I’m a celestial demon!
Never heard of a celestial demon being locked down like this, and being so thoroughly subdued.
"Ah, I’m just an ordinary mortal creature, haven’t you seen it already?" Zhang Chen gave the Great Freedom Celestial Demon a look, then tentatively asked, "Have you awakened any secrets from ancient times?"
The Great Freedom Celestial Demon shook its head: "I can’t recall! I need to sleep to better awaken my memories. Handle the next matters yourself, I won’t be busy with you."
After speaking, the Great Freedom Celestial Demon vanished into thin air, leaving Zhang Chen looking silently at the chaos in Chongzheng Academy.
By now, all the nobles are completely dead, and within Chongzheng Academy besides Zhang Chen and Zhou Qiucheng, there isn’t a single living being.
As for Zhou Qiucheng’s wife, she was secretly sent away by Zhou Qiucheng during the turmoil in Jinling City.
After resolving the hidden danger of the Great Freedom Celestial Demon, Zhang Chen’s gaze fell on Zhou Qiucheng’s corpse. The next moment he underwent Extreme Realm Ascension. The Innate Jianmu descended into the emerald green river of life, and Zhang Chen, in a breath, transcended the Eleventh and Twelfth Tiers, entering the ’Fruit Position’ realm. The Law of Life blossomed in Zhang Chen’s hand:
"Healing!"
The Power of Life flowed down, and Zhou Qiucheng’s throat wound, which had burst open, began to heal again. However, at this time, Zhou Qiucheng was without a breath, completely dead.
Fortunately, Zhou Qiucheng’s soul hadn’t dissipated, still dwelling within the flesh. Zhang Chen pointed at Zhou Qiucheng’s body, Yama Authority flared up:
"Revival!"
With Zhang Chen’s activation of the Yama Authority, Zhou Qiucheng’s chest began to rise and fall, his breathing gradually restored, and he slowly regained a trace of vitality.
As the heartbeats echoed, Zhou Qiucheng slowly opened his eyes and met Zhang Chen’s gaze. Zhou Qiucheng instinctively touched his throat, his eyes full of bewilderment:
"Wasn’t I dead? Did I fall under an illusion just now?"
Zhang Chen didn’t want to explain matters concerning the Great Freedom Celestial Demon to Zhou Qiucheng. The latter had already been parasitized by the Great Freedom Celestial Demon, even if Zhang Chen removed its head, the authority of the parasite would transfer to the Great Freedom Celestial Demon.
Because the two are one entity, if one disappears, the other inherits everything of the counterpart.
"Previously, a peculiar master of the illusion technique became a fish that slipped through the net. Without protection, sir fell into a trap. I spent some effort suppressing that anomaly and summoned sir to awaken from the Illusion Realm." While Zhang Chen talked, with a wave of his palm, the Nine Bends Yellow River Talisman Array transformed into a stream of light, merging into his sleeve, and the Sea of Blood Array transformed into one thousand two hundred flags, continuously shrinking, becoming palm-sized in front of Zhang Chen in the void.
The flagpoles appeared black like jade, shimmering with a dark luster, inscribed with mysterious patterns that flickered.
The flags were crimson like blood, resembling liquid, with endless Blood Sea World within.
"These flags are good, just lacking some warmth, nurturing them in my Blood Sea might make them useful in the future." Zhang Chen opened the Crystal Core of the Blood Sea, watching as the one thousand two hundred flags instantly merged into one, then transformed into a blood-red stream of light entering Zhang Chen’s body.
"You can control the Blood Sea Array, really an impressive skill, thanks to you, otherwise we’d be slaughtered by the Yellow Heaven Dao." Zhou Qiucheng stood beside Zhang Chen, his voice full of astonishment and gratitude.
"In the past, when I was in the Northern Land, I once obtained Creation, and have done some research on the Blood Sea Array." Zhang Chen lightly brushed it off.
Zhou Qiucheng surveyed the whole Chongzheng Academy with his eyes, seeing the entire place turned barren, all green vegetation completely dead, and all beings within the mountain now dissolved by the Blood Sea, leaving no trace.
In order to suppress the evil spirit originating from the Exquisite Tower, Zhang Chen directly used the Blood Sea to submerge the Chongzheng Academy before them, effectively corroding everything within the mountains save for Zhang Chen and Zhou Qiucheng.
Even the soil on the ground started to emit a foul stench, looking grey-black as if they were dried blood stains.
"The evil spirits that escaped from the Exquisite Tower have all been suppressed by you?" Zhou Qiucheng suddenly inquired.
Zhang Chen nodded: "Rest assured, sir, those evil spirits definitely have no means to come out and harm others."
Zhang Chen thought Zhou Qiucheng was worried about those supernatural entities, but who could have known that Zhou Qiucheng’s next words would make Zhang Chen’s face twitch: "I’m not concerned about those entities, I’m more concerned about a senior within the Exquisite Tower. That senior guided me in opening the Divine Country Dao and helped me gather Incense Qi, constantly teaching me some principles. I once promised that senior that once I completely master the Exquisite Tower, I would release them. Now that the Exquisite Tower has suddenly shattered, have you seen that senior? That senior is a good person, you mustn’t wrongfully suppress them!"
Zhou Qiucheng’s voice was full of sincerity: "If you accidentally suppressed that senior, I would like to ask you for a favor, please release that senior."
Upon hearing Zhou Qiucheng’s words, Zhang Chen’s lips couldn’t help but twitch slightly, and a thought suddenly arose in his heart: ’Could the senior Zhou Qiucheng speaks of with such gratitude be the Great Freedom Celestial Demon?’
"Since they were imprisoned in the Exquisite Tower, they ought to be those who defy all laws and bring calamity, how could there be good people? Sir, could it be that you were deceived?" Zhang Chen voiced his doubt.
"Certainly not!" Zhou Qiucheng shook his head: "Is there absolute good and evil in this world? It’s just a matter of different positions. Are all the supernatural entities opposed to the Great Victory Dynasty evil? I don’t think so."
Hearing this, Zhang Chen turned his head to look at Zhou Qiucheng in surprise, his eyes filled with astonishment. He didn’t expect such an enlightened thought from the old stubborn Zhou Qiucheng.
Detecting the astonishment in Zhang Chen’s eyes, Zhou Qiucheng’s lips curled into a proud smile: "Do you think we people who study have become bookworms, only knowing Confucian principles? We’ve merely realized our own path and persisted in it. We’re not bookworms; worldly affairs, various matters, you may not see as clearly as we do."
Zhou Qiucheng’s voice was very proud. At this moment, having abandoned the path of Iron-Faced Impartiality, he seemed like an old man from the Mortal World, revealing a different charm to Zhang Chen.
Unfortunately, Zhou Qiucheng is prone to stumbling, having been previously deceived by Jiang Nan and nearly becoming the puppet embodiment of a Celestial Demon.
"I wonder, what did the senior you mentioned look like?" Zhang Chen asked knowingly.
Zhou Qiucheng shook his head at this, "I don’t know, I’ve never seen their true form, but if you let me speak a word to them, I will definitely recognize it."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen paused for a moment of thought, then said to Zhou Qiucheng: "All the supernatural entities have been imprisoned within the Ice Hell. If you wish to find that senior, you might enter and call out, to see if anyone responds."
Hearing this, Zhou Qiucheng nodded: "This is a great suggestion! That senior has helped me a lot, and I must repay them."
Zhang Chen opened the Ice Hell, and Zhou Qiucheng entered it, looking at the rows of cells, and called out: "Senior, are you in the Ice Hell? I have come to take you out. If you’re imprisoned here, please make a sound."
As Zhou Qiucheng’s voice fell, ghostly wails and howls immediately echoed from the tens of thousands of cells, with curses or mockery. Zhou Qiucheng wasn’t angry but listened closely for a while before showing disappointment: "That senior isn’t here."
"Not in the Ice Hell? Perhaps they fled," Zhang Chen pulled Zhou Qiucheng out of the Ice Hell and explained, "Although I have set up stringent controls, these ancient beings possess strange and varied powers, and it’s possible they took the chance to escape."
"They must have escaped!" Zhou Qiucheng exclaimed with a look of disappointment, then remarked: "It’s a shame I couldn’t thank that senior in person."
"Though the world is vast, it can’t hide the grace of those old beings. If that senior has escaped, there will surely be a day you meet them again," Zhang Chen comforted Zhou Qiucheng.
Hearing this, Zhou Qiucheng sighed helplessly: "I suppose that’s all that can be done now."
Then he turned to Zhang Chen: "What are your plans next?"
"Jinling City is no longer an option. I plan to visit Kyoto; there remain many entanglements I need to resolve there," Zhang Chen replied.
Hearing this, Zhou Qiucheng paused for a moment, then said to Zhang Chen: "I know your background. You still carry a criminal record, and if you go to Kyoto and it gets exposed, who knows what trouble it might cause. I have a Technique for opening a Divine Country, you could give it to the Human King. With its wonderful technique, the Human King is sure to grant you a pardon."
Hearing this, Zhang Chen’s expression changed; knowing the Technique for opening a Divine Country is an unparalleled Wonderful Technique of the Divine Dao, a critical point for reaching the pinnacle of the Divine Dao. Zhou Qiucheng is willing to give it up for his redemption, showing his care for Zhang Chen.
Although Zhang Chen had mastered the Great Freedom Celestial Demon, and could obtain it from there, Zhou Qiucheng’s intention merits appreciation.
"Sir, you needn’t worry about me. I have my methods to cleanse my name in Kyoto. Rather, sir, now that the Literary Dao is abolished and the Divine Dao also gone, what will you do?" Zhang Chen inquired of Zhou Qiucheng, contemplating offering guidance.
Hearing this, Zhou Qiucheng remained silent for a while before sighing deeply: "I’m already halfway to the grave; it’s too late to cultivate another path. I can only find a quiet place and live out my remaining years."
It’s clear that Zhou Qiucheng was genuinely disheartened at this point.