Evil Venerable of the Sword Dao
Chapter 426 - 075: The Evil King Never Dies, the Netherworld Never Perishes

Chapter 426: Chapter 075: The Evil King Never Dies, the Netherworld Never Perishes

"Hisss—"

Zhou Yan continued to refine these materials, melting them into liquid. He then planned to start forming the mould.

However, at this step, Zhou Yan understood that if these remaining materials could withstand the scorching burn of his current Soul Fire, they must be exceptionally formidable.

The previously damaged Soul Armor and Broken Worry Sword had become somewhat worn out. Now cast into the flames, they were swept up and almost instantly destroyed, demonstrating that even Soul Devices couldn’t bear the intensity of his Soul Fire.

"Such formidable Soul Fire, and it also deploys extremely fast. If it could be used to kill, I fear it could turn a person to ash in an instant! However, every time the Soul Fire is used, there’s a stabbing pain in the forehead, which somewhat suppresses the reaction speed..."

While refining artifacts, Zhou Yan couldn’t help but ponder over these thoughts.

In such a situation, Zhou Yan immediately began deriving conclusions.

His brain now, even more powerful than the supercomputers on Earth from Master’s memories, could, in an instant, analyze millions of scenarios and then order them by the highest possibility and probability of occurrence.

The reason he possessed such ability also stemmed from Zhou Yan’s decision to modify his brain after truly absorbing almost all of his Master’s memories. Now, he was finally immensely satisfied with how well his brain functioned.

With a thought, Zhou Yan calculated the combinations of various materials and thus began to engrave an Ancient Array.

Array Dao too had undergone a transformation and progressed, rising with the tide, remarkably formidable.

However, while engraving the Array, Zhou Yan paused. His thoughts, swift as light, suddenly froze on a particular memory image.

It was from within the Purple Flame Void’s Sword Illusion Realm.

Inside the Sword Illusion Realm, the Evil King struck by the black light of the Purple Flame Lotus contorted and annihilated, his scythe-like sword dropping with a ’clang’ upon the ground.

The image of the Evil King’s death.

That scythe-like curved sword material.

It was top-grade Refining Material.

This material, which couldn’t be ripped apart by the terrifying Space Power within the Purple Flame Lotus, couldn’t be burned and refined by Zhou Yan’s Soul Fire either, rendering it unusable as Refining Material.

But this was not the key point. Because if the scythe could not be destroyed by the Inner Flame Space Power inside the Purple Flame, could there be the Evil King’s imprint existing within its own inner space?

Could the Evil King truly die here like this?

Previously, due to the immediate tragic demise of half his Soul Consciousness and the intensely palpable, tragic deaths of the three saints—Chengqing, Qian Saint, and Yin Saint—Zhou Yan had not doubted the terrifying killing power of the Inner Flame Space within the Purple Flame Lotus, thus he had firmly concluded that the Evil King was dead.

He concluded that the Netherworld Eight Soul Envoys were also dead.

But these two beings had left behind two things.

A curved scythe-like sword.

A Soul Token.

These were materials that couldn’t be torn apart by that Space Power. These materials were even indestructible, was there not a space within them?

More importantly, knowing that this journey was a certain death mission, perceiving an absolute threat of death, how could the Evil King not leave a way out for himself?

Had not the Evil King previously assumed various Void Bodies like Ji Tianxu, Ji TaiXu, Ji Taichong, and Zhou Yuntian? Could he have not left a Void Body in the Three Desolates and Three Islands outside the Southern Wilderness?

Even if he had not left a Void Body, when Zhou Yan sensed this inevitable death crisis, he would leave a way out, leaving behind a drop of blood for Zhou Gucheng to take. Wouldn’t the Evil King do the same?

...

Zhou Yan’s powerful calculating ability suddenly brought him to a standstill.

His intelligence had increased, his thinking had become sharper, and from one trigger, numerous pieces of evidence gradually came together to form a stark contrast.

In that instant, Zhou Yan calculated and deduced that the probability of the Evil King and the Netherworld Eight Soul Envoys’ survival, without perishing, was over 95%!

This was the probability calculated by Zhou Yan’s brain in imitation of a computer model!

This probability was frighteningly high!

For a genius, even probabilities as slim as one in ten million or even one in a billion could offer an opportunity to be seized. Otherwise, how could so many True Xuan Level geniuses appear when it’s difficult for even one True Spirit Level genius to arise in a small city of billions?

A ninety-five percent probability!

In essence, this meant that the Evil King and the Netherworld Eight Soul Envoys hadn’t perished at all!

With this judgment, Zhou Yan’s expression suddenly became more somber.

"My husband? What’s wrong?"

Jiang Yuning, observing words and colors, noticed Zhou Yan’s complexion darken suddenly and felt a twinge of panic in her heart, immediately sensing a premonition of crisis.

The two of them were almost telepathic, especially after their Soul Dual Cultivation. Even without looking at Zhou Yan’s face, Jiang Yuning could vaguely sense his mood.

Now, with Zhou Yan’s expression so clearly troubled, she grew anxious.

"Ning’er, I’ll display several Sword Illusion Realms for you to analyze."

With a wave of his hand, Zhou Yan set aside the half-finished Soul Armor and Sword he was refining and instead produced seven Sword Illusion Realms.

...

The first Sword Illusion Realm depicted the Evil King intercepting Chengqing and his conversation with Qian Saint and others within a void of light.

"You are Ji Xie... the Evil King Saint? Aren’t you already..."

This was spoken by Chengqing.

"Already dead? That Divine Fist Saint Lee Ran did not have the skill to slaughter me. I was merely in closed-door cultivation. I have now come out having understood the Supreme Dao. Ah, I remember now, you are that arrogant Chengqing from back then. You have a beautiful daughter named ’Chengqing’, and you wished to marry her to Qian Saint, right?"

The Evil King said with a playful tone.

"...Yes... Yes, that’s correct."

Shock and unease flashed across Chengqing’s face.

...

The second Sword Illusion Realm depicted the Evil King revealing that he had known about the Heavenly Destiny plan all along.

The third Sword Illusion Realm showed the Evil King knowing that he was doomed to die and that Ni Chang had betrayed him, even taking the Spiritual Lotus Secret Realm, yet he still came here.

The fourth Sword Illusion Realm was the moment the Evil King, within the Divine Array, sneered disdainfully, totally unconcerned.

The fifth Sword Illusion Realm was the scene where the Evil King partnered with the Netherworld Eight Soul Envoys, giving the order for the Netherworld Eight Soul Envoys to slay the Holy Daughter Jiang Yuning.

The sixth Sword Illusion Realm depicted the death of the Evil King.

The seventh Sword Illusion Realm was the scene where Zhou Yan sensed the curved sickle sword and discovered that it was a nearly abandoned, close to Divine Artifact Level, top-level Saint Artifact Sword.

...

From a single Sword Illusion Realm, one could not conclude much, but when pieced together as a whole, everything seemed to be revealed.

After watching these Sword Illusion Realms, the Holy Daughter fell silent for a moment before saying, "Husband, from what we see, there’s a very high possibility that the Evil King didn’t die. But even if he survived, he’s most likely in a very sorry state. You do not need to worry in the short term."

"That’s correct, I’ve come to the same conclusion. What I’m worried about is not so much the Evil King as it is that Evil Spirit, the Netherworld Eight Soul Envoys. If he survived, Ping’er might be in extreme danger."

"The probability of his survival is even higher. That Soul Token is made of Netherworld Iron, able to harbor the Netherworld. The Netherworld Eight Soul Envoys might very well be within this Soul Token. Husband, if you want to enter the Life and Death Illusion Realm of the Netherworld, using this Soul Token might leave you vulnerable to body seizing."

Jiang Yuning analyzed.

"Hmm, if it’s body seizing, that would be easier to deal with. I’m more worried that what came here from the Netherworld Eight Soul Envoys was only an avatar—then it would be terribly bad."

Zhou Yan’s face turned solemn.

"Husband, you don’t know much about Netherworld Evil Spirits. Actually, you need not worry. Like the Evil King, such spirits are also proud and unyielding. And that ’Light of Destruction’ of yours is clearly terrifying. The pride in their bones would only leave them with a last resort, not something like an avatar. Just like you, husband, even if you knew you were bound to die and left yourself a way out, it was nothing more than a drop of blood. Subconsciously, you believe you have the conviction and courage to solve everything and break through the great calamity of fate. Just as it is for you, so it must have been for the Evil King and the Netherworld Eight Soul Envoys. Therefore, once struck by the black light, I fear they would be worse off than dead, in utter misery, and definitely without the strength to stir up trouble in the short term."

"With this time buffer, you can become stronger as soon as possible. By the time they emerge, their combat power may not even be equal to your strength. Then, what is there to fear?"

Jiang Yuning said gently, comforting him.

Each of her words showed her intelligence and wisdom.

Zhou Yan contemplated. His analysis indeed reflected the same, but since he did not understand Netherworld Evil Spirits, he was concerned.

Now that the Holy Daughter explained, Zhou Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"So that’s how it is, then I’m relieved. But because of this, I can’t relax. I need to grow stronger as soon as possible, recover my Emperor Qi Sword Body, and complete the transformation sooner so that the two Sword Bodies can merge once again," Zhou Yan stated resolutely.

"Hmm, for you to think this way, Ning’er is at ease," Jiang Yuning said with a relieved smile.

But in her heart, there was also a touch of solemnity.

The Evil King had not died, the Netherworld was not extinguished.

The peril within was not so simple.

However, she would not show it. Zhou Yan had just shed much of his burden, his pressure had lightened, and she did not want to accumulate and suppress those upon him.

She also vaguely felt that Zhou Yan connected with her in spirit, so she avoided even thinking about these concerns, preventing Zhou Yan from possibly sensing them.

Though she would give up everything for Zhou Yan’s sake, as his wife, she would also bear some of the heavy pressures, lightening the load on Zhou Yan.

...

Jiang Yuning’s concerns were indeed not sensed by Zhou Yan.

But he understood that Ning’er saying so was largely meant to comfort him.

An Evil King capable of becoming his Master’s opponent, an Evil King who could escape even after his Master took action against him, an Evil King who had been gravely wounded by his Master but not long after had recovered all his injuries and advanced further, nearly becoming divine—how could such a person be simple?

Previously, preconceived notions, the terrifying power of the Purple Flame Lotus, and factors such as his own punch killing a Saint had led to a judgmental error, further induced by a hint of pride.

Now that he’d come to his senses, Zhou Yan thought through these things clearly.

The more he pondered, the more motivation surged within Zhou Yan’s heart.