Chapter 156: The Bloody Dawn in the Demon Clan's Secret History

The moment the jade pendant cracked, Shen Yan felt a sudden heat in his palm, as if some ancient program had been patched. Before he could react, the ground beneath his feet shook violently, stone tiles shattered, and purplish-red light patterns spread out from all directions like a flow of code.

“Go!” Luo Li grabbed Shen Yan’s wrist, her tail bristling. “The Barrier recognizes my mother’s blood! Stay close!”

Before her words faded, the air ahead twisted, and two armored guards materialized out of thin air, their halberds crossed to block the way. Their faces were covered in silver scales, their eyes gleaming coldly as they uttered words in the Ancient Demon Clan Language: “Half-Demons are forbidden from entering the Sacred Ground. Violators—shall be executed.”

Ye Zhao, her sword still sheathed, shifted half a step sideways to shield Shen Yan. Pei Yue’s silver needles trembled at her fingertips, while Yu Xiaotang quietly slipped a Talisman Paper into her boot.

“Step back.” Luo Li released Shen Yan, her voice lowering. “This place… my mother left a Restriction Seal here.”

She raised her hand and wiped the corner of her mouth, having bitten the tip of her tongue. A mouthful of blood sprayed into the air, transforming into a winding Talisman Line. In an instant, nine Fox Tails erupted from behind her, Purple Flames soaring three zhang high, crackling as they burned the air.

The guards’ expressions changed drastically, roaring in unison: “Activate the Demon-Purifying Array!”

Golden light shot up from the ground, forming a circular cage. Yet, when the Demonic Fire touched the Formation, instead of being suppressed, it acted like a Plugin finding an Interface, injecting energy backward along the Runes. The entire Barrier trembled with a hum, the ground cracking into vortex-like light patterns, and a powerful suction force abruptly pulled the five of them in.

As they landed, dust flew, and Shen Yan’s phone chimed with a Notice:

【Detected high-level Space Jump completed. Coordinates: Western Wilderness Altar Ruins】

Just as he tried to steady himself, Yu Xiaotang tumbled and clung to his back: “Ouch, my Programmer! You almost landed face-first!”

“Stop messing around.” Shen Yan patted her head. “Assess the situation first.”

Looking up, everyone gasped in shock.

Before them stood a massive circular Altar, paved with black stone, with an eerie blue flame burning at its center. Dozens of people hung suspended in mid-air, their limbs bound by crimson chains, their chests embedded with miniature Script Cores that continuously seeped gray mist into the Earth Vein. What was even more chilling was that their faces were twisted, their eyes vacant, resembling Data Puppets that had been Formatted.

“These people…” Pei Yue crouched to examine the nearest victim. “Their Meridians have been transformed into Script Circuits, and their Spiritual Consciousness is being drained.”

“This isn’t a sacrifice.” Ye Zhao said coldly. “This is mass-producing weapons.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a cold wind suddenly swept across the high platform. Ye Shi’er slowly emerged from the shadows, dragging his Blood Scythe, a hint of crimson visible through the cracks in his mask.

“Welcome to the final lesson before dawn.” His voice echoed with electronic static. “Once this door opens, you’ll witness with your own eyes—the true ‘Restart’.”

Shen Yan’s Terminal suddenly vibrated frantically:

【Warning: Abyss Protocol loading progress 37%. Detected Host Soul Frequency match rate 98.6%】

Immediately after, a massive black stele rose from the ground on the eastern side of the Altar, its surface revealing three large characters:

“Shen Yan.”

Below it was a line of smaller text: “Heaven’s Mandate Seal, Bloodline Authentication passed.”

“Huh?” Yu Xiaotang widened her eyes. “Even stone tablets require real-name authentication these days?”

“Something’s off.” Ye Zhao tightened her grip on her sword hilt. “Why would a Demon Clan Royal Tablet bear the name of a mortal?”

Luo Li stared at the stone tablet, her ears twitching slightly: “This isn’t authentication… it’s summoning. Mother’s blood as the key, child’s soul as the guide—it’s using your fate to activate the Abyss Gate.”

Before Shen Yan could speak, Ye Shi’er suddenly raised his hand, lifting the Blood Scythe high.

“Since you’ve come, don’t rush to leave.”

The scythe blade sliced through the air, striking directly at the stone tablet!

At the critical moment, Shen Yan instinctively raised his hand, and a popup window automatically appeared in his mind’s Terminal:

【Karma-Level Attack detected, initiating emergency protocol—Mirror Firewall!】

A barrier composed of green Code materialized out of nowhere, standing before the tablet. The scythe collided with the barrier, but instead of a metallic clash, it burst out a circle of Data Ripple like shattered glass, counterattacking Ye Shi’er’s Spiritual Consciousness.

He swayed slightly, retreating half a step.

“Interesting.” Ye Shi’er slowly lifted his head, the cracks on his mask widening further. “Brother, you’ve finally started using the System Father left for you.”

Shen Yan’s heart trembled.

Father? Which father?

He was about to press for answers, but Ye Shi’er sneered coldly, flicking his hand to toss a crimson Script Seed, which accurately fell into the cracks of the altar.

“Then let me see if this broken Code can withstand the real ‘Update Package’.”

The Script Seed ignited upon landing, the ground mechanisms clacking loudly. Eighteen Stone Statue Beast eyes lit up with red light, black smoke emerging from their joints—they were awakening, fueled by the Grudge Energy of the sacrificed.

“Damn it!” Yu Xiaotang flipped backward, retreating. “These aren’t ordinary Mechanical Beasts; they’re Battle Units fused with Spirit Cores!”

“What’s there to fear.” Shen Yan flexed his fingers, the Terminal Interface scrolling rapidly. “If the old Version can’t handle it, we’ll upgrade.”

He quickly called up the Defense Module, preparing to rewrite the Firewall Protocol. But just after inputting one line of Command, the System suddenly Lagged:

【Warning: Multi-threaded intrusion detected, unknown Program hijacking Permission】

“Who did this?” He frantically tapped the Virtual Keyboard.

“Not me.” Yu Xiaotang raised her hand. “I didn’t draw any Scripts!”

“Not me either.” Pei Yue shook her head. “The needles haven’t left the pouch.”

Ye Zhao’s gaze sharpened: “It’s him.”

Ye Shi’er stood on the high platform, gently flicking the Blood Scythe in his hand, drawing out a strand of black thread from the Script Core, which resonated with Shen Yan’s Terminal.

“You think the Source Code Spiritual Root is unique to you?” He chuckled softly. “That’s our shared factory setting.”

Shen Yan’s pupils contracted sharply.

At this moment, Luo Li suddenly scurried to the front of the tablet, her Nine Tails spreading into shield form, Demonic Fire encircling the tablet body.

“Don’t bother with what he says!” She shouted back. “What you should do right now is protect this tablet! Without it, the entire Demon Clan Legacy will be severed!”

“I know.” Shen Yan took a deep breath, fingers rapidly tapping in the air. “But today, I’m determined to both protect the tablet and decompile his bullshit Protocol!”

He forcefully pressed the Enter Key.

【Antivirus Program initiated, scanning High-Risk Processes…】

But at this moment, a cold hand pressed onto his shoulder.

Turning back, it was Pei Yue.

She had somehow circled behind him, a Silver Needle at the tip of her finger already inserted into his neck’s Acupuncture Point, her other hand pressed against his back, channeling gentle Medicinal Aroma Power.

“Don’t push yourself too hard.” Her voice was soft. “Last time you exploded the furnace, I sewed you up with seven stitches.”

Shen Yan grinned: “Then have you prepared the needle and thread this time?”

“Already prepared.” Pei Yue blinked. “Thread with a mandarin ducks playing in water pattern.”

Before her words finished, the first Mechanical Beast had already surged forward, its sharp claws tearing toward the stone tablet.

Ye Zhao’s sword flashed, severing its right arm, but was ambushed from behind by another, forcing her to stumble backward.

Yu Xiaotang flung three Explosive Flame Scripts, blasting the stone beast’s head into fragments, yet its mangled body continued crawling, Grudge Energy coalescing into new limbs.

“No!” she shouted, “They’re Self-Repairing!”

“Then let it not repair.” Shen Yan closed his eyes, abruptly tearing open his collar, revealing a dark red mark on his chest. “Pei Yue, help stabilize my heartbeat! I’m forcibly accessing Root Permission!”

Pei Yue hesitated not, swiftly piercing seven acupuncture points with silver needles, simultaneously biting her fingertip, a drop of blood falling onto the mark on his chest.

Instantly, the Terminal Interface erupted with myriad green lights.

【Administrator Permission unlocked, Source Code Core restarting…】

Ye Shi’er’s expression finally changed.

“You’re mad? This will burn out your Consciousness Sea!”

“Burn then.” Shen Yan opened his eyes, Code Flow flickering within his pupils. “After all, this life of mine was picked up anyway.”

He raised his hand and pointed, a torrent of Code surged forth, rushing straight toward the stone tablet. The characters “Shen Yan” on the tablet’s surface suddenly brightened, resonating with the Spiritual Root within his body, forming a Closed Loop Circuit.

The Mirror Firewall instantly upgraded into a Quantum Encryption Shield, enveloping the entire Altar.

Ye Shi’er swung his sickle in a fierce assault, but was repelled by the Rebound Force, his tiger’s mouth splitting open.

“Impossible… this shouldn’t be a level you can reach…”

“You’re right.” Shen Yan stepped toward the high platform, each step leaving traces of running Code beneath his feet. “I shouldn’t. But I have teammates.”

He glanced back.

Ye Zhao’s sword tip lifted three stone beast heads, cold and elegant like plum blossoms in snow;

Pei Yue’s fingertips woven silver needles into a light net, clearing negative states for everyone;

Luo Li’s Nine Tails danced, Demonic Fire and Code merging, actually writing a Defense Script in the air;

Yu Xiaotang crouched on the ground, swiftly drawing scripts, still chewing on half a Candied Hawthorn: “Main Program brother, I’ll add a Critical Strike Rate Buff for you!”

Shen Yan smiled.

He raised his phone, the screen’s center jumping out a line of large text:

【Format current World Rules? Y/N】

Without hesitation, he tapped “Y.”

The next second, the entire Altar violently trembled, Ye Shi’er’s blood scripts began cracking inch by inch.

“You can’t win against fate.” he roared, “We’re all written Programs!”

“Program?” Shen Yan calmly said, “But I—am the one who dares to Delete Database and Flee.”

(End of Chapter)