Soul Land 5: The Rebirth of Tang San

Chapter 359: The Nine Demon Emperors (1)

Zhang Haoxuan had already laid out a map on the large dining table in the living room—the map of the Ancestral Court.

"Don't get amazed just yet. Come over here," Zhang Haoxuan said to the five. "I'll fill you in about the powerful beings of the Ancestral Court."

The five quickly gathered around him, looking at the map before them.

"North on top, south at the bottom, west on the left, east on the right," Zhang Haoxuan pointed out the directions to make it easier for everyone to recognize.

"In the history of the demons and nymphs, powerful figures abound. But even the mighty Demon Emperors are not entirely immortal. The oldest known Demon Emperor lived over three thousand years, which seems to be the limit. Some Demon Emperors fall younger due to frequent conflicts."

The lifespan of a Demon Emperor was news to Tang San, but not the fact that they were mortal. This was something that pertained to the very nature of the Falan Planet: however much power the beings of a certain plane had, as long as it was not connected to a divine realm, it was all dust in the wind.

Falan Planet was without question the most abundant planet Tang San had ever seen, and this meant a lot coming from a God King. Its immense size and boundless resources were sure to give rise to many powerful creatures. Demons and nymphs dominated it, and they were not even the only races here.

Yet no matter the race, one fact held true: no one on Falan Planet could achieve eternal life.

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Even the richest planets were still just planets, not divine realms. No matter how powerful the Demon Emperors or the Nymph Emperors were, they could not achieve immortality without the nourishment of divine aura and occupying a godly seat in a divine realm. A few thousand years of life was already the limit.

Zhang Haoxuan continued, "The world of the demons and nymphs is very pragmatic. Only the current Demon Emperors and Nymph Emperors are entitled to establish their palaces in the Ancestral Court. If a deceased Demon Emperor or Nymph Emperor has no successors within their clan, their palaces must be surrendered to the newcomers. Therefore, the palaces within the Ancestral Court are constantly changing hands.

"Look at the Ancestral Mountains surrounding the map. The number of Thrones on the Ancestral Mountains far exceeds the number of palaces within the Ancestral Court. All Demon and Nymph Emperors are entitled to a Throne, and even after they perish, the Thrones remain.

"Let's leave aside the Thrones for now and let’s talk about the palaces within the Ancestral Court. There are currently fifteen palaces and sixteen living Demon Emperors and Nymph Emperors. The newly ascended Demon Emperor, the one who recently visited Kali City, has not yet had the chance to build his palace. He was severely injured in that battle with the Peacock Great Demon King, so he probably isn't in the mood to think about building a palace anytime soon.

"The reason he wants to take over Kali City is that the major cities are also the major industry hubs, and even a supreme being like him needs substantial resources for cultivation. Though remote and not very rich in resources, Kali City is quite wealthy due to the Aetherhorn Deer Demon and Golden Deer Demon lineages that reside there. The Ancestral Court naturally turns a blind eye to this.

"Today, I'll go into detail about the sixteen current Demon Emperors and Nymph Emperors. You guys need to remember this well; it's going to be really important for you.

"Let's start with the demons. There are currently nine Demon Emperors, including the Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor. Some you know of, some you don't. The top-ranked Demon Emperor is called the Crystal Demon Emperor."

Tang San and the others were somewhat surprised to hear this rather ordinary name. They couldn’t recall ever hearing the name, so as far as they were concerned, the Crystal Demon Emperor wasn’t even as famous as the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor.

"The Crystal Demon Emperor is recognized as the strongest among demon and nymph races alike. It has lived for over two thousand years, but it hardly ever appears in public, even if we take into account the Ancestral Court’s Council. It was originally a Crystal Dragon, a Solitary with a unique bloodline mutation; it has no gender and it cannot pass on its lineage. In other words, it’s in the same situation as the Rainbow Deer Demon Emperor.

"However, the Crystal Demon Emperor is far stronger. Its bloodline ability is duplication, and it is capable of copying any other ability, regardless of how powerful it is. For this reason, its full title is the Omnipotent Crystal Demon Emperor. Rumors say that even if all other Demon Emperors combined their forces, they could at best defeat it but not kill it. This unique being has stood at the pinnacle of the Daemon Continent for a full two thousand years."

Hearing this evaluation, the Shrek Squad—apart from Tang San—felt their hearts tighten. How powerful was this being to be able to earn such a reputation?

Zhang Haoxuan continued, "The second-ranked Demon Emperor is one you've heard quite a bit about. The controller of fate, the master of luck, the child of destiny, the seer of the demon and nymph races, the great prophet, the sage whose words become law, the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor!"

"In the overall rankings of the demon and nymph races, it ranks third, just below the top-ranked Nymph Emperor. It holds the second position among the demon clan, but its fame surpasses the very discreet Crystal Demon Emperor. In a sense, the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor could even be considered the most powerful among both demons and nymphs. The fate it controls is something other Demon Emperors and Nymph Emperors need. Thanks to that, nobody wants to offend it, and it has good relationships with everyone."

Listening to Zhang Haoxuan's narrative, Du Bai couldn't help but clench his fists, a gleam seemingly flashing in his eyes.

Zhang Haoxuan said, "The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor is thus known as the Master of Fate. Legend has it that it governs the fate of the entire Daemon Continent. As long as it exists, the demon and nymph races will possess the greatest fortune and continue to dominate the entire realm."

"What if it dies?" Gu Li blurted out.

Before Zhang Haoxuan could reply, Tang San interjected with a peculiar expression, "If that happens, perhaps it would be a chance for humanity for an uprising."

As soon as he said this, the room fell silent.

Du Bai couldn't help asking, "The Celestial Fox Demon Emperor has an heir, right?"

Zhang Haoxuan replied, "There will be one. Perhaps because of the backlash caused by manipulating fate, the lifespan of the Celestial Fox clan's Demon Emperors is short. Each Celestial Fox Demon Emperor only lives for about five hundred years before it falls and is replaced by a new generation. However, the lineage of the Celestial Fox Demon Emperors always continues; as soon as one dies, the next one appears."

Tang San listened silently, saying nothing more, but he had a thoughtful expression on his face.

"The third-ranked Demon Emperor is commonly known as the Undying Demon Emperor. It is the oldest among demons and nymphs alike, over three thousand years. Its species is the Immortal Phoenix. The Phoenix clan has always been mighty, and the royal lineage, the Immortal Phoenixes, have the bloodline ability of rebirth.. Legend has it that once an Immortal Phoenix ascends to godhood, it has nine lives! Not only that, but each time they are reborn, they become stronger! This Undying Demon Emperor is quite low-profile, and it's unclear how its real combat strength compares to the Crystal Demon Emperor’s. Its title is Eternal Inferno, and its Infernal Flames are also known as the strongest flames."

Eternal Inferno, the Undying Demon Emperor!