“What's the situation?”
Su Luo Great Emperor produced a Jade Slip, within which two drops of blood shimmered – one from Ye Chen, one from Ji Fuyao. “Lord,” she reported, her voice grave, “by the time our forces arrived, Xuanji Holy Lord had already dispatched our Demon Court Great Emperor. And she took Ye Chen and Ji Fuyao with her.”
Zhu Liefang's voice was a cold rasp. “Xuanji Holy Lord? Since when did she have a karmic connection with Ji Fuyao?”
Su Luo Great Emperor shook her head. “Lord, I've used a Supreme Secret Art Derivation to pinpoint the region Ji Fuyao and Ye Chen entered. But I dared not probe further. If Xuanji Holy Lord is truly there, none of us would stand a chance against her.”
Zhu Liefang's expression turned utterly sinister. “No doubt, that Ancient Great Medicine has also been devoured by Xuanji Holy Lord.”
Su Luo Great Emperor nodded in confirmation.
Zhu Liefang's eyes gleamed with a chilling light as he stared into the void. That Ancient Great Medicine had been specifically earmarked by Demon General Zhu Xiong himself! And now, Xuanji Holy Lord had consumed it. There was no way they dared demand it back from her!
Zhu Liefang slowly rose, his gaze distant and calculating. “I recall rumors of a karmic connection between the White Robe Great Emperor and Xuanji Holy Lord, even a past collaboration at the Silent Destruction Sect. For months, the White Robe Great Emperor has been conspicuously absent, yet now Xuanji Holy Lord steps in to shield Ji Fuyao and Ye Chen! Those two truly have nine lives!”
The assembled Demon Race Great Emperors furrowed their brows in confusion. It made no sense. The White Robe Great Emperor, known for his flamboyant displays of power, had been completely silent for over two months! In his stead, the Grand Dao Sect had suddenly churned out two formidable figures: Lu Xuan and Chen Changsheng.
Just then, a Giant Lizard Race Great Emperor descended, practically vibrating with excitement. He bowed deeply to Zhu Liefang. “Lord, excellent news!”
A sharp glint sparked in Zhu Liefang's eyes. “Spit it out! What news?”
The Giant Lizard Race Great Emperor announced, “Xuanji Holy Lord has advanced into the Above Emperor Realm Area!”
A pleased smile spread across Zhu Liefang's face. “Excellent. We move! This time, I will personally lead the hunt to capture and kill Ji Fuyao and Ye Chen!”
Moments later, the news rippled through the Demon Court. From every corner, Demon Race Great Emperors began to converge on the Stone Forest Land!
Zhu Liefang swept his sleeve, addressing the gathered magnates. “Su Luo Great Emperor, pinpoint Ji Fuyao and Ye Chen's location. We move out at once!”
Su Luo Great Emperor extended a slender hand, activating a Supreme Secret Art Derivation. A profound aura swirled, and brilliant Dao patterns began to coalesce around the two drops of blood. In moments, a faint, almost invisible thread materialized, stretching across the expanse. This was the Blood Spirit Art, a secret of her race.
“Found them!” Su Luo Great Emperor declared to Zhu Liefang.
Zhu Liefang nodded, then launched himself into the sky. “Move out! Now!”
Boom! Boom! Boom! In an instant, several ancient spirit boats and colossal chariots, radiating an overwhelming aura, ascended into the void. Su Luo Great Emperor stood at the prow of the lead vessel, meticulously tracking the ethereal Blood Spirit trail.
Within his spirit boat, Zhu Liefang tore a chunk from the raw flesh of a human Great Emperor, chewing with savage satisfaction. “Send word to the Silent Destruction Sect, Dark Shadow Island, and the Blood Spirit Race,” he commanded the Demon Race Great Emperors around him. “Once we've captured Ji Fuyao and Ye Chen, we'll use them to flush out those Grand Dao Sect Old Ancestors!”
“For too long, those old bastards from the Grand Dao Sect have been cowering in the shadows! I refuse to believe they can stay hidden this time!”
A thrill of savage excitement rippled through the Demon Race Great Emperors. This was it. A grand cleansing of the entire region! Every Grand Dao Sect Great Emperor would fall!
Swiftly, a message arrived from the Night Sky Great Emperor, a magnate under Dark Shadow Island. “Zhu Liefang, when the time is right, mark the location with Dao patterns, and we shall descend!”
The Silent Destruction Sect's reply was equally eager: they wanted Ji Fuyao's head, and they were willing to pay a king's ransom – adding even more compensation atop the already promised Quasi-Dao Supreme Opportunity!
The Blood Spirit Race and other Alien Races were equally impatient, champing at the bit to join. While they hadn't unified all races under one banner like the Demon Court, the Alien Races had, over the Southern Wilds' countless epochs, produced three Supremes and established their own “Holy Alliance.”
The White Robe Great Emperor's recent annihilation of the Stone Demon Race, Blood Demon Race, and Ghost Spirit Race had already infuriated the Holy Alliance's powerhouses, especially with the Heaven and Earth Change now fully underway. Yet, within the Bronze Ancient Palace, the White Robe Great Emperor remained unseen. So, the Alien Races had simply redirected their murderous intent towards the Grand Dao Sect's Old Ancestors.
At first, they had indeed managed to severely wound several Grand Dao Sect Old Ancestors. But then, those Old Ancestors vanished, infuriating the Alien Races to no end. Now, with this opportunity to force the Grand Dao Sect's Old Ancestors into the open, the Blood Spirit Race and other Alien Race powerhouses were swarming like vultures to a carcass.
At this moment, on the spirit boat, Zhu Liefang took another savage bite from the human Great Emperor's flesh, imperial blood staining his chin. A sinister smile stretched across his face. “In ancient times, three great Alien Races ascended to Supreme status: the Blood Spirit Race, the Cold Race, and the Ghost Spirit Race. The Ghost Spirit Race remains shrouded in mystery, refusing to cooperate, but the Blood Spirit Race and Cold Race are eager to join us against the Grand Dao Sect. This time, I'll enjoy watching how a mere Grand Dao Sect weathers this storm!”
The Emperor Realm Area was suddenly a maelstrom of activity. Powerhouses from the Demon Race, various Alien Races, the Silent Destruction Sect, and Dark Shadow Island all began to converge on Ji Fuyao and Ye Chen's location.
Chen Changsheng's wooden puppet clone swiftly relayed the news. “Master,” he reported to Lu Xuan, “Senior Sister and Second Senior Brother seem to have stumbled into a bit of trouble this time.”
Lu Xuan slowly uncoiled from his lounge chair, letting out a languid stretch. “Right then,” he drawled, “time to head to the Yanwu Sect's Territory. I suppose I'll handle this one personally.”
A flash of divine light sparked in Chen Changsheng's eyes. “Understood.” Finally, a reprieve! he thought, a wave of profound relief washing over him.
Lu Xuan's gaze drifted towards the void. “It's about time,” he murmured, “to clear out this entire area. We should be moving on to the Above Emperor Realm Area soon anyway.”
Chen Changsheng nodded. With a ripple in space, the two ascended, tearing through the void as they shot towards the Yanwu Sect's Territory.
Meanwhile, in the Emperor Realm Area, the Grand Dao Sect's Heaven Lineage Old Ancestors had convened. News of the converging powerhouses at the Yanwu Sect was spreading like wildfire; there was no way they could be ignorant. The Old Ancestors' faces were grim. This was an open conspiracy, a blatant trap designed to force their hand!
Tianxing Old Ancestor swept his gaze over the assembly, his black hair swirling around him like a tempest. “Just now,” he announced, his voice ringing with a mix of relief and awe, “I contacted Lu Xuan. He's coming. He said he intends to 'clear the area' for our Grand Dao Sect!”
A collective sigh of relief swept through the Heaven Lineage Old Ancestors. They had long since realized that Lu Xuan was none other than the feared White Robe Great Emperor. Moments later, their decision was made: they would reveal themselves, join the fray, and rendezvous with Lu Xuan!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Tianxing Old Ancestor and the others tore through the fabric of space, streaking towards the Yanwu Sect's Territory.