Chen Ping could not help giving a wry smile when he heard this.
Raise a fire qilin?
The resources he needed for his own cultivation were already astronomical, and the dragon army was an even bigger consumer.
Now that the Ninth Heaven had only just been stabilised, every corner required resources for pacification and development. Where on earth was he supposed to find spare materials to feed this little fellow?
He crouched down, stroked the little fire qilin’s warm head, and said helplessly, “Little one, it’s not that I don’t want to look after you. It’s just… even the landlord’s house hasn’t a grain left.”
The little fire qilin seemed to understand Chen Ping’s words. It let out a plaintive “awooo”, licked his palm with its tiny tongue, then simply flopped down at his feet in a thoroughly shameless posture that said, “I’m not going back in there anyway. Wherever you go, I go.”
Seeing how clever and adorable it was, Chen Ping’s heart softened. Fine. If it refused to stay in the storage ring, he would keep it by his side. As for resources… he would figure something out as he went.
“Mr Chen, what is your next plan?”
Shen Zhiyan asked, his expression grave.
They all knew the great threat of the Soul-Devouring Venerable had not been eliminated.
Chen Ping stood up, his gaze sharpening once more. “We have rested enough. Naturally, we return to the Nether Blood Sea and settle the final account with that old Soul-Devouring dog! This time we strike together. We will not give him the slightest chance!”
This time, he would entertain no arrogance or thoughts of fighting alone.
Only by combining everyone’s strength and striking like thunder was the proper way.
Everyone nodded in agreement, battle intent reigniting.
After a brief rest, Chen Ping, Liu Xue, Yan Nantian, and Shen Zhiyan, the four strongest combatants in the Ninth Heaven currently possessed, together with Old Black, Cen Biqing, and the others, plus the little fire qilin who absolutely refused to be left behind and was now perched on Chen Ping’s shoulder, set off once more. Their destination: the Nether Blood Sea!
This time they were familiar with the route. They plunged straight through the blood sea and descended into the Soul-Burying Abyss.
However, when they once again set foot in this eerie domain, they found it utterly transformed from before.
The vast soul pressure that had once enveloped the entire Soul-Burying Abyss, the unmistakable mark of the Soul-Devouring Venerable, had vanished completely.
Even the dark-crimson light in the sky seemed much dimmer. The bloody stench and resentful energy in the air remained thick, yet they lacked a central will and had become scattered and disordered.
The throne built from countless skulls still stood, but it was now empty.
The Soul-Devouring Venerable… was gone?
“Be careful. This could be a trap!”
Yan Nantian warned in a low voice, spreading his divine sense to examine every inch of the space.
Shen Zhiyan frowned slightly, performing calculations on his fingers. After a moment he shook his head. “His soul origin aura truly is no longer here. It seems… he really has left.”
At that instant, a ghostly light slowly ignited above the empty skull throne, condensing into a blurred phantom image of the Soul-Devouring Venerable.
This was not his true body, merely a pre-recorded wisp of divine sense.
“Heh heh heh… Brat, I knew you would bring people back. What a pity. You are too late!”
The Soul-Devouring Venerable’s voice, thick with venom and mockery, rang out from the projection.
“This Venerable rested here for several days and recovered a portion of my vitality.
This Ninth Heaven is too small a pond. It can no longer contain a true dragon like me! I have already gone to the higher Tenth Heaven!
If you have the guts, come find me in the Tenth Heaven! This Venerable will await you all at the Myriad Soul Demon Sect!
Of course, if you lack the courage, then cower obediently in your Ninth Heaven and wait for the day this Venerable returns to my peak. Then I shall descend once more and devour every last one of you, along with this entire world! Hahahaha!”
His arrogant, provocative laughter echoed through the Soul-Burying Abyss, then the divine-sense projection slowly faded away.
Everyone exchanged glances, their faces rather grim.
No one had expected the Soul-Devouring Venerable to be so decisive and cunning. The moment he realised the situation was unfavourable, he abandoned the lair he had operated for countless years and fled straight to the higher Tenth Heaven!
