NOVEL NEXT Chapter 752: Something's Wrong—Why Hasn't He Arrived After All This Time?
Deep within the turbid mire.
A figure waited silently.
On closer inspection, it was clearly a statue carved from rock.
Yet this stone sculpture exuded a bizarre aura.
It seemed not cold stone, but a living being.
No void beasts dared approach the statue, instinctively avoiding the area.
This statue was Youhuan's avatar left behind.
With but a thought, he could transmit his consciousness here.
His target had always been Ao Shan.
He had long foreseen that Ao Shan would become the Dragon Clan's new Saint.
During the great war years ago, he had planted a tiny seed in Ao Shan's mind.
As millennia passed, that seed had taken root and sprouted.
The stronger the Demon Clan grew, the more vigorously the seed flourished, making Ao Shan question the myriad races of the heavens.
Ao Shan would question whether the myriad races could truly resist the Demon Clan.
Question whether such resistance held any meaning.
Even begin to consider whether joining the Demon Clan might better preserve the embers of life for all races.
Once such thoughts took root in Ao Shan's mind.
They clung to him like nightmares, impossible to shake.
They would materialize before his eyes, whisper in his ears.
Subtly twisting Ao Shan's thoughts and intentions.
Now the final step was near.
Youhuan would personally reap the bountiful fruit this seed had borne.
"Something's wrong. Why hasn't he arrived after all this time?"
Youhuan frowned in thought.
He had already divined that Ao Shan, Xiangyuan, and Shen Mo would enter the turbid mire aboard a dragon bone boat.
Subsequently, the three would be attacked by void beasts, forced to abandon the boat, and flee separately.
Shen Mo would gain nothing, pursued by swarms of void mites, severely wounded, barely escaping the mire.
Xiangyuan would be luckier, finding a damaged Great Dao Sacred Artifact.
Only Ao Shan would have the worst luck, constantly attacked by void beasts, nearly falling into the mire's deepest reaches.
At the moment of despair, he would accidentally discover Dragon Saint remains and, with their aid, chance upon the stone statue.
Everything had been perfectly arranged.
Youhuan frowned, divining again.
After a long while, his frown deepened.
"Xiangyuan's fate remains unchanged."
"Shen Mo's destiny is shrouded in mist—nothing can be seen."
"Ao Shan is attacked by more void beasts, hasn't found the Dragon Saint remains. He has strayed too far from my location."
Youhuan's expression turned astonished.
How could this happen?
Too absurd.
Too ridiculous!
Youhuan pondered, deciding to ask the mire's original masters for help.
"Spirit Demons, help me place this statue before Ao Shan."
He spoke in a low voice.
His words traveled far, reaching the three ancient consciousnesses.
"Lord of the Youbu Demon Clan, as you wish."
A calm voice responded.
Moments later, a void beast swam near, carrying the heavy statue and swiftly approaching Ao Shan's direction.
But.
Before it had swum far, a figure appeared ahead.
Youhuan froze.
He recognized the face instantly.
Shen Mo!
That aura was unmistakable.
Long ago, he had convened the Five Saints Assembly to discuss how to eliminate Shen Mo prematurely.
Yet the man had directly attained Saint Realm.
"Perfect timing. I'll end you here!"
Youhuan sneered.
He immediately began gathering demonic energy, preparing to strike a fatal blow the moment Shen Mo approached.
Under normal circumstances, Shen Mo discovering a humanoid stone statue here would inevitably prompt him to investigate.
Such curiosity was natural for anyone.
Youhuan planned to exploit this fatal curiosity to take Shen Mo's life.
Even if unable to deliver a fatal blow, he would destroy Shen Mo's Saint Realm foundation.
Just as Youhuan anticipated, Shen Mo spotted the statue and indeed approached.
As he drew near, he remarked in surprise, "Something like this exists here? Could it be some treasure?"
Youhuan sneered inwardly, gathering demonic energy even faster.
However, before he could strike, Shen Mo acted first.
A colossal dragon arm materialized from nothingness, shimmering with flowing light.
Like the arm of a divine dragon—invincible, unbreakable!
The dragon arm smashed down through the air!
In that moment, time seemed to freeze.
Bang!
Before Youhuan could react.
The dragon arm slammed directly onto the stone statue.
With a sharp crack.
The statue's surface immediately fractured.
Then, like spiderwebs, the cracks spread rapidly.
In less than five breaths, it shattered completely!
Followed by another bang.
It exploded into countless stone fragments.
Youhuan's avatar hidden within was now fully exposed before Shen Mo.
This sudden turn left Youhuan both shocked and suspicious.
The demonic energy he had gathered dissipated entirely.
"He discovered me?!"
He couldn't comprehend it. After countless years of scheming, hiding his avatar within this statue, it should have been undetectable.
Shen Mo's sudden strike clearly meant he had sensed the statue's anomaly.
How... was this possible?!
Shen Mo waved his hand.
Eighteen Green Lotus Seeds shot forth.
In an instant, they sealed off all space around Youhuan's avatar.
They radiated formidable life force energy.
Even the slightest touch caused him excruciating pain.
"What are you doing?!"
Youhuan roared, furious and alarmed.
Was Shen Mo planning to destroy his avatar!
Shen Mo smiled. "Lord of the Youbu Demon Clan, aren't you quite powerful? Guess what happens next."
He waved his hand again.
The Nine Nether Ice Flame erupted violently.
In moments, it completely enveloped Youhuan's avatar.
Youhuan's pupils shrank sharply.
That day, Wuzhuo had been surrounded by the Nine Nether Ice Flame and forced to sacrifice his avatar to barely escape.
They had only learned from Wuzhuo that Shen Mo possessed the Nine Nether Ice Flame and was likely the prophesied one who would destroy the Demon Clan.
But why had this flame grown stronger compared to that day?
Even at a glance, it had intensified by over fifty percent!
Youhuan stared deeply at Shen Mo.
"You truly are extraordinary."
"If this avatar can damage your Saint Dao foundation, it will not be in vain!"
As his words fell, his body suddenly began expanding wildly.
Shen Mo smiled faintly, instantly retracting the eighteen Green Lotus Seeds.
A Jade Lotus manifested beneath his feet.
His body retreated at extreme speed.
The aggressive stance from moments earlier—as if intent on annihilating him—vanished in an instant.
Seeing Shen Mo's rapidly receding figure, Youhuan was stunned.
But his self-destruction could no longer be reversed.
"Damn it..."
"Shen Mo! You made me lose an avatar!"
"This grudge will be repaid in due time!"
Bang!
Youhuan's avatar detonated violently.
Demonic energy surged and roared.
Even the turbid mire was blown open, leaving a massive gap.
The surrounding void beasts were silently pulverized into dust.
Even with Shen Mo standing on the Jade Lotus at high speed.
He was caught in the blast's aftermath, letting out a muffled groan.
"Minor injuries in exchange for Youhuan's self-destructing avatar. A worthy trade."
Shen Mo smiled faintly, unconcerned.