After exiting the maze of criss-crossing alleys, the view ahead gradually opened up.
Xu Zimo stared intently straight ahead.
In the open space in front of him, there was a deep and boundless demonic pool.
It seemed that after tens of thousands of years of erosion, the demonic energy within the pool had thinned to the point of near invisibility.
Some clear water gently rippled around a massive tree.
Everyone's eyes were drawn to this tree.
The tree’s height was nearly equal to that of the volcano.
It had grown all the way up to the volcano’s peak, and its entire body was pitch-black.
The thick trunk of the demon tree was covered in densely packed ancient Ancient Demon Race characters.
These characters glowed amidst the red-hot lava of the volcano.
The demon tree was lush and sprawling, its branches filled the entire space, as if the inside of the volcano had been hollowed out by them.
The tree’s leaves were oval-shaped, and each one burned with a faint black flame.
Within these flames came harsh sounds of struggling.
It seemed that each leaf represented a life.
“Thankfully, the ancestral tree is fine,” the Bone Demon breathed a sigh of relief.
Xu Zimo stepped forward slowly, walking across the open lava-covered ground ahead.
The Seven-Face Infernal Archon and Bone Demon remained behind and did not follow.
As Xu Zimo stepped closer, it seemed this demon tree had been asleep for a very long time.
Its drooping branches that touched the ground began to tremble, swaying slightly.
At a certain moment, all the branches erupted in motion, and the leaves on the tree all began to glow.
Towering demonic energy swirled, and the once-clear pool below instantly turned dark again.
The calm water surface began to boil, ripples spreading underfoot.
Xu Zimo walked across the water’s surface, step by step, until he stood before the demon tree.
He reached out his right hand and touched the now slightly withered trunk. The bark felt cold and rough.
The demonic characters on the trunk all began to tremble, emitting a radiant light that enveloped Xu Zimo.
…………
“Master, go! This world has no place for us!” a shout echoed in his ears.
Before his eyes, fragmented and broken scenes flashed repeatedly.
“We were born free, why should this damn world decide whether we’re allowed to exist or not?”
“Master, hurry! We’ll cover you! The heavenly tribulation is coming! As long as you live, the Ancient Demon Race still has hope.”
“No! Even if I die today, the Ancient Demon Race will endure. One reincarnation later, I shall return. You all wait for that day, even if this era is destroyed, I will not be.”
“Our race has planned across multiple eras, why must Old Villainous Heavens meddle in our affairs? I am not willing!”
“When has this cursed sky ever been fair? The world is divided among nine provinces, ever shifting between unity and division. There are ten great immortal sects, seated atop fairy mountains and islands, claiming immortals act with compassion to aid all beings. But among these countless immortals, who dares say they are free of evil intent? Who can guarantee that none of them are steeped in evil? Just because they are immortals, they get to stand above us? We demons are born only to be scorned. People claim we are evil, ruthless, and unforgivable. But none of us chose to be born as demons, we too have those who seek peace and kindness. The world makes no distinction between good and evil, if you're a demon, they’ll call for your slaughter regardless.”
“Gods or immortals, everyone starts from weakness, crawling through the same mud. Who the hell is more noble than whom? One day, we’ll drag these damned heavens off their pedestal and let them taste our pain.”
…………
Broken scenes of rage, helpless sighs, and bloodied bodies collapsing and rising again played before Xu Zimo’s eyes.
“In the beginning of the world, there was no such thing as good or evil. All beings are mixtures of both, some with more good than evil, some with more evil than good. All we demons want is a fair recognition. Why must everyone believe that demon equals evil?” Xu Zimo muttered to himself.
He gently caressed the bark of the Sky-Shroud Demon Tree, tears silently rolling down his cheeks.
He didn’t even feel emotional, but the tears fell uncontrollably.
This race, tens of thousands had sacrificed themselves, fighting through era after era.
All for the pursuit of one thing: fairness.
But it had all been in vain. The prejudice of the world was like a towering mountain, no matter how hard you tried, it could not be moved.
The so-called immortals would never let you change how people saw the world.
Without demonic evil, how could there be heavenly good? Without evil as contrast, how could good shine?
Immortals needed to stand above, so demons had to fall to the dust.
“If the people won’t change, then let’s reshuffle the deck,” Xu Zimo suddenly turned and looked at the Seven-Face Infernal Archon.
He said, “Let demons rise to the top, to give generously and save the world. And immortals, let them be despised, reviled, full of evil. How about that?”
“Alright… alright,” the Seven-Face Infernal Archon froze for a moment, then responded after some thought. “But if we do that, how are we any different from those immortals?”
“I suddenly realized, there’s no such thing as absolute fairness. Some are born rich, some are born with nothing. Some are whole and healthy, others are disabled from birth. So live selfishly. Make sure you live freely first, then worry about others. Create a relatively fair world,” Xu Zimo said. “At least, not like this one, where the cursed heavens aid false immortals in destroying our Ancient Demon Race.”
After saying that, Xu Zimo turned and placed his hand on the Sky-Shroud Demon Tree.
He said softly, “Old friend, you’ve waited long enough.”
The tree seemed to understand his words and gently brushed its leaves against Xu Zimo’s shoulder.
The ancestral tree began to shake.
The entire volcano began to tremble along with it, cracks splitting open across the earth, and the magma underground went into complete chaos.
A cracking sound echoed out.
Xu Zimo opened a passage to the True Fate World and said with a light laugh, “Come with me. I still want another fight with those cursed heavens. Let’s go create a golden age, a golden age for the Ancient Demon Race.”
The cracks in the ground deepened, and magma erupted completely.
The lava turned into a sea of fire, engulfing everything.
At that moment outside, thunderous explosions rang out in the sky.
As if the heavens were enraged, roaring like thunder.
The volcano’s peak exploded completely.
Flames shot out like meteorites from the crater.
The entire land was dyed a fiery red.
The ground split, dense black mist spread, and meteors rained from the sky, this volcanic eruption was unimaginably powerful.
And at that moment, several figures suddenly appeared in this world.