The sudden voice from behind startled both Fa Hua and Lan Ge. When they turned around, they realized with immediate relief—and fresh tension—that it was not the Ruby Queen they feared most.
Instead, standing there was a breathtakingly beautiful woman they had encountered before. Someone who had once left them at a disadvantage.
Sheng Lian of the Silver Lotus Clan.
“What are you doing here?” Lan Ge blurted out.
Sheng Lian wore a long silver dress, her hair flowing loosely down her back. A sacred aura surrounded her, and more striking still was the faint silver radiance that shimmered over her body. In the midst of the shattered walls and broken stone of the ruins, her presence was all the more arresting, carrying a beauty that felt almost unreal.
She was just as surprised to see them. Sheng Lian had never imagined she would encounter Fa Hua and Lan Ge within the Ancestral Court of the Demon Domain. What truly caught her off guard was that, the instant they heard her voice, the two of them grabbed each other’s hands.
Fa Hua and Lan Ge released each other immediately. Lan Ge even turned his head away, a little stiffly.
No matter how one looked at it, Sheng Lian came from the Saint Domain. She was human.
In the past, Fa Hua and Lan Ge had never thought much of the Saint Domain. Their possession of the Demon-God Transformation came from intermarriage with the Demon Domain, and their bloodlines carried traces of both demon and nymph heritage.
But after learning the origin of the Seven Divine Pearls, after understanding the vision and resolve of the Seven Holy Ancestors, after realizing just how hard humanity had struggled to survive, their view of the Saint Domain had changed completely.
Now, what they felt toward its people was reverence.
Compared to the Law Domain and the Blue Domain, the Saint Domain had sacrificed far more. They had endured humiliation and compromise so that humanity as a whole could survive and grow stronger. Were they wrong for that? No. Generations had been offered up so that humans might one day possess powerful innate talents of their own. They had never truly regarded themselves as descendants of demon or nymph blood. Everything had been arranged long ago by the Seven Holy Ancestors, all as part of a grand deception meant to mislead the Demon Domain.
Because of this, when Fa Hua and Lan Ge saw Sheng Lian again, even the resentment they once held toward her had faded considerably.
After a brief moment of shock, Sheng Lian stepped forward. The faintly strange look in her eyes settled back into calm.
“You’ve just arrived?” she asked.
“Just now,” Lan Ge replied. “If I said we were here to sightsee, would you believe me?”
Sheng Lian nodded without hesitation. “I would. The Ancestral Court is a sacred place of the Demon Domain. The fact that you were invited to visit means you’ve already earned their recognition. May I speak with you both privately?”
“All right,” Fa Hua said.
They knew almost nothing about this place, while Sheng Lian had clearly been here for some time. Whatever she knew would be invaluable.
Under her guidance, the three of them walked deeper into the ruins. After turning two corners between towering remnants of stone, they came upon several wooden structures. Amid a landscape dominated by shattered stone, the sight of wooden houses was strikingly out of place.
“This restaurant is decent,” Sheng Lian said with a small gesture. “Let me treat you to a meal.”
Only then did they realize that the wooden structure was, in fact, a restaurant.
Fa Hua and Lan Ge had no reason to refuse and followed her inside.
The interior was simple to the point of austerity. There was none of the bustle or splendor they had seen in Wild Monster City. Everything was made of wood, even the serving plates, and the dishes were equally plain, consisting mostly of vegetables.
“You two don’t know much about the Ancestral Court, do you?” Sheng Lian said, smiling faintly.
She was clearly perceptive. From their expressions outside, she had already guessed as much.
“Correct,” Fa Hua replied. “Please enlighten us.”
“For the Demon Domain,” Sheng Lian said, “the Ancestral Court is an absolute holy land. But it is also a ruin. In truth, it is even a grave.”
“A grave?” Lan Ge looked at her in surprise.
Sheng Lian nodded. “Yes. A grave. In the past, the Ancestral Court was a massive altar, built by the two great empires of the Demon Domain to resist the Great Cataclysm. To construct it, they exhausted nearly all of their resources. And at the altar’s core were the Seven Divine Pearls.”
As she said this, she gave Fa Hua and Lan Ge a meaningful look.
“We no longer know the exact cost of its construction. All we know is that the blood of countless Great Heavenly God–level great demons and nymphs was used. That is why the bloodline pressure here is so overwhelming. Without cultivation above Sixth-Rank, it’s impossible to enter. And even that Sixth-Rank refers to those with mixed bloodlines. The fact that you two made it inside means you’re at least Seventh-Rank. Otherwise, with the frailty of pure human bloodlines, entry would be impossible.”
She paused before continuing.
“The outcome of the Great Cataclysm is well known. The altar failed to fully stop the descent of the Devil-Beast Star, leading to the collapse of the Daemon Continent. However, the altar’s power also shattered that star, turning it into what we now know as the Beast Domain and the Devil Domain. The collision destroyed the altar here as well. The Seven Divine Pearls scattered, and most of the powerful cultivators who activated the altar perished.”
“To commemorate the Great Cataclysm—and the end of the Ice Age—this ruin was preserved. Great Heavenly God–level experts of the Demon Domain remain here to cultivate, to sense the will of their predecessors. This place is called a grave because the remains of the god-level experts who died in that battle were buried here. That is also the source of the bloodline barrier.”
“For demons and nymphs, any Ninth-Rank cultivator may come here to seek the aura of their ancestors and attempt to inherit their legacy, using it as a shortcut to break into the god ranks. As for humans…” She smiled faintly. “We are mostly just visitors.”
“Can those of the Saint Domain gain anything here?” Lan Ge asked.
Sheng Lian shook her head. “Only those with the Golden Bloodline. As for us?” She let out a soft, bitter laugh.
The expression was eerily similar to the one Fa Hua and Lan Ge had once seen on ordinary humans.
“Then how does one survive here?” Fa Hua asked. “Are there restrictions?”
“Entering the bloodline barrier itself is the test,” Sheng Lian replied. “Possessing a token is the qualification. No one can remain here for long. The constant suppression of blood and vital energy weakens the body. If someone becomes too weak, they may even be possessed by the lingering wills of ancient great demons or nymphs.”
“So aside from visitors like us, even the Demon Domain’s Ninth-Rank experts don’t dare stay for long. Once they seek their opportunity, they leave immediately. Because of that, there’s no need for additional rules.”
Only then did Fa Hua and Lan Ge fully understand. The bloodline barrier itself was the greatest safeguard. And with Great Heavenly God–level beings residing here, who would dare cause trouble?
“Where are those Great Heavenly God–level experts now?” Fa Hua asked.
“In the graveyard,” Sheng Lian replied. “They guard it, ensuring that the remains and souls of those with immense power are not stolen.”
“Stolen?” Lan Ge sucked in a breath. “Someone would dare?”
“You should know,” Sheng Lian said, “that since the Dark Age began, our world has formed the Seven Seas and Six Domains. Five of the Seven Seas existed as early as the Ice Age: the Red Magma Sea, the Sacred Clear Sea, the Green Sea of Life, the Endless Blue Sea, and the Purple Abyssal Sea.”
“But two seas appeared only after the Great Cataclysm—the Ghostly Cyan Sea and the Tainted Yellow Sea.”
“During the catastrophe, countless beings died across Falan Star, including creatures of the Devil and Beast races. With so much death occurring at once, death energy condensed under special conditions. It formed the Tainted Yellow Sea, controlled by the Corpse Realm, and the Ghostly Cyan Sea, ruled by the Death-Spirit Realm.”
“These seas possess a terrifying pull. After death, the vast majority of beings have their bones and souls separated and drawn to these two places. Though they’ve existed for only a few hundred years, the scale of the catastrophe caused them to grow rapidly. There is even a saying in the Demon Domain that if they continue expanding unchecked, one day they will swallow the entire world.”
“The remains and souls of great demons and nymphs are priceless to the Corpse Realm and the Death-Spirit Realm. Of course they covet them. That’s why everything here must be guarded and sealed, so those two realms cannot take them.”
Lan Ge drew in a sharp breath. “So that’s how it is. You really know a lot.”
“Our Saint Domain has the closest ties with the Demon Domain,” Sheng Lian said calmly. “We are, after all, their nearest vassals.”
Though her tone was light, the sadness in her eyes was unmistakable.
“Thank you for telling us,” Fa Hua said, inclining his head.
Thanks to her explanation, they finally had a basic understanding of the Ancestral Court.
“You shouldn’t stay here for too long,” Sheng Lian added seriously. “Even though you lack demon or nymph bloodlines, pure human blood is also something they favor. I worry you could be targeted for possession. Remember—leave while your blood and vital energy remain strong. Don’t lower your guard just because the pressure eases deeper inside the ruins.”
“Thank you,” Fa Hua said. “Are there many restaurants like this here?”
“There are a few places for basic necessities,” Sheng Lian replied. “Stone and metal structures are forbidden within the ruins, so everything is made of wood—some even thatched. If you look around, you’ll find places to eat and stay. But honestly, I suggest you remain here no longer than three days.”
“Understood,” Fa Hua said with a nod.
Naturally, he had no intention of telling her that he and Lan Ge possessed the Peerless Pearl’s inner space and had no need to fear bloodline depletion.
“Then,” Sheng Lian said calmly, “we should talk about why we’re really here.”