THE DEVIL IN THE DETAILS

Chapter Seventy-Seven — Terrifying Strength

The moment Zhuo Fan stepped out of the dust, the air around him changed.

“Who is he?”

Jian Suifeng stared at the young man emerging from the haze, his pupils tightening. For no reason he could name, danger crawled up his spine.

That alone unsettled him.

With his experience, he could tell at a glance that Zhuo Fan had only just broken into the Bone Tempering Stage. But the pressure rolling off him was wrong. It was not the oppressive superiority of a Sky Profound expert.

It was something simpler.

Sharper.

Predatory.

The kind of presence that made instinct whisper one thing—

Run.

Xie Tianyang felt it too.

Zhuo Fan looked different from before. His features carried a faint metallic edge now, as if some ruthless golden force had fused into his bones. But more than that—

The pressure surrounding him felt dangerous.

Not cultivation suppression.

Not spiritual intimidation.

Just pure violence waiting to happen.

At this moment, Zhuo Fan no longer resembled a cultivator.

He looked like a beast pretending to be human.

“He’s the friend I trust least,” Xie Tianyang said with a grin, his body trembling slightly, “and the one I trust most.”

He was excited.

Not afraid.

Because he knew Zhuo Fan.

If that monster came here personally—

Then he already had a plan.

Jian Suifeng gave him a long look.

He had watched Xie Tianyang grow up. The boy was arrogant, gifted, and impossible to impress.

This was the first time Jian Suifeng had ever seen him rely on someone so completely.

His gaze returned toward Zhuo Fan.

Just what kind of person was capable of earning trust from a monster like Xie Tianyang?

Ghost Seven suddenly laughed.

“Well, well. You survived after all.”

“And you even broke through into Bone Tempering.”

His eyes narrowed coldly as he examined Zhuo Fan.

He could feel the difference too.

The strange pressure.

The dangerous aura.

But in Ghost Seven’s eyes, this was nothing more than the blind confidence that came after a sudden breakthrough.

Once Zhuo Fan understood how insignificant Bone Tempering was before a Heaven Profound expert—

That arrogance would disappear naturally.

Still—

Something deeply unsettled him.

Only months ago, Zhuo Fan had still been a sixth-layer Qi Gathering cultivator, heavily wounded and barely alive.

Now?

Bone Tempering.

That cultivation speed was monstrous.

Ghost Seven’s killing intent deepened instantly.

This boy could not be allowed to live.

“Min’er,” he said coldly, shoving You Ming forward. “Kill him for your master.”

Zhuo Fan glanced sideways toward You Ming.

Then smiled faintly.

“So it’s you.”

“Good.”

“I regretted letting you escape last time.”

“We can settle that debt now.”

Ghost Seven frowned.

“You know each other?”

But before anyone answered—

He finally noticed You Ming’s face.

Pale.

Sweating.

Shaking uncontrollably.

The arrogance from moments earlier had completely vanished.

He looked terrified.

“Useless trash!”

Ghost Seven’s expression darkened instantly.

“With your master standing here, you still dare tremble like this?”

His anger wasn’t just because of fear.

Jian Suifeng and Xie Tianyang were both watching.

You Ming was humiliating Nether Valley openly.

Sure enough—

Jian Suifeng burst into laughter immediately.

“Incredible.”

“So this is the heroic spirit of Nether Valley disciples?”

Ghost Seven’s face turned ugly.

Without hesitation, he kicked You Ming violently to the ground.

“Trash!”

“He only just entered Bone Tempering.”

“You’re already second-layer Bone Tempering.”

“What exactly are you afraid of?”

You Ming struggled upright, trembling violently.

Then he saw Zhuo Fan’s faint smile again.

Instantly—

He remembered Jian Fan dying.

He remembered the elders collapsing.

He remembered despair.

“S-Sect Elder…”

His voice cracked in panic.

“He’s Zhuo Fan!”

“The Luo Clan steward!”

“Elder Yun and Elder Jian…”

“…both died by his hand!”

Silence.

Ghost Seven’s expression changed slightly.

Finally—

He understood.

So this was the monster responsible.

A fifth-grade array master.

A schemer terrifying enough that even Ghost Seven himself had nearly fallen into his traps.

If Elder Yun and Elder Jian died to him—

Then it suddenly made perfect sense.

For Nether Valley disciples, sect elders were practically untouchable existences.

But You Ming had personally watched two elders die at Zhuo Fan’s hands.

That fear had rooted itself directly into his heart.

A heart demon.

No matter how strong Zhuo Fan currently was—

You Ming no longer possessed the courage to fight him.

Ghost Seven slowly placed a hand on his disciple’s shoulder.

There was only one way to remove that fear completely.

Zhuo Fan had to die.

Preferably by You Ming’s own hands.

Ghost Seven’s eyes flashed sharply.

“Whoever captures this brat for me…”

“…will be heavily rewarded.”

The moment the words fell—

A burly guard stepped forward immediately.

“Elder, allow this subordinate to handle it.”

Sixth-layer Bone Tempering.

Against a newly advanced first-layer cultivator—

It should’ve been effortless.

Several other guards looked irritated instantly.

In their eyes, this was practically free merit.

And someone else had stolen it first.

Ghost Seven nodded casually.

Then he turned You Ming’s head directly toward Zhuo Fan.

“Watch carefully.”

“This boy is only dangerous with formations prepared beforehand.”

“Without arrays…”

“…he’s nothing special.”

“Once he’s captured…”

“You’ll personally kill him.”

“And your heart demon will disappear.”

You Ming swallowed hard and nodded silently.

Jian Suifeng frowned slightly.

“Ghost Seven truly deserves his reputation.”

“He immediately found a solution for his disciple’s heart demon.”

Then he sighed softly.

“Tianyang.”

“Your friend is in danger.”

But Xie Tianyang only smiled.

“He looks too calm.”

“That means he already knows he’ll win.”

Jian Suifeng raised an eyebrow slightly.

No matter how abnormal Zhuo Fan was—

The cultivation gap still existed.

Sixth-layer Bone Tempering versus first-layer Bone Tempering.

That difference wasn’t small.

The burly guard cracked his neck while walking toward Zhuo Fan.

“You really are heaven-sent fortune.”

“I only need capturing a little brat like you to earn merit from the Seventh Elder.”

“What a bargain.”

Zhuo Fan smiled faintly.

“Men die for wealth.”

“Birds die for food.”

“If you’re in such a hurry to die…”

“…I’ll help you.”

The guard burst into laughter.

“Still talking big at death’s door?”

“One punch is enough to shut you up forever.”

Then suddenly—

BOOM!

His fist exploded forward like a hurricane.

Fast.

Heavy.

Violent.

The air itself screamed apart.

And Zhuo Fan—

Didn’t move.

The punch slammed directly into his face.

A deafening explosion echoed across the mountain path.

Even the spectators’ ears rang painfully from the impact.

Xie Tianyang froze instantly.

The punch landed.

Directly.

Zhuo Fan hadn’t even tried dodging.

Even back in Qi Gathering, he should’ve avoided something like this easily.

So why now—

After breaking into Bone Tempering—

Did his reactions seem slower?

“Big Brother Zhuo!”

Xue Ningxiang screamed in panic.

Meanwhile—

The Nether Valley guards burst into laughter.

“I knew he’d lose, but this fast?”

“He couldn’t even dodge?”

“This brat killed our elders?”

“If that’s true, then I’m the strongest cultivator alive!”

“Damn it, such easy merit…”

The mocking voices spread everywhere.

Even You Ming’s fear began weakening gradually.

Maybe his master was right.

Maybe Zhuo Fan wasn’t terrifying without formations.

Only Ghost Seven remained silent.

His eyes narrowed carefully.

Then suddenly—

A horrifying scream erupted.

“AAAAAAHHHHH!”

The burly guard staggered backward frantically while clutching his arm.

His entire arm had twisted unnaturally.

Broken completely.

As if he had punched solid steel.

Meanwhile—

Zhuo Fan still stood there calmly.

Expressionless.

His face remained completely unharmed.

It was as though the punch had never touched him at all.

Jian Suifeng’s eyes widened violently.

“How is that possible?!”

“A first-layer Bone Tempering cultivator…”

“…used his face to shatter a sixth-layer cultivator’s arm?”

Even Xie Tianyang looked stunned.

This wasn’t merely abnormal anymore.

It was monstrous.

Even Heaven Profound experts shouldn’t possess physical bodies this terrifying.

The laughter vanished instantly.

Every expression became fear.

Zhuo Fan ignored them completely.

He slowly walked toward the injured guard.

The man raised his head in terror.

Then—

PFFT.

A wet sound echoed softly.

The guard’s eyes bulged outward instantly.

Blood spilled endlessly from his mouth.

Zhuo Fan’s fist had punched directly through his chest.

Effortlessly.

As though the man’s body were made from paper.

The guard stood frozen several seconds longer.

Confused.

Unable to understand how death arrived so quickly.

Then Zhuo Fan casually shook his arm.

The corpse flew upward before crashing onto the ground like rotten mud.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Everyone stared at the corpse.

Then slowly looked back toward Zhuo Fan.

Cold fear spread through the crowd uncontrollably.

What exactly…

…was this monster?

Zhuo Fan slowly raised his eyes.

Then smiled.

“Who’s next?”

[End of Chapter Seventy-Seven]

 

Chapter Seventy-Eight — The Human Weapon

Monstrous.

That was the only word left in everyone’s mind.

What Zhuo Fan displayed could no longer be described as merely powerful. Strength alone was insufficient to explain it.

This was something abnormal.

Something terrifying.

Bone Tempering was already the greatest stage for refining the physical body. Once cultivators advanced beyond it, they would never again possess such perfect opportunities to forge flesh and bone.

Even Heaven Profound experts, despite being vastly stronger than Bone Tempering cultivators, could at most crush organs and shatter bodies using overwhelming spiritual power.

But Zhuo Fan?

He had casually punched straight through a sixth-layer Bone Tempering cultivator like tearing through wet paper.

And the most horrifying part—

He had only just entered the first layer himself.

Such a thing had never happened before.

Ever.

“Monster…”

Someone muttered the word unconsciously.

The trembling voice spread through the battlefield.

No one refuted it.

Instead—

Everyone silently agreed.

The fear in their eyes became impossible to hide.

The Nether Valley guards no longer envied the dead man who had stolen their chance at merit earlier.

Now they pitied him.

How unlucky did someone have to be—

To encounter a freak like this?

Suddenly—

WHOOSH!

Before Zhuo Fan could even fully lower his arm—

Two chains shot through the air instantly.

One black.

One white.

They wrapped around him like venomous serpents, binding him completely in the blink of an eye.

At the other end of the chains—

Ghost Seven smiled darkly.

Jian Suifeng’s expression changed immediately.

“Not good.”

“That’s a fourth-grade demonic artifact.”

“Once bound by it, even if the boy possessed heaven-defying abilities, he’s finished.”

His voice carried genuine regret.

Zhuo Fan’s talent was unbelievable. Given time, his future achievements would likely shake the empire itself.

But unfortunately—

He was about to die here.

Xie Tianyang’s face darkened as well.

Even he hadn’t expected Ghost Seven to shamelessly ambush a newly advanced Bone Tempering cultivator in front of everyone.

Yes, Zhuo Fan was terrifyingly strong.

But Ghost Seven was still a Heaven Profound expert.

Doing this openly was disgraceful.

Xue Ningxiang looked even more anxious, her eyes filled with panic.

Meanwhile—

Zhuo Fan slowly lowered his gaze toward the chains wrapped around him.

Then he looked toward Ghost Seven calmly.

“So the Seventh Elder resorts to this kind of trick immediately?”

“Doesn’t that damage Nether Valley’s reputation a little?”

Ghost Seven’s eyes twitched slightly before he laughed hoarsely.

“Smart.”

“Very smart.”

“There aren’t many people in the Tianyu Empire capable of seeing through my intentions instantly.”

“You really are extraordinary, little monster.”

Zhuo Fan laughed softly.

“The Seventh Elder truly is cautious.”

“I admire it.”

“Honestly, I came here today without any complicated schemes.”

“I simply wanted fighting you directly.”

“But somehow…”

“…you still acted this carefully.”

Ghost Seven’s face darkened slightly.

On the surface, Zhuo Fan sounded complimentary.

In reality—

He was openly mocking Ghost Seven for being cowardly and paranoid.

And worst of all—

He was doing it in front of everyone.

“Brat,” Ghost Seven hissed coldly, “continue provoking me and I’ll tear you apart right now.”

Zhuo Fan merely tilted his head lazily.

“Am I wrong?”

“With your personality, enemies should be eliminated immediately.”

“But after I arrived…”

“…you didn’t attack personally.”

“Instead, you sent your disciple first.”

“When that coward lost his nerve completely, you conveniently used the excuse of removing his heart demon to send another idiot to test me.”

“If he won, great.”

“If he died…”

“…you could simply wait for the exact moment I relaxed.”

“Then attack from behind.”

“Just like now.”

Silence.

Then realization spread across the battlefield instantly.

Even Jian Suifeng’s expression shifted.

Cold sweat formed behind his back.

Only now did he fully understand Ghost Seven’s plan.

The old monster had created an entire layered scheme the moment he saw Zhuo Fan.

Every move.

Every reaction.

Every sacrifice.

Calculated.

Even against a mere Bone Tempering cultivator, Ghost Seven remained absurdly careful.

That was what made him truly frightening.

But then—

Jian Suifeng looked toward Zhuo Fan again.

Because what terrified him even more—

Was the fact that Zhuo Fan had seen through all of it immediately.

The depth of that perception…

…was no less terrifying than Ghost Seven himself.

Ghost Seven suddenly laughed coldly.

“So what if you saw through it?”

“You’re still trapped in my hands.”

His fingers tightened around the chains slowly.

“As long as I squeeze…”

“…you’ll be shredded into pieces instantly.”

Zhuo Fan stared at him silently for a moment.

Then suddenly burst into laughter.

“Hahaha…”

“I called you sinister earlier…”

“…so why are you acting stupid now?”

Ghost Seven’s eyes narrowed instantly.

Zhuo Fan’s smile widened.

“If I already saw through your plan…”

“…why would I walk into it carelessly?”

The moment the words fell—

BOOM!

Thunder exploded across the battlefield.

A golden flash erupted violently behind Zhuo Fan.

Before Ghost Seven could even react—

The black-and-white chains exploded apart instantly.

Lightning roared.

Golden light surged.

And behind Zhuo Fan—

A pair of massive wings unfolded slowly.

Each wing stretched nearly ten meters long.

Golden metallic light flowed across every feather while arcs of crackling lightning danced around them endlessly.

Xie Tianyang’s eyes widened violently.

“Thundercloud Sparrow wings?!”

Back when the Thundercloud Sparrow died, its corpse had been handed entirely to Zhuo Fan.

But never in his wildest imagination had he expected Zhuo Fan to refine its wings into such a terrifying artifact.

A sixth-grade spirit beast.

Refined together with Diamond Quicksand.

This thing was at minimum—

A sixth-grade demonic artifact.

No wonder Zhuo Fan dared challenge Ghost Seven directly.

Ghost Seven’s expression finally became serious.

“A sixth-grade flight artifact…”

“I see now.”

“With that level of speed, you truly can rival Heaven Profound experts.”

Then his voice darkened.

“But Heaven Profound cultivators are terrifying for far more than speed.”

“I know,” Zhuo Fan replied calmly.

“The true terror of Heaven Profound lies in close combat mastery.”

“No ordinary flight artifact can compensate for that gap.”

Then suddenly—

The Yin-Yang chains shot toward him again.

One aimed for his heart.

The other for his head.

The attack sealed every escape route perfectly.

But at that exact moment—

Something impossible happened.

The Thundercloud Sparrow wings bent sharply like living arms.

Then—

SMASH!

The massive wings slapped both chains aside instantly.

The attack missed Zhuo Fan completely.

Everyone froze.

Ghost Seven froze.

Even Jian Suifeng lost composure entirely.

“How is that possible?!”

Flight artifacts were dead objects.

They weren’t alive.

They couldn’t move independently.

Yet Zhuo Fan’s wings had reacted naturally like extensions of his body.

The battlefield fell silent once more.

Only Zhuo Fan smiled faintly.

“Who told you…”

“…this is an artifact?”

Because it wasn’t.

Not anymore.

Normal demonic artifacts were external tools.

But Zhuo Fan had refined the Thundercloud Sparrow wings directly into his own body.

They were no longer equipment.

They were flesh.

Part of him.

Like two additional arms.

At this moment—

Zhuo Fan himself had become a living weapon.

If the wings counted as a sixth-grade artifact—

Then his body, forged entirely through Diamond Quicksand refinement—

Was itself a fifth-grade demonic weapon.

A true human-shaped weapon.

A horrifying secret art created only by the Nine Serenities Demon Emperor himself.

Even Sacred Domain experts would struggle imagining such madness.

Ghost Seven’s face twisted violently.

“Damn monster!”

For the first time—

Even he lost composure completely.

The chains exploded outward again.

One became two.

Two became four.

Four became eight—

In an instant, countless chain shadows filled the sky like a black-and-white storm crashing down from every direction.

A complete slaughter formation.

No blind spots.

No escape.

Ghost Seven intended reducing Zhuo Fan to minced flesh instantly.

Yet Zhuo Fan simply smiled.

Calm.

Relaxed.

Then—

The wings behind him vanished into pure lightning.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Thunder exploded nonstop.

Metal collided violently.

The battlefield filled with endless sparks and roaring impacts.

Yet no one could actually see the battle anymore.

The chains had disappeared.

The wings had disappeared.

Only flashes of lightning remained.

Only Zhuo Fan’s figure standing at the center could still barely be seen.

Everything else—

Moved too fast.

This—

Was the true speed of Heaven Profound combat.

Everyone stared blankly.

For the first time, they truly understood the gap between themselves and monsters like these.

Then slowly—

Their eyes returned toward Zhuo Fan.

And the shock deepened even further.

Because Zhuo Fan—

Was only Bone Tempering.

Xie Tianyang stood frozen completely.

One day.

Only one day.

That was all it took.

And Zhuo Fan had already grown into something this terrifying.

Finally, he turned toward Jian Suifeng.

“Eighth Elder…”

“Who’s winning?”

Jian Suifeng never took his eyes off the battlefield.

His gaze burned intensely.

“Ghost Seven’s offense remains stronger.”

“But Zhuo Fan’s defense is flawless.”

“For now…”

“…Ghost Seven still holds the advantage.”

Xie Tianyang laughed bitterly.

Once upon a time, Zhuo Fan needed formations to defeat him.

Now?

In direct combat—

He probably wasn’t even qualified to challenge him anymore.

And the distance between them…

…was still growing.

Fast.

[End of Chapter Seventy-Eight]