THE DEVIL IN THE DETAILS
Chapter Twenty-One — The Most Dangerous Man

Demon Path cultivators were feared for a reason.

Orthodox cultivators followed rules. Discipline. Stable foundations laid one careful step at a time.

Demon Path cultivators pursued power.

Nothing else.

That obsession twisted them into something different from ordinary cultivators — more reckless, more brutal, more willing to destroy themselves if it meant destroying the enemy first.

To fight one was to fight a madman.

And You Quan understood that better than most.

The moment he realized Zhuo Fan was also a Demon Path cultivator, regret had already begun creeping into his thoughts. He still believed he could win, but defeating a Demon Path lunatic never came cheaply.

Which meant one thing.

End this quickly.

A dark green aura spread across You Quan’s palm.

The temperature around him dropped instantly.

Even from over thirty feet away, Luo Yunshang and the others felt a freezing chill crawl across their skin.

Luo Yunshang’s pupils tightened.

Danger.

Real danger.

But before she could even warn Zhuo Fan, You Quan vanished.

The flowers and grass beneath his feet withered black as he moved.

“Phantom-grade High-Rank Technique,” he said coldly. “Nether Claw.”

Impact.

The claw slammed into Zhuo Fan’s chest.

Blood exploded from Zhuo Fan’s mouth before he could fully react. Flecks of dark green frost mixed into the spray.

You Quan smiled.

“My claw sealed your heart meridians. Whatever tricks you have left, you won’t be using them now.”

The instant the strike landed, the pressure in his chest eased slightly.

Four cultivation stages separated them.

Even among Demon Path cultivators, that gap mattered.

With his heart meridians frozen shut, Zhuo Fan had already lost most of his strength.

Sun Yufei’s face lit up with vicious excitement.

“Cousin, kill him!”

Behind Zhuo Fan, Luo Yunshang and the others went pale.

You Quan nodded inwardly.

For once, his cousin was right.

A Demon Path enemy could never be left alive.

Their revenge was always ugly.

Green energy surged into his other hand as he raised it toward Zhuo Fan’s head.

“Die.”

Luo Yunshang’s heart nearly stopped.

But just as the strike descended—

Boom.

A violent explosion echoed through the street.

Zhuo Fan remained standing.

Instead, You Quan was blasted backward like a broken kite, blood spraying through the air.

“Bloodshadow Palm!”

Zhuo Fan’s roar shook the courtyard.

His palm remained extended.

You Quan staggered to his feet, clutching his burning chest, disbelief written across his face.

“That’s impossible.” His voice sharpened. “I sealed your heart meridians. How are you still using techniques?”

Luo Yunhai immediately shouted back proudly:

“Brother Zhuo is incredible! Nothing can stop him!”

Relief spread across Luo Yunshang’s face.

Commander Pang nearly collapsed from the release of tension.

Then Zhuo Fan coughed.

Blood poured from his mouth again.

Everyone froze.

A massive hole had opened near his heart, blood flowing steadily from the wound.

“What…?”

Luo Yunshang stared blankly.

Commander Pang hurried forward to support Zhuo Fan’s swaying body.

Only You Quan seemed to understand.

Then he laughed.

“So that’s it.” His eyes narrowed cruelly. “You destroyed your own heart meridians to break my Nether Claw.”

He sneered.

“Impressive.”

“But that also means you’re already dying.”

Luo Yunshang trembled.

“What did you say?”

You Quan ignored her completely.

He looked only at Zhuo Fan.

“A pity.” His smile twisted slightly. “If our cultivation had been equal, that last palm strike might have killed us both.” He shook his head. “But now? That was just desperation.”

His aura surged again.

“Even injured, I can still send you on your way personally.”

He rushed forward once more.

Though slower than before, he still moved faster than Luo Yunshang and the others could track.

“No!”

Luo Yunshang threw herself in front of Zhuo Fan instinctively.

You Quan laughed darkly and slipped past her effortlessly.

“Miss Luo,” he said lightly, “I’m not willing to kill you yet.”

His palm descended toward Zhuo Fan’s head.

Everyone saw it clearly.

No one could stop it.

You Quan wanted the Luo family to watch Zhuo Fan die.

Cold wind howled from his strike.

But Zhuo Fan smiled.

A strange smile.

Then—

Crack.

A hand caught You Quan’s wrist midair like an iron vice.

His strike stopped completely.

“Phantom-grade Mid-Rank Technique,” a calm voice said nearby. “Hidden Dragon Claw.”

You Quan’s eyes narrowed sharply.

Standing beside him was a young man in gold robes, seventeen or eighteen at most. He looked scholarly at first glance, almost gentle.

But his eyes were sharp enough to cut flesh.

“Long Jie.”

You Quan spat the name through clenched teeth.

Behind him, Sun Yufei’s face changed instantly.

“Hidden Dragon Pavilion…”

Long Jie smiled politely.

“You Quan.” His tone remained mild. “Must you really kill them all?”

“This is Nether Valley business.” You Quan’s eyes darkened. “Stay out of it.”

Long Jie shook his head.

“I’m acting under Elder Jiu’s orders.” His voice hardened slightly. “The Luo family is under Hidden Dragon Pavilion’s protection. If you want to kill him, you’ll have to go through me first.”

Sun Yufei’s body shook.

She still could not understand it.

How had the ruined Luo family ended up under Hidden Dragon Pavilion’s protection?

The Sun family had Nether Valley backing them.

But now the Luo family had Hidden Dragon Pavilion.

In Windforest City, that meant they were suddenly equals.

At that realization, the superiority she had clung to shattered almost instantly.

A family protected by Hidden Dragon Pavilion could rise again at any moment.

For the first time, she no longer dared look down on Luo Yunshang.

You Quan glanced at the half-dead Zhuo Fan, killing intent still burning in his eyes.

“Long Jie,” he said coldly, “our strength is equal. You think you can protect all four of them?”

Long Jie’s expression finally lost its warmth.

“You Quan,” he replied quietly, “don’t forget something.”

“You’re injured.”

A dangerous silence settled between them.

Long Jie continued:

“I know what you’re thinking. Demon Path cultivators can force out monstrous strength at critical moments.” His gaze sharpened. “But if we truly fight to the death here, Nether Valley and Hidden Dragon Pavilion will be dragged into open conflict.”

He took one step forward.

“Can you bear responsibility for that?”

You Quan fell silent.

The two great houses already carried old grudges. War would come eventually.

But not now.

If he ruined Nether Valley’s larger plans over this, the consequences would fall directly on him.

“Fine,” he said slowly.

But before the word fully left his mouth—

A hand ripped toward his chest.

You Quan’s eyes widened.

He instinctively tried to circulate his energy, but the Bloodshadow Palm’s lingering force disrupted his breathing for half a heartbeat.

That half-second was enough.

A hand pierced through his chest.

And grabbed his heart.

You Quan froze.

A familiar voice whispered beside his ear.

“Didn’t your master teach you?”

Zhuo Fan smiled at him like something crawling out of hell.

“A Demon Path cultivator who hesitates during battle dies.”

You Quan stared at him in horror.

“You… you were…”

Dying?

Weak?

Finished?

No.

In that instant, he understood everything.

The injury.

The hesitation.

The appearance of collapse.

All of it had been bait.

He had been led exactly where Zhuo Fan wanted him.

His eyes turned desperately toward Long Jie.

Save me.

Long Jie himself looked stunned.

“Stop—”

“Don’t!”

But it was already too late.

“Die.”

Zhuo Fan’s fingers clenched.

Rip.

You Quan’s heart tore free from his chest.

Blood erupted like a fountain.

You Quan’s eyes remained wide open as his body collapsed lifelessly onto the street.

Because deep down, he had always known.

Demon Path cultivators were monsters.

And Zhuo Fan was worse than any monster he had ever met.

“Cousin!”

Sun Yufei screamed before fainting on the spot.

The Sun family guards immediately grabbed her and fled.

Without Nether Valley backing them, they no longer had the courage to stay.

Silence swallowed the street.

Long Jie stared at the still-beating heart in Zhuo Fan’s hand.

Sweat slowly formed across his forehead.

He had met many Demon Path cultivators before.

But compared to Zhuo Fan, they suddenly seemed almost reasonable.

This man was different.

Cold.

Patient.

Cruel in a way that felt carefully calculated.

The most terrifying part was that Zhuo Fan had manipulated everyone present — You Quan, Hidden Dragon Pavilion, even Long Jie himself.

Zhuo Fan casually tossed the heart aside.

Then he clasped his hands politely toward Long Jie.

“So you’re the one Elder Jiu sent to protect us.” He smiled faintly. “My thanks. Please tell Elder Jiu there’s no need to send anyone else.”

Long Jie forced out a bitter smile and returned the gesture weakly.

He said nothing.

Then he turned and walked away like a defeated general leaving the battlefield.

Three hours later.

Inside Hidden Dragon Pavilion’s Windforest branch—

Boom.

Long Jiu slammed his palm against the table hard enough to crack it.

“I, Long Jiu, have spent my entire life calculating others,” he growled, his single eye twitching violently. “And today I got played by a brat barely old enough to shave.”

Long Kui and Long Jie stood silently before him, neither daring to speak.

After a moment, Long Kui finally asked carefully:

“Uncle Jiu… Zhuo Fan killing You Quan — what does that have to do with Hidden Dragon Pavilion?”

“Hmph. Foolish girl.”

Long Jiu turned sharply toward her.

“Long Jie fought You Quan in public. Everyone saw it.” His voice darkened. “Then Zhuo Fan killed a Nether Valley disciple directly in front of him.”

He leaned forward.

“Who do you think Nether Valley will blame?”

“The Luo family?” Long Kui answered instinctively.

Long Jiu laughed bitterly.

Long Jie sighed.

“Little Kui.” He rubbed his brow tiredly. “Do you really think anyone would believe a ruined little clan would dare kill a disciple of one of the Seven Houses?”

Long Kui paused.

Then slowly shook her head.

“Exactly.” Long Jie exhaled. “Nether Valley won’t believe it either. Their suspicion will naturally fall on us.”

Long Kui’s eyes widened.

“So we’re taking the blame for the Luo family?”

Long Jiu snorted.

“You think this is bad luck?”

His expression darkened further.

“No. That boy planned this from the beginning.”

Long Kui froze.

Long Jiu continued:

“According to Long Jie, Zhuo Fan looked half-dead. Yet the moment Long Jie intervened, he struck immediately — stronger and faster than before.” His eye narrowed. “That means he had already anticipated Hidden Dragon Pavilion stepping in.”

“He used us.”

Long Kui inhaled sharply.

“You mean… he intentionally manipulated Hidden Dragon Pavilion and Nether Valley into conflict?”

Long Jiu nodded slowly.

“That way the Luo family could survive between us.”

“But wouldn’t that offend both great houses at once?”

Long Jiu laughed quietly.

“He already solved that too.”

His gaze drifted toward the distance.

“During the negotiation over the formation diagram, he was testing me.” Long Jiu’s voice lowered. “Testing how much Hidden Dragon Pavilion values its reputation.”

Understanding finally dawned on Long Kui’s face.

“If we abandon the Luo family now,” she whispered, “it looks like we’re yielding to Nether Valley…”

“Exactly.”

Long Jiu closed his eye briefly.

“If we touch the Luo family, or refuse to protect them, Hidden Dragon Pavilion loses face.”

He sighed deeply.

“So now we have no choice but to protect them to the end.”

Silence filled the room.

At last, Long Jiu shook his head bitterly.

“That boy…” His voice turned heavy. “From the very beginning, he was already calculating me.”

A long pause followed.

Then he murmured quietly:

“Zhuo Fan is the most dangerous man I’ve ever met.”

Beside him, Long Jie remembered the scene in the street.

The blood.

The smile.

The hand tearing a heart from a living chest.

And slowly, silently, he nodded.

[End of Chapter Twenty-One]

Chapter Twenty-Two — A Hidden Scheme

“Get out.”

Deep into the night, Zhuo Fan sat cross-legged on the bed, his face pale, one hand pressed against the wound in his chest as blood slowly stopped flowing.

Luo Yunshang had tried to stay and tend to him.

He had thrown her out with one sharp command.

The battle with You Quan had ended in victory.

But Zhuo Fan found nothing satisfying about it.

Not because he had won through ambush. That kind of thing was common in the Demon Path. Honor was a decoration for people who could afford to die.

No.

What unsettled him was the helplessness.

There had been four cultivation stages between them, yes. But Zhuo Fan had still believed that with a Demon Emperor’s eyes, combat experience, and complete willingness to use every available means, taking down a young pup like You Quan should not have been difficult.

Reality had disagreed.

He had not won cleanly.

He had not even truly gained the upper hand.

In the end, he had relied on the arrangement he had prepared in advance — forcing Hidden Dragon Pavilion to appear, using their intervention to create an opening, then killing You Quan and dragging two great houses into conflict so the Luo family could step out from under immediate danger.

Everything had gone according to plan.

And he hated how necessary that had been.

“Too weak…”

Zhuo Fan closed his eyes and lowered his head.

To escape the Cai family and the Sun family, he had pushed the Luo family directly into the struggle between the Seven Houses. It was no different from drinking poison to quench thirst. They had bought a little peace, but the enemies waiting ahead were no longer local clans.

They were the Seven Houses Under Imperial Decree.

And with his current strength, he could not protect the Luo family.

He could barely protect himself.

“I need power.”

His jaw tightened.

“Fast.”

His fingers formed a strange seal.

His eyes opened.

A sinister red light flashed through them.

More than a thousand yards away, inside the Cai estate, Cai Xiaoting sat in meditation in his room, circulating his energy. Without warning, pain tore through his abdomen.

His entire face twisted.

Sweat the size of beans slid down his forehead.

A moment later, his body collapsed, unconscious.

Then a blood-red glow pulsed inside his stomach.

Something emerged.

A palm-sized infant, formed entirely of bloodlight, floated slowly out of his body.

The Blood Infant.

Zhuo Fan’s bonded Blood Infant.

Back at the Cai estate, when Zhuo Fan needed a way to restrain Cai Rong, he had planted the Blood Infant inside Cai Xiaoting’s body in a single instant. The movement had been too fast for anyone present to notice.

Afterward, he used Cai Xiaoting’s life as leverage, forcing Cai Rong to stay his hand against the Luo family.

At the same time, the Blood Infant inside Cai Xiaoting allowed Zhuo Fan to monitor the Cai family. If they made any move, he would know in advance.

But now, the Cai family’s movements no longer mattered.

The Blood Infant turned slowly, staring at the unconscious Cai Xiaoting.

Then it smiled.

Zhuo Fan’s voice came from its tiny mouth.

“I won’t take your life yet.”

The smile sharpened.

“You can live long enough to watch the Cai family die.”

The Blood Infant became a streak of red light and shot out of Cai Xiaoting’s room.

Moments later, in a dark garden, a Cai family guard on night patrol passed beneath a tree.

A red light slipped into his body.

He did not even have time to cry out.

His entire body went numb.

Then his flesh shriveled with terrifying speed. Skin tightened. Muscles collapsed. Blood and essence vanished into nothing.

A breeze passed.

His body scattered into fine dust.

The red light flew onward.

One after another, Cai family guards vanished.

In less than a minute, more than thirty men disappeared as if erased from existence.

Back at the inn, Zhuo Fan sat with his eyes closed.

A cold smile touched his lips.

He guided the Blood Infant toward its next prey.

At this moment, the Blood Infant and Zhuo Fan’s mind were one.

The Blood Infant was Zhuo Fan.

Zhuo Fan was the Blood Infant.

Once it entered a cultivator’s body, it used the Heavenly Demon Great Transformation Art to devour every drop of blood essence and every trace of origin energy, then carried that power back for Zhuo Fan’s main body to refine.

Originally, Zhuo Fan had not intended to recall it so soon.

But after detonating his own heart meridians during the battle with You Quan, he needed the Blood Infant’s vitality to repair the damage.

The Cai family simply happened to be the first blade he chose to sharpen it on.

The Blood Infant had already reached the Qi Gathering Stage.

Against early Bone Tempering experts, it would still be troublesome to handle. Against ordinary Qi Gathering cultivators, it could kill instantly.

If the Blood Infant had been with him during the fight against You Quan, Zhuo Fan would not have needed any elaborate scheme.

You Quan would already have been dead.

That thought made Zhuo Fan appreciate the terrifying compatibility between the Heavenly Demon Great Transformation Art and the Blood Infant.

Raising a Blood Infant’s cultivation should have been harder than climbing the heavens. Even the old Blood Demon Ancestor had only cultivated a Saint-grade Blood Infant.

But with the Heavenly Demon Great Transformation Art, Zhuo Fan had pushed his Blood Infant into the Qi Gathering Stage in only ten days at the inn.

The first day, he refined it into his bonded Blood Infant.

The remaining days, he let it roam and devour blood essence, strengthening itself while returning vitality to replenish him.

And in a family like the Cai clan, Bone Tempering experts were rare enough to be called precious. Zhuo Fan did not fear his Blood Infant being harmed.

So it moved freely.

Unrestrained.

Before long, it had swallowed the life essence of more than fifty people.

Then, just as Zhuo Fan was silently erasing the Cai family one guard at a time, a strange aura caught his attention.

“A Demon Path expert?”

Zhuo Fan paused slightly.

Then he guided the Blood Infant toward it.

Soon, the Blood Infant arrived outside a small room. Lamplight flickered dimly within. More than twenty guards stood watch outside, all near the peak of Qi Gathering.

Interesting.

Zhuo Fan guided the Blood Infant closer to the window.

The guards did not notice a thing.

Before the Blood Infant, they were little more than furniture.

Inside the room, a single lamp burned.

Three old men sat in formal positions.

At the seat of honor was naturally Cai Rong, patriarch of the Cai family.

On his left sat a bald old man with cloudy eyes half-open, half-closed. A strange aura drifted around him — cold, oppressive, and unmistakable.

Demon Path.

Zhuo Fan recognized it at once.

To Cai Rong’s right sat an old man in luxurious robes. He also carried a trace of Demon Path aura, though it was faint and uneven, as if he had begun cultivating Demon Path methods only later in life.

Both Cai Rong and the richly dressed man treated the bald elder with deep respect.

So that’s it.

Zhuo Fan’s thought had barely formed when Cai Rong bowed deeply to the bald man.

“Elder Jian. Patriarch Sun. May I ask what brings both honored guests here tonight?”

The bald elder’s cloudy eyes drifted toward Cai Rong.

That single glance made Cai Rong’s body tremble.

Elder Jian smiled faintly.

“Patriarch Cai must have heard that today, You Quan of Nether Valley was killed by Hidden Dragon Pavilion.”

Cai Rong’s mouth twitched.

“Wasn’t that done by the Luo family?”

Elder Jian gave a soft laugh.

“You think the Luo family has that kind of courage?”

His cloudy eyes suddenly shone with a cold light.

“Nether Valley and Hidden Dragon Pavilion have carried old grudges for years. Neither side has dared strike first and disturb the balance between the Seven Houses.” His voice lowered. “Now Hidden Dragon Pavilion has used the Luo family’s name to kill one of our disciples. What are they trying to say?”

Outside the window, Zhuo Fan nearly laughed.

Exactly as expected.

The Seven Houses had ruled above others for too long. They could not imagine that a lesser clan would dare challenge their authority directly.

Their arrogance made them prefer conspiracy over the truth.

Even when the truth happened right in front of them.

Hidden Dragon Pavilion was the same.

They would rather carry the blame than show weakness.

Cai Rong hesitated.

“Then… Elder Jian, your meaning is…”

“Nothing complicated.” Elder Jian smiled. “You will help us test Hidden Dragon Pavilion’s intentions. If Nether Valley acts directly, the two houses may be forced into open conflict.”

Cai Rong’s face changed instantly.

“Elder Jian, that is Hidden Dragon Pavilion. How could my Cai family afford to offend them?”

Why drag a small family like mine into business between the Seven Houses?

Elder Jian shook his head slowly.

“Patriarch Cai misunderstood. The Cai family is not qualified to confront Hidden Dragon Pavilion directly.”

His tone was calm.

“I want you to target the Luo family. Then we observe Hidden Dragon Pavilion’s response.”

“The Luo family?”

Cai Rong stiffened.

Since the battle with You Quan, everyone in Windforest City knew the Luo family now had Hidden Dragon Pavilion behind them.

To move against the Luo family was to test Hidden Dragon Pavilion.

Which was just a prettier way of saying offend them.

Cai Rong turned slightly toward Patriarch Sun.

The Sun patriarch looked back at him with a warm, almost sympathetic smile.

And a faint hint of gloating.

Bastard.

Your Sun family is so close to Nether Valley. Why don’t you move against the Luo family yourself?

Your daughter made enough noise today.

But the moment you saw Hidden Dragon Pavilion involved, you lost your courage too.

Cai Rong gritted his teeth.

He did not dare offend Nether Valley either.

So he sighed.

“To be honest, Elder Jian, that Zhuo Fan is the man I hate most in this world. A few days ago, he came to my estate and caused trouble. I don’t know what vile art he used, but my son has been vomiting blood for days. Even now, he is close to death.” Cai Rong’s face filled with sorrow. “If I provoke him again, I fear he may use some wicked technique to take my son’s life…”

Outside, Zhuo Fan nearly burst out laughing.

When he planted the Blood Infant in Cai Xiaoting, it had only been to teach the Cai family a lesson. Over the past few days, he had never used it to torment Cai Rong’s son.

Yet now Cai Rong had invented a perfect excuse from it.

A clumsy one.

But useful.

Elder Jian clearly did not believe him.

His expression slowly cooled.

Seeing that, Cai Rong hurriedly shifted the disaster elsewhere.

“Elder Jian, Patriarch Sun has always been shrewd and capable. His family is also closer to Nether Valley. If this matter is placed in his hands, he surely will not disappoint you.”

“Cai Rong,” Patriarch Sun snapped, rising to his feet. “What exactly are you implying?”

The Luo family had become a hot iron no one wanted to touch.

No one knew how deep their connection with Hidden Dragon Pavilion had become. If attacking them truly provoked Pavilion retaliation, that would be no joke.

The Sun family had ties to Nether Valley, yes.

But they were not one of the Seven Houses.

If Hidden Dragon Pavilion decided to crush them, whether Nether Valley would intervene was another matter entirely.

Moving against the Luo family now was no different from volunteering for death.

Elder Jian finally lost patience.

“Enough.”

His voice cut through the room.

“Useless trash. Since neither of you can be counted on, I’ll find someone else.”

Then his gaze shifted back to Cai Rong.

“Cai Rong. I told you to prepare the Spirit-grade technique, Wind Severing Kick. Is it ready?”

“Yes, yes. Please inspect it, Elder Jian.”

Cai Rong hurriedly offered a jade slip with both hands, though reluctance flickered through his eyes.

“Elder Jian, this is the Cai family’s only ancestral Spirit-grade technique.”

“I won’t take it for free.”

Elder Jian snorted and tossed another jade slip toward him.

“This is the mid-tier Spirit-grade technique, Blazing Flame Finger. Stronger than that low-tier technique of yours.”

Cai Rong caught the jade slip and immediately beamed with joy, thanking him again and again.

Outside, Zhuo Fan frowned.

Trading a mid-tier Spirit-grade technique for a low-tier one?

What exactly was Nether Valley planning?

“Elder Jian,” Patriarch Sun asked carefully, “if you do not intend to rely on us, then who will handle the Luo family?”

Cai Rong also quieted, listening closely.

Elder Jian sneered.

“What, afraid someone will replace you two dogs?”

Neither man dared answer.

“Relax,” Elder Jian said coldly. “The one I’m using belongs to Nether Valley.”

Cai Rong and Patriarch Sun exchanged a startled look.

“Didn’t Nether Valley wish to avoid acting directly?” Cai Rong asked. “Then how…”

A strange light flashed through Elder Jian’s eyes.

“He is a hidden piece we planted long ago.”

His voice dropped.

“He is on Black Wind Mountain.”

Black Wind Mountain.

Zhuo Fan’s mind jolted.

For a fraction of a second, his aura slipped.

Elder Jian’s head snapped toward the window.

“Who’s there?”

He struck with one palm.

The entire door shattered outward with a thunderous explosion.

Zhuo Fan immediately commanded the Blood Infant to become a streak of red light and flee.

Elder Jian pursued at once.

Fast.

Too fast.

Zhuo Fan’s heart tightened.

Ahead, the guards had already moved to block the path.

Zhuo Fan’s mouth curved.

He guided the Blood Infant straight into one of their bodies.

“Bloodburst.”

At the inn, Zhuo Fan whispered the word.

At the Cai estate, the guard exploded.

Blood and force detonated outward, swallowing the surrounding guards before they could retreat. Several died instantly.

The sudden explosion forced Elder Jian to stop.

That half-second was enough.

The Blood Infant escaped into the night.

Cai Rong and Patriarch Sun rushed out moments later.

When they saw the ruin on the ground, their faces turned pale with shock.

“What… what was that?”

Elder Jian stared into the darkness where the red light had vanished.

His expression was grave.

“I don’t know.”

After a long moment, he said quietly:

“But it was definitely something from the Demon Path.”

[End of Chapter Twenty-Two]