Radiant God wrote each stroke in mid-air with his finger. Xu Zimo quietly watched without stopping him.
When the four characters were completed, they turned into a stream of light and disappeared into the sky.
“This message has been sent to my Samsara God Race. When the Ten God Bloodlines unite, your Seven Fears Cult will be wiped out,” Radiant God spat out a mouthful of blood, clearly at his limit.
“Oh, is that so?” Xu Zimo nodded and murmured, “Then before I even go to the Outer Heavens, I’ve already eliminated one enemy.”
“What are you talking about?” Radiant God asked painfully.
“Actually, I’m not even close to the Seven Fears Cult. That was just something I said on a whim,” Xu Zimo shook his head.
“Didn’t expect you to believe it.”
“Trying to cut ties now? Too late,” Radiant God laughed bitterly. “The Heaven-Unity Three-Gates God-Scripture is guarded by your Seven Fears Cult, that's common knowledge. I’ll be waiting for you in hell.”
As he finished speaking, the color faded from his pupils. His body, fully corroded by the Bone Blade, collapsed to the ground.
“Poor fool, wouldn’t even die with the truth,” Xu Zimo shook his head. He raised his hands, summoning flames to burn Radiant God’s body and refine his essence blood.
Radiant God’s essence blood was unusual. Not red, but golden, dense with energy and heavy as if weighing a thousand kilos.
Xu Zimo took out the Demon-Locking Bell and carefully dripped the blood onto it.
The moment the blood touched the bell, it began to tremble violently.
Clicking sounds came from within, as though some ancient lock was breaking.
A surge of demonic energy burst through its restraints, shooting into the sky and forming dark clouds above.
“This aura…” Bone Demon said in shock. “Lord Seven-Face. It must be Lord Seven-Face.”
Xu Zimo said nothing. He just watched the spinning, shaking bell in his hand.
Roars echoed from inside.
Suddenly, a beam of light shot out of the Demon-Locking Bell, darkening the sky.
Thunder rumbled. Wind and rain surged.
What is Seven-Face? Love, hate, greed, anger, obsession, evil, and desire.
These are the seven emotions of all beings, inescapable, eternal in the cycle of reincarnation.
The seven emotions condensed into seven terrifying faces, roaring in the air.
The faces twisted together. Demonic clouds formed. A massive mushroom cloud exploded in midair.
The sky was dyed dark.
Bone Demon looked up. In the dense demon cloud stood a man in black robes, eyes closed, long black hair flowing without wind.
Demonic energy surged around him, engulfing 3,000 miles.
The skies above the entire God Valley world were covered.The remnants of the God Race watched in terror, hiding in their homes.
“The air… I’ve missed it,” the black-robed man breathed deeply, intoxicated.
“Lord Seven-Face!” Bone Demon shouted from below.
The man turned. The seven twisted faces around him all merged back into his body.
He ignored Bone Demon and locked eyes with Xu Zimo.
“Master,” the man descended slowly, looking at Xu Zimo with complex emotions. “It’s been a long time.”
“I thought I’d never see you again,” the man walked up and suddenly hugged Xu Zimo, crying.
Xu Zimo was caught off guard. This… this is the legendary Infernal Archon?
A merciless killer feared by countless people, are you kidding?
“Master, Lord Seven-Face has seven aspects. This is only one of them,” Bone Demon explained from the side. “You’ll get used to it.”
“Bone, why didn’t you come save me? I was trapped in that wretched bell for countless years. Thought I’d never see daylight again,” the Seven-Face Infernal Archon turned with a cold glare.
“Lord Seven-Face, be fair,” Bone Demon protested. “You told me to guard the Seven-Face Lotus. After the God Race vanished, I had no idea where you were. The Demon-Locking Bell was already lost.”
“Oh, so you've got some guts now? Talking about fairness? Who dug you out of a pile of bones back then?”
Seven-Face kicked at Bone Demon.
Bone Demon dodged in a panic.
Watching them bicker, Xu Zimo couldn’t help but think: This guy has none of the demeanor of an Infernal Archon.
If it weren’t for that impressive entrance, even Xu Zimo would doubt it.
This… is one of the Eighteen Infernal Archons of the Infernal Lord?
Ridiculous.
…
“I think having this Demon-Locking Bell is actually a good thing,” Xu Zimo said. “If you ever hug me again, I’ll toss you back in for a few days of wall-facing meditation.”
Upon hearing that, the Seven-Face Infernal Archon quickly waved his hands.
“Master, you must be joking.”
“Do you still remember the Ancestral Tree?” Xu Zimo asked.
“The Sky-Shroud Demon Tree is still within the God-Demon Battlefield,” Seven-Face replied. “The Ancestral Tree drifted with us to the Eternal Lands. But without you, no one could use it.”
“So many years have passed. No idea how things are at the Holy Land,” he added.
“Let’s go see. We’ll reclaim the Ancestral Tree, it’s time to return,” Xu Zimo said. “And maybe an old friend you’ll be interested in.”
“Master, are you going to the Outer Heavens?” Seven-Face asked.
“No, another world, Primordial Heartlands,” Xu Zimo replied. “You’ll understand when you see him.”
Before leaving, Xu Zimo looked at Jiu You and asked, “What do you plan to do?”
“Can I stay?” Jiu You asked.
“Here?” Xu Zimo asked.
Jiu You nodded, her expression complicated.
“Sure. I’m leaving,” Xu Zimo said.
As he walked away, Jiu You stood up and shouted, “When will I see you again?”
“You won’t. Good luck.”
Xu Zimo waved without turning back, his figure fading into the distance.
“I’ll remember you… for life,” Jiu You whispered, staring off at the far horizon.
…
At that moment in the God-Demon City, the sunset fell as usual, bathing the city in golden light.
People went about their ordinary lives.
But suddenly, the spiritforce of the world shifted.
The glowing sunset was suddenly shrouded by a shadow.