NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 19:
Chapter 19: The Mortal Realm, a Living Hell?
The rift stretched both upward and downward as its form gradually took shape. The moment a massive blood-red eye appeared in the sky, the entire demon abyss stirred to life.
Ghostly wails and wolfish howls filled the air, mingling with shrill screams. The atmosphere was thick with the stench of blood and decay.
“Whoosh… whoosh…”
The blood-red eye widened, spinning rapidly within the pitch-black sky. The surrounding sinister winds seemed to have a mind of their own, carving deep trenches into the ground as they followed the gaze of the eye.
In an instant, the entire demon abyss was swept over.
What’s going on?
Did it really leave?
A flash of doubt flickered within the eye, but it was soon replaced by ecstasy.
That presence… it truly no longer exists!
Some time ago, the blood-red eye had sensed a sudden and violent weakening of the power suppressing it. It had immediately suspected that something had changed. It had wanted to emerge and see for itself, but in the end, it had feared Lu Chen’s sealing power too much and chose to wait and observe.
Not long after, Lu Chen’s aura had reappeared near the demon abyss. But unlike before, his presence was accompanied by an even more overwhelming force.
Suspicion deepened within the blood-red eye.
And yet, now that it could no longer sense Lu Chen’s presence at all, it finally dared to peek out.
After scanning the entire area and confirming that Lu Chen’s aura had completely vanished, the blood-red eye let out an earth-shaking howl of triumph.
Thunderclouds roiled across the sky once more.
A furious storm howled, carrying within it a cacophony of anguished and frenzied roars.
“Lu Chen, you’re finally gone!”
“Hahaha! After centuries, have you finally grown weary?”
“I’ve been waiting for this day!”
“My loyal followers… you are… free!”
The roar carried both anguish and exhilaration.
And then, another voice joined in.
“Free…”
“Free…”
“Free…”
The echoes rolled through the abyss, carrying a century’s worth of suppressed hatred and rage.
Thunder rumbled.
Lightning slashed through the sky.
The earth trembled as boulders and debris were sent flying.
All of this… was thanks to Lu Chen’s departure.
Lu Chen, that harbinger of death who had made even demons and fiends tremble in fear, was finally gone!
To the world, they were merely outcasts labeled as demonic beings.
But those so-called cultivators never realized—Lu Chen was far more terrifying than any of them.
With just one move—Canopy of Time—he had obliterated countless of their kin.
Even after he had lost all his cultivation, the power he left behind had still been enough to keep them paralyzed in fear for another hundred years.
But now… it was finally over.
The moment the blood-red eye emerged in the sky, countless lesser fiends began to stir.
Now that a demonic powerhouse had awakened, was there any doubt that the others would follow?
No.
With Lu Chen gone, their long-awaited moment of vengeance had arrived. No one could stop them now!
What they needed now… was to gather their strength.
After lying dormant for so long, they had to first stretch their limbs and remind the world of their existence!
In just a quarter of an hour, the number of blood-red eyes in the sky had increased to three!
A sinister energy coiled around them, swirling ominously as they peered down at the demon abyss.
Faster… just a little faster!
Once all five blood-red eyes awakened, taking over the mortal realm would only be a matter of time!
Unlike the raging chaos of the demon abyss, Lu Chen was quietly enjoying his meal.
After centuries, he was once again tasting the humble steamed cornbread of the mortal realm. A faint look of emotion flickered across his face.
Common folk led hard lives.
Most survived on wild vegetables boiled into thin porridge.
For a laborer, having two steamed cornbreads after a day’s work was already a luxury.
As Lu Chen slowly chewed the coarse grains, he gave a meaningful glance at the young woman across from him.
“Xiao Yu’er, you really didn’t have to follow me on this trip.”
“Senior Brother, are you trying to send me away? Since I’ve already left the mountain, I’m going wherever you go.”
Meng Yu didn’t continue her sentence.
If she hadn’t found Lu Chen, she would have searched for him forever.
No matter how long it took outside the sect, she would not have given up.
She hadn’t cared about the sect leader’s scolding.
She hadn’t cared about violating sect rules.
Their gazes met. There was no need for more words.
The moment stretched on in quiet understanding.
Their hushed conversation, their presence—everything about them drew attention.
The man in white sitting at the table was a breathtaking sight, with features sculpted like a celestial being. His long, ink-black hair draped casually over his shoulders, exuding a natural grace.
The young woman across from him was stunning, her beauty untouched by the mortal world.
Every glance, every smile exchanged between them was captivating.
They had done their best to remain inconspicuous.
Yet, the people in the small restaurant couldn’t help but stare.
Lu Chen ignored it.
Meng Yu ignored it.
She didn’t want anyone ruining this moment of peace with her senior brother.
After leaving seclusion, she had heard two shocking pieces of news.
The demon abyss was stirring.
And Lu Chen had left.
At first, she was shocked.
Then, she was deeply troubled.
Everyone knew what Lu Chen meant to the Mystic Spirit Holy Sect.
The sect leader knew it better than anyone.
Even if Lu Chen had requested to leave, she should have stopped him.
And yet… she had agreed.
There was something wrong with this.
Everything… had been built on false accusations against Lu Chen.
Even though she hadn’t seen him yet, Meng Yu was certain—Lu Chen wouldn’t have left unless he was utterly heartbroken.
She had wanted to question him.
But the moment she saw him, she had changed her mind.
Senior Brother was still Senior Brother. He hadn’t changed at all.
Then, her worries had been unnecessary.
There was no need to ask questions.
The answer was right in front of her.
A smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
“Xiao Yu’er, what are you smiling about?”
“Senior Brother, don’t you think all of this feels like a dream? Sometimes, I wonder if I’m even awake.”
Meng Yu lifted her gaze, staring at Lu Chen.
“The mortal world is nothing but a fleeting dream,” Lu Chen said quietly. “Why bother distinguishing between clarity and delusion?”
“Senior Brother is right,” she mused. “But still… I can’t help but feel uneasy. The demon abyss that the Mystic Spirit Holy Sect has been guarding is stirring. I wonder how the other sects are faring?”
Lu Chen’s eyes flickered with thought.
Back then, all the great sects had allied together against the demonic race in a brutal war.
Both sides had suffered devastating losses.
Many powerful cultivators had fallen.
The demonic race had been shattered, scattered into ruins.
But the sects had pressed forward, delivering a crushing final blow.
With the demons in disarray, each sect had been assigned a portion to suppress and seal away.
For centuries, his responsibility had been to keep watch over the demonic tide threatening the Mystic Spirit Holy Sect.
Now that he had left, those demons… would no longer just stir in the shadows.
They would rise.
“If the demonic race unites again, will the mortal realm… be drowned in another bloodbath?”
Meng Yu had never experienced the horrors of the war centuries ago.
She had only heard her master speak of it.
Even then, the mere stories had sent chills down her spine.
If it happened again…
Would the mortal world become a living hell?