Chapter 352: The Pawn and Yunshan

Chapter 352: The Pawn and Yunshan

Crash! Inside a lavishly ornate palace, a man with golden hair furiously swept everything off the table. Luxuries that would be considered priceless in the outside world were now shattered, yet the golden-haired man felt no remorse. His eyes blazed with rage, and his aura was thick with malice.

"Damn that Xiao Ze, making me lose all my dignity!" This golden-haired man was none other than Lion Tian, the sect master of Lion Ming Sect. After the sect conference concluded, Lion Tian had hastily departed from Heavenly Snake Peak, fearing Xiao Ze might seek retribution.

However, it appeared he was projecting his own tendencies onto Xiao Ze. Accustomed to his own methods, he assumed Xiao Ze would ambush him. To his surprise, Xiao Ze made no move against him, allowing him a safe return to Lion Ming Sect.

The headquarters of Lion Ming Sect had been fortified by generations of its strong leaders, making it nearly impregnable. Combined with its protective arrays, Lion Tian was confident, even against a Seven Star Dou Zun, that he could repel any attack. It was only upon his return to his sect that he dared to unleash his fury.

Blinded by anger, he even destroyed his cherished luxuries without hesitation. The palace echoed with his curses, filled only with his raging fury and trembling servants prostrate on the floor. Among them was an especially peculiar old man with gray-white hair and blind eyes.

Given his status as the sect master of a top-tier power in the Northwest Continent, it was odd for Lion Tian to keep a blind old man as his attendant. After all, blindness often implied inconvenience in movement and action. However, the fact that this old man could serve by Lion Tian’s side indicated his exceptional ability.

After venting for a considerable time, Lion Tian gradually calmed down, though his eyes remained cold. Seated on a golden chair carved with lion heads, he looked down at the trembling servants and, with a wave of his hand, killed all but the old man. Those who had seen him at his most pathetic must die!

Sensing the sudden absence of life around him, the old man’s back was drenched in cold sweat, though he managed to control his trembling. Knowing full well Lion Tian's capricious nature, he was cautious not to provoke further ire.

"Old Ke, check within the sect for any practitioners of the soul-devouring body-seizing technique and seize them!" Lion Tian ordered.

"Understood!" The old man named Ke replied, his heart skipping a beat. If only Lion Tian could see through his blind eyes, he would notice the sinister red glow that marked practitioners of the forbidden technique.

From his golden throne, Lion Tian watched Old Ke swiftly depart, his eyes still stormy but his expression thoughtful. "It’s impossible to enhance one's strength in the Dou Zun stage swiftly. Since Xiao Ze is so wary of the soul-devouring body-seizing technique, I must explore this peculiar method for myself."

Previously, Lion Tian had dismissed the technique, considering it beneath him. But now that even Xiao Ze, who had established the Sky Alliance primarily to eradicate it, valued its significance, Lion Tian's interest was piqued.

Leaving the palace, Old Ke struggled internally but decided to head towards a hidden underground cavern. Guided by his spiritual sense, he navigated through the darkness until he reached a stone door. Opening it, he was greeted by an overwhelming stench of blood.

"I told you not to seek me out unless absolutely necessary!" From within the bloodied air, Yunshan slowly opened his eyes, filled with brutal intent. Despite his blindness, Old Ke felt as if a ferocious, bloodthirsty beast was eyeing him hungrily.

"Yunshan, don’t bite the hand that feeds you. I’ve come to bring you life-saving information!"

Yunshan’s eyes remained fierce. Old Ke, sensing the growing murderous intent, hurriedly explained, divulging much of what he had overheard from Lion Tian in his fury.

"So, the pawn I casually placed has finally come into play!" Yunshan’s fury subsided slightly at the explanation, though traces of it lingered, seemingly beyond even his control.

After pondering, a smile crept across his face. "Take me to see the master of Lion Ming Sect."

Old Ke was stunned. Given Yunshan's status as a public enemy, how could he dare meet the sect master directly?

"Aren’t you afraid of death? If the sect master sees you, he might crush you with one blow, or at least maim you to curry favor with Xiao Ze."

Unperturbed, Yunshan replied, "An enemy’s enemy might become a friend. Since Xiao Ze has caused Lion Tian such embarrassment at the sect conference, it might be worth trying to negotiate."

Seeing some use in keeping Old Ke, Yunshan didn’t take his mockery to heart, instead offering a considerate explanation. Convinced, though still skeptical of Yunshan's rationale, Old Ke agreed to lead him to the sect master but insisted on keeping his own identity a secret.

"Of course! Why would I discard such a useful pawn? Stay close to Lion Tian and keep gathering valuable information for me."

With that, Yunshan rose, his aura bursting forth, making it hard for Old Ke to breathe in the confined space. "How have you gained even more power?!"

"Of course, how else would I dare meet with Lion Tian?" Yunshan covered himself with a black cloak, concealing his bloodstained aura.

"Let’s go, and meet the master of Lion Ming Sect."

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(End of chapter)

Chapter 353: Collusion and Conspiracy

Upon hearing Yunshan's proposal, Old Ke’s face twitched slightly, but he obediently turned around and exited the cave. Though Yunshan had lured him into practicing the soul-devouring body-seizing technique, his own desire for power was the root cause. Being able to remain alive while serving under Lion Tian was already a stroke of immense fortune.

With his right hand against the cave wall for guidance, Old Ke exited the cavern, brushing his eyelid with his left hand. His blindness wasn’t congenital; Lion Tian had personally blinded him. Despite his dedicated service, he couldn’t escape Lion Tian’s volatile temper which led to his loss of sight.

Because of Old Ke's exceptional skills, Lion Tian didn’t discard him even after blinding him. However, this harsh treatment only intensified Old Ke’s desire for power, hoping to break free from Lion Tian’s control. So, when Yunshan introduced the soul-devouring technique, Old Ke was already tempted.

Inside the secret passage, Yunshan's gaze lingered on Old Ke’s retreating figure, his eyes filled with an unshakable ferocity, making Old Ke feel as if needles were pricking his back. But Yunshan paid no heed to Old Ke’s discomfort, continuing his observation.

After the destruction of the Yunlan Sect, Yunshan stumbled upon a beast graveyard while dispersing the soul-devouring technique. There, he found a peculiar tribe of magical beast corpses that hadn't decayed and retained abundant vitality, including an eighth-tier magical beast—equivalent to a Dou Zun.

After consuming this tribe with the soul-devouring technique, Yunshan's strength naturally progressed to the Dou Zun level. The thrill of this power led him to crave higher-tier beasts. However, devouring these creatures wasn’t without side effects; the persistent ferocity in his eyes was one such consequence.

While suppressing the brutal impulses in his mind, Yunshan pondered how to persuade Lion Tian. Inside the grand hall of Lion Ming Sect, Lion Tian sat on a golden throne, his expression grim.

Lion Tian trusted Old Ke’s capabilities but was somewhat disappointed by the current situation. “I hope Old Ke brings good news, or else he won’t have another pair of eyes for me to blind,” he murmured. With the resources of Lion Ming Sect, finding capable servants was easy.

The reason Lion Tian kept Old Ke, despite blinding him, was to see if Old Ke would harbor any resentment. The thought of Old Ke loyally serving the man who blinded him gave Lion Tian a perverse sense of pleasure. Sometimes, Lion Tian wondered if Old Ke harbored thoughts of revenge.

Just as Lion Tian was losing patience, Old Ke led Yunshan into the grand hall, chilling Lion Tian's gaze. But sensing Yunshan’s aura, Lion Tian’s surprise was evident. "The master you wanted to meet is here," Old Ke announced, kneeling down respectfully.

Lion Tian was perplexed by the situation but remained composed due to his confidence in his own strength. "Is he a practitioner of the soul-devouring technique?" he demanded. "Let me explain myself," laughed Yunshan, removing his cloak and allowing his bloody aura to fill the hall, causing Lion Tian to narrow his eyes. "You are... Yunshan? You dare appear before me?"

Despite Yunshan's impressive display, Lion Tian could tell that Yunshan was only a one-star Dou Zun—a minor threat. "I’m not here seeking death, Sect Master Lion. With Xiao Ze’s Sky Alliance dismantling the Yunlan Sect and aiming to control the entire Northwest, are you still at ease here?" Yunshan spoke confidently.

Lion Tian frowned. "What does it matter? Xiao Ze has reached the level of a Seven Star Dou Zun, a top-tier presence in the Northwest. Even I cannot match him." "Sect Master Lion, I bring you a solution to your predicament," Yunshan continued, producing a blood-colored scroll. "This is the soul-devouring body-seizing technique Xiao Ze is desperate to destroy."

"With this technique, you could quickly advance to the level of a Seven or even Eight Star Dou Zun!" Yunshan insisted. Lion Tian hesitated but ultimately grasped the scroll from the air, cautiously inspecting it before slowly unrolling it to read.

Yunshan, hands behind his back, smiled confidently, convinced of his success. Once Lion Tian experienced the addictive power of the technique—unhindered progression through constant devouring—he’d never give it up. "Is there really such a miraculous technique in this world?" Lion Tian marveled after reading, dismissing Xiao Ze's warnings as scaremongering. "It seems you are pleased, Sect Master Lion?"

"Of course! With this technique, not just a stumbling block like Xiao Ze, given time, I could surpass Dou Zun to reach the saint level!" Lion Tian laughed, ambition unveiled in his eyes. "From today onwards, Lion Ming Sect will adopt the soul-devouring body-seizing technique. I want to see our sect flourish, and even if it’s the Sky Alliance, we will crush it utterly!"

With the sect's support, the menacing practice of the soul-devouring technique would mark a new, ambitious era for Lion Ming Sect under Lion Tian’s rule.

(End of chapter)