The Steward Demonic Emperor

Chapter 1209: Trouble Ahead

Proofreader: Papatonks

“Steward Zhuo, I feel a lot of eyes on us after leaving the city.”

An hour on the rough road, and old man whispered in Zhuo Fan’s ear. 

Zhuo Fan nodded, “With the map with us, they won’t stop spying on us until it’s gone. Some think ahead while others will go for it on our way. We might have picked a long tail, but few of them will ever attack us. It doesn’t matter.” 

“Yes.”

The old man left to walk with the others.

Two hours later, they arrived at a lofty mountain range. As the wind whistled, it signaled the arrival of men in black, in the hundreds. The leader had a familiar face, none other than the Demonic Emperor’s representative, Thousand Faced Devil.

Zhuo Fan welcomed him with a smile and a shake of the head, “Like master like servants. I said Zhao Chen is fickle and impulsive, and his men are no different.”

“Steward Zhuo, Luo clan!”

Thousand Faced Devil ignored his complaints as he greeted with cupped hands, “We have no bad blood between us. I know you are a grand clan and wish to be cordial still. In that regard, I hope you will offer up the Nether Sea map. I won’t forget such a favor!”

Zhuo Fan smiled walking forward and returning the gesture, “Senior, we’d gladly offer anything else if it means befriending you, but as it happens, the Nether Sea map isn’t anything, but something won through our blood and sweat on the gambling stage. There’s no reason at all to give it to you senior, sorry.”

“Steward Zhuo, spare me the empty pleasantries. I won’t buy it.”

Thousand Faced Devil eyed the rest, turning cruel, “I don’t know how tough the Luo clan is, or how many experts it has, but from what I see, the only one able to fight me is the miss who met Mei Sangu. As for the rest, twenty Spirit Kings won’t matter against my hundred. You will all die. Steward Zhuo must’ve earned your position with your guile, so you should know this as well.” 

Zhuo Fan was unmoved, “Senior, you mean that no matter what will incur from it, you still have to rob us?” 

“Yes, I don’t know your limits, but it can’t be worse than suffering the Demonic Emperor’s wrath. He will be sure to take my life if I don’t return with the map. Since death is certain, in either case, I at least have some chance going against you, right?”

“Yes, the unknown is scary, but it’s also uncertain and, by extension, survivable. You’re gambling we have no backing at the level of the Eight Emperors, so attacking us won’t be an issue.”

Zhuo Fan’s eyes shone, “Congratulations, you win! We really aren’t at the Eight Emperors’ level. Your plan to pick on the weak is a success, but too bad you’re the weaker one in this situation and made the wrong call. You don’t have enough men to take us on.”

Thousand Faced Devil sized them all up, laughing, “Steward Zhuo, bluffing now, are you? Yes, the peak-stage Spirit King young miss is comparable to an Emperor without a doubt, but don’t go telling me you have more of such monsters. At the same cultivation, the strengths of everyone is almost the same, which makes it a matter of numbers. That is where you lose!”

“Quality, not quantity is what the Luo clan favors, ha-ha-ha…”

Zhuo Fan snickered and patted Sword Child’s head, “Son, bring me his head, intact.” 

“Yes father!”

Sword Child bowed and took two steps forward, his eyes glimmering.

Thousand Faced Devil gasped, “You’re sending a child to take my head? What a joke!”

Whoosh~

Black flashed in front of him. With a faint breeze, the sharp sword wave flared across his forehead.

Thousand Faced Devil was startled, ducking just inches from the attack, taking some hair and leaving him soaked in sweat. The strands drifting in the wind. 

But then came the second strike.

Fearful as he was now, a whirlwind kick came from below, aiming to relieve him of his head.

Thousand Faced Devil felt death nearing and leaned sideways to dodge and jump a thousand meters back, away from the danger.

Looking ahead, the sight shocked him stiff.

The one who almost took his life was none other than the scrawny child. His kick did not touch him, but the force behind it unleashed a sword wave that reaped ten lives. 

The bodies turned to mist, cutting Thousand Faced Devil’s hundred Spirit Kings to ninety. 

Sss~

Gasping, everyone went pale. Thousand Faced Devil was shaken to the core, his bravery gone as he looked at Sword Child in utter dread.

It was beyond him how a seven-year-old wielded such deadly power. 

[Is he even human?] 

Thousand Faced Devil felt his world view come crashing down on him.

Sword Child was, of course, a Sovereign weapon, sharp and deadly. Not even a sacred beast could match his toughness, let alone humans.

“Boy, you’re quite springy for an old man.”

Sword Child huffed, snickering at Thousand Faced Devil. The latter felt his skin crawl, then noticed the casual Luo clan. 

Bali Yuyu, the pseudo Emperor, didn’t lift a finger, with only the little freak causing so much damage. This made it so the Luo clan had two Emperor level experts and would be deadly if the others joined as well. 

His advantage in this highway robbery had now flown out the window.

Thousand Faced Devil sighed, thinking of backing off, but a look at the glaring Bali Yuyu and Sword Child told him he had to pay for starting this.

At least an Emperor had an Emperor’s advantage, one a Spirit King couldn’t cover.

Thousand Faced Devil’s eyes flashed and he made a sign. As his hands moved, ghastly faces appeared in the air.

“Imperial Mark, Thousand Faces Slaughter!”

Thousand Faced Devil flew in the air and then vanished. The wind stirred and a thousand golden, hundred-meter tall ghastly faces appeared from above.

“He-he-he, now you know why they call me Thousand Faced Devil!”

Thousand Faced Devil was hidden among those faces, cackling, “My Imperial Mark is made of a Spirit King level soul attack for every face, not a full attack but eighty percent strong at the very least. Now I have a thousand men army. Boy, your monsters might be tough and can live through this, but what about the rest? Especially you, Steward Zhuo, and your young miss. You’re too weak and an easy target. Know when to give up. Hand over the map!”

Bam!

Sword Child waved and smashed a face in disdain, “Nothing but parlor tricks, crumbling at a touch.”

“Hi-hi-hi, I told you, it’s not for you two. With your strength, you can beat one, but what about a thousand? Also, my faces can reform after beaten. How long will you last, I wonder?”

Following his creepy laughter, another face formed, completing the set of thousand.

Sword Child waved, making the air warp from the heat, “Then let’s see which will last longer, your faces or my searing strikes. Humph, Decimating Sword Art, Rampant Inferno!”

Hu~

Fires sparked to life out of nowhere throughout the sky, making the faces tremble and crumble to dust.

The thousand faces were burned to nothing in an instant, with incessant cackling still coming from above, only this time, it was one of agony.

Sword Child showed his evil side as he sneered, “Now you know what I’m made of…”

“Don’t move!”

A shout caught their attention as a boiling hand grabbed Zhuo Fan’s neck…