THE DEVIL IN THE DETAILS

Chapter Seventy-Nine — Humiliation

BOOM!

The thunder and metallic collisions stopped instantly.

Zhuo Fan’s eyes narrowed slightly as his wings froze mid-motion.

Ghost Seven had disappeared.

A sudden chill crawled across his instincts.

Then—

WHOOSH!

The sound of tearing air exploded behind him.

Zhuo Fan’s expression shifted instantly. His Thundercloud wings bent backward at impossible angles and slammed outward.

CLANG! CLANG!

The Yin-Yang chains smashed directly into the wings, sparks erupting violently through the air.

But at that exact moment—

A cold black spike pierced toward Zhuo Fan’s back.

Ghost Seven had appeared behind him.

Third-grade demonic artifact—

Fish Intestine Thorn.

“Hehehe…”

Ghost Seven grinned viciously.

“Let’s see what tricks you have left now, brat.”

At this moment, Zhuo Fan’s wings were occupied blocking the Yin-Yang chains. He couldn’t move freely.

A third-grade demonic artifact attacking from behind—

This was a perfect killing strike.

Even Ghost Seven himself admitted inwardly that if their positions were reversed, escaping this situation would be nearly impossible.

But Zhuo Fan only smiled faintly.

“Phantom Tracing Step.”

SWISH!

His foot tapped lightly against the ground.

Then he vanished.

Instantly.

The Fish Intestine Thorn pierced through empty air while the Yin-Yang chains lost their target completely. Ghost Seven stumbled slightly forward from the sudden imbalance.

And in that tiny opening—

Zhuo Fan appeared behind him.

The Thundercloud wings hacked downward like executioner blades toward Ghost Seven’s neck.

Ghost Seven’s face changed drastically.

The Yin-Yang chains whipped backward instinctively to defend.

CLANG! CLANG!

Another explosion of metallic sparks erupted.

But this time—

The positions had reversed.

Moments ago, Ghost Seven attacked while Zhuo Fan defended.

Now?

Zhuo Fan attacked.

Ghost Seven defended.

The exchange lasted only an instant.

Yet the result shocked everyone watching.

Because Zhuo Fan had actually gained the upper hand.

Even Jian Suifeng hadn’t expected this.

The infamous Ghost Seven—

Nether Valley’s greatest schemer—

Was being suppressed by a young Bone Tempering cultivator.

Zhuo Fan’s wings pressed heavily against the chains while Ghost Seven’s body bent lower and lower under the force.

Then Zhuo Fan smiled coldly.

“Getting ambushed from behind doesn’t feel very good, does it, Seventh Elder?”

“If I had a third-grade artifact in my hand right now…”

“…you’d already be dead.”

“But when you had the same opportunity against me…”

“…I survived.”

Ghost Seven’s face flushed red instantly.

His breathing became ragged.

Because Zhuo Fan’s words weren’t just mockery.

They were humiliation.

Ghost Seven’s greatest pride had never been his cultivation.

It was his mind.

His title.

Seven Apertures Ghost Mind.

The greatest strategist in Nether Valley.

Yet Zhuo Fan had just openly implied something terrifying—

If their positions were reversed…

…Zhuo Fan would’ve finished the kill already.

That was the deepest insult possible.

Others could curse Ghost Seven for being cruel, vicious, shameless—

He didn’t care.

But nobody—

Nobody—

Was allowed insulting his intelligence.

That was his reverse scale.

And right now—

Zhuo Fan was crushing it beneath his heel.

Finally—

Ghost Seven snapped.

“You little bastard!”

His face twisted violently.

“Don’t get carried away!”

BOOM!

Terrifying Heaven Profound energy exploded outward instantly.

The shockwave blasted Zhuo Fan backward as Ghost Seven’s speed erupted fully.

In the blink of an eye—

The Yin-Yang chains transformed into countless afterimages slicing through the battlefield.

This time, Ghost Seven had stopped holding back entirely.

The chains moved far faster than before.

But Zhuo Fan merely laughed.

His body blurred instantly.

Phantom Tracing Step combined with Thundercloud wings.

His speed exploded upward again.

Not weaker than Ghost Seven.

Not slower.

Equal.

The battlefield instantly dissolved into chaos.

Two afterimages flashed wildly across the plaza.

East.

West.

North.

South.

Lightning exploded nonstop while chains carved through the air like storms.

No one could follow their movements anymore.

At times, the battle even erupted directly beside the Nether Valley guards.

The guards nearly collapsed from terror.

They couldn’t see either fighter.

Only violent winds.

Thunder.

Explosions.

And death brushing past their faces.

“Eighth Elder…”

Xie Tianyang swallowed hard.

“How’s the battle now?”

Jian Suifeng raised a hand silently, signaling him not to speak.

His eyes remained locked onto the battlefield with unprecedented intensity.

Even he could barely follow them now.

Then—

BOOM!

A massive explosion echoed across the plaza.

Both figures finally separated.

Zhuo Fan landed calmly with folded arms, completely relaxed.

Meanwhile—

Ghost Seven’s breathing had become uneven.

His face was slightly flushed.

But what truly shocked everyone—

Was his expression.

The terror in his eyes looked almost identical to Jian Suifeng’s.

“Who… won?”

Xie Tianyang asked instinctively.

Jian Suifeng hesitated briefly.

Then answered slowly.

“You’ll understand in a moment.”

The instant the words fell—

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Thunder exploded across the battlefield.

Over twenty Nether Valley Bone Tempering guards suddenly detonated where they stood.

Heads exploded.

Bodies shattered.

Blood and organs sprayed across the plaza instantly.

The surviving guards screamed in horror and retreated dozens of meters immediately.

Cold sweat drenched their backs.

Only Zhuo Fan and Ghost Seven remained standing silently at the center.

As though they had expected this outcome all along.

Xie Tianyang stared blankly at the corpses.

“What… happened?”

Jian Suifeng exhaled deeply.

Then he looked toward Zhuo Fan with complicated eyes.

“Your friend…”

“…is terrifying.”

“I’ve never seen Ghost Seven suppressed this badly before.”

“At first, they were evenly matched.”

“I thought Zhuo Fan had already gone all out.”

“But later…”

“…his speed suddenly increased again.”

Xie Tianyang froze.

“Increased again?!”

Jian Suifeng nodded slowly.

“But that’s not the frightening part.”

“The frightening part…”

“…is that he didn’t use that speed advantage to kill Ghost Seven directly.”

“He used it…”

“…to slaughter Ghost Seven’s subordinates right in front of him.”

Silence.

Xie Tianyang blinked in confusion.

“But why?”

“If he had the chance, shouldn’t he attack Ghost Seven directly?”

Jian Suifeng suddenly laughed bitterly.

“That’s exactly why he’s terrifying.”

“He’s humiliating Ghost Seven deliberately.”

“A Heaven Profound elder…”

“…unable to protect his own subordinates.”

“The mighty Seven Apertures Ghost Mind…”

“…being toyed with by a Bone Tempering junior like a trapped animal.”

“Ghost Seven can only watch helplessly while Zhuo Fan kills his people under his nose.”

“How could he possibly endure that humiliation?”

Jian Suifeng’s smile slowly faded.

Then his voice became serious.

“Ghost Seven and Zhuo Fan are the same type of monster.”

“If you offend people like them…”

“…death isn’t the worst outcome.”

“They’ll strip away everything you value first.”

“Your pride.”

“Your reputation.”

“Your confidence.”

“They won’t just kill you.”

“They’ll make sure you die humiliated.”

Then suddenly—

Jian Suifeng burst into loud laughter.

“Good!”

“Excellent!”

“Ghost Seven has spent his entire life tormenting others.”

“Now he’s finally met an even crueler little demon!”

The laughter echoed across the battlefield.

Ghost Seven’s face twitched violently.

His teeth nearly shattered from clenching too hard.

Yet when he looked toward Zhuo Fan—

Only dread remained.

Because after their direct clash—

He finally understood something horrifying.

Zhuo Fan was stronger than him.

Not slightly.

Completely.

The boy could casually handle his attacks while slaughtering his subordinates simultaneously.

And Ghost Seven couldn’t stop him.

Not at all.

Worse—

Zhuo Fan’s mind was just as dangerous.

For the first time in his life—

Ghost Seven felt powerless.

No.

This couldn’t continue.

If this dragged on any longer—

He would be destroyed completely.

Then suddenly—

Ghost Seven’s eyes flashed sharply.

A desperate idea formed in his mind.

He didn’t know if it would work.

Especially against someone like Zhuo Fan.

But he had no other choice.

One move.

Everything would be decided in one move.

The Yin-Yang chains shot forward again.

Zhuo Fan smirked coldly.

“That useless thing again?”

His wings folded into a defensive posture.

But just before the chains reached him—

They curved suddenly.

Changing direction completely.

Straight toward—

Xue Ningxiang.

The girl froze instantly in terror.

But before the chains could touch her—

BOOM!

Lightning flashed.

Zhuo Fan appeared before her instantly.

The Thundercloud wings slammed outward violently and knocked the chains away.

Ghost Seven froze briefly.

Then suddenly burst into hysterical laughter.

“Hahahaha!”

“So that’s it!”

“So THAT’S IT!”

“Zhuo Fan…”

“…I finally found your weakness.”

His eyes gleamed viciously.

“Back in the Ten Thousand Beast Mountains, you were cold.”

“Ruthless.”

“Completely self-serving.”

“That version of you made me truly cautious.”

“That’s why I believed you came today purely for revenge.”

“But now…”

Ghost Seven’s smile widened slowly.

“I finally understand.”

“You came for her.”

Zhuo Fan stared at him coldly.

“So what?”

“You’re still going to die today.”

But Ghost Seven only laughed harder.

“If you remained emotionless…”

“…I truly might’ve feared you.”

“But now?”

“You’ve developed feelings.”

“And the moment a monster gains attachments…”

“…it becomes controllable.”

His smile turned vicious.

“Now…”

“I hold victory in my hands.”

[End of Chapter Seventy-Nine]

 

Chapter Eighty — One Move to Kill

Ghost Seven rose into the air instantly.

His fingers formed rapid seals.

Then—

A massive ghostly face appeared above the battlefield.

Wailing souls twisted around it endlessly, screaming with unbearable agony.

Jian Suifeng’s expression changed immediately.

“Nether Valley’s Profound-rank martial art…”

“Ghost Face Seal.”

His voice turned grave.

“This technique specifically attacks the soul.”

“It’s almost impossible to defend against.”

“Below the Radiant Stage, anyone struck by it either falls unconscious…”

“…or loses both body and soul completely.”

Though his voice was quiet, every word carried clearly to Zhuo Fan.

A warning.

Ghost Seven obviously noticed.

But instead of stopping—

He laughed.

“Brat, if you dodge…”

“…the Ghost Face Seal will hit the girl behind you instead.”

“I doubt you can carry her and outrun this technique simultaneously.”

Xue Ningxiang panicked instantly.

“Big Brother Zhuo!”

“You have to dodge!”

“Don’t worry about me!”

“As long as you save my father and grandfather…”

“…even if I die, I’ll still thank you!”

Zhuo Fan glanced back at her briefly.

Then smiled.

“No.”

His voice remained calm.

“She’s mine.”

“As long as I’m here…”

“…you won’t touch her.”

Ghost Seven burst into laughter.

“Good!”

“Then I’ll kill you instead!”

BOOM!

The massive ghost face crashed downward instantly.

Thousands of gray streams exploded around Zhuo Fan like starving spirits devouring flesh.

The battlefield filled with horrifying screams.

It sounded like countless tortured souls tearing at his body and mind simultaneously.

Xie Tianyang’s face went pale.

He turned toward Jian Suifeng instinctively.

But the old elder only sighed helplessly.

Even true Heaven Profound cultivators struggled against Ghost Face Seal.

A Bone Tempering cultivator should have no chance surviving it.

Xue Ningxiang collapsed to her knees crying.

Meanwhile—

Ghost Seven laughed viciously from the sky.

“Brat.”

“This is what happens when a demon develops feelings.”

“In the Demonic Path, attachment is fatal.”

Then he looked toward Xue Ningxiang mockingly.

“The boy died because of you.”

The girl’s body trembled violently.

If not for protecting her—

Zhuo Fan could have dodged easily.

“Big Brother Zhuo…”

“I’m sorry…”

“It’s all my fault…”

She broke down completely.

Then suddenly—

A laugh echoed from inside the gray storm.

“Foolish girl…”

“Don’t cry in front of that old bastard.”

“The more miserable you look…”

“…the happier he becomes.”

Everyone froze.

Ghost Seven’s pupils contracted violently.

Impossible.

Anyone struck by Ghost Face Seal should already have their soul devoured.

Yet Zhuo Fan’s voice remained perfectly calm.

Then—

A strand of blue flame ignited inside the gray storm.

The effect was immediate.

The screaming ghost streams recoiled in terror.

As if prey had encountered a natural predator.

Moments later—

Zhuo Fan walked out slowly.

A faint blue flame burned at the center of his forehead while the surrounding spirits fled desperately from him.

Ghost Seven’s face finally changed completely.

“What… what is that?!”

Zhuo Fan smiled faintly.

“Heavenly Demon Transformation Art.”

The blue flame suddenly released terrifying suction.

The gray ghost streams screamed while being dragged into the flame one after another.

Then they vanished entirely.

Not a trace remained.

At the same time—

Zhuo Fan could clearly feel his soul growing stronger.

The Heavenly Demon Transformation Art could devour all things.

Previously, Zhuo Fan hadn’t dared absorb souls directly because his own soul lacked sufficient strength.

One mistake would have destroyed him instead.

But after undergoing simultaneous body and soul refinement—

His soul had already surpassed ordinary cultivators beneath the Radiant Stage.

Combined with the protection of the strange blue flame—

These wandering spirits were nothing more than nourishment.

As for the resentment and hatred within them—

The blue flame burned everything clean instantly.

Zhuo Fan slowly lifted his head again toward Ghost Seven.

Disdain filled his eyes openly now.

“That’s all?”

“If you don’t have anything better…”

“…then I’ll stop playing around.”

Ghost Seven’s expression twisted violently.

“You still dare bluff?!”

“You’re saying you weren’t even serious before now?”

But even while shouting—

Fear spread deeper into his chest.

For the first time in his life—

He truly felt powerless.

No matter what technique he used—

Zhuo Fan dismantled it effortlessly.

Worse—

It felt as though the boy had already predicted every move in advance.

Zhuo Fan wasn’t fighting him anymore.

He was humiliating him.

Like a cat tormenting a trapped rat.

And what terrified Ghost Seven most—

Was not death.

It was losing the intelligence and superiority he had built his identity around.

Then—

Zhuo Fan suddenly laughed softly.

“Do you remember what you told me back in the Ten Thousand Beast Mountains?”

Ghost Seven’s pupils shrank.

“In the face of absolute strength…”

“…all schemes and calculations are meaningless.”

Zhuo Fan’s smile widened slowly.

“Today…”

“…I’ll return those exact words to you.”

Then he raised one finger calmly toward the sky.

“One move.”

“I only need one move…”

“…to take your head.”

“BULLSHIT!”

Ghost Seven roared hysterically.

At this point—

He finally understood everything.

Zhuo Fan had come for revenge from the beginning.

Saving Xue Ningxiang was secondary.

Everything else—

The humiliation.

The slaughter.

The mockery.

The psychological torture—

All of it existed for one purpose.

To completely destroy Ghost Seven’s pride.

To prove that his intelligence…

…was worthless before overwhelming power.

Jian Suifeng watched silently from afar.

Cold sweat covered his back.

“This little monster…”

“…is even crueler than Ghost Seven.”

Compared to Ghost Seven—

Zhuo Fan didn’t merely kill people.

He dismantled them psychologically first.

A terrifying figure like this…

If he continued growing—

Even Zhuge Changfeng himself might someday pale beside him.

Zhuo Fan ignored everyone’s reactions entirely.

His eyes remained locked onto Ghost Seven alone.

Excitement flickered faintly within them.

Perhaps all Demonic cultivators enjoyed the same thing—

Breaking people.

Then—

BOOM!

The ground beneath Zhuo Fan exploded instantly.

His body shot upward like a cannon shell straight toward Ghost Seven.

The Yin-Yang chains lashed wildly around him like giant serpents.

But Zhuo Fan’s Thundercloud wings spread fully.

Lightning exploded around his body as he slipped effortlessly between every attack.

The chains couldn’t even touch his clothes.

In the blink of an eye—

He was already before Ghost Seven.

Then he threw a punch.

Ghost Seven suddenly roared.

“Hahaha!”

“You fell for it!”

A third chain shot from his sleeve instantly.

Black and white intertwined together.

It pierced directly toward Zhuo Fan’s heart.

“You didn’t expect it, did you?”

“The Yin-Yang Chains were never only two!”

At last—

Hope reappeared inside Ghost Seven’s eyes.

But Zhuo Fan merely smiled.

“So what?”

“Before absolute power…”

“…your little tricks remain meaningless.”

“And that hidden trump card you saved until now?”

“Still useless.”

The instant the words fell—

A golden streak burst from Zhuo Fan’s body.

Blood Infant.

After being refined completely through Diamond Quicksand—

The Blood Infant had become a true physical existence.

A genuine fifth-grade demonic weapon.

It spun forward like a golden drill.

CRASH!

The third chain shattered instantly upon impact.

Then the Blood Infant continued forward without slowing at all.

Straight through Ghost Seven’s arm.

The entire limb exploded into shredded flesh immediately.

Only then did Ghost Seven finally understand something horrifying.

Zhuo Fan truly had been holding back the entire time.

But there was no time left for despair.

Because Zhuo Fan’s fist had already arrived.

“You little monster…”

Ghost Seven’s eyes turned bloodshot instantly.

“You really think…”

“…you can kill me in one move?!”

At this point, survival no longer mattered.

Only dignity.

Even if he died—

He absolutely could not allow Zhuo Fan’s prediction to become reality.

Otherwise—

He truly would die without peace.

A silver dagger shot from his sleeve instantly.

Third-grade demonic artifact—

Fish Intestine Thorn.

This time, he didn’t aim for Zhuo Fan’s body.

He aimed directly for Zhuo Fan’s fist.

As long as the punch stopped—

Then it wouldn’t count as a one-hit kill.

That tiny fragment of dignity…

…was all Ghost Seven had left.

CLANG!

A crisp metallic sound echoed across the sky.

Then—

The Fish Intestine Thorn shattered instantly.

Broken cleanly in half.

Ghost Seven froze.

His eyes widened completely.

Zhuo Fan’s punch never slowed.

Never stopped.

Never changed direction.

BOOM!

The fist slammed directly into Ghost Seven’s chest.

The old man’s body trembled violently.

Blood exploded from his mouth.

His eyes stared at Zhuo Fan in pure disbelief.

“You…”

“…what the hell are you?”

Zhuo Fan’s expression turned cold.

“I’ll let you die understanding one thing.”

“My body now possesses the durability of a fifth-grade demonic artifact.”

“That pathetic third-grade weapon…”

“…was never capable of harming me.”

Then hatred flickered briefly inside his eyes.

“And as for why I became this monster…”

His voice darkened instantly.

“Wasn’t it all thanks to you?”

BOOM!

With a furious roar, Zhuo Fan smashed Ghost Seven downward violently.

The old man crashed into the earth like a falling meteor.

Buildings exploded apart instantly.

Dust filled the sky.

Blood poured endlessly from Ghost Seven’s mouth.

His eyes remained fixed upward toward Zhuo Fan.

Fear.

Confusion.

Disbelief.

Even until death—

He still didn’t understand.

How exactly had this monster been created?

Then slowly—

His head tilted sideways.

His body stopped moving completely.

But his eyes remained open.

Wide.

Frozen forever in terror.

Ghost Seven—

The Seven Apertures Ghost Mind—

Died without closing his eyes.

[End of Chapter Eighty]