The two demon gods exchanged glances. One of them lazily asked, "You’re here to see your mother? Got a pass?"
Quinn Shepherd shook his head. "Nope."
The other demon god glanced around, lowered his voice, and said, "Got any precious tribute? Rare offerings?"
Quinn looked puzzled. "What do you mean by 'precious tribute'?"
"You really don’t know how to read the room, do you? 'Precious tribute' means rare treasures—anything worthy of our notice."
The demon god barked, "This is a place for suppressing the worst of the worst. You’ve got no pass, nothing valuable to bribe us with, and you still want in? Get lost!"
Quinn quickly smiled. "I do have some treasures. How about Saint-King Tianqi’s boat? If I trade this boat, can I get inside?"
The demon god sneered, "What use do we have for a boat? It’s not like we can leave this place…"
The other demon god’s expression changed when he saw the boat. He quickly tugged his companion and gave Quinn a nervous smile. "He’s just joking with you. Go on in."
Quinn thanked them and walked into Jade-Lock Pass.
"Are you out of your mind!"
Behind him, the two demon gods whispered urgently: "That’s Saint-King Tianqi’s boat! Since when does he let anyone else use it? If this Quinn Shepherd is riding the Saint-King’s boat, he must be a trusted insider. If you chase him out and he complains, we’re done for!"
"Good eye, brother. I was too rash. What’s this kid’s connection to the Saint-King? He can borrow his boat—he must have serious backing."
"Probably some big shot from the Heavenly Court… Wait, what did he say his name was again? I was too busy thinking about squeezing a tribute out of him—didn’t catch it."
The two demon gods stared at each other. One of them mustered his courage and called out to Quinn, "Hey, boy, wait a moment! What did you say your name was just now? Could you repeat it?"
Quinn turned, his smile bright as day. "Honored gods, my name’s Quinn Shepherd—Fenix Greenwood Keane."
The two demon gods’ minds went blank as they stared after him. Just then, two more demon gods arrived to change shifts. Passing by Quinn, they glanced at him and chuckled, "Someone visiting Jade-Lock Pass? Did you two check him out, senior brothers?"
The first two demon gods stood there like wooden statues. The newcomers frowned, walked over, and caught a whiff of a strong urine stench—there was a wet patch at the feet of both wardens.
"Quinn…"
One of them stammered, "Quinn—Quinn—Quinn… The one whose name mustn’t be spoken has returned!"
His voice suddenly grew impossibly loud and shrill, shouting, "This is bad! The one whose name mustn’t be spoken has returned—he’s broken into Jade-Lock Fortress! Sound the alarm!"
"Notify all the gods! The unspeakable Overlord is back—he’s here to fetch his mother!"
…
Inside Jade-Lock Fortress, Quinn heard the shouting behind him and was surprised. He turned to look, and the four demon gods who saw him were so terrified they fainted on the spot.
"The one whose name mustn’t be spoken? Are they talking about me?"
Quinn couldn’t help but laugh. After a moment, he shook his head and thought, "Twenty-two years ago? So I’m twenty-two this year. Village Chief says I’m twenty-two, Granny says twenty-one—now it’s settled. No need for them to argue anymore. Hey, you four!"
He called out, kindly reminding them, "Aren’t you going to run? Planning to get eaten?"
The four fainted demon gods instantly sprang up and vanished in four streaks of demonic light.
"My brother’s reputation is really that terrifying."
Quinn mused to himself—this trip to Jade-Lock Fortress had gone much smoother than expected.
From inside the fortress came the pounding of war drums, murderous intent surging. Quinn immediately sensed countless powerful and terrifying auras within—clearly, Jade-Lock Fortress housed a vast army, on high alert to prevent anything suppressed inside from escaping.
Quinn steadied himself, silently lifted the willow leaf at his brow, and whispered, "Brother, I’ve come to see our mother…"
His eyes suddenly brimmed with tears, a gentle smile on his face. "You’ve met our mother, but I never have. She held you, kissed you, but never held or kissed me. If you hadn’t committed such a grave mistake, I wouldn’t be barred from seeing our father, or our mother…"
In the third eye at his brow, atop the Keane-Sigil Continent, the big-headed monster infant sat gazing up at the sky.
Heavenly Duke and Crimson Emperor tensed up. The Heavenly Duke’s avatar shouted, "Fenix—Quinn! What are you trying to do? Don’t be reckless!"
Quinn’s voice replied, "Who doesn’t wish for a childhood at their parents’ knees? Who doesn’t long for parents’ company, but I never had that. Brother, I’ve come to see Mother—you owe me. Today…"
His body trembled, voice hoarse. "I need to borrow your strength, brother! I can’t control my demonic nature, but you can. You can’t master divine powers, but I can. Brother—Fenix Greenwood Keane—come forth!"
Heavenly Duke’s avatar and Crimson Emperor both shouted in unison, "Don’t do anything rash—!"
High above the continent, the sky shook as Quinn’s will pierced the heavens: "Brother, merge with me—let’s go see Mother together!"
The big-headed monster infant soared into the sky, flying beyond the heavens.
"No—!"
Heaven Duke’s Ray-Avatar and the Crimson Emperor’s thought-shard both shot toward the outer sky—only for the seal to suddenly tighten, as Quinn Shepherd slapped the Golden Willow Leaf Talisman back in place, locking them inside the Keane-Sigil Continent.
The two landed, hearts sinking with icy dread.
"That little bastard Quinn—he can’t control his demonic nature at all, can’t rein in Fenix Greenwood Keane!"
Heaven Duke’s Ray-Avatar stormed about in a rage, pacing anxiously. Suddenly, he looked up at the drowsing Great Buddha overhead and shouted, "Old Buddha, wake up! Something terrible’s happened!"
The Great Buddha slumbered on, oblivious to his cries.
"Is this old Buddha here to suppress Fenix Greenwood Keane, or just to take a nap?" Even the Crimson Emperor’s thought-shard couldn’t help but curse.
Quinn Shepherd’s body lurched, flesh swelling in surging waves. Arm after arm burst forth; at the same time, two more necks sprouted from his shoulders—six shoulders, six arms, three heads towering atop.
One of the heads suddenly warped, morphing into the face of a giant baby. Instantly, Quinn felt a tidal wave of terrifying power crash through him—like a mountain falling, unstoppable!
This was not the power of opening Divine Treasuries or Heaven Palace, nor a mere boost in cultivation. This was the force of rules themselves—the laws of Youdu, the might of heaven and earth, the power of Netherworld Dao!
He felt like a born ancient god, yet also like a demigod who grew stronger with every trial—possessing the strengths of both!
"Bad little brother, I’ll handle the raw power—you take care of the rules!" giggled the infant head in a childish voice.
Quinn felt that boundless power flood his flesh like a raging ocean. His body swelled again, muscles bulging, as countless Netherworld Dao-laws surged into his mind—self-evident, instinctive, as if he’d been born to master them.
The big-headed baby Fenix controlled the demonic nature, while Quinn held sway over the power and rules.
He grew taller and taller, towering into the clouds, looming like a mountain.
Hiss—
Quinn tore off the Golden Willow Leaf Talisman again. Inside the Keane-Sigil Continent, Heaven Duke’s Ray-Avatar and the Crimson Emperor’s thought-shard peered out at the world beyond. The seal had weakened; the Crimson Emperor tried to break it, but Heaven Duke’s Ray-Avatar shook his head: "No point trying to escape. There’s no way out. Quinn Shepherd and Fenix Greenwood Keane have joined forces—they’ve mastered the full power of the Netherworld Divine Son. He only lifted the seal because he’s no longer worried about us meddling."
The Crimson Emperor’s thought-shard soared upward, but saw the seal had grown impossibly thick—there was no hope of breaking through.
"Just accept it."
Heaven Duke sighed. "All we can do now is hope Quinn keeps his wits and doesn’t let his brother take over."
A demon general, imposing and awe-inspiring, clearly the commander here, shouted, "Don’t be afraid! He’s been sealed by Tu Bo for over twenty years. Even if he breaks free, he’s only got the power he had back then. We’ve got Tu Bo’s treasures—there’s nothing to fear!"
He called out, "The Jade-Lock Pass army has never feared the Netherworld Divine Son! If he comes, we’ll take him down!"
The demon general stared at the abyss, eyes twitching. Its size matched the camp exactly—if Quinn had aimed that move at them, he could have wiped them all out in an instant!
Fenix’s baby head turned, licking his lips in excitement. "Naughty brother, with your skills, you could eat everyone here in one gulp! Once you taste these little morsels, you’ll never want to stop—trust me, they’re delicious!"
Quinn suddenly bowed low, his voice steady: "I’ve come to see my mother. If you don’t block me, no one will die. Please, fellow cultivators, let me pass."
Suddenly, Quinn erupted. His three heads and six arms unleashed a martial divine art—Thousand Peaks Beyond Heaven, Returning Palms! Mountain-sized fists, palms, and finger-seals crashed down, shattering earth and sky and opening a vast abyss!
"Divine Son, please—" The demon general bowed respectfully.
"So plump and tender, hehe… Come on, good brother, just let me have a lick! I won’t eat him, I swear—just a little taste…"