Undying Life

Chapter 978: Nezha Seeks Revenge

"After eight years, the Fox Realm will be sealed?" Zhong Shan asked with a hint of surprise.

Su Meiniang looked at the gathered ministers, then at Zhong Shan. "Sacred King Zhong, I would like to speak with you privately."

Zhong Shan seemed to understand what Su Meiniang wanted to discuss and nodded.

With a wave of his hand, Tian Lao withdrew a little, and the ministers of Taichu quickly followed suit.

Su Meiniang extended her hand and created a soundproof barrier.

Within the barrier, only four people remained: Zhong Shan, Su Meiniang, Su Rou, and Mr. Tanuki.

"After eight years, for the sake of the Fox Clan, Su Rou and I will enter the Fox Realm to lead our people into hiding. We will also study the Demon-Summoning Banner in hopes of finding a way to break the curse," Su Meiniang explained.

"Alright," Zhong Shan nodded.

"Mr. Tanuki is my brother. Though he has talent, he is not fit to be an emperor," Su Meiniang said, glancing at Mr. Tanuki.

Mr. Tanuki nodded, acknowledging his unsuitability for the throne.

"After I leave, Taichu will inevitably fall apart. Even if I were to force my brother to take the throne, he wouldn't be able to hold it for long. So, I want to entrust Taichu to you," Su Meiniang said.

"Entrust it to me?" Zhong Shan frowned slightly.

"Don't worry, once I entrust Taichu to you, Taichu will cease to exist. This is not the same as when I once offered Taichu as a vassal state. I know of your ambitions. You don't need a vassal state. Su Rou has been by your side for some time now, and I've come to understand your capabilities. The unification of the Wind Tomb Domain is inevitable—I'm simply speeding up the process," Su Meiniang continued.

"When will you return?" Zhong Shan asked.

"I don't know. It could be a very long time," Su Meiniang said with a trace of bitterness.

If the Demon-Summoning Banner were easy to comprehend, the Fox Clan's supreme leader would have already deciphered it.

"Mr. Tanuki won't be joining you in the Fox Realm?" Zhong Shan asked, slightly surprised, noting the tone in Su Meiniang's voice that seemed to imply she was distancing herself from him.

Looking at Mr. Tanuki, Su Meiniang spoke seriously, "In eight years, very few will make it back to Qingqiu. Even the Fox Clan in the Wind Tomb Domain won't all make it. The world is too vast. I can only take the Fox Clan's most powerful members with me to study the Demon-Summoning Banner. But there will still be many Fox Clan members left in the world who will need protection. Brother, can you do this?"

"I won't let you down, sister!" Mr. Tanuki vowed with utmost seriousness.

"Please, Sacred King Zhong, protect my Fox Clan whenever possible!" Su Meiniang suddenly bent her knees as if to kneel in supplication.

Zhong Shan quickly caught her, preventing her from kneeling.

"Do you still need to do this with me?" Zhong Shan said with a faint smile.

"I'm asking on behalf of the Fox Clan," Su Meiniang insisted stubbornly.

Su Rou, standing by, supported Su Meiniang but remained silent, her eyes filled with hope as she looked at Zhong Shan.

Taking a deep breath, Zhong Shan said, "I will do my best, within my power."

"Thank you!" Su Meiniang nodded.

"My brother will serve in Da Qiong from now on. I hope you will look after him," Su Meiniang added.

Glancing at Mr. Tanuki, Zhong Shan nodded. "Mr. Tanuki is talented; Da Qiong will be fortunate to have him."

"Thank you," Su Meiniang expressed her gratitude.

"However, may I enter the Fox Realm to have a look?" Zhong Shan asked.

Su Meiniang shook her head. "No, you cannot enter. Deep within the Fox Realm, anyone who isn't a member of the Fox Clan will be repelled. It's a prohibition set by the Fox Clan's supreme leader long ago. Shenxiu might have sensed its mysteries, which is why he didn't dare venture further or linger longer."

"Sister, how did Shenxiu manage to bypass the Throne of the Heavenly Demons and enter the Fox Realm?" Mr. Tanuki immediately asked.

"Everything has its rules and methods. There is a way to enter. This was the first barrier left behind by the Fox Clan's supreme leader. When the Fox Realm closes, the Throne of the Heavenly Demons will vanish, returning to the Demon Realm," Su Meiniang explained.

At this moment, Huan Ji, who had been quietly observing the Throne of the Heavenly Demons, suddenly spoke up. "Zhong Shan, I want that!"

Huan Ji had been eyeing the Throne of the Heavenly Demons with a gleam in her eyes ever since they arrived.

"Is there a way to collect the Throne of the Heavenly Demons?" Zhong Shan asked.

"Collect it? How could that be possible?" Su Rou finally spoke, disbelief evident in her tone.

"If I were to take it, would it cause any problems for you?" Zhong Shan asked.

Su Meiniang, Su Rou, and Mr. Tanuki exchanged curious glances at Zhong Shan's question.

"If you can manage to take it, then go ahead. The Throne of the Heavenly Demons is fundamentally different from the artifacts of the Grand World; it can't be collected," Su Meiniang replied, her tone skeptical.

"Alright," Zhong Shan nodded.

At that moment, Huan Ji had already rushed over to the Throne of the Heavenly Demons. To her, this was a major gain.

"Zhong Shan, you all take your time. I'm heading back to Lingxiao Heavenly Court!" Huan Ji exclaimed as she grabbed hold of the Throne of the Heavenly Demons.

Zhong Shan could only shake his head in resignation. Could she not be a little more subtle? How was he supposed to explain this?

As soon as Zhong Shan gave his consent, the Throne of the Heavenly Demons at the entrance to the Fox Realm vanished without a trace.

"Huh?" Su Rou looked on in astonishment.

"What? The Throne of the Heavenly Demons is gone?" Mr. Tanuki was left speechless.

The three of them turned to Zhong Shan simultaneously.

"Yes," Zhong Shan nodded, confirming that he had taken it.

The three stood there in stunned silence.

Over the next eight years, powerful members of the Fox Clan from across the world flocked to the Fox Realm, entering it to escape the looming disaster. With the guidance of the Sacred King of Taichu, Mr. Tanuki swiftly consolidated the Taichu domain, working in tandem with the Da Qiong army and the remnants of the Taichu forces. Da Qiong's territory expanded rapidly.

The northeastern regions of the Wind Tomb Domain, vast expanses of land, quickly became part of Da Qiong's territory.

In a flash, Da Qiong had claimed a quarter of the Wind Tomb Domain—a pace so terrifying that it left the other nations in the Grand World trembling with fear.

The once-dying Da Qiong, after Zhong Shan's return, had grown so powerful?

Eight years later, Zhong Shan, accompanied by his ministers, arrived at the entrance to the Fox Realm, preparing to bid farewell to the two women and witness the closing of the realm. The entrance to the Fox Realm had shrunk to the height of just two people and was continuing to close.

In one of the remaining grand halls of the former Qingqiu Palace, Su Meiniang addressed Mr. Tanuki.

"Brother, before I leave, I must tell you one last thing: no matter what happens, you must stay with Da Qiong and follow its lead. When I return after breaking the curse of the Fox Clan, I want to find you still loyal," Su Meiniang instructed.

"Yes, sister, I will follow your guidance without fail!" Mr. Tanuki nodded in agreement.

"Do not disappoint me!" Su Meiniang gave him a deep, meaningful look.

"I won't!" Mr. Tanuki responded with firm resolve.

With a nod of approval, Su Meiniang led Mr. Tanuki out of the palace.

Zhong Shan, along with his ministers, was already waiting outside, with Su Rou standing close by.

As she approached Zhong Shan, Su Meiniang gave a graceful bow.

"Sacred King Zhong, I leave everything in your hands," Su Meiniang said earnestly.

"I will be waiting for your return," Zhong Shan replied with a nod.

Su Meiniang returned the nod. Su Rou, standing beside her, glanced at Zhong Shan with a hint of reluctance.

"Zhong Shan, I'm going in now!" Su Rou said.

"I will remember you," Zhong Shan nodded.

The two women stepped into the Fox Realm.

Su Rou's eyes flashed with reluctance, while Su Meiniang's gaze remained resolute, showing no emotion. However, as the entrance to the Fox Realm grew smaller, Su Meiniang, almost unconsciously, bit her lip while looking at Zhong Shan.

"Boom!"

With a thunderous roar, the entrance to the Fox Realm slammed shut. The sky rumbled with a crack of lightning, and a torrential rain began to fall.

With a wave of his hand, Zhong Shan dispersed the rain and thunder, clearing the sky. He gazed at the now-vanished entrance to the Fox Realm and sighed softly.

"Su Li, at your service, Sacred King!" Mr. Tanuki said as he bowed to Zhong Shan.

"Hmm, I now appoint you..." Zhong Shan began, but he was interrupted.

"Sacred King, I don't want to disgrace my sister by relying on her reputation to establish myself in Da Qiong. I wish to take part in the imperial examinations and earn recognition through my own abilities!" Mr. Tanuki declared with pride.

"Very well!" Zhong Shan responded with satisfaction.

In the mortal world, Da Qiong entered a golden age of prosperity.

Though there were some murmurs of discontent among the former subjects of Taichu, the integration of their lands into Da Qiong was quicker and more stable than those territories acquired through conquest. Many of the former officials of Qingqiu also joined Da Qiong's bureaucracy, and the great families were not significantly affected.

Da Qiong's four armies, led by their generals, swiftly completed the tasks assigned by Zhong Shan. With the momentum gained from Taichu's support, Da Qiong's territory expanded rapidly, swallowing up vast regions of the Wind Tomb Domain.

In a short time, Da Qiong came to control a quarter of the Wind Tomb Domain—a speed so frightening that it sent waves of fear throughout the Grand World's other nations.

Just eight years earlier, Da Qiong had been on the brink of collapse. But since Zhong Shan's return, it had risen to such strength?

Now, at the southeastern seas of the Wind Tomb Domain, a group of warriors appeared!

There were about a thousand of them, all clad in armor. Leading them was a young man dressed in combat gear. The youth was extraordinarily handsome, carrying a golden longbow on his back, a spear in hand, a large ring on his shoulder, and a red silk ribbon fluttering from his neck.

Unlike most people who traveled by riding clouds, the young man stood upon two wheels, which emitted fierce flames but moved with incredible speed.

The young man's face was serious, his brows furrowed as if shrouded by a dark aura.

"Third Prince, we left without reporting to the Jade Emperor. Will this...?" a golden-armored man behind him asked worriedly.

"What are you afraid of? I'll bear all the consequences. Zhong Shan killed my master, and I, Nezha, will avenge him by tearing Zhong Shan to pieces!" the young man's eyes blazed with fury, his aura exuding ferocity.

"But..." the golden-armored man hesitated.

"If you're scared, go back now! I can destroy Zhong Shan without you!" Nezha snapped.

"No, we admire you the most, Third Prince. We'd follow you even into the depths of hell. But, Third Prince, have you noticed that you've changed?" the golden-armored man asked, concerned.

"Changed? I haven't noticed anything," Nezha shook his head.

"No, ever since you returned from investigating the 'Sacred Corpse Mountain' for the Jade Emperor over three hundred years ago, after it was engulfed by endless corpse energy, your personality seems... different," the golden-armored man cautiously noted.

"Really?" Nezha frowned.

"Yes," the golden-armored man confirmed.

"I was contaminated by the aura there. I managed to seal it temporarily, but it seems it has still affected me," Nezha said, his frown deepening.

"Third Prince, what exactly was inside that Sacred Corpse Mountain?" the golden-armored man asked cautiously.

"Monster? You don't have the right to call him that. Neither do I!" Nezha shook his head.

"Then who is he? What was there?" the golden-armored man asked, his curiosity piqued.

"The Biyou Palace of the Jiejiao Sect was there once. But after the fall of the Saint Tongtian, the place became... No, the Sacred Corpse? Third Prince, was that the body of Saint Tongtian?" The golden-armored man's eyes widened in shock, but he didn't dare finish his sentence.

Nezha's eyes grew cold, and he remained silent, his expression darkening as memories of the Sacred Corpse Mountain weighed heavily on him. The group continued forward, determined in their mission, but the ominous aura surrounding Nezha hinted at the perilous journey ahead.

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