C23 Devil Cultivator Cried!

Chiang Xie never anticipated the sheer terror unleashed by the Thunderous Cannon when chanted. Even without the incantation, the Thunderous Cannon could easily dismantle Chiang Tianhai's lethal technique; the gulf between Profound Level and Earth Level martial skills was vast.

Having shattered Chiang Tianhai's move, Chiang Xie nonchalantly unleashed a bolt of golden lightning, an unchanted Thunderous Cannon. Chiang Tianhai's brow furrowed at the attack. It seemed less potent than the one that had broken through his Golden Light Palm, but he wasn't about to underestimate it. Hastily, he conjured a black shield to protect himself.

With a crackling sound, the golden lightning slammed into the shield and erupted into a cacophony before fizzling out, leaving the shield unscathed. Chiang Xie appraised the shield with a new respect; if it could withstand the Thunderous Cannon, it was no ordinary item.

Chiang Tianhai gloated, "You're strong, I'll give you that, but killing me won't be as easy as you think, you little pest!"

Chiang Xie scoffed, "Do you really believe that shield will keep you unharmed?"

"Absolutely!" Chiang Tianhai declared, his confidence rooted in the shield's fearsome origin, far surpassing any ordinary Profound Level Artifact.

Chiang Xie was unconvinced. If one Thunderous Cannon didn't do the trick, then a chanted one surely would. He refused to believe he couldn't blast his opponent to oblivion. He began to chant swiftly, and moments later, he unleashed three golden bolts of lightning that struck the black shield in rapid succession.

"Boom!" The mighty blast sent Chiang Tianhai flying, yet aside from looking disheveled, he was virtually unharmed, and the shield remained intact.

Chiang Xie wondered if the shield could be of Earth Level quality. But he quickly dismissed the thought; the shield was at best nearing Earth Level. The Thunderous Cannon's failure to penetrate was likely due to his own insufficient strength, preventing him from tapping into its true potential, and that's why the shield could hold its ground.

Chiang Xie was confident that with Profound Energy at the seventh or eighth level, he could obliterate the shield using the Thunderous Cannon, but that was clearly out of reach at the moment.

Yet, he found himself amused! After Chiang Tianhai was blasted away, he lay on the ground, temporarily paralyzed. It seemed he had been numbed by the paralyzing ability of the Thunderous Cannon!

Without delay, Chiang Xie approached Chiang Tianhai with the Shark Tooth in hand and struck at Chiang Tianhai's face, as if to say, "Take that for showing off!"

Though Chiang Tianhai was numb from the shock and struggled to move, he managed to use the black shield to protect himself.

Chiang Xie's Shark Tooth was no match for Chiang Tianhai behind his shield, leaving Chiang Tianhai unable to fight back while being overpowered.

What was meant to be a fierce battle turned into a farce.

After a while, Chiang Xie's hands grew tired, and he couldn't resist taunting, "What's the matter? Are you a turtle, hiding in your shell? You sure can take a beating!"

Chiang Tianhai, on the receiving end of a beating that made him look feeble, felt aggrieved. It was as if Chiang Xie was literally riding him into battle, treating him like an actual turtle!

Members of the Chiang family couldn't help but sympathize with Chiang Tianhai. Though he wasn't seriously hurt, the humiliation of being pummeled by his own son was enough to drive anyone mad!

Yet, they dared not intervene. The power Chiang Xie had displayed was too formidable. Without even one among them at the Golden Core Stage, how could they offer assistance? They'd likely be swiftly defeated by Chiang Xie.

"Scoundrel, don't push me too far!" Chiang Tianhai, pinned to the ground by Chiang Xie, could only defend himself with the shield.

"What if I do bully you? What are you going to do, bite me?" Chiang Xie taunted, clearly unafraid as he kept hammering the shield with the Shark Tooth.

"You're forcing my hand..." Chiang Tianhai barely got the words out when the black shield suddenly flashed with a red light, releasing a terrifying pulse that knocked Chiang Xie back.

With a thunderous boom, the ground nearby shattered, and Chiang Tianhai soared through the air, landing in front of Chiang Xie.

To the astonishment of all present, Chiang Tianhai was not only enveloped in malevolent energy, but his cultivation had also ascended from the Golden Core Stage Level 2 to Level 4!

This revelation struck the Chiang family members like lightning, their faces etched with incredulity.

It was well-known that cultivators shrouded in such sinister energy were Devil Cultivators, outcasts shunned by the righteous path!

This meant that Chiang Tianhai, now cloaked in this dark aura, was indeed a Devil Cultivator! And to think he had served as the Chiang family patriarch for over a decade—how could they possibly come to terms with this?

Reflecting on past events, it now made perfect sense why Chiang Tianhai had been so subservient to the false Devil Sovereign that Chiang Xie had impersonated. The truth was clear: Chiang Tianhai was, in fact, a Devil Cultivator!

"Chiang Tianhai! You're a Devil Cultivator! We must inform the City Lord of this treachery!"

"I've long suspected something off about you, your behavior never quite matched that of a genuine cultivator."

"We pledge to stand with Young Master Jiang and eradicate you, the disgrace of our family."

In that moment, the Chiang family was united in their denunciation of Chiang Tianhai. They preferred to align with Chiang Xie rather than associate with a Devil Cultivator.

Chiang Tianhai cast a cold glance over the crowd and stated with chilling indifference, "The Chiang family needs only me. The rest of you are expendable!"

With those words, he struck, reducing the instigators among the Chiang family to a mist of blood.

The survivors fell silent, their loathing for the Devil Cultivator overshadowed by their fear of death.

Chiang Tianhai was filled with a mix of rage and resignation. Had Chiang Xie not cornered him into revealing his true power, he would have never willingly exposed his Devil Cultivator identity.

His formidable abilities stemmed from the Devil Clan's cultivation techniques, placing him at the Golden Core Stage Level 4.

Yet, the orthodox techniques he practiced to mask his true nature only brought him to Level 2. Therefore, whenever he wielded the Devil Clan's methods, his power surged beyond Level 2, revealing his true might as a Golden Core Stage Level 4 cultivator.

After recovering from his initial shock, Chiang Xie couldn't help but laugh. So, you're a Devil Cultivator! Remember, my Devil Slaying technique is specifically designed to counter Devil Cultivators like you!

"I'll concede that you've grown quite powerful," Chiang Tianhai said, glancing at Chiang Xie, "but you're still no match for me when I'm at full strength."

Suppressing a smile, Chiang Xie replied, "Are you suggesting that being at Golden Core Stage Level 4 is a significant advantage?"

"Absolutely. Each advancement within the Golden Core Stage marks a substantial leap in power. It's understandable that someone at the mere Profound Energy Stage like you wouldn't comprehend that."

"Enough talk. Let's spar and see what difference it makes when you're not using your full strength!" With that, Chiang Xie brandished his Shark Tooth at Chiang Tianhai.

"Foolish!" Chiang Tianhai countered with a palm strike aimed at the Shark Tooth, convinced that even if he couldn't destroy the artifact, Chiang Xie would still sustain severe injuries.

But when the palm met the Shark Tooth, Chiang Tianhai's face fell as he was repelled by the blade energy, staggering back several steps before he could steady himself.

In contrast, Chiang Xie only retreated two steps before regaining his footing.

Not giving Chiang Tianhai a chance to recover, Chiang Xie blurred forward, instantly closing the gap between them with the Profound Level martial skill, Spiritual Step.

Despite sensing a significant drain of his Profound Energy, Chiang Xie was undeterred. Gripping the Shark Tooth, he aimed to end the fight with a single blow.

Chiang Tianhai, at Golden Core Stage Level 4, reacted swiftly. Instinctively, he summoned his black shield for protection.

With a resounding "Bang!" the Shark Tooth collided with the shield, the sheer force knocking Chiang Tianhai to the ground.

As Chiang Xie loomed over him, dominating the fight as if disciplining a child, Chiang Tianhai felt a surge of despair. There was no discernible difference at all!

It was one thing to be outmatched at Golden Core Stage Level 2, but to still be no match at Level 4, without even narrowing the gap, was utterly disheartening.

Chiang Tianhai couldn't help but doubt whether he had truly become stronger.

If so, why would he reveal himself as a Devil Cultivator? Consequently, Chiang Tianhai found himself in tears, the kind that come from deep sorrow. With his wife gone, his family lost, his reputation in tatters, and having been severely beaten, it was no wonder he couldn't hold back his tears.