Chapter 469 - 235: Red Shroud
Red Shroud was an Enchanting Demon. To be precise, she was an Enchanting Demon Wizard.
Enchanting Demons were not adept at combat. But in a place as chaotic and dangerous as the Abyss, beauty alone wasn’t enough for self-preservation. Might makes right.
Therefore, increasing one’s strength was absolutely necessary.
After reaching a certain level of power, most Enchanting Demons would choose to evolve into a higher tier, such as a Six-armed Snake Demon or an Enchanting Demon, and even a Balrog Flame Demon wasn’t out of the question.
Red Shroud’s power had long been sufficient to evolve into a higher tier, but she adored her Enchanting Demon form and had thus given up on evolution.
To compensate, she devoted herself to studying Magic, using her outstanding and extraordinary talent to become a Wizard.
To this day, Red Shroud remained one of the most powerful figures in the Abyss, and also one of the most mysterious in origin.
There were rumors that she was the daughter of two famous Demon Lords of the Abyss, but there was no evidence to confirm it.
Pei Ze was actually a little curious. He didn’t understand why Red Shroud would use such an obviously inauspicious name.
A shroud, after all, was something the dead were dressed in for burial. It had no connection to beauty whatsoever, and it clashed completely with the nature of an Enchanting Demon, the very embodiment of feminine desire and sensuality.
His confusion only grew after seeing her in person.
Upon the throne in the great hall sat a woman of ultimate, breathtaking beauty.
Her features, figure, bearing, and aura—everything about her was nearly perfect, beyond reproach. She was like the most flawless work of art, a masterpiece of divine craftsmanship that surpassed imagination.
When she saw Pei Ze arrive and gracefully rose to greet him, the entire hall seemed to dim in an instant. All light gathered upon her, further accentuating her unparalleled beauty.
The Enchanting Demons Pei Ze had seen before could be called stunningly beautiful, but compared to the one before him, they immediately paled in comparison.
It would be no exaggeration to describe the Enchanting Demon before him as the personification of lust.
Even Pei Ze couldn’t help but feel a thread of heat rise within him at that moment.
His heart tightened. He quickly calmed his mind and focused his will, resisting the faint yet pervasive seductive aura that filled the entire hall.
This wasn’t Red Shroud intentionally trying to charm him. As a legendary Enchanting Demon, she naturally possessed an astonishingly potent Charm Power.
After his body calmed down, Pei Ze’s attention returned to the Enchanting Demon’s attire, and a strange expression appeared on his face.
The Enchanting Demon before him was wearing a red wedding dress.
’Did she mix up a wedding dress and a burial shroud?’
As if guessing his thoughts, Red Shroud suddenly broke into a smile that could charm all living things.
"In the demonic tongue, ’shroud’ and ’wedding dress’ are the same word."
Pei Ze was left speechless by the demons’ vocabulary choices.
’But on second thought,’ he mused, ’marriage is the tomb of love, so a wedding dress is naturally the bride’s burial shroud. I guess that’s not wrong.’
"It’s a pleasure to meet you, my beautiful lady. My name is Pei Ze."
Pei Ze placed a hand on his chest and bowed, showing the necessary respect for this Great Demon whose power was said to be approaching level seven.
Red Shroud smiled faintly. Her smile lacked the wild, seductive quality of other Enchanting Demons, yet it was all the more alluring.
"I hear that Mr. Pei Ze wishes to participate in the Blood War?"
"That is correct."
"I’m very curious," Red Shroud said. "You must be aware of the rules of the Blood War. Aren’t Wizards usually quite resistant to Spirit pollution?"
Pei Ze smiled but said nothing.
It involved his secrets, which he certainly couldn’t tell Red Shroud.
The legendary Enchanting Demon apparently understood this. She smiled and didn’t press the matter, promptly giving Pei Ze the badge.
Outsiders participated in the Blood War to increase their power, and the Abyss gained more troops. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Barring special circumstances, Broken Domain Town generally wouldn’t refuse an outsider’s request to join the Blood War.
With the badge in hand, Pei Ze exchanged a few more pleasantries before taking his leave decisively.
Red Shroud was, after all, a Level 6 Enchanting Demon. He didn’t dare stay alone with her for too long.
Walking out of Broken Domain Town, Pei Ze held the badge and immediately felt the strange sensation from before disappear.
It was as if a thick fog had previously enveloped his surroundings, obscuring his view, but now that fog had dissipated.
After briefly sensing the direction of the River of Blood, Pei Ze levitated into the air and flew toward his destination.
The River of Blood snaked and coiled, with numerous tributaries that were said to spread throughout the entire Abyss and Hell.
It was also known as the Nether River, a name considered sacred in the lexicon of devils.
Even for devils, who were known for their cunning, if an oath was sworn in the name of the River of Blood, its credibility was beyond doubt.
It wasn’t a matter of paying a heavy price for lying; it was that lying was simply impossible.
Of course, devils were masters of wordplay. If you fell into their trap, you could only blame yourself for not being vigilant enough.
With the ability to sense his direction, Pei Ze’s speed increased significantly, and it wasn’t long before he found the River of Blood.
The long, winding, blood-colored river flowed unhurriedly across the wasteland, as if its speed hadn’t changed in thousands of years.
Tens of thousands of souls bobbed up and down in the waves, their mouths open in silent, desperate screams, only to be swallowed by the next crest.
"What a dense, evil aura."
Pei Ze stared at the blood-red water, clicking his tongue in amazement.
WHOOSH!
The black bracelet on his right wrist suddenly shattered, turning into a black mist that floated up and coalesced in mid-air into the form of a crow.
Wuyu landed on Pei Ze’s shoulder and let out a low caw.
Pei Ze stroked its head and said softly, "Go on."
Wuyu obediently flapped its wings and flew off, landing beside the River of Blood. It lowered its head and dipped its sharp beak toward the river’s edge.