Chapter 182: Your Darkness Can’t Withstand Mine

Chapter 182: Chapter 182: Your Darkness Can’t Withstand Mine

All he needed was one more powerful trump card to appear, and the outcome would be decided.

With that thought, Desmond Hale gritted his teeth and began supplying even more energy to the Nine Nether Abyss Formation.

Anyone who witnessed what happened next would have been shocked.

The energy source powering the formation was none other than Desmond Hale himself.

After joining the Abyss Cult, his body had undergone a complete transformation. He was no longer entirely human. His demonic body had become an ideal source of energy for the Nine Nether Abyss Formation.

He was literally using his own flesh and blood to fuel it.

By this point, both his hands and feet had disappeared. Even the remaining parts of his body were beginning to burn as they were consumed by the formation.

Yet Desmond Hale showed no sign of regret.

On the contrary, he seemed to be enjoying himself.

He firmly believed that every sacrifice would eventually pay off. Once his plan succeeded, he would regain everything he had lost and obtain power far beyond anything he had possessed before.

"The moment has arrived!"

His voice rang out with fervent excitement.

"Come forth, messenger of my Lord!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the crimson pillar at the center of the square underwent another transformation.

Its light grew darker and more intense, while the area it covered expanded to twice its previous size.

A towering silhouette began emerging from within.

The creature carried a long spear, and its enormous body moved forward at a painfully slow pace. It looked as though an invisible force was restraining it and preventing it from fully crossing over.

But everyone could tell that the restriction wouldn’t hold forever.

Charles’s expression turned grim.

"A Demon General!"

Those three words immediately made the surrounding Shelby Family experts understand how serious the situation had become.

Among the Abyss Demons, Demon Centurions generally possessed mid-to-high fourth-tier strength. Demon Chiliarchs were usually at the peak of the fourth tier, while Demon Commanders and Lieutenant Generals generally belonged to the early fifth tier.

A Demon General, however, was on an entirely different level.

Such creatures possessed at least mid-to-high fifth-tier strength, and some could even reach the peak of the fifth tier.

For the Shelby Family, that was a terrifying opponent.

They could deal with the Demon Centurions without much trouble. Even a Demon Chiliarch wouldn’t necessarily be beyond their ability.

If a Demon Commander or Lieutenant General appeared, they could still put up a fight, especially with Liam, a second-star Divine Power Realm expert, among them.

But a Demon General?

Even Liam wasn’t confident that he could defeat such a creature.

"Damn it! If only we knew where Desmond Hale was hiding!"

"Mr. X is already occupied with the Ancestor. He can’t spare any attention for us. It looks like we’ll have to rely on ourselves this time!"

"So what if it’s a Demon General? If I’m going to die, I’ll make sure to take a piece of that monster with me! I’ve spent my entire life cultivating my martial will. This is the moment to prove it!"

"If only the Second Elder were still alive. And if the Ancestor hadn’t been turned into a puppet..."

Someone sighed in frustration before suddenly stopping.

"Wait! Everyone, look up!"

The others followed his gaze.

The next moment, their mouths fell open.

They couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry at what they were seeing.

High above them, the Ancestor, who had been exchanging blows with Xavier for so long, was suddenly sent plummeting from the sky like a kite with its strings cut.

A deep, gaping wound had appeared across his chest!

Charles and the others had mixed feelings about what they were witnessing.

On one hand, Mr. X had clearly won the exchange. The Ancestor had been knocked out of the sky, which meant their side still had a powerful fighter capable of dealing with the threats ahead. Even if the Demon General managed to emerge, their chances of surviving had improved considerably.

On the other hand, the fallen man was still the Shelby Family’s Ancestor.

For generations, he had been the family’s greatest protector and the person everyone looked up to. Even though Desmond Hale had turned him into a puppet, that did not erase the respect and affection they had for him.

Seeing him badly wounded and falling from the sky was hardly something they could celebrate.

Even Liam, who was usually straightforward and tough, couldn’t bring himself to smile.

Meanwhile, Xavier was studying the situation with a puzzled expression.

During the final exchange, he had clearly sensed the Ancestor deliberately abandon his attempt to dodge. Instead of avoiding the incoming sword strike, the old man had allowed it to hit him directly.

Why would someone under Desmond Hale’s control suddenly do something like that?

Xavier couldn’t figure it out.

With the Great Wilderness Imprisoning Heaven Finger ready in case of trouble, he approached the fallen Ancestor.

However, what he saw after getting closer surprised him even more.

The confusion and emptiness that had filled the old man’s eyes were gone. His gaze was now clear and steady, revealing the intelligence of someone who was fully conscious.

"Don’t be alarmed, Young Master X. I’ve already broken free from Desmond Hale’s control."

The Ancestor gave a tired, bitter smile.

The Six-Pointed Star Demon Mark could suppress his consciousness and control his actions, but it hadn’t completely destroyed his personal will.

Although he had been forced to obey Desmond Hale, he could still hear everything happening around him. He had listened to Xavier’s conversations with the Shelby Family members, as well as Desmond Hale’s own declarations.

That was how he had learned Xavier’s identity.

"While Desmond Hale was preparing to summon that Demon General, his attention shifted away from controlling me. I seized that brief opening and managed to break through the suppression of the Six-Pointed Star Demon Mark."

The old man paused before adding with a faint smile, "I’ve lived for more than a hundred and twenty years. Did that bastard really think he could control me forever?"

Xavier didn’t immediately respond.

Perhaps sensing his suspicion, the Ancestor continued explaining.

"Young Master X, I understand why you don’t trust me. But I want you to know that breaking free wasn’t easy. My spirit has suffered severe damage in the process. I don’t have much time left, even if I survive this battle."

He glanced toward the crimson pillar of light, where the Demon General was still struggling to emerge.

"That creature is about to come out. I’ll go and deal with it first. You can follow behind me. If you notice anything suspicious, simply use the Six Directions Heaven-Piercing Finger to finish me off. Would that satisfy you?"

The old man’s proposal sounded sincere.

Xavier considered it for a moment before nodding.

He still wasn’t entirely convinced. The possibility that this was another trick arranged by Desmond Hale couldn’t be ruled out.

However, he had no reason to waste more time arguing.

As long as the Great Wilderness Imprisoning Heaven Finger remained available, he was confident he could immobilize the old man instantly if necessary.

"Fine. We’ll do it your way."

"Thank you for everything you’ve done for the Shelby Family."

The Ancestor finally allowed himself a genuine smile.

"If I manage to survive this crisis, I will make sure you receive a generous reward for your help."

Xavier offered no particular response.

There was no point discussing rewards while Desmond Hale and the Demon General were still threats.

"Let’s deal with the Demon General and Desmond Hale first."

"Mr. X! Ancestor!"

"What’s happening? Has the Ancestor regained control of himself?"

"Wonderful! The heavens haven’t abandoned the Shelby Family after all!"

"What heavens? This is our Ancestor’s own achievement! Desmond Hale underestimated the will of someone who has lived for more than a hundred years!"

When Xavier and the injured Ancestor returned to the central square, the Shelby Family members immediately gathered around them.

After the situation was explained, the entire crowd erupted in celebration.

They had been preparing themselves for a desperate fight against the Demon General. Some had even accepted that they might not survive the night.

Yet, in the space of a short time, two pieces of wonderful news had arrived.

Mr. X was still standing, and their Ancestor had managed to break free from Desmond Hale’s control.

Their situation had improved dramatically.

For the first time in a long while, the Shelby Family had something worth celebrating.

But happiness and despair often existed side by side.

While the Shelby Family rejoiced, Desmond Hale was experiencing the complete opposite.

Hidden somewhere within the manor, he had been monitoring everything through the Nine Nether Abyss Formation. The moment he realized that the Ancestor had regained his consciousness, he was left utterly stunned.

"Damn it! How could this happen?!"

"The Ancestor actually broke free from my control?"

His eyes turned bloodshot with rage.

"That old bastard! They all deserve to die!"

He had spent years preparing this scheme, carefully arranging every detail to ensure the Shelby Family would become a sacrifice for his Lord.

Yet, one unexpected development after another had ruined his plans.

Desmond Hale had always believed he was the one controlling the situation. Now, that confidence was rapidly falling apart.

But he hadn’t reached the end of his options.

"At this point, everything depends on whether my master can turn the situation around!"

With a vicious expression, he made his final decision.

He gathered what remained of his body below the neck and threw it into the Nine Nether Abyss Formation.

This was his last gamble.

There was no room for hesitation. If he waited too long, the altar would not have enough time to return the energy he needed. His remaining head couldn’t survive indefinitely without that energy.

He had to make the sacrifice now.

Fortunately, his gamble produced the desired result.

The crimson pillar of light at the center of the square expanded once again, its dark red glow spreading across an even larger area.

Inside it, the towering figure of the Demon General gradually became clearer.

After struggling against the formation’s restrictions for some time, the creature finally managed to move one foot beyond the pillar.

"O faithful servant, I am Apophis, a Demon General sent by my Lord to receive the sacrifices offered in His name..."

Apophis began speaking in its usual grand manner.

As one of the thirteen generals serving under the Fallen Demon King, it had witnessed countless occasions when human followers offered sacrifices to the Abyss Demons.

It was already familiar with the process.

However, before it could finish its declaration, a terrifying wave of sword energy suddenly filled its vision.

Every single attack carried a destructive force powerful enough to make even its heart tremble.

Apophis immediately sensed the danger.

Without hesitation, it pulled back the foot it had just placed outside the pillar.

Yes.

The Demon General actually retreated!

There were several reasons the Abyss Demons had remained trapped within the Abyss instead of conquering the human world.

First, decades of bloody conflict had shown them just how terrifying the strongest human martial artists could be.

Second, the Abyss Demons were at their most powerful within their natural environment. The conditions inside the Abyss allowed them to unleash their full potential, an advantage they couldn’t enjoy to the same extent in the human world.

But there was an even more important reason.

The time wasn’t right yet.

The Abyss Demons were waiting for a stronger member of their race to arrive before launching their next major invasion.

Apophis had no intention of risking its life over an unexpected situation.

"What happened to the promised sacrifice?"

Its voice carried obvious suspicion.

"Could this be a trap prepared specifically for me? Humans really are a cunning race! It seems that not everyone who claims to serve our kind is genuinely loyal!"

Its gaze swept over Xavier and the Ancestor.

"And you two! Are you the human warriors who joined forces with the traitorous followers of our race to hunt down our people?"

"I can sense the danger you pose. I will remember both of you!"

It paused, then delivered a final warning.

"A once-in-a-century upheaval is approaching. My race will soon emerge from the Abyss and return to the human world. Just wait and see!"

After making its threats, Apophis withdrew completely into the pillar of light.

The entire process left everyone staring in disbelief.

That was it?