"You better withdraw all your killer's intent. Unless you are not planning on getting out of there."
The corner of Ling Xian's lips curled up as he revealed a mocking smile. He believed that the moment it hears this sentence, the demon would bow down.
The result was just as he predicted. The moment the statement left his lips, the demon drew back its killer's intent. In a hurry, it asked, "Young man, what do you mean by this?"
"Must I state my meaning out loud?"
Ling Xian sarcastically laughed. "Oh well, since your brain does not work fast enough, then I will tell you what I mean out loud."
[My brain does not work fast enough?]
The demon was furious for a second, but it did not interrupt. Instead, it calmed down and waited for what else Ling Xian had to say.
"The meaning of it is simple. If you cooperate nicely, I will let you go," Ling Xian softly smiled. His handsome face was full of confidence.
"Let me go?"
As if it heard a hilarious joke, the demon guffawed out loud. "Ha ha ha, young man, I admire your courage. But do you not know what this is? This is a monument that can suppress all the evil in this world! Such a heavenly object is not something an ant like you can break!"
"I am sorry, but the 'ant' you are talking about, coincidentally knows how to open up the Demon Defending Monument." Ling Xian's expression was calm and was not at all bothered by the demon's disdaining words.
"Hmm?"
Hearing the challenging tone in Ling Xian's voice, the demon was a little startled. When it remembered how he knew about itself and the monument, it decided to believe in him somewhat. However, it did not fully believe him. As it let out some spiritual energy, it asked, "Young man, you truly have the ability to let me out of here?"
"If I can't, why would I be wasting my time here with you?" Ling Xian spoke softly. His expression was collected as usual.
In this entire world, who understood the Demon Defending Monument the best? If he is willing to admit to being second best, then nobody would admit to being the best. He can make the claim that in the entire world, he was the one who knew the Demon Defending Monument the best.
Not only did he know the way to release the inhibition spell on the monument, he knew how to control it, and he also knew how to speed up the killing process of the demon. If that weren't the case, Ling Xian wouldn't be trying to fight a tiger and con the demon.
After all, the demon was a powerful being that surpassed the original level!
"You actually have a way!"
The demon's spiritual energy didn't detect anything that revealed to it that Ling Xian was lying. The demon became excited. It has been trapped in there for thousands of years, and there hasn't been a day when it didn't think about escaping.
Of course, it knew about the Demon Defending Monument's terrifying nature. Other than getting stronger and eventually getting rid of the inhibition spell, there were no alternatives. Yet before its eyes, Ling Xian was making the statement that he had a way to help him out. How could the demon not be excited?
Though it was almighty powerful, there were limitations to its abilities, and it knew that there was no free lunch in this world. Therefore, after getting somewhat excited, it fell into silence again.
After a long while, a calm and heavy message was finally sent from inside the monument.
"What do you want?"
The fish took the bait.
The corner of Ling Xian's lips curled up. He wasn't scared that the demon will cause him harm after it escapes. He was more scared of the demon unwilling to take the bait. Before his eyes, the demon was asking him what he wanted, and from this, he knew that he was halfway through his mission.
"You are a smart one. I will not ask for too much - only three things. If you agree to do three things for me, I will let you out."
"Three? If you can let me out, I will agree to 10 favors." The demon's tone was calm. Yet if one listened carefully, it would become obvious that it was suppressing its excitement.
"There is no need. Three things are enough."
Ling Xian softly grinned. "I have not thought through what three favors I need. However, do not worry, I will not ask you to kill yourself or anything like that."
"Not a problem, I accept your offer." The demon was quick to agree and asked in a hurry, "Now can you let me out?"
Hearing this, Ling Xian lost his composure and laughed. "Demon, do I look like an idiot? Even though it is not 100%, most demons do not keep their words. Letting you out just because of one mindless statement, you are dreaming too big."
"Then what do you want?" The demon's tone was cold.
"Very simple actually. I want you to swear to the heavens. If you make a promise to heaven, then I will let you out," Ling Xian said softly, "Because if you don't keep your words, then I will end up very pitiful."
To cultivators, making a vow to the heavens has somewhat of a restraining power. Especially powerful cultivators - swearing to the heavens will bind them to their words. If they break the vow, then heaven would send down thunders similar to God's Trial and beat the cultivator to ashes.
Since the history of time, only one person escaped the punishment of disobeying a vow. Everyone else who failed to fulfill their vow was destroyed by God's Trial.
"Damn you, ant, you dare to threaten me!"
The demon was furious. It wasn't sure if it was humiliated or if Ling Xian succeeded in picking at its weakness.
"Demon, I give you one last warning - get rid of your arrogance."
Ling Xian's expression chilled down. "Don't forget, your freedom is in my hands. Therefore, I warn you, you better settle down. Or else, you will be trapped inside until you liquify into just blood."
"You!"
The demon was furious but helpless. For freedom, it didn't dare to stay angry. However, making an unbreakable vow made it feel unwilling.
Remember that it was an all-powerful demon, when had it been controlled by others? Therefore, it fell silent, as if pondering.
At the demon's silence, Ling Xian's lips curled up and said as if thoughtlessly, "Right, I forgot to tell you. Not only do I know the way to lift the inhibition spell, but I also know the way to speed up your death."
This statement, like a poisonous drug, jolted the demon into alertness.
Not only did the stone monument possess an undeniable amount of inhibition power, but it also possessed the ability to end a demon's existence.
The reason why it survived until now was for two reasons. One, it was naturally strong. Two, for thousands of years, nobody tried to quicken the process by strengthening the monument's natural array.
Only a tiny bit of spiritual energy from the monument was torturing its body. If someone helps out the monument and strengthens it, then it would have been melted into a pool of blood a long time ago.
Therefore, after hearing that Ling Xian had the ability to speed up his ultimate death, the demon became frightened.
"Think carefully. If you accept my offer, you can keep your life and be reborn. If you make the wrong choice, then don't blame me for being on the monument's side and liquifying you."
Ling Xian's expression was heavy as he uttered out a statement that almost made the demon puke out blood.
"I will give you 10 seconds to think about it. Remember, you really have no choice."
[10 seconds to think?]
[Screw you!]
The demon cursed silently but did not dare to say all this out loud. It was terrified that Ling Xian would lift up an arm and turn it into a pool of blood.
[Aye, I cannot believe that I would be threatened by an ant in the second half of my life. I really have to agree.]
Sighing silently, the demon realized its helpless situation. The reality was that Ling Xian was right. Before it, there were only two paths.
One was to be controlled by another. Two was to turn into blood.
In other words, if it didn't want to die just yet, the former was the only option.
"Oh well, I accept."
The demon sighed deeply and made a serious and hefty statement that made Ling Xian's lips curl.
"I, vow, right here and right now, under God's oath, that if this person here can get me out of here, I will help him accomplish three tasks. If I ever disobey or have the thoughts of breaking this promise, I will… I will be struck by lightning five times!"