The moment scouts confirmed Aurelius was hiding inside Roaring Storm Church, that vast obsidian army pivoted and rolled toward the distant monastery.
Where the demon army marched, rivers curdled, mountains darkened, and every blade of grass shriveled to powder. Veils of demonic aura blotted out the sun until even the thunderclouds wore mourning black.
Inside Roaring Storm Church, a breathless scout skidded across the flagstones and knelt before Aurelius. “Bad news, King Aurelius! The Demonic Soul Army and tens of thousands of Demonic Cultivators are on their way here. They’re expected to arrive within a day!”
A pall of dread passed over every gathered defender.
Though they, too, numbered one hundred thousand, their odds against an equal host of demonic souls, relentless Demonic Cultivators, and the Human Immortal Realm Soul Devourer were perilous at best.
Aurelius clenched his fist, voice ringing like tempered steel. “Comrades, the enemy stands at our gates! Today’s battle decides whether level six lives or crumbles. Those who wish to fight beside me, follow me to meet our foes!”
“We stand with King Aurelius!” everyone thundered, not a single soul retreating even a pace.
Outside the ruin, Soul Devourer now wore the guise of a child, astride a lion taller than a cathedral spire, its mane shuddering with molten darkness.
Two sword-bearing elders followed behind him, their silence sharper than their blades. Flanking them was Stebarin, grand elder of Malevolent Path Hall, whose crimson robes still dripped the promise of fresh slaughter.
Stebarin had intended to slink back to Malevolent Path Hall and leave level six’s fate to the winds. Yet the coming carnage, heavy with unclaimed souls, proved too enticing, and it was that greed that ultimately tethered to Soul Devourer’s shadow.
“Tell me, Mr. Hemato, who is currently the strongest in level six?” Soul Devourer lilted, legs swinging over the lion’s mane.
The question cracked like a whip. He had been suppressed for ten thousand years, and level six had long since changed dynasties. It was no longer the era once knew.
“One of the known powers would be Aurelius, king of Celestia,” Stebarin answered after a thoughtful pause. “He sits at Top Level Human Immortal Realm Level One.”
“And the unknown?” Soul Devourer pressed on, eyes glimmering with childlike mischief and killing intent.
“Rumors speak of Immortal Oras, the elder of Roaring Storm Church who has disappeared for almost ten thousand years,” Stebarin said softly. “There is also Adler Moyer, a prodigy of the beast race. He has also gone missing for many years, and it’s rumored that has advanced to the celestial realm.”
Soul Devourer nodded, a smile razor-thin across his small mouth. “I know all the people you mentioned. To think that after ten thousand years, level six has achieved nothing, the same old geezers from the past are still the most formidable. Does level six truly have no young prodigies at all?”
Stebarin fell silent and lowered his gaze, as though the stone floor might offer an answer.
“My Lord, the truth is I know little of level six. I was dispatched here only recently by the lord of Malevolent Path Hall,” murmured, each word careful, measured.
Before the awkward silence could thicken, a white-bearded elder hurried forward, spine bowed by both age and fear. “My lord, there’s a Martial Rankings in level six. The ten names at the top belong to their greatest young talents.”
Soul Devourer let his gaze drift toward the trembling speaker. “Names… Give them to me.”
“The number one on the Martial Rankings is Half-Beast King Imorn,” the elder stammered. “Barely two centuries old, yet has ruled the list for years. No one knows his master or the power behind him. The second is Thastrum Sandoval of Celestia. It’s said that and Imorn are evenly matched. They’ve dueled once, but never again since.”
Soul Devourer’s brow creased, shadows gathering in the hollows of his eyes. “Among all those young prodigies, is there no one by the name of Jared Chance?”
The elder blinked, utterly blank. “Jared Chance? I-I fear the name escapes me, My Lord…”
Stebarin rushed to fill the void. “My Lord, that man has crossed Malevolent Path Hall before. He may be strong, but he’s hardly a concern. By our estimates, he’s likely at Earthly Immortal Realm Level One or Two. Even if can punch above his weight, is still no match for the other prodigies of level six.”
Soul Devourer froze. “Is that so? I was on the verge of breaking through the restriction, but I was stalled for an entire day because of his arrival. Besides, the Power of Dragons coursing through is exquisitely pure… l have a feeling he’s a descendant of the Draconians…”
After hearing that, Stebarin nodded. “He is indeed a descendant of the Draconians, yet his strength fluctuates wildly. He may be formidable one moment, but becomes extremely weak the next. What truly bolsters are the many divine weapons has. Those are what increase his combat prowess.”
