Chapter 70:The Above Heaven Tournament

Even though the Demonic Palace was filled with terrifying figures capable of shaking the entire jianghu with a single command, an eerie silence prevailed.

The Four Great Evils.

The Sword Demon.

The Heavenly Demon.

The daughter of the Heavenly Demon, Elizabeth.

The cult's elders and core disciples.

Every one of them was listening to only two people.

The ruler of the Demonic Cult…

And the Devil.

The black-robed Lucifer stood in the middle of the grand hall with his hands in his pockets, his crimson eyes reflecting the torchlight.

A lazy grin appeared on his face.

Then, with his usual arrogance, he asked,

Lucifer: "So… what kind of storm are we looking into?"

The Heavenly Demon took a deep breath.

His expression became serious.

For the first time since Lucifer had entered the palace, his eyes showed something akin to concern.

Then he spoke.

Heavenly Demon: "The Above Heaven Tournament."

The entire hall froze.

Some elders widened their eyes.

Others clenched their fists.

Even Elizabeth looked startled.

The very name itself carried a terrifying weight.

Seeing everyone's reaction, Lucifer tilted his head.

He looked genuinely curious.

Lucifer: "Above Heaven Tournament? What's that?"

The Heavenly Demon slowly rose from his throne.

His gaze turned toward the night sky beyond the palace windows.

Heavenly Demon: "In the entire Murim, if there exists anything that can be called closest to Heaven itself… it is the Murim Alliance and the Demonic Cult."

His voice echoed throughout the palace.

Heavenly Demon: "For countless centuries, these two organizations have maintained the balance of jianghu in their own ways. They have fought, competed, and restrained each other."

He paused.

Heavenly Demon: "Every generation, both sides select their greatest disciples to compete in the Above Heaven Tournament."

Heavenly Demon: "It is a competition fought for glory, prestige, and the honor of one's faction."

Heavenly Demon: "Throughout history, the Demonic Cult and the Murim Alliance have won equally."

Then his expression darkened.

Heavenly Demon: "But recently… someone broke that balance."

Lucifer blinked.

Lucifer: "Who is he?"

The Heavenly Demon slowly turned his head.

Then he looked directly at him.

Heavenly Demon: "The very person asking me that question."

Silence.

Lucifer pointed at himself.

Lucifer: "Me? What did I do?"

Several elders nearly coughed blood.

What did he do?

This lunatic was asking what he did?

The Heavenly Demon pinched the bridge of his nose.

Heavenly Demon: "You trespassed into Murim Alliance territory."

Heavenly Demon: "You killed one of their Five Great Elders."

Heavenly Demon: "You unified the entire Unorthodox Murim."

Heavenly Demon: "And you repeatedly interfered in their affairs."

The hall became quiet.

Lucifer thought for several seconds.

Then he nodded.

Lucifer: "Ah. I did do all that."

Everyone looked speechless.

Then his lips curved upward.

Lucifer: "So they want to get rid of me under the guise of this tournament."

Heavenly Demon: "Yes."

His eyes became sharp.

Heavenly Demon: "And we plan to use this opportunity to start a war."

Boom.

The words exploded like thunder.

Everyone inside the palace became shocked.

Several elders stood up.

Elder: "Cult Leader! Please reconsider!"

Another Elder: "A war with the Murim Alliance will cost countless lives!"

Third Elder: "This is too dangerous!"

But the Heavenly Demon remained unmoved.

His expression was firm.

For years…

No.

For generations…

The Demonic Cult had dreamed of unifying jianghu.

And now…

The appearance of the Devil had finally given him an opportunity.

He would not let it go.

Lucifer, meanwhile, looked excited.

A war?

That sounded fun.

A grin slowly spread across his face.

Lucifer: "Interesting."

He leaned against a pillar.

Lucifer: "But I'm not the only one going there, right?"

Heavenly Demon: "No."

Heavenly Demon: "Both factions will choose their best disciples to participate."

Lucifer snorted.

Lucifer: "So it's basically a public contest to flex superiority."

The Heavenly Demon looked at him.

Heavenly Demon: "Childish."

Lucifer: "Exactly."

Several elders nearly fainted.

This was the first person in history to describe the Above Heaven Tournament as a glorified flexing competition.

Lucifer crossed his arms.

Lucifer: "I need Lei Xin, Zhong Yu, and the Third Disciple's sister to participate."

The Heavenly Demon raised an eyebrow.

Heavenly Demon: "Why them?"

Lucifer shrugged.

Lucifer: "Because I know most people won't listen to me."

A smirk appeared.

Lucifer: "So I need people who will."

The Heavenly Demon looked at him for a few moments.

Then he nodded.

Heavenly Demon: "Very well."

Heavenly Demon: "Anything else?"

Lucifer's grin widened.

A dangerous light flashed in his eyes.

Lucifer: "Just remember this…"

He looked directly at the Heavenly Demon.

Lucifer: "You are unleashing the Devil."

The entire hall became cold.

Even the elders felt chills.

Then—

The Heavenly Demon smiled.

Heavenly Demon: "Rampage as much as you want."

Lucifer's smile became wider.

Lucifer: "I plan to."

"Hehehe…"

After everyone left the palace, only the Heavenly Demon and Sword Demon remained.

The Heavenly Demon looked outside.

The moon hung high in the sky.

He sighed.

Heavenly Demon: "Do you think I made the wrong decision?"

The Sword Demon thought for a moment.

Then he smiled.

Sword Demon: "For generations, it has been our dream to unify jianghu."

He looked in the direction Lucifer had gone.

Sword Demon: "And now we have him."

Sword Demon: "I believe this is the right time."

The Heavenly Demon remained silent.

Then he looked at the night sky.

Heavenly Demon: "I hope so."

Meanwhile…

Lucifer stood before his little house.

He stretched.

Lucifer: "Home sweet home."

A familiar voice suddenly spoke.

Zhong Yu: "So… the Devil returns after rampaging throughout Murim."

Lucifer looked behind him.

There stood Zhong Yu carrying food and several jars of sake.

Lucifer's eyes lit up.

Lucifer: "Zhong Yu! What are you doing here?"

Zhong Yu: "I heard you returned."

He lifted the food.

Zhong Yu: "So I brought dinner."

Lucifer almost cried.

Lucifer: "You really did something great."

He grabbed the food.

Lucifer: "I was dying from hunger."

The two entered the house.

They ate.

They drank.

They talked about everything that had happened in Murim.

For once…

It felt peaceful.

The next morning…

Everyone had gathered at the designated location.

Elizabeth looked furious.

Because someone was late.

Again.

Then—

Lucifer finally appeared.

Hands in pockets.

Bamboo stick in his mouth.

Hair messy.

Completely relaxed.

As though they weren't going to war.

Lucifer: "Sorry."

He yawned.

Lucifer: "I had a little extra sake last night."

Elizabeth's eye twitched.

Elizabeth: "HOW CAN YOU BE SO CARELESS?!"

The atmosphere exploded.

A fight was about to start.

Thankfully—

The Poison Demon intervened.

He calmed Elizabeth down before approaching Lucifer.

Poison Demon: "Can't you be serious for one day?"

He looked exhausted.

Poison Demon: "We're practically starting a war."

Lucifer smiled.

Lucifer: "Why so serious?"

He grinned.

Lucifer: "Why don't you smile?"

The Poison Demon's face turned red.

His veins bulged.

But somehow…

Somehow…

He endured it.

He took a deep breath.

Then summoned a gigantic dragon.

Everyone boarded.

The dragon soared into the sky.

Moments later…

Lei Xin suddenly began crying.

Lei Xin: "After so much suffering I finally escaped being an assassin…"

She sobbed.

Lei Xin: "And now I'm being forced onto a battlefield!"

Lucifer looked at her.

Lucifer: "Relax."

Everyone looked at him.

Lucifer: "The war hasn't even started yet."

Lei Xin cried even harder.

Tsuru sighed.

Tsuru: "You are really bad at motivating people."

Lucifer blinked.

Lucifer: "Who are you?"

Tsuru froze.

Tsuru: "I'm the Third Disciple's sister."

She looked offended.

Tsuru: "Thanks to you, I inherited my family's leadership position."

Lucifer nodded.

Lucifer: "Right. How could I forget?"

Chirin immediately replied.

Chirin: "You obviously forgot."

Lucifer: "No, I didn't."

Chirin: "You did."

Tsuru burst into laughter.

Then she said,

Tsuru: "Then you probably don't know the Fourth Disciple you killed was the Poison Demon's grandson."

Lucifer looked completely unfazed.

Lucifer: "I don't bother remembering the dead."

Zhong Yu almost jumped.

Zhong Yu: "Say it quietly!"

He pointed ahead.

Zhong Yu: "Don't let the Poison Demon hear you!"

Lucifer lay down on the dragon's back.

Lucifer: "Like I care."

Veins bulged on the Poison Demon's forehead.

Poison Demon: "You are not here on a vacation."

Poison Demon: "Concentrate!"

Everyone began cultivating.

Everyone…

Except Lucifer.

Who immediately fell asleep.

Hours later…

They arrived.

The Neutral Palace.

A place where neither the Demonic Cult nor the Murim Alliance held authority.

Today…

It was packed.

The great clans had arrived.

The Namgoong Clan.

The Tang Clan.

The Baek Clan.

The great sects had arrived.

The Plum Blossom Sect.

The Wudang Sect.

The Emei Sect.

The Five Dragons.

The Three Phoenixes.

The greatest young talents of the Murim Alliance.

Among them—

The First Phoenix, Sue, kept searching through the crowd.

Looking for one person.

Lucifer.

Then—

The Demonic Cult arrived.

One by one, disciples descended from the dragon.

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

The Great Elder Tortoise snorted.

Tortoise: "Seems the Demonic Cult always comes late."

The Poison Demon smiled.

Poison Demon: "The main guest of honor always comes late."

Tortoise: "What did you say?"

BOOM.

Their auras exploded.

The entire arena trembled.

Everyone became pale.

The Five Great Elders.

The Four Great Evils.

The pillars of Murim.

Normally…

They avoided fighting.

Because a clash between them meant catastrophe.

But today…

War was already inevitable.

Then—

Another aura appeared.

A black and crimson aura.

Dark.

Heavy.

Ominous.

It wasn't stronger than the Great Elders.

Yet…

It wasn't weaker either.

It was on par with them.

The clan leaders and sect masters suddenly felt their instincts scream.

Run.

Even the Heavenly Demon didn't possess an aura this terrifying.

Then—

A figure slowly rose.

Lucifer.

His eyes opened.

Crimson.

Cold.

Dangerous.

He began walking toward the elders.

Each step felt like death itself approaching.

Then he spoke.

Lucifer: "Don't you know…"

Another step.

Lucifer: "What happens…"

Another step.

The aura became even heavier.

Lucifer: "…when you disturb my nap?"

Silence.

Everyone knew.

The Green Forest.

The massacre.

The annihilation.

Thousands dead.

All because they interrupted his sleep.

Those who thought it was merely an exaggerated rumor…

No longer doubted.

They were seeing the Devil in person.

And he looked genuinely angry.

The Rising Stars felt chills.

Elizabeth swallowed nervously.

Even the elders narrowed their eyes.

Because they all realized the same thing.

This lunatic…

Was serious.

And when the Devil became serious—

Something terrible was about to happen.