"That's not the smile I'm talking about."
The Dragon-Keeper Lord stared at Quinn Shepherd's face and shook his head. "Your old smile was the kind that made people drop all their guard—even if you were holding a knife to their heart, they'd never suspect a thing. But now, you're just forcing it. It's a fake smile, not the honest, heartfelt grin you used to have."
Hearing this, Warren Moran, Cindy Mu, and Ronnie Long beside Quinn all shivered several times, and even the stag's eyes showed a hint of fear.
They hadn't spent much time with Quinn, but they counted as friends. When with him, it was easy to forget that besides his title of Human Emperor, he had another identity: Heavenly Demon Cult Master!
The number-one great devil of the Cult of the Heavenly Demon!
In fact, when you were with Quinn, it was easy to forget all his titles—whether Heavenly Demon Cult Master or Human Emperor. Instead, you'd just feel like he was someone you could truly trust as a friend.
But now, after hearing the Dragon-Keeper Lord's words, they all felt a chill run down their spines.
"No wonder he's called the Heavenly Demon Cult Master. No wonder people call him an old devil..."
Ronnie Long thought to himself, "This generation's Human Emperor is truly unfathomable—even a god like the Dragon-Keeper Lord has suffered losses to him."
Quinn shook his head. "Dragon Lord, you're making me sound way scarier than I am. I've never schemed against my friends."
His expression was so sincere, so reliable, that Warren Moran and the others felt their unease melt away.
"That's exactly the look."
The Dragon-Keeper Lord sneered, "Genuine sincerity! You even show that honest smile, with a hint of shyness! Ridiculous—yet you turned around and abducted my dragons with it!"
Suddenly, his aura exploded—violent and terrifying—sending shockwaves crashing against the hall walls like thunderous waves smashing a cliff!
Quinn's heart jolted; he ran the Overlord Three‑Core Art, instantly condensing his flesh to its tightest, just as the sword sheath burst open and the Worryless Sword leapt to block in front of him while he rapidly retreated.
The next moment, there was a deafening boom—he flew backward with the Worryless Sword, twisting in midair to chain together steps of the Stealing‑Heavens Leg Art, bleeding off the Dragon-Keeper Lord's force. But the god's power was overwhelming; even this miraculous leg art couldn't absorb it all. At last, Quinn crashed hard into the rear wall!
Warren Moran, Cindy Mu, and Ronnie Long didn't hesitate any longer—they unleashed their strongest moves and attacked the Dragon-Keeper Lord together.
All three were disciples of Little Jade Capital Sect, which recruited in the old-fashioned way: searching the world for the most gifted youths, then testing their character, patience, insight, and adaptability through rigorous trials before accepting them as disciples.
That's how the three of them entered Little Jade Capital Sect and received its finest arts and divine techniques. Their cultivation was exceptionally strong, each step solid, every realm without weakness. In the Six Directions Realm, almost no one in the world could surpass them!
Ronnie Long unleashed the Heaven’s Eye Heart‑Sword Art—twin sword beams flashed out from his pupils, one vertical and one horizontal, slashing toward the Dragon-Keeper Lord.
Cindy Mu unleashed the Marvel Dao‑Bodhi Scripture—a dual Buddhist-Daoist art. When still, she was as rooted as a bodhi tree; in motion, she moved like an immortal. With a single gesture, radiant light blossomed into a colossal, graceful palm, her palm technique both dazzling and ethereal.
Both she and Ronnie Long had focused intently on mastering a single Little Jade Capital Sect art, pouring years of effort into it. Warren Moran, though, took a different path. After his master Zane the Hermit was killed, he was driven by grief and the desire for revenge against the Imperial Preceptor, training in many techniques.
He knew that no matter how well he mastered Zane the Hermit's arts, he could never surpass his teacher—especially since Zane had died at the hands of the Imperial Preceptor. Only by forging a new path could he hope to overcome that enemy.
Sage Nicholas Tranquil and the other elders understood his drive and looked after him, personally teaching him their own ultimate arts. So even though Warren was the youngest among the disciples of High Heaven, his cultivation was the strongest.
Yet none of their divine arts could touch the Dragon-Keeper Lord.
The Dragon-Keeper Lord was simply too fast. They struck only his afterimages—shattering those, they realized their attacks had missed.
Ignoring all three, the Dragon-Keeper Lord charged straight for the battered Quinn Shepherd, moving so fast he was almost impossible to track!
The stag was astonishingly quick too—its four hooves flashed as it appeared before the Dragon-Keeper Lord, antlers whirling like spirit weapons.
"Out of my way, beast!"
With a thunderous crash, the stag was sent flying out of the hall, tumbling into the raging storm outside.