The Steward Demonic Emperor

Chapter 832: No Home without Kin

Proofreader: Papatonks

“Sect Leader!”

Xie Wuyue’s howls of agony inside the black thunderflame died out along with the signature of his soul. All that remained was the violent black thunderflame flickering in his place one last time before fading out as well.

Demon Scheming Sect’s elders were panicking. Xie Wuyue’s very existence had been erased from this world.

They slowly turned to the still figure beneath and gulped in horror.

It only took fifteen minutes for Venerable Shi to gather the elders and come here, just fifteen minutes.

It proved to be more than enough time for their Sect Leader, a peak Ethereal Stage expert, to die like nothing.

What did that say about Zhuo Fan’s power? Just how strong was he?

Seeing Xie Wuyue’s cruel demise, everyone’s heart was in their throat, looking at Zhuo Fan in fear.

Ignoring their fear mixed with hatred and anger, Zhuo Fan just walked away with a stone-cold face.

The ones surrounding him broke out in cold sweat and stepped back in fear each time he advanced. Fear had taken root in their hearts, robbing them of any will to fight. 

Venerable Shi looked around with gnashed teeth and shouted, “Don’t let him escape! As long as he’s alive everything will unravel. Double Dragon Manor will side with him and ruin us. He has to die now for the Demon Scheming Sect to be ours.”

Shuddering, the elders halted, looking grave and finally releasing their bloodthirst.

Zhuo Fan stopped as well, glancing at Venerable Shi.

“Humph, no matter how strong, he’s all alone. Together, we’ll crush him to pieces!” Seeing his speech worked, Venerable Shi lifted their morale, “Letting him go will make him join Tianyu’s traitors. That will be the moment we’ll lose everything, even our lives. We can’t let that happen! We must end him here and now!”

Roar!

The old weasel sure knew how to use people, inciting them to fight. The fearful elders in front roared to mask their dread, releasing their souls and sending them to attack Zhuo Fan.

The air felt heavy as the horde of souls unleashed their power at Zhuo Fan, making the earth he stood on sink a hundred meters. The immense might brushed his cheek and fluttered his black hair.

But not even this grand display of raw force from Demon Scheming Sect’s best was enough to move Zhuo Fan. In fact he had on a mocking smile. 

Looking around at the souls coming for his life, Zhuo Fan sneered, “I see, so there aren’t even a hundred Ethereal Stage experts left. Ha-ha-ha, and you wish to kill me now that the sect is so weak? Aren’t you a bit naive?”

“Humph, we may be weaker, but united. A hundred Ethereal Stage experts are enough to kill a prick like you…”

Whoosh~

Venerable Shi grinned, his words cut off by a shadow covering the sky and everyone around.

Their bodies and souls had black creeping over them, halting them in place.

Everything turned eerily quiet…

The elders were overwhelmed. 

[What is this?] 

Venerable Shi was the most shocked of all.

Zhuo Fan’s flat voice pierced their ears, “What a pity, Elder Yuan had toiled for this sect yet you fools snatched it. I’m sure his spirit wouldn’t want to see this. As his disciples, I should do my part in wiping away the disgrace…”

The endless shadow opened its maw like a deep abyss as something dragged them down to hell. The fear they felt was out of this world.

“W-what the hell is this?!”

Venerable Bai shouted, switching to begging, “Zhuo Fan, you can’t kill us or the Demon Scheming Sect is finished. The sect is High Venerable’s pride and joy. I know you care and respect him, and as his disciple, you wouldn’t want to see High Venerable’s efforts go to waste. Let’s make up, putting you as Sect Leader. We’ll listen to anything you say. Venerable Bai and the others can come back. We’ll hand over power and become laborers as penance.”

“Yeah, we’ll do anything as long as you spare us.”

“Sect Leader Zhuo, please let us go! We’re from the same sect. We should help each other…”

…

Everyone turned to pleading now that he had them in his tight grip.

Zhuo Fan paid their cawing no heed, “So now you appeal to my humanity, for being from the same sect? Ha-ha-ha… what about, the elders and Labor Office’s disciples, did you think about them the same?”

“Humph, that’s rich, using High Venerable as an excuse when it suits you. Venerable Shi, I’ve never seen such a crass and revolting act, going as low as using the same person you had killed.”

Zhuo Fan’s eyes flashed, “I’ll say this. I do see High Venerable as my master, but never Demon Scheming Sect as my home. It’s nothing but bullshit. High Venerable would’ve fallen for it and spared you and I would listen to him. Too bad you killed High Venerable and I ain’t as soft as him for the sect.”

“There’s no home without kin. Elder Yuan is gone from the Demon Scheming Sect and that broke any ties I had with this sect. Venerable Shi, I wonder if you’d spared High Venerable if you knew this day would come.”

Shuddering, Venerable Shi had no response.

“Ha-ha-ha, Venerable Shi, this is called a deadly sin, brought on by yourself. You’re to blame for your own death.”

Zhuo Fan flicked his hand and the blackness flooded the space. Wails were heard as it swallowed everyone.

[Demon Transformation Art!]

Pa!

The black domain faded away and Zhuo Fan stood alone.

His face never changed, still walking out of the sect.

The demonic sword flew out of him, whistling through the Demon Scheming Sect’s grounds as it painted the skies with the agony of its disciples.

Zhuo Fan’s step never faltered, his smile sad.

[Elder Yuan, I told you I only cared about you in this sect…]

A month later, in the Luo clan’s hall on top of Blackwind Mountain, Luo Yunhai sat in his main seat with elders on either side of him, each frowning and grave.

“Clan Head, I don’t know why Beast Taming Sect withdrew, but Demon Scheming Sect must’ve had something to do with it for sure. And with Heaven Trailing Sect giving the cold shoulder, it seems they’ll become our enemies at some point. We must be on constant guard around these three sects!” Venerable Bai spoke.

Everyone around agreed.

Fiend Yang shook his head, “It’s all our fault for bringing this disaster.”

“Venerable Yang, you mustn’t say that. Brother Zhuo had approached us in person and that makes us brothers. How can I just let you suffer? “

Luo Yunhai sighed, “We need to send more scouts to the Demon Scheming Sect just in case.”

They all nodded.

Rushed stepps approached, with Leng Wuchang bursting in with a jade slip. He bowed, “Clan Head, we know why Beast Taming Sect withdrew. The scouts report that six months ago some strange power invaded the Quanrong imperial capital, stamping Beast Taming Sect out and causing chaos in the city. Many princes died as well as other minor nobles. With their roots cut out, of course they’d withdraw, ha-ha-ha…”

“That really happened?”

There were gaps of shock around.

The more affected were the group from Demon Scheming Sect, “No matter how antagonistic the nine sects in western lands, none would go as far as total annihilation. Not even Danqing Shen went so far that time. There’s no way the force that did it was from western lands.”

“Who cares, it did us a solid, ha-ha-ha…” Leng Wuchang laughed.

Luo Yunhai nodded, “Yes, if any reinforcements came, we wouldn’t have lasted much longer. Regardless of where this power came from, it was godsent, brother Zhuo’s blessing!”

“Clan Head, you’re giving Steward Zhuo’s spirit all the credit again. If Steward Zhuo’s spirit had acted, he’d go pay his debt…”

“And kill Xie Wuyue, right?” Leng Wuchang smiled with a sigh, “Sir Leng, I’m not superstitious here and was only thinking. Brother Zhuo is a miracle worker, so much so that anything utterly baffling that is happening makes me think brother Zhuo was behind it, that his spirit is watching over us.”

Luo Yunhai’s passionate look touched the others.

“Report!”

A scout in black rushed into the hall, presenting a jade slip. “Demon Scheming Sect’s scouts say that somehow the Demon Scheming Sect was gone overnight!”

[What?!]

There was a collective gasp in shock.

Leng Wuchang shook, stunned for a good while, “Hell, Steward Zhuo’s spirit appeared for real…”