Sima Shang did not understand, yet he dared not think, nor did he wish to think! All he desired now was for time to halt at this very moment!
It seemed the others were not fools either; understanding dawned on them instantly. For a time, everyone present turned ashen-faced, staring at Jun Moxie in terror. Could this youth before them truly be the legendary... Lord of Evil?
Indeed, the legendary Lord of Evil was none other than Jun Moxie of the Tianxiang Jun family, and this Young Master Jun was quite young, not yet twenty... Rumor had it this person was strikingly handsome and graceful, a true paragon of the troubled age, a refined and beautiful young man...
Could it truly be him?
At this moment, Sima Shang finally let out a piercing scream! The bone-deep agony that seemed to have shot straight to his central nervous system jolted the man who refused to face reality awake...
"Lord... Lord Jun, your venerable self, spare... spare me!" Sima Shang trembled uncontrollably. He never, in his wildest nightmares, imagined his luck could plummet to such depths!
He had been using the title of the Lord of Evil to bully others, only to meet the Lord of Evil himself!
This kind of luck was truly damned infuriating...
Just how much wickedness must his ancestors have committed for him to encounter such a thing...
Jun Moxie's face was icy, paying the slightest heed to Sima Shang's pleas for mercy. With a slight flick of his wrist, remaining perfectly still in his seated posture, he suddenly lashed out a kick. With a heavy thud, Sima Shang's burly body flew away without even managing a cry of pain!
The trajectory of his "flight" was not a straight line; instead, it curved mid-air, launching him directly out of the tavern entrance. High in the sky, visible to all, there was a sudden bang, like a firework exploding. Flesh and blood instantly rained down as his entire body pulverized, seemingly leaving not a single intact bone behind.
It was destruction down to the very marrow, truly bone-shattering.
"Anyone who dares again to fraudulently use the name of the Lord of Evil Manor's establishment to swindle or oppress the good, Sima Shang is your example!"
Jun Moxie stated coldly. Since the other martial arts experts present had not colluded with Sima Shang, and had even attempted to intervene, Jun Moxie naturally did not extend his anger to them.
Yet, everyone remained petrified, some of the more timid ones even beginning to tremble uncontrollably. Jun Moxie’s name already echoed throughout the entire Xuanxuan Continent; everyone knew that beneath the veneer of this graceful nobleman lay a peerless demon lord who killed without blinking. Or perhaps, 'Peerless Lord of Evil' was a more fitting description.
Seeing him in person today truly confirmed the adage: seeing is better than hearing, and meeting him surpasses even the rumors—he was a figure of absolute malevolence!
Jun Moxie slowly rose: "I thank you all for your good intentions in celebrating the establishment of my Sect. I wish you all a safe journey home! Should fate allow, we shall meet again in Tiannan."
Saying this, he took Qian Xun's delicate hand and fixed a chilling gaze on Sima Shang's remaining retainers. "What is the reputation of the forces under this Fort Master Sima?"
"Reporting to the Lord Jun, Sima Shang and his affiliation have an extremely foul reputation. It was only because his cultivation reached the peak of Tianxuan that no one could control him!"
The Tianxuan master who had previously stepped forward to block Sima Shang replied with utmost respect.
"Oh, I see. If that is the case, an evil force plaguing the region, then there is no need for it to exist."
Jun Moxie said lightly. Having spoken, he pulled Qian Xun's hand and vanished from the tavern in a flicker, leaving no trace.
A moment later, a piece of silver drifted down from the air and settled gently onto the table where Jun Moxie had been sitting... as if someone had softly placed it down, making not the slightest sound...
The people present remained standing respectfully long after Jun Moxie and the woman had left, not daring to sit down!
The Lord of Evil!
They had actually witnessed that legendary overlord with their own eyes, the Lord of Evil who stood at the pinnacle of the continent!
Several Tianxuan masters trembled with excitement throughout their entire bodies!
Because they had not only seen the Lord of Evil himself, but they had also received an order from the Lord of Evil!
"An evil force plaguing the region, then there is no need for it to exist!"
This single sentence from the Lord of Evil was undeniably an order! And it was an order directed at everyone present!
The fate of Sima Shang's forces was sealed; they were inevitably to be destroyed by them and then divided amongst them! This was the meaning behind the Lord of Evil's words! It was equivalent to granting them immeasurable fortune!
The command of the Lord of Evil carried far more weight than the imperial edicts of any monarch on the continent! From the moment the Lord of Evil spoke those words, Sima Shang's power was doomed to vanish completely.
If that evil force, which the Lord of Evil had now defined as 'plaguing the region,' were still to exist in the world after this, wouldn't it be an insult to the peerless master, the Lord of Evil? And an insult delivered collectively by them... Who would dare?
It was believed no one could bear the consequences; not even the powers of the Three Great Holy Lands would dare!
Bloodlust appeared in the eyes of everyone present: if they failed to complete this task, how could they face the Lord of Evil when they reached Tiannan? Even if they did reach Tiannan, it was uncertain whether they would even have the chance to meet the Lord of Evil...
Pairs of blood-red eyes simultaneously fixed upon Sima Shang's remaining retainers. Those heavily built men, their faces full of brutishness, instantly collapsed onto the ground. Especially the woman who had coveted the Serpent King’s clothing; she had long since gone limp, collapsed onto the floor.
Who could have imagined that the entire disaster stemmed from a woman's instinctive desire for fashionable clothing, driving her entire faction into an abyss of eternal ruin?
Therefore, while women liking fashion is not a sin in itself, one must still act within reasonable limits...
For any so-called fashion that forces one's boyfriend into utter destitution to purchase... perhaps it's better to do without that fashion altogether...
Shortly after, a tide of sycophantic praise erupted: Look at him, truly worthy of being the Lord of Evil! Even for a meal in a tavern, he insists on paying silver, refusing to take any advantage whatsoever... What a lofty and magnificent spirit!
Paying for a meal is only right and proper, yet Young Master Jun paying for his food turned into an act of chivalry...
What profound empathy for the suffering of the common people...
What righteous punishment of evil and promotion of good...
What a chivalrous heart...
That very afternoon, the forces belonging to Fort Master Sima were jointly attacked by several factions and, with overwhelming force, were utterly destroyed under a mountain of pressure, disappearing from this world forever!
Because the venerable Lord of Evil had declared: this force no longer has a reason to exist...
This news made Young Master Jun, who had originally planned to make a stop in Tianxiang City, immediately abandon that thought...
Jun Moxie, carrying the Serpent King, traveled almost day and night, rushing headlong towards Tiannan without rest!
To speed up the journey, Young Master Jun simply carried His Highness the Serpent King on his back, unleashing the highest limit of the Yin-Yang Escape technique, flying like a cloud-rider at incredible speed...
A stretch of churning green water spread out before them—it was the long-missed scenery of Tiannan appearing in view!
The Serpent King, having endured the rapid flight, felt her eyes sting from the wind whipping past, and she couldn't help but admire: "Brother-in-law, your speed is truly astonishing! Eldest Sister is also renowned for her movement technique, but even she would likely bow down in defeat to your speed!"
Jun Moxie let out a booming laugh, leaped away, and flew rapidly across the waves, reciting loudly: "What is speed? Haha, girl, today I shall let you witness it! Touring the North Sea at dawn, Cangwu by dusk; sleeves hold a blue serpent with bold heart; three times through Tianxiang unseen, chanting as I fly over Tiannan Lake!"
"This is what is called poetry, right? Brother-in-law, you are truly cultured, speaking it right off the cuff, how wonderful." The Serpent King was full of adoration. "Though, it’s a bit mismatched, isn't it... I am a green serpent, but... I am on your back, not inside your sleeve..."
"Uh... uh-uh," Young Master Jun opened his mouth awkwardly, his face inexplicably flushing slightly. It wasn't because the Serpent King wasn't in his sleeve, but because of the compliment—'cultured'? Was that really a compliment?
Although Young Master Jun had thick skin, there were limits. Even if he was essentially stealing the show, one couldn't describe it as being 'cultured'...
Crossing Tiannan Lake, having flown for a full day and night, Tiannan City finally entered their sight!
Jun Moxie was startled to see that Tiannan City, contrary to its usual bleakness, was adorned with fluttering banners atop its walls, as if celebrating a grand festival. Simultaneously, distant shouts reached them, roaring like an overwhelming tide...
Flying directly over Tiannan City, Young Master Jun focused his gaze and couldn't help but gasp in shock, rubbing his eyes, truly unable to believe what he had just witnessed...
South of Tiannan City, covering an area of over a thousand li, stood at least tens of thousands of snow-white tents, appearing as if a vast, overwhelming blanket of snow had suddenly descended upon the midsummer landscape...
And on one side stood a colossal banner, fluttering fiercely directly ahead! Judging by the height of the flagpole alone, it was at least fifty zhang tall! It was constructed entirely from one towering, perfectly straight ancient tree!
The base of this so-called 'flagpole' was so massive that twenty burly men holding hands couldn't encircle it!
On the surface of that gigantic banner were inscribed sixteen characters. Each character was nearly the size of a small room, gleaming with golden light, seeming to soar in the air, exuding an air of supreme, world-ruling majesty!
When Young Master Jun saw those sixteen characters, he nearly tumbled headlong from the sky!
"Reign over the World, Lord of Evil! Ten Thousand Autumns Eternal, Unify the Martial World!"
Good heavens! Had some gentleman transcended time again? Such a slogan inevitably brought to mind the legendary Eastern Cult Leader; even Young Master Jun couldn't help but feel a sharp twinge in his... ache and itch... Far in the distance, countless members of the Lord of Evil Manor, dressed in various garments, were diligently receiving guests... Groups upon groups were busy in every direction, yet they still seemed slightly strained...
The guests were truly too numerous, arriving in relentless waves like a surging tide...
With a swoosh, they landed. Standing before them were General Jun Wuyi, the Third General, and his wife, both welcoming guests with beaming faces and warm smiles.