The Steward Demonic Emperor

Chapter 844: Heart’s Reaction

Proofreader: Papatonks

Whoosh~

The blistering heat coming off the golden inferno burned anything and warped the air. Chu Qingcheng and the other teams from Double Dragon Manor soon arrived, where no living being could survive. 

Even the Genesis Stage elders were feeling the hot air burning their throats, to say nothing of the disciples.

They all looked pained and panting for breath, like staying here any longer would directly sap their life.

“For god’s sake! How can a human do this?”

Everywhere they looked all they saw was golden flames and even more golden flames. Elder Du’s face watched in shock, “The superior-three sect, Universal Righteous Sect, had been destroyed in a flash. Is this the power of Devil Mountain’s Overlord Nine Serenities?”

[Overlord Nine Serenities and Devil Mountain?]

Zhuo Fan, in his little hidey-hole, had his heart jump at that name. 

[How did they come to know that?]

Soon he figured they must’ve looked into Tianyu. 

[Double Dragon Manor started investigating the destruction of western lands’ sects.]

[Great, pinning it all on the fake Overlord Nine Serenities should buy some time before Double Dragon Manor gets to the real answer.] 

Who knew the little joke he pulled ages ago in Tianyu would be so useful?

If Double Dragon Manor had kept investigating, they’d soon catch up to him.

[And that wouldn’t do.]

While he feared no one, he wasn’t looking for trouble either and getting chased to death all the time wasn’t a good thing. Obliterating four sects of western lands was a heavy crime from which he could never escape.

“Did Overlord Nine Serenities do this?”

Elder Ou looked around in shock, “There’s just no way! No person could have such power. I bet not even the world’s strongest, Invincible Sword, could pull this off.”

“You mean…”

“Something stinks around here!”

Elder Ou’s eyes flashed at Elder Du’s words, “This can’t be done by just one man. There has to be another explanation we’ve yet to figure out. Maybe something volatile was happening beneath Universal Righteous Sect that he made use of to do this. Why else then of all the other sects, only the Universal Righteous Sect ended up like this? In any case, I refuse to believe that a cultivator could be so strong.”

His analysis earned the nods of others.

[Of course, if he’s so powerful, what’s the point of investigating anyway since they’d end up killed all the same. If not, the whole western lands would fall.]

But if it were like Elder Ou said, using the earth’s unstable power to create such a disaster, then he wouldn’t be as strong. 

[We could fight him!]

Zhuo Fan nodded inside.

[At least there’s someone in the team that can use his head. Yes, there’s no one in mortal domain capable of such might.]

As this was the strongest attack of a sacred beast from Sacred Domain that none in the mortal domain had ever heard of, coming to the conclusion the power of the earth was borrowed instead was not a bad logic.

This, however, meant the team would keep going and affect Zhuo Fan in turn. Ye Lin was well aware, though clueless how to ease this problem, “Elder Ou, maybe Overlord Nine Serenities didn’t do this by himself, but the entire Devil Mountain perhaps. Do you think by finding this sect, can western lands fight it?”

The elders shook and grew tense.

[Right! A guy doesn’t have the power, but if Devil Mountain was packed with experts, then anyone could resort to such cruelty. This proves their sect is stronger than western lands.] 

There was no point in looking further into it when they couldn’t even beat it.

“Impossible!”

Elder Ou spoke with determination among the hesitant looks, “Kid, look closely at this catastrophe, could all the power of the world gathered together recreate it? That’s why, only the world’s power can be the culprit, and not a man’s. I still believe Overlord Nine Serenities used this method to shake us, a mere bluff. All so we would mistake his level and drop the investigation. This only proves he hasn’t that kind of power western lands should fear.

“How else would you explain his secretive actions, vanishing after ruining every sect? Even as we came here, we saw no sign of anyone around, clearly done to cover his tracks.”

Elder Ou sputtered on in a loud tone, finding his logic even more sound. It even sounded smug for being so smart.

The others nodded their heads. 

[When did the old coot’s melon get so sharp?] 

Even Zhuo Fan had to give him credit. He might believe the old guy’s logic if he hadn’t done this himself.

Only Ye Lin was not about to let it go, sighing, “What if going after Overlord Nine Serenities is us playing with fire? When we face him, what then?”

“There’s no ‘what if’. I don’t believe anyone is almighty unless I see him for myself. Like hell he’s even more unstoppable than that Invincible Sword!”

Elder Ou flicked his hand, looking smug and convinced, buying into his own excuse.

The others nodded, finding the logic sound and continuing the investigation.

Zhuo Fan chuckled with a shake of his head. Having ruined four sects in western lands, it was safe to say, the sooner he left here, the better…

Zhuo Fan gave one pair of eyes, with the golden inferno reflected within, one last look, finding it hard to look away.

[We won’t be seeing again, Qingcheng…]

Sss~

As thunder exploded, he saw sparked lighting flashing between his hands. Startled, Zhuo Fan watched the Thunder Ring flicker to life. 

Chu Qingcheng’s own ring reacted the same.

Zhuo Fan looked at the two rings in shock, “How? This space is cut off from reality, so how are the Thunder Rings reacting?”

As this ring had been with its master for so long, it molded to his true nature. The yearning Zhuo Fan and Chu Qingcheng had for each other triggered the rings, breaching the confines of this space.

“Z-Zhuo Fan?”

Chu Qingcheng looked at the Thunder Ring in shock, her eyes tearing up as she cried out and searched everywhere, “Zhuo Fan, you’re not dead! You’re here, aren’t you?”

[Zhuo Fan ain’t dead?]

The elders turned to her, “Qingcheng, what are you saying? How do you know that?”

Chu Qingcheng only cried out Zhuo Fan’s name, her eyes filled with hope. She knew that only his Thunder Ring could connect with hers. These rings were their oaths.

“Junior sister Qingcheng, maybe you just think you saw him from how much you long for him. Zhuo Fan is dead, so how can he be here?” Ye Lin started. 

[If they find elder brother, then he’ll become western lands’ enemy.]

While shouting, he rushed to Chu Qingcheng, holding her hand and the ring, hiding its luster.

Chu Qingcheng only knew him and Zhuo Fan as enemies and that didn’t change. His sudden action earned her hatred, “Beat it! I know you only see Zhuo Fan as your enemy and can’t wait for him to die. But he’s still alive, and he’s here! Zhuo Fan, it’s me, Qingcheng! Come out…”

Ye Lin shrugged, his kindness scorned.

[What good will it do calling him out? You’re just letting western lands hound him. This chick has lost it, thinking my gesture was out of ill will.]

[If only you weren’t sister-in-law…]

Ye Lin gnashed his teeth.

“Use your souls to scan the area!” The elders immediately started looking around for any signs, but all they sensed the was the searing heat.

The three elders shook their heads, sighing at Chu Qingcheng’s frantic cries. 

[Is this how an excellent disciple fell into darkness by the loss of her husband?]