Volume One: Hidden in the Azure Abyss Chapter Fifty-Eight

After drinking the wedding wine, Geng Yuan spoke, “Ah Jin, you look beautiful tonight.”
Jin Li set down her cup. “Let me go!”
Facing each other, Geng Yuan glanced at Jin Li’s sleeve. “Take it out.”
Jin Li remained motionless, but she was clearly stunned, sensing danger. Geng Yuan reached out and snatched the dagger from her hand. His eyes deepened. “So you still want to kill me?”
“Where is Yun Xiang? Why didn’t she come? What did you do to her?”
Geng Yuan fell silent, uncertain how to answer. When they found Yun Xiang, only a wisp of her soul remained on the banks of Lotus River, vanishing like smoke in the wind.
He looked at Jin Li’s questioning, suspicious face. “You suspect me?”
“Who else could it be? Ruan Tu’s death proves everything. You are nothing but a selfish, obsessed, cruel monster!”
“His death grieves you so deeply?”
Jin Li’s tears burst forth. Geng Yuan’s fists slowly clenched. “Tonight is our wedding night, the ceremony I’ve long awaited. Jin Li, how can you be so ruthless—to kill me on our wedding day!” Geng Yuan’s eyes reddened.
He raised his hand abruptly, aiming the dagger at his own throat, his voice hoarse. “Is it only if I die that you’ll believe me?”
Jin Li stared at him coldly. Geng Yuan’s eyes were red, tears streaming down his face. “If I die, will you mourn me?”
As Geng Yuan drew the blade across his neck, blood poured forth in a vivid, sinister stream.
He opened his eyes, and Jin Li’s hand seized the dagger, blood dripping onto her palm, staining her wedding robe, leaving no trace.
“If you killed Yun Xiang, I will kill you myself. If not, we can never be.”
Geng Yuan laughed. “Does it matter whether I did or not? You won’t love me anymore regardless.”
“You’re insane!”
Jin Li’s fists slowly clenched, hatred in her eyes threatening to consume the man before her. Red-eyed, she shouted, “Xuan Yin!”
In an instant, blue divine light enveloped her. Her eyes burned crimson, and a long sword gleamed fiercely in her grasp. Without a word, she thrust it at Geng Yuan’s heart.
Jin Li broke through the seal of immortal magic. Geng Yuan said nothing, dodging swiftly as their blades met. Her sword pierced his chest, his face turning pale. The vivid red of his robe, mixed with blue divine light, created a hauntingly beautiful scene.
Geng Yuan knelt on one knee before Jin Li, lifting his gaze, tears shimmering in his eyes. “The goddess loves the world—why can’t you love me?”
Jin Li looked down at him, her voice icy. “Love? You are unworthy.”
Tears fell from Geng Yuan’s eyes, becoming red pearls. A bleak smile touched his lips. “Ah Jin, hate me then. Hatred is better than forgetting.”
Before Jin Li could comprehend, Geng Yuan pulled the sword from his heart, then deftly pressed a rune to Jin Li’s forehead.
Jin Li instantly lost consciousness, and Geng Yuan cradled her in his arms.
His gaze lingered on the fallen wine cup. Blood from his wrist flowed over his palm, dripping to the ground...
When Jin Li awoke again, the wind stirred their wedding robes. They were at the Tomb of the Mermen. She saw that darkness surrounded Geng Yuan, demonic energy swirling around him, pouring into the coffin of Weak Water.
Geng Yuan was forcibly awakening the Merman Demon.
He would overturn the Six Realms and settle his hatred once and for all.
“Geng Zi! Stop!”
Jin Li had barely risen and rushed forward when a powerful wind swept her off her feet. No matter how she summoned her immortal strength, she could not break free.
Looking up, she saw the sky twisted and turbulent, storm clouds forming a giant golden vortex—the Heavenly Punishment!
It was the judgment for those who defied the heavens.
Chains wrapped around Jin Li’s body.
“Geng Zi! What have you done?!”
The youth’s wedding robe made his beauty even more unearthly. He stepped through the wind to stand before Jin Li.
“To defy heaven and enter the demonic path—heaven’s wrath awaits.”
His demonic eyes glowed crimson, lips seductively red as he drew Jin Li into his arms, whispering at her ear, “You were right. I am a monster. I am a liar. Every word I spoke to you was a deception.”
Jin Li stared at him in shock. Geng Yuan continued, a hint of pity in his smile, “If I hadn’t followed you, how could I have found Rui Xin? How else could I absorb the Demon Lord’s power?”
“Geng Zi! You’re being controlled by the evil bone. You must stop, or the heavenly punishment will destroy you.”
“Who says I must bear heaven’s wrath? It hurts too much; the Lady of the Realm loves all beings, so she might as well suffer it for me.”
The handsome youth spoke in the gentlest tones, uttering the cruelest words.
Suddenly, Geng Yuan vanished, and lightning struck, enveloping Jin Li.
Blazing flames and thunder consumed her. Jin Li wept with regret.
She had failed to save the world.
Comrades, it was my fault, in the end, it was my fault.
Geng Yuan gazed at Jin Li, swallowed in golden light, his heart aching, tears held back.
Jin Li needed to become a goddess. His own fate was insignificant. A world without the traitor’s son would lose nothing.
On the banks of the Weak Water, Geng Yuan appeared in golden holy light. The assembled immortals watched in confusion as he landed, Seven Sui rushed to his side.
Geng Yuan wore red. Seven Sui said, “Now, the Demon God has awakened, demonic beasts swarm from the Demon Realm, the Crown Prince and the God of War guard the Heavenly Pillar, but only sealing the Demon God will end this.”
Geng Yuan nodded, gazing at the sky. The Twelve True Gods of the Divine Domain exchanged glances, joining their divine power and channeling it to Geng Yuan as they had planned. Holy light blazed around him, and he raised his sleeve, stepping straight into the depths of the Weak Water.
A hundred years ago, after Geng Yuan left the Weak Water, he entered the Divine Domain. It was his first time in this realm, the surrounding holy light suppressing his soul, making him feel utterly small. The twelve chief gods sat in the Hall of Supreme Unity, watching the visitor as though they had foreseen everything.
The God of the Universe smiled at him. “You’ve come—what is your plan?”
Geng Yuan nodded. “I don’t want Ah Jin to die. I carry the Demon God’s energy and the evil bone. The Demon God wants to devour me…”
Before he finished, the God of Worlds spoke. “You wish to become the seal yourself, to perish with him?”
Geng Yuan nodded.
The Water God sighed. “Does the little phoenix know of your decision?”
“She doesn’t need to know.”
At the bottom of the Weak Water, vengeful souls broke through the seal, and countless immortal youths were swept into the massive vortex. The Demon God awakened; in an instant, the world was thrown into chaos. Dark beasts surged into the mortal realm. The demon energy spread through the demon and ghost realms, transforming their denizens. Hordes of demonic beasts attacked the Heavenly Pillar…
Blood stained the earth. Seven Sui led the clans in desperate resistance. The demon clans attacked from all directions. Within the divine temple, everyone joined in casting the sealing formation.
Most of the immortals defending the Weak Water had fallen. Arrows pierced their bodies; immortal bones shattered.
Geng Yuan opened his eyes to see an almost eerily beautiful face before him. The figure sat high upon the Black Dragon Throne, clad in black robes, limbs bound by massive iron chains, yet his arrogance and languid air were undiminished.
This was the Demon God.
His crimson eyes fixed on Geng Yuan, not surprised by his arrival.
“Little Merman, have you come to seal me?”
The Demon God truly lived up to his name—a single sentence radiated terrifying power.
“Yes.”
With that, Geng Yuan pressed his palms together, slender fingers turning, golden divine light appearing at his fingertips. Instantly, the light seemed alive, enveloping him and shrouding the Demon God, dispersing the red-black demonic energy.
The Demon God’s lip curled in disdain, watching the little merman’s futile efforts.
“Unexpected, you managed to persuade those stubborn gods of the Divine Domain. But you and I are worlds apart.”
“So what if we are worlds apart? Even if I die today, I will not retreat!”
“Neither birth nor death, Prajna Seal—Suppress!”
Golden light intensified, wounding the Demon God.
He twisted his neck, eyes impatient. “Little Merman, I won’t play with you anymore.”
The chains snapped. The Demon God was shrouded in black mist. In a flash, he appeared behind Geng Yuan, the Xingtian Sword poised to pierce him. Geng Yuan spun around, their faces close, and a flicker of surprise crossed the Demon God’s eyes as Geng Yuan whispered at his ear, “Did you think this was all I could do?”
The Demon God looked down, seeing Geng Yuan’s palm glowing with golden light—the rune embedded like a nail drove into the Demon God’s heart.
He shoved Geng Yuan away.
Demonic energy and vengeful souls rushed at Geng Yuan. He reached out, gripping the Cangyuan Bow, holy light and ocean power mingling. With a surge, the demonic energy and souls dissolved into immortal dust.
Geng Yuan faced the Demon God, raising his bow. As he drew, countless cold arrows rained down. The Demon God’s power was limited, but his strength remained. After several rounds, Geng Yuan was clearly at a disadvantage. But the barrier above neared completion; if he could hold on, the Demon God’s energy would wane, and he could be sealed into slumber.
The Demon God gripped Geng Yuan’s throat tightly. “Little Merman, it seems I underestimated you. I should never have let you live this long. Now, you may die.”
In that moment, Geng Yuan’s vision reddened, his eyes burning. He felt a surge of heat within, his Spring Guest Pearl threatening to burst.
“Aaaaah!”
Suddenly, his immortal power soared. The Demon God released him, staring in shock at the blue divine light enveloping Geng Yuan.
Yet he would never truly regard the little merman as a threat.