Way of the Devil

“An ordinary rock column?” Lu Sheng eyed this silver dragon with interest. “If you can find another ordinary rock column such as this one for me, I’ll turn around and leave immediately.”

The girl’s long hair was like filamentous seaweeds in the water as it floated around her in slow motion. When she heard this, she understood that the person before her was not as gullible as the ones who came before him. She finally gotten serious. “I see that someone has sent you here specifically to find me.”

“You can say that.” Lu Sheng nodded his head. “Alright, make a choice: will you give up resisting on your own, or do you want me to attack?”

The girl’s face darkened. “You’ve made up your mind? You want that rock column?”

“Yes, didn’t you say that you’ll fulfill my every wish?” Lu Sheng had understood now that the platinum rock column was this silver dragon’s main body.

“You seem to have misunderstood me, but it doesn’t matter. I can give you the rock column, but what will you give in exchange?” the girl said calmly.

“What do you think? That’ll depend on the price you set,” Lu Sheng replied with a calm expression.

“My price…” The girl paused. She looked Lu Sheng in the eyes. Ever since she’d gained consciousness, this was her first time encountering such a peculiar human.

“I don’t know what you plan to do, but that rock column was my main body, which I’ve shed. Hence, I’ll have all the Spiritual Power in your body as payment.”

“You really want to do business?” Lu Sheng was stunned. He was even ready to resort to force. However, he did not expect her to actually state a price.

When he heard this condition, he snapped back to his senses. He smiled as well.

“No problem.” The Spiritual Power in his body was but a few points of Mental Energy. For him who had tens of thousands of Mental Energy, he could practically brush this price off.

“Do you think that it’s cheap?” the silver dragon girl suddenly said.

“I do. It’s quite cheap.” Lu Sheng nodded honestly.

“Truth be told, the main reason is because I feel that I can’t defeat you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have sold this to you at such a cheap price. Consider this a promotion, half-price,” the silver dragon girl said with a straight face.

“You’re an honest one.” Lu Sheng smiled. “How shall I pay you with Spiritual Power?”

“Just release it and direct it toward me,” replied the girl. “I can be quite thorough in sucking Spiritual Power, you might need a longer time to recuperate.”

“That’s alright,” Lu Sheng said nonchalantly. After all, the Spiritual Power in this body was converted by a few points of his Mental Energy. With this comparison, it seemed that Mental Energy’s qualitative density was much higher than Spiritual Power’s since he was able to convert a meager amount of Mental Energy into a huge amount of Spiritual Power.

Soon enough, under the instruction of this girl, Lu Sheng unleashed all the Spiritual Power in his body toward the rock wall on the other side. In the time it took to finish a cup of tea[1. measure of time equivalent to 15 minutes.], the Spiritual Power on his body had turned into nine yellow Spirit Qi balls the size of a washbasin. They hovered in midair.

“What a terrifying man,” the silver dragon girl exclaimed. She looked at the current Lu Sheng and sensed his threatening level. Even without his Spiritual Power, she did not feel that he was weakened. Instead, it was as if a concealing cloth had been torn open, and he had become more dangerous.

“Spiritual Power is everything to me, but to you, it’s only a small piece in your overall strength, am I right?” she half asked, half concluded.

“Who knows?” Lu Sheng declined to comment. “Can I have the rock column now?”

“Of course. Help yourself.” The silver dragon girl moved her colossal dragon body, and cleared the way toward the platinum rock column.

Lu Sheng smiled, and slowly walked toward the rock column.

This was the first step in completing the task which Ju Yan had entrusted to him.

***

Purple Smoke Mountain. Under the estate.

Ju Yan was thoroughly bored as he sat there on the throne. He looked down at the evil spirits which flowed like misty souls. They occasionally formed various shapes, and he watched them as if enjoying a dance.

Suddenly, a soft noise slowly came from the throne under him.

“Click…”

It was as if something was cracking open slowly.

“The first lock… is open…” Ju Yan was expressionless. However, his hand which was on the armrest clenched tightly.

“Universal Ward Column… that’s one column less already. That kid is much more capable than I expected… However, the first one is easy. Once those fellows were alerted, it won’t be that easy to obtain the remaining two columns. Little Heavenly Devil, show me how far can you go…” Ju Yan’s clenched fist slowly relaxed. He gradually regained his calm and lazy composure.

***

After coming out from the cavern, Lu Sheng looked up at the skies with surprise.

The sky had been full of white clouds before this, but it was now covered in red clouds. A thick layer of red clouds was right on top of his head. They formed a huge black mass. From afar, it appeared as if some giant black larva was being nurtured.

The black larva was still sucking on huge amounts of red clouds ceaselessly.

There were no accidents when he broke the rock column; it was no different from shattering a normal rock. It was not overly tough, nor was it overly soft. No strange things happened.

His current condition was no different than when he’d gone in. The only difference was that the Spiritual Power in his body was completely exhausted for the time being.

As he stood there at the cave’s entrance, Lu Sheng took in his surroundings. On the ground and the rock walls around him, thin blood-colored patterns crawled over their surfaces as if they had a life of their own. These patterns had no apparent regularity. They resembled ordinary patterns. There was only a slight hint of Spiritual Power’s wave.

“Come out,” Lu Sheng said casually. “It seems that anyone who’s daring enough from the Zhang Family has come here.”

His voice barely faded when three men walked out from around the cave’s entrance. They were fanned out.

They were a bony middle-aged man and two others in black robes and white caps—both were red-faced elderly men with a huge character “Zhang” embroidered on the back of their robes.

The two were Zhang Helun and Zhang Wenji. The two of them established themselves as Zhang Family’s Supremes 50 years ago. This was much earlier than Zhang Mu and the other. They were also more popular. When the two of them made their appearance, the Zhang Family would be like the sun in high noon.

These two could be regarded as the powerful individuals of an era. It was thanks to them that the Zhang Family was able to rule over the Four Guardian Families.

The middle-aged man was Zhang Family’s current head, Zhang Zhun.

“I didn’t expect the monster to actually let you leave,” Zhang Helun said with a sigh. “I’ve just got word from the young ones, and I immediately knew that a devilish star has come into our world. However, I didn’t expect to still be one step behind despite all my haste.” The expression on his face, which was as wizened as a tree’s bark, was one that lamented the state of the universe and expressed pity for all of mankind.

“I initially thought that the devilish star was a Devil Spirit that was leaked into the world. However, I never expected the root to be among the Four Guardian Families,” said the other elderly man helplessly. “It seems that the Extreme Elderly Star’s words were true.”

“Devilish star? Devil Spirit? What’s all this rubbish you’ve been talking about?” Lu Sheng did not understand what these two elderly men had said in their sanctified tone.

“Lu Zhong, your father Lu Dang was a dear friend of mine. To think that you, his son, is acting so savagely as to trespass on the Zhang Family’s forbidden grounds of your own initiative. The Extreme Elderly Star has said that you’re a devilish star which came into this world, and I was reluctant to believe it at first. However, when I see the strange phenomenon in the heavens, I…” Zhang Zhun said with a pained expression. “You still have time to stop this. I’ve already sent someone on a Pegasus to inform your father.”

“I still don’t understand what you’re trying to say.” Lu Sheng raised an eyebrow. “Where’s the other person I brought with me?”

“We’ve detained him. Now, Lu Zhong, surrender yourself. Turn back before it’s too late,” Zhang Zhun advised him with a bitter expression.

“If you bring her back, I’ll not hold this matter against you.” Lu Sheng glanced at the periphery of the land. He could faintly make out quite a number of figures. Their Spiritual Power was like a spider’s web as they weaved together in an extremely expansive and tough network. They intended to place him at the center and wrap him up.

“That’s impossible, Lu Zhong. Give up. This formation’s called Nine Twin Heavenly Evil Formation. Once its set, it will be like an escape-proof net, it’ll be impossible for you to break free. Even the Supreme wouldn’t…” advised Zhang Zhun. “So, give up. I can guarantee that we won’t kill you.”

“Forget it. There’s always people in this world who won’t cry unless they see the coffin.” Since Lu Sheng had been tricked by the little brat, he was already harboring some misgivings in his heart. Now, it seemed that it was another trap which he had walked into. The flames of anger flared up within him. His gaze started to wander slowly among the valley.

“Also, about the little brat who tricked me just now. If I don’t see him within a hundred breaths, the three of you can forget about going back.”

“It seems that we can only talk after we fight.” Zhang Zhun took a step back. He instantly made a hand sign.

“Buzz!”

Pure white radiance hung around the four of them. With them as the center, slender pure white vines started growing in an area tens of meters wide.

Countless vines quickly sealed off the area around Lu Sheng with their bone-piercing coldness. Dense white mist even covered the area above his head.

“Pccht!”

Countless black ropes shot out above Lu Sheng’s head. Exquisite runic bells hung upon the ropes at intervals. The bells were platinum-colored. They quickly spread fine red mist downward.

The red mist and white gas, which enhanced each other’s beauty, merged together as they trapped Lu Sheng in the middle. The two types of gas mixed, and fine black grains quickly appeared.

These grains seemed to have a life of their own. They charged toward Lu Sheng speedily with a strong sense of gluttony.

“This is the Spirit-devouring Demonic Art Formation which even Supremes can’t escape from. This formation is capable of sealing all the Spiritual Power in your body. Stop resisting and submit, Lu Zhong. You have no other choice,” Zhang Zhun said with a sigh.

Lu Sheng glanced at the black grains which flew toward him, and he extended his hand slowly.

“Impenetrably thickheaded.” He had initially intended to give the Zhang Family a chance, but that intention was completely gone by now.

***

Four days later, one of the Four Guardian Families and the reclusive families, the Yunxi Zhang Family, had lost all its elites overnight. Their four Supremes had announced that they would go into secluded cultivation at almost the same time. The family head, Zhang Zhun, was overthrown. The position of the head of the family fell unto his younger brother, Zhang Sitao. Zhang Zhun passed away due to an illness in his bed.

For a time, Zhang Family’s influence in the various lands was weakened greatly. Without any Supreme elites among their ranks, many of their subsidiary families grew restless.

Another piece of news quickly spread to the secret circles in the entire Great Xia.

Lu Family’s young master Lu Zhong had gravely wounded the Zhang Family’s four Supremes in the valley behind Yin Mountain. Even the forbidden ground’s formation was destroyed.

The Zhang Family, which was like the sun in high noon, instantly fell to the depths of the valley with this feat. Their four Supremes were gravely wounded, and were tending to their wounds in secluded cultivation. Their family’s head was also replaced. Packs of wolves circled as they kept greedy eyes on the family’s businesses—they intended to take a meaty bite the first opportunity they got.

The entire Zhang Family seemed to have been beaten into these dire straits by Lu Sheng alone.

The Extreme Elderly Star’s prophecy spread across Great Xia with Zhang Family’s demise.

The secret Spiritual Power circle which was independent in the pugilistic world had also heard of Lu Zhong from the Lu Family. He was known as Devil Star.

The rumors that “the Devil Star had come into the world, great calamity abound” gradually spread among the public.

Currently, Lu Sheng, who had destroyed the first Universal Ward Column, had already left the area where the Zhang Family had their influence. He headed toward the second hidden ground where the second rock column was, Busaja.