NOVPUBChapter 987 -205: Ancient Demon Cataclysm, Ten Stages of Controlling Dao! (10,000-Word Update 2)_5
Li Hao’s mind churned as he asked in confusion.
“If the True Realm is dominated by Immortal Divines, these Ancient Demons being of the Other Clan should have been noticed as a threat early and prevented from growing.”
“It was only when the Reincarnation collapsed that they were released. No one could foresee it; everything happened too suddenly…”
The middle-aged soldier shook his head lightly, glanced at Li Hao, and said, “Now you know the state of the True Realm. Do you still yearn for it? Or perhaps you’d be better off returning to the Emperor’s Calamity Fake Realm. Though the Mystical Gate has a breach, it can still fend off the Ancient Demons unless their great leader comes personally.”
Li Hao smiled bitterly and said, “Senior, I was truly being hunted and forced to come here. They should be guarding the gate right now.”
The middle-aged soldier froze momentarily, then rubbed his forehead, saying, “I’ve gotten a bit muddled; I’ve already forgotten what I just said.”
He sighed and said, “It’s a pity I can’t pass through the Mystical Gate myself; otherwise, breaking its seal would render it ineffective. If not for this, I’d accompany you on your journey.”
He looked down again at the sword in his hand and shook his head lightly. This was his only weapon. If he had a second one, he would lend it to Li Hao to use against his foes.
“In that case, you’ll just have to stay here with me and wait for death.”
The middle-aged soldier’s lips curled into a faint smile — a smile not of sorrow or self-pity, but of acceptance.
“When the day comes that I die in battle, you can take this sword. If you manage to survive, you can use this sword to return. Over in the Fake Realm, I believe no one will be able to challenge you.”
Buzz!
The sword in his hand let out a faint hum, as if whispering something.
The middle-aged soldier was momentarily stunned, then chuckled softly. “Enough stubbornness; rarely does anyone come by. If I die, staying by my side will be useless to you. If even one of us manages to survive, that alone is enough.”
The sword edge emitted another quiet hum, trembling as if it were struggling.
The middle-aged soldier hastily comforted it, saying, “All right, all right, I won’t talk about this anymore.”
Li Hao glanced at the sword in his hand, recognizing it as an Immortal Artifact. Yet he harbored no greed for it. This sword had accompanied the soldier in countless battles over the years, and their bond was profound — something that could not be measured by ordinary standards.
“Senior, are you the only one left here? Why haven’t you left this place?”
Li Hao asked.
The middle-aged soldier gently shook his head and said, “As far as I know, I am the only one left. To leave… I wish I could, too. But this Ancient Road is sealed, and ahead lie remnants of numerous Ancient Demons wandering about. With my current strength, I cannot fight my way through.”
Li Hao couldn’t help but gaze into the distance, but even with his transformation into an Immortal, he could only see less than a hundred miles.
Are there Ancient Demons littering the path ahead?
“Isn’t there another route that can be taken?”
Li Hao asked, but immediately felt he’d spoken superfluously.
If there were another path, the soldier would have taken it long ago.
The middle-aged soldier shook his head slightly again and said, “There is no other way. The only road left to me is to shed my last drop of blood for the Heavenly Calamity Immortal Emperor, keeping guard over the Mystical Gate for as long as I can.”
Li Hao fell silent.
He hadn’t expected that although he’d made it to the Immortal Divine Road, his way forward was completely blocked.
“Well then, I’ll keep the senior company here.”
Li Hao jumped down from the wagon board and sat beside him, smiling as he said, “At least with two people, we can chat and relieve some boredom.”
The middle-aged soldier was stunned. He had expected Li Hao to despair upon learning their predicament, but he hadn’t anticipated that he could still laugh.
Moreover, the soldier could see that Li Hao was entirely genuine — his disposition was naturally carefree.
“You are quite open-minded.”
The middle-aged soldier couldn’t help but smile as well. He had fought here for countless years and had long grown indifferent to the concept of life and death. On the day he met his end, he thought his heart would feel tranquil because he had already prepared for it countless times.
“Pessimism won’t change anything, so might as well find moments of happiness even in a sorrowful environment — at least it lifts the mood a little.”
Li Hao said with a smile.
The middle-aged soldier pondered this and then nodded earnestly: “Indeed!”
“Senior, do these Ancient Demons appear at random, or do they come here in patterns? Since they know you’re here, why haven’t they come to eliminate you directly?”
Li Hao asked with curiosity.
The soldier had mentioned the road was blocked by Ancient Demons, making escape impossible. This implied the Demons’ numbers and strength clearly surpassed his own.
“Heh, I’ve been marked by one of the Ancient Demons as prey. Until it dies, other Ancient Demons won’t come near; they’ve already divided me up as food.”
The middle-aged soldier sneered as he explained.
“Is it that Ancient Demon from earlier?”
“That’s correct. It’s a First-Level Ancient Demon, its strength equivalent to a True Immortal. Add to that the Ancient Demon Clan’s unique ability to devour souls through innate Secret Techniques, and even ordinary True Immortals may not be its match.”
The middle-aged soldier’s eyes were deep as he continued, “And such Ancient Demons, there are at least a dozen along this road. The further ones are even stronger, and whenever you find such numbers of First-Level Ancient Demons, there’s always the small chance an Ancient Demon Commander presides over them…”
As he spoke, the dark intensity in his gaze seemed to dissipate, and he added calmly, “And thus, I’m just waiting for death here. That Ancient Demon earlier — I could kill it, but if I do, there will simply be another one in its place. In fact, before it, I’d already slain seven others. In my current state, I can’t fight anymore against so many. I’m merely prolonging the inevitable.”
Li Hao realized this was akin to using that Ancient Demon as a barrier, keeping others from launching any attacks.
Li Hao then asked more about the Ancient Demons, learning from the soldier about their strength and classifications.
He also came to understand that the Third Rank Ancient Demon he’d encountered was the weakest of its kind, yet it was already Saint Path Perfection and a match for a Supreme Saint.
