Toying with the Devil

Hairy Head Sun Law Power poured forth like a golden waterfall.

In the original sealing space, the curled-up shadow shuddered violently.

The pure Hairy Head Sun Law Power scorched his soul body until it sizzled, and the sulfurous stench that had lingered for who knew how many years was dispersed in an instant.

"A true dragon? The Power of the Rule of Light?!"

A piercing shriek exploded in the sea of consciousness, the devil's voice full of disbelief and terror.

"You're a gold dragon raised in captivity by the Church of Light?!"

The devil had mistaken Wentesi for a gold dragon raised by the Church of Light.

After using the Hairy Head Sun Method, Wentesi now shone with golden light, and coupled with the presence of the Rule of Light reaching all the way to its source, it was no wonder the devil had mistaken him for a gold dragon.

Before his words had faded, pitch-black demonic Qi surged over the devil's entire body and swept back like a tide, carrying a bone-deep chill as it tried to tear the invading golden light apart.

But Hairy Head Sun Law Power was the bane of evil things, certain to prevail against demons and growing stronger against evil. The searing golden light gave a slight tremor and burned the onrushing demonic Qi until it vanished like smoke.

Several counterattacks proved futile, and the devil's soul body dimmed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

He could only let out piercing shrieks and huddle miserably in the deepest part of the sealing space, using the few restrictions that remained to barely ward off the scorching golden light.

The devil surely had never imagined that one day he would turn around and use the restrictions sealing him to protect himself.

Wentesi paid it no mind and simply kept increasing the strength of his Law Power output.

He would not convert the devil into a Field of Merit, but chose instead to lay him to rest completely.

First, his reserves of Hairy Head Sun Law Power would not allow it. Converting that gnoll into a Field of Merit just now had consumed a great deal of the Hairy Head Sun Law Power in his body, and he needed time to recover.

Second, there was not enough room in the Golden Land. With the gnoll already inside, the Golden Land, at its present size, could not accommodate a second Field of Merit.

Third, naturally, he did not trust the devil.

With a slight thought, he rapidly searched through his dragon inheritance and found information on this devil.

Abishai Devils were a lower-middle tier species of devil in the Nine Hells of Baator. They were black from head to toe and excelled at stealth and assassination. Adults could reach life level eight to ten.

The one before him had evidently been captured and sealed for far too long. His soul body was badly depleted, and his strength had long since fallen from level eight or higher to its current level five.

Only a weak remnant shadow remained, eking out an existence inside this sealing ring, unable even to gather a physical form.

"An adult devil..."

Wentesi made up his mind to kill him. He absolutely could not let himself be led astray.

The dragon inheritance contained warnings about devils. Many true dragons had been beguiled by them; some had ended up working for devils all their lives, while others had sold their entire bodies and souls to them.

Having made up his mind, he held nothing back.

Hairy Head Sun Law Power turned into a golden rain of light that blotted out the sky and swept down upon the devil's soul body huddled in the corner.

Wherever the golden light passed, even the chilly sealing space was enveloped in scorching heat. The moment the devil's remnant soul was wrapped in the light, he let out a heartrending scream.

Its agony was just like Walker's when he had been converted moments ago.

One good trick really can carry you through the world.

Wentesi mused to himself, finding it mildly amusing.

Hairy Head Sun Law Power was especially effective against sinister and ghostly things of this kind. It worked even more smoothly against this devil's soul body than it had against the gnoll.

Screams echoed through the sealing space as the devil's soul body twisted and melted away in the golden light.

Seeing that he was about to dissolve completely, he finally could not endure it any longer. He roared with all his might, his voice full of panic:

"Gold dragon, stop! I have information! Tremendously important information! Don't destroy my soul body!"

Wentesi paused slightly in his infusion of Law Power, as though his interest had been piqued.

Seeing this, the devil thought Wentesi had been tempted and was about to explain.

But before he could get half a word out, the golden light, which had dimmed slightly, blazed brighter than before, and its scorching power abruptly doubled!

"Aah-!!"

The devil let out an unbearably shrill wail. His entire soul body had been burned thinner, making him look smaller.

"Don't try that on me." Wentesi's indifferent voice rang through the sealing space:

"Our true dragon inheritance makes it perfectly clear: never make a deal with a devil. You want to trick me? Hmph!"

Wentesi had always been cautious. Nine out of ten things a devil said were mixed with lies, and even half a sentence was a trap.

Rather than gamble on whether the information was true, he might as well silence him for good.

When the devil heard this, it only confirmed his suspicion: the dragon before him had to be a gold dragon of the Church of Light.

Only such a hidebound metallic dragon would cling to such an antiquated precept.

With his life on the line, he could no longer worry about the century-long plan laid by an upper-tier devil lord. Enduring the agonizing pain of his soul body being scorched, he shouted urgently:

"Three years, three years at most! A spatial fissure will appear in this Wilderness, leading straight to the Chaotic Abyss.

"Then endless hordes of demons will pour out of the rift! They'll use this place as a base to invade the various powers of the material plane!"

As soon as he said this, the Hairy Head Sun Law Power Wentesi was infusing did indeed gradually diminish, losing much of its earlier ferocity.

"An Abyssal Rift?"

Wentesi's heart tightened. If the news was true, it was no small matter.

He had planned to lie low in Emerald Valley and develop slowly, accumulating Golden Land and Fields of Merit to build up his strength. If a rift opening into the Abyss appeared on his doorstep, he would have to change that plan.

An Abyssal Rift was no joke. If it grew a little too wide, those Abyssal demon archdukes might come out and take a stroll around the material plane.

Those demon archdukes were at least Legendary in strength. He could not afford to provoke them.

So naturally, of the thirty-six stratagems, retreat was best. He would make himself scarce.

Seeing the golden light ease, the devil relaxed. He knew he had gambled correctly. If they could communicate, there was still hope.

He hurried to strike while the iron was hot, offering even weightier news in a thoroughly confident tone:

"You think the Church of Light can protect you? Dream on. Your church's God of Light is in serious trouble!"

Wentesi was taken aback. The God of Light was actually in trouble?

Among all the gods of the main plane, the God of Light ranked among the strongest, a being of great divine power.

The Church of Light was also extremely powerful.

Wherever human powers held sway, the Church of Light was sure to be present. Among the human kingdoms, there were even three in which the Church of Light held absolute dominance.

The devil read his expression and saw that Wentesi was interested. He continued:

"The God of Light is locked inside His divine realm and can't get out. Even contact with the divine realm has been nearly severed for a century.

"The God of War, the God of Night, and several wild gods and evil gods have long been plotting to overthrow His rule.

"After a few more years of probing, they'll surely join forces to wipe out the Church of Light. By then, they'll be hard-pressed to protect themselves, so how could they spare any attention for a gold dragon like you?!"

Wentesi gave no indication either way. He merely maintained the faint golden light to suppress the devil and listened quietly.

Of secrets at the level of the gods, he knew only scattered fragments from his dragon inheritance.

He had not expected to obtain so much important news from this lower-middle-tier devil. It was a pleasant surprise.

Seeing that Wentesi still said nothing and that the golden light had dimmed further, the devil grew encouraged and poured out all the other secrets he knew in one rush.

He paid no heed at all to the oath he had sworn before the devil lord years ago.

"That empress of the Elven Empire drank a potion prepared by a Legendary magister and regained her youth. Now she's turned into a little blonde girl."

"Things aren't peaceful in the human kingdoms either. Rumor has it that an ancient silver dragon, an ancient gold dragon, and an ancient bronze dragon have appeared together.

"The three ancient dragons are traveling all over the human kingdoms, punishing evil, promoting good, and championing justice, stirring up so much trouble that the human nobles can find no peace.

"The dwarven kingdom recently dug up a giant magic crystal deposit from High Antiquity and is locked in a fierce struggle with the orc tribes of the north..."

He offered one piece of information after another, great and small. Some were secrets involving top powers, while others were strange tales circulating among the public. They covered all manner of subjects, but none was something an ordinary person could have known.

Wentesi silently circulated his Law Power. As the devil talked, the Hairy Head Sun Law Power enveloping him diminished again and again, until almost nothing remained but a thin layer of golden light wrapped around his soul body.

Seeing this, the devil's heart settled completely. He adjusted the shape of his soul body and put on an ingratiating smile. "I've told you everything I know. Surely that information is more than enough in exchange for my remnant soul.

"Mr. Gold Dragon, your dragon race's valuations are considered authoritative even across the multiverse. I trust you won't miscalculate."

He had already made his plans. As long as he survived today's ordeal, he would find a way to beguile this young gold dragon afterward, luring him bit by bit into signing a contract.

When that happened, hmph, he would let this gold dragon taste a fate worse than death.

Wentesi gave a slight nod at his words.

"Mm, that certainly is a lot."

The devil smiled. It looked like he was safe this time.

But the golden light, which had been faint, suddenly surged!

The scorching Hairy Head Sun Law Power erupted like an awakening volcano, instantly swallowing the devil's soul body whole!

"You-!!"

The devil's voice was full of shock and astonishment as he shrieked:

"Gold dragon, you're breaking the rules! Damn you, you stinking gold dragon! I've already given you the information, so why are you still attacking me?!"

"The rules?"

Wentesi stared at the devil's soul body with interest and said in a teasing tone:

"Who would have thought a devil would lecture me about rules?"

"Since you want to hear about rules, I might as well tell you.

"First! I'm not a gold dragon. I'm a noble red dragon! You lowly creature from the hells, you even got my name wrong. You deserve to die!"

"Second! My rules are the rules. You dared to curse me, so you deserve to die for that too.

"Besides, you've finished giving me your information. What else is there for us to discuss?"

First hear the information, then kill him.

The information was an extra gain, while killing him was the original plan. The two did not conflict. He had never said he would spare the devil's life if he gave him information.

The devil's phantom form struggled in the golden light, roaring madly with all his strength:

"Wait! Red dragon, I have more important information! I know where there's a secret treasure from High Antiquity that can quickly increase your strength.

"I also know the location of an ancient dragon lair ruin, piled high with dragon treasures. As long as you sign a reasonable soul contract with me, I'll tell you everything and hide nothing!"

The devil spoke at breakneck speed, terrified that the red dragon would use this Power of the Rule of Light to kill him.

"Oh? A secret treasure from High Antiquity? An ancient dragon lair?"

Wentesi raised an eyebrow. Upon hearing such explosive news, he instantly stopped the Hairy Head Sun Law Power attacking the devil.

Then he bared a mouthful of sharp teeth and said in a kindly tone, as though he had done nothing to hurt the devil just now:

"You should have said so earlier. Honestly, I won't kill you for the time being, then."

Looking at that hypocritical face, the devil suddenly felt that staying alive in this red dragon's hands might not be a good thing.

Even death no longer seemed unacceptable.