The Steward Demonic Emperor Chapter 1338: Lunacy

Lei Yuting hurried to support Zhuo Fan, who was swaying unsteadily on his feet. The man looked pale, like a ghost, as he struggled to keep himself from vomiting blood again.

I really thought he would never cease his assault, ugh. Zhuo Fan groaned, before breaking into another fit of coughing.

But you were clearly gaining the upper hand! You could have crushed him and put an end to this bitter blood feud! Murong Xue cried out. It was no exaggeration to say that she desired that monster’s demise above all else. This wasn't merely due to her commitment to the greater good for humanity, or the path she walked, but also stemmed from the horrific torment she had personally endured.

I was attempting to force these varied paths to align without completely merging them—it has distinct disadvantages, as you have witnessed. That becomes doubly difficult while engaged in a fight to the death. On multiple occasions, I had the Heavenly Sovereign trapped within a powerful maneuver, but the delicate balance would shift, forcing me to shift tactics immediately. I had no alternative but to soften my strikes at those moments. Zhuo Fan explained, no longer bothering to conceal his deteriorating condition. His state was actually no better than that of the Heavenly Sovereign. Prolonging the battle would have certainly exposed his weakness, presenting the enemy with the perfect window to execute him and likely destroy everyone else in the process.

But why invite such peril? Defeating the Heavenly Sovereign must take precedence over these paths. The demand from Kunpeng was met with furrowed brows and grim expression from the newly minted Sovereigns. They were desperate to retain their newly formed paths and continue their cultivation journey.

Having learned from Murong Xue that these initial insights were just the beginning, they intended to continue pursuing further mastery, path by path, until they reached the Supreme Stage on their own terms, without the forced, unnatural progression that defined the Heavenly Sovereign.

Given the dire situation, such an achievement seemed impossible, particularly since Zhuo Fan was the only person capable of fusing these paths to ascend to the Supreme Stage if necessity demanded it. He represented their only hope for victory. Yet, to claim they were happy to sacrifice their individual paths would be a lie; they would far prefer to avoid such a desperate outcome if at all possible.

Then again, losing their individual paths was still better than losing their lives, a truth to which Murong Xue could certainly attest. She had refused to yield to the Heavenly Sovereign earlier because she understood that the final result would have remained the same regardless.

For one, I respect the desires of everyone here, and two, that is not how I wish to attain the Supreme Stage. Avoiding the shortcuts the Heavenly Sovereign took requires immense time, I am aware, but I am committed to walking that road properly. Furthermore, who can say that adopting his methods would guarantee victory? Perhaps we would simply be evenly matched, locked in an endless cycle of combat for years or centuries! What would become of the Sacred Domain then? It would sink into eternal darkness with no hope of salvation. That would be utterly pointless! Zhuo Fan’s voice rose with passion, triggering another coughing fit.

I refuse. He continued. This is the only viable path I perceive. It is the only way to genuinely overcome this enemy and purge the threat for future generations.

Are you returning our paths, then? To allow us the chance to pursue the Supreme Stage manually? Jiu Long asked, eager to see where his cultivation could eventually lead.

No, I require them to gain the insights necessary to form the remaining paths for my own advancement. I believe we can all agree that my progression will be faster, especially given that I was the one who helped you establish these paths in the beginning. Now, if there are no objections, I would like to begin. Zhuo Fan replied, promptly ignoring the others as he sat down to contemplate the intricacies of the different paths. He began cross-referencing them against his own philosophy and understanding of the universe. This was the fundamental task of all Sovereigns: to perceive the world through a subjective lens and then internalize the way the world functions, even when words fail to capture its true essence.

That is simply absurd! It was ridiculous enough that you mastered so many paths in just over half a year of absence, combined with the two months prior. Now you claim you can progress even faster? Based on what evidence? Murong Xue was not satisfied, and the others looked on with deep skepticism. They questioned if such a thing were even possible. There was a reason no new Sovereign had emerged in the millions of years since the original ones vanished. Now, Zhuo Fan was suggesting he could manifest such feats as easily as brewing tea? It was madness!

Murong Xue directed a sharp, lethal glare at the calm Zhuo Fan, wishing she could throttle him. Yet, a full minute passed and he did not even flicker.

Grudgingly, she grunted and permitted him to continue. She turned her attention to the other Sovereigns standing nearby, who were discussing with Elder Song the trials he had endured. She was curious to learn what had prevented him from joining the battle for such an extensive duration.

Just then, a prismatic mote of light erupted and surged into Murong Xue. It entered her before she could utter a word. She shivered, feeling a wave of relief as her path returned to her, feeling more natural than ever.

She shook off the surprise and demanded of Zhuo Fan, I thought you required our paths to finalize your own. Why return mine so soon? Do not tell me you have already grasped its core essence?

She offered a cold, mocking smile, convinced she had caught him in a bluff, but Zhuo Fan’s reply completely dismantled her ego.

I certainly have. It was the most straightforward of them all, as righteousness and the demonic are merely two sides of the same coin. Both paths seek to understand the inner demons of mankind. They only differ in how they apply that knowledge: righteousness seeks the greater good to liberate people from suffering, whereas the demonic path utilizes that insight to advance the practitioner's own ambition. Zhuo Fan replied sagely, leaving her utterly speechless.