Chapter 395: Chapter 394: Red Dragon Divine Monarch
"Mo Senior, he is dead?"
Red Charm Demon’s mouth gaped open in shock, she had never been so startled in her life.
At first, when she heard of Shi Xiaole from the Righteous Path, who killed the famous elders like Kong Datong, she was shocked, but it was only hearsay, and the news didn’t hit as hard as the scene before her.
Heaven Eating Demon’s chewing paused in disbelief, his round and fat face, two green bean eyes contracted in surprise, almost as if he was under a hallucination.
Demon Marquis’s face went through several dramatic color changes, his chest was heaving showing how unsettled he was at the moment.
Why, why was this cruel joke being played on him. He had been bestowed with amazing talent, only to end up facing a monstrosity like Xie Xiaofeng.
"What is your true intent?"
The other top-ranking martial figure supporting the Devil Path questioned Shi Xiaole, slightly losing composure.
"Demonic True Intent."
Shi Xiaole replied calmly.
"Demonic True Intent? A great name. Holy Young Master, in my life, I have encountered scarce talents like yours. I admit my loss and I will back out from this strife with the Demon Sky Sect."
This top-ranking martial art elder decided on the spot.
The Demonic True Intent was clearly a pinnacle of profound realm in martial arts, coupled with Xie Xiaofeng’s unconventionally terrifying internal strength, he didn’t have any hope of winning.
Shi Xiaole shook his head and revealed a playful smile, "Too late. I have already said, either surrender or die. You have chosen the latter."
With a flick of his wrist, Shi Xiaole charged towards the opponent with his sword.
"Don’t go too far, Sixteen Fatal Strikes!"
The sword gleamed and swept past. This top-ranking elder was also a swordsman and even more impressively, the sword he held was also a lower-grade spirit sword.
Clang! Clang! Clang!...
In the midst of the sparks, Shi Xiaole exchanged sixty-three moves with this person rapidly.
His sword technique changed, the red sword Qi took shape of a demonic head, its mouth agape and biting at the front, and behind the mouth was a field of blood that seemed to pierce through to the demon realm.
"Life without Desire!"
Trailing backward, the top-ranking elder swiftly swung his longsword, the sword Qi looking like a hexagram star, spinning and rushing forward, which made everyone witnessing the sword feel oppressed like being beneath the cosmos and left no breathing room for hope.
Clang!
In the midst of the strong explosion, two strands of completely different Sword Qi collided, thirty meters around all of that was a river of Sword Qi, and everywhere you could see red and white waves splashing up.
Shi Xiaole looked down and saw his Destroying Star cut into two pieces.
"Damn thing!"
The complexion of the top-ranked elder on the other side went black.
This lower-grade spirit sword of his was an accidental find in an ancient site many years ago, he had always treasured it since then and never used it. Now he had to use it due to the pressure exerted by Shi Xiaole, but he didn’t anticipate it breaking.
"You and I have both lost our spirit swords; our strength is equivalent at most. Xie Xiaofeng, I will remember this day."
The top-ranked elder from the other side clenched his teeth and said threateningly.
He knew it more than anyone that today no one could touch Xie Xiaofeng given his flying skill.
"You are trying to leave? But you can’t."
Shi Xiaole unbuckled the sheath of the sword on his right side and threw it to the ground, his right hand reaching to his left side. At this moment, everyone noticed that he had a sword hung on his left waist as well.
As the sword was slowly drawn out, ferocious red light was the first to light up the sky. In an instant, it was as if everyone was transported to a blood-red demon world, intrinsic with a sense of brutality and murderous intent.
This is an aggressive sword!
Red Dragon Sword!
Shi Xiaole originally considered using this sword under his real identity, but then he thought again and decided to abandon this plan.
The bloody aggressive nature of the Red Dragon Sword was potent.
Later, it was influenced by the intent of the massacre in the battlefield. As a result, it was like a ferocious beast bearing teeth, extreme and brutal, which was in contrast with his real temperament, and instead, it suited the Demonic True Intent perfectly.
Choosing to use it under Xie Xiaofeng’s identity was the best choice.
No matter what happens, he will just forge another appropriate sword for his real identity in the future.
"Is this, lower-grade, no, it’s close to a mid-grade spirit sword?"
Behind the gauzy horse carriage, the members of Lan And Huang Union, who were supporting the Devil Path, had already stood up. One by one their faces turned pale, and they almost caught their breath.
The Red Dragon Sword’s might, even if you didn’t consider its actual power, was significantly stronger than the Destroying Star Sword. Even if it wasn’t a mid-grade spirit sword yet, it was undoubtedly close.
Xie Xiaofeng was not only almost at the top in the Devil Path in terms of strength, but even his weapon was so strong, what were others supposed to do?
"One strike."
The entire Red Dragon Sword was blood-red. As the sword trembled, it gave a sharp, long roar, like a ferocious beast coming out of its cave for the first time, yearning for blood.
Shi Xiaole’s hair fluttered in the wind, his cloak swished loudly, holding the blood sword in his hand, and looking like a heartless and ruthless demon lord, standing in the world, swinging his sword at the top-ranking elder on the other side.
Death Claiming, the fourteenth strike.
"No...!"
The scream stopped abruptly.
The figure on the other side was split into two, dying miserably on the spot.
The Red Dragon Sword tasted blood for the first time. Its trembling became more intense, and the blood on the blade disappeared gradually, like it was being absorbed, sending chills down the spectators’ spine.
An evil sword, owned by an even eviler man!
"Holy Young Master, your skills are unparalleled, but if you want us to become your slaves, we absolutely cannot do that."
One of the demon elders spoke softly, despite the fear in his heart.
While the Righteous Path seeks to convince with morality, the Devil Path resorts to an eye for an eye.
But all this had a premise that cannot be pushed too far.
If they were to swear by the will of Heaven and Earth as Xie Xiaofeng suggests, what difference would there be between them and his slaves? At that time, nothing would belong to them anymore.
Such days were like a living hell for these ferocious individuals from the Devil Path, therefore they would rather fight back.
With so many people present, no matter how strong Xie Xiaofeng was, he could only kill a handful of them. Once the news spread, he could indeed suppress some people, but it would cause many more to stay away from him.
"So, what do you propose?"
Shi Xiaole asked.
He had initially suggested they swear an oath to try and control the crowd, knowing very well the unlikelihood of it working. Otherwise, if everyone could make their opponent swear an oath on the will of Heaven and Earth, there would be no betrayal in this world.
"We are willing to swear to follow the Divine Monarch for life and never betray him! But your commands to us should be based on the normal constraints between superiors and subordinates. For instance, you cannot force us to hand over our secret arts."
A veteran from the Devil Path plucked up the courage to speak.
A martial artist’s secret art is, indeed, his greatest reliance and secret. Such things, nobody willingly surrenders.
In fact, the Devil Path is even stricter than the Righteous Path in this regard. At least some sects from the Righteous Path require disciples to hand over any secret art they obtain, but the Devil Path never does.
All the people present felt their hearts gripped by an invisible hand, making it hard for them to breathe.
They understood that Xie Xiaofeng’s following response would determine their fate to a great extent.
If he stubbornly refused to compromise, they would rather die than become slaves controlled by others, with their lives totally out of their hands!
What seemed like an instant felt like a very long time. Just as the crowd was about to break under the tension, Shi Xiaole nodded, "Alright."
Phew!
The veteran from the Devil Path let out a sigh of relief, his body almost giving out on him. He immediately bowed down and said, "By the will of Heaven and Earth, I swear lifelong loyalty to the Divine Monarch!"
He bowed at a 90-degree angle, a gesture of ultimate deference.
Shi Xiaole turned to look at the others.
The other veterans initially hesitated but were scared into swearing fealty as soon as Shi Xiaole set his gaze on them, all of them crying out, "Long live the Divine Monarch!"
As for the Demon Marquis, his pale face had gradually regained its color. He had come to peace with the situation.
Such a Xie Xiaofeng was beyond his capability to defeat.
All of his grand ambitions turned to smoke in an instant. In the life-or-death contest, the Demon Marquis ended up the loser. He bitterly said, "By the will of Heaven and Earth, I, the Demon Marquis, swear lifelong loyalty to you."
He wasn’t doing it for himself, but for his subordinates. He knew that if he did not surrender, the Red Charm Demon and others would definitely not surrender.
To die for the sake of honor was admirable, but sometimes choosing to live requires even greater courage than dying, doesn’t it?
"Marquis!"
Red Charm Demon and others cried out, watching the bowed head in front of them. The belief that they had adhered to in their hearts also bowed.
"Given the unmatched martial prowess of the Divine Monarch and his unparalleled dominance over the Eight States, we swear lifelong loyalty!"
"Lifelong loyalty!"
Whether the Demon Sky Sect or the Lan And Huang Union, at this moment, they all knelt down. The resounding cries shook Heaven and Earth and echoed for miles around.
In the middle, the black-cloaked Shi Xiaole slowly turned around, holding the Red Dragon Sword, and looked towards the few veterans who had initially supported him at the side of his carriage.
"We, we swear by the will of Heaven and Earth, lifelong loyalty to the Red Dragon Divine Monarch!"
After slaying two top veterans of the Devil Path, Shi Xiaole’s decisive and overbearing image was deeply rooted in the hearts of all present.
All of the veterans did not doubt that if they uttered a word of refusal, they would be targeted by Shi Xiaole. Given their numbers, perhaps some could escape, but who would dare to gamble?
Besides, it was only about pledging loyalty to him. To follow such a champion wouldn’t bring them disgrace either.
...
After the Demon Sky Sect, it was the turn of the Eradicating Emotion Clan.
The strength of the Eradicating Emotion Clan was inferior to that of the Demon Sky Sect. Shi Xiaole didn’t even have to lift a finger. He simply sat and observed from the lightly veiled carriage, letting the few veterans and the Demon Marquis handle the matter.
The Eradicating Emotion Clan ceased to exist.
One after another, the Devil Path forces quietly disappeared without the Martial World noticing, only to reappear under Shi Xiaole’s command.
Half a month later, several top forces of the Devil Path were eradicated.
From this day forward, the Devil Path officially announced the dissolution of the Demon Alliance and declared the establishment of the Red Dragon Divine Palace. All major organizations in the world of the Devil Path were under the control of the Red Dragon Divine Palace.
Those who did not comply were sentenced to death.
The moment the news broke out, the Martial World of the Eight States shook!
Many Devil Path organizations sneered upon first hearing the news, but when they heard about how Xie Xiaofeng had subjugated the top forces, they were stunned as if doused with icy water.
"All major Devil Path organizations are given a deadline of half a month to bring their letters of surrender to the Red Dragon Divine Palace. If any are late, they will bear the consequences!"
On the afternoon of the day the message was released, a document known as "the Red Dragon Announcement" was disseminated throughout the Martial World and sent to all significant organizations from the Devil Path in the Eight States.
Within half a month, many top experts from the Devil Path secretly set out, lured to the former Black Devil Palace, now the residence of the Red Dragon Divine Monarch, causing uproar throughout the Martial World.
There were also some Devil Path organizations that, due to various reasons, did not arrive in time.
Not long after, there were reports that those Devil Path organizations that had not sent representatives to the Red Dragon Divine Palace were exterminated overnight. This news shocked everyone in all directions.
Some claimed that they had seen from afar that the Demon Marquis, the Eradicating Emotion Elder and other powerful figures from the Devil Path were leading the high-level practitioners back to the Red Dragon Divine Palace after the mission, suspected of being the killers.
Everyone knew that this was a signal from Xie Xiaofeng to the Martial World. He was the ruler of the Devil Path in the Eight States, those who obeyed would prosper while those who resisted would perish; he said so and he did so.
One word to determine life and death, one word to provoke bloodshed in the Martial World. Xie Xiaofeng was no longer just a descendant of some Divine Monarch, but a true overlord of the Devil Path who stood tall in the Martial World, the Red Dragon Divine Monarch!
The entire Righteous Path was once again enveloped in a dense dark cloud.
"Divine Monarch, I hope you keep your men in check and not disrupt the lives of the citizens of Haoyuan City, or else it won’t end well for any of us."
The City Lord of Haoyuan City was forced to send a message to the Red Dragon Divine Palace.
At present, over half of the forces from the Righteous Path had withdrawn from Haoyuan City due to the intimidating aura of the Red Dragon. Consequently, the power of the martial artists in the city had significantly diminished.
With the backing of the government, the City Lord of Haoyuan City did not believe that Xie Xiaofeng would dare cause disorder. Although at the same time, he dared not directly command him. They didn’t want to risk angering this dangerous man from the Devil Path, as it would undoubtedly lead to trouble.
"Rest assured, City Lord, I understand."
This was the reply from the Red Dragon Divine Monarch, which made the City Lord of Haoyuan City heave a sigh of relief. No matter what, at least he had stated his intentions. He could now answer to his superiors, they surely couldn’t expect him to defeat the Red Dragon.
Deep within the dark palace, unknowingly, someone had painted a layer of red. Under the setting sun, it shimmered with a brilliant, demonic glow. Shi Xiaole stood alone on the high platform, surveying his kingdom from above.
