Lin Yu shook his head and chuckled, saying calmly, "The Demon-Sealing Pagoda? It refines邪魔 (demonic fiends) too slowly. Let me do it instead."
As his words fell, the God-Eating Cauldron emerged from Lin Yu's sea of consciousness as a golden light, hovering before him.
Black Dragon True Person clutched his chest, looking at the golden cauldron with fear in his eyes. He stammered, "W... What is this?"
"It's called the God-Eating Cauldron, capable of devouring and refining all things. I wonder how long a devil head blessed by the Demon God can endure within it?"
Lin Yu grinned and whispered, "Lord Cauldron, do it."
"About time! Why waste so many words with him?"
Lord Cauldron snorted impatiently. Ripples of starlight surged from the God-Eating Cauldron, spreading toward the severely wounded and immobile Black Dragon True Person. The starlight ripples wrapped around him like chains, dragging him into the cauldron under his绝望 (desperate) gaze.
"Kid, let's go! The commotion here has alerted the imperial guards. We can't stay. I'll refine him after we return."
After capturing Black Dragon True Person, Lord Cauldron returned to Lin Yu's sea of consciousness as a golden light, in a good mood.
Hearing the movements of imperial guards and dark guards outside the wall, Lin Yu nodded, then transformed into a wisp of smoke, silently sweeping toward the imperial mausoleum.
...
Outside the Demon-Sealing Pagoda's wall, hundreds of imperial guards and dark guards drew their weapons, exchanging nervous glances as they looked at the wall separating them from the pagoda. They had never encountered an accident while guarding the pagoda, but tonight, demonic energy howled from within, and the wails and curses of fiends faintly reached their ears even across a thousand zhang.
Before they could report this anomaly, everyone heard a malicious dragon's roar near the pagoda. The roar carried an extremely evil aura, driving several newly transferred imperial guards mad—they drew their swords and attacked anyone in sight. Fortunately, the others were prepared and subdued the frenzied guards without serious injury.
Before they could catch their breath, shrill cries and intense rumbling came from near the pagoda, as if two powerhouses were fighting behind the wall. The aftershocks of their battle caused the ground to tremble slightly even across a thousand zhang, cracking the wall before them. It was evident how fierce the battle near the pagoda was.
Then dead silence fell. No one knew what had happened in the Demon-Sealing Pagoda, but no one dared cross the wall to investigate. Everyone knew the pagoda held邪魔 (demonic fiends) who had scourged the world and caused countless bloodshed hundreds of years ago. If any fiend escaped, ordinary martial artists like them couldn't cope—charging in would only mean death.
Thus, they could only wait for Innate realm warriors or true Purple Mansion realm experts from the imperial city. All the guards and dark guards could do was pray that the city's强者 (experts) would arrive before the escaped fiends slaughtered them.
"What's happening?"
Moments later, a loud voice sounded outside the Demon-Sealing Pagoda. Then, breaking wind sounds arrived, and over a dozen Innate realm warriors of the Great Han Royal Family landed from the sky, Crowding around/about a purple-robed elder at their center.
The imperial guard captain on duty that night hurriedly stepped forward, trembling as he reported the pagoda's anomalies.
"A demonic fiend escaped the pagoda? Let's go in and check."
The purple-robed elder exuded authority. After hearing the captain's report, he flashed over the wall toward the Demon-Sealing Pagoda. The rest followed, finding the area near the pagoda in chaos.
"These gullies on the ground still reek of demonic energy—definitely the work of demon sect members."
"There's blood here—someone was injured in the battle."
"The array inscribed on the Demon-Sealing Pagoda is operating normally; the seal hasn't loosened."
...
The Innate realm warriors surveyed the area and compiled their findings.
"Senior Wu, what do you make of this?"
Attendant Xu looked at the purple-robed elder with great respect.
The purple-robed elder, Wu Jingtao, was one of the Great Han Royal Family's few Purple Mansion realm attendants, possessing the Second Rank of the Purple Mansion and formidable strength.
"Since the pagoda's seal isn't broken, it's not a major issue. It should be demon sect warriors attempting to destroy the pagoda and rescue the fiends inside, only to be defeated by a superior expert. The demon sect warriors fled, and the mysterious expert likely pursued them."
Wu Jingtao nodded. Learning the seal was intact, he breathed a sigh of relief. The Great Han Dynasty couldn't afford to repair the pagoda's array now. If fiends escaped, it would bring disaster to all living things.
"Senior Wu, look here..."
Someone pointed to a bottomless sword scar on the ground and exclaimed.
"Sword intent—this is a scar left by the Wind Sword Intent!"
Wu Jingtao was shocked as he sensed the aura in the scar.
"Wind Sword Intent... I see, I see!"
Attendant Xu seemed to understand, then exclaimed, "It's Prince Su! Prince Su must have discovered the demon sect's plot to destroy the pagoda and acted to slay the fiends!"
"I remember—Prince Su is said to excel in the Wind Sword Intent!"
"It all adds up! With Prince Su protecting the imperial city, it's as solid as gold!"
"Prince Su is a Myriad Transformations Realm expert. With him here, no one can cause trouble in the city!"
...
The other Innate realm warriors also exclaimed. Since his return, Prince Su had pacified the beast tide, slain the Southern Wasteland envoy group, and now foiled the demon sect's plot. Although he remained elusive, knowing he guarded the imperial city put their minds at ease.
"Let's go report Prince Su's thwarting of the demon sect's plot to the Emperor."
Wu Jingtao nodded, ready to turn away.
"Senior Wu, should we strengthen defenses here at the Demon-Sealing Pagoda?"
Attendant Xu hurriedly asked.
Wu Jingtao smiled and shook his head: "No need. Ordinary warriors would only become blood food for fiends. Sending more people would just strengthen the fiends. With Prince Su guarding in secret, the Demon-Sealing Pagoda is perfectly safe—no need for us to worry."
Everyone nodded in agreement, convinced of Prince Su's strength.
...
In the imperial mausoleum, Lin Yu sat cross-legged in a stone chamber, the God-Eating Cauldron hovering before him and trembling slightly.
"Presumptuous! Release me if you dare, and we'll fight again!"
"Kid, the Demon God's blessing also comes with a curse. If you kill me, the Demon God will sense it and never spare you!"
"Please spare me! I, Black Dragon True Person, am willing to be your servant, obeying your every command—just spare my life!"
...
Cries from Black Dragon True Person echoed from the God-Eating Cauldron. As Lord Cauldron slowly refined him, his shouts went from defiance and threats to pitiful pleas, until he was completely refined and fell silent.