"Who goes there?"
The Demonic Ape suddenly spoke in human language. Its figure shrank out of thin air, and in just a moment, it transformed into a human form.
"Oh? You can actually take human form?"
Ye Fan raised an eyebrow and nodded in satisfaction.
"So does that mean you agree?"
"Will you keep your word and set me free?"
The human form the Demonic Ape had taken was nine feet tall, with bulging muscles and an overwhelming demonic aura surging from his body.
"The Eight Desolations Glazed Pagoda has already recognized me as its master. Whether I kill you or set you free depends entirely on a single thought of mine."
Ye Fan let out a cold smile, but the Demonic Ape roared toward the sky. "Ignorant brat! Do you think that just because you control this shabby pagoda, you can decide life or death for us?"
"Not to mention a lowly human like you—even the original owner of this shabby pagoda couldn't destroy us. He could only imprison us here! You'd better keep your word, otherwise, I'll make you suffer an unbearable death!"
"Heh, as long as you help me kill that man, I promise to set you free immediately."
A dark glint flashed in Ye Fan's eyes. Since childhood, he had endured nothing but cold stares and threats from others. He had sworn that anyone who looked down on him would die.
This Demonic Ape had been sealed in the pagoda for nearly a thousand years. If it really had a way to break free from the shackles of the pagoda, it wouldn't have waited until now. Ye Fan had known this since the day he fused with this ancient pagoda. So he paid no attention to the Demonic Ape's threats at all.
"It's a deal. A mere ant at the Soul Sea Realm—I, Miyong, can destroy him with a wave of my hand."
The Demonic Ape snorted coldly. Demonic light flickered around his body, as if a demon god had descended.
"Good. Then I'll unlock two of your seals first. Let your soul leave your body and go kill that young man named Ling Xiao."
Ye Fan changed the hand seals in his palms. The black chains binding the Demonic Ape suddenly burst into dazzling red light, then faded in an instant. At the same time, an illusory figure struggled slightly and broke free from the physical body.
"Go."
Ye Fan frowned and looked at the terrifying soul standing motionless in front of him. The black pagoda in his hand rotated slightly. He never believed these demons would keep their promises, so he had already prepared a way to deal with them. As long as the Demonic Ape dared to make the slightest wrong move, he would not hesitate to activate the Eight Desolations Glazed Pagoda and destroy this demon's soul.
Sure enough, scarlet light flared in the Demonic Ape's eyes. He stared fixedly at Ye Fan, clearly weighing whether he should take the opportunity to kill the new master of the pagoda. But in the end, he hesitated.
This heaven-defying treasure was a sacred artifact of the demon clan, with incomparably terrifying power. The demons suppressed inside were all once peerless ferocious beings in the Northern Wasteland. Now, he had only manifested his soul—less than one-tenth of his original strength remained. If he attacked inside the pagoda, there was an 80% chance he would be suppressed by Ye Fan again.
"Yes."
In the end, he bowed respectfully to Ye Fan, then vanished.
Only when the Demonic Ape's aura completely disappeared did Ye Fan let out a sigh of relief. Unknowingly, the clothes on his back had been soaked with sweat.
"My cultivation realm is still too low. Even a demon from the first floor can put so much pressure on me. I can't even imagine what kind of ferocious creatures are suppressed above the ninth floor."
Ye Fan lowered his head and looked at the black pagoda in his hand. Since the day he fused with this ancient sacred artifact, he had known its origin. The Eight Desolations Glazed Pagoda had nine floors, each suppressing a demon. His mother had once said that as long as he broke through to the Illusion-Breaking Realm, he could refine and command the demons in the pagoda. At the same time, the martial arts and cultivation techniques practiced by these nine demons would also be passed on to him.
If Ling Xiao hadn't appeared, he would never have dared to release the Demonic Ape so easily. Otherwise, if he attracted the attention of those supreme powerhouses in the Holy State, he wouldn't even know how he died. But just thinking about the humiliation Cousin Qingchan had suffered by Ling Xiao's side made Ye Fan's heart feel like it was being gnawed by ten thousand ants—unbearably painful.
"Ling Xiao, you can only blame yourself for offending someone you shouldn't have."
On the other side, after Miyong the Demonic Ape left the Eight Desolations Glazed Pagoda, he felt that even the air tasted sweet. At this moment, he didn't go straight to find Ling Xiao. Instead, he stood on the roof of the Ye family compound and gasped freely. For a whole thousand years, he had not seen the light of day, facing nothing but endless darkness. Even though it was late at night now, the moonlight above his head was so warm and tender.
Miyong took a deep breath, then oriented himself slightly. Carrying boundless demonic aura, he surged toward the small courtyard where Ling Xiao lived. Now, only his soul had left his body—his physical form was still in the Soul-Suppressing Pagoda. This was not true freedom! What he wanted was the freedom of both soul and body. Killing! Only endless killing could bury the loneliness he had endured for nearly a thousand years.
Dark clouds suddenly gathered above the Ye family compound. A terrifying chill swept in from all directions. If someone had looked up at the sky at this moment, they would definitely have noticed that the moon seemed to be obscured by something. But at this moment, Miyong was also a little surprised. He found that the cultivation of the creatures in this world was too low! This place was definitely not the Holy State, but… how could the Eight Desolations Glazed Pagoda have been lost outside?
"Forget it. I'll kill Ling Xiao first."
Miyong didn't hide his aura at all. He appeared out of thin air in Ling Xiao's room. But what surprised him was that the moment he manifested from the void, the dark room suddenly lit up with bright candlelight.
"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you!"
Countless members of the Ye family stood around the room, looking at the terrifying figure surrounded by overwhelming demonic aura. Unfortunately, there was no fear on their faces—at most, a little surprise. Just now, Young Master Ling Xiao had sent someone to gather all the Ye family members, saying that an honored guest would arrive soon. He had also taught them a strange little tune. Originally, Ye Liufeng had thought that the honored guest of Young Master Ling Xiao must also be a powerhouse from the Holy State. But looking at this figure filled with demonic aura in front of him, he didn't look like a "decent person" at all.
The expression on Miyong's face had long since turned to stunned disbelief. He looked at these humans, who were as insignificant as ants, and saw that they were actually giving him friendly smiles—his heart was completely confused. What the hell! Am I outdated? Or do you think I can't lift my sword anymore? In the past, even Immortal Ascension Realm powerhouses would tremble with fear and obedience when they saw him. But now, a bunch of mere ants were smiling at him?! And what was that song they were singing earlier? Happy Birthday?
"Did Ye Fan send you?"
A hint of amusement lingered at the corner of Ling Xiao's lips. If he swallowed the soul avatar of an Immortal Ascension Realm powerhouse, would his soul realm be able to make a breakthrough?
"A mere ant dares to speak to this King like this!"
Miyong snorted coldly. Although he felt that the atmosphere in the room was a little weird, what trouble could a few ants stir up?
"This King? Interesting. Is this Ye Fan's trump card? A remnant soul of an Immortal Ascension Realm powerhouse? Or a demonic soul?"
Ling Xiao furrowed his brows slightly, but a trace of confusion arose in his heart. Why hadn't he sensed this aura from Ye Fan before?