Versatile Mage

Chapter 3147  The Figures in Eight Directions

"You've got to understand this. I come from the most renowned royal family in the world. My father owns the Magic Sanctuary, my mother is Holy City's Sixteen-Winged Angel, and my adoptive father is the biggest hero the Parthenon Temple has ever had. He sacrificed himself to the darkness for the greater good and became the Dark King. So, think about it. What could I possibly need when I was young?" Asha'ruiya asked.

"Nothing," Mu Bai replied. "You didn't betray anything. You willingly embraced the darkness and became its follower!"

"I naturally leaned toward the darkness, and when Wen Tai joined it, I followed," Asha'ruiya explained.

"Wen Tai, Wen Tai…" Mu Bai repeated the name. Then, his eyes burned with fire, as though they could turn a Six-Winged Angel to ashes. "Are you saying Wen Tai's involved in this plan against Mo Fan too?!"

There were rumors that Wen Tai's willpower remained unmatched even when he joined the darkness. Even though the followers of the Parthenon Temple thought that a man could not become the temple's master, he still chose to build its foundation in the darkness. That was what made him truly remarkable!

If he still had noble intentions and the desire to save the Dark Plane, why would he join those corrupt kings in killing Mo Fan?

Was it because Mo Fan was the new Evil Saint King, and every dark ruler wanted a piece of him?

"Who do you think can order me?" Asha'ruiya asked assertively.

"If your father is targeting Mo Fan, he's not as noble as people say. Get out! Both you and Wen Tai are my enemies!" Mu Bai's eyes turned icy once more.

…

Asha'ruiya left the Heart Palace and looked around.

There was a vast crimson sky beyond the ancient dark city, and light from the Galaxy of the Yin Energy God was just on the horizon.

The whole scene looked like a sunset without bright colors.

There were also tall blurry figures in the distance. Even the far-off barren mountains barely reached their knees.

These figures were in all eight directions in the sky, and they looked down like VIPs in a coliseum. Right then, the ancient dark city felt like a sandbox. Despite their noble appearances, they revealed a craving for blood and other strange things.

However, the napping face was above the Figures in Eight Directions!

Asha'ruiya knew that he could wake up at any moment.

Their previous attempts to hide had been useless.

They could not escape the eyes of these kings.

Asha'ruiya took a deep breath. It was her first time seeing a gathering of the kings of the Dark Plane. Their powerful presence made every being feel small and afraid.

She knew that Wen Tai was one of the Figures in Eight Directions, and he was watching her.

The guide was also the tempter.

"Mo Fan." Asha'ruiya acted like nothing had happened.

"What did you find?" Mo Fan asked.

"He's inside, and he's been through so much torture that he's lost his physical form. But you should know that as a rare Righteous Soul, he has achieved sainthood. So, he can become a king in the Dark Plane. Just like you've become the Evil Saint King, he'll also become one of the Dark Kings," Asha'ruiya replied.

"I don't get it."

"Do you know why Wen Tai became a king on the Dark Plane?"

"For righteousness?" Mo Fan guessed.

"Close enough. There's no real heaven in this world, but there is hell. Those who become kings have unmatched willpower. Mu Bai sacrificed himself for righteousness and achieved sainthood on the Dark Plane. The fact that he has achieved sainthood means that he qualifies to become a Dark King," Asha'ruiya explained.

"That's a good thing, isn't it?" Mo Fan replied.

"But after achieving sainthood, he has to go through a grueling process that might erase his humanity to become a king. Only those who withstand it come out as kings. Those who don't will disappear," Asha'ruiya explained.

"Is he going through that process now?" Mo Fan asked.

"Yes." Asha'ruiya nodded.

"How is he? What can I do to help?" Mo Fan hurriedly asked.

"From the moment he returned to the darkness, he started enduring all kinds of hellish punishments. These punishments are like the eighteen levels of hell in mortal legends. They involve things like boiling oil, tongue-pulling, mountains of knives, grinding wheels, and more. But he can stop these punishments anytime," Asha'ruiya explained.

"Stop them anytime? Did he do that? He doesn't need to torment himself like this," Mo Fan said.

"This is the torturous part of achieving sainthood. He achieved sainthood as a Righteous Soul, so the rulers of darkness need him to choose betrayal. After you became the Evil Saint King, Holy City was determined to capture you, even if it meant opposing the world. The Dark Plane won't let a brat become a king for no reason. You and Mu Bai are closely related to each other. You achieved sainthood because of him, and he became the Dark Saint because of you. So, he needs to face the true test of righteousness. You know how cruel torture can be. He could collapse and ultimately submit at any moment. But as long as he lures you to the Dark Plane and makes you a meal for the Figures in Eight Directions, he can find release," Asha'ruiya explained to Mo Fan.

He frowned.

Was his presence on the Dark Plane bad for Mu Bai?

Was he preventing him from becoming a king?

Hold on. Something did not seem right.

"Is this a trap? The kings of the Dark Plane know how I became the Evil Saint King, so they won't let go of Mu Bai, my Righteous Soul. They're trying to torture Mu Bai with harsh punishments to make him obey them and lure me here. Then, they'll devour me, won't they?" Mo Fan asked.

"Yes. If you don't care about Mu Bai, your Righteous Soul will never die. You'll always be the Evil Saint King. Similarly, if Mu Bai remains loyal to you and withstands the torture, his True Soul will become a god because of his strong will," Asha'ruiya answered.

Mo Fan fell silent and started to look around.

He had previously felt that something was off. Eventually, his gaze pierced through the thick city walls and the vast expanse of the ancient dark city. He finally saw the eight dark figures in the sky.

So, they were all waiting for him there!

He thought it would be like the Zodiac signs, which he had to face one at a time. He did not expect these Dark Kings to be so impolite. The Bright Blood King seemed courteous in comparison.

"I get it. Can I go in now?" Mo Fan asked.

"Don't you want to know if Mu Bai has betrayed you?" Asha'ruiya asked.

"I'm here to save him," Mo Fan replied.

"But the situation is different now," she said.

"There's no difference. I owe him, and it's time for me to pay off my debt," Mo Fan insisted.

"I don't get it."

"It's like borrowing money. You borrow and then pay it back. Financially, it balances out, but friendship-wise, the person who willingly lends you money deserves more respect for their kindness," Mo Fan explained.

"Do you still want to go in even though you know it's a trap?" Asha'ruiya asked.

"I thought I was fighting against fate all along. In the past, I always tried to change things with my own strength. But the battle in Holy City made me realize that when I'm truly in trouble, those around me are the true heroes. They're my greatest support. Besides, why do you assume this is a trap? It could also be a chance to deal with those who are against me," Mo Fan explained.

As Mo Fan spoke, eight Soul Shadows appeared around him. One of the shadows glowed much brighter than before. Like a brilliant star, it shone so bright that it was hard to look at directly. It brightened up the ancient dark city and made it seem like it was daytime!

Having come this far, how could he possibly leave?

"Mo Fan!" Asha'ruiya suddenly called out to him.

Mo Fan was already at the door.

An overwhelming sense of malice and murderous intent filled the vast surroundings, just like a tidal wave.

Mo Fan realized that he was being targeted.

"What's wrong?" Mo Fan turned to Asha'ruiya in puzzlement.

"He didn't betray you," Asha'ruiya softly said. "I did."

"Really?" Mo Fan cocked an eyebrow.

"Unfortunately, I'm a fickle, selfish, and despicable woman. I never wanted to be your friend…" Asha'ruiya confessed.

"You guided me on the Dark Plane, and I appreciate that," Mo Fan replied.

With that, Mo Fan headed toward the Heart Palace.

Asha'ruiya stood there. Despite her straight posture, her skeletal reflection revealed a different story.

She felt like a wilting red spider lily. Even though she was beautiful, her insides had decayed.

"Sweetheart, you've done well," said a loud voice in the sky. It was one of the dark figures.

At this moment, the dark figures were no longer blurry. They appeared immense and majestic, like eight pillars supporting the Dark Plane's sky. Each of them burned with different dark flames from head to toe.

One of them cast a giant shadow over the ancient dark city. When it fell upon the half-humans, they turned to ash and vanished instantly!

Asha'ruiya knew that it was the Duke of Shadow.

This cruel being showed no concern for the "beasts" in the ancient dark city. He never held back his divine power. He deemed anything that could not withstand his oppressive shadow unworthy of existence in this world.

"What a good child. We don't have such loyal ones like you." The Duke of Shadow laughed.

"Let me arrange some clean napkins and distribute plates to everyone. You know I value ceremony and manners the most. Since kings from all places have graced my territory, please abide by local customs," the face in the sky said.

He was the King of Night and Day, the ruler of this city.

Mu Bai had served under him in the past.

"Did you hear that? The King of Night and Day doesn't want us to make a mess when we eat," another Dark King said. He was taller and slimmer than the others.

"It's getting boring with just the usual crew at this fancy table. Let's switch out some of the members here."

"Cut the pompous act!"Nôv(el)B\\jnn