Zhu Ziyang and his three companions stepped into the Mountains of the Dead.
Searching such an enormous mountain range for something was no simple task—especially when that "something" was a weapon they had never seen before. But with the guidance of the Bianhua Mark, they were not wandering blindly.
Following the beam of light projected by the mark, the four ventured deeper into the mountain range. Towering ancient trees and dense undergrowth filled their path—this was land untouched by human hand, a primordial wilderness.
Along the way, they encountered many soul beasts of the Martial Soul Continent. Though different in species and appearance from those of the Douluo Continent, they were the same in one regard: obsessed with bloodlines, dismissive of cultivation.
The Mountains of the Dead were vast beyond imagining. After four days of hard travel, they finally reached the midsection of the range. They barely had time to rest before the Bianhua Mark shone again, sending them a new direction. Following it, all four reached the same grim conclusion.
Their destination was none other than the very heart of the Mountains of the Dead.
The four exchanged grave looks. Without hesitation, they pressed on.
Normally, the core of any mountain range would be its tallest peak. But the Mountains of the Dead were different. Its heart did not hold a single towering summit, but four.
Seen from above, one would notice something uncanny: at the very center of the Martial Soul Continent itself, the range's core held four colossal peaks, each seven thousand meters tall, their positions aligned precisely with the four cardinal directions. Their heights were identical—as if crafted by deliberate design. These peaks were known as East Heaven, South Heaven, West Heaven, and North Heaven. Together, they encircled and guarded the true core of the range.
For, just as in the Star Dou Forest where the true heart was not the "core circle" but the Lake of Life, here too the true core was not the Four Heavens Peaks, but the valley they encircled.
That valley was called the Demon Emperor's Valley. If the Four Heavens Peaks were the highest points of the Martial Soul Continent, then the Demon Emperor's Valley was its lowest. Its average altitude lay a thousand meters below sea level.
Neither Zhu Ziyang nor the others had ever seen such a place. They could not imagine what a valley a thousand meters underground looked like. But they knew one thing: the valley was without doubt the domain of the Demon Emperor. And the Four Heavens Peaks, naturally, were the territories of the other four Beast Kings of the range.
The direction they now traveled led them toward East Heaven Peak, domain of the Eighth Beast King—the Three-Headed Golden Lion King, weakest of the four kings.
After another full day's journey, they reached the foot of East Heaven Peak. There, Zhu Ziyang received the Bianhua Mark's final revelation: the Scythe of the Dead lay within the Demon Emperor's Valley itself.
The Demon Emperor truly was tied to Death.
Ziyang relayed the news to the others, then said solemnly, "It seems we will indeed have to face this Demon Emperor."
"Ziyang, what's your plan?" Zhang Lexuan asked, her expression grave.
"Brother, maybe we should retreat," Jiang Nannan urged anxiously. "We can return when we're strong enough to face the Demon Emperor!"
"I agree with Nannan," Qian Lingyi nodded quickly. "We still have four years. That's plenty of time for you to reach Titled Douluo!"
"Haha, don't worry so much," Ziyang chuckled. "It's just an eight-hundred-thousand-year soul beast. Did you forget about Zhang Weiwei?"
"Senior Zhang?" Lexuan and Nannan were startled. Of course they knew Zhang Weiwei—she was a 97th-level Super Douluo. But no matter how powerful, she was far away. How could she help them here?
"Wait… don't tell me…?" Lexuan asked, eyes wide.
"That's right." Ziyang smiled. "Zhang Weiwei has been with us all along."
"What? How?" Lexuan and Nannan both exclaimed, baffled.
"Lexuan-jie, Nannan, who is this Zhang Weiwei?" Lingyi asked, thoroughly confused.
"She's a 97th-level Super Douluo. With her help, we might not be able to defeat the Demon Emperor, but we could at least contend with it," Nannan explained.
"A 97th-level Super Douluo? Really?" Lingyi gasped with delight. "Brother, bring her out quickly!"
"No rush," Ziyang said with a smile. "Before I introduce her, let me show you someone else."
With a wave of his hand, a shining spatial gate appeared. He gestured for them to follow.
He stepped through first. Though still full of questions, the three women did not hesitate—they followed.
Light flashed, and they arrived in the Holy Law Demi-plane.
"This… this is…" The three of them stared in awe at the strange new world around them.
"This is my world—the Holy Law Demi-plane," Ziyang said proudly. "I'll explain its origins later. For now, come with me."
He led them to where Electrolux was training the demi-plane's light-born beings. The old man was unsurprised by Ziyang's arrival, but when he noticed the three women, he raised his brows slightly before quickly understanding. Smiling kindly, he greeted, "Ah, Ziyang—you're here."
"Teacher!" Ziyang bowed respectfully. Then, turning, he introduced, "This is my teacher, Electrolux. You may call him Elder Yi."
The three were stunned. They had never imagined that aside from Mu En, Ziyang had another teacher. Their hearts full of questions, they still greeted politely, "Elder Yi!"
"Haha, good, good!" Electrolux chuckled. "You may be meeting me for the first time, but I've seen you all many times before. You are Nannan, Lexuan, and Lingyi, yes?"
Ziyang smiled and explained, "Teacher is a god from another world. Though now only a soul remains, he once dwelled within my spiritual sea, so he already knew of you."
"A god… from another world?"
"Yes. In his world, Teacher was known as the God of Necromancy. This demi-plane was created by him. As for Zhang Weiwei—she wasn't some chance ally I met, but one of Teacher's former followers. In fact, Teacher has four other followers, each at the level of Super Douluo. With their aid, facing the Demon Emperor will be far easier."
As he spoke, Komako the Paladin and the other four light-born warriors appeared, kneeling before Ziyang.
"We greet our Lord!" they intoned in unison.
The three women were thunderstruck. Lexuan in particular could feel the immense power radiating from the five—each one stronger than her, yet all bowing reverently to Ziyang. In that moment, his image in her heart grew ever more towering.
Her earlier worries eased. With five Super Douluo-level warriors joining them, their chances against the Demon Emperor had increased dramatically.
Ziyang wasted no more words. He led the women and the five warriors back out of the demi-plane to the foot of East Heaven Peak, where they began to plan.
The plan was simple. With the five light warriors, they could not kill the Demon Emperor, but they could restrain it long enough for Ziyang to claim the Scythe of the Dead.
The first step was to eliminate the Three-Headed Golden Lion King and take East Heaven Peak. Then, lure the Demon Emperor from its valley into East Heaven Peak, and trap it within the Heavenly Stems God-Sealing Formation.
Yes—Zhu Ziyang was preparing to use his ultimate trump card.
The plan had a seventy percent chance of success. The remaining thirty percent depended on the Demon Emperor and the other Beast Kings. But with the vast distance between the Four Heavens Peaks, the other three kings were unlikely to notice anything at East Heaven. The true uncertainty lay in whether the Demon Emperor would leave its valley.
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