Chapter 5: The Descends of the Demon God

Inside the Grand Council Hall, the atmosphere was suffocating.

More than a dozen core elders of the Heavenly Demon Sect were lined up on both sides, each wearing a grim expression.

A few wounded disciples knelt in the center of the hall—these were the ones who had just returned from the frontlines.

The hot-tempered Elder Yanmo slammed his palm onto the jade table beside him, instantly covering it in cracks.

“Outrageous! Just a measly Azure Sun Sword Sect dares to provoke our Heavenly Demon Sect? Do they think there’s no one left in our sect?”

“Elder Yan, please calm your anger.”

A soft, sinister voice sounded—it was Elder Guiying, the elder in charge of sect discipline.

“The Azure Sun Sword Sect isn’t worth fearing, but for them to jump out at this particular time… I’m afraid they’re acting under orders from some powerful faction, seeking to probe us.”

“Probe? Probe what? Isn’t it just because of some rumors? They think the Sect Master… is in ill health!”

“Watch your words!”

Another elder with white hair, Elder Bai, barked coldly.

“The Sect Master possesses unfathomable powers. How could insignificant nobodies possibly guess at his condition?”

Though that was said, doubt lingered in the hearts of the gathered elders.

Ever since Sect Master Lu Ning returned from the outside some days ago, she had shut herself away in her palace and hadn’t appeared since.

Throughout the sect, rumors were running rampant and morale was in shambles.

Now, even the likes of the Azure Sun Sword Sect dared to provoke them, only adding to everyone’s unease.

“What’s all this bickering!”

Elder Yanmo roared.

“In my opinion, we should rally our forces, march on the Azure Sun Sword Sect, and wipe them out to the last! Let’s see who else dares to show such insolence in the future!”

“No!”

Elder Guiying immediately objected.

“The enemy is in the shadows while we are in the open. If we mobilize en masse and fall into an ambush, what then? Someone must remain in the sect to guard it.”

“Then what do you propose? Are we supposed to just watch as they trample all over us and cower like turtles?”

“I…”

Just as the elders’ argument was on the verge of erupting into blows…

“The Sect Master has arrived—!”

A resounding announcement rang out from outside the hall.

Instantly, the entire hall fell silent.

All the elders and even the kneeling disciples looked toward the grand doors.

The heavy doors slowly opened.

Two figures entered, one leading and one following.

At the front was the Heavenly Demon Sect Master, Lu Ning.

She still wore her iconic black sect master’s robe, embroidered with dark gold demonic patterns.

Her expression was icy and dignified.

Lu Ning’s gaze was cold and deep, sweeping over every person in the hall.

That commanding, world-dominating presence was nothing like the gravely wounded, dying figure the rumors described.

Behind her was the Saintess, Gu Qinghuan.

Today she wore a fitted black outfit, her long hair tied high.

She followed Lu Ning by half a step, her expression respectful—like the most loyal of guards.

“Welcome, Sect Master!”

After a brief shock, all the elders came to their senses and bowed in unison.

Lu Ning said nothing, striding straight through the hall and ascending step by step to the sect master’s throne hanging high above.

She sat down slowly, resting her chin on one hand, her gaze coolly surveying those below.

Only then did she finally speak.

“Quite lively just now.”

At these words, both Elder Yanmo and Elder Guiying broke out in cold sweat.

They felt that today’s Sect Master was even more unfathomable than usual.

“S-Sect Master,” Elder Yanmo forced himself to speak, “The Azure Sun Sword Sect is bullying us intolerably. Please, give the order, and allow your subordinate to lead men to annihilate them!”

Lu Ning’s gaze settled on him.

“Annihilate them?”

Her tone held a trace of mockery.

“And then what? Draw out Azure Sun Sword Sect’s backer, the Ten Thousand Sword Manor, and end up with both sides crippled?”

“The enemy hides in the shadows while we are exposed. I’ve only been in seclusion a few days—have your brains turned to muscle in my absence?”

Her voice remained calm, but her words cut without mercy.

Elder Yanmo’s face instantly turned the color of pork liver, but he dared not utter a word in retort.

Yet inside, Lu Ning was far less calm than she appeared.

She was, in fact, panicking inside.

Before entering the hall, Gu Qinghuan had helped her change back into her male attire.

That ethereal, purple dress had been “considerately” put away by Gu Qinghuan, who said she could wear it again later.

Now, every step Lu Ning took felt like walking a tightrope.

She had not a trace of true essence in her body, relying entirely on her inherited “sovereign aura” to hold things together.

Fortunately, she had always taken the aloof approach.

All she had to do was sit on the throne with an expression that said “you’re all idiots,” and speak a few ambiguous words now and then—enough to intimidate this crowd.

“Sect Master, you are wise,” Elder Guiying hurriedly bowed.

“There is indeed something suspicious about this. We shouldn’t act rashly. However… if we don’t respond, our sect’s prestige will suffer, and such rabble will only grow more brazen.”

As soon as he spoke, everyone’s gaze focused on Lu Ning.

Attack?

Impossible.

Don’t attack?

Also impossible.

It was truly a dilemma.

They all wanted to see how this unfathomable Sect Master would resolve it.

Lu Ning’s fingers lightly tapped the armrest of the throne.

The hall was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.

Lu Ning swiftly pondered a solution.

The Azure Sun Sword Sect dared to act so brazenly mostly because they were betting that she, the Sect Master, was seriously injured and far weaker than before, and wanted to test her strength.

She had to come up with a plan that would both deter the enemy and demonstrate her power—without actually having to fight herself.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Lu Ning.

She remembered a certain “bug” related to the Heavenly Demon Codex.

In the game, after cultivating the Heavenly Demon Codex to an advanced realm, there was a skill called “Demon God’s Descent.”

It was a massive area intimidation skill: upon casting, it gathered demonic energy in a specified area and manifested a colossal demon god apparition, radiating a world-destroying aura.

The skill itself had no offensive power; it was purely for intimidation and clearing mobs.

But visually, it was spectacular.

And in a certain version, there was a bug—

Even if the caster didn’t have enough cultivation, as long as their understanding of the Heavenly Demon Codex was deep enough, and they were in an area rich in demonic energy, they could use a special method to draw upon the ambient demonic energy and forcefully unleash a “** version” of the skill.

Though it was a ** version, its visual effect was nearly indistinguishable from the real thing!

The only downside was that it put some strain on the caster’s body.

For Lu Ning’s current situation, this was the perfect way to resolve things!

Her understanding of the Heavenly Demon Codex came from thousands of hours of gaming—she was absolutely at a grandmaster’s level.

And the Heavenly Demon Sect was the area with the densest demonic energy of all!

She could absolutely unleash a spectacular “gift” upon the Azure Sun Sword Sect—across thousands of miles!

With that, Lu Ning felt a surge of confidence.

She stopped tapping her fingers.

Then, she slowly raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping over the gathered crowd, the corners of her lips curling into an icy smile.

“A mere band of clowns.”

“Since they dare provoke us, I shall send them a gift.”

“Huh?”

Everyone in the hall was shocked.

Was the Sect Master going to act personally?

Behind Lu Ning, Gu Qinghuan’s eyes flashed with a strange light.

She couldn’t make sense of her “master’s” actions anymore.

Clearly, she was just an empty shell—yet she could put on such a show of calm.

What was she up to?

Did she really have some hidden trump card?

Lu Ning slowly stood and walked to the center of the hall.

She extended her right hand, palm upward.

In the next moment, she closed her eyes.

The demonic energy of the entire Heavenly Demon Sect—and for thousands of miles around—began to surge!

Endless waves of black demonic energy poured crazily into the Grand Council Hall from all directions!

Soon, a purple-black glow ignited in Lu Ning’s palm.

That glow grew brighter and brighter, finally forming a swirling vortex of destructive energy.

“This… what is that…”

“What terrifying demonic energy!”

“What is the Sect Master… about to do?”

The elders’ faces turned ashen, each having to muster all their cultivation just to stand firm before this terrifying energy.

Gu Qinghuan’s eyes were also full of shock.

Clearly, there wasn’t a shred of true essence in Lu Ning’s body.

But she had stirred up such massive ambient demonic energy!

How was this possible?

It was far beyond anything she’d ever imagined!

“Condense!”

Lu Ning shouted, thrusting the energy vortex upward!

Boom—!

The entire Heavenly Demon Sect trembled violently.

The ball of purple-black energy shot up through the hall’s ceiling and soared into the sky.

…

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away.

At the mountain gate of the Azure Sun Sword Sect.

The Azure Sun Sect Master and his elders were gathered, proudly discussing their “victory” that day.

“Heavenly Demon Sect is just a paper tiger! Our men attacked their gates and they didn’t even dare fart in response!”

“Looks like the rumors are true—Lu Ning is really done for!”

“Hahaha, once the Ten Thousand Sword Manor arrives, our Azure Sun Sword Sect will take all the credit for destroying the demon sect!”

As they were congratulating themselves…

Suddenly, the sky darkened.

What was once a clear, bright day instantly turned into night.

A terror from the depths of the soul gripped every person present.

Above their mountain gate, endless black clouds swirled together, forming a giant vortex that blotted out the sun.

Within the vortex, a ten-thousand-zhang-tall demon god’s apparition slowly coalesced.

This demon god had three heads, six arms, a blue face with fangs, and eyes burning with purple-black flames of destruction.

He simply hovered there, doing nothing.

Yet the overwhelming, world-annihilating pressure made the entire Azure Sun Sword Sect’s mountain range tremble.

Countless lower-ranked disciples collapsed, unable to withstand the pressure—foaming at the mouth and fainting on the spot.

“D-Demon God’s Descent!”

The Azure Sun Sect Master looked up at the terrifying scene above, his legs giving out beneath him as he collapsed in a puddle of wet warmth.

“It’s Lu Ning! That demon has struck!”

“He’s not injured! He’s not injured at all! We’ve been tricked!”

“Run!”

Fear spread like a plague throughout the Azure Sun Sword Sect.

No one thought of earning merit now—everyone had only one thought.

Escape!

Escape from this place about to be obliterated by divine retribution!

….

Heavenly Demon Sect, Grand Council Hall.

As Lu Ning lowered her hand, the vision in the sky faded, and the hall was filled with light once more.

But everyone was still stunned by what had just happened, unable to recover.

Summoning demonic energy from thousands of miles away to unleash such a divine power…

What terrifying cultivation was this!

Seriously wounded?

You call that seriously wounded?

The Sect Master’s power had clearly reached new heights!

Every elder now looked at Lu Ning differently.

All suspicion had turned to utter awe and terror.

Thud!

Elder Yanmo was the first to kneel, kowtowing to the floor.

“Sect Master, your divine power is unrivaled. This subordinate was ignorant—death is too light a punishment!”

Thud!

Thud!

The other elders also knelt one after another, hardly daring to breathe.

Lu Ning looked down at the kneeling elders and let out a long breath inside.

It worked!

She’d managed to intimidate them!

After settling the Azure Sun Sword Sect issue, Lu Ning went straight back to her palace.

The burden of summoning the Demon God had left her in no state to stay in front of others.

As soon as she arrived at her palace, her vision went dark, and she couldn’t hold on any longer.

Her body collapsed backward.

Just as she was about to hit the ground, Gu Qinghuan was suddenly at her side.

Lu Ning fell into her arms.

As consciousness faded, she caught a fleeting look of worry on that beautiful face.