Volume One: The Nature of the Devil Does Not Change
Arc: The Great Gang War
Ikalates let out a slow breath.
Warm vapor drifted from his mouth into the cold air.
The rain had eased, yet the chill still lingered in the atmosphere.
He glanced at Scarlet King's chest, noticing the faint movement beneath his coat, and asked:
"What are you hiding inside your coat, demon?"
Scarlet King placed a hand over his chest, as though shielding what lay within from the cold.
"I didn't come alone."
Slowly, under Ikalates' watchful gaze, Scarlet King opened his coat.
The white-haired little girl appeared—sleeping peacefully, completely still.
Ikalates narrowed his eyes, confusion flickering across his face. The sight did not align with the image he had of Scarlet King. Curiosity crept into his voice.
"Huh… that's a child?"
Scarlet King closed his coat again and looked at Ikalates.
A faint demonic smile curved along his lips—enough to make Ikalates sweat slightly.
"She will be my disciple."
Ikalates' expression stiffened in disbelief.
"What?! The Demon of Rebirth taking a disciple?!"
He burst into loud laughter, clutching his stomach as he roared:
"You're joking, right? What are you planning—kill her, take her hostage, or do something evil?"
Scarlet King studied him silently. Then he closed his eyes, pressed his lips together in calm restraint, and asked:
"Is my reputation truly that terrible across the twenty-two dimensions?"
Ikalates stepped closer and slightly lifted the girl's hair to examine her face.
"Since when does the Demon of Rebirth care about others? You're known as a dark, demonic entity who can never be trusted."
Scarlet King said nothing.
He secured his coat once more, fastening the buttons carefully. Then he turned and spoke coldly:
"Reputation does not feed you, nor does it save you. Only power and interest matter."
"What matters is that we both benefit from each other."
"Now… let's go to the Sky-Grasping Sect."
Scarlet King soared into the sky.
Ikalates followed immediately. The ground beneath him cracked into spiderweb fractures as he launched forward with explosive force, overtaking Scarlet King in an instant.
They accelerated until the air itself tore around them,
the roar of wind deafening in their ears.
[Elsewhere — Inside the Secret Hideout]
Lin Yuan sat shirtless in meditation, his muscular chest rising steadily as he cultivated qi.
He wore loose blue pants, his body glistening with sweat.
A powerful yellow aura burst from him,
filling the cave with radiant energy.
The Yin and Yang Guardians stood nearby, hands clasped behind their backs, watching him with cold composure.
Sweat streamed down Lin Yuan's face as he clenched his teeth, preparing to break through.
(I have to do it…)
(I must persevere…)
(I cannot stop…)
(I have to continue…)
(I must break through!!)
Blood trickled from his nose and mouth.
His body trembled violently as he pushed forward.
(Just a little longer…)
(I must endure…)
(I can't stop…)
(Just a little more… just a little more!!)
Suddenly—
A powerful aura erupted from Lin Yuan's body.
The cave shook violently.
Blinding light burst outward, forcing even the bears and the Yin–Yang Guardians to shield their eyes.
Lin Yuan broke through to the Qi Refinement Realm at astonishing speed.
Yang Guardian spoke calmly:
"It has been two months since we began your training. It's fortunate you broke through to Qi Refinement… otherwise, Scarlet King would have castrated you."
"That is thanks to your strong talent and roots."
Lin Yuan, drenched in sweat, lay flat on the cold stone floor in relief.
Then he looked toward Yang Guardian, who was fetching water from the lake.
"Scarlet King might be on his way back now, right?"
Yin Guardian replied in a low, steady tone:
"You mean… he may have already arrived."
Lin Yuan lifted his head in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
Yang Guardian returned and splashed cold water over Lin Yuan's body.
"I mean he may have already reached the Sky-Grasping Sect."
Lin Yuan's body tensed at the shock of the cold water,
then relaxed as steam rose from his skin.
"But it's been two months since he left… is he that slow?"
Yang Guardian placed the bucket down.
"It isn't about speed. It's about the laws governing different universes."
"Every universe in the First Dimension has its own laws and strength.
In one universe, you might move at immeasurable speed.
In another, you may barely exceed the speed of sound."
Yin Guardian continued calmly:
"That depends on the universe's laws and overall power.
The stronger the universe, the stronger its suppression."
"If it is weak, a cultivator's strength is multiplied many times over."
"But outside the universes, in interdimensional space, there exist dimensional laws that even universal laws must obey."
"There, your speed and power depend solely on your cultivation level—not on the laws of any specific universe."
She concluded:
"So perhaps the universe containing the Sky-Grasping Sect is a powerful one,
forcing Master Scarlet King to reduce his speed far below what he is accustomed to."
I apologize for pausing the chapter releases during that week. I had certain circumstances to handle.
I will resume publishing at the usual pace.