Nine Venoms Sect Founder

Chapter 137: The Mantis Preys on the Cicada, Unaware of its Corrupt Venom (1)

Golden and purple double pupils, two experts of questionable bonds and origins but with indisputable ties to Golden Cicada. "Golden cicada? Wait, wait, wait. Could it be that…oh." As a native of the Noxious Flame World, Harun was most familiar with certain legends, legends that allowed him to connect the dots Dolma didn't want him to. A spark of enlightenment flashed in the toxin lover's mind, bringing him infinitely closer to solving the puzzle of his existence. But as our Plague Overlord racked his brain to make sense of the new answers, unbeknown to him, the beguiling Blood Matron had unleashed her tricks already. Three blood-red leeches crawled through Harun's mind, feasting on his consciousness to—bits by bits—erode his willpower. Shrouded by Dolma's abilities, the leeches avoided detection from Harun's soul and Decaying Flower. The System didn't bother warning him, enabling the soul-suckers to carry on with impunity. 

Though she certainly hoped that Harun would succumb to her charms, Dolma couldn't let his choice become the defining factor of her success. Thus, while using a mask of warmth and openness to hold his attention, the Blood Matron infested Harun with one of her creations: the Void-Treading Leeches. As their name implied, Void-Treading Leeches could cross space and dimensions to land in their victims' bodies. Worse, within their Mandalas, refiners held an undeniable superiority—superiority that allowed Dolma to reduce Harun's defenses without him ever realizing it. His pupils shrank, his mind went blank, discarding all thoughts and reasoning to focus on Dolma. In Harun's eyes, a mystical glow now swirled around the Blood Matron, making every inch of her flawless figure project a fascinating appeal. 

"Set all the worries and fears aside. Forget the past, forget your aspirations, your hopes, love and dreams. Welcome my embrace, and let it drive you into a haven of eternal bliss," Dolma's melodious words sneaked into Harun's mind. Still, the System remained stoic—not intending to interfere. In a flash, Harun felt that perhaps he'd been overthinking it all, that instead of devising plots to expend his influence and win the bloody war, he should just lean toward the demoness' welcoming arms, close his eyes, and let the pressure fade away. Jiyan's figure popped up, but suppressed by Dolma's aura, she couldn't get a hold of Harun's attention. 

"I guess…that does sound like a fantastic idea," Harun whispered, brightening Dolma's smile. 

"Following the Holy One's demise, her partner expanded this land, created the myriad of worlds and principles that'd later form the Heavenly Dream Land, put the three puppets in charge, and left. As they each focused on one principle, they couldn't get along, created their own schools of thought, and split the world into three.

Building on the purple-eyed monk's teachings and the new principles he left behind, outstanding mortals unsuitable for Body Refinement founded the Mortal Path, hoping to chase the hidden road that expert left them. But realizing the potential of Tantric Exaltation, the three puppets, now known as the Venerable Protectors, experimented on those mortals, hijacked, suppressed and twisted their cultivation path to destroy their human blood and turn them into the so-called divine beasts. Though more vulnerable to Tribulation, those divine beasts held the unique ability to fuse their souls with strands of Heaven's Will, enabling them to reduce the damages of Heavenly Tribulation on their Refiner-masters. 

Better, at higher levels they became heavenly worlds of their own and perfect cultivation abodes for the lords they served. Thus, the Divine Path was born, and by making the first idols, or gods—as you now call them—into their slaves and catalysts, Refiners kept breaking through new levels, ushering a magnificent era." Sensing Harun's mental defenses crumble, Dolma increased her leeches' appetite. Blood-red rays shot out of her eyes—intensifying the pressure on Harun's mind. 

"But wherever men breathe, variables are bound to rise. Refiners never expected that the purple-eyed expert foresaw their degeneration and left a road for the idols to go beyond the Empyrean Monarch Realm. The first to overcome the trappings of Heaven's Will and reach the Emperor-level suppressed their cultivation to the Monarch stage, tricking their ignorant masters into thinking that they couldn't make further progress, while secretly training more Emperors and seeking higher levels. 

Eons afterward, led by the Venerable Protectors' favorite slaves, three World Beasts, the strongest faction this world would ever know—the Million Emperor Sect—rose in rebellion. Using their bond to Heaven's Will and the sacrifice of 10,000 Emperors, they created the Imperial Seal, and after epochs of calamitous battles, destroyed their masters. An indiscriminate hunt for refiners followed, carrying on until we became a thing of the past. 

Eventually, seduced by the Imperial Sea's fantastic powers, the Million Emperor Sect's experts clashed for its ownership, and destroyed one another—burying their own legacy in a colossal mausoleum. This is the era I survived. But with your help, Harun, I can overturn the past, rebuild the radiant world of Refiners, of sages and philosophers, and lead this land into a new, prosperous era," Dolma declared, and stretched out her hands toward Harun. 

By now, his eyes had glazed over, leaving him powerless to the vixen's sultry touch. Golden flames poured out of Dolma's form as she activated the Tantric Exaltation Mantra and guided Harun to do the same. Clasping his cheeks, Dolma pulled him into a sensuous kiss, locking him between her embrace and demonic fragrance. 

…josei

Sitting on top of Mukri's back, Jiyan meditated on Harun's Attachment Venom, building on the insight she previously gleamed from the Corrupt World to forge her own venom. But though she already had a thorough understanding of the Attachment Venom's roots and could see countless paths toward success, Jiyan lacked a driving factor, that unique ingredients that'd craft a specific poison out of her understanding. At that time, after half-an-hour of struggle, Weeping Soul broke free of the Abyssal River's shackles and stretched out his oak branches.

Tens of thousands of gray skulls formed across the sky, becoming a nexus of malignant energies as they locked on Dolma. Just in time, Harun emerged from the Mandala, and as the Blood Matron's satisfied gaze rose to face the Reverend, Harun's looked past the cavern roads to lock on Jiyan. A golden lightning mark flashed on his chest, proof that he'd taken his first step as a refiner.

With a casual step, Harun vanished, reappearing before the three. But if he'd typically rejoice at his master's progress, faced with the emptiness in Harun's gaze, Birandar grew confused. More practical, Mukri turned heels and ran. The emptiness morphed into killing intent, and to Birandar's surprise, Harun bared his claws and shot at his partners.

Jiyan's eyes sprang open, and before Harun's claws could tear through Mukri's hide, the lady's sword whistled through the air, meeting Harun's noxious claws in a deafening clang.