She abruptly spun midair and flung it straight at the Demonic Lord, who still stood there watching her like a cat toying with prey. “Pah. You think you’re so damn arrogant?”
The world exploded. A thunderclap tore through the sky. The Demon River erupted, water blasting thousands of feet upward. Mud and silt from the riverbed were ripped free, churning the entire region into chaos.
It was her master’s lightning seal. One strike wouldn’t kill someone at his level. But it would hurt like hell.
When the thunder finally faded, Lauren had already crossed the river. Her boots touched solid ground— The land of the righteous sects.
Behind her, the last echoes of thunder died out. A furious voice roared from the smoke and steam.
“Drake!”
On the opposite bank, a golden airship hovered low. Dante waved frantically. “Miss Lauren! Over here!”
“Dante? White?”
Lauren landed on the deck, still carrying Tarot. “Dante, go. Now.”
“Yes!” The airship surged forward.
“Why are you here?”
“My master sent me to meet you at the river,” Dante replied quickly. His eyes fell on Tarot’s blood-soaked body. “What happened to him?”
“He nearly bled out. Take care of him. I’ll handle the rear.”
Dante hesitated. There had been an agreement: Demonic Cult members were forbidden from stepping onto righteous territory.
But that agreement meant nothing if the Demonic Lord decided it did. And after she’d just tricked and blasted him with lightning?
He’d chase her unless he had no pride at all.
They hadn’t flown far before the sky darkened again. Demonic energy swallowed them whole.
“They’re here,” Lauren said quietly.
Dante’s face drained of color. “Who?”
“The Demonic Lord.”
“What?!”
“You drive. White, watch my senior brother.”
White nodded urgently, crouching beside Tarot. Dante rushed to the helm.
Lauren walked to the stern of the ship and faced the approaching storm of black energy.
The Demonic Lord emerged from the darkness, unscathed—though faint scorch marks still flickered across his robes.
“I underestimated you,” he said calmly. “Appearances can be deceiving. You really are a hunter disguised as prey.”
Lauren gave him a thin smile. “You sound surprised.” With a flick of her wrist, she produced two Rank 7 Explosive Spirit Talismans. “And one more thing.”
She hurled them. They detonated directly around him, spatial demonic energy and spiritual force colliding violently.
The sky twisted. For a long moment, there was only silence.
“Dante,” Lauren said quickly, not taking her eyes off the explosion, “head to the nearest Divine Sword Sect stronghold. Take my senior brother and don’t look back.”
“What about you?”
“Don’t worry about me. Once you’re gone, I’ll find a way out.”
Before Dante could argue, Lauren leapt off the airship. The vessel immediately veered away, speeding toward safety.
A massive hand of condensed demonic energy descended from above. Lauren tried to dodge. She couldn’t.
The space around her locked. Her spiritual power froze. The giant hand closed around her like a cage.
“You can activate so many Rank 7 Explosive Spirit Talismans,” the Demonic Lord mused. “Impressive.”
He stepped out from the dispersing smoke, revealing his true form. His skin was pale—almost luminous. His features were refined, nearly androgynous. His lips were unnaturally red, like fresh blood still stained them.
He looked beautiful. And utterly inhuman. “Unfortunately,” he continued calmly, “Rank 7 talismans can’t hurt me. If you had Rank 8, perhaps you might have had a chance.”
Lauren stopped struggling. Wasting energy now would be stupid. She needed another angle.
“Congratulations,” she said flatly.
He raised an eyebrow. “Congratulations?”
“Yes. Since I’m not Rank 8… you’re really lucky.”
Inside her inner space, she frantically communicated with Briar and Edmund.
Edmund clicked his tongue. “My power’s sealed in my bones. Even with a physical form, I’m basically decorative right now. Intimidating small fry? Sure. This guy? Not happening.”
Then he shamelessly added, “Figure it out yourself.”
Lauren nearly exploded. I’ve fed you for months and this is what I get? At least say something encouraging!
Briar was more cooperative—barely. “I can’t beat him either,” it admitted honestly. “But… maybe we can drag him into a dream.”
Lauren’s mind sharpened instantly. If Briar’s hallucinogenic spores could seep into him— She needed to stall.
“Are you Drake’s newest apprentice?” the Demonic Lord asked casually, tightening his grip slightly.
“That’s right,” she shot back. “I suggest you let me go. When my master arrives, you’re finished.”
“Oh?” His lips curved. “Is that so?”
“I already sent a distress signal. He’ll be here any moment to electrocute you again.”
He had been about to crush her. But at the mention of Drake, he paused.
“Fine,” he said slowly. “I’ll wait. Let’s see if Drake truly comes to save you.”
“Of course he will,” Lauren said confidently. “If you don’t want to die, you should run now.”
He laughed. “Why would I fear him? After all these years… I’ve been looking forward to this. I wonder if he’s improved at all.”
“He’s about to ascend,” Lauren said smoothly. “Killing you will be as easy as slaughtering a chicken.”
“Ascend?” He chuckled darkly. “Impossible. No one can ascend in this world. If it were possible, he would’ve done so long ago.”
“That’s because you’re trash,” Lauren snapped. “My master isn’t.”
He burst into laughter, clearly amused. “Very well. Then I’ll see how he ascends.”
While they traded barbs, Briar quietly released microscopic threads of its unique hallucinogenic pollen into the demonic energy surrounding him.
Slowly. Subtly.
Lauren watched carefully. And then—
She noticed it. The faint shift in his gaze.
The Demonic Lord suddenly froze midair. He stared at something in the empty sky, eyes widening—then slowly turning bloodshot, as if flames were burning behind them.
“Drake,” he muttered hoarsely. “You really came.”
Lauren followed his gaze. There was nothing there. Just open sky.
Find a chance to run. He’s been hit, Briar’s voice echoed in her mind.
The next instant, the Demonic Lord flung her aside like a discarded rag doll and began wildly attacking the air.
His fists tore through space, detonating invisible shockwaves. “Drake! Come out!”
Lauren hit the ground hard and scrambled up. She tried to flee—
—but whatever the bastard had done to her earlier still lingered. Her meridians felt sealed, spiritual power locked tight.
“I can’t move properly, Briar.”
The Demonic Lord suddenly froze midair. He stared at something in the empty sky, eyes widening—then slowly turning bloodshot, as if flames were burning behind them.
“Drake,” he muttered hoarsely. “You really came.”
Lauren followed his gaze. There was nothing there. Just open sky.
Find a chance to run. He’s been hit, Briar’s voice echoed in her mind.
The next instant, the Demonic Lord flung her aside like a discarded rag doll and began wildly attacking the air.
His fists tore through space, detonating invisible shockwaves. “Drake! Come out!”
Lauren hit the ground hard and scrambled up. She tried to flee—
—but whatever the bastard had done to her earlier still lingered. Her meridians felt sealed, spiritual power locked tight.
“I can’t move properly, Briar.”
A thick vine burst from her sleeve, coiling around her waist and dragging her away.
Briar could burrow through mountains like wet soil—but flying? Flying was not its specialty. They were slow. Too slow.
Inside her inner space, Edmund finally snapped. A thunderous dragon’s roar split the sky.
A massive black dragon materialized above them, blotting out the sun. Enormous claws descended and scooped both Lauren and Briar up effortlessly.
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