Chapter 287: 233 Zhangg Innate Divine Ability! [4th Update!]
Chen Jichuan nodded in satisfaction.
Then his thoughts turned to Luo Pu. This Vice Hall Master had given him such a significant gift. Chen had suppressed the Fuling Demon King; such a matter certainly could not escape Luo Pu’s notice. It seemed that the spoils of victory would need to be shared with Luo Pu.
But not too much.
"Two thousand is enough."
"In the future, steady streams will suffice."
Chen Jichuan contemplated this, feeling a twinge of pain, but this was the way of social obligations—something he could not avoid.
He set these thoughts aside for now.
Turning to the compliant Fuling Demon King, Chen Jichuan sneered inwardly. Though the Fuling Demon King appeared cooperative, who knew how much malice truly lay hidden in his heart?
Nonetheless, Chen Jichuan did not bring this to light and was happy to see the demon king cooperate in this manner.
"Since you’re so cooperative, I will not make things unnecessarily difficult for you."
While pacifying him, Chen Jichuan casually asked, "I’ve heard you have three or five allies outside. Could you introduce them to me in detail?"
"Why not?"
"Master, your Divine Skills are extraordinary. Fuling is convinced and deeply impressed," Fuling Demon King said with a reverent and humble tone, shifting slightly. Seeing that Chen Jichuan showed no particular reaction, he did not mind and went on to explain, "They are called allies, but, truthfully, the relationships are superficial."
Like the Zi Han Demon King, Fuling Demon King had his rivals and allies.
Among his long-term connections, there were four notable places and five demon kings.
Tornado Ridge was one such place, home to the Little Tornado and Big Tornado Demon Kings. Among them, Big Tornado had already refined his third soul and reached the Third Level of Soul Refining.
Little Tornado, however, had only just advanced.
These two demons were said to originate from Golden Eagles, boasting incredible speed and formidable combat prowess.
Three Extremes Lake was another base.
The lake’s ruler was a Green-eyed Water Ape adept at manipulating water, also at the Soul Refining Second Layer. According to Fuling Demon King, the ape was no match for him on land, but in water, Fuling had to admit his inferiority.
Flying Dragon Mountain was the third location.
The mountain was home to a demon-turned-spirit, a Golden Leopard styling himself as ’Wind-Riding Demon King,’ skilled in manipulating wind and proficient in martial skills, also at the Soul Refining Second Layer.
The last place was Starfire Plain.
On the plain lived numerous barbarian tribes, tens of thousands of them collectively worshipping a being called ’Gu’en,’ the Fire God.
"Gu’en’s methods differ from those of us demon kings, but his power is immense—so much so that even Big Tornado treats him with great caution. However, Gu’en rarely leaves Starfire Plain, so Master needn’t worry too much about him."
Fuling Demon King finished speaking and lowered his head, falling quiet.
Tornado Ridge’s Little Tornado and Big Tornado.
Three Extremes Lake’s Green-eyed Water Ape.
Flying Dragon Mountain’s Wind-Riding Demon King.
Starfire Plain’s Fire God ’Gu’en.’
"Excluding Little Tornado, the weakest are all at the Soul Refining Second Layer. Truly, birds of a feather flock together. The Fuling Demon King himself is strong, and his allies are likewise formidable."
Chen Jichuan’s thoughts churned, yet he felt little concern.
These figures might be the Fuling Demon King’s allies, but their relationships were primarily transactional. It was doubtful that anyone would seek revenge for Fuling Demon King or risk themselves to rescue him.
Moreover, of these four alliances, Gu’en was an Evil God who relied on faith and rarely left his territory—nothing to fear.
The Green-eyed Water Ape was at home in the water and unlikely to traverse over a thousand miles to come to Wuling Mountain seeking trouble.
Only Tornado Ridge and Flying Dragon Mountain warranted some vigilance.
Even then, there were other forces obstructing the paths between these places and Wuling Mountain.
If Fuling Demon King were still free, perhaps his allies might willingly lend aide. But now that Chen Jichuan had swiftly captured him, the chance of support arriving had significantly diminished.
"With my current techniques, even if three to five demon kings of Fuling’s level were to attack simultaneously, I would not be at a disadvantage."
Chen Jichuan had many methods, his Magic profound, making him least concerned about group attacks.
As long as it wasn’t ten or more demon kings attacking together, he could handle anything easily. Once True Person Flying Dragon inspected the mountain and perfected its array, Wuling Mountain would turn into an impregnable fortress with no threats to worry about.
"If there’s no fight, all the better."
Chen Jichuan smiled, his gaze settling on Fuling Demon King. He started chatting casually with the demon king, now less driven by purpose and more interested simply in learning about Wuling Mountain and the Earth Cave through idle conversation.
The Fuling Demon King dared not refuse, suppressing his irritation as he dutifully acted as a conversational companion.
Little did he know that Chen Jichuan’s real intentions lay elsewhere.
[Magic: Heavenly Walk]
[Level: Super-Level]
[Description: The Innate Divine Ability of the ’Cloud Snake’ bloodline. Due to Fuling Demon King’s diluted blood, it is classified as merely Super-Level Magic. Fully cultivated, it allows one to split into twenty-four avatars, traversing freely on the path of Heavenly Walk. Avatars and the true body can be interchanged at will.]
...
[Magic: Illusory Realm]
[Level: Super-Level]
[Description: The Innate Divine Ability of the ’Cloud Snake’ bloodline. Due to Fuling Demon King’s diluted blood, it is classified as merely Super-Level Magic. Harnessing clouds and mist to form an Illusory Realm, it can bewilder opponents or directly attack the core of their Divine Soul—a most cunning and venomous technique.]
...
"Heavenly Walk."
"Illusory Realm."
"Both are indeed Super-Level Magic."
While chatting with Fuling Demon King, Chen Jichuan observed him closely using the Insight Skill, uncovering the detailed nature of these two magics.
Both techniques were extraordinary.
The former was an exceptional escape skill. Even though Fuling Demon King’s cultivation and expertise in magic were insufficient, deploying ’Heavenly Walk’ allowed him to split into eighteen avatars, resembling duplicates, moving with incredible speed. Identifying the true body amidst the chaos and intercepting it within a short time would be no easy task.
It was precisely with this technique that Fuling Demon King had escaped death multiple times, claimed Wuling Mountain, and intimidated neighboring demon kings and Evil Gods from making attempts against him.
But relying solely on an escape skill wouldn’t suffice to build such a reputation.
Conveniently.
Besides ’Heavenly Walk,’ Fuling Demon King possessed another highly unconventional Absolute Skill—’Illusory Realm.’
This technique directly assaulted the core essence of the Divine Soul. The soul was the most fragile entity, difficult to shield. Once trapped in the ’Illusory Realm,’ escaping became nearly impossible.
The heavy mists enshrouding Wuling Mountain served as an ideal backdrop for Fuling Demon King to unleash this technique.
Within Wuling Mountain, anyone unable to see through the ’Illusory Realm’—even those at the Third Level of Soul Refining—would retreat in fear. Such was the power it held.
Only Chen Jichuan.
Possessing Insight Skill, he had immediately broken through Fuling Demon King’s mist-covered magic. Otherwise, in a direct confrontation of Divine Souls, Chen Jichuan would have been overwhelmed and forced to flee.
"Now that Fuling Demon King is suppressed, I have ample time to study him thoroughly. Using Insight Skill, I will eventually analyze these two Absolute Skills completely."
Chen Jichuan was eager.
Both Absolute Skills were exceptional.
’Heavenly Walk’ was unparalleled for escapes, combining perfectly with the ’Little Four Nine Wind and Thunder Escape Method.’ In the future, no situation would be impossible to evade.
’Illusory Realm’ would fill Chen Jichuan’s gaps in illusion techniques and Divine Soul attacks, saving him the hassle of searching for these abilities or enhancing them elsewhere.
"Once fully deciphered, my power will ascend to another level."
Chen Jichuan, harboring ulterior motives, continued the increasingly amiable dialogue with Fuling Demon King.
...
While Chen Jichuan was holding Wuling Mountain and consolidating his foundation.
The surroundings of Wuling Mountain were stirring with hidden currents.
Black Water Pond.
Zi Han, Yinbo, and Fire Crow—the three demon kings—gathered in the Water Mansion to discuss Wuling Mountain.
"Second Brother confirms that Fuling Demon King has been subdued by that person?"
The Fire Crow Demon King, clothed in fiery red feathers, his flame-colored face stretched wide in disbelief.
The three demon kings had formed an alliance and sworn brotherhood, with Yinbo Demon King as the eldest and Fire Crow Demon King as the youngest. Though Black Water Pond was Zi Han Demon King’s domain, Fire Crow and Yinbo frequently visited to strengthen their bonds and gathered information about Wuling Mountain, especially its ruler, Fuling Demon King.
Precisely because of this awareness, they were finding the news hard to believe.
"Fuling Demon King possesses the ’Cloud Snake’ bloodline. Leaving aside how matchless his ’Illusory Realm’ is, just his mastery of ’Heavenly Walk’ alone ensures that even Wind-Riding Demon King of Flying Dragon Mountain and Big Tornado of Tornado Ridge cannot pin him down."
"I can understand if Fuling Demon King were defeated, but captured—"
Fire Crow Demon King shook his head vehemently, refusing to accept it.
Yinbo Demon King furrowed his brows, more rational than Fire Crow. He knew Zi Han Demon King wouldn’t fabricate such matters to amuse them. The thought that the Fuling Demon King, known for his unrivaled escape ability, had been captured was unsettling nonetheless.
Turning to Zi Han Demon King, he asked, "If the new lord of Wuling Mountain has subdued Fuling Demon King with ease, his skills must be exceptional. Was this gathering called for a plan against this person?"
"I wouldn’t dare!"
Zi Han Demon King quickly shook his head with a bitter smile. "To be honest, I’m already terrified of that man. Planning something against him is out of the question. It’s merely that Wuling Mountain is so close to my Black Water Pond that I fear for my safety. I called you, Big Brother and Third Brother, to bolster my courage and show the new lord of Wuling Mountain that my Black Water Pond is not to be underestimated."
His words were unintentional, but Fire Crow Demon King took them differently.
Listening intently, his eyes gleamed with scheming intentions. In a low voice, he said, "Wuling Mountain is rich in treasures, with the Jade Smoke Immortal Peach being the most delicious. If we three brothers could take the mountain, we’d never want for anything again!"
Although Fire Crow Demon King had his own territory—Fire Crow Mountain—it was barren, littered with flames. Adequate for cultivation but lacking in resources or enjoyment.
He had long coveted Wuling Mountain and its abundance.
Seeing an opportunity now, his heart surged with excitement.
"Absolutely not!"
"Wuling Mountain may be enticing, but its master is formidable. One false move, and the consequences would be dire."
Zi Han Demon King immediately waved his hands, refusing. True, Wuling Mountain was within reach, and with the combined strength of the three demon kings, they could likely challenge its new lord. Escape might be feasible, but the aftermath—
Victory would naturally be delightful.
But should they fail, Yinbo and Fire Crow could retreat unscathed. Only he would suffer, tethered to his domain neighboring Wuling Mountain, left with nowhere to run.
For this reason, Zi Han Demon King dared not entertain Fire Crow Demon King’s idea.
"Second Brother speaks wisely."
Yinbo Demon King seemed to notice Zi Han’s concerns and echoed his sentiments. Before Fire Crow Demon King could protest, Yinbo added, "However, it’s undeniable that Wuling Mountain is a treasure trove. To abandon it now would be a waste. Instead, we might start by investigating the new lord’s true strength. Once we understand his abilities, we can plan meticulously. Should success seem unlikely, we can always withdraw. But with such a strong adversary nearby, Second Brother will surely struggle to sleep soundly!"
The youngest brother was eager.
The eldest appeared pragmatic.
"What a dilemma!"
Zi Han Demon King internally lamented, regretting everything!
...