Chapter 419: Heavenly God and the 13 skeletons

Divine Skill, [Time Stanch]

Gu Qing Shan started recalling the battle he saw in the dreamscape.

Two people’s figures appeared in Gu Qing Shan’s mind.

The card user Soft Note and the red-robed Demi.

Within the bar dreamscape, the 3rd dreamscape: Devil King Warden Rod had showed him the scene of the Demi killing the girl.

At the time, the Demi had sacrificed the other leaders of the 4-realm alliance to summon an ancient Divinity and used this Divine Skill.

—–where is Haze?

Is he watching this right now?

Gu Qing Shan’s mind noticed something.

He released his inner sight to look at his Thought Sea.

A card was there.

A card from the Vengeance Deck: Asura King.

[Asura King, a Vengeance deck spell card, once activated, the Oath of the 4 Realms from 10,000 years ago will once again goes into effect]

[Oath of the 4 Realms: the Demis, Demons, Asuras and Beast Kings must provide each other help and never betray each other, the rulers of the 4 realms have sworn upon this]

[Those who betray the Oath will receive total retribution from the 4 rulers]

The Asura King looked at Gu Qing Shan from the card with absolute seriousness.

“Do you still remember what we discussed with Haze?” the Asura King asked.

“Of course, I’ve already received my payment, what do I need to do now?” Gu Qing Shan asked.

“The red-robed Demi has come, keep him busy, I need some time to activate the Oath of the 4 Realms” the Asura King told him.

“For how long?”

“As long as possible”

Another card then appeared.

Great Ghost General.

[Great Ghost General, Vengeance deck summon card, top-level fighting power]

The Asura King looked at the Great Ghost General: “Are you prepared to fight?”

The Great Ghost General broke into a laugh, but at the same time it sounded like him crying.

“I’ve desired this battle for 10,000 years!”

The Asura King looked back at Gu Qing Shan and spoke: “This is our only chance, please buy as much as you possibly can!”

Saying so, he clasped his hands together and began to chant the ancient Oath of the 4 Realms.

“Very well, I’ll do my best…” Gu Qing Shan answered him.

Holding the Six Paths Great Mountain sword in hand, he felt a bit more reassured.

Since this sword is unaffected by any Law, it’ll be the key to dispelling the opponent’s Divine Skill.

“Shannu, if I happen to be affected, it’ll be your turn —-you may use all my experience and skills to fight”

“Understood, gongzi” Shannu was a bit nervous.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

The sound of knocking on the door came again.

This time, a voice also came from the void of space, speaking in an exceptionally polite tone.

“Excuse me, is the Devil King here?”

“I am” Gu Qing Shan answered.

“Excuse my sudden visit, but if you’re free, I would like to have a little talk with you face to face. Do you mind?”

“Please”

“I’m honored”

A black glowing dot came out from the void of space.

The dot quickly expanded and became a faint humanoid figure.

At first glance he seems to be an amiable old man.

Silver white hair and a luxurious red robe, the old man held a scepter in hand as he descended from the air.

While Gu Qing Shan stared at this intently, his expression was calm.

Inside his Thought Sea, a bloody skeleton appeared next to the Asura King.

Noticing Gu Qing Shan’s inner sight, the Asura King took some time to explain: “This is nowhere near enough, in order to summon the ancient Divinity, the red-robed Demi had betrayed the ancient Oath and sacrificed 13 highest leaders of the allied army”

“I have to activate the power of the Oath in all 13 leaders to wake up the soul contracts that have been silent for 10,000 years”

“Whether this succeeds or not depends on you being able to buy his time”

After explaining so, he went back to chanting.

Gu Qing Shan pulled his inner sight back and looked at the red-robed Demi.

This is indeed the Demi that killed Soft Note.

I’ll have to keep him busy…

Gu Qing Shan smiled: “I didn’t expect to have guests at this time, not to mention one who can manipulate time”

Hearing that, the red-robed Demi smiled amiably: “I came in quite a hurry, hope you won’t mind”

“This time I came here to ——”

While the red-robed Demi wanted to say something else, Gu Qing Shan waved his hand gestured him to sit down.

“Please have a seat, it’s not my hobby to receive a guest while standing”

The red-robed Demi was a bit surprised.

“Ah, that is indeed the case, quite well, quite well, let us have a seat”

Saying so, the red-robed Demi sat across Gu Qing Shan on the sofa, squinting his eyes to evaluate him.

A second later, the red-robed Demi was about to talk again.

Gu Qing Shan abruptly stood up and came over to the shelf, opening it.

It was Zhang Ying Hao’s personal wine collection.

“Would you like something to drink?”

“All the best liquors and wine of the human world are here, you’re welcome to choose”

Gu Qing Shan smiled and asked.

The red-robed Demi glanced at the wine shelf and couldn’t help but ask: “Do you already know who I am?”

“I do not, but everything around me seems to be frozen”

“I’ve never even heard of such a power in my entire life”

“Following that line of thought, you must be an exceptionally noble personage”

Gu Qing Shan kept smiling as he took out two beautifully crafted crystal glasses: “And when receiving such esteemed guests, it’s our human culture to welcome them with a drink”

As the red-robed Demi seriously listened to him, he slowly smiled.

“What an exceptional character indeed, no wonder you were able to become the Devil King” he praised.

Gu Qing Shan didn’t follow up on that.

He only took out two bottles of liquor to show.

“100-year Imperial Deer, a specialty of Fuxi. Famous throughout the lands, only royalty can get their hands on one of these 100-year old bottles”

“As for this, this is the Confederate Aria of Freedom, a rare treasure of the 9 Lords from 700 years ago. Normally this is only kept as a decoration, a symbol of status, because no one is actually willing to waste it by drinking”

Saying so, Gu Qing Shan’s inner sight passed through his Thought Sea.

The 2nd bloody skeleton had just manifested.

A total of 13 skeletons need to be summoned to succeed, so there was still a while to go.

The red-robed Demi was fully focused on his antics and answered after some thinking: “Then the second bottle, please”

After a short pause, Gu Qing Shan very generously unsealed the bottle.

The fragrance of liquor drifted everywhere.

Zhang Ying Hao, your beloved treasure is being used for a very crucial occasion, please don’t be sad.

Gu Qing Shan silently muttered.

The Demi closed his eyes, taking in the smell.

His expression mellowed out in satisfaction as he softly spoke: “Indeed, this is a very exceptional liquor. I would sometimes come take a look down here, but never have I gotten such great liquor before”

“Would you like some ice?”

“Better not, this type of liquor is best drunken clean”

Gu Qing Shan then poured a glass full, passing it to the red-robed Demi.

He also didn’t hesitate to pour himself a glass as well.

The two of them sat across each other on the sofa.

Gu Qing Shan stared straight at the old man gulping down his glass.

The 3rd skeleton manifested.

10 more.

The Demi placed his glass down, sighing: “I have to say, you humans are very well-versed in enjoying yourselves”

Gu Qing Shan also raised his glass and took in a gulp.

Cool and refreshing.

If these were the last moments before the apocalypse, this was fully worth it.

After finishing his glass, he poured another glass full for both the Demi and himself.

“To you, sir” he said.

“Thank you for your hospitality” the Demi replied.

They both finished their glasses.

When Gu Qing Shan wanted to pour some more, the Demi waved his hand to stop him.

“No need, right now, I want to talk to you”

Gu Qing Shan placed the bottle of liquor down and got himself ready to listen.

The 4th skeleton manifested.

“Devil King, your method of doing things are quite excellent, even though I only noticed after all the demons in Huang Quan were wiped out”

The red-robed Demi leaned back on the sofa and slowly explained.

“Next, every step of the way you had managed to overturn the demon’s schemes, it wasn’t until you reached my well-made preparations that you were finally helpless”

“I have to say that I’m very pleased with you, except for one thing that I think you’re sorely mistaken in”

“Ah? Please open my eyes” Gu Qing Shan asked.

In his Thought Sea, the 5th bloody skeleton had manifested next to the Asura King.

“Do you still not get it? You gave Merit to those fleas in hell, giving them a chance to reincarnate. Your actions caused hell to become empty”

The red-robed Demi now completely leaned on the sofa, casually explaining: “Mr. Devil King, that, is your greatest failure”

“Failure?” Gu Qing Shan questioned with a wondering look.

“That’s right, hell is empty, you have no one that you can use”

“You’ve become just a single person, get it?”

The red-robed Demi sighed full of regret.

“That’s why, you now only have ——”

“That’s not true! Only that method of mine could go against that spear” Gu Qing Shan cut off what he was saying.

He explained: “From what I know, even the Divinities of Huang Quan couldn’t go against that spear, without what I did, there would be no way to deal with the problems brought by the spear”

The 6th skeleton manifested.

The red-robed Demi shrugged: “Why bother with the spear at all? As a king, you should be more worried about the authority you hold”

Gu Qing Shan answered: “They did their work, the Merit is simply their pay”

“No wonder why you fell into such a situation. You still don’t get it, a king should hold authority over all, that is your dignity and your power” the red-robed Demi commented.

“You and I have a very different opinion on this” Gu Qing Shan replied.

“Ah? Then do tell”

“I need to have them truly desire to do something in order to trigger their full potential, thus succeeding on doing what I needed them to do”

The 7th skeleton manifested.

6 more to go.

The red-robed Demi looked at him and fell silent.

It was as if he was looking at a strange creature.

After a short pause.

“Alright, say what you like, there’s nothing you can do to change the future I’ve prepared for this world”

The red-robed Demi continued: “And so, what I want to say is ——-”

Gu Qing Shan then instantly cut in: “Pardon me but, what is your name?”

The old man looked at him questioningly.

Gu Qing Shan explained: “I can’t keep continuing without even knowing your name. It is rude and unprofessional to keep calling you ‘you’”

The red-robed Demi stopped for a bit, as if thinking about what he said.

The 8th bloody skeleton manifested.

“My name when uttered will cause a lot of existences to take a peek, this private conversation will then turn into an open discussion” he seems to be bothered with that.

“You can just call me Heavenly God”

“That is to say, you are the ruler of the Heaven realm?”

“Indeed”

Gu Qing Shan’s expression became excited.

“A noble personage such as you personally appearing at this moment of the human realm’s fall into the apocalypse, could it be to save humanity?” he asked.

“No, I think you’ve misunderstood” the red-robed Demi tapped the wooden table with a regretful expression.

The 9th skeleton manifested.

The red-robed Demi explained: “I think I’m expressing myself very clearly here, this is also what I’ve been trying to tell you”

“Ah? Please do tell me” Gu Qing Shan asked.

The red-robed Demi slightly smiled, saying: “I’m here to enjoy the desperate struggle before death of those that have failed”

“I believe it’s not to the point of total desperation yet” Gu Qing Shan refuted.

The red-robed Demi spoke: “This is why I’m pleased with you, as well as the joy of this whole situation”

“The army of the demons are currently marching into the Samsara world, and I need to bring the Divinities to leave soon, so I’ll make this brief”

“I’m all ears” Gu Qing Shan said.

He sent his inner sight into his Thought Sea again.

10 skeletons have manifested, only the last three left to go.

The Asura King’s body was glowing in a divine light, chanting the incantations of the Oath.

The Great Ghost General told Gu Qing Shan: “Nicely done so far, keep up for just a bit more, we’re nearly done!”

In the living room, the red-robed Demi finally spoke of his intentions for coming here.

“Hell is empty, the human realm is weak, both these worlds are no longer salvageable, but your talents are excellent, I hope that you will be as smart as you seem and join me”

“Join you?”

“That’s right, I’ve killed a Devil King before, now I hope to enslave the next”

“You’ve killed a Devil King? That’s not possible” Gu Qing Shan shook his head.

“How would it be impossible?” the red-robed Demi casually asked.

“There is only a single Devil King Warden Rod in Huang Quan, and the only Devil King is me”

“That is true, but what I’m talking about is 10,000 years ago”

The self-proclaimed Heavenly God started to reminiscent.

That plan of 10,000 years ago was the biggest risk he ever took, even now, his heart still beat fast whenever he thought about it.

Furthermore, because the plan was successful he felt a sense of accomplishment whenever he recalled that time.

The Demi smiled faintly.

11 skeletons.

Only two more.

The Demi regained his senses.

He felt that he didn’t need to keep acting amiable, let’s just directly spell it out for this Devil King here.

Then he heard Gu Qing Shan asked: “There must be a reason why you’ve come to invite me”

“Of course”

“What do you want from me?”

“Your unique spell ——you were able to project your soul from your body to go to Huang Quan, and then return”

“Furthermore, your ability to turn into a dead person to become the Devil King, this is such a miraculous technique that even I have never even heard of before”

The red-robed old man’s beady eyes now started to glow.

He leaned forward, staring straight at Gu Qing Shan and said: “Give me that technique, I will allow you to become a servant of the Heaven realm and bring you to escape from this Samsara world”

“This is the only hope of survival” the red-robed old man smiled: “Think about it, endless waves of demons and Demon lords are about to enter this world, and you are only a single person without any subordinates ——you can only wait for your own death in despair”

“I’ve observed you for a long time. I know you’re a smart person, and I believe you know what choice is best”

Gu Qing Shan lowered his head, acting like he’s contemplating deeply.

12 skeletons were now ready, they all knelt before the Asura King, summoning the last skeleton.

“Can I have a minute to consider?” Gu Qing Shan asked.

“Unfortunately, you have to make the choice now —-I’m refraining from attacking you right now purely because of that hospitable bottle of liquor from before, so I hope you understand that point well” the Demi spoke.

“Very well, but you made a mistake, I’m not going to wait for my own death in despair” Gu Qing Shan continued to speak.

The red-robed Demi smiled unexpectedly.

“Where would I be? There aren’t that many powerful people in the human realm, even true soldiers are few and far between, even I couldn’t possibly hope to do anything in that situation, what hope do you have?” he asked in intrigue.

“The human realm has already fused with Huang Quan”

“That’s right, but so what? I’m certain that the world barrier isn’t going to reform in time, what can you hope to go against an endless horde of demons?”

“I’ll probably be the first to die in battle” Gu Qing Shan spoke.

“First to die?” the red-robed old man didn’t quite understand.

“First to die, first to become a dead person, no longer afraid of death, forever fighting and killing demons in this world”

Gu Qing Shan’s voice gradually slowed, his expression was calm, like he was talking about something completely unrelated to himself.

“1 year, 10 years, 100 years, 1000 years, 10,000 years, I’ll keep reviving, keep going against the demons, I’ll see for myself whether the demons know the word fear”

Hearing him explain, the red-robed Demi’s smile slowly disappeared.

“I thought you were a smart person, but you truly are just a Devil King” the Demi commented.

“I’m actually looking forward to the daily battles from now on” Gu Qing Shan answered.

The Demi’s tone became harsh and angry: “Do you not understand!? A dead person will be bound by the Law of Huang Quan, forever trapped in this land together with the endless horde of demons that takes over, you will never be able to reincarnate!”

“So what?” Gu Qing Shan asked.

The Demi was stunned.

Gu Qing Shan thought for a bit: “Truthfully speaking, this sounds like it’ll be a very enjoyable thing, you know?”

As if he has thought something through, his expression slowly became calm.

That’s right, he already didn’t care anymore.

Unrelenting, uncompromising battles forever.

This was his final will.

The red-robed Demi also realized this.

He fell silent for a while.

“You’re mad…” the red-robed Demi muttered.

He then suddenly stood up: “No, you are too dangerous an existence, I should kill you right here and now, even your soul should be destroyed on the spot”

He swung his scepter.

Overwhelming power flowed from his body and poured into the scepter.

At the same time, in Gu Qing Shan’s Thought Sea.

All 13 skeletons had manifested, roaring in unison: “Ven…geance…”

The very next moment, the skeletons disappeared from Gu Qing Shan’s Thought Sea and manifested in the living room.

“——Enforcers of the Oath!” the red-robed old man’s expression shifted.

He raised the scepter in his hand, shouting: “That’s impossible, you’re already dead!”

A glorious light came from his scepter, enveloping the red-robed old man, wanting to escape into the void of space.

The Asura King also appeared, whispering: “With this body as living proof, I hereby enforce the Oath, Barrier of Retribution, [Absolute Shackles]!”

The 13 bloody skeletons quickly surrounded the red-robed Demi.

He was forced back.