Section 27: Ink Qilin
2013-02-09 Author: Gu Zhenren
Section 27: Ink Qilin
“Outer Heavenly Demon? What kind of tribulation is this?” Chu Yun had never heard this name before. However, he was already familiar with the fearsome reputations of the Green Wave Jade Phoenix Tribulation, the Inverting Six Spirits Tribulation, and the Adamantine World-Ending Tribulation.
With his current abilities, he had no confidence in surviving such tribulations.
When a Demonic creature’s cultivation reaches the Tribulation Demon stage, it touches the bottom line that Heaven and Earth can withstand. Therefore, the Heavenly Tribulations that descend are countless times more powerful and terrifying than those for Great Demons or Spirit Monsters.
Chu Yun was currently confident that he could overcome any Spirit Demon Tribulation. However, the Tribulation Demon Tribulation made him feel utterly uncertain.
The Mad Confucian General once possessed nearly a hundred Spirit Monsters, but only the Sky-Reaching Green Mountain Brush managed to pass its tribulation and advance to Tribulation Demon. Shangguan Fengye and Iron Mountain Prime Minister, these feudal lords, were hundreds of years old and had, despite their many years of accumulation, only one Tribulation Demon.
Furthermore, the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Fiend Sect was in the latter stages of his life but still only had one Tribulation Demon.
To pass a Tribulation Demon Tribulation, one must not only consider the Monster Tamer’s preparation and accumulation but also luck.
If luck is bad and Heaven bestows calamities like the Green Wave Jade Phoenix Tribulation, the Inverting Six Spirits Tribulation, or the Adamantine World-Ending Tribulation, then annihilation is a certainty.
Chu Yun did not want his Sky Fox, Drunken Snow Saber, or others to perish in the Heavenly Tribulation. Although he knew he had six Destiny Demonic Treasures, luck was something one could hope for but not rely on.
“This Huadao Heavenly Wall is truly monstrously powerful. It can even block the Green Wave Jade Phoenix Tribulation, the Inverting Six Spirits Tribulation, and the Adamantine World-Ending Tribulation. If we had this Heavenly Wall, wouldn’t we be able to advance to Tribulation Demon at will? But this Outer Heavenly Demon can even penetrate the Huadao Heavenly Wall. What exactly is this thing?” Shi Jiaming also sighed.
“Outer Heavenly Demon, I have heard of it. It is said that the original purpose of building Sky City was to venture deep into the highest heavens to deal with the Outer Heavenly Demons,” Xiao Xiaoxian said.
“What exactly is this Outer Heavenly Demon, and why is it so powerful? According to this record, this Ancient City was destroyed by the Outer Heavenly Demon Tribulation,” Bai Shasha frowned. “This is Night Emperor City, and its City Lord was the most mysterious among the Four Great Emperor level powerhouses, the Night Emperor. Every Emperor is a figure who sweeps across the heavens and shakes Xingzhou, possessing immeasurable and incredible power. Yet even he fell to this Outer Heavenly Demon Tribulation!”
In the history of Xingzhou, there was one Sage and Three Sovereigns and Four Emperors, and the Night Emperor was the most enigmatic among the Emperor level powerhouses. He specialized in Dark-type Demonic creatures. His main Demonic Beast was a Dark Shadow, pure darkness, a shadow without substance, capable of controlling shadows. It lurked in the shadows of all things, a king of surprise attacks and ambushes in the dead of night.
Chu Yun found it strange: “If this Outer Heavenly Demon Tribulation is so powerful and terrifying, why is this Night Emperor City still standing and completely intact? How did the Night Emperor, who could shroud the heavens and cover the sun, and the masters of these palaces disappear from the river of history?”
Night Emperor City showed no signs of intense battle. Instead, various Demonic creatures lived and had merged with the place. All the palaces were intact; otherwise, Chu Yun and the others could not have reaped such a rich harvest.
There must be something strange going on. But all records ended here. The notes of Palace Lord Huoli also stopped abruptly.
“Perhaps entering the important High Tower will yield some discoveries,” Shi Jiaming suggested.
Speaking of which, the Night Emperor’s taste was indeed quite unique. He did not reside in a spacious and magnificent Imperial Palace but lived high up in a High Tower.
Filled with great curiosity, everyone left the Huoli Palace and headed towards the center of Night Emperor City.
The central High Tower was the most eye-catching structure in Night Emperor City. It was incredibly tall, like a pillar supporting the sky. Crucially, the surface of its brick and stone walls sparkled with countless, intricate points of starlight.
The closer they got to the center, the higher the quality of the starlight stones in Night Emperor City. From a bird’s-eye view, the entire Night Emperor City resembled the vortex of the Milky Way. The center was where the azure starlight converged, becoming sparser towards the outer edges.
The Night Emperor High Tower stood at the heart of the city, its starlight shimmering as if a galaxy was gushing down from the depths of darkness. It was also like a colossal dragon of starlight, rising from the ground and soaring into the sky.
“Strange, logically, the areas with higher quality starlight stones should be inhabited by large groups of Demonic creatures. Why is there none at the High Tower?” Shi Jiaming stopped abruptly as they approached the High Tower, frowning slightly.
They had already noticed this pattern along the way. Many palace areas, which were bathed in starlight, were inhabited by large groups of Demonic Beasts.
These groups were something that even Chu Yun and the others dared not provoke. They had not explored every palace on their journey but had continuously shifted their routes and directions, choosing the weakest points of entry to slowly approach the center.
“Indeed, this phenomenon is very abnormal. The closer we get to the center, the more the detection cultivation methods are suppressed. Now, our visual range is even better than the detection range. Xiao Xiaoxian, you have Sky Crane and can move freely, so go and explore,” Chu Yun had also noticed this situation long ago.
“Yes, Sect Leader!” As soon as Xiao Xiaoxian finished speaking, he vanished from his spot.
“What did I see? An Ink Qilin!” A moment later, Xiao Xiaoxian returned, reporting with cold sweat covering his body.
“It was lying at the entrance of the High Tower, in slumber. Its breathing was almost imperceptible, but its aura was as heavy as towering mountains. This is definitely a supreme Tribulation Demon that has lived for tens of millions of years! It’s hard to imagine how it survived to this day without the help of Destiny Demonic Treasures. I only glanced at it from afar and didn’t dare to approach it further. It’s obvious that this is the reason why there are no Demonic creature groups here!” Xiao Xiaoxian was still trembling with fear as he spoke.
“Perhaps it possesses a Dao cultivation method more profound than the Little Zi Zai Formless Art. A ten-million-year-old Tribulation Demon…” Chu Yun frowned. It seemed impossible to proceed any further.
“A ten-million-year-old Tribulation Demon, and an ancient divine beast like an Ink Qilin! They have long since become extinct.”
“Even in ancient times, such divine beasts were extremely rare. Perhaps it was once a Demonic creature of the Night Emperor…”
“We don’t even know that. Have you forgotten that this is Night Emperor City? The Demonic beasts here mutate and their strength far exceeds the ordinary.”
Everyone discussed animatedly, growing more astonished the more they pondered.
The combat power of an Ink Qilin was already enough to sweep through everyone currently in Night Emperor City. This was a formidable obstacle, an insurmountable chasm.
With their current strength, Chu Yun and the others were not even enough to fill its teeth.
“I’ll go and see for myself. Sky Crane, summon!” Chu Yun commanded. A stream of profound light flew out from Xiao Xiaoxian’s Immortal Pouch and struck Chu Yun, causing the latter to instantly vanish from his spot.
Shi Jiaming and the others looked on with astonished expressions. They did not expect Chu Yun to be able to control Xiao Xiaoxian’s Demonic Beast.
“This… should be a lease contract?” Shi Jiaming recalled some records in the Royal Family’s archives and said uncertainly.
“That’s right, this is a lease contract. I actively challenged Chu Yun for the Sect Leader Ring. After being defeated, all the Demonic creatures I had naturally became his,” Xiao Xiaoxian admitted frankly.
He was not someone whose thoughts constantly shifted. Since he had already acknowledged Chu Yun’s position as Sect Leader, Xiao Xiaoxian naturally accepted this reality. To him, Demonic creatures were not that important; he would eventually acquire more. What truly mattered was the revival of the Divine Thief Gate.
“Commander, what is a lease contract?” a Dunhuang elite asked when they heard this.
Bai Shasha’s eyes flickered. The longer she interacted with Chu Yun, the more she realized his extraordinary nature.
“This is a contract that has long been lost. With a lease contract, the Demonic creature’s spirit light is borne by the true owner, while the borrower only bears a negligible spiritual load. In ancient times, many Emperor level powerhouses frequently used this contract. Some lent them to their disciples to protect their inheritors closely. Others lent them to allies to balance the power among various factions. Some lent out Lesser Demons and asked others to raise them,” she replied.
In fact, Monster Tamer powerhouses at the Marquis level rarely moved around easily.
This was because both their strength and reputation were extremely influential, and every action they took would cause ripples throughout the world.
Many Kings and Emperors were like this, rarely moving, staying behind the scenes, and manipulating the overall situation through mutual checks and balances. They would not act unless absolutely necessary. In ordinary times, lending some Demonic creatures to others represented the voice of the Emperor level powerhouses.
“There’s actually such a powerful contract? Doesn’t that mean that with such a contract, even a rookie Monster Tamer who has just completed their coming-of-age ceremony can use a Tribulation Demon?” someone exclaimed in amazement.
Commander Bai replied in a matter-of-fact tone, “Of course. With the backing and support of such a powerful figure, there are naturally such benefits. However, Tribulation Demons are rare. In ancient times, most leased were Peak Spirit Monsters. Even if Tribulation Demons were leased, how many of them were there? Even King level powerhouses often possessed no more than one Tribulation Demon.”
As everyone listened to the astonishing accounts and were discussing them animatedly, their vision suddenly blurred, and Chu Yun returned.
“It’s impassable ahead, we have to go back,” Chu Yun stated calmly and plainly. He also felt a chill down his spine from seeing the Ink Qilin from afar.
This was an absolutely powerful existence, on the same level as the Riot Ape King. As for who was stronger or weaker, Chu Yun’s judgment was insufficient to estimate their relative strengths. Unfortunately, the eight Tribulation Demons, including the Riot Ape King, were currently guarding the Archipelago.
The Shu family faced a tense situation and could not afford any losses.
“I’m so unwilling to give up, we were so close. What treasures do you think are inside the High Tower?” Xiao Xiaoxian grumbled, clearly reluctant.
“Unimaginable!”
“This is the Night Emperor’s residence, so the treasures must be beyond our imagination.”
“It’s a shame that at the final hurdle, it’s guarded by an Ink Qilin. Fate is truly playing tricks on us.”
Everyone was enticed but helpless.
“It’s true that even the best treasures are for the living to enjoy,” Chu Yun was more pragmatic. He had seen too many such situations in his past life, where treasures were seemingly within reach but actually far away.
Adventure requires calculating probabilities; one cannot embark on it blindly. In exploration, losing one’s composure due to greed is equivalent to seeking death.
“Although the Ink Qilin is powerful, I think there’s still a chance!” Xiao Xiaoxian suddenly said, as if he had made up his mind.
(It feels like squeezing toothpaste, I’m not in a good state, please give me comfort…) R
