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"This Li Huo Formation is totally different from other magic circles. It's insanely hard to set up. Without immense magical power, it's impossible to use."
"This magic circle is something I designed myself based on my own authority, but it's only a concept — I haven't actually created it yet."
Ximu looked puzzled, and Shendu patiently explained everything.
After hearing all that, Ximu's eyes flickered as he handed the original magic compendium back to Shendu.
"Li Huo Formation... looks like I, Ximu, might actually be able to estimate my own power and create a magic circle related to celestial phenomena."
"Brother Six, your ideas are seriously ahead of their time, damn…"
Before Ximu could finish, he suddenly froze. In his eyes appeared the image of a demon — one of his loyal underlings. Why was it trying to contact him now?
With a thought, Ximu projected that demon's image into the palace.
"My lord!"
The fierce demon appeared and immediately dropped to one knee, bowing in respect.
Noticing Shendu's terrifying aura nearby, the demon hesitated: "My lord, who is this...?"
Ximu said coolly, "This is my Brother Six, the Fire Demon Lord."
The great demon suddenly realized and said, "Greetings to the Fire Lord!"
Shendu just waved his hand but said nothing.
Then the demon urgently spoke to Ximu: "My lord, that Sha guy has gone insane! While you left the continent, he led a demon army to attack us and even defeated many of our great demons. The brothers are barely holding on."
"May I ask, my lord, when will you return?!"
At these words, Shendu's eyes narrowed as he calmly said, "I see you carry Ximu's demonic energy. How could you lose to a demon without the power of a lord?"
"Exactly. Your strength is below mine, so Sha couldn't possibly have beaten you," Ximu agreed, confused.
"You both don't know!" The great demon gave a bitter smile.
Then looking pained, he continued, "That guy somehow got his hands on a magical demonic artifact. With its power, no one can match him."
The demon used his own magic to project a battle scene from Ximu's territory.
There, a demon roughly human-sized floated in the sky, playing a strange melody on a flute nonstop.
Suddenly, the world darkened, thunder roared across the sky, and lightning struck the ground, killing many of Ximu's great demons instantly.
Even worse, demons trying to get close to Sha seemed hypnotized — they dropped to their knees and obeyed him.
Under the flute's song, the bewitched demons even turned on their own allies.
The music wasn't just hypnotic — thousands of sharp notes pierced the air, making Ximu's demon underlings' ears bleed. They writhed, screamed, and couldn't fight back at all.
"This is a human instrument... but why do I feel so disgusted by this flute?" Ximu's face darkened. His irritation lingered deep in his mind.
It was like Ximu and the flute were natural enemies, sworn to kill each other.
Meanwhile, Shendu, witnessing all this, was utterly shocked.
That's a flute!
The divine artifact used to seal the Heavenly Demon Ximu!
But wait — the Eight Immortals haven't appeared yet. What's going on?
Staring intently, Shendu sensed an ancient, timeless force filled with the power of ages.
It's the History of Time!
Suddenly, everything clicked in Shendu's mind — now he understood why this flute appeared here.
The History of Time from Jackie Chan Adventures records everything: past, present, and future.
So the demon controlling the History of Time naturally knows the origin of the Eight Demon Lords — and even their lifelong weakness.
Plus, Ximu has been slaughtering demons on the continent just to make those stubborn territorial demons bow to him.
Maybe the demons on the continent, desperate and cornered, used the History of Time's power no matter the cost.
That actually makes sense.
Now, Shendu fully understood.
Why, after all eight Hell gates were sealed, the Holy Lord wanted to use the History of Time — but the other seven demon lords looked terrified and didn't support him.
Because beyond the Eight Immortals sealing them, some ancient demons refused to submit to the Eight Demon Lords and used the History of Time to fight the destined ruling Demon Lords.
We might not see the full price the demon Sha paid yet — but that cost will be horrifying enough to make even the Demon Lords fear him.
"My lord, please come back soon! We can't hold on much longer!" The great demon begged urgently.
Ximu heard this but stayed calm, then turned to Shendu: "Brother Six, notice anything weird?"
"What exactly is this magical artifact flute that makes me, Ximu, hate it so much?"
Shendu slowly opened his mouth: "It's the power of time. He probably found a weapon in the future's timeline that can restrain you, Ximu."
"That's why you hate the flute so much — and why back then, Cang said the continent originally belonged to him and also had forces that could suppress you. Probably for the same reason!"
Ximu thought for a moment, then eyes full of disdain.
"Brother Six, I feel disgusted by the flute, but it's just a human instrument — it can't possibly control a Demon Lord. You know that."
"Like Bogang said, we Eight Demon Lords exist at the top of the world. Who could ever threaten us? Past or future, no one can!"
Ximu was being stubborn — classic demon pride.
Shendu couldn't help but smile bitterly. He knew he couldn't convince Ximu that this human flute really was the Heavenly Demon's kryptonite.
If he wanted Ximu to truly believe, one of the Eight Immortals, Han Xiangzi, would have to come with the flute and personally send Ximu to demon hell. Only then would he wake up to the truth.
"Well, if you're so confident, Ximu, I'll wait quietly on my turf. You're welcome to come visit anytime," Shendu said.
He knew Ximu wouldn't stay long. Even if he said nothing, once the great demon image disappeared, Ximu would leave Ancient Asia.
Ximu nodded slightly, then told the great demon: "I'll be back soon. Hold the line."
The demon was overjoyed.
Ximu shut down the magic link and was about to leave the continent, but suddenly sensed something.
He turned back to Shendu: "Brother Six, the skies over your continent are acting strange."
"There's a mix of magic circles in the sky — looks like the path of your Demon Suppressing Formation."
As a Heavenly Demon, Ximu was extremely sensitive to the blue planet's celestial movements, basically a master of observation.
"....."