381 Darkness and the Wolf

Wind and sand swept in from somewhere and the cold moon hung in the air. Deep in the dark atrium, Crowley felt that something out of his control was born.

It was fluorescent green light like will-'o-the-wisps.

One pair, another pair, another pair…

Wolves were coming from the darkness.

Hundreds of silver light arcs lit up. Huge wolves emerged soundlessly, coming from an unknown place like dream monsters. Anyone who saw them would be terrified. Wolf Flute's scepter had been completely unfurled. None of these wolves were lesser than that one silver wolf. They could only be stronger.

The wolf that had accompanied Wolf Flute all this time was only one of them. It was more like a scout. Under the wild melody that hinted at the start of a hunt, a chilling and powerful howl sounded in the wolf pack. It was the alpha's command—the hunt was starting!

In an instant, a chill spread from all directions and came whistling with the overlapping light! Crowley's disdain was wiped away. His expression stern, he clenched his hands.

A hoarse cry burst forth in the darkness. A disorderly piano melody like steel clanging sounded from the dark atrium. The grave singing began. Above him, the abyss opened up. The boundless power from the abyss swallowed Crowley. Under the deep well, he wore the Garment of Original Sin and bathed in the solid darkness. Behind him, a shadow emerged.

It was a giant tree with a human's face. It was rooted in the decaying soil of the abyss. The hundreds of branches reached out, heavy with fruits—countless rotting skin and fresh organs. The branches held the strange flesh like hands, gathering different strengths.

An eerie pale face grew on the trunk. The left eye was pitch black while the right was covered in countless compound eyes. The tiny pupils swept around. Everything under their gazes turned half-transparent, revealing the skeleton and veins beneath like a skinned specimen.

Being stared at by those compound eyes was not it. The most terrifying was the black left eye. Evil light shot from it. Under its gaze, Ye Qingxuan felt dazed as if his sanity was snatched away.

Seething sin from the abyss was called forth by the hoarse singing. The tree absorbed the will of the darkness. It sprouted with leaves. Strange and eerie, the countless branches grabbed at the silver wolves like arms.

The wilted branches left scratches in the dark air, like the remains of evil thoughts. Under the pressure of the fierce malice, Wolf Flute's symphony of predestination fell into chaos. It was as if weird static suddenly appeared in a light allegretto melody. Amidst the cold singing, blazing darkness shot out, attacking the foundations of Wolf Flute's scepter like a tidal wave. It forced the whimsical silver wolves back as well.

The fallen musicians sang an ode to Hyakume—Péchés de vieillesse. Sins of old age. With the hoarse singing, it was as if Hyakume had truly arrived. Even if the god did not speak, the will of the chaotic abyss would restrict all melodies, causing them to collapse onto themselves.

Wolf Flute trembled; his face paled. The wolves flew through the air, endlessly appearing beside Crowley. However, the branches of the giant human-faced tree swept across. Even if they were touched by only a shred of darkness, the wolves would lose control and decay. Finally, they would be pierced by a branch and become fertilizer for the tree.

As they died, Wolf Flute's expression grew uglier. With every loss, a crack appeared on his flute. They were all parts of his scepter's territory. The wolves' deaths were undoubtedly a grave damage to the scepter.

But for Crowley, he had an unlimited supply of power after the Garment opened the well of the abyss. He would cut off the parts tainted by beastly nature without hesitation because they would grow back immediately.

It was a competition to see who would burn out first. Crowley used his years of attainments to force Wolf Flute back.

The younger musician furrowed his brows. The melody of his flute grew more mournful. The wolf at the head suddenly swelled. It gathered all of the scepter's power and became as wispy as smoke. It pounced at Crowley.

Rather than teleporting, it bolted toward Crowley with incredible speed. Along the way, the branches swept at it but it was as insubstantial as smoke. It broke apart at touch and then regrouped like an untouchable spirit.

In an instant, the silver wolf jumped like a wraith with sharp fangs and pounced at the tree. It gnashed the face and tore it off. The tree cried out like an infant and trembled, having been gravely injured.

However, in the shadows, Crowley sneered. The bait had finally been taken!

The tree branches instantly closed in like thousands of arms going for a hug. It closed around the somewhat imaginary wolf. An enchantment rose from the shattered face and locked all of Wolf Flute's power within.

Wolf Flute's face turned white and he spat out blood. In the next moment, he could retract the power forcefully and summon the wolf again. But would Crowley give him the chance?

The answer was…no!

Cackling, Crowley controlled the solid darkness. It transformed into a giant hand that grabbed at Wolf Flute. The Garment's power sealed the surroundings, blocking all paths of retreat.

Wolf Flute was stuck there with nowhere to run to. His expression froze.

Then the hand of darkness tore through the illusion. The air rippled and Wolf Flute's figure shattered, disappearing. In his place, within layers of locks and murder, was a white-haired youth. He played Jiu Xiao Huan Pei with his eyes closed.

Sensing Crowley's blank expression, he looked up and smiled. "Yup, it's me." Now, Crowley finally realized that Ye Qingxuan had fused his music score into Wolf Flute's scepter, entrusted onto the rim of moonlight in the air!

What the f*ck? When did they go into coherence? Crowley thought in shock. He started doubting his eyes. This guy had only just become an official musician! How could a third level musician go into coherence with a scepter? They had worked so well together as if they were one person and totally fooled Crowley. And more importantly…If Ye Qingxuan was here, then where was Wolf Flute?

In that instant, another howl rang out. Under the crescent moon, flanked by a pack of wolves, an aggressive and large figure walked out slowly. The alpha had appeared!

For a moment, Ye Qingxuan could hardly believe his eyes. It was a bare-chested dark youth covered in scars!

Flanked by the wolves, he sat high up on a throne. His eyes shone with green light just like the wolves and radiated with a bloody and cruel aura. His face was like Wolf Flute's and his flute had transformed into a tooth, hanging at his neck. The scepter's power had converged in him.

The moonlight was above his head. He looked down at Crowley and sneered like a wolf. He howled, commanding the wolves, and burst forward with silver light.

The fulminations were like wolf howls.

In shock, Crowley forgot about Ye Qingxuan who he could squash easily. Instead, he turned to stop Wolf Flute. The problem was that the Garment's power was all used to shackle Ye Qingxuan right now. It could not protect Crowley! Without it…he had never been so vulnerable!

Cold silver light rose around Wolf Flute. Then, like a phantom beast, he jumped into the aether world and seemed to teleport. He was so close! He reached out!

Crowley screamed.

Wolf Flute used his bare hands to tear Crowley's chest apart. As if devoured by a pack of wolves, the internal organs turned into mashed pulp. Then the wolf poison poured into the abyss music theory within him. It imploded and the music theory broke apart!

Flesh fell in chunks. Crowley turned into a skeleton, cutting off connection with the abyss. He opened his mouth and rasped out, "Wait—"

Pop! His skull shattered and his brains flew out. The fire within him extinguished completely.

Crowley was finally dead!

Without its owner, the Garment of Original Sin and dark atrium caved in. They exploded and the endless darkness disappeared. Wolf Flute stumbled back and practically collapsed onto the ground. The scepter's power retreated and the wolves disappeared. The frail youth changed quickly until he was back to normal.

Ye Qingxuan steadied him but looked at him with troubled eyes. "What just happened? You're a demon?"

"Ha, you saw it?"

Wolf Flute barked out a laugh. "That…was probably what I looked like before. Don't worry, I'm not a demon. Just a kid raised by wolves. Mature men all have some dark history. Don't ask."

Ye Qingxuan was stunned but he obeyed.

Without the dark atrium's protection, the dark musicians were forced to use their own symphonies of predestination to fight against Faust's power. They instantly fell back. Already, two of them died. The victor had been determined. But Ye Qingxuan kept looking at Wolf Flute and their surroundings. He still felt unsettled. "Wolf Flute, are you sure you killed that guy?" he asked quietly.

"Don't worry. Am I the type to be merciful?" Wolf Flute made a face. "That guy is a failure who relied on a special weapon to upgrade. Without it, he'll be completely dead in my hands. He can't even leave an impact. Don't worry, there's no way even if their god wants to resurrect him."

"But…" Ye Qingxuan's mouth opened. Before he could finish, he felt his hair standing up straight. He pulled Wolf Flute back reflexively.

A dark shadow rose up under their feet and melded into a dark musician's body. His power exploded and instantly pushed the destructive thunder back. Reaching out, he grasped a grandmaster's head. His fingers closed and the skull shattered.

The grandmaster from the School of Dragon Rock died instantly and tragically. Then his power was sucked into the dark musician.

Crowley's sharp laughter rang out, returning from the underworld!

Ye Qingxuan's face paled and he looked back. "Didn't you say that he's totally dead?"

Wolf Flute froze too. He was sure that Crowley had died in his hands, so who was this before him right now?

Solid darkness shrouded this abyss musician's body. Crowley's face slowly appeared, totally unharmed. He could not help but laugh when he studied Wolf Flute.

"Mr. Wolf Flute, I agree with what you just said." He studied the other with a mysterious smile. "A self-made musician is naturally different from failures that rely on special weapons… But sadly, I'm not a failure who used the Garment of Original Sin to enter the scepter level."

"Wolf Flute…" Ye Qingxuan's hand trembled. He stared at Crowley. As if seeing through his disguise and seeing his true nature, Ye Qingxuan's eyes widened in shock. He muttered, "He…is the Garment!"

"That's right." Crowley opened his arms. The Garment of Original Sin trembled as he laughed and bellowed, "I am the scepter!"