Inside the Thorn Wall command center, the grief and determination stirred by Tang Xiaoqi's revelation hadn't yet settled when a deeper chill quietly spread. True Lord Xuanxuan's words "Break the Shackles plan" seemed still echoing between the beams, yet the black flags representing demonic forces on the sand table trembled slightly as if pushed by some invisible force.
Almost simultaneously, the formation master responsible for monitoring front-line energy fluctuations turned pale, hurrying in with a trace of alarm: "Report! Within the core area of the demonic army camp, energy readings are spiking abnormally! There's a... an extremely subtle yet extremely high-level consciousness sweeping across the Thorn Wall defensive line!"
Everyone's hearts tightened. They all projected their divine sense toward the distance. Those with profound cultivation like True Lord Xuanxuan and several demon beast powerhouses had grim expressions. They clearly sensed that consciousness was ice-cold, vast, filled with ancient yet pure malice, completely different from ordinary demonic energy, carrying an indifferent gaze overlooking all living beings and controlling fate.
It was the demonic lord! Not the Demon Marshal Xu Zhan, but hiding behind him—the true mastermind, the main body's will of the Ultimate Dark Demon Source!
It seemed... it had been alerted? Was it because Xiao Qi had completely fused with the memories, triggering resonance with the lotus seed's source?
Just as everyone was uncertain, that vast consciousness didn't launch an attack. Instead, it receded like a tide, slowly withdrawing. But just as it was about to completely dissipate, a cold voice, carrying a trace of faint mockery, rang as if directly in everyone's consciousness—no matter their cultivation level, perfectly clear:
"Xu Zhan... actually put on quite the performance."
The voice was calm, yet it struck everyone present—especially Xiao Qi and others who knew the truth of Xu Zhan's sacrifice—colder than being thrown into an ice pit!
It knew! It had known all along!
"A body as prison? Dual seals? Heh heh... This One has traversed countless heavens, devoured countless realms. How could this One not see through your minor trick?"
That voice continued echoing, carrying the teasing of a cat playing with mice.
"You think you're a sacrifice? A prison? From This One's perspective, you're merely a... more suitable 'petri dish.'"
Petri dish! These words were like poisoned thorns, stabbing into Xiao Qi's heart.
"The World-Purifying Green Lotus's lotus seed, how noble it is? Forcibly devouring it would only trigger source rejection—half the effort for twice the result. Only by nurturing it with blood of the same origin, cultivating it with a pure heart, can its 'vitality' reach its extreme, blooming completely."
The demonic lord's consciousness seemed to be appreciating the suddenly changing faces in the allied command center. Its tone remained unhurried, yet revealed chilling calculation.
"You, Xu Zhan, carrying guardian bloodline, firm will, pure soul—you are the optimal vessel to receive This One's demonic seed, and using your dark power to inversely stimulate the lotus seed, maintaining its 'vitality' without decline."
Its words revealed the cruel truth. Xu Zhan's sacrifice hadn't merely failed to imprison the demonic lord; in some ways, it had provided the demonic lord with a method of "preprocessing" the lotus seed it hadn't anticipated! Using demonic energy to stimulate the lotus seed, keeping it active through resistance—like tempering steel!
"As for you, little one..." The demonic lord's consciousness turned to Xiao Qi, carrying undisguised greed and anticipation. "You are the key. Your father is the soil that preserves and 'awakens' the lotus seed, while you are the sunlight and rain that allows the lotus seed to completely 'mature.'"
"This One has let you grow, watched you struggle, watched you gain fortunate encounters, watched you comprehend the true meaning of purification... watched you nurture the lotus seed vitality within that 'Child Jade' more and more robustly. Every time you used purification power, every realm advancement—these all injected vitality into the lotus seed, cultivated the most perfect food for This One!"
Breeding a parasite!
Completely and utterly breeding a parasite!
The demonic lord had long seen through Xu Zhan's plan. It didn't care at all about the so-called "seal." It even welcomed it! It turned the tables, making Xu Zhan into an advanced "petri dish," used to preserve and initially activate the lotus seed. Simultaneously, it let Xiao Qi—the "gardener"—grow freely, meticulously cultivating the lotus seed's final, most important "vitality" portion.
It was waiting, waiting for Xiao Qi to nurture the lotus seed to its most perfect state, waiting for the lotus seed vitality within Xiao Qi and the lotus seed's main body within Xu Zhan to generate the most intense resonance. Then, it only needed to devour father and son together, to fuse perfectly and flawlessly with this complete, peak-vitality World-Purifying Green Lotus seed!
All of Xu Zhan's sacrifice, all of Xiao Qi's efforts, within the demonic lord's long lifespan and grand calculations, had become pieces contributing to its benefit!
"Angry? Unwilling?" The demonic lord's voice carried a trace of pleasure. "This is the difference between ants and gods. Your struggles, your joys and sorrows, within This One's chess game, merely add interesting seasoning."
"Continue growing, little one. The stronger you become, the more mature the lotus seed, the happier This One becomes."
"Treasure your... limited 'sunlight' while it lasts."
The voice faded away. That terrifying consciousness pressing on the defensive line also completely vanished, as if it had never appeared.
But within the command center, it fell into dead silence and chill.
Everyone felt a bone-deep coldness rise from their feet to the crown of their heads. The hope they had just ignited, the "Break the Shackles" plan they had formulated—before the demonic lord's casual yet all-knowing revelation—seemed so laughable, so weak and powerless.
They thought they were saving a hero, reversing the battle situation. They hadn't realized everything was within the demonic lord's calculations. All their actions might be accelerating the arrival of ultimate destruction!
Liu Yun's face was ashen. She unconsciously looked toward Xiao Qi. Mu Qingfeng's tightly clenched fists had whitened knuckles. True Lord Xuanxuan closed his eyes and sighed deeply, as if having aged many years in an instant.
Tang Xiaoqi stood in place, his body trembling slightly. Not from fear, but from extreme rage and the humiliation of being completely fooled.
Father's hundred years of torment, his sacrificing—in the demonic lord's eyes, merely a "petri dish"? His hard work growing stronger, actually cultivating "food" for the enemy?
Such calculation, how vicious! How arrogant!
However, beneath this overwhelming rage and humiliation, Xiao Qi's gaze didn't scatter. After initial shock, it actually became deeper, colder.
He slowly raised his head. His gaze seemed to penetrate the command room's walls, staring directly at that demonic energy churning distance, speaking word by word, as if chiseled from eternal ice:
"Petri dish? Food?"
"Demonic lord... you're pleased too early."
"You calculated everything. But have you calculated... the human heart?"
"Did you know, even food driven to desperation... can turn to bite its master!"
Within Xiao Qi's body, the World-Purifying Green Lotus seed seemed to sense its master's unyielding will and towering rage. It trembled slightly, emitting an unprecedented purification aura carrying sharp edges.
The demonic lord thought it had everything under control.
But it perhaps forgot—however exquisite the calculations, they cannot fully predict a heart burning in desperation... the heart of protection.