The Demon Emperor, flustered, urgently summoned Qiu Ci from Huang Ze to return and lead the army again to quell the rebellion.
Concurrently, he dispatched Chunyu Honglie, one of his Four Great Protectors, to assassinate the rebel leader.
Upon Mo Qi's return to the garrison, morale soared. The soldiers, who had been dispirited, quickly reformed into an orderly unit.
Hope for the continued rise of the Yi Mo Sect was rekindled.
Mo Qi discovered that since his departure, the Yi Mo Sect had not advanced an inch, maintaining their original territory, with only a slight increase in personnel.
However, it was fortunate that under Huo Chengfeng's command, they could at least withstand the enemy's assaults.
With many people in other regions still poisoned, Mo Qi felt that resisting the Demon Emperor was not an absolute necessity, but without resistance, those suffering in dire straits could not be saved.
Therefore, he resolved to continue opposing the Demon Emperor and expanding their territory.
But before that, thorough preparations were essential.
For instance, refining enough detoxification spirit stones and an ample supply of projectile artifacts!
Furthermore, he had to take Shi Siyao to the Underworld; her matter was pressing.
One day, as Mo Qi was refining artifacts, Shui Han entered, bringing along Manager Yu.
Manager Yu was astute enough to realize that finding people in the Demon Realm was difficult. He decided to sleep for a while. Later, he heard about the sudden rise of the Yi Mo Sect army, led by a man named Mo Qi.
A thought struck him: could this Mo Qi be *that* Mo Qi? And if it were, would Shui Han go to him?
Thus, with a glimmer of hope, he went to the garrison, and to his surprise, he found them.
Shui Han was indeed there!
He couldn't help but marvel at his own intelligence and resourcefulness.
Without such wit, he likely wouldn't have completed his mission.
Shui Han had come to Mo Qi not to bid farewell, but to seek his opinion: "My father has sent someone to find me. Should I go back or not?"
This?
Mo Qi was somewhat bewildered. "Why ask me?" Da Feng Novel Network
"You wanted to kill me, didn't you? If you go back, you won't be able to kill me," Mo Qi said, gazing into her eyes.
Manager Yu was also taken aback. Someone actively offering themselves up for assassination? What kind of request was this?
Were these people all foolish?
Or had he misheard?
Shui Han genuinely pondered for a moment before replying, "Then I ask you, if you hadn't died from the蠱毒 (gǔdú -蛊 poison), would you still go to the New Wilderness?"
Shui Han, uncharacteristically, looked at Mo Qi with an expectant gaze.
Mo Qi, finding himself somewhat entranced, replied, "Of course, I would go back. Don't forget, only you can alleviate my suffering."
Shui Han blushed surprisingly!
"I'll believe you when pigs fly!" After a moment, Shui Han scoffed and said, "I'm leaving."
She then swiftly vanished. Manager Yu bowed to Mo Qi and followed suit.
Mo Qi watched their receding figures, lost in thought!
He actually didn't wish to remain in the Demon Realm.
Yet, he was now deeply ensnared, unable to extricate himself.
Looking back, it seemed he had brought all of this upon himself.
In the beginning, witnessing the Demon Emperor's tyranny and the people's suffering, struggling in darkness, he was filled with righteous indignation, his anger blazing. He raised the banner of rebellion against the Demon Emperor.
If given the chance again, he would likely do the same.
However, this path was exceedingly long, and he was not psychologically prepared for it.
To withdraw now would be wrong, both in principle and in sentiment.
These people had embarked on the path of rebellion against the Demon Emperor under his advocacy, and now, with the endeavor far from complete, he would abandon them.
Wasn't that betraying them?
In the quiet of the night, he often pondered what he had been pursuing all this time.
Was it the Dao?
Or was it unparalleled divine abilities that made him invincible?
Or was it the authority to rule over all beings, to grant life or take it away?
Perhaps, it was a combination of all three.
Perhaps, he simply wished to see these boundless, endless, three thousand billion great worlds.
Occasionally, the laws of heaven and earth would flash, allowing him to glimpse scenes.
These were worlds he had never seen before.
These were wonders he had never touched.
It was like when he was a child, and adults gave him a small box; he always wanted to open it to see what strange things were inside.
And curiosity was always linked to sorrow!
We are curious why so many people in this world develop wrinkles.
The answer we receive is that they have grown old, hence the wrinkles.
And all of us will grow old!
We are curious why dogs bark at people. The answer is also sorrowful: because they want to bite!
We are curious why some people disappear while walking. The answer is even more sorrowful: because they have died!
And Mo Qi, driven by curiosity, gradually unearthed long-buried sorrowful stories.
Seas had turned into mulberry fields, and worldly affairs had turned into wisps of smoke. Those past events seemed irrelevant to him.
But the moment he opened the box, he was hurt once more!
Later, he opened the box countless times, and was hurt countless times!
Yet, even after being hurt, he found it difficult to resist his curiosity.
He seemed to increasingly feel the pain and torment he had endured in his previous life, and he felt more and more that those who had inflicted those wounds upon him should also suffer the same pain!
The name of his enemy became increasingly etched in his heart: Wu Ji.
Because of his hatred, he occasionally sensed a powerful backlash from the laws of heaven and earth, making him realize that Wu Ji had not entered the cycle of reincarnation.
But if he were still alive, what a formidable existence he must be.
The Saintess's cultivation was certainly below his. To this day, Mo Qi felt he was still leagues away from her.
Then his father, Wu Ji, was likely an object he dared not even look up to at this moment.
But this vengeance could not be left unfulfilled!
One day, he would ascend to the heavens and avenge his shattered body.
However, for now, he had to proceed with caution and develop discreetly.
As Mo Qi was contemplating, Xin'er entered.
Mo Qi had sent for her. He had seen some images within the laws of heaven and earth and wanted her presence to verify them.
This time, he no longer treated her like a child but politely invited her to sit.
Xin'er was astonished!
When things deviate from the norm, there's usually a reason. What was he planning?
Mo Qi calmly told her a story: "Once upon a time, there was a prince named Youqiong. He had gained considerable insight into cultivation. Under his father's arrangement, he married Xin'er, a princess from a neighboring country. They respected and loved each other, living in harmony and sweetness. However, later, his wife Xin'er was tragically killed by a villain. Youqiong was utterly dejected and heartbroken. He attempted to resurrect Xin'er. Guided by an expert, he learned the art of Soul Shaping the Heart. He found Xin'er's soul in the Avici Hell and used Soul Shaping the Heart to awaken her. Youqiong was overjoyed, thinking they could return to their former days. However, although Xin'er's consciousness was fully restored, she seemed no longer the same Xin'er. She became exceptionally bloodthirsty and aggressive. The sight of blood excited her, and she eventually lost her humanity. Apart from Youqiong, she possessed anyone she met. After destroying one person's body, she would immediately seek another target. As she continued to absorb vital essence, her cultivation increased, allowing her to break free from Youqiong's control. She became even more greedy, more wicked, a ruthless killer, and a madwoman who did as she pleased..."
The story was long, and halfway through, Xin'er seemed to lose patience and interrupted him: "You think I am that Xin'er?"