297: game

In the depths of the underground palace, within the fragments of the Demon Realm.

Various demonic blood splattered across the rugged black rock floor, congealing into glaring stains.

Hao Duo lay sprawled on an opulent golden bed that had appeared out of nowhere, several Storage Rings hovering leisurely above his head. Streaks of light occasionally flew out, transforming into various items.

This super being, who had been dormant for a million years, was examining his newly acquired spoils with great interest. The Demonic Generals who had been brought here earlier had vanished without a trace, leaving only the bloodstains on the ground, silently narrating their fate.

Hao Duo retrieved a dark red rapier from one of the rings.

He gazed at the blade, a trace of reminiscence flashing in his eyes.

The rapier was covered with countless small, living-mouth-like patterns, and its hilt had been severed by something sharp, losing all its spirituality.

"Even you have fallen..." Hao Duo murmured, his voice tinged with an ineffable melancholy.

He had already read the memories of several Demonic Generals and knew the situation outside—the two great abysses, Blood Prison and Eternal Tribulation, were locked in a bloody battle over the spatial passage he had opened.

Soon after the earth-shattering battle a million years ago, he had sealed himself here and fallen into a deep slumber.

Though he had successfully transformed into a Corpse Clan member, free from Reincarnation, and had merged the Great Dao of Death with the Great Dao of Annihilation, condensing the Dao Fruit of Death and Annihilation, thus achieving his million-year-long ambition.

However, an indescribable sense of loneliness lingered in his heart.

Among the fragmented memories, not a single acquaintance from a million years ago remained.

Even those high and mighty Saints had vanished for hundreds of thousands of years. Upon his re-emergence, the only Quasi-Saints who could pose a threat to him were probably Jie Wusheng, the newly risen Lord of the Eternal Tribulation Demon Abyss.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly, yet he felt a hint of weariness.

Just then, his eyes flickered, and his vast, ocean-like Divine Sense silently probed out of the underground palace.

Above the rift valley, a black-robed figure, holding a thousand-foot-wide ethereal blue water sphere, arrived from afar, encountering the blue-robed figure carrying Xiao Zhuo.

"Corpse Two, you've come as well," the blue-robed figure said indifferently.

The black-robed figure, holding the giant water sphere, nodded slightly: "The Saint Venerable has commanded that all outsiders captured this time must be personally dealt with by him. I shall naturally obey!"

Inside the water sphere, dozens of black-armored Demonic Generals were imprisoned, with Ye Zhenyu prominently among them.

They had not lost consciousness but were merely confined by an invisible force, unable to move.

Ye Zhenyu instantly saw Xiao Zhuo, who was imprisoned by the blue-robed figure, and her face turned even paler.

Earlier, she had extracted information from Corpse Two, the black-robed figure: the Demon Fighting Army, led by Dou Sen, who had gone north, had already fallen into enemy hands. Now, seeing Xiao Zhuo captured, she immediately understood—all the Demonic Generals from the Eternal Tribulation Demon Abyss who had entered this place had probably been wiped out! The Corpse Clan here was so deeply hidden that there was even a Devil King-level being in charge, and they all seemed to be subordinates of some unknown terrifying entity! This conjecture sent a bone-chilling cold through her heart.

Xiao Zhuo naturally saw Ye Zhenyu and the others, but he was in no position to help himself. All the methods of escape he rapidly calculated in his mind proved ineffective, so he could only force himself to remain calm and observe the situation.

Corpse Two and the blue-robed figure flew together into the deep rift valley, speeding towards the depths of the earth.

As they rapidly descended, Xiao Zhuo found himself being led into pure darkness.

Although his vision was unaffected, the increasingly dense and eerie Corpse Qi emanating from below brought a heavy sense of oppression, almost suffocating him.

Passing through a colossal bronze gate, the two figures, one black and one blue, carrying their captives, soon appeared before Hao Duo.

The vast underground palace remained as bright as day.

Xiao Zhuo and the others finally saw the ultimate Dominator of this place.

After a brief interrogation, the two Corpse Kings respectfully retreated, leaving behind the Demonic Generals who had regained "freedom" but were now trapped in a desperate situation.

Xiao Zhuo had already keenly detected the lingering demonic blood Qi of some Demonic Generals he had seen earlier on the ground.

His face was as gloomy as the sky before a storm, and he sensed extreme danger in his heart.

From the attitude of the two suspected Corpse King-level beings towards the young man on the golden bed, Xiao Zhuo could easily deduce that the one before him must be a terrifying giant, far above a Devil King!

To command the allegiance of two King-level beings, his terrifying strength was unimaginable!

"This Venerable is too lazy to waste time." Hao Duo's crimson eyes swept over these new "toys," a playful smile curving his lips. When his gaze passed over Xiao Zhuo, it showed a hint of novel curiosity. "Let's play a game!"

"Senior! What kind of game... are you referring to?" Ye Zhenyu felt a chill run down her spine under Hao Duo's gaze. Even as a Half-step Demon Lord, she felt that his gaze could devour her alive.

"Very simple!" Hao Duo grinned, adding like a mischievous child, "Ten people at a time! Attack me together! If you can touch my clothes, you win! Of course..." His tone carried a hint of mockery. "I will suppress my Realm to the Early Stage of a Demonic General! I won't bully you!"

"What happens if we win? What happens if we lose?" Xiao Zhuo stepped forward a few paces, asking calmly, his voice exceptionally clear in the silent underground palace.

"Win?" Hao Duo's eyes gleamed with the playful light of a cat toying with a mouse, his tone teasing, "I haven't thought about it yet!" His words then shifted, his crimson eyes sweeping over everyone. "But if you lose... you will become my sacrifice, and merge with me!"

Xiao Zhuo took a deep breath, suppressing the surging waves in his heart, forcing himself to calm down.

The terror of the being before him far exceeded imagination, but his playful attitude, as if toying with the world, might be their only chance at survival!

He met Hao Duo's crimson and playful gaze, taking a step forward, his voice clear and steady, neither servile nor overbearing: "Senior, your words are mistaken! If a game has no clear rules or rewards and punishments, isn't it just child's play? Senior's Divine Ability is peerless, viewing us as ants. This 'game' is merely entertainment for Senior, but for us, it's a matter of life and death!"

Hao Duo raised an eyebrow, seemingly more interested in Xiao Zhuo's courage and eloquence, the smile on his lips deepening: "Oh? Then what do you think would constitute a 'fair' game?"

Xiao Zhuo knew the opportunity was fleeting and immediately responded: "Since Senior said you would suppress your Realm to the Early Stage of a Demonic General to fight us fairly, it shows your magnanimity! However, if the winners have no chance of survival, wouldn't that negate Senior's 'fairness'? If we are fortunate enough to touch Senior's clothes, we ask for little, only that Senior shows mercy and grants us a way out! This is the only 'prize' we seek! Since Senior can extinguish us with a flick of a finger, why fear granting this insignificant hope? Could it be..."

Xiao Zhuo's eyes were sharp, and his words carried a perfectly timed provocation: "Is Senior worried that after suppressing your Realm, you might actually be touched by us, losing face?"

The underground palace was dead silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The hearts of all the Demonic Generals were in their throats, staring nervously at Hao Duo on the golden bed.

Hao Duo's smile slowly receded, his crimson eyes, like solid entities, locked onto Xiao Zhuo. His gaze was incomparably sharp, as if it could penetrate skin and look directly into the depths of the Soul.

An invisible, suffocating, terrifying pressure instantly enveloped Xiao Zhuo, but he forcibly steadied his mind, his back straight, meeting the gaze without flinching.

After a moment of heart-stopping silence, Hao Duo suddenly let out a low laugh, breaking the stillness: "Heh... interesting little fellow. Sharp-tongued, and not lacking in courage. You dare to provoke this Venerable with words?"

He leaned forward slightly, examining Xiao Zhuo with interest, as if appreciating a novel toy: "However, letting you leave... is absolutely impossible."

His tone carried an undeniable authority, then he changed the subject: "But sparing your lives is not a problem! Ten people per group, if you touch this Venerable's clothes, this Venerable will spare your life! Granting you... the qualification to serve under this Venerable! I will not go back on my word!"

As soon as these words were uttered, a strong light of survival instantly burst forth in the eyes of Ye Zhenyu and the others!

Xiao Zhuo's heart also suddenly relaxed.

He knew this must be the greatest concession the old monster could make; being alive was better than immediately becoming a sacrifice.

He felt a hint of relief at this outcome.

However, Hao Duo's next words sent Xiao Zhuo plummeting into an icy abyss, his hair standing on end instantly!

"But..." Hao Duo's gaze lingered on Xiao Zhuo's glabella for a moment, a curve of knowing, infinitely playful amusement on his lips, "You, little fellow, hide quite deeply. Possessing a Minor Thousand Worlds, and hiding over a hundred people? Tsk, tsk..."

He gently shook his head, his crimson eyes gleaming with a mocking light: "Such methods, among Demonic Generals, are truly... unprecedented."

Boom!

Xiao Zhuo's expression suddenly changed drastically! That such an old monster could detect the zizai world in his mind was within his expectations!

But to even know the exact number of people hidden within it?! To what terrifying extent had Hao Duo's Divine Sense perception reached?!

Hao Duo watched Xiao Zhuo's rapidly changing expression, seemingly very satisfied with the effect.

He lazily leaned back on the golden bed, his crimson eyes gleaming with cruel mockery: "Then, the game can begin. First group, you... choose yourselves!"

An invisible pressure, like a cold tide, instantly engulfed every Demonic General present.