Chapter 558: Entering the Demonic Path

In the blink of an eye, Yu Liancheng had already stepped into the Stone Gate.

Inside the Stone Gate, darkness surged like a tide, and strands of cold, violent Qi permeated the entire space. It was so thick it was almost suffocating. It was as if a "Demon" were hidden within the darkness—a Demon that took pleasure in slaughter and had sworn to massacre all living beings in the world. No matter who stayed in such an environment, they would feel their hair stand on end.

But Yu Liancheng did not.

His expression was calm; he merely flicked his finger, and several lamps ignited out of thin air around him. The flames flickered, and the faint light revealed the true appearance of the interior of the Stone Gate.

Inside the Stone Gate, it was actually a cavern.

On both sides of the cavern stood bookshelves, neatly stocked with quite a few books, most of which were classics related to Buddhist and Daoist teachings.

On the floor of the stone cavern, there was a black and white Taiji pattern similar to the one on the Stone Gate. On the pattern sat a chessboard, and a person sat before it, positioned exactly at the black and white junction of the Taiji pattern.

This person had a three-foot-long beard on his chin, as snow-white as his eyebrows and temples. His presence was steady, like an abyss or the sea, unfathomable, giving one the air of a Grandmaster standing like a mountain. Yet, that face was particularly terrifying; it was half-black and half-white, as if sliced apart by Yin and Yang. The white side looked calm, with a faint sense of being detached from the world. The black side, however, was ferocious and evil, carrying a sense of cruelty and bloodlust.

This black-and-white divided face was as if... as if two people with diametrically opposed personalities had been stuffed into this one body. Right and Evil, Yin and Yang, Black and White... were all clearly revealed on his face.

This person was none other than—Di Yi Xie Huang.

It was indeed filled with an eerie, evil flavor.

"Who are you?"

Di Yi Xie Huang slowly raised his head, his gaze shifting from the chessboard to Yu Liancheng. In the slightly dim cavern, dark red blood-light flickered within those deep, world-weary eyes, like two swaying ghost fires.

"This seat is Yu Liancheng."

Yu Liancheng sat cross-legged and swept his gaze over the chessboard, seeing the black and white pieces intertwined. It appeared to be a fierce battle, evenly matched. Yet, subtly, the black pieces held the upper hand, pressing forward step by step.

Thus, he picked up a white piece and casually set it down.

At the same time, Yu Liancheng suddenly noticed the hands Di Yi Xie Huang had resting on his knees.

These hands were just as strange as his face. One hand was withered, the skin like the shriveled bark of a pine tree, as if belonging to a decrepit old man. The other hand, however, was as smooth as jade, fair and slender, surpassing that of a young maiden.

Previously, it was with these two strange hands that Di Yi Xie Huang had played both black and white, as if a man and a demon within his heart were playing against each other.

"Yu Liancheng?"

Di Yi Xie Huang's brows furrowed slightly, and suddenly, a red light burst from his eyes as a tyrannical, fierce blade Qi emanated from his body: "The 'Fear' of the Fear List, Yu Liancheng."

Although Di Yi Xie Huang lived in seclusion in the Zheng Xie Dao, his old friend Di San Zhu Huang would occasionally come to visit him.

And the last time Di San Zhu Huang came, he told Di Yi Xie Huang about the newly released Fear List and the Battle of Wushuang City.

In an instant, Di Yi Xie Huang's killing intent surged, full of fighting spirit.

For such a peerless blade master, a worthy opponent was hard to find.

"The heart is like ice, unperturbed even if the sky falls; calm, calm."

Yu Liancheng wore a smile and calmly recited two lines of the "Heart-Freezing Art."

As his words fell, a biting coldness rose from within Di Yi Xie Huang's heart. That fierce fighting spirit and killing intent, which had been like flaming magma, were instantly extinguished, and even the demonic intent in his heart showed signs of being frozen.

"Such strong cultivation of the state of mind."

Di Yi Xie Huang was immediately startled; the person before him not only had astonishing cultivation, but his power of mind was also inconceivable: "You wouldn't visit without a reason. Speak. Why have you come to find me?"

As he spoke, the Evil King had already set down a black piece.

"I do indeed have a matter to discuss with you, but before that, I must tell you a secret from three hundred years ago so that you understand the full sequence of events." Yu Liancheng then set down a white piece.

"I am all ears," said Di Yi Xie Huang.

"Three hundred years ago, there was a monk in the Buddhist sect named 'Wu Hui'. Because his master did not pass the mantle to him before passing away, he killed all his fellow disciples in a fit of rage and stirred up a storm of blood in the Edo."

"Heh, this monk is quite suited for my Demonic Blade."

Yu Liancheng did not mind the interruption and continued: "Wu Hui was thus hunted by the Buddhist sect. Although his martial arts were high, how could he withstand the deep foundations of the Buddhist sect? He was hunted with no way to heaven and no door to earth. Yet, by a stroke of fate, Wu Hui accidentally stumbled into the 'Jiukong Wujie'."

"Jiukong Wujie?"

"The so-called Jiukong Wujie is a peculiar secret realm. Here, the sky is empty! The earth is empty! People are empty! Gods are empty! Buddhas are empty! The sun is empty! The moon is empty! The stars are empty! Time is empty! It is infinite and boundless, hence the name. All the monks thought Wu Hui would surely die in the Jiukong Wujie, but unexpectedly, half a year later, Wu Hui not only emerged from the Jiukong Wujie but also brought out a fierce blade capable of turning the world upside down, named—Jie Wang."

"Wu Hui then proclaimed himself the Blood Ancestor, wielding Jie Wang, and stirred up a storm of blood in the Edo, turning the Central Plains into a river of blood. The Buddhist sect, in particular, suffered miserably with countless deaths and injuries. Finally, a group of Edo figures invited Yun Dingtian, who held the reputation of being the 'Guan Yu Reincarnate', to come out of seclusion to deal with Wu Hui."

"Yun Dingtian's cultivation was supreme, and he possessed the world-renowned divine blade 'Nu Pi Xie', engaging in a most tragic and fierce battle with Wu Hui. In the end, relying on his superb martial arts, Yun Dingtian won a pyrrhic victory."

Di Yi Xie Huang calmly set down a black piece and said: "A cliché story."

"It is just a pity that this cliché story did not reach its curtain call."

"Oh?"

"When Yun Dingtian was eliminating Wu Hui, his family of thirty-six caught a plague. So as not to affect Yun Dingtian, his wife did not tell him, instead praying to gods and Buddhas, until the entire family perished."

"Upon learning this news, Yun Dingtian was devastated and struck the Jie Wang he had obtained from Wu Hui against his Nu Pi Xie. If Nu Pi Xie could break Jie Wang, it would prove that there was still a righteous path in the world. But heaven did not grant his wish; as the two blades clashed, Nu Pi Xie was shattered by Jie Wang, and fragments even became embedded in Jie Wang, thus forming a most fierce and evil demonic blade—the Great Evil King."

"Heh, heaven toys with men. This world is filled with turbidity and malice; the so-called 'good deeds bring good rewards' is nothing but a deceptive trick. It is better to be a Demon; even if one dies, at least one can settle scores with pleasure."

Hearing this, Di Yi Xie Huang shook his head: "By the way, what happened to the story later?"

Yu Liancheng smiled faintly: "The later story is like a cycle. Yun Dingtian completely fell into the path of the Demon, wielding the Great Evil King and slaughtering all living beings. Then, a peerless blade master named 'Wu Wuer' emerged. This blade master fought Yun Dingtian for ten days and ten nights, and although he created a miraculous move during the battle to defeat Yun Dingtian, he himself died of exhaustion."

"Although Yun Dingtian was defeated, he lived on, arrogant as ever, until thunder rolled, seeking to punish the evil with lightning. Unwilling to die under the will of heaven, he used the Great Evil King to commit suicide, issuing a final curse before death: to extinguish all Buddhist law in the world, and that the Wu family would be mediocre for generations. Later, the Buddhist sect took the Great Evil King and sealed it within the Ku Xin Fo in Wan Jie Gu, chanting scriptures day and night to suppress the Great Evil King."

"The will of heaven and creation are the most playful of all." After hearing this story, even Di Yi Xie Huang could not help but sigh softly, the red light in his eyes flickering slightly: "However, what does this have to do with me?"

"Don't be impatient, listen as I continue."

Yu Liancheng smiled slightly and set down a white piece. His chess skills grew more brilliant alongside his cultivation; now, the white pieces had a trend of turning defeat into victory.

"Three hundred years later, someone wanted to forge a Peerless Divine Weapon. He first took the 'Four Great Strange Stones' from the Fear List, which were left behind by Nüwa and possessed righteous energy. But this person was neither righteous nor evil, and his martial arts encompassed everything. Therefore, he needed an Evil Weapon to suppress it, so that the weapon would be neither righteous nor evil. Thus, a few days ago, this person went to Wan Jie Gu, broke the Ku Xin Fo, and took the Great Evil King."

"But the Great Evil King had been suppressed by the Buddhist sect for three hundred years; wanting to awaken it is not a simple matter. The best method is to gather four Evil Weapons and, in the 'Four Absolutes' Fatal Period' decades from now, draw it out using the pattern of 'Divine Weapons Locking the Four Directions, Challenging the Evil Among Evils'."

"But unfortunately, that person could not wait that long, nor did he have the heart to collect four Evil Weapons. That person thought, if there existed something even more evil than the four Evil Weapons, combined with his methods, it might not be impossible to awaken the Great Evil King."

After listening, Di Yi Xie Huang understood in his heart and said calmly: "So, that person is you, the 'Fear' of the Fear List, Yu Liancheng. And the existence more evil than the four Evil Weapons is me, Di Yi Xie Huang."

Yu Liancheng clapped his hands and laughed: "Congratulations, you guessed it."

"May I have a look at the Great Evil King?"

"Of course."

Yu Liancheng flicked his sleeve, and a blade case instantly appeared within the Life and Death Gate.

Di Yi Xie Huang took the blade case into his palm and stroked it lightly; the case immediately emitted a humming vibration, as if it had come alive. From the gaps in the blade case, a faint blood mist diffused outward. This blood mist possessed the power to stir up murderous thoughts and baleful energy in one's heart. However, it was a pity that for Yu Liancheng and Di Yi Xie Huang, it had not the slightest effect.

After the object inside the case had been restless for a while, it gradually quieted down, only the Buddhism carvings on the blade case grew increasingly dim.

"It is a pity, it seems this Di Yi Xie Huang of mine is not evil enough, not demonic enough, and cannot truly awaken the Great Evil King..." Di Yi Xie Huang shook his head and tossed the Great Evil King back to Yu Liancheng.

Yu Liancheng caught the blade case and laughed: "Fortunately, I still have a backup plan."

"Oh?"

Yu Liancheng flipped his palm, and a drop of fresh blood floated within it.

"Roar!" Within the fresh blood, there actually seemed to be a fierce beast roaring, and that violent, ferocious aura surged outward in all directions like waves and tides. Its baleful energy was enough to make any expert gasp in astonishment.

"This is..."

Under the agitation of this fresh blood, the red light in Di Yi Xie Huang's eyes surged violently, his demonic intent boiled, almost impossible to suppress, and even his body began to tremble slightly.

"Kirin Blood and the Nie family's mad blood..."

Yu Liancheng said in a calm voice: "It will help your strength skyrocket, and at the same time make you a Demon among Demons. When that time comes, I do not believe this Broken blade will not obediently awaken."

Di Yi Xie Huang gripped his knees tightly with both arms, his whole body trembling intensified, the red light in his eyes grew increasingly bright, and his entire person simultaneously emitted a monstrous demonic intent; he almost gritted his teeth, spitting out word by word: "Take it away, take it away... I will not be able to control myself, I will fall into the Demon path... I will be unable to extract... the Great Evil King for you..."

"Hehe, today you must fall into the Demon path whether you want to or not. But rest assured, I will assist you in elevating your 'Demonic Heart' to another level, and grasping it, to reach the 'Demonic Heart Crossing' realm where all things follow the heart's desire and the Demonic Heart is used for oneself."

While speaking, Yu Liancheng flicked his finger, shooting the Kirin Blood into the center of Di Yi Xie Huang's brow.

Boom!

The next moment, the monstrous demonic intent, killing intent, and baleful energy all erupted, shaking the entire stone cave until it swayed, and gravel and dust fell with a rustle. The Di Yi Xie Huang before him was already a leader of the Demon path, only he had always been suppressing that demonic intent. But now, the demonic intent had completely erupted, and coupled with the power of the Kirin Blood, the two complemented each other perfectly; the demonic intent was simply earth-shattering.

"Die!"

The last trace of clarity in his eyes faded, and his face, which had originally been divided into black and white, was completely occupied by black.

At this moment, Di Yi Xie Huang could truly be considered to have fallen into the Demon path, a Demon among Demons.

Following an earth-shattering roar, rolling demonic Qi emanated from his body, as if substantial, transforming into a demonic blade, and with a wild and domineering momentum, it slashed toward Yu Liancheng.

——Demonic Blade First Form, Demonic Qi Rampant!

Boom!

The Life and Death Gate suddenly shattered.

A ferocious blade mark appeared in the cave, and wisps of demonic Qi drifted like smoke upon the blade mark.

Yu Liancheng, however, had already drifted outside the Life and Death Gate.

Di Yi Xie Huang transformed into a streak of black smoke and swept out, the blade of demonic Qi in his hand sweeping across, whipping up a powerful hurricane, black Qi rolling, like a Demon walking the path, and wherever it passed, all vitality was extinguished.

——Demonic Blade Second Form, Demon Path Rampage!

Yu Liancheng held his palms in a circle, harmonizing the void. Then, with a light pull and lead, he vented all the blade Qi and demonic Qi onto the ground; the ground within a radius of ten zhang was instantly as if it had been subjected to a carpet bombing.

And Di Yi Xie Huang swung his blade again, the blade momentum becoming increasingly powerful, like a mountain collapsing and the sea overturning. Blade light flew everywhere, transforming into hundreds of black blade Qi. And every strand of blade Qi, as it traveled, actually transformed into a "Di Yi Xie Huang" holding a demonic blade, attacking with different moves. In an instant, layer upon layer, filling the sky and earth, were all Di Yi Xie Huang, all the First Demonic Blade.

——Demonic Blade Eighth Form, Dance of the Demon Horde.

Yu Liancheng let out a long whistle, the sound like a surging tide, causing ripples to rise in the void, and the thousands of demonic shadows also shattered one after another, the demonic Qi dissipating.

"A fine Di Yi Xie Huang, you truly did not disappoint me. However, I cannot let you continue to perform like this. Come, let me help you complete the Demonic Heart Crossing, so the Demonic Heart is used for yourself."

Yu Liancheng could feel that this Blade Emperor's aura was growing increasingly strong; if the opponent were not him, I fear that even a figure like Xiongba would be torn into countless fragments by the blade Qi in an instant.

And this was merely the power after first falling into the Demon path.

Once fully fallen into the Demon path, that strength would rise to another level.

After witnessing the nine forms of the Demonic Blade, Yu Liancheng's figure changed suddenly, instantly appearing before the mad and demonic Di Yi Xie Huang, slightly raising his arm, his fingers together like a sword, and pointing at the latter's brow.

"The heart is like ice and clear, the heavens collapsing and it is not startled. All changes remain fixed, the spirit is calm and the Qi is still. Forgetting the self and guarding the one, the six senses are greatly settled..."