The Gate of Hell Opens

The explosive roar of magic, accompanied by the Demon’s guttural cries, echoed through the empty cavern. The battle seemed to have devolved into a difficult stalemate. No one could tell how long this tense situation would endure. Su Han, who had been relentlessly launching sneak attacks, was already feeling utterly exhausted. Even with her formidable bloodline, she found it unbearable to maintain such prolonged tension.

“You despicable humans, you will pay the price!” With a roar that seemed to tear through the heavens, the lava flowing slowly around the black stone platform began to boil. The temperature within the cavern abruptly soared. The previously bright yellow lava visibly transformed into a dazzling silver-white, a stark manifestation of the extreme heat it had reached.

Silver-white flames swirled around the Demon’s colossal body. Having descended into a state of pure frenzy, it began to struggle with a terrifying madness.

Under its desperate, suicidal thrashing, eighteen thick black chains snapped one after another.

The Demon had broken free.

Then, with a soft ‘thud,’ the Demon, which had been swaggering with such might just moments before, instantly dissolved into a torrent of bloody rain. Aside from the crimson drops pouring down like a sudden downpour, nothing else remained.

A soft ‘ding-a-ling’ echoed as something small hit the ground. A purplish-red demon crystal lay peacefully in the glistening pool of blood.

Silence descended, absolute and profound. Su Han and Bai Que were too stunned to utter a single word. Even Luo Shang wore a look of utter bewilderment.

The Demon, which had just moments ago burst free from its shackles with overwhelming power, how could it have instantly transformed into a mere puddle of blood the very next second?

“Look, what is that?” Su Han, snapping back to reality, pointed a trembling finger at the Abyss Gate, which was slowly beginning to open. Through the widening crack, the faint silhouettes of a horde of Demons could be vaguely discerned.

“That’s the Gate of Hell!” Luo Shang exclaimed in alarm. “No! The Gate of Hell connects to the eighty-third layer of the Demon Abyss! The Demon sacrificed its own life to open the sealed Abyss Gate through a ritual!”

“So, once the Abyss Gate is open, the Demons hiding behind it will pour out instantly?!”

“It’s far from that simple; if it were just the Demons, that would be good enough!” Luo Shang continued, his voice grim. “Once the Abyss Gate is opened, all the demons from the eighty-third layer of the Abyss will descend upon the Underworld. This will usher in a cataclysmic disaster, one that will even spread to the Aelta Continent!”

An entire layer of demons from the eighty-third Abyss descending upon the Underworld would be an apocalyptic catastrophe for its inhabitants, leading to utter devastation. Demons are inherently bloodthirsty, and their arrival would be a torment to the Underworld itself.

Indeed, only ancient monsters like Ye Yuan would stand a chance of survival.

“Then what should we do?” Su Han asked, her voice tight with panic.

Luo Shang’s sword-like brows furrowed, his expression becoming grave. After a moment of solemn thought, he declared, “You go first; I’ll cover the rear!”

“What? You’re doing this again?” Bai Que started to speak, then hesitated, his words catching in his throat. “Don’t tell me you intend to seal the Abyss Gate all by yourself?”

Luo Shang offered a faint smile, but said nothing. As the Saint Son of the Church of Light, he carried the well-being of all beings in his heart, filled with profound compassion. Facing this world-ending crisis, it was only natural for him to step forward and protect the Underworld.

It wasn’t merely about protecting the Underworld itself. Luo Shang knew that once the Abyss demons entered, they would eventually use the Underworld as a conduit to open a passage to the Aelta Continent.

That would be the true catastrophe, one that would utterly devastate all life on the Aelta Continent. Therefore, to prevent the Abyss demons from seizing this devastating opportunity, Luo Shang had no choice but to remain and seal the Abyss Gate.

“No matter what, I’m not leaving this time!” Bai Que declared, insisting on fighting alongside Luo Shang.

The Gate of Hell had already opened by a quarter, and innumerable grotesque, terrifying Demon arms stretched out from the widening crack.

“There’s no time; you have to listen this time, whether you want to or not!” Luo Shang asserted, his voice firm. “If all of us stay here, we’ll only die in vain. If I’m left alone, I might still survive!”

“Why don’t we all leave together? Wouldn’t it be better if we just escaped?” Su Han asked, her brow furrowed.

Luo Shang paused, then turned to Su Han, a faint smile gracing his lips. “If I leave,” he said, “what will become of this place?”

“It’s just the Underworld, isn’t it?” Su Han retorted, frustration coloring her tone. “Let it fend for itself. Besides, there’s still the existence of the Scourge Knight, Ye Yuan!”

“You…” Luo Shang began, but before Su Han could react, he delivered a swift, precise hand chop to the back of Bai Que’s neck, rendering him unconscious.

“Why?” Su Han was utterly bewildered, her mind swimming with questions.

Why was Luo Shang so determined to seal this place? Even if he possessed some means of self-preservation, it shouldn’t have to come to such a desperate measure.

“Sigh!” Luo Shang shook his head, his gaze softening as he looked at Su Han. “Take him and go. The farther away you escape, the better!”

“But what about you?” Su Han pressed, her voice filled with concern.

“Roar!” By this point, the Gate of Hell had opened halfway, and Demons, pounding their chests and roaring, were on the verge of spilling out. Luo Shang bellowed, “Don’t mind me, hurry!”

“Alright then!” Su Han gritted her teeth, her resolve hardened. Then, taking Bai Que, she transformed into a streak of flowing light and vanished into the distance.

“Farewell, Dragon Princess. I hope fate allows us to meet again. I trust you can take good care of that fellow!” Having spoken, Luo Shang, staff in hand, stood alone to fend off the surging demonic tide.

Zhan Ling followed a familiar scent, which led him deeper. There, he saw a golden-haired young man, staff in hand, gracefully sketching runes. He was chanting spells and setting up a barrier, seemingly intent on sealing something away.

“This is the scent of Holy Spirit magic? Truly unsettling!” Zhan Ling muttered, flapping his black wings to disperse the faint golden mist. He then caught sight of the Demons within the Gate of Hell.

Recognizing the Demons, Zhan Ling gasped in surprise. “That’s… the Demon Abyss?!” As the inheritor of a Fallen Angel, Zhan Ling was considered a noble demon within the Abyss hierarchy.

The Fallen Angels, after all, were the rulers of the ninety-eighth layer of the Abyss, one of the strongest Abyss layers! Therefore, their inheritor held the esteemed status of nobility within the Abyss.

The restless Demons, sensing Zhan Ling’s overflowing dark aura, immediately quieted down. They respectfully bowed towards Zhan Ling, proclaiming, “Greetings, Lord Fallen Angel!”

Luo Shang, blood still dripping from the corner of his mouth, also turned to look. The malevolent aura emanating from Zhan Ling instantly sent shivers down his spine. As a master of Holy Spirit elements imbued with sacred aura, Luo Shang’s instincts recoiled from the Fallen Angel’s inherent malevolence.

Luo Shang knew he had encountered a terrifying opponent. Had he been at full strength, he might have been able to contend for a round or two. However, in his current severely wounded state, he doubted he could last three moves against him.

‘What a terrifying fellow!’ Luo Shang thought, observing how Zhan Ling’s unleashed evil aura actually managed to subtly suppress his Holy Spirit elements.

“Can your eighty-third layer of the Abyss travel to the ninety-eighth layer of the Abyss?” Zhan Ling asked with an evil grin, walking past Luo Shang to approach the Demons. His provocative smile caused Luo Shang’s nerves to tighten involuntarily.

“Ordinarily, if Lord Satan himself were to intervene, it should be possible to escort you back to the ninety-eighth layer of the Abyss,” replied a Demon from behind the Gate of Hell, one more than twice the size of those Su Han and her companions had encountered earlier.

Even though Zhan Ling did not overtly display the majesty of his Fallen Angel lineage, the innate instinct of their bloodline compelled the Demons to lower their noble heads before him.

“No matter,” Zhan Ling said with a wicked smile. “I’ll pay a visit to my Uncle Flame Emperor in your Scorching Sun Abyss first, and send my regards to my foster father! And while I’m at it, I’ll meet my Flame Empress sister, whom I’ve never had the pleasure of knowing!”

After breaking through the tenth-tier bloodline, demons like Abyss Lords were relatively unified, especially the Abyss Rulers who stood at the peak. From the sixty-first layer up to the ninety-ninth, there were 38 Abyss Rulers in total. They frequently interacted and maintained a polite facade, generally refraining from backstabbing each other. Some even formed alliances, intermarrying their children with those of allied Abyss layers.

Zhan Ling had never been to the Abyss before, but with the memories bestowed by the Fallen Angel Satan, he had a general understanding of its workings. Though not exhaustive, it was sufficient. Thus, when facing the Demons, Zhan Ling’s inherent superiority as a Fallen Angel came naturally.

“Come on,” Zhan Ling commanded. “Entering the Underworld holds little meaning for you all, and now is not the time to ignite a war. You’ll just have to wait a bit longer! All of you, return to the Abyss with me!”

“Yes, Lord!” the Demons chorused.

Before leaving, Zhan Ling gave Luo Shang a meaningful look. “We will meet again someday, after all. You are that fellow’s disciple, and we are sworn enemies!” With that, the Demons retreated, and the Gate of Hell closed, only to be sealed once more by Luo Shang.

Luo Shang returned to the Underworld from the Crimson Lotus Secret Realm. He looked up at the starlit sky, murmuring softly, “I wonder how Bai Que and the Dragon Princess are doing… They should be fine.” With those words, he vanished.

“Where am I? I remember… Ugh, my head hurts so much!” Bai Que opened his eyes, the glaring light piercing his dark pupils. He shielded his eyes with a hand and sat up, only to see Su Han sleeping soundly beside him.

‘Mm, how cute!’ Bai Que thought, reaching out to gently poke Su Han’s fair cheek, but then hesitated, fearing he might disturb her rest. His hand hovered in the air for a moment before slowly falling back down.

He found himself in a mental struggle. His angelic side whispered, ‘No, you mustn’t do that. She’s tired from taking care of you and needs her rest. Can you bear to disturb her? Look how sweetly she sleeps!’

‘Yes, so cute! Super cute, even!’ Bai Que nodded earnestly.

His demonic side, however, urged, ‘Go on, indulge your desires. Be spontaneous! Do everything you want to do!’

“What exactly do I want to do?!” Bai Que rolled his eyes at his inner demon.

“Hehehe, you know perfectly well what you want to do!” his inner Black Asura retorted, rolling its eyes back.

‘It’s just a little pinch on the cheek, it’s not a big deal, is it?’

‘Whew, don’t listen to that one; it’s the embodiment of desire, truly terrifying!’ his inner White Asura said weakly.

“Ugh, this is so annoying!” Bai Que scooped up his two inner Asuras, one in each hand, and crushed them. The angelic and demonic sides instantly dissolved into black and white smoke.

‘It’s just one poke! What’s the harm?’

So, Bai Que extended his index finger and reached out…

“Ow!”

“Ouch, ouch, ouch! What are you doing?!”

“What are you trying to do now?” Su Han asked, puffing out her cheeks. She had just woken up to see Bai Que trying to poke her face, but her arm felt weak and sore. Seeing him about to touch her, Su Han had instinctively bitten him.

“But you didn’t have to bite so hard!” Bai Que exclaimed, looking at the teeth marks on his finger with a pained expression.

“You deserved it, nah-nah-nah!” Su Han made a face and stuck out her tongue. ‘Wait, why did I just do that? Could it be… have I truly become feminized?’

“Alright, no more fooling around,” Su Han said, changing the subject. “Where are we? And where’s Luo Shang?”

“This is Undead City. Luo Shang… he went to seal the Gate of Hell alone…”

“What?!” Bai Que leaped out of bed. “Why didn’t you stop him?”

“Are you really that concerned about him?” Su Han asked, her eyes wide and innocent, giving Bai Que a pitiful look. Well, indeed, cuteness was shameful, and Su Han’s cuteness was off the charts. Bai Que instantly capitulated.

Just as Bai Que was about to say something, a pair of large hands suddenly covered his eyes.

“Guess who I am?” Su Han asked playfully. Although it was Su Han’s voice, the person covering Bai Que’s eyes was not Su Han, but a golden-haired young man.

“I’m not guessing. Aren’t you just Su Han?”

“Wrong, you big dummy!”

“Hmm? You… you’re Luo Shang?!” Prying the hands away, Bai Que exclaimed in surprise, “You rascal, I knew you’d be fine! Quick, tell me what happened!”

“Uh, Luo Shang knocked you out and told me to take you and escape… So I brought you to Undead City and then went out to look for him. I found him on the way to the Crimson Lotus Secret Realm, and then brought him here too. That’s all I know; you’ll have to ask him what happened in between!”

“I’ll remember this, daring to hit me!” Bai Que’s eyes sharpened as he looked at Luo Shang. “I’ll hold this against you for now. Now, tell me, what happened during that time?”

“Cough, cough.” Luo Shang gave an awkward laugh, then explained, “While I was sealing the Gate of Hell, I encountered a terrifying young person, likely the inheritor of a Fallen Angel! At the time, my chest was inadvertently scratched by a Demon, so I temporarily abandoned sealing the Demons to raise my guard against them.”

“But who knew he would merely smile at me, then take the Demons back into the Abyss? After that, I sealed the Gate of Hell and met Su Han on the way back…” Luo Shang said, still quite shaken.

“The young master of the Abyss demons? To be able to suppress your Holy Spirit elements, he must be a formidable individual!” Bai Que mused. “Perhaps we’ll meet him again someday. When we do, we’ll have to fight him for three hundred rounds!”

“That’s enough from you,” Su Han teased. “Your ability to injure yourself eight hundred to wound the enemy a thousand isn’t worth it!”

“What do you know? This is called exploiting human potential!”

“It’s time for the final part of the SS-rank mission – hunting four Kiramei!” Luo Shang commanded. “Let’s go!”

“Mm.”

“Are the four Kiramei also in the Underworld?” Su Han asked.

“No, they’re in the Dark Moon Forest on the Aelta Continent!”

“Then how do we get back?”

“Uh… I don’t know…”

“Oh my goodness!” Su Han couldn’t believe that even someone as seemingly perfect as Luo Shang could have such foolish moments.

“Then how did you two get here?”

“We asked someone else to send us…”

“If I’m not mistaken, you must have some way, right?” Bai Que said, playfully resting an arm on Su Han’s slender shoulder and chuckling into her ear. “If you do, don’t hide it; tell us quickly!”

Facing Bai Que’s warm breath and lips that were almost touching her earlobe, Su Han’s face flushed crimson, right down to her earlobes.

“Well, there is a way…” Su Han whispered.

“What way?”

“Ask Ye Yuan for help!”