The Fire Ant King's limbs bulged to twice their normal size, and his joints all bent in the wrong direction. His thick tail whipped thunderously in midair, breaking the synthesized nerves that tied up his body apart. The shackles deeply buried into his body flashed in glamorous brilliant as a series of spiritual stripes were activated to the maximum before they were shattered all of a sudden. The broken pieces raged inside the narrow cage like bullets!
For a moment, the entire prison cell was filled up by the Fire Ant King's eruptive demonic energy!
He was about to break free and pierce toward Elder Nether Spring like a shining tusk!
However, when he was one step away from Elder Nether Spring, the 'veins' that Elder Nether Spring planted into his body earlier suddenly jerked up. The green venom inside the veins was flowing ten times faster than before, like leeches that had drunk enough blood and turned into hideous serpents!
All the vigor of the Fire Ant King seemed to be absorbed by the terrifying serpents. His body suddenly withered, and his skin became wrinkled. His demonic energy instantly vanished, and he tripped over, falling into the cold acid, only to be pulled back by the elastic synthesized nerves and tied up in midair again.
Li Yao was secretly surprised. The Fire Ant King's actions seemed to be reckless, but Li Yao knew that the strike was far from the best he could make.
Judging from the delicate control over his demonic energy during their conversation, he was certainly reserving his strength!
He was misleading Elder Nether Spring even now!
Besides, after his desperate struggle, the demonic energy was raging inside the cage. Everything was in disorder, which was convenient for Li Yao to further hide Neltharion.
The Fire Ant King is trying to cause mayhem so that his brother won't notice Neltharion.
Li Yao thought quickly and soon realized what was happening.
However, with Elder Nether Spring standing next to it, he did not dare to move Neltharion at all, much less communicate with the Fire Ant King.
After the Fire Ant King's 'final strike' failed, he seemed to be grasped by the utmost desperation. He lowered his head and uttered miserable laughs.
Elder Nether Spring raised an eyebrow and casually asked, "What are you laughing for?"
"I'm afraid that this is the sincerest moment between the two of us over the past decades. We are finally able to be frank, without disguises and lies. Shouldn't I laugh?"
Elder Nether Spring did not realize that his brother would admit his failure so quickly. Rolling his eyes slightly, Elder Nether Spring was deep in thought. His voice turned gentler as he said slowly, "Indeed. For decades, I've been in the Nether Spring Kingdom, while you in Void Turmoil City. Many things have changed. We cannot go back to the time when we fought side by side with each other and supported each other through the siege of thousands of enemies on the Devilish Teeth Mountain."
Hearing 'Devilish Teeth Mountain', the Fire Ant King's eyes suddenly bulged, and he gnashed his teeth. "Big brother, let me ask you, in the depths of the Devilish Teeth Mountain years ago, before you saved me, did you find the residence of Chaos as well?"
It was the first time that the Fire Ant King had addressed Elder Nether Spring as 'big brother' since the two of them met.
Elder Nether Spring pondered for a moment but nodded. "Yes. I discovered the residence of Chaos, too.
"You were heavily wounded, and your head was not clear, which stopped you from further exploring the residence. I was in a much better status than you, and I made more discoveries in the residence.
"Most importantly, I found a secret door that led to an even more secret base below the residence.
"At that time, there was no time for me to explore the 'cave in the cave'. I could only remember the coordinates and the terrain nearby. After we returned to the Nether Spring Kingdom and everything was peaceful again, I snuck back into the Devilish Teeth Mountain in disguise by myself and opened the cave in the cave, receiving a lot of the legacy of Chaos.
"Later, I blew up everything."
The Fire Ant King sniffed. "That explains a lot. I should've guessed it earlier. No wonder you were uninterested in my flying sword that could suck blood. Turns out that you knew what it was all the time.
"Besides, you knew it a long time ago that you were not a pure silver-blood demon but a well-concealed chaotic-blood demon?"
"Yes. I've known it all the time," Elder Nether Spring said casually.
"Then I really find it hard to understand." The Fire Ant King's eyes were red, as if he was feeling both baffled and wronged. "Big brother, since you found the legacy of Chaos, too, you must know that the propaganda of the Pantheon of Demons is drivel. Besides, you also know that your real identity is a chaotic-blood demon that is even lowlier than the servants in the system of the Pantheon of Demons.
"So, why were you still so greedy about everything in the Nether Spring Kingdom, and why did you even become one of the twelve demon emperors of the Pantheon of Demons?
"If you had found out that I was the leader of the Blade of Chaos long ago, why didn't you work with me to shatter the Four Pillars System so that all the chaotic-blood demons could master the Blood Demon Sector rightfully?
"With the capabilities of us as demon emperors, together with the legacy of Chaos and the great number of low-level demons, it would've been more than possible for us to succeed!
"Why didn't you do it?
"You may be one of the four giants of the Blood Demon Sector and one of the most respected demon emperors of the Pantheon of Demons, but as long as your secret that you are a chaotic-blood demon leaks out, your reputation will immediately be demolished. However strong you are, none of the silver-blood nobles will listen to your command anymore. They will attack you together!
"Alright. Let's say that you can keep the secret your whole life. What about your blood descendants? Don't forget that they will inherit your curse of the chaotic blood, too. One day, your descendants will show the features of the chaotic-blood demons. By that time, the enormous enterprise that you accomplished will still be ruined!
"I don't believe that you are too shortsighted to see through such a simple logic. Then what do you want exactly by founding such a strong 'Nether World Watch' and forcefully occupying the Mausoleum of Chaos?"
His question made Elder Nether Spring's eyes turn extremely hollow. Deep in thought, he gazed at the Fire Ant King for a long time before he suddenly asked, "Even if I told you the truth decades ago and we led the Blade of Chaos to rise together, so what? Could we defeat the Pantheon of Demons?"
"Of course!" the Fire Ant King affirmed proudly. "I believe that the Pantheon of Demons will definitely be blown to smithereens if we encourage all the low-level demons to stand up against them!"
"What then?" Elder Nether Spring said coldly. "The Four Pillars system has been implemented in the demon race for thousands of years. It has been deeply rooted into the veins of every demon. If we pluck it out completely, we are definitely going to pull out their veins, bones, and blood.
"Let me tell you, I have contemplated on what would happen if I join the Blade of Chaos and fight against the Pantheon of Demons with you before. However, according to my deduction, even if all the low-level demons join our cause and the reign of the high-level demons is overturned in the end, the Blood Demon Sector will still be heavily battered by the fire of war. It will take decades before the world recovers again."
The Fire Ant King narrowed his eyes and said, "Change always comes with a price. It is just an insignificant throe."
There was a hint of mockery in Elder Nether Spring's smile. "I would agree with you if we were in any era of the past ten thousand years except right now.
"Don't forget that the Blood Demon Sector and the Heaven's Origin Sector have already started melding slowly!
"In the Heaven's Origin Sector, there is a powerful Star Glory Federation that has been preparing for a war and coveting us!
"The Star Glory Federation is a nation of human beings that was only established five hundred years ago. It seems rather young, but it actually boasts boundless potential. The speed of their development is unimaginably high!
"Five hundred years ago, they were hiding in the inland of the Heaven's Origin Sector, most of which was governed by the Far East Demon Kingdom and the tribes of demons on the Grand Desolate Plateau. It was almost a world of demons just like the Blood Demon Sector right now.
"However, it only took them a hundred years to destroy the Far East Demon Kingdom that ruled over the ocean, and it was only another hundred years before all the demon tribes on the Grand Desolate Plateau were exterminated!
"This is an extremely horrifying country. It has been in the state of war for the past hundred years, with armed forces of a tremendous scale. The development of their technology has been much faster than ours, too!
"Hundreds of years ago, they could not even produce the simplest tube-type crystal processors or equip the plainest crystal shields. But today, from crystal tanks to crystal warships, and from crystal suits to Taiyi Lightning Railguns, they are presenting countless types of new magical equipment every year like a big bang.
"Ten years ago, by studying the pieces of a crystal suit from the Star Ocean Imperium, the Star Glory Federation developed a very balanced model of crystal suit named 'Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit'. The ratio of the cost to the performance could not be more perfect.
"According to our latest intelligence, at least fifteen formal legions of the Star Glory Federation have been equipped with the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit and its derivative models. More magical equipment factories have been working day and night to produce even more crystal suits!
"Do you think that they've built so many crystal suit legions in order to stay behind their defensive lines and wait for our attacks?
"Then, you are terribly wrong!
"According to my deduction, if the Blade of Chaos really grows large and competes with the Pantheon of Demons, a civil war in the Blood Demon Sector will certainly be raised, and the third party will take all the advantage!
"Is there any significance even if the Blade of Chaos can overthrow the reign of the Pantheon of Demons? When the iron torrents of human beings flood on the boundless plateaus of the Blood Demon Sector, their caterpillar tracks that are embedded with sharp thorns will not care whether you are a silver-blood demon or a chaotic-blood one. They will simply crush all of us!"
"I didn't know that big brother thought so highly of the Star Glory Federation," the Fire Ant King said.
"Yes. I think very highly of the Star Glory Federation," Elder Nether Spring said calmly. "In fact, forget the civil war between the Blade of Chaos and the Pantheon of Demons. Even if the Blade of Chaos is completely suppressed and the Pantheon of Demons is able to concentrate all the forces of the Blood Demon Sector to fight against the Star Glory Federation, I don't think we stand much chance at all."
The Fire Ant King was truly shocked. "Right now, there are indeed a lot of demons outside who are worried about the war to come and have been disseminating pessimistic predications, but I didn't know that you were one of them."
"Indeed I am."
His eyes as clear as water, Elder Nether Spring observed casually, "Since a long, long time ago, I've been an unwavering pessimist. I firmly believe that the demons will fail, and mankind will win the ultimate war between the Blood Demon Sector and the Heaven's Origin Sector!"