Chapter 765 - The Devil of Malice
Chapter 765: The Devil of Malice
The cyan tent was far away from the main Golden Tent, being closer to the Guna River. There, one could occasionally notice ice floes bobbing and wafting over the waves of the rivers while hearing the never-ending gurgling sounds of the water like the rhythmic pulse of Life.
Within the folds of a tent nearby, there was a banquet going on inside with music and dance performances to entertain the guests. The atmosphere was lively but hardly cacophonous.
On the seat of honor sat a man dressed in a rich, golden robe. He appeared to be in his late thirties and his ordinary facial features were trimmed with bristles of white hair over his temples. From his mature temperament, one could hardly miss the hallmarks of his austere life, the paleness upon his complexion hinted of a suppressed dementia. Holding a wine goblet in one hand and tapping to the playing music with the other, he appeared carefree and at ease.
Seated opposite to him was a man dressed in green, with similar frosty white sideburns and also a mature temperament, looking close to forty of age. However, this person had more distinct facial features that denoted a more refined personality, wearing a soft hat over his head. The person was none other than Meng Qi, who was in disguise as the “Merciless Tyrant”.
The man in golden robe smiled faintly as he glanced at his guest. “Never would I have thought that we would meet again under such circumstances when I pursued you all the way into Bomi a great many years ago.”
“And never would I have imagined that you would reach the levels of grandmaster.” Meng Qi muttered serenely without displaying any emotions as he played and fiddled with the wine cup in his hand, his thumb caressing the smooth and glistening surface of the jade tableware.
The golden robed man was one of the Eight Skyscraping Devils of the Destruction Sect, the Devil of Malice. Ranked 49th on the Black List, it was he who had once hunted for Merciless Tyrant in the past. He had pursued the latter to the brink of destitution that the latter was forced to seek refuge in lost lands of Bomi. No one save him, aside from the Luo Denomination and the Sect of the Plain Lady, was the best candidate for affirming Merciless Tyrant’s identity.
By Meng Qi’s calculations, based on the intelligence he had procured from the Six Fan School and the Pure Sun Sect, the Devil of Malice had not become one of the Eight Skyscraping Devils back then due to having only attained the Realm of the First Celestial Ladder. It was only after another decade when he had achieved a great accomplishment following his attainment of the Sixth-fold Heaven that he was inducted into the ranks of the Eight Skyscraping Devils to replace a deceased member. With his spiritual senses, Meng Qi estimated that the Devil now had at least powers above the Seventh- or Eight-, or even Nine-fold Heavens, the pinnacle of the Exterior Realms.
Noticing Meng Qi’s insolence and composure, the Devil of Malice could hardly hold back the annoyance that throbbed in his heart. He took a sip of wine and smiled as he said, “Word has it that you have resolved your animosity with the Luo Denomination, yet you still owe us, the Destruction Sect, a satisfactory settlement. Are you not afraid that I will enact judgment upon you here and now? You will hardly be able to escape this time with the Devil of Disillusionment, the Devil of Nine Hearts, and the Devil of Carnage present in the Golden Tent.”
Members of the Destruction Sect above the levels of the Exterior Realms were given titles as “Devils”, and the authority amongst them was the Eight Skyscraping Devils. In its most glorious days, the Eight has six grandmasters amongst its ranks. Only five of the Eight remained at present. The chief of the Eight Skyscraping Devils, Devil of Obscurity was one whose appearance was rarely witnessed in recent days. For a long time, no news about him has emerged nor did anyone know the extent of the powers he wielded now. With suspicions that he could have passed on from the living, his name had been temporarily suspended from the Black List.
“The Evil Master is a maven of immense talents, intelligence, and ambition. He would hardly allow such pettiness to smear his name when it was he who had summoned all of us to come to the aid of Great Khan. Like how one can buy even life with vast riches, the word of mouth of thousands can also do wonders.” Meng Qi remarked lightly as he laughed, looking completely at ease despite the threat, showing no concern nor anxiety.
Devil of Malice grew more irritated, the more he noted Meng Qi’s nonchalance. Even though he did not begrudge Merciless Tyrant for failing to hunt him down all those years ago, he could not help feeling a turmoil in his emotions seeing the latter being carefree and aloof, especially when he himself was hardly a saint.
Devil of Malice heaved a breath and suppressed his tempestuous emotions. He then clapped his hands, indicating for the girls who were entertaining them to leave. His lips curled into a smirk as his eyes grew cold. His face, so pale that it looked completely bloodless, betrayed a faint hint of a manic euphoria.
“Be that as it may, but unfortunately, I have always been a vengeful person. Surely he would not mind if I were to first kill you and seek forgiveness later? How about a wager if you do not believe me?”
His words were lined with a clear threat but he kept his aura suppressed, remaining calmly seated as if he had delivered the words he said in jest. Still, Meng Qi knew better than to let down his guard, knowing that doing so would be foolish.
Meng Qi twiddled at his frosty sideburns, showing neither anger nor surprise as he sighed, “These grey hairs are witnesses to the coming of my twilight years. In truth, in addition to proclaiming my allegiance to the Great Khan this time, I also intend on ending the animosity with the Destruction Sect. Should you have any requests, I’m here at your service as a token of goodwill.”
Merciless Tyrant might seem to be yielding to Devil of Malice and attempting to mend their relationship. But the whiff of insolence in his demeanor had done nothing to sooth the irked Devil of Malice. Finding no valid reason to provoke bad blood, Devil of Malice chuckled and feigned mirthfulness. “Very well. I do have an errand for you to prove yourself; a test to ascertain that the Merciless Tyrant has not defected to the enemy. But the nature of the test has yet to be decided. First, let us drink to our hearts’ content.”
He raised his goblet and emptied it in one gulp.
Meng Qi smiled gently and followed suit, looking as if he was oblivious to the strong murderous intent that rose from Devil of Malice before being swiftly smothered.
“There has also been word that you have encountered upon a fortune in Bomi, Tyrant; something that has bestowed upon you the impartation of Buddhist martial skills of the highest order. One has to understand the pain of destruction to learn mercy, so they say; and hence the embodiment of Buddha is, in a way, also the embodiment of the Devil himself, is it not?” Devil of Malice asked suddenly, changing the subject of their conversation.
But Meng Qi instead asked casually, rather than providing his host a direct answer, “And from where did such rumors sprout from, if I may?”
“Your exploits in the River East have long spread far and wide among the domain of evil. You sought for a maiden to extract Vital Yin energy from but instead fell into a scheme devised by the successor of the Bliss Bodhisattva.” Devil of Malice regarded Meng Qi with mocking contempt. “Still, your prowess that has assimilated both Buddhist and evil methods has not gone unnoticed that even Linghu Tao could hardly rest from singing your praises. Despite his displeasure, the Soul-chasing Demon Monarch has conceded defeat before your skills.”
Meng Qi gave him a little smile in return. “I thank you for your gracious words. It’s nothing special.”
Beneath the gentle folds of Meng Qi’s simple dismissal, he had kindled the embers of greed that began to burn in the heart of Devil of Malice. It was through the many years of strenuous toil and moil, notwithstanding the powerful impartation of skills he had inherited and his numerous fortuitous encounters, that he had finally achieved the level of a grandmaster. Whereas the Merciless Tyrant was now merely inches away from achieving the Realm of the Second Celestial Ladder in spite of once being weaker than him and was confined to the desolation of the lands of Bomi where both resources and proper environment were out of reach! The impartation of Buddhist skills that he had chanced upon must certainly be outstanding for being able to be integrated with his demonic skills!
Devil of Malice once again took another breath, sensing that he was feeling slightly nauseous by the myriads of emotions assailing him as he calmed himself.
Pretending nothing was wrong, he laughed out loud and rapped the table, saying, “I have a disciple; a girl whose beauty surpasses even that of a fairy. She has a seductive figure as well. She is hardly a virgin now, but her body lacks not the vigor of Yin energies. I am sure she will be useful to you for your need if you are interested, Tyrant? She might be able to help you attain the Realm of the Second Celestial Ladder?”
Without waiting for Meng Qi’s reply, he instantly summoned for his disciple. The girl was indeed extraordinarily beautiful yet hardly flirtatious. Dressed in a lilac dress, the skin of her delicate body was so soft and tender that it would bruise even by a mere poke. Unexpectedly, she appeared to be a lady of refined temperament, her large eyes glistening as if they were the limpid waters of a lagoon in the autumn. Yet, embers of amorous passion could be felt smoldering in them, ready to burst into flames even at the slightest kindling.
With the command from her “Master”, the girl walked calmly toward Meng Qi and said in a gentle and lovely voice, “Allow me to pour you some wine, Sir.”
She kept her gaze transfixed on Meng Qi, her eyes glistening with stirring emotions.
“And how can I so cruelly part a man from his favourite?” Meng Qi said, turning down the offer with a smile as he remained unfazed by the girl’s beauty.
Suddenly, Devil of Malice’s expression turned cold as fury laced his voice. “You dare refuse my goodwill and dishonor me? Did you not mention yourself that you will be at my service?”
With the tacit prompt from her master, the girl grew anxious, swaying her body as she tried to flourish her bewitching beauty like a blossoming flower. Her eyes gleamed with overflowing passion as her gaze burrowed into Meng Qi. She suddenly the man of remarkable stature looking at her. The edges of her lips curled into an amused smile as they shared a deep and knowing look.
“Such rapturous charm!” The craving buried deep in her burst asunder, surging with an unstoppable fervor that filled each and every part of her with a carnal hunger as waves of fleshly ecstasy overwhelmed her so much that her mind turned blank.
With a thud, she collapsed to the ground, the vigor in her body completely spent as her cheeks burned red.
“I am afraid she is a bit too young and lovely thing for one of my temperament.” Meng Qi smiled at Devil of Malice, still twiddling with the jade wine tumbler in his hand.
Devil of Malice was stunned and speechless. He knew not how the Merciless Tyrant had effortlessly incapacitated his disciple who has had numerous experiences of dealing with men.
“Incredible!”
He was about to speak when his senses alerted him to something peculiar above them. He instinctively looked high up into the sky as did Meng Qi.
Initially, the sea of clouds in the sky were drenched with a crimson shade of blood-redness amidst the dying light of the setting sun. But everything turned bright as noon suddenly as salvos of auric blades fell from the sky in a deadly blizzard of destruction. A careful observation would have yielded the true nature of the auric blades which were actually multitudes of auric needles so small and fine that one could hardly notice them.
The countless auric blades fell with a semblance of a sword formation, boring down in layers after layers of destructive forces! A single layer of barrage easily held more than tens of thousands of auric blades, shimmering in unison as they fell through the air, unleashing powers that could even flatten the entire grassland prairies!
Meng Qi briefly studied the composition of the auric blades with his spiritual senses, feeling instantly nauseous that he nearly threw up. Turning to look at Devil of Malice, he saw that the latter was already retching uncontrollably.
Never would one be able to unleash such a terrifying stroke without a strong passion and focused intensity towards his craft!
“The Wholehearted Sword! It’s Master Lu!” Devil of Malice managed to exclaim while fighting the revolting urge to vomit, his composure completely gone.
With the splendor of his display, Master Lu has shown that he could be even more fearsome than the Great Khan himself. In fact, Master Lu’s invincible might even hinted that his powers had exceeded the Realm of the Earth Immortal.
The shock on the face of the Devil had barely registered when he took notice of another presence: a relatively younger Taoist who was standing high above in mid-air. Wearing a Taoist headdress and robes of ancient vestiges, the Taoist emanated a strange yet inexplicable presence as if he was the embodiment of Nature itself.
The Taoist held a sword in his right hand as he adjusted his headdress with his other hand. A huge gush of white fumes burst forth from within him and turned into the figure of three Taoists.
The first was an old man with a stern demeanor upon the gnarled features of his face, wielding a white sword. He pointed the sword downwards and auric blades spewed forth from its tip.
The second was an aged yet benevolent-looking man wielding a jet-black sword. He swung his weapon leisurely, releasing an auric wave that also charged forward.
The third was a tall, lean man with an air of loftiness and refinement. His weapon, an emerald-green sword, pierced forth as sparkles of auric blade shot from its tip, darting forward.
Armed with a crimson-red sword, the actual body, the young Taoist himself took a step forward and thrust his sword towards the direction of the Golden Tent.
The bombardment of auric blades tore through the sky from different directions, filling the vista of blue yonder with such destructive force that the fabrics of Space were distorted. The auric blades enveloped the Golden Tent, surrounding it and sealing it from outside whilst all other matter that stood in their path were instantly disintegrated and reduced to nothing but dust. A huge tempest of destruction nestled over the Golden Tent, engorging itself with the energies of the magical barriers holding the Tent as the powerful storm tried to pummel the defensive sorcery.
So powerful was the upheaval of destruction and carnage that even Time grew slower. In a flickering moment of clarity in the panic, Devil of Malice could feel his thoughts becoming slower.
His senses recovered for a brief moment and he cried, “The Conjuration of the Taoist Trinity! That is Taoist Chonghe!”
But before he had finished, Meng Qi witnessed a huge darkness descend and fill his panorama. The flashing glimmers of the auric blades all vanished and disappeared as if a gargantuan monster, one so terrible that it could devour even the Heavens and Earth, was towering over the Golden Tent.
“Boom!”
The huge explosion deafened Meng Qi’s ears. With what was left of his spiritual strength, he could vaguely detect a bronze-colored giant over thirty meters tall rising from within the Golden Tent. The giant was so colossal that its head could reach the Heavens. In one of its hands, it wielded a huge battle-axe, casting forth a black hole that could rip and tear at both Time and Space!
The black hole devoured the auric blades and the glimmering flashes of its strokes, completely nullifying them. The hulking giant raised his right hands and his battle-axe returned to his hand. It was a double-handed battle-axe, capable of growing in size to its master’s will, glinting with a dark and bronze luster that denoted its archaic origins. Nine cryptic symbols adorned the battle-axe, all of which resembled the illustrations of icons signifying Lightning, Flame, and the Chaotic Hole.
Meng Qi saw the battle-axe being swung forth, casting forth a sensation that reminded Meng Qi of the Fairy-banishing Pool, the same pool that could cleanse an individual or entity of their immortality.
Even Taoist Chonghe himself would be reduced to a mere Human Immortal if the blow were to hit him! One more strike from the battle-axe would turn him back into a mere mortal!
“So this is the Peerless Godly Weapon, the ‘Heaven-killing Axe’?” Meng Qi was both awed and worried.
There was another brief flash of light from afar. Four jets of auric blades, embodying their wielders’ will to inflict death and destruction shot into the air. The sheer magnitude of the powers imbued into the auric blades dulled his senses that his projected spiritual senses could no longer reach the front lines.
The presence of another Dharmakaya-leveled warrior appeared later. It was Master Lu, who had made his entry into the fold. With a flash of his sword, he cast forth countless auric projectiles, all of them surrounding Gu Erduo like an orb. The auric blades were so minuscule that they were capable of penetrating the tiniest of holes and pierce even the tightest of crevices. The auric blades bore down on Gu Erduo from all directions simultaneously, striking at him like a nest full of angry wasps!
Gu Erduo was forced to defend himself against the onslaught. With the additional presence of the Immortal-slaying Sword Formation, he could not rashly challenge the two of the greatest warriors of the Central Plains. Seeing their opportunity, Master Lu and Taoist Chong He calmly left after their violent charge into hostile territory.
It was only when the battle had subsided that Meng Qi could finally cast his spiritual senses to further perceive the surroundings around him. The Golden Tent was nearly destroyed whole but its insides were intact and safe. The skies were cloudless for thousands of miles outside as if the strata of Heaven had been perforated by the brutal barrage of auric blades earlier. A huge deluge rained outside despite the lack of clouds, the heavy showers stirring the lingering auras from the battle earlier as they churned and rolled furiously in such a way as if the Devil himself had arrived.
“So… the Heaven-killing Axe is truly of the Divine Immortal realm.” Meng Qi sighed. Otherwise, Gu Erduo would have been easily subdued after Master Lu’s first stroke. Gu Erduo would need to thank his lucky stars if he could even endure more than three seconds with Taoist Chong He’s Immortal-slaying Sword Formation in its full form.
Devil of Malice struggled to calm his emotions. He muttered quietly to himself, “Master Lu and Taoist Chong He had risen to the Earth Immortal Realm at the same time?”
*”Furthermore, they have surpassed the levels of the common Earth Immortal Realm. Will our plots still work?” *
He glanced at the Merciless Tyrant and saw that he was standing with his hands clasped behind his back, looking unfazed as his green robes fluttered gently. His expression betrayed hardly any hint that he had lost his composure. This sent a rush of inexplicable rage through Devil of Malice. It was as if he was inferior in both bearing and strength to Merciless Tyrant.
“Tyrant, I have finally come up with your task.” The paleness on Devil of Malice’s face overshadowed his gnarled and weathered features.
“And what would your bidding be?” Meng Qi asked, still retaining his calm demeanor.
Meng Qi indifference began to annoy Devil of Malice, his anger piquing more and more. “Return to the Northern Zhou Empire. You are to slay the husband and wife duo, the Hidden Dragon and Soaring Phoenix.”
The Hidden Dragon and Soaring Phoenix were a pair of couple whose name was well-known for their prowess and heroic qualities. They were well-versed in the methods of Dual Cultivation and were famous for their chemistry: a strength that allowed them briefly the battle strength of a grandmaster. Widely honored for their noble ways and gallantry, the couple enjoyed prestige and respect amongst folk of the just and right.
“Understood.” Meng Qi nodded subtly. Like before, he did not look as if he was inconvenienced in any way.
Devil of Malice cried, “Great! Let me send you off, Tyrant!”
His gaze turned dark and distant as he tried to conceal his thoughts and intent, betraying neither joy nor anger.
They waited for the barbarian horde to recover themselves following the sudden assault by Master Lu and Taoist Chonghe before taking to the skies, heading southwards.
They had flown in the air for some time, putting more and more distance between them and the Golden Tent of the barbarian horde. With no one around, Devil of Malice slowed his pace, and wore a wry expression as he said:
“I will just see you off here.”
He would now murder the Merciless Tyrant to vent his anger and rob him of any treasures or riches that he had with him!
“Thank you so much for seeing me off.” Meng Qi replied. His green robe swayed gently in the wind as his hands remained clasped behind him. His perpetual smile remained, belying the creases upon his hardened features that affirmed the experiences of his past.
Devil of Malice was only about to mock at “Merciless Tyrant” for his mellowed demeanor when he noticed his irregular temperament today.* “Why have I decided to wander far away from the Golden Tent just to commit murder?”*
The thought had just surfaced on his mind when he noticed his surroundings becoming dark. He felt weightless, hovering helplessly in the air. Inside the darkness, shadows and silhouettes of unknown figures tethered up and down as if floating with the undulations of his unsteady thoughts.
Just then, the numerous figures stepped out of the darkness and showed themselves. All of them bore the very same appearance of the Devil of Malice— doppelgangers of him depicting him in various different temperaments and emotions. One was him in anger, another was hungry with greed, and another was vengeful and evil. As more of them appeared before him, he felt himself growing weaker as if his doppelgangers had usurped part of his powers!
Another strange face caught his eyes. He looked as intently as he could through the crowds of his doppelgangers and saw the grey-haired and weathered expression of Merciless Tyrant.
There the Tyrant stood, proud and erect as if looking down at him with a demeaning smirk.
Fearful of the chaotic scenes around him, Devil of Malice noticed yet another difference in the air of Merciless Tyrant. Frantically, he cried:
“You’re not Merciless Tyrant! Who are you?”
“That is true. I’m not Merciless Tyrant,” Meng Qi replied with a smile. The white bristles on the end of his hair on his temples became even more conspicuous. His eyes turned even colder and ruthless as traces of deep emotions swirled within. With an eerily quiet voice, he muttered:
“I’m Primordial Devil.”