Under the confused stares of the other two, Wan Dao began to explain with a calm, measured tone, laying out the situation without unnecessary embellishment.
"Hei Xi Demon Clan falls under the command of the Abyssal Demon God. I just overheard someone talking, every hundred years, the Abyssal Demon God searches the entire Abyssal Demon Domain for talented demons. Those chosen are taken in as disciples and receive the finest training, but there's one condition—they must participate in a wager among the Eight Great Demon Gods a century later."
His gaze was steady, voice deliberate as he continued, each word measured to emphasize the stakes.
"Originally, the Abyssal Demon God had already selected a disciple and has been meticulously training them for ninety years.
But recently, a small incident occurred. The Purple Lightning Demon God declared that her disciple has already reached the Heaven-Demon Realm and controls three Level-Four Primordial Forces. This makes her disciple all but guaranteed first place in the upcoming contest."
Wan Dao let the weight of that fact hang in the air for a moment before continuing.
"The other Demon Gods, unwilling to lose face, have begun selecting new disciples for themselves."
His expression was calm, but there was a quiet fire in his eyes. "The Abyssal Demon God needs a true genius to fight on his behalf. If I can help him win, I will gain his complete trust and ascend to become a central figure within the Abyssal Demon Clan."
Only by securing that elevated position could he accomplish what he truly wanted.
The other two understood immediately and nodded in agreement.
"If the boss acts, then that so-called genius controlling three Primordial Forces is practically his to defeat," the Third Shadow Daoist said with a grin, a hint of dark amusement in his tone.
The Eighth Sister, Fairy Ling Yun, nodded with quiet confidence. "If all goes as expected, once the boss defeats that absolute genius, the Abyssal Demon God will certainly recognize his talent and give him a prominent position."
They knew their current strength. A direct confrontation with the Eight Great Demon Gods would be suicidal. Their only strategy was to attach themselves to one, sow discord among others, strike one by one, and gradually split them apart.
Wan Dao's eyes darkened slightly, a shadow flickering across them. "To be chosen by the Abyssal Demon God, one must prove their strength. Perfect, we can start by using the Abyssal Demon God's hand to eliminate the Hei Xi Demon Clan."
A cold edge crept into his voice.
It was the Hei Xi Demon Clan who had discovered the spatial tunnel. It was also the Hei Xi Demon Clan who had attacked the Wushuang Sect's secret realm. Their hands were soaked in the blood of countless Wushuang Sect disciples.
Now, with only the three of them left alive in the entire sect, this grudge had to be settled.
Wan Dao had already mapped out his plan in his mind. Lowering his voice, he quietly shared the details with the others. Shadow Daoist and Fairy Ling Yun nodded repeatedly, signaling their full cooperation.
Their strategy agreed upon, the three settled into hiding, waiting patiently for the right moment.
That day, a messenger from the Abyssal Demon Clan arrived at the Hei Xi Demon Clan's gathering grounds.
Within the Abyssal Region, the Abyssal Demon Clan ruled supreme. Other demon clans were required to regularly offer tribute, and this visit served a dual purpose: to collect their offerings and to search for promising talents on behalf of the Abyssal Demon God.
And this, precisely, was the opening Wan Dao had been waiting for.
"Please, right this way, Dàrén." The Hei Xi Demon Clan chief bowed deeply, his posture steeped in careful deference. "All tributes have been prepared. Please inspect them."
On the table, storage pouches were neatly arranged, each one filled with carefully measured items.
The messenger swept his divine sense over them, confirming everything was in order. He then spoke with an air of detached authority, "The tributes are complete."
The Hei Xi Demon Clan chief let out a quiet breath of relief, but it was only fleeting.
The messenger neatly stored the pouches before continuing. "You've all received the Demon God's latest command, haven't you? No matter which demon clan you come from, if one of your talents possesses true potential, the Demon God will spare no effort to cultivate them. If your clan has such a demon, do not hide them."
He fixed the chief with a gaze that was equal parts teasing and warning.
For most demons, being taken as a disciple by the Abyssal Demon God wasn't necessarily a blessing.
Especially in this contest—the Purple Lightning Demon God's disciple was overwhelmingly strong. Representing the Abyssal Demon Domain offered powerful cultivation and the Demon God's favor, yes, but survival was never guaranteed. The trials often left only one participant alive, the sole victor rewarded with unprecedented recognition, while all others perished in these deadly contests.
Other talented demons in the competition—originally the brightest in their clans—would fall one by one, victims of a petty wager among the Eight Great Demon Gods.
This was why the Abyssal Demon God needed to hunt for geniuses again and again.
If this were truly an easy or safe task, all the brightest talents would have already gathered in the Demon God's palace, ready for selection. But the Abyssal Demon God's repeated searches proved otherwise.
And now, with the Purple Lightning Demon God flaunting a prodigious disciple, who else would dare step forward to face a Heaven-Demon-level genius controlling three Level-Four Primordial Forces? This was effectively a death sentence.
"Dàrén, rest assured. The Hei Xi Demon Clan is loyal to the Demon God and will never harbor deceit. If there is a talented disciple in our ranks, we will immediately send them to the Demon God's palace." The chief's words were filled with ingratiating sincerity.
The messenger inclined his head arrogantly, satisfied. "Good. Then prepare the tributes for the next century. I still have other places to visit."
"Yes, Dàrén, travel safely. I will see you off." The chief spoke carefully, bowing as the messenger turned to leave.
But then, the messenger's pupils constricted ever so slightly.
A thick black mist was gathering within a section of the Hei Xi Demon Clan's territory.
The mist twisted and layered itself, thickening until a small area was completely swallowed in shadow.
The chief's expression shifted imperceptibly.
This was… the aura of someone comprehending a Primordial Force.
One of his demons had reached a breakthrough at exactly this moment. It was astonishing news for the clan, and the chief instinctively smiled.
"You have quite the talent pool in the Hei Xi Clan," the messenger said with a sly smile, eyes scanning the chief. "Has this demon who's comprehending the Primordial Force surpassed three thousand years?"
The chief's smile froze instantly. He had nearly forgotten this detail.
Who was breaking through? He didn't even know.
If the demon was over three thousand years old, there'd be no issue. That would fit the Abyssal Demon God's requirements.
If not… it would appear that a hidden talent had been kept from view. Why would such a fool choose this moment to awaken to the Primordial Force? Couldn't he wait until after the messenger left?
The messenger's smile deepened with an almost predatory gleam. "Come, let's go see."
The chief's stomach twisted, but he had no choice but to follow with a practiced grin. He could only pray silently.
Please… let it not be a young talent.
Please… let it not be a young talent.
If it was, given the Abyssal Demon God's desperate push to secure a victory, that demon would be taken immediately.
Even the brightest youth couldn't hope to compete with the Purple Lightning Demon God's disciple. This contest was already decided—the other participants were walking a path toward inevitable death.
The messenger, of course, cared nothing for these considerations.
He walked straight to the stone house shrouded in black mist, ready to push the door open.
Suddenly, a voice erupted from within, filled with excitement.
"Big Brother, you've comprehended the Primordial Black Mist!"
"Yes, yes, yes! Now you also control three Level-Four Primordial Forces! We don't have to fear the Purple Lightning Demon God's disciple anymore!"
"That's right! Even though her disciple controls three Level-Four Primordial Forces, you control three as well! Combined with your late Tianmo strength, we actually have a chance to win!"
The messenger's eyes lit up, reflecting genuine intrigue and a trace of disbelief as he listened.
===
Tianmo is the same stage as Tianxian