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Chapter 181: Bequest

Outside the Abyss.

The black-haired girl was surrounded by golden light that seemed to emanate from within her skin, gradually fading away. Finally, she opened her beautiful eyes that had been closed for a long time, and the golden hue slowly dissipated, revealing her silver-blue eyes once more.

Already anxiously waiting for a long time, Miss Xiao Kong rushed forward.

“How did it go, Miss Vilyric?”

The Priestess glanced at her, a fleeting look of melancholy flashing across her face before quickly turning into a teasing smile.

“Are you referring to me, or the situation in the Abyss?”

Miss Cat Daughter blinked in slight surprise, then quickly realized, shaking her head helplessly, her expression visibly relaxing.

“Well, look at you, calm and collected. Seems like there were no issues after all. You pulled back your divine sense so quickly; I thought you had encountered some difficulties…”

“You sure know me well~”

With a chuckle, Vilyric soon put away her playful mood and slightly nodded.

“The threats in the Abyss have all been eliminated, and there shouldn’t be any risk of resurgence. Plus, during that process, I found some interesting things.”

“You managed to handle it all by yourself… By the way, Miss Vilyric, has your aura changed a bit?”

“Really? What kind of change?”

Xiao Kong rested her chin in thought for a moment.

“Um, it’s a bit hard to describe, but the original overpowering light that was blinding seems to have diminished significantly, like some power has neutralized it. Did you really gain some benefits in there?”

“Benefits… I suppose, but it seems your understanding of the Abyss is still quite lacking. I’ll explain it more thoroughly later; for now, take a look at this.”

Saying that, Vilyric withdrew her hand from the colorful black sphere, revealing a small, dark stone the size of her palm, which she had somehow retrieved from what should have been an empty interior.

“What is this?”

“I don’t know, but I got this after exterminating all the Feather of Destruction… oh, those Evil Demons. That guy said it was left behind by the Open Heaven Gate at the last moment and told me to keep it safe.”

Vilyric looked up at the distant sky, obscured by a rift in space, then turned her gaze back to Xiao Kong and smiled.

“We should still have a bit of time; let’s see what this thing is all about.”

After rummaging around the stone for a while, the girl quickly discovered a barely noticeable indentation. She pressed on it, causing a pale white light to rise from within, forming a holographic projection of a figure about ten centimeters high, only showing its upper body.

Though somewhat blurry, it was still possible to tell that the figure was a middle-aged man, approximately in his forties, wearing a luxurious long robe typical of some sect. His facial features bore a slight resemblance to Murong Yun, and given the context of the Open Heaven Gate, he seemed to be an ancestor or something.

Then he spoke.

“I am Murong Qingshan, the thirty-second leader of the Open Heaven Gate, and I leave this final message.”

Seeing this scene, Xiao Kong finally had a look of realization.

“So it’s a Shadow Stone. This thing is quite valuable, and only the Lingyin clan has the resources to produce it. How could it end up in the Abyss?”

The black-haired girl slightly nodded.

If even a well-informed Cat Daughter like her considers it valuable, then this stone must indeed have some worth.

“It should have been left here by the Spiritual Fox Priestess or Lingyin Fairy Island; after all, they have always had a close relationship.”

Just then, the image in the Shadow Stone continued speaking.

“Our sect’s stronghold was attacked without warning. Only a single assailant came, yet its power exceeded our imagination and perfectly countered our Open Heaven techniques. It was clearly targeting the Open Heaven Gate.”

“The attacker used a treasure to seal off our stronghold, then began a massacre of our disciples. We fought while retreating, and after several encounters, we finally identified its nature in ancient texts based on its appearance and abilities.”

“Turns out it was the legendary Ancient Evil Demon — the Man-Lacking!”

“The Ancient Evil Demons are mysterious and powerful, impossible for mere mortals to resist, yet they should have all been killed or sealed within the Abyss long ago. How could such a terrifying creature as the Man-Lacking still exist in this world?”

“Though it’s hard to comprehend, since it’s a demon, especially an Ancient Evil Demon, the reasons for its sudden attack on the Open Heaven Gate’s stronghold, or why it would be interested in us mere mortals, must be quite limited.”

“It must be after the Abyss.”

The middle-aged man’s image paused momentarily, then turned to look off into the distance, seemingly noticing something, and suddenly increased his speaking speed.

“My forebears received guidance from the Spiritual Fox Saint and were tasked with guarding the Abyss and the World Tomb. Aware of the weight of this responsibility, we have passed it down through generations without the slightest negligence. It has now been close to a thousand years…”

“I remember the ancestral teachings mentioning that before the Spiritual Fox Priestess left, she issued a secret edict stating that our Open Heaven Gate must fulfill our duties for a thousand years. After a thousand years, the Ancient Spirit Realm would undergo changes, and at that time, new guidance would come, at which point we would act accordingly.”

“For this secret edict, we have prepared throughout generations, laboring diligently to develop and strengthen our sect. Yet, who would have imagined that just before our accomplishments materialized within the last century, news would leak, resulting in the loss of our legacy… Alas, I, Murong Qingshan, have let down my ancestors and the Spiritual Fox Priestess’s trust.”

This last leader of the Open Heaven Gate sighed deeply before quickly regaining his resolve.

“At this point, investigating how the information was leaked no longer holds significance. The Open Heaven Gate may perish, but the matters concerning the Abyss are of utmost importance; we must not allow any risk of destruction.”

“We have activated the last trump card left by the Spiritual Fox Priestess and are preparing to utilize the Abyss’s power to send this space directly into the World Tomb. There, we will be under the protection of the Priestess’s power; any Evil Demons will be suppressed and unable to enter, including the Man-Lacking.”

“I will take advantage of the brief moment when the Abyss opens to surreptitiously send this Shadow Stone inside for safekeeping. It’s likely that the only ones who will have the chance to see it in the future will be the Priestess herself or those who also receive her secret orders.”

“The barriers between the two realms are extremely thick. Forcing a transfer to the World Tomb will undoubtedly lead to the extinction of all beings within, and we will have no chance of survival. Thus, I left this message with two purposes: to explain the origins of this incident to those who come after us and to warn everyone to be vigilant; situations like the Man-Lacking’s are probably not isolated…”

“On the other hand, if this Shadow Stone is fortunate enough to return to the hands of the Spiritual Fox Priestess, I, Murong Qingshan, wish to represent all the disciples who died in this conflict and all the ancestors to tell her ——— there’s no need to feel regret. We fight not only because of our agreement with you, but also for the Ancient Spirit Realm, for our homeland. Though the Open Heaven Gate may be destroyed today, every member remains unrepentant!”

The leader bowed his head deeply in a solemn gesture towards an unknowable future.

“May the incense of our beliefs endure and see the Ancient Spirit Realm thrive and flourish, never again allowing Evil Demons to rise. We depart now, and henceforth… everything will be entrusted to you all.”

“Swish.”

The image dissipated, and the surroundings returned to tranquility.

“So that’s how it is…”

The Cat Daughter appeared pensive.

“So the Man-Lacking, huh? Indeed, there are ancient Evil Demons that escaped the purge, lying in wait within the Ancient Spirit Realm. It seems they are starting to stir.”

Having finished watching the image, Miss Vilyric also took on an inquisitive attitude, turning to her teacher, Xiao Kong.

“What kind of Evil Demon is that? Is it powerful? I don’t think I’ve seen it in any books.”

“Well, the Man-Lacking is extremely rare, existing in almost single digits, which is why there’s little documentation about them. However, among the multitude of Evil Demons, it is classified among the top-tier Ancient Evil Demons, possessing intelligence and cognitive abilities on par with genuine beings.”

Pausing for a moment, Xiao Kong continued explaining.

“The Man-Lacking is a headless entity, possessing four arms, immense strength, and an indestructible physique. It is ferocious and bloodthirsty, relishing the flesh of refined warriors. The structure in its abdomen has a mouth that only opens when it encounters a strong enemy it finds satisfactory to devour and consume.”

“As you know, regardless of strength, most Evil Demons are actually transformed from entities within the Ancient Spirit Realm, and the Man-Lacking is the pinnacle manifestation born from the corpse of a headless warrior. It can easily learn combat techniques and refine them into its own unique skills, techniques that others might take decades to master.”

“The longer it lives, the stronger the Man-Lacking becomes through its encounters and the enemies it devours, but this is a common trait among many Evil Demons.”

“I see… that sounds quite interesting.”

These Ancient Evil Demons seem increasingly bizarre; I’m curious if I’ll ever have a chance to witness one in the future.

Miss Vilyric nodded.

“Alright then, since we’ve clarified the reason for the destruction of the Open Heaven Gate and identified the culprit, the risk posed by the Abyss should now be resolved. This realm should have fulfilled the criteria for crossing over.”

“We’ve gained a lot, but it’s about time to leave.”