White Lotus and the Divine Sparrow King arrived outside Manzhou and White Lotus had already sensed the anomaly of the mist enveloping Manzhou.
“This type of mist was originally a talent of our tribe, meant to soothe the mind, but now it has mutated into something that bewitches the mind.”
“Actually, this is nothing significant. Power is all about how it’s used, but the way Little Ji acquired this power and intends to use it is probably not very good.”
The Divine Sparrow King had come to inform him, naturally aware of this. He was only concerned with one other matter.
“It shouldn’t affect us, should it?”
“It won’t,” said White Lotus as he reached out to touch the mist. “This mist has virtually no effect on Grandmasters, but since Little Ji can control so many Grandmasters, he must have some tricks up his sleeve. We need to be careful.”
Having fallen to become a Demon King, what cunning means White Lotus might use is not something White Lotus could fully predict. He could only prepare for defense.
“Understood, let’s hope everything goes smoothly this time and we won’t end up trapped here.”
Neither White Lotus nor the Divine Sparrow King underestimated the Demon King.
“Don’t worry. Even though he has become a Demon King, some essences do not change. I have methods to restrain him.”
White Lotus was the king of the White Lotus Clan and understood his tribesmen best, including the restraining methods. Otherwise, the Spirit Clan wouldn’t have sent someone from their own clan to act.
“Talking is useless, let’s go straight in. It’s been a long time since my Spirit Clan has dealt with such a Demon King!”
In reality, if the White Lotus Demon King hadn’t created a human Demon Country, deeply involving humans, the Spirit Clan wouldn’t have bothered.
Unfortunately, the influence of the White Lotus Demon King was too significant, and they had no choice but to take action.
This wasn’t the first time, but the last occurrence dated back to before the Great Zhou Dynasty.
They hadn’t expected there would come a time to act again.
They speculated that their involvement this time would stir turmoil among humans once again, and they’d be somewhat exposed, even though they disliked contact with the Human Race. But this was a necessary act.
However, it didn’t matter. They just needed to leave quickly. Being able to avoid human detection for so long wasn’t without reason.
Two figures entered Manzhou, and atop a large mountain in Manzhou, a lotus swayed, supremely sacred.
The lotus was situated in a man-made lake atop the mountain. Countless people surrounded the lake, all knelt down as they watched the lotus and shouted long live the White Lotus Saint Mother.
“Children, I need your devotion!”
A compassionate voice came through, reaching everyone’s ears.
The people raised their heads, their faces filled with frenzy.
“For the Saint Mother, we give everything!”
Saying so, these people jumped into the lake one after another.
Despite the lake being empty, countless bloodstains spread across the water, dyeing the entire lake red, while the lotus in the middle of the lake appeared even more sacred.
“Mother, you’ve finally come, haven’t you? I’ve been waiting for you!”
Hundreds of Grandmasters and hundreds of Martial Artists were already enough for her to elevate once more.
As White Lotus and the Divine Sparrow King entered Manzhou, they were unaware they had been discovered and continued moving in one direction.
Throughout their journey, they saw countless people also heading in the same direction, normal people, and Martial Artists, even Demon Beasts and spirit beasts.
They were also murmuring phrases like ’White Lotus Saint Mother,’ incredibly fanatical.
They had no doubt that if anyone should speak ill of the White Lotus Saint Mother, these people would rush up and tear that person apart.
“It’s really quite terrifying!”
The Divine Sparrow King couldn’t help but exclaim. Such a mind-bewitching method would be the most terrifying anywhere.
White Lotus fell silent; their White Lotus Clan had a long lineage, but he never imagined that after becoming part of the Demon Clan, their racial gift could mutate like this.
But it also made him more determined to kill Little Ji.
It wasn’t because he was unfeeling; it was necessary. He had to consider his tribe.
The entanglement between the Spirit Clan and humans was deep, and causing such an event likely impacted their race.
Their Spirit Clan had bloody lessons to learn from.
With such a significant impact from the White Lotus Demon, it might end being that the White Lotus Demon King faced no repercussions, while their White Lotus Clan might be exterminated.
Thus, White Lotus and the Divine Sparrow King hurried along their way.
When they reached what the people of Manzhou called Holy Mountain, White Lotus had already sensed Little Ji’s presence.
On the surface, everything seemed normal, still supremely sacred, but as the king of the White Lotus Clan, he could feel the undercurrent of blood and darkness… and deep despair.
He understood the first two, but why despair? What had Little Ji experienced?
White Lotus sighed internally and continued with the Divine Sparrow King to the highest point of the “Holy Mountain.”
Though called Holy Mountain, it was utterly silent, with a faint stench of blood emanating from the mountaintop.
The two moved quickly and were unobstructed, so it didn’t take long before they reached the edge of the lake.
“Mother, you’re here!”
The White Lotus Demon King didn’t hide himself and spoke as though meeting a long-lost relative.
“Little Ji, can you tell me why?”
Both knew what was about to happen, but White Lotus wanted to know why?
Little Ji had always been the most gentle.
The White Lotus Demon King did not make a move but slowly narrated her story.
It was a clichéd story.
Like the news about the Blood Locust King, the White Lotus Sect was initially created by a Grandmaster Level Martial Artist who couldn’t stand to see the commoners oppressed, thus forming a resistance force.
However, being able to rise so quickly, Little Ji, who is now the White Lotus Demon King, played a significant role.
Back then, Little Ji had just received the qualifications to undergo trials and met the founder of the White Lotus Sect.
They had fought once before and then became acquainted.
However, this was not a story of a talented scholar and a beautiful lady. Little Nine truly admired that Grandmaster, but what she admired were his beliefs and ideals.
As a spirit beast, Little Nine shouldn’t have had any sympathy for humans, but her inherently kind nature couldn’t bear to see suffering.
Thus, she collaborated with that Grandmaster.
This was how the White Lotus Sect was initially formed.
Little Nine provided the White Lotus Dew, which helped the Grandmaster gather many strong warriors and also trained many.
“Did he ultimately deceive you, turning out to be an ambitious man?” the Divine Sparrow King guessed based on the story.
“No!” the White Lotus Demon King grew angry, and the blood in the lake transformed into countless blood-red needles, flying towards the Divine Sparrow King.
But this attack was neutralized.
White Lotus glanced at Divine Sparrow King, gesturing him to hold his tongue.
Little Nine, failing to hit her mark with one strike, did not attack again but continued her story.
There was no betrayal. The Grandmaster’s belief was strong, and he always moved toward his ideal.
The White Lotus Sect grew larger and larger, and rescued more and more people.
It was then that an accident occurred.
The Grandmaster died!
The White Lotus Sect, wanting to save the people, naturally offended many major powers.
It would have been one thing if he had been assassinated by someone from a major power.
But the Grandmaster was killed by one he had saved.
All for a single Spiritual Medicine!
“A piece of Spiritual Medicine, indeed a high price. He wasn’t wary at all, and just like that, he died.”
The White Lotus Demon King’s voice betrayed no emotion.
“Later on, I understood that if I wanted to realize that man’s ideal, I had to change the method. Mother, see, isn’t it good now?
No one will betray, everyone stands united, all striving towards one direction, truly wonderful!”
White Lotus and Divine Sparrow King did not join the conversation.
They did not empathize with the Human Race, but for the sake of the Spirit Clan, they found this matter difficult to judge.
“You shouldn’t have gotten involved in these matters right from the start! I know your nature, you shouldn’t have been allowed to go out on trials.”
In the end, White Lotus could only sigh.
“Mother, I have no regrets, not even now.”
Boom!
In an instant, divine light flickered on Holy Mountain.
Bai Lian Medicine King acted first—the story being over, it was time to fight.
Two holy auras confronted each other on the mountain peak, but in a short while, the other side turned pitch black as ink, momentarily suppressing the holy light.
But at that moment, a heaven-reaching flame illuminated, aiding the holy light in suppressing that pitch-black aura.
Then they began to entangle with one another, constantly making loud collision noises.
The tumult of energy seemed about to grind everything to dust.
This fight lasted half a day, and by the time the battle ended, Holy Mountain had vanished, leaving only ruins.
Only two figures were left gasping among the ruins.
“Is this the strength of the Demon King?”
Divine Sparrow King, now a giant bird, bore many wounds, and blood constantly flowed out.
White Lotus, too, had resumed his true form, motionless upon the ruins, his lotus true body had turned dull, seeming about to wither.
Hearing Divine Sparrow King’s words, White Lotus did not refute.
The strength of the White Lotus Demon King was greater than expected. If not for Divine Sparrow King’s assistance, and not bringing the Demon King’s own soul lotus, they would have likely been the ones defeated.
But with such great power, White Lotus also understood why.
“The Demon King is only on par with us. Little Nine is so powerful because his belief is strong enough.”
Their clan, too, naturally leaned towards the spiritual side.
After becoming the White Lotus Demon King, Little Nine had transformed his belief into strength, thus his power was so great.
“You folks are really interesting, having such bizarre powers, and becoming even stronger upon getting corrupted?”
Corruption referred to the moment the White Lotus Demon King used his true power, and the entire lotus turned into a black color, hence Divine Sparrow King’s remark.
Thinking about this, Divine Sparrow King found it somewhat amusing.
“Corruption doubles the strength? Haha!”
Although they had just survived a deadly fight, Divine Sparrow King still had the mood to jest.
“Divine Sparrow King, you just helped me, and I didn’t want to fight.”
What doubling of strength with corruption.
That was unique to Little Nine. If other clan members became the Demon King, their strength wouldn’t necessarily improve significantly.
Belief, in this case, turned extreme due to the death of that Grandmaster, that’s why it was so powerful, it wouldn’t be the case for everyone in their clan.
Divine Sparrow King said no more, yet clearly his mood was jubilant.
After a while, both of them fully recovered. Divine Sparrow King looked towards the distant Black Lotus and asked, “What do you plan to do with her true body?”
White Lotus thought for a moment, making up his mind.
(I came home and don’t know what I ate or came into contact with, but suddenly developed rash-like mosquito bites, itchy all day, couldn’t calm down, ended up only writing one chapter, if the medicine doesn’t help, might need to take a leave to visit the hospital in a couple of days, uncomfortable, let me see if I can still write another chapter… sorry)