Gao Shen wasn’t dead after being thrown off the stage. He wasn’t even heavily injured. But for someone who walked the way of demonic slaughter, only two outcomes were possible when he was physically and mentally injured. Either he found inspiration from humiliation and made more progress, reaching new heights in his martial dao, or this spelled his doom and he was never able to recover. The former required a strong dao heart and resolution to sweep away the demons of yesterday, whereas the latter happened to roughly eighty percent of this path’s cultivators.

Although Emperor Shura burned with fury, he didn’t lose his composure as he swept a glance around his camp. Beneath Emperor Shura’s command were the three monarchs: Sun, Moon, and Star. Below them was his most treasured disciple, Li Jiancheng. The monarchs were the emperor’s most trusted lieutenants, holding positions similar to those of Sacred Peafowl Mountain’s four monarchs. Li Jiancheng, on the other hand, was Emperor Shura’s favorite student and heir: similar to the late young lord Fan.

Young lord Fan had been a youth who’d sought magnanimity, perfection, and popularity....