amaotonovel Chapter 181 Shocking Changes in the Imperial City
Chapter 181 Shocking Changes in the Imperial City
"Everyone be careful, I'm going to check ahead!" Jiang Jingzhi flashed forward like a gust of wind, rushing towards the core area of the demon race.
He skillfully evaded the demons' heavy attacks and arrived at a place shrouded in demonic mist. There, he saw several high-ranking demon generals chanting incantations around a huge magic circle.
Jiang Jingzhi was startled. He realized that this magic array must be part of a major conspiracy. He quietly approached, trying to hear what they were saying.
Just then, a demon general suddenly noticed his presence and turned around abruptly.
"Who goes there?" he shouted, waving his wand and sending a black flame hurtling towards Jiang Jingzhi.
Jiang Jingzhi quickly dodged to the side, drawing his sword and engaging in fierce combat with the demon general. During the battle, he overheard a few crucial words, which greatly alarmed him.
It turns out that the demons' attack on the imperial city was not only to disrupt the investigation, but more importantly, they wanted to use the imperial city's special geographical location to awaken the ancient demon god.
Legend has it that the ancient demon god possessed the power to destroy the world. Once awakened, the entire demon realm would be plunged into eternal damnation. This demon god was sealed beneath the imperial palace and suppressed by the Fire Phoenix Clan for generations.
"No, we absolutely cannot let them succeed!" Jiang Jingzhi made up his mind. He fought with all his might against the demon general, while looking for an opportunity to destroy the magic array. However, the demon general was powerful and Jiang Jingzhi was unable to break free for the time being.
Just as Jiang Jingzhi was in trouble, Xu Xiaoxiao and the others noticed his danger and rushed to his aid. Xu Xiaoxiao used her superb swordsmanship to repel the surrounding demon soldiers and save Jiang Jingzhi from his predicament.
"Senior Brother, are you alright?" she asked with concern.
Jiang Jingzhi, panting heavily, said, "I'm fine, but the situation is worse than we imagined. The demons want to awaken the ancient demon god, and we must stop them!"
Upon hearing this, everyone was horrified. They knew the terror of the ancient demon god, and if it were truly awakened, the consequences would be unimaginable. Therefore, they decided to join forces to fight against the demon race and destroy the magic array.
In the fierce battle, the group gradually approached the magic array. However, in order to protect the magic array, the demons sent out more experts to block them. These experts were powerful and their magic was strange, which put great pressure on Jiang Jingzhi and the others.
"Don't back down, everyone! We must hold on!" Jiang Jingzhi shouted, leading the group in a thrilling life-or-death battle against the demons.
During the battle, they made full use of their respective strengths, cooperated with each other, and gradually broke through the demon's defenses.
Finally, they arrived in front of the magic circle. At this moment, the magic circle had begun to flicker with an eerie light, and the aura of the demon god was becoming stronger and stronger.
Jiang Jingzhi and the others rushed towards the magic circle without hesitation, trying to destroy it. However, the magic circle was protected by powerful magic, and their attacks were completely ineffective.
Just when everyone felt they were about to give up, King Qin arrived with the elite troops of the demon race. In his hand, King Qin held a sword that shone with golden light. This was the demon race's treasure, possessing immense power.
"Everyone, let's join forces and use the power of our clan's treasure to destroy this magic array!" King Qin shouted.
Upon hearing this, everyone poured their power into the clan's treasure. In an instant, golden light intertwined with the black demonic mist, creating a dazzling display of light. Under the impact of this powerful force, the magic array finally began to crack.
Seeing this, the demons launched a frenzied counterattack, rushing towards the group in an attempt to stop them from destroying the magic array. On the battlefield, the two sides engaged in a final, desperate struggle, and the situation became extremely tense.
Jiang Jingzhi and the others gritted their teeth and fought the demons with all their might. They had only one belief in their hearts: to protect the demon realm and prevent the awakening of the demon god. In the fierce battle, they gradually gained the upper hand, and the demons' offensive became weaker and weaker.
Finally, with everyone's joint efforts, the magic array was completely destroyed. With a loud bang, the black demonic mist instantly dissipated, and the aura of the demon god gradually disappeared. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the demons fled in all directions.
After the battle to defend the imperial city, the entire demon city was in ruins, with broken walls and rubble everywhere, and the air was filled with a smell of burnt blood.
On the streets, the demon people, their faces weary and terrified, struggled to search for anything of value amidst the ruins, trying their best to rebuild their homes.
This fierce battle with the demon race inflicted heavy losses on the demon race. Countless soldiers died on the battlefield, and the people were displaced. The demon race also suffered huge losses, with many of its elite experts lost. In a short period of time, it was severely weakened and had no ability to launch another large-scale invasion.
Knowing the gravity of the situation, the Demon King, in order to prevent the demons from making a comeback, decisively dispatched the most elite troops of his clan to the border between the demon and demon realms.
These soldiers, clad in heavy armor and wielding sharp weapons, with eyes that revealed determination and fearlessness, set up camp along the border, patrolling day and night, and closely monitoring the demons' every move.
Each watchtower is manned by soldiers who are constantly on guard, keeping a watchful eye on any movements in the distance. If any unusual activity by the demons is detected, an alarm will be sounded immediately.
Jiang Jingzhi fell into deep thought after the battle. He understood that although the demon race's plot to awaken the ancient demon god had been successfully thwarted, the barrier between the cultivation world and the demon world had been severely damaged in the battle. If it was not repaired in time, there would be endless troubles in the future.
The longer the night lasts, the more unpredictable things become. No one knows when the demons will launch another attack. If they do attack the barrier of the cultivation world, that fragile barrier will be unable to withstand it.
So Jiang Jingzhi went to the palace to see the Demon King. In the spacious palace, Jiang Jingzhi respectfully bowed to the Demon King and said, "Your Majesty, although the Demon Clan's attack was repelled, the barrier between the two realms was severely damaged. Now the Demon Clan is greatly weakened and will not invade again in the short term. This is the best time for us to repair the barrier."
The Demon King nodded slightly, his expression grave, and said, "Young Master Jiang is absolutely right. I am also worried about this matter. However, repairing the barrier is no easy task. I wonder if Young Master Jiang has any good ideas?"
After a moment of contemplation, Jiang Jingzhi slowly said, "Your Majesty, I have heard that Your Majesty once inherited the legacy of the Fire Phoenix Clan. Legend has it that in ancient times, Nuwa patched up the sky and scattered the remaining patching stones among the human, demon, and monster realms. If we can find the patching stones, we may be able to repair the damaged barrier."
Upon hearing this, a glimmer of hope flashed in the Demon King's eyes, but he immediately fell into deep thought: "I have also heard of the legend of the Heaven-Mending Stone, but this Heaven-Mending Stone has been scattered throughout the Three Realms over the years. To find it is like looking for a needle in a haystack. How easy is that?"
Jiang Jingzhi said firmly, "Your Majesty, even if the hope is slim, we cannot give up. The demon realm has just experienced a great war and urgently needs to recuperate. If we can repair the barrier, we can win more peace for the demon realm. I am willing to search for the Sky-Mending Stone with Your Majesty. No matter what the cost, we must protect the peace between the two realms."
Moved by Jiang Jingzhi's determination, the Demon King stood up and said with a firm gaze, "Very well! In that case, I will search for the Heaven-Mending Stone with Young Master Jiang. I will immediately summon the elders of all races to discuss this matter together."
Soon, the elders of all the tribes gathered in the palace. They sat together, their faces solemn, discussing the plan to find the Sky-Mending Stone.
An elderly man with white hair slowly said, "According to ancient records, the Sky-Mending Stone possesses magical power and has a unique radiance. Perhaps we can start from this aspect."
Another elder continued, "But the Three Realms are so vast, where should we begin our search?"
After a heated discussion, everyone finally decided to start the search from the demon realm. The demons sent out many scouts who dispersed to every corner of the demon realm, venturing deep into the mountains, valleys, and caves to carefully search for the traces of the Sky-Mending Stone. Jiang Jingzhi also embarked on the search journey with Xu Xiaoxiao, Mu Zhusheng, Lan Ji, and others.
They first arrived at a mysterious valley in the demon realm. Legend has it that strange light once appeared here, perhaps related to the Sky-Mending Stone. A thin layer of mist permeated the valley, and the surrounding area was filled with jagged rocks, making it eerily quiet. Jiang Jingzhi and the others proceeded cautiously, not missing a single corner.
Suddenly, Xu Xiaoxiao exclaimed, "Look, what's that?" Everyone looked in the direction she was pointing and saw a faint light shimmering on a boulder in front of them.
Jiang Jingzhi and the others were overjoyed and quickly stepped forward. However, when they got closer, they found that it was just an ordinary stone that was emitting light for some reason.
Although somewhat disappointed, the group did not lose heart and continued onward. Deep in the valley, they encountered a group of ferocious monsters. These monsters were enormous and lunged at them with bared fangs and claws. Jiang Jingzhi and the others immediately drew their weapons and engaged in a fierce battle with the monsters.
After a fierce battle, they finally defeated the monster, but everyone was exhausted and had suffered some injuries. Just as they were resting, Lan Ji suddenly discovered a cave hidden in the mountain wall.
"Everyone come quick! There's a cave here!" Lan Ji shouted.
The group quickly got up and headed towards the cave. The cave was dark and damp, filled with a putrid smell. They lit torches and carefully made their way deeper into the cave.
At the end of the cave, they found a stone wall covered with strange symbols and patterns, seemingly hiding some secret. Jiang Jingzhi carefully studied these symbols and patterns, trying to find clues about the Sky-Mending Stone.
To his disappointment, this was merely the cultivation cave of a powerful demon, with the techniques he practiced depicted on it.
"Senior Brother, I think the Heaven-Mending Stone possesses very strong energy and wouldn't easily appear in ordinary places, otherwise it would have been discovered long ago. Could it be in a secret realm? After all, a secret realm is a small world that took tens of thousands or hundreds of millions of years to form." Xu Xiaoxiao thought of the secret realm after her recent blind search had yielded no useful information.
"Xiaoxiao, you're right. Searching without any clues isn't a solution," Jiang Jingzhi said, looking at Xu Xiaoxiao with affection and agreeing with her statement.
Lan Ji suddenly thought, "Let's ask Grandpa Turtle to calculate when the next secret realm will open, so we can prepare accordingly." Grandpa Turtle's star-gazing skills are quite famous in the demon realm.
“Okay, let’s hurry back and contact the Grandpa Turtle you mentioned,” Mu Zhusheng replied, turning around.
Exhausted and somewhat disappointed, the group hurriedly left the mysterious valley. Along the way, everyone silently pondered their next move, and the atmosphere was rather somber.
Jiang Jingzhi walked at the front, his brows furrowed, his heart filled with worry about repairing the barrier; Xu Xiaoxiao followed beside him, glancing up at him every now and then, hesitant to speak; Mu Zhusheng vigilantly observed the surroundings, in case of any further unexpected situations; Lan Ji looked solemn, her mind constantly searching for a way to find the Sky-Mending Stone.
Finally, they returned to the capital. Although the capital had begun reconstruction, the streets were still filled with a desolate atmosphere. The busy figures of the people revealed the exhaustion of surviving a disaster. Jiang Jingzhi and the others had no time to appreciate all this and went straight to Lan Ji's residence.
Upon entering the room, Lan Ji eagerly pulled out a crystal ball from her bosom. The crystal ball was about the size of a fist, with a smooth, mirror-like surface, but inside it seemed to shimmer with stars and radiate a mysterious light.
"This is the crystal ball that Grandpa Turtle gave me. As long as I inject spiritual power into it, I can contact him," Lan Ji said as she slowly injected spiritual power into the crystal ball.
The crystal ball shone brightly, and a soft blue light shot into the sky, forming a phantom light curtain in the room.
Within the light screen, an elderly man with white hair gradually emerged. He wore a blue robe, had a kind face, and his eyes revealed wisdom and profundity. He was none other than Grandpa Turtle, famous in the demon realm for his stargazing skills.
"Grandpa Turtle, it's been a long time!" Lan Ji said excitedly, her eyes slightly reddening as she saw Grandpa Turtle.
Grandpa Turtle smiled and nodded, his gaze sweeping over everyone before finally settling on Lan Ji: "Little Lan Ji, it's been a long time. How have you been? Judging from your appearances, have you run into some trouble?"
Lan Ji quickly told Grandpa Turtle everything about the demons' attack on the imperial city, the crisis of the ancient demon gods, and their search for the Sky-Mending Stone to repair the barrier between the two worlds.
Upon hearing this, Grandpa Turtle's expression turned solemn. He stroked his beard and pondered for a moment before saying, "This matter is of great importance. If the barrier between the two realms cannot be repaired, the three realms will inevitably fall into an even greater crisis. Since you suspect that the Sky-Mending Stone may be in a secret realm, I will perform a divination for you to see which secret realms will open in the near future."
After speaking, Grandpa Turtle quickly formed hand seals and chanted incantations. A huge Bagua plate appeared in front of him, with the trigrams on it constantly flashing and changing. As Grandpa Turtle moved, the temperature in the room seemed to drop a few degrees. Everyone held their breath and watched Grandpa Turtle nervously on the light screen.
The time it takes for an incense stick to burn passes in the blink of an eye. Grandpa Turtle's forehead is covered with fine beads of sweat, and his hands are trembling slightly. Suddenly, he shouts and slams his hands down on the Bagua plate. The Bagua plate shines brightly, and a dazzling beam of light shoots straight at the crystal ball.
The sudden light blinded everyone, and they closed their eyes. As the light gradually faded, they slowly opened their eyes and looked at the crystal ball. Grandpa Turtle's figure reappeared, but he looked somewhat tired.
"I have divined a divination," Grandpa Turtle's voice was slightly hoarse. "Deep in the White Mist Forest, a thousand miles away from here, there is a place called the 'Spirit Abyss Secret Realm,' which will open in three days. This Spirit Abyss Secret Realm has existed for a long time, and it is full of dangers, but it also contains endless treasures and opportunities. According to the divination, the Sky-Mending Stone that you are looking for may be there."
Upon hearing this, everyone was overjoyed. Jiang Jingzhi quickly stepped forward and respectfully bowed to Grandpa Turtle in the light screen: "Thank you, Senior Turtle! If we can find the Sky-Mending Stone and repair the barrier between the two worlds, we will never forget your kindness."