Chapter 615 – Life and Death Struggle
“Patriarch Yun, put down the sword in your hand… you cannot be rash!!” the Sky Demon Region Lord Qin Zheng rushed forward and yelled at the same time. Anybody could tell from the words the Yun Qinghong couple had just said not only harbored anger and resentment, they also clearly harbored a decisive will to die!
Today… they wanted their lives and blood to stain the Demon Imperial Hall!
“Rash?” Yun Qinghong pointed his sword towards Duke Huai. His face was cold and composed. “I, Yun Qinghong, have never been this calm in my entire life! My Yun clan started ten thousand years ago, and we existed to protect the Demon Emperor. However… in a short hundred years, the former Demon Emperor and Little Demon Emperor were, one after another, harmed by a traitorous bastard, and today, even the Little Demon Empress has fallen to evil schemes… We are one of the Guardian Families, yet we have been unable to fulfill our protective duty, allowing the bloodline of the Demon Emperor completely end. Not only that, but today, I have to watch with my own two eyes as the traitorous dog who harmed the Demon Emperor and my own son become Emperor! As the Patriarch of the Yun Family, I, Yun Qinghong, what face do I have to continue drifting through life!”
“Duke Huai, if you wish to become Emperor today, you have to cross my, Yun Qinghong’s blood and corpse!”
“Patriarch Yun!!” Within the hall, a voice rang out. No one would have expected that such a scene would actually occur in the succession hall.
“Yun Qinghong… you are seeking your own death!!” Chiyang Bailie yelled. The patriarchs of the large families had already left their seats and formed a circle surrounding the Yun Qinghong couple. With tens of strong, oppressive auras, they quietly guarded the surroundings of Duke Huai.
“Patriarch!!” Everyone in the Yun family shouted in fear. Even they were not aware of the actions Yun Qinghong had planned to take today.
“Don’t come over!!” Yun Qinghong suddenly raised his hand, preventing them from nearing. “This is a matter of my wife’s and mine, it has nothing to do with the Yun Family! Yun Waitian, the ring which I passed to you this morning contains the Yun Family’s Patriarch Crest! From this point onward, you will be the new Patriarch of the Yun Family! My wife and I will leave the Yun Family, everything we do has nothing to do with the Yun family! My only wish is from this day on, the Yun Family will keep far away from Demon Imperial City, will entirely retreat from current affairs, and will never pledge allegiance to this traitorous dog!”
“No!!” Yun Waitian shook his head instead, then flew upwards and shouted in rage. “You are our Yun Family’s Patriarch! Your will is thus the will of the entire Yun Family! Even if the entire world says that the Patriarch has falsely accused Duke Huai, our Yun Family disciples will not suspect a single word the Patriarch says! If the Patriarch says that it was Duke Huai Palace which caused the death of the Little Demon Empress, then it definitely is not wrong! This kind of traitorous thief, not to mention our status as a Guardian Family, even as ordinary Illusory Demon citizens, we will use our lives to bring this criminal to justice…”
Yun Waitian landed beside Yun Qinghong and looked at Duke Huai with anger. “Duke Huai! You poisoned the Demon Emperor, and that was a huge sin! My son was also killed by your Duke Huai Palace… Today, one of us has to die!”
“That’s right! The Patriarch’s life is the most irrefutable ironclad evidence in this world! If the Patriarch wants blood to be spilled in the Demon Imperial Hall, how could we Yun Family disciples be left out!!”
“Duke Huai! You caused the death of my Yun Family’s Young Patriarch and the Little Demon Empress… My Yun Family and you cannot exist under the same sky!”
“Today, my Yun Family will use fresh blood and your doggy life to offer as sacrifice for the Young Patriarch and Little Demon Empress!”
After the initial shock and confusion, the Yun Family disciples, along with the few elders, all stood behind Yun Qinghong without hesitation. Their blood boiled, and they were prepared to die. There were barely a hundred people who belonged to the Yun Family present, but their hate had been ignited. Standing behind Yun Qinghong, not a single one retreated or left.
“Hahahahahaha!” Mu Feiyan laughed loudly. “That is indeed the Yun Family! Even if they were suppressed for a hundred years, the character in your bones haven’t been extinguished! Good… good!! Then today, let us have a great bloodbath!! Sons and daughters of the Mu Family listen carefully!!” Mu Feiyan turned around, a roar like thunder shook the entire hall, causing it to shiver faintly. “The Duke Huai in front of your eyes, who is about to ascend the throne to become our next Illusory Demon Emperor, actually caused the death of the Little Demon Empress and slaughtered the Demon Emperor Clan! This kind of traitorous bastard ought to have been hated by the people and heavens, punished by the heavens, and destroyed by the earth, but today, he is receiving worship in the Demon Imperial Hall… this is simply preposterous!”
“Mu Feiyan!!” The Xiao Family Patriarch, Xiao Xifeng, shouted indignantly. “Within the twelve families, you are known as the most moral one! Who would think that you would also slander the new Emperor! Since you said that it was the new emperor who caused the death of the Little Demon Empress… what evidence do you have!”
“Your daddy’s words are evidence!!” Mu Feiyan’s voice was as loud as thunder, “You have not deserved the name of one of the Guardian Families for a long time! Now you have become a traitorous dog too! Bunch of dogs who have long lost their dignity and honor, what kind of right do you have to hoot in front of this daddy here?!”
“You!!” The scoldings of Mu Feiyan caused the lungs of Patriarchs who surrounded Yun Qinghong to want to explode.
Mu Feiyan waved his arm, then flew up and yelled, “Sons and daughters of the Mu Family! We will fulfill our duty as one of the Guardian Families, the time to show our loyalty to the Demon Emperor Clan has come… follow me to kill these traitorous bastards heartily. Let us splatter their blood in this hall which represents the glory of the Demon Emperor, then let us go to the next world to beg for the forgiveness of the Demon Emperor Clan… those who are afraid of dying, get lost to the back! The further you run the better!”
“Hahahaha!” The three brothers Mu Yubai, Mu Yuqing, and Mu Yukong laughed together, their faces without a trace of fear for their lives. Instead, they were thoroughly liberated, a happiness had emerged from no longer having to endure silently. “Old man, today, let us kill happily as a family!!”
“Duke Huai! What makes you think you have the qualifications to become Emperor in the Demon Imperial Hall? What qualifications do you have to wear the Emperor’s clothes? And you bunch of traitorous dogs have long lost your right to live! Your sins and ugly faces, the heavens and the Sacred Golden Crow have seen it all clearly! The blood we will spill today is only the beginning… You will soon receive punishment from the heavens and earth; you will not die a proper death!!”
After shaking the entire Demon Imperial with his roars, Mu Yubai flew up and then released his oppressive Monarch’s pressure without retraint. He roared loudly and waved his arm, and a white rope ten feet long smashed horizontally across those who surrounded the Yun Qinghong couple.
Mu Yubai made the first move, moreover, with all his strength and without any restraint… it was evident that the Mu and Yun Families were the same. Both were prepared and determined that this was going to be a struggle for life and death!
Facing the Yun and Mu Families’ preparedness to die, Duke Huai did not feel a single bit that this was “all according to plan.” His facial expression twisted rapidly, his anger was absolutely genuine, and he was very clear that the kind of crazed actions of Yun Qinghong and Mu Feiyan was not a counter-attack because they had lost all reason, but it was… the outcome which he was most afraid of.
It was because he absolutely could not touch the Yun and Mu Families. Otherwise, in the past few months, he would have already made his move… especially the Yun Family! The return of the son of the Yun Family, the Demon Emperor’s Seal, and Demon King’s corpse not only caused the Yun Family’s prestige to rise, it had also caused the heroes of the world to be moved and feel guilty, so all of them stood with the Yun Family! Although they were not in Demon Imperial City, they still represented the wills of every region loyal to the Demon Emperor. In the past few months, the loyal name of the Yun Family spread across the entire Illusory Demon Realm. If he touched the Yun Family just as he ascended the throne, the world would question him, and he would even incur their wrath.
In the present situation, the Yun Family had decided to make this into a life or death scenario… although the Yun Family did not have any concrete evidence to link him to the Little Demon Empress’s death and he had “evidence of not being at the scene,” the Yun Family would still spill blood in the Demon Imperial Hall over this matter… The Yun Family had been a huge Guardian Family for tens of thousands of years. If they were not so sure that the Little Demon Empress was harmed by Duke Huai, how would such a situation take place! If it were not for their devotion to the Demon Emperor Clan, how would this have happened!
Based on the power of Duke Huai Palace, even if the Yun and Mu Families used all their strength, they still could not kill Duke Huai. Instead they would be destroyed by Duke Huai’s power. However, this was the first day of his ascension! One could imagine the gossip and rumors if he exterminated the two most loyal Guardian Families! And the issue of “the evil scheme behind the killing of the Little Demon Empress” would deeply insert itself within the souls of the Illusory Demon citizens following the extermination of the Yun and Mu Families.
The Yun and Mu Families could not provide concrete evidence, yet using such methods, they could make everyone question Duke Huai’s intentions in their hearts, causing him to never have a peaceful moment as the Emperor.
When the Little Demon Empress was present, they could patiently endure. However, after the funeral of the Little Demon Empress, the Yun and Mu Families were full of sorrow, and with no way out, they too no longer had anything to stop them!
It was not that they had not anticipated the aftermath, but it was going to be their last moment of glory as Guardian Families! Also as parents… their self-blame and guilt for once again not protecting their child properly.
“Yun Qinghong… you have let this emperor down too much.” Duke Huai’s entire body trembled. However, now that things had reached such a stage, he did not have any other options. “Take down… this bunch of traitorous bastards, kill without discrimination!”
BOOM!!!
Following Mu Yubai’s attack, a ball of extremely tyrannical and profound energy exploded in the middle of the Demon Imperial Hall. It was of the Monarch level, and it was the highest level of strength present. Under this kind of strength, those from outside Demon Imperial City were blown away by the violent commotion. They were blown far away, and their blood boiled, almost fainting.
And this was simply the aftermath of a Monarch exercising his profound energy!!
Explosive streams of air flowed out of the Demon Imperial Hall, and the sound of an oppressive explosion could be heard from the entire Demon Imperial City
Alarmed cries rang out from the Demon Imperial Hall, this level of strength was not something that they could bear, and even more so not something they could withstand.
There were extremely few battles between Monarchs in the Illusory Demon Realm. No one would have thought that such a disaster-level battle would actually take place in the Demon Imperial Hall… moreover, a fight to the death! No one would have suspected that in a Monarch-level deathmatch, even with how solid the Demon Imperial Hall was, that it would be completely wrecked so quickly. Even the massive Demon Imperial City simply could not handle the terrifying power of tens of Monarchs.
There were seven Guardian Families on Duke Huai’s side along with several tens of Duke Palaces and a large numbers of hidden exceptional experts. On the side side, there were only the Yun and Mu Families. The difference in strength was incomparably wide. The experts from the seven Guardian Families and Duke Palaces surrounded them from different positions, their profound energy rushing forward like a tsunami. However, the Yun and Mu families burned with hatred and with a will to die; even if they were weaker, the energy and aura erupting from each person made those who were neutral in the battle to tremble with fear.
An ear-splitting wild roar, like a wild beast roaring in anger, practically pressed down the heaven-shaking explosions. There were only two hundred people from the Yun and Mu Families, each of them fighting for their lives, yet they forcibly caused the surrounding members of the seven Guardian Families to separate.
“You traitorous dogs! Go to hell and seek forgiveness from the Demon Emperor!!”
From inside the ruckus, Mu Feiyan’s entire body transformed into a blue shadow, flying like a blue ray amongst the experts from the seven Guardian Families, and in a split second, a wave of extremely cold and oppressive profound energy suddenly exploded out.
This was the wrath of a level seven Monarch, its terrifying strength was enough to destroy half of Demon Imperial City. In the heaven-shaking noise, Jiufang Kui, Xiao Xifeng, and Lin Guiyan were all caught off guard and blown away by the explosion. The corners of their mouths were stained with blood, and the corpses of several tens of Tyrant and lower leveled disciples were blown to pieces on the spot.
A gigantic gap was torn from the perimeter formed by the seven Guardian Families, and looking out of this gap, it was pointing directly to where Duke Huai was. Yun Qinghong’s gaze turned cold, and his body suddenly flickered with lightning. His entire body was like a lightning bolt soaring towards where Duke Huai was… and as if they were telepathic, Mu Yurou too suddenly bolted out at the same time. The couple headed straight for Duke Huai!
Duke Huai stood there and did not move, his gaze downcast. In front of him, two deathly pale figures suddenly appeared like demons, and following the shuddering of air, two waves of icy profound energy, which were practically identical, blasted towards the Yun Qinghong couple.
Bang!!
An incomparably oppressive explosion sounded out. A ripple so powerful it almost formed a substantial body blasted Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou far away. Yun Qinghong reached out to support Mu Yurou’s body, and looking at the two who blocked them, he revealed a cold smile. “Even the two of you have become the lackeys of Duke Huai!”
The two people wore white, and their faces were pale and looked exactly the same. They were evidently twin brothers. To be able to obstruct the Yun Qinghong couple only meant that they were at least mid-stage Monarchs. How could they be nameless in the Illusory Demon Realm with that kind of power? Within this pair of twin brothers, one was named Bai Guiming, and the other was Bai Guihun. They were the Illusory Demon Realm’s unbeatable experts of the Northern Region. Being like gods in the Northern Region, there was almost no one who did not know of them even in Demon Imperial City.
“Respective masters, why do you call us lackeys?” Bai Guiming said expressionlessly.
“Duke Huai is capable and strong, more suitable to be Emperor than the Little Demon Empress. Furthermore, the Little Demon Empress could not have successors, it was only a matter of time,” Bai Guihun stated.
“If it were that simple, the two of you could be excused! But Duke Huai Palace caused the death of the Little Demon Empress. Even the former Demon Emperor could have fallen to their evil schemes. If you continue to do so, you are simply lackeys without honor or humanity!” Yun Qinghong said with sunken brows.
Bai Guiming said coldly, “Duke Huai may be ambitious, but he would never do such malicious things.”
“Hahahaha!” Yun Qinghong laughed loudly. “There’s nothing more to be said! No matter who blocks this Yun today, I will spill his blood on the spot!!”
SHRRRNG!!
Yun Qinghong pulled out his purple sword, and two deep purple fatal sword silhouettes cut through space, directly attacking Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun. Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun became downcast as they blasted their icy profound energy. Following the impact of the three profound energies, a purple screen of light, tens of meters long was formed, and within the light, lightning profound energy and ice profound energy blasted against each other wildly.
Yun Qinghong shouted loudly. His cyan profound handle flew from his left arm, forming into a purple lightning sword, rushed towards the light screen and endlessly attacked Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun’s ice profound energy.
Yun Qinghong’s profound strength was originally higher than Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun’s, so along with the strength of the profound handle, Yun Qinghong’s strength alone was able to directly suppress his opponents, even forcing them to be flustered momentarily. The movements of Mu Yurou, who originally wanted to act, slowed. Seeing Duke Huai, who was not more than a hundred meters away from her, her gaze suddenly congealed.
“Duke Huai… return my son’s life!!”
Mu Yurou’s figure turned, directly rushing to Duke Huai. Her gaze contained deep-seated hatred, and the ice profound energy contained hatred within which even Yun Qinghong was completely unfamiliar with. The ice shaft in her hand was like the teeth of a poisonous snake, targeting Duke Huai’s throat.
Mu Yurou’s actions caused Yun Qinghong to be alarmed, shouting urgently, “Don’t go there!”