Myriad Realms Gatekeeper

"Come out."

Shen Ye spoke calmly.

There was no response.

Shen Ye gazed into the darkness and said,

"Destroyer of the myriad worlds, Master of the Weeping Demon Prison, Cursed Spirit King, the star that commands all souls to fall."

"If you're here to kill me, come out and speak; if it's something else, come over for a chat."

Darkness.

Silence.

Suddenly—

Crack!

The cellphone placed on the motorcycle shattered.

This time, it didn't just break, but was instantly consumed by fire into ashes.

Then a woman's voice followed:

"I really find your human technology annoying."

A gorgeous figure emerged from the shadows.

Yun Ni from Azure High School.

Or should I say—

The Master of Demon Prison.

"Fight? Or just talk?" Shen Ye asked.

A door appeared under his feet, ready to escape at any moment.

"Don't be so tense," Yun Ni stopped some distance away, standing at the edge of the darkness, looking at him with an appreciative gaze, "I'm just amazed, that's all."

"Amazed?" Shen Ye asked.

"Yes, I've never seen anyone like you—you sniff a girl's lips to discern truth from falsehood—and casually turn the tables with a phone card tucked in your crotch." Yun Ni said.

"That's really not worth any praise," Shen Ye said somewhat embarrassed.

"You don't understand—I've seen too many fights between equals, witnessed flesh and blood fly everywhere, planets explode, stars fall; I'm tired of all that."

"It's the fights where the disparity is too great, where one side possesses grand, powerful, and mysterious Law Power, yet is defeated by the most lowly, simple, and clumsy actions, that truly earn my whistle." Yun Ni said, and even put her fingers to her lips, letting out a whistle.

After her whistle, she stretched out her hands and clapped.

—She seemed to regard herself as a spectator.

"What exactly are you trying to say?" Shen Ye asked.

"I've been quite bored lately, so how about we make a bet?" Yun Ni said.

"Our bet is on the seventh day, it's only the third day, no way!" Shen Ye firmly refused.

"...So boring, then I have to propose a trade— you've been hit by a Technique that can send you to dangerous places, and now I'm going to activate it."

Yun Ni extended a finger.

Whispers emerged from her finger, weaving together into an obscure and difficult-to-understand Spell.

"With just a flick of my finger, this 'Hug of the Evil LuoDamo' will activate, and you'll be transported to the den of an Evil God."

"Just to make it clear—nine Divine Spirits, myself included, stand behind Song Qingyun."

"If you're transported to my lounge, then there's nothing to be said, I'd have to let you go and wait until the bet is over to take your soul."

"But if you're transported into another Evil God's den..."

"You'll be dead."

"Shen Ye, do you want to take this one-in-nine chance, or listen to my suggestion?"

"Let's hear it," Shen Ye shrugged.

"Come with me—I will carefully nurture you, take you to see billions of worlds, and allow you to become my top lieutenant, to grow properly."

"If you come with me, you won't have to face this dead end at this moment."

"We'll leave this cage-like dying world together."

"But," Shen Ye spread his hands, adeptly reciting the lines, "Master of the Weeping Demon Prison, what's the price?"

"Your soul," Yun Ni replied, her eyes sparkling as she watched him.

"I've always been somewhat puzzled," Shen Ye said.

He casually moved his neck, hands in his pockets, focusing his gaze on the girl standing at the edge of darkness.

"With your strength, you should be able to defeat me, right?" Shen Ye said.

"Right," Yun Ni said.

"Why don't you fight me directly, instead of continuously setting up bets, modifying the terms, insisting I follow willingly?" Shen Ye asked.

"The people I fancy naturally enjoy such privileges; I need them to follow me willingly," Yun Ni said.

"Wouldn't that make your efficiency too low?" Shen Ye asked.

Yun Ni smiled sweetly: "Efficiency means nothing to me; my life is nearly eternal."

"What if I never agree?" Shen Ye asked.

"Win the bet before you talk big like that—of course, let's talk about the deal at hand first, tell me, what's your decision?" Yun Ni asked.

"I won't go with you."

"Why? You want to gamble on that nine-to-one chance? Do you like to gamble?"

"Not at all—You are quite impressive, but you haven't won me over," Shen Ye said.

"Maybe you think there's something flawed about me? Or that my image is too average? Or is there something else that has made you uncomfortable?" Yun Ni's smile vanished.

"Not at all—it's my own reasons."

"I'd like to hear them," Yun Ni said.

"I still have many things undone, wishes unfulfilled, sceneries not seen, and I never thought about selling my soul to any entity."

Yun Ni looked at him, deep in thought, nodding quietly as if understanding.

"I like your explanation; I find our Compatibility very fitting," she said.

"Huh?" Shen Ye was surprised.

His responses were only meant to avoid provoking her and for another secret reason.

And the Master of the Weeping Demon Prison actually said this?

Why?

Yun Ni looked at him, continuing with a gentle and soothing voice:

"Young souls, because they've never witnessed the glamour of billions of worlds, don't want to settle too soon, determined to wander until they tire."

"It's like a first love that hardly ever ends well."

"It's not The End, but rather, we have more magnificent journeys to travel."

"However, one day, we will meet again."

"—I like that feeling."

Shen Ye stared at her, stunned.

What are you saying?

Are you crazy?

Yun Ni turned around, hands behind her back, and walked into the deeper darkness.

"If Song Qingyun hates you, she'll carve out a moment from the inheritance trial to trigger that Technique."

"You'll still be transported."

"—The locations of the other Evil Gods are marked on that map, with the Skeleton symbols."

"If by chance you can escape, follow the path I marked, it's the only way out."

"Farewell, young soul, find a way to survive."

Her voice slowly faded away.

She turned and left, vanishing into the darkness.

Shen Ye stood in place for a while, and with a sigh, said:

"—Just as crazy as her servant."

He waited a bit longer.

He fumbled in his pocket.

A mobile phone was flipped out, its screen lit, recording the surroundings.

That's right!

All that talk just now was actually to adjust the phone for recording.

A real man must carry three phones!

It's better to be safe than sorry!
Your next journey awaits at m v|l-e'm,p| y- r

Shen Ye swiftly tapped on the phone, took a deep breath after a good while.

The stuff from the first two phones had synced to this one while recording.

He had recorded it.

He had recorded everything!

Suddenly.

Faint light gathered from around, forming floating small characters in mid-air:

"'Hug of the Evil LuoDamo' has been activated."

"Teleportation imminent."

Shen Ye immediately stored the phone in the ring and quickly took out the priest's clothes.

He donned the golden mask.

He secured the diamond-studded, shoulder-length wig on his head.

He slipped into the leather armor, its surface covered in gold.

He put on a pair of boots inlaid with colorful gemstones.

He picked up the short staff, made entirely of gold.

—It seemed like he was missing something.

The cape!

Shen Ye took out the Death Camouflage Cloak and transformed into a vampire in no time.

Before he could do anything else, his body suddenly levitated and disappeared on the spot.

...

Fire.

In the dark, a fire lit up.

An old man, dressed all in black, was sitting on a rock, tending to the flame.

The old man stared at the fire and muttered:

"Almost here... should I eat them raw? Or cook them first?"

The next second.

Shen Ye appeared behind him, not far in the empty cave, dropping down from the void.

—Too blinding!

Although the place was shrouded in darkness, the boots on his feet glinted with gemstones, many shining brightly!

This light reflected on his shoulder-length wig, eliciting the prismatic shine of the diamonds.

When the old man looked, he saw a bizarre scene—

A strange humanoid creature, head sparkling, body gleaming in gold, feet radiant with multicolored light, descended.

"...Are you Shen Ye?"

Asked the old man, surprised.

In an instant, Shen Ye was mid-air, Twin Dragon Dharma Form unfolded behind him, Dharma Eye wide open—

"My archery technique, named 996, can easily shoot a little trash like you dead!"

With a fierce shout, he drew and shot, emptying the entire quiver in an instant!

Archery: Sudden Rain!

Pupil Technique: Frost Line of Slaying Demons!

The old man didn't expect him to attack as soon as he appeared and immediately waved his hands to defend, sneering:

"You're seeking death!"

But, before he could finish his words, Shen Ye fell.

—Falling from mid-air to the ground, he then fell into the earth below and disappeared from sight.

The old man was pierced by arrows all over, struck by the Frost Line, his body frozen in place.

However, it was just for an instant—

The frost cracked and, with a "clatter," fell to the ground.

"It hurts a bit..."

The old man's forehead bulged with veins, he bared his teeth, revealing a set of Sharp fangs, and erupted in sheer Strength, unleashing razor-like Wind Blades from his body.

The vast cave was slashed by the Wind Blades, on the verge of collapse.

Suddenly, the old man disappeared from where he was, reappearing where Shen Ye had landed.

Below ground.

There was a door.

"A door... hahaha, it actually leads out!"

The old man laughed loud, jumping straight into the door.

Beyond the door was a long secret passage.

Shen Ye, who had been waiting there with a huge Skeleton, stood in the middle of the passage.

The moment the old man appeared—

He once again emptied the second quiver of arrows, cursing:

"The little trash followed? Watch my 996!"

Before his words ended.

Woosh—

He flew away.

The old man had just passed through the door, immediately covered in ice shrapnel, with the other's curses ringing in his ears.

The thrill of traversing space had dissipated.

Little... trash...

How many years had it been since anyone dared to curse him like that?

He shook off the layers of frost, his malicious aura surging, and roared furiously:

"You're courting death!"

Boom—

The old man burst out of the secret passage and into the sky, pursuing the flying trail.

Shen Ye, while flying, looked at the glowing small characters projected in front of his eyes:

"'Great Chieftain's Invitation' has been activated!"

"Description: Once you're hit with this move, no matter where you are, you'll engage in a rapid high-altitude flight until you reach Thunder Fortress!"