Chapter 1462: This Plot Feels Off

Zu An originally wanted to intervene, but the battle tremors at the Earth Immortal level made it difficult for others to approach. Coupled with the need to guard against the terrifying suction from the central stone coffin, they were naturally a step slow and could only watch as the skull devoured the ghostly apparition.

Dan Zhu's scream abruptly ceased. The skull made a swallowing motion.

Despite being a skull, it seemed to display an expression of enjoyment.

At this moment, the golden light-whips that had been rushing forward suddenly stopped, flying around the central stone coffin as if they had lost their target.

Then, the central stone coffin once again erupted with terrifying suction, seemingly swallowing the surrounding essence of heaven and earth whole.

This time, the golden light-whips did not strike it again; instead, they retracted back into the walls.

Yan Xuehen's heart stirred, and she quickly analyzed: "From what that phantom just said, the power of these golden light-whips is clearly connected to his father, Emperor Yao. Since this skull devoured Dan Zhu's remnant soul, it now carries a trace of Dan Zhu's aura. The golden light-whips must have detected the aura of his bloodline descendant on it, which is why they stopped attacking."

Yun Jianyue and Yu Yanluo were filled with admiration. This woman was indeed skilled in such matters.

However, this would create problems going forward.

The Demon Emperor was now filled with regret. He wished he hadn't spared Dan Zhu's remnant soul; it had offered little help and instead caused so many complications.

Perhaps the aftershocks of the Demon Emperor's battle had damaged the runes on the walls, preventing the golden light-whips from fully retracting. Just then, the skull on the stone platform opened its mouth and inhaled again. The golden light-whips were sucked into its mouth like noodles.

The Demon Emperor and his son: "..."

Zu An and the three women: "..."

"Aren't you supposed to be sealing this entity? How could it just eat you without you even resisting?"

Although Yan Xuehen had explained earlier that the stone platform likely carried Dan Zhu's aura and was therefore treated as an ally by the light-whips, witnessing such a shocking scene was still hard to accept.

After completely sucking in all the golden light-whips, a cracking sound suddenly came from the central stone platform. Faint, intricate cracks appeared on its surface. The next second, with a loud bang, the stone platform shattered into pieces. A dense cloud of black mist emerged from within, and the crystal skull flew into it. Soon, with the skull as its center, the black mist vaguely formed a human figure, emanating an utterly terrifying aura that even made the Demon Emperor shiver.

The entire figure was shrouded in black mist, with only the crystal skull clearly visible. Its upper and lower jaws opened and closed, emitting a grating laugh like fingernails scraping across metal:

"Hahahaha, I laugh at Emperor Yao's lack of strategy, I laugh at Yu the Great's limited wisdom. They painstakingly arranged all of this, only for it to ultimately benefit me. Emperor Yao's power tastes truly delightful."

Zu An's heart sank. Those light-whips truly were Emperor Yao's power, presumably left behind to seal the stone coffin. He never imagined that Dan Zhu would appear here, and that these powers would ultimately become nourishment for the entity inside the coffin to revive.

Who was this entity in the stone coffin, and why did Emperor Yao and Yu the Great have to join forces to seal it?

There was also an emperor, Shun, between them. Where had Shun gone?

If he hadn't personally witnessed Shun's remnant soul dissipate into ashes, he might have even suspected this entity was Shun.

"Who exactly are you?" Zu An took a deep breath and asked directly.

Even if he were to die, he wanted to die knowing the truth.

The Golden Crow Prince beside him couldn't help but feel a flicker of admiration. He had never truly thought highly of Zu An, having always considered himself the foremost figure among demons, armed with various magical treasures, and undefeated among his peers for years, which had instilled in him an unshakeable confidence.

As for the times he lost to Zu An, it was always due to sneak attacks or trickery, not because his true strength was inferior.

But at this moment, he suddenly realized the true gap between himself and Zu An.

Facing the oppressive aura of an entity more powerful than his own father, he was already trembling, barely able to stand steadily, yet Zu An could converse with it with remarkable composure.

"My name... it seems I have been gone for too many years, to the point where the world has forgotten the formidable name of Gonggong!" The crystal skull snorted, clearly displeased that this "ant" before him had never heard of him.

"Gonggong?" Zu An exclaimed in shock. "The Gonggong who furiously struck Buzhou Mountain, causing the sky to collapse and the earth to flood, necessitating Goddess Nuwa to mend the heavens?"

The crystal skull's "expression" clearly stiffened, and the surging black mist surrounding it also paused.

Rage points from Gonggong +222, +222, +222...

Zu An was somewhat bewildered, thinking, "Aren't you called Gonggong? Why such a strange reaction?"

Just then, the white-robed young man smiled faintly. "You are referring to the first Gonggong. Our master is the last generation of Gonggong."

In battle, his moves were incredibly vicious and deadly, and his abilities involved highly poisonous water and fire. Yet, when in human form, he spoke with polite refinement, like a true gentleman from a cultured family.

Zu An couldn't help but admire his bearing, thinking, "This guy is really handsome, almost as handsome as me."

"And what might I call you, my friend?"

"My friend?" The young man's expression also stiffened slightly, clearly unaccustomed to such casual address, but he wasn't annoyed. Instead, he replied, "My name is Xiangliu. And what is your name, young brother?"

Zu An cupped his hands and replied with his name, but inwardly, he was inexplicably horrified. Xiangliu was the infamous fierce beast from ancient legends whose spittle was highly poisonous, capable of killing anyone upon contact, and whose blood, spilled in battle, could render a thousand-mile radius barren.

He never expected such a monstrously poisonous creature to appear as an elegant young gentleman.

However, the image of his snake body with nine human heads waving around in his mind made him feel rather uneasy.

Noticing Zu An's gaze drifting towards the massive crimson bear nearby, Xiangliu thoughtfully introduced, "His name is Fuyou."

At this, the crimson bear grumbled in a booming voice, "Why bother talking nonsense with such an ant!"

Zu An was a bit bewildered. This guy was huge and burly; how could he have such an ethereal and light-sounding name as Fuyou? It was like hearing a burly, bearded man introduce himself as Wang Yuyan.

Nevertheless, he quickly composed himself. Based on Xiangliu's introduction, he inferred that this Gonggong seemed to be the great adversary during Yu the Great's flood control efforts in history.

As the God of Water, Gonggong stirred up floods, and Yu the Great sought to control them, so conflict between them was inevitable.

From what he had observed along the way, Gonggong belonged to the line of Emperor Yan. He was likely unwilling to give up and wanted to contend for the throne, using the floods merely as a tool.

Unfortunately, he was ultimately defeated by Yu the Great.

Zu An couldn't help but ask, "Since you fought against Yu the Great, why did you just mention Emperor Yao?"

This was what puzzled him most. Emperor Shun was clearly the emperor before Yu the Great.

It couldn't be that Emperor Yao and Yu the Great conspired together to set up this seal to trap Gonggong.

Meanwhile, inside the grand hall, the Demon Emperor and others stared in astonishment. How could this young man converse so freely with this terrifying entity from the seal, and even seem so familiar with its identity and past experiences?

He himself had only gained a fragmented understanding of that era from Dan Zhu's explanations. What right did Zu An have to know more than him?

At this point, Gonggong also recovered his composure. "I don't mind telling you. In his later years, Emperor Yao was replaced by Shun and sealed here. However, as fortunes turn, Shun also repeated the same mistake in his later years, being replaced by a gradually strengthening Yu the Great. To suppress me, Yu the Great used Emperor Yao, whom Shun had sealed, drawing out his power to create this seal. Yet, he never dreamed that one day, some fool would bring Dan Zhu's soul here, allowing me to assimilate and absorb Emperor Yao's abilities! Hahahaha~"

The Demon Emperor's face turned ashen. He was the "fool" Gonggong spoke of. That scoundrel, not only killing but also aiming for the heart!

Zu An was filled with emotion, never imagining Emperor Yao's tragic end: first sealed by Shun in his later years, then repurposed by Yu the Great to create another seal, and finally ending up as nourishment inside Gonggong...

As he thought, his expression suddenly changed. Why was this fellow so patient as to speak so much with him?

At this moment, Yan Xuehen also realized something and urgently cried out, "Be careful, he's buying time to recover his strength!"

Zu An hurriedly transmitted a message with his primordial qi: "Demon Emperor, attack now!"

At the same time, he gave the three women a look, indicating that the Demon Emperor should lead the charge, hoping for a mutually destructive battle between him and these entities, so they could potentially reap the benefits.

The very next second, the Demon Emperor bowed his head to Gonggong and prostrated himself: "I am willing to pledge allegiance to you as my master and serve you like a loyal dog or horse!"

Zu An: "???"

Yu Yanluo: "???"

Yan Xuehen: "???"

Yun Jianyue: "???"

The Golden Crow Prince also stared in utter shock at his father, whom he had always considered invincible since childhood. In that instant, something seemed to collapse within him.

Zu An's first reaction was that it was an illusion, but upon regaining his senses, he felt like he was going mad.

"Boss, where's your integrity?"