Chapter 851

When Ye Yu returned to Chaotic Demon City, he was shocked to find that the once-towering walls were now crumbling and dilapidated.

The air was heavy with the stench of blood, and the broken corpses of several demon tribes lay scattered about.

Such a scene of decay startled Ye Yu—he had only been gone about a month. How could Chaotic Demon City have changed so drastically?

Was that old fool Ye Jizui entirely neglecting his duties?

As Ye Yu pondered this, he suddenly sensed a fierce surge of demonic qi within the city.

Without hesitation, he rushed forward.

Soon he discovered more than a dozen demons locked in brutal combat.

It appeared to be a conflict between the Horn Eagle Tribe and the Black Tiger Tribe—both sides were blinded by bloodlust, unleashing one demonic technique after another.

Ye Yu gazed at them for a moment but chose not to intervene.

When Ye Jizui still held sway, the myriad demon tribes had maintained harmony and even established a strict rule: no bloodshed within the city walls, with death as the penalty for violators.

Yet now they fought so fiercely, with no one to stop them.

This alone proved that something terrible had happened in Chaotic Demon City.

Ye Yu’s first thought was to investigate the city lord’s mansion.

But as he {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} turned to leave, he saw a familiar figure.

A slender young man in a flowing white robe—this was Chen Mingzi, chieftain of the Horn Eagle Tribe.

Perhaps because of his unique name, Ye Yu had remembered him well.

Seeing him now, Ye Yu asked, “Your clansmen are fighting down there—are you just going to stand by and watch?”

Chen Mingzi’s expression remained indifferent as though recounting something trivial. “Survival of the fittest. Strength decides who lives and who dies. I cannot stand by them forever. Only the strong deserve life—such is the rule of the Demon Realm. Why should I change it?”

Ye Yu frowned and said quietly, “Very well, that may be the rule of the Demon Realm, but it is not the rule of Chaotic Demon City! Inside the city, fighting is forbidden—have you forgotten?”

With a single step, Chen Mingzi approached Ye Yu, his tone icy. “If the demon who set the rule is gone, tell me—is there any need for the rule to remain?”

At those words, Ye Yu’s eyes widened in shock.

A short while later, the two of them stood inside the ruined city lord’s mansion.

The scene was even worse than outside—like a desolate ruin of the Heavenly Realm, utterly shattered.

It gave an indescribable sense of decay.

Chen Mingzi explained that a month ago, some demons outside the city discovered Ye Jizui’s body.

His soul was completely destroyed—he had truly perished.

When the demon kings of the city learned this, their first reaction was to avenge their old lord.

After all, under Ye Jizui’s rule, Chaotic Demon City had prospered, and most tribes had benefitted from his governance.

Yet despite thorough investigation, no one could determine who had slain Ye Jizui.

This infuriated them.

But a city cannot remain leaderless even for a day.

Thus the demon kings unanimously decided to summon the First City Lord, Nangong Jingtang, from the Peacock Tribe.

They believed she would be the rightful ruler of Chaotic Demon City.

However, when they arrived at the Peacock Tribe, they received even more astonishing news.

Lady Nangong Jingtang was missing.

She had always stood atop the highest tower of her clan, gazing toward the direction Ye Yu had departed.

Yet this morning, she vanished—no one knew where she had gone.

Let alone appoint her as city lord; first they had to find her!

The Peacock Tribe elders were frantic.

The demon kings, however, wore strange expressions.

Ye Jizui’s murder and Nangong Jingtang’s disappearance—could these two events be connected?

Was some clan deliberately targeting Chaotic Demon City, or was it mere coincidence?

Amid such uncertainty, someone proposed that in this crisis the city needed unity—and no city can function without a head.

They should first appoint an interim city lord to maintain order; that was the top priority.

“If no one objects, I can take up this responsibility. From now on, listen to my commands. Of course, if Lady Nangong ever returns, I will gladly yield the position. What do you all think?”

As soon as the Mantis Tribe chieftain finished, the other demon kings erupted in opposition.

“Such lofty words? You only want the city lord’s seat!”

“Our First City Lord and Ye Jizui both earned their positions through true strength—what gives you the right?”

“A few pretty speeches don’t grant you authority! Do you think the seat of Chaotic Demon City’s lord is easy to occupy?”

The demon kings were proud and unruly—otherwise, the city’s previous turmoil would not have lasted for hundreds of thousands of years.

Each king refused to submit to the other.

Under Ye Jizui’s rule, they had honored the rules and preserved balance.

But now that the rule-maker was dead, who would continue to obey those laws?

In the scramble for the city lord’s seat, Chaotic Demon City descended into deeper chaos.

Old injustices and grudges intertwined with the conflict.

In just one month, the once-thriving city had fallen into ruin.

Although the Horn Eagle Tribe had no desire for leadership, being caught in the vortex made it impossible to avoid fighting.

Chaotic Demon City seemed destined to enter another era of chaos—unless Lady Nangong herself could return to restore order.

After hearing Chen Mingzi’s account, Ye Yu’s heart was heavy.

How could Ye Jizui have died so suddenly? Who would dare strike down a late-stage Demon King so easily?

Recalling his time with Ye Jizui, grief welled in Ye Yu’s chest.

He was equally surprised by Lady Nangong’s disappearance—how could someone whose mind and memories were not fully restored leave the Peacock Tribe?

Thinking on these mysteries, Ye Yu felt a surge of frustration.

Before leaving, he asked Chen Mingzi to alert him immediately if there were any news of Ye Jizui’s killer. Chen Mingzi agreed.

Then Ye Yu set off at once for the Peacock Tribe to investigate Lady Nangong’s disappearance.

When the elders of the Peacock Tribe saw Ye Yu arrive, they were stricken with sorrow—some even wept aloud.

Such a scene left Ye Yu at a loss.