"Founded 122 years ago by Gulseni of the Vermilion Bird clan, though strength-wise it stands at the low-grade sect level, the Vermilion Brides Sect holds a unique position in the 10,000 Sect War, and is a distant branch of the Saint Empress Court. Gulseni belonged to the first batch of fairies to join the Saint Empress Court, but was given this specific task due to her lacking strength and unique skill set," Harun recalled Mukri's introduction of the Vermilion Brides Sect.
An all-female sect, the Vermilion Brides represented the fantasies of many hot-headed youths. As the name suggested, each of those female cultivators trained to become a perfect bride. Most started with exquisite looks, further heightened by the sect's unique cultivation method. But even those females with average looks turned into walking goddesses after a few years of cultivating the sect's Mantra of Divine Conformity. Bred for dual cultivation, in a world where powerful men often held multiple consorts, the Vermilion Brides never failed to become their handpicked husband's object of worship.
Many disciples of Holy Lands fought to snatch one of those ladies' hands. And although he couldn't tell Harun his message's content, Mukri admitted that the Barbaric Demon Stronghold Master aimed for Gulseni's hand—that much was no secret. But while on the outside, the Vermilion Brides acted as glorified trophy wives, in the shadows they weaved a dreadful information network across the Mountain Edge World, enabling the Saint Empress Court and its stronger branches to control many factions and resources from the shadows.
Within the First Range, the Vermilion Brides directly controlled 18 of the 40 kingdoms, and 1 of its 6 grand nations. Their resources and influence in this Range spoke for themselves. But thanks to Dilnaz keeping their growth margin suppressed, confident in their strength, some men of stronger factions neglected the obvious dangers they represented, and gambled it all to sample those honeypots. According to hearsay, the Barbaric Demon Stronghold Master was one such example.
Mukri suppressed his Devil Essence, showing the appearance of a typical Emissary Bull while Harun summoned his World-Devouring Serpent totem, making it shrink to the size of a threadsnake and hiding it under his spacious red sleeve. Bound to Harun's will, the World-Devouring Serpent totem was akin to a puppet or extra body that obeyed his every whim. When he moved on to the next realm, the totem would integrate all the benefits that didn't carry over to his next incarnation, and grow stronger still.
Once Mukri stood 80 km away from the Vermilion Brides' mountain gates, Harun turned into a ball of light and merged with his shrunken totem. Dark-blue light flickered in the snake's microscopic eyes and, now exceeding Mukri's speed, it avoided the main entrance, crawling past the rocky surface to find another entrance. Meanwhile, Mukri reached the sect's gates and announced himself.
"On the stronghold master��s orders, Mukri, Emissary Bull of the Barbaric Demon Stronghold, brings an important message." Mukri took an arrogant stance, and bellowed for all across the mountain to hear. A superpower of the Third Range, the Barbaric Demon Stronghold became infamous for its monstrous policies and sadistic disciples. While Mukri didn't have their arrogance, faking it to lure the Brides out was no big deal.
…
In the sect's main hall, thirteen figures sat on ivory thrones, six on the left, six on the right, and one on the honor seat. Each wore V-neck vermilion gowns that left their right legs exposed, with one oval ruby bangle around each wrist: Ladies of the Vermilion Brides Sect.
"Mistress, since the Barbaric Demon boor contacted us, you've remained half-dazed. Is that message that critical?" Asked one of the 12 Ladies of the Vermilion Brides Sect. Following the Saint-Empress Court's hierarchy, they replaced the elder rank by the lady rank, a practice many factions now imitated.
The sect mistress, a voluptuous enchantress with back-length, layered red hair, swept her subordinates with her flaming gaze, "You shouldn't underestimate him. Beneath the greedy, unrefined exterior hides a shrewd and horrifying monster. The Holy Lands' headquarters remain in Heaven. That includes our Saint Empress Court. Without their direct support, going against the Barbaric Demon Stronghold is, at best, unwise. To say nothing that this isn't necessarily a poor deal," Gulseni ran one index over her full, glossy pink lips, as if musing on her own words.
"This can change the balance in the First Range, allowing us to destroy the Immolation Blade Sect and Soul Refining Hall...granted we alone have access to that info, and I seriously doubt it. At the very least, the Soul Refining Hall won't be behind. All the more reason why we must stay prepared. As for that Stronghold Master, we can slowly take care of him. Let's go," Gulseni declared and stood up.
Emissaries of the Third Range represented God-level factions. The sect mistress and ladies had to welcome him personally. Little did they know that hidden beneath their marble-white ceiling, a threadsnake observed them all. As soon as the sect leaders left their post, Harun sneaked out of a hole he dug in, and sought the middle point of the sect. Sects often build their formations around the middle point, enabling them to confront attacks from all directions with ease.
But as the disciples left their posts en masse to meet the Emissary at the gates, Harun located the sect's center. There lay a translucent river above which floated a hill-sized, twelve-leaf lotus. Shaped like bent fingers, the leaves' extremities pointed upward, with orbs of light hovering above their tips.
Four ninth-level Celestial Kin remained by the formation's side. Inwardly, Harun chortled, and after giving an apologetic bow toward the Vermilion Brides' Sect's Main Hall, whispered:
"Divine Power: Solar Desolation."
...
Hundreds of fairies assembled at the sect gate and bowed toward Mukri, putting a colossal pressure on his professionalism. Over 800 beauties, each more provocative than the other and with curves to die for, stood in a row before him. As an Emissary Bull, Mukri had never witnessed such a marvelous sight, and feared he might fail in his duty. The 13 at the forefront were especially lethal, boasting a mixture of grace and sex appeal that left Mukri breathless.
Clearly, there was more than mere looks at play here. The Vermilion Brides all cultivated arts aimed at ensnaring and enslaving men, making them their opposite gender's most lethal threat.
"Lord Emissary, welcome to my humble sect. Our mountain doesn't have much to offer you, but if you give us the chance to, we Vermilion Brides will not fail to entertain Your Lordship," Gulseni curtsied, and faced with the sirenic tune of her voice, Mukri recoiled on seven steps.
"No need, no need! I just have to deliver a message. A divination master of the Truth Scrying Grotto predicted that within 20 years, the First Range's Dark Stone Country will breed an Obsidian Spirit Stone mine and Abyssal River. The precise location is unknown, but should be near the Forgotten Soul Graveyard," using his obviously flustered state as an excuse, Mukri screamed the message at Gulseni, instead of sending it through a mental message as custom demanded. This was the only loophole he could think of, and his way of showing Harun his loyalty.
The words spread throughout the Mountain, leaving the 800 fairies thunderstruck. In that instant, Gulseni couldn't even care for Mukri's decorum breach, and seeing his words take effect, the Emissary Bull pushed further.
"I believe you know better than I do who controls the Forgotten Soul Graveyard. The strength gap between your two forces is already not negligible. But if they get ownership of an Obsidian Spirit Stone mine and Abyssal River, you are finished. Unlike the rest of the world, they don't care for sensual pleasures, and live for comprehension and cultivation only. I have said what I had to. Good luck!"
Mukri snorted and turned hooves—acting like an escaping thief. But as the Vermilion Brides weighed the consequences of Mukri's words, his lips parted in a smile.
"Or perhaps you are already finished…"
BOOM!
Blinding golden flames geysered upward, filling the Vermilion Bride Sect's sky with endless smoke and scalding heat. Alarmed, they spun toward the source of that disturbance, but never expected to see the area surrounding their formation turned into a ruinous inferno that spread at a frightening pace.
"What the…"
BANG!
Mukri's Devil Essence poured forth, flame tongues and dark-purple rocks swirled around his form and, without warning, he slammed into Gulseni—sending her hurtling across the sky!
But as she crashed toward the inferno, a tiny masked monk appeared in her trajectory, chopping at her neck!