracy, but what did it matter? Cultivation was inherently perilous, and high-ranking cultivators had all come through blood and sweat.
Even if the ancient immortals’ treasure wasn’t real, with so many fellow practitioners entering, they could still take advantage of the situation to kill for treasures. Such thoughts weren't limited to just a few; an ominous atmosphere seemed to permeate the air.
Outside Yunling Mountain, on a small, unremarkable mountain peak.
Atop the mountain stood two figures, one slightly younger than Lin Xuan, around seventeen or eighteen years old, with skin as white as jade. His eyebrows and hair were like winter snow, his demeanor calm and peaceful. If the elders of Stone City saw him, they would be shocked—this was their revered city lord.
Why should North Void True Monarch come out of seclusion to Yunling Mountain?
The person next to him was even more shocking. He was shrouded in a black aura, with features that seemed different from those of humans. His aura was particularly similar to that of the ancient demon Kala.
His identity remained a mystery, but his cultivation had reached late-stage元婴.
With his eyes closed, he secretly released his divine sense and after a moment, a satisfied expression appeared on his face: "Not bad, not bad. There are at least ten thousand cultivators who have come to Yunling Mountain seeking their deaths. With so many sacrificial offerings, our plan will definitely succeed."
"But among these people, there are more than seven or eight high-ranking cultivators in the late-stage元婴 phase. More might follow behind them. Shouldn’t we be cautious?"
"Of course not," the figure with the black aura chuckled. "If you weren't a half-demon, I wouldn’t trust you to collaborate."
North Void True Monarch frowned but quickly regained his composure: "But I didn’t expect there to still be demons and monsters in Yunzhou after all these years."
"Hmph, what’s so strange about that? In ancient times, we were indeed severely injured by the ancient immortals. But saying we were completely exterminated is an exaggeration. It’s just that here on this mortal plane, we can’t match you humans, so we had to endure and recover in those remote lands. After a million years, it's perfectly normal for us to have thousands of clans."
"What do you mean by 'this mortal plane'?" North Void True Monarch frowned, showing signs of suspicion.
"Is something wrong? With your powers, shouldn’t you be familiar with the concept of planes? You should know that there are three major planes—Heavenly Realm, Spirit Realm, and Ancient Demon Realm. Each is vast and unique. But mortal realms, which number nine, follow a pattern of 9x9, converging into one," the demon said lightly.
"I understand this. So what?"
"This is obvious: in about four out of the nine mortal planes, humans and demons are dominant, while our demon clans have been completely wiped out. In another plane, there’s a three-way balance with more bloodshed than others. As for the remaining four..."
"How so?" North Void True Monarch was surprised despite his growing intuition.
"Exactly as I said: in those four planes, our demon clans are strong, while your human and demon clans are merely surviving," the demon said excitedly.
"You’re serious?"
"Why would I lie to you? As a demon, I won’t break my word to you." The figure with the black aura waved his hand firmly. "This opportunity came by chance. Our clan has always wanted to connect with our counterparts in the upper realms, but it took a million years to succeed. Unexpectedly, the Demon Sovereign used great power to contact us and passed down this Ten Thousand Soul Blood Refinement Great Formation. Once activated, it can neutralize the boundary force, allowing the Demon Sovereign’s spirit fragment to descend."
"You and I are both late-stage元婴. The Demon Sovereign promised that if we succeed, he will take us back to the upper realms. The cultivation resources in the Ancient Demon Realm far surpass those on this mortal plane. With your and my abilities, it would be extremely difficult for us to advance beyond the Separation Stage here. But there…," the demon's face lit up with excitement.
"You are a demon, so you have no worries when entering our realm. However, I heard that even at the Separation Stage, flying to our realm requires transforming into demons through demonic essence induction, which is extremely harsh and can be fatal for most. As a late-stage元婴, how could I possibly survive?"
"Don’t worry about it," the demon comforted him earnestly. "Our clan has strict rules. If you help me achieve great success this time, why would the Demon Sovereign ignore us? Once we reach the upper realms, with the Demon Sovereign personally overseeing, you will be completely safe."
"I don’t doubt your sincerity, but such a guarantee is insufficient for something so critical," North Void True Monarch replied cunningly. He wouldn't trust verbal promises; he might face betrayal.
"What do you suggest?" the demon was displeased.
"It’s simple: sign a life-and-death pact with me. I will have no reservations and will fully assist you." North Void True Monarch stepped forward, his voice firm.
"A life-and-death pact? That sounds too extreme," the demon was taken aback.
A life-and-death pact is an ancient mysterious agreement akin to a master-servant blood oath. Both parties must enter willingly without any hesitation.
Once signed, there are no benefits; its sole purpose is to bind two lives together. If one party dies, the other will also mysteriously perish due to cosmic laws, regardless of whether they were harmed or not.
Such an agreement was rarely used because it benefited neither party. However, for North Void True Monarch, this was perfect. By signing this pact, he wouldn’t fear betrayal.
Facing the demon's anger, his expression remained warm: "What’s there to be afraid of? This pact can always be rescinded once we reach the upper realms. If I succeed in my body induction and become a fellow clan member, we can dissolve the pact afterward. You said the Demon Sovereign would protect us; with no danger involved, what do you have to fear?"
The demon remained silent, his eyes flashing with intent. For an instant, murderous intent leaked out uncontrollably. But North Void True Monarch ignored it, smiling even more warmly.
After a long moment of staring, the demon’s anger suddenly vanished, and he smiled: "You’re right; I’m genuinely willing to cooperate. If you still have doubts, we can sign the pact."
"Thank you for your understanding," North Void True Monarch said with a laugh. "Rest assured, I will do my utmost to ensure the Demon Sovereign’s spirit fragment descends successfully." He was overjoyed and quickly added: "But there's one thing that has puzzled me. The Demon Sovereign is an upper realm entity; why would he come here? Could it be preparing another invasion like in ancient times?"
"Of course not," the demon shook his head. "A million years ago, our clans invaded this mortal plane due to a special reason that weakened the boundary force. This allowed many demons and monsters to descend into the lower realms. Such events only happened a few times over billions of years; it’s impossible for another invasion to occur."