The moment Long Chen turned his head, the entire world changed.
Yue Xiaoqian and the others vanished. He found himself standing in a strange realm.
Beneath his feet, the lake surface was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the vast blue sky and drifting white clouds above. It was hard to tell which was real—the sky above or the reflection below.
Even his sense of orientation wavered. Was he standing upright, or was he upside down? Yet, this world was eerily peaceful, a tranquility that made him feel at ease like never before.
Long Chen slowly turned his head.
Behind him stood a stunning young girl, her face filled with delight as she gazed at him.
She looked about sixteen or seventeen, her presence radiating nobility. Her eyes, deep and fluid like autumn waters, shimmered with the ethereal essence of heaven and earth. Her joy was infectious, making even Long Chen unconsciously relax.
“Senior, you are…?” Long Chen clasped his fists politely.
Before he could finish, the girl grabbed his hand playfully. Her expression turned mischievous as she reached out and touched his cheek.
“Oh, come on! Calling me ‘senior’ makes me sound old! Let me get a good look at the legendary Child of Prophecy—wow, you’re really handsome!”
Long Chen was caught off guard, feeling a little awkward.
“Uh, senior—”
“Enough with that ‘senior’ nonsense! My name is Misi Niya. Just call me Niya.” The girl circled him curiously, her eyes filled with amusement.
“Misi Niya?” Long Chen’s heart skipped a beat. “Then… what’s your relation to Misi Havia?”
The name sparked an old memory. Back in the mortal realm, he had once used it as a secret code while working with the Primordial Demon Clan. He had even asked Yue Xiaoqian about its meaning, but she had only smiled mysteriously and refused to answer.
Niya giggled. “That’s the first-generation Heavenly Emperor of the Primordial Demon Clan. She’s also my mother.
“As for me… I died at seventeen. Which means I’ll never grow old! Isn’t that great?”
She laughed cheerfully, but Long Chen felt his heart clench in pain.
The daughter of the Primordial Demon Clan’s first Heavenly Emperor had perished in battle…
Seventeen. She had been just a child. Even as an emperor, her mother had been unable to protect her own daughter.
Long Chen stared at the lively girl before him. She still had the innocence of youth, untouched by the cruel realities of war. His nose tingled, and he nearly choked up.
How much had the Primordial Demon Clan sacrificed for the Nine Heavens World?
And in return… how had they been treated?
An overwhelming fury ignited in his chest.
Niya looked into his eyes and gently cupped his cheek, her touch soft as the wind.
“Hey, Child of Prophecy, don’t be sad.”
Her voice was warm, comforting.
“I’ve been waiting here alone for so many years… It’s been so lonely. But now that you’re finally here, I’ve fulfilled my mission.”
She suddenly brightened up, twirling on the mirror-like surface beneath them.
“After all these years of being trapped, I can finally be free!”
Lost in her excitement, she suddenly paused and smacked her forehead. “Oh no! I forgot to ask—what’s your name?”
“Long Chen,” he answered honestly.
She smiled. “Misi Niya. Does my name sound weird?”
She didn’t wait for a response before continuing, “It’s a unique name from the Demon Clan. ‘Misi’ is our family name. In your language, it means ‘slaughter and destruction.’”
She giggled at Long Chen’s startled expression. “Don’t look so shocked. The Primordial Demon Clan used to be invaders from beyond the Nine Heavens.”
Long Chen’s heart trembled.
The Primordial Demon Clan… hadn’t originated from the Nine Heavens?
“They tricked us into coming here,” Niya said playfully. “At least, that’s what my mother told me. But she never explained exactly how we were deceived. She only said that we were just pawns in someone else’s game.
“Our clan had powerful support abilities. We could heal them, boost their strength…
“But when we arrived in the Nine Heavens, we realized the ‘evil demons’ we were supposed to fight… were actually us.”
Her voice softened.
“My mother saw through the deception. She led our people in defiance, refusing to participate in the war. We tried to return to our original world, only to discover… that the Nine Heavens was a one-way trap.
“We were stranded here.”
Her smile dimmed. “Because we refused to fight, our former allies turned on us. They hunted us down…
“Until the Lord of Stars saved us.”
Long Chen’s mind suddenly flashed with an image—
A man, gently tracing divine runes on a woman’s forehead.
Was that the Star Lord? And the woman… the ancestor of the Primordial Demon Clan?
“The Lord of Stars reshaped our demonic markings into ‘Demon-Suppressing Divine Patterns,’” Niya explained. “Through his supreme power, our clan was accepted by the Nine Heavens World itself. From then on, we were no longer demons. We became a part of this world.”
Long Chen was shaken.
He had never known the origins of the Primordial Demon Clan.
“My mother once told me that the name ‘Primordial Demon Clan’ wasn’t given by the Lord of Stars. It was bestowed by the heavens themselves.”
Niya grinned. “Pretty deep, huh? We even gained Heaven’s blessing. Our powers completely changed—we went from supporting demons… to suppressing them.”
Long Chen’s eyes narrowed. “So your clan’s Demon-Suppressing Divine Patterns only affect demons from outside the Nine Heavens?”
“At first, yes.” Niya nodded. “But some of the demons here chose to serve those outsiders. They abandoned their own world and adopted the faith of foreign gods.
“And once they accepted that foreign power… Heaven itself judged them as invaders.”
“So, anyone affected by your divine patterns… is a traitor?”
Niya smirked. “I wouldn’t say that. But our markings were blessed by the original Heavenly Dao. And as for the current Heavenly Dao… well… I won’t say anything more.”
Long Chen’s heart pounded.
The original Heavenly Dao… and the current one?
Niya had just revealed something incredibly profound.
Kun Ding had hinted at the same thing before. Both of them had spoken cryptically, but their meaning was unmistakable.
Long Chen took a deep breath. “You called me the Child of Prophecy. What does that mean?”
“Hm?” Niya feigned innocence. “Did I say that? I don’t remember.”
Before he could press further, she suddenly grinned. “Oh no! I can’t waste time chatting! I have to pass my remaining power to my people.”
Her body began glowing with a sacred radiance.
“Long Chen, my mission is over. The Primordial Demon Clan is now in your hands.”
As she formed her final hand seal, her figure began to fade. She looked at Long Chen, hesitation flickering in her eyes.
She bit her lip. “Long Chen… do you think I’ll ever see my mother again?”
His heart twisted painfully.
The Heavenly Dao was in chaos. Reincarnation had become uncertain.
He wanted to reassure her… but he couldn’t bring himself to lie.
Tears silently streamed down Niya’s face. She had been pretending to be strong all along.
“I’m not afraid. I have to be brave.”
Her voice trembled.
“I am the daughter of the great Primordial Demon Emperor, Misi Havia. I will finish my final task… with courage.”
With a determined cry, she completed the last seal.
Endless runes erupted from her body.
And the world shattered into nothingness.
.png)
.png)
0 Comments