Way of the Devil

 “OHHHH!!”

Everyone on the training ground went mad, and Master Yuan Zheng from the Thousand Sun Sect slapped the table and let out a hearty laugh.

The rest of the elders and palace masters from the Thousand Sun Sect, on the other hand, didn’t look too happy. This man was trying to extort money from the three strongest disciples of the three major sects within Moling. Some of them could match the power of a weaker elder, so what gave him the courage to provoke them?

“Look at that! Look at that! That is how the Thousand Sun Sect should act!” Master Yuan Zheng let go of—no, spewed out—all the frustration he had built up over the course of many years.

That was wonderful!

The Moling branch of the Thousand Sun Sect had always been the target of ridicule. Everyone insulted them for only having money and no skill, and for being useless in everything other than making money.

There were things like “Thousand Sun Sect disciples are the weakest among the three”, “all they do is talk and spend money if they aren’t strong enough”, and “they don’t have the courage to fight for their lives, but they do know how to throw money at problems”.

These rumors became the reputation of Thousand Sun Sect’s Moling branch, and were also Master Yuan Zheng’s greatest shame.

But today, finally… finally!!! Finally, there was someone that could truly stand as an equal with the strongest disciples from the other two major sects.

“Ahh, such a wonderful and joyful occasion!!” Master Yuan Zheng almost cried from his laugher. “That was exactly how I acted when I was his age! This little guy makes me proud! Very proud!”

A palace master shook his head, and reminded him, “Um… Master… your granddaughter is there right now…”

“Um…” The smile on Master Yuan Zheng abruptly disappeared. He suddenly remembered that small issue, and looked back to the screen. He saw his granddaughter was also being extorted, and felt a little awkward.

He couldn’t decide whether to be happy or angry.

***

“Which branch of the Thousand Sun Sect are you from?” Zhangsun Lan stared strangely at Lu Sheng.

“No branch,” Lu Sheng responded casually. He finally noticed the Thousand Sun Sect marking on Zhangsun Lan.

“Why act like this? Us Thousand Sun Sect disciples had always prided ourselves on open and honest behavior. We earn our money properly. If word of your behavior got out…” Zhangsun Lan said solemnly.

“I’m earning money with my own strength, how is that not proper?” Lu Sheng was perplexed.

Zhangsun Lan was instantly at a loss for words.

“You three, hurry up. Including you. Don’t think for a second I will go easy on you just because we are in the same sect.” Lu Sheng laughed coldly.

Sun Rongji didn’t speak. Instead, he slowly grabbed the halberd on his back and lightly stabbed it into the ground.

Li Mai slowly gripped the knife and short knife behind him.

“Seems like you people want a fight.” Lu Sheng cracked a smile and held up his knife.

“Since you have the courage to come here by yourself and threaten us, I’m assuming you are confident in your power?” Sun Rongji said slowly.

“It’s not confidence, it’s just a matter of fact.” Lu Sheng slowly strode forward.

“Is that so?” Sun Rongji abruptly opened his eyes and shot up into the air, forming a trail of True Qi in the shape of a black dragon behind his dancing halberd.

The black dragon-like True Qi twisted and turned, then shot toward Lu Sheng with lightning speed.

“Bam!”

Lu Sheng blocked the attack with his knife and cut open the black dragon. He then raised his hand forward and struck the middle of the dispersing Black Dragon True Qi with his left elbow.

Another booming sound ensued.

Lu Sheng stood in place, while Sun Rongji, hidden inside his black True Qi, gripped his halberd in shock and retreated several steps. His halberd was pushed back with raw strength when it connected with Lu Sheng’s elbow.

“Ding!”

At the same time, a man flashed across his side like smoke, and a white mark appeared on Lu Sheng’s left waist.

It only cut open his clothes, though, not nearly enough to penetrate Lu Sheng’s skin.

“Interesting.” Lu Sheng glanced at the opening on his waist. Although he had suppressed his speed to a lower three tier Earth Level, he still possessed the Devil Master level mental fortitude. The actual power he displayed was equivalent to the upper limit of an Earth Level’s lower three tier.

But even in this state, Li Mai and Sun Rongji’s combo attack had managed to touch his body.

Li Mai turned and used Turquoise Conch Movement Technique, and spiked his knife toward Lu Sheng’s back.

“Ding!”

The sound of clashing steel rung out as the knife penetrated Lu Sheng’s clothes. This time, an immense rebound-like force followed the knife strike back.

Li Mai wasn’t prepared when the force surged into his body. He somersaulted a few times in the air before finally landing on the ground, his face red.

“Bam, bam, bam!”

Three more attacks.

Sun Rongji again struck out with his halberd at full force. He threw out his strongest move, not holding back at all with his Essence Souls Halberd Technique.

“Divine Halberd of Chaotic Heaven: Justice of the Star!”

Vast amounts of blue True Qi gathered in front of him like starlight, and formed brilliant stars as he swung the halberd.

A total of 19 blue stars connected into countless blue lines. The halberd went through all of them like it was shattering crystal glass, stabbing straight toward Lu Sheng.

A crisp snap.

Lu Sheng casually blocked the strike with his knife. The tip of the halberd was only a finger’s length away from Lu Sheng’s forehead, yet it refused to budge at all.

“A nice move, at least 90% stronger than your previous ones.” Lu Sheng smiled and looked at Li Mai, who was slowly becoming visible on his right.

He bent his back to concentrate all his power in one point, pushing the short knife against Lu Sheng’s waist from the right with all his might. Black symbols swarmed on his exposed skin, clearly some sort of Secret Art.

“These are all you have?” Lu Sheng asked lightly.

“You…” Li Mai took a deep breath, and the black symbols on his body swarmed toward the knife he held like bugs, trying to increase its power.

In an instant, Lu Sheng pushed back his short knife while striking his chest with his palm. At the same time, he pushed Sun Rongji’s halberd aside and slammed his forehead with his elbow.

“Boom!!!”

The two men flew out like cannonballs and were embedded deep into the surrounding wall and temple.

Everything was quiet for a short moment.

Lu Sheng stood in place and didn’t even change his expression, as if he didn’t do anything. He looked at Zhangsun Lan, the only one left.

“So? You paying?” He smiled what he thought was a soft smile.

But in Zhangsun Lan’s eyes, it was as hideous as a Thorn Devil.

“50,000 Devil Gold, right? I will pay once we get out.” She saw Lu Sheng’s power and understood he wasn’t on a level she could fight.

In reality, she was the only one in the lowest of the lower three tier of Earth Prime. Sun Rongji and Li Main had reached the second tier of the lower three tiers already.

But as powerful as they were, the were defeated by Lu Sheng within 10 moves.

“50,000 Devil Gold for a guaranteed spot is well worth it.” Zhangsun Lan thought of it like that. She glanced at Sun Rongji and Li Mai in the broken wall and smiled bitterly.

“Alright, so be it.” Lu Sheng walked up with a bored expression and grabbed the golden key floating in midair.

“Wait!! I will pay as well! Here’s my token!” Suddenly, Sun Rongji’s coughing sound came from within the temple.

A white token shot out and landed toward Lu Sheng.

Lu Sheng caught it, and saw it was a page of white gold paper. A line of writing was on it: The Heaven is vast and grand, may it live on and thrive forever.

“This is the Map of the Earth Prime Gold Pin, worth 100,000 Devil Gold on the market. I’ll count it as 50,000 since it’s old. How does that sound?” Sun Rongji climbed out of the ruins in a rough condition, gasping for air.

His hair was unbound, and a wide wound opened across his forehead. Blood slipped back into his wound the moment it came out, not wasting a single drop.

“How generous of him.” Zhangsun Lan shook her head, and gave Lu Sheng a token worth 50,000 Devil Gold as well. Lu Sheng was quite curious about her background as not many people would have so many precious items with them.

He took both of their money without much thought, then squeezed the golden key and whispered something with closed eyes.

“Puff, puff, puff!”

The golden key shot out three golden wires and connected to the three people.

“The top three has been decided,” the ancient voice spoke again.

The three people’s vision blurred, while an immense and clear force wrapped around them. Rainbow-like light flashed across their eyes. The colorful flashes finally ceased after at least 10 breaths.

Lu Sheng’s vision cleared and he finally realized that all three of them were standing side-by-side in a white, empty room. An immense white whirlpool swirled around silently on the wall to the left.

Meanwhile, a black whirlpool swirled on the right. The familiar scent of the inner Black Seal Temple emitted from it.

“This is the transition ground. The outer layer of the Black Seal Temple is to the left, while the inner is to the right. Do you plan to exit and rest for some time, or go straight to other areas?” The old man’s voice sounded again.

“Only the first place has the chance to go to other areas, why would you ask us?” Sun Rongji smiled bitterly while holding his halberd. After nearly fainting from Lu Sheng’s attack, he realized there were many out there that were stronger than him.

“Of course, only the first place can enter other areas. But all three of you could enter the final competition of the main sect. Hence why you can choose the main sect,” the old man actually answered Sun Rongji’s question.

“That means I earned the right to enter other areas as the holder of the first place, but every prefect could also send three people to compete in the central main sect’s competition?” Lu Sheng understood the explanation.

“Of course, that’s why the golden key chose three people.” The old man’s voice showed a rare sign of appreciation. “Usually, one from each sect earns a place, but you people stopped the Youyin Sect. Well, they have only themselves to blame for losing.”

These were the three sects of Moling.

Though even the strongest disciples at the three majors sect’s prefect level branch could not compete with him, Lu Sheng didn’t underestimate them. The strongest among the three major sects’ prefect branches could at least reach Holy Master level, which translated into the upper limit of Devil King and Divine Weapon master. They were basically his level before his recent breakthrough. They probably also possessed numerous Secret Arts and techniques with how powerful they were, and there was no guarantee Lu Sheng’s disguise would hold around them.