Chapter 350 - Third Level of the Devilish Skill

Xiao Chen stood tall against the wind, peering at every Orthodox cultivator present. Feeling his gaze full of hatred, the crowd couldn’t help taking several steps in retreat. They dared not approach him, even knowing that he didn’t have much power left.

“You, and you, and you as well, all of you!” Xiao Chen pointed to every cultivator near him. “Have I ever offended any of you? Have I ever hurt your wife and children? Did I somehow hinder you that you’re all trying to kill me…”

In the silence, all everyone could hear was the whistling of the wind. Master Xuanji and Monk Xu Gu muttered a constant string of Buddhist scriptures with their palms pressed together. To them, this scene was a repetition of the scene portrayed in the historical records before the millennium.

“Why are we trying to kill you?” a white-bearded old man retorted self-righteously. “Do you know how many people you’ve killed today?!”

Xiao Chen guffawed with his head titled back. “Taking one life is murder, as is taking a hundred lives! Don’t pretend that your so-called Orthodox sects have clean hands! Who among you here have taken fewer lives than I have? Ahh!”

None of the disciples said anything. The silence stretched on until a cyan-robed old man yelled, “Stop with the excuses! Devil’s Practice is evil! For the sake of all living creatures in the world, we’ll never let you live! On my command, Cool Breeze Sect disciples! Kill him!”

The moment the command resounded, more than ten golden Sword Qi whizzed toward Xiao Chen and penetrated his body. Each produced a string of blood as they left his body. Xiao Chen coughed up a mouthful of blood. A wry smile spread across his face. “For the sake of all living creatures in the world…”

“Kill this Devil’s Practice follower!”

More disciples activated their flying swords, leading to countless Sword Qi perforating his body. A disciple from a distinguished clan even ran up to Xiao Chen, yelling, “Xiao Chen! I’m going to take your life for killing my Senior Brother!”

Xiao Chen tottered under the rain of Sword Qi. He raised his head, tears streaming down his face. “Master… Are these the living creatures that you wanted me to protect with my life? Are these the living creatures that you told me about… If they are, then… they can go to hell, for all I care! Devil’s Three Turns!”

In an instant, an overwhelming Devil Qi surged up violently and filled the air. Even knowing that using this skill would claim his life, what did he care? With his life reduced to such a state, what did death matter?

The disciple from earlier and his sword had reached Xiao Chen, but the unbreakable Immortal’s Sword unexpectedly snapped into pieces until only a bare hilt was left. The disciple turned pale with fright. He looked up, hatred filling his eyes. “I’m going to kill you, devil!” he cried and then tried to strike Xiao Chen’s head with his palm.

Lowering his head to look at him, Xiao Chen raised his hand and crushed the disciple into a mist of blood. This shocked the other cultivators so much that they began distancing themselves. Xiao Chen’s pupils had turned a dark purple, and his body was swirling with black fog. His aura was now countless times more horrifying. He was the very picture of an ancient Devil God.

No one dared to come close to him. The eight Nirvana Realm cultivators exchanged looks of horror. Suddenly, more than ten sword radiances landed on the ground. The other two Wardens of the Immortals’ League, along with a dozen or so Nascent Soul Realm Stewards, had come.

Stunned, the purple-robed Warden cried, “Why did you come? Return immediately!” The red-robed Warden replied, “No matter. The Spirit Energy Grand Formation is almost complete, so the Elder sent us here. He’ll be here shortly. We must not let this Devil’s Practice follower escape!” He glared at Xiao Chen, who stood in the middle of the public square.

Warden Zuo, who protected Xiao Chen earlier, sighed. “Let us lay down the Devil Vanquishing Formation then and wait until the Elder is here.”

The purple-robed Warden turned to the remaining six Nirvana Realm cultivators. “Senior Brothers and I will lay down the Devil Vanquishing Formation. I hope you’ll lend us a hand!” Then, he and the other three Wardens flew into the sky, each of them casting a spell from one end. Layers upon layers of golden radiance sprang forth, covering Xiao Chen.

The six Nirvana Realm cultivators said nothing more and flew up the sky as well to aid the four Wardens. Underneath them, countless cultivators stepped forward to help as well. Within minutes, myriad layers of golden radiance formed a dome over Xiao Chen and trapped him inside.

“Devil Vanquishing Formation… Hehe!”

Inside the formation, Xiao Chen sneered and returned the Blood Lotus Demon Blade to his Divine Vessel. He started moving his hands, forming layers of black Devil Qi that surged forth in all directions. The entire Devil Vanquishing Formation began to quake. The purple-robed Warden turned pale and immediately yelled at the faraway Perfected Immortal Qing Chen, “Qing Chen! That’s your sect’s traitor! Hurry up and come here!”

With an ice-cold expression, Perfected Immortal Qing Chen replied, “I’ll leave everything to fate. Today, I’ve decided not to intervene.”

“You!” The purple-robed Warden was beyond furious. He swore to get even with the Jade Qing Sect once this was over. He then yelled at the crowd of independent cultivators. “You’re all a part of our Orthodox Path! Don’t tell me you’re going to sit and watch today!”

Many of the independent cultivators shook their heads and moved even further away from the spectacle. Good and evil weren’t that black-and-white to them. They were used to being responsible only for their own lives and had always lived for their own sake. The battle between good and evil wasn’t theirs. It was evident to them that it was the Orthodox Path that forced Xiao Chen toward the path of the Devil.

Several Nirvana Realm Elders of the League stood on the other end. The red-robed Third Elder leaped into the sky, wanting to lend a hand. First Elder Gu Yang immediately stopped him. “Don’t be hasty, Junior Brother. I don’t think this matter is so simple. We must preserve our strength…” He then turned to look at the cluster of dark clouds in the west. “Take some disciples with you and return! You must make sure to protect the Grand Formation protecting our Spiritual Meridian Energy!”

…

In the public square, the Devil Qi inside the formation had thickened, and the entire Devil Vanquishing Formation was shaking. The four Wardens’ faces were a startling shade of white. It was evident that they were strenuously trying to keep the formation up. Seeing this, one of the cultivators threw all caution to the wind and yelled, “Let’s give the Elders a hand!” Everyone dashed forward and supported the Devil Vanquishing Formation with their respective powers.

Suddenly, a loud cracking sound shattered the air as a ten Chinese feet-long fracture appeared on the south wall of the formation. The purple-robed Warden was shocked. His gaze soon turned sharp and stern. “Even if it means spending half of my lifeforce today, I swear I won’t let you escape!” he bellowed, biting the tip of his tongue. He spat his mouthful of Essence Blood at the crack and sealed it in an instant.

“Crack!”

Within seconds, however, another fracture appeared on the southeast wall of the formation. Without a second thought, the white-robed Warden sealed the fissure with a mouthful of Essence Blood.

“Crack!” “Crack!” “Crack!”

Countless cracks emerged in the wall of the formation. The expression on the Wardens changed, and the other cultivators also began to panic. Xiao Chen sneered and yelled, “Shatter it!” Overwhelming Devil Qi spilled out of the formation. Following a rumbling explosion, the entire Devil Vanquishing Formation collapsed, and countless cultivators outside were sent flying. Those with low cultivations were even killed.

The four Wardens sustained the worst damage. The explosion flung them away and sent them crashing to the ground, blood flowing out of their mouths like a leaking faucet. The other six Nirvana Realm cultivators were also severely hurt. Those watching in the distance were deeply shaken, having never thought that Xiao Chen would be this horrifying after using the third level of the Devilish Skill.

“Hehe…” Xiao Chen sneered. He walked up to the blue-robed old man from earlier. With a changed expression, the old man swiftly cast a spell to turn into a sword radiance and flee in the southwest direction.

Xiao Chen didn’t chase after him. He continued to walk with unhurried steps. Many of the Orthodox cultivators, having sustained severe injuries, didn’t dare to stop him. They could only watch him with frightened expressions. Suddenly, they saw him stretch his right hand and drew a faraway disciple over. He said sternly, “Tell me, what is the Orthodox Path!”

The disciple was so terrified that he had turned as white as a sheet of paper. His voice, alongside his body, was trembling. “I… I don’t know…”

“Don’t know? Scram!” Xiao Chen flung him away with tremendous force. He stretched out his left hand and drew yet another disciple to his grasp. “Tell me, what are the living creatures of the world!”

This disciple was shaking just as badly as the one before. He said incoherently, “It’s whatever the Sect Leader says it is… I don’t know the answer either…”

“Then you should scram as well!” Xiao Chen threw him aside. He reached out again, this time catching a cyan-robed older man. It was the same man that said to kill him for the sake of all living creatures of the world.

Before Xiao Chen could speak, the cyan-robed old man said sternly, “Devil’s Practice follower! You’ve committed so many heinous deeds! You won’t be able to escape the Orthodox Path’s punishment in the future! My life is in your hands today; kill me if you want to! Don’t even think about disgracing me!”

“Then you should go to hell!” Xiao Chen struck the older man’s skull with his palm and instantly reduced him into a mist of blood.

Everyone had long turned pale from horror. The Cool Breeze Sect disciples were deeply troubled to see their Sect Leader die in the hands of a Devil’s Practice follower. Yet, they were unable to take revenge.

Xiao Chen, with his hair messily cascading down his shoulders, laughed with his head titled back. His laughter was wrought with sorrow. “I cherish all living creatures under heaven, yet when have they ever cherish me? This world has abandoned me, and the living creatures have turned their backs against me. Today, I’ll show you what a true devil is!”

Following his scream, the overwhelming Devil Qi once again scattered. It was so strong that everyone was shaken to the core. Right at this moment, a panicked cry came from the distance. “Xiao Chen!”

Xiao Chen turned around, revealing a frightening pair of dark purple pupils, and said coldly, “Speak!”

A pale-faced Yu Yifeng felt as if a saber had pierced his heart. “Enough with the killing. You should go. No one can stop you now…”

Xiao Chen’s mournful laughter rang in the air. He turned his back to Yu Yifeng, redirecting his gaze to the purple-robed Warden of the Immortal’s League. His gaze was like Sword Qi so sharp that anyone who touches it would be injured! Everyone looked away, not daring to meet his eyes.

The purple-robed Warden shuddered before saying in a cold voice, “Xiao Chen! Even if you escape today, you won’t be able to run far!” He was trying everything he could to delay Xiao Chen until the Elder’s arrival.

“Is that so? Then let me you send to hell first!” Xiao Chen attacked, moving like a bolt of lightning. The three other Wardens immediately went up to stop him, but with all their injuries, they were no match for the current Xiao Chen.

A fog of Devil Qi came rolling, sending the three cultivators flying. Xiao Chen was just a palm’s length away from the purple-robed Warden when a golden Sword Qi fell on them. Instantly, rocks flew up the air. Xiao Chen retreated, but before he could regain firm footing, a silhouette appeared in front of him and struck him with a palm. A loud explosion resounded as the new opponent sent him flying nearly fifty feet backward with a powerful palm attack.

“Who is it?!” The moment Xiao Chen’s footing was firm, he swiftly turned around. He saw a white-bearded older man, dressed in a Taoist robe with a cyan-and-white embroidered Bagua trigram, standing firmly in place. With hands clasped his back and fluttering sleeves, he emanated the air of Immortal Qi. If he stood high in the clouds, he would look like a wizened Immortal.

“Chanyu Zheng, Immortals’ League.”