Queen of Ten Thousand Demons Insists on Marrying Me - Chapter 76

Yan Sihong instinctively took a step back, looking in disbelief at Yan Gengshen’s kneeling figure.

“Brother… you?”

Yan Gengshen’s face was hidden in the shadow: “Sister, you know, this might be my only chance. If I hadn’t saved you, wouldn’t you also have lived in darkness inside the Demon Locking Tower, eventually dying in there?”

Yan Sihong simply could not believe her ears.

“What ‘only chance’! I am your own flesh and blood! Besides, it was the Cháoyuán Sword that truly opened the Demon Locking Tower!”

Due to her anger, Yan Sihong’s face was beginning to contort.

“The path to immortality is inherently long. If I cannot break through to the Integration Stage, I will also become a mound of yellow earth in another thousand years. What good is this familial bond then? My talent surpasses yours. If your sacrifice can complete my path to immortality, the generations of the demon race will remember your contribution.”

Yan Gengshen slowly stood up, staring intently at the floor, his darkened silhouette enveloping Yan Sihong.

“I think you’ve truly gone mad. When you die, aren’t you afraid you won’t be able to face Mother?”

After Yan Sihong spoke, a flicker of despair crossed her eyes. She ceased arguing with him, tapped her toe lightly on the ground, and flew toward the exit of the hall.

However, just as she was about to fly out the door, a sharp pain shot through her abdomen. She looked down to see a bloody hand violently thrust through her middle. Fresh blood dripped from the fingers on her stomach, staining her dark purple skirt.

What frightened her even more was that her Golden Core was tightly gripped in that hand. Before she could even blink, the Golden Core instantly pulverized into dust, dissipating into the air.

Yan Sihong’s face was ashen, her eyes filled with disbelief and agony. She turned her head with great difficulty to look at the owner of the hand. Yan Gengshen’s face was expressionless, holding only icy killing intent and fierce determination.

“You…” Yan Sihong strained to open her mouth, but only managed to utter a single word before she could no longer speak. Her body collapsed weakly, and the last light in her eyes gradually faded.

“Clap, clap, clap…”

A sound of applause came from behind.

“Vicious of heart and dark of hand. You have some of my former spirit.” She then threw the object in her hand toward Yan Gengshen.

Yan Gengshen reached out and caught the Hàoyue Bracelet and a bottle containing pills. He clenched them tightly and gritted his teeth, saying, “Thank you, Senior! May I ask, is it true that one day inside this Lan Cang Demonic Realm is equivalent to ten days outside?”

Lan Cang Yao Ji’s eyes were full of appreciation: “That is correct. The time flow within this Lan Cang Demonic Realm is much faster than the outside world. It is an excellent place for cultivation. However, it only lasts until today.”

Outside the Lan Cang Demonic Realm.

As Lu Xiaoxiao and Tantai Jing flew out of the Lan Cang Demonic Realm, they found themselves back at the site of the Sun-Moon Grand Tournament. After scanning the area, the two locked eyes on a direction and flew impatiently toward Wan Xuānr and Fú Zhāo.

Tantai Jing was extremely anxious, not daring to delay for a moment: “That Hàoyue Bracelet is about to be claimed by Yan Gengshen. We’d better leave this place quickly.”

Fú Zhāo stood next to Wan Xuānr and replied languidly, “What’s there to fear? We have so many Integration Stage cultivators here. Are we afraid of one snake demon? Even with the Hàoyue Bracelet, he may not be my match.”

Lu Xiaoxiao’s eyes darkened: “What about Yan Gengshen in the Integration Stage?”

“What? He broke through to the Integration Stage in just nine days? What great fortune did Yan Gengshen acquire?” Wan Xuānr’s expression suddenly became solemn.

Tantai Jing asked, “How many days?”

“Aiya, the time flow inside the Lan Cang Demonic Realm is different from outside. You could say that one day inside equals ten days outside. However, this only lasts for the duration of the opening. It will return to normal after it closes,” Fú Zhāo said somewhat urgently. “Forget that for now! Tell me, how did Yan Gengshen break through to the Integration Stage? The Integration Pill hasn’t been seen for a thousand years.”

As Tantai Jing recounted the events, the expressions of Wan Xuānr and Fú Zhāo grew increasingly serious. Yan Gengshen had caused a lot of trouble even in the Dàchéng (Great Accomplishment) Stage. Now that he had reached the Integration Stage, he would only become more rampant.

Fú Zhāo listened, her eyes now filled with worry: “Xuānr, you should quickly take people back to the palace and activate the Great Palace Protection Array. I… I’ll go back with you. I can watch over you.”

Lu Xiaoxiao, seeing this, teased Fú Zhāo: “Aren’t you cut from the same cloth as that Yan Gengshen?”

The moment the words left her mouth, Fú Zhāo gave her a look of annoyance: “That’s because he couldn’t beat me before. Now that he’s in the Integration Stage, it’ll be a good thing if he doesn’t capture me to be his maid.”

“Enough talk! Let’s hurry up and leave!” Tantai Jing said helplessly.

“Go, go, go! We’re leaving now. Let’s rush to the transmission array. Although we don’t know if he will attack, we still need to prepare early,” Fú Zhāo said while beckoning to Luo Mu.

Wan Xuānr, on the other hand, used her spiritual power to transmit her voice to all the humans present: “I am Wan Xuānr of the Yáoxiá Palace. Yan Gengshen of Black Wind Cliff has obtained the Hàoyue Bracelet. This individual is deeply cunning. I advise all fellow humans to swiftly leave Dōngchāng City.”

This message was a chuán yīn (voice transmission), audible only to the humans present.

For a moment, the humans on the grounds exchanged glances. Subsequently, the majority quickly fled the area, leaving only a small number of people who had joined the Sun-Moon Alliance, still hoping to see some excitement after the Lan Cang Demonic Realm closed completely.

By the time the group reached the transmission array, it was already overcrowded. Many cultivators who had exited earlier were standing there in long queues.

Seeing this situation, Wan Xuānr summoned a língzhōu (spirit boat) from her hand. This spirit boat was tens of yards wide and dozens of yards long, more than enough to accommodate the people from Yáoxiá Palace and the Xuantiān Sword Sect.

After everyone boarded the boat, Wan Xuānr looked down at the long queue for the transmission array. If they were to transport all these thousands of people, it would take several days and nights of non-stop transmission.

Although she didn’t know if Yan Gengshen would harm humans, to be prepared for the worst, Wan Xuānr sent another voice transmission: “Fellow Daoists, the transmission array here is full. If any Daoists are urgent to leave this place, you may board my Yáoxiá Palace’s spirit boat to depart. The destination is the Yáoxiá Palace, but you are free to leave along the way.” After a moment of thought, she added, “Ladies first!”

Those below were instantly excited. Although they similarly did not believe Yan Gengshen could cause much trouble under the Yáoxiá Palace, who wouldn’t take a free spirit boat? They all expressed their thanks and flew up via their swords.

“Thank you, Palace Master Wan, for the offer of passage!”

“Palace Master Wan is magnificent!”

“May Palace Master Wan ascend to immortality soon and be blessed with many children!”

However, with over two thousand cultivators flying onto the boat, another half an hour was delayed.

Wan Xuānr and the others stood on the second level of the spirit boat, watching the first level, which was still bustling with activity. They were discussing cultivation methods, exchanging practice experiences, and a few sharp-eyed individuals had even set up stalls on the deck, not seeming to find Yan Gengshen’s acquisition of the Hàoyue Bracelet terrifying at all.

Wan Qīngyī had also boarded the spirit boat early and came to join the group, saying, “The spirit boat is traveling at full speed and is expected to reach the Yáoxiá Palace within one day.”

“Good.”

Wan Xuānr finally felt a little relieved, seeing that Yan Gengshen had not pursued them. Little did she know that Yan Gengshen was standing suspended above Dōngchāng City at that very moment.

He tightly embraced Yan Sihong’s already cold corpse, his eyes filled with grief and rage. Looking down at the crowd, who seemed like ants on the ground, a trace of disdain flashed in his eyes.

His hoarse voice rolled down like thunder, shaking the entire Dōngchāng City: “Lu Xiaoxiao of the Xuantiān Sword Sect killed my sister—this enmity is irreconcilable! Tantai Jing and Fú Zhāo of Mount Gouwu, as demons, have repeatedly sided with the human race, aiding the wicked, and their crimes are unforgivable! And the Yáoxiá Palace, which has oppressed our demon race for a hundred years, carries a debt of blood! Today, I, Yan Gengshen, swear here that I will make them repay this blood debt!”

“Now, Lan Cang Yao Ji has passed on the Hàoyue Bracelet and the Lan Cang Demonic Realm to me, and helped me reach the Integration Stage. Now I must follow her mission and lead the demon race to revive the glory of a thousand years ago! Is there anyone who will join me, besides that Wan Xuānr, who is full of false morality, and the traitors to our demon race?!”

His words were charged with endless grief, indignation, and resolve, as if he wanted to vent all the humiliation and oppression suffered by the demon race over the past century. The demons in Dōngchāng City were all moved by his speech. They looked up at Yan Gengshen in the sky, their eyes burning with hatred and unwavering determination.

“But didn’t Fú Zhāo host the Sun-Moon Grand Tournament with Yan Gengshen? Wan Xuānr suppressed her for so many years, how could she suddenly switch sides?” a demon mixing in the crowd muttered softly. Although the voice was quiet, it was loud enough for everyone nearby to hear clearly.

Yan Gengshen frowned upon hearing this. His gaze shot toward the speaking demon like lightning. Instantly, his eyes turned red, and the vertical slit in his yellow pupils abruptly contracted, like a venomous snake staring at its prey. One could even see bloodshot lines spreading in his eyes. He said in an icy tone, “What? Do you think I am lying to you?”

Stared at like that, the demon instantly felt a chill run from his soles to his heart, as if countless cold insects were crawling on his skin. The coldness lingered like a maggot in the bone. He involuntarily shivered, his face instantly turning pale, and his lips trembling slightly. He dared not utter another word.

The surrounding demons also felt this oppressive force and lowered their heads, afraid to meet Yan Gengshen’s gaze. Yan Gengshen’s eyes swept over the crowd’s faces. Every demon touched by his gaze felt a heart-stopping fear, as if an invisible force was choking their throats.

“The Sun-Moon Grand Tournament is one thing. Those two were constantly together inside the Lan Cang Demonic Realm. Perhaps suppressing her in the Demon Locking Tower was merely a pretense for their illicit relationship, fooling the world!”

Yan Gengshen said coldly, his voice piercing everyone’s ears like an ice blade.

The demon quickly nodded his head like a pestle pounding garlic, cold sweat beading on his forehead, secretly regretting his loose tongue.

Yan Gengshen let out a cold snort upon seeing this. He turned his back and looked in the direction the humans had left. He then raised the long sword in his hand and slashed a rift in the void. His entire person was then swallowed up. The demons behind him exchanged glances but dared not delay, following him into the rift.

The moment the rift closed, the spirit boat on which Lu Xiaoxiao and the others were rapidly advancing was suddenly shaken back by a powerful wave of spiritual energy. The two thousand-plus people on the boat simultaneously lost their footing, thrown off balance by the mighty energy.

“Lu Xiaoxiao, Tantai Jing! You two killed my sister in the Lan Cang Demonic Realm. Did you ever think I would bring the demon multitude to seek revenge upon you?” Yan Gengshen stood suspended in the void, his dark robes flapping fiercely in the wind.

Feeling Yan Gengshen’s powerful spiritual energy, Lu Xiaoxiao, who had regained her balance, couldn’t help but feel her heart tighten: “You’re speaking nonsense. I never exchanged blows with Yan Sihong in the Lan Cang Demonic Realm.”

“More words are useless. Today, I will certainly take both your lives to honor my sister’s soul in heaven!”

Yan Gengshen suddenly spread his arms. The originally clear sky instantly changed color. The bright daylight seemed to be covered by an invisible giant hand. Dark clouds churned, and the sky rapidly darkened, as if night had arrived early.

The Hàoyue Bracelet on his wrist suddenly burst forth with a blinding silver light, then flew off his hand, suspending itself in mid-air.

The bracelet quickly expanded. Amidst the swirling silver light, it instantly transformed into a giant ring, towering like a mountain, stretching across the sky, blocking the advancing spirit boat.

The spiritual energy between heaven and earth seemed to be drawn to the Hàoyue Bracelet, gathering into streams of visible light that surged toward the ring.

Yan Gengshen stood below the Hàoyue Bracelet, his figure appearing particularly tall in the darkening sky. Behind him, thousands of demon troops were neatly arrayed, a dense, black mass that spread out to the horizon like a tide.

His gaze was stern, the corner of his mouth slightly lifted. He raised his hand and waved. The Hàoyue Bracelet immediately let out an ear-splitting roar, and the heavens and earth trembled.

“Today, let me show you what the power of the Integration Stage is!” Yan Gengshen’s voice echoed through the world like thunder, carrying an unbeatable might.

“Activate the Spirit Boat Defense Array!” Wan Xuānr shouted loudly, summoning her Hányuān sword.

The fierce wind howled, and the dark clouds churned like ink, pressing low on the firmament. The world was gloomy, with only occasional flashes of lightning tearing through the clouds, briefly illuminating the deadly battlefield.

A spirit boat dozens of yards long floated in mid-air, its hull shimmering with a pale golden spiritual light. The Hàoyue Bracelet hung suspended in the mist, silver light flowing, like a bright moon that had fallen to the mortal world.

Suddenly, the Hàoyue Bracelet violently shook. The silver light surged and shot toward the spirit boat. The cultivators on the spirit boat reacted extremely fast, urgently activating their magic. The runic barrier on the boat’s hull instantly lit up, forming a thick curtain of light, attempting to block the fatal blow.

“Boom—”

The light beam collided with the barrier, resulting in a deafening crash. The violent energy fluctuation spread outward, completely tearing apart the surrounding mist. The spirit boat violently shook, and cracks appeared in the runic barrier on its hull, as if it could collapse at any moment.

The great battle was on the verge of eruption.