Jian Xing sat heavily upon the Dragon Throne, his face ashen. His icy pupils seemed unfocused, staring blankly out at the sky beyond the palace walls.
"A colossal Teleportation Array."
"Yes. According to the reports from General Jian Wu and his contingent, before they even arrived, figures like Jiuyao Shenzhen had already departed the Scarlet Moon Demonic Lair," the various group deacons continued. "However, after extensive investigation, General Jian Wu's team discovered a hidden passage beneath the Demonic Lair. Unfortunately, that passage has been deliberately destroyed by them."
"Another passage beneath the Scarlet Moon Demonic Lair?" Jian Xing’s expression grew profoundly grim. "And it was destroyed?"
Without a doubt, Jiuyao Shenzhen was engaged in some nefarious, hidden business once again!
"The end of the passage leads to a massive magical Teleportation Array," the Dove Group Deacon reported. "Furthermore, there should have been numerous murals carved onto both ends of the passage, but those murals appear to have been intentionally ruined."
"Ah!" The assembled ministers gasped in shock.
The mysterious passage in the Scarlet Moon Demonic Lair, the destroyed murals, the giant Teleportation Array—even a fool could see now that the passage and carvings ruined by Jiuyao Shenzhen must have been extraordinary.
"What is he trying to conceal?" Jian Huan’s look was deeply serious! The Bitch Empire dared not be careless about a single move made by Jiuyao Shenzhen, terrified he might cause some catastrophe at any moment.
Yet, the current situation suggested that there might be no time left to prevent what was coming!
This Scarlet Moon Demonic Lair truly held profound secrets!
"Where does that passage lead?" Jian Xing asked, his voice heavy.
"Currently unknown," the Dove Group Deacon hesitated. "However, based on the deduction of Archmage Lan, this passage is very likely the legendary King's Passage of ancient times, and that massive Teleportation Array probably connects to one of the Seven Ancient Forbidden Lands—the King's Forbidden Land!"
"What—The King's Passage!" Jian Xing nearly leaped up in horror.
"Good heavens!" The assembled ministers were utterly dumbfounded!
Though they had long suspected Jiuyao Shenzhen was planning some major upheaval, no one had anticipated his current appearance would be linked to the King's Forbidden Land from the era of the Ancient Divine Dragon Empire.
"Jiuyao Shenzhen actually found the King's Forbidden Land."
"Heavens, what is he planning now?"
"The world is about to change."
As high-ranking members of the Imperial family, they were intimately aware of the legends surrounding the King's Forbidden Land! It was the training ground specifically designed in ancient times to forge super-powered experts!
The Divine Dragon Empire—that was the most powerful and glorious epoch the Mafa Continent had ever known, and the true extent of the power wielded by its super-experts was unimaginable.
According to records in The Origin, the Seven Ancient Forbidden Lands were crucial vetting checkpoints for super-experts during the Divine Dragon Empire era.
Legend held that after passing the trials of the Ancient King's Forbidden Land, an expert’s strength would surge to terrifying levels. Consequently, those who succeeded were known as the Forbidden Land Warriors.
No one could truly grasp the might of a Forbidden Land Warrior. If the Demon Dragon Blood Domain represented the pinnacle path for the Rogue world on Mafa Continent, then the Seven Ancient Forbidden Lands represented the pinnacle path for the Heavy Armor Warriors.
If a concrete comparison must be made:
An ancient Forbidden Land Warrior could easily defeat monstrous entities like the Scarlet Moon Devil or the Yellow Spring Patriarch, even while unarmored. This illustrated just how terrifying the Forbidden Land Warriors of antiquity truly were!
"Jiuyao Shenzhen," Jian Xing muttered, looking stunned and sinking back into the Dragon Throne.
"..." The ministers below were consumed by extreme dread!
Silence instantly descended upon the great hall.
No one present was a fool. Since this passage was the legendary King's Passage, it was certain that Jiuyao Shenzhen had entered the King's Forbidden Land! Otherwise, he wouldn't have bothered destroying the pathway.
And once such a terrifying monster emerged after passing the King's Forbidden Land trials, who knew what he would do next?
Remember, even before this, Jiuyao Shenzhen was already recognized across the entire continent as the most dangerous figure alive!
But now, this terrifying man was poised to become even stronger!
Perhaps by then, even the Church’s strongest Divine War God, Feng Tian, might not match him!
What’s more, the King’s Forbidden Land allegedly housed the Night Luminous Pearl, capable of locating a Sleeping Dragon Hero. If Jiuyao Shenzhen obtained that Pearl!
Jian Xing and the others dared not contemplate what came next! A single Sleeping Dragon Hero was said to be capable of defeating the combined might of both major Churches and all their Divine War Gods!
"Who exactly is this man?"
"How could he find the King's Forbidden Land?"
"..."
Although they were long accustomed to Jiuyao Shenzhen’s reputation for actions that inspired mortal terror, this piece of news was simply too earth-shattering!
The only course of action now was to pray that this man could not pass the assessment in the King's Forbidden Land.
However, given the string of unbelievable miracles that had previously accompanied Jiuyao Shenzhen, everyone felt such a prayer was nothing more than self-deception.
Even Jian Xing, a ruler who had weathered great storms, was somewhat bewildered, staring blankly past the hall doors: "Does this man genuinely intend to wipe out the Church?"
"Besides this, has anything else been uncovered?" After a long pause, Jiuyao Chongyang finally regained his composure.
"According to magical detection, that Teleportation Array was likely activated about a month ago," the Dove Group Deacon continued, forcing himself to remain calm. "Archpriest Lan of the Church speculates that the stone wall before the array should have borne the activation incantation for the Teleportation Array, but regrettably, Jiuyao Shenzhen also destroyed that. Thus, neither General Jian Wu nor Archpriest Lan can reactivate the array."
"Impressive, Jiuyao Shenzhen," Jian Xing conceded. "He truly leaves no opening for anyone else."
"We must find a way into the King's Forbidden Land," Jian Huan stated grimly. "A month’s time—no matter how strong Jiuyao Shenzhen is, he cannot pass the King's Forbidden Land training assessment yet. We still have a chance."
"Yes, we absolutely cannot grant him more time," the Dark Group Deacon affirmed.
"But without the corresponding activation spell, the Teleportation Array cannot be engaged," the Dove Group Deacon sighed helplessly.
"We can't get in?" Jian Huan demanded. "Are we just going to let it go?"
"Rest assured, the Church will certainly stop him," Jian Xing’s ferocious expression instantly smoothed into calm, followed by a strange smile. "I believe His Holiness the Pope is even more anxious about this than we are."
"If Jiuyao Shenzhen manages to complete the training in the King's Forbidden Land," Jian Huan stated seriously, "even the Church's Divine War God Feng Tian might not be his match."
"That is precisely why the Church will never stand idly by," Jian Xing declared. "Even if they cannot enter the King's Forbidden Land, the Church will not spare the Demon Dragon Empire. And once the Church decides to sever ties, the Demon Dragon Empire, in its current state, cannot resist."
"An excellent strategy," Jian Huan exclaimed with delight.
"In my view, we should avoid becoming too deeply entangled in the conflict between the Church and the Demon Dragon Empire," the mature and steady Prime Minister Jian Shan interjected. "After all, it is still unpredictable who will emerge victorious. For now, observing the situation is best."
"That has merit," Jian Huan nodded slightly. "If the Church truly destroys the Demon Dragon Empire, and Jiuyao Shenzhen emerges from the King's Forbidden Land at that time, the Church will certainly not enjoy peace either." He recalled how Jiuyao Shenzhen, immediately after becoming a Heavenly Demon Warrior, had single-handedly ventured into the Demon Sealing Continent and nearly annihilated it. If the Church destroyed the Demon Dragon Empire, no one dared imagine what the vastly strengthened Jiuyao Shenzhen might do next.
"Indeed. We must accelerate the exploration of the Chitinous Insect Nest," Jian Xing agreed, nodding. "Since Jiuyao Shenzhen has found the King's Forbidden Land, we too must find the Chitinous Insect Nest swiftly."
"The location of the Chitinous Insect Nest is confirmed," the Dove Group Deacon replied, "but locating the correct passage will still take some time."
"In the short term, it will be difficult even for the Church to enter the King's Forbidden Land," Jian Xing cautioned. "We must remain vigilant."
"While the Church is fully occupied dealing with the Demon Dragon Empire," Jian Huan gloated, "it would be best if they ended up mutually devastated."
"Hahaha," Jian Xing chuckled. "Precisely. Once we enter the Chitinous Insect Nest, we will acquire the power to rival the Church, and then we will no longer need to bow to that old scoundrel, the Pope."
Of course, Jiuyao Shenzhen could not be ignored either, Jian Xing calculated inwardly.
"For three thousand years, our Bitch Imperial family has been treated like puppets on strings by the Church," the Dove Group Deacon exclaimed, equally agitated. "And the Hall of Confusion and the Chitinous Insect Nest, which we finally managed to secure recently, were forcefully occupied by the Church."
"This will end," Jian Shan assured them. "As long as we find the Night Luminous Pearl before they do, victory will be ours."
Everyone present was filled with immense joy!
"Furthermore, we must definitively determine what was recorded on those destroyed stone walls," Jian Xing commanded. "The murals left from the Divine Dragon Empire era must contain vital information, otherwise Jiuyao Shenzhen would not have bothered destroying them."
"One more point," Jian Huan added. "Regarding the investigation into the King's Forbidden Land, the Moon Sect should know something. I believe it is necessary to apply special measures against the Moon Sect."
"The Scarlet Moon Canyon is territory of the Bitch Continent. Why does Jiuyao Shenzhen know so clearly that there are secrets within the Scarlet Moon Demonic Lair?" Jian Xing continued. "Besides the Moon Sect, the Artisan Gate and Dragon Shadow Manor, who had close ties with Jiuyao Shenzhen in the past, must also be thoroughly investigated. Perhaps we can uncover something there."
"It's unbelievable," the Dark Group Deacon mused grimly. "Jiuyao Shenzhen's activities in the Bitch Continent back then were just a facade; his real goal was to investigate this mysterious passage."
The crowd remembered how Jiuyao Shenzhen had once roamed the Bitch Continent under the alias 'Star'. In retrospect, everything made perfect sense. Recalling the Moon Sect's expedition into the Scarlet Moon Canyon two years ago solidified their suspicion!
Thinking of this, Jian Xing’s expression darkened further. "Jiuyao Chongyang, Jiuyao Shenzhen—what do they take the Bitch Empire for?"
After all, Jiuyao Shenzhen first gained fame in the Bitch Empire's Rogue World, even joining Dragon Shadow Manor and learning the Bitch Imperial family's secret technique, the Dragon Shadow Sword Art! This suggested that Jiuyao Chongyang had been plotting this day all along.
Not only had he used the Bitch Empire as a training ground for his son, but his son had also learned the Bitch Imperial family's secret techniques. What was more infuriating was that Jiuyao Shenzhen had managed to uncover such an astonishing secret right under their noses.
It seemed too late to realize it now; Jian Xing felt rage churning violently in his stomach!
The Divine Dragon Empire!
Who knew what exactly was inscribed on those stone walls?
And what variables would be unleashed when Jiuyao Shenzhen finally emerged from the King's Forbidden Land?
Everything was utterly unpredictable.
Considering the series of unbelievable miracles surrounding Jiuyao Shenzhen, everyone felt that the heavens were destined to change soon.
Yes! In the past, Jiuyao Shenzhen presented an image of a terrifying enigma.
Mysterious and unfathomable! It seemed that anything connected to him became beyond imagination, and anyone who opposed him met a terrible end!
The Proud Heaven Legion met that fate, as did the Thunder Flame Legion, and so too did the Demon Sealing Empire!
Let us hope that this time, the Bitch Empire will not be the unlucky one!
On the other side!
The Imperial Palace of the Demon Dragon Empire!
Within the Quiet Heart Hall, Jiuyao Chongyang’s expression was grave. Shen Po and Ji Du Yin Shuang, among others, were consumed by anxiety. Just moments ago, Yin Tao, who had been stationed in the Scarlet Moon Canyon guarding the King's Passage, sent word: the Church and the Bitch Empire had discovered the existence of the King's Passage.
The Demon Dragon Empire's situation was perilously critical; this time, they faced the mighty Church!
"What do we do now?" Jiuyao Chongyang instinctively looked toward Shen Po.
"We must prepare to break with the Church," Shen Po stated heavily. "At this juncture, the Church will never grant us any leeway."
"But with our current strength, how can we stand against the Church's Thunder Generals?" Yin Hu worried.
"Therefore, we must notify His Highness Shenzhen immediately," Shen Po urged. "A year ago, His Highness Shenzhen could already contend with the Thunder Generals. We trust that his time within the King's Forbidden Land has further enhanced his strength. If he can return, we can certainly confront the Church head-on."
"En." Everyone nodded in agreement.
"But the Teleportation Array leading to the King's Forbidden Land has been occupied by the Church. How can we enter?" Yin Hong asked.
"We have made some progress in studying the spatial magic inscriptions brought back last time," Shen Po said, turning to Chi Hao. "General Chi Hao, perhaps you can explain the details to everyone."
"Yes." Chi Hao bowed slightly and walked to the center of the hall, drawing a hexagram array covering about twenty square meters.
"The spatial magic data brought back last time has been under study for a month, and we have grasped the general method of its application," Chi Hao stated soberly. "While it is not yet complete, the technology we possess should allow us to forcibly teleport into the King's Forbidden Land."
"What!" Ji Du and the others were greatly astonished.
"After all, we have transcribed the runes on the stone wall and the activation incantation for the Teleportation Array," Chi Yu continued. "The magic array I have drawn here is a complete replication of the one inside the King's Passage. Injecting sufficient spatial magic essence and reciting the corresponding activation spell will allow entry into the King's Forbidden Land."
"I see," Jiuyao Chongyang was overjoyed.
"However, accumulating enough spatial magic essence will not be simple," Chi Yu worried.
"That is not a concern," Ji Du declared. "The Imperial treasury still holds vast amounts of Magic God Stones. We shall use those to power the Teleportation Array."
(Magic God Stone—a unique magic crystal found on the Mafa World, extremely rare, containing immense spatial magic energy)
"If Magic God Stones can serve as the activation energy, we can certainly enter the King's Forbidden Land," Chi Yu confirmed. "But even so, this array can only send one person through. Who should we dispatch?"
"Your Majesty, this old minister shall go this time," Ji Du stated solemnly.
"General Ji Du," Jiuyao Chongyang quickly stood. "I thank you for undertaking this difficult journey."
Indeed, among those present, no one was more suitable than Ji Du.
The title Silver Demon Ji Du was not earned lightly. Aside from Jiuyao Chongyang and Jiuyao Shenzhen, Ji Du possessed the greatest strength in the Demon Dragon Empire, making him the most appropriate envoy.
"General Ji Du, besides informing His Highness Shenzhen to return promptly, you have another crucial mission: to continue searching for the Night Luminous Pearl in the King's Forbidden Land on His Highness Shenzhen's behalf," Shen Po stated firmly.
"Yes," Ji Du replied with gravity.