[The two sides of demon lords begin to argue and confront each other. The smaller camp already somewhat believed that you are the Abyss Child. Now that they see how confident you are, they subconsciously acknowledge your identity even more.]

[They believe that you are the demon race’s only hope and should not risk your life just to verify some laughable authenticity.]

[If some accident were to occur during the battle, that would be a catastrophic loss that the demon race absolutely cannot bear.]

[The majority of demon lords, however, keep voicing their support for the Abyss Pain Demon. What it said makes a lot of sense. If the Abyss Child can die in a simple, ordinary challenge, then it proves that you are not the Abyss Child at all.]

[The innate belligerent genes in the demons only make them more eager for the upcoming life-and-death duel.]

[Seeing that the demon shaman still refuses to agree and even wants to rely on its own status to forcibly suppress this challenge, the Abyss Pain Demon speaks up again…]

[It says that the shaman is worried only that it might kill the Abyss Child in the duel, causing the demon race to completely lose all hope…]

[Heh, it is willing to swear to the great Abyss that it absolutely will not let this goat-horn demon die in the duel and will not even let the goat-horn demon suffer much harm…]

[If the goat-horn demon truly is the Abyss Child, then even if it dies in the duel, the Abyss Pain Demon will not utter a single word of complaint.]

[Once it finishes speaking, the Abyss Pain Demon immediately swears the oath.]

[The demon shaman opens its mouth but finds that it no longer has any reason that can stop the Abyss Pain Demon from issuing its challenge.]

[It turns to look at you, its expression conflicted, as if seeking your opinion.]

[You are utterly unafraid and, with an air of absolute confidence, say that since the Abyss Pain Demon wants to use its own life to verify your identity, you will of course oblige it…]

[But you have one condition.]

[You were born here as the heir to the will of the Abyss, and you have also inherited the Abyss’s final weapon, the ultimate weapon meant to deal with Omniscient True Knowledge.]

[The price for that was being born in the most primitive, weakest, low-ranking demon form…]

[This power that originates from the Abyss, or rather this Supreme Authority, is a top-secret trump card that you absolutely cannot display before anyone.]

[Otherwise, the price of exposing this trump card is something the demon race cannot afford to pay.]

[Therefore, you need an absolutely sealed space, a place that no one can perceive, to serve as the dueling ground.]

[As soon as you say this, another wave of murmurs sweeps through the demons below the altar. A tall, burly demon with a completely crimson body immediately steps out and loudly calls out…]

[You want to duel in an absolutely sealed space? If no one can see the duel, who will know whether you are cheating or not?]

[As soon as it says this, the circle of demon lords around it all look at it as if it is an idiot, staring until it feels utterly ill at ease.]

[The demon shaman sneers and says, if a goat-horn demon can defeat a demigod-level demon lord by cheating, then you brainless blockhead whose head is made entirely of muscle, tell it what kind of cheating method that would be.]

[The crimson demon lord is rendered speechless on the spot. The demon shaman continues, saying that if such a method existed, one that allowed even the lowest goat-horn demon to kill demigod-level demon lords, then the demon race would long ago have wiped out the humans.]

[The demon shaman immediately makes the final decision. It declares that there is indeed a completely sealed place within the race that can block off the gaze and probing of anyone, and that even demon gods cannot cast their gaze there.]

[It is just that the place is not suitable for a duel… but this duel carries extraordinary significance, so it will risk offending the ancestors who have already passed away.]

[The demon shaman loudly proclaims that the duel between the Abyss Child and the Abyss Pain Demon will be held in the Ancient Mausoleum.]

[Although they cannot watch the duel, the ancestors who have passed away will witness the might of the Abyss Child on behalf of their descendants.]

[The crimson demon still feels somewhat unwilling, but the demon shaman’s words have blocked off all arguments. Even the party involved, the Abyss Pain Demon, can only silently accept it, so the crimson demon naturally has no grounds for further objection.]

The dueling ground known as the Ancient Mausoleum was not far from the sacrificial plaza. The demon lords rose from their seats, left the site, and marched in a mighty procession toward the Ancient Mausoleum.

Lin Xun left the sacrificial plaza as well and finally saw what the true Abyss region looked like.

No one knew how deep underground this place lay. There was not a trace of sunlight. The darkness carried a strong sensation of scorching heat, and the temperature around them was unimaginably high, an absolute forbidden zone for life.

Only physically powerful races such as demons could survive generation after generation in the depths of the Abyss.

“No wonder these demons, though they worship the Abyss, still want to return to the surface and once again become the masters of the world. This place really is not somewhere for people to live.”

On the way, the demon shaman stayed right by his side, its words alternately probing him and contradictorily defending his identity.

At this moment, this demon shaman was probably the one with the most complicated feelings out of everyone.

The entrance to the Ancient Mausoleum resembled a temple, situated on the ground level, while its true inner tomb lay buried deep underground.

With a rumbling roar, the gate at the mausoleum’s entrance opened. The two combatants entered the underground mausoleum, while the other demon lords waited outside.

Whichever one ultimately walked out of the mausoleum on their own feet would be the victor of the duel.

[…]

[No one else is around. The surroundings are utterly silent…]

[You have only just entered the first burial chamber when the Abyss Pain Demon cannot wait to sneer that, as a lowly low-ranking demon, you must pay the price for daring to impersonate the Abyss Child.]

[It tells you not to worry. It will keep its oath and will not kill you, but it will make you experience the most excruciating torment.]

[After you step into the underground mausoleum, the uncomfortable sensation of being spied on by countless gazes immediately fades away.]

[You know that the demon shaman has no reason to deceive you. This place really can block off all probing and gazes. If your identity as the Abyss Child can be proven, it will be one of the greatest beneficiaries.]

[But if you are a fake, then after you die, the next one to die will certainly be your opponent.]

[Therefore, even though your demand was rather presumptuous, as long as it can prove your identity, the demon shaman will support you unconditionally.]

Lin Xun, having confirmed that it was safe, could not be bothered to exchange any more nonsense with this thing.

This Abyss Pain Demon was a demon lord, not a great demon lord. Its strength was only at the level of an ordinary demigod.

In front of the Abyss Child, who possessed two Great Sage shells, it would not last even a single round.

To be safe, he did not directly switch shells but instead used the Bee Queen Visage to complete the duel.

[…]

[You have designated the goat-horn demon as the bee queen. All other shells in the shell slots have become bee drones.]

[A tall figure in a mage robe appears behind you. The Great Sage raises his staff, and dozens of dragon lances shoot toward the Abyss Pain Demon.]

[It had been planning to pounce on you and kill you in a single exchange, but upon seeing this bizarre scene, it is struck dumb with terror…]

[In an instant, the many dragon lances pierce through the Abyss Pain Demon’s body and nail it firmly to the wall…]

[It seems to want to say something, but its head lolls to one side and it dies on the spot, the look of terror from the moment before still frozen on its face.]

[You have defeated the Abyss Pain Demon. Your experience points increase slightly.]

[You have obtained Small Fragment of World Wandering Spirit Essence x1.]

[You have obtained…]

Lin Xun dispatched the challenger with a single volley of dragon lances.

This demon’s Compatibility was sufficient for Possession, so he casually took its shell for himself as well.