Way of the Devil

The terrifyingly vast seawater covered the skies. The sun’s rays could only be seen through the seawater, which colored everything a blurry bluish hue.

Lu Sheng raised the Earth Lake Sword high. His supernatural power which was 1000 times more profound than ordinary cultivators’ surged out wildly like waves. It forcibly suppressed the Earth Lake Sword which was beginning to retaliate. The sword’s spirit wailed, and the entire blade dimmed. It was reduced to an ordinary divine weapon of the mortal realm.

“Divine Might!”

Finally, Lu Sheng brought the sword down resolutely.

“Rumble!”

A loud sound that could not be described spread out. Sima Zhun and the others could not hear any sounds anymore. When the sound waves vibrated at certain frequencies, it was not something that could be detected by human ears.

In seemingly an instant, dozens of Vital Energy Sect elites had blood flowing out of their ears. As if they were drunk, they were swept away by the seawater and disappeared with a splash.

Sima Zhun was rained down upon by the sword-driven sky-covering seawater. He did not even know how many of his bones broke in that instant. He could only hear the cracks as they did.

He was submerged by a huge volume of bluish seawater and was drowned out. His aura plunged from his initial tier of the Late-stage Nascent Soul, and his strength was reduced to a tenth of his original strength in the blink of an eye.

Lu Sheng cast his gaze downward. He could no longer see Sima Zhun’s figure in the sea. He snorted.

“Let’s go.” Lu Sheng walked on the air in a straight line toward the protective barrier erected by the Twelve Goldwater Laws.

Liu’er gulped. She no longer dared to laugh. She stuck out her tongue behind his back before following close behind him.

The instant he brought the Earth Lake Sword down in midair, the all-covering seawater crushed everything below its weight, and it mercilessly crashed onto the Twelve Goldwater Laws’ barrier as well.

The formation was already creaking from the pressure, and some fine cracks could already be seen on its surface. It was clear that it could not hold on for much longer; small openings had already appeared at some places. Lu Sheng and Liu’er went past the barrier easily.

…..

“Poof! Poof! Poof!”

Undercurrents came at him from all directions in the sea.

There was a trace of blood at the edges of Sima Zhun’s lips as he fought back the surges of seawater with swift movements. At first, he was still able to swat away the Nascent Qi seawater that came at him, but with the passage of time, his face started to pale. Although his opponent’s supernatural power’s quality was not as good as his, this… volume was too great!

He manipulated his Nascent Qi with extreme precision, and shattered every single wave of Nascent Qi seawater that attacked him. The supernatural power within his body was diminishing at considerable speed. He could still see countless surges of seawater rocking terrifyingly around him, and it felt as if he did not even whittle down the amount of Nascent Qi seawater.

‘This can’t go on!’ Sima Zhun steeled his resolve. He knew that if he continued to conceal his abilities, he would be like an arrow at the end of its flight. If he did not unleash his trump card soon, he was worried that he would not even have the chance to survive at all.

He carefully took out a small object the size of a date. He gripped it firmly in his hand, and seemed to have chanted a spell.

“Go!” He waved his arm, and the object shattered. A white streamer flew out from behind him.

Wonderful patterns of a white stag, white dragon, and a white eagle shone on the streamer. The surrounding air shook, and released a fine white radiance as the streamer charged at the seawater before him.

“Pcchht!”

With a muffled sound, the white streamer had just connected with the seawater when it shattered.

Sima Zhun spat out another mouthful of blood. His Treasure was instantly destroyed. He did not expect his spirit to be damaged as well.

He had attempted to use his Treasure to suppress the undercurrents completely. This was equivalent to him engaging in a head-on clash with Lu Sheng with his entire Nascent Qi supernatural power.

The results were completely out of his expectations. If his treasured streamer which he had sacrificially refined for hundreds of years had not blocked the rebounding force, he would have died in that instant.

‘Impossible!’ Sima Zhun was finally despairing. An hour ago, he was a lofty peak elite under the heavens, one of the most powerful great cultivators and Peak Masters of the Vital Energy Sect.

An hour later, he was badly wounded and imprisoned by seawater on all sides. He could not even flee.

His instincts told him that if the surrounding seawater did not adjust its strength with his dwindling cultivation base, as if keeping him alive on purpose, he would already be…

….

An opening in the Twelve Goldwater Laws.

Lu Sheng and Liu’er dropped down slowly, and passed through this opening which was only a dozen meters in diameter.

There were already dozens of figures hovering in midair near the opening, waiting for them coldly.

The leader of the group was impressively the Vital Energy Sect’s sect master. He had intended to save Sima Zhun just now, but he was too late.

This person was publicly recognized as the most powerful Taoist under the heavens. At this moment, he no longer wore his usual calm and steady expression.

In its place was a peaceful, ice-cold, solemn look.

What caught Lu Sheng’s attention was the crescent moon which glowed with gentle white light on the Vital Energy Sect’s sect master’s forehead.

He sharply sensed that the crescent moon seemed to have similar effects as the Mystic Water Divine Vine which he had recently obtained.

Similarly, the reason why the Vital Energy Sect’s sect master lost his usual calm was because he had sensed, at the first moment, the vague undulations of a Divine Vein from Lu Sheng.

Lu Sheng and Liu’er wore blue robes and black clothes. The people from the Vital Energy Sect wore white clothes, which seemed to be special combat clothes that they had just recently changed into.

Under their two groups stood thousands of members and disciples of the Vital Energy Sect. They formed their respective formations of varying sizes.

Illusory shadows of various divine beasts and monsters of an assortment of colors appeared on the formations. It was as if the Swaying Gold Mountain had returned to the time of legends. The monsters and divine beasts were eyeing Lu Sheng and Liu’er with hostility.

The atmosphere was so tense that it was possible for a fight to the death to break out at any moment.

“I’ve come for an old matter,” said Lu Sheng drily. “As the master of the four seas, I will settle all the debts and kindness I’ve received in the past. Die Shazi is dead, and all that’s left is for the ones responsible for setting up the entire thing in the first place. If the Vital Energy Sect hadn’t set up the entire situation in an attempt to push the sect’s fortunes to its peak, I wouldn’t have gotten into trouble.”

The Vital Energy Sect’s sect master’s expression remained unchanged. He slowly retracted his gaze from the back of Lu Sheng’s hand.

“Such is the way of nature and the cycle of karma. When I set the plan in motion, I’ve expected such a day to come. Alas… I didn’t foresee that the day would arrive so soon.”

“What kind of explanation is that?” Lu Sheng could not have cared less about the way of nature. He only wanted to settle the karma.

“The Vital Energy Sect… is the greatest sect of the Righteous Path. The Four Seas Sect is only supported by you alone, dear Sect Master. With your lofty might, you’ve flooded the Swaying Gold Mountain and displayed your majestic domineeringness. Have you given a thought about what would happen to the Four Seas Sect once it loses its mainstay?” Liu Sicheng stepped forward from the side, and attempted to dissuade Lu Sheng. As a great cultivator, he had the right to speak with Lu Sheng as well.

“I have never.”

This reply caught Liu Sicheng off guard. Helpless, he had no choice but to continue talking. “Moreover, our great cultivator Sima Zhun is already gravely injured by you, and being held down by your peerless supernatural power. Compared to the situation you were put in all those years ago, don’t you think that this is compensation enough?”

Lu Sheng shifted his gaze onto Liu Sicheng. “No.”

“Muyun, you and I should understand this. In the current world, who else can attain the tier at which we stand? I think that nobody else has the strength that the both of us wield.” The Vital Energy Sect’s sect master slowly drew out a slender sword from behind him. The blade was decorated with patterns of golden wheat.

“The only good thing that will come out of a quarrel between us is a third party’s benefit.” His expression was solemn. His pure white Nascent Qi was surprisingly the same as Lu Sheng’s. Its volume emanated a wave that terrifyingly exceeded that of an ordinary great cultivator.

“Yuling Lake?!” Liu Sicheng and the others displayed shock on their faces. When they knew that the sect master had activated the Yuling Lake, they retreated quickly.

This was the first time the sect master was serious and about to use his full strength since the battle with the Ancient Demon many years ago.

A terrifying supernatural power a thousand times more than an ordinary great cultivator’s vibrated with a high frequency on the Vital Energy Sect’s sect master’s body. It formed beams of glaring white light, and domineeringly repelled the Origin Qi in the air.

“Not bad. As expected of the Vital Energy Sect’s sect master, the greatest elite under the heavens.” Lu Sheng’s expression changed slightly. He had initially thought that he could become the overlord of the mortal realm after he attained his boundless supernatural power. He did not expect that the Vital Energy Sect’s sect master had a similar method to greatly enhance his own supernatural power as well.

Although most of his opponent’s supernatural power was not his own, it was already a rare thing for him to be able to become his rival.

He had a thought, and blue light spread out from behind him as well.

The Twelve Goldwater Laws finally faced its gradual destruction under the immense pressure of these two forces. Great chunks of the protective barrier shattered with loud noises.

Boundless seawater surged in from the openings, and poured into the Swaying Gold Mountain with a loud crash.

Bluish water columns descended from the skies in succession. For a time, the interior of the Swaying Gold Mountain was filled with bluish water columns that were connected to the heavens.

The water columns were more than a thousand meters in height, and the smallest of them had a diameter of dozens of meters. They formed an extremely majestic scene.

The Vital Energy Sect’s disciples were forewarned, and did not suffer any serious injuries. However, the buildings on the mountain which had been around for a thousand years were reduced by half.

Countless buildings shone with the radiance of formations as they repelled the seawater automatically. However, under the impact of the Nascent Qi contained within the seawater, they crumbled in no time.

“So, you want to keep this up?” Lu Sheng looked at the Vital Energy Sect’s sect master with a smile.

The sect master had a sour expression. The two of them had exchanged dozens of blows remotely with their Nascent Qi as they tested each other’s strength. Their minds clashed countless times as well, but none of them was able to gain the upper hand. They were evenly matched.

In truth, if his kill formula and techniques had not been heads and shoulders above Lu Sheng’s, he would have lost during the two bouts with him.

The two opponents had understood the standards of the other.

If they exchanged a thousand attacks, Lu Sheng would win.

This was if they fought with their current strength.

However, Lu Sheng was wary of the Divine Vein on the Vital Energy Sect’s sect master’s forehead. He had experienced the might of a Divine Vein before. He could not tell how well his opponent could control his Divine Vein. If his opponent had some trump card that he did not know about, and the situation turned into a life and death struggle, the gains would not make up for the losses.

His objective was to settle the karma, and not to put his life on the line. After all, the way things seemed currently, the Vital Energy Sect’s supernatural power’s volume was not as profound as his. However, the difference was not too great. It was at most a dozen times greater.

However, his techniques and skill formulas were a far cry compared to his opponent’s, and so was the quality of his Nascent Qi. In truth, when all factors were taken into account, they were evenly matched.

“You planned this out well, Sect Master. If I don’t give you a satisfactory explanation when you’re bearing down on the Swaying Gold Mountain with your might, I reckon that the Four Seas Sect’s reputation will skyrocket with the Vital Energy Sect as the stepping stone.” One of the Peak Masters could not help but snort.

“Well, you may start attacking now. I’d gladly witness your strength as well. I’d like to see if you live up to the name of being the greatest elites under the heavens,” Lu Sheng said casually.

“Preposterous!”

The people from the Vital Energy Sect eyed him angrily.

Instead, it was their sect master whose expression was still composed.

“We can compensate you for the karma back then. However, I’ll need an explanation from the Four Seas Sect for bearing down on this mountain and breaking our formations.”

In the end, he had decided to make a serious move.