The man stopped the moment he saw Zhuge emerging from the rift.
His reaction was of pure shock and horror.
Although he was a martial artist who almost transcends mortal limits and had witnessed otherworldly feats of strength, he could safely assume that no one in this world could do what Zhuge had just done.
His mouth hung open, and his eyes widened in disbelief.
His mind raced to comprehend the power of the figure before him, yet all he could feel was an overwhelming sense of dread.
This was no ordinary person; this was a being beyond his wildest nightmares, and he would never want him to be his enemy.
In that light, he hurriedly spoke in a respectful tone, his voice trembling. "S-senior, this lowly one is merely wandering in the night to unwind. May I know the purpose of senior's appearance before me?"
Akin to seeing a ghost, his initial expression is the complete opposite of his demeanor now.
"If there is anything I can do to assist or to appease senior's desires, I will gladly do so." like a man fearing for his life, he continued.
"I'm happy you asked, this will make things easier for us." Zhuge faintly smiled, being joyful as the man knows his insignificance before him.
The man, still shaking, replied with nervousness due to Zhuge's creepy expression and his ambiguous answer. "W-what does senior wish of me? I w-will do anything with all my strength."
Zhuge's smile widened, becoming almost grotesque. "Stop resisting and let me kill you. Your reward will be a quick death," he said, his smile stretching eerily from ear to ear.
In a split-second, Zhuge extended his palm towards the man.
The air shimmered as the space around the man solidified, rendering him immobile.
The man tried to budge, but contrary to his efforts, he wasn't even able to slightly move his fingertips.
The man, shocked and extremely terrified, felt his heart pound so hard it seemed to echo in his ears.
Sweat drenched his body as a cold chill paralyzed him further.
"N-no! Senior, w-why do you want to do this!?" The Evil Society won't let you go if you kill me! I am Ro Jong-Soo, one of the Five Chaotic Tormentors! If they found me dead, they will hunt you down!" he stammered, his voice a mix of desperation and dread.
The Five Chaotic Tormentors are elite individuals within the Evil Society, second only to the Society Leader in power and influence.
Their strength are more or less the same as that of the Society Leader, but they choose to remain detached from the Evil Society's daily affairs.
They will reveal themselves only during critical moments or significant upheavals when the Evil Society needs desperate reinforcements.
Their appearance is often seen as a harbinger of chaos in Jianghu or a decisive change in power within the Evil Society.
This selective involvement adds to their mystique and emphasizes their importance in times of dire need.
Each Chaotic Tormentor follows a unique path to enhance their power, reflecting their individual philosophies. Some seek enlightenment and growth through seclusion and meditation, pushing the boundaries of their martial prowess.
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Others wander the world, seeking combat and real-life experiences to forge their strength in the fires of conflict.
This dual approach to power—introspective enlightenment and external combat—highlights the diverse methods by which they aim to become stronger.
Legends and stories about the Tormentors' past exploits and enigmatic training methods abound, contributing to their revered and feared status within the Society.
Despite their independent paths, their loyalty to the Society Leader is unwavering, and their collective strength is crucial for the Society's dominance.
The Five Chaotic Tormentors embody the untamed potential and unrestrained spirit of the Evil Society, poised to unleash their chaotic might when necessary.
Ro Jong-Soo, was one of the weaker Chaotic Tormentors who stays training outside of the Evil Society and only goes back when needed.
He was interested in Tianfeng's talent after hearing about the rumors of a young man massacring their members while fighting for territory against the Righteous Alliance.
Tianfeng, although looking like a young adult right now, is still 15 years old!
Despite his age, Tianfeng's martial realm seems to be higher than those of the same generation that's trained in the three main factions.
In the entire Jianghu, there has never been a lack of stories about people who became stronger in a short period of time due to fortuitous encounters.
Because of that, he was planning to unveil this kid's secrets that led to his surge in strength at such a young age, kill him, and make use of it for himself.
But never did he expect that Tianfeng's master himself would eradicate him before he can even witness Tianfeng's secret.
Zhuge replied with disdain, "They wouldn't even know who killed you. Well, maybe they would, but it will be the wrong organization."
He casually pulled a common sword from the void, its blade and handle bearing nothing unique.
However, from within it there suddenly was a glow of a dark, reddish energy, the unmistakable aura of demonic qi.
It continued to exude demonic qi until the whole sword has been coated with it.
The formerly weak, and ordinary sword has become one of the strongest weapons in Jianghu due to its energy embedded by Zhuge in it.
The man's eyes widened in horror. "How... how can you control the demonic qi? Only the Heavenly Demon can wield such power!"
Zhuge annoyingly scoffed, "A dead man doesn't need an explanation."
His mind raced, realizing Zhuge's plan. "You're going to falsify my death and pit the Demonic Cult against the Evil Society, aren't you?"
"You're a madman!" he cried out, his voice filled with panic. "Do you want Jianghu to fall apart because of your schemes? The flames of war once the three superpowers collide will tear down Jianghu as a whole!"
"Isn't that what your Evil Society is after? Now that I'm accelerating your plans, I've become the villain in your story?" he said, as if bored by the entire conversation.
"Besides, your petty conflicts mean nothing to me." Zhuge's expression remained indifferent, his eyes cold.
As he finished his words, he moved instantaneously, appearing before Ro Jong-Soo.
His sword that used to be a common weapon, now glowing with dark reddish energy, was held pointing at Ro Jong-Soo, ready to execute the infamous Demonic Retribution Sword Technique.
This is a sword technique exclusive to the Demonic Cult's Heavenly Demon, Cheon Ma, alongside the Demonic Qi, which is required to execute the sword technique.
Zhuge learned this when he made use of the time while Tianfeng was busy fighting people from both the Evil Society and Righteous Alliance.
During this time, he sneaked inside the Library of Strength at the Demonic Cult to look for special techniques.
His original intention was to obtain the notorious forbidden technique of the Demonic Cult, the Abyssal Qi Reversal Technique, which seemed to look compatible with Tianfeng's style of combat.
It was at that moment when he thought of also learning the sword art of the current Heavenly Demon for framing purposes.
Luckily, he was able to acquire and master the Demonic Retribution Sword Technique in one glance beforehand, making things easier for him.
Zhuge's sword slashed through the air with an eerie, otherworldly hum.
The demonic energy trailed behind the blade like a ghastly shadow, making it appear as if the sword itself was tearing apart reality.
The strike was swift and brutal, leaving no room for defense or escape.
Ro Jong-Soo felt the blade cut through his flesh, the demonic energy invading his body.
It was not just a physical wound; it felt as though his very soul was being torn apart. His eyes widened in terror and agony as the technique did its work.
The aftermath was rapid and horrific. Ro Jong-Soo's body convulsed violently, his veins turning black as the demonic energy spread through him.
His skin began to blister and char, the corruption of the Demonic Qi leaving dark, scorched marks across his flesh.
His life force was drained rapidly, his strength sapped until he was nothing more than a withered husk.
Zhuge stepped back and removed Ro Jong-Soo from the spatial lock, watching with curiosity as Ro Jong-Soo's body crumbled to the ground.
The man's eyes were still open, frozen in an expression of shock and horror. His mouth was slightly agape, as if he had died mid-scream.
The ground around Ro Jong-Soo's body was scorched, the grass and leaves blackened and twisted from the residual energy of the Demonic Retribution Sword Technique.
The air itself seemed to hum with the remnants of the dark power Zhuge had unleashed.
Zhuge hid the ordinary sword back to the void, the demonic energy dissipating as quickly as it had appeared.
He turned away from the lifeless body, his expression unchanging.
To him, this was merely another task completed, a catalyst for the upcoming big event.
As he walked away, the forest seemed to grow darker, the shadows lengthening in his wake.
Zhuge cut through the void and came back to the secluded cave.
The moment Zhuge exited from the other side of the rift, Tianfeng was surprised.
It really took Zhuge a second before he came back!
Tianfeng concluded right away that Zhuge used the Dao of Time for him to take care of things quickly.
"Master, what did you do a second ago? Was there a person going after us?" Tianfeng inquired, his curiosity becoming more profound.
He was certain that the person Zhuge faced was someone of a higher caliber than him, to the point where he can die in the blink of an eye if they fought.
Zhuge would never let him miss an opportunity to face an opponent that could help him improve his skills.
At the same time, he also knows that Zhuge wouldn't just mindlessly send him to death by matching him against someone many times stronger than him.
Zhuge glanced back at him and replied dismissively. "Let's talk about that later. If you think there's only one expert after you, then you're wrong."
"The second one's about to come though, and he's relatively more helpful and stronger than the one I killed earlier." Zhuge smiled while looking at the entrance of the secluded cave, as if anticipating for someone's arrival...