How many demon leaders are there in the world?
If anyone asked this question, they would surely be laughed at.
Because the number of demon leaders is simply beyond measure.
The Ten Thousand Demons Sect, as the leader of the demonic way, governs not even ten thousand demon heads, even if you include those of lower echelons.
And across the world, there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of demons causing chaos.
The methods to become a demon head are just too easy.
And the benefits are enormous.
For a common person to reach the ninth level and become a cultivator, they would have to endure great hardship through summer and winter, dedicating immense time and effort.
And even then, there’s no guarantee of success.
But one just has to practice a single demonic technique and consume the life essence of dozens of common people to smoothly step into the ninth rank realm.
Though, mastering demonic arts and reaching the top three levels of cultivation is harder than practicing righteous path skills.
Yet many, if not for demonic arts, wouldn’t even reach the lower three levels, let alone ascend higher.
Furthermore, demons act without restraint, killing as easily as eating or drinking, gaining admiration from many.
Especially in the past few decades, the rise of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect has occupied much of the righteous path's energy.
Allowing demons all over the world to flourish unchecked.
In the past, there were always those righteous experts who would descend from the mountains to exorcise demons and defend the path.
But now, these experts are busy waging wars against the Ten Thousand Demons Sect.
Demons entrenched across lands have become even more ruthless as if their shackles were shattered.
However, now, a day of reckoning has arrived for the world's demons.
Because the Heavenly Master from Dragon Tiger Mountain has descended to purge demons.
At the Ten Thousand Demons Sect's main base.
After the great battle at Dragon Tiger Mountain, the sect leader of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect fell.
Eight of the nine vice leaders, all at the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm, perished.
The one surviving vice leader only managed to escape because he was on a mission and happened to be farther from the mountain at the time.
Even then, it was his special survival skills that barely saved him.
Despite this, the sight of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect turning into a sea of corpses and blood nearly shattered even his demonic heart.
“What do we do now, Vice Leader?”
“The sect leader is dead, and so are the other vice leaders.”
“Should we stay here?”
A demon left to guard the place asked with a trembling voice.
“If we don’t stay, where can we go?”
“This is the main base, filled with mechanisms; hiding here is safest.”
The vice leader calmed himself before speaking.
From the beginning, the Ten Thousand Demons Sect considered the main base their last refuge in case the battle against the righteous path failed.
They had hired dozens of master tacticians to set it up, such that even Heavenly Phenomenon Realm cultivators wouldn't dare rush in without risk of serious injury from traps.
Because of this, the vice leader chose to flee back to the main base.
Simultaneously ordering all defensive mechanisms to be activated by the guarding demon heads.
Suddenly, cries of agony came from outside.
At that moment, terrifying tremors echoed throughout the main base.
“No!!”
“Who are you?”
“Why do you kill us?”
Despairing screams filled the interior, but were silenced in an instant.
A robed figure walked inside step by step.
It was Lin Yuan.
“Heavenly Master.”
The vice leader forced a bitter smile.
He had anticipated that the mechanisms might not hold off the Heavenly Master from Dragon Tiger Mountain.
But he didn't expect them to crumble so quickly, not holding even half the time of an incense stick against the Heavenly Master.
“Heavenly Master, if I choose to submit to you and the Heavenly Master Manor, can I live?”
The vice leader did not give up, speaking lowly.
After all, he was a Heavenly Phenomenon Realm cultivator and had to have some use, right?
“No need.”
Lin Yuan slightly shook his head, turning to leave.
Suddenly, the vice leader sitting in the main seat found a red line appearing on his forehead.
Likewise, every other demon around him froze, their gazes turning empty as they fell.
The Great Yu Dynasty, Capital City.
A man in a blood-red robe fled in terror to the outside of the palace.
“My name is Ouyang Ye, a direct disciple of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect master. I know how to quickly train a Heavenly Phenomenon realm expert. The nine Heavenly Phenomenon experts of the sect were created through this method.”
The blood-robed man, Ouyang Ye, looked toward the palace, pouring his True Qi into his voice to send it within.
The Great Yu Dynasty, as the current unified dynasty, is powerful.
It's his only hope for survival.
“I can divulge this method to your Great Yu Dynasty. My only request is protection, to fend off that Heavenly Master from Dragon Tiger Mountain.”
With a near-begging expression, Ouyang Ye offered his trade.
Confident that the path to cultivating Heavenly Phenomenon experts was something the Great Yu Dynasty couldn't refuse.
For a dynasty, even at a great cost, such a method is priceless.
After a long silence, the palace doors opened.
A stooped elder walked out.
His deep aura marked him as a Heavenly Phenomenon expert as well.
“You may leave.”
“Heavenly Master Zhang is unrivaled under heaven. Whoever he wishes to kill or demons he wishes to purge, we cannot help.”
The stooped elder shook his head slightly.
He glanced around one last time before stepping back inside.
In the next moment, the palace gates shut firmly.
“No help?”
“You don't even want a method to cultivate Heavenly Phenomenon experts?”
Ouyang Ye fell silent in disbelief.
“Could it be? Is there truly no one in the world who can save me?” He despaired.
Suddenly, a sword light swept behind him.
Ouyang Ye collapsed, all life draining from him.
“Quite discerning.”
Lin Yuan glanced at the Great Yu Palace, turned, and departed.
In the Desolate Northern Wasteland.
Before a palace forged of ice crystals.
A black-robed figure knelt.
“The Primordial Demon Sect, six thousand years back, once joined with the Northern Origin line in adversity.”
“I am willing to divulge all secrets of the Primordial Demon Sect. All I ask is to survive.”
The black-robed figure spoke softly, knowing that the Northern Origin’s leader within the Ice Palace could hear him.
Only the Northern Origin leader held any hope of resisting the Heavenly Master.
“Do you wish to survive?”
Within the Ice Palace, a man with golden eyes sat majestically.
His face solemn, revealing no emotion.
“I too wish to survive.”
The man sighed.
“But, Northern Origin Lord, will you just stand by and see our Primordial Demon Sect lineage perish once more?”
Receiving no reply, the black-robed figure lifted his head in despair.
At the same instant, he collapsed with a thud.
Lin Yuan emerged from the shadows.
“Northern Origin Lord?”
Lin Yuan looked curiously at the palace ahead.
From the records of the Heavenly Master Manor, he knew of the Northern Origin lineage, whose ancient history paralleled that of the Heavenly Masters.
Yet they had long secluded from Central Plains’ affairs, residing in the remote ice wastelands, resulting in scant knowledge of them among the world’s people.
“Heavenly Master Zhang, this demon has nothing to do with our Northern Origin. He sought us out on his own accord.”
Noticing Lin Yuan’s gaze, the man within the Ice Palace grew tense, hurriedly explaining.
“I understand.”
Lin Yuan nodded, vanishing without a trace.
Not until Lin Yuan fully departed did the Northern Origin Lord breathe a sigh of relief.
“This generation's Heavenly Master exerts a pressure beyond all predecessors.”
His heart couldn't deny the overwhelming burden Lin Yuan had brought upon him.
In a barren wasteland.
Dozens of figures fled frantically.
“Heavenly Master Zhang, though we brothers claim to be demons, we have no connection to that Ten Thousand Demons Sect.”
“We knew nothing of their siege of Dragon Tiger Mountain, nor did we partake.”
Hollered the leading man in terror, glancing back at the approaching shadow.
“All demons must die.”
Lin Yuan raised his right hand, pressing gently, and the fleeing dozens fell simultaneously.
On a bustling street.
A fortune-telling daoist was drumming up business roadside.
When an unremarkable man approached.
“Tell me, how long will I live?”
The ordinary man's bloodshot eyes spoke of immense anxiety.
“You’re young…”
The daoist barely glanced at him before his expression transformed.
He quickly gathered up his things, not pausing to leave.
“Master, master, why are you so scared? Why won’t you even give him a reading?”
A child trailed after him.
“You don’t understand.”
The fortune-teller admonished with a glare.
“The man's life is nearing its end, and getting too involved might drag us down too.”
He stated quickly.
“Ah?”
“Get dragged down?”
The child blinked, knowing the fortune teller was among the top experts, yet still fearing being implicated.
“Because he’s a demon head.”
Answered the fortune teller.
“A demon head?”
Upon hearing, the child recoiled instinctively.
For who nowadays did not know the calamity befalling demon heads?
The Heavenly Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain was hunting them relentlessly.
Demons could hardly escape death, with no one able to intervene.
“Heavenly Master Zhang…”
The daoist halted.
His heart suddenly quivering with fear.
For a robed young man walked toward them, heading for the position where the plain man had stood.
“Heavenly Master Zhang.”
The daoist whispered.
It was later recorded that the thirty-seventh Heavenly Master, Zhang Shanfeng, descended from the mountain to purge demons.
For sixty years, the demonic ways vanished from the world; peace reigned, and no one dared claim the title of demon head.
This period became known as—
The Cycle of Purging Demons.
The end of this section was hard to write, hence the delay.
This traversal arc is basically wrapping up, with just some concluding plot.
It should finish in a day or two.
What are everyone's thoughts on this traversal arc? Feel free to share!
(End of Chapter)