Supreme Leader Guho’s heart pounded in his chest. He had heard the ancient tales, the whispered legends of the Seven Archlords. But never did he imagine he would stand before one. As her piercing gaze settled on him, he realized that Blood Valley City’s future—and perhaps the world’s—was now irrevocably tied to her will.
Supreme Leader Guho bowed deeply, his forehead nearly touching the cold stone floor, trembling as he responded to the demoness’s introduction.
“Hail the Great Demoness of Charity!” His voice carried a quiver, a mixture of reverence and dread. Every word felt like a tightrope walk above a chasm of certain death.
Prometheus, her lips curving into a faint smile, perched on the edge of the grand balcony. The moonlight behind her cast an ethereal glow on her figure, her black wings stretching lazily, their shadow draping over the vast chamber. Her aura continued to saturate the air, a crushing, almost suffocating presence that extended far beyond the confines of the palace. It enveloped the entire Blood Valley City, the oppressive force weighing heavily on the hearts of its citizens, whether they realized its source or not.
“You seem to have something on your mind,” Prometheus said, her tone light but her eyes sharp. “Speak.”
Guho’s throat tightened as he struggled to muster the courage to voice his question. Finally, after an audible gulp, he said, “G-Great Demoness, for generations, we have been striving tirelessly to undo the seal on the gates of the Underworld. Has... has it been opened at last?”
Prometheus’s expression shifted, her smile growing slightly colder. “No,” she replied, her voice smooth but laden with an edge of disdain. “I sensed the regeneration of a low-ranking demon’s bones—a rather pitiful occurrence, honestly. I decided to possess the remnants of his body to observe the mortal realm and assess the demonic sect’s... progress.” Her eyes lingered on him, her gaze as piercing as her words.
Guho swallowed hard, his mind racing. Before he could respond, Prometheus continued, her tone turning almost contemplative. “However, it seems this body is exceptionally weak. I estimate I only have a few hours before it dissolves entirely into mana.”
“W-We are doing everything in our power, Great Demoness!” Guho blurted out, desperation leaking into his words. “I am certain we will achieve success in the coming years!”
Prometheus laughed softly, though the sound carried no mirth. Her smile widened, revealing a hint of her dangerous aura, a silent reminder of her immense power. “Centuries have passed since your ancestors first made that promise. And now, you expect me to believe that a task left undone for generations will be completed in mere years?” Her voice dropped, each word a blade of sharp criticism that slashed through Guho’s resolve.
The silence that followed was suffocating. Sweat beaded on Guho’s forehead as his heart pounded violently in his chest. Finally, Prometheus broke the tension with a languid wave of her hand.
“Very well,” she said, her voice dripping with mock charity. “As the Archlord representing Charity, I shall spare you this once. But remember—your promise binds you. Do not disappoint me again.”
Rising to her feet, she stepped gracefully onto the balcony’s edge, the moonlight framing her majestic yet ominous form. Her wings unfurled, casting a vast shadow over the room. “This body won’t last much longer,” she mused. “I’ll inspect the gates myself before my time here runs out.”
With a single, powerful thrust of her wings, Prometheus took to the skies. The oppressive aura that had held the city in its grip vanished, replaced by the chill of the night breeze. The silence that followed was profound, broken only by Guho’s faint muttering.
“Yes... I will remember,” he whispered hoarsely. “Remember to ensure the gates never open.”
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Supreme Leader Guho didn’t waste a moment. As the oppressive energy dissipated, he rushed to the sect’s hidden library, a vast, dimly lit chamber where the most forbidden and ancient knowledge was stored. His hurried footsteps echoed against the cold stone floors, his mind racing with a mix of fear and determination.
Few in the demonic sect knew the truth: the sect’s foundation wasn’t to liberate the Underworld but to imprison it. Centuries ago, the sect’s founders betrayed the demons they had once served, sealing them within the gates of the Underworld. This betrayal, carefully hidden from even most sect members, had been passed down through a handful of leaders, each sworn to protect humanity by ensuring the gates remained closed.
Supreme Leader Guho, still relatively new to his role, had inherited this heavy responsibility only a year ago. He had always viewed it as a distant obligation—a quiet duty to be maintained, not something that would directly confront him. But tonight, that illusion was shattered. He had stood face-to-face with an Archlord, a being of unimaginable power, who could obliterate the entire demonic sect with a mere thought if their betrayal was ever uncovered.
As he sifted through dusty tomes and ancient scrolls, his hands trembling, Guho’s mind raced with plans. He needed to fortify the seal on the gates, but more importantly, he needed to ensure the knowledge of the sect’s true mission endured. The secrecy of past generations had left the sect vulnerable. If another Archlord appeared, or worse, if Prometheus returned, the sect’s facade of loyalty might crumble under scrutiny.
“I must prepare,” he muttered, his voice breaking the library’s eerie silence. “My children... the next generation must know the truth. We cannot rely on secrecy alone any longer. They must be ready for what may come.”
Supreme Leader Guho’s resolve hardened as he pulled an ancient manuscript from the shelves, detailing the rituals and enchantments used to strengthen the seal. The weight of centuries of betrayal bore down on him, but he knew there was no alternative. The gates of the Underworld could never be allowed to open, no matter the cost.
Far from the city, Prometheus soared through the night sky, her dark wings cutting through the cold air like blades. Her piercing gaze locked on a towering mountain looming over the horizon. Without hesitation, she angled her descent, diving straight toward a massive opening at the base of the mountain. The cavern she entered stretched deep into the earth, its tunnel network a labyrinth of ancient stone carved by both nature and human hands. The deeper she ventured, the heavier the air became, charged with the oppressive energy of countless layers of protective enchantments.
Finally, she arrived at her destination: a colossal wall that stood like an impenetrable sentinel within the heart of the mountain. The wall, hundreds of meters high and glistening faintly under the dim glow of scattered mana orbs, radiated an aura of immense power. At its center was a grotesque, heart-like object, its surface pulsating rhythmically with a faint, eerie light, as if alive. This was the seal—the infamous Gates of the Underworld.
Prometheus halted a few feet away, her crimson eyes narrowing as she studied the intricate design of the barrier before her. Layers upon layers of Qi barriers encased the wall, each one shimmering faintly with an otherworldly energy. The sheer scale of the protective enchantments impressed even her.
“Clever,” she murmured, her voice echoing in the vast chamber. “The ingenuity of mortals never ceases to surprise me. To think they could craft something so intricate to hold the demons at bay…”
Her gaze swept across the barrier, noting the faint oscillations of energy that rippled like water whenever the pulsating heart at the center emitted its glow.
“A few centuries ago, there were only a few hundred of these barriers,” Prometheus muttered, her voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and disdain. “Now, there are nearly a million…”
She stepped closer, her gaze sharpening as her mind churned with possibilities. “If the demonic sect has been working to destroy this seal, why does it continue to grow stronger?” She extended a hand toward the barrier, her expression contemplative. “Does it have a self-replication mechanism? Or perhaps…”
The moment her fingers touched one of the outermost layers, a searing flame erupted, engulfing her hand in an instant. The fire was relentless, crackling with an energy designed to consume anything it deemed a threat. With a sharp movement, Prometheus severed the afflicted limb before the flames could spread further. The detached hand dissolved into raw mana as it fell.
“How annoying,” she said, her tone neutral despite the irritation flickering in her eyes. “The barriers are weak individually, but their sheer number makes them nearly impossible to break through in one attempt. They’ve fortified this seal well.”
She began pacing along the perimeter of the barrier, her sharp eyes scanning for weaknesses or openings. Yet, the seamless integration of the layers left her with little hope of finding an exploitable flaw. Each step further confirmed the intricacy of the mortals’ work.
With a deep sigh, Prometheus paused, her gaze lingering on the pulsating heart at the center of the wall. “I suppose this body is far too feeble to accomplish anything here,” she muttered, glancing at her hands. The faint glow emanating from her form had grown erratic, the signs of its imminent dissolution becoming apparent.
She straightened, her expression unreadable as her body began to shimmer, the weak vessel unable to contain her overwhelming power any longer. Slowly, her form broke apart, dissolving into streams of pure mana that flowed upward like tendrils of smoke.
“So, the seal remains intact,” she whispered, her voice fading with her form. “For now…”
As the last remnants of her presence vanished into the air, silence reclaimed the cavern. The pulsating heart continued its rhythm, undisturbed, its ominous glow a testament to the enduring strength of the mortals’ ingenuity.
Next Morning, Jinwei Mansion, Blazing Dawn Sect, Gunghua Province,
With a weary sigh, Junior Edina rose from her bed, her cane in hand. she called out, "Lian Hua."
Almost immediately, her personal maid, Lian Hua, appeared with a bright smile, her presence a warm comfort in the otherwise cold morning. "Good morning, Young Mistress," Lian Hua greeted, her tone cheerful as she assisted Edina in preparing for the day.