Chapter 617: Flame of Revenge (Part 1)
As chaos erupted in the Yaohuang Hall, Xiao Yaohou and Yun Che finally arrived. Their timing could be said to be just right, yet it was also extremely perilous. For if they had come even a moment later, once Yun Qinghong's blood-colored thunder exploded, he would have been doomed without a doubt.
On the road back to Yaohuang City, Yun Che had thought of over a dozen impressive ways to make a grand entrance, and he had prepared several dozen lines of sufficiently domineering and impressive dialogue. After all, with Xiao Yaohou as his super powerful backing, even facing Ming Wang, he could thoroughly show off.
The chaos in the Yaohuang Hall made him furrow his brows. The moment he caught sight of Yun Qinghong's and Mu Yurou's conditions, he cast all those thoughts aside. With a cry of alarm, he ignored everything else and rushed down with all his speed.
"Father! Mother!"
"Che... Che'er!"
Watching Yun Che draw closer and closer, Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou both had hazy, dazed gazes, as if in a dream. Yun Che dove down, rushing to Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou's side, and said hurriedly, "Father, Mother, how are you... How bad are your injuries!"
With his abilities, he could tell at a glance that although Mu Yurou was injured, it was nothing serious. But Yun Qinghong's face was pale, his lips purple, and the upper half of his clothes were stained red with blood. Not only was he severely wounded, but his vitality had also been greatly depleted. Without a second thought, Yun Che pressed his left palm against Yun Qinghong's chest and fully activated the Great Dao Pagoda Art, channeling all the absorbed energy of heaven and earth into his body.
"Che'er... you're alive... my Che'er isn't dead... wonderful... wonderful..." Mu Yurou didn't care where they were. Everything else in the world was meaningless to her at this moment. She threw herself forward, tightly embracing her son, tears streaming down her face as her sobs choked her voice.
Yun Che said softly, "Your child hasn't even had a chance to properly care for you two, so how could I let myself die just like that... Father, Mother, during this time, you must have been both worried and sad again..."
Under the infusion of energy from heaven and earth, Yun Qinghong's injuries rapidly eased, and even his five senses became clear. Looking at Yun Che, this iron-willed man also had tear-filled eyes. "It's good that you're back... it's good that you're back... You being alive is the greatest filial piety to us... Even if my life were to scatter right now, I would have no regrets."
"Father, don't talk nonsense!" Yun Che said firmly. "Don't forget, your son is a divine doctor! What are these injuries of yours... what is this loss of essence blood compared to that! Father, Mother, rest assured, I will definitely restore Father... completely restore him!"
"Alright..." Yun Qinghong closed his eyes. This single word carried immense relief. At this moment, he was severely wounded, his essence blood greatly depleted, and although Xiao Yaohou had returned, powerful enemies still surrounded them. With the forces Huai Wang commanded, the crisis was far from resolved. Yet at this moment, he smiled with tears, without a trace of tension, resentment, or anger—only relief and satisfaction... Their family could reunite again. This was already a luxury he had thought he would never have in this lifetime.
Xiao Yaohou's gaze slowly swept across the entire hall, and between her tender lips came a voice as cold as bone-chilling ice: "Who will explain to me what exactly happened here!"
Xiao Yaohou's voice carried an extremely heavy pressure—far heavier than before, many times over. Even without meeting her gaze, just hearing her voice made it hard to breathe and one's entire body stiffen.
Xiao Yaohou, whom everyone had thought dead, had returned on the day of the new emperor's coronation—and had returned with the Golden Crow mark, having awakened the Golden Crow bloodline! This was undoubtedly the most astonishing and awkward scene in the history of the Illusion Demon Realm.
The commander of the Emperor's Guard stepped forward and said with a trembling voice, "Xiao Yaohou, you were unheard from for four months. Jinwu Thunder Flame Valley was forcibly opened, but after the seal closed, you did not emerge... Everyone thought you had perished in Jinwu Thunder Flame Valley. So... so... today, it is... it is... the new emperor's coronation ceremony..."
"Coronation ceremony?" Xiao Yaohou slowly turned her gaze, her icy eyes like cold ghost blades shooting straight at Huai Wang and everyone standing behind him. "Huai Wang. You've put on quite a show of authority. That imperial robe—do you even deserve to wear it!"
The empress's fury carried a suffocating pressure that made everyone gasp. Some who had hastily pledged allegiance to Huai Wang over the past months were in turmoil, terrified, and at a loss. But more factions—especially those who had long been subordinate to Huai Wang's manor—exchanged glances, and gradually, even their initial panic subsided. Because so what if Xiao Yaohou had returned alive? Huai Wang's faction had always been far stronger than Xiao Yaohou's. And in these few months, it had expanded dramatically again... Now, aside from the ten-thousand-year prestige and residual authority of the Demon Emperor Clan, what did Xiao Yaohou have to compare with Huai Wang!
Xiao Yaohou's appearance was merely an added complication for this coronation! Today, even if it were the former Demon Emperor rising from the dead... they would not allow Huai Wang's coronation to be stopped!
Through rapid exchanges of glances, the hearts of those in Huai Wang's faction quickly steadied. Since things had come to this, there was no room for retreat—and no need! Zhong Wang stepped forward, meeting Xiao Yaohou's gaze, and said, "Xiao Yaohou! Four months ago, you suddenly interrupted the grand ceremony, abandoned the heroes of the world who had come to attend, and vanished without a trace. For four whole months, there was no news of you. We all thought you had met with disaster in Jinwu Thunder Flame Valley."
"Over these months, if not for Huai Wang—no! If not for the new emperor holding things together, the Illusion Demon Realm would surely have fallen into chaos! The new emperor's coronation is by the will of the world, the hope of all... What right do you have to accuse the new emperor!"
Facing Xiao Yaohou, Zhong Wang spoke vehemently, without any courtesy or restraint, loudly accusing her. It was clear that he no longer regarded her as the emperor of the Illusion Demon Realm.
"Zhong Junwang, you have some nerve!" Mu Yubai roared angrily. "How dare you show such disrespect and speak insolently to Xiao Yaohou! It seems you are openly plotting rebellion!"
"And what is wrong with what Zhong Junwang said!?" Helian Kuang bellowed, suppressing Mu Yubai's voice. "Xiao Yaohou, it is naturally a pleasant surprise that you are still alive. But you disappeared without a sound for four months, and the Illusion Demon Realm believed you were dead. Then 'Xiao Yaohou' naturally became history! Now, the new emperor has already donned the imperial robe. The deed is done. By reason and by circumstance, the true emperor of the Illusion Demon Realm today is Emperor Huai Wang! Not Xiao Yaohou!"
"Heh!" Mu Feiyan laughed coldly. "As the guardian clan head of the Demon Emperor Clan, you dare to utter such treasonous words! Your Helian family has disgraced a hundred generations of ancestors!"
"Hmph!" Helian Kuang remained unperturbed. "What our Helian Clan truly guards is a wise ruler for the Illusion Demon Realm! We guard the stability of the Illusion Demon Realm! Setting aside the fact that Xiao Yaohou is a woman, in terms of ability, the new emperor far surpasses her! In terms of the hearts of the people, the new emperor is even more favored! The new emperor is inherently more fit to be the emperor of the Illusion Demon Realm than Xiao Yaohou! What Xiao Yaohou had for the past hundred years to become emperor was merely the bloodline of the Demon Emperor Clan! Now, she abandoned the Illusion Demon Realm in a time of upheaval, suddenly disappeared for four months, causing great chaos across the world... Having returned now, what authority, what face does she have to continue leading the Illusion Demon Realm!"
Under the infusion of Yun Che's energy, Yun Qinghong's injuries finally stabilized, and his complexion improved considerably. Yun Che breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. Turning his head, he stared at Huai Wang and said with a faint, cold smile, "Those who bear the mission of guardianship, who once loudly proclaimed unwavering loyalty and devotion to the Demon Emperor Clan, are now arrogantly rebuking Xiao Yaohou... What a show of authority! What a shameless face! I would like to ask this Helian Clan Head: Who unified the once-turbulent Illusion Demon Realm? Who brought ten thousand years of peace to the Illusion Demon Realm, allowing humans and demons to coexist peacefully? Who led you guardian clans to rule the world and stand at the pinnacle of the Illusion Demon Realm for ten thousand years? And who allowed certain ungrateful, shameless princes to be born into luxury and splendor? Was it the Demon Emperor Clan... or this 'new emperor' you cannot wait to grovel before!?"
"You..." As soon as Yun Che spoke, Helian Kuang's heart lurched. The shadow of four months ago awakened and swelled in his mind, leaving him momentarily unable to retort.
"And yet you openly claim that this Huai Wang is more fit to be the emperor of the Illusion Demon Realm than Xiao Yaohou? Hahahaha! What an absurd joke! Without the Demon Emperor Clan, this Huai Wang wouldn't be worth a fart! What qualifications does he have to be mentioned in the same breath as Xiao Yaohou!" Yun Che's gaze sharpened as he said in a low voice, "You all loudly accuse Xiao Yaohou of disappearing without reason for four months... Then why don't you ask this so-called new emperor why Xiao Yaohou disappeared for four months? He knows very well... perfectly clearly!"
"Young Master Yun, what exactly is going on?" Qin Zheng, the ruler of the Heavenly Demon Domain, asked urgently. "Four months ago, what truly happened? Could it really be that Huai Wang..."
Yun Che shifted his gaze and addressed the entire hall. "Everyone here has stayed in Yaohuang City for several months. Surely you must have heard something of Huai Wang's long-avowed ambitions. However, not only did Huai Wang's manor harbor rebellious intentions long ago, but they are far more vicious and despicable than you could imagine! Four months ago, it was this Huai Wang—along with his long-vanished father, Ming Wang—who took advantage of Xiao Yaohou forcibly opening Jinwu Thunder Flame Valley with the Demon Emperor Seal to make a vicious move against her inside the valley! At that time, I happened to discover the opening of Jinwu Thunder Flame Valley and also entered! There, I encountered them attempting to assassinate Xiao Yaohou! Xiao Yaohou and I were forced into a desperate corner and driven to fall into the Death Sea!"
"Wha... what!!" The hall erupted in exclamations. Su Xiangnan said, "Once someone enters the Death Sea, they are surely doomed. How did you..."
"Of course, it was because of the Golden Crow Deity's protection!" Yun Che said coldly. "The Demon Emperor Clan is the only inheritor of the Golden Crow Deity. How could it be willing to let the last bloodline of inheritance be cut off? So it saved us from the Death Sea... Otherwise, both Xiao Yaohou and I would have been buried there! Such regicide, such treason, is an unforgivable crime against heaven and earth... And today, this man is being crowned as the new emperor... This is the greatest disgrace in the ten-thousand-year history of the Illusion Demon Realm!"
Yun Che's words caused an uproar in the hall. Huai Wang sneered coldly, his voice dark: "Yun Che, have you said enough? I originally had some respect for your Yun Clan, but... today, you have greatly disappointed me! Yun Qinghong slandered me, and I tolerated it again and again. The moment you appeared, I knew you would say the same things as Yun Qinghong... and indeed, that is exactly what happened! Your Yun Clan has truly gone to great lengths and spared no effort to frame me!"
Yun Che looked at him coldly, his gaze mocking, as if watching a clown performing.
"But unfortunately, your slander has a laughable flaw." Huai Wang sneered. "Once someone enters Jinwu Thunder Flame Valley, there is absolutely no way out unless the seal is reformed. This is known to all under heaven. But four months ago, after the Yun Clan, Mu Clan, and Su Clan entered Jinwu Thunder Flame Valley, and before the seal reformed, I was in Yaohuang City the entire time, never leaving! Countless people present, including many from your Yun Clan, saw it with their own eyes! You say I made a vicious move against Xiao Yaohou? Do I know how to create doppelgangers! After the grand ceremony was interrupted that day, I never saw Xiao Yaohou again. This slander full of holes is merely a joke that brings shame upon your Yun Clan!"
Huai Wang's face darkened further. "Your Yun Clan has gone to great lengths to frame me. Though it is utterly shameless and despicable, it could still be seen as a form of loyalty to the Demon Emperor bloodline, so I could still tolerate it again and again! But... Yun Che, you little brat, slandering me is one thing, but how dare you slander my father's reputation!"
"My father spent his life indifferent to fame and fortune, aloof from worldly struggles. Over a hundred years ago, he bid farewell to the former Demon Emperor, wandered the Illusion Demon Realm, and lived a carefree life as a recluse—this is known to all under heaven! Over these hundred-plus years, not even I have seen my father again. And you, a child of the Yun Clan..." Huai Wang trembled with anger, "dare to slander my royal father, which has crossed my bottom line... Your Yun Clan must give me an accounting today! Otherwise, don't blame me for showing no further leniency!"
"You want an accounting?" Yun Che was about to speak when Xiao Yaohou's voice, cold to the extreme, came from above. "Then I will personally give you an accounting!"
Xiao Yaohou's gray robes fluttered slightly as she suddenly struck, the mark between her brows flashing with an instant of crimson-gold radiance.
"Your Highness, be careful!"
Huai Wang's guards quickly moved to shield him. But in the next instant, before anyone could see any other movement from Xiao Yaohou, a flash of fire appeared on Huai Wang, accompanied by a sharp "crack" of breaking sound...
Huai Wang's personal dimensional space shattered and collapsed directly. A jade seal emitting a crimson-red glow flew out from the broken dimensional space before the eyes of all present. Caught by an irresistible force, it traced a crimson shadow and flew into Xiao Yaohou's hand.
"That is... the Demon Emperor Seal!"
"It's the Demon Emperor Seal!"
"The Demon Emperor Seal... this..."
Its shape, light, and aura—it was unmistakably the one and only Demon Emperor Seal in the world! The ability to shatter a mid-stage Emperor Lord's dimensional space with a single blow was power that could shock the entire world. But no one had the presence of mind to focus on that, because they had all clearly seen it fly out from Huai Wang's shattered dimensional space...
The hall erupted into chaos. Even those belonging to Huai Wang's faction changed color drastically, their expressions panicked. Huai Wang's face was frozen solid.
"Huai Wang!" Mu Feiyan roared. "Since you said you never saw Xiao Yaohou again after the ceremony... then why is the Demon Emperor Seal on your person!"