In the Distant Emperor Province
The entire Emperor Province had fallen under the control of the Demon Realm. Many of the local powers had no choice but to submit temporarily, unable to resist the overwhelming might of the invaders.
The once-glorious palace complex of the Xuanyuan Clan was now teeming with demonic cultivators. Members of the Heavenly Demon Clan, Shura Clan, Ghost Clan, Rakshasa Clan, and others moved freely throughout its halls and courtyards.
At the rear mountains of the Xuanyuan Clan’s domain, two figures stood together.
One was a man with two black demon horns on his head, exuding an aura of unparalleled dominance. His overwhelming presence radiated the power of the Emperor Sovereign Realm Fourth Heaven.
The other wore a suit of purple armor, his features bearing a resemblance to Shura Yanran. A Shura seal glimmered faintly on his brow, but his expression was somber. His cultivation, though formidable, was slightly weaker, at the Emperor Sovereign Realm Third Heaven.
These two figures were the most powerful beings in the Demon Realm:
Heavenly Demon Emperor Mo Yunxuan
Shura Emperor Shura Moti
“Xuanyuan Su and his people escaped, taking with them all the resources of the Xuanyuan Clan and leaving behind only an empty palace,” Mo Yunxuan said, gazing at the abandoned halls with his hands behind his back. His tone was calm, as if the situation was of little consequence.
“They were fast, clearly prepared for our invasion. It seems Xuanyuan Fen anticipated we would break the truce and seize Emperor Province.”
Shura Moti frowned. “This is a minor issue. Emperor Province is already under our control. Even if Xuanyuan Fen prepared in advance, he no longer has the strength to reclaim it.”
He paused before continuing, “I questioned some of the remaining Emperor Realm cultivators in Emperor Province. It seems that the Jiang Dynasty was accused of colluding with our Demon Realm primarily because of a connection to my Shura Clan.”
“Your Shura Clan?” Mo Yunxuan raised an eyebrow. “Is the Jiang Dynasty your doing?”
Shura Moti shook his head. “No. I’ve questioned every high-ranking member of my clan, and none of them know anything about the Jiang Dynasty.”
“If it’s rumored to have ties to my clan, the most likely explanation is that someone from my Shura Clan is within the Jiang Dynasty.”
His tone turned grave as he added, “It’s highly likely that it’s my daughter, Shura Yanran.”
Shura Moti’s heart grew heavier with concern. If Shura Yanran was indeed within the Jiang Dynasty, the forces Xuanyuan Fen had gathered to attack them might have already endangered her.
This was the worry of a father for his child, far surpassing political or strategic considerations.
Mo Yunxuan fell silent for a moment. He understood that Shura Moti’s decision to break the truce was driven largely by the disappearance of his daughter.
The news of Shura Yanran’s sudden disappearance had long stirred the Demon Realm. In his desperation to find her, Shura Moti had nearly overturned the entire realm, even enlisting Emperor Realm powerhouses from the other four clans to assist in the search.
Yet despite the full mobilization of the Demon Realm’s strongest forces, Shura Yanran remained untraceable.
The only solace lay in the fact that her Life Flame, a mystical marker of her existence, continued to burn within the Shura Clan, indicating that she was alive.
Given that she could not be found within the Demon Realm, Shura Moti couldn’t help but suspect that she had crossed over into the Heavenly Extreme Realm.
Mo Yunxuan spoke after some thought, “This Jiang Dynasty doesn’t seem so simple, based on the intelligence we’ve gathered.”
“Let’s not dwell on it for now. Emperor Province is secure enough. We’ll leave the Rakshasa Emperor to guard it and immediately lead our forces to Xuan Province.”
“We might still be able to prevent further tragedy.”
Though his words offered some comfort, Mo Yunxuan’s expression betrayed his own doubts. The distance between Emperor Province and Xuan Province, even for Emperor Sovereign Realm cultivators, was not negligible.
If their estimates were correct, Xuanyuan Fen and his army had likely already reached Xuan Province.
Shura Moti took out a small flame in his palm, Shura Yanran’s Life Flame, and watched it flicker steadily. It brought him a small measure of relief.
“Let’s hope for the best…”
A Remote Valley Near Emperor Province
Thirty thousand miles from Emperor Province lay Villains’ Valley, a strategic midpoint between Emperor Province and Xuan Province.
Here, Xuanyuan Su, the Xuanyuan Clan’s second elder, rested with Great Elder Xuanyuan Wanye, Second Elder Xuanyuan Qianjue, and over a dozen other elders, all at the Heavenly Emperor Realm.
They had fled Emperor Province along with the Xuanyuan Clan’s elite members and were now waiting for their patriarch, Xuanyuan Fen.
Xuanyuan Fen had laid out meticulous plans: if the Demon Realm invaded Emperor Province, Xuanyuan Su was to lead their people to Villains’ Valley and wait. Once Xuanyuan Fen dealt with the Jiang Dynasty, he would return with the Heavenly Extreme Realm’s army of three billion to regroup and launch a counteroffensive against the Demon Realm.
Everything had been planned with precision, leaving no apparent gaps.
What Xuanyuan Fen hadn’t foreseen was his own demise in Xuan Province.
On a mountaintop overlooking the valley, Xuanyuan Su frowned, his expression uneasy.
“My right eyelid keeps twitching uncontrollably. Could something have happened to my brother?”
“Second Elder, the saying goes, ‘Left eye for fortune, right eye for disaster.’ It’s nothing but a superstition,” Xuanyuan Qianjue said with a light chuckle.
“Besides, the clan leader has fused with a fragment of a celestial soul, making a qualitative leap in strength. Not even the Heavenly Demon Emperor himself could challenge him.”
“By now, the Jiang Dynasty is likely already destroyed, and Xuan Province has fallen under our control,” added Xuanyuan Wanye with confidence.
Hearing this, Xuanyuan Su’s worry eased slightly. “You’re right. Perhaps I’m overthinking things.”
Unbeknownst to them, the meticulously laid plans of the Xuanyuan Clan had already collapsed with Xuanyuan Fen’s defeat. The waiting elders and their kin were blissfully unaware of the catastrophe that had already befallen their clan.