They all nodded.

They grabbed Clown and made their way to the door at the end of the wall. It was a very malevolent looking door. It was dark and it seemed like blood kept flowing down from its top to its bottom.

Nightmare nodded to Seagull who made a few hand seals and the door opened.

They all entered.

Only Nightmare noticed a little cockroach entering alongside them which made him chuckle. He did bring it to the attention of others though.

After they were all in, Seagull closed the door through a few more hand signs.

The room was vast and the ceiling was tens of meters high however there was nothing grand within.

Only a dead tree four meters tall or so remained in the middle of it.

What made it strange was that it seemed to have a head stuck in its bark.

And also, the fact that there were dozens of weapons stuck into it in different ways.

The group lined up in front of the tree and they all bowed as they said in a decently loud voice filled with respect: “Disciple greets Master Elive!”

There were a few moments spent in silence as they remained bowed before something happened.

The dead tree’s branches began to burn with deep dark flames until it became an inferno. And from within it appeared a humanoid face.

It laughed while the fire crackled.

Then, a voice that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere was heard: “Rise, my disciples”

They rose and gazed at the figure. This was their master, Master Elive. He had been sealed here long ago at the same time as Seagull was forced to make an oath. This turned Seagull into both the guardian and the jailer of his own Master. Though, of course, he would never dare do anything to his Master.

Master Elive’s gaze switched from one to another. It locked onto the roach that was on the same line at the others as well. That’s when most of the others finally noticed it.

Clown could not help but exclaim: “Fucking crawler! You should have said hi if you were already here!”

Smoke erupted around the roach and from within a man appeared. It was a bald man that seemed to be forty or fifty. He was quite bulky and his face looked ferocious. There was a tattoo on the right side of his temple depicting vertically a word: 穩定的.

It was quite intimidating.

He bowed and stated powerfully: “Song Xun greets Master Elive”

Master Elive chuckled and told him to rise as well. Song Xun, a.k.a, the crawler, turned towards his fellow disciples and greeted them first before lining steadily next to them.

Master Elive looked at the row of his disciples. All Saints at the top of this world. All six of them.

Nightmare, Chaos, Fumes, Clown, Seagull and Crawler.

The face moved up and down as if nodding before it asked: “So, what has brought all of my disciples today after so long?”

They all looked at the Nightmare except the crawler who still gazed steadily forward.

The Nightmare took a step forward, bowed once and spoke: “I am the one who convened the group, Master”

He snorted: “Of course you did, I am asking you why. And do not try to lie to me”

Nightmare gulped before he cupped his hands and stated with a slightly worrying tone: “Master, do forgive the impudence of your disciple for inquiring about the death fruit”

The eyes made of fire seemed to get smaller as they locked onto the Nightmare. Master Elive asked back: “Why are you inquiring about it now?”

The Nightmare looked up at the flaming face of his master and carefully explained: “It is like this, Master. All of us have found our chosen ones”

The flames danced as laughter erupted.

Master Elive teasingly asked: “Did you finally find a decent disciple for yourself? No wonder, no wonder. So, this is why you gathered everyone today!”

Master Elive turned to the Clown: “How about you?”

The Clown laughed: “You know me, Master, I do not care about this! I relinquish my right to the fruit!”

Master Elive turned to the Chaos who stated: “I have many potential candidates and shall select the strongest once Master requires me to”

Master Elive turned to Fumes: “I am very much like Brother Chaos”

Master Elive turned to Seagull: “I will give up on it as well. It might trigger my oath after all”

Master Elive turned to the Crawler who stated: “My disciple is ready anytime”

The flames got higher and began to circle throughout the entire room. Laughter echoed.

Once it returned to its previous state, Master Elive’s face reappeared along with its voice: “Very well then! I declare the fight for the seventh throne of evil open!”

“May the best disciple survive and claim his prize and seat at our table!”

“I shall prepare the death fruit”

The six bowed to their Master respectfully.

Master Elive chuckled: “You brats, already hurrying me to leave, uh? Not even a shred of care for their poor sealed Master, tch tch tch!”

“We don’t dare!” they hurriedly said.

Master Elive told them: “It’s fine. I’d rather go play a few more rounds of chess with Miss Liu anyways. You kids don’t die and make sure to steer shit up a little, alright?”

“Yes, Master!”

The flames extinguished themselves amidst raucous laughter.

The six of them looked at each other, unable to hide their grins. They left the room silently.

Only after the doors were closed did the Clown scream: “Friends! Take out the Frone! Let us toast to the Seventh Era!”

All the cultivators of the Evil Faction who had remained in the room cheered at those words.

Alcohol flowed.