Chapter 0: Absolute Prohibition
“He did agree.”
“Oh? So does he guess I’ll give it directly, or does he assume I’ll guess that he assumes I’ll give it directly?”
“The former.”
“As expected.” The old demon didn’t hide his disdain.
“This makes things a little difficult for me.” Qin Gou smiled, “After all, you two have already agreed.”
“If you push your luck, this Seat will not accompany you.” The old demon said without hesitation.
“Alright, then let’s wait until I actually find the Heart Snatcher Box.”
With that, Qin Gou motioned for Luo Wei Ban to close the ancient scroll, severing contact with the old demon.
…
A portal of blood mist appeared out of thin air.
Ren Ci stepped out alone, her aura significantly stronger than before.
“Zhenyu!”
Qin Gou examined her and smiled warmly, “It seems your recovery is going well, Ren Ci.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Zhenyu. However, next, I will definitely make you see me in a new light.” Ren Ci beamed and smiled.
After greeting Qin Gou and everyone she knew, Ren Ci turned her gaze to Luo Wei Ban.
“I haven’t met this fellow Daoist yet?”
Originally, Ren Ci was not one to proactively engage with strangers, but Luo Wei Ban’s appearance, somewhat resembling Little White Dragon’s, yet giving a completely different impression and bearing, made her genuinely curious.
“Luo Wei Ban.”
“Ren Ci.”
Upon hearing Luo Wei Ban’s name, Xiao Ci remained calm. This was likely because most people in the Abyss only knew of the Nine Saint Monarch and not her true name.
It was the same concept as the famous ‘Demon Lord Jia Ren’ and ‘Ren Ci,’ known only to those close to her.
“Who is this… Her cultivation is not simple. Where did Zhenyu meet her?” Xiao Ci couldn’t help but transmit her voice.
“I don’t remember at all,” Qin Gou replied truthfully.
“Ah?” Xiao Ci was confused.
Then, one after another, Luo Wei Ban’s transmitted voice reached Qin Gou’s ears.
“What is this Daoist Ren’s relationship with you, my disciple?”
“One of my good friends.”
“Not your disciple? Oh no, without this layer of concern, then it’s all over.”
“What?”
Afterward, Ren Ci went up the mountain with everyone, and after making a few hand seals, an ancient-looking demon appeared.
“Demon Lord Jia Ren?”
The old man sighed, “Didn’t I tell you, he won’t see you.”
Qin Gou knew that ‘He’ was referring to Ren Ci’s father, or rather, the ‘Abandoner.’
“It has nothing to do with him.”
Ren Ci flicked her sleeve, “Now, I am the Clan Leader of the Ren Clan, and many tribes of the Lingbo Boat Master’s Clan are gradually aligning with me. So, I think I should have some authority to utilize? This time, I am here to retrieve the Heart Snatcher Box.”
Upon hearing this, the old man’s expression subtly changed, “How did you know that he currently possesses the Heart Snatcher Box?”
“What?”
Ren Ci immediately pressed, “Is that true? Has that guy gone mad?”
Ren Ci and Qin Gou had only learned from the Abyssal Divine Bridge that the Heart Snatcher Box was in the ancestral land of the Lingbo Boat Master’s Clan, and they did not know that Ren Ci’s biological father was also involved in this matter.
“This…”
The old man glanced at Qin Gou and the others beside Ren Ci, hesitating to speak.
Seeing this, Ren Ci greeted Qin Gou and the others, and they immediately moved away. She then continued to the old man, “What happened? You can transmit your voice to me alone.”
The old man nodded hesitantly.
A moment later, Ren Ci returned to Qin Gou’s side.
“It seems the Heart Snatcher Box has indeed been taken by him.” At this moment, Xiao Ci’s expression looked rather grim.
Although she never had a good impression of that guy, Ren Ci had witnessed how deranged others could become when they possessed Demon God Creations. Her own biological father had completely turned into a mad demon, which ultimately made her feel uneasy.
“Has the Heart Snatcher Box recognized its master? Have they truly forged a contract?” Qin Gou asked.
“From the description, it seems so.”
Ren Ci gave a wry smile, “It appears they have already wielded the Heart Snatcher Box with ease, which is something that cannot be done without a master.”
“However, this is not the most….”
Ren Ci continued, “What truly surprised me is that he claims to be able to communicate with the Abyss Demon God using the Heart Snatcher Box!”
“I see. However, Xiao Ci, you don’t need to worry too much about this matter.” Qin Gou said without any hesitation.
“Why?”
“Aside from the Abyssal Divine Bridge, there has never been any mention of such an ability on the Godplunder Altar or the Heart Snatcher Box,” Qin Gou shook his head. Moreover, from the interactions with the Demon Gods of the two realms these past few days, they didn’t seem to be aware of this either.
“Are you implying that the so-called Demon God he communicated with is an imposter?” Ren Ci asked.
Qin Gou nodded, reassuring Xiao Ci, “Most likely fake. However, believe me, even if the real one appeared now, it would be fine.”
A moment later, Qin Gou and the others approached the old demon once more.
Seeing this, the old man looked at Qin Gou and proactively asked, “May I know who you are?”
Qin Gou smiled helplessly and could only reply, “Zhenyu.”
“One of the Ten Pillars?”
“Precisely.”
The old man pondered for a moment and nodded slightly, “In my opinion, the one who truly wants to obtain the Heart Snatcher Box is likely you, not Demon Lord Jia Ren. But alas, the Heart Snatcher Box has already recognized its master.” At this point, his tone clearly indicated that he was asking them to leave.
Qin Gou smiled kindly and warmly, “That was originally the case, but now, I am more interested in meeting the Daoist friend who has truly mastered the Heart Snatcher Box. Could you perhaps lead the way?”
“No.”
The old man shook his head without hesitation, “Only Demon Lord Jia Ren is allowed to enter. Although you are also one of the Ten Pillars, this is the ancestral land of my Lingbo Boat Master’s Clan, and naturally, only members of the Lingbo Boat Master’s Clan can enter. Outsiders are strictly forbidden.”
Hearing this, Ren Ci immediately spoke, “Then I will personally invite Zhenyu and the others to enter with me.”
“Demon Lord Jia Ren!”
The old man said sternly, “This place is not where you make the rules.”
“I have entered the ancestral lands of other races as a guest before. This should just be your own rule, shouldn’t it?”
Qin Gou did not get angry, still smiling, he asked, “Daoist friend, please speak frankly. Is it truly impossible to be flexible? I have always been a reasonable person.”
“You can understand it that way.”
The old man looked at Qin Gou and nodded slightly, “To put it in a nutshell, anyone who is not of the Lingbo Boat Master bloodline is absolutely prohibited from entering.”
“Joke!”
Instantly, the old man’s body turned ice-cold, and the surrounding air almost froze.
The voice that spoke came from the ancient scroll unfurled in Qin Gou’s hand, the name covered by black mist.
“Then what about me?”
