The Ascension Ceremony of the New Emperor, which had captured everyone's attention, ended in a way no one could have imagined, replaced by a fresh bloodbath involving the rebels and Duke Huai's Palace.
Due to the cruel order to exterminate the entire Duke Huai Palace, all those who had originally surrendered to it now madly raised their butcher knives against its people. Those who once sincerely wished to lick the feet of Duke Huai's Palace couldn't wait to completely disassociate themselves from it. Everyone was scrambling to be the first, terrified of being the last to kill fewer people than the others… Especially the Seven Great Guardian Families and the various Duke Palaces—they knew clearly in their hearts that if they wanted to save themselves and protect their families, they had to do whatever it took to prove their loyalty to the Little Demon Empress, even if it meant abandoning their dignity, wagging their tails, and begging for it…
Because now, the Little Demon Empress held absolute power to make their ten-thousand-year-old families perish overnight, and with a few words, she could ensure their clans would be remembered in history as infamous traitors!
Duke Huai's Palace was, after all, Duke Huai's Palace—they had numerous powerful practitioners, but it was impossible for them to withstand the combined forces of all these unparalleled and mighty experts. They were eventually overwhelmed and captured. The deadline the Little Demon Empress gave was ten days, but it took only a short three days for Duke Huai's Palace to be completely devastated and the entire family exterminated… not a single survivor remained. Even those of Duke Huai's family thousands of kilometers away were killed.
The once prosperous and extraordinary Duke Huai's Palace had become charred ruins. The thick smell of blood was overpowering and lingered for a long time. No one dared approach within ten kilometers. At that time, in Demon Imperial City, every power trembled in fear, everyone felt insecure, and even while walking, they were cautious, not daring to speak too loudly.
All the heroes of the realm who had come from all directions to participate in the Little Demon Empress's Reign Ceremony and the New Emperor's Ascension Ceremony were still unable to leave, because in seven days, the interrupted Reign Ceremony would resume once more… This was also an order from the Little Demon Empress herself. No one dared disobey her commands now.
In contrast, the Yun Family was filled with an atmosphere of excitement these days.
All for one reason: Yun Ren Zu.
The name that, until recently, was barely mentioned outside Demon Imperial City and within it was known as the disgrace of the Yun Family for failing to awaken the [Profound Fist] for many years, was now spoken with reverence throughout the Illusory Demon Realm. The young man who had returned alongside the Little Demon Empress after saving her life was now recognized not only as the new pillar of the Yun Family but as someone who had achieved the legendary Divine Profound Realm, something deemed impossible for hundreds of years.
But that wasn't the only reason hearts were rejoicing.
Yun Ren Zu wasn't just the Yun Family's new pride—he was also the future husband of the Little Demon Empress!
In other words, one day, he would be the supreme ruler of the Illusory Demon Realm!
As soon as they returned from the New Demon Emperor's Ascension Ceremony, the Yun Family prepared a grand banquet at their residence to celebrate Ren Zu's return. The event, however, was not open to the public. Only the closest family members and a few allied noble families were invited to attend.
The main hall was illuminated by sparkling crystals, and the air was infused with the delicate fragrance of rare flowers brought from the Purple Cloud Mountains. Restrained laughter, respectful glances, and murmurs of admiration filled the space. Everyone knew this wasn't just a celebration—it was the prelude to a new era, where the Yun Family's name would once again become synonymous with absolute power, as it had been during the Demon Emperor's time.
The banquet lasted an entire day, filled with music, laughter, and toasts in honor of Yun Ren Zu's return. However, the true climax of the celebration came when it was revealed that Ren Zu had accomplished something no one in the Illusory Demon Realm had ever achieved: four months earlier, he had been the one to cure Mu Yurou and Yun Qinghong.
The news hit the guests like thunder in a clear sky. Many were left speechless; others simply couldn't believe it. For years, countless renowned doctors and spiritual masters had tried to treat the mysterious illness afflicting the couple, but all had failed. That the young Yun Ren Zu had achieved the impossible seemed to defy logic itself.
In no time, murmurs of admiration turned into acclaim. The title of Medicine Immortal began spreading rapidly throughout the Illusory Demon Realm, and Yun Ren Zu's name became synonymous with miracle.
After the banquet, the excitement didn't diminish in the slightest…
Moonlight poured softly over the Yun Residence, tinting the rooftops silver-white and making the night air seem suspended between dream and reality.
After a long conversation with his parents, Ren Zu slowly walked back to his secluded courtyard, the same place where few dared disturb him.
During the conversation, Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou finally revealed the truth that, deep down, Ren Zu already knew: they were not his biological parents. He was, in fact, the son of Xiao Ying, someone originally from the Profound Sky Continent whom they had met while traveling there on the Little Demon Empress's orders. They recounted the entire old story of the baby swap and brotherhood, which he knew from the original tale.
Naturally, it was he who steered the conversation to that point, using the Little Demon Empress's name as a pretext to justify his "discovery" and question whether it was true.
He also learned why his parents had believed he was dead. According to them, Duke Huai had spread carefully planted rumors through his servants, making it seem as though Ren Zu had perished alongside the Little Demon Empress. Since he had truly disappeared for a long time without any news, the lie gained traction and became virtually undeniable.
Duke Huai was indeed cunning, having planned everything with surgical precision. He patiently waited for the right moment, until the day of his own ascension, to push Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou into rebelling in despair over their son's supposed death, causing the Yun Family to lose prestige and more. Then, capitalizing on the chaos and commotion, he branded them traitors and ordered their execution, legitimizing a massacre in the name of "imperial loyalty."
It was a flawless trap, set step by step, and nearly perfect.
If not for the timely return of the Little Demon Empress and himself, his parents would already be dead.
Thinking this far, Ren Zu let out a long sigh and raised his gaze to the night sky.
The moonlight bathed his face, outlining his features with an almost divine serenity.
His appearance remained so absurdly perfect it bordered on unreal, beautiful like a true immortal. His jet-black hair, darker than a starless night, fell in smooth, silky strands that reflected the moon like threads of liquid obsidian. Every movement made them glide with ethereal grace, as if guided by an invisible force. His skin was pure and translucent, white as fresh snow on a celestial peak—flawless, as if the gods, in shaping him, had spent eternity's patience on a single being. His face, with soft yet defined contours, possessed the exact harmony between masculinity and ethereal beauty, an impossible balance to replicate, and his black eyes remained as indifferent and calm as ever. It was like gazing into a dark lake at midnight: beautiful, profound, and immeasurable. He wore his usual white robes, which further accentuated his immortal-like appearance.
He lived up to the title of the most beautiful man in the Illusory Demon Realm, as all its inhabitants had begun calling him since then. The problem was that those who knew him before couldn't comprehend how he had suddenly become so irresistibly handsome. The transformation in his appearance was so evident it sparked curiosity, forcing him to offer explanations. Fortunately, his discreet acting and perfect pretense of ignorance were enough; no one dared press him beyond what was necessary, and the aura of mystery he exuded only heightened the fascination surrounding him.
In short, he had problems with this now…
Fortunately, he had power to back him up; otherwise, he might have been kidnapped by some obsessed man or woman fixated on his looks.
He let out a brief laugh at the thought and continued toward the courtyard, where the night's silence seemed to await him like an old friend.
It didn't take long for him to reach his secluded courtyard, a place he would soon no longer call home. In a short time, he would move to the Royal Family Palace, where he would live alongside the Little Demon Empress. They hadn't discussed it yet—after all, they had barely seen each other in recent days. Even so, it was inevitable; sooner or later, that moment would come, considering he was her future husband.
Ren Zu gently pushed open the wooden courtyard door, and a faint creak cut through the tranquil silence of the night. He hadn't come to rest—on the contrary, the reason for returning to the courtyard was to refine some pills to help the Little Demon Empress…
His mind drifted back to the scene in the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. Her pale face and emotionless eyes as she pinned him to the ground… and when the Golden Crow's soul said she had only three years of life left, she didn't hesitate… And how she dealt with Duke Huai's Palace upon her return—with cruelty, ruthlessness…
A sharp pain in his heart that he couldn't control.
Right now, what people saw was only her inviolable dignity and indomitable power, but no one knew what she had suffered, endured, sacrificed, and everything she had spent all this time… without her close family, she had to bear everything alone. Now, too, it was she alone who avenged the Demon Emperor Clan, reformed Demon Imperial City, and shouldered the blood debt of the entire Duke Huai Palace… Though he had helped, the weight of it all rested on her delicate shoulders.
She was, after all, just a woman.
If it were another woman, even with a thousand times her willpower, she would have collapsed long ago.
Without the title of Little Demon Empress, her life would be even harder and more miserable than that of an ordinary woman.
The Little Demon Empress's profound energy was now sustained by burning and exhausting her own life. At most, she could live another three years—that was what the Golden Crow Divine Beast's soul had said. Even a divine beast's soul had declared it; still, he had ways to keep her alive.
The first and most practical was to find the third-ranked of the Seven Great Divine Profound Treasures… the [Primordial Seal of Life and Death], which held the power of eternity.
Among the Seven Great Celestial Profound Treasures, the [Primordial Seal of Life and Death] ranked below only the [Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword] and the [Evil Infant's Wheel of Myriad Tribulations]. It was said to have been born at the center of the primordial universe, and its energy was connected to that of the primordial universe. As long as the primordial universe did not perish, it would never be destroyed!
If he could obtain the Primordial Seal of Life and Death and the Little Demon Empress used it, then as long as she wasn't killed by an external force, she could live as long as she wished! Not only would she not die, but she would never age either! The Primordial Seal of Life and Death was the only artifact that guaranteed "eternal life" in the entire primordial universe. In ancient times, even true gods went mad for it, because even though a true god had long longevity, it wasn't infinite. And the stronger a god became, the more frantically they desired it… Eternal life was a temptation no living being could resist. That was why it qualified to rank third among the Seven Great Celestial Profound Treasures!
Since he already knew its location and all related details, he was confident he could obtain that celestial treasure in at most three years. However, he didn't intend to put all his hopes on it—it would be imprudent to bet everything on a single possibility.
Besides, why wait three years when he knew multiple methods capable of curing the Little Demon Empress? Even if each required specific conditions or considerable risks, alternatives still existed. Delaying for so long seemed wasteful, especially for someone like him, who couldn't afford to lose that much time, as he planned to travel to the Profound Sky Continent in three months.
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