Chapter 78:The Divine Blacksmith’s Legacy

The noisy battlefield outside vanished as if it had never existed.

Only silence remained.

A long, narrow passage stretched endlessly before them, illuminated by rows of glowing jade crystals embedded into the walls. Their soft emerald light reflected across the polished stone floor, giving the entire corridor an almost dreamlike appearance.

Yu Ming looked around in amazement.

"Seems like the Divine Blacksmith was really rich."

She gently touched one of the crystals.

"Using Jade Crystals just to light a hallway... each one of these is worth a fortune."

Sue nodded.

"It isn't surprising."

"Every weapon forged by the Divine Blacksmith was priceless."

"Entire clans emptied their treasuries just to obtain one of his creations."

"Some even went to war over them."

Lucifer casually walked ahead with both hands inside his pockets.

"That's only natural."

"He wasn't called the Divine Blacksmith for nothing."

He smiled.

"Now stop admiring the decorations."

"We're here to rob a tomb."

The two women exchanged helpless glances before following behind him.

The deeper they walked...

The colder the tunnel became.

The warm glow of the jade crystals slowly faded into an eerie green.

Even the air felt heavier.

Yu Ming unconsciously rubbed her arms.

"...I don't like this place."

Sue glanced sideways.

"What?"

"Is this ancient tomb beneath the standards of the former princess?"

"You could've stayed outside."

Yu Ming immediately frowned.

"You..."

Before another argument could begin—

Lucifer sighed.

"Seriously?"

"You two are still fighting in a place that could kill us at any moment?"

Neither answered.

Instead...

They glared at each other.

Lucifer simply shook his head.

"I've fought Blood Demons."

"I've fought Great Elders."

"But somehow..."

"...women are scarier."

Suddenly—

Tap...

Tap...

Tap...

Lucifer stopped walking.

His expression became serious.

"...Did you hear that?"

The two women looked around.

"Hear what?"

For several seconds...

Nothing happened.

Sue raised an eyebrow.

"I think you're imagining things."

Then—

Rumble...

A faint vibration echoed through the tunnel.

This time...

Everyone heard it.

The sound grew louder.

Closer.

Closer.

The walls themselves started trembling.

Lucifer slowly turned around.

"So..."

"I'm not crazy."

The three looked behind them.

Their expressions froze.

A gigantic stone boulder was rolling toward them at terrifying speed, completely filling the narrow tunnel.

Lucifer smiled.

"So that's making the noise."

Without hesitation—

He drew Chirin.

"Cleave."

A crimson slash split the massive boulder into countless smaller rocks.

The pieces scattered across the tunnel.

Lucifer dusted off his hands.

"Problem solved."

...

Rumble...

The sound...

Didn't stop.

Instead—

It became even louder.

Much louder.

The three slowly looked farther down the passage.

Their pupils shrank.

Not one boulder.

Not two.

Dozens.

Hundreds.

An entire avalanche of giant stone boulders thundered toward them like an unstoppable flood.

Lucifer clicked his tongue.

"Tch."

"Cutting them all would only waste my Ki."

He pointed ahead.

"Run."

Without another word—

The three sprinted forward.

The tunnel shook violently beneath the impact of the rolling stones.

Dust filled the air.

The roaring behind them became deafening.

Lucifer quickly noticed something.

Yu Ming and Sue were fast.

But nowhere near fast enough.

He immediately grabbed Yu Ming under one arm...

Sue under the other...

And burst forward with all his strength.

The women screamed simultaneously.

"FASTER!!"

"We're going to get crushed!"

"I don't want to die!"

"I just got married!"

Lucifer gritted his teeth.

"Would both of you stop shouting?!"

"I'm already carrying two people!"

"This tunnel isn't exactly helping either!"

The narrow pathway restricted his movement.

Even with Sin of Sloth enhancing his speed...

His pace had nearly been cut in half.

Behind them—

The avalanche kept gaining.

Closer.

Closer.

Only a few meters remained.

Yu Ming shut her eyes.

"We're dead..."

Then—

A faint light appeared ahead.

Lucifer's eyes narrowed.

"The exit."

Without warning—

He threw both women through the opening.

"What are you—?!"

The two flew through the air before crashing safely onto the other side.

The sudden loss of weight dramatically increased Lucifer's speed.

Using Sin of Sloth—

He vanished.

The instant he leaped through the opening—

BOOM!!

The giant boulders slammed into the narrow entrance.

Their massive size prevented them from passing through.

Stone exploded everywhere.

Dust swallowed the chamber.

Silence followed.

Several minutes later...

The three lay flat on the ground, breathing heavily.

Yu Ming glared at Lucifer.

"...Couldn't you have warned us before throwing us?"

Lucifer shrugged.

"You should be grateful."

"I could've left both of you back there."

Sue laughed softly.

"I can't even argue with that."

After recovering...

The trio continued forward.

The deeper they ventured...

The dim light gradually disappeared.

One jade crystal after another...

Went dark.

Until finally—

Complete darkness swallowed the corridor.

Not even an inch ahead could be seen.

Yu Ming instinctively grabbed Lucifer's hand.

"I can't see anything..."

Sue immediately frowned.

"Why are you holding another man's hand?"

Yu Ming looked back.

"Jealous?"

Sue's cheeks instantly reddened.

"W-Who said I was jealous?"

She grabbed Lucifer's other hand.

"I'm only making sure he doesn't get lost."

Yu Ming smirked.

"You're a cultivator."

"You can sense your surroundings."

"So why are you holding his hand?"

Sue looked away.

"...Because I want to."

Lucifer sighed.

"...Shouldn't someone ask whether I have a choice?"

Neither answered.

Instead—

The argument continued.

Lucifer simply rolled his eyes.

"Unbelievable."

He activated his Demonic Eyes.

The pitch-black darkness instantly vanished from his vision.

Golden patterns spread across the walls.

"A formation..."

"So that's what this is."

The darkness wasn't natural.

It was an illusion array.

His eyes immediately found its weakest point.

Without hesitation—

"Dismantle."

A single invisible slash cut through the hidden core.

Crack.

The entire formation shattered.

Light instantly returned to the corridor.

Yu Ming blinked.

"...That was it?"

Lucifer nodded.

"It was only meant to confuse intruders."

Soon—

A gigantic stone door appeared before them.

Lucifer looked at the two women.

"Wait here."

Sue frowned.

"You think I can't help?"

Lucifer shook his head.

"That's not it."

He turned toward the tunnel behind them.

"I can already sense dozens of cultivators entering the tomb."

"They're making their way here."

He looked directly at them.

"I need both of you to stop anyone from entering this room."

"Until I come back."

Yu Ming nodded.

"We'll hold them."

Sue smiled.

"Leave the entrance to us."

Lucifer grinned.

"I knew you'd say that."

With that—

He pushed open the ancient stone door.

The moment he stepped inside—

An overwhelming pressure descended upon him.

It felt less like entering a treasure chamber...

And more like stepping into a graveyard.

The enormous room was completely silent.

Then—

Whoosh.

One blue flame ignited.

Then another.

Another.

Another.

Hundreds of torches burst into ghostly blue fire one after another, illuminating the colossal chamber.

At the center...

Upon a massive stone altar...

Something slept.

It resembled a gigantic rhinoceros.

Its body was covered in metallic scales.

Its horns stretched several meters long.

Its breathing alone shook the chamber.

Lucifer smiled.

"So..."

"You're the final guardian."

The creature slowly opened its glowing blue eyes.

For a brief moment...

It stared at him.

Then—

ROOOOAAAARRR!!

The entire tomb trembled.

Without hesitation—

The beast charged.

Its enormous horn pierced through the air toward Lucifer.

Using Sin of Sloth—

Lucifer disappeared.

The rhinoceros crashed straight into the wall.

BOOM!!

An entire section of the chamber collapsed.

Stone rained from above.

Lucifer whistled.

"...Yeah."

"I definitely don't want to get hit by that."

He unsheathed Chirin.

"Cleave."

A massive crimson slash struck the beast.

...

Nothing.

The attack barely left a scratch.

Lucifer frowned.

"That's one ridiculous defense."

The guardian stomped repeatedly.

Each step created shockwaves powerful enough to shatter stone pillars.

Using Sin of Greed to slow time...

Combined with Sin of Envy to predict its movements...

Lucifer weaved effortlessly between every attack.

He retaliated.

"Dismantle."

Invisible slashes covered the rhinoceros.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Dozens.

Hundreds.

Tiny cuts slowly accumulated across its body.

Finally—

The beast lost its patience.

It lunged forward...

Opening its enormous jaws.

Trying to bite Lucifer in half.

Lucifer smiled.

"Too predictable."

"Raging Tempest."

His spinning slash redirected the creature's momentum.

The rhinoceros stumbled sideways.

That single mistake...

Created an opening.

Lucifer's Demonic Eyes flashed crimson.

"There."

A glowing weak point appeared beneath its neck.

Without wasting even a heartbeat—

"Severance."

The crimson slash pierced directly through the vulnerable spot.

The beast roared in agony.

Its entire body shook violently.

Knowing death was inevitable—

The guardian gathered every ounce of its remaining strength.

It lowered its broken horn.

Then charged one final time.

Lucifer inhaled deeply.

"...Then let's finish this."

Every Sin awakened simultaneously.

Wrath strengthened his muscles.

Sloth accelerated his movement.

Greed slowed the flow of time.

Envy guided his sword.

Gluttony absorbed surrounding energy.

His Demonic Eyes revealed every weakness.

"Cleave."

The collision echoed throughout the tomb.

CRACK!!

The rhinoceros' already weakened horn shattered completely.

The gigantic guardian collapsed.

The chamber fell silent.

Lucifer slowly approached its corpse.

"So..."

"Time to absorb you."

But before Sin of Gluttony could activate—

The body dissolved.

Instead of flesh...

It transformed into countless streams of black energy.

The aura rushed toward Lucifer.

Before he could react—

It enveloped his entire body.

"What—?"

The energy solidified.

Layer after layer of black armor covered him.

Its surface shimmered like polished obsidian while crimson veins pulsed beneath it.

Lucifer blinked.

"...Armor?"

Then...

A calm voice echoed throughout the chamber.

Not spoken aloud.

But directly into his soul.

"My life's greatest masterpiece..."

"...belongs only to the one strong enough to defeat its guardian."

Lucifer slowly looked down.

"So..."

"The Divine Blacksmith's final creation wasn't a sword."

"It was armor."

The heavy armor suddenly began changing shape.

The bulky plates dissolved into flowing black cloth.

Crimson patterns spread across the fabric.

Moments later—

The armor transformed into elegant black robes trimmed with crimson.

Light.

Comfortable.

Yet immeasurably stronger than before.

Lucifer smiled broadly.

He spread his arms.

"Now..."

"That's more like it."

For the first time since entering the tomb—

The Devil had found a treasure worthy of his name.