Way of the Devil

The West Infinity Court.

Black Qi filled the air in a hemisphere, covering the the entirety of the West Infinity Court.

Through the black hemisphere, one could vaguely see streak after streak of different colorful lights clashing with each other, and within them were swarms of different kinds of symbols and runes exploding.

Liu Shanzi reached out with his right hand, and swiped his left hand toward the formation far away.

A black symbol of the Phantom Listening Devil Body instantly appeared in front of him. The symbol changed forms multiple times in the air, but nothing happened—even when its black shape disappeared.

Liu Shanzi sighed, and licked his dry lips. He had given up on trying to deliver his message to the outside world.

The great formation was constantly draining air. Not only was it draining air, but also water and a certain substance in every living creature that represented “life.”

Three out of the nineteen sect masters had already fallen ill, unable to resist any longer.

All three of them are the ones that tried to wield Divine Weapons to break the great formation. However, wielding a Divine Weapon took a immense toll on their body, and when combined with the lack of nourishment, it was no wonder that they fell.

Everyone else in the crowd was on the verge of collapse, so what happened to the three sect masters that had been wielding Divine Weapons was only natural.

“Never thought… that I would die here.” Liu Shanzi raised his head to watch the steady flow of black light forming a sphere with red symbols flashing constantly.

“Yes… who would have thought that instead of dying on the battlefield of a Devil Disaster, we would die such a baffling death in some scheme.” The sect master of the Fine Garden Sect, Grandmother Qingkong, stood beside him with a weary expression. Even though she was called “grandmother”, it was more or less to her own liking. Her appearance was that of a thirty year old at most, and even at the age of eighty, her mature beauty had attracted countless suitors.

“Do you remember the thing you wanted to say before you left? I… I want to hear it now…” Grandmother Qingkong smiled and turned to face Liu Shanzi.

“I…” Liu Shanzi knew exactly what she wanted to hear, but… he wasn’t a charming and handsome First Seat anymore. Nowadays, he was nothing compared to the countless suitors Qingkong had.

“Look where we are right now. What else are you worried about?” Grandmother Qingkong held Liu Shanzi’s hand, not minding his wrinkly skin one bit.

“Qingkong…” Liu Shanzi sighed, and held her hand as well.

He knew why Qingkong insisted on calling herself “grandmother”: it was all so that she could make herself sound older. She wanted to match him even in the little details.

“In my eyes, you will forever be the senior apprentice brother that risked his life to protect me!” Qingkong’s eyes were full of warmth.

“Crack…”

The great formation above suddenly shook, and cracks started to appear, spreading throughout the barrier. It was not because the formation was about to be cracked; rather, it was an indication that it was about to unleash its strongest attack.

Liu Shanzi finally stopped caring, and put his hand around Qingkong’s waist. He raised his head and stared at the cracks that looked like streaks of lightning. Even though these cracks had a dangerous air that he clearly couldn’t block, he didn’t care anymore.

“Hisss!!”

A bolt of lightning streaked toward the ground.

*******************

“What!? Trapped within the West Infinity Court?? Nobody knows if he’s alive?” In an inn near West Infinity Court, Lu Sheng opened his eyes angrily. Suddenly, all the air in the room seemed to be pumped out, making everyone breathless as if they were in a vacuum.

Hongfang Bai grunted, trying her best to resist. Her dignity didn’t allow her to kneel just because of one look from Lu Sheng.

She frantically tried to keep her knees from folding, trying her best not to be crushed by the heavy pressure.

As for Xu Chui and Ning San, they had long since kneeled on the ground and didn’t suffer from the brunt of the force.

Finally noticing Umbrella Girl’s struggle, Lu Sheng realized the power field he emitted was too heavy, and was nearly hurting his allies, and at last calmed down.

“Devil Army…!! Where are the Noble Families? And the other sects!!?” Lu Sheng’s heart surged. Liu Shanzi was one of the few that he could possibly consider a real master; he would not allow him to die in some random scheme.

If Liu Shanzi died honorably on the battlefield, he wouldn’t complain. But if he died from a betrayal…

“The Shangyang Family Army stationed nearby has deployed all of its available forces, yet still can’t hold the line against the Devil Army… The other sects are too far away to help, and due to spies withholding information, some sects are even getting the news only just now. They can’t provide reinforcements in time!” Ning San rapidly reported the intel he gathered.

“Right now, the Noble Families and sects have formed an alliance. The Shangyang Family’s grand-ancestor came out of seclusion to serve as the Grand Marshal of the Alliance. They are engaging the Devil Army on a nearby plain.” Xu Chui followed suit and hurriedly reported the intel he’d gathered. “Also, we just received news that the West Infinity Court has been reduced to rubble. The nineteen sect masters within, along with the majority of elite disciples of the West Infinity court, have all disappeared… perhaps even died…”

“Boom!!”

The cup Lu Sheng was holding instantly turned into dust.

His eyes with three pupils were filled with rage.

“The army… Where is it?”

“Master… That’s the Devil Disaster! A Devil Army with a Divine Weapon Master level general! You—”

“Bam!!”

Ning San was suddenly hit violently with a force field, and flew backwards into the wall.

“Boom.”

He fell from the wall, and lay on the ground, paralyzed. His face was pale as he fought for his breath.

“The army… the army is located to the Southwest, fifteen li of grass… plains…” he said with difficulty.

As soon as he finished the sentence, the whole room shook. A shadow flashed—Lu Sheng dashed out of the window. Even though he was only in his one, two meter tall human form, everyone felt like a enormous monster that was occupying the room just left.

The constant pressure that constricted their heartbeat gradually faded as Lu Sheng went further and further away.

“I’m coming too!!” Hongfang Bai’s face turned green, and she flew out of the window, following Lu Sheng.

Xu Chui and Ning San didn’t know what to do, and decided to also follow him.

He Xiangzi happened to walk in, but only saw the shadows of people flying out the window.

She blanked out for a moment before calling Zhan Kongning and Zhan Hongsheng to follow the others.

Even though she didn’t know what had just happened, but judging by Xu Chui and the rest’s reactions, something important must have happened. Following them couldn’t be wrong!

*****************

On the plains.

Li Shunxi stood quietly at the center of the Devil Army, the Grand Marshall Roxim standing beside him.

The two just stood there, surrounded by the Devil Army, staring at a rising tower surrounded by black light.

“In the future and the past that you saw, does it include me?” Roxim asked the same question again.

Every time he made a decision, he would explain it to Li Shunxi, hoping that he could foresee the impact such a decision would make in the future.

But time after time, he was disappointed.

“It does not.” Li Shunxi knew exactly why he was still alive, but he wasn’t lying, either. The fate of the Nine Cities was too distinct; he could see the general outcome even without sacrificing part of his life.

“Still none…” Roxim shook his head slightly, and turned toward the Alliance Army.

From far away, the Alliance Army formed by the Shangyang Family and various other sects looked like a sea of lights with different colors, which hid severe threat.

It was the power generated from runes and formations of various sizes.

“Will you still not tell me who the third Devil Spirit in history will be?” Roxim signed.

Li Shunxi stayed quiet.

He knew that if he told him who the third Devil Spirit was, the Devil Army could start attacking from both inside and outside to find the best breaking point. Then, not only would the Nine Cities be destroyed, even the Alliance Army would…

“To be honest, even if you refuse to tell me, the third Devil Spirit will be born soon. There has been enough blood sacrificed; the moment he appears, the incubation will be complete. No matter what, the end is filled only with destruction.” Roxim sighed again.

“I know…” Li Shunxi said in a low voice. “I just…”

“Still holding onto that delusional hope?” Roxim shook his head slightly.

“Thud.”

Suddenly, a shiver came from deep within them like the beat of a human heart, and rippled in the deepest part of their hearts.

Roxim raised his head to the sky, astonished.

“It begins…”

Li Shunxi followed his gaze, toward… the Alliance Army.

******************

Shangyang Jun stared silently at Huang Fu, who was kneeling in front of him.

This First Seat of the West Infinity court had talent even he admired, which was why he even allowed this meeting in the first place.

Inside of the white tent, Huang Fu’s forehead was touching the ground, respectably waiting for the Shangyang Family’s grand ancestor’s reply.

“Your… request, I’m afraid I cannot grant it,” Shangyang Jun said, calmly.

He had lived for several hundred years, and had already stopped caring about life and death long ago. Even if Huang Fu only wanted to reinforce the city and save his family, he would not allow it. As the two armies faced off, even a sliver of force could decide the battle. He couldn’t afford to be distracted at all—especially against his old nemesis Roxim.

“Is there really no way? I’m willing to sacrifice anything, I only wish you could send people to circle around from the side…” Huang Fu wanted to say more, but Shangyang Jun waved his hand, and a force field started to push him out.

“Shenyan,” Shangyang Jun said flatly.

“Yes.” Shangyang Shenyan, another Iron Brush Judge, and also Shangyang Jun’s body guard, slowly walked forward from the side.

“Please.” He looked at the still kneeling Huang Fu.

Huang Fu crouched on the ground, his body slightly shaking as if he was crying.

Shangyang Shenyan frowned. Even if Huang Fu was the First Seat of the strongest sect, he was still only a Lower Three Grades Snake Level opponent, and couldn’t do much to him.

“Thank you… Grand ancestor Jun…” Huang Fu slowly straightened his back.

“Hmm?” Shangyang Jun suddenly had an odd feeling, and hurriedly turned toward Huang Fu.

What he saw made him shiver.

Huang Fu was still crouching on the ground, but there weren’t any eyes inside his sockets. Instead, a milk-like white liquid was flowing out of them.

The liquid spread rapidly under his feet.

“No!!” Shangyang Jun suddenly sensed something wrong, and tried to grab Huang Fu.

The force field of the Divine Weapon formed a ring of black and white runes around his hand.