The Demon Weapon Project: In Search of a Vessel

Heaven and Earth underwent strange phenomena—the concentration and quality of spiritual energy in the world multiplied, and martial artists across the globe broke through their limits one after another.

Most sects of the ancient martial world were slaughtered by the Night Organization, and Long Tianyuan, the leader of the Martial Alliance, fell in battle!

This night would forever be etched into the memories of the world.

And thus, a new era officially began!!

...

...

A glimmer of hope.

Swish!

A spatial vortex appeared, and Gu Yan and his companions stepped out from within.

"My lord, you—"

Shitou and Little Bai rushed to support Gu Yan, about to ask about his injuries when—

They suddenly realized that their lord’s wounds had somehow already healed!

Shitou & Little Bai: "?"

Gu Yan ruffled their heads with a chuckle. "It’s nothing serious. You two go rest."

"...Understood!"

Shitou and Little Bai sighed in relief.

As expected of their lord—even after being wounded by Leng Qingqiu, the strongest human, he recovered in mere seconds!

Once they left—

Hum!

Another vortex swirled into existence.

"Cough—!"

Two figures stumbled out, leaning on each other for support.

Leng Bingning removed her mask with a helpless expression, a trace of blood at the corner of her lips. She glanced at Gu Yan, who seemed completely unharmed, and said, "You... what went wrong back there?"

She was baffled. According to the original plan, Gu Yan and Leng Qingqiu were supposed to engage in a symbolic clash before moving to the next phase.

But then... Gu Yan had simply stopped resisting the moment Leng Qingqiu grabbed his arm?

If they hadn’t intervened, would he have let himself be captured and exposed?

What kind of logic was that?

And another thing—why had Leng Qingqiu only severely injured them instead of finishing them off?

Gu Yan’s expression darkened at the question. He knew the reason, but he couldn’t say it outright. Instead, he sighed vaguely. "Because Qingqiu’s hand was too soft... I couldn’t bear to let go."

Leng Bingning: ?

You Xingxue: (╥﹏╥)

So they were the only ones who suffered in this scenario?

Well, whatever. Being injured by her own sister was still better than being hurt by an enemy.

With that thought, Leng Bingning circulated her spiritual energy to heal while turning back to Gu Yan. "Even with that mishap, at least you managed to kill Long Tianyuan, their leader."

"That should indirectly pave the way for Leng Qingqiu to take charge of the alliance."

After all, her strength in repelling the Night King on the ancient battlefield had been witnessed by all.

With Long Tianyuan dead, it was only natural for Leng Qingqiu to become the new pillar of the martial world.

However—

Gu Yan shook his head, his gaze turning contemplative. "To martial artists, Leng Qingqiu has indeed become a god in their eyes."

"But... don’t forget what this world has in abundance."

"Only by eliminating the hidden threats can she truly become humanity’s hope."

After the Martial Alliance’s consolidation, its true power lay in the hands of the world’s most influential families.

Who became its leader was ultimately decided by their internal negotiations.

Moreover... while the Leng Family’s enemies in the ancient martial world had been eradicated, some still lurked in the secular world.

These were the key figures who would decide the alliance’s leadership.

Gu Yan also suspected that certain ancient beings who had lived for centuries must be growing restless.

After all... the Night King’s sudden surge in power had exceeded their expectations.

If they wanted immortality now, they’d have to find another way—fast.

A cold glint flashed in Gu Yan’s eyes.

After absorbing fragmented memories from the ancient martial world, he had uncovered the truth of the past.

Since ancient times, deities had meddled in this fragmented world.

They bestowed their followers with traces of divine power, promising that whoever slew the Night King would gain eternal life.

Thus, an unspoken rule spread among these believers:

They would allocate the right to kill the Night King among themselves. Each time the Night King emerged, they would rally all forces to strike.

Then, the chosen one would deliver the final blow and claim immortality!

With divine power aiding them, the Night King was always slain before reaching his full potential.

The killer would gain eternal life, while those left waiting grew desperate.

Some even conspired to slaughter other believers to seize their turn.

This cycle had repeated since antiquity.

The Leng Family’s downfall had been part of this scheme.

As for the assassination of the Netherworld Monarch—it was actually the Four Sacred Beasts, corrupted by divine power, who sought out the Night King to eliminate him.

After slaughtering the Netherworld Monarch and destroying his clan, they used divine power to kill the Night King—each of them taking a turn to claim immortality.

But they never anticipated that with each death, the Night King would grow stronger. The increase was slight, but undeniable.

Fearing eventual retribution, they sought successors to permanently eradicate the Night King.

Now...

Gu Yan guessed that while few knew killing the Night King granted immortality, the number wasn’t negligible—likely concentrated among the powerful families pulling the strings.

Once they realized the Night King was beyond their reach, those nearing the end of their lifespans would activate another plan—

The [Demon-Slaying Weapon] Project!

On the surface, it was designed to combat demons and the Night King.

In truth... it was an experiment for immortality!

Every participant was deceived—mere sacrifices for the masterminds’ quest for eternal life.

In the original story, the perfect Demon-Slaying Weapon... was Lin Yinyin.

After a century of refinement, her body showed flawless compatibility.

According to the plot, she was meant to be a vessel for a certain entity’s rebirth.

But before the experiment could begin, the project was dismantled by the protagonists.

Long Tianyuan was scapegoated as the mastermind, but the true orchestrator remained unknown—even in the original, truncated story.

Come to think of it, Gu Yan understood why this world mirrored an unfinished novel.

Its open-ended conclusion was precisely what gave him a chance to survive.

A faint smile curled his lips.

It was time to activate Lin Yinyin—his hidden trump card.

...

...

Secular World.

A dimly lit chamber, thick with a chilling aura.

At its center stood an ancient, grotesque goat-headed idol, its eyes gleaming ominously in the dark.

Three elderly men in wheelchairs sat before it, eyes closed, murmuring prayers in hushed tones.

Their faces were etched with wrinkles, as if weathered by countless years, yet beneath their aged exteriors lay an unfathomable power.

"O Great Deity... grant us the power to slay the Night King..."

One of the elders murmured in a hoarse, somber voice.

"The Night King's strength is formidable... we are utterly powerless against him..."

Another elder added, his tone laced with anxiety.

"No matter the cost, we are willing to sacrifice anything... for immortality."

The third elder spoke weakly, as if teetering on the brink of death.

Suddenly—

The air in the chamber seemed to freeze for an instant. Then, a dark fissure slowly cracked open on the ground before the statue.

A frigid wind howled from the rift, carrying with it endless darkness and bone-chilling cold.

The three elders' eyes gleamed with anticipation as the goat-headed statue's mouth slowly twisted into a grin, uttering human words:

"I grant thee the power of death... in exchange... thou shalt find me a suitable vessel!!"

Boom!

As the goat-headed deity's voice faded, an overwhelming surge of vitality erupted from the three elders.

Their auras skyrocketed—each had broken through to the realm of Grand Masters!! Their lifespans extended by another five hundred years!!

Overwhelmed, the three struggled to rise from their wheelchairs and prostrated themselves on the ground.

"We thank you, Great One!!"

"We swear to find you the perfect vessel for your divine descent!!"

They remained bowed, not daring to rise even after the eerie presence had vanished.

Had anyone who knew them witnessed this scene, they would have gasped in shock—

For these three... any one of them was a terrifying existence capable of shaking the world to its core!!

After a long silence, the elders finally stood.

"It is time to initiate the Demon Weapon Project."

"No longer for the pursuit of eternal life... but to secure a vessel for the Great One!"

"What about Lin Yinyin? Created a century ago as a potential vessel for us... but if the Great One requires her..."

"No need to rush. Conduct a new round of experiments first. If we cannot create a vessel superior to Lin Yinyin, then we shall offer her."

"Tch... Long Tianyuan, that useless fool, is dead. No matter—there are countless puppets like him to replace him."

"Indeed. The great families of this world are nothing but stepping stones for our eternal ambitions!"

"I will make arrangements immediately. First, hold Long Tianyuan's funeral... then announce the new leader of the alliance!"

"Wait—do not forget one thing. Leng Qingqiu has risen in prominence and holds considerable influence within the alliance."

"Hmph. A mere orphan from a fallen family. If she proves useful, we shall spare her. If not... we eliminate her."

"Agreed. After the funeral, I will send someone to invite her for a 'discussion.' Let us hope she knows her place!"