https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-691-The-Soulless-Ones-Marching-to-Hell/13677569/
Chapter 690: Blood-Soaked Angel
“Master, a guest from Hellish Guest wishes to see you.”
A faint ripple passed through the Weave of Magic, and Lanpu’s image materialized before Kai Xiusu. As always, his expression remained respectful, his posture impeccable.
“Another bunch of those pushy Devils? Just send an Illusion Copy to deal with them. They never stop bothering.”
Kai Xiusu’s tone carried clear impatience.
Since his victory over Barachiel, invitations from the Devil realms had poured in nonstop—countless flashy olive branches offered in hopes of securing a mighty Red Dragon as an ally in the brutal Blood War. The Lords of Hell all saw the Red Dragon as their Last Hope, a god-tier weapon to seize Merits across the multiverse.
But Lanpu hesitated, then replied carefully:
“Master, this guest claims it’s urgent. He insists you attend in person.”
“Who?” Kai Xiusu’s interest finally flickered. He could already guess the visitor’s status.
“A former Demon Lord,” Lanpu said, choosing his words with precision. He dared not speak the name aloud—after all, a Great Demon could sense any summoning, and respond instantly.
Kai Xiusu paid no mind. He simply shook his head, stretching the massive wings folded behind him with a soft, deliberate motion.
“Where is he now?”
“Black Dragon City. The Two-Legged Flying Dragon Clan’s Chieftain—Smaug Baron—is hosting him.”
“Good. I know.”
Before he finished speaking, Kai Xiusu took a single step forward. The air before him shattered like glass, tearing open a vast rift. The Red Dragon plunged through it without hesitation.
Within the territory of the Empire of Ashen, a Red Dragon wielding the 【Empire Domain】 power could step through any space, unbound and unrestricted.
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Dragonfly Capital, Treasure Vault of the Lonely Mountain
Once the hidden hoard of ancient Dwarves, this cavern now served as the palace of “King Beneath the Mountain” Smaug. He lived in luxury with a dozen female Two-Headed Dragons, basking in his dominion.
But now, the once-feared Dragon Lord cowered in a corner of the cave, trembling in terror. His proud dragon face was twisted into a grimace—more pitiful than any cry.
Seated on the throne meant for him was a handsome black-haired youth in fine robes, observing the cavern with quiet curiosity.
“This is the Dwarf’s Treasure Vault of the Lonely Mountain?” the youth murmured, eyeing the stone walls. “Even I’ve never been inside.”
He turned to Smaug, smiling gently. “Your Majesty, King Beneath the Mountain… is it truly rude of me to sit here?”
“N-no, noble sir!” Smaug stammered, shrinking further. “You are the Master’s honored guest. Of course not.”
The youth looked fragile—like a noble heir snatched from his home by a brutal Two-Headed Dragon. But in those dark eyes, a chilling gleam flickered.
Gazing into them, beyond the illusion, one could see a Demon Lord of arrogant supremacy, cruel and merciless, laughing in mockery. A crushing Aura of Intimidation washed over Smaug, as if he stood in Purgatory itself.
Smaug had once believed that inheriting the Master’s Bloodline and becoming a Legendary-level warrior would grant him absolute power across the Feiansuo Continent.
But now, Divine Avatars and Devil Princes had appeared before him—turning his reign into a farce.
Then, a deeper, more intense wave of intimidation descended—so potent it seemed to solidify in the air. The cave’s atmosphere grew scorching hot, the stone walls glowing red.
The Weave of Magic surged violently, cracks like a spiderweb tearing across space. A portal of fire flared open.
“Lord Bair,” a dignified voice echoed from midair. “Your status does not require you to terrify my follower.”
Smaug gasped. Relief flooded his body. His eyes lit up. He cried out, desperate:
“Master! You’ve finally come!”
Kai Xiusu stepped through the portal, his colossal 60-meter-long dragon form dwarfing even the cavern itself. The Treasure Vault of the Lonely Mountain suddenly felt cramped.
Bair’s mocking expression vanished. He rose from the throne, offering a polite smile. “King Kai Xiusu, you jest. As the most loyal ally of the Empire of Ashen, how could I possibly provoke you?
You’ve been making quite the name for yourself lately—annihilating the Northern Aethel Duchy, crushing the High Mountain Dwarf Kingdom, and slaying a Divine Manifestation. Truly impressive.”
Kai Xiusu settled onto the throne without ceremony, cutting him off sharply.
“Lord Bair, I’ve grown weary of Devil flattery. State your purpose.”
“Ah… I see.” Bair chuckled, his tone finally turning solemn. The warmth in his voice was replaced with cold, venomous hatred. “It’s her. The madwoman. I can feel her growing stronger. She’s absorbed tens of thousands of Spiritual Souls. Her power is already seeping into the Material Plane. Her Apostles walk the earth—especially in the City of Dawn. When the boundary breaks…”
“August will fall into Hell?” Kai Xiusu asked.
“Yes,” Bair hissed. “And the entire city will become her Soul Pasture. She’ll gain an endless flow of strength.”
His voice was laced with hate, envy, disgust—and a deep, gnawing greed.
Spiritual Souls were the very essence Devils craved. It was the Multiverse’s decree. And for a Great Demon like Bair, it was a hunger that could never be sated.
In the Devil’s eyes, there were no permanent friends—only ever-present benefits.
Kai Xiusu knew: if Bair still ruled Avernus, he would have allied with Wilhelm without hesitation, becoming the Empire’s enemy.
Bair’s voice rasped like a serpent’s hiss.
“King Kai Xiusu, Zaril has grown too powerful. My armies in Hell are retreating. Forgive me, but your Subordinates’ so-called ‘Soulless Ones’—though Undying—are useless to us. They provide no Soul Power. As your ally, I must have more Spiritual Souls to resist her… to remain useful to you.”
“Impossible.”
Kai Xiusu cut him off without pause. In just a few words, he had already divined Bair’s true intent.
The Great Demon wanted the Empire of Ashen to do what the Thrace Kingdom had done—sacrifice its people’s Spiritual Souls to fuel a new Soul Domain. To become a reservoir of power.
But Bair didn’t know that Kai Xiusu’s goal was Deification.
To him, every citizen of the Empire was a precious resource—future sources of faith.
And the land itself? It was his kingdom, his domain. He would never allow it to become a pasture for Devils.
Seeing Kai Xiusu’s unwavering resolve, Bair forced a smile. “King Kai Xiusu, your empire is vast, your people countless. What I ask for… is but a tiny fraction.”
He extended one slender finger, whispering:
“Just a small part.”
To Bair, these Five-colored Dragon Lords treated their people as disposable materials—cannon fodder, easily replaced. He believed that with enough charm, this Red Dragon Emperor would eventually relent and hand over tens of thousands of pure Spiritual Souls.
He never imagined that this Red Dragon would cherish every soul as his own.
“Lord Bair,” Kai Xiusu declared, voice like steel, “we needn’t discuss this further. To help you counter Zaril, I will send thirty thousand Elite Stellarfallen—your so-called Soulless Ones—into Hell to fight.”
His plan was simple: use a force of players as relief troops. They’d gain experience, while simultaneously weakening Zaril’s forces. A win-win.
But upon hearing this, Bair’s handsome face twisted in horror. His skin cracked like dried earth, smoke smelling of sulfur rising from the fissures. His black eyes flared with rage, as if molten Hellfire were about to erupt.
Boom—
A suffocating Hellish atmosphere exploded outward, evoking visions of Avernus’ Mountains of Corpses and Seas of Blood.
Yet Kai Xiusu only laughed—cold, sharp, and cruel.
He spread his wings. The Dragon威 surged, overwhelming the Hellish aura. The Law Force of the Empire Domain descended like a crushing weight, clashing violently with the Devil’s power.
Between the two titans, Smaug cowered in the corner, trembling, whimpering.
This is my nest… how did it become this?
Under the oppressive weight, the Dragon Leader began questioning the very meaning of his existence.
Bair roared in fury:
“Kai Xiusu! You’ve gone too far! Anyone who collaborates with Devils must pay the price—even you! That is the eternal truth!”
“Ah, the Devil’s eternal trick—twisting logic,” Kai Xiusu sneered. He took another step forward. The Hellish aura was instantly consumed by the Dragon威.
The Presence of an Ancestral Dragon descended upon Bair’s shoulder—ripping open his disguise in an instant. The illusion shattered.
A towering, winged Devil emerged from the cave, blazing with infernal fire—though not his true form, merely a Hellish Essence Avatar.
Kai Xiusu advanced slowly, voice icy.
“Bair, you’ve misunderstood one thing: in this alliance, the Empire of Ashen is the absolute master. You are a deposed Hell Lord. Without our support, you’d have spent millennia hiding in the corners of Avernus—like a stray dog, fleeing Zaril’s pursuit and annihilation.
But I have choices. There are countless Great Demons in Hell who bear hatred for Zaril. Even the Hell Lords themselves have offered me olive branches.”
The Red Dragon loomed over the Devil, Pale Golden Eyes blazing.
“Remember: we chose you. We gave you the chance to reclaim Avernus. If not for Zaril… you wouldn’t even have the right to speak to me.”
Each word was a spear, driven deep into the Devil’s pride.
Kai Xiusu wasn’t exaggerating. The Empire could have allied with other Hell Lords—signing pacts, sharing power. But the risk was too great.
Better to guide a fallen Great Demon than to trust a cunning, ancient tyrant.
Hearing this, Bair’s arrogance crumbled. His Hellfire dimmed. He bowed, shrinking back into his human form—elegant, composed, smiling again.
“I apologize, King Kai Xiusu. I misjudged. Forgive my lapse in judgment.”
The Dragon威 vanished. Kai Xiusu smiled. “No need for formalities, Lord Bair. I’ve always seen you as a reliable ally. I understand—you were blinded by greed and desire. A momentary weakness.”
“Yes,” Bair said, voice smooth.
The tension vanished. The two stood in perfect harmony, as if the earlier clash of wills had never happened. Smaug stared, utterly bewildered, at a loss.
Then Kai Xiusu asked, “But… if Zaril is so powerful, how do you plan to overthrow her? Even… kill her?”
A sly smile spread across Bair’s face.
“You don’t know, do you? On the day the City of Dawn falls into Hell—the so-called Fallen Day—Zaril is at her weakest. She’ll be forced to pour all her strength into maintaining the passage between worlds, dragging the city into Avernus. That’s when I strike.”
Kai Xiusu raised an eyebrow. “You’re not afraid she’ll complete the ritual quietly?”
“Impossible.” Bair’s confidence was absolute. “Wilhelm will never surrender the City of Dawn willingly. Not until he’s cornered. And only you can push him to that edge.”
“King Kai Xiusu, I beg you—attack the Thrace Kingdom. Cut off the King’s last hope. Force him to sacrifice the City of Dawn to Hell.
Then, on the Fallen Day, I will strike—kill Zaril. Eliminate the threat from Hell.”
“Afterward,” Bair continued, “you conquer Thrace. I reclaim Avernus. We both gain our futures.”
One man. One dragon. A silent understanding passed between them.
No words were needed. The pact was sealed. Even Smaug, cowering in the corner, was shielded from hearing.
But only they knew what truly lay beneath the surface.
(End of Chapter)
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