Chapter 135: Lele, the big devil!
If a demon were to visit the Kingdom of Bliss for the first time, they would surely be struck with awe.
This oasis nation, nestled against barren sand dunes and backed by strange rocky mountains, was like a vibrant flower blooming from a skeleton.
In the delicate buildings draped with floating silks and colorful curtains, men and women of various charms would cast glances toward the streets, like a spring breeze from the southern rivers.
The streets were filled with vibrant flowers and beauties, decorating rooftops and tall buildings.
On the wide streets, colorful carriages roamed, and the sounds of music and laughter never ceased.
Above, colorful kites flew by, just like the brightly decorated boats that sailed along newly dug canals, carrying people to and fro between the north and south.
The sweet scent in the air wasn’t just from perfumes but also from the various delicious foods wafting through the streets.
There were not only special demon delicacies but also ingredients brought in from the immortal realm.
In the stalls set up along the streets, plates of food were displayed, exuding a tempting array of colors and aromas.
Tall banners for wine shops fluttered, each more luxurious and eye-catching than the last, while the smell of different wines fermented and brewed in the air.
Even just walking through the streets, one could feel a light intoxication.
This scene didn’t seem like a demon city, but rather a peaceful and joyful haven.
The sudden outburst of bloodshed shattered this soft and peaceful illusion.
An outsider demonic cultivator, unaware of the customs, acted brazenly due to his cultivation, tearing apart a female cultivator who refused to accompany him.
Bright red blood splattered onto a plate filled with fish and sauce. The demonic cultivator, wearing a cruel and satisfied smile, continued to chew the delicious food, glaring menacingly at those around him.
“What? Never seen someone killed before? Get lost, or you’ll lose your life here!”
In the demon realm, no one ever meddled in others’ business. This ruthless demonic cultivator had wandered through several nations, always acting with such reckless abandon.
Those cowardly folks would usually cower and avoid him in fear at the mere sight of him.
However, the demons and demonic cultivators here didn’t seem more fierce or aggressive than in other places. When they saw the blood on his lips and the corpse at his feet, they didn’t show fear. Instead, they smiled with excitement.
Amidst their strange, excited gazes and whispered conversations, the demonic cultivator, his mouth still full of food, realized something was off.
He listened closely and heard them say, “Doesn’t this break the king’s rules?”
“The king definitely won’t like him, haha.”
“Just in time, isn’t the king supposed to be heading to Crescent Mountain soon and will pass through here?”
Rules? What rules?
The demonic cultivator sneered and stood up, his large, mountain-like figure towering over them. With a wave of his hand, he tore through the colorful canopy overhead and swept away the food in front of him.
“Rules? I’ve never heard of any rules in the Demonic Path! You want to talk about rules with me, General Yuan Shi?”
Anyone who could call themselves a general must have once served under some powerful demon lord and at least reached the Xuandan stage of cultivation.
Yuan Shi had once been a guard of the Demon Palace and commanded over a hundred demon soldiers. But when the Demon Palace was taken over by another demonic cultivator, all his subordinates were killed, leaving him to roam the land aimlessly.
Hearing his name, the group of demonic cultivators, both men and women, didn’t seem frightened. Instead, they laughed and said:
“Yes, yes, our king is the rules! If he’s unhappy with what he sees, you’ve broken the rules!”
Just as Yuan Shi was about to respond, he suddenly heard a loud commotion. At the end of the road, a grand golden chariot approached.
The luxurious golden chariot, with its bright fabrics laid across the ground, gleamed under the sunlight, and even the youth reclining inside seemed bathed in light.
Pulled by armored demon beasts, the golden chariot stopped amidst the bustling crowd. The youth inside cast a glance in their direction.
Without anyone needing to say a word, Yuan Shi knew this must be the King of the Kingdom of Bliss—a mysterious yet incredibly powerful demonic cultivator, whose origins were unknown.
He had ruled the Kingdom of Bliss for over a year. During this time, two neighboring nations had their territories invaded by him, yet despite their confrontations, they were defeated and forced to avoid his might, allowing him to grow even more powerful.
Looking at his excessively youthful, peach-blossom-like face, he seemed nothing like the fearsome figure the rumors described.
In fact, with such looks, wouldn’t he be more fitting as a mere plaything? Yuan Shi thought to himself.
But just as this thought flashed through his mind, an immense pressure suddenly forced him to his knees. He couldn’t even lift his head.
Cheers and laughter erupted around him, and someone shouted, “King, has this man broken your rules?”
On the carriage, Yu Le rested his chin on his hand and smiled. “Hmm… I’m in a bad mood today, so let’s say he has broken my rules.”
Another round of cheers followed.
“What will the King do with him?”
“Yes, deal with him now!”
Yu Le replied, “It seems like it’s been a while since I’ve absorbed any demonic energy. His cultivation is quite decent.”
The crowd sighed in disappointment, but a bold and beautiful female demon cultivator spoke up, “King, this man killed our sister. How despicable! The battle arena hasn’t been used in days. Why not throw him into the arena?”
Once she spoke, others chimed in, pleading, “Yes, King, life has been so dull. It’s been too long since we’ve had any excitement. Let’s have some fun!”
“Please, King!”
Most of the cultivators here practiced the art of charm and seduction, but none dared use their abilities on the King. It would be useless and might even cost them their lives.
However, pleading and pouting? That was something the King tolerated generously.
And sure enough, this time was no different.
The King, from atop his carriage, graciously responded, “Very well, then. Throw him into the arena first.”
Yuan Shi remained kneeling on the ground, his knees soaking in the blood of the person he had killed.
He didn’t fully understand what these people were planning, but he knew one thing: his fate was likely to be grim.
His face turned bright red as he struggled to lift his head and shouted, “Don’t kill me! I am willing to submit to the King of Bliss and serve as his warrior from now on, doing his bidding!”
But the young king didn’t even glance at him, sitting high on the grand carriage, surrounded by the crowd as they moved forward.
Yuan Shi was taken to the so-called “battle arena.”
Inside the strange structure made of compacted yellow sand, the ground was a dark red and reeked of blood and mud.
In front of him stood rows of puppets.
On all sides, tall walls loomed, with only one path leading to the high platform where the King of Bliss sat.
“As long as you can overcome the obstacles and reach the king, you might have a slim chance of survival,” someone said.
He was at the bottom, surrounded by rows of excited demons and demon cultivators standing on the high platforms, laughing and shouting.
Someone threw down their poisonous insect, saying, “Go on, little darling, take a few more bites.”
Someone else complained, “With so many here, how am I supposed to get a good look?”
They tossed dozens of dead souls down.
Another person sprinkled poison powder, saying, “Let me spice things up for everyone.”
As more and more “things” were thrown into the arena, the path in front of Yuan Shi became nothing but a road to certain death.
Someone above grumbled, “If you keep doing that, he’ll die too quickly—what’s left to watch then?”
Yuan Shi had never experienced such humiliation, nor had he ever been in such a dangerous situation.
Perhaps he was indeed powerful, and maybe luck was on his side, as he truly managed to cross that long, deadly path and climb to the platform where the King of Bliss sat.
Some in the audience felt disappointed, others delighted, but no one was dissatisfied. They simply watched with amusement as Yuan Shi, filled with the hope of survival, crawled toward the King.
“I… you said… you’d give me a way out…” Yuan Shi, covered in blood and with chunks of his flesh bitten off, raised his head in utter exhaustion.
The King of Bliss set down his golden cup and stood, walking toward him. “Very few make it through the path of death, less than one in ten. You did well,” he said in an appreciative tone.
But along with those words came his pale hand.
Suddenly, Yuan Shi felt his demonic energy rapidly draining from his body, and he cried out in agony and panic.
Under this cruel extraction, his demon core shattered.
“AAAAAHHHHH!”
Deprived of his strength, Yuan Shi collapsed on the ground, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the King of Bliss in front of him.
As if knowing what he wanted to say, the King chuckled and remarked, “I gave you a way out. I only crippled you.”
“You… you should have… killed me… kill me!” Yuan Shi gasped.
“Oh, I don’t kill people.” With that lighthearted statement, the King left the platform, surrounded by a group of smiling maids.
Yuan Shi, now limp and screaming in pain, was quickly dragged away by the surrounding demons.
He would likely become someone’s humanoid puppet, material for a demon cultivator’s practice, a skeleton guard, or even a breeding ground for venomous insects. Just like the countless others who had caused trouble in the Kingdom of Bliss.
…
Yu Le, now seated back on his golden chariot, accepted a glass of wine offered by a maid.
“Things have been a bit too peaceful lately. None of those other kings have sent spies or provoked me, and there aren’t even any troublemakers. Look at them—they’re so excited over just catching one person.”
The maids in the golden chariot laughed and said, “My Lord, no one dares to upset you anymore. Who would dare cause chaos in the Kingdom of Bliss now?”
The golden chariot headed toward Crescent Mountain, just outside the city, where a palace stood amidst an oasis with a vineyard—Yu Le’s favorite retreat.
Amid the crowd on the street, a man wearing a mask watched Yu Le from a distance as the golden chariot passed by.
The man’s cheek twitched beneath the mask, his eyes filled with deep hatred. Fearful of being noticed, he quickly looked away and lowered his head, hiding his partially severed wrist inside his sleeve.
Damn that demonic cultivator, damn him! It was all because of him that he had fallen to such a wretched state!
Xie Ji clenched his teeth, slipping into a dark alley to avoid attention.
Forced into becoming a demonic cultivator, his family had effectively declared him “dead,” leaving him as a person who no longer existed in the world.
Once the heir of the prestigious Xie family in the immortal realm, Xie Ji had been tortured along his descent from the Immortal Path to the Demonic Path. Now, seeing his enemy living so carelessly and joyfully, he was filled with the urge to kill him on the spot.
But as he calmed down, he knew he wasn’t capable of it. He couldn’t afford to die yet—he had to exact his revenge.
A weak demonic cultivator couldn’t accomplish anything.
Xie Ji couldn’t help but think of his elder brother, Xie Que, whom he had hated for many years. His brother had fallen into the Demonic Path, killed their parents, and betrayed their family. Now, Xie Que ruled over the Demon Palace and was a notorious demon lord in the demon realm.
If he could somehow use him…
Xie Ji’s expression wavered with indecision, but in the end, he made his choice. He would leave the Kingdom of Bliss and head toward Yeyuan, the demon city where the Demon Palace stood.
*
Wuyue Immortal Sect
Bai Feishuang used her token to unlock the barrier and stepped into the forbidden area.
Her senior brother had been imprisoned in the forbidden area for a year now.
A demonic cultivator had infiltrated the sect, causing chaos and killing several disciples, leaving everyone in a state of fear.
“Master ordered an investigation of the sect. They found the demon responsible for the murders, along with several other hidden demon spies, all of whom Master dealt with.”
“But with the sect soon opening its gates to recruit new disciples, things are busy and chaotic. I fear more demonic cultivators might try to sneak in.”
Bai Feishuang recounted the events happening outside to her senior brother.
“Master never publicly announced that Senior Brother was being confined in the forbidden area, nor did he erase his name from the disciples’ registry. Many fellow disciples still believe that Senior Brother is in seclusion.”
“I think Master was only angry at the time. He never truly intended to expel Senior Brother from the sect.”
For the past year, Bai Feishuang had pleaded with their master multiple times on behalf of her senior brother, but her efforts had been in vain.
The sect was going through turbulent times, and with the chief disciple unable to appear publicly, many rumors and suspicions had arisen.
“Senior Brother, will you still not tell me why you quarreled with Master? Without knowing the details, how am I supposed to convince him to release you?”
“Do you know that some are even spreading rumors that you’re a demonic cultivator?”
Mo Cunzhi sat beneath the bamboo grove, his sword resting on his knees.
He listened quietly as his junior sister spoke, glancing briefly at the fluffy blue fox that was licking its paws at her feet.
Suddenly, he spoke: “It’s not a rumor.”
