Chapter 25: Darkness

“Did you know that even among the eight great secret techniques of the Demonic Sect, there are higher and lower tiers? As it happens, my Demon Eagle Art is the superior form of your Ghost Bat Art. Everything you know, I know as well; everything you don’t, I still know. And I’m faster than you. What do you have that can possibly stop me!”

With a heavy thud, Li Ju was sent flying by a single kick, crashing through the stone slabs above the passage and landing in the upper level of the inner prison.

“Don’t worry, I’ll leave you alive. After all, only living things have research value and meaning…”

Through the hole he’d crashed through, Li Ju looked up and saw a pair of crimson eyes, eerily sinister.

…

“One of the Four Evils of the Demonic Sect—the ‘Black Demon Tiger’ Lin Musheng!”

Having just dispatched the troops guarding the inner prison gate, Wang Lu and his companions now faced the man blocking their way at the entrance. He spoke each word with deliberate weight.

“Gentlemen, Musheng offers his respects.” Lin Musheng was dressed like a refined young scholar of twenty—jade at his waist, a bamboo flute in his hand, a blue robe draped over his elegant frame, and a handsome face. Anyone who saw him would have to admit he was a fine gentleman.

Wang Lu regarded Lin Musheng with a grave expression. Though Lin Musheng appeared harmless, Wang Lu was not fooled by his looks. This man’s hands were stained with the blood of at least several thousand righteous martial artists!

“So you must be the last remaining inner disciple of the Flying Sword Sect, Wang Lu. Did you know that fate has brought us together? Not to mention your junior brother, who’s locked in the inner prison and about to be turned into a poison thrall—even when your sect was destroyed, it was I who personally slew your sect master.”

Lin Musheng spoke in a cultured, gentle tone, but his words belied a chilling cruelty.

“A poison thrall?”

“What have you done to my junior brother?!”

Wang Lu caught the critical information in Lin Musheng’s words and could no longer contain himself.

“Your junior brother has probably already become food for the poison bugs by now. He was a frail child—unsurprising that he didn’t survive the refining process,” Lin Musheng replied indifferently.

“You—!”

Fury contorted Wang Lu’s face, and he was about to draw his sword and charge at Lin Musheng.

“Don’t be reckless.” At that moment, Elder Liu stepped forward, blocking Wang Lu and shook his head at him. With Wang Lu’s strength still at the outer force level, getting close to Lin Musheng would only mean death.

“Lin Musheng, even if you’re here personally guarding the inner gate, so what? I admit none of us can defeat you one on one. But you’re alone, and there are ten of us!”

Elder Liu looked at Lin Musheng with utmost confidence. Even the Four Evils of the Demonic Sect were only at the peak inner force realm at best. At most, they could take on five ordinary experts at once. On their side were ten inner force masters; there was no way they could lose.

“Lin Musheng, today you’ll die here!”

Another righteous inner force expert stepped forward, voice brimming with determination. The thought that the infamous Four Evils might die by their hands caused the hearts of many gathered inner force experts to burn with anticipation. After all, in these times, who in the martial world doesn’t crave a great name?

“You’re right. Someone will die today. But it won’t be me—it will be all of you,” Lin Musheng replied, composed as ever.

“Indeed.” Suddenly, a voice rang out from behind the group of righteous experts.

A tall man, twin heavy hammers slung over his shoulders, stood among them. Beside him were two others whose auras were anything but weak.

“Song Zhong!”

At the sight of the man, someone in the righteous ranks cried out in shock.

The Demon Hammer Song Zhong, another of the Four Evils.

“Aren’t you supposed to be trapped in Kitajo Castle by the monks of Shangfang Temple?!”

Elder Liu looked at Song Zhong in disbelief. Their attack on the prison wasn’t a blind assault. They had come only after confirming the Demon Sect’s leader was in seclusion, that the Four Evils were all pinned down elsewhere, and that only one Four Evils-level expert was left to guard the lair. Now, with two of them here at once, how could he not be shaken?

Moreover…

Elder Liu glanced at the two Demon Sect elders standing beside Song Zhong. Though not as strong as the Four Evils, they were still at the inner force level. Two Four Evils were barely manageable, but with two more Demon Sect elders…

“There must be spies from your Demonic Sect among the righteous high command!” Wang Lu gritted his teeth. Only a select few in the righteous ranks could have interfered with their intelligence gathering. By now, Wang Lu could almost pinpoint who the traitor was.

“You’re right, but it’s far too late now!” Song Zhong grinned viciously. “Now, it’s time to send you all to your graves!”

…

“Du Tianyou, what are you all—” A newly rescued expert of the righteous path looked at Lian Tao and his companions in confusion.

“This isn’t the time to explain. Are there any more allies trapped on this level?” Du Tianyou cut him off directly.

“There shouldn’t be,” the expert replied, shaking his head.

“Good. Then let’s get out of the inner prison at once.” Du Tianyou sighed in relief at the answer. This inner prison of the Demonic Sect was fraught with peril. While they could handle the guards with their crippled inner force, and even ordinary elders with combined effort, if they ran into another Four Evils expert, they would all perish here.

At once, they rushed toward the upper levels.

What they did not know was that, on the ninth level of the inner prison, countless pairs of crimson eyes gazed upward, as if penetrating the walls, watching their movements.

…

Thunderous booms resounded.

“Too slow, far too slow…”

Li Ju was once again smashed against the wall. His body was covered in bloody wounds; though he relied on his powerful physique so that Zhuge Huang’s attacks only caused minor injuries each time, the damage accumulated. After enough blows, even he began to suffer greatly.

“Did you know? Once the Hundred Venoms Diamond Body is perfected, its physical strength rivals that of a warrior in the Minor Three Elements Realm. The only reason the user can’t wield that power is because they lack the corresponding level of control, so they can only display the might of the inner force realm.”

“Still, even so, the formidable body of the Hundred Venoms Diamond Body dominates at the inner force level. Ordinary inner force experts can’t even break through its defenses. That’s why, for all its flaws, the Hundred Venoms Diamond Body still ranks second among the eight great secret techniques.”

Zhuge Huang walked slowly toward Li Ju.

“Unfortunately for you, you’ve met me. I can break through its defenses. And the slow speed of the Hundred Venoms Diamond Body is perfectly countered by my Demon Eagle Art.”

“I…”

“Am the bane of the Hundred Venoms Diamond Body!” Zhuge Huang raised his hand, in which a faint black light shimmered.