“Th-This is…” The Mad Blood Demon stared at Paimon’s massive form. The overwhelming demonic aura crushed his own power completely.
“I never thought such pure demonic energy could exist in this world,” he said in shock.
“I’ll give you a choice,” Xu Zimo said calmly. “Swear upon your True Fate to forget everything you saw here today. You can leave. Otherwise, you’ll be buried along with everyone else in this city.”
“We’ve both opened the Ninth Meridian Gate. Who’s stronger is yet to be decided,” the Mad Blood Demon snorted coldly.
He still had his pride.
“In this life, aside from losing to that guy Mortal, I’ve never feared anyone.”
“In our era, even a Grand Emperor was no more than an ant between two fingers,” Paimon shook his head slightly, then waved his right hand.
Endless demonic energy condensed into a grotesque giant face that flew toward the Mad Blood Demon.
His expression grew solemn. A blood-colored river surged in the sky above as dark red light radiated from his body.
Within that churning river of blood, endless waves of bloodlight flowed.
The hideous face slammed into the blood river with a deafening boom, causing the entire space around them to collapse.
That was just a casual strike, and yet it held such terrifying force.
Everyone watching nearby trembled in fear.
Many had initially planned to flee, but the appearance of the Mad Blood Demon had given them a sliver of hope.
Now, with Paimon’s arrival and the Domain of Despair sealing the city, there was no longer any chance to escape.
As space collapsed, the Mad Blood Demon was sent flying.
Blood surged around him as he soared back into the air, staring gravely at Paimon.
Just from that one blow, he could tell, Paimon was already at the peak of the Ninth Meridian Gate, while he had only just stepped into it.
“Anyone who disobeys the master’s command… deserves to die,” Paimon snorted coldly. The demonic energy around him surged higher.
At that moment, he bathed in supreme demonic power. A resonant sound echoed around him, a sound of the Grand Dao, surging with profound Dao rhythm.
That rhythm seemed to pierce through all of heaven and earth, brewing from the most ancient demonic origins. The sky above roared with waves of demonic aura.
“Entered the Path of Dao? That’s impossible…” the Mad Blood Demon exclaimed in disbelief.
In every era, only Grand Emperors could enter the Path of Dao. Others could only walk the Path of Immortality.
And yet the one before him clearly wasn’t an emperor. So why had he entered the Dao?
“What’s there to be surprised about?” Paimon said indifferently, his body wrapped in demonic aura. “The so-called Path of Dao versus Path of Immortality… are just the rules of your era. We aren’t from the same epoch. Naturally, things are different.”
As Paimon spoke, the barrier around the entire city began to ripple.
From the edges of that barrier, supreme Dao rhythm radiated outward.
Loud rumbling echoed from above as the demonic aura in the sky churned violently.
Within that growing darkness, countless grotesque faces formed in the center.
Thousands upon thousands of demonic faces descended from the heavens, their momentum unstoppable and suffocating.
“What is that?” someone cried out in fear as the faces descended.
One of the faces entered a martial artist’s body, and the man collapsed on the ground, thick black demonic energy surrounding him.
He cried out in agony. Moments later, he suddenly stood up and plunged his hand into his own chest.
Blood gushed out like a fountain as he ripped out his own heart.
As the heart was removed, his life force rapidly faded.
Suddenly, flames of demonic fire erupted from his eyes. The martial artist stood like a puppet, unmoving.
More and more people were invaded by the grotesque faces. The barrier made escape impossible, forcing everyone to flee and dodge instead.
Even if you destroyed one face, more would form in the sky above, endless and unstoppable.
“What is this?” the Mad Blood Demon asked in horror.
“The Domain of Despair forces each person to relive their most hopeless moment,” Paimon said flatly. “Surely, you too have a memory of absolute despair.”
With that, countless streams of demonic energy surged toward the Mad Blood Demon.
“Just silly demonic tricks,” the Mad Blood Demon snorted. The blood river above his head roared again.
The river’s crashing waves carried immense power, scattering the demonic energy that surged toward him.
“It’s useless. No one in this city is escaping today,” Paimon said calmly.
He raised his right hand. Within the endless spiritforce, a trace of Dao rhythm glimmered. He struck the Mad Blood Demon’s abdomen with one palm.
The Mad Blood Demon was knocked back again, and as he flew, his gaze caught sight of his tea stand.
There, the little girl had just woken from sleep, her body already covered in thick demonic energy.
She reached out her small hand, toward her own heart.
“Little Qi, don’t!” the Mad Blood Demon roared, rushing to stop her.
But as he turned, countless grotesque faces burrowed into the back of his head.
He felt like hammers were smashing his brain, threatening to explode it.
The pain was unbearable.
But it wasn’t physical pain, it was an attack on his soul.
Even with a Celestial Soul of the Arcane Immortal Realm, he was struggling to endure.
He quickly summoned the power of his True Fate to suppress the invading demonic energy in his mind.
Before his eyes, the girl, her small hands soaked in blood, tore out her own heart.
“No!” the Mad Blood Demon roared, his eyes filled with despair.
The March wind stirred a sky full of blood mist.
That day, he had buried his sword with his family.
He pushed his cart into Primordial Ancient City, thinking he could live out the rest of his days in peace.
Over a decade ago, while gathering tea in the mountains, he stumbled across a small village.
Bandits had slaughtered everyone. The scent of blood was heavy in the air. In a porcelain urn used for water, he found a baby hidden by someone.
After a lifetime of killing, that was the first time he ever saved someone. And it filled him with a deep, unfamiliar satisfaction.
He took the girl with him and named her Meng Qi.
Now, the Mad Blood Demon slowly turned his head, his face twisted with rage.
He roared, “You all deserve to die!”
“People don’t die when they should,” Xu Zimo said calmly. “They die when they can.”
“Many have tried to kill us,” Paimon added flatly. “Our master once fought the entire world alone. Everyone deserves to die. Everyone’s hands are drenched in blood. Even in death, you have no right to speak.”