If you can understand forty or fifty percent of a language, the rest becomes a series of ciphers. By analyzing the surrounding sentences, you can deduce their meanings.
That's exactly what Quinn Shepherd did.
He had known nothing of demon language at first. By chance, he heard it at Goddess Pass in the Great Ruins and memorized it. Later, in Zhenyang Palace, he met the demon god sealed in the wall, who taught him the Heaven of Free Demons Seal, allowing him to grasp part of its meaning.
Once he understood a portion of the demon language, he could infer more meanings from his limited knowledge—just like cracking a code.
The Nethervault Demon King swore three oaths, each rich in pure demon tongue. Quinn had long known that the languages of gods and demons held terrifying power; these three oaths brought his command of demon language to a staggering level.
If the Nethervault Demon King now swore an oath in human language, Quinn could compare it with the demon tongue and master the meaning of every word!
The Demon King wasn’t wrong when he accused Quinn of secretly learning from him.
By now, conversing with the Demon King in demon tongue wasn’t difficult for Quinn. Still, to be safe, he preferred using human speech—only then could he fully grasp every nuance and avoid any traps the Demon King might lay.
Quinn's eyes flickered. "So, Demon King, do you still want to swear an oath?"
The Nethervault Demon King sneered, "Of course I do!"
He knew Quinn meant to use this chance to master demon language completely, but had no choice; otherwise, his only option would be to kill Quinn.
But even if he killed Quinn, he was only a fragment of consciousness and magic—he would vanish along with Quinn's death.
"Soul, return; Earth Sovereign’s Ninefold Oath, once sealed, inspect my soul!"
The Nethervault Demon King's voice rang out, invoking Tu Bo’s name and drawing the attention of the Netherworld’s ruler. This time, he used human language—so there was no room for tricks.
Quinn scrutinized every word, cautious and meticulous, examining each meaning again and again.
Gradually, Quinn felt a mysterious force welling up in the depths of space. With the Demon King's words, it grew stronger and stronger, eventually forming half a gate in his mind.
The Nethervault Demon King finished reciting the oath and looked at Quinn.
Quinn compared demon tongue to human speech, completing his grasp of the demon language. Only then did he recite the oath himself. As he reached the phrase "inspect my body," he felt a gaze fall—not on his flesh, but directly on his soul!
His soul trembled, sensing the overwhelming might and boundless presence of the soul’s true master!
It was an entity that ruled all souls, wielding limitless power—with no interest in flesh, only in the soul itself.
If the oath is broken, he will descend and take the soul of the violator!
Quinn continued reciting the oath. Gradually, a half-formed gate appeared before his eyes, joining with the Demon King's half to form a complete portal.
Beyond the portal, he saw only endless darkness.
Yet beneath the gate, Quinn "saw" yellow water—or perhaps it was not truly Yellow Springs, but a winding, golden stream with eighteen bends, growing broader and broader toward the depths, like a celestial river.
At the very bottom of this endless Yellow Springs, he "saw" a pair of eyes utterly devoid of emotion.
That golden stream was not Yellow Springs at all—it was a horn.
The horns atop Tu Bo, the Earth Sovereign’s head—the ruler of souls!
The word 'Oath' in Earth Sovereign’s Ninefold Oath actually means 'bend.'
Ninefold Oath—nine bends.
His horns are the Nine-Bend Yellow Springs.
Quinn and the Nethervault Demon King swore their pact, and that pact was bound to the Nine-Bend horns of this primordial, towering deity!
Why is breaking an oath called 'breaching a contract'? It must be tied to the Earth Sovereign’s Ninefold Oath. Any pact founded on the Nine-Bend Yellow Springs—if broken—lets Tu Bo seize the violator’s soul. That’s what 'breach of contract' truly means.
The oath ended, the gate snapped shut, and the strange vision before Quinn’s eyes vanished.
"Heh heh, heh heh heh..."
The Nethervault Demon King’s laughter echoed. Quinn wondered, "What’s so funny, Demon King?"
"Nothing at all!"
The Demon King couldn’t stop laughing, but finally managed, snickering, "Kid, for all your cunning, you’ve still fallen for my trick! You didn’t swear your pact with my true self, only with a fragment of my consciousness! Now, you’d best do as I say. As for the Netherworld script, don’t expect me to teach you a single word! If this fragment is destroyed, so be it—I don’t care!"
Quinn was left speechless, stunned for a long moment.
The Demon King burst into hearty laughter, brimming with pride as he watched Quinn’s discomfiture.
After a while, Quinn let out a long sigh and muttered, "No wonder Grandpa Cripple always told me to smile at others—while keeping a knife ready behind my back... Demon King, you truly are a master at this. But I’m no slouch myself."