Chapter 112.1: The Power of Great Supremes

Night fell. Ning Tao curled up tightly, her overly pale hands still gripping the chain.

"Husband..."

Suddenly, she opened her eyes, cold sweat covering her forehead. She looked at the blood sphere not far away, a trace of loss flickering in her gaze. He was gone.

Then, ripples spread through the air. A blood-red figure appeared, condensing into the form of a man. "Ning Tao, why are you mixed up with the Blood Demon?"

His face was concealed by a black hood. He was He Wu. Like Ning Tao, he was one of the Thirteen Northern Demons.

Ning Tao said seriously, "He's not the Blood Demon."

"All the Northern Supremes have deemed him the Blood Demon. Hence he is."

Unlike other Supremes, the Thirteen Northern Demons cared little about the Blood Demon's affairs. After all, the Blood Demon wreaking havoc upon the world was something that would happen centuries later. Their own crises were much closer at hand.

He Wu gazed at Ning Tao. "At your current state, you won't even last a hundred years. When the Myriad Phenomena Gate reappears, how will you survive? If you can't maintain your peak strength and fight for a hundred days, only death awaits."

Ning Tao fell silent for a while, then changed the subject. "Have you found out who had spread the rumors that Blood Demon was at Skyheart Palace?"

News of the Blood Demon in Skyheart Palace had spread throughout the North, causing Ning Tao to be besieged. Someone had to be behind it.

He Wu replied, "It is suspected to be the Purple Daoist."

"Him?" Ning Tao sneered, killing intent flashing in her eyes. "I have no enmity with him. Why frame me?"

"Do we Thirteen Demons need enemies?" He Wu said with a self-deprecating smile. "Aren't we all born hated by the world?"

Beings like them—with the word “demon” carved into their faces—were despised from the moment they drew breath.

Would others need a reason to slander them? They were sin themselves.

***

In the City of No Return.

Qi Yuan returned after slaughtering demon spawns, a cold and ruthless light flashing in his eyes. "Rather than saying that the blood sphere is the Blood Demon, it's more accurate to say

I am

the Blood Demon."

He looked into his soul. The source of corruption had grown from the size of a grain of rice to that of a fist. Had he not suppressed it with all his might, letting it run free, he would've long since turned into a terrifying demon.

Qi Yuan shook off the thought. "I'm a player, not some damn Blood Demon."

Someone playfully said, "Big Brother, you're back?"

The white-robed Chen Huan leaped down from the city wall, smiling brightly.

Qi Yuan sighed. "I told you, I don't swear brotherhoods. I'm not that childish."

Chen Huan had come to the City of No Return five years ago. He was one of the White Supreme's three thousand disciples.

After hearing of Qi Yuan's exploits from Yuan Qi and witnessing his strength firsthand, Chen Huan had insisted on becoming sworn brothers with him. How could a noble player become sworn brothers with an NPC? If that spread, it'd be the joke of the century.

Chen Huan grinned, carefree as ever. "Big Brother, look, I'm at the peak of Mythwalker. Perhaps one day, I'll break through to Supreme. Wouldn't it sound glorious to say you've got a Supreme little brother?"

Qi Yuan ignored him and flashed to the city wall. "I don't need glory."

Chen Huan followed, gazing over the endless desert. "Big Brother, you've guarded the City of No Return alone for seventy years. Truly admirable. If I had already broken through to Supreme, and you came asking to be sworn brothers, do you think I'd still agree?"

"You've been saying that for five years. How come you still haven't broken through?" Qi Yuan mocked. "Don't tell me, someone could really be stuck at Peak Mythwalker for a hundred years?"

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Chen Huan wasn't offended. "Big Brother, becoming a Supreme isn't easy. To do so, you must grasp the Origin. First you have to realize the essence of the Human-Demon Power, then find your own path, awakening your Origin Divine Technique. Both are as hard as ascending to heaven."

In the Canglan World, to become a Violet Palace cultivator, one had to comprehend the essence of spiritual energy. In the Flowing Wind World, one had to comprehend the Origin of Human-Demon Power.

Qi Yuan thought Chen Huan was exaggerating. "Is that hard?"

Chen Huan couldn't compare to the Four Divine Flower Emperors. Leaving the Iceberg Empress or the Great Sun Flame Emperor aside, even Rogue Immortal's talent probably surpassed him.

"It's hard," Chen Huan said gravely.

Especially the first step, which was comprehending the Origin of Human-Demon Power. At the same time, if one could do that, they could easily step into the Supreme Realm even without a powerful Origin Divine Technique.

Chen Huan was precisely one of those people with low ambition. Unfortunately, after a hundred wasted years, he still hadn't succeeded.

"I think the Human-Demon Power is simple," Qi Yuan mused. "It's the Origin Divine Technique that's tricky."

After comprehending the Myriad Phenomena Gate, his Human-Demon Path had reached a terrifying level. He was confident he understood the Origin better than even the White Supreme or the Supreme One.

As for the Origin Divine Technique, he had seen enough of them at Earth's End. Each was a path born from the Origin—some weak, some strong. Qi Yuan wished he'd awakened a formidable one at level 120.

Since returning from the game world, only part of his cultivation had fed to his true body, but his skills remained. The Heaven-Cleaving Sword, Death Radiance, Tyrannical Might—these were abilities equivalent to divine techniques of the Nascent Soul realm. Yet he could use them at Foundation Establishment, allowing him to slay Nascent Soul cultivators instantly.

If he reached level 120 and awakened a Origin Divine Technique, he’d be on par with Violet Palace experts. Otherwise, he could only take blows from them.

Hence, a strong Origin Divine Technique was essential. Even now, despite being able to dodge a Supreme's attacks, he couldn't hurt one. He couldn't even protect Ning Tao.

He still hadn't seen the path ahead to awaken his Origin Divine Technique. But the Origin of Human-Demon Power? That was easy.

Chen Huan said in disbelief, "Big Brother, you're bragging again. If Human-Demon Power were simple, Supremes would be as common as dogs!"

Qi Yuan ignored him, narrowing his eyes toward the distance. Chen Huan followed his gaze.

A stream of light streaked across the sky, exuding oppressive aura. It stopped eight li from the City of No Return and faded, revealing a woman in a sky-blue gown. Her brows were shaped like blades, and she radiated sharp sword intent all over.