Corrupt Creations

Actually, Third Shadow didn't understand how Seth was so perfectly standing in the middle of that fire storm. The temperature and aggressiveness of that fire was enough to turn anything into ashes in a matter of seconds, and if not for his super strong level of cultivation, he would be dead already. However, Seth didn't even seem to be protecting his body with Mana at all. 

A practitioner was resistant to the element he trained with, but it was still able to harm him or her while confronting practitioners that used them too. 

"Heh! Let's see if you will be able to withstand this." Seth said while already revolving the Crimson Corrupted Energy inside his energy veins. It easily merged with his Fragmented Law of Fire, turning into something deadlier. 

His fire storm suddenly started to get hotter and hotter, till that yellowish-orange flames turned crimson colored. Those crimson flames increased the heat to another level. 

Third Shadow felt his Mana literally burning in a speed that was at least hundred times faster than it was being consumed before. He got alarmed and afraid of those red flames and tried to do anything in order to leave Seth's grasp, but he could not use any skills, since if he were to stop using his Mana for protection, he would be roasted. 

He could only count with another method. 

"Right now!" Third Shadow screamed in panic, but it was needless, since Fifth Shadow was already moving to take Seth down. At the same time, he tried to physically strike Seth with his other arm. 

Just like he was a ghost, Fifth Shadow appeared right behind Seth, while holding an orb of darkness he had been preparing for this occasion. Fifth Shadow made sure to protect his body before charging in, but he knew it was inevitable that he was going to get hurt. So, he made sure to explode that orb right on Seth's back not wasting the chance Third Shadow had created. 

Boom! 

Fifth Shadow orb of darkness exploded on Seth's back, creating a very strong shockwave that sent darkness everywhere. 

Seth felt like he had been smitten by a dark meteor and the skin and muscles on his back, were torn to shreds, making him experience a very sharp pain. But even though he suffered that hit head on, he resisted it with all his might, not letting go of Third Shadow's arm. 

Third Shadow Mana was thoroughly consumed and Seth's crimson flames were finally able to burn him directly. 

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" 

He started to scream in pain, sounding like a wailing banshee in the middle of that crimson storm. Fifth Shadow wasn't able to handle standing there any longer and he quickly left the area of effect of that storm, relieving the pressure he was feeling. 

When he arrived outside the range of that skill, he finally realized he was sweating profusely. The temperature and pressure he had been put through, caused that on his body without him even realizing it. 

"Argh! AHHHHH!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" 

Third Shadow kept wailing in despair as his skin turned to ashes, exposing his muscles. After that, the crimson flames kept burning his body down to the core, making his muscles and organs turn into red cinders bit by bit. 

He was a Profound Mana middle-stage Realm cultivator, a super strong practitioner that could withstand normal fire even without the need to use his Mana for protection, but before Seth's Crimson Corrupted Flames, he seemed to be a weak and frail mortal. 

But even though he was feeling an immense pain and could not defend himself anymore, Third Shadow still tried to strike Seth multiple times with his Mana, but before he could form an expressive attack, it was burned by those Corrupted Flames, vanishing without trace. After his Mana was thoroughly spent, he wasn't able to properly keep his body and organs protected anymore. Every single part of him turned to ashes, disappearing from the surface of the Fire Labyrinth. 

Seth canceled the crimson storm burning around the area he was in and very quickly, silence reigned once again. 

Third Shadow's silhouette was nowhere to be found and only Seth was standing there, in the middle of a charred area. 

Thud! 

Seth knelt down in one knee while breathing heavily. His back was bleeding since there was a huge open wound there. If not by the tyrant nature of his body, he wouldn't have resisted Fifth Shadow's skill. But even though his body was many times stronger than a cultivator of his level, he still was heavily injured by that. 

Seth didn't waste any more time and a pale green light suddenly started to treat his injuries. He wouldn't able to fully heal right now, but he would at least be able to stop the bleeding. 

After everything that had happened, Yuyin was finally able to stop crying and take her eyes off of her father to look at Seth's figure. He had his back towards her, exposing his mangled back. When she saw the state he was in, Yuyin almost started crying once again. 

"Seth! Seth!!!" 

She kept calling his name, but Seth wasn't able to hear her. He had to focus on his wounds and on the other two enemies still living. At least he had taken down the strongest enemy already. That was what he thought. 

"You!!!" Seventh Shadow unconsciously gave a step backwards, not believing what had just happened. 

Third Shadow was burned to ashes. He died in a place like this and by the hands of someone they considered as one of them until moments ago. 

"What are you doing?! Why did you kill Third Shadow? Master Velgor won't forgive you!" Fifth Shadow said while pointing towards Seth. His finger was trembling, but even he didn't know if it was because of fear or rage. 

"Why...? Because you deserve death! All of you deserve to die!" 

Swoosh! 

Seth's aura expanded, impacting against his enemies. Even though it was weaker than before, he still had strength to fight. 

Fifth and Seventh Shadow got intimidated by his pressure, but when they noticed the extent of his injures, they realized Seth was probably putting up a front. 

"We deserve to die? Ahaha!!! I want to see if you're capable of killing us then." 

Fifth Shadow extended his hand and a black goblet materialized inside his palms. There seemed to be an eerie and heavy aura circling around it. 

When Seventh Shadow saw that black grail, his expression suddenly changed. This item wasn't supposed to be here, much less in his hands. 

The evil aura around that goblet belonged to what was inside it, something all of them knew what it was. Drops of blood of the Shadow Demon. 

When they received the dark inheritance they have, it was per medium of these drops of blood. However, there was a special extracting method, that was able to extract their source and merge with the practitioner's power. That special method was actually more of a torture than an inheritance ceremony. 

However, Fifth Shadow bringing those drops of blood here, only meant that Velgor had left an extra plan to deal with any contingencies. That man was really fearful. Even in a situation where there was initially almost no chance to lose, he still prepared something like this. 

Actually, Velgor's first intention on giving him this, was that slim possibility of them having to battle with the Lord Phoenix Spirit, if it really existed. Outside of the people it had shown itself to, the Lord Phoenix Spirit was nothing more than a tale for everyone. But Velgor still took measures against it. 

"You... Are you really going to use that forbidden technique?" Seventh Shadow didn't believe that Fifth Shadow would actually have to rely on that technique. 

"There is no choice! Didn't you see the power he just showed? He killed Third Shadow! Third Shadow was stronger than us, so I can only rely on this." 

He suddenly brought the goblet to his mouth, drinking everything that was inside it. He didn't take sips, but swallowed all the liquid. That was not the form on how they inherited the strength of the Shadow Demon, but with this method, he would be able to amplify the power of his bloodline for some time. 

There was a painful cost to be paid after the effects ended, but for now he would be able to have access to more powerful abilities. 

Swoosh! 

A heavy wave of darkness descended around him, making Fifth Shadow feel the immense power running through his veins. His Shadow Demon Bloodline suddenly thickened and he felt the darkness surging from inside his body. 

"Ahahaha! I'll make sure to destroy you with this forbidden technique, Seth!" 

The darkness started to concentrate around his body, as if gluing to his skin, turning his whole body in something that resembled a smoky shadow. His aura increased in power and the pressure he was giving was akin to a Profound Mana peak-stage cultivator already. 

He attained an aura of darkness that kept surrounding his body, as if he has entered a permanent battle mode. All his interactions with the darkness element turned into something simple, making even the smallest amount of Mana, able to generate something incredible. 

Seth was taking that time to stealthily heal his wound with his Evergreen Essence. He had focused to take Third Shadow out first, trying to lessen the pressure his enemies were able to put on him, since he was the strongest.. But after seeing Fifth Shadow transformation, he realized he was horribly wrong.