Earth Fiend Sect Meeting

After leaving the forging chamber, Li Siyi took Su Luo to explore many more places.

Her itinerary was meticulously planned, leaving no gaps in their schedule.

Even when there was downtime, it was spent in quiet reflection, resting and savoring the moments.

Yet, throughout their journey, Su Luo couldn’t shake off a sense of strangeness. Some members of the Seven Stars Sword Sect were inexplicably kind to him.

He received preferential treatment everywhere—like when queuing to enter certain places, people would step aside to let Su Luo and Li Siyi pass without a word of complaint.

When Li Siyi went to prepare something, leaving Su Luo alone, disciples would approach him—not to flirt, but to strike up conversations.

They were warm and friendly, chatting casually as if they were old friends.

"Have you eaten? If not, let me treat you."

"Since you’re here, why not share a drink?"

"These aren’t much, but please accept them as gifts."

Su Luo was baffled.

"Brothers and sisters, are we really that close?"

Even if they were trying to curry favor with Li Siyi, this felt excessive.

The most absurd part was when Li Siyi had to attend a meeting.

She brought Su Luo along without hesitation.

Su Luo refused at first—what business did he, an outsider, have attending a Seven Stars Sword Sect meeting? And given Li Siyi’s status, it was surely no ordinary gathering.

He expected to be kicked out immediately.

But no one batted an eye. They treated Su Luo as if he belonged there, even smoothly asking for his input on matters.

It was bizarre, but since Li Siyi had brought him, he couldn’t embarrass her.

When questioned, he answered flawlessly.

After the meeting, Su Luo asked Li Siyi what was going on.

She merely smiled and said, "Maybe you’re just naturally likable."

"That’s a non-answer."

"Come on, you’re not the type to dwell on such things."

"Fair enough."

Su Luo had long lost interest in the Seven Stars Sword Sect after defecting.

Even if he paid attention to them now, it was only for the sake of the unfolding events.

Why the sect’s disciples acted this way didn’t really matter to him.

In the following days, Li Siyi continued showing Su Luo around.

They did everything they’d planned, and for a while, his mood improved.

Well, almost everything.

One night, Li Siyi changed into a new outfit.

"Su Luo, how do I look?"

"Not bad. I might lose control."

"Go ahead. It’s not like I can resist..."

"I have principles."

Su Luo meant to tease her, but Li Siyi retaliated with a swift "crow sits on airplane" move.

......

Their days were filled with leisure and amusement.

But soon, it was time to get down to business.

The location of the Earthly Fiend Sect had been scouted.

Various sects were preparing to strike when the time came.

......

Inside the Earthly Fiend Sect, the Right Envoy sat on his high throne, his expression grim.

Ever since Su Luo had ravaged the sect, the Right Envoy had been in a foul mood.

Still, life went on.

The Earthly Fiend Sect was rebuilding.

Su Luo’s rampage hadn’t resulted in many deaths—most members were merely injured.

Injured to the brink of death, but alive.

By now, they had mostly recovered.

In an opulent chamber, the Earthly Fiend Sect held a meeting.

Only four were present: the Right Envoy, the Deputy Sect Leader, the West Extreme Demon Lord, and the Old Ancestor of the Earthly Fiend Sect.

The sect’s overall strength was formidable.

The strongest was the Right Envoy, a Mahayana cultivator and the undisputed leader.

Next was the Old Ancestor, also at Mahayana but slightly weaker than the Right Envoy. Advanced in age, he spent most of his time in seclusion. During Su Luo’s attack, he hadn’t even been disturbed—the battle ended too quickly.

Below them were the Deputy Sect Leader and the West Extreme Demon Lord, both at the peak of the Void Refinement stage, just a step away from Mahayana.

The Deputy Sect Leader had once acted as interim leader in the Right Envoy’s absence. Loyal and trusted, he dedicated himself entirely to the sect.

Further down were the 36 Earthly Fiends, with cultivations ranging from Nascent Soul to Void Refinement.

This number paled in comparison to the Heavenly Demon Sect’s former glory—their titled demons had far exceeded 36.

It was no wonder the Heavenly Demon Sect had once been the undisputed pinnacle of the demonic path.

Beneath them were the 72 Ghost Fiends, weaker but still formidable among lower-tier cultivators.

The rest were mere foot soldiers, unworthy of mention.

The Earthly Fiend Sect’s strength justified its position as the second-greatest demonic force.

The Right Envoy spoke first. "What are your thoughts on our next move?"

The Deputy Sect Leader replied, "The righteous path is determined to weaken us further. I suspect they’ll target us soon."

This wasn’t mere speculation—many rogue demonic cultivators had already fallen. Larger sects would be next.

The West Extreme Demon Lord chuckled. "No need to worry too much. With Su Luo running rampant, the righteous path will focus on him first. We still have time."

At the mention of Su Luo, the Right Envoy’s face darkened. "I must admit, he’s grown far stronger."

The memory of being crushed by Su Luo still infuriated him.

A heavy silence followed. None had expected a single man to bring the Earthly Fiend Sect to its knees.

The Old Ancestor remained indifferent. He hadn’t been present during the attack, and now, he preferred not to involve himself in sect affairs.

Age had dulled his ambition. Fighting was one thing, but strategy was best left to the others.

"Regardless, we must prepare," the Right Envoy said. "The days ahead won’t be easy. One misstep, and the Earthly Fiend Sect will cease to exist."

This wasn’t hyperbole—the demonic path was at its weakest in history, especially after the fall of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

If they didn’t act now, it would be centuries before the demonic path flourished again.

And the Right Envoy intended for the Earthly Fiend Sect to lead that resurgence.

Suddenly, one of the 36 Earthly Fiends burst in, panic-stricken.

The Deputy Sect Leader scowled. "What’s this commotion? Have you forgotten your composure?"

"The righteous path—they’re attacking us!" the disciple blurted.

"What?! Why aren’t they going after Su Luo first?" the Deputy Sect Leader exclaimed.

Rumors painted Su Luo as the next great demonic overlord. Why target the Earthly Fiend Sect instead?