Hearing Luo Qingshan's words, Ye Xingchen froze for a moment. When he saw that smear of red on the bed, the light in his eyes grew brighter and brighter.
As though he had found his purpose in life, he looked in the direction Luo Qingshan had left, the corners of his mouth lifting in a faint smile. Looking at the sky, which had already darkened, Ye Xingchen knew the Demon Race's territory would not be peaceful tonight.
After leaving Phoenix Perch Palace, Luo Qingshan arrived at the Golden Lion Clan's territory with a calm expression.
The Golden Lion Clan had long since lost the glory of High Antiquity. Including Shi Wudi, fewer than a hundred members remained in the entire clan.
Moreover, every one of them was old and frail. The strongest was only their clan leader, Shi Tianba, whose cultivation stood at the half-step Immortal Emperor realm.
If these hundred remaining clansmen had not earned great merit while following the Grand Elder back then, other clans would have slaughtered them all long ago.
They could live peacefully within the Demon Race's territory now entirely because of their connection to the Grand Elder. Yet their home was the worst of all the territories, and anyone clever could see the reason behind this at a glance.
Within the Golden Lion Clan's territory, a dilapidated palace displayed the clan's decline.
On the main seat of the palace sat a middle-aged man with a face full of whiskers. He gazed majestically at the fewer than a hundred clansmen below, an unfathomable light in his eyes, and said:
"My son Wudi has been at the Empress's Phoenix Perch Palace for quite some time. His great undertaking must have succeeded by now. After all, that was the immortal-grade pill we obtained by spending the very last of our Golden Lion Clan's wealth-the Myriad Desires Pill."
"Hmph, our Golden Lion Clan once rendered tremendous service to the Demon Race, yet we ended up exiled here. I swear I will exact repayment for all the suffering we have endured over the years."
"I had Wudi approach Luo Qingshan from childhood so that she would gradually lower her guard against him. Judging by the time, Wudi's plan should already be complete. From now on, Luo Qingshan will be under my control! Hahahahaha!"
The more Shi Tianba spoke, the happier he became, until he could not help bursting into laughter.
The other Golden Lion clansmen below were equally delighted. One white-haired elder, whose cultivation had reached the Earth Immortal realm, spoke darkly:
"The clan leader is right. Our Golden Lion Clan rendered great service to the Demon Race, only to be banished by the Grand Elder to the territory with the worst conditions. The Grand Elder said he had no choice either-it was all arranged by that woman Luo Qingshan. Now, according to the Demon Race's rules, Luo Qingshan can only marry into our Golden Lion Clan. With our connection to the Grand Elder, won't the entire Demon Race be under our control then? Hahaha, hahaha!"
Upon hearing Shi Tianba's words, the white-haired elder immediately spoke up, and by the end, he too could not help bursting into laughter.
The other clansmen were also all smiles, as though the Demon Race would soon be under their Golden Lion Clan's control.
Shi Tianba, seated in the main seat, was smiling as well as he addressed the clansmen below:
"Exactly. Without the Grand Elder secretly looking after us, the Golden Lion Clan would have been exterminated long ago. How many resources has the Grand Elder secretly sent us over all these years? My decision back then was correct. By following the Grand Elder, sooner or later, we will restore the Golden Lion Clan's glory."
"Although members of the Demon Race can take human form upon reaching the Innate realm, we have not undergone lightning tribulation, after all, nor do we have meridians like the Human Race. We rely entirely on our powerful bodies and innate Divine Abilities.
"If not for the resources the Grand Elder secretly sent, how could I have broken through to the half-step Immortal Emperor realm so quickly merely by relying on the demon cores in our bodies to absorb Immortal Spirit Power? Nor could all of you have reached the Earth Immortal realm so quickly. So we must thank the Grand Elder. Besides... it was also the Grand Elder who inadvertently mentioned going to the Human Race's territory to purchase the Myriad Desires Pill."
Shi Tianba spoke smugly as he looked at everyone below. After all, he-Shi Tianba-had been the one to choose to follow the Grand Elder back then. After all these years, if not for Luo Qingshan, the Grand Elder might have given their Golden Lion Clan the best territory long ago. Looking at the clansmen below, Shi Tianba continued:
"With this undertaking accomplished, I have already sent someone to inform the Grand Elder. I believe he will arrive before long. Behave yourselves when he comes, and do not offend him."
Shi Tianba looked at everyone below and spoke gravely.
"Yes, Clan Leader," the other golden lions answered.
Meanwhile, Luo Qingshan, who had concealed herself in the void, could scarcely believe her ears as she listened to Shi Tianba below.
All these years, because of the Golden Lion Clan's contributions, Luo Qingshan had sent people to deliver vast quantities of resources to them every year. She had even arranged for them to live in the territory with the best conditions.
Yet now, she had become the one who made them live in this place. More infuriating still, those resources had all been sent to the Golden Lion Clan by her, Luo Qingshan, but now the credit had gone to the Grand Elder.
What angered Luo Qingshan even more was that the Grand Elder had been the one to mention the Myriad Desires Pill. A light of insight flickered in her eyes, and in an instant, she understood many things.
She had thought that she and the Grand Elder merely differed in their ideals, but that ultimately, both acted for the Demon Race. After all, the Human Race was powerful now, while the Devil Race watched covetously from the shadows. If their Demon Race did not unite, their only fate would be slaughter, enslavement, or becoming delicacies in other races' mouths. Such an outcome was not what Luo Qingshan wanted to see.
Luo Qingshan had never expected this either. The Grand Elder always wore a cheerful smile, and although he disagreed with her on many things, she had believed he absolutely had the Demon Race's interests at heart. She had never imagined he concealed himself so deeply.
Tonight, Luo Qingshan had intended to come to the Golden Lion Clan and wipe them out outright. Now, seeing the pitiful clan below, counting money for the very person who had sold them, and wanting to see what would happen when the Grand Elder arrived, she suppressed her anger and stayed her hand.
At that moment, Luo Qingshan made a decision. Sometimes, enduring the pain of cutting rotten flesh from one's body might allow the wound to heal faster. It seemed it was time to give the Demon Race a complete change of blood.
A short while later, Luo Qingshan detected a sweep of Divine Sense passing through the void where she stood. Its owner's cultivation had reached the half-step Immortal Thearch realm.
Luo Qingshan knew without thinking that the Grand Elder had arrived. Yet he still cautiously used his Divine Sense to probe his surroundings, showing just how carefully and prudently he acted.
Only after finding nothing amiss nearby did he flash into Shi Tianba's palace, adopting a cheerful, smiling expression.
Seeing the Grand Elder arrive, Shi Tianba immediately rose to welcome him. All the Golden Lion clansmen looked at the Grand Elder gratefully and called out in unison:
"Greetings, Grand Elder."
The thin, shriveled old man in black, his face sallow, gave Shi Tianba a kindly smile. With a wave of his hand, the Golden Lion clansmen felt a terrifying force lift them to their feet. He then smiled faintly at them and followed Shi Tianba to the main seat, where he sat down.
But upon seeing Shi Tianba actually sit alongside him, a flash of killing intent passed through the depths of his cloudy eyes. He smiled at Shi Tianba and said:
"Tianba, you invited me here today, and your face is glowing. You must have some happy news. Tell me!"
The Grand Elder smiled at Shi Tianba as he spoke, his hoarse voice carrying a vicious edge. Yet Shi Tianba beside him noticed none of it. Instead, upon hearing the Grand Elder's words, he replied smugly:
"Indeed, Grand Elder. Tianba has accomplished what you spoke of that day. Wudi has succeeded, and Luo Qingshan can only marry my son Wudi now! Hahaha, hahaha!"
The Grand Elder's expression shifted slightly at Shi Tianba's words. His powerful Divine Sense swept the surroundings once more. Only after confirming that no one was there did he slowly rise, the smile gradually fading from his face as he looked at Shi Tianba and said:
"Oh? Yet I heard that the Soul Hall sent word this afternoon that the soul tablet of the Golden Lion Clan's monstrous genius, Shi Wudi, had shattered. He could not be more dead."
The Golden Lion clansmen, who had been smiling just a moment earlier, seemed unable to believe their ears upon hearing the Grand Elder's words. Their eyes widened as they stared at him in disbelief. Shi Tianba, who had been roaring with laughter beside him, now looked as though someone had seized his throat mid-laugh. He stared fixedly at the Grand Elder and said, word by word:
"Impossible. Absolutely impossible. My son Wudi was an unparalleled monstrous genius on the verge of breaking through to the Immortal Emperor realm. His body was powerful, and he had even comprehended the Golden Lion Clan's innate Divine Ability-the Lion's Roar. Who could have killed my son so easily?"
Shi Tianba's face twisted hideously as he roared at the Grand Elder.
The Grand Elder watched Shi Tianba, his gaze gradually turning cold, and said with a smile:
"Aside from me, does anyone else know about the Myriad Desires Pill?"
Looking at the Grand Elder's dark expression and killing intent-filled eyes, Shi Tianba instantly came to his senses and stammered:
"N-no... no... Apart from my clansmen, Tianba has told no one."
Only after hearing this did the Grand Elder smile, his face dark.
"Good, then. Good. This way, your entire lineage can be reunited."
With that, a terrifying presence erupted from the Grand Elder's body, and he lightly struck a palm toward Shi Tianba.
Seeing the killing intent in the Grand Elder's eyes, Shi Tianba seemed to have prepared himself. He mustered all his magical power and blocked the palm strike, but he was still blasted straight into the palace's solid wall. Blood spurted from his mouth, and traces of madness filled his eyes as he looked at the Grand Elder.
The next instant, all the Golden Lion clansmen attacked with their full strength, charging at the Grand Elder. Looking at the clansmen rushing to kill him, the Grand Elder smiled contemptuously, gave a soft snort, and said calmly:
"You overestimate yourselves!"
Without even turning, he casually struck out with a palm. The terrifying strike transformed into a towering hand, seizing nearly a hundred Golden Lion clansmen in its grasp. With a light squeeze, it instantly crushed them into bloody pulp. A casual toss sent them scattering in a rain of blood that stained the entire hall red.
Only after doing all this did the Grand Elder lightly dust off his hands, as though he had done something utterly insignificant.
He glanced at Shi Tianba, who was embedded in the wall, vomiting blood and seemingly on the verge of death, then turned to leave. Suddenly, a faint voice reached him:
"Why? The Golden Lion Clan was utterly loyal to you. Why would you do this?! Why?"
Hearing the voice, the Grand Elder turned back and looked at Shi Tianba, speaking calmly:
"Heh, at this point, I might as well let you die knowing the truth. Those resources were actually sent by Luo Qingshan, not by me. And they were vast quantities of resources. What you received was only a tiny portion."
"It was not Luo Qingshan who arranged for your Golden Lion Clan to live here, either. I arranged it and deliberately told you that. Haha!"
"Seeing that you had followed me for so many years and rendered considerable service, with nearly your entire race wiped out, I originally intended to let you live or die on your own here. I never expected a monstrous genius like Shi Wudi to emerge, on the verge of reaching the Immortal Emperor realm at such a young age. Given a little more time, his cultivation might have surpassed mine."
Looking at Shi Tianba's bloodshot eyes and hideously twisted face, the Grand Elder chuckled and said mockingly:
"So I inadvertently mentioned the Myriad Desires Pill, because I knew your Golden Lion Clan was proud by nature and could never tolerate Luo Qingshan treating you this way. I also knew you could never succeed.
"This would let Shi Wudi die at Luo Qingshan's hands, while I would exterminate your Golden Lion Clan for plotting against the Empress. Not only would Luo Qingshan see my goodwill, but everyone else would also see my loyalty. Anyone would do something that killed so many birds with one stone!"
"But rest assured. Later, I will tell the others that because his son Shi Wudi plotted against the Empress, Shi Tianba felt too ashamed to face Her Majesty and perished together with all his clansmen. That will leave you a little dignity."
Having finished, the Grand Elder stood there, smiling at Shi Tianba.
Recalling everything he had done, Shi Tianba realized he had been treated as a pawn all along, yet had remained smugly pleased with himself. He could not help bursting into laughter as he struggled out of the wall.
How could Shi Tianba, with his half-step Immortal Emperor realm cultivation, be a match for the Grand Elder at the half-step Immortal Thearch realm? Half-kneeling there, he spoke venomously to the Grand Elder:
"Dongfang Huang, don't celebrate yet. Sooner or later, your end will be even more miserable than the Golden Lion Clan's. I'll be waiting for you down below."
So the Grand Elder's name was actually Dongfang Huang. Hearing Shi Tianba's words, he laughed, gave him a contemptuous glance, and said no more.
Instead, he simply stood there quietly, wanting to watch Shi Tianba slowly die. Such was the ruthlessness of his heart.
After speaking, Shi Tianba stared straight behind the Grand Elder and actually began to smile, as though something that pleased him had appeared behind him.
Dongfang Huang swiftly turned his head, only to find nothing there. He immediately sensed trouble. Suddenly feeling a terrifying force strike at him from behind, he turned and moved to block it, only to see Shi Tianba's face filled with determination as he shouted:
"Dongfang Huang, die!"
Shi Tianba had actually shattered the demon nascent soul and demon core within his body, gaining an instant surge of strength. He unleashed a terrifying blow equivalent to the Immortal Emperor realm, attacking Dongfang Huang.
Dongfang Huang sensed something was wrong immediately and turned to defend himself. Although his powerful strength allowed him to block Shi Tianba's dying blow, his hasty defense still forced him back several steps, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Looking at Shi Tianba, whose signs of life had all but vanished, Dongfang Huang viciously struck out with a palm.
A single boom rang out.
Half the palace collapsed. Shi Tianba had already been reduced to dust and smoke, not even an intact corpse remaining. Thus, the Golden Lion Clan was exterminated.
Looking at this scene, the Grand Elder finally vented his anger and said viciously:
"Still trying to deceive me at death's door? Did you really think I was as stupid as you lot? Hahaha, hahaha!"
Just as Dongfang Huang laughed and let out a long breath, an icy voice sounded beside his ear:
"Is that so? I think you're even stupider than they were."