The golden chain emerged from the void and shot directly at Paimon.
He frowned slightly and struck out with his palm.
A thunderous boom echoed all around, but to everyone's surprise, the golden chain seemed to be ethereal, almost like a projection, it passed straight through his palm as if it wasn’t a real, tangible object.
Before Paimon could react further, the golden chain suddenly erupted with radiant light.
It pierced through his chest with lightning speed, nailing him in place mid-air.
Paimon struggled furiously, but he quickly noticed that this golden chain carried a power capable of devouring his demonic energy.
He couldn’t break free, not yet.
Looking up at those floating above, Paimon’s eyes grew cold. This demon-slaying clan had existed for countless generations, and clearly, they had methods. Their understanding of demonic power ran deep.
The techniques of the Demon-Slaying Clan were especially effective when dealing with his kind.
As the first golden chain pinned Paimon in the air, the remaining nine experts also completed their seals.
Nine seal marks shot up into the heavens, nearly identical to the one Lan Jiulin had used earlier,
but far more powerful. Thunder roared as the sky trembled.Nine portals opened in unison, from which golden chains descended like ancient, colossal dragons.
Tearing through the void, breaking the firmament, the chains fell like divine judgment.
Before Paimon could react, the chains wrapped tightly around him, his neck, wrists, ankles, every limb bound.
Ten chains now formed a complete circuit, connecting end to end.
With a mighty boom, a shockwave burst outward. Symbols appeared on the surface of the chains,
complex and ancient. Though unreadable to most, they radiated profound mystery.As the symbols lit up, the golden glow of the chains intensified.
Paimon could clearly feel the chains siphoning away his demonic energy.
It felt as if they were draining him dry, body and soul.
“In seven days, this Demon Annihilation Life-and-Death Formation will destroy every trace of a demon,” said Lan Jingxiong. “Enjoy the feast we’ve prepared for you.”
“Even if you kill me, there are countless more demons,” Paimon said calmly. “One day, our kind will rule this era. You are mere dust beneath the grinding wheel of time.”
“Be that as it may,” Lan Jiulin replied coolly, “as long as the Chaos Stone remains, your demon race will never break the seal and step onto the Primordial Heartlands.”
“Will this formation really destroy him?” asked Elder Juejian, watching Paimon’s still-writhing figure, cloaked in immense demonic aura.
“Most ordinary demons would be annihilated within seven days,” Lan Jiulin explained.
“But his demonic nature is too strong, it may take longer. Frankly, we’ve never encountered a being like this before.”“Then we’ll stay and guard it until he’s truly destroyed,” Sword Demon Dugu Wenchang said coldly.
Now fully sealed, Paimon and the entire space around him were isolated.
The demonic energy faded, and the massive barrier surrounding Bluesky City slowly dissipated.
Citizens returned to the city, and the Lan Clan held a grand feast, celebrating alongside the imperial lineages.
Killing a being like Paimon was the greatest victory in their clan’s history.
…
Winter gradually faded, and the spring winds warmed the land.
Trees sprouted new growth, and the world began to awaken from dormancy.
After leaving the Nether Blood Sea, Xu Zimo and the God Emperor used a teleportation formation to travel toward the Skyluan Region.
Skyluan shared a close connection with the Eastern Continent. After several transfers, the two finally passed through the Chi Imperial Clan’s territory, using their teleportation formation to arrive at Ragefire City.
This brings us to the layout of the Skyluan Region.
As one of the Five Great Regions of the Middle Continent, ranked equally with the Holyflower Region, Skyluan was home to five imperial lineages, not including the mysterious Lan Clan, which had never produced a true Grand Emperor and was thus not considered one of them.
The five were:
Beyond Heaven Sword Mountain (home to two Grand Emperors), Invincible Domain, Vast Immortal Sacred Ground, Grand River God Sect, and the Imperial Throne Sacred Ground, the strongest of them all with three Grand Emperors.
These five lineages shaped the history of the Skyluan Region, each leaving behind legends that spanned centuries.
After navigating the void, Xu Zimo and the God Emperor arrived in Ragefire City, one of the Vast Immortal Sect’s strongholds.
Stepping out of the teleportation formation, Xu Zimo could see the bustling city clearly. Unfamiliar with Skyluan, the two decided to stay the night, gather information, then head for the Lan Clan.
As night fell, they found a guest inn within the city’s bustling tavern district, ordered food and drinks, and began to chat casually.
When the food was served, Xu Zimo tossed a few spirit crystals to the waiter.
“I have a question,” Xu Zimo said.
“Please ask, sir,” the waiter said cheerfully, pocketing the crystals.
“How far is the Lan Clan from here?”
“You mean the Lan Clan of Bluesky City, right?” the waiter asked, thinking for a moment. “There’s quite a distance. You’d need to travel to Whitebone City first and use the teleportation formation there.”
“Whitebone City…” Xu Zimo murmured and nodded slightly.
The tavern was quite busy, packed with diners due to the evening hour.
Just as Xu Zimo was eating, a group of people walked through the door.
They were mostly young men and women, led by a scholarly old man with graying beard and dressed in Confucian robes.
The youths all wore matching dark cyan robes, each with the character “Dao” (道) embroidered on the back.
At a glance, one could tell this group was no ordinary assembly. Each one exuded power, handsome men, elegant women, brimming with confidence.
Their arrival caused a moment of silence in the tavern.
“Heavenly Dao Academy, those are students from Heavenly Dao Academy!” someone gasped.
“Number one academy on the continent,” others whispered, their eyes filled with awe and respect.
Founded in the Desolate Era, Heavenly Dao Academy was the most renowned educational institution in the known world.