Chapter 138: Do I Look Like a Good-for-Nothing to You?

Chu You found herself caught in a difficult position, and looking at the expression on Crown Prince Qi Ming’s face, it seemed things were not going particularly well. Chu You figured that explanations were likely futile; with Chu Ge meddling, any attempt to clarify would only make matters worse.

"The Emperor is holding a hunting tournament in a few days. It is said that the prize is a rare treasure from the imperial collection, something truly extraordinary. I wonder if Prince Qi plans to attend?" Chu You gripped her handkerchief tightly, hoping this might pique the interest of the Crown Prince and her father.

Qi Ming seemed to regard the hunting tournament with great importance. "The Second Imperial Brother will likely not attend. While the prize for the champion is not particularly practical, it is not something one encounters every day, or perhaps it is the only known piece of its kind."

"What kind of treasure is it?"

"I heard the Emperor mention it is a flower petal, though the specifics remain unclear."

Marquis Chu stroked his beard. "To keep it so well-guarded that even the Crown Prince is kept in the dark—it must be a true treasure indeed."

Crown Prince Qi Ming nodded. Though curious, he had been unable to learn anything from the Treasure Pavilion. However, with Qi Xiu out of the picture, he felt ninety percent certain that the treasure would fall into his hands this year. The mere thought of this improved his mood, and he even looked at Chu You with a newfound warmth.

"My husband mentioned he wanted me to attend..."

Everyone turned to look at the owner of the slightly wheat-toned hand: Chu Ge.

"You!?"

...

The Thirty-Third Heaven.

Chong Hua held a chess piece, challenging the Will of Heaven. "The affairs of the Abyss of Resentful Souls should have been made known to me!"

An ancient, primordial voice resonated, "The world must not be without a master." Then, silence returned.

This was the first response Chong Hua had received from the Will of Heaven in days. The evil spirits in the Abyss were growing stronger by the day. Though he had finally discovered the truth behind the reincarnation of Chong Lian, how could the Six Realms possibly wait for his return?

As the Main God, his existence was indispensable to the myriad worlds. His lips parted slightly. "Then I shall take an unconventional path and force my way in..."

A streak of white light flashed across the horizon of the Demon Realm. The residents of the Demon Realm merely assumed it was a shooting star crossing the sky.

Residing in the Demon Palace, Mo Ye continued his decadent and luxurious life. Surrounded by demonesses, he slowly raised his head to look at the sky. "Tell those at the barrier to pull back. Someone who upholds 'justice' is coming."

"Yes!" The demon general bowed and withdrew from the main hall.

After the general left, Mo Ye resumed his habit of twirling his thumb ring, every movement radiating arrogance.

Chong Hua arrived directly at the barrier with his sword, Luo Yuan. The seal was weak, and the evil spirits were on the verge of breaking through at any moment. The surrounding demon generals had already retreated from the inner perimeter; the evil aura leaking from the seal made Chong Hua uncomfortable, a sensation akin to being suppressed.

Chong Hua’s brows furrowed slightly. He raised Luo Yuan and stepped into the seal. The guards on the perimeter dared not act rashly; in the Demon Realm, they followed only the Demon Lord’s orders.

Inside the seal, it was pitch black and silent. Endless black mist permeated the space, wanting to surge forward but shrinking back in fear of the aura emanating from Chong Hua and the sword in his hand.

Luo Yuan had been forged from ten-thousand-year-old dark iron, refined with snow water from Mount Jiuxi, tempered for forty-nine days in the flames of the Red Lotus, and placed in the Nine Heavens Palace to absorb the essence of the sun and moon. Its blade could cut through iron like mud! The sword naturally gathered the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and possessed its own spirit. Coupled with being wielded by Chong Hua, it was stained with the aura of a god, exerting a suppressive effect on demons, spirits, and evil beings alike.

Suddenly, Luo Yuan began to tremble. Chong Hua tightened his grip on the hilt to soothe it. With a graceful flick of his wrist in mid-air, he traced a beautiful pattern—the direction the blade pointed was exactly where the evil spirit was hiding!

"Hahahaha! To think that the Main God himself has come! You have certainly given this lord plenty of face!"

Chong Hua did not answer. He merely watched the mass of evil fire coldly as it struggled to manifest a form. It was no wonder the seal was weak yet remained unbroken.

Chong Hua formed a seal with his hands. His technique was entirely different from that of Chong Lian, and he added a drop of his own heart’s blood into the seal. A god’s heart’s blood was precious enough, let alone that of the Main God.

"The Power of Source!? You intend to use this method to forcibly imprison me until Chong Lian’s reincarnation is complete!?" The evil spirit spoke, but showed no fear, nor did it make any move to stop him.

Chong Hua’s sealing technique was forceful, yet it contained softness within its strength. The entire barrier closed without so much as a ripple.

"This is the last bit of time I grant you, Six Realms. Your seal is inferior to Chong Lian’s. One hundred years is enough for me to manifest my form. When that time comes, the devouring of the world will begin with the Demon Realm! Hahaha..."

Chong Hua did not linger. He exited the barrier, the seal restored to its original thickness. He then dissolved into golden light, vanished from the spot, and returned to the Thirty-Third Heaven.

By the lotus pond, the flowers were in full bloom, yet a scent of blood began to spread. Thunderclouds gathered in the sky, only to dissipate again. Chong Hua had paid a heavy price; the evil spirit’s growth rate had far exceeded his expectations. Ordinary seals were ineffective, and advanced seals were even less useful. Chong Lian’s sealing method had been a gift from heaven, leaving Chong Hua no choice but to use a strand of his own divine soul to reinforce it.

The divine soul was the origin of a god. For a typical High God, sacrificing a strand of their soul would require at least a thousand years of recovery and would leave behind hidden ailments. Chong Hua had been severely wounded this time. His gaze drifted past the lotus pond toward the Heavenly Pillar in the distance. "Notify the Nine Heavens: store your energy and sharpen your resolve. There will be a war in one hundred years. We must win; failure is not an option."

After Chong Hua’s figure vanished, a furtive, wretched-looking man poked his head out. It was none other than the Heavenly Monarch, Jiu Yun.

Apart from the four primordial gods, the only person permitted to enter the Thirty-Third Heaven was Jiu Yun, who had been granted the title of Divine Lord by Chong Hua. Jiu Yun was a rare genius of the God Realm, his cultivation second only to Chong Ye. He could barely manage a draw against the Demon Lord Mo Ye, while the Spirit Lord’s strength was unknown, and both the Underworld Ruler and the Demon Emperor were his defeated opponents.

However, the God Realm had lived in such comfort for so long that they had grown lazy, their coordination and tacit understanding far less than in the past. Furthermore, as more minor gods ascended from the lower realms, the truly powerful ones had gone into seclusion or sealed themselves away—like the Azure Dragon from the dawn of time. Others remained in deep slumber, waking only once every century. Fortunately, notifying them was not a difficult task.

Jiu Yun looked at the conspicuous bloodstains on the lotus pond, his sense of impending doom reaching its peak. If there was someone capable of injuring the Main God Chong Hua, then within the Six Realms, he likely had no equal...

...

Marquis Chu’s Mansion.

With Chu Ge acting as a troublemaker, Crown Prince Qi Ming and Chu You were unable to discuss any private matters with the Marquis. As the sun set, Chu Ge knew that the day’s entertainment was coming to an end.

"Father, You’er is unfilial. I will no longer be able to stay by your side..."

Chu You began to shed tears as she spoke. Chu Ge thought that the saying "women are made of water" was truly accurate—look at those eyes, they were red from crying yet the tears never seemed to run dry.

[Host, if Chu You is made of water, what are you made of? You almost never cry.]

Chu Ge thought to herself: Cry? Over whom? Chong Li?

She shook those dangerous thoughts from her mind. "Your host is... probably made of concrete. Sturdy and reliable."

The sincerity with which Chu Ge said this moved the system so much that it wiped away its amusement. [Host, you have finally realized your true nature! I’m touched!]

???

System, are you looking for a beating?

This time, the system was very wise; after speaking, it immediately cut off communication inside and outside the space. It was the first time it truly appreciated the benefits of the Life-Bound Blood Pact—it could directly utilize the space controlled by its host. Oh ho ho!