The Demon Emperor Appears

"I sensed the fluctuations of the Sea-Covering Seal on you. It seems Garuda fell at your hands as well." The newcomer swept his gaze over Mu Chen, then rested it on Mandala.

The newcomer was Lu Heng, the Holy Demon Emperor of the Holy Demon Palace.

"We haven't seen each other in so many years. Must we meet with swords drawn and bows bent?"

Mandala's small face was icy as she said coolly, "You were once the Heavenly Emperor's mount, yet you shrank back in fear during that war. You utterly disgraced him."

At Mandala's words, the many supreme experts present looked at Lu Heng in astonishment. Clearly, they had never imagined he possessed such an identity.

Moreover, when the Outer Realm Evil Clan attacked the Ancient Heavenly Palace, Lu Heng had actually abandoned his master and fled in fear? That was truly disgraceful.

"Oh dear, this fellow has barely shown up, and he's already stepped on a land mine," Xiao Xiao said with a soft laugh after hearing Mandala's words.

Futu Yijing withdrew his spiritual pressure, allowing those in the Supreme Realm to move again.

Hearing this, Mu Chen, Nine Nether, and the others shifted their gazes from the sky to Xiao Xiao, their eyes brimming with curiosity.

They could tell from Xiao Xiao's words that Lu Heng's flight from the Outer Realm Evil Clan had struck a nerve with Futu Yijing.

Futu Yijing was the strongest person they had encountered thus far, so naturally, they were deeply curious about him. Moreover, Xiao Xiao's tone made it clear that she knew him.

Considering Xiao Xiao's identity, it was only natural that she knew Futu Yijing.

Even Lin Jing's Father knew him, so Xiao Xiao certainly would as well.

"For the past two hundred years, that fellow has been hunting the Outer Realm Evil Clan all by himself. He was even chased across an entire continent by a Demon Emperor. Think about it-could someone like that tolerate a traitor?" Xiao Xiao said with a smile.

She did not lower her voice, so everyone within the Heavenly Emperor Mausoleum could hear her.

Every single person present, whether in the Supreme Realm or an Earthly Sovereign, looked at Futu Yijing with profound admiration.

In this relatively peaceful era, the man before them had actively hunted the Outer Realm Evil Clan. Such deeds made it difficult not to admire him.

In the air above the Heavenly Emperor Mausoleum.

The moment Mandala spoke, her vicious words stabbed straight into the deepest recesses of Lu Heng's heart, causing his gentle expression to stiffen.

The expression on his face gradually faded. He gave a low chuckle and said, "Mandala, it seems you truly are courting death. You escaped with your life through sheer luck back then, but I'm afraid you won't be so fortunate this time."

Boom!

The instant his low chuckle faded, terrifying spiritual energy swept out of Lu Heng's body like towering waves ten thousand feet high. The surrounding space shattered, turning into countless spatial fragments that whistled around him.

As this formidable spiritual energy erupted, the expressions of many supreme experts present shifted slightly. Spiritual energy of that magnitude belonged to a genuine Upper Earth Sovereign.

"How dare you!" Futu Yijing roared, unleashing the spiritual pressure he had withdrawn at full strength.

Everyone present below the Upper Earth Sovereign level was pressed flat against the ground by that immense pressure, while even the Upper Earth Sovereigns struggled desperately to resist.

The refined, easygoing smile on Lu Heng's face froze as well, and his expression changed drastically. Boundless pressure bore down upon him, making him feel like a tiny ant crushed beneath a towering mountain.

"You think you can attack someone from the Great Thousand World right in front of me?!" Futu Yijing's eyes were cold and fierce, his gaze falling upon Lu Heng like a sharp blade.

Everyone was taken aback by his words. They did not understand what Futu Yijing meant.

Though Lu Heng had deserted during the war against the Outer Realm Evil Clan, he was still, ultimately, someone on the Great Thousand World's side.

Lu Heng's gaze flickered at those words, his expression shifting uncertainly.

He drew a deep breath, then abruptly stepped forward.

Boom!

Vast, surging spiritual energy swept out like a storm as Lu Heng punched straight ahead.

Terrifying spiritual energy gathered around that punch, transforming into a star. Crushing space beneath it, the star hurtled toward Futu Yijing as swiftly as thunder.

Yet Futu Yijing merely waved his hand in response. The enormous star shot off to the side and slammed into a mountain floating in the distant sky, instantly reducing its entire summit to dust.

"You carry the aura of the Outer Realm Evil Clan. You've gone over to their side." Futu Yijing's icy voice rang out, filled with certainty.

The others also raised their heads against Futu Yijing's pressure to look at Lu Heng.

"Hahahaha!"

Under those countless horrified gazes, Lu Heng could not help bursting into laughter. His formerly refined face took on a savage edge that filled those who saw him with dread.

"My master's power far exceeds your imagination. Even the Heavenly Emperor fell one move short back then. Otherwise, he would not have had to sacrifice everything just to seal my master away."

"But if this sealing continues, my master may truly be annihilated. That is why the Ancient Heavenly Palace has opened this time."

Lu Heng's voice echoed through the Heavenly Emperor Mausoleum.

"Do you think you alone can survive before me?" Futu Yijing asked coolly.

Futu Yijing raised the Long Spear, preparing to annihilate Lu Heng outright. Just then, however, he abruptly turned his head and looked into the distance.

At the same time, the other supreme experts present sensed something as well, their gazes instantly turning in the same direction.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, an enormous mountain floated in the distant sky. Its summit had been blasted to dust by the earlier attack, leaving the mountain's interior clearly exposed.

Within that mountain was a spacious plaza. A figure stood upon it, and though he stood there silently, an indescribably vast and majestic presence spread out from him.

Even the spiritual pressure of Futu Yijing, a Great Perfection Earthly Sovereign who had touched the Heavenly Sovereign level, seemed rather insignificant before that presence.

Standing behind Futu Yijing, Mandala stared fixedly at the figure. Disbelief surfaced on her face, and at last, she murmured involuntarily.

"That's the Heavenly Emperor?!"

"That isn't the Heavenly Emperor. It's the Demon Emperor!" Futu Yijing was intimately familiar with the aura of the Outer Realm Evil Clan. He sensed not a trace of the Heavenly Emperor's holiness or righteousness from that figure-only evil taken to its utmost extreme.