210: Dugu Qiubai points his sword at the divine realm

When Zhonglou's story concluded, the bloody and murderous Qi that permeated the air slowly dissipated.

But the shock it brought to everyone was like a brand, deeply etched into each person's heart.

Assassinating the ruler, seizing the throne, and ascending to the top of the Demon Realm.

These eight characters sound simple, but the cruelty and hardship they contain can only be truly understood by those who have experienced them firsthand.

Li Chengqian looked at the red-haired Devil God before him, who had recounted his past as if it were merely a story, with a calm and indifferent demeanor. His estimation of him rose even further.

This was a peerless overlord who had truly fought his way out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

He possessed ambition, strength, and, most importantly, the heart of a powerhouse that would never retreat.

Such an existence, if it could not be brought under his control, then it must be utterly destroyed at all costs.

Otherwise, it would surely become a grave hidden danger.

Fortunately, now, this sharpest of blades was already in his hands.

"A good story."

Li Chengqian once again offered his evaluation, his tone still as unruffled as if he were listening to a storyteller.

"It seems you have achieved your goal and reached the highest point of the Demon Realm. What is the scenery like there?"

Li Chengqian's question seemed casual, but in reality, it was a probe.

He wanted to know what changes had occurred in Zhonglou's mindset after becoming the Supreme of the Demon Realm.

A person's desires are endless.

Once he conquers one mountain, his gaze will inevitably turn towards higher and more distant peaks.

Upon hearing Li Chengqian's question, Zhonglou's handsome and sinister face, for the first time, revealed a hint of... loneliness.

"Replying to the Great Emperor, the scenery there is beautiful."

"But, it is also... boring."

Boring?

This answer surprised everyone.

You went through countless hardships, killed so many, shed so much blood, and finally reached the pinnacle of power, only to tell me it's boring?

Is this a humblebrag?

"How is it boring?"

Li Chengqian asked with interest.

"Because there are no longer any opponents who can fight me."

In Zhonglou's eyes, the Battle Intent that had just been incredibly fervent now seemed somewhat dim.

"After I ascended to the position of Devil King, the entire Demon Realm bowed at my feet. No one dared to challenge my authority anymore. All the Devil Kings would only tremble when they saw me."

"I once thought that by standing at the highest point, I would see the most beautiful scenery."

"But I was wrong."

"When I truly stood there, I realized that it is lonely at the top."

"That kind of loneliness, being an enemy to the world yet unrivaled, was more... painful to me than being devoured in a sea of blood or fighting on a plain of bones."

"I began to miss those enemies who fought me to the death. I even regretted, to some extent, why I had to kill them all."

Zhonglou's words resonated strongly with Nangong Pu She below.

What she pursued was being the number one under heaven.

However, if one day she truly became the number one under heaven, what would she do then?

Without a goal to pursue, without an opponent to challenge, would such a number one under heaven truly be meaningful?

She looked at the red-haired Devil God on the city wall, who also felt lonely, and for the first time, she began to doubt the meaning of the word "invincible."

"So, you set your sights on the Divine Realm?"

Li Chengqian revealed the secret with a single sentence.

A hint of an embarrassed smile appeared on Zhonglou's face, looking like a child caught doing something wrong by a parent.

"Yes, Great Emperor."

"The Demon Realm no longer had any opponents that could interest me. So, I turned my gaze towards the legendary Divine Realm, where powerhouses were said to be as numerous as clouds."

"I heard that in the Divine Realm, there was an existence known as the number one Divine General of the Divine Realm, named 'Fei Peng.' He wielded a Demon Suppressing Sword, guarded the South Heaven Gate, and had never been defeated in ten thousand years."

"At that time, I thought, this must be a good opponent worthy of my attention!"

Fei Peng!

When this name came out of Zhonglou's mouth, Jing Tian in the Tingfeng Courtyard suddenly trembled!

His pupils, which had just returned to normal, once again turned a brilliant silver!

A familiar yet strange memory surged into his mind like a tide.

Before the South Heaven Gate, a Divine General in silver armor, holding a long sword, was locked in a fierce battle with a red-haired Devil God.

Sword Qi and demonic flames intertwined, Divine Power and Devilish Qi collided.

They fought from the South Heaven Gate to the Well of Gods and Demons, and then from the Well of Gods and Demons back to the Heavenly Realm.

They were fated rivals, and also, each other's only confidant.

"Zhonglou..."

Jing Tian murmured, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

"Jing Tian? What's wrong with you?"

Tang Xuejian, beside him, was startled by his sudden change.

"Nothing."

Jing Tian shook his head, forcefully suppressing the surging memories in his mind.

He looked in the direction of the Vermillion Bird Gate, and a feeling, which he himself couldn't quite explain, arose within him—an urge to fight that red-haired Devil God once more!

On the city wall, Li Chengqian naturally also noticed a faint ripple of Divine Power coming from the direction of the Tingfeng Courtyard.

A barely noticeable smile played on the corners of his mouth.

"Interesting, has Fei Peng also awakened?"

"It seems my Chang'an City truly has hidden Dragons."

He did not expose it, but continued to listen to Zhonglou's narration.

"So, I tore open the barrier between the Divine and Demon Realms, fought my way to the South Heaven Gate, and specifically challenged that Fei Peng."

"Fei Peng indeed did not disappoint me."

"His swordsmanship was the best I had ever seen in my life. His Divine Power was also refined to the extreme."

"The two of us fought for seven days and seven nights, with no clear victor!"

"That was the most exhilarating battle I had after becoming the Devil King!"

As Zhonglou spoke, a genuinely joyful smile spread across his face.

It was a heartfelt joy, like finding a worthy opponent, a truly exceptional talent.

"It's just a pity that our battle was interrupted by an insensible fellow."

A hint of displeasure flashed across Zhonglou's face.

"That bird-brained emperor of the Divine Realm, under the pretense of Fei Peng 'colluding with the Demon Race and dereliction of duty,' wanted to banish him to the mortal realm for a hundred cycles of Reincarnation."

"Of course, I wouldn't stand for it. How could my only opponent just disappear like that?"

"So, I caused a great ruckus, intending to snatch Fei Peng back."

"And then... and then, you appeared."

Zhonglou looked at Li Chengqian, scratched his head, and his expression returned to that respectful and... slightly fearful look of a primary school student seeing their homeroom teacher.

"You were standing at the entrance of the High Heavens Palace at that time, looking at me, and you said, 'You impudent creature, how dare you act so presumptuously here.'"

"And then... then you slapped me from the Divine Realm to here, where I've been imprisoned for ten thousand years."

The story, at this point, finally perfectly connected with the version Li Chengqian had heard before.

After listening, Li Chengqian already had a complete understanding.

This Zhonglou, in essence, was not bad.

He was simply a pure martial arts fanatic who pursued power and yearned for battle.

Such a person was the easiest to control.

As long as he could be provided with sufficiently powerful opponents, he would faithfully serve him.

And now, in this world, what was least lacking was... powerful opponents.

Hao Tian of the West Mausoleum Divine Hall.

The Master of the Academy.

And those "players" from the myriad worlds, hidden behind the scenes, who might appear at any time.

Li Chengqian felt as if he had truly stumbled upon a treasure.