The Heavenly Martial Empress Returns Chapter 287: The Heart Of A Demon

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After completely triumphing over the creator of the game, Belphegor, and then outright killing him for good, Bing Xue gained a strange authority that gave her hope of finally sleeping like a normal person.

To her, this was a greater reward than any stat boost or level-up, and she brushed off the fact that she had gained over a thousand levels by killing Belphegor.

The demons around her, Belphegor’s Audience, however…

Well, it could be said they were terrified of her. They immediately sensed the Authority of Belphegor flowing through her body.

It seemed that, even though she used no skill to devour him—something impossible with her current skills, which only worked on divinities and those with classes tied to the system, a category Belphegor didn’t fit—she still acquired his Authority.

This was a well-established rule in demon society and its hierarchy: whoever slays another gain their powers and spoils, and perhaps even their identity by stealing their mask.

Demons that devour each other can stack masks, using them to strengthen their own, replace it, or forge a new, stronger one.

Of course, their most beloved meal was souls, but demons usually disliked eating each other’s, finding their taste awful and disgusting.

Hence, they preferred “purer souls,” such as those of mortals, devoid of the great darkness that defines demons.

“Well, well, I didn’t expect this development…” Bing Xue glanced at the demons. “You didn’t do anything wrong, I suppose? If you promise to be good boys and girls, I think I have a place for you.”

She quickly summoned her Demonic Grimoire, and as its pages flickered, it released chains that wrapped around every blazing demon.

“W-What…?!”

“She’s sealing us?!”

“No! Wait!”

“Spare meeeee!”

The demons complained and screamed, except for the referee, the only one smart enough to realize this was Bing Xue showing mercy—something much worse could’ve happened if her mood weren’t so good after realizing she could finally sleep normally.

FLUOSH!

As the demons vanished, the “Demonic Zone” left behind remained unchanged, still blazing and volcanic in appearance, oozing with demonic energy.

“This area… I don’t think it would benefit the Saurian refugees…” Bing Xue said. “Alright, I’ll bring it to my Inner Realm. It’ll help me analyze Demonic Energy better if I can secure a… well, let’s call it a ‘Demonic Treasure’ for now.”

Spirit Treasures were large areas blessed by spiritual and heavenly ki back in Murim—sacred lands and divine domains where boundless resources could be harvested, or special trials were located.

This area could also be classified as such, so Bing Xue used her hands, cutting through space and slicing the entire zone into a floating, blazing, volcanic land beneath old ruins, then moved it to her Inner Realm, placing it near an empty mountainous range.

The empty hole left underground was quickly repaired and refilled by Bing Xue until it looked almost unchanged…

“And it’s done! Belze! Have you tried the mask yet?”

Bing Xue walked toward Belze, finding the girl still in disbelief, holding the mask in her hands.

“W-Woah, you killed Belphegor?! And you have his Authority! M-Master! Do you even know what you’ve provoked in the Hell Dimension now?”

“What? Are they going to fight to replace him? I couldn’t care less.”

“A-Ah… Well, technically it doesn’t concern us anymore; you’re not wrong… I mean… Um.”

Belze sighed, staying silent for a few seconds.

“Well, thank you…”

“Oh?”

“You slew that bastard who mocked me… Maybe you didn’t even do it for me, but… I really hated him. He was part of my downfall, as you may have guessed.”

“I see… Well! Consider it a favor then; you owe me one now.”

“I think I owe you more than one…”

“Can you use that mask, I wonder?”

“Maybe… But it’s ugly; it’s honestly not my type, though it’s definitely stronger than a blue mask.”

“Hmm, so what do you plan to do with it?”

“I’ll use it to upgrade mine; it’s called the Demonic Mask Forging Ritual.”

“Interesting… I wonder, having a mask myself, could it make me stronger or help me control this authority better?”

“C-Certainly! Would you like to keep this? Or better yet, I can make you a new one, Master.”

“Is that so? Do you need materials?”

“Human souls, some demonic flames, perhaps the ashes left by Belphegor’s avatar would make an amazing material, and some metals I can curse into proper materials.”

“Human souls… I don’t think I can provide those; I don’t enjoy killing humans, but maybe a piece of my soul could work?”

“A-Ah, yes… But are you sure that’s fine—”

SLASH!

“Oh…”

Belze gasped as Bing Xue handed her a small fragment of her soul!

It was shiny, bright, and beautifully crystallized into a white and gold diamond.

“T-This is so shiny! My hands are almost burning just holding it! Isn’t this piece too big?!”

“Too big? It’s so small it didn’t even hurt; it’s from the outer layer of my soul. The wound has already healed. Do you need more?”

“T-This is more than enough, Master! I think a demon mask like no other could be born from such materials… Fufufu!”

“Good! Work on that then, dear.”

Bing Xue smiled gently, patting her head as she walked away.

“Of course…”

Belze watched Bing Xue leave, embracing her family as they praised her, hugging her happily.

“…”

She looked down for a moment, feeling left out.

“A family… It must be nice to have one…”

As a demon born from the Sea of Sins, who had crawled through life since she was a small Demon Larva, Belze had faced countless difficulties and calamities.

Those she trusted were likely all dead, and those she loved were gone—betrayed by the other kings, her mask stripped from her face, then imprisoned in that library. Belze could hardly recall a time she was ever happy.

But now, she felt quite happy, though a bit jealous… This master of hers was definitely an oddball, with a beautiful family and people who loved her, whom she also loved dearly.

“Ah! What’s gotten into me? This isn’t like me at all… Hahah…”

She laughed, quickly turning to the materials, caressing the small fragment of her master’s precious soul.

“So you want a Demon Mask, my dear Master? Fine, I’ll craft one even the other Archdemons will envy~!”

“Belze? Come here already. Why are you standing over there?”

“Eh? A-Ah, yes! Right away!” 

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