The comments said I was deeply affectionate, I just added points by using an alternate account.

The moment they stepped onto the stone steps, the intricate dark red runes lit up on their own.

The demon god who controls time and space still hasn't shown up, seemingly not even interested in giving them a second glance.

Chen Guan's tense nerves relaxed a little. Fortunately, Bai Meng didn't hold a grudge. He breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to land with dignity.

Thinking this, Chen Guan dragged his leaden legs and prepared to step into the teleportation beam.

Unbeknownst to him, at that very moment, a voice directly entered Guan Jinyue's mind.

"If you change your mind, you can come find me anytime."

"Following a loser who buried his own era will only lead to certain death."

Guan Jinyue's pure black pupils shrank to pinpoints in that instant.

Immediately, she expressionlessly lifted her foot and stepped into the red light that completely engulfed her figure, ignoring the voice.

Now that she has made her decision, she will not turn back.

"What's wrong?"

Chen Guan followed him inside, and before being enveloped by the pulling sensation of teleportation, he asked a question in a low voice.

That uneasy feeling in his heart resurfaced, for no apparent reason.

"fine."

Guan Jinyue's indifferent voice came, but it was immediately shattered by the surging red light.

"ha."

A faint, ambiguous laugh came from Baal, ringing out perfectly in Chen Guan's mind, without offering any explanation.

The red light faded away.

Chen Guan forced his waist and abdomen to tighten in mid-air. When he landed, his shoulders hit the ground first, and he rolled half a circle to dissipate the impact, so he didn't land face down again.

He stood up, supporting himself on his knees. His lungs burned with pain, but it was still more dignified than when he had broken his clothes.

Before me was a familiar crystal floor, as bright as a mirror, surrounded by white spires adorned with winged patterns.

Asmodeus's territory.

This time, there was no maze, nor the crushing pressure that seemed to grind bones; the entrance to the main hall was simply wide open.

A figure was already waiting on the throne carved from amethyst.

Asmodeus was dressed in a pure white robe, and his long purple hair cascaded down the steps like a waterfall.

Compared to the cold violence of Baimon and the hot violence of Astaroth, Asmodeus is indeed a peerless demon.

Before me, He rested his chin on one hand, while the other hand tapped lightly on the armrest. His face was radiant with an undisguised smile, and his purplish-gold eyes swept over me.

"So you went to break Baal's seal."

Asmodeus cut to the chase: "I felt the Ashes City tremble, which is not good news for anyone."

Chen Guan looked up, staring directly at the figure on the throne: "Why?"

This is not good news for humanity, at least not on the surface, but it is intriguing that Asmodeus also said so.

Asmodeus's smile deepened. He rose from his throne, stepping barefoot onto the cold crystal tiles, his long robe trailing on the ground, making no sound.

He stopped in front of the two, his purple-gold eyes filled with pure amusement, like a cat looking at two half-dead mice.

"Because..."

He deliberately dragged out the sound.

"Our Demon Lord Baal's story of growth is a tragedy so captivating it's unparalleled."

Chen Guan's eyelids twitched violently, and Guan Jinyue also narrowed his eyes slightly.

In Chen Guan's mind, there was only deathly silence. After the noisy, eccentric demon returned to his old neighbor's territory, he fell completely silent.

"He had friends, his most loyal comrades, and the first companions to believe that He could ascend the throne."

Asmodeus's voice had an eerie rhythm.

"Later, that friend died, in His black flames, leaving not even ashes behind."

In Chen Guan's mind, fragments of memory flashed by—the memory of the fire that reduced everything to ashes.

"He also had a family, and a brother who was willing to give everything for him."

Asmodeus's gaze fell on the coffin.

"Later, that brother also died, falling at His hands."

"Kill your friends, kill your relatives, and eventually kill your gods to become a god."

Every word made Chen Guan's heart pound.

"In the end, when faced with an insurmountable enemy, He killed all those who stood by His side, and then personally set the great fire, burning down the capital. From then on, even His own kingdom was destroyed."

"Don't you find it interesting?"

Asmodeus leaned forward, his purple-gold eyes clearly reflecting Chen Guan's blood-stained face.

"A demon god, who spent his entire life pursuing everything, was ultimately destroyed by himself, one thing at a time."

"Aren't you curious about what His purpose is?"

Chen Guan moved his lips, but no sound came out. A chill ran from his tailbone to the top of his head.

"Even I don't have the answer to this question, but it's obvious that the better your relationship with Him, the more dangerous it often is."

Asmodeus straightened up and chuckled softly.

Baal sought pleasure, Astaroth sought destruction, Baimun sought the end, but He sought the unknown.

Despite being still alive, Baal remained silent, and this silence became the heaviest tacit agreement.

Asmodeus did not approach further. He casually waved his hand, and ripples spread across the space in front of him, forming a dark red vortex gate out of thin air.

"The story is over."

He resumed his lazy demeanor and gave the two of them an elegant smile.

"I won't keep you any longer. The next stop is the tenth floor. Have a pleasant journey."

"I have a feeling that the seal that has trapped us for hundreds of years will soon dissipate, and then we might meet again in the human world."

A tremendous pulling force surged from the vortex gate, pulling the two of them inside.

Before his vision was completely swallowed by red, the last thing Chen Guan saw was Asmodeus's intrigued eyes.

……

As the red light faded, Chen Guan, distracted and unable to dodge in time, landed awkwardly, supporting himself on his knees as he slowly straightened up.

Ahead lay a stark white, bone-like building; this was the tenth floor of the Bone-Eroding City. The strangely-looking demons on the street stood frozen, too afraid to breathe.

The city lord, a collector, dressed in a black tailcoat, stood far away at the other end of the square.

The other person didn't dare to approach or speak to them, and even lowered their gaze to count the gaps between the floor tiles, displaying no dignity whatsoever.

The greedy gazes that had once lingered on both sides of the street had long since receded like a receding tide, leaving only the air filled with a fear that made even demons weak in the knees.

The low-level demons, though unaware of the situation, could instinctively sense danger. Chen Guan and Guan Jinyue were covered in the oppressive aura of those supreme beings.

Baal, Astaroth, Baimon, and Asmodeus were covered in immunity tokens, and every breath they exuded was enough to make these lesser monsters cower.

Ignoring the wooden stakes on both sides of the street, Chen Guan and Guan Jinyue walked quickly toward the teleportation beam in the center of the square, their journey incredibly smooth.

A flash of red light engulfed the two completely, and the return journey was much quieter than the way there.

Each time they emerged from the teleportation array, they were met only with a flurry of dodges and the barely suppressed shivering sounds emanating from the corners.

The two remained silent the entire way, the atmosphere so oppressive it was almost unsettling.

Chen Guan's mind was filled with the words Asmodeus had uttered, and the light and shadow he had personally witnessed in the sealed land had become irrefutable evidence.