The Nethervault Demon King claimed he was heading to the Grand Void to earn merit, but in truth, he was seeking death. Entrusting the Nethervault World's Skyfiends to Quinn Shepherd, he planned to die in Taixu, forcing Quinn to take responsibility for his people—a final wish fulfilled.
In his heart, the exalted Shepherd Heavenly Venerable surely had a way to resettle his people.
After his death, Quinn, remembering their past ties, might not care for his people in every detail, but at least could grant them a place to settle—no longer forced to wander the cosmos, fearing for their lives day and night.
After so many years without roots, the Skyfiends have had enough.
Since the destruction of the Nethervault World, he has led his people in exile. No world among the heavens welcomed them, and powerful realms often raided the Skyfiends—hunting them down, capturing them as slaves.
If this continues, the Skyfiends of the Nethervault World will surely be wiped out.
The Nethervault Demon King truly had nowhere left to turn. He was a clever man—when he invaded Everpeace years ago, he thought it was a minor world, but the moment he saw the Great Ruins’ stone statues, he realized he’d hit solid rock and abandoned the invasion.
Quinn had great accomplishments in demon language and numerology, but the Nethervault Demon King’s achievements were no less—especially in numerology, where his mastery was profound.
He knew that going to Taixu was a dead end, but he had no choice.
Quinn, of course, understood his intentions. He looked up at the Nethervault Demon King’s face—weathered by hardship, carved by time. For gods and demons, years don’t bring age, but the Demon King looked old now, his spirit worn down.
His ambition had been ground away on the road of exile and survival.
"How many Skyfiends are left in the Nethervault World?" Quinn asked.
The Nethervault Demon King’s face lit up, though he dared not show too much joy. He quickly replied, "Only a million Skyfiends remain. It’s really not many. As long as they have a place to live, with rich water and grass, even if it’s not large, they can survive…"
"A million Skyfiends really isn’t many. But although I hold the Heavenly Venerable title, I have no real power in Heavenly Court—it’s difficult to arrange a place for them."
Quinn asked, "Where are they now?"
"They’re on the Celestial River outside Heavenly Court. They aren’t allowed to enter the city."
The Nethervault Demon King forced a smile. "I had them wait outside, standing along the shore—so they wouldn’t get run over by passing boats. Heavenly Venerable…"
Quinn interrupted, "All right. Annie, Fat Dragon, come here."
Annie stood atop Dragon-Qilin’s head as he trotted over. Quinn took out a small bottle and said, "Take this treasure and follow the Nethervault Demon King outside Heavenly Court. Put his million Skyfiends into the bottle."
This bottle was the Hu-Heaven Bottle, a Creator artifact from the Cangshan Clan. Quinn and Lox Wushuang encountered the Cangshan Clan Chief’s spirit in Taixu and promised to build a Netherworld there; in return, the clan gifted him this treasure.
Inside the Hu-Heaven Bottle, space stretched vast and boundless, containing an entire great heaven-realm within—a world of immense expanse.
Quinn Shepherd had been storing Origin-Root Primordial Essence in this Hu-Heaven Bottle for his own cultivation. Now, he plucked a star-world from within and lent it to the Skyfiends as a temporary refuge.
The Nethervault Demon King was moved to tears. Dragon-Qilin glanced at him and asked in surprise, "Brother Nethervault, when did you get so old?"
The Nethervault Demon King forced a bitter smile and replied, "Brother Dragon, please don’t tease me."
He led the way ahead, guiding Dragon-Qilin and Annie to the outskirts of Heavenly Court. There, they saw a group of ragged, destitute Skyfiends standing on a black, battered ship—few in number, likely the remaining spell-casters of the Skyfiend race, along with a single Demon God.