Emperor of Fire Calamity

At this moment, the remnant soul within the Soul Stabilizing Pearl awakened.

The Fire Fiend Great Emperor had been relying on the Soul Stabilizing Pearl to survive, waking up periodically. If he encountered a suitable person—no, any person at all—he would seize their body without hesitation.

He was no longer picky. The endless passage of time had filled him with despair over and over again, leaving him desperate to escape.

Unfortunately, the Soul Stabilizing Pearl had been hidden in a secluded place, remaining undiscovered for ages.

The Fire Fiend Great Emperor had lost count of how many years he had waited.

Peering through the pearl at Su Luo, he grew more and more delighted. This body seemed tailor-made for him.

Ecstatic, the Fire Fiend Great Emperor felt a surge of emotion he hadn’t experienced in ages—his usual state was nothing but stagnant indifference.

He began his temptation, whispering in a mysterious voice, "Do you... desire power?"

"No."

The Fire Fiend Great Emperor was taken aback. It wasn’t Su Luo’s answer that surprised him, but the fact that the young man showed no shock at all. Had he encountered something like this before?

Su Luo tossed the Soul Stabilizing Pearl onto the ground, looking down at it with cold indifference.

For the first time, the Fire Fiend Great Emperor felt a twinge of unease.

No, no—this was just a minor cultivator. In his prime, he could have crushed such an ant with a single hand.

"...No, you do desire it. I can see right through you."

The Fire Fiend Great Emperor persisted in his seduction.

He hadn’t actually seen through anything—but anyone who came to this secret realm must be seeking power.

"If you keep talking, I’ll erase you."

Su Luo had no patience for theatrics. In the past, he had no choice but to act meek. But now? Why should he?

Well, he still had to play the part in front of Lin Xuan. But the Fire Fiend Great Emperor? He was just a disposable villain. No need for caution.

The Fire Fiend Great Emperor had never suffered such humiliation.

But body possession required preparation—most importantly, the gradual erosion of the target’s will with his own power.

Once the time was right, he could seize the body.

"Let me give you a taste of my power."

The Fire Fiend Great Emperor decided to force his energy into Su Luo. Forcing the process would take longer, but it didn’t matter. Su Luo was already his prey—there was no escape.

Though only a remnant soul, the Fire Fiend Great Emperor’s past glory still made him formidable.

He began channeling his power into Su Luo.

Tendrils of dark flame shot out from the Soul Stabilizing Pearl, streaking toward Su Luo.

But in the next instant, they spiraled out of control, scattering wildly before dissipating into the air.

Sorry, but all flames answer to me.

[Flame Monarch]

Su Luo remained seated, utterly unperturbed.

The Fire Fiend Great Emperor was baffled. Why had his flames suddenly gone rogue? Had his power deteriorated after sleeping for so long?

He refused to believe Su Luo was responsible. First, he hadn’t seen the young man make any move. Second, Su Luo’s cultivation was far too weak to control his flames.

The Fire Fiend Great Emperor refused to accept that he couldn’t handle this insignificant brat.

Once more, flames surged forth—only to meet the same fate.

Finally, he had no choice but to accept that Su Luo was the one interfering.

"Why resist? I can make you stronger!"

"Because right now, I’m the stronger one."

"Nonsense! You’re just a child—I’ve lived longer than you by a thousandfold!"

Soul Impact!

While the Fire Fiend Great Emperor excelled in flame techniques, his soul state amplified his spiritual attacks, making them far easier to unleash.

An invisible force surged toward Su Luo—cold, sinister, and undeniably ominous even without physical form.

"You can’t escape!"

Yet Su Luo didn’t even flinch.

He was being completely disregarded.

"You’ll regret this."

The Fire Fiend Great Emperor’s soul was immensely powerful—otherwise, he wouldn’t have survived this long.

A soul strike targeted the very essence of one’s being.

A damaged soul could leave one mentally broken—or dead.

But he had met Su Luo.

[Radiance of the Setting Sun]

Su Luo had long honed his soul with this ability.

He didn’t watch the sunset every day, but he did so often enough.

His past life had been leisurely—why not enjoy the view?

Moreover, he had acquired this skill early. After so many days of accumulation, his soul had reached terrifying heights.

The soul strike landed on Su Luo—and nothing happened.

But the Fire Fiend Great Emperor suffered. Soul impacts were most dangerous to the caster.

At its core, it was hurling one’s own soul against another’s.

The moment his strike collided with Su Luo, the Fire Fiend Great Emperor saw an endless ocean.

His soul was but a drop in Su Luo’s vast sea.

"AAAAAHHH!"

Agony wracked him—soul pain was a hundred times worse than physical torment.

Su Luo shrugged. He hadn’t done anything. The old ghost had brought this on himself.

"You... just who are you?!"

The Fire Fiend Great Emperor had never encountered someone with such an overwhelming soul. Had the cultivation world evolved so much?

What had happened outside during his slumber?!

"Shut up." Su Luo had no interest in conversation.

The Fire Fiend Great Emperor obeyed. He truly couldn’t afford to provoke Su Luo now.

Then came a devastating realization—he couldn’t possess Su Luo.

The core of body possession was overwhelming the target’s soul and usurping their body.

But Su Luo’s soul was too powerful.

After waiting so long for this chance, he had finally found a perfect vessel—only to be unable to take it.

The Fire Fiend Great Emperor felt his vision darken in despair.

Time passed slowly.

Yet he hadn’t given up. If he couldn’t possess Su Luo, he could target someone else. Now that the pearl had been discovered, it would soon be taken out of the secret realm.

Once outside, opportunities would abound. There would be plenty of people to choose from.

He wasn’t worried about Su Luo destroying him.

As long as the Soul Stabilizing Pearl remained intact, he was immortal.

And the pearl itself was a treasure—Su Luo wouldn’t casually destroy it.

Su Luo had no intention of destroying the pearl. Instead, he had quietly inscribed a spell on it—one that could force the Fire Fiend Great Emperor out.

Just then, Lin Xuan finally arrived.

"Su Luo?"

He was puzzled. Why was Su Luo here? Did he have a new plan?

Reflecting on their previous scheme to suppress the demonic path, Lin Xuan now realized how brilliant Su Luo’s strategy had been.

Without Su Luo’s alliance with the Heavenly Demon Sect, their group would have wasted endless time chasing shadows.

If they had openly hunted the demonic cultivators, the targets would have gone into hiding, making them even harder to find.

But Su Luo had used his identity as a Heavenly Demon Sect disciple to gather them—only to lead them to their doom.

The plan had been flawless.

Elder Yan noticed the Soul Stabilizing Pearl. "Lin Xuan, that’s the treasure we’ve been searching for."

Lin Xuan was overjoyed—but it lay at Su Luo’s feet. Did Su Luo need it too?

"Su Luo, do you require the Soul Stabilizing Pearl? If not, could you let me have it? It’s crucial for me. I can trade something of equal value."

Su Luo found Lin Xuan’s words strange.

Trade?

Why trade when you could just take it?

Since when had Lin Xuan ever been this courteous to him? Weren’t they enemies?