Chapter 29

Heavenly Demon (天魔).

A name so commonly used that its absolute nature is often belittled.

If judged solely by its influence, it is the strongest title in the long history of the Jianghu.

The ruler who governs the Ten Thousand Demons (萬魔) and the Emperor of Destruction (滅帝) who can bring about the end of the world.

However, what most unsettles Zhao Hui is that behind the name Heavenly Demon lies another title, the Demon God.

If the messenger's words are true, then the current Jianghu has gathered the descendants of the Three Gods (三神).

Cao Hui (曹輝), the disciple of the Sword God.

The Sima (司馬) family, the lineage of the Martial God.

The descendant of the Demon God, the Heavenly Demon (天魔).

Though they are from different eras, the descendants of these absolute beings now live in the same era.

This fact cannot be taken lightly.

However, the Sword God was even more shocked.

-It can't be! The Ten Thousand Demon Tomb (萬魔塚), the root of their existence, was thoroughly destroyed!

The Sword God has never directly seen the Demon God, as they lived in different eras.

But it was he who single-handedly crushed the Dark Magic Sect, the descendants of the Demon God!

He personally beheaded the Eight Great Elders, split the heart of the Dark Magic Sect's leader, and destroyed the Ten Thousand Demon Tomb, the true root of their existence, leaving not a single foundation stone.

The current Heavenly Demon City (天魔城), a descendant of the Dark Magic Sect, was pushed to Xinjiang as one of the Three Great Evils, all due to the aftereffects of that time.

If the Dark Magic Sect had retained the power of its peak during the era of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect (天魔神敎), it could have ravaged the entire Jianghu on its own.

All of this was when the Heavenly Demon, known as the Demon God, existed.

The difference between a Magic Sect with the Heavenly Demon and one without is as vast as the difference between heaven and earth.

-I must see it with my own eyes! Let's go to Xinjiang!

'What?'

This is the first time Zhao Hui has seen the Sword God so shaken.

Why is he, who always maintained a noble demeanor, so agitated?

'Isn't the Sword God the strongest among the Three Gods? Is this really something to be so alarmed about?'

The Sword God shouted.

-You don't understand! To the hundred thousand followers, the name Heavenly Demon is divinity. How would you feel if the god you have devoted your entire life to worshiping descended to earth?

In modern times, Zhao Hui did not believe in religion.

But he had seen the behavior of fanatics countless times through the media and the internet.

People who believed their leader was the reincarnated Jesus.

People who believed the end of the world was tomorrow and committed suicide by taking poison at a set time, female followers who offered their purity to the leader, and those who became martyrs by sacrificing their wealth.

He knew very well how cruel the results of fanatical religious beliefs could be.

Suddenly, Zhao Hui felt a chill.

'Wait a minute? There are a hundred thousand of these crazy people?'

Thinking about the impact caused by just a few dozen fanatics in modern society, the mere thought of it sent shivers down his spine.

A hundred thousand!

Moreover, most of the Magic Sect members are not ordinary people but demons who have mastered magic arts.

What is terrifying about fanatics is their fanatical beliefs.

To them, the commands of the revered reincarnated Heavenly Demon are the voice of God.

To fanatics who can discard their own lives as easily as straw, there is no fear. This is why their magic arts are called magic arts (魔功) rather than martial arts.

Zhao Hui now acknowledged that the reincarnation of the Heavenly Demon does not simply mean the appearance of a single great master.

However, he still did not fully understand why the Sword God was so shaken.

The current orthodox martial world is enjoying an unprecedented peak.

The number of martial artists in the current martial alliance is as high as eight hundred thousand.

As if reading Zhao Hui's thoughts, the Sword God's rough voice sounded again.

-Do you still not understand the nature of the exaggerating Central Plains people? It's all part of the deception! The eight hundred thousand include countless small and medium-sized sects and martial families, their laymen and collateral branches, even guests and incense guests. Even the Beggar Sect, which numbers in the tens of thousands, has no one who denies their allegiance to the alliance.

Huh?

Does that mean the eight hundred thousand include everyone, even the riffraff?

-There won't be more than two hundred thousand pure martial artists among those affiliated with the alliance. On the other hand, the Magic Sect is different. They only count those who have applied the fragrant oil to their foreheads and received the Eternal Fire Spirit (永火靈) as their followers.

'What is the Eternal Fire Spirit?'

-A flame that never goes out, the seed of magic arts.

The seed of magic arts?

So are you saying that the hundred thousand fanatics all have mastered magic arts?

Zhao Hui felt a chill.

At that moment, Tang Wuhao stood up from the Grand Hall of the Tang Family.

He had already taken out the Five Poison Seal (五毒令印)!

"Have the Chief Steward immediately send a message to the alliance to inform them of this fact! The Dark Dragon Hall and the Sea Dragon Hall must issue a summons to all the poison masters! Furthermore, the complete opening of the Poison Dragon Pavilion is permitted (許)!"

The leaders of the Tang Family all knelt on one knee to show their respect.

"Dark Dragon Hall! We accept the Five Poison Seal!"

"Sea Dragon Hall! We accept the Five Poison Seal!"

"Poison Dragon Pavilion! We open completely in the name of the Five Poison Seal!"

Tang Wuhao looked at the leader of the Sea Dragon Hall.

"Once all the poison masters are gathered, have them all armed with the Dark Snake Cannons (暗蛇銃桶) and stand ready to depart at any time!"

"Understood!"

After a while, Tang Wuhao, grinding his teeth, quickly turned his head.

Just when he had expended his innate energy, the Heavenly Demon!

Tang Wuhao was thinking of the high-level experts in his family who could counter the Soul-Destroying Poison (滅魂毒) when he suddenly looked at Zhao Hui with a gleam in his eyes.

"…Can you help?"

Unlike when he was representing the authority of his family in the Grand Hall, he was now treating Zhao Hui with respect.

By coming down from the Grand Hall, he was showing respect to the absolute expert.

Zhao Hui nodded.

"I'll take on the reconnaissance. I'll go and check the Heavenly Demon City's branch in Sichuan right away."

Tang Wuhao's smile bloomed brightly amidst the despair.

There was nothing more welcome than an absolute expert taking on the extremely dangerous task of reconnaissance.

Tang Wuhao, the head of the Tang Family, respectfully clasped his hands.

"The Tang Family will never forget kindness or enmity (唐家不忘恩怨)! I will never forget this!"

All the leaders of the Tang Family looked at the head of the family in surprise.

Because the Tang Family's long-standing family saying, which means they never forget kindness or enmity, had come directly from the head of the family.

The Tang Family's family saying is never mentioned lightly.

It is only mentioned when vowing deep hatred and revenge or when etching a thousand-year-old kindness in one's heart.

Fortunately, today was the latter.

"The Tang Family will never forget kindness or enmity (唐家不忘恩怨)!"

"The Tang Family will never forget kindness or enmity (唐家不忘恩怨)!"

All the leaders of the Tang Family stood up and respectfully clasped their hands at him.

Zhao Hui silently nodded and left the Grand Hall of the Tang Family.

* * *

When Zhao Hui arrived at the Heavenly Demon City's branch in Sichuan, it was already empty.

So he immediately changed direction and headed for Xinjiang.

The journey to Xinjiang was a long and distant one.

Zhao Hui stopped at a horse stable, bought three horses, and without hesitation mounted them.

He felt a strange heat wave in his chest.

A sense of déjà vu and a strange excitement.

When he first experienced the sword and spear, when he devoured Hefei, and when he occupied half of Jiangxi, it was not this intense.

The palpitations were fundamentally different.

The palpitations towards the unknown.

A faint fear and a strange sense of anticipation.

The further he went towards Xinjiang, the more a certain emotion inside him reacted and surged.

Hee hee hee hee hee!

The black horse neighed and galloped.

As Zhao Hui leaned nimbly on the black horse to reduce wind resistance, the Sword God's voice sounded again.

-It must have been the Demon God's Descent Festival (魔神降臨祭) that was held.

'Demon God's Descent Festival?'

A traditional blood festival of the Magic Sect, where they bless and worship the incarnation of the god who has descended into the world and pledge their loyalty.

Zhao Hui had also read about it in the martial arts compendium.

A terrifying and cruel scene of human sacrifice.

At the time, the vivid descriptions made his skin crawl.

The Magic Sect members chosen as sacrifices scream in ecstasy and shed tears.

Bleeding on the altar of the Demon God means becoming an eternal servant of the reincarnated Heavenly Demon.

The festival lasts for half a month.

During this period, the number of Magic Sect members sacrificed reaches several hundred.

'So that's why there were no Magic Sect members at the Sichuan branch?'

-That's right. If the Heavenly Demon has truly reincarnated, the Demon God's Descent Festival must have been held.

Madmen!

So all the Magic Sect members are gathering in Xinjiang like mad to be chosen as sacrifices?

Even abandoning the branch they were facing the enemy?

Truly fanatics (狂信)!

-Once you confirm that the Demon God's Descent Festival has been held, retreat immediately. Do not engage in combat with the leaders, even if you don't know the servants!

'What? Why? I want to experience being a demon!'

-I am the one who destroyed the Dark Magic Sect and the Ten Thousand Demon Tomb. Who else could be the great enemy (大敵) they have inscribed in blood but me?

'Ah!'

If I clumsily touch and retreat, my true identity will be exposed.

Those fanatics will search the entire Jianghu to find me and the Zhao Family Trading Company.

If that happens, the existence of the Zhao Family Trading Company will be impossible. Moreover, my comrades might be in danger.

-You are not allowed to meet the Demon God until you reach the Natural Realm! This is an order from me as the senior of your sect!

"Isn't the Natural Realm some dog's name?"

The complaint burst out in a loud voice.

It was because he had seen the power of the Natural Realm that the Sword God displayed in the Huashan Sect with his own eyes.

How could he reach such an inhuman realm?

The Sword God was a sword demon who devoted his life to the