Kou Beiyue did not recognize this man, but the moment the figure was reflected in his eyes, his body shuddered involuntarily, as if subjected to some terrifying suppression. Fear detonated in his chest. The danger-warning instinct inherent to a Bewitching Demon kicked in; adrenaline surged, and his pupils dilated drastically!
"Are you Kou Beiyue?" The middle-aged man approached at a leisurely pace.
"Who are you?"
Facing a formidable foe, Kou Beiyue reached into his inventory and pulled out a dagger with a twenty-centimeter blade, its surface etched with twisted runes.
This was one of the rewards he had earned from clearing the killing trial. Named the Demonic Blade, it was incomparably sharp, possessing armor-piercing and bleed effects. The runes carved on the blade could disrupt an enemy's mind, inducing visual and auditory hallucinations.
In addition, the Demonic Blade enhanced the wielder's speed and agility, bolstering close-combat capabilities.
Beyond these basic functions, the Demonic Blade had an item skill: Blood Reservoir.
Only a Bewitching Demon could use this skill. It allowed the user to store the essence blood harvested from slain targets and channel it back to its master at critical moments, triggering their passive Bloodthirsty Berserk. It was an exceptionally useful skill when fighting for one's life.
After all, when facing a powerful enemy, one might not be given the opportunity to kill someone to trigger Bloodthirsty Berserk.
"As a Bewitching Demon from the south and a rogue cultivator at that, it's only natural you wouldn't recognize me. But you should have heard my name."
The middle-aged man stopped a few meters away without coming closer. Beneath his mask, a cold voice emerged:
"Soldier Master sect, Lust Divine General!"
As his words fell, a crimson light flared in his pupils, and two twisted blood-red runes surfaced.
*Lust Divine General? A walker at the peak of the Saint stage, a level higher than... than Xiao Yuan. I... I'm being controlled. I can't resist at all...* Kou Beiyue's thoughts rapidly unraveled amid bitter unwillingness.
The luster in his eyes faded into dullness, and his expression turned blank.
Lust Divine General walked slowly over to the electric scooter. Fixing his crimson gaze on him, he said in a measured voice:
"Kou Beiyue, you are Lust Divine General's servant. You are Lust Divine General's servant..."
The voice was deep and ethereal, laden with insidious charm, quietly rewriting Kou Beiyue's perception.
A dozen seconds later, Kou Beiyue's dull eyes regained clarity. Sheathing the Demonic Blade, he dropped to his knees before Lust Divine General.
"Master! Your loyal servant Kou Beiyue is ready to serve you."
This was a residential community. Though foot traffic was light, it still drew glances from a few passersby.
"Rise."
Yet Lust Divine General knew that if he truly ordered the boy to throw away his life, the kid's subconscious would inevitably rebel, with a high probability of breaking free from the bewitchment and regaining his senses.
The mental fortitude of spirit walkers was incomparable to that of ordinary humans. Moreover, being a fellow Bewitching Demon and a Saint himself, the boy possessed substantial resistance against Bewitchment. Thoroughly altering his cognition would require long-term reinforcement.
Of course, Lust Divine General had no need for him as a permanent servant; his utility was limited to today.
"Do you know Yuanshi Tianzun?" Lust Divine General asked.
Kou Beiyue rose at once and bowed. "Yes. Yuanshi Tianzun is my benefactor."
Lust Divine General said, "From now on, he isn't!"
Kou Beiyue froze, lowering his head. "Master, he... he is my benefactor..."
Lust Divine General frowned slightly. He had not expected Yuanshi Tianzun to hold such an important place in the boy's heart; even under his bewitchment, Kou Beiyue still clearly remembered the debt of gratitude.
Blood-red runes flared in his eyes once more. Lust Divine General said coldly:
"From now on, he isn't... Kou Beiyue, know your place. You are merely this Divine General's servant. Everything you have is bestowed by me."
Kou Beiyue's expression twisted abruptly. "Master, he... he... is no longer my benefactor."
As soon as those words left his mouth, an empty ache bloomed in his chest, as if something precious had been lost.
Lust Divine General gave a satisfied nod and asked again:
"What is your relationship with Xiao Yuan?"
"To answer Master, Xiao Yuan is my companion and my guide..." After saying this, Kou Beiyue suddenly showed an awkward expression, looking bashful and hesitant, but in the end he truthfully revealed his feelings to his master: "She... to me, she is very important. Like a mother, like an elder sister. I respect her deeply."
Lust Divine General was slightly surprised. Seeing the boy's awkward, bashful expression earlier, he had assumed he was secretly in love with Xiao Yuan—after all, even he himself drooled over that woman.
*A thin-skinned, melodramatic brat...* Lust Divine General sneered inwardly and lapsed into thought.
To him, hunting Yuanshi Tianzun could be approached methodically. Since he had come to Jinshan City and taken control of Kou Beiyue, he could subdue the great beauty first.
For one, he could claim the beauty he had coveted for so long, relieving the lust he had suppressed over the past couple of days. Second, Xiao Yuan was a Level 5 Witch Doctor, incomparable to ordinary playthings. She could be used as bait for Yuanshi Tianzun and also serve as a powerful asset.
Lust Divine General asked:
"Tell me everything about Wuhen Hotel and Xiao Yuan. Her personality, items, combat record—I want all of it."
He had obtained quite a bit of intelligence regarding Xiao Yuan from Blood Swallow, but it was all outdated.
Kou Beiyue withheld nothing, reporting Xiao Yuan's information, items, personality, and the existence of Master Wuhen to his "master" in full detail.
Lust Divine General had initially been listening while assessing Xiao Yuan's combat capabilities and simulating battle scenarios. But the moment the Dominator-stage "Master Wuhen" was mentioned, his expression froze.
*Xiao Yuan has a Dominator backing her? Master Wuhen... self-redemption... Could it be him? Past Wuhen?!*
Lust Divine General was taken aback. While there were many spirit walkers in the world, the numbers fell off a cliff the higher one went. Dominators were plentiful in theory, yet the total was still strictly limited.
Though he was a powerhouse active in the north, the fame of this peak Dominator, Past Wuhen, rang like thunder in his ears. The Soldier Master sect's database contained detailed records on the man.
An eccentric!
An absolute oddity among evil classes!
His early exploits could not be verified, but in the Saint stage, Past Wuhen had enjoyed tremendous fame and a long track record. Despite belonging to an evil class, he went around acting as a chivalrous hero.
He made a point of hunting down those who committed evil, spirit walkers and ordinary mortals alike.
Unlike that lunatic Demon Eye, Past Wuhen was not an extremist; he was a true hero of the martial realm.
The philosophy he espoused to the world was: *All slaughter is for redemption!*
Upon reaching the Dominator stage, perhaps realizing that righteous vigilante acts could not redeem his soul, he completely changed his style. He ceased killing, and his public philosophy shifted to: *Lay down the butcher knife and become a Buddha on the spot.*
*Damn it, so Xiao Yuan belongs to Past Wuhen's camp...* Lust Divine General's face darkened, and he asked:
"If you or Xiao Yuan encounter danger, would this Master Wuhen step in to protect you?"
Kou Beiyue answered truthfully:
"My cultivation has not received the Master's approval, so he never bestowed a Dream-Traversing Jade Talisman upon me. Among those cultivating under him, only a select few possess one.
"Xiao Yuan is the Master's cherished disciple and runs Wuhen Hotel. She has one."
Lust Divine General pressed for more details about the Dream-Traversing Jade Talisman. After hearing Kou Beiyue's explanation, his brow furrowed deeply.
*She's a Level 5 Witch Doctor herself, and she holds Past Wuhen's Dream-Traversing Jade Talisman, allowing her to summon that Dominator at any time. Even if Wuhen is bound by his philosophy not to commit slaughter, saving someone would be child's play for him—unless a Heavenly King stepped in to assist...*
*Getting them to act would be even harder, though. The Heavenly Kings are all freaks. Even using the assassination of Yuanshi Tianzun as justification, swaying them would be near impossible...*
Apart from Demon Eye, the Soldier Master sect had three other Heavenly Kings: Fear, Miejue, and Ghost Blade.
Lust Divine General could already imagine how each would respond.
Fear Heavenly King would say: *Whether I kill Yuanshi Tianzun or not is my freedom. You have no right to demand it of me.*
Heavenly King Miejue would say: *Killing people? Why travel so far? Rather than traveling thousands of miles to Songhai to kill Yuanshi Tianzun, killing you sounds far more enjoyable.*
Ghost Blade Heavenly King would say: *Yuanshi Tianzun? What kind of ant is that? He doesn't deserve my blade. If you insist that I kill him, have him send me a challenge letter first.*
As for the other Divine Generals, none could possibly hold off Past Wuhen.
*Until I have a foolproof plan, I'll spare her for now...* Lust Divine General took a deep breath, begrudgingly shelving that idea, and turned his thoughts toward hunting Yuanshi Tianzun.
*Given the relationship between Yuanshi Tianzun and this kid, baiting him to Jinshan City won't be difficult. But Yuanshi Tianzun is a Starlord. Traps and ambushes rarely work against them; he's very likely to foresee them in advance and counter-ambush me...*
*Before hunting Yuanshi Tianzun, I must counter his astromancy...*
Thoughts racing, as an expert of immense experience and cunning, he quickly came up with a solution.
"Kou Beiyue!" Lust Divine General called to the boy standing with bowed head. "This Divine General needs to visit Shijing Agritainment. Prepare a car."
Thrilled at the chance to serve his master, Kou Beiyue straddled his electric scooter, patted the rear seat, and said, "Master, I'll take you right now!"
Lust Divine General looked at the electric scooter and fell into stunned silence.
The first thing that came to this kid's mind wasn't carjacking someone or bewitching a driver, but offering a ride to his master on an electric scooter?
What was the point of having such a useless servant!
With a darkened face, Lust Divine General stepped forward and blocked a black sedan slowly driving into the neighborhood.
"Get out of the way! Move it!"
The driver was a round-faced, middle-aged man who poked his head out the window and shouted impatiently.
Crimson runes flared in Lust Divine General's eyes as he spoke coldly:
"You are merely a servant. What gave you the audacity to speak to your master like that?"
The middle-aged man froze for a few seconds. Then, his round face filled with fear and panic. He threw open the door, scrambled out, and bowed frantically.
"Master, spare my life! Master, spare my life!"
Lust Divine General nodded. "Drive me to Shijing Agritainment!"
***
On the third floor of a residential building, by the hallway window, the baby-faced Human Blood Bun watched as Lust Divine General took Kou Beiyue into the car and drove away from the neighborhood.
He immediately fished out his phone and dialed Gu King's number.
"President, he took the bait and left. I didn't dare get too close, so I don't know where he went."
A terse "Mm" came from the phone before the line went dead.
Human Blood Bun slipped his phone back into his pocket. Looking in the direction the black sedan had gone, he frowned, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face.
Lust Divine General slaughtered people like mowing grass. Starting tomorrow, he would have to deliver takeout all alone again.
***
Shijing Agritainment.
The agritainment restaurant was built beside the reservoir of Shijing Village, surrounded by mountains on three sides. The only access was a paved road connecting it to the village.
The proprietress was a local who had lost her husband at an early age and had no children. She had borrowed money from fellow villagers to set up the agritainment business by the reservoir.
Because her cooking was genuinely excellent, over the years she had built up a solid base of regular patrons. Diners flocked there every evening, and the place remained brightly lit even past midnight.
After leaving Jinshan City, the black sedan followed the GPS, taking several twists and turns before finally locating this secluded spot.
Shijing Village was over thirty kilometers from Jinshan City.
The round-faced middle-aged man parked the car in the open area outside the restaurant.
Lust Divine General said indifferently:
"You two, wait in the car."
With that, he pushed open the door and walked toward the brightly lit agritainment restaurant. In reality, it was just a three-story red-brick building with courtyards front and back, each room furnished to the standard of an urban restaurant.
The first and second floors hosted ordinary diners, while the third was reserved for special guests (evil classes).
Lust Divine General had visited twice before. The "waiters" recognized him and promptly escorted him to the back courtyard.
Compared to the bustling front courtyard, the rear was far more secluded. An old-fashioned bulb cast a dim orange glow over the slightly shadowy yard. Beside a water well, a woman in her forties sat on a small wooden stool, washing clothes with starch.
She had plain features, fine crow's-feet at the corners of her eyes, and dark skin, looking no different from countless rural women.
"I told you before: a filthy-crotched bastard like you isn't worthy of touching a single finger of Xiao Yuan's."
The woman did not even raise her head, yet she seemed to know that the visitor was Lust Divine General.
Standing in the courtyard, Lust Divine General chuckled.
"Tsk, tsk, such a sharp tongue. You're just a bit too old, or this Divine General would look forward to having you and Xiao Yuan serve me together... I didn't come for her this time. Are you interested in hunting Yuanshi Tianzun?"
The woman's hands paused in scrubbing the clothes, but quickly resumed. She said flatly:
"A hundred-million-yuan bounty is tempting, but I'm not so short of cash that I'd gamble my life. What, after stirring up a little trouble in Songhai, do you really think those five old bastards are useless freeloaders?"
Lust Divine General chuckled darkly. "I have a way to lure Yuanshi Tianzun out of Songhai, but I need your help."
The middle-aged woman pulled her hands from the washbasin, straightened up, and gazed at Lust Divine General. "You have a plan?"
"I captured a little brat who has deep ties with Yuanshi Tianzun. Using him to lure Yuanshi Tianzun out is simple. But as you know, Yuanshi Tianzun is a Starlord. Traps and ambushes won't work against a Starlord," Lust Divine General said. "That's why I need you to join me and perform a Prayer specifically for luring him out. A Prayer that relies on items might not cut it; it requires a Witch Doctor of your level."
Prayer (or Fortune Blessing) was one of the three primary skills of a Saint-stage Witch Doctor. By setting up a ritual, one could pray to a supreme existence in the unseen realms to obtain their blessing, ensuring smooth sailing for whatever one sought to achieve.
In ancient times, Witch Doctors held immense status and were often referred to by commoners as "wild shamans," feared and revered.
The simpler the prayed-for outcome, the higher the success rate.
For instance, if Blood Swallow were to pray for the overall success of the hunt against Yuanshi Tianzun, there would be too many prerequisites. They would need a meticulous, thorough plan without major loopholes. It wasn't as if one could sit at home doing nothing but setting up an altar, and Yuanshi Tianzun would deliver himself to his death. That was obviously impossible.
Lust Divine General's request was much simpler. Praying for the hunt's success involved too many variables, capping the success rate. But if she merely prayed for Yuanshi Tianzun to be drawn out—and given a detailed plan—Blood Swallow's level made success virtually guaranteed.
Perhaps something would go wrong with Yuanshi Tianzun's eyes, preventing him from using astromancy; or perhaps he would become careless and forget to use it. In short, various coincidences and mishaps would arise to compel him to come.
"Once it's done, we split all the rewards fifty-fifty," Lust Divine General smiled. "One of my few redeeming qualities is that I never go back on a promise to a woman."
Blood Swallow stood up and walked toward a low shed in the courtyard.
"I can set up the altar right now. Go fetch that brat's blood, and tell me the exact details of his relationship with Yuanshi Tianzun..."
***
Ten in the evening.
In his bedroom, Zhang Yuanqing lay in bed, thoughts drifting.
*Lust Divine General butchered an entire official squad, which amounts to declaring war on the Songhai Branch. The elders might ignore ordinary cases, but they definitely can't sit still now. If the elders get serious, they can even imprison Demon Eye. If I were Lust Divine General, I'd definitely leave Songhai or go into hiding for a while...*
If that happened, finding and killing him would be exceedingly difficult.
And one would never know when Lust might strike back, bringing down another squad. What was more, Zhang Yuanqing felt Lust was very likely to target him.
The reason was simple: on the bounty list published by the evil organizations, he was ranked on the Earth List, yet his level was only Level 4, making him the most cost-effective prey.
Lust Divine General had plenty of reason to hunt him, just as orderly classes hunting evil classes on the wanted list was perfectly natural, requiring no extra grudge or justification.
The bounty rewards were the greatest motivation.
*Seriously, from Li Xianzong to Demon Eye, and now Lust, has the Soldier Master sect picked a fight with me for good? I barely made it out of the killing trial alive and haven't even had a few peaceful days. All I wanted was to have a proper romance with Guan Ya before entering the next trial...*
Just as Zhang Yuanqing was about to switch off the lights and sleep, his phone chimed with an incoming message.
He grabbed the phone, unlocked the screen, and saw a message from Kou Beiyue:
"Yuanshi Tianzun, I saved up a bit of money recently and want to treat you to a meal. Xiao Yuan will be there too. Come if you want, or don't."
Chapter 308