Chapter 1379: Resentment

When the three women nearby heard the Demon Emperor's words, they all urged Zu'an to be careful. After all, the Demon Emperor's current perception was far more acute than theirs. If he said there were mysterious creatures to be wary of, then they certainly existed and posed a degree of danger.

Zu'an, meanwhile, was pondering the Demon Emperor's recent answer. If the Sun-Shooting Bow had always been in the hands of the Golden Crow clan, then it wasn't the Vermilion Bow and Plain Arrows from the legend of Hou Yi shooting the sun. However, it was hard to say for sure, since Hou Yi's Vermilion Bow and Plain Arrows were a gift from the Heavenly Emperor, who was also the father of the Golden Crows. From that perspective, it wasn't impossible that the Sun-Shooting Bow had always belonged to the Golden Crow clan.

Countless conjectures sprang up in his mind, and the more he thought, the more confused he became. He simply stopped speculating, deciding to take things one step at a time.

The group proceeded along what was called a mountain path, though it was merely an area where vegetation was relatively sparse. However, everyone in the group was a master, so clearing a path as they walked wasn't particularly strenuous. Along the way, they attempted to fly, but discovered that in this place, they couldn't ascend more than a few meters. According to the Demon Emperor, this was evidently due to the rules of the area or the suppression of some rare treasure. When the rare treasure was mentioned, the Demon Emperor's eyes grew noticeably fervent.

Zu'an, who was leading the way, suddenly stopped, gazing intently at a nearby mountain peak. This peak stood out from the surrounding mountains because it was completely bare, without a blade of grass, and its texture resembled a giant rock standing tall. What was even more striking were the three straight, thin fissures extending from the summit to the base, as if dividing the entire mountain into four sections. Even from a distance, one could feel an acute sharpness and an intense killing intent emanating from it.

"Someone carved this with sword energy," one of the masters in the group quickly concluded. Wu Liang clicked his tongue and said, "Looking at the state of these fissures, they were clearly formed at least ten thousand years ago. Yet, the sword intent and killing aura have persisted to this day. This mountain is barren probably because it's been affected by that killing intent." He frequently explored ancient tombs, making him exceptionally skilled at judging age.

At this point, the Demon Emperor stated gravely, "The weapon used was likely a divine artifact, and their cultivation level would not be inferior to mine." Hearing this, everyone's expressions changed. A cultivation level not inferior to the Demon Emperor's? What kind of being could that be?

Zu'an's heart stirred. In the legends he knew from his previous life, Emperor Yao sent Zhurong to execute Gun. Zhurong rested at the foot of a mountain and, while doing so, tested his sword to prepare for what was to come. Could this mountain be the very test-sword stone he used back then? In the past, he would never have made such a connection, but since arriving in this world, he had found too many previously thought mythical stories appearing as reality. This world seemed to have countless intricate connections to his previous world, Earth.

At that moment, a surprised voice echoed in his mind: "How can there be such sharp sword intent?" Zu'an was overjoyed: "Empress Sister, you're awake?" For some reason, hearing her voice always brought a unique sense of peace. Ah, no wonder so many people liked to live off others' wealth; this feeling was indeed good.

"Brat, call me Master! You've caused such a commotion here, how could I not wake up? Following you, I haven't had a peaceful day in ages." Mi Li's voice held a hint of resentment.

Zu'an's heart skipped a beat: "From what you're saying, you woke up just as the Demon Emperor appeared?"

"Nonsense, how could I not wake up with such a powerful oppressive aura?" Mi Li scoffed. "I originally intended to warn you to hide, but then I realized the Record Book of Divination warned you first. That charlatan's book Lu Sheng found back then actually turned out to be useful."

"Then why didn't you talk to me just now?" Zu'an secretly glanced at the Demon Emperor, careful not to show any sign of joy.

"Why would I talk to you when you have three confidantes by your side? Why would I intrude?" Mi Li said coldly.

Zu'an found it strange; why did her words sound so resentful? However, Mi Li quickly continued, "Besides, I was just researching that puppet curse on you."

Zu'an was delighted: "Master still cares about me."

"Don't get too excited," Mi Li poured cold water on his enthusiasm. "I can't undo this puppet curse either."

Zu'an was speechless.

"After all, it was cast by an Earth Immortal personally, and in my current state, I truly can't undo it," Mi Li's tone shifted. "However, by leveraging this unique world, I can temporarily shield it."

"You should have said so earlier; you almost scared me to death," Zu'an sighed in relief.

"Why are you so happy? It's only because the rules of this world are chaotic that I can seize the opportunity to help shield it. Once we return to the normal world, I won't be able to," Mi Li reminded him. "Furthermore, if I shield it, the Demon Emperor will definitely notice. So, it's best you get out of his control range before I help you shield it, otherwise, it would be a futile effort."

"This is already enough." Zu'an felt a weight lift from his heart. If they were outside, he wouldn't have been confident in escaping the Demon Emperor's grasp, but in this unknown land, there were infinite possibilities.

This legendary Sword-Testing Stone blocked their path. The mountain was originally too steep and difficult to traverse, but fortunately, the fissures that looked thin from afar were several people wide up close, perfectly allowing them to pass through. However, the closer they got to the Sword-Testing Stone, everyone felt a stinging sensation on their skin, as if sharp sword energy was being directed at them. The Demon Emperor snorted and, with a wave of his hand, enveloped the surroundings in a golden barrier, isolating the sword energy. Everyone's pressure immediately eased. Even though they were hostile towards each other, they genuinely admired the Demon Emperor's cultivation.

After passing the Sword-Testing Stone, everyone's expressions changed. The path before had been lush and abundant with flora, but everything before their eyes now seemed like a different world: utterly desolate, pervaded by death, with faint wisps of black energy drifting in the air.

"Could this also be caused by the sword energy and killing intent from the mountain?" Prince Golden Crow speculated.

The Demon Emperor shook his head slightly: "No, what's concentrated here isn't sword energy or killing intent, but a deep... resentment."

"Resentment?" Not only Prince Golden Crow but also the others were puzzled. Could resentment possess such power?

The Demon Emperor glanced at Zu'an: "You go ahead and scout the path." Zu'an was looking for an opportunity to escape his control, so he was more than happy to oblige. He gave the women a quick glance and stepped forward confidently.

"We'll go with you," the three women understood and started to follow, but the Demon Emperor stopped them. "You are not allowed to go." The three women had no choice but to watch him with concern.

Zu'an frowned; it seemed he would have to find another opportunity. He walked a hundred meters forward and then suddenly frowned, sensing something was wrong. Normally, with his physical strength, he was full of vitality and vigor at all times. Yet, after walking such a short distance, he was surprisingly out of breath, as if he had climbed many flights of stairs carrying a bucket of water in his previous life.

"Empress Master, what's going on?" Zu'an quietly asked in his mind.

"How would I know about your own body? Do you take me for an omniscient and omnipotent god?" Mi Li replied irritably.

Zu'an was speechless. For some reason, Empress Sister's temper was a bit short today. Could it be "those days of the month" for women? But she was in a soul state now; could she still have periods?

Unconsciously, Zu'an walked several more dozens of steps, and his body suddenly swayed. A feeling of weakness overwhelmed him, almost making him stumble to the ground. He also felt a sense of daze and confusion. He suddenly felt an itch on his hands and feet and instinctively scratched. To his horror, he discovered some black scales had appeared on his wrists. He quickly checked his feet and found the same thing there. He was horrified: "What in the world!"

At that moment, Mi Li's voice sounded: "It seems resentment has invaded your body. The surrounding resentment is very peculiar, capable of affecting the bodies and souls of cultivators within it. If I'm not mistaken, these scales will continue to grow." Sure enough, Zu'an noticed the scales on his wrists extending towards his elbows at a visible rate. Mi Li said gravely, "Once these scales grow to your head, you will completely lose your mind and become an outright monster."