Cultivation Online

Chapter 2456 Zaaran's Arrival

Although Yuan's entire presence had vanished—just like his screams—his aura returned moments later. It was faint at first, but it was clearly evolving, transforming into something otherworldly.

"He's… ascending?" Selena muttered in a dazed voice after realizing this.

Unlike Supreme Ruler Dena, who had wrapped herself in a cocoon, a thin veil of semi-transparent golden aura now covered Yuan's entire body like a shimmering blanket.

"Show me… what kind of being you'll become after this. Will you ascend… or will you perish at the final step?" Deemo muttered, staring at Yuan with unrestrained excitement, his body trembling nonstop like that of an eager child.

Deemo wanted to witness Yuan's ascension from beginning to end, but unfortunately, he had no choice but to divert his attention. Mere days after Yuan began his ascension, Deemo sensed a familiar presence approaching his world. It was none other than Zaaran, who had finally arrived to fight Yuan.

"Haaa…" Deemo let out an irritated sigh before his faceless figure vanished into thin air.

After leaving the Demonic Realm and Yuan's side, Deemo confronted Zaaran, blocking his advances.

"D-Deemo!" Zaaran instantly halted before him.

"Uh… this is…" Zaaran, who had spent his entire journey to the Demonic Realm consumed by rage and fantaising how he would torture Yuan, froze in confusion, as he forgot to think of an excuse to give Deemo for his sudden appearance. Although nearly seven years had passed in the Demonic Realm, only seven days had gone by for him.

"I am here to…"

"Save your breath, Zaaran. I know what you're doing here," Deemo interrupted him with a cold sneer.

"You do?!" Zaaran exclaimed in shock.

He thought he had managed to escape Deemo's surveillance while he schemed within the Demonic Realm, after all.

"I knew you were ambitious, but to scheme in my own territory… Do you have a death wish?" Deemo's voice was solemn, heavy with the urge to strangle Zaaran's neck. "I… have no idea what you're talking about!" Zaaran chose to play dumb. "Oh? You don't? So you're saying you didn't try to fool one of my own people into stealing blood from my creations by pretending to be me?"

"That's absurd! What proof do you have?! Even as a Prime Eternal, you can't just hurl baseless accusations! Are you trying to start a war?!" Zaaran shouted.

"The one you traveled all this way to fight told me himself, so there's no point in playing dumb, Zaaran," Deemo said with a shake of his head.

"What?! Don't tell me you're working together?!"

"Working together? To achieve what? If I wanted to kill you for taking a shit in my territory, I could easily achieve that by myself!" Deemo declared, his voice booming with arrogance.

"Then why are you blocking me? It was that bastard who challenged me to a fight first."

"He's not ready to fight you right now—or more specifically, he's not in the condition to."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm saying that I will not interfere in your fight with him. However, you must wait until he is ready. That is your punishment for scheming in my world and trying to steal my hard work," Deemo elaborated.

"..."

Zaaran fell silent. He wasn't exactly afraid of Deemo, but he was definitely nervous in his presence. And since he'd already offended Deemo, it would be wise not to anger him further. Although there was a chance that Yuan might not survive his ascension and fight Zaaran, Deemo did not reveal such information to him.

"How long will this take?" Zaaran eventually asked.

"Who knows?" Deemo shrugged.

"You…!" Zaaran wanted to complain but decided against it.

After several weeks of silence, Zaaran couldn't endure his curiosity any longer and asked, "Why are you helping that bastard, anyway? What is your relationship with him?"

"You're misunderstanding the situation. I am not helping him," Deemo said.

"What?"

"He is currently undergoing an experiment of mine, so I cannot allow you to disturb him," Deemo admitted.

"He willingly agreed to be your experiment…?"

"Something like that."

"..."

Zaaran didn't respond, but he definitely doubted Deemo's claim.

"How are your experiments progressing?" Deemo suddenly asked, changing the subject. "Will you have anything worthwhile to show at the upcoming event, or are you going to squander the opportunity like last time?"

"That's—"

"Oh, you don't actually have to answer me. After all, if your experiments were going smoothly, you wouldn't resort to trying to steal my work." Deemo interrupted Zaaran before he could even say anything.

"You…" Zaaran trembled in anger, but he unfortunately did not have any comebacks.

After a brief silence, Zaaran forced himself to calm down before asking in a tense, curious tone, "Don't tell me… you're planning to use him as your subject in the event?"

"Hm?" Deemo let out a surprised noise, as if he just realized something. "That's actually not a bad idea. If it's him, he'll definitely make things entertaining. He has all the qualifications to participate, too."

Zaaran's jaw dropped at Deemo's words, and he even felt like kicking himself for having given him the idea.

However, Deemo shook his head a moment later and said, "Unfortunately, since he came from 'that' place and technically not mine, I won't be able to use him."

"..."

'No, he's definitely usable…' Zaaran thought to himself. 'After all, how would the others know his origin if I don't mention it? And if I make him my slave, he'll become my property!'

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Deemo suddenly commented, almost as if he could read Zaaran's thoughts.

"Why would you say—"

In the middle of Zaaran's question, Deemo suddenly shifted his attention back to Yuan.

"He's almost done!"

Without another word, Deemo left Zaaran and returned to Yuan's side to witness his ascension up close.

Zaaran stayed in the starry sky, not daring to enter Deemo's territory without permission. But since he could see everything from his location, it made no difference.

Meanwhile, Yuan slowly opened his eyes. <Your Demonic Awakening has successfully evolved!>