Chapter 422: You Shouldn't Deceive Me

Shi Xing’an successfully completed his class awakening—humanity had gained an Earth Knight.

The heavenly vision during the class awakening must have been seen by many.

Such phenomena were documented in history, and anyone who had attended school would recognize it—it signified the birth of an Earth Knight.

Shi Xing'an's awakening as an Earth Knight couldn’t be kept secret. In fact, there was never any intention to conceal it.

With the Demon Worship Society mostly purged, as long as Shi Xing’an remained within the empire, he should be safe.

Sure enough, upon Lin Moyu’s return to the academy, he overheard excited discussions.

For the first time in decades, humanity had produced an Earth Knight—the pinnacle of the Knight class, admired by all.

"I read that 130 years ago, an Earth Knight led an army through the Abyssal Gate, nearly storming the Abyss’s home world."

"Unfortunately, they didn't make it. The Earth Knight was only level 91. If he had been a few levels higher, he definitely could’ve broken through."

"It was humanity’s deepest push into the Abyss!"

"Hopefully, once this Earth Knight reaches God-level, they’ll be able to lead an army to break into the Abyssal World."

"I have a feeling they will!"

The academy buzzed with talks about the Earth Knight.

Earth Knight was a mystical and powerful class, one that sparked many tales of glory. It was also the most troublesome class for both Abyssal Demons and Dragonkind.

This was why, in the Immemorial Battlefield, whenever the Eartheart dungeon emerged, these enemies did everything in their power to stop humanity from obtaining the Heart of the Earth—as it could give rise to an Earth Knight.

Yet, despite their efforts, an Earth Knight had emerged again.

The recent purge of the Demon Worship Society had left the empire in chaos, dampening the national mood. But the emergence of an Earth Knight was like a surge of adrenaline, reigniting hope and excitement.

All attention turned to the Earth Knight.

By contrast, Lin Moyu’s promotion to a two-star godly general barely stirred discussion.

Perhaps his reputation had already peaked—there was simply no room for it to grow further.

Lin Moyu entered the Dungeon Hall once more.

He was close to reaching level 49, and with some effort, he could break through to level 50 within two days.

After mastering new skills, he would head for the Immemorial Battlefield.

The agreement with Righteous God, the deal with the Archaic Earth Dragon, and the unfinished business with the Archaic Luanniao, they were all waiting for him.

As he walked, people greeted him with respect.

His reputation was immense, his status unquestionable.

It was easy to forget he had enrolled less than a year ago—yet in that short time, he had surpassed heights most could never dream of.

Stepping into the Beast God Plateau, he inhaled the dungeon’s crisp, cool air.

No one would have imagined that a Demon King had been buried here.

His undead army tore through the monsters with ease, quickly reaching Plateau No. 3.

Lin Moyu gazed at the battlefield where he had defeated the Fire Demon King and murmured, “A shame. If this had been outside, I would have erected a tombstone for you. You were a Demon King, after all.”

The Fire Demon King died inside a dungeon, without even a tombstone. It was truly ironic.

Deep within the Abyss, the Abyssal Fire burned dark green, nearly black.

Amidst the flames, a massive palace floated in the air, rising and falling amid the inferno.

The Succubus Queen, the Darkfiend King, the Sword Demon King, the Octa-Arm Demon King, and other powerful mid-tier Demon Kings with noble bloodlines gathered outside the palace.

They had been waiting patiently for days.

None dared to complain. Even the usually playful Succubus Queen had abandoned her smile, her expression grave.

Beside her, the Darkfiend King asked in a quiet voice, “Do you know why His Majesty has summoned us?”

The Succubus Queen responded just as quietly, “It likely concerns the recent actions of the human race. The Demon Worship Society in the Shenxia Empire has been nearly wiped out.”

The Darkfiend King frowned, “Weren’t you in charge of the Demon Worship Society?”

The Succubus Queen let out a soft sigh, “Only on the surface. The true mastermind behind the Demon Worship Society is His Majesty.”

Realization dawned on the Darkfiend King—the Succubus Queen wasn’t the one pulling the strings.

As far as he knew, many human powerhouses had been subdued by the Succubus Queen.

Under her charm, some humans unknowingly became her lackeys.

Once subdued, breaking free was nearly impossible—they were doomed to become obedient slaves.

Among the humans the Succubus Queen had subdued were even God-level powerhouses.

Because of this, he both admired and feared her, wary that one day he might fall under her spell.

What he hadn’t expected, however, was that His Majesty, the Demon Emperor, was the true mastermind behind the Demon Worship Society.

Suddenly, the flames trembled.

The Abyssal Fire surged, engulfing the palace entirely.

Within the inferno, a colossal Demon began to take shape.

His towering form was wreathed in dark green fire, a single horn protruding from his head. His features bore a faint resemblance to Dragonkind—but there was something unmistakably different.

The massive wings on his back, when fully spread, spanned over ten meters. His entire body was covered in scales, each one shimmering with a flickering flame trapped within.

Seated upon the Demon Emperor’s Throne, he radiated an overwhelming and suffocating pressure.

The moment he appeared, every Demon present bowed in unison.

“Greetings, Your Majesty Demon Emperor!”

The Demon Emperor’s gaze swept slowly across the assembled Demon Kings.

Each Demon King who met his eyes felt as though a blade had been placed against their throat, ready to strike at any moment.

His power was beyond comprehension.

Ordinarily, the Demon Emperor remained within the Demon Emperor's Palace, rarely making direct appearances.

When matters required his attention, he simply issued commands.

A gathering like this was exceedingly rare.

The Demon Emperor’s deep, resonant voice rang out, “Very good. You’re all here.”

“The humans have been making waves. In the Shenxia Empire, the Demon Worship Society has been purged. Succubus Queen, what do you make of this?”

The Succubus Queen stiffened, her voice trembling slightly, “Bai Yiyuan and Meng Anwen launched a joint assault—it was too sudden. I have already ordered a counterattack.”

A low chuckle rumbled from the Demon Emperor’s throat, sending a chill through the Succubus Queen.

The Demon Emperor suddenly chuckled, a sound that sent chills down the Succubus Queen’s spine.

“You ordered a counterattack?”

The Succubus Queen hesitated, nodding cautiously. That was indeed the command she had given.

The Demon Emperor’s voice turned icy, “And do you truly believe that under the watchful eyes of Shenxia’s level 95 God-level experts, your counterattack will achieve anything?”

The Succubus Queen’s mind raced. Then, a realization struck her.

“I originally had no intention of counterattacking, but the Fire Demon King insisted he could kill Lin Moyu and sought my cooperation. I only launched an attack to divert attention and create an opening for him.”

The Demon Emperor let out a chilling, mirthless laugh.

“Tell me, was it that fool who lacked sense—or do you take me for a fool? Do you even believe those words yourself?”

The Succubus Queen shuddered, dropping to her knees midair, too terrified to utter another word.

At that moment, a crushing aura descended upon her.

Raging flames erupted across her body, searing her flesh.

Agony tore through her, but she dared not move—even trying to suppress her screams.

The Demon Emperor’s voice remained cold and unrelenting, “You issued a foolish order. Bai Yiyuan and Meng Anwen were waiting for your retaliation—to wipe them all out in one move.”

“Fish hidden in the mud are hard to catch. But fish that leap from the water? Easy prey. Fool!”

“I don’t care about the damage to the Demon Worship Society. They were nothing more than useless pawns for my amusement. But you, you shouldn’t have tried to deceive me.”

The Succubus Queen had hoped to shift blame onto the Fire Demon King, assuming his death meant her claims couldn’t be refuted.

But she had miscalculated.

She gritted her teeth, forcing out a trembling plea, “Your servant does not dare… Your Majesty, please forgive this unworthy servant.”

The Demon Emperor snorted, and the flames consuming her body gradually faded.

She collapsed, gasping for breath, heart pounding in terror. Had those flames burned even a moment longer, she would have perished—reduced to nothing but ash.

She was a mighty Demon King, yet before the Demon Emperor, she was utterly powerless.

The Demon Emperor continued, “The Fire Demon King is dead. That useless fool deserved his fate. The Human World isn’t a place you can simply waltz into.”

The gathered Demon Kings were stunned—none had expected the Fire Demon King to fall at the hands of humans.

The Succubus Queen felt a deep chill settle in her chest—she hadn’t expected the Demon Emperor to know this.

.

The Demon Emperor’s gaze swept over the assembled Demon Kings, “The reason I summoned you here is simple. You have tasks to complete.”

“First—prepare for war. Guard the Abyssal Gate. The Dragonkind are mobilizing their forces; a great war is coming.”

“Second—the humans have produced an Earth Knight. I can already sense that detestable aura. Find him and ill him.”

“Third—the one who killed the Fire Demon King is called Lin Moyu. Find him and kill him.”