At that moment, everyone in the Demon Race looked at Ye Xingchen with profound reverence.
For an ancient saying circulated on the Divine Desolation Continent.
A ninth-grade alchemist could reign over all under heaven.
Feeling the reverent gazes of everyone around him, Ye Xingchen's heart surged with heroic spirit, and he said:
"Brothers, today's a happy day. Come, let's have another drink!"
At that moment, Ye Xingchen's prestige reached its peak, even surpassing that of the Demon Empress. After all, bonds between men were often that simple; perhaps a single cup of wine was all it took for men to become true confidants.
The next instant, an astonishing surge of presence erupted across Ten Thousand Demons Square. Everyone's presence actually gathered together and shot straight into the clouds.
Watching the astonishing scene before her, Luo Qingshan gazed at Ye Xingchen with beautiful eyes full of deep affection. The Demon Race's unity now was all thanks to the man before her, a husband she loved deeply yet who remained utterly mysterious.
Luo Qingshan did not dwell on it. She could sense her husband's feelings, and that alone was enough.
The entire affair continued until noon. The supreme-grade divine wine was extremely strong, and everyone in the Demon Race drank themselves into a stupor.
Some with lower cultivation even had divine light flash across their bodies in their drunken haze, actually breaking through because of the supreme-grade divine wine.
When Ye Xingchen returned to Phoenix Perch Palace, Luo Qingshan even had to support him on the way back.
Perhaps it was happiness, or perhaps the heroic spirit in his heart, but Ye Xingchen actually got drunk. With the supreme-grade divine wine's extremely high alcohol content, even Ye Xingchen, who could hold his liquor quite well, collapsed drunkenly into Luo Qingshan's arms!
Looking at Ye Xingchen lying on the bed, fast asleep and snoring, Luo Qingshan's eyes were full of tenderness. After glancing at him, she turned and vanished.
She still had many matters to handle. Many happy things had happened to the Demon Race today. Elder Lu, the Demon Race's sage, had gained another hundred thousand years of life thanks to a pill from her husband.
What shocked and delighted Luo Qingshan even more was that her husband was actually a ninth-grade alchemist.
A ninth-grade alchemist! Even across the entire Divine Desolation Continent, such a person had never been heard of. The master of Supreme Purity Palace, a top-tier Human Race force, was only eighth-grade.
Perhaps it was truly as the two Great Emperor ancestors and Elder Lu had said: the Demon Race's future rested entirely on her husband alone. She recalled the Divine Desolation Continent's ancient saying.
A ninth-grade alchemist could reign over all under heaven.
Luo Qingshan turned to glance at Ye Xingchen, who lay on the bed snoring soundly, and silently made up her mind.
No matter what the future holds, Shan'er will stay by your side-not because you're a ninth-grade alchemist, nor because you're the Demon Race's future, but simply because you're Shan'er's husband! That, and nothing more!
At this thought, determination appeared on Luo Qingyun's breathtakingly beautiful face, and she turned and vanished.
Meanwhile, the scene shifted.
The Human Race.
Within an immense, magnificent palace, strands of golden-red laws shone. Countless flames cascaded like waterfalls from above the great hall, descending toward a majestic figure seated cross-legged below.
The flames radiated scorching heat, as though they could burn all things to ash and sear through the void. Yet upon landing on that majestic figure, they instantly became like obedient children, happily swirling around him.
The figure formed seals with both hands, and the terrifying flames instantly disappeared into his body. The strands of golden-red laws within the hall transformed into a golden-red ribbon of light and burrowed into him.
The entire hall instantly cooled.
An incomparably commanding, majestic voice rang out:
"Has Prince Wushuang sent word back?"
As soon as the majestic voice fell, a blurred figure appeared in the hall and addressed the imposing figure:
"Reporting to the Yan Emperor, His Highness has already sent word. The Demon Empress has agreed to come to the imperial dynasty in a month's time to attend the auction. His Highness also said that the empress has a business proposition on which she wishes to cooperate with the imperial dynasty!"
Only after hearing the blurred figure's words did the majestic figure raise his head, revealing sword-like brows, star-bright eyes, and an imposing bearing.
Boundless majesty showed between his brows. His eyes were as deep as an abyss, commanding awe without anger, as though all under heaven lay within his grasp.
This man was none other than the Yan Emperor of the Great Yan Imperial Dynasty-Yan Wudi.
"Oh! Luo Qingshan actually wants to do business with me? I rather look forward to it."
"The Great Dao personally offered congratulations on the Demon Empress's wedding. Has the prince investigated the matter thoroughly?!"
Hearing Yan Wudi's majestic voice, the blurred figure immediately replied:
"Reporting to the Yan Emperor, His Highness has sent no word on this matter. However, our hidden agent in Supreme Purity Palace reported that Han Chuanluo, an elder of Supreme Purity Palace, apparently visited the Demon Race, only to return in a sorry state. Presumably, he should know something!"
"Hmph! Those hypocrites at Supreme Purity Palace exploit the Demon Race's lack of alchemists to drive down the prices of their medicinal ingredients as far as they can. It seems that Han Chuanluo suffered at the Demon Race's hands!"
"I suspect Luo Qingshan is very likely coming to seek cooperation with the imperial dynasty over the Demon Race's medicinal ingredients. Judging by this, the Demon Race must have had some unpleasant dealings with Supreme Purity Palace over those ingredients."
Upon hearing the Yan Emperor's words, the blurred figure below wavered slightly before speaking:
"Reporting to the Yan Emperor, Supreme Purity Palace has always been like this. Relying on its control over more than half the Divine Desolation Continent's alchemists and its own standing as a top-tier force, all its disciples are utterly arrogant, behaving as though no one else matters!"
"Your subordinate has another matter to report to the Yan Emperor. The Demon Race has established a Ten Thousand Pills Pavilion at the border with the Human Race, selling three kinds of first-grade pills to the public, all of which have never appeared on the Divine Desolation Continent before."
"Moreover, their effects are far stronger than those of comparable pills from Supreme Purity Palace, and their prices are very low. Demand now exceeds supply. Presumably, the Demon Race must now have an alchemist of its own!"
"I hear Supreme Purity Palace is extremely annoyed over this. Although they are only ordinary first-grade pills, they have seized a considerable share of Supreme Purity Palace's market!"
Hearing the blurred figure's words, Yan Wudi seemed to sink into contemplation and murmured to himself:
"Ten Thousand Pills Pavilion?! Interesting."
Glancing at the figure below, Yan Wudi spoke again in his majestic voice:
"Convey my verbal decree. First, secretly investigate the Demon Empress's husband. Second, during the auction, no sect disciples are to offend anyone from the Demon Race. Any violators will be severely punished without leniency!"
Hearing the Yan Emperor's voice, the blurred figure bowed to Yan Wushuang. Space rippled, and the figure vanished.
At that moment, Yan Wudi raised his head and glanced beyond the palace in the direction of the Demon Race's territory. His figure slowly disappeared, yet the surrounding space showed not the slightest ripple, revealing the strength of his cultivation.
But Yan Wudi's murmurs lingered in the air:
"I have a premonition that the Demon Race is about to rise. As the great era approaches, perhaps an alliance with the Demon Race would also be a good choice."
"At the very least, compared with the Human Race's hypocrisy and treachery, the Demon Race is far more honest and kind!"
As soon as Yan Wudi's words fell, the entire palace instantly grew scorching hot. Countless golden-red laws appeared, and the flames they released this time were even more terrifying.
Had a powerful expert been present, they would certainly have discovered to their astonishment that the entire palace had now entered a domain.
The ruler of the Great Yan Imperial Dynasty, Yan Wudi, was actually an Immortal Emperor expert who had comprehended the Domain Realm.