Chapter 274 1 (1/2)

The Cloud Platform

It was another windy season.

Seven months had passed and in the sky above the Luo Yun Province, there was an enormous platform floating in mid-air, just like a massive cloud except that it was as hard as steel.

The Cloud Platform! It was a platform congealed from the grand formation which was established to protect the province. It used to be the place where the Demon Generals of the Luo Yun Tribe were officially promoted.

Today, however, it was turned into a battle arena for the contenders of the map pieces of the World Passage!

Many experts from the nine divisions flocked to the Luo Yun Province with a single intention in mind – to strive for the map pieces of the World Passage!

Assembling nine pieces of the map into one and obtaining a spot within the top fifty. Most of the experts did not dare have any hope of achieving the first place and obtain all the map pieces by participating in the fight as it was just too far from their reach. Instead, they only wished that they might get a spot to enter the Third World.

If there really was a Demon Marshal slumbering in the Third World, they might get a bestowal from the Demon Marshal when they wake him up. For them, it was a rare opportunity.

Furthermore, rumor has it that the Demon Marshal, Lu Wu was once the guardian of the Celestial Emperor’s medicinal garden. If one is lucky enough, they might get half a piece of the remaining ancient medicinal leaves.

Aside from that, the Demon Marshal, Lu Wu was said to have gouged out one of the demon stars in the Celestial Emperor’s left eye… If one could enter the Third World, it meant that they would even have the chance to obtain that star.

In short, the World Passage connecting the Third World was like a door to a world full of tempting opportunities that could entice just about anyone regardless of what their true intentions were.

A minority of the demons might have already heard about the shocking unforeseen event that had occurred in the Third World… The Demon Marshal was dead and a Star Palace emerged!

But it did not dampen the feeling of excitement among the experts of the nine divisions. The war between the nine divisions was stopped for the moment and nearly every Demon General from every tribe had come and gathered at the Luo Yun Province!

Lu Sheng and the other generals who guarded the borders were also called in to maintain public security and order in the province while preparing themselves for the fight.

A few demon cities were built outside the province for the occasion to provide a temporary shelter for cultivators from the foreign tribes.

The atmosphere was filled with noises and it was rare to find a moment of peace and quietness… In the province, there was a constant wave of people walking in and out everywhere.

Buying spiritual minerals, forging magical treasures and demonic weapons, purchasing spiritual equipment and pills, being busy in enhancing their own cultivation level; gathering materials, exchanging them for immortal jade, spending the immortal jade in the Scripture Tower for demonic techniques and cultivation methods…

The auction, the demon workshop, the Scripture Tower… Everywhere was crowded with busy figures.

There was still half a month left before the actual day of the fight! All the experts from the nine divisions who were supposed to come had already arrived!

Among all the places in the province, only one was still able to maintain its serenity under the special order from Lu Daochen – the Dragon Pond!

At the side of the pond, the Wind Demoness with purple hair and the Flower Demoness in red robes were keeping watch on the pond while holding a copper basin filled with clean water, a towel and a bowl of vegetarian food.

After eleven years, these two women’s cultivation level had reached at the Late Gold Core Realm.

Ning Fan once said that he would complete the Divine Transformation in 10 years. Therefore, from the beginning till the end of that period of time, they had been staying there waiting for him. Now, it seemed like Ning Fan was slightly late from the time he had promised.

But it was not an unusual thing because matters regarding advancements in cultivation levels were hard to tell after all.

“11 years, 7 months and nine days… Master still hasn’t returned… The fight is going to commence soon… Is Master going to be alright?” The Wind Demoness twirled her purple long hair with the tip of her finger while wearing a worried look.

“I heard that this Dragon Pond is full of dark beasts. Hopefully Master will be safe and sound…” The Flower Demoness put her palms together devoutly and silently prayed.

They had been waiting and waiting but Ning Fan still did not emerge from the pond.

When the two women gently turned around, they could see another woman walking towards them.

That woman was clad in green feathered robes. Her appearance was charming and every move she made was enchanting. Her eyes curved into flirty smiles but her presence still emanated a noble majesty that would keep everyone away for a thousand li*.

“Greetings to Empress Demon Imperial Concubine…”

“No need for politeness… Has Lu Bei come out from the pond…”

“No. He hasn’t…”

The two demonesses hurriedly curtsied. The woman right before their eyes was one of the imperial concubines from the Spirit King Palace – Wu Yan. They had never imagined that they would have the chance to look at a significant personage like her, let alone meet her in person.

Besides, a great personage like her would never have bothered to cast the two demonesses a glance in the past, not to mention give them a friendly smile.

The Wind Demoness and the Flower Demoness realized that the reason why Demon Imperial Concubine Wu Yan was treating them in that manner was because she was giving face to their master.

“Please excuse us, Empress…”

The two demonesses left with a hint of regret.

Demon Imperial Concubine Wu Yan was one of the few people who obtained permission from Lu Daochen to visit the Dragon Pond. During Ning Fan’s seclusion which was seemingly endless, she had been here for a few times.

Perhaps this demon imperial concubine is a close friend to master… The two demonesses guessed while feeling a little dispirited.

After the two of them disappeared in the distance, Demon Imperial Concubine Wu Yan got closer to the black pond. But when she tried to take another breath, a strong bloody stench assailed her nostrils, causing her to immediately cover her mouth and nose with her sleeve.

With her brows tightly knitted together, she blamed, “Stinky thief, how could you stay in such a disgusting place for more than 11 years and not come out? Don’t tell me that you have been choked to death by the stench under the pond…”

“Do you know that the fight is going to begin soon? Why haven’t you come out…”

Wu Yan seemed to be talking to herself but at the same time, she looked like she was talking at the black pond instead. However, no one replied to her. The silence in the atmosphere was occasionally broken by the sound of the blowing breeze which would give anyone an uneasy feeling, as if a chaotic event was going to happen.

A brief moment later, Wu Yan gently squatted down with her eyes staring at the viscous black pond and started talking more to herself.

In a way, she seemed to be pouring her heart out to Ning Fan. But she knew that the liquid of the pond was able to block one’s spirit sense. Therefore, Ning Fan who was below the pond would not be able to listen to anything she said.

Loneliness. Exhaustion. The burden of her identity. She literally recounted everything of her past at the pond.

This was not the first time…