Chapter 233: Slaying a Gold

Pride and Sloth stopped beside Lin Canyang. Indifferent eyes stared down through a cold Silver-White Mask at the charred, humanoid lump of coal. The man's single remaining eye rolled weakly.

"Lord... Lord Pride. I failed. I don't dare hope for anything, I only beg you... don't let Chu Shang escape." Lin Canyang reached out a charred hand, grabbing Su Mu's pant leg in a death grip. Even in his desperate plea, a bitter, unwilling hatred lingered in his voice.

"Rest assured, he won't get away." Su Mu's voice was completely indifferent. A moment later, he moved.

Like an elegant gentleman, Pride slowly raised his perfectly straight, pitch-black Cane. Shing!

A crisp sword chime rang out—sharp as a shattering silver vase, piercing as a crane's cry in the highest heavens.

Slowly, a guardless black sword appeared in Lin Canyang's vision. The clear blade gleamed like snow, perfectly reflecting a contemptuous Silver-White Mask.

Aiming toward the fleeing Chu Shang, Su Mu swung the sword with a gentle flick.

Void Devourer—one of the Twelve Swords of Royal Power—erupted with an unimaginable brilliance. The vast ocean of mental energy stored within the blade detonated all at once.

A dazzling arc of sword light tore through the silent air. The high, fierce chime of the blade carried an indescribable sharpness, as though it could pierce straight through a man's soul.

A terrifying, bone-chilling aura washed over the area. In a flash, the sword energy blazed like a sun tearing across the sky, trailing a peerlessly tyrannical arc of light. It bridged heaven and earth, ripping the air apart as it slashed violently toward Chu Shang.

The fleeing Chu Shang heard the sudden chime of the sword. An instant later, his hairs stood on end and prickles of dread raced down his spine. The overwhelming terror of imminent death swallowed him whole.

He turned around in disbelief, only to see a pitch-black streak of sword light bearing down on him. His pupils shrank to pinpricks, and his face contorted in panic. He threw his hands up in a desperate bid to block the strike, but just as crimson flames flared to life around his body—

Slash!

The flames died. A severed head hit the dirt.

Chu Shang's headless body collapsed limply, kicking up a cloud of dust. His severed head rolled across the ground, finally tumbling to a halt against a piece of rubble. The look of utter horror on his face had already frozen in place.

Su Mu slowly pulled Void Devourer back, and the bizarre, guardless black sword shifted back into the shape of a Cane.

A smile of vengeance fulfilled spread across Lin Canyang's face. The last breath he had been forcing himself to hold finally gave out. His hand slipped silently from Su Mu's pant leg, and his ruined eyelids fluttered shut.

"Thank... thank you! Lord Pride. I'll repay this great debt... in my next... next..."

His voice trailed off, lacking the strength to force out the final word.

"I told you. The Seven Deadly Sins are keeping you alive."

It was the last thing Lin Canyang heard before he faded away.

A moment later, a cool liquid poured into his mouth. It melted into a wave of warmth that flooded through every bone and limb in his body.

A soft, gentle light radiated from within him, like parched earth drinking in the spring rain. The charred crust on his body began to crack and peel away, pushed outward by the frantic, rapid regeneration of fresh muscle and tissue underneath.

Shredded muscle fibers knitted themselves back together. Severely burned skin slowly sealed over, as if an invisible pair of hands were performing delicate surgery. His shallow, dying breaths grew steady and strong, and his chest began to rise and fall in a healthy rhythm.

Even his melted eyeball began to regrow at a visible rate.

"I... I'm not dead?!" Lin Canyang's eyes snapped open. He stared down in sheer disbelief at his rapidly healing body, his hands trembling slightly. "This... is this the Divine Healing Potion?!"

As a former executive of the Federal Pharmaceutical Company, he naturally recognized the corporation's crown jewel—the Divine Healing Potion! Rumored to bring the dead back to life and put flesh on bones, it was a miraculous treasure that even Gold tier powerhouses coveted.

It was no exaggeration to say that the Federal Pharmaceutical Company's rapid rise to become a monopolistic giant in the Transcendent Potion industry was entirely tied to the Divine Healing Potion.

Back when countless pharmaceutical companies were fighting for dominance, Federal Pharmaceuticals had relied on the completely unique Divine Healing Potion to crush the competition and build its empire.

"While the Divine Healing Potion is incredibly potent, it can't actually revive the dead. You can thank the Giant Demon pathway for this. Your natural recovery rate is far beyond that of an ordinary Gold powerhouse. Without it, you'd already be a corpse," a lazy, feminine voice chimed in.

Lin Canyang froze. He looked up at Sloth and finally realized the speaker was a woman.

Sloth stood quietly beside Pride, dressed in an exquisite women's tailcoat. The black fabric gave off a faint sheen in the sunlight, perfectly tailored to highlight her petite, graceful figure.

A crisp white shirt peeked out from the collar of her jacket, giving her an air of sharp elegance. A black bow tie rested at her throat like a resting butterfly.

Much like Pride, she carried an exquisite Cane, though hers was noticeably shorter. The sleek drape of her trousers accentuated her long, slender, and perfectly straight legs.

Despite her small stature, the outfit granted her a commanding presence. Even a Gold tier powerhouse like Lin Canyang only dared to steal a single glance before averting his eyes.

"Thank you both for saving my life. From now on, my life belongs to the Seven Deadly Sins."

"Heh." Su Mu let out a soft sneer. "You aren't qualified to sell your life to the Seven Deadly Sins just yet. Have you forgotten the details of your trial?"

Lin Canyang lowered his head in shame. "I let hatred cloud my judgment. Since the ambush succeeded and his men were under your control, I foolishly thought I could take my revenge myself."

"Make sure there isn't a next time. I don't like people who try to get clever."

With that, Su Mu tossed over a Silver-White Mask.

Lin Canyang hurried to catch it. He stared blankly at the smooth, featureless Silver-White Mask. Its style was completely different from the ones Pride and Sloth wore. Even more confusing, a single number was carved directly into the center of the metal—3.

"From now on, you are a provisional member of the Seven Deadly Sins. You hold the Third Seat."

The Provisional Third Seat of the Seven Deadly Sins?

Shock flashed through Lin Canyang's eyes. That meant there were still a Second and First Seat ranked above him! And only above the First Seat were the official members of the Seven Deadly Sins!

Tremendous shock washed over him, accompanied by a profound, newfound reverence for the organization.

Although he was currently a half-crippled Gold powerhouse, he was still a Gold! He'd thought his sheer strength would easily earn him a spot as an official member, yet he was only ranked third among the provisional members!

"There are still a few transcendents clinging to life in the ruins of the base. I'll leave the cleanup to you. Also, the commotion just now has already alerted the Law Enforcement Bureau."

"Understood, Leader! I'll wipe the battlefield clean before the Law Enforcement Bureau arrives."

Su Mu slowly shook his head. Under Lin Canyang's confused gaze, he spoke with absolute indifference. "I want you to slaughter every last survivor in this base right in front of the Law Enforcement Bureau. Make as much noise as possible."

Lin Canyang stiffened. Kill them right in front of the Law Enforcement Bureau? Was this how the Seven Deadly Sins operated? Just what kind of organization had he joined?

He gripped the mask tightly in his hand. By the time he snapped out of his daze, Pride and Sloth were already walking away, their figures fading until they vanished completely into the billowing black smoke.

He gave a heavy nod, slowly pulled himself up to his full height, and pressed the Silver-White Mask bearing the number three against his face.