Volume One: The Devil's Nature Never Changes
Arc: The Great Guerrilla War
While the four of them were drinking tea, the hall door suddenly swung open.
Scarlet King immediately released his overwhelming aura.
Now that he had achieved a good balance between his internal and external support and reduced his bottleneck, he had become noticeably stronger, and his aura had grown far more powerful.
The Financial Elder reacted quickly.
"Lord Gu Yue, do not worry! This is not an attack. It is simply a quick display of our hospitality!"
Scarlet King stared at him for several seconds before concealing his blood-red aura.
Ikalat thought:
(I like this devil. He did that even though he knew there was no danger, just to establish himself as the stronger side in the discussion that will take place after the hospitality.)
Ikalat asked while closing one eye:
"I am a little curious, Gu Yue. Are you the Ghai—"
Scarlet King interrupted him.
"Yes."
After hearing Scarlet King confirm it, Ikalat continued thinking with slight nervousness.
(But his strength is overwhelming even by our standards. System, how powerful will Scarlet King be once he returns to being Ghairamengi Darkness?)
A system screen appeared, visible only to the three of them.
Lin Yuan looked at it curiously, Scarlet King ignored it, and Ikalat focused on the information.
[System:]
[Master's power once he returns to being Ghairamengi Darkness will be overwhelming by every standard and without limit—and even that is an incomplete definition. Master and Ghairamengi Light are Necessary Existences, Necessary Sources, and Necessary Existentialities. They are the sources of everything within the Primordial Origin World, and nothing subject to the structure of the Primordial Origin World can surpass them. No source, law, or being can transcend them.]
[The Existential Emperor, however, is an anomaly that does not fall under this measurement in the first place.]
[Darkness and Light cannot even properly be described as omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, or beyond those concepts. Such definitions remain incomplete because they are the source of abilities, knowledge, and everything else within the Primordial Origin World, and nothing exists outside the Primordial Origin World.]
[Even if we theoretically assumed that something existed outside the Primordial Origin World, Darkness and Light would still be its source. If that external thing possessed a source of its own, then that source would automatically become incomplete, even if its definition stated that it was an absolute source. Its definition would automatically be altered, with no possibility of resistance or prevention, until it became subordinate to Darkness and Light, who would then become its source.]
[They are two original Ghairamengi Sources. They are Necessary Sources, Necessary Existences, Necessary Primordial Existentialities, and Necessary Ghairamengi Beings. Therefore, they are the sources of sources themselves and the source of everything contained within them. That is why even describing them as perfect in everything would still be incomplete, because they are the source of perfection itself.]
[Their power surpasses the limitless and cannot be exceeded. However, it is possible to reach a level of power close to or equal to theirs, though doing so is nearly impossible in itself. Even then, whoever reaches such a level would not become a source like them, nor would they approach their power in creation and formation.]
[The only being who has surpassed Light and Darkness and risen immeasurably above them—even by standards beyond standards—is the Existential Emperor.]
[Darkness and Light possess unimaginable creative power. With a snap of their fingers, they can create an unlimited number of worlds similar to the Primordial Origin World. They can even make those worlds immeasurably more complex, larger, and stronger according to their desires. Their power of creation cannot be measured.]
[Simple comparison:]
[Ghairamengi Darkness versus a universe: Ghairamengi Darkness wins with absolutely Ghairamengi no difficulty.]
[Ghairamengi Darkness versus the First Dimension: Ghairamengi Darkness wins with absolutely Ghairamengi no difficulty.]
[Ghairamengi Darkness versus all Mortal Dimensions: Ghairamengi Darkness wins with absolutely Ghairamengi no difficulty.]
[Ghairamengi Darkness versus all twenty-two dimensions: Ghairamengi Darkness wins with absolutely Ghairamengi no difficulty.]
[Ghairamengi Darkness versus all dimensions + Primordial Chaos + Dao + Concepts + Nothingness and Beyond Nothingness: Ghairamengi Darkness wins with absolutely Ghairamengi no difficulty.]
[Ghairamengi Darkness versus the entire Primordial Origin World: Ghairamengi Darkness wins with absolutely Ghairamengi no difficulty.]
[Ghairamengi Darkness versus Ghairamengi Light: Draw, with a slight advantage toward Ghairamengi Darkness.]
Ikalat looked somewhat shocked, but quickly returned to his usual sarcastic personality.
(Why are you talking like we are doing power scaling?)
The system replied:
[System:]
[I am only speaking this way to make the idea simpler and easier to imagine. I could use extremely complicated terminology and provide far more details, but I simplified it as though we were in a game. We are inside a novel anyway!]
At that moment, several men entered through the door carrying cups of Qi juice, fruit, meat, and chicken.
Several beautiful women accompanied them.
The women stepped forward and began dancing, while the men placed tables before the three guests and filled them with dishes and drinks.
At the same time, Elder Shen Wan Cai thought:
(This is a guaranteed way to attract the tax collectors' attention, especially since they seem close to the sect's highest authority. I have also heard that Gu Yue is a disciple of the Second Elder, Liu Zai Hang. Perhaps they could put in a good word for us and obtain some benefits from the Great Sect.)
Scarlet King watched without interest and thought:
(Heh. So this is his way of attracting my interest so we can exchange benefits. He entertains me, and I put in a good word for him. Is this not just another repetitive corruption scenario? Very well, then. I will play the role of the corrupt official, since it is more beneficial.)
As the welcoming celebration neared its end, Ikalat stared at the ceiling, Scarlet King watched in boredom, and Lin Yuan was practically drooling as he looked at the beautiful women.
Scarlet King turned toward the elder.
"I have heard some things about your sect. Apparently, there are space-time storms in the mountains behind it. I want to visit them."
Scarlet King thought carefully:
(I want to examine the level of the laws within those space-time storms and determine whether they originate from a higher dimension. Even if we lose the Bloody Sect War, we could use the void storm instead of the technique for opening gates between dimensions.)
(That way, the interdimensional gate-opening technique can remain useful for the future in case we ever become trapped in a particular dimension.)
The elder nodded.
"Of course, but allow us to finish honoring our guests first."
A short while later, the celebration ended.
However, the door opened once again, and an extraordinarily beautiful young woman entered.
Her eyebrows resembled faint trails of black smoke, her lips were like a delicate pink thread, and her soft eyes were green.
Her black hair was tied into a bun, and her figure was well proportioned—neither thin nor heavy, but balanced.
The elder spoke nervously.
"Oh! Young Lady of the Sect! What brings you here?!"
The young lady stepped forward with a long white sword strapped behind her back.
"I came to see our new guests."
She examined them one by one.
First, Lin Yuan, who was captivated by her beauty.
She thought:
(He looks frivolous and easy to seduce. Not suitable.)
She looked at Ikalat.
(He looks far too strange. Not suitable.)
Then she looked toward Scarlet King.
(He looks the most normal and the strongest, but he is wearing black clothing. I need to see his face. Suitable.)
She smiled gently at Scarlet King.
"Would this lord care to introduce himself?"
Scarlet King thought:
(I have heard she is Mei Yuan Shu, the Young Lady of the Black Wing Sect. She is forty years old, searching for a husband, and her cultivation is at the sixth level of Qi Condensation. Judging by the way she looked at us, she was evaluating us. I need to make sure she does not focus on me.)
Scarlet King answered while resting a hand against his cheek.
"Gu Yue. I am nine years old, but I am using an appearance-changing technique."
Mei Yuan Shu replied:
"Oh, you truly are young. But is it not strange that your cultivation level is higher than that of some people who are several decades old?"
Scarlet King thought:
(She thinks I am lying.)
Scarlet King answered with a faint smile.
"I possess extraordinary talent, which allowed me to advance this quickly, especially with the help of my master, Second Elder Liu Zai Hang."
Mei Yuan Shu remained silent for several seconds before nodding.
"Alright. Have you ever considered marrying someone?"
Scarlet King thought:
(She is terrible at hiding her desires and intentions.)
Scarlet King answered:
"I am still too young for marriage. Perhaps I will marry in ten years."
Mei Yuan Shu breathed a sigh of relief.
Scarlet King continued:
"Or in ten thousand years."
A vein bulged at the side of Mei Yuan Shu's forehead.
"You certainly know how to joke, Lord Gu Yue. Well then, what do you think of me?"
Scarlet King looked at her and rubbed his eyes.
"I am gay."
Ikalat burst out laughing and fell from his chair while clutching his stomach.
"Hahahahaha! By the heavens, my stomach hurts! I cannot stop laughing! Hahaha!"
Lin Yuan stared at Scarlet King with shock and disgust before slowly moving his chair farther away.
"I love women! I breathe the carbon dioxide exhaled by women! I adore the fairer sex! Stay away from me!"
Mei Yuan Shu stared at Scarlet King for several seconds before sighing.
"Even if you are gay, I will fix you."
She gestured toward the guards.
"Seize him."
Scarlet King moved his hand.
"Hegemon's Touch."
The guards were instantly lifted into the air and pinned against the ceiling.
Mei Yuan Shu became furious and drew her weapon.
"At least agree to an engagement! Do not be so stubborn!"
Scarlet King stood and released his overwhelming aura.
Its intensity forced Mei Yuan Shu to retreat several steps, but her determination did not disappear.
Shen Wan Cai immediately stood and tried to calm the situation.
"Lord Gu Yue! Young Lady Mei Yuan Shu! This is inappropriate!"
Scarlet King smiled as he concealed his aura.
"Mei Yuan Shu… how about a fight? If you win, I will marry you. If you lose, you will stop trying to marry me, and you will allow me to enter the sect treasury and take three items."