Way of the Devil

He was not the only one. Zhang Chenshan also produced a similar purple pendant. He had intended to switch with Zhang Mu, but when he saw the scene before his eyes, he was immediately dumbfounded.

This skill was practically their strongest skill. They had never met a match ever since they created this skill. This skill would directly lock onto an area of dozens of meters and summon the gathered sword spirits to launch an indiscriminate attack. An attack such as this was already akin to Immortal Skill.

However, even with this skill, they could not do anything about Lu Sheng.

Soon enough, the purple curtain of swords slowly faded away. The gathered sword spirits were spent. If they wanted to unleash this skill again, they would have to gather new sword spirits.

However, Zhang Mu was currently in no condition to consider other matters. His Hundred-Spirit Qi was completely exhausted. He slumped on the ground, and could not get back onto his feet for some time.

“Forget it… I am old, after all.” He had a helpless expression. With a wave of his hand, he rejected Zhang Zhao, who was about to help him up.

Zhang Chenshan was out of ideas as well. Even if he continued to attack, he could not even break his opponent’s skin. He did not know how he should go about fighting such an opponent.

“I’d never thought that my brother would’ve underestimated another person. To think that there’s still such an undefeatable monster in the world…” The black-browed old man smiled wryly.

Zhang Zhao, on the other hand, appeared calm. From the moment he saw the beam of golden light, he had a bad feeling. This was but the fulfillment of his bad feeling.

However, at this point in time, it was not as if there was no way to turn this around.

He kept his gaze on Lu Sheng, who was slowly walking toward the three of them step by step. For a while, his mind was filled with countless thoughts. Various countermeasures flashed across his mind.

“Are you planning to kill us?” he suddenly asked.

“Why do you ask that?” Lu Sheng stopped in his tracks. He looked at the young man, and was surprised to find that he was not flustered at all. He could tell that the young man had some sort of backup plan.

“It seems like you’re not planning to kill us.” Zhang Zhao got his conclusion instantly, and his body relaxed slightly. “The platinum column that you’re looking for… I may know its whereabouts.”

“Oh?” Lu Sheng’s expression grew cold. The casual look on his face started to fade. “Is this true?”

“As a member of the Four Guardian Families, I, Zhang Zhao, have no need to resort to lies. The reason why I bring this up only now is because the object that you’re asking about is too insignificant. It has been hidden in the deepest part of a secret cave. If you want the object, you’ll have to enter the hidden cave first,” Zhang Zhao offered the simple explanation.

“What’s this ‘hidden cave’?” Lu Sheng followed up with another question.

“It’s an abode of fairies and immortals which moves around mysteriously. I can bring you there, but you must promise me that you won’t harm the innocent. This entire valley is placed under my Zhang Family’s protection,” Zhang Zhao said with a stern expression.

“I hope that what you said is true.” Lu Sheng smiled. “I was prepared to render all your cultivation to naught, but since you made the offer, let’s go. Lead the way.”

“Follow me.” When Zhang Zhao turned around, he gave a signal to Zhang Mu and his grandfather. He asked them not to worry.

He led Lu Sheng all the way to the deepest parts of the valley in the Zhao Ling Mystical Land.

Along the way, Lu Sheng saw that dead grass was scattered all over the ground, a sign that there had been a Spirit Qi storm there. Some big trees were also withering, and appeared low in spirits. Their spiritual attributes seemed to be gravely affected.

Quite a number of Valley Guardians followed behind the two of them. They all looked like men who did not fear death. Maybe they were waiting for an opportunity to rescue Zhang Zhao.

Lu Sheng ignored them as he followed Zhang Zhao all the way. The two of them did not speak on the road, and kept walking until the edge of the valley. From there, they could see a gaping hole in the faraway mountain wall. It was a huge cave with an opening of more than ten meters tall and more than ten meters wide.

There seemed to be a number of black split paths from the entrance. They continued on toward the deeper black parts.

“It’s here,” said Zhang Zhao with a straight face.

“You’re sure?” Lu Zheng glanced at him.

“I’m sure.” Zhang Zhao was very calm. “While I was training in my youth, I’ve unintentionally ventured into that hidden cave. It was only after I reported the incident back to the family that I gradually learned about the pattern of its appearances. Follow me.”

He led the way into the huge cave. Lu Sheng followed closely behind him.

The two of them walked into the cave’s entrance which was more than ten meters in height. They appeared extremely insignificant in comparison.

Zhang Zhao did not utter a single word along the way. He followed the middle path straight toward the depths at a quick pace akin to running.

Although Lu Sheng kept up with him easily, he could not help but feel puzzled. ‘I think he’s up to something.’

“How much further?” he asked.

“Almost there,” replied Zhang Zhao. His expression was extremely calm.

However, the calmer he appeared, the more Lu Sheng felt that he was planning something devious.

Still, Lu Sheng was confident in his own strength. Even if some creature showed up, he could crush it to death with his overwhelming strength.

Soon, the two of them had gradually made their way into the depths of the mountainside. They did not even know how deep they were at that moment.

The deeper the cave path went, the more level it became. A peculiar scent started to linger in the air.

It was not a pleasant aroma, nor was it some foul smell. It was more like some unique neutral scent.

Soon afterward, Zhang Zhao suddenly stopped in his tracks. He closed his eyes as if he was sensing something.

Lu Sheng stopped as well. ‘Let’s see what he’s up to.’

“It’s here!” Zhang Zhao suddenly opened his eyes. He made a sudden dive to the left, right into the cave wall.

“Poof!”

To Lu Sheng’s surprise, he directly vanished into the cave wall.

Lu Sheng hastily followed, and ran into the cave wall.

“Bam!”

He touched his forehead. His expression was one of shock.

“What’s this?”

He took two steps back, and stood where Zhang Zhao had been standing just now. He ran in the same direction Zhang Zhao had run.

“Bam!”

The outcome was the same.

‘I don’t believe this!’ Lu Sheng felt a primal force well up within him. He headbutted the cave wall.

“Bam!!!”

The rocks exploded, and a large portion of the cave wall crumbled. However, it only revealed the same rock wall behind it.

“Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!”

Infuriated, Lu Sheng charged about in a frenzy. He made a small cave which was three meters deep.

He could still see the rock wall behind it. It was then that he knew that he had been duped by the other person.

‘Interesting. Does that brat think that I can’t find my way back?’ Anger welled up within him. He turned around and wanted to walk back to the entrance.

Contrary to his expectations, what appeared behind him was no longer the path which he’d used to arrive here. It was a spacious underground karst cave hall.

There were churning sounds of an underground river which came from the karst cave. There even seemed to be the roar of a waterfall crashing into a lake.

“This place is…?” Lu Sheng squinted his eyes, and slowly walked into the karst cave.

However, the moment he stepped into the cave, he suddenly felt a gaze which seemed to have substance and an intense evil intention fixed upon him from the depths.

…

At the cave’s entrance.

“Poof!”

Zhang Zhao’s figure slowly appeared. He spat out a mouthful of black blood. He had been holding this mouthful of blood back for a very long time.

With a single-use rock spirit, he had tricked that Lu Family’s monster into the mausoleum cave. In order to make his plan a complete success, he had taken the risk himself. He went so far as to lead the monster into dangerous regions himself.

“Are you alright?” Zhang Mu, Zhang Chenshan, and the remaining Guardians of the hidden ground rushed up to him. When they saw Zhang Zhao spit out blood, they were shocked. A few of them quickly went up to him and supported his body.

“I’m fine! It’s just that the rock spirit which has been kept in the family for more than 200 years has been used up in one go. Such a shame…” Zhang Zhao said helplessly as he waved his arm in dismissal.

“We can collect rock spirits again, but once a person is lost, he cannot be recovered,” Zhang Chenshan said after sighing in relief. “You’ve really led that person into the mausoleum?”

“Mmhm, he’s already inside. I’m sure it has already taken notice of him. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have suffered such grave wounds from the disturbing spiritual energy scattered about, since I’ve made my escape using a rock spirit.” Zhang Zhao chuckled. “Now the little monster will have to face the bug monster. Let’s see who’s more powerful. Haha.. Cough, cough…” In his glee, he had pulled on his injuries, and triggered another fit of intense coughing.

“Alright, alright. You should rest well. Truth be told, if this hidden ground wasn’t our Zhang Family’s utmost secret, we wouldn’t have to resort to such low means. However, this hidden ground is too valuable. If word of this land got out… The other three families would certainly gang up on our Zhang Family,” Zhang Mu said with a sigh.

“Alright, alright. He won’t be thinking about coming out from that place for the time being. I reckon that the little monster won’t be out for quite some time. Quickly, inform the family to set up a formation. If that Lu Zhong makes it out alive through sheer luck, we’ll have a backup plan ready,” ordered Zhang Mu.

He quickly assigned a few of the assembled men to check on the formation’s damage. A group of them was assigned to send word to the family, while another group was assigned to check on their properties within the valley. They were to pack up and be ready to move at any time.

This place was no longer suitable for a large population. Before this, they needed many people to keep the formation going. However, now that the formation was broken, there was no longer any need to keep so many people here.

When most of their family members have left, Zhang Chenshan and Zhang Mu brought Zhang Zhao into a rock hut in the valley to tend to his wounds.

Zhang Chenshan lowered his voice as he asked, “By the way, you’re the only one who knows anything about the monster in the mausoleum. You’re the only person who has went in and come back out. Little Zhao, tell your grandfather honestly, what’s in there?”

The two elder men flanked Zhang Zhao, and the three of them joined their palms together. A huge amount of Hundred-Spirit Qi surged into Zhang Zhao’s body to help him with his swift recovery.

“That monster…” Zhang Zhao remembered the scene which he dreamt about night after night.

Even though it had been many years since the incident, he could never forget the awe he’d felt when he’d first come face to face with the monster.

“I’ve promised it that I won’t tell anyone about its existence. However, you may take a guess among the Divine Beasts mentioned in the legends.” Zhang Zhao was silent for a moment. This was the best hint he could give.

“Divine Beast…” Zhang Mu and Zhang Chenshan were slightly stunned. When they connected the hint with a legend that had been passed down regarding this mountain range, their hearts shook.

***

Lu Sheng’s leather boots hung in the air. There was no second step after a drop.

He was currently looking upward at the cave’s ceiling. There was a colossal head hanging down from it.

It was a colossal silver dragon which filled the vast expanse of the cavern. Its huge head was slowly descending. The dragon whiskers on its sides were almost touching Lu Sheng.

Facing a dragon was not what shocked Lu Sheng, for he had encountered some before in the Devil World. What truly shocked him was that in the middle of this silver dragon’s translucent body, right at the center of its torso, hung a long-haired girl.

“Here comes another.” The girl opened her eyes, revealing the white of her eyes without any pupils—it was a peculiar sight. “What do you want, having come all this way? Is it strength, joy, happiness, or longevity?”

Lu Sheng stared at the girl for a while. However, his gaze went past the silver dragon’s translucent body, and fell upon the platinum rock column behind it.

“What’s the price? I’m sure I have to pay some price to get all that, right?” Lu Sheng said calmly.

The girl smiled. “No matter the wish, I can grant it… Come, child, state your wish…”

“I want the rock column behind you. Can I have it?” Lu Sheng stated his aim directly.

The girl was slightly stunned. Her initially casual expression immediately darkened.

“Can you tell me why you want that column? It is but an ordinary rock column…”

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