Chapter 654: Bone Tower, Black Death Demon Sea Bowl
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, several figures tore through the sky.
Like lightning splitting the heavens.
Like meteors streaking across the firmament.
Their trails lingered in the dark sky—twisted, strange, yet imbued with a distinct sense of logic and law.
Inside the Bone Tower—
Two Demon Saints had gathered.
One was lean and bony, with four human-like arms.
The other had an enormous head and a bloated body, completely limbless, suspended mid-air.
The corpulent Demon Saint spoke calmly, "Shi Cang, why have you summoned me?"
"Shi Shuo, our operation in the Tiannan Archipelago has failed. Your son, Shi Luan, has not revived," the gaunt Demon Saint replied in a low voice.
Shi Shuo frowned. "It failed? Then we'll gather strength and plan again."
Shi Cang shook his head. "No. Shi Luan is dead—completely perished."
Shi Shuo froze in shock.
He shook his head solemnly. "Impossible! The resurrection of Shi Luan was my plan—an effort thousands of years in the making. How could he possibly be gone?"
Shi Luan was one of his eighteen most promising sons.
During the war between gods and demons, most of his sons had fallen.
Only one had been saved in time—Shi Luan.
Had Shi Luan successfully revived, he would've been a powerful new-generation Demon Sovereign.
With two or three centuries of nurturing, Shi Luan could likely have broken into the Saint Realm and inherited the title of Demon Saint of the Corpse Division.
To fail at such a critical moment... Fine. They could wait for another opportunity to revive him.
But how could he just vanish without a trace?
Shi Cang shook his head. "I don't know the full details."
"The five great factions of the Tiannan Archipelago are still dispersing the demonic soil outside the Cangqing Grotto Heaven, but the demonic soil began shrinking rapidly."
"Shi Luan never made contact with the spies we planted there. It's highly likely he was destroyed."
Gritting his teeth, Shi Shuo growled, "Who… Who was it?!"
"Even if Shi Luan never awakened, he still carried the pressure of a Demon Sovereign. It's nearly impossible for a Nirvana Realm cultivator to kill him during his slumber."
"Even one with a hundred Dao markings couldn't do it."
"It must've been someone at the Supreme Realm!"
"Shi Cang, have your agents investigate! Find out who killed Shi Luan!"
Shi Cang sighed lightly. "I understand. The sudden death of a prodigy like Shi Luan is a major blow to our Corpse Division."
"You needn't say it—I'll have them look into it."
After a moment, Shi Shuo calmed himself, then asked, "What are the other four divisions doing?"
"The Filth Division clearly had agents in the Tiannan Archipelago too. Why didn't they assist us?"
Shi Cang sneered. "Four of the Filth Division's five Great Dao Saint Artifacts have been suppressed in East Province."
"They've been busy stirring up trouble in East Province lately."
"I already tried reaching out to them through trusted contacts. Every time, they just brushed it off."
"They say 'next time for sure,' but in their hearts, they don't mean it."
Shi Cang paused, then let out a cold laugh. "Two years ago, that old fool from the Filth Division even came to ask me for spies to help him stir up chaos in East Province. I turned him down."
Shi Shuo thought for a moment. "Among the Filth Division's five Saint Artifacts... I recall the Black Death Demon Sea Bowl."
Shi Cang nodded.
"Help them—on the condition they lend us the Black Death Demon Sea Bowl for a thousand years," Shi Shuo said firmly.
Shi Cang raised an eyebrow.
Shi Shuo sneered. "The Black Death Demon Sea Bowl is most compatible with our Corpse Division. It should've been ours from the start."
"If they won't cooperate, we'll teach them a lesson."
"Hahahaha! Good! That's a fine plan!" Shi Cang nodded.
Outside the Cangqing Grotto Heaven.
Over a thousand cultivators emerged from the grotto one after another, all looking weary and drained.
Each of them reported what they had seen and experienced inside the grotto to their respective sects among the five great powers.
Ximen Changqing and Xiang Heng hovered high in the sky. Without needing those reports, they had already heard and taken in everything.
"How strange. Even the demonic aura inside the grotto is beginning to dissipate, and we couldn't find a trace of any powerful demonic energy. Could that Demon Sovereign truly be dead?" Xiang Heng said in astonishment.
Ximen Changqing responded calmly, "More than that, I'm concerned about something else. Of the nine high-grade saint artifacts once owned by the Cangqing Supreme, three were taken by an unknown individual."
"The identity of that person is what truly matters."
Xiang Heng nodded. "Xiang Bai said the one who crossed the Spirit Sea, passed the Jade Bridge, and ascended the Azure Peak first—was that very same cultivator. He's no ordinary figure."
Ximen Changqing was slightly stunned. "All of that was him? Then he must possess exceptional talent."
Xiang Heng grinned. "Thinking of taking him as your disciple? No way, I've got my eyes on him too!"
Ximen Changqing frowned. "Doesn't your Wanxiang Holy Land only accept elephant yokai?"
Xiang Heng laughed shamelessly. "I've changed the rules. Problem?"
Ximen Changqing snorted coldly. "Fine. That's your business."
Xiang Heng chuckled again.
But Ximen Changqing suddenly changed the subject. "If you can recruit disciples, so can I. Now imagine—if both the Heavenly Talisman Sect and Wanxiang Holy Land extend their olive branches, which do you think he'll choose?"
Xiang Heng's expression shifted slightly. He cursed under his breath, "Old thing, just flaunting your wealth and power, aren't you?"
"Fine then! Once Wanxiang Holy Land finds him, we won't breathe a word. We'll seize him on the spot and bring him back to the Holy Land!"
"Heh, whether he wants to or not, he'll have to agree!"
"Wanxiang Holy Land—this is for the great cause of suppressing demons!"
The two Supreme Realm cultivators bickered with puffed cheeks and wide eyes, arguing endlessly over who would get the top performer of the trial.
Gone was any trace of the aloof, domineering aura befitting their level.
To outsiders, they looked more like two teachers squabbling over a gifted student.
Little did they know, the so-called top performer of the trial had long since stepped into the chaotic void and escaped far away into the Five Regions of East Province.
And not just them—Xuanyin Cave Heaven, Blood God Demon Court, and the Flame Flood Dragon Palace had all begun investigating the identity of this person.
Some wanted to recruit him.
Some wanted him dead.
If they couldn't have him—then destroy him.
Song Zhenfei and the others kept their heads down and slipped away from the sea region before the five top powers could begin their interrogations.
Zhang Changheng sighed. "So Brother Ling was the top performer in the trial after all."
Liu Yuntian exclaimed, "Who would've thought it? Fellow Daoist Ling actually surpassed all the top talents of the Tiannan Archipelago. This is unbelievable!"
Wei Jincheng said seriously, "Who do you think Fellow Daoist Ling will choose? Among the five great powers, the Heavenly Talisman Sect is the wealthiest, and Xuanyin Cave Heaven is the most powerful."
Song Zhenfei thought carefully before speaking. "I believe it's likely to be the Heavenly Talisman Sect. Their disciples enjoy excellent treatment, and they're an upright and orthodox sect."
"Next possibility would be the Blood God Demon Court. In the past century, they've drastically changed their stance and actively recruit human cultivators as honored guests."
"As for Xuanyin Cave Heaven, they're too vicious and overbearing. I doubt Brother Ling would choose them."
After he finished, the other three nodded approvingly, clearly agreeing with Song Zhenfei's reasoning.
Five days later, the identity of the trial's top performer was revealed.
The young island lord of Hidden Dragon Island—Ling Xuan!
Countless spies and agents began scouring for traces of Ling Xuan.
Song Zhenfei and his group also came under intense scrutiny.
Yet one month, three months, half a year, a full year, three years...
There was still no sign of Ling Xuan.
He had defeated talents like Yin Zanghua and gained renown throughout the Tiannan
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