A strong wind blew, and the power went out at home, so I had to come a long way to find an internet café. There's only one update today.
The matter of the Myriad Demon Pills weighed on Yang Kai's mind. No wonder the Demon Realms had so many more Demon Kings than the Star Boundary had Emperors — turns out something like this existed.
By his earlier estimates, a few dozen Myriad Demon Pills could promote a low-rank Demon King to mid-rank. In other words, on Cloud Shadow Continent alone, a new mid-rank Demon King could be produced every ten-odd years, with pills to spare.
Given enough time, the number of Demon Kings would only keep growing.
Of course, while this calculation was overly idealized, the Myriad Demon Pills did make cultivation significantly easier for the strong of the Demon Realms, and shortened the time required for growth compared to the Star Boundary.
Why didn't the Star Boundary have this kind of fortune? And that Myriad Demon Cave — how had it come into existence? How did it produce something like Myriad Demon Pills?
Perhaps Yu Rumeng knew something about its origins, but there was no way to ask her now.
Just then, Yin smiled faintly and said, "Speaking of which, Your Majesty's timing is quite fortunate. The next harvest of Myriad Demon Pills is not far off — it will happen within the next six months. Your Majesty can go see it for yourself then."
Hearing this, Yang Kai's expression shifted slightly, and he spoke up: "Since the Myriad Demon Cave is in Lie Kuang's territory, does that mean he's the one who sends people to guard it?"
"That's correct!" Lao Ke nodded.
Yang Kai cast him a sidelong glance and said, "But as far as I know, Lie Kuang has brought every Demon King under his command here to Cloud Shadow City. Who's watching it now?"
Lao Ke froze, then suddenly seemed to realize something. He cupped his fists and said, "This subordinate will go investigate the Myriad Demon Cave at once."
The Myriad Demon Cave was the most important location on every continent — it absolutely could not be left unguarded. Since Lie Kuang had brought all his Demon Kings here, the place was very likely undefended. Or perhaps someone else had taken over on Lie Kuang's behalf — and given that Lie Kuang had defected to Yue Sang, it wasn't hard to imagine where that person might have come from.
Cloud Shadow Continent was Yang Kai's territory now. The Myriad Demon Pills harvested from the cave naturally fell under his control. He could not tolerate outsiders coveting them.
"Take more men with you. Kersen will accompany you." Yang Kai waved his hand.
Kersen answered, "Yes!"
The two did not delay. To avoid complications, they bid farewell and departed immediately.
Yin, whose face was shrouded in dark energy and thus invisible, remained behind and said, "If Your Majesty has no further orders, this subordinate will take her leave."
"Send those five Demon Kings to me!" Yang Kai ordered, then closed his eyes.
Yin glanced at him curiously, wondering what he wanted with those five Demon Kings, but asked no questions and withdrew to carry out the order.
Before long, five Demon Kings — their cultivation sealed and bound by restrictions — were brought into the room. After a night of torment, all five looked wretched and haggard, but each fixed Yang Kai with a furious glare. The more hot-tempered ones spat out every curse they could think of, their words foul beyond measure.
They knew their chances of survival were slim, and they couldn't do a thing to Yang Kai, so they figured they might as well vent through their mouths. If their words could provoke Yang Kai into killing them outright, all the better — death would be an end to everything, far preferable to continued suffering.
Yang Kai dismissed the guards, shut the door, and set up a barrier. With a cold expression, he regarded the five of them, then opened his palm and reached toward them.
In the next instant, the Laws of Space rippled, and all five Demon Kings vanished simultaneously.
Moments later, Yang Kai's own figure flickered, and he disappeared from the room as well.
Inside the Small World, in an open clearing, the Avatar sat cross-legged. Even seated, its body — over a dozen zhang tall — towered like a small mountain. It gazed with considerable interest at the five Demon Kings that Yang Kai had brought in.
Yang Kai appeared beside it and wasted no words. He raised a hand and said, "Begin."
The Avatar nodded, formed hand seals, and assumed a peculiar posture. The next instant, an invisible force surged outward and enveloped the five immobilized Demon Kings. The Demon Kings, still dazed from the sudden change of environment, went pale as they felt the essence blood and even the Yuan Qi and spiritual consciousness within their bodies stir uncontrollably, threatening to leave their flesh of their own accord.
Yang Kai looked on and saw streaks of crimson energy rising from each of the five Demon Kings, converging toward the Avatar. With each exhale and inhale from the Avatar, the energy was drawn into its body.
In mere moments, the crimson streams grew incredibly thick. The five Demon Kings' bodies withered visibly, their auras plummeting dramatically.
The sight sent a chill down Yang Kai's spine. The Heaven Devouring Battle Art was indeed tyrannical and sinister — no wonder it was shunned by the Star Boundary.
Although the Avatar was a Stone Puppet's body and immune to the many drawbacks of the Heaven Devouring Battle Art, back in the Star Boundary Yang Kai had taken great care to avoid letting the Avatar use this technique inherited from the Heaven Devouring Great Emperor during battle, for fear someone might catch on.
In the past, the Avatar had absorbed the vital essence of a few enemies, but always in small amounts and never as a matter of course.
Here in the Demon Realms, however, there was no such need for caution.
During last night's battle with Lie Kuang, the Avatar's use of the Heaven Devouring Battle Art had left the latter in utter misery. And according to the Avatar, the technique could sustain itself through combat — devouring others' vital essence while simultaneously weakening them and growing stronger. As long as one did not suffer a single fatal wound, it was practically an invincible existence.
It was the Heaven Devouring Battle Art that had allowed the Heaven Devouring Great Emperor to slaughter numerous Great Emperors single-handedly during the Battle of the Emperors. That technique had undoubtedly been the decisive factor.