Chapter 1303 - 522: High-Spirited (Part 2)

"Could it be... the long-lost forbidden item, the ’Soul Devourer’!"

Countless gazes all swiveled toward the north.

Shock, dread, even terror.

All kinds of emotions tangled together.

In the Celestial Realm, Archangel Gabriel’s expression changed drastically.

"Bastard! This Zhang Beixing, his courage is way too big!"

"A mere mortal, and he dares covet a Divine Artifact?"

"If he succeeds, the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Before his words had fallen, he suddenly stood up.

"Someone, pass my order! I will lead an army and march into the Northern Territory!"

"At all costs, we must stop that madman and take back the ’Soul Devourer’!"

His roar echoed through the empty Cloud Hall.

As if announcing the coming of a bloody storm.

At the same time, deep in the Underground Palace of the Demon Race’s Imperial City.

The newly appointed Demon King Talons was also lost in thought.

"This Zhang Beixing... just what kind of monster is he..."

"Even Rochester back then, fell to him."

"And now, he doesn’t even put the Celestial Realm in his eyes..."

He muttered to himself, his gaze dark and unreadable.

As though he were calculating something.

"Forget it, if the ’Soul Devourer’ falls into his hands, our race is doomed!"

"Looks like I can’t just sit back and watch."

Decision made, Talons slowly rose to his feet.

"Transmit my command: mobilize the Demon Race elites and rush to the Northern Territory!"

"I want to see what tricks this brat who doesn’t know the height of the sky has up his sleeve!"

With that, he strode out of the Underground Palace in great strides.

Demonic Qi surged around him, killing intent boiling.

An ominous storm was quietly brewing.

Meanwhile, in the distant Northern Territory, deep within the Forbidden Land where Magical Beasts ran rampant.

That figure who drew the wary gaze of the entire Three Realms remained unmoved.

Black robe fluttering, hands clasped behind his back.

Zhang Beixing lifted his head to the sky, his eyes shining like stars.

"Come then. I’ve been waiting here for a long time."

The corner of his lips hooked into a smile that brooked no failure.

The world was vast and desolate, the wind howled.

A new journey had already begun.

And his legend was only just opening its curtain.

The Northern Territory, a Forbidden Land where demons ran wild.

Countless powerful Magical Beasts lurked within.

Even Angels had to avoid this place.

But at this very moment, a tall, slender figure was walking alone through this dead zone.

Zhang Beixing, Emperor of the Dark Empire.

His purpose this time was that legendary Divine Artifact said to be able to destroy heaven and earth.

"Soul Devourer..."

The young emperor murmured softly, eyes firm as stone.

"Since I, the king, have come here, I will take you back no matter what."

"With you, what enemy do I have left to fear?"

His words landed like a thunderclap.

Even this rotten earth shuddered in response.

[Host, you’d better think this through.]

The voice of the Persuasion System sounded again.

Carrying a faint worry.

[The ’Soul Devourer’ may be overwhelmingly powerful, but it’s also unpredictably dangerous.]

[Once you lose control, it may backlash against you.]

[When that happens, I fear neither you nor I will be spared.]

"Heh, when have I ever feared such things?"

Zhang Beixing let out a cold laugh, utterly unconcerned.

Calm as drifting clouds, confident and composed.

"Besides, this world is a game for the strong to begin with."

"If you don’t want to be crushed to death, you must seize greater Power."

He lengthened his stride, heading toward the depths of the Forbidden Land.

His back was resolute, his bearing extraordinary.

One couldn’t help but sigh: this was the true aura of a king.

Where his gaze fell, all submitted.

Where he stepped, all creation prostrated.

Within the Forbidden Land, demons danced wildly, the stench of blood thick in the air.

Countless Magical Beasts roared and bellowed, killing intent seething.

Yet along his path, everything was smooth and unimpeded.

Not a single demon dared block Zhang Beixing’s way.

It was as if they knew this Human was not someone they could provoke.

That domineering aura, that innate sense of oppression.

Made even the fiercest Magical Beasts instinctively feel fear.

"Heh, fools who don’t know their limits."

Zhang Beixing sneered, eyes indifferent.

To him, everything around was as if nonexistent.

The only thing he cared about was the destination ahead.

The location of the ’Soul Devourer’.

[A bit farther, and you’ll reach the center of the Demon Beast Forbidden Land.]

The Persuasion System promptly issued a reminder.

[The most vicious Magical Beasts are gathered there. It’s extremely dangerous.]

[Up to now, no one has ever successfully crossed it.]

"Is that so? Perfect. I’ll be the first."

Zhang Beixing’s expression remained unchanged, utterly unafraid.

As if the danger ahead had nothing to do with him.

"Just a bunch of beasts, and they dare block my path?"

"This time, I’ll slaughter them all and bathe this Forbidden Land in blood!"

His words were like nails driven into iron, ringing loud enough to shake the earth.

Murderous intent spilled in all directions, making one’s scalp crawl.

"Awoo—!!!"

As if it had sensed Zhang Beixing’s presence, from the depths of the Forbidden Land there suddenly came a roar that could tear the sky asunder.

Deafening, terrifying beyond belief.

The whole earth trembled beneath that bellow.

Countless blood-drinking Evil Spirits were startled awake.

They swarmed out, crimson light flooding everywhere.

They charged madly toward Zhang Beixing.

"You finally came."

The young Emperor let out a cold laugh, expression unruffled.

As if he had long foreseen all of this.

And the next instant, the move he made left everyone utterly dumbfounded.

He simply raised his right hand, lightly tracing through the void.

A strange purple-black radiance burst from his palm.

It swept in all directions, unstoppable.

"Soul Devouring Secret Technique, Ninth Layer—All Demons Bow Down."

The offhand words were as chill as the Death God himself.

Yet they triggered a world-shattering change.

Boom!

For a moment, all sounds died.

Every Magical Beast, in that single instant, fell to its knees as one.

As if in submission, in prostration.

As if paying the highest respect to this Human whose strength had reached the absolute extreme.

Zhang Beixing gave a cold snort, his tone contemptuous.

Endless arrogance flashed in his eyes.

He strode forward, black robes snapping in the wind.

Like a War God descending upon this blood-soaked Forbidden Land.

The air all around seemed to congeal.

Every inch of earth, every corner, was quivering.

Under the pressure of this Human, everything bowed its head and acknowledged him as king.

"This is..."

Alina’s eyes widened, her face filled with shock.

She felt an unprecedented Power surging out from Zhang Beixing’s body.

A Power that could destroy heaven and earth, grind all things to dust.

A hundred times stronger than any Vampire she had ever seen.

"As expected of Master..."

Richard muttered to himself, his gaze reverent.

Even as a Demigod, he could not help the tremor in his heart.

"What is the Host trying to do?"

The Persuasion System’s voice carried a trace of puzzlement.

"Could it be that he truly intends to challenge the legendary ’Soul Devourer’?"

This mysterious existence, too, seemed unable to understand Zhang Beixing’s actions.

But it did not try to stop him, merely watched in silence.

As though waiting for some unknown result.

Zhang Beixing did not answer, only continued forward.

His stride was firm, his gaze blazing like a torch.

As if everything in this Forbidden Land had nothing to do with him.

At last, after a long and arduous trek.

He arrived before a vast cavern.

The mouth of the cave was pitch-black and unfathomable, exuding a chilling aura.

"So this is the place."

Zhang Beixing hooked up the corner of his lips, revealing a playful smile.

As if he were fully confident in what was about to happen.

"Ancient and elusive ’Soul Devourer’, I’ve come to claim you."

As his words fell, he leapt.

And vanished into the cavern.

Leaving the people behind him staring, dumbstruck.

Inside the cavern, it was utterly dark.

Everywhere his gaze reached was thick, heavy shadow.

As though it meant to swallow people whole, suffocating.

But Zhang Beixing felt no fear at all.

His steps were light, as if he walked on level ground.

In the dark, his eyes gleamed with a cold, sharp light.

"Heh, mere darkness, and you think you can bar my way?"

He snorted, tone dripping with disdain.

His right hand gave a casual wave, and a strand of purple light flashed.

In an instant, all the darkness around him was driven back.

A deep, narrow passage appeared before his eyes.

Zhang Beixing’s brows lifted slightly, a faint smile playing at his lips.

"Looks like this place is quite happy to receive me."

He strode in, his figure like lightning.

In the blink of an eye, he had disappeared into the depths of the passage.

The passage twisted and wound, its end unknown.

But Zhang Beixing’s steps did not falter in the slightest.

He seemed to know exactly where he should go, exactly what he should do.

With every step he took, the scenery around him shifted a little.

From the pitch-black cavern to an Underground Palace bathed in eerie red light.

From a graveyard strewn with white bones to a Hellscape carpeted in molten lava.

Different scenes appeared in alternation.

Each one seethed with a chilling, horrifying aura.

Yet none of it could make Zhang Beixing halt.

He was like an unsheathed blade, cutting through all before him.

Finally, after who knew how long.

He stepped into a vast space.