Chương 96: First Steps on the Demonic Path (Part 8)

A new round of slaughter erupted among the survivors. In the chaos, eight more fell. Only six remained. The purple-eyed youth surveyed the others with a cruel, satisfied smile.

"If any of you are willing to submit—accept my soul brand—I will allow you to live." The purple-eyed youth was terrifyingly strong. Though he lacked a divine physique, he had already slain two ranked true disciples. Now he regarded the remaining five with utter contempt. To be marked with a soul brand meant eternal enslavement—no chance of transcendence in this life or the next.

"Zhan Huntian, you dream if you think we'll kneel to you! Everyone, attack together! Kill him first! Aaahhh—" Without warning, Su Chen and Luo Hongying struck in perfect unison. They ambushed two of the other true disciples, ending them in an instant. The last survivor opened his mouth to cry out, "I submit! Please, my lord, spare my life!" Su Chen's sword flashed without hesitation, severing his head. In the end, only three true disciples of the Sun-Devouring Sacred Land remained standing.

Luo Hongying eyed the purple-eyed youth warily.

"Junior Brother Zhou, let's kill him together. Once he's gone, this generation's resources will belong to the two of us alone. Then you and I can become dao companions—ruling side by side for an eternity. Doesn't that sound wonderful?" Su Chen nodded.

"Senior Sister speaks wisely. After we kill him, please don't forget our agreement." Luo Hongying: "…" Was becoming her dao companion really so unappealing? Without another word, she gripped her long spear. A surge of scarlet branding erupted from within her body, spreading across her snow-white skin and coalescing into a set of spiritual armor.

"Martial Spirit Armor… a lost relic from ancient times, and it ended up in your hands." Zhan Huntian raised an eyebrow in genuine surprise. Facing Luo Hongying's charge, he did not retreat. The two clashed at speeds invisible to the naked eye.

'No wonder this woman dared scheme against so many true disciples of the sacred land.' Su Chen clicked his tongue inwardly. Even he had only heard legends of the Martial Spirit Armor—a war gear forged by a long-extinct race, capable of dramatically amplifying the wearer's attack power and speed. In the Heavenly Profound Domain, very few possessed such a treasure.

"Zhou Chen, are you just going to stand there watching?" Luo Hongying gradually fell behind in the exchange. Glancing at Su Chen—who had been idly spectating—she spoke in a commanding tone laced with irritation. Su Chen feigned helplessness and joined the fray, unleashing sword arts to share the pressure and relieve Luo Hongying. Moments later, Zhan Huntian began to falter. Seizing the opening, Luo Hongying executed her Blood Moon Spear Art. A single thrust smashed into Zhan Huntian's body.

The impact obliterated everything within hundreds of meters, leaving only swirling dust thick with murderous intent—impossible to see through. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Luo Hongying panted heavily. A triumphant smile spread across her face as she stared into the haze.

"Zhan Huntian… he should be dead now, right?" Unlike her elation, Su Chen frowned. Instinct warned him that something was wrong. Boom! A terrifying silhouette flashed past in an instant, materializing directly in front of Luo Hongying. When she saw who it was, her eyes widened in shock. Zhan Huntian now stood entirely bathed in violet light. His hair stood on end like steel wires. His muscles bulged and twisted like ancient tree roots.

An overwhelmingly oppressive aura naturally formed a protective barrier around him.

"Purple Extreme Heaven Art… It's the Purple Extreme Heaven Art! This technique should never have reappeared in the world. The Purple Extreme Demon Venerable died in the Southwestern Domain war—his inheritance was severed!" Luo Hongying's face turned deathly pale. Zhan Huntian cast a faint, mocking glance at her.

"How could a little girl like you possibly comprehend the depths of this Venerable's methods? Since you forced me to reveal my true form, you can no longer be allowed to live." He extended a finger and flicked it lightly toward her. Luo Hongying's body suffered a devastating blow. She flew backward, smashing through range after range of mountains. The Martial Spirit Armor covering her form cracked and shattered in countless places. In the blink of an eye, Zhan Huntian hovered above her.

Luo Hongying's robes hung in tatters. She coughed up blood. For the first time, the usual arrogance had vanished from her face. Pure terror of death enveloped her completely.

"M-My lord… I submit! I am willing to accept the soul brand and serve at your side forever! I can be your concubine, your pet—anything you desire. I will never reveal a single one of your secrets!" Luo Hongying desperately tried to demonstrate her willingness to submit. Zhan Huntian merely sneered in disdain.

"Someone like you—this Venerable finds filthy." Terrifying energy gathered at his fingertip. He prepared to end her once and for all, leaving no loose ends. But in that instant, a streak of sword light disrupted his motion. Su Chen had acted. A single strike forced Zhan Huntian back. He appeared beside Luo Hongying. Seeing who had come, a desperate spark of hope reignited in Luo Hongying's heart.

"Zhou Chen, kill him! If you kill him, I will be yours completely!" Zhan Huntian was the Purple Extreme Demon Venerable reborn. And Zhou Chen… according to her investigations, was also suspected to be an ancient powerhouse reincarnated. Only Zhou Chen could contend with the Purple Extreme Demon Venerable! Zhan Huntian looked at the newcomer who had charged into the fray, a trace of interest in his eyes.

"You… intend to protect her? To stand against this Venerable?" Su Chen shook his head.

"She… can only be killed by me." His black-and-white pupils abruptly turned pitch black, transforming into twin abyssal voids that devoured all light. Behind Luo Hongying, a gaping blood-red maw suddenly appeared. In an instant, it swallowed her whole. Her agonized scream echoed through heaven and earth.

"Zhou Chen… you can't kill me… if you do, the Sacred Lord will never let you live!" Gradually, her aura faded away. After devouring Luo Hongying, Su Chen's presence surged explosively. The same Martial Spirit Armor that had once covered her now manifested around him. The sudden sight stunned even Zhan Huntian. After a long moment, he burst into wild laughter.

"So it is the Primordial Taotie Physique! It seems those old fossils of the Primordial Remnant Clan still cling to life! But truly, heaven itself aids me, the Purple Extreme Demon Venerable. Boy—your body and soul now belong to this Venerable!" Recalling the rumors surrounding the ancient ruin, Zhan Huntian's heart surged with wild excitement. Yet in the next breath, an even more terrifying aura erupted from Su Chen's body. He raised his hand and slashed downward with a single sword.

"Return to Dust." Sword qi pierced heaven and earth, as though it would tear the entire ruin apart. Zhan Huntian had no time to evade. The sword qi engulfed him. Terror seized his mind. This strike was far beyond anything a cultivator of this realm should be capable of unleashing. Such mastery of the sword—even the most monstrous sword prodigies at the Profound Connection realm could never achieve it! One sword, and Zhan Huntian was covered in wounds. Fear took root in his heart.

"This fellow is no simple character… another ancient monster in disguise!" Zhan Huntian cursed inwardly. What kind of cursed place was the Sun-Devouring Sacred Land? How had it hidden such a terrifying "fellow cultivator" all this time? Seeing Zhan Huntian prepare to flee, Su Chen extended two fingers forward.

"Myriad Tribulations Annihilation Finger." One of the Prison-Suppressing Sacred Land's saint-grade martial techniques! Heaven and earth seemed to sink into cycles of annihilation and silence. Darkness swallowed everything. Su Chen walked slowly into the heart of that terrifying aura. From within came a final, wretched, unwilling scream of despair.