Chapter 52:The Devil’s Harvest

Shock.

Disbelief.

Fear.

The corpses of disciples littered the battlefield around them.

The Golden Ape lay dead nearby.

Its precious core still warm.

And standing before him—

The one person Jang never wanted to see.

Lucifer Morningstar.

Smiling.

Clapping slowly.

"Beautiful performance."

Jang tightened his grip on his weapon.

"You..."

Lucifer tilted his head.

"What? You look like you've seen a ghost."

His eyes drifted toward the Golden Ape.

"No, wait."

A grin spread across his face.

"You look like someone who just realized all his hard work belongs to someone else."

Jang's killing intent exploded.

"LUCIFER!"

Without hesitation, he attacked.

Dark green qi surged through his body.

Poison Arts.

A skull-shaped projectile flew through the air.

The surrounding trees blackened instantly from the toxin.

Lucifer merely sighed.

"Still using the same tricks?"

His sword moved.

Cleave.

A black-red slash split the poisonous skull in half.

The attack scattered harmlessly.

Jang's heart sank.

He knew.

He couldn't win.

Not now.

Not after the battle with the Golden Ape.

His qi reserves were nearly empty.

His body exhausted.

His injuries severe.

Running was the only option.

Without hesitation, his body transformed.

Bones twisted.

Skin rippled.

His lower half became a giant serpent.

Snake Transformation Art.

One of the secret techniques of his clan.

His figure shot through the forest.

Fast.

Desperate.

Pathetic.

Lucifer watched him leave.

Then vanished.

Sin of Sloth.

The world blurred.

A moment later—

Lucifer appeared directly in front of the fleeing Jang.

The serpent form nearly crashed into him.

"What?"

Jang's eyes widened.

Impossible.

How?

Lucifer smiled.

"Leaving already?"

Jang immediately jumped backward.

His face pale.

Cold sweat dripped down his forehead.

For the first time—

He truly felt fear.

Not fear of losing.

Fear of Lucifer.

A monster he couldn't understand.

A monster that refused to die.

Jang exhaled.

Then his expression hardened.

If he couldn't escape—

Then he would kill him.

Even if it cost everything.

Poison erupted from every pore in his body.

The surrounding forest began dying instantly.

Grass melted.

Trees withered.

The air itself became toxic.

A poisonous domain.

A battlefield where only he could survive.

Jang laughed.

"Now what?"

"Even you can't approach me."

Lucifer glanced around.

Then looked back at him.

Unimpressed.

"That's it?"

Jang's smile froze.

Lucifer shrugged.

"Honestly."

"I expected more."

Jang growled.

"Keep talking while you can."

Lucifer stretched lazily.

"I guess even cornered dogs bark."

The insult hit harder than any sword.

Jang attacked.

Poisonous qi surged forward.

Lucifer raised his blade.

Wind exploded.

Raging Tempest.

The violent storm swept through the area.

Poison dispersed.

The suffocating mist vanished.

Jang's confidence cracked.

"No..."

Lucifer smiled.

"Out of tricks?"

Jang's face twisted.

"No."

His body began changing again.

This time further.

More violently.

Scales covered his skin.

His eyes became reptilian.

Poison dripped from sharpened claws.

His muscles swelled.

The last forbidden transformation.

One he had saved for the First Disciple.

One he never intended to reveal.

But desperation left no choices.

Lucifer stared.

Then burst out laughing.

Jang froze.

"What is funny?"

Lucifer wiped a tear from his eye.

"I thought you'd become something impressive."

A pause.

"You just got uglier."

Jang roared.

The ground exploded beneath him.

His speed doubled.

Then tripled.

Claws rained down endlessly.

The forest trembled under the assault.

But Lucifer never fought back.

He only dodged.

Step.

Shift.

Twist.

Evade.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Jang's frustration grew.

"WHY ARE YOU RUNNING?"

Lucifer smiled.

"Observation."

"What?"

"Your form consumes enormous qi."

Lucifer dodged another attack.

"And you're already exhausted."

Another strike missed.

"Meaning you're burning your own life force."

Another dodge.

"Meaning all I have to do is wait."

Jang's pupils shrank.

Every word was correct.

Lucifer had figured it out instantly.

Just from watching.

That realization terrified him.

Because it meant something horrifying.

Lucifer wasn't just stronger.

He was smarter.

Far smarter.

A true monster.

Jang roared.

"I WON'T LET YOU LIVE!"

In his heart—

He finally understood.

If Lucifer survived—

One day nobody would stop him.

Not the disciples.

Not the elders.

Maybe not even the Heavenly Demon.

Lucifer watched him quietly.

Then sighed.

"Unfortunately."

"I don't have time."

His smile widened.

"So let's end this."

The next moment—

Blood sprayed.

Jang stumbled.

His right arm fell to the ground.

Silence.

Neither of them moved.

Jang stared at the severed limb.

His mind unable to process it.

Then pain hit.

"AAAAAAAHHHHH!"

He collapsed to one knee.

Lucifer stood several meters away.

Sword dripping blood.

Jang's voice trembled.

"How?"

Lucifer smiled.

"You really think I'd explain my abilities?"

A pause.

"Die confused."

Jang's body shook.

Despair consumed him.

He knew.

It was over.

So he made one final decision.

If he was dying—

He would drag Lucifer down with him.

His remaining qi erupted.

His body began collapsing.

A suicidal attack.

Everything.

All at once.

Jang lunged.

A final desperate charge.

"IF I DIE—"

"I'M TAKING YOU WITH ME!"

Lucifer's eyes turned cold.

"You aren't worthy."

Time slowed.

Sin of Greed activated.

The world became sluggish.

Every movement stretched.

Every heartbeat lengthened.

Then—

Sin of Sloth.

The combination was terrifying.

To Lucifer—

The battlefield stood still.

One step.

A slash.

Another step.

Another slash.

Then a third.

Time resumed.

Jang crashed onto the ground.

His arms gone.

His legs gone.

Completely helpless.

He stared upward.

Unable to move.

Unable to escape.

Lucifer slowly approached.

The smile on his face made Jang wish for death.

"Now."

"Payback."

His sword pierced Jang's lower abdomen.

Directly into the poison core.

The source of all his power.

Crack.

The core shattered.

Instantly.

Poison flooded Jang's body.

His own power began devouring him alive.

Agony beyond imagination.

Jang screamed.

"PLEASE!"

"KILL ME!"

Lucifer crouched beside him.

"Not yet."

His smile widened.

"First."

"Watch."

He pulled out the Golden Ape Core.

Jang's eyes widened.

No.

No.

No.

Everything clicked.

His ambition.

His future.

His standing.

His chance to become Heavenly Demon.

All of it—

Gone.

Lucifer sat down directly in front of him.

And began refining the core.

Jang could only watch.

Powerless.

The ultimate humiliation.

The thing he sacrificed everything for—

Was being taken.

Right in front of him.

Tears mixed with blood.

For the first time in years—

Jang felt true despair.

Hours passed.

The Golden Ape Core dissolved.

Energy surged.

The heavens trembled.

A vortex formed.

Then—

Boom.

Lucifer broke through.

Golden Core Realm.

Dark energy exploded outward.

Yet something felt wrong.

Lucifer looked inward.

His core wasn't golden.

It was black.

Pitch black.

Wrapped in crimson energy.

A Devil Core.

Lucifer grinned.

"I like it."

When he looked back—

Jang was dead.

Not from injuries.

Not from poison.

His mind had broken first.

"Tsk."

Lucifer clicked his tongue.

"So weak."

"I still had ideas."

Chirin floated nearby.

After witnessing everything—

Even she looked disturbed.

"Now I understand why the gods called you the Devil."

Lucifer laughed.

"Because I am the worst."

The return to the cult caused an uproar.

Only one participant emerged alive.

Lucifer Morningstar.

The Beast Mountain had become a graveyard.

Questions arose immediately.

Suspicion spread.

But suspicion wasn't evidence.

The Law Hall investigated.

Found nothing.

And ultimately—

Released him.

Days later.

Lucifer officially became an Inner Disciple.

A better residence.

More resources.

Higher status.

Everything had improved.

Yet his enemies only increased.

While exchanging resources in the Finance Hall—

A voice suddenly sounded behind him.

"It seems Junior Brother harvested quite a lot."

Lucifer turned.

The Third Disciple.

One of the Heavenly Demon's personal disciples.

A dangerous figure.

Lucifer smiled.

"Interested in buying?"

The Third Disciple chuckled.

"If Junior Brother wishes to sell."

Lucifer tilted his head.

"Funny."

"I don't remember being your junior anymore."

The surrounding disciples froze.

The Third Disciple's smile twitched.

Lucifer continued.

"You all abandoned me when my dantian was destroyed."

"Now suddenly I'm family again?"

Silence.

The crowd watched carefully.

The Third Disciple laughed lightly.

"No need for hostility."

"I simply came with an opportunity."

Lucifer narrowed his eyes.

"Go on."

"The Soul Fruit."

Instant interest spread through the crowd.

The Third Disciple continued.

"A treasure capable of assisting breakthrough into the Nascent Soul Realm."

"I plan to obtain it."

A pause.

"And I wish to invite you."

Lucifer almost laughed.

An invitation?

From someone who wanted him dead?

The trap was so obvious it was insulting.

Yet he smiled.

"Why me?"

The Third Disciple answered smoothly.

"Because talent deserves opportunity."

Lucifer stared.

Then laughed.

A genuine laugh.

"Sure."

The Third Disciple blinked.

"You agree?"

"Of course."

"Let's leave tomorrow."

The Third Disciple smiled.

"Excellent."

After he left—

Chirin immediately appeared.

"It's a trap."

Lucifer nodded.

"Obviously."

"Then why agree?"

Lucifer's smile widened.

The same smile that usually appeared before disasters.

"Because."

His eyes gleamed.

"It sounds fun."

And somewhere far away—

Fate shivered.

Because another massacre was about to begin.