Longevity Chronicles
Chapter 453 - 315: Lian Jing'er Swallows the Divine Machine Dice, Ying Qingdi Assassinates the Human Demon

Tao Qian went with Zhong Ziyang and Lin Bujue to Shangyang City.

A group of youngsters stayed behind in Golden Sand City.

Though they had Yunrong's protection, the techniques of Little Age, Lian Jing'er, and Shan Jiu combined were sufficient to fight a Cavernous Mystery Realm without issue.

But that only applied to ordinary Cavernous Mystery practitioners; if someone as strong as Jiu Yan, who had reached the Profound Perfection of the Cavernous Mystery Realm, were to return, it would be troublesome for these youngsters and Yunrong.

They might protect themselves, but to think of seizing treasures would be difficult.

Fortunately, what Zhong Ziyang had said was correct; Jiu Yan had suffered continuous injuries and, to advance his future to the Ultimate Happiness Realm, it was impossible for him to return.

"Act quickly!"

"Just because Jiu Yan won't return soon doesn't mean the Seven Evils Sect won't send someone else."

"Eat if you can; if not, let it be."

Yunrong, standing mid-air, directed Lian Jing'er and Little Age.

This was indeed an opportunity for these two youngsters.

Tao Qian initially did not intend to meddle with the "Ten Thousand Spirit Demon Machine"; though it was not the Original Machine but merely a third-generation one, its power was unexpectedly horrific. Seven Cavernous Mystery beings, along with loads of Transcend Mortality and Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators, would be devoured instantly in its rampage, truly terrifying.

However, hearing from Lian Jing'er and Little Age that they had the means to control the Ten Thousand Spirit Demon Machine without causing chaos reassured him.

These two youngsters were, firstly, a Mechanical Species and secondly, a Taisui Spirit God.

Seemingly unrelated, but they shared many common traits like shocking potential and appetites.

Originally under the care of Xiao Hua Daoist, they were well-looked after and kept out of harm's way.

But their potential and appetite were never satisfied; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they were starving two-thirds of the time.

Since they switched to following the "big brother" and were with Master Tao during his rampaging plunders, not only had they gained considerable resources, but their strength grew daily, and even their mental states were tempered.

Inside the sect, the two youngsters often used their cute and amusing appearances to win the affection of many senior cultivators, especially the aunts who almost wished to snatch them from Tao Qian to raise themselves. Shan Jiu was somewhat pitiful; had he not later gained favor from "Mosquito Daoist Xue Ming", his opportunities and benefits wouldn't compare with Lian Jing'er and Little Age.

As they both requested, Tao Qian trusted them and, seizing the moment of departure, stealthily set them down.

Hearing Yunrong's words, Lian Jing'er and Little Age simultaneously took action.

First was Lian Jing'er, who moved in front of the Demon Machine.

The "Creation Treasure Wheel" behind him suddenly emitted a bright light, securing the Demon Machine.

The trident in his hand unexpectedly transformed into a special bronze key, which he inserted into the orifice.

Accompanied by familiar clicking sounds, something seemed to be changing inside. Amid complicated bursts of steam, an alien object slowly arose from the gap.

This object, made of bronze and dice-shaped, each side engraved with ancient patterns and symbols resembling algorithmic formulas.

Profound and esoteric, the treasure light surged overwhelmingly.

A few more glances could immediately cause dizziness and severe harm to the Divine Soul.

"Identified alien of the same origin... Unlocking partial data archives... Known as 'Divine Machine Dice', suitable for absorption!"

With mechanical sounds, the light from the Creation Treasure Wheel dramatically increased, swallowing the object called Divine Machine Dice into bronze essence within moments, bit by bit, integrating it into Lian Jing'er's peculiar mechanical body.

Clearly, the Divine Machine Dice was the core of the Ten Thousand Spirit Demon Machine.

Just as it was absorbed, the "Meat God" wrapped inside the mechanical demon machine showed signs of awakening.

But at that moment, Little Age appeared, opening his mouth to spew a vibrant, cloud-like spore mist engulfing the now hollow Demon Machine.

The spore mist, entering through every orifice, infiltrated within.

The filthy flesh that was about to rampage turned into a flush of red, transitioning directly from a deep sleep to a lethargic death.

Accompanied by hissing sounds, a mass about the size of a human head, resembling jelly and dyed with clouds, an alien flesh, slowly rose within the crimson steam gushing from the gap.

"Smells so good!"

"Little Age is going to grow a bit."

As he spoke, the Taisui Spirit transformed into a beam of spirit light and directly hugged the jelly-like mass.

Burying his head, he crunched few times and devoured it completely.

His belly immediately swelled but appeared even cuter.

Shan Jiu approached curiously, repeatedly asking, "Does it taste good? That thing looked decent; how does it compare to dragon marrow?"

As the three youngsters frolicked and fought,

Yunrong observed from the side, her eyes flashing unusually.

Because Tao Qian had accepted her, neither Lian Jing'er nor Little Age concealed their uniqueness, unaware how terrifying the scene they had created was.

"If I had not seen the ferocity of the Seven Evils Divine Machine, it would be one thing, but having seen it and then observing these two remarkable youngsters and the devil known as Shan Jiu, who claims to be a wild leek from Wild Man Mountain, I sense an extreme danger from his very demeanor... As their fates intersect, it appears all three youngsters under my command are extraordinary. This brother Tao Qian of mine surely isn't an ordinary inheritor of heavens; could it be that he is destined to become immortal and an ancestor?"

"No wonder my grandmother said that my chance to attain the Dao would be through this brother."

"Fine by me, I find the brother quite pleasing to the eye and likable too," she mused to herself. "Once things settle down, I will pick an auspicious day to seek pleasure with him and bask in days of intimacy. Surely, it will lead to a litter of Kitten pups, and then it would be nice to take my husband back to the mountain to show Grandmother and make those sisters envious."

While this thought surfaced in Yunrong's mind, she found nothing amiss about it.

Indeed, it was a tradition among her lineage of the Kitten on Jade Ring Mountain—if genuine affection arose, one would not hide it or need to conduct themselves with restraint.

To seek joy and find it was considered the ultimate truth of heaven and earth.

Having made up her mind, Yunrong wasted no time. She glanced at the remnants of the Demon Machine, now just a husk spewing impurities, after Lian Jing'er and Little Age had employed their methods to devour it.

Emission Light burst forth, enveloping Lian Jing'er, Little Age, and Shan Jiu, transforming into a beam of Spirit Light, chasing after Tao Qian by following their senses.

...

Meanwhile, Tao Qian, Zhong Ziyang, and Lin Bujue, having stolen the Seven Evil Talismans, hurried toward the Capital City of New Moon Province, Shangyang City.

The talismans contained the highest secrets of the Seven Evil Sects today.

They detailed what kinds of factories were in the hundreds to thousands of towns within New Moon Province, and which sect or heretical school was in control.

How many personnel? How many strong warriors? What kind of Great Prohibition did they guard, and how formidable was it?

Further, they recorded the Demon Cores and Demon Salves produced, along with weapons and alien items—extensively detailed, all recorded.

The trio hadn't been too eager to look, but after seeing the contents, they were all deeply shocked.

They couldn't afford any delay and needed to meet with their fellow sect members from the Ancestor Dragon Society as quickly as possible to discuss their great plan.

Especially the hidden locations of those "Seven Evil Divine Machines" and the effects of those Demon Pills were enough to make even someone like Zhong Ziyang, a True Inheritor of the Taishang Dao, extremely anxious, wishing their Subterranean Evasion Speed could increase manyfold.

After exerting all their efforts for a short while, roughly an hour later, Tao Qian's gaze captured a majestic city in the distance.

Looking from afar, the city was surrounded by eight rivers and the guardianship of ten mountains. Beyond the chasm-like city walls, the air of the Mortal World steamed upwards. Towers and temples, busy with boats and carriages, thirty-six flowered alleys, and seventy-two musician towers—from the sky, they could see a silvery white river like a ribbon of snow running through the city, racing towards the East Sea from afar.

This river, stretching ten thousand li in length and hundreds in width, roiled with strange anomalies; in its rolling waves, cries of ghosts were faintly visible, and within the surging undertows, blood seemed to shimmer.

Because of these, neither birds flew across this river, nor did boats travel it. Occasionally, one could glimpse fish, shrimp, turtles, and toads that all bore ferocious demeanors, appearing as though they had grown from consuming humans.

Perhaps noticing that Tao Qian's gaze lingered a little longer on that river, Zhong Ziyang suddenly communicated via a voice transmission:

"Mr. Lin Daoist, did you notice something sinister and dark about that river?"

"Alas, a million resentful souls have yet to completely dissolve their traces; it's no wonder Mr. Lin Daoist could perceive it."

"This river is called Ba River, originating from Kunlun Divine Mountain, passing through seven or eight provinces and directly through Shangyang City... Indeed, Shangyang's prosperity, as the capital of New Moon, apart from being surrounded by numerous Spiritual Mountains and blessed lands owing much to this exquisite river, I previously traveled a portion of the water route coming from my Mountain Gate, witnessing many Water Mansions and Spirit Beasts in the depths, quite extraordinary," Zhong advised.

"Unfortunately, such a beautiful river witnessed a despicable act that both man and God detested several months ago."

"At that time, not the group of old monsters from the Seven Evil Sects, but a warlord from the Mortal World named Chen Jishan governed Shangyang City. Originally a civilian and soldier, somehow he encountered an Immortal Fate and obtained a volume of the Great Lifebook Scripture known as Hidden Demons Supressing Immortal Sutra—a scripture from the ancient Demon Path. Chen Jishan only obtained the first volume, yet he managed to cultivate to the Cavernous Mystery Realm using cunning methods."

"It didn't stop there; he further enticed support from over a dozen heretical schools and Evil Sects across New Moon Province."

"If this man had even a slightly agreeable disposition, he might have been tolerable."

"The people of this country are very kind and patient; as long as they are given sufficient food and a way to survive, they can withstand hardship."

"But this Chen Jishan, despite his pleasant-sounding name, was a monstrous beast."

"Addicted to blood and brutality, he oppressed the people, and his conduct was even crazier than Zhang Jiudeng, Ma Xiaoning, and Fang Wuzu, to the point that the citizens of Shangyang City called him the 'Human Demon.'"

"Ultimately, one day, when the people of New Moon Province could no longer tolerate this Human Demon, they united a million people to combat him."

At this point, Zhong Ziyang paused a moment.

And Tao Qian had already guessed the outcome, his expression grew solemn.

Indeed, Zhong continued:

"When a governor is tyrannical, the people have the right to overthrow him; this is divine justice."

"Unfortunately, this was an old divine justice. After the Ancestor God Forbidden Technique shattered, a new divine justice had yet to mature."

"Although there were some Daoist and Buddhist Practitioners among those million people, none had high cultivation levels and no one led the charge, just a chaotic attack on Shangyang."

"How could that have been effective?"

"Within three days, those million people were ridden down by Chen Jishan's Hidden Demons Army—slaughtering them all to the last."

"Afterward, Chen Jishan, in a fit of even greater madness, dumped the million corpses into the Ba River."

"They say that on that day, the Ba River, which had flowed ceaselessly for a thousand years, paused for half a day, and the fish and aquatic beasts in the river, having consumed too many corpses, all fell onto the Demon Path..."

"That day, I was in the city and saw with my own eyes how overwhelming resentment forcibly broke open several hidden Water Mansion Prohibitions deep in the Ba River with ghostly wails and divine cries, and treasure light shooting into the sky... But on that day, including myself, no one dared, nor wished, to seek treasure."

"We, regardless of being Daoist, Buddhist, or from Side Doors, could only watch that Human Demon, hoping in our minds when this butcher would be decisively punished."

"Retribution did come swiftly; several days later, as the Human Demon held an Immortal Suppression feast in the city, Green Emperor, risking assassination, used the "Emperor's Dagger," an immortal weapon, and personally killed that Demon, to everyone's immense satisfaction."

"That day, tens of millions across New Moon Province celebrated lavishly, calling it the Demon Slaying Festival."

These last few remarks were not made by Zhong Ziyang but were added by Lin Bujue.