Redemption of a Born Demon

Chapter 354 - 259: The Greatest Threat: Mountains Beyond Mountains

The text accompanying the video explained what had happened.

"Devi Punk, a Saint Realm expert from the Starry Sky Country, was attacked by four members of a Secret Organization upon his arrival in France. He successfully killed all assailants!"

The video immediately sparked intense discussion along the Mediterranean coast and throughout the Europe Region.

"Devi Punk? Is that the guy from the Starry Sky Country who survived naked in space and flew around like Superman a while back?! He’s in the Mediterranean Region now too?"

"Oh my God, four whole members of a Secret Organization were killed! You have to understand, it only takes two of those guys to hunt down a Saint Realm expert. They sent four this time and still got wiped out. Does that mean Devi’s power is more than double that of a typical Saint Realm expert?"

"The Starry Sky Country really is the most powerful nation in the world. Their individual strength is miles ahead in this era—even the Secret Organizations are no match for them!"

"..."

Under a deliberate media offensive launched by the Starry Sky Country, Devi’s power was once again broadcast to the many people following the Mediterranean situation. The might of the Starry Sky Country was frequently mentioned as a result, earning it a massive boost in prestige and widespread acclaim.

The chaotic situation in the Mediterranean Sea will be ended by an expert from the Starry Sky Country! What Europe is powerless to do, the Starry Sky Country will resolve!

Whether it’s terrorist groups or Secret Organizations, all will submit before them!

Meanwhile, the East versus West debate was in full swing once more. As the foremost representative of Eastern experts in the eyes of Westerners, Yi Beidou’s name was repeatedly brought up and compared with Devi’s.

Some said that Yi Beidou could take on an entire nation by himself, so his strength must be greater than Devi’s, meaning the East’s individual power had surpassed the West’s. Others claimed that Yi Beidou hadn’t shown up in the Mediterranean Region yet because he was afraid...

But long before the general public learned of this, the major Secret Organizations and the Divine Sealer organization had already received the news.

「In the Lotus True Realm.」

’A Spirit Treasure? Not even four incarnations could take him down. It seems that to deal with this person, an Ancient One will have to appear in their true form.’

Lotus muttered to himself after receiving the news, clearly surprised that another expert of this caliber, aside from Yi Beidou, existed in the present world.

’The rate of progress for this new generation of Saint Realm experts seems to have far exceeded my estimations.’

’However, with the way things are now, everyone is preparing to fight over the Spiritual Talisman. No one can afford the cost of appearing in their true form. In any case, he’s at least earned the right to be involved in this affair. I’ll just eliminate him when the real struggle begins.’

Lotus murmured, not taking the matter too seriously.

In reality, his plans—whether uniting various factions, targeting the Mortal World, or even dealing with Yi Beidou—were all just side projects he undertook while taking advantage of the current situation.

They were merely to reduce unnecessary trouble. His true focus remained on the contest for the Spiritual Talisman and the unknown ruins.

As for Devi and Yi Beidou, while they could stir up a storm and cause a huge commotion, he had never considered them to be his real rivals.

They weren’t worthy of it yet.

’I wonder how many of those sleeping fellows will awaken from their self-imposed seals this time?’

Lotus mused to himself.

Those people were the truly terrifying existences, the true hidden trump cards of the various organizations.

「Elsewhere.」

In a conference room inside a skyscraper somewhere in Gibraltar.

Five figures were seated inside the vast conference room.

A short while ago, intelligence regarding Devi’s battle at the port had reached everyone present. The information they received was even more detailed than what the various nations had obtained.

This was because an unknown man and woman belonging to their organization had been near the battlefield, witnessing the entire fight and thus providing a more detailed report.

"All four of the Ancient One’s incarnations were destroyed? Secret Celestial Sand Xutuo, the Illuminati’s Black Earl, the Judicial Court’s Blood Angel, and the Pioneer Group’s Nether Song... none of them are simple characters."

An elderly Caucasian man with white hair, dressed as an impeccably stylish gentleman, remarked with a sigh.

"Indeed. He’s touched the threshold of Qi Prohibition and gained the Power of Manipulating Objects. Even though he relied on a Spirit Treasure to achieve it, it’s still quite extraordinary. After all, he’s just a person from the Mortal World, and he’s not even thirty-five this year."

Another man, a burly figure with some features characteristic of the Pusaka Country’s people, nodded in agreement.

"It seems we misjudged you. The power of those from the Mortal World might indeed be of great use to us."

This time, it was an elegant and beautiful woman who spoke, her gaze turning toward the young Asian man present.

"Times are always changing. People from the Mortal World are not necessarily inferior to us. Hundreds or thousands of years ago, who could have imagined that the frail people of the Mortal World would be able to create superweapons capable of annihilating a city in an instant? Or that they could launch machines into outer space?"

"Devi is just one example. Our people have already contacted Yi Beidou, and his combat prowess is not to be underestimated either."

The young man said with a smile.

"But I still feel it’s inappropriate to let people from the Mortal World get too involved in our affairs. I fear it holds great hidden dangers and violates our rule of never interfering in the Mortal World."

"There are some secrets that people of the Mortal World should not know. You must understand, human desire has no bounds. Unlike us, who are bound by oaths, how can they possibly resist the temptation of the ’Earth Immortal’?"

The last old man spoke. He was hunched and gaunt, looking as if he were at death’s door. His entire head was wrapped in white gauze, giving him a very strange appearance.

His voice didn’t come from his mouth, but echoed from all corners of the room.

"But the changes in this era force us to acknowledge the role of the Mortal World. After all, even those hidden existences have broken their own rules and begun to engage with it. Because of this, they have grown stronger over the years, while we have fallen behind by sticking to our old ways. It’s time for a change."

"Just as we are seeing now, people of the Mortal World are growing stronger and stronger, displaying a potential that neither we nor our ancestral records have ever seen before."

The young man said in a low voice.

"I don’t disagree on that point. I’m merely reminding everyone not to let your guard down. Cooperating with the Mortal World is like asking a tiger for its skin. Don’t truly believe you can rely on them."

"Besides, there’s a limit to how strong people from the Mortal World can become. Even for the likes of Devi and Yi Beidou, reaching the level of the Immortal Forbidden Area is their absolute peak. Without partaking of the ’Secret of the Earth Immortal,’ it will be difficult for them to advance further. When it comes to hidden foundations, they can’t compare to those truly secret existences."

"You and I both know very well who the most terrifying enemies are. It’s not these Reincarnators or Ancient Ones who are still active in the world. It’s the Sleepers—those who are buried in the earth, hidden in coffins, residing in truly secret places, who have achieved ’Pseudo-Longevity’."

"When facing beings like that, no one can be relied upon except for the inheritors of a ’Celestial Monarch Level’ Fruit Position. Sleepers have already awakened to participate in the battle for the Antarctic Array Map, and it will surely be the same for these ruins."

The hunched old man spoke again, his tone faint.

Everyone fell silent for a moment.

As leaders of the Divine Sealer organization, a single Ancient One was no longer much of a threat to them. What they truly feared were those slumbering existences.

"No matter what, we must prevent these ruins from being opened. Even if we can’t stop it, we must erase the secret information hidden within, no matter what difficulties we face."

"The value and meaning of our existence, the responsibility passed down through generations of Fruit Position inheritors, is to erase all secrets in this world related to the ’essence of Earth Immortal Undying’—even if it means our utter destruction, even if our bodies are ground to dust. This is the inviolable oath we all took before we inherited our Fruit Positions."

The white-haired old man in the formal suit spoke calmly.