Chapter 541: Clear Distinction

The Helian clan is the Nine-Headed Demonic Serpent clan. Its current patriarch is Helian Kuang. Helian Peng, whom you saw two months ago, is his younger brother. The strongest of the Helian clan's younger generation is the person sitting beside Helian Peng... Helian Ba! He and Su Zhizhan of the Su clan are jointly recognized as the strongest among the younger generation of the Twelve Guardian Clans. However, Helian Ba is thirty-one years old this year, while Su Zhizhan is only twenty-seven. Therefore, in terms of natural talent, Su Zhizhan is slightly superior to Helian Ba.

"The Su clan?" Yun Che scanned the seating arrangements of the Twelve Clans. The Twelve Clans' seats were arranged in two rows, East and West. Helian, Chiyang, Bai, Nangong, Lin, Jiufang, and Xiao, whom Xiao Yun had previously mentioned, were all in the East row. Their Yun clan, the Mu clan, and the Tianxia clan were in the West row. At the northernmost seats in the West row, Yun Che found the character "Su," but the seats were still empty; the Su clan had not yet arrived.

"The Su clan has arrived!"

Just as Yun Che located the Su clan's seats, a timely shout rang out from the main hall's entrance. A hundred members of the Su clan entered as a group and walked directly towards their seats.

The leading middle-aged man stopped as he passed the Yun clan's seats and cupped his hands to Yun Qinghong: "Brother Yun, are you well?"

Yun Qinghong stood up and smiled, "All is well. Brother Su's profound strength seems to have made great progress; that's excellent news."

"Haha, compared to a prodigy like you, Brother Yun, I'm still far behind," the middle-aged man said with a carefree laugh. "Zhizhan, say hello to your Uncle Yun."

"Greetings, Uncle Yun," the young man beside the middle-aged man bowed, his expression respectful yet neither humble nor arrogant, displaying an extraordinary demeanor. However, Yun Che, observing his gaze, felt that this was likely another arrogant individual... Which was understandable. Top talents from these elite families had grown up amidst others' admiration and awe; it would be abnormal for them not to be arrogant.

After greeting the Yun, Mu, and Tianxia clans, the Su clan took their seats in an orderly fashion. Xiao Yun continued his introduction: "The man who just greeted Father is Su Xiangnan, the current patriarch of the Su clan. And that young man is Su Zhizhan, whom I mentioned earlier. The Su clan's overall strength among the Twelve Clans is currently second only to the Helian clan, but Su Zhizhan is by no means inferior to Helian Ba. Both are at level six of the Tyrant Profound Realm. If they were the same age, Su Zhizhan would definitely be superior!"

"The Su clan, like our Yun clan, is human. The two clans have maintained good relations for generations. Patriarch Su and Father have also been friends for many years. During the years Father was crippled, Patriarch Su personally came to visit him many times," Xiao Yun elaborated.

Yun Che nodded slowly. From the eye contact between Yun Qinghong and Su Xiangnan earlier, he could already tell that the Su clan would certainly not be an enemy.

"Is the Yan clan, to the right of the Su clan, also human?" Yun Che pointed towards the Yan clan's location.

"Yes," Xiao Yun nodded. "The Yan clan is known as the Divine Spear clan; everyone in their family uses spears as weapons. Their relationship with our Yun clan has also always been good. a century ago, the Yan clan's overall strength was generally at the bottom among the Twelve Clans, but now it's our Yun clan's turn to be at the bottom... The Yan clan's patriarch is Yan Zijing, and their young master is Yan Chengkong, twenty-six years old, at level three of the Tyrant Profound Realm."

"The Tianxia clan is an elven clan, and most of their weapons are profound bows and profound arrows. Their patriarch is Tianxia Xiongtu, Seventh Sister's father. Their young master is Tianxia Diyi, Seventh Sister's eldest brother. Their representative of the younger generation is Seventh Sister's sixth brother, who seems to be twenty-eight this year and is at level four of the Tyrant Profound Realm."

Through Xiao Yun's introductions, Yun Che had generally grasped the basic information about the Twelve Clans.

"Xiao Yun, what are the strengths of Hui Ran and Hui Ye from the Prince of Huai's manor?" Yun Che suddenly asked.

Upon hearing those names, Xiao Yun's expression noticeably tensed. "Hui Ye is at level six of the Tyrant Profound Realm, ranking third among the 'Seven Illusory Demons,' and that Hui Ran, is rumored to be at level eight of the Tyrant Profound Realm?"

Yun Che raised an eyebrow: "Level eight of the Tyrant Profound Realm? The Twelve Clans are already the top forces in the Illusory Demon Realm, so why is there such a significant gap among the younger generation?"

"The various princely manors of the Illusory Demon Royal Family are small in number, and in terms of overall strength, they are inferior to the Twelve Clans. However, as royalty, they enjoy the best resources, thus producing elites. Especially the younger generation, who benefit from developmental conditions far superior to those of the Twelve Clans. Therefore, each generation of the 'Seven Illusory Demons' generally surpasses the Twelve Geniuses of the Guardian Clans in overall strength, but not by an overwhelming margin... Hui Ran is a rare exception; his talent is astonishingly high. The Prince of Huai's manor has spared no effort, expending enormous resources on him, allowing him to achieve strength far beyond his age group!"

"I heard Mother say that when Father was thirty, he was also at level eight of the Tyrant Profound Realm. That Prince Hui Ran is as strong as Father was back then," Xiao Yun said with some displeasure. After all, to the Yun clan, the Prince of Huai's manor was a formidable enemy.

"That's very different," Yun Che shook his head slightly. "Father possessed extraordinary innate talent, while Hui Ran's acquired resources far surpass what Father had back then. At his current age, he might be comparable to Father at that age, but given time, he will surely not be qualified to stand alongside Father."

"Yes, Big Brother is right!" Xiao Yun expressed strong agreement.

Yun Qinghong glanced at the two brothers, smiled faintly, then looked forward, remaining silent.

With less than fifteen minutes remaining until the official start of the Grand Ceremony, the entire Demon Imperial Hall was already packed. Dignitaries and overlords from various regions, the main forces of Demon Imperial City, the Twelve Clans, and the various princely manors had all arrived. Yun Che turned his head, about to ask Yun Qinghong some questions about the Little Demon Empress, when he suddenly noticed that Yun Qinghong's expression was much graver than when they first entered. Yun Che frowned, his gaze sweeping across the hall. Slowly, his brow furrowed even more.

At the center-north of the Demon Imperial Hall was the Demon Emperor's throne. The core seats, near the Demon Emperor's position, were arranged on the East and West sides. These core seats were for the various princely manors and the Twelve Clans. The Su, Yan, Tianxia, Mu, and Yun clans were seated from North to South on the West side. The Helian, Chiyang, Bai, Nangong, Lin, Jiufang, and Xiao clans were seated from North to South on the East side.

On the West side, where the Yun clan was seated, there were five Guardian Clans.However, on the East side, there were seven Guardian Clans!The specific seating arrangement was:East side (North → South): Helian, Chiyang, Bai, Nangong, Lin, Jiufang, Xiao.Center (North): Little Demon Empress.West side (North → South): Su, Yan, Tianxia, Mu, Yun.

The seating layout on both sides was originally identical, but the Twelve Guardian Clans were not evenly split with six on each side. Instead, one side had five, and the other had seven, creating an unsettling asymmetry... And such an asymmetry, at a grand ceremony watched by powerful figures from all over the realm, could not possibly be accidental.

Similarly asymmetrical were the princely manor seats. The number of royal family members seated on the East side was also greater than on the West side. This even led to vacancies in the prime seats on the West side, which were originally reserved for the royal family. Instead, some princes and nobles from outside Demon Imperial City were arranged to sit there, causing them to look bewildered and so overwhelmed that they were restless.

"Father, this seating arrangement seems quite problematic," Yun Che whispered.

Yun Qinghong nodded slowly: "The situation is worse than I expected... much worse! This seating arrangement can be described as 'distinctly divided'!"

Indeed, it was distinctly divided! Outsiders to Demon Imperial City naturally wouldn't discern its meaning, but to those within Demon Imperial City, especially members of the Twelve Clans and the royal family, it was immediately clear... The Guardian Clans and royal family members seated on the East side were all leaning towards, or even had pledged allegiance to, the Prince of Huai! Those on the West side had not leaned towards the Prince of Huai and remained loyal to the Demon Emperor's lineage, meaning they were loyal to the Little Demon Empress!

Originally, Yun Che wasn't entirely clear which of the Twelve Guardian Clans had sided with the Prince of Huai, but now it was clear at a glance! This was clearly a deliberate act by the Prince of Huai, displaying to everyone how vast his influence had become... completely overshadowing the forces loyal to the Little Demon Empress!

Such a seating arrangement, so blatant... his intentions at this grand ceremony were laid bare for all to see!

The patriarchs and elders of the Su, Yan, Tianxia, Mu, and Yun clans exchanged glances, their expressions incredibly grim. None of them had anticipated the situation to be this dire. The influence the Prince of Huai had secretly accumulated over the years had truly become terrifying.

"Can it be that a female ruler is truly so unwelcomed?" Yun Che mused with a sigh. The image of Cang Yue immediately appeared in his mind, warming his heart. He thought to himself: 'Good thing I cured Father-in-law the Emperor's illness; he can now produce a whole litter of little princes. Otherwise, if the throne ever had to pass to Xue Ruo, my princess wife would be miserable... and utterly exhausted.'

"For these powerful figures at the pinnacle of the Illusory Demon Realm, women have always been mere accessories to men, or even playthings. They would indeed feel psychological resistance to pledging loyalty to a woman... But this absolutely should not be the reason for their betrayal of the Demon Emperor's lineage! The biggest reason should still be their greed! The Prince of Huai's manor must have offered a great deal of coercion and temptation... I just didn't expect the Chiyang and Nangong clans, these two major families, to also side with the Prince of Huai! This is outrageous!"

From Yun Qinghong's voice, Yun Che detected deep pain.

"How exactly will the Prince of Huai act at this Grand Ceremony?" Yun Che asked. "And why did he choose this occasion?"

"Because powerful figures from all over the realm are gathered here," Yun Qinghong said with a furrowed brow. "The lords of the Illusory Demon Realm's major territories, the city lords of its major cities, the overlords of its great forces, the leaders of its various races... as well as key figures from virtually all fields, including commerce, medicine, and artifact crafting, have all been invited to attend! These tens of thousands of people in the hall, almost every one of them holds immense influence in a particular region, an industry, or even the entire Illusory Demon Realm. The seventy billion citizens of the Illusory Demon Realm can be said to be fully represented by these tens of thousands of people! After today's Grand Ceremony concludes, these individuals will return to their respective domains, and whatever transpires at this ceremony will be spread by them to every corner of the Illusory Demon Realm."

Hearing this, Yun Che instantly understood: "So, the Prince of Huai's intention this time is to let everyone see that the Little Demon Empress is no longer the supreme authority, and that his own influence has far surpassed hers? Then, under the eyes of the entire realm, force the Little Demon Empress to abdicate?"

"No, you're only one-tenth correct," Yun Qinghong shook his head. "He does intend to use this grand occasion to achieve his long-schemed objective, but he will absolutely not do it that way, because it would only be counterproductive."

"Counterproductive?" Yun Che asked, surprised.

Yun Qinghong's gaze drifted into the distance as he slowly recounted: "Ten thousand years ago, the Illusory Demon Realm was in great chaos. Humans and demons were hostile to each other, strife and war were everywhere, and the people suffered immensely. Later, the Demon Emperor clan fortuitously obtained the Golden Crow's legacy, gaining immense power. They then led the Twelve Clans, fought for centuries, and unified the Illusory Demon Realm. Under the Demon Emperor's wise leadership, humans and demons ceased to be enemies, gradually shedding their racial biases. Peace reigned throughout the land and has continued to this day. The ancient divine beast Golden Crow also became the unchanging supreme faith of the Illusory Demon Realm for ten thousand years, and the Demon Emperor has been respected and beloved by the people of Illusory Demon for generations upon generations."

"If the Prince of Huai were to simply force the Little Demon Empress to abdicate and take her place, then if the Demon Emperor's lineage had always brought calamity upon the realm, causing the Illusory Demon citizens under their rule to suffer terribly, such an act would naturally be praised throughout the land. But the truth is precisely the opposite. If the Prince of Huai truly did that, what would follow would be the anger, curses, and resistance of the Illusory Demon people! Even if the strength the Prince of Huai now commands were a thousand or a hundred thousand times greater, how could he possibly provoke the wrath of seventy billion Illusory Demon citizens? This is also the primary reason why the Prince of Huai has never dared to act rashly."

"I see," Yun Che murmured, slightly stunned. "So, what will the Prince of Huai actually do?"

"He will certainly create a compelling reason at this Grand Ceremony, one that can 'convince' everyone," Yun Qinghong said with a solemn face. "The Little Demon Empress has always been aware of the Prince of Huai's disloyalty, but she never made a move against him precisely because she feared giving him a reason to claim she was 'cruel and wantonly harmed royalty.' In today's situation, it would be quite simple for him to create a reason... for example, fabricating a scandal about the Little Demon Empress that would enrage the entire realm! Things like promiscuity, harming loyal officials, consuming children's organs, and so on... extremely malicious scandals of that nature."

Yun Che's brow sharply slanted as he interjected with a deep voice: "If such scandals were merely shouted out by one person, few would believe it... But if more than half of the Guardian Clans, and more than half of the royal family, were to support and jointly condemn her, then people from all over the realm would have no reason not to believe it! Coupled with timely public opinion guidance, this would lead to universal outrage, ruin the Little Demon Empress's reputation, and even have her pointed at by countless people... Then, for the Prince of Huai to take her place would be perfectly logical, and even supported by the realm!"

"Exactly!" Yun Qinghong nodded with a heavy expression. After noticing the peculiar seating arrangement, he had completely seen through the Prince of Huai's intentions.

"Then, Father, is there any way to help the Little Demon Empress avert this crisis?" Yun Che asked solemnly.

Yun Qinghong was silent for a moment, then slowly said: "The method is simple, but with seven of the Guardian Clans and more than half of the royal family having sided with the Prince of Huai, achieving it will be incredibly difficult."

"What method?" Yun Che quickly asked.

"It is to win over the hearts of all the powerful figures present to the Little Demon Empress before the Prince of Huai's plan begins, making it impossible for any of them to utter the pre-prepared slanderous words..."

After speaking, Yun Qinghong let out a long breath and closed his eyes. Evidently, he was racking his brains, contemplating how to confront the impending situation.

Yun Che silently weighed Yun Qinghong's words, also falling into deep thought. After a long while, he suddenly spoke: "Father, after the Grand Ceremony begins, whatever I do, I hope you won't stop me."

Yun Qinghong opened his eyes, gave him a deep look, but did not ask what he intended to do. He simply nodded silently. In his profound, ocean-like eyes, there was a father's trust in his son that needed no reason.

"The Little—Demon—Empress—has—Arrived!!"

At that moment, a loud, resounding voice echoed above the Demon Imperial Hall. The previously noisy hall instantly became so silent that a pin drop could be heard. Everyone looked up towards the ceiling of the hall.