Chapter 94:The Devil’s Funeral

It had been exactly three days since the Devil disappeared.

And in only three days...

The entire Murim had changed.

Rumors spread faster than wildfire.

From inns...

To merchant caravans...

To wandering swordsmen...

To the great sects themselves.

Everyone spoke of only one thing.

The death of the Devil.

Lucifer Morningstar.

The monster who had shaken the foundations of Murim.

The man who had slain Great Elders.

The man who had defeated Chunma.

The man whom everyone believed could never die.

...Was dead.

At least...

That was the story everyone had been told.

According to the official announcement of the Demonic Cult...

Three nights ago, the Heavenly Demon and Lucifer had gone on a private journey.

During that journey...

The Murim Alliance launched a surprise ambush.

Leading them personally...

...was the Alliance Leader himself.

The Heavenly Demon survived.

Lucifer did not.

The explanation sounded reasonable.

After all...

There were only two people in Murim capable of seriously injuring the Heavenly Demon.

Lucifer...

Or the Alliance Leader.

Since Lucifer had always been loyal to the Demonic Cult...

No one questioned him.

Instead...

Every ounce of hatred was directed toward the Murim Alliance.

"They preach righteousness while ambushing people from the shadows!"

"So much for honor!"

"Hypocrites!"

"They call themselves orthodox?"

"They're worse than demons!"

Across Murim...

Arguments broke out.

The reputation of the Murim Alliance plummeted overnight.

Exactly as someone had planned.

Inside the Demonic Palace...

The Heavenly Demon quietly watched reports pile onto his desk.

Complaints.

Petitions.

Rumors.

Internal disputes within the Murim Alliance.

Everything unfolded exactly as he had predicted.

He slowly smiled before taking another sip of sake.

"...People..."

"...are frighteningly easy to fool."

The dragon behind him lazily opened one eye...

...before falling asleep again.

However...

Not everyone accepted the story.

Some...

Were searching for another truth.

Far behind the Demonic Mountain...

Far beyond where even spirit beasts dared to roam...

A lonely mountain stood in complete silence.

Hidden behind countless illusion formations...

Protective arrays...

And talismans...

A cave entrance lay concealed from the world.

A shadow silently approached.

The moment it stepped within fifty meters—

A sword instantly blocked its throat.

"Stop."

A calm but icy voice echoed.

"Reveal yourself."

Tang Ock's eyes never left the stranger.

The shadow immediately removed its cloak.

"Relax."

"It's me."

Lei Xin smiled awkwardly.

Tang Ock lowered her blade.

"You took your time."

"I had to make sure nobody followed me."

"Good."

Ock turned.

"Come."

The deeper they walked...

The colder the cave became.

Darkness swallowed everything.

Only faint spirit lamps illuminated the narrow tunnels.

Lei Xin looked around curiously.

"...Who would've thought a place like this existed beneath the mountain?"

Tang Ock smiled faintly.

"Lucifer discovered it."

Lei Xin blinked.

"He did?"

"He told me..."

"If anything ever happens to me..."

"...come here."

The words made Lei Xin's expression dim.

"...I'm sorry."

"For Lucifer."

Tang Ock continued walking.

"He isn't dead."

Lei Xin stopped.

"...How can you be so sure?"

Tang Ock didn't answer.

She simply continued walking.

Eventually...

The tunnel opened into a massive underground chamber.

A single spirit lamp flickered in the darkness.

Its tiny flame stubbornly fought against the endless shadows.

Around a circular stone table...

Several familiar faces sat in silence.

Sue.

Yu Ming.

Elizabeth.

Tsuru.

Zhong Yu.

They all looked exhausted.

The atmosphere felt unbearably heavy.

Yu Ming looked up first.

"...So the alarm was triggered by a rat."

She smiled faintly.

"It was Lei Xin all along."

Lei Xin rolled her eyes.

"...Very funny."

She sat beside them.

"So..."

"This is where everyone's been hiding."

Sue nodded.

"We couldn't stay in the palace."

"Not anymore."

Elizabeth folded her arms.

"We still don't know who's trustworthy."

Lei Xin glanced around.

"So..."

"...you all really believe Lucifer is alive?"

Sue answered immediately.

"It hasn't been proven that he's dead."

Elizabeth looked toward her.

"...You're doubting my father's words?"

Sue shook her head.

"No."

"I'm doubting reality."

"My husband once told me..."

"'No one can kill me except myself.'"

She smiled sadly.

"And knowing him..."

"...that sounded less like arrogance..."

"...and more like a promise."

Elizabeth lowered her head.

"...I know Father."

"He wouldn't lie without reason."

Sue looked at her softly.

"And I know Lucifer."

"He wouldn't die so easily."

"...That's all I'm saying."

The room became quiet.

Bang!

Yu Ming suddenly slapped the table.

"Enough!"

Everyone looked at her.

"We know nothing."

"No body."

"No witnesses."

"No proof."

"And instead of thinking..."

"We're arguing."

Her voice trembled.

Tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.

"...Lucifer would laugh at us."

Sue lowered her head.

"...Sorry."

Elizabeth nodded.

"...Me too."

Yu Ming wiped away her tears before forcing herself to smile.

"We're the women of the Devil."

"If we lose hope..."

"...who will believe in him?"

One after another...

Everyone nodded.

The heavy atmosphere became slightly lighter.

Tang Ock quietly watched them.

A gentle smile appeared on her face.

You've surrounded yourself with wonderful people...

Lucifer.

Perhaps...

You never needed someone like me to hold everyone together.

Lei Xin finally broke the silence.

"If we don't trust anyone..."

"...what do we do now?"

A calm voice answered from the corner.

"We investigate ourselves."

Everyone turned.

Daxia stepped out from the shadows.

She had remained silent until now.

Lei Xin frowned.

"The Heavenly Demon said Lucifer fell into the river."

"That river flows into the sea."

"If he truly drowned..."

"...his body could be anywhere."

Tsuru clenched her fists.

"Then we'll search."

"The entire ocean if we have to."

She looked toward Daxia.

"Can't your Phoenix Eyes search that far?"

Daxia slowly shook her head.

"If I were still in the God Realm..."

"...yes."

"But now..."

"I'm only at the Supreme Peak."

Lei Xin looked confused.

"That's only one realm apart."

Daxia smiled bitterly.

"...Only?"

"The gap between Supreme and God..."

"...is greater than Heaven and Earth."

"Without my Sun Crystal..."

"I cannot recover that quickly."

Silence filled the cave once more.

Hope faded.

Until—

Sue suddenly spoke.

"I know something."

Everyone turned toward her.

"The Murim Alliance possesses an ancient treasure."

Daxia's eyes narrowed.

"What kind of treasure?"

Sue shook her head.

"I don't know."

"They're about the size of beans."

"But..."

"My father always sealed them inside an ancient jade box."

"Hundreds of talismans surrounded it."

"The spiritual energy leaking from it alone was terrifying."

Zhong Yu frowned.

"...Using something we don't understand..."

"...is dangerous."

Tang Ock slowly nodded.

"So is doing nothing."

"If those treasures can bring us closer to the truth..."

"...we have no choice."

No one argued.

Sometimes...

Hope itself was enough.

The plan was decided.

Not everyone could enter Murim Alliance territory.

Elizabeth...

Tsuru...

Lei Xin...

And Zhong Yu...

Would remain inside the Demonic Cult.

Their mission—

Watch everything.

Trust no one.

Not even the Heavenly Demon.

Meanwhile—

Sue...

Yu Ming...

Tang Ock...

And Daxia...

Would infiltrate the Murim Alliance.

Their target—

The mysterious treasures hidden since the Ancient Empire.

As everyone prepared to leave...

Lei Xin suddenly scratched her cheek.

"...Wait."

Everyone looked back.

"...Why didn't Lucifer ever tell me about this cave?"

She looked genuinely offended.

"...Does that mean..."

"...he didn't trust me?"

Tang Ock couldn't help laughing.

She gently patted Lei Xin's head.

"No."

"He trusted you the most."

Lei Xin blinked.

"...Really?"

"He told me..."

"'Lei Xin is the best assassin I know.'"

"'Even if I don't tell her...'"

"'...she'll find this place eventually.'"

Lei Xin's eyes sparkled.

"...Of course!"

She proudly crossed her arms.

"That dummy knows exactly how capable I am."

"I was the first one he met anyway."

"So naturally he understands me best."

Tang Ock smiled mischievously.

"Oh..."

"He also said something else."

Lei Xin leaned closer.

"What?"

"He specifically told me..."

"...not to tell you where the cave was."

"...Because watching you get annoyed would be funny."

Silence.

"..."

"..."

"...WHAT?!"

Lei Xin's face instantly turned red.

"LUCIFER!"

"YOU STUPID DEVIL!"

"I SWEAR WHEN YOU COME BACK I'M GOING TO STAB YOU!"

Her furious shouting echoed throughout the cave.

For the first time in three days...

Everyone laughed.

It wasn't loud.

Nor carefree.

But it was enough.

Enough to remind them...

That somewhere...

Deep in their hearts...

They still believed.

The Devil...

...would return.