"What major problem has occurred?" someone asked.
"Pfft, what backwater village do you live in? How can you not know about such a big incident?" The person was immediately met with mockery by those around.
"It is said that the Purple Green Secret Realm did not conclude properly this time, instead, in the midst, the entire realm suddenly exploded, flinging all the people inside across the Four Continents."
"Many powers had only recently brought their people back, and their faces, oh, each one looked as if they had eaten dead children."
"Haha, I’m glad I didn’t go."
"Tsk, your family isn’t strong enough, is it? That’s why you couldn’t traverse the Endless Ocean."
"Wang Tianyan, do you want to fight?"
Just as the two were about to come to blows, others held them back.
"However, even though the trial in the secret realm didn’t finish, and no one obtained an Immortal Seed, it is said that an unprecedented demon appeared at the Eternal Stone," someone said slowly.
"What kind of demon?" others laughed, "Did they make it into the historical rankings by any chance?"
"Hehe, this time there were as many as four people who made it into the historical rankings," the previous person teased, catching everybody’s attention before he continued, "Sword Body Xiao Hei, ranked ninety-ninth in the historical rankings."
This caused quite a sensation, as those who could reach Self-Observation and turn up there lacked neither insight nor proficiency. Hence, hearing the term "Sword Body" instilled a sense of awe in them.
"I wonder what the purity of his bloodline is like," someone spoke up.
"Hmm!" Many nodded in agreement.
"If it’s a fully developed Sword Body... that would be extraordinary!"
A fully developed Sword Body is too terrifying. Equivalent in realm, it can sweep through peers as easily as drinking water and can even manage a few moves against someone a whole realm higher, truly one of the strongest physiques in the world.
"It probably isn’t a fully developed Sword Body, otherwise his ranking wouldn’t be so low," Zhang Zixuan suddenly said.
"Fairy Zhang has a point."
"Yes, it definitely isn’t a fully developed Sword Body."
Many people echoed her, regardless of whether she was right or wrong—at this point, it was a matter of stance.
"Brother Ma, please continue," someone called out.
The person previously was surnamed Ma, called Ma Sanyang. He nodded and continued, "Illusion Vanquish Path, Liu River, seventieth in the historical rankings."
"Illusion Vanquish Path?"
"Which sect is that?"
Everyone appeared very confused. When did such a sect emerge? Could it be a minor power from the East Fire Continent, thus not widely known?
Zhang Zixuan, however, was serious, asking, "The Illusion Vanquish Path under the Heavenly Demon Path?"
"Fairy Zhang is indeed knowledgeable!" Ma Sanyang timely praised, "Even aware of the Heavenly Demon Path!"
People were even more baffled now, clearly the Illusion Vanquish Path existed, but what kind of power was it that they had never even heard the name?
"Fairy Zhang, please enlighten us."
"Yes, what exactly is the Heavenly Demon Path?"
Even Shi Hao was intrigued, pricking up his ears to listen.
After thinking for a moment, as if organizing her thoughts, Zhang Zixuan then said, "The specific time is no longer known, but it is estimated to be about four or five thousand years ago. A peerless genius appeared in Yunding Star who swept through the world with his own strength and founded the Heavenly Demon Path, proclaiming himself the Demon Lord!"
"This person truly is a genius, there is hardly anything in the myriad paths he doesn’t know!"
"Below the Heavenly Demon Path, he further divided it into thirty-six paths, like the Corpse Ghost Path, Myriad Demons Path, Illusion Vanquish Path, and so on. Initially, the sect masters of these thirty-six paths were also contenders in the Sky Ladder, and under a single command of the Heavenly Demon Path, the whole world had no choice but to obey and act."
"But at the time when the Heavenly Demon Path was invincible across the world, the Demon Lord suddenly disappeared. Since then, the thirty-six path masters fought each other for power, leading to a great war, and other forces also seized the opportunity to rise. Thus, the once invincible Heavenly Demon Path gradually faded into obscurity."
As she narrated continuously, everyone felt as though they were transported back thousands of years to that era, witnessing an invincible force sweeping across the world, and they couldn’t help but sigh deeply.
The Corpse Ghost Path and Myriad Demons Path were actually branches of the Heavenly Demon Path?
During his time in the Eastern Fire Continent, he had encountered Mo Du from the Corpse Ghost Path, who went mad and slaughtered the entire kingdom, turning them into corpse ghosts; and Chen Ling from Myriad Demons Path single-handedly duped the Zhenwu Sect.
According to Zhang Zixuan, the strength of the Heavenly Demon Path back then might not have been weaker than the Tianxia Sect, commanding the respect of Myriad Sects; yet its fate was not much better, being obliterated overnight.
Could there be some kind of curse involved?
A thought flashed through Shi Hao’s mind, making him hope that Zhang Zixuan would reveal more.
Regrettably, it seemed Zhang Zixuan didn’t know much either, and she stopped there without saying more.
"Does this mean, with Liu River emerging, that the Heavenly Demon Path is about to resurface?" someone asked.
"What if another Demon Lord emerges..."
"Haha, a monster like that is rare every few thousand years, there can’t be many!"
Everyone laughed heartily, feeling that such a thing was impossible.
Ma Sanyang smiled and continued, "The next one calls himself Luo, ranking forty-seventh in the historical overall ranking. However, according to everyone’s later analysis, this person is likely Luo Yun from the hidden Luo Family of South Wood Continent."
"South Wood Continent!"
Everyone gasped, the mere mention of South Wood Continent signified power, and this most powerful continent’s hidden family carried such an imposing name.
Ma Sanyang nodded, "To be called a hidden family, there must be an Almighty from the Sky Ladder within the family, staying hidden while attempting to ascend to Immortal status, in hopes that one’s ascension will lift the whole family to new heights."
Everyone nodded understandingly, being from such a powerful family, ranking forty-seventh in the historical overall list was entirely acceptable.
"Brother Ma, speaking of which, I’m curious, just how powerful is this fourth person, to have even suppressed Luo Yun?" someone curiously asked.
"Yeah, I really want to know too." This sparked much resonance among the crowd.
Ma Sanyang seemed inclined to tease them further, but seeing everyone’s eager expressions, continuing to stall might lead to a beating.
He conceded, "This last person is called Asura, real identity unknown, historical overall ranking... first!"
Suddenly, there was silence all around as if everyone had lost the ability to speak.
"Brother Ma, you must be joking, right?"
"For sure, being first in history is too unbelievable!"
"Yeah, the Purple Green Secret Realm has opened many times, admitting countless geniuses. To claim first in history would mean overpowering all those past geniuses—how is that possible?"
"Not to mention, Gu Shiyun has been occupying that first place. Is this Asura supposed to have surpassed even Gu Shiyun?"
Suddenly, everyone started debating, all expressing disbelief.