Yun He hurled Duke Huai before the Little Demon Empress, his profound energy sealed in chains of thunder.
But, amid that suffocating silence, the Duke's eyes suddenly blazed with a fiercely sinister and mad scarlet light. His profound energy had clearly been blocked, yet his body abruptly erupted with crimson-black flames of the Fallen Demon!
The suddenly ignited Flames of the Fallen Demon were incomparably uncontrollable and spread directly for approximately dozens of meters, forcing back Yun He, Yun Jiang, and Yun Xi, who had all been caught unprepared...
"No... I will not be humiliated like this!!" He roared, tearing at his throat in despair.
He turned abruptly, ignoring Ren Zu and the Little Demon Empress, aiming directly... at Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou.
"You damned ones are the root of this calamity! Die with me!!"
Black flames took the form of a lightning-like bolt of condensed energy, dense and sharp as the blade of a death god, and shot toward the two. Space ruptured in its path, leaving a trail of distorted cracks.
"Careful!!" Mu Feiyan, Mu Yubai, Su Xiangnan, Yun Waitian, and the others all paled in alarm and shouted hoarsely. But no one had thought that Duke Huai, whose profound energy had clearly been blocked, would be able to instantly break free from that seal. Even if they wanted to help now, it was already too late.
"YUR—!!" Yun Qinghong widened his eyes, pulling Mu Yurou behind him, but there was no time. That attack from a Monarch at the peak of madness was too fast.
The entire hall seemed to hold its breath. Many had already closed their eyes, certain they would witness a bloodbath.
But, in the next instant, the world flashed.
BOOOOM!
A massive palm, made of pure profound energy, condensed and crystalline like jade, appeared in the path of the attack. It crushed the black bolt in a single motion, dissipating it like dust under sunlight.
"Ridiculous." Ren Zu's voice rang out cold as a sword's edge. All he did to stop that attack was use his refined control over profound energy to form a hand and grasp it; it was not a profound art or anything of the sort...
No one noticed when he moved. In one instant, he was still beside the Little Demon Empress; in the next, he stood in front of his parents, the palm still raised in the air, having blocked the entire attack.
His eyes, black as eternal night, stared at Duke Huai: "You dared to raise a hand against my parents...?"
Before anyone could breathe, Ren Zu vanished from his position. It was so fast that even the Monarchs present could not follow; it seemed like a mere blink of an eye.
When he reappeared, he was already in front of Duke Huai.
CRACK!
A dry kick struck the Duke's knee, shattering it in a grotesque snap that echoed through the hall. The scream of pain that escaped his mouth was immediately cut off by a heavy slap to his face, sending blood and teeth flying through the air. The impact was so strong that the Duke's body spun uncontrollably before crashing back to the ground like an empty sack.
Before he could even touch the floor, Ren Zu raised his foot and drove it into the enemy's chest, pinning him to the ground.
The entire hall trembled with the dull sound of the impact.
Flames of the Fallen Demon still burned around Huai's body, but they dissipated in an instant as a wave of profound lightning energy coursed through him. Pure and unbreakable blue thunder chains slithered over him, sealing every drop of his profound energy, every thread of resistance. He swiftly applied his profound art of the Nine Star Thunder King, the essentials of the first movement, to seal Duke Huai's cultivation.
Duke Huai writhed, spitting blood, his eyes wide with pain and terror. He tried to scream, but only a choked wheeze escaped his mutilated throat.
"Your Highness!!"
Duke Huai was explosively struck flying away, the spurting blood a horrifying sight. More than a dozen experts from Duke Huai Palace moved forward at the same time, wanting to catch him. However, at the same moment, the Little Demon Empress intervened. A dazzling and blazing flame soared to the heavens; like an enraged flame serpent, it coiled tightly around Duke Huai. With a flick of her wrist, the fire serpent hissed, then abruptly slammed downward, viciously crushing Duke Huai into the ground before leaping back to the Little Demon Empress; the strong odor of intensely burning flesh permeated the entire Demon Imperial Palace.
All those from Duke Huai Palace who wanted to save Duke Huai trembled, retreating as if struck by lightning, not daring to move again.
Ren Zu simply ignored all of them and kicked Duke Huai toward the Elders of his family, who quickly intercepted him and brought him before the Little Demon Empress again. She gave him a profound look in his direction before he winked at her, causing her to huff with a faint blush on her cheeks.
At this moment, Mu Feiyan, with a firm expression, approached his grandson and placed his heavy, warm hand on the young man's shoulder:
"Good, good... very good!" He said, his voice vibrating with restrained emotion: "Zu'er, you not only protected your parents in front of everyone, but also showed the world that the blood of our lineage bows to no one!"
Ren Zu merely lowered his eyes and replied as if none of it were noteworthy:
"I only did what any son would do."
Mu Feiyan laughed, satisfied, and squeezed the young man's shoulder even harder.
"Hohoho, the Young Patriarch should not be so modest." Yun Duanshui interjected with a wide smile, looking around at the others: "Everyone here witnessed it clearly! In the past, the Patriarch was celebrated as the youngest Monarch in the history of the Illusory Demon Realm... but now, the Young Patriarch is even younger, killed seven Monarchs in a single instant, and gravely injured Duke Huai in front of everyone. He has completely surpassed the Patriarch! For the Yun Family, this is simply... inestimable fortune!"
All from the Yun Family who were gathering behind nodded their heads in excitement. Their eyes were full of pride; the gazes they cast at Ren Zu were incomparably fervent.
Ironic... everyone there seemed to have forgotten the years when they called the young man trash, the unworthy son of the Yun Family, the youth who would never be able to awaken the [Profound Handle]. They whispered behind Yun Qinghong's back, murmuring that his heir was nothing more than an adopted one.
Indeed, strength was everything in this world.
With the same speed they spat contempt, they swallowed pride and bowed their heads in silence. The gazes that were once scornful were now reverent and fearful. Automatically, everyone came to respect Ren Zu—not out of kindness, not out of friendship, but because they recognized the cruel truth of this world: only the one with absolute power could dictate the rules.
"Zu'er, what you used just now to kill those seven Monarchs... was it the Golden Crow flame?" Mu Yubai stepped forward and asked what everyone wanted to ask after seeing it once.
The golden flame that Ren Zu ignited was filled with an incomparably dense Golden Crow aura. As members of the Guardian Families, how could they not be familiar with it?!
"Yes!" Ren Zu agreed casually: "When Caiyi and I ended up in the Golden Crow Ancestral Land, the Golden Crow Divine Spirit saved us. Heh... the Demon Emperor Clan is, after all, the only heir to the Golden Crow Spirit in this world; how could the Golden Crow Divine Spirit allow the Demon Emperor Clan to be exterminated! After the Golden Crow Spirit saved us, it not only awakened the Little Demon Empress's Golden Crow bloodline but also granted her unparalleled divine power! Also, in remembrance of our Yun Clan's unparalleled loyalty to the Demon Emperor Clan, it bestowed the Golden Crow bloodline upon me and allowed me to cultivate the Golden Crow's Burning World Record! That is how I increased my strength so much..."
His eyes gleamed slightly as he spoke, and his expression was full of sincerity that was hard to ignore.
Ren Zu raised his head, then said: "Although the Golden Crow Divine Spirit has never interfered in the affairs of our Illusory Demon Realm, everything that has happened in recent years in Demon Imperial City was witnessed by it! It is perfectly clear who is loyal and who is not! Although the Golden Crow Divine Spirit granted the Golden Crow bloodline to me as an individual, it is actually a reward for our entire Yun Family! As for those so-called Guardians, those who forgot their ancestors and turned their backs on the Clan, despicable and cunning, the Golden Crow Divine Spirit will deliver divine punishment sooner or later!"
"...Good!" Mu Feiyan gripped Ren Zu's shoulder firmly. "Your Yun Family deserves such benevolence! You, my good grandson, among the Yun Family, are the most worthy! The Golden Crow Divine Spirit is certainly omniscient!"
Mu Feiyan said this while raising his head to laugh sincerely. Everyone from the Yun Family had expressions of unrestrained joy; several of the Yun Family Elders were excited to the point of their entire bodies trembling. Looking to the heavens, as if they could not help but kneel, "I thank the Golden Crow Divine Spirit for this benevolence... Old Patriarch, do you see this..."
Ren Zu did not suppress his voice in the slightest. Everyone in the hall heard clearly what he said; the words he spoke were originally meant for everyone to hear. His goal was to tell everyone this: The Demon Emperor Clan has always been under the protection of the Golden Crow Divine Spirit!
The Golden Crow was the sacred divine beast of the Illusory Demon Realm, and the Demon Emperor Clan was the heir to the Golden Crow bloodline. Only, the Golden Crow Spirit had always existed within the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, never interfering in external affairs for tens of thousands of years. Even now, in their daily lives, people still offered respects and conducted ceremonial rites to the Golden Crow. However, subconsciously, they did not consider the Demon Emperor Clan to be under the protection of the Golden Crow Spirit, so even their reverence gradually diminished over the years...
His words, however, left a profound mark on everyone's hearts... that the Golden Crow Divine Spirit had always been protecting the Demon Emperor Clan.
Once that psychological mark was left, the reverence toward the Demon Emperor Clan in the Illusory Demon Realm would multiply countless times; it would be difficult to find anyone who dared to think of rebelling.
The atmosphere inside the Demon Imperial Hall experienced a sudden change for a moment. Those who had long defected to Duke Huai Palace suddenly distanced themselves, their faces filled with profound terror. The seven Patriarchs and Dukes present all began to sweat profusely. Looking at the devastated state Duke Huai was in on the ground, along with the members of Duke Huai Palace who were rigid with fear, Jiufang Kui and Chiyang Bailie, who had slightly weaker psychological resilience, began to waver. Both legs turned soft, nearly falling directly to the ground many times.
Also, the way people viewed the Yun Family changed drastically. Everyone present had witnessed very clearly the Golden Crow flames that Ren Zu ignited. And it was not simply a case of bloodline bestowal! This was because after the Demon Emperor Clan, a second Family that inherited the Golden Crow bloodline had been born!
Moreover, because the Little Demon Empress was the last remaining person of the Demon Emperor Clan, and a woman at that, the Demon Emperor Clan was fated to perish. Instead, Ren Zu, who also possessed the Golden Crow bloodline, could continue to pass it on; this meant that after the Little Demon Empress, those who possessed the Golden Crow bloodline and power would be the Yun Family!
This would mean that the Yun Family would be the ones to receive the protection of the Golden Crow Divine Spirit!!
Anyone would know what that meant!
Amid the commotion, as reverences, fears, and whispers spread through the hall, two figures pushed through the crowd. Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou approached their son, their steps still somewhat trembling after the deadly scene that had nearly claimed them seconds ago.
Mu Yurou was the first to speak, her soft voice carrying both incredulity and a certain overflowing pride she could not disguise:
"Zu'er... so that's why... that's why you declared yourself the husband of the Little Demon Empress, here and now?"
The entire hall, already attentive, plunged into even deeper silence. Everyone wanted to hear the answer.
Ren Zu, however, merely raised an eyebrow and let out a teasing half-smile.
"Hmph... of course not." He replied in an almost nonchalant tone, as if the pressure of thousands of gazes affected him not at all: "It was my irresistible charm that conquered her..."
There was a collective choke, and even the Little Demon Empress herself, accustomed to controlling every tiniest trace of her expression, had her face suddenly tinged with blush, averting her gaze as if wanting to deny it but finding no words.
Ren Zu then softened his smile and completed, his firm voice echoing throughout the hall:
"But... in the end, it was not just that. The Golden Crow Divine Spirit declared us husband and wife."
His words fell like thunder.
An uproar swept through the hall; even the boldest Patriarchs and Dukes felt their hearts tremble. If even the Golden Crow Divine Spirit recognized that union, then there was no force in the Illusory Demon Realm capable of contesting it.
Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou exchanged a silent glance, and then Yun Qinghong nodded slowly, the gravity of his expression only highlighting the hidden emotion in his eyes. Mu Yurou, even shocked, could not contain a faint smile, a mix of tenderness and maternal pride.
The Little Demon Empress, still with flushed cheeks, shot a glaring look at Ren Zu, but deep down, she did not refute it.
She quickly shifted her focus to vengeance; by this point, the Elders holding Duke Huai would have allowed him to recover enough to suffer more at her hands later.
Without even glancing at Duke Huai who was beside her feet, emotionless words escaped her lips: "Profound Handle Soul Search!"
Her words captured everyone's attention.
Although Duke Huai's injuries were not light, he was not in a state where he could not even stand. Forget standing; he could barely gasp for air and speak. Hearing the Little Demon Empress's voice, the only thing he could do was open his eyes as wide as he possibly could.
"Wait... wait a moment." An Elder whose entire body emitted the aura of a Monarch from Duke Huai Palace stood up. As a mediator from Duke Huai Palace, he clearly knew the consequences if Duke Huai submitted to the Profound Handle Soul Search in front of the realm's heroes...
However, the moment he spoke, the Little Demon Empress suddenly cast her icy gaze. He did not even finish his words before a blaze was hurled at his position, transforming into a flame python that coiled tightly around his body. Following that...
BOOM!!
The flame python exploded, turning the Elder's body into fragments of fire, scattering in the air.
The speed at which the Little Demon Empress attacked was incomparably terrifying. The moment the Duke Huai Palace Elder opened his mouth, his entire body was burned to fragments. When people finally reacted, the terror from which they had just calmed presented itself before them again. Those around the Elder collapsed, paralyzed on the ground; their terrified eyes were practically cracking.
"You may begin."
Those three cold words struck icily into everyone's minds. She had absolutely no emotion on her face, absolutely no fluctuation, as if she had not just killed an immensely powerful Monarch but merely burned a tiny insect.
This time, no one from Duke Huai Palace made a sound. Everyone trembled, their courage destroyed again and again by fear and terror. The entire hall was silent to the point where a falling needle could be heard; even the sounds of breathing could not be heard.
All attention was focused on them.
Yun He, Yun Jiang, and Yun Xi moved forward... They were extremely careful when walking, afraid of making even the slightest sound.
The Little Demon Empress of today was simply far too terrifying!
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