Way of the Devil

Panda Novel

The Evil Spirits within the tattered remains of the giant monster seemed to have frozen over. They were still falling through the air when they started igniting.

Faint greenish Yin Flames turned everything into a sea of flames in the blink of an eye. Clumps of Yin Flames danced around Lu Sheng, bouncing around as if they were alive.

He stood in the midst of the sea of flames, and suddenly had a feeling in his heart. He turned to look where the remains of the giant monster fell.

A faint glow started to rise amid the writhing blurry mess.

It was the product of an endlessly brilliant golden flame.

A big and tall figure hovered within the flame. Four golden eyes slowly opened and looked toward him.

This person had a brilliant golden mane which was lifted high toward the skies by the surging flames. His muscles were well-toned, and were as tough and full as a sculpture’s.

Lu Sheng’s gaze sharpened at the same time. He stared at the figure. The dark red winged serpent between his brows glowed brighter.

“This is just the beginning…” The figure’s lips parted slightly. His lips were curved upward.

“Bring it on.” Lu Sheng raised a hand, and countless Yin Flames surged and roared around him.

***

“Overlord!”

“Devoid of scruples! Doing what he wishes without restraint! Undefeatable! Supremacy over all!

“Rampaging across the heavens, the people are in a dire plight! Wherever he goes, there’s only destruction, despair, and pain. That’s an overlord.

“Overlords kill!

“Should be feared!

“Filled with fury!

“Should be mad!

“Well then, who can carry the title of an overlord under the heavens?”

Yin Capital. Moon Scar Palace.

At only nine years old, Jing Tiancheng sprawled himself on a white-haired old man who was a dozen meters tall. He listened to the old man’s teachings.

The old man sat on a pure white sculpted throne adorned with patterns of countless birds and beasts. He had a saintly air, and his long beard hung from his chin and stopped beside Jing Tiancheng’s face.

“In the current world, the Three Sacred Gates’ Divine Son has the special ability to foresee the future and command Spiritual Essence. None of his ventures have ended in misfortune,” said the old man slowly. “I have borrowed that wicked jade from him, so I guess that’s enough preparation for the future.”

“Please, tell me more, old ancestor!”

Jing Tiancheng’s fair little face seemed to have been sculpted out of jade and adorned with powder. A look of strong interest appeared on that face of his.

When the old man saw this, he reached out a hand and caressed the child’s head.

“Great waves wash the sands away. The times produce their heroes. However, the current era has no hero. The notable individuals rose to prominence for fame, benefit, and power.

“From what I see, there are four individuals who can be called overlords under the heavens.

“Now is not the time to mention their names yet. However, you’ll soon hear their voices in the future…” The old man ruffled the child’s hair gently.

***

Autumn, Year 8122 of the Great Yin’s Mystic lunar calendar.

The Yin Capital was in turmoil. The royal family crumbled and split. A blood feud ensued.

Evil Spirits invaded, plunging the world into a precarious situation.

The various states mustered their strength, while the sects and aristocratic families combined theirs. They formed differently sized groups as they fought against the Evil Spirits.

The Three Sects formed an alliance and formed the greatest anti-Evil Spirit organization, Underworld Illumination.

Nine Bright Province. The Prime Devil Sect.

Lu Sheng sat high on the first seat as he looked down at the representatives from the Three Sects and the county executive. The nearby aristocratic families also sent representatives. They were either heads of their families or the patriarchs.

They gathered in the same hall and sat in two rows.

“Sect Master Lu! If you hadn’t showed up just in time, I’m afraid that the entire Autumn Moon County would’ve been destroyed by the Evil Spirits overnight! I, Chen Xun, on behalf of the Three Sects and the people of the city, express my sincerest gratitude to you!”

The county executive Chen Xun stepped forward with a solemn expression and faced Lu Sheng with his back straight. Then, he bent his back in a bow.

He was not the only one. The sect masters of the Three Sects and the representatives of the other aristocratic families stood up as well, forming a black mass of people.

Although they numbered many, the entire hall was silent and solemn. There was no noise. Only the old county executive’s voice resounded sonorously throughout the hall.

“Master Chen, there’s no need to be so polite. My sect is located in the Autumn Moon County. My own kin live here as well. Fending off the Evil Spirits is what I should do.” Lu Sheng half-raised his hand. A great force immediately pushed the county executive back up.

This was simply utilizing Spiritual Essence. In the eyes of the ordinary people who could not see the form of Spiritual Essence, this was as magical as an art.

After the county executive Chen, the aristocratic families waited in turn to pledge their loyalty. They wished to accompany the Prime Devil Sect in overcoming obstacles and fighting the Evil Spirits back.

Lu Sheng accepted their pledges with a smile. There were 11 aristocratic families and sects. The other forces joined the allied forces of the Prime Devil Sect as well to fight against the Evil Spirits.

There were a few forces that were reluctant to come. However, those few forces did not even attend this gathering. Instead, they chose to flee to larger cities. Compared to the Autumn Moon County where Lu Sheng was, they believed in the many experts of the Three Sects in the larger cities.

The former greatest expert and the sect master of the Thousand Sun Sect, Chen Jingzhi, stood up and spoke clearly, “The crucial matter at hand is to determine the source of the Evil Spirits’ outbreak. How did they arrive in the Human World? We clearly had elites guarding all the leaks.”

“That’s right. Sect Master Chen had entered the secret land at the first moment. Although most of the elders had gone out to aid in the fight against the Evil Spirits, he was able to find some clues about the Evil Spirits,” said the Youyin Sect’s master at the side with a soft voice.

Everyone’s gazes were instantly directed on Chen Jingzhi.

Lu Sheng narrowed his eyes slightly as well. He looked at the veteran Thousand Sun Sect’s master.

“Sect Master Chen?”

Chen Jingzhi had a profound background. He seemed capable of pulling strings with the upper echelons in the Blood Sun, and was different from the outer branches such as Lu Sheng.

He did not decline. He immediately raised his cupped fists toward Lu Sheng.

“Well then, I shall continue.” He cleared his throat. When he saw that everyone was ready, he slowly told them the information regarding the Evil Spirits. “According to the internal information within the Blood Sun, the Evil Spirits’ outbreak was on a national level this time. It had occurred at seemingly the same time over several provinces throughout Great Yin. There are signs that this was premeditated. It didn’t seem like an attack launched without proper planning. Besides, a few crucial locations are being sieged by the Evil Spirits right now. They’re in imminent danger, and could be breached at any time. The situation is dire.”

Chen Jingzhi paused slightly before continuing, “From the information in Blood Sun, there are three levels to the Evil Spirits.”

“Three levels?” Lu Sheng had never heard of this. When he guarded the Gate of Illusion back then, he had only encountered ordinary Evil Spirits and the black hand that was insanely powerful. He had not encountered anything else.

“This is the latest information. The experts of the Three Sects have risked their lives to get their hands on it. I shouldn’t be exposing it like this, but the times are different now. The higher-ups have given the order to disseminate the information to more parties. This way, we’ll be able to properly counter any enemies that might come after,” Chen Jingzhi spoke with a straight face.

“The Three Sects are righteous.”

“As expected of the Three Sects, upholding the justice in the world.”

The minor aristocratic families offered their praises.

Chen Jingzhi cupped his hands in salute to everyone before continuing, “According to the Blood Moon’s classification, the Evil Spirits can be categorized into three levels. From the weakest to the strongest, from the lowest to the highest. First off are the Ordinary Evil Spirits.”

“The weakest of the Ordinary Evil Spirits are like those airflows. They’re semi-transparent monsters with a head and no bodies. We had encountered them in the highest numbers before this.”

The others were suddenly hit with a realization. They understood what he meant.

“The second level are the Titled Evil Spirits. The Titled Evil Spirits are capable of commanding Ordinary Evil Spirits. They can also devour Evil Spirits to temporarily boost their own strength. Their power is extremely domineering, and its range is huge as well. There are Titled Evil Spirits from the Weapon Master tier to the Divine Lord tier. They are the Evil Spirits’ main force, used to attack worlds. They come in all sorts of forms, but they would appear more like monsters than humans.

“I’m sure that everyone will think about the giant monster which Sect Master Lu had personally killed a few days ago. That was a Titled Evil Spirit,” Chen Jingzhi said in a low voice.

“The Titled Evil Spirits are also classified with different titles according to their strength. We’re not too sure about this yet, but these Evil Spirits are easy to spot. Usually, they’re not small. Their appearance is usually extremely peculiar, completely different from Ordinary Evil Spirits’.”

When he said this, everyone present immediately remembered the giant golden-haired monster which had almost destroyed the county city on its own.

“He called himself Andura, and was blabbing on about ‘His Majesty’ and whatnot. Could it be that there’s another, more powerful Evil Spirit King behind him?” Liu Shanzi had been following the conversation calmly. However, when he heard this, he could not help but feel a chill run down his spine.

A Titled Evil Spirit had almost obliterated their forces. If Lu Sheng had not arrived in the nick of time, he reckoned that the Autumn Moon County and the Prime Devil Sect’s Devil Palace would have been history by now.

Currently, Chen Jinzghi was saying that this Andura was only a middle-level Evil Spirit.

This information was bloodcurdling.

“That’s not strange. The Three Sects and Three Great Families have their own experts to guard the leaks where the Evil Spirits are. These monsters subsist on the essence of life. They won’t even spare the land—all life aura was devoured. They’re practically the natural nemesis of all life,” Lu Sheng spoke slowly. “Teacher, please calm down. Let Sect Master Chen finish.”

Chen Jingzhi nodded and cupped his fists toward Lu Sheng in salute.

“What Divine Lord Lu has said is true. The third level of the Evil Spirits is the most terrifying Art Breaker rank.”

“Art Breaker rank?” Lu Sheng narrowed his eyes slightly. “What do you mean by art breaker? What kind of art are they breaking?”

Chen Jingzhi’s expression turned solemn again.

“Art Breaker means that all kinds of skills and arts are broken. It’s said that the Art Breaker rank possessed the formidable ability to nullify all the forces that are not one’s own.”

The King of Shadows Xu Feila could not help but ask, “What does that mean?”

“Simply put, it’s the ability to exclude all external objects. The target will only be able to rely on his own strength. For example, you have a Divine Weapon, but that’s not your power. Hence, he’ll be able to instantly isolate your Divine Weapon and pull you into an environment where you’re absolutely isolated from your Divine Weapon and fight you there. Also, let’s say you have secret arts and skills, and you’re able to conjure up flames with some Spiritual Essence. However, when you’re facing an Art Breaker, your Spiritual Essence will instantly lose its effects. You won’t be able to conjure up any flames.”

“In other words, it’s an ability that’s capable of expelling all foreign objects that can be used to enhance one’s strength.” Lu Sheng made a simple conclusion.

“That’s right.” Chen Jingzhi nodded. “The more important thing is that every Art Breaker is unimaginably powerful. They are the most powerful shields and pillars of the Evil Spirit Tribe.”

Lu Sheng nodded slightly. He understood now. He related all this new information with the black hand he’d encountered back when he was guarding the Gate of Illusion at the East Sea.

He understood that this Art Breaker rank was most probably the Weapon Grandmaster tier of the Evil Spirits.

The other question he had was that when he guarded the Gate of Illusion back then, the Evil Spirits that came at him were almost all of the Divine Lord tier. However, this time, the Evil Spirits he encountered did not seem to be as powerful at all.