54: Chapter 54: If the King of Hell calls you to die at midnight, who dares to keep you alive until dawn!

The night wind was like a blade, cutting through the jagged rock walls of the Black Wind Mountain Range, letting out a shrill wail.

Qin Ji stood atop the cliff's peak, the pitch-black book of life and death at his fingertips emitting an eerie glow under the moonlight. The pages turned without any wind, as if some indescribable living creature was breathing greedily.

“Grelorlinssen.”

Qin Ji whispered the name softly, yet it sounded like a heavy hammer striking the bronze bell of destiny.

He raised his right hand, condensing a streak of crimson Evil Qi at his fingertips, writing with fluid strokes on the yellowed paper. With every stroke, a black mist rose from the pages, as if countless wronged Souls were screaming and struggling within the fog.

The moment he finished the final stroke, Qin Ji felt half of his mana instantly drained. An icy, primordial power of Law burrowed through his fingertips into the Void Realm, crossing the barriers of space to target the entity Sealed deep within the Abyss.

“There.”

Qin Ji closed the book and casually tucked it back into his robes, his movements as nonchalant as if he had just finished recording a simple ledger. He turned around, looking down at the Spider Nest he had just slaughtered, the corners of his mouth curling into a playful arc.

“Now, it is time to witness a miracle.”

...

Star Kingdom, the Royal Palace Hall.

The atmosphere was so heavy it felt as if it could condense into water.

“One day?”

Second Princess Qing Fuyun raised her eyebrows exaggeratedly, her exquisitely made-up face filled with undisguised mockery. “My dear sister, are you saying that adventurer can kill the Son of the Demon King, who is Sealed by an ancient grand Formation, from a distance within a single day?”

In the hall, the ministers looked at each other, their whispers buzzing like flies.

The Star Chamber of Commerce was the kingdom's economic lifeblood, accounting for a third of the national treasury's income. For Leona to use it as a stake was simply madness.

“That is correct.”

Leona stood in the center of the hall, her back ramrod straight. Though her palms were slick with cold sweat, she maintained her royal dignity. “If he fails, I will voluntarily renounce my right to the throne and... leave the Royal Capital forever.”

“Good!”

Qing Fuyun immediately cut in, fearing she would back out, her eyes gleaming with greed. “Father, You have heard it all. Since my third sister has such boldness, we as her elder sisters must naturally support her.”

Upon the throne, the old King Abra's clouded gaze swept over his two daughters before he finally gave a heavy nod.

“Granted.”

...

The Well of Shattered Stars.

This was a Forbidden Ground of the Star Kingdom, where a massive magic Formation covered the land for ten miles around. Two white-robed elders sat cross-legged at the core of the Formation, their staves constantly emitting light to reinforce the already cracking Seal.

When Leona arrived, Qing Fuyun was already there waiting with a group of her confidants.

“Third sister, you’ve arrived just in time.”

Qing Fuyun sat on a cushioned armchair, holding a glass of red wine with a beaming smile. “I specifically brought a Court Painter to record this historic moment—or rather, the moment your reputation is ruined.”

Leona ignored her provocation and walked straight to a nearby rock to sit down.

From this position, she could see the surging Devilish Qi beneath the Seal.

Time passed minute by minute.

The surrounding air was terrifyingly quiet, save for the whistling of the wind through the canyon.

In the shadows, countless eyes were staring intently at this place. They belonged to various factions lurking inside and outside the palace, and even “Night Walkers” planted by the Devil King's Army.

Everyone was waiting.

Waiting for a result, or... a joke.

“It seems your adventurer friend is nothing but a liar who talks big.”

Qing Fuyun glanced at the magic hourglass, the mockery in her eyes deepening. “There is only half an hour until dawn. Third sister, have you packed your bags?”

Leona bit her lower lip, her nails digging deep into her palms.

Could it be... that I really was deceived?

Qin Ji's confident and arrogant smile flashed through her mind. Would that man really joke about something like this?

Right then—

Hum!!

The previously stable sealing Formation suddenly erupted into violent tremors.

The expressions of the two white-robed elders responsible for maintaining the Formation changed drastically, their staves nearly flying out of their hands.

“What’s happening?! The Seal is rioting?!”

“No! This isn't a sign of breaking the Seal, this is...”

Before they could figure out what was happening, a shrill, agonizing roar erupted from deep underground, making the eardrums of everyone present ring.

“Aaaaaargh—!!!”

The voice was filled with terror, rage, and... unbelievable agony.

The next second.

Everyone with the skill “Inspection” saw a scene they would never forget for the rest of their lives.

Through the translucent barrier of the Seal, they could clearly see Grelorlinssen, the Son of the Demon King who was supposed to be as towering as a mountain at the bottom of the Abyss, now clutching his head and rolling frantically on the ground.

And above his head, blood-red damage numbers were scrolling like a waterfall!

-14,654!

-14,654!

-14,654!

...

The damage was incredibly stable, ticking every single second.

There were no skill effects, no attack trajectories, and not even a hint of mana fluctuation.

It was as if the Grim Reaper was holding an invisible blade, flaying this Divine-Grade being piece by piece!

“This... how is this possible?!”

The wine glass in Qing Fuyun's hand fell to the ground with a shatter. Red wine splashed onto her skirt like mottled bloodstains. Her eyes widened, her once-exquisite face now distorted as if she had seen a ghost.

The Son of the Demon King was invincible while under the Seal!

This was common knowledge! An ironclad rule!

Even if her father were to come in person, it would be impossible to harm him in the slightest without breaking the Seal!

“Damn it! Damn it all!!”

Deep underground, Grelorlinssen's roar turned into a terrified wail, “Who is it?! Who the hell is it?! Show yourself!!”

His health bar was plummeting at a rate visible to the naked eye.

That was true damage!

A rule-level erasure that ignored defense, ignored resistance, and ignored the protection of a godhead!

“Save me... quickly, save me!!”

Grelorlinssen panicked.

He felt the breath of death. That hollow feeling of having his life force forcibly stripped away made this demon, who had lived for centuries, experience despair for the first time.

“Do something! What are you all waiting for?!”

Grelorlinssen roared at the crowd above, “If you don't save me, I'm going to die!!”

This roar completely ignited the situation.

The “Night Walkers” lurking in the crowd could no longer hold back. If the Son of the Demon King died, their mission would be a total failure!

“For the Devil King!!”

A guard who had been standing behind Qing Fuyun suddenly lunged, his longsword gleaming with a sickly green poisonous light as he stabbed his companion.

Puchi!

White blade in, red blade out.

Blood sprayed out, staining the ground red.

“Assassins!!”

“Protect the Princess!!”

The scene instantly fell into chaos.

Dozens of Night Walkers disguised as soldiers and servants tore off their disguises. They didn't attack Leona, but instead charged frantically toward the two white-robed elders maintaining the Formation.

They had only one goal—break the Seal and release Grelorlinssen!

As long as the Seal was broken, the Son of the Demon King could return to his peak state and use his passive health regeneration to withstand this bizarre damage!

“Stop them!!”

Leona stood up abruptly, her eyes showing no fear, but instead burning with an unprecedented fervor.

She had won the bet!

Qin Ji had really done it!

That man, from a thousand miles away, was crushing this kingdom's nightmare as if he were crushing an ant!

“Everyone, hear my command! Defend the Formation at all costs! They must not be allowed to break the Seal!”

Leona drew the sword at her waist, her voice echoing through the Well of Shattered Stars, “Grelorlinssen is about to die! This is our only chance!”

Hearing these words, the morale of the panicked guards surged.

Yes!

That once-unbeatable Son of the Demon King was wailing, waiting for death!

As long as they held out for this moment, they would be heroes who slayed a god!

...

Meanwhile.

Far away in the Black Wind Mountain Range, the sweet sound of System notifications rang in Qin Ji's ears.

[Ding! Target “Grelorlinssen” health is below 10%...]

[Ding! Target “Grelorlinssen” has entered the “Near-Death Terror” state, all attributes decreased by 50%.]

Qin Ji leaned against a withered tree, playing with a green bead he had just looted from the Spider King's corpse, his expression lazy.

“He started screaming after only losing 90% of his health? This Son of the Demon King has poor mental fortitude.”

He shook his head, his gaze piercing through the layers of tree shadows as if he could see that Soul struggling in despair within the Abyss.

The judgment priority of the book of life and death was the highest.

Unless the opponent possessed a Karma-type Divine Artifact of the same level, or was a True God who had transcended the Laws of life and death, once a name was written in it, the outcome was a foregone conclusion.

This was the power of data.

This was the joy of being a cheater.

Finally.

Amidst a despairing scream that shook the heavens and earth, the last bit of the health bar was emptied.

Rumble—!!!

In the direction of the distant Well of Shattered Stars, a pillar of pitch-black light shot into the sky, then collapsed with a roar.

That was the phenomenon of a demi-god's fall.

Following that, a series of golden System notifications exploded across Qin Ji's vision like a celebratory symphony.

[Ding! You have successfully killed “Son of the Demon King · Grelorlinssen (Sealed/Weakened)”!]

[Obtained EXP: 50,000,000!]

[Rank Up! LV.20 -> LV.21!]

[Rank Up! LV.21 -> LV.22!]

...

[Rank Up! LV.24 -> LV.25!]

Five levels in a row!

A massive warm current instantly washed through Qin Ji's entire body. The pleasure of his power surging made him involuntarily narrow his eyes.

But it wasn't over yet.

The main event was coming.

[Triggered Talent “Greedy Grasp”!]

[You have plundered the target's core attribute!]

[Obtained Passive Skill: Demon God's Blood (Pseudo)]

[Demon God's Blood (Pseudo): Max HP +50,000, automatically restores 1% of Max HP every second. Reduces dark attribute damage taken by 50%.]

[Triggered Leapfrog Kill Reward (Mythic First Kill)!]

[You have obtained a Mythic-grade special item: Horn of the Abyssal Demon Dragon.]

A light flashed in Qin Ji's hand, and an ancient-looking black horn emitting a bone-chilling cold appeared out of thin air. A ferocious dragon head was carved onto the surface of the horn, and the faint sound of dragon roars could be heard coming from within.

[Horn of the Abyssal Demon Dragon]

[Grade]: Mythic (Unique)

[Effect]: Blow the horn to forcibly summon an Abyssal Demon Dragon to fight for you (or act as a mount). Duration: 30 minutes. Cooldown: 24 hours.

“Oh?”

Qin Ji raised an eyebrow, his fingertips gently stroking the cold patterns of the horn. “Not only did he give me a health boost, but he also gave me a mount? This Grelorlinssen is truly a good person.”

He stood up straight and patted the dust off his clothes.

Since the mission was complete, it was time to collect the other reward.

That princess who wants to be queen should be so excited she can't sleep right now, shouldn't she?

Qin Ji hung the horn at his waist and looked toward the Royal Capital.

The afterglow of the setting sun stretched his shadow very long. Above the ruins that had just experienced slaughter, he rested one hand on the hilt of his sword. His dark, deep eyes reflected the smoke rising in the distance, like a chess player who had just made a move, coldly observing the game board he had completely disrupted.