The Quest for Immortality Chapter 2357: Slaughter (2)

But...

How could Young Master Xuan possibly wield such immense power to execute the Planting Devil in Taoist Heart technique on numerous Golden Core Demon Cultivators?

If not Young Master Xuan, then who else possessed such capability?

The Mystic Demon Sect Chief found himself completely perplexed.

A palpable tension filled the air for a brief moment.

The other Demon Heads, who had merely restrained the Mystic Demon Sect Chief temporarily and made no aggressive moves, maintained indifferent expressions, each lost in their own contemplation.

Everyone present was secretly speculating about the true nature of the unfolding events.

The Mystic Demon Sect Chief knitted his brows, pondered for a moment, and then declared:

"Indeed, this situation bears no relation to our Mystic Demon Sect; causing harm to fellow cultivators yields no advantage for us."

The Demon Cultivators surrounding them appeared unconcerned, yet upon closer examination, his words seemed to carry a ring of truth.

Suddenly, a gruff voice boomed from within the throng:

"Who claims there is no benefit to be gained?"

The crowd’s attention immediately shifted towards the source of the voice, revealing a powerfully built man marked with the Monster Pattern of the Black Wind Bear Demon. He glared with intense fury at the Mystic Demon Sect Chief:

"The Divine Lord bestows supreme power, granting us unending life!"

"Now that the Divine Lord has awakened, your Mystic Demon Sect undoubtedly intends to hoard these blessings for yourselves, hence your scheme to eliminate us all using the Planting Devil in Taoist Heart technique."

"You all..."

As the man uttered these words, he abruptly faltered.

He seemed to perceive something, and after a moment’s pause, nodded, his gaze now filled with a venomous malice:

"Yes, precisely, your Mystic Demon Sect desires to become the Divine Lord’s sole ‘Slave Sect,’ you wish to be the Divine Lord’s only ‘Servant’!"

Witnessing this turn of events, the crowd’s expressions shifted drastically as they questioned:

"Who are you directing your words towards?"

The Black Wind Bear Demon Cultivator let out a sneer, his face radiating a fanatical devotion, "The Divine Lord is conversing with me."

"He is revealing your treacherous plot to me."

"He is guiding me to rise above all the myriad demon and monster believers, to become his solitary ‘servant,’ bestowing upon me... eternal life!"

Upon uttering these pronouncements, the Bear Demon Cultivator’s eyes instantly turned completely black.

Concurrently, his killing intent was fully ignited; his entire presence surged, his flesh swelled, and his hair thickened, transforming into a colossal, terrifying black bear demonic entity within mere moments. Its razor-sharp demonic claws suddenly descended.

The late-stage Golden Core Demon Heads of the Yin Corpse Valley, Mystic Demon Sect, Demon Sword Sect, and Hehuan Sect saw their expressions change dramatically. Sensing imminent peril, they all activated their movement techniques to evade the brutal strike.

Regrettably, several middle-phase Golden Core Demon Heads were instantly ripped asunder, their blood splattering the surroundings.

The metallic tang of blood further inflamed the inherent bloodlust of the Demon Cultivators.

In an instant, the hall descended into even greater chaos and bloodshed.

The Bear Demon Cultivator, wielding his immense strength, wrought even more destruction, engulfing nearly all the middle-phase Golden Core Demon Cultivators in the ensuing massacre.

Once ensnared in such a bloodbath, there was no possibility of retreat; all Demon Cultivators, whether by choice or by force, found themselves compelled to kill.

A few of the late-stage Golden Core Demon Heads who retained their rationality experienced a jolt of horrifying realization:

"This is disastrous!"

The effects of the Planting Devil in Taoist Heart had already permeated their being, even affecting them, the late-stage Golden Core Demon Cultivators.

The Mystic Demon Sect Chief inwardly seethed with curses.

Monster Cultivators, with their robust physiques, ferocious killing instincts, volatile tempers, and yet comparatively simple minds, proved to be the ideal vessels for the Planting Devil in Taoist Heart technique.

However, at the very same moment, a profound chill coursed through him.

He had deduced earlier that someone must have communicated something to the Black Wind Bear Demon Cultivator from Ten Thousand Demon Mountain, inciting the Monster Cultivator’s frenzied rampage.

"Who could it be?"

"It couldn’t possibly be Young Master Xuan..."

"Just who is it?!"

The Mystic Demon Sect Chief’s thoughts raced as he swiftly extended his Divine Sense to probe the surrounding auras.

Yet, within this hall of the Demon Path, saturated with dense Evil Qi, and exacerbated by the ongoing mutual slaughter amongst the Demon Cultivators, the commingling of blood qi, corpse qi, and demonic qi rendered the aura chaotic to an extreme degree, making it utterly impossible to discern any specific trace with a mere sweep of his Divine Sense.

Widespread pandemonium erupted, the slaughter raged without clearInterval, deepening the Mystic Demon Sect Chief’s already significant unease.

"It would be best to depart from this hall immediately..."

He was just about to exit the foreboding hall when he suddenly detected an innocent yet deceptively alluring voice:

"Are you intending to depart just like this?"

The Mystic Demon Sect Chief instinctively halted his movement.

That voice continued, its tone laced with a subtle threat, "Do you not aspire to become the Divine Lord’s servant?"

Interspersed with an imposing authority within its innocent lilt, the voice posed another question, "Do you harbor intentions of betraying the Divine Lord?"

An immediate wave of dread washed over the Mystic Demon Sect Chief, causing him to stammer, "No, I would never dare to betray the Divine Lord."

"Then remain here, and accept the Divine Lord’s trial..."

"Yes, I shall remain and submit..." The Mystic Demon Sect Chief's eyes gradually lost their focus, a shade of ashen gray creeping in. Abruptly, a skull-shaped jade the size of a fingernail attached to his person began to vibrate, emitting a piercing shriek.

A jolt of terror coursed through the Mystic Demon Sect Chief as he snapped back to awareness:

"Planting Devil in the Dao Heart! Someone is right beside me, performing the Planting Devil in the Dao Heart technique upon me!"

He cast his gaze downwards to the Skull Jade. The carved skull upon it appeared to be facing an unspeakable horror, its tiny form writhing and screaming.

Moreover, the Skull Jade was already marred by a network of fine cracks, an undeniable sign that its protective capacity had been pushed beyond its limit.

This "Demon Heart Jade," meant to safeguard the heart of a demon cultivator, was now rendered useless.

A bone-chilling cold instantly enveloped the Mystic Demon Sect Chief.

This was a far more insidious form of Planting Devil in the Dao Heart!

So refined was the technique that even the Demon Heart Jade, a gift from Xuan Sanren himself, could not withstand its assault.

Who could possibly be responsible?!

Whose skill in Planting Devil in the Dao Heart could surpass that of Xuan Sanren?

The Mystic Demon Sect Chief came to a sudden halt.

An name, too dreadful to utter, flickered into his mind.

"Trick..."

The Mystic Demon Sect Chief felt as though his soul had been ripped from his body, his legs turned to jelly, and his bones trembled uncontrollably.

Yet, with great haste, he altered his expression, his thoughts racing:

"No, that cannot be right!"

If it were that particular individual wielding the Planting Devil in the Dao Heart, the attack would have been more direct, more overwhelming, and far more terrifying. At the very least, the Divine Senses of a few late-stage Golden Core Cultivators like ourselves would have shattered instantaneously, leaving us as mere puppets, compelled to slaughter and devour one another until death, with no opportunity for coherent thought.