A few days later, Ye Yu sat in the newly rebuilt Demon Lord Hall, frowning slightly. He had asked Xun Nanqiao about any news of the Divine Realm, but still no satisfactory answers. In the Demon Realmâand indeed across all five realmsâinformation about the Divine Realm was simply too scarce. Its mysteries ran too deep, and without any teleportation passages, no news could reach them. Was there truly no way to reach the Divine Realm? Ye Yu could not help but sigh.
Then suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind. Perhaps everyone else was ignorant of a route to the Divine Realm, but there was one person who certainly knewâbecause that person had once invited him to slay a god together! At the time it had sounded improbable, but now it seemed the proposal, while wildly insane, might not be entirely impossible to realize. That person was the true master of the Three-Corpse Hall: Mo Tianjun, the Elegant Demon Immortal!
With that resolution, Ye Yu rose and strode outside, encountering Xun Nanqiao.
âDarling, are you heading out? Thereâs something I wanted to discuss with you,â she said.
âOh? Whatâs so urgent that you came looking for me?â Ye Yu asked with a smile.
In a quiet voice, Xun Nanqiao said, âDo you remember Kuang Mingkui?â
Ye Yu shook his head in bewilderment. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but he could not place where he had heard it.
âHave you truly forgotten?â Xun Nanqiao chided lightly. âHe was Tang Tianjiaâs senior apprentice brother, the Celestial Emperor who counterattacked the Heavenly Realm a century agoâand the one who was dragged off by assassins!â
Her reminder finally jogged Ye Yuâs memory of that loquacious Celestial Emperor. He was curious why she brought him up after so long; their only meeting had been fleeting.
Xun Nanqiao smiled. âNews came today from Qintian State: after a century-long battle, the Celestial Emperor Kuang Mingkui and the mysterious Demon Realm powerhouse Feng Kai finally reached a conclusion. Feng Kai narrowly landed the winning blow; Kuang Mingkui, gravely wounded, retreated back to the Heavenly Realm. The news has sent many demons into a frenzyâso it turns out there is at least one other strong figure in our Demon Realm besides you!â
Hearing this, Ye Yu felt equal parts amused and exasperated. âWhat do you mean âbesides meâ? Demon Emperors have existed before. In such a vast realm, how could there be no hidden powers?â He also wondered â NĐŸvĐ”lŃgÒ»Ń â (Continue reading) why their duel had lasted a hundred yearsâdid they not tire of the fight? And as for that Feng Kai, he was hardly impressive if he won but failed to detain his opponent. Pathetic!
Xun Nanqiao laughed. âYou donât assume everyone fights like you doâkill to win? By the way, darling, have you decided where to go?â
Ye Yu did not hide his plan. âI suddenly recalled that someone might know how to reach the Divine Realm. I intend to visit a friend in the Heavenly Realm.â
Xun Nanqiao paused. Visiting friends in the Heavenly Realm was such an obscure phraseâespecially for demons, for whom the Heavenly Realm held only enemies, not allies. Except for Ye Yu, of course. That former Gan Zhizui had been a Celestial Immortal himself, hadnât he?
She caught Ye Yu by the arm, feigning irritation. âYouâre not taking me? Are you going to find Gan Zhizui? If so, no need to dance aroundâjust say it!â
Ye Yu waved her off repeatedly. Honestly, encountering his wife in a dream had left him oddly unsettled, as though reality and dream were blurring. Even if he went to the Heavenly Realm, he did not plan to seek out any other consorts. He truly intended to visit the Three-Corpse Hall. Perhaps the elegant Mo Tianjun could finally give him an answer.
When Xun Nanqiao tried to follow, Ye Yu invoked âsafetyâ as the excuse to refuse. After all, she was only at Demon Lord levelânot even half a Sovereign yet. It would be too dangerous to bring her into the Heavenly Realm. He would travel alone.
Pouting slightly, Xun Nanqiao ultimately relented.
Ye Yu arrived at the Heavenly Realmâs passage, hesitated for a momentâshould he alter his demon attire? The Elegant Demon Immortal would never expect him to be a true demon. Perhaps he could claim to be from a parallel world? No, nonsenseâwhat right had Mo Tianjun to demand reasons any more than his wife?
Deciding not to bother, Ye Yu simply walked into the passage. Once his figure vanished, several demons peered out from a distant hillside.
âThat was Demon Lord Ye Yu of Lotus State, wasnât it?â
âDefinitely him. Even from this distance I can smell the blood on his iron fists! He shattered seven Demon Lords with those blowsâso awesome!â
âWhat is he doing alone in the Heavenly Realm? And why did he hesitate at the entrance so long? Is he planning a solo assault on Heaven? No sane person would attempt that...â
âNo, you canât measure this mad Demon Lord by sane standards. Who else would drag the Demon Lord Kuku to fight in the ascension? Even if Ye Yu attempts a solo assault on Heaven, it wouldnât surprise me!â
âA one-man Heaven-slayingâwhat a headline! We could sell that as a short story and make a fortune!â
âAnd letâs do exactly that.â
...
The next day, news of Ye Yuâs solo Heaven-slaying mission echoed throughout the Demon Realm, igniting every demonâs imagination. Of course, Ye Yu himself knew nothing of these rumors.
Upon arriving in the Heavenly Realm, he suppressed his demonic aura and donned a cloak. He made his way to the entrance of the Three-Corpse Hall, its familiar gloom and chill clashing with the Heavenly Realmâs peaceful facadeâbut that did not matter. What mattered was discovering a way to the Divine Realm.
Ye Yu stepped inside and softly called, âMay I ask if the Elegant Demon Immortal is present? It is Wu Wei Pagodaâs Ye Yu, here to pay respects.â
No sooner had the words fallen than Mo Tianjun appeared at the hallâs gate. He could not help but look upwardâthis height felt slightly off. Why must he look up?
With a puzzled gaze, Mo Tianjun watched as Ye Yu drew back his cloak, revealing his true face and the pair of demonic horns.