The Purgatory Calamity
Chapter 472 - 448: The Forest of Gods from Beyond_1

Chapter 472: Chapter 448: The Forest of Gods from Beyond_1

The night deepened over the Fourth Realm, in the north.

The Dark Giant Python, transformed into human shape, roamed aimlessly through the void, dressed in black.

His appearance and his mannerisms, were strikingly similar to Pang Jian, with an eighty percent resemblance.

Many flying ships, carrying the Ghost Clan, Wood Tribe, and Yao Clan, mistook him for a Human Race member as they drew near, only to suddenly sense an overwhelming effusion of blood energy.

It was permeated with darkness, brutality, and a frenetic essence, the quintessence of the Filth Alien Power from some region of the Fifth Realm.

Approaching Alien Tribes immediately recognized that this black-clad youth was none other than a level eight Great Demon, transformed into a human form.

Moreover, a Great Demon from the Fifth Realm.

Thus, the ships veered away on their own, avoiding further conversation.

There were also Ferocious Beasts and Spirit Beasts from various worlds, flooding into the Fragment Land of Northern Qi like pilgrims, who happened upon him on their way.

Ferocious Beasts and Spirit Beasts whose Spiritual Intelligence had not fully erupted, kept their distance even more so.

"Where should I go? Should I find her, or him?"

Recalling some things, yet not all, the bewildered Dark Giant Python looked up to the sky and then towards the Heaven Clan’s stronghold in the Fourth Realm.

He knew not where to go.

Now a level eight and with fully awakened Spiritual Intelligence, he realized his noble bloodline and knew, as a member of the Demon Race, he had ancient animosity towards the Alien Tribes of the Fifth Realm.

But now, the hidden Demon Race in Northern Qi, had reached an agreement with the Alien Tribes of the Fifth Realm.

Yet, having awakened, he found it difficult to deal with Yu Xin of the Heaven Clan as before; he would no longer see himself as a mere dependent mount.

If he sought her out and found Yu Xin in the Heaven Clan’s territory, how should he associate with her?

Without an answer, he hesitated.

He also remembered emerging from the small world within Pang Jian’s copper medal, and another fragment of memory by the Black Water Pool where he had fought alongside Pang Jian in a peculiar experience.

He realized that Pang Jian held secrets, yet Pang Jian was of Human Race origins.

The Ancient Demon Clan in hiding within Northern Qi clearly wished to have no further entanglements with the Human Race this time, and the arrival of the Old Dragon in the Dragon Cave signified that the whole Demon Race would part ways with the Human Race.

Being one of the Demon Race, he had to scrutinize the bigger picture and refrain from getting too close to Pang Jian while circumstances were in disarray.

Besides, he had many doubts, such as why two Demon Souls could merge smoothly and why he could recall memories of another life?

Who was he?

Troubled and without answers, the Dark Giant Python ultimately howled, transforming into a fierce-looking dark dragon and set off towards the Demon Spirit Continent of the Fourth Realm.

In the Upper Realm, Pang Jian’s repeated inquiries, he chose to ignore for the time being.

He cut off perception with Pang Jian of his own accord.

...

Cloud Wilderness.

Zhou Qingchen and Dong Tianze occupied the two other wooden huts left behind by Individual Cultivators.

With their Sect destroyed, their loved ones perished, the two were also somewhat disheartened, equally in need of time to adjust their emotions.

Pang Jian sat in front of his own hut, and repeatedly attempted to establish a connection, but the Dark Giant Python gave no response.

"Killed by the Old Thunder Dragon, did he remember who he was?"

With such questions in mind, Pang Jian consulted the Mysterious Turtle from afar in the Saint Spirit Continent, discussing the situation of the Dark Giant Python.

"In the history of the Demon Race, indeed many level ten Demon Gods were born, yet they did not last through the ages. My memory is not whole either, with many gaps," the Mysterious Turtle said, "I only know that before the seven Heavenly Tribulation Pillars were erected, there were more Demon Gods, and once those pillars were in place, the emergence of Demon Gods dwindled to a mere handful."

"Me, Heaven Phoenix, and the Old Thunder Dragon – before and after us – other Demon Gods have successfully forged their being."

"He and the Ice Armor Eel Dragon you spoke of, are very likely like me, also beings reborn from death. I vaguely remember that in our Demon Race history, there indeed existed these two level ten Demon Gods."

"..."

The Old Black Turtle spoke ambiguously, then suddenly added, "The matter of the Old Thunder Dragon’s visit to Northern Qi, you better discuss it with the Human True Gods. Until a second Demon God emerges, the Thunder Dragon can represent the Demon Race of the Saint Spirit Continent, and any decision He makes will be honored by the Great Demons and Demon Kings."

"The Demon Race, even just by standing aside from the war between the Human Race and Alien Tribes of the Fifth Realm, is a significant loss to the Human Race."

"If they take the opposing side, then I hope the Human True Gods possess sufficient strength to bear the consequences."

The Mysterious Turtle’s tone reflected weariness and hesitance.

Pang Jian could sense that its stance was equally wavering.

Because of the Human Race’s repeated breaches of faith and the restrictions imposed by the Heavenly Tribulation Pillars on the Demon Race, the Mysterious Turtle might not be as easily convinced by the Realm God as before.

As the guardian of the "Purgatory Gate" and the current Realm God, the closer he got to the truth of the past, the more somber and complex he felt.

On the Saint Spirit Continent, he had seen how the Great Demons and Demon Kings acted towards other creatures without restraint.

If all lands under Demon Race control became blood-drenched territory where Demon lives were valued over all else, then he privately thought that the True Gods’ broken promises might not have been wrong.

Unrestrained Demon bloodlines meant level par Great Demons would far surpass the Human Race and Alien Tribes in combat prowess, ensuring the inevitable rise of the Demon Race.

By that time, if the quantity of Demon Gods even reached half that of the Human True Gods, the Demon Race might well dominate the Human Race and also suppress the Alien Tribes of the Fifth Realm.

Generation after generation, the Realm Gods indeed owed a debt to the Demon Race, as well as to the Mysterious Turtle, yet they also truly forged a millennia-strong epoch for the Human Race.

Right and wrong, he now found it difficult to discern.

Suddenly, he recalled a saying from his master, Pu Zhaotian, "As long as one can break out of Purgatory and seize a new realm from the gods in the broader Outer Domain Galaxy, many problems can be resolved."

The conflict between the Human Race and the Demon Race seems resolvable if they could join forces to escape Purgatory World.

Outside, the Star River is vast and boundless, with countless spherical worlds enough for the Human Race and the Demon Race to dominate and develop.

As long as they can break through Heaven Forbidden, tearing apart the dome that covers the prison of Purgatory, they would be able to welcome a new life!

"Perhaps, this is the way to solve it,"

Pang Jian clasped the Sword Command and began to communicate with another sword light symbol representing Hu.

...

At Sharpen Blade Peak, in the great hall where discussions were held.

After seeking permission, Hu, who was in closed-door cultivation, flashed into the hall, respectfully saluted Jiang Ran and the three Elders—Guanghe, Yao Junhong—and said, "Junior Brother has sent a message, saying that the Old Thunder Dragon has gone to the Fragment Land of Northern Qi."

The three Great Elders were tremendously shaken.

While everyone was guessing where the Old Dragon had gone after leaving the Saint Spirit Continent, Pang Jian provided the answer.

"Is this message reliable?" Yao Junhong’s voice trembled slightly.

Hu nodded gently.

Yao Junhong suddenly stood up and said, "I will immediately find Xu Yu and have her inform Li Wang at once!"

"Where is Pang Jian?" asked Jiang Ran, his face solemn as he sharply inquired, "And how did he come by this news?"

"Long Zhan died in the Mysterious Fog, and he did lend a hand in that. Some things from that ninth-level Five-clawed Golden Dragon were taken by him, and he said it was through those things that he sensed the movements of the Old Thunder Dragon," Hu explained, then added: "He said he is in hiding at the edge of the Mysterious Fog and told us not to worry."

As Jiang Ran looked on in shock, Hu added, "Also, Junior Brother has advanced to the Extinction Realm."

Guanghe, who had been silent until then, clenched his fists tightly before slowly relaxing them, his expression calm as he commented, "The Tower Master has a remarkably accurate vision."

Jiang Ran abruptly got up, then sat back down and nodded slightly.

...

A mysteriously alien place, filled with endless darkness.

Void, desolate, dark, existing here forever.

No sky above, no land below.

In the void, a sword shimmering with black crystal brilliance pierced through claw after claw of glistening golden dragon claws, slowly extracting the pure golden power within them.

This sword too was changing day by day.

In the absolute darkness, the sword knew that Pang Jian would eventually come and that it needed time to extract the force from within the dragon claws; therefore, it remained hopeful.

It had become much calmer than before.

After an indeterminable amount of time, dragon horns and claws, and all the sharp golden power that belonged to the Five-clawed Golden Dragon, had been extracted by the sword.

That very day, the dark sky abruptly changed.

Seemingly overnight, the stars shone bright and a pure, round moon emerged in a flash.

It was at this moment that the Origin Demon within the sword knew Pang Jian had arrived.

Only when Pang Jian entered with a certain object would the endless darkness of the Universe Box be suddenly filled with light, and a splendid Star River would hang high in the sky.

"Good, it’s been completely drained,"

The Origin Demon saw a hand reach over and take hold of the transformed black-gold divine sword, sensing Pang Jian’s presence.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Two images, made up of Divine Sense and Demon Thought, surged out of the Universe Box and positioned themselves above the dense Misty Sea shrouded in the Mysterious Fog.

Each star appeared so large, and atop the cool moon, numerous grand ancient palaces stood tall.

"There are several God Spirits residing on the stars in their true form, I can feel it. There are those worshipped by the Ghost Clan, those by the Wood Tribe, and also... the Goddess of Cold Crystal,"

The thoughts of the Origin Demon turned into a constantly changing cloud of black and gray.

Within the cloud, six great hidden realms alternated in appearance; its Demon Soul lurked within but sensed the overflowing divine presence from the nearby stars.

"It seems that the Gods of the Outer Star River are indeed very concerned about our movements in Purgatory,"

Pang Jian snorted coldly.

Knowing he could not stay long, fearing the Alien Gods from the Outer Realm might detect his presence, he made a brief pause before he and the Origin Demon Soul plummeted down swiftly.

"Hemo Tian is also there! The Great Demon God Hemo Tian has also reached the Star Space outside of Purgatory!" The returning Origin Demon only then sensed that terrifying presence, urgently saying, "Be careful of that one with the Purple Demonic Eye, when Purgatory opens, Hemo Tian could sense His own divine image."

"The kid might get his soul corrupted by Hemo Tian and become a puppet of His,"

"The best solution would be to kill him as soon as possible and let me devour that divine image from Hemo Tian,"

The Origin Demon howled within the sword.

Pang Jian who had left the box, looking at the sky above, had a bitter smile on his lips.

The answer given to him by Pu Zhaotian was to join forces with the Demon Race to shatter Heaven Forbidden and seize the spherical worlds in the Outer Domain Galaxy, which were dominated by various Gods.

Yet, in the Outer Star River, the Gods were already in wait, evidently prepared long ago.

...