The Lord Demon King is Unfathomable!

There was one more thing he didn't say.

If this notebook was truly so miraculous, how could the Demon King of the Great Graveyard possibly take it out and trade it with them?

If he were Luo Yan, he wouldn't even admit to the existence of this notebook. Instead, he would treat it as a forbidden treasure, hiding away in some place no one knew about to study it in secret!

Upon hearing his grandson's complaint, Zakro merely smiled faintly and replied with indifference.

"When did I ever say he succeeded in his research?"

Kamu froze, instinctively holding his breath.

"Then why are we still…"

Zakro spoke in a slow yet assured tone.

"If we were to liken our work to a towering high structure reaching the heavens, then his role would be akin to crafting the bricks to construct this tower. From creating life, crafting souls, to even shaping entire worlds… The projects I assigned him were all completed, and completed remarkably well. He came genuinely close to assembling those puzzle pieces together."

At this point, Zakro's tone shifted and his smile turned enigmatic.

"But, sadly, my dear child didn't know how to build this Tower of Heaven. His eagerness for quick success led him to avoid consulting me as I instructed, instead putting all his chips into an impossible plan—unwittingly attracting attention from higher powers."

Kamu swallowed hard, speaking in disbelief.

"Are you saying… you know how to build this Tower of Heaven?"

"I don't merely know."

Zakro's face lit up with a pleased smile and, in an unhurried voice, continued.

"The entire research began with me!"

...

Candles flickered in the Dragon family's council chamber, their shifting illumination revealing the whispers brewing conspiracies and unspoken ambitions.

At the same time, far away in the Great Graveyard, Xino Dragon remained completely unaware of the deal between the Demon King and his brother.

Staring at the newspaper sent from the Demon City, this somewhat dimwitted Horror Demon wore an expression of heartfelt gratitude as he looked at Luo Yan, sincerely saying.

"Thank you… I've caused you so much trouble, yet you still helped me like this! I… I truly don't know how to repay you!"

Although he kept denying his involvement in opening the Gate of Chaos, deep down he admitted to himself that it wasn't entirely unrelated to him.

While Kassen Skullcrusher was undoubtedly the primary instigator, if his faith in the Lord Demon God had been unwavering—if he had fought for his faith as the Demon King preached—he wouldn't have succumbed to Chaos's corruption.

With this guilt weighing on him, he saw in the newspaper that all blame had been pinned on the Ogre named Kassen Skullcrusher.

As for his own predicament, it was only vaguely brushed over by the Demon King, and the curse from the Chaos Divine Chosen wasn't even mentioned in the report.

Thinking about the things he'd done, Xino Dragon felt increasingly ashamed, wishing he could kneel down before Luo Yan on the spot.

Looking at Xino, who had been "sold out" yet still appeared grateful, Luo Yan found himself feeling a small pang of awkwardness and cleared his throat lightly.

"No need for gratitude. Raise your head. I believe your loyalty to the Lord Demon God remains true; being cursed by Chaos was not your intention."

Xino cast him a grateful glance and then added.

"But I don't understand—why hasn't the curse on me been lifted? I've already followed your instructions and confronted Calmandes' threat..."

Compared to the coverage in the "Magic City Daily," lifting the curse of Chaos weighed on him far more heavily.

Since discovering the mark of Calmandes etched into him, he hadn't had a single peaceful night's sleep, constantly waking from nightmares night after night.

For a Horror Demon, nothing was more humiliating than this!

Seeing Xino's confusion, Luo Yan paused in thought before responding in a gentle tone.

"The mark of Chaos cannot disappear—it remains with you for life... But you need not despair. While the curse itself remains, its negative energy can be suppressed. Much like now—only you can sense it exists; others cannot perceive it."

"It can't be completely lifted…" Xino's expression visibly shifted to disappointment, sinking into a state of dejection.

"Indeed. That's why I suggest you see it as a badge of honor. After all, not everyone can overcome Chaos—it's something worth taking pride in." After a brief pause, Luo Yan continued, "Not only you—on my own body, there's also a mark from the Deceitful Fog of Nuoville."

Upon hearing that the Demon King himself carried Chaos's mark as well, Xino, who moments earlier felt as though his world had collapsed, instantly felt relieved, and even smiled.

"So that's how it is—I understand! Ah... Rest assured, I will never reveal anything about Nuoville to anyone! I swear it on my life and honor!"

Watching Xino swear an oath with such fervor, Luo Yan smiled faintly.

"Even if you told others, no one would believe it."

The mark etched onto souls was simply beyond the comprehension of mortals, akin to the Soul Level—it was something only gods could perceive.

Only when the mark of Chaos resonated with the Chaos within the Void—whether voluntarily or involuntarily, when a "cursed one" surrendered themselves to Chaos and obtained power bestowed by it—did its repugnant stench become palpable, even from afar.

Luo Yan had never aligned himself with Nuoville; thus, such a curse naturally held no sway over him.