Chapter 52

A thought surfaced in Xuan Ye’s mind, causing him to uncontrollably erupt in anger.

In theory, Jiang Si had consumed much more spiritual energy than him. Even if he didn’t die, it was impossible for him to wake up before Xuan Ye.

Since waking up, Xuan Ye has been desperately searching for Jiang Si’s body. Finally, he found his gleaming white skeleton in a corner. Therefore, he naturally assumed that Jiang Si had perished in the bitter battle a hundred years ago.

But if Jiang Si had foreseen everything, including the elders’ betrayal, Jialan’s fall, and everyone falling into a deep sleep after the impact—

Could he have made preparations in advance? Entrusting others to hide him in a safe place until the right time to wake up?

Xuan Ye wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth, and his spine involuntarily began to tremble. “Could it be that you—”

Jiang Si had no patience to let him finish speaking. He coldly curled his lips and said, “You finally understand.”

Not everyone would forsake righteousness and their true nature for wealth and prosperity.

Back then, after Meng Qing pretended to agree with Xuan Ye, he informed Jiang Si of the plan. After some contemplation, he suggested, “Young City Lord, the incoming threat is formidable, and we may struggle to deal with it. Can we seek help from the sects and prominent families? They might lend us a hand.”

Jiang Si shook his head. “Xuan Ye is decisive. Since he has already persuaded all the elders, he will immediately attack the city. Seeking help from outsiders won’t be timely.”

After a pause, he added, “Let’s turn the tables with a strategy. Although we may not overcome him, we can break the net like a desperate fish.”

Meng Qing exclaimed, “Young City Lord…!”

“When the time comes, I won’t gather spiritual energy in the formation. Instead, I will relentlessly attack Xuan Ye. He acts recklessly, and once he is determined that I am concentrating on the formation, he won’t put extra defenses on himself. By taking advantage of his unpreparedness, we can catch him off guard.”

The young man sat at the desk, gently closing the ancient book in his hands. “As for Jialan City, I will exhaust all remaining spiritual energy to create a massive barrier within the city to withstand the incoming flood. Under the clash of spiritual energies between me and Xuan Ye, the consciousness of the people in the city will inevitably be impacted, leading them to lose consciousness and fall into a long-term coma. This will be the opportunity for our second plan.”

Meng Qing appeared contemplative as he listened to Jiang Si continue, “I have very little spiritual energy left, and the duration of my coma will likely be much longer than Xuan Ye’s. To ensure he doesn’t eliminate me immediately upon waking up, Uncle Meng, I need your assistance.”

“When subjected to the impact of the spiritual energy of the ascension stage, the period of unconsciousness can range from several decades to over a hundred years. However, if one takes a mind-stabilizing pill in advance, it can significantly delay the impact.”

Jiang Si took out a jade token and handed it to Meng Qing, saying, “This is the City Lord’s token. Uncle Meng, as my spiritual energy is impaired, the mind-stabilizing pill is of no use to me. Before the major battle, take it yourself, and after waking up, hide me in the secret chamber beneath the City Lord’s mansion. Then, find a set of skeletal remains matching my size… place the City Lord’s token on it.”

He sighed after finishing. “It’s just that you’ll be inconvenienced, having to play the role of a despised traitor for a while.”

This was Jiang Si’s plan.

Using cunning tactics, he turned Xuan Ye’s divisive plan against him and trapped him in a cage created by the flood. Then, employing a skillful escape strategy, feigning death to regain freedom, and waiting for the right moment to act and find a way to eliminate him,.

“You, all of you!”

Xuan Ye’s complexion alternated between green and white. Eventually, he spat out a mouthful of blood and glared ferociously at Meng Qing, saying, “You actually deceived me! Deceiver!”

He felt a bit wronged. The white-haired elder politely nodded. “Demon Lord, who was the one who first taught us the art of deception? Wasn’t it you?”

As the Soul-Capturing Formation broke, Xuan Ye’s last sliver of hope was declared extinguished. Not to mention encountering his relentless arch-nemesis and discovering that he had been deceived for a full three hundred years.

It was a double blow to both his body and soul, successfully turning him into a fountain of music. He screamed while spewing out a cascade of black blood, “Wait, wait! Jiang Si, as long as you promise not to kill me, I’ll hand over the position of the Demon Lord to you!”

Ningning used a handkerchief to wipe the bloodstains off Pei Ji’s face, looking up at him with a smirk that seemed both genuine and sly. “Uncle, times have changed. Don’t you know that since the Great War between Immortals and Demons, the Demon Clan has been completely wiped out?”

Xuan Ye’s face turned from pale to green.

She continued, “If you go out now, there are only two outcomes. One is getting riddled with holes, and the other is being captured for an exhibition. The exhibition theme is ‘The Last Demon.'”

Xuan Ye’s complexion changed from green to a myriad of colors, ending in a dark black.

Jiang Si, with an indifferent expression, conjured a sword out of thin air and spoke in a tone that brooked no argument: “Apologize to the people of Jialan City.”

“Apologize?”

The demonic cultivator, drained of spiritual power, sneered, “Dream on!”

The moment the words fell, the blood red in Xuan Ye’s pupils suddenly intensified, turning into two vivid blood beads, swirling with the potential to burst.

Jiang Si furrowed his brows slightly and raised his voice. “Everyone, get down!”

Xuan Ye’s laughter echoed in their ears but was abruptly cut off by a deafening explosion.

The dense demonic energy resembled a bomb from the 21st century, unleashing waves of heat and force.