People in the Imperial Music Bureau: The Storytelling Demon Child Nezha

Chapter 250 The Seal Failed

Li Qiye swung his battle axe, unleashing golden light like a cascading galaxy, attempting to sever the connection between his heart and the Gate of the End.

However, the heart suddenly burst forth with a bright light, a pillar of light shot into the sky, and the Gate of the End slowly opened.

Countless shrill screams came from behind the door, and a suction force powerful enough to devour everything surged out from it.

"No, the seal has failed!" Su Yuqing's vines were almost sucked into the door. She gritted her teeth and poured her power into the Star Ring. "Li Qiye, use the power of Return to the Void!"

Li Qiye instantly understood. He fused the power of the Life Core, the Star Ring, and the Battle Axe, the golden light mixed with the darkness of the Return to the Ruins.

When the light touched the Gate of the End, the gate began to rotate in reverse, and the suction suddenly turned into a thrust, slowly sending the black heart back into the gate.

The remnant soul of the Witch God Cult member suddenly emerged from the void, laughing maniacally: "You think you can seal the end? The being behind the gate has already infiltrated every corner of the world..." Before he finished speaking, the power of the Void completely devoured him.

As the heart was pushed into the Gate of the End, Li Qiye and Su Yuqing exerted all their strength to bind the chains to the gate. The light of the star ring intertwined with the crimson incantations, forming a massive sealing rune. The moment the Gate of the End completely closed, the palace began to collapse.

The two embraced amidst the ruins, their life cores and the power of their Heavenly Evil bloodline nearly exhausted. Li Qiye looked at the dimmed star ring on his hand and whispered, "This is not the end. The Witch God Cult was right, the darkness has never truly disappeared..."

Su Yuqing gripped his hand tightly, crimson vines wrapping around their wrists: "But we will not back down. No matter how many gates of the end lie ahead, we will protect them to the very end."

The setting sun pierced through the collapsed palace, bathing them in its light. The distant city gradually came back to life, while new shadows were quietly creeping in some corner of the world…

When Li Qiye and Su Yuqing emerged from the ruins of the collapsed palace, the sky was already beginning to lighten.

The distant city gradually awoke in the dawn, with pedestrians coming and going on the streets, seemingly returning to calm. However, both of them knew that this was only the calm before the storm.

Su Yuqing's crimson vines gently coiled around a fragment of black crystal. The images remaining within the crystal flickered continuously: figures of the Witch God Cult appeared in different city corners, secretly meeting with mysterious hooded figures. "It seems the power behind the Shadow Moon Cult is far greater than we imagined." She handed the crystal to Li Qiye, her eyes filled with vigilance.

Li Qiye gripped the crystal tightly, his life core trembling slightly.

He could sense that an even more powerful dark force was gathering in the shadows.

“These mysterious figures all seem to possess artifacts similar to the Star Abyss,” he said, pointing to the image in the crystal. “And their goal is probably not just to open the Gate of the End.”

Just then, a strange purple meteor streaked across the sky and fell to the north of the city.

The two exchanged a glance, spread their wings and vines, and flew towards the direction where the meteor had fallen.

When they arrived, they found that the crash site was an abandoned church, and a familiar yet strange aura permeated the area around the church—an evil aura mixed with the power of the Star Abyss and some unknown energy.

Inside the church, an array emitting a ghostly blue light sat on the altar. A beating heart floated in the center of the array, its surface covered in purple patterns, subtly echoing the black heart within the Gate of the End. "This is… an avatar?" Li Qiye gripped the Blade of Severance, cautiously observing his surroundings.

Chapter 251 This can't go on.

Before the words were finished, seven mysterious figures emerged from the shadows surrounding the altar. They were dressed in black robes, their faces hidden beneath hoods, only the magical artifacts in their hands gleaming with a dangerous light. The leader of the mysterious figures let out a sinister laugh: "I didn't expect you to emerge from the palace alive. However, this time, your good fortune has run out."

As soon as the mysterious man finished speaking, the seven of them simultaneously brandished their magical artifacts. The array on the altar shone brightly, and the eerie blue light transformed into chains that coiled towards Li Qiye and Su Yuqing. Su Yuqing's crimson vines were the first to meet the attack, and the crimson incantations collided with the eerie blue chains, producing a piercing sound.

Li Qiye spread his wings, which were burning with golden flames, and the Blade of Severance drew an arc, severing the approaching chains with its golden light.

However, the severed chains did not dissipate, but instead reassembled in mid-air, transforming into a giant demonic hand that reached out to grab the two of them.

"This formation can regenerate continuously!" Li Qiye shouted. "We must find the core of the formation!" His life core shone brightly as he tried to sense the formation's weakness.

Just then, seven mysterious figures chanted ancient incantations simultaneously. The purple heart on the altar pounded violently, and a powerful suction force emanated from it, tearing the surrounding air into pieces.

Su Yuqing felt her body being uncontrollably pulled towards her heart, the crimson vines flailing wildly as she tried to steady herself. "Li Qiye, they are summoning an even more powerful force!" She bit her tongue, and the blood congealed in the air to form a crimson shield, resisting the suction.

Li Qiye channeled his power into the Star Ring, and a golden light formed a barrier, temporarily resisting the suction force.

He carefully observed the positions of the seven mysterious figures and discovered that their formation corresponded to the array on the altar. "Their positions are the key to the array! Disrupting their formation will break the spell!"

He brandished the Blade of Severance, transforming into a golden streak of light as he charged toward the nearest mysterious figure.

The light of the Blade of Severance collided with the mysterious man's magical artifact, erupting in dazzling sparks.

However, strange runes suddenly appeared on the mysterious man's magical artifact, reflecting Li Qiye's attack back.

At the same time, Su Yuqing's blood-red vines entangled another mysterious person, attempting to drag him out of the formation.

But the mysterious figure's magical artifact released black mist, corroding the vines. The battle reached a stalemate; the power of the Seven Demon Array grew stronger, and the purple heart pounded more violently, as if it would burst through the altar at any moment…

0 ······Requesting flowers 0 ····

Under the immense pressure of the Seven Demon Formation, Li Qiye and Su Yuqing were covered in wounds.

Su Yuqing's crimson vines were corroded in many places, and Li Qiye's wings were also damaged, their golden flames dimming. However, their eyes remained firm, without the slightest hesitation.

...... 0 ....

"This can't go on!" Su Yuqing suddenly shouted, her Heavenly Evil Bloodline surging wildly, and the crimson totem on her back shining brightly.

She could sense that, in this desperate situation, the power of her bloodline was undergoing some kind of change. "Li Qiye, do you still remember the memories of the first tomb guardian? The Heavenly Evil bloodline and the life core might resonate even more strongly!"

A thought struck Li Qiye. He gripped the Star Ring tightly, and the light from his life core merged with the power of the Star Ring.

At the same time, Su Yuqing infused her Heavenly Evil Bloodline power into the crimson vines. The incantations on the vines resonated with Li Qiye's golden light, forming a dazzling net of light.

A net of light enveloped the Seven Demon Array, and the mysterious man's chanting paused briefly.

Chapter 252 Crimson Vines

Seizing the opportunity, Li Qiye used the Blade of Severance, imbued with golden flames, to charge towards the center of the Seven Demon Array—the purple heart.

However, the mysterious figures reacted extremely quickly, and the magical artifacts in their hands released powerful energy once again, forming a black barrier in front of Li Qiye.

Seeing this, Su Yuqing's crimson vines transformed into countless blood blades, attacking the mysterious man from different directions. Her Heavenly Evil Bloodline power erupted completely, and crimson incantations condensed in the air into a massive crimson rune reading "907." As the rune fell, it weakened the mysterious man's black barrier.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Li Qiye swung the Boundary-Severing Blade, the golden blade cleaving through the black barrier and piercing straight into the purple heart.

Just as the blade was about to touch his heart, the seven mysterious figures suddenly self-destructed simultaneously, and the powerful energy shock blasted Li Qiye and Su Yuqing away.

As the aftershocks of the explosion subsided, Li Qiye and Su Yuqing struggled to their feet.

To their surprise, the purple heart was not destroyed. Instead, after absorbing the mysterious man's power, it grew even larger, and the purple patterns on its surface shimmered with an eerie light.

Worse still, the vibrations from a heartbeat are awakening the dark forces dormant in the city…

Each beat of the purple heart is like a heavy hammer striking the foundation of the city.

Suddenly, the people on the street had bloodshot eyes, and their bodies began to twist and deform, transforming into translucent, dark creatures. These creatures emanated an aura similar to that of the Star Abyss Rift, but far more violent and unstable.

"Not good! They've been controlled by the power of their hearts!" Su Yuqing's crimson vines coiled around a lunging dark creature, the crimson runes on the vines scorching its body. However, the number of dark creatures was too great, surging in continuously from all directions.

Li Qiye wielded the Blade of Severance, the golden blade continuously slashing at the approaching dark creatures.

But after these creatures are killed, their bodies turn into black mist and reform into new individuals. "They can regenerate just like the Star Abyss monsters. We must find a way to completely eliminate them!" he shouted.

As the life core shimmered, Li Qiye suddenly remembered that the first generation of tomb guardians had mentioned an ancient secret technique for purifying darkness.

He infused the power of the Star Ring into the Blade of Severance, and ancient runes appeared on the blade.

As he swung his blade again, the golden light contained purifying power. The dark creature struck screamed in agony, turning into specks of light and dissipating into the air.

Seeing this, Su Yuqing also mobilized the power of the Heavenly Evil Bloodline, and the incantations on the blood-red vines resonated with the power of purification.

Working together, the two fought their way through the dark horde of creatures, making their way toward the purple heart.

However, as they approached, the dark forces surrounding the heart grew stronger, forming a black storm that kept them at bay.

In the storm, Li Qiye and Su Yuqing sensed a familiar yet unfamiliar aura—the aura of the Witch God Cult.

Had the Cult of the Witch God not been completely eradicated? Just as they were wondering, the laughter of the Cult of the Witch God 0.4 echoed from within the black storm: "Foolish storyteller, this heart is the seed of darkness. When it fully awakens, the entire world will become a prison of darkness..."

The voices of the Witch God Cult echoed in the black storm, and Li Qiye and Su Yuqing were overwhelmed by the dark power within the storm.

Su Yuqing's crimson vines twisted and deformed in the storm, and Li Qiye's wings were also corrupted by darkness, causing the golden flames to flicker.

Chapter 253 Vigilance and Examination

"We can't let him succeed!" Li Qiye gripped the Blade of Severance, unleashing the power of his life core without reservation.

The golden light clashed violently with the dark storm, forming a brief barrier in front of him.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Su Yuqing infused the power of the Heavenly Evil Bloodline into the vines, and the blood-red vines transformed into a giant blood-red dragon, rushing into the storm.

The crimson dragon and the dark forces intertwined, and Su Yuqing's consciousness entered a mysterious space.

Here, she saw the true face of the cultists—07 an ancient storyteller consumed by dark forces, whose body surged with the same destructive power as the Gate of the End.

"So he was a storyteller corrupted by darkness..." Su Yuqing murmured to herself.

Her crimson vines suddenly swelled, binding the witch doctor's body. The witch doctor roared in anger, and dark power surged forth like a tide, attempting to overwhelm her.

Meanwhile, Li Qiye is struggling against the black storm in reality.

His life core's light dimmed, and darkness corrupted many parts of his body, causing black lines to appear on his skin. But he persevered, gritting his teeth and continuously channeling his power into the Star Ring, trying to find the weaknesses of the Witch God Cult.

Just as the two were about to be completely consumed by the dark forces, the Star Ring suddenly emitted a dazzling light.

The phantom of the first tomb keeper emerged from the light. With a wave of his hand, a golden pillar of light descended from the sky, piercing through the black storm. The figures of the Witch God Cult members became transparent within the pillar of light, and cracks began to appear in their purple hearts.

"Now's the time!" Li Qiye and Su Yuqing shouted at the same time. They mustered their last strength and rushed towards the purple heart.

Li Qiye's Boundary-Severing Blade and Su Yuqing's blood-red dagger pierced each other's hearts simultaneously, golden light intertwining with blood-red runes, unleashing a deafening roar...

The purple heart exploded under the impact of the golden light and blood-red incantations, and a powerful energy wave swept across the entire city.

Li Qiye and Su Yuqing were thrown back by the shockwave and crashed heavily to the ground. Their bodies were covered in wounds, and the power of their life cores and Heavenly Evil Bloodline was almost exhausted, making it extremely difficult for them to even get up.

With the destruction of the heart, the controlled dark creatures returned to normal and collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

The darkness in the city gradually dissipated, but a strange purple haze remained in the sky, as if to indicate that the darkness had not truly left.

Su Yuqing struggled to sit up, the crimson vines drooping weakly beside her. "Did we... succeed?" Her voice was weak, and there was still blood at the corner of her mouth.

Li Qiye forced himself to walk to her side and helped her up. He looked at the dim star ring in his hand, the runes on it still shimmering faintly. "Although the Witch God Cult has been repelled, he was right, 907, the seeds of darkness have already been sown." His eyes were filled with worry. "This city is just one of its strongholds; there are many more hidden dangers waiting for us."

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps sounded in the distance. A group of mysterious figures dressed in white robes appeared before them, holding glowing scepters and their eyes filled with vigilance and scrutiny.

The mysterious leader spoke up: "Are you the storytellers who fight against darkness?"

Li Qiye held the Blade of Severance horizontally in front of him, watching his opponents warily. "Who are you?" he asked.

The mysterious man did not answer, but instead waved his scepter, and a beam of light enveloped Li Qiye and Su Yuqing.

Chapter 254 is the Empress's man?

In the light, their wounds began to heal, and their strength slowly returned.

"We are Empress Huaiqing's people," the mysterious man finally said. "We have long been aware of the rise of the dark forces, and you may be the key to turning the tide..."

Empress Huaiqing's men took Li Qiye and Su Yuqing back to a mysterious palace.

The palace, with its carved beams and painted rafters, exudes an indescribable solemnity and grandeur.

The mysterious leader led them to a secret chamber, in which floated an ancient bronze mirror. "This is the Heavenly Mirror, capable of predicting the future," the mysterious man said, forming a hand seal, causing ripples to spread across the surface of the bronze mirror.

Images gradually appeared in the mirror: a towering tower shrouded in darkness, with a jet-black vortex at its top from which countless black tentacles extended, entwining the entire city; a group of people dressed in black robes chanting incantations before an altar, on which strange, eerie blue flames burned; and a figure exuding an ominous aura, whose face was obscured, yet gave off an extremely dangerous and oppressive feeling.

"This is an impending crisis." The mysterious man said solemnly, "That tower is called the Ghost Tower, a new stronghold of the dark forces, and it contains an evil artifact that can summon ancient evil gods."

That mysterious figure is very likely the hidden ultimate leader of the Witch God Cult.

Li Qiye gripped the Blade of Severance tightly, his eyes resolute: "No matter how dangerous it is, we must stop them." Su Yuqing's crimson vines swayed gently, as if responding to his determination.

The mysterious man nodded: "Empress Huaiqing ordered me to assist you. My name is Xuan Ying, and these are my two subordinates, Xuan Xing and Xuan Yue." The two men behind him bowed slightly.

“We need to recover our strength first,” Su Yuqing said. After the previous battle, her Heavenly Evil Bloodline power was almost exhausted, and her crimson vines had become very fragile.

Xuan Ying led them to a secluded cultivation chamber within the palace, filled with rich spiritual energy. "The spiritual energy here will help you recover," Xuan Ying said. "But time is of the essence; we must depart for the Ghostly Tower in three days."

Li Qiye and Su Yuqing sat cross-legged and began to circulate the power within their bodies.

Li Qiye activated his life core, and golden light flowed slowly through his body, repairing his damaged meridians; Su Yuqing, on the other hand, guided the power of the Heavenly Evil Bloodline, and crimson light shimmered around her, nourishing her weakened body.

During his cultivation, Li Qiye's star ring suddenly became slightly warm, and the memories of the first generation of tomb guardians resurfaced.

This time, he saw an ancient record about the Ghost Tower: the Ghost Tower was a passage built by an evil god in ancient times to invade the human world. Each level had a powerful guardian, and the vortex at the top of the tower was the entrance to the world of the evil god.

Li Qiye told Su Yuqing and Xuan Ying about this discovery. Xuan Ying's expression grew even more solemn: "It seems that the danger of the Ghostly Tower is far beyond our imagination. We must be fully prepared."

Three days later, Li Qiye, Su Yuqing, Xuan Ying, Xuan Xing, and Xuan Yue embarked on their journey to the Ghost (Nuo's Zhao) Evil Tower.

They rode flying spirit beasts, traversing towering mountains and valleys, heading towards the Ghostly Tower.

After several days of flight, a towering black tower came into view.