Chapter 1307 – Oddball
Having obtained the divine parasol tree as he wished, Ye Qingyu had fulfilled half of his objectives for coming here.
His attention returned to the ruins of the ancient Fiendgod City. In particular, his interest in this place grew after deducing that this city was the former capital of the Divine Light Court. Aside from the densely-packed black tombstones which he suspected to be belatedly added by Ye Chongsheng, the other constructions, divine statues, palaces, city walls, temples, military camps, etc. all retained some of their former elegance, albeit most of them had been seriously damaged. During the battle back then, this divine king city was all but reduced to ruins, and subsequently, over tens of millions of years, the entire ruins became filled with the dust of history.
Walking among the ruins, Ye Qingyu gradually made a new discovery.
Compared to the former Light capital, these ancient Fiendgod City ruins were evidently much, much smaller. This was because the terrifying battle back then had caused most of the constructions to be turned into ashes. Only a small portion remained as what was now the ancient Fiendgod City ruins.
Ye Qingyu wanted to find out why space-time-traversing micro-wormholes would appear in this area. Was it because the Gate of Blood of back then was related to the four blood formations? He vaguely felt that he was getting closer and closer to the Fiendgod sovereigns from a different space-time. As for the calamity of civilization reincarnation that he worried about day and night, it would very likely be brought about by the invaders from a different space-time.
In the present Vast Thousand Domains, aside from the Chaos District outside the borders of the Great Wall of the Dark Realm, these ancient Fiendgod City ruins were undoubtedly the place closest to the invaders from a different space-time.
Eventually, Ye Qingyu made an unexpected discovery in a half-collapsed huge divine temple in the core area of the ancient Fiendgod City ruins.
This half-collapsed temple was the largest building in the ruins, with a giant divine statue on each side of its entrance. On close examination, one could vaguely make out that they were statues of the former Divine Light Emperor holding a sword. Unfortunately, they were already damaged. The long swords had already broken into rocks of several hundred tons each and crashed onto the doors of the temple, while the statues had smashed the dome of the temple.
Entering through the only crack in the doors, Ye Qingyu realized that the interior space of the temple was huge. There were many altars of different sizes, and on each of them stood a different, odd-shaped divine statue. Ye Qingyu had never seen such bizarre sculptures before. For example, there was a man who was clad in red-colored armor but whose chest was glittering in blue. His armor was very weird. There were also a tight-clothed man who was holding a stars-and-stripes round shield, a green-colored giant monster, a three-eyed general who was holding a dog by a leash, a beautiful and kindly woman with a human body and head but a snake's tail, a general who was dragging a tower of gold, and a three-headed, six-armed child who was stepping on a pair of wheels. On a large altar, there were even one hundred and eight humans with different expressions, appearances, and weapons standing upright in a dense arrangement. With one sweeping glance, Ye Qingyu could see that there were three females among these one hundred and eight people, while the rest were males…
"What altar is this? Weird."
He could not quite figure it out.
There was a textual explanation on each altar, but it was neither in the script of the present Vast Thousand Domains nor that of the Fiendgod Age. Instead, it looked rather like the civilized script of the Dark Realm region that was Earth, albeit there were also vast differences between the two. Ye Qingyu was thus unable to discern what was written.
Aside from these altars, the truly valuable discovery was a white-jade statue that stood upright on a core altar at the centermost of the temple. Although this statue was completely consistent in style with the statues on the other altars, its face and figure could not be any more familiar to Ye Qingyu – it was none other than the Divine Light Emperor himself.
A statue of the Divine Light Emperor.
However, this statue was completely different in material from the other statues. Moreover, while the other statues were filled with historical and vicissitudinous auras, and gave off a distinctive ancient feeling that came with age, this statue was completely brand-new, as if it had only been carved the previous day.
"This statue of the Divine Light Emperor is certainly not a product of the age of the Divine Light Court, but is carved by someone of a later age instead. How… is this possible?" Ye Qingyu felt immensely surprised.
As the 18th district of the Black Demon Abyss was full of danger, it was absolutely not possible for most people to come in, and they would not have been able to walk down the main path of green tombstones to enter this divine temple either. Even an Emperor would have been greatly troubled by the innumerable odd-shaped skeletons, and would have left marks behind. Things would not be like now, whereby everything in the divine temple was well-preserved, and a new divine statue could be leisurely carved. Moreover, this person even understood the outer appearance of the Divine Light Emperor so well… Who else but the Six Great Divine Generals and Sun Wukong the spirit monkey battle companion would understand and remember the Divine Light Emperor to this extent? The problem was that Ye Qingyu could confirm that they did not know about this being and could not possibly have come here.
In front of the Divine Light Emperor statue was a futon on which was a distinct sit mark, suggesting that it had been sat on for some time. However, it had turned dusty by now, and the person that had sat on it had disappeared without a trace. In front of the futon was a green slabstone table on which was placed nothing but a sword-shaped stone key of approximately two meters in length and half a meter in width that took up almost the entire table.
From directly in front, one could see that the Divine Light Emperor statue's gaze fell upon this key while seemingly pondering over something.
The key was carved and polished from a huge stone using the same carving technique as that used for the statue.
Ye Qingyu could confirm that the person who carved the Divine Light Emperor statue was also the person who carved this key.
After hesitating for a moment, Ye Qingyu took the stone key and weighed it in his hand. He vaguely felt that an elusive force was circulating within.
Keys were generally used to open doors.
Expanding on their significance, keys could also be seen as a symbol of unraveling a mystery.
Ye Qingyu had a strange feeling that the person who carved this key intended to leave this key for him.
Eventually, after repeated considerations, Ye Qingyu kept the key with himself.
Walking another round around the ancient Fiendgod City, he did not make any new discovery and thus left the 18th district of the Black Demon Abyss.
Actually, he had inwardly already made a guess regarding the person who carved the Divine Light Emperor statue and the key.
But he could not confirm yet.
Two hours later, he arrived in the Black Demon City of the Black Demon Race.
The city was located in the 12th district, which was the largest and most prosperous area of the Black Demon Abyss. It was one of the main cities in which the descendants of the Black Demon Emperor had lived and bred for generations. It was here where the contemporary Black Demon Emperor and also most of the Black Demon Races and experts resided.
He did not conceal his arrival.
In fact, he even sent word to the Black Demon Race in advance.
The entire Black Demon City was thus shocked.
When news spread, many people tussled for the chance to come forth and catch a glimpse of the contemporary Martial Emperor.
The entire Black Demon Race was worked up.
This was because this was the first time that Ye Qingyu had appeared in public outside Babel City after forcefully crushing the Four Stars Holy Girl and company. Up and down the Black Demon Race, they were worried that this killing god had come to establish dominance. With one thunderous strike, the entire Black Demon Race would probably find it difficult to resist the majesty of the Martial Emperor.
The Black Demon Race welcomed Ye Qingyu's arrival in front of the Demon Palace. In particular, the contemporary Black Demon Emperor and the members of the imperial family were all present. They behaved ceremoniously and solemnly, and dared not be any neglectful.
Only the Little Princess of the Black Demon Race was not the least bit flurried, and was even somewhat expectant instead.
"What's there to be scared of? Ye Qingyu Qingyu is my friend… Uwu…." The Little Princess said with pride.
But before she finished talking, her mouth was covered by her mother, the Black Demon Empress, who had pampered her all along. "My girl, things are different nowadays. You should be a lil' careful about what you say. Don't offend the Immortal God Emperor, you crazy girl…" After all, Ye Qingyu's Emperor title had been publicly declared and spread after he wiped out the Four Stars Holy Girl and her conspirators.
"The young princess is right. I'm her friend." A voice rang out just then.
Ye Qingyu appeared.
"Your Highness, long time no see." Ye Qingyu smiled as he looked at the Little Princess. After giving her a nod, he also nodded at the Black Demon Emperor and Empress. "Your Majesties, I came here without being invited and may have disturbed you. Please do not take offence."
Seeing Ye Qingyu's modest and mild manners, the Black Demon Race collectively heaved a sigh of relief.
"No worries. Our Demon City is honored by Your Highness' presence. Welcome," the Black Demon King replied rather excitedly.
He had realized that Ye Qingyu's arrival and courtesy were an extremely good thing to the Black Demon Race. If word got out, the status of the Black Demon Race in the Vast Thousand Domains would certainly skyrocket – in reality, Quasi-emperors had emerged everywhere with the advent of a golden age of great prosperity, posing a challenge to a traditional large force like the Black Demon Abyss, which had not been peaceful in recent times. This caused his attention to be divided among more things than he could manage, but he believed that all of the dark currents would subside completely with the arrival of the Immortal God Emperor.
This was the power of the contemporary Martial Emperor.
A contingent entered the Demon Palace.
After the reception ended, Ye Qingyu and the young princess talked about old times.
"Where's Sister Phoenix? Have you seen her again?" In contrast to the deferential attitude of the others toward Ye Qingyu, the princess was very open, just like in the past. She looked rather concerned when she mentioned the Celestial Phoenix Maiden, who had rescued her back then. Like sisters, the two of them were similar in temperament and righteousness, and had very deep feelings for each other.
Looking ashamed, Ye Qingyu eventually told the truth.
"Huh? Sister Phoenix…" The Little Princess became tearful and even more sad as she listened. "Actually, Sister Phoenix always liked you a lot. She once paid a huge price for your sake, and even specially went to see you during the final parting…" As the saying goes, besties keep no secrets from each other, and so the Little Princess was most knowledgeable about the Celestial Phoenix Maiden's feelings for Ye Qingyu. Saddened by the Celestial Phoenix Maiden's tragic fate, she asked with tears streaming down her face, "Are you really able to resurrect Sister Phoenix?"
Ye Qingyu nodded. "I'll definitely resurrect her, no matter the price to pay."
It was only now that the princess smiled through her tears. "I believe you. You've always been able to perform miracles."
Subsequently, Ye Qingyu asked the Black Demon Emperor about the 18th district.
The latter revealed the truth after some hesitation, "Actually, the Black Demon Abyss only had 17 districts in the past, and there wasn't an 18th district. This was until an ancestral Black Demon Emperor, during his later years, ran into an oddball who added a new district out of thin air. These secrets are recorded in the imperial books of our race."
"Oddball? What kind of oddball?" Ye Qingyu asked.
"It was an oddball whom nobody knows where he came from and where he went. He was nearly omnipotent. As mighty and world-domineering as our ancestral Black Demon Emperor was, he had to behave as deferentially as a disciple in front of this person. Although we know extremely little about this oddball, we still remember his name." The Black Demon Emperor did not dare to hide anything from a being of Ye Qingyu's level, and thus spoke everything he knew.
"Oh? What's his name?" Ye Qingyu asked.
"Ye Chongsheng."
