Chapter 812: Extreme Evil Does Not Cross the Line

TL: FoodieMonster007

The Drunken Demon floated up into the air. Recognizing the severity of his injuries, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon had extended his hand and used telekinesis, letting a gentle energy envelope him and carry him over.

"Ah, this is nice. So comfortable!" the Drunken Demon exclaimed, but despite his words, he gritted his teeth against the pain. No matter how gently he was moved, his entire body ached.

The relatively less injured Demonic Buddha and Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme walked over to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

The Darkness Palace Lord merely watched. He wanted to make a move, but couldn't. The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon and the Flower Sword Supreme were watching his every move with cold eyes.

It seemed as if they were only staring at each other, but an invisible and tense current flowed between them. It was the kind of tension where the slightest twitch of a finger would unleash a storm of sword qi and enhanced qi.

Although they had the numerical advantage, the Demon Supremes could not attack the enemy recklessly. Not only were there injured on their side, but the Darkness Palace Lord still appeared composed. His aura was far from ordinary.

Flying through that tense atmosphere, the Drunken Demon landed in front of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. "How did you know to come here?"

After parting with Geom Mugeuk, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the Flower Sword Supreme had gone to Lake Tai just as they had planned. The two stood beneath a willow tree and gazed at the lake. They had expected it to have changed so much that it would feel like their first time here, but surprisingly, it looked exactly as it had before.

The memory of meeting the Cult Leader and the Fist Demon here was still vivid.

"Everything is the same, only we've grown old."

At the Flower Sword Supreme's wistful remark, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon gazed silently at the lake. He thought that in the past, he would have felt much more regret.

However, his heart had changed. He had lived this long carrying the weight of the years, but lately, that weight did not feel so heavy.

"Isn't that what makes it better in some ways?"

Honestly, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon preferred the present over his youth. He preferred these days of reading books under the sun to those times when the blood never dried on the Heaven Destroying Dao.

The same went for his relationship with the Flower Sword Supreme. His only regret was that these good times would not last much longer, yet even that had been extended by Geom Mugeuk with the Immortal Stalactite Moss and the Heavenly Peach. What was there to be sad about?

The Flower Sword Supreme knew exactly what he felt as he said those words. Her own feelings were not much different.

She pointed to a tavern built on the lakeshore in the distance. "Do you remember that tavern over there? The Cult Leader bought us drinks there."

"I remember. The day the Cult Leader was also furious that day."

"You remember."

"Being here brings it all back."

"Shall we go take a look?"

The two slowly walked along the lake to the tavern and drank while reminiscing about the old days. The owner had changed, and the food tasted different. Still, they lost themselves in memories and had a pleasant time.

Starting with Lake Tai, they visited many places. They traveled mainly to places neither had been before. They sought out famous scenic spots and even waited in line at an inn where a skilled chef worked. Now, they even knew how to enjoy the act of waiting in line itself.

While traveling through the Central Plains like this, they heard news from the All-Knowing Hall that the Demonic Flames had been lit. Even during their travels, the two had periodically stopped by an All-Knowing Hall Branch to check if anything was happening with the Cult, as they knew the organization behind the scenes had not yet been completely uprooted.

"Why did you come here instead of going to Headquarters?" the Drunken Demon asked.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon showed his unwavering faith in one person. "Wouldn't the Cult Leader protect headquarters just fine?" He could have just left it at that, but he added, "Besides, the Poison King and the Fist Demon are there."

When the Drunken Demon made a face that said 'Then what about us?', he poked his broken arm with a finger.

"Aaargh! That hurts!"

Of course, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon wasn't deliberately causing his comrade pain. After examining the arm, he sealed a few acupoints to stop the bleeding and set the bone. "Fortunately, it's a clean break. If you rest for a while and meditate, the bone should mend."

"What about my butt, my side, my knee, my neck, and my elbow?"

"Seeing as you can list them all correctly, your head must be fine."

The Drunken Demon smiled and bowed his head in gratitude. "It's a good thing you came here."

If they bad not come, they would all be dead. These three Demon Supremes had saved their lives.

The reason the Drunken Demon could converse so leisurely with the Blood Heaven Blade Demon was that the Flower Sword Supreme and the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon were in a tense standoff with the Darkness Palace Lord.

The Darkness Palace Lord, for whatever reason, just watched the situation unfold in silence.

Meanwhile, the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme came over and offered the Drunken Demon an internal injury medicine. "It's not as good as the one you gave me, but please take this."

Earlier, the Drunken Demon had given his prized internal injury medicine to her for risking her life to protect the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman.

"Thank you, Soul-Stealing," the Drunken Demon mumbled awkwardly as he drank the medicine. "Anyone watching would think I did all the fighting myself."

The Demonic Buddha held out an ointment for external wounds. "You did fight alone."

The Drunken Demon replied as he took the ointment and applied it. "Nah. If I had, I'd already be a corpse. You'll definitely have to buy me a drink."

"Once you're all healed, invite me to the Drunken Dream Palace."

"Yay! Alcohol is the best medicine!"

Just then, the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme spoke cautiously. "Please invite me then, too."

"Of course, I will!"

On this mission, the Drunken Demon had formed a deep bond with the Demonic Buddha and the Soul-Stealing Demon Supreme. Indeed, for a martial artist, there was no better way to grow closer than fighting for one's life together.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, who had been silently watching the Darkness Palace Lord, asked the Drunken Demon. "Where is the Young Cult Leader?"

The Drunken Demon's gaze turned to the Secret Box lying to one side. "It's hard to believe, but they say he was absorbed by that Secret Box. I didn't see it myself, though."

Naturally, the gazes of the three Demon Supremes who had just arrived turned to the Darkness Palace Lord. They naturally assumed he had been trapped there by the Darkness Palace Lord's evil arts.

"Did he fall victim to that man?"

"No, the Secret Box absorbed him on its own."

The Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman nodded, confirming the truth of those words.

This meant the Young Cult Leader's fate was still unknown. Naturally, the Demon Supremes' gazes toward the Darkness Palace Lord could only be cold.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon slowly walked toward the Darkness Palace Lord. "And yet, you're not thinking of running away."

Someone of the Darkness Palace Lord's caliber should have at least one escape technique. Although three of the Demon Supremes were injured, there were still six of them present.

Six Demon Supremes facing a single enemy was likely a first in the history of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, but even in such a situation, the Darkness Palace Lord was not the least bit intimidated.

Instead, with a meaningful smile that suggested he had an ace up his sleeve, he uttered some cryptic words. "Do you think the situation will change just because more Demon Supremes have arrived?"

The Darkness Palace Lord's gaze fell upon the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon. It was a look filled with intent.

The Demon Supremes tensed.

The moment the Darkness Palace Lord's gaze deepened, the Evil Thrall Creation Art of the Pitch Black Demonic Art was unleashed. This demonic art was the Darkness Palace Lord's ultimate martial arts, capable of controlling only those with evil in their hearts.

He had unleashed the Evil Thrall Creation Art, which was said to ensnare any evil person without fail, on the one called the incarnation of evil—the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

Now that the incarnation of evil, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon, is here, you are mine.

Of course, he could not control the target completely. Depending on the person, he could dominate them for as little as a moment or as long as several days.

Naturally, it was a martial arts that consumed a significant amount of qi. Failure would result in severe internal injuries.

I don't even need a second. I only need to control him for half a second!

The three Demon Supremes from before had exhausted their inner qi, so they were no concern. He and the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon just needed to kill the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the Flower Sword Supreme quickly.

In the instant the Evil Thrall Creation Art was cast, time in the real world would stop, and he would enter the target's personal space deep within their heart, a space of their instinctual desires. All he had to do was subjugate the evil within that space to take control of their mind.

Until now, the spaces he had seen included ones littered with corpses, rooms full of treasure, or places filled with gluttony and lust.

This time, however, was different. The Darkness Palace Lord found himself in a room that was completely white.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was also standing alone in the middle of the room, staring at a wall.

As expected! He's different from ordinary evil men!

Regardless, the longer he took, the more inner qi he would consume.

He immediately spoke to the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon. "Your darkness has called to me. As your master, I command you to follow me!"

As the Evil Thrall Creation Art took effect, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon turned toward him. It was a demonic art that worked more easily the greater the target's evil heart, and this was none other than the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

You can never refuse me.

The Darkness Palace Lord rejoiced and stepped out of the room. Now, all that was left was for the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon to come out.

However, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon stood at the doorway and did not come out.

"Come out at once!" he roared.

Still, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon did not emerge.

This was the first time someone had defied his command after the contract of subjugation had been formed.

Just then, something caught the Darkness Palace Lord's eye. A single line was drawn across the doorway.

What's that?

It was, quite literally, just a line.

The Darkness Palace Lord realized this was why the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was not leaving the room.

He carefully touched the line. It had a unique texture. It was something he had never experienced before in his life.

He tried to pull the line to break it, but the line did not break. Even when he pushed his inner qi to its limit and tried to snap it, it would not break.

He created a blade of enhanced qi and tried to cut it, but the thin line could not be cut. No matter what he tried, it would not sever. The line was stronger than ten-thousand-year-old cold iron.

"What in the world is this?"

This line was the very same one the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon had drawn on the white wall himself long ago.

There was a time when Geom Mugeuk and the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon would draw lines to confirm their relationship. They asked each other how far they had come. In the end, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon had drawn a line on the wall of his own room, a wall he seemed unlikely to ever deface.

He had then asked Geom Mugeuk.

"Second Young Lord, how far have we come?"

That very line was what was blocking the Evil Thrall Creation Art. The extreme evil no longer crossed the line.

The Darkness Palace Lord looked at the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon standing beyond the line.

When their eyes met through the mask, the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's eyes smiled coldly.

SLAM!

The open door slammed shut, and simultaneously, the Evil Thrall Creation Art shattered.

CRACK!

As the Pitch Black Demonic Art failed, the Darkness Palace Lord's qi and blood twisted. He swallowed the blood that rose in his throat. The more powerful the demonic art, the greater the backlash from failure. He desperately tried to hide the fact that he had sustained an internal injury.

In reality, the eyes of the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon facing him were also smiling coldly.

Nevertheless, even in the moment his demonic art failed, the Darkness Palace Lord was curious about that line.

What was that?

The other Demon Supremes grinned, figuring that something had happened between the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon and the Darkness Palace Lord.

The Darkness Palace Lord's gaze shifted to the other Demon Supremes. Now that he was injured, it was impossible to face the three newly arrived Demon Supremes.

His initial plan had gone awry, but there was still one more chance. Fortunately, there was someone here who was once known to be even more fearsome and cruel than the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon.

The Darkness Palace Lord's gaze turned to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. Attempting the Evil Thrall Creation Art again was a great risk. Not only would it consume a massive amount of inner qi, but if it failed again, the new injury would compound his existing one. It would result in a critical wound.

Nevertheless, he used it on the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. He had to turn at least one of the enemy to his side.

Once again, he found himself standing in a room, only this time, it was a room filled with books.

Where on earth am I? A room that should have been filled with corpses is instead filled with books?

Books were piled up not only against all four walls but also all around where he stood.

Could these be martial arts manuals?

He picked up the book on top of the pile in front of him and flipped through it.

A collection of poems?

The book next to it was about growing flowers. The one below that was about officiating weddings.

Don't tell me I've fallen into qi deviation?

For a moment, he wondered if he had fallen into qi deviation from recklessly using his martial arts while injured.

RUSTLE, RUSTLE…

The Darkness Palace Lord turned his head in the direction of the rustling sound. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon was sitting in the corner and reading a book.

The sight was unfamiliar and strange.

Why the fuck are you reading a book in a place like this?

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon was focused on his book. The only sound was the turning of pages.

The Darkness Palace Lord spoke softly to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. "Your darkness has called to me. As your master, I command you to follow me!"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon, who had been reading, rose from his seat and began to follow him.

The Darkness Palace Lord smiled. Now, all he had to do was leave the room. Fortunately, the line that had been in the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon's room was not here.

He tried to lead Blood Heaven Blade Demon out, but even after some time, he simply could not find the exit.

When he knocked over a pile of books, another pile appeared behind it. Beyond that were more books, and more books still. It was a room where books were piled up endlessly.

As time dragged on, his inner qi continued to drain. The Darkness Palace Lord grew flustered and searched more frantically through the books.

RUMBLE!

A pile of books came crashing down on him, and the Evil Thrall Creation Art shattered.

CRACK!

"Kkhheuk!"

This time, the Darkness Palace Lord could not hide his injury.

Watching him vomit a mouthful of blood, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon remarked. "What on earth are you doing all by yourself?"

His face flushed with shame, the Darkness Palace Lord looked up at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon. There seemed to be no mercy in the cold eyes staring back at him. He was so different from the man who had been reading a book earlier that he felt like a completely different person.

What is with these people?

He had never dreamed that his ultimate demonic art would fail twice in a row.

The Darkness Palace Lord extended his hand to the side. His palm was aimed at the Secret Box. "If you don't leave right now, the Young Cult Leader will die."

The threat was effective. If Geom Mugeuk had been absorbed by that thing, it absolutely could not be destroyed.

"Get lost. Now."

Silence flowed through the area.

The Darkness Palace Lord gathered all his remaining inner qi, and the dark enhanced qi forming in his hand grew even stronger. "I'll really smash it to pieces. It wouldn't be so bad if I took the Young Cult Leader with me."

If he was going to die anyway, he had no intention of dying alone.

Just then, one of the Demon Supremes uttered something unexpected.

"Go ahead. Break it."

It was the Demonic Buddha.

"Stop bluffing!"

"Break it! Smash it to smithereens!"

There was a clear reason for the Demonic Buddha's bravado.

"Finally, the First Young Lord will become the successor! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Seeing his genuinely joyful expression, the Darkness Palace Lord's hand trembled. It looked as if the enhanced qi would fly out at any moment.

PTUI!

Suddenly, the Secret Box spat someone out.

"Oof!"

Naturally, it was Geom Mugeuk. As he emerged, he had clearly heard what the Demonic Buddha said.

"Damn it! This is why I can't leave my post for even a second!"