Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world.

Chapter 548 Intrigue and deception
"Stop it, you two!"

Wang Huaishuang's official boots pounded heavily over the gravel as she leaped into the center of the battlefield, shouting:
"Don't forget our mission; completing the mission is the top priority!"

"You two promised me, and you even received payment from me!"

She deliberately emphasized the word "remuneration," and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the black markings on Liang Jin's body wriggling under his skin like black worms, which made her heart tremble.

The man's appearance after entering the Hundred Evils Body was far more terrifying than the rumors suggested.

Bei Huan and Liang Jin indeed stopped.

Their stop was not due to Wang Huaishuang's persuasion, but because they sensed the arrival of a new powerful figure.

Sudden.

A bone-chilling cold swept across the entire area, and the sand and gravel were suspended in mid-air under an invisible pressure.

"They can't stop."

An aged and hoarse voice, like the hiss of a venomous snake, accompanied a hunched figure that broke through the dust and smoke. The dark patterns on the black brocade robe gleamed eerily in the moonlight.

A violent aura swept across the entire area.

Even though he looked very old, Liang Jin recognized him at a glance as the Demon Slayer King.

The Demon King also stared coldly at Liang Jin.

Liang Jin's appearance after entering the Hundred Evils Body was vastly different from when he was in Hidden Wind Valley, but this did not prevent the Demon Slayer King from recognizing him at a glance.

He was slightly surprised that the "flea" that had brought him shame had grown to such a terrifying extent.

The appearance of the Demon Slayer King caused Wang Huaishuang to fall silent.

Her eyes were filled with tension, wondering if the Demon King had already seen through her scheme.

Or perhaps, even if the Demon King saw through it, he simply didn't care.

With a flick of his hand, the Demon Slayer King caused the object in his hand to slowly drift toward Sorrow and Joy.

That was none other than the severed head of the Master of Sorrow and Suffering!
With trembling hands, Bei Huan caught his junior brother's head. His calloused fingers stroked the unseeing face, and murky tears dripped onto the congealed blood, spreading into dark red flowers.

He knew, of course, that his junior brother was indeed somewhat greedy.

However, he and his junior brother had known each other since they were eight years old, and after decades of getting along, their relationship had become incredibly deep.

Now that he has witnessed his junior brother's tragic death, how could he possibly achieve true detachment from worldly desires?

The Demon King pointed at Liang Jin and slowly said to Bei Huan:
"He killed your junior brother; his men chopped off your junior brother's head."

"But it's very difficult to defeat him."

"If you seek revenge, I will help you."

He deliberately emphasized the word "revenge," but his eyes were fixed on Liang Jin's every move.

Liang Jin didn't care.

Although he wasn't confident he could take on two opponents at once.

However, he has plenty of helpers, so he is unlikely to be ganged up on.

He picked at his teeth with his claws, patiently awaiting the decision of joy and sorrow.

But then Bei Huan placed the human head on the ground, then sat cross-legged facing the head, clasped his hands together, and began chanting sutras to help it pass on to the afterlife.

His eyes were closed, as if he had not heard what the Demon King said.

The Demon Slayer King snorted coldly:
"waste!"

"You truly disappoint me!"

Clearly, the Demon King was very dissatisfied with the Demon King's indifference to joy and sorrow.

Wang Huaishuang breathed a sigh of relief. What she was most worried about was that Beihuan's personal feelings would affect the overall situation.

Liang Jin suddenly burst into laughter:

"King of Slaughter, our feud should have been settled long ago."

"There's no time like the present, let's settle this today."

After saying that, Liang Jin stretched out his claw and beckoned to Tu Xie Wang.

Slaughter King's eyes flashed with murderous intent, and his fists clenched tightly.

He had long wanted to kill Liang Jin!

But in the end, he did not make a move, instead glancing at Beihuan with some apprehension.

Tu Xie Wang knew very well that if he fought Liang Jin, they would both be severely injured.

If Bei Huan suddenly intervenes at the last minute, he will likely suffer a loss.

Liang Jin said impatiently:
"You're so slow and indecisive, Evil Slayer King. You're getting worse every year."

"If you're not coming, then I'm coming."

After saying that, another spear appeared from Liang Jin's claws.

He moved swiftly, brandishing his spear as he charged towards the Demon Slayer King.

Seeing this, the Demon Slayer King had no choice but to bite the bullet and take action.

He drew his long sword from his waist and charged towards Liang Jin.

The Demon Slayer King once possessed a wolf-tooth sword, exceptionally sharp, but it was eventually melted down by the Iron Madman War Puppet using the Iron Refining Hand.

But he was wealthy and powerful, and now he had acquired a powerful weapon.

The Demon King's swordsmanship was very strong; he and Liang Jin had already exchanged dozens of blows in a short period of time.

The frenzied dance of sword energy and violent gun energy created deep ravines in the ground around the two.

These ravines were caused by the aftershocks of their battle.

The billowing smoke and dust shot straight into the sky and spread everywhere.

The shockwaves from their fight even shattered rocks a hundred meters away, sending flying debris hurtling towards the onlookers like bullets.

Wang Huaishuang's expression changed drastically. She hurriedly led the guards from the Criminal Investigation Bureau to retreat, but several guards were still hit by the falling rocks and flew backward with screams.

The surrounding crowd could only retreat to a distance once more, watching all this with lingering fear.

The more the Demon-Slaying King fought, the more terrified he became.

"How did this kid become so strong in such a short time?"

The Demon King's swordsmanship became increasingly fierce, each strike carrying the power to split mountains and shatter rocks, yet he found that Liang Jin's spear could always be neutralized perfectly.

He sensed the indomitable spirit contained in Liang Jinqiang's spear, and cold sweat broke out on his back.

Back in Hidden Wind Valley, Liang Jin couldn't even withstand a single move from the Demon King.

But now, after a battle, the Demon King and Liang Jin are evenly matched.

Although Tu Xie Wang was a second-rank martial artist, he had not yet condensed martial intent.

Although Liang Jin was only a third-rank martial artist, he not only had a strong physical body, but had also condensed spear intent.

This made it impossible for the Demon King to underestimate Liang Jin; in fact, he had to regard Liang Jin as an opponent of equal skill.

"He must be killed today!"

"Otherwise, if we allow him to grow any further, he will inevitably become a major threat!"

The Demon Slayer's eyes surged with murderous intent, and his inner strength surged wildly forth.

This made his moves even more ferocious, his sword energy seemingly enveloping the entire world.

Liang Jin, holding the spear with one hand, continuously relied on the "Fifty Postures," "Thirty Strikes," and "Twenty Needles" from the "Prairie Fire Spear Technique" to deal with the Demon Slayer King.

He wasn't in a hurry to use his trump card.

Because not only is Tu Xie Wang wary of Bei Huan, Liang Jin is also on guard.

In Liang Jin's view, the joys and sorrows were more troublesome than the Demon King.

The Sorrow and Joy are the essence of true masters who condense their palm intent. Furthermore, the Great Compassion Hand is strong in defense and terrifying in offense, making it a master of both offense and defense.

He had no mortal feud with Liang Jin and did not go all out.

However, now that Master Beiku has died, if Beihuan were to make a move, he would likely not hold back.

Even though Liang Jin held back, he didn't feel much pressure when dealing with the Demon King.

This made Liang Jin sigh with emotion:

"King of Slaughtering Evil, you're really getting old and less and less useful."

"Even when you were severely injured and weak, your punch was still enough to send me flying."

"Why do you look so weak and listless? Didn't you eat today?"

Back when Liang Jin faced Tu Xie Wang in Cangfeng Valley, Tu Xie Wang exerted a great sense of pressure on him and even posed a significant threat to him.

But now, when Liang Jin meets Tu Xie Wang again, he discovers that Tu Xie Wang is nothing special.

The two fought back and forth, with none of the oppression and threats of the past remaining.

Liang Jin was even confident that when he went all out without holding back, he could completely defeat the Demon Slayer King!

The shadow that the Demon King had cast over Liang Jin vanished at this moment.

After gaining this insight, Liang Jin became even more determined in his martial arts, and his attacks became even more ferocious.

At this time.

the other side.

Beyond the smoke and dust.

Helian Chun had been listening to the sounds from the smoke and dust, but when he came to his senses, he realized that someone was missing from his side.

Where is Doctor Zhang?

He was so focused on sensing the movements of the Demon King in the smoke and dust that he didn't notice that Doctor Zhang was missing.

This is a physician from the Ministry of Rites of the Great Qian Dynasty, and also the one who brought everyone here.

Helian Chun's gaze swept across the area and quickly spotted Zhang Langzhong's figure.

At this moment, it was discovered that Physician Zhang was already with the group of agents from the Imperial Investigation Bureau. After all, Physician Zhang was an official of the Great Qian Dynasty, so it was normal for him to greet the agents when they encountered him.

The unusual thing is that Zhang Langzhong actually left secretly without even telling Helian Chun.

It made him seem somewhat guilty.

Helian Chun immediately shouted at the Demon King:

"Your Highness, something's not right!"

His voice quickly carried into the smoke and dust.

Upon hearing this, the Demon Slayer King felt a sudden alarm bell ring in his mind, which calmed his previously murderous heart considerably.

Although the Demon King didn't understand what was wrong.

But deep down, he already had this feeling.

Immediately, the Demon King's eyes darted around, and then he suddenly spoke to Liang Jin through a secret telepathic communication technique:
"Meng Xinghun, we can stop for now."

"As you can probably see, the strongest one here is probably this Sorrow and Joy."

"If we fight this battle alone, it will be very difficult for any of us to overcome this joy and sorrow."

"Especially since Bei Huan is sitting on the sidelines watching the tigers fight, if we both suffer heavy losses, who do you think Bei Huan will kill then?"

"Why don't we join forces and launch a surprise attack on Beihuan, and defeat him first?"

It must be said that the Demon Slayer King was indeed decisive enough.

Once he has a bad feeling, he can even negotiate with his mortal enemy.

Liang Jin continued his actions, his gun still aimed at the target.

However, he did not refuse the suggestion from the Demon Slayer King.

Liang Jin also replied:

"Okay, you go first!"

The Demon Slayer King emphasized:

"Let's go together."

Liang Jin agreed:

"no problem."

The two exchanged glances quickly, and then...

They continued fighting.

They fought relentlessly, their moves aimed at each other with unwavering precision.

The Demon Slayer frowned:
"Meng Xinghun, why aren't you making a move?"

Liang Jin smiled coldly:
"Evil Slayer King, you didn't make a move either, did you?"

The Demon King seemed to realize that it was somewhat inappropriate for him to make a suggestion but not take action.

So he made the suggestion:

"How about this, let's cease hostilities first, and then attack together."

Liang Jin nodded again:

"Okay."

Without hesitation, the Demon King retreated swiftly.

Liang Jin remained where he was, without giving chase.

The two then temporarily ceased hostilities and distanced themselves from each other.

But neither of them moved, and neither of them made a move against Bei Huan.

Tu Xie Wang knew very well that as long as Liang Jin made the first move against Bei Huan, he could sit back and watch the two tigers fight.

But he also knew that Liang Jin knew his thoughts and had the same thoughts, and even knew that he knew Liang Jin's thoughts.

The Demon King did not hastily withdraw.

He knew that if he withdrew, Liang Jin would definitely not allow it.

It would be better to wait and see, and then look for another opportunity.

This resulted in a stalemate where none of the three made a move.

They're not in a hurry.

But the people around them were extremely wicked.

Wang Huaishuang's face flushed with anxiety. She risked rushing to the edge of the battlefield and shouted at Beihuan:

"Master of Sorrow and Joy! Don't forget the mission!"

"I will give you an explanation regarding Master Beiku's matter later."

"But right now, please put the bigger picture first!"

She initially thought Liang Jin was unreliable, but he actually took the initiative to attack when facing the Demon King.

Instead, this master of joys and sorrows has started to give up.

This naturally made Wang Huaishuang extremely anxious.

When she saw that Bei Huan still had no intention of making a move, she finally couldn't help but threaten him sharply:
“Master Beihuan, if you remain unmoved, then don’t blame me for canceling the agreement between Wanfo Temple and my Jishi Factory!”

"Not only that, the agreement between Wanfo Temple and Xuanyuan Sect is also null and void!"

"Don't think I'm bluffing. I can make the decisions on these matters!"

These words finally had an effect.

Bei Huan let out a long sigh and stopped chanting the sutra.

He tore off strips of cloth from his clothes and tied his junior brother's head to his own body.

The great battle will soon begin, with far-reaching consequences. Only by personally carrying his junior brother's head can he ensure his safety to the greatest extent possible.

"Amitabha, good, good, good."

Then, he suddenly raised his palm and slapped it towards the Demon Slayer King.

A powerful palm wind howled forth, within which golden lotuses faintly appeared, exuding both solemnity and terrifying power.

Enraged, the Demon Slayer King unleashed a black blade of energy that collided violently with the golden lotus, the resulting shockwave sending sand and dust flying within a hundred feet in all directions.

As he chopped, he roared:

"Master of Sorrow and Joy, we have no enmity between us, why do you do this?"

Unfortunately, Bei Huan only focused on attacking relentlessly and did not answer the Demon King's question.

As he fought, the Demon Slayer King turned and glared angrily at Wang Huaishuang:
"It must be you, you wretched woman, who's up to this!"

"Your officials in the Great Qian Dynasty may fear you, but I, the King, do not!"

"I will definitely twist your head off today!"

After Wang Huaishuang said a few words, Bei Huan suddenly attacked Tu Xie Wang.

Even if the Demon King was stupid, he knew that Wang Huaishuang was behind it all.

Wang Huaishuang sneered:
"King of Slaughtering Evil, you are a prince in the Black Dragon Kingdom, but you are nothing in the Great Qian!"

"Today is the day you die!"

At this point, Wang Huaishuang's gaze turned to Liang Jin.

Liang Jin, however, sat on the rubble with his arms crossed, watching the battlefield with great interest, occasionally scratching his ear with his claws, as if the fighting before him had nothing to do with him.

"Meng Xinghun, make your move quickly!"

"Aren't you mortal enemies with that Demon-Slaying King?"

Wang Huaishuang shouted at the top of her lungs.

Liang Jin yawned lazily and continued sitting there, ignoring him completely, a hint of mockery even flashing in his eyes.

Should he join forces with Sorrow and Joy now?

Just kidding!
He had just killed Beihuan's beloved junior brother, and now he was going to fight alongside Beihuan, but he was worried that Beihuan would stab him in the back.

Liang Jin also hoped that after Tu Xie Wang and Bei Huan were both severely injured, he could take advantage of the situation.

Upon hearing this, the Demon Slayer King launched into a tirade of curses.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that Liang Jin had no intention of making a move.

Seeing this, Wang Huaishuang wanted to speak again.

But then a loud shout rang out:
"Help the prince, kill them all!"

Helian Chun led a group of knights and charged towards Wang Huaishuang and the agents of the Criminal Investigation Bureau.

Unable to directly help the Demon King, they began to plan their attack on these officials of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Wang Huaishuang immediately disregarded Liang Jin and could only hurriedly order the agents of the Criminal Investigation Bureau to meet the enemy.

The two sides quickly clashed, the clanging of swords against each other, screams and roars mingling together, and blood staining the yellow sand of the wilderness.

Among the smoke and dust.

While dealing with Bei Huan's attacks, Tu Xie Wang continued to use the same tactic, secretly sending a message to Bei Huan:
“Master Beihuan, we have no hatred between us, there is absolutely no need for us to fight to the death.”

"On the contrary, it is Meng Xinghun who has a blood feud with you!"

"He's just watching from the sidelines now, clearly planning to kill us after we've both been severely injured."

"If you continue to fight me, it will only bring pain to your loved ones and joy to your enemies."

"I suggest we join forces to kill Meng Xinghun first, and then settle our own business!"

His voice was full of confusion.

(End of this chapter)