After being shrouded in dark clouds and rain for ten days, the sky over the Demon Capital finally cleared.
In the early morning, the streets that had been quiet all night gradually returned to their bustling state.
A woman dressed in a yellow long dress silently appeared on the street, the tassels of her hairpin swaying gently. She looked around, her almond eyes curiously surveying her surroundings. After a while, she stopped at a small stall selling sugar figurines.
“Can I buy one?” The woman’s voice was crisp, sounding particularly charming.
The stall owner, seeing it was an elegant and beautiful young lady, and having made a fortune lately, immediately waved his sleeve and made a large sugar figurine as a gift for the beautiful customer.
Xu Xinglian insisted on placing down some spirit stones before turning to leave.
After taking a few steps, she couldn’t resist taking a bite of the sugar figurine. Tasting it, she couldn’t help but narrow her eyes in a smile, “It seems even sweeter than what brother gives me.”
Like Xu Xingchen, Shen Liuxiang always brought her many delicious treats when returning to the Imperial Palace, but buying something with her own hands felt different.
Xu Xinglian was trying to find her way to her two brothers, looking around, when she accidentally bumped into someone. She quickly apologized. The person smiled at her, their plain clothes rippling in the wind.
In an instant, the half-eaten sugar figurine fell to the ground.
Meanwhile, at the Imperial Palace, everyone was frantic.
Upon waking up, the maid who served Xu Xinglian discovered she was missing and hurriedly called others to search. After searching every corner of the palace without finding her, they had no choice but to fearfully report to Di Yunyu, who was still in the secret room.
Inside the secret room, a phoenix feather floated in midair, countless golden rays radiating from Di Yunyu’s body, forming golden threads that all converged on the phoenix feather.
Hearing the commotion outside, Di Yunyu opened his eyes and with a wave of his hand, put away the phoenix feather.
Opening the door, he saw a row of people kneeling outside. The leader trembled as he spoke: “The—the Imperial Princess is missing.”
Di Yunyu’s brows furrowed slightly, and after a moment, he said: “You may rise.”
Having spoken, he walked past them and left. Someone hurriedly asked: “Where is Emperor Di going? Should subordinates send people to accompany you, so more can search for the Imperial Princess?”
“Not necessary.”
Di Yunyu continued without looking back, only stopping when passing by a pond. He picked up an exquisite porcelain bowl from the shore.
His slender fingers pinched a dried fish, which he tossed into the pond.
The water rippled slightly, and a golden turtle leaped into the air, precisely catching the dried fish before falling back into the water. While chewing and wagging its short tail, it surfaced but didn’t approach the shore, instead looking up and saying: “Is Emperor Di leaving?”
Di Yunyu nodded: “It’s time to go.”
He wasn’t good at farewells and didn’t show much emotion. He had just come to inform this friend who had been by his side the longest.
After informing him, he put down the porcelain bowl and left.
The golden turtle watched him leave. When he was out of sight, it slowly submerged its head in the water.
It had been four hundred years in the blink of an eye since meeting that youth on Shenqi Mountain. When would another like him appear in the world?
***
Back in the Demon Capital, Shen Liuxiang and Xu Xingchen were arguing.
Xu Xingchen held a binding rope, boasting, “The Xu family is the continent’s number one in weapon forging. I have plenty of magical treasures. Even if I have to tie you up with this divine rope! Drag you! I’ll drag you into the teleportation array!”
Shen Liuxiang was being chased around the courtyard: “I said I’m not going back. Don’t waste time! Hurry and return!”
He ran until he was out of breath, then finally stopped, taking out a roll of spider silk from his storage pouch, saying: “Fine, I’ll tie you up instead and throw you directly into the teleportation array.”
Xu Xingchen: “You wouldn’t dare!”
Shen Liuxiang: “Watch me!”
The Imperial Palace entourage, led by Zhang Huaiwu, looked at each other in confusion, unable to understand what was going on with the two young lords, arguing for half an hour about returning to the Imperial Palace.
After a while, unable to watch anymore, Zhang Huaiwu stepped forward: “Perhaps the two young lords could…”
Before he could finish, his expression changed, his gaze falling on a tall figure that had suddenly appeared.
“Emperor Di—!”
Shen Liuxiang and Xu Xingchen both trembled, quickly hiding the binding rope and spider silk. “Fa-Father Emperor.”
Di Yunyu’s light-colored eyes moved between them: “What are you doing?”
Xu Xingchen stammered: “My elder brother and I were comparing which is more formidable, the binding rope or the spider silk!”
Di Yunyu raised a handsome eyebrow: “Is that so?”
Xu Xingchen fell silent, glancing at Shen Liuxiang, who immediately asked: “Why has Father Emperor come to the Demon Capital? Wasn’t this matter left to us?”
Hearing this, Xu Xingchen’s face paled, looking worried. Di Yunyu looked around: “Where’s Xinglian, is she here?”
Xu Xingchen was stunned: “Isn’t she in the Imperial Palace?”
Shen Liuxiang’s expression changed slightly as he looked at Di Yunyu: “Xinglian, she…”
“She’s fine,” Di Yunyu said, his hands behind his back. “I let her out to play, but she seems to be enjoying herself too much and hasn’t returned yet.”
Hearing this, Xu Xingchen’s face showed a hint of joy. “Father Emperor finally agreed to let her leave the palace. Xinglian must be very happy. No wonder she doesn’t respond to my jade slip.”
Di Yunyu nodded slightly, using his divine sense to scan throughout the Demon Capital and beyond, but didn’t find any trace of Xu Xinglian. He wasn’t sure if she wasn’t in the Demon Capital, or if someone was using magic to conceal her.
After a moment, he suddenly said: “Something is wrong here.”
Shen Liuxiang’s heart skipped a beat as he saw Di Yunyu raise his hand. The surrounding spiritual energy paused, and the entire courtyard fell silent, even the tree branches swaying in the wind stopped moving.
Di Yunyu used his spiritual power to probe in all directions. At this moment, his hand was suddenly gripped, forcibly interrupting his spell.
Xu Xingchen’s face was bloodless. Having boldly interrupted Di Yunyu, he was not only afraid internally, but his body also trembled slightly from fear of being reprimanded. Yet his hands seemed filled with strength, firmly pressing down on the spell-casting hand.
Di Yunyu’s light eyes stared at him, having never seen him like this before. After a pause, he asked softly: “What’s wrong?”
Xu Xingchen shook his head vigorously: “Don’t probe, don’t use magic to locate the fierce beast.”
Di Yunyu was silent for a moment, then turned to look at Shen Liuxiang: “What happened? You tell me.”
Before Shen Liuxiang could speak, Xu Xingchen had already let out a wail, as if he had completely broken down. Pulling at Di Yunyu’s sleeve, he blurted everything out rapidly, finally choking out: “Is Father Emperor really leaving?”
“…Yes,” Di Yunyu replied frankly. “I had planned to tell you tonight.”
The last bubble of hope in Xu Xingchen’s heart burst, but he actually became calmer. Meanwhile, nearby, Zhang Huaiwu and others were petrified, as if their souls had left their bodies.
Shen Liuxiang coughed lightly, cleared his throat, and then said: “If that’s the case, Father Emperor should return to the Imperial Palace to focus on facing the tribulation. We can handle things here.”
Di Yunyu looked at the two of them, his expression unreadable: “So you’re actually worried I can’t handle the tribulation.”
Xu Xingchen’s face turned red: “But, but it’s better to be cautious! Don’t waste energy on other matters!”
“You’re crying over this,” Di Yunyu rubbed his brow, then reached out and patted Xu Xingchen’s head. “And hiding things from me—your courage has grown.”
Xu Xingchen mumbled and fell silent. Shen Liuxiang asked: “What does Father Emperor plan to do next?”
Di Yunyu’s index finger pointed slightly downward: “I need to see what’s happening with the thing below. The barrier has loosened—will it continue to stay quietly inside?”
Having said that, he glanced at the sky. “Everyone withdraw. If Qiongqi emerges, I won’t have time to worry about you.”
Xu Xingchen asked in surprise: “Withdraw where?”
Di Yunyu thought briefly, then formed a hand seal: “I’ll send you out. Not a single living thing can remain within a hundred miles of the Demon Capital.”
Xu Xingchen’s eyes widened. He immediately tried to grab Di Yunyu, but before he could act, he was enveloped by a strand of golden light and sent away. The words “I’ll stay with Father Emperor” remained trapped in his mouth.
Simultaneously, throughout the streets and alleys, inside and outside buildings of the Demon Capital, all people were frozen in place. In an instant, they all disappeared from where they stood.
A half-made sugar figurine fell to the ground with a “plop.”
In the blink of an eye, the bustling Demon Capital became an empty city, falling into a long, deathly silence.
A hundred miles away from the Demon Capital, mountains, forests, and valleys were now filled with masses of people.
Some still held bowls of hot noodles, their mouths pressed against the rim about to sip the soup, only to look up and find the world completely changed around them. Others had been sound asleep, unexpectedly dropped onto cold stone ground, shivering from the cold, then opening their eyes in astonishment…
“What’s going on? How am I here? You too?!”
“Look quickly, a barrier! There’s a barrier!”
“Try to see if we can break it!”
Dozens of nearby people gathered together, drew out their magical treasures, and launched attacks at the barrier.
But under the sunlight, the barrier, shimmering with fine light, didn’t move at all. All attacks were like stones sinking into the sea, and the previous attackers, their faces changing dramatically, all retreated a hundred paces.
“This—this barrier’s pressure is like that of a god! Even the Great Demon King couldn’t match it!”
“What?! Who could have done this?!”
“Someone more powerful than the Great Demon King, could it be…” someone’s voice trembled, their face showing either fear or excitement, “could it be the one from the Imperial Palace—”
As soon as the words fell, everyone unanimously fell silent.
A hundred miles beyond the Demon Capital’s secret realms, mountains towered into the clouds. Standing at their peaks, one could overlook the entire Demon Capital and beyond.
Some people realized this and rushed towards the high peaks, vying to be first.
The empty Demon Capital was like a dead city, terrifyingly quiet.
Di Yunyu walked alone through the streets, his hands behind his back, dressed in white with a golden crown, his handsome face calm and peaceful.
Having grown up on Shenqi Mountain from childhood, he had always been alone, so he didn’t find this scene inappropriate. In fact, it felt particularly familiar.
After tonight, his tribulation would arrive, and the sealing technique would be extremely weak at that moment. If Qiongqi remained quiet, it would mean the overbearing prehistoric energy had mostly dissipated, and sparing it would be acceptable. If not, he would personally end this prehistoric fierce beast.
He was giving Qiongqi a chance, only waiting to see how it would choose.
Di Yunyu also thought of the three people he was quite concerned about. Although Xu Xinglian was missing, ever since a demon beast had been placed inside her body in her childhood, Di Yunyu had not only removed that small beast but also set up a protective forbidden technique on her. She wouldn’t be in great danger.
As for Xu Xingchen, regardless of whether he became the next Emperor, Di Yunyu wasn’t worried. He had raised him since childhood, and even though he still seemed immature, he would eventually grow up.
As for the last one…
Di Yunyu held his forehead, feeling somewhat of a headache. This was the only one he couldn’t be certain about.
After all, Shen Liuxiang always exceeded his expectations.
Di Yunyu shook his head helplessly at this thought, then lowered his hand. Suddenly, he sensed something and stopped in his tracks, turning around.
The street behind him was empty, with only the ceaseless breeze stirring the branches, accompanied by rustling sounds, scattering withered leaves on the ground.
Di Yunyu scanned the area, his gaze falling on a pile of withered leaves where the leaves were slightly bulging, as if hiding some small thing.
Di Yunyu looked at it for a moment, then strolled over.
And that pile of fallen leaves, seemingly aware of his approach, with a couple of leaves on the surface quivering slightly—whether from the wind or from fear.
Di Yunyu’s light-colored eyes focused slightly as he stopped in front of the leaves, crouched down, and extended his slender fingers to gently brush aside the pile of fallen leaves.
In an instant, a small figure hiding in the leaf pile was mercilessly revealed.
A palm-sized Nascent Soul, dressed exactly like Di Yunyu in white clothes and wearing a small golden crown, was crouching on the ground with his head lowered, both tiny hands tightly covering his face. After being discovered, he pretended to be dead like an ostrich with its head in the sand, struggling pitifully for a moment.
Only after his forehead was firmly tapped did he frown slightly, look up to meet a pair of light eyes, and find no discernible emotion in them.
Far beyond a hundred miles from the Demon Capital, Shen Liuxiang, who was trying hard to control the Nascent Soul, felt his heart pounding under that stare.
Worried that Di Yunyu would mercilessly throw out the Nascent Soul he had managed to leave behind, Shen Liuxiang pondered for a moment, then closed his eyes as if ready to face death.
Di Yunyu lowered his gaze, staring for a while, just about to speak.
In his vision, the Nascent Soul on the ground puffed up its snow-white cheeks, then tightly closed its eyes, tensed its fair little face, and stuck out its small tongue at him.
“Nascent Souls aren’t living things, nyah~”
##
Thank You for the new chapter ❤_(:3 」∠)_