NOVPUB
Chapter 164: The ‘Thing’ That Can Hide the Devils
The situation was more dire than he had thought; the appearance of that creature would surely bring doom to the entire continent. Even though he was now strong enough to face anyone on the continent, he wasn’t sure he could defeat it. A sense of urgency and pressure filled him, warning him that he and the entire continent must prepare for the worst.
"No wonder Duke Badin and the other two duke houses betrayed the continent’s cultivators by working with the devils," he thought. "That creature is beyond anything this continent’s beings can contend with, and their mental fortitude would collapse upon seeing it."
Though the creature he saw in Duke Badin’s memories was only a weaker version of the original, it was still enough to overwhelm anyone with fear. When he first encountered the original alongside the Heavenly Demon, even he had been nearly overcome by fear as well. But his innate resilience, strong mental fortitude, and fierce pride allowed him to transform his fear into rage instead.
If the devils truly plan to summon that creature as a trump card, then the entire continent’s fate will be sealed by prophecy. However, he knew that prophecy was not set in stone. There was a light that would rise to fend off the darkness. The Ivory Empire believed that he was that light, and the Heavenly Direction Church regarded him as the light who would descend to expel the darkness. He really felt the weight of responsibility for the impending battle.
However, amidst this heavy destiny on his shoulders, he remembered what the Heavenly Demon’s wife had told him: his destiny was even greater than that of the Heavenly Demon.
"Yes, if my past is so grand that even the Heavenly Demon’s destiny pales in comparison, then I can also face that creature alone! If the Heavenly Demon could confront it alone, then as the bearer of an even greater destiny, I can certainly face the weaker version of that creature," Aldrian thought resolutely.
"If this is part of my destiny, then so be it. That creature has been getting on my nerves anyway."
With this, he also confirmed that the devils indeed had a connection to that creature. However, he set aside thoughts of the mysterious being for now, focusing instead on the crucial information he had obtained to thwart the devils’ plans.
"So, the ’thing’ that allows the devils hide their true nature isn’t exactly an artifact but rather something they can ingest—created through a collaboration between a blacksmith master, an alchemist, and a cultivator with holy energy. The blacksmith crafts a small item called ’the ball,’ with a diameter like a pill, designed to function as an energy container. The alchemist then takes this ball, placing it into a cauldron with various spiritual herbs, coating it in ingredients that form an outer shell. This shell gives it the appearance and effects of a typical cultivation supplement pill," Aldrian thought.
"And lastly, holy energy is injected into the ball, which then stores this energy inside. When the devils swallow it, the holy energy spreads throughout their body and even reaches their soul, preventing an artifact based on karma, like the Orbs of Origin, from detecting their devil energy." Aldrian frowned deeply.
"What crazy bastards, By swallowing this ball, they’re essentially harming themselves by allowing holy energy to invade their bodies, but they endure this weakening effect as long as it helps them infiltrate their assigned locations. This item is even distributed to all devils below the king stage specifically for infiltration," Aldrian finally understood, grasping the intricacies of what the devils relied on to remain undetected in foreign territories.
However after he knew the way, he look at duke Badin with frustration.
"I’ve been thinking inside the box. By assuming the devils were using an artifact, I locked my mind onto a single possibility, ignoring other options. When the World Tree’s spirit couldn’t detect the devils’ anomaly, I thought the creator must be an emperor-stage blacksmith. But, in truth, this was the combined effort of three professions. I wasn’t entirely wrong, but it still irks me,"
"No wonder when I saw some of their memories, they were consuming pills that supposedly supplemented their cultivation. I thought they were just ordinary pills—common enough that many cultivators have them." Though he felt tricked, he was glad to finally understand the truth.
He sighed before picking up the information crystal he’d placed here to record Duke Badin’s confession. Lifting the unconscious duke onto his shoulder, he vanished from the small cave he had created using his earth laws solely to interrogate Duke Badin.
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Inside the cave where the secret realm was located, Xin Haotian, Duke Valiard, and Mardred sat gathered in the center of the hall, their expressions blank. Not long ago, the entire mountain had shaken violently, and they sensed a terrifying battle erupting nearby. When they saw Aldrian battling a devil, they were shocked by the devil’s power and immediately knew who it was.
The Greed Devil that was feared by the Forgeheart Kingdom for his character was here, battling Aldrian with all his might. They were outside the trapping barrier created by Aldrian, unable to get closer and forced to watch from afar. As high-level cultivators, their sight was sharp enough to observe the battle from a distance.
When the Greed Devil drew the high divine-grade sword, an artifact of the royal family, Duke Valiard and Mardred nearly shouted in disbelief. However, the battle was escalating to the point of a final showdown between Aldrian and the Greed Devil. Sensing the incoming powerful strike that could affect them, they quickly took cover, narrowly avoiding being swept away by the clash of the Slash of the End and the Sword Devil Annihilation Strike.
They were shocked by the scale of the technique Aldrian unleashed. As for Xin Haotian, he finally witnessed the slash technique that had drawn him to Aldrian in the first place. The only thought that crossed his mind upon seeing that destructive display was...
"The End."
The sword technique that brought an end to everything. This time, the power was beyond anything he had ever felt, and he knew that such a strike was impossible to defend against—at least for the cultivators on this continent.
From this strike, he also grasped the extent of Aldrian’s power and potential. Aldrian was growing stronger at an incredible pace, and with his cultivation at the peak Earl, he already possessed this kind of strength. What kind of power would he wield if he reached the Emperor stage?
Xin Haotian shuddered at the thought. Perhaps Aldrian could break the continent’s "curse" that prevented cultivators from breaking through beyond the peak Emperor stage. The Barisan continent was too small for a monster like Aldrian, and this realization bolstered Xin Haotian’s confidence in Aldrian, especially as they prepared to uncover the mysteries of the Everlasting Silent Forest.
Swish! 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓅𝓊𝓫.𝒸ℴ𝓶
He was startled by Aldrian’s sudden appearance with someone slung over his shoulder. Duke Valiard and Mardred were equally stunned, initially wondering if Aldrian had brought the body of the devil with him. However, when they recognized the familiar face, shock washed over them.
"Why is duke Badin here?" duke Valiard asked.
"He is in cahoots with the devils to bring chaos to this continent. I hope Duke Valiard and Sir Mardred can help me deal with this," Aldrian replied.
They were shocked by the revelation; to think that Duke Badin was working together with the devils!
"Do you have any proof? If not, it will be difficult to convince others about this matter. Duke Badin has his own reputation, and his collaboration with the devils would cause an uproar in the kingdom," Duke Valiard asked. Without hesitation, Aldrian tossed the information crystal to them, allowing the others to view the recording.
As they intently watched the content, their expressions turned solemn.
"This is bad! If he’s working with the devils, then the royal family has been infiltrated for a long time! His Majesty’s safety might be in jeopardy if this continues!" Mardred exclaimed.
"Is that why the Greed Devil has our greatest treasure, the Heavenly Blaze Sword? No wonder he could infiltrate the royal family’s treasure vault. This is a humiliating event for the royal family that has been hidden from the public," Duke Valiard said, his face contorted with anger as he glared at the unconscious Duke Badin.
Aldrian simply nodded and spoke to them solemnly.
"The devils visited him over 20 years ago, which suggests that they have been planning this for a long time. This time, they have enticed many factions, both orthodox and unorthodox, to join their cause. As for Duke Badin’s judgment, I will leave that to His Majesty, King Douwin. I hope His Majesty can offer more assistance afterward, as the devils’ future actions will be even more terrifying and will ultimately determine the fate of this continent."
