Chapter 627 - Make Them Lucky Slaves!

"Thunder Dog Simone! No, it's Demon Dog Simone now..."

"The Golem Sect actually sent him to greet us Eastern Nine Sects? Are they trying to humiliate us? They're definitely doing it on purpose, trying to look down on us..."

"Damn traitor, the fall of Evil Eye Fist is inseparable from him!"

The Eastern Eight Sects group erupted in commotion at Simone's appearance. Some bristled with indignation, while some cursed aloud and others gnashed their teeth. Hostile stares landed on him from every direction, as though they meant to devour Simone alive.

It was understandable. Traitors drew the deepest hatred. Though, Simone had only done one thing, which was to challenge the Evil Eye Fist sect master at the Eastern Exchange Tournament organized by that sect. Everything else had been the work of the Golem Sect and its sect master.

Yet in the Eastern Nine Sects' eyes, the tournament's failure and Evil Eye Fist's destruction were inseparable from Simone. The Golem Sect's clashes with the Eastern Nine Sects afterward had only fanned that hatred higher. One might say that the nine sects hated Golem Sect's master first and Simone second.

Within the nine sects, Cloud Dog Fist burned with the fiercest hostility. After all, Simone was a defector from Cloud Dog Fist.

At the hall's main entrance, Simone's expression never changed, as though the many dagger‑like gazes meant nothing to him. Instead, one complicated look caught his eye. It came from an elderly man with graying hair standing at the Eastern Nine Sect's flank. He seemed around fifty years old, haggard and in very poor shape.

"Uncle... Fes..." Simone murmured. His eyes flickered with rippling emotions. In the entirety of the entire Eastern Nine Sects and all of Cloud Dog Fist, the only one Simone cared for was his Uncle Fes, who had raised him from childhood.

He had joined the Golem Sect, betraying Cloud Dog Fist in hopes of curing a birth defect. His lone thread of guilt was toward Fes. As his half foster father, Fes must have been ostracized within Cloud Dog Fist.

Thoughts swirled, but Simone swiftly suppressed his sentimental feelings. What use was momentary melancholy or guilt once the die was cast? What mattered was acting to make amends.

The Golem Sect's Federal Combat Championships, with notable sects and masters worldwide, was nothing short of a gala. This occasion was the perfect platform for the sect to cement its place atop the world's Covert Martial Arts scene.

Once momentum rose, it could sweep away all devils like mist beneath a blazing sun. The Eastern Nine Sects, who had barely held their own in the Eastern Covert Martial Arts community, would likely stir no more waves after this.

Over the past month, Golem Sect martial halls had sprouted densely across eastern Federation cities. They had grown like a grassroots movement and dug ever deeper into the communities. They taught simplified combat moves and Explosive Techniques to ordinary folk.

By late September, this explosive trend had cemented itself. How long could the Eastern Nine Sects and Cloud Dog Fist hold out under such a tide? They would probably have to bend the knee to Golem Sect within the next few months.

The sect master was a fabled Holy Fist and his disciples trained in exceedingly fierce Covert Martial Arts. They commanded vast resources, innumerable Secret Techniques, and backing from the official Black Ops Agency.

One glance showed the sect's giant potential, perhaps even enough to shape the whole world. When that day came, would Simone still be branded a traitor? Maybe Cloud Dog Fist would then sidle up to curry favor.

Simone could already picture it, yet felt it still insufficient. Too slow, too indirect, not nearly decisive enough. His gaze shifted and Simone locked eyes on Cloud Dog Fist’s sect master, Tsunami Blade. The titles "Mountain‑Crusher" and "Tsunami" were not given lightly within Cloud Dog Fist. Possessing such a title meant one's potential was incredible, and likely to become the sect's backbone for generations.

The addition of "Blade" was just for this particular master. His growth curve had been steady and swift. At only thirty‑seven, he was already a veteran combat artist. In time, he stood a real chance of breaking into the top‑tier combat artist realm. That was what "Mountain‑Crusher" and "Tsunami" described.

When Cloud Dog Fist was at its prime, it shook the earth. Blade bearing the title "Tsunami" meant his punches were like a tsunami—daunting in momentum, formidable in mastery. If Simone meant to challenge Blade, he had to be careful. Of course, he didn't think he would lose.

Simone had gained immeasurably from that fight in Black Rain Manor. Gate Organization's Third General King, Eye Devil Carlos, had truly died by his hand. Regardless of Carlos's waning strength or Simone's boost from Cassius's energy, that fact remained unaltered.

The Eye Devil’s death had ignited momentum within Simone. He became more confident, more resolute, and stronger. After the manor incident, he had taken missions to defeat calamity forces and steadily increased his strength. Now Simone feared no opponent of the same rank, even the Cloud Dog Fist sect master.

"Blade... Tsunami Blade... Your Tsunami title will be perfect to forge my own renown."

Simone withdrew his gaze. He turned slowly, ignoring the stares, and led the Eastern Eight Sects into the hall.

***

The venue hosting the Federal Combat Championships was named Radiance Hall. The hall was vast and fully equipped, with structural expansions made for the event. The changes made it mesh better with the tournament's theme.

The Eastern Eight Sects beheld the neat, graceful environment, the grand layout, and pairs of Golem Sect disciples standing guard at key junctions. All wore uniform black combat attire bearing the word "Golem". The sharp contours of their body looked like they were wearing armor.

Every sect member was burly and tall, with muscles straining their suits. Those pectorals would even shame certain underdeveloped girls. Everything from the waist up formed a giant triangle resembling armor from afar.

As the eight sects passed them, gaze after gaze swept over them, steeped in killing intent. At times, weird excitement, frenzied thrill, and uneasy vibes mingled in the air. Had it been one or two, it would have been normal. However, every Golem disciple they met was the same. One could not help but suspect that Golem Sect was an asylum full of murderers. Such dense murderous Qi and ferocity would be unheard of anywhere else.

Along the way, the auras of some disciples startled even the eight sects' elders and masters. Such shocks were frequent, and were proof of the Golem Sect's deep foundation. The mood of the eight sects grew heavy and somber.

After walking for five or six minutes, they reached the competition zone.

The deafening cheers, numerous contestants, and renowned domestic and foreign sects finally dispelled that oppressive feeling. Standing at the edge, they could take it all in at one glance. There were numerous steel rings, orderly rest areas for the sects, and red‑clad Golem Sect staff members keeping order.

A festive atmosphere hung in the air as Simone guided the Eastern Eight Sects to their designated rest area. "Everyone, this way please."

Then, he smiled faintly and vanished into the crowd. However, he cast a deep look at Sect Master Blade before leaving, making Blade frown slightly.

Soon, the grand opening ceremony drew everyone's attention.

It was one wave of dazzling dances, songs, and dramas after another. Long pale legs tapped and red lace skirts blossomed on stage. Singing rang clear, echoing like songbirds flying across the sky.

Time sped by amid song and dance. At 11:30 a.m., the ceremony ended, and the tournament officially began.

On a balcony of a standalone building deep within Radiance Hall, Cassius slowly opened his eyes. A sacred aura circulated and an invisible presence descended. He resembled a statue of a god.

"I've grasped the essence of the Heart of the Holy Fist. Indeed, everything is easier now. My Will and insight toward Holy Fist grow clearer with each purification. It's like assembling a puzzle. Success is only a matter of time..."

"Once I seize the Heart of the Holy Fist, breaking through to Holy Fist itself will be but a thought. It will hinge solely on whether I desire it..." He drew a deep breath and looked up at the blazing sun.

A feeling of rivaling the heavens welled up, as though he could swallow the sun and moon.

"Blood Vulture, White Bird... What you two failed to finish, let me end. After today, the entire Covert Martial Arts world as well as every government and supernatural power will know a Holy Fist has emerged. There’s no need to hide. Let us start the great tide now..."

Cassius's mindset had shifted. He was now more radical than ever. The Black Rain Manor incident had shown him the state of the Gate Organization and other calamity factions. But he also had bait set at Eternal Island. He was now only waiting for prey to bite.

Once Cassius's body reached the level of an Ultimate Dark Form, unless he suicidally charged to the deepest parts of the underworld to be besieged by many Ultimate Dark Forms, who could kill him?

At least in the surface world, Cassius's death was impossible. Moreover, once his body broke through, he could cautiously step into the World of Calamity to begin exploration.

The entire situation would then unfurl before him. Blood Vulture Dominator Fist and Totem King, Sonic Snake Ultimate Fist and True Ancestor of Blood, plus the dark creatures and human camps' positions in the underworld. How many Holy Fists were still holding on?

How many calamity sources were now unguarded and spewing unchecked? The overall trend was surely worsening. He was facing a hard future, an unbalanced situation, and masses of Ultimate Dark Forms roaming free in the World of Calamity.

All these woes combined truly... truly thrilled Cassius beyond measure! Didn't one cultivate divine skills and forge divine swords to one day cut down mighty foes? Without strong enemies, divine arts and blades would be left to rust!

In short, despair had no place in Cassius's heart. The harder the road ahead, the more excited he became. His fists itched like an incurable disease. Only bloody battle could cure it. This trait of Cassius was especially evident in the Golem Sect he so deeply influenced.

Find monsters, beat monsters, and forcibly ravish monsters! The forced ravishing seemed absurdly bizarre, but in truth was a show of overbearing power. Even the most ferocious dark creatures were to be ravished, humiliated, and subdued!

How domineering and mighty were the Golem Sect disciples! They were merely a bit too depraved to be accepted by normal society.

Originally, Cassius had thought these symptoms were flaws of the Qi Engraving Technique being incomplete. Later, he realized otherwise. The technique condensed the eerie aura of the Golem Heart Codex, greatly stirring readers' inner desires.

Rumor had it that a tiny extremist faction had even arisen within the sect. They planned to defeat selected dark creatures and haul them back to tiny cells or basements as lucky slaves. Thankfully, this trend was spotted in time and halted. Otherwise, who knew what shocking scandals might have ensued.

Cassius's thoughts drifted far on the balcony, a hundred ideas flashing by in an instant. Covert Martial Arts Practitioners were quick‑witted, and a Holy Fist even more so.

"It's about noon, almost time..."

Hundreds of meters away, the tournament formally began on the ceremony stage. Golem Sect members started the ceremony, carrying up chests of precious medicinal herbs with thick aromas. They also displayed potent pills and salves already refined. These were the tournament's primary prizes.

Next, more chests were brought forth. Sect disciples handled them gingerly, indicating even greater value. As the host opened them, the crowd saw manuals of Secret Techniques one after another! To heritage‑minded Covert Martial Arts sects, these were even more enticing than herbs and pills.

A quick glance showed nearly a hundred manuals. It was an absurd quantity. Were they all to be given as prizes? If so, everyone would go mad!

The host waited for the din to subside, then announced these manuals as the tournament's high‑tier prizes. In addition, there was a final prize whose worth exceeded all primary and high‑tier prizes combined.

Once again, the sects burst into clamor. Some pulled at their hair, hearts burning with eagerness. Others widened their eyes, craning to listen.

Onstage, the host finally spoke.

"The champion of this Federal Combat Championships will receive one guidance session from our Golem Sect master. It will be an epiphany for that person. Whether you are a sect's core disciple, its elder or its master, you will gain an awakening appropriate to your level. Put plainly, the victor can break through to the next realm immediately after the instruction. A pugilist can become a combat artist. A veteran combat artist can ascend to top-tier combat artist. More crucially, your path ahead will be lit. Future advancement will be a broad highway, as though someone is pushing you forward... That is the ultimate prize of this Federal Combat Championships."