Chapter 8: The Devil's Armor
Icaru was the eldest daughter of Count Old Gun of Luoshui City. She loved her younger sister, who was the illegitimate daughter of her father with a wild woman during the Holy War. Since their mother passed away from illness, Icaru's love for Yilian grew even stronger.
Influenced by Ottega, Icaru, like many other people in Luoshui City, did not follow the former state religion of the Illusion Flame Empire—the Star God Church. Instead, she followed the Light God Church.
Icaru had trained in martial arts from a young age, learning from her father, and by the age of fifteen, she had become a battalion commander in the Luoshui Army, as well as a holy knight in the Light God Church.
Icaru believed that she could always protect Yilian, the sister she loved most.
Unlike Icaru's natural talent for martial arts and military strategy, Yilian had always shown an exceptional talent for magic. Kind, intelligent, and beautiful, Yilian was praised by everyone who met her. When she was twelve, Yilian attended the Royal Academy in the capital for a year, completing six years' worth of courses. She also attracted many suitors, and during that year, everyone from the common folk to the local lord wondered where she had gone. Eventually, Yilian returned, bearing the title of candidate saintess of the Light God Church.
Yilian began assisting Count Old Gun with managing the affairs of the territory. As a military fortress, Luoshui City lacked capable administrators, and Yilian filled this gap.
Later, Count Old Gun, Matty, and Ottega, old friends and trusted allies, repelled several attacks from southern forces. A promising young military officer named Simon also began to show his abilities. A descendant of a fallen noble family, Simon had fought his way to success through sheer military merit, and Count Old Gun named him Icaru's fiancé.
Everything seemed to be going perfectly.
However, months ago, Count Old Gun suddenly fell ill and passed away. At his funeral, Ottega, who had been friends with the Count for over thirty years, betrayed them. He led a coup with his personal guards and accused Yilian of being a remnant of the demon race.
Icaru and Yilian were thrown into prison. Icaru was even escorted by the Light God Church's Inquisition to the distant East Church for judgment.
Simon, realizing there was no hope for a fair trial, led a thousand cavalry to escape. After reporting back to the capital, he discovered that five other battalions had defected, making up half of the Luoshui Army. If he had been more patient and bided his time, perhaps he could have quelled the rebellion earlier.
Matty became a prison guard, secretly trying to protect Yilian, but he was powerless. He was old, unable to even defeat the prison warden, who was a former butcher with natural strength.
Ottega became the new city lord and declared the independence of Luoshui. This sparked an invasion by the Mad Flame Lord's forces.
Everything seemed to be descending into chaos.
But the night before Icaru was taken to the East Church, Ottega showed her something: a journal, the late Count Old Gun's diary, which detailed the mystery of Yilian's identity. Indeed, Yilian was of the demon race.
Icaru's faith shattered. As she was nearing the East Church, she finally realized that in this world, no god could save her. The only thing she truly cared about was her sister, Yilian.
Icaru abandoned her knightly honor and used a woman's weapon—her beauty—to seduce the escort officer, seizing the chance to escape.
But the Inquisition was full of skilled warriors, and they pursued her relentlessly. When Icaru reached a valley on the northern border between the Holy Dragon Kingdom and the Bright Flame Territory, she encountered a mysterious dark-robed sorcerer.
Icaru struck a deal with the devil. The sorcerer only asked for one thing from Yilian: her beautiful right arm.
Icaru severed her own right arm with a sword, exchanging it for three things: a black right arm of an ancient demon, a sword used by the ancient demons, and an undead army, as red as blood, that poured from the valley. Her pursuers were slain like insects.
The valley was called Blood Flame Valley. During the later stages of the Sixth Holy Demon War, the continent's strongest army—the Blood Flame Legion—was ambushed here and annihilated, along with the Blood Flame Prince and his twelve brave warriors, who had been returning to their homeland. From then on, the valley, once nameless, became known as Blood Flame Valley. The resentment of the soldiers lingered, and their souls haunted the valley, even attacking priests sent by the Star God Church for exorcism. As a result, the area became a ghost-infested wasteland, known as the Valley of Souls.
Icaru, filled with resentment and anger, led an undead army back to Luoshui City. Since the valley was near the northern border, she encountered little resistance. Even some unfortunate patrols from the northern territories that discovered the anomaly were quickly "eradicated" by the undead army. Upon her return, she coincidentally met the Mad Flame forces attacking Luoshui City. The undead, being from the once strongest army, made quick work of them.
Icaru's story came to an end, leaving only the eerie sound of the skeletal soldiers' joints cracking.
"Miss Yilian can't be from the demon race! That journal must have been forged by Ottega!" Matty cried out, then hurried away with some people to help with the disaster and put out the fires.
"Icaru... you've suffered enough. What will we do with these undead? Summoning the undead is a grave crime in any faction or country!" Simon said worriedly.
"Simon... don't worry, their power is weakening. They will disappear in time... I will always protect Yilian, even if I have to go against this world!" Icaru's black right arm was strikingly obvious, and the strange purple sword in her hand was even more eye-catching.
"Sister..." Yilian cried and embraced Icaru.
Li Bing was deeply moved. He had never felt the warmth of family and valued it greatly. The bond between these two sisters was truly heart-wrenching.
Simon and many of the soldiers slowly withdrew, partly to extinguish fires across the city and partly to give Icaru and Yilian space. As for the undead... they paid no attention. They would bury this secret deep in their hearts to repay the Old Gun family's kindness and honor the two beloved sisters.
Li Bing also tried to leave, but Yilian stopped him.
"Sister, this is my husband, Li." Yilian smiled and introduced.
Li Bing clearly saw Icaru's face twist slightly.
Then Yilian told Icaru their story, including the tale of "demons and hell."
After Yilian finished, Icaru smiled slightly.
Icaru then turned and smiled at Li Bing. She drew her sword, pointing it at Li Bing's forehead, and scolded, "You...!" Her face changed so quickly that Li Bing didn't have time to react. All he saw was a purple sword heading straight for his brow, and a chill radiating from the blade.
"Well, speak. Do you have any last words?" Icaru said coldly, while Yilian was stunned, unsure how to stop Icaru.
Li Bing, not a master of sweet talk like the Monkey King from *Journey to the West*, simply said, "Sister, you're beautiful."
Icaru's hand trembled slightly, and the sword lightly pricked his brow, a drop of blood spilling onto the blade.
The sword suddenly shone with a purple light, then turned into a streak of purple light, flying toward Li Bing and vanishing.
"Damn! That sword has a sword spirit! The sword spirit has bound itself to the blood!" Icaru exclaimed, "Kid! What has that sword turned into, hiding on you?"
What Li Bing needed most at that moment was a pair of underwear, and the sword had indeed transformed into a small, purple metallic pair, protecting him with unyielding strength. This might be a first in history.
Li Bing, out of honesty, pointed at his crotch.
Icaru's face turned bright red.
Yilian excitedly exclaimed, "That sword turned into the devil's armor!"
Even someone as thick-skinned as Li Bing was finally embarrassed. In front of Yilian's innocent yet bizarre purity, Li Bing had no choice but to surrender.