Chapter 94. The Beginning of the Bashun Festival (3)

"Is everything ready?"

"It's going well."

"What kind of preparations have you made?"

"Well... belief in myself?"

"..."

"Actually, there's nothing else to prepare. I'm the eldest son of the Majeon family, right? Even if I try to gather information about him, it's only surface-level stuff, and I don't even know his exact level of martial arts."

"What are you planning to do?"

"Well? Why did you ask me, a person like me, to do this?"

"I'm considering whether I should regret it now."

"Do a lot of it."

"Stop joking and speak seriously. Do you really have no preparations at all?"

"No. Except for mental preparation."

"..."

"And, well, there's one more thing, but it's a bit ambiguous to call it preparation."

"What is it?"

"Hmm..."

"Why are you doing that? Is it something illegal?"

"Not exactly illegal..."

"What is it? If it's something we can handle, I'll try to smooth it over."

"Ah, you would? Then I'll tell you."

"Go ahead."

"Whisper, whisper."

"..."

"Mumble, mumble."

"!!"

"Basically, I was expecting something like this."

"..."

"Why do you look like that? Is it a bad idea?"

"Third Young Master."

"Why?"

"Are you really crazy? Do you want to be dragged to the main hall before catching the real culprit?"

"This guy is suddenly using harsh words."

"No, even if you're not dragged to the main hall, you're a dead man. Do you think the higher-ups will just let this slide?"

"Why are you being so sensitive? It's not a big deal."

"I can't help but be sensitive! As a demon of our sect, how could you even think of such an absurd idea?!"

"What... I've been racking my brain to catch the real culprit."

"It's absolutely impossible. If you do that, I'll be the first to rush over and handcuff Third Young Master's wrists."

"Why handcuff me when I haven't done anything wrong? You know that abuse of power is a serious crime, right?"

"How is that not a crime? How can it not be a crime?!"

"It's not in the law, is it? Isn't it illegal, this? Besides, it can't be illegal from the start."

"..."

"Check it if you don't believe me."

"Third Young Master! What you're about to do is far beyond the bounds of the law!"

"It's not like someone is going to die, or I'm going to beat someone up, or even strip and dance in public. Hey, but can you get arrested for public indecency for that?"

"..."

"Go ahead and do as you please. I won't stop someone who wants to commit suicide anymore."

"Even if you wish me success, you're cursing me. Anyway, there's no more certain way to catch the real culprit. Isn't that right?"

"..."

"See?"

"Do you know why I came to you, Third Young Master, and asked for your help?"

"I know, so I'm doing it this way."

"Fine. Do as you wish, Third Young Master."

"If you need any help, don't forget to ask."

"..."

"Answer?"

"Make sure you catch the real culprit properly."

* * *

Whoosh!

A powerful aura burst from the punch.

The intangible true qi spread out in concentric circles, but it disappeared like a lie when it reached a certain distance.

Madongfil's face was filled with pure joy.

'Made it!'

His cultivation had become twice as vigorous compared to before, and his mastery of dark arts had improved by two levels. It wasn't an exaggeration to say he was on the verge of great success.

Now, his martial arts skills had surpassed even Jiyang, the second-in-command of the Law Enforcement Division, except for the Great Law Enforcement Officer.

The Law Enforcement Division's First Squad and this squad were composed of experts far superior to the Third Squad and below.

In particular, each member of the First Squad was a high-level expert with little difference from Madongfil.

This squad was no different. The gap in martial arts skills between the squad leaders was similar to the gap between the squad members.

It was unbelievable that he had climbed two levels from an already high level, surpassing even Jiyang.

It wasn't as if he had a special advantage.

However, his experience and refinement were lacking compared to his level.

Due to the overly vigorous dark qi, he couldn't control his power. He had mastered it to some extent through several days of hard training.

'Just this much. I succeeded, but I can't be complacent. I need to refine it so that it hits accurately as intended, even when I use it instinctively.'

But his body was too heavy now. He had been training non-stop from morning to night, and it was time to rest.

Madongfil relaxed his stance.

"Huff! Hmm?"

He looked at a corner of the training ground.

Xuliang was sitting there with his eyes closed, practicing meditation.

Xuliang, emitting a faint red glow from his entire body, looked incredibly beautiful.

Madongfil's eyes were filled with worry.

'He's been like this for half a day. Is he okay?'

Well, who was worrying about whom? It was like a tiger worrying about a mouse.

After roughly wiping off his sweat, he sat cross-legged in the middle of the training ground. He planned to recover his inner strength through meditation and relieve the day's fatigue.

Just as he was about to guide his true qi, a sound caught his attention.

Whoosh.

'Hmm?'

Madongfil's eyebrows twitched.

'Wind?'

The winter in the southern region wasn't very cold. Even here, it was as warm as late spring in other regions.

Of course, it wasn't strange for the wind to blow. However, what made Madongfil's nerves stand on end was the qi carried by the wind.

'What kind of wind is this?'

It wasn't particularly powerful, but it was somehow bothersome.

Ultimately, curiosity overcame his meditation. Madongfil slowly opened his eyes.

Instantly.

"Ah!"

Madongfil, startled, involuntarily jumped to his feet.

"Y-Young Master?"

Rumble.

Xuliang, with his eyes still closed, continued to emit a faint red glow.

He looked the same as before.

Except for the strange shape floating behind Xuliang and the alien qi it emitted.

Haaa.

Xuliang opened his mouth and exhaled deeply.

At the same time, the giant red monster, the size of a house, floating above his head, opened its mouth wide.

'...!'

The enormous illusory monster.

Madongfil had seen this monster before. He couldn't remember exactly when, whether it was during his time in Gaozhulin or his inner sect life, but he had seen it once.

It was as if the dark arts themselves were a living organism.

A monster with a spiritual nature that parasitized the body to lead its host to hell.

At that time, Xuliang had also created a similar shape of the monster.

But it was vastly different from then. The monster was twice as clear and ten times as large, as if declaring its presence to the world.

Shudder! Shudder!

Madongfil involuntarily took a step back, then another.

The faint qi mixed with the wind came from the monster. However, it wasn't powerful enough to be noticed by ordinary martial artists.

But things were different when facing the monster.

'How can this be?'

Madongfil, standing at the peak of his cultivation.

Even he, Madongfil, was terrified and took a step back by the overwhelming presence.

When the monster unleashed its full power, the amount of malevolent qi it would reveal was unimaginable.

Despite this, he was worried.

'Can Young Master handle such an absurd thing?'

Even Madongfil, who believed in Xuliang's abilities more than anyone, had doubts.

'This isn't just a simple monster.'

It's a real demon summoned from hell.

Just as Madongfil, trembling with fear, clenched his teeth to endure.

Rumble.

A faint five-colored glow from Xuliang's room window flowed into his forehead.

Swoosh.

Then, as if by magic, the shape of the monster, or rather, the demon, disappeared. All its power was absorbed into Xuliang's body.

"Huff."

Xuliang exhaled again.

Crack!

Familiar fragments of dark lightning rose around him.

Although they were smaller and less noisy than before, each fragment carried a terrifying aura.

A boulder would shatter into dust if it merely brushed against them.

Whoosh!

Soon, the dark lightning and red glow disappeared.

Flash!

Xuliang's eyes, when he opened them, were more brilliant than ever. His smooth, flawless red pupils were filled with a mesmerizing power.

"Already night?"

Xuliang, standing up, took out a carefully folded piece of paper from his robes. It was part of Liang Shang's insights, which complemented the Dark Shadow True Demon Art.

Xuliang's eyes wavered.

'That guy is really...'

Liang Shang's insight was as sharp as a blade.

Without knowing the incantations of the dark arts, he had seen through the gaps in martial arts through the emitted dark qi and the release of power.

That was impressive enough, but he had even created several incantations to complement the martial arts.

Thanks to this, Xuliang was able to 'complete' his dark arts.

It wasn't just a combination of elements to achieve completion. It was a true completion, with nothing to add or subtract.

Like the secret techniques of the Nine Great Sects, honed over countless years to become the best in the world.

Rustle.

He unfolded the paper.

At the end of the paper, which contained over two hundred characters, were the four characters "Nine Nether Supreme Chapter."

Squeak.

Xuliang tore the paper into pieces.

Whoosh.

The torn pieces of paper burned in a blue flame, turning to ashes.

Madongfil's face was filled with shock.

"Upper Demon True Fire?!"

Upper Demon True Fire, known as the Threefold True Fire in orthodox martial arts.

It wasn't about igniting flames through the Heat Yang Art.

It was the fire of inner strength, which could only be revealed when true qi was refined to the extreme through pure enlightenment, reaching the level of "Furnace Fire Pure Blue."

This meant only one thing.

"Could it be that Young Master has already...?"

"No, not the Ultimate Demon Realm. I'm almost there, though."

Xuliang smiled bitterly.

"It's just that my long-refined dark qi is finally showing its light."

The Ultimate Demon Realm was equivalent to the level of the Ten Great Experts of the world. The Nine Great Demon Lords of the Divine Sect were at this level.

Xuliang, in his previous life, had already reached this level. However, the Dark Shadow True Demon Art wasn't a complete martial art that could fully refine his enlightenment.

If he continued to work hard, he would eventually reach the Ultimate Demon Realm through his dark arts.

The timing was unknown to Xuliang. It could be tomorrow or a year from now.

'It won't take more than a year, though.'

He looked up at the sky.

The night sky, draped like a curtain, was filled with countless stars.

"I had forgotten. The sorrow of a nameless person."

No one in the martial world knew his real name.

Even the leader of the Righteous Alliance didn't know his name. He was only known by numbers and as "Righteous Executioner," and eventually as "Execution King."

There was only a free assassin, not a human named Tian Xiaozhen.

"Even the levels of martial arts have their own names."

Grip.

His clenched fist contained pulsating dark qi.

It was slightly darker than before, making it even more complete red light.

'Is it called Dark Shadow Qi and True Demon Art just because they were combined? What a good job.'

Xuliang, looking at the twinkling stars, then gazed at the moon.

Under the pouring moonlight, a faint, sorrowful smile floated in the wind.

"If it's a great martial art that can open the gates of hell in an illusion, it should have a fitting dignity."

Xuliang lowered his head.

Madongfil swallowed hard at the imposing figure, emitting a red glow.

'Nine Nether Dark Art. From now on, this martial art will be called the Nine Nether Dark Art.'

Knowing what you possess and the true name of what you possess made a big difference.

Xuliang, the Third Young Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

A supreme dark art that would mark a new chapter in the history of the Divine Sect was quietly stretching its limbs under the moonlight and starlight, watched over by a grandmaster's bodyguard.

Another day had passed.

"Madongfil."

"Yes, Young Master."

"Tell Yinghua to prepare some clothes."

Xuliang smiled.

"Let's go see the real culprit's face."

The first day of the Bashun Festival had begun.