Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2561: 256: Preparation (Part 2)
Previously on Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant...
In an instant, the surrounding Chaos Origin Substance was completely absorbed!
Amid the crowd's shock and doubt.
The Chaos Origin Substance abruptly vanished, with only a faint trace left behind that swiftly exposed a massive, fresh blood-red domain!
Though distanced far away, the bloody Demonic Qi filling this shadowy domain remained keenly felt.
“Void Demon Realm?!”
Seeing this Great Realm, True Man Gai and Heavenly Monarch Chao stood stunned.
As he spoke, the swiftly depleted Chaos Origin Substance rapidly replenished, and that newly emerged, mighty Void Demon Realm floated in the void beside the Canlong Realm, Cloud Sky Realm, and Eastern Luli Buddha Realm, before slowly being engulfed by the encircling Chaos Origin Substance.
The Four Great Realms of Duanhai Cliff now truly earned their title.
Right then, Xiahou Demon’s laughter boomed across the void encircling the Four Great Realms:
“Hahaha, Taoist Friend Gai, Taoist Friend Chao, today my Void Demon Realm makes its return!”
His voice brimmed with delight.
Hearing this gleeful tone, True Man Gai, Heavenly Monarch Chao, and the others showed hints of surprise and joy.
For years as neighbors, the Four Great Realms had occasional clashes, yet thanks to the abundant Chaos Origin Substance, they stood united against outsiders, regardless of their differing cultivation paths.
Especially against a mighty foe like the Supreme True Buddha, an extra Mahayana powerhouse like Xiahou Demon might not shift the tide dramatically, but it certainly bolstered everyone's sense of security.
True Man Gai clapped joyfully and declared:
“With Xiahou Demon and the Void Demon Realm, the Four Great Realms are whole again. This boosts our chances of victory even more.”
A lone domain meant little against Mahayana experts, but by anchoring the Four Great Realms here with the vast Chaos Origin Substance to activate a grand formation, combined with Zhang’s Ruins, they could potentially stand firm against Tianshang.
And given enough time, per True Man Taiyi’s strategy, they might even eliminate the Supreme True Buddha threat entirely.
Without delay, he turned to Wang Ba and asked:
“Taoist Friend, what do you require of us?”
Wang Ba scanned the group, pondering silently.
He wasn’t fully confident if those present could suffice to unlock Duanhai Cliff.
After brief thought, he responded:
“Let’s give it a try first.”
At that point, the Six Root Magic Staffs materialized once more.
Kong Zen seized the True Void Staff, while Heavenly Monarch Chao took the Silkworm Dragon Staff.
Wang Ba claimed the Land-Parting Staff, the Wind-Driving Staff went to Bai Lechan, and the True Fire Staff passed to Bald Man Jiao.
For the final Overturning Water Staff, Wang Ba’s eyes settled on Lady Hua next to True Man Gai.
Lady Hua glanced instinctively at True Man Gai.
True Man Gai was now just a hollow shell, propped up solely by her aid until this moment.
True Man Gai opened his mouth to speak.
Suddenly, Wang Ba’s face changed, as though detecting something. The flesh on his forehead tore open, exposing a spinning vertical pupil.
He narrowed his eyes toward the adjacent void and shouted:
“Who are you?”
Instantly, a middle-aged man stepped out from the void, his looks utterly commonplace. He eyed Wang Ba in surprise, then grinned and casually greeted everyone:
“Long time no see, friends.”
“Xiahou Demon?”
Wang Ba fixed his gaze on the man, sensing his presence. Despite the unfamiliar face and drastic change, he instantly identified him.
Heavenly Monarch Chao and True Man Gai shared a look.
True Man Gai’s face darkened a bit, and he abruptly questioned:
“Before Taoist Friend Taiyi showed up, we headed to the Reclining Buddha Dharma Realm to block the Future Buddha Lord’s inheritance. Where were you?”
“And now, right as the Three Great Dharma Realms neared merging, you appear?”
Xiahou Demon remained calm at these words, smiling as he answered:
“Otherwise, how would Tianshang believe I’d escaped?”
“How else to seize this chance during your next assault to aid in crushing Tianshang?”
“Regardless, I’ve contributed substantially to toppling the Supreme True Buddha, right?”
“Anyway… no more words needed. I’ve succeeded and am on the verge of ascension. I’m here out of neighborly courtesy to let you know.”
At these words, varied expressions crossed the faces as they eyed Xiahou Demon oddly.
Observing the looks on everyone's faces, Xiahou Demon picked up on something, causing his countenance to shift faintly:
“What happened after I left?”
“In that situation, was the elder from Zhang’s Ruins unable to overcome the Supreme True Buddha?”
Heavenly Monarch Chao shook his head, replying:
“We failed to defeat Tianshang. In fact, had Tianshang not fully regained control back then, our escape would have been impossible.”
“Even then, Taoist Friend Gai…”
Xiahou Demon glanced toward True Man Gai, detecting the subtle glow of aura around him, and his brow furrowed lightly.
Though True Man Gai teetered on the edge right now, his mind grew ever more lucid and keen, spotting tiny inconsistencies in Xiahou Demon’s speech. His eyes narrowed with unspoken command, and he pressed:
“You’re no stranger to the entity in Zhang’s Ruins, are you?”
Xiahou Demon’s face altered ever so slightly.
True Man Gai knew him inside out; this minor tell, combined with his earlier peculiarities, linked everything together in an instant, leading to a sudden revelation:
“Now I get it. You’ve long been aware of the being in Zhang’s Ruins, choosing not to act because you knew Tianshang stood no chance against him… You waited for Zhang’s Ruins to show up, allowing them to wear each other down, then swoop in for the gain, correct?”