Chapter 149: A Dialogue Between Gods and Demons

Nan Luo, wearing a purple-gold crown and a divine robe of the same hue, walked steadily toward Mount Buzhou. His blue hair billowed in the wind, and with every stride, he covered a thousand miles.

Mount Buzhou, the Pillar of Heaven in the Primordial World, possessed an aura so dense and a pressure so immense that it forbade any living being from flying. Years ago, when Nan Luo first ascended this mountain, he could barely manage a hundred miles per step, struggling in wretched exhaustion before finally reaching the summit to claim the fragmented Jade of Creation. Now, as a semi-saint sovereign, his power was incomparable to those days, allowing him to ascend with effortless grace.

Along the way, Nan Luo took in the magnificent scenery of the sacred mountain. Yet, for all its beauty, Mount Buzhou was desolate and devoid of vitality. The overwhelming spiritual pressure that made the mountain uninhabitable for living creatures also stunted the growth of sentient flora. A blade of grass in the outside world might achieve consciousness and take human form after absorbing the essence of the sun and moon for ten thousand years, but here, even after ten thousand centuries, such a feat would be impossible.

Before long, Nan Luo reached a valley halfway up the mountain, three thousand miles from the base, and stepped into its shimmering, eerie depths. The valley was silent, devoid of any other life.

"Has he not arrived yet?"

Indifferent to the silence, Nan Luo waved his right hand, conjuring a stone table and two stools before sitting down with calm composure. With another flick of his hand, a teapot of Enlightenment Tea and two cups appeared out of thin air. Sparks flickered beneath the white jade pot, and the tea began to boil. Golden steam drifted from the pot, filling the valley with a rich, fragrant mist.

"It is already the ninth day of the fifth month. There are four months left until the battle on the ninth day of the ninth month. Excluding the month required for travel, I have three months remaining. I wonder if I can achieve sainthood within that time."

As Nan Luo pondered the words of the Nether Demon Emperor, his golden eyes slowly closed, his heart stirred by turbulent thoughts.

***

Mount Buzhou, the night of the ninth day of the fifth month. A silver moon hung high in the sky. Nan Luo had been sitting for six full hours, yet the Nether Demon Emperor was nowhere to be seen. Still, Nan Luo possessed the patience for such waiting.

Mount Buzhou, the night of the twelfth day of the fifth month. The silver moon hung high once more. Nan Luo had waited for three days, but the Nether Demon Emperor had yet to appear. Nan Luo opened his eyes, his golden gaze ice-cold. *What is that Nether Demon Emperor doing? Why has he not come?* Without any way to contact him, Nan Luo could only wait in frustrated silence. *If not for the path to sainthood he promised, would I ever have endured such a wait?* He longed to leave, but he was forced to swallow his pride.

Mount Buzhou, the night of the sixteenth day of the fifth month. Finally, the long-awaited Nether Demon Emperor appeared.

"Hahaha..."

"Forgive me, Divine Emperor, for keeping you waiting! I am at fault, truly at fault!"

As his voice echoed, a ghostly light manifested on the stool opposite Nan Luo, revealing the figure of the Nether Demon Emperor—a semi-saint sovereign and the ruler of the Nether Demon Clan, one of the three great demon tribes of the Primordial World’s dark side. He wore a dark demon helm and armor, his handsome face twisted into an expression that was cold and mocking, though he laughed with forced heartiness.

*That bastard,* Nan Luo thought, his anger boiling beneath a forced smile. *He has been in this valley the whole time and only reveals himself now. He is clearly trying to intimidate me.* Nan Luo knew from the moment the demon appeared that he had been nearby all along; otherwise, the Nether Demon Emperor could not have appeared so silently without being detected.

*But how did he conceal his presence?* Nan Luo suppressed his rage, feeling unsettled. *I didn't sense his tracks at all.* It was a terrifying thought. As fellow semi-saints, if Nan Luo could not detect him, any surprise attack would leave him completely vulnerable.

Though Nan Luo’s golden eyes remained calm, the Nether Demon Emperor could sense his confusion. He had no intention of explaining, however. Let Nan Luo be unnerved for a while; it served his purpose.

The Nether Demon Emperor smiled coldly. "I had urgent matters! Could not get away. My apologies, Divine Emperor, my apologies!"

"It is of no consequence," Nan Luo replied, feeling not a shred of goodwill toward him. He steered the conversation elsewhere. "May I ask what could possibly hold back the Nether Demon Emperor?"

The demon hesitated, then answered truthfully, "I was summoned by the Demon Ancestor Luo Hou. I had no choice but to go."

*Luo Hou!* Nan Luo was shocked. *This Demon Ancestor is a supreme existence capable of challenging Hong Jun. I never imagined he was the Saint Immortal behind the Nether Demon Clan.*

Nan Luo had learned many secrets of the Primordial World, especially after the Five Sovereigns united to oppose the Saint Immortals. According to the Dragon Emperor, every imperial clan was backed by a Saint Immortal. Nan Luo was no exception; had it not been for the shadow of the Black Hand, he would not have survived until now.

Nan Luo looked at the Nether Demon Emperor and asked, "And why did the Demon Ancestor summon you?"

The Nether Demon Emperor fixed his abyssal gaze on Nan Luo, weighing his options. *Should I tell him of Hong Jun’s treacherous plot?* After a moment of deliberation, he decided against it. *If I do not weaken the power of the Yang Spirit Realm now, it will be far harder for the Yin Demon Realm to invade once Nan Luo achieves sainthood. Let the Dragon, Phoenix, Qilin, Fierce, and Divine Sovereigns slaughter each other. The more they kill, the weaker the Spirit Realm becomes, and the easier it will be for my Demon Realm to conquer it.*

With a cunning smile, the Nether Demon Emperor said, "It was nothing. The Demon Ancestor simply ordered our Demon Realm not to interfere in the struggles of you five sovereigns of the Yang side."

Nan Luo looked at that cold, mocking smile and felt increasingly uneasy. *He is definitely lying.*

"Enough! Let us talk no more of useless things. Let us discuss the path to sainthood!" The Nether Demon Emperor took a sip of his tea, cutting off Nan Luo’s train of thought.

"The path to sainthood!"

Two beams of golden light erupted from Nan Luo’s eyes, instantly casting aside his suspicion. Even with his deep composure, he could barely contain his excitement. He stared at the Nether Demon Emperor, his golden eyes blazing, and asked with a smile, "How does one achieve sainthood?"