Chapter 583: Public Outrage

The seven patriarchs each wore grim expressions. Yet, for a long time, not a single person stepped forward, nor did anyone speak. Cornered by Yun Che to this extent, if they were to kneel publicly and beg forgiveness from Yun Canghai, it would undoubtedly be an act of submission to the entire Yun Family. But if they refused, they would fall right into the major trap Yun Che had laid, potentially ruining their families' reputations across the entire Illusory Demon Realm. Caught in this dilemma, they all waited for someone else to make a move, but after a long silence, no one stood up. The uncomfortable and awkward atmosphere made their stomachs churn.

"Hehehe..." Yun Che looked at them and sneered mockingly. "Just as I expected. I've spoken plainly enough, and I believe I've laid out the grievances and truths clearly enough. Yet, these seven Guardian Family Patriarchs remain completely unmoved! All of you present here are lords, overlords, powerhouses, and rising stars of the younger generation from across the Illusory Demon Realm—the pillars of its past, present, and future. And Demon Imperial City is the most crucial core of the entire Illusory Demon Realm. Your presence at this Demon Queen's Grand Ceremony has been well worth it, because I believe that by now, each of you should have completely seen what problems truly exist within this core of Demon Imperial City! You should clearly see who is right and who is wrong, who is loyal and who is treacherous, and who truly deserves the title of 'Guardian Family,' and who is a cancer that should be excised!"

Yun Che's voice reverberated through the hall. His words were exceedingly blunt, a thousand times sharper than any blade. Even the Little Demon Queen would never speak so directly, as these words targeted seven of the Illusory Demon Realm's most powerful forces. To challenge just one would be enough to shake the realm, let alone directly accuse all seven families.

In any other setting, Yun Che would never have shouted such words, as it was an extremely unwise move. But here, at this moment, he roared without hesitation, his voice deafening, wishing that everyone in Demon Imperial City could hear him clearly.

Yun Che's words sent shivers down many spines. Indeed, by now, people could see everything clearly, but even so, how many dared to openly challenge the authority of the Seven Guardian Families? However, no sooner had Yun Che's voice faded than an old, agitated roar rang out from the back of the seating area.

"Well said!"

The aged voice from the back startled everyone. The seven patriarchs' eyes narrowed, and they all looked towards the source of the sound. At that moment, the elder who had spoken had already flown up and descended beside Yun Che.

The elder wore a simple grey robe, his hair and beard snow-white, and his face was etched with the marks of time; his back was slightly hunched. Seeing that it was this elder, gasps immediately rose throughout the hall, and many people directly exclaimed his name...

In this Demon Imperial Hall, where all the heroes of the Illusory Demon Realm had gathered, an overlord from any single region would normally be nothing special.

But this elder was absolutely not!

For he was Qin Zheng, the Domain Lord of the Sky Demon Domain—the largest city region in the Illusory Demon Realm outside of Demon Imperial City. He was over 1,400 years old; by seniority, he even outranked the Late Demon Emperor! When the Late Demon Emperor ascended the throne a thousand years ago, Qin Zheng was already the Sky Demon Domain Lord, and he remained so to this day! He was also the only person present who had lived through three generations of Demon Emperors. In terms of experience and seniority, no one in the Demon Imperial Hall could surpass him.

Qin Zheng was known for his upright character. Having served as Sky Demon Domain Lord for a millennium, he commanded immense prestige not only in the Sky Demon Domain but across the entire Illusory Demon Realm. Even the Late Demon Emperor treated him with great respect and courtesy, and the Little Demon Queen naturally did so even more. He was also one of the few figures outside of Demon Imperial City who had the standing to challenge the Guardian Families.

However, Qin Zheng had always given the impression of being peaceful and steady. No one had expected him to roar and rush forward today.

"Domain Lord Qin?" The Little Demon Queen looked at him in surprise, a rarely seen hint of respect in her eyes.

Qin Zheng stepped forward and bowed, saying, "This old subject apologizes for his presumption, Little Demon Queen. However, as a subject of the Illusory Demon Realm, there are things I must do and words I must speak."

After speaking, Qin Zheng suddenly turned and knelt on one knee before Yun Canghai's remains, saying remorsefully, "I, old Qin Zheng, have come today specifically to beg forgiveness from the Demon King!"

Yun Che quickly stepped forward, reaching out to help him up. "Elder, you..."

Qin Zheng waved a hand, remaining stubbornly on his knees. "A hundred years ago, a Guardian Family Patriarch personally traveled thousands of miles to find me, recounting the Demon King's 'crimes.' He urged me to lead the entire Sky Demon Domain in condemning the Demon King and to pressure the Little Demon Queen to severely punish the Yun Family for their 'heinous mistakes,' claiming that otherwise, the Illusory Demon Realm would fall into chaos... I, who have lived for over a thousand years in vain, was so easily deceived. For an entire century, I reprimanded the Demon King, not only destroying his prestige throughout the Sky Demon Domain but also branding him as a perpetual sinner who nearly ruined the future of the Illusory Demon Realm..."

"I am ashamed before the Demon King, ashamed before the Late Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Queen, ashamed before the Yun Family, ashamed before the Sky Demon Domain, and ashamed before all the people of this world!!"

Qin Zheng's voice was filled with sorrow and remorse. He was not faking it; every word conveyed genuine emotion that made listeners tremble. By the end, tears glimmered in his old eyes.

Yun Che knelt down, saying gratefully, "Elder, you don't need to blame yourself. After all, you didn't know the full truth back then, and there was the instigation and deception of certain petty individuals..."

"No!" Qin Zheng shook his head. "A mistake is a mistake. Even if I were to kneel here before the heroic spirit of the Demon King for ten years, it would be appropriate." He looked at Yun Che, then suddenly raised his hand in a solemn bow. "Child, I truly must thank you. If you hadn't helped me see the truth, giving me a chance to atone and correct my wrongs, how could I ever face the Demon King or the Late Demon Emperor after I'm gone!"

Yun Che quickly supported Qin Zheng's arm, saying, "Elder, please, you must not. How can a junior like me accept such a great gesture from you? You possess not only unwavering integrity but also a heart as vast as the sea. Even if there was a century of error, I believe there was absolutely no malice in it. The Late Demon Emperor and my grandfather, in spirit, would certainly not blame you in the slightest."

Qin Zheng looked at Yun Che and nodded with satisfaction. "Truly worthy of being the Demon King's grandson. I've met countless young talents in my life, but none can compare to you. To be honest, for the past century, I've deeply worried about the future of the Illusory Demon Realm. But now, with the return of the Demon Emperor's Seal, and with a junior like you, whom even I am willingly impressed by, appearing in our Illusory Demon Realm, I can rest easy, even if I were to pass on immediately."

Yun Che shook his head and said, "This junior does not deserve such praise from you..."

"No, you do."

A thunderous voice came from above. A burly man with a full black beard descended beside Qin Zheng and immediately knelt on one knee before Yun Canghai's remains. "I, Lei Yunjian, City Lord of Nanyang, have come specifically to beg forgiveness from the Demon King! For my entire life, I have prided myself on having a clear conscience before heaven and earth, but only today do I realize that for the past century, I, Lei Yunjian, have truly been blind, worse than pigs or dogs!!"

Just as Yun Che was about to speak, several figures simultaneously swept down from above, landing before Yun Canghai's remains, and all of them immediately knelt in prostration...

"Zhao Zhengzhi, Commander of Southern Frontier, has come to apologize to the Demon King..."

"Ouyang Xian, Domain Lord of Yellow Wind, apologizes to the venerable Demon King... Reflecting on my words and actions of the past century, I am filled with unbearable shame..."

"Shan Haokong, Domain Lord of Jiangbei, is ashamed before the Demon King... ashamed before the Late Demon Emperor... For this past century, I was truly blind and misguided!"

Starting with Qin Zheng, the Sky Demon Domain Lord, more and more people left their seats, kneeling before Yun Canghai's remains, bowing their heads in repentance and seeking forgiveness. From one person, to ten, to a hundred, to a thousand, to ten thousand...

In less than fifteen minutes, the previously packed Demon Imperial Hall saw entire sections of seats become empty, while the arena in the center of the hall, cleared by the Little Demon Queen, was completely filled by wave after wave of people. All of them faced Yun Canghai's remains, kneeling on one knee...

Such a scene was completely unexpected by everyone.

A loyal and righteous Demon King, who had given everything, even his life, for the Demon Imperial Realm, had for the past century been treated by them as a heinous criminal. He had been ridiculed and insulted countless times, and his alleged crimes had been spread throughout every region under their control. Today, knowing the truth and witnessing the Demon King's remains firsthand, anyone with a shred of conscience and integrity would feel extreme shame and regret.

However, with the Seven Families clearly hostile to the Yun Family, even if these people felt immense guilt and remorse, how could anyone dare to express it publicly, let alone proactively repent before the Demon King's remains? But with Qin Zheng being the first to step forward, the situation instantly changed. More and more people followed suit. Eventually, those who had not come forward to confess became anomalies, feeling completely uncomfortable sitting there, as if surrounded by mocking and disparaging gazes. In the end, not only city lords, domain lords, and leaders from various regions, but even the overlords of various major forces, all knelt before Yun Canghai's remains, bowing their heads in repentance.

The scene was completely out of control. Prince Huai stood there, his face rigid as a corpse, yet his body trembled constantly. Before the Demon Queen's Grand Ceremony, he believed everything was under his control. But because of Yun Che, every single step had spiraled completely beyond his control. Everything was developing in the most unfavorable direction for him, one he could not have even dreamed of. As overlords of their respective regions, if they could make the Illusory Demon Realm condemn the Demon King and the Yun Family, they could naturally also make it praise them! Moreover, due to this century of guilt and remorse, the reputation and prestige of both Yun Canghai and the Yun Family would not only recover quickly but were also highly likely to rebound several times over. At that point, the support of the people alone would be enough to ensure the Yun Family's unwavering standing.

The members of the Yun Family were all in tears. Yun Qinghong rose and slowly cupped his hands in greeting. "I, Yun Qinghong... thank you all."

Qin Zheng looked up and said wistfully, "We are merely confessing and repenting for the grave mistakes we have made. Even if Patriarch Yun were to blame and reprimand us, it would be entirely justified, so there is no need for thanks. However..."

Qin Zheng suddenly turned and looked at the seven patriarchs standing there, his gaze instantly turning stern. "Hellean Kuang, you were the one who personally sought me out back then, urging me to lead the Sky Demon Domain in pressuring the Little Demon Queen! It was also your Hellean Family that massively incited public opinion in the Sky Demon Domain! At that time, I naively believed that your Hellean Family was aiming to severely punish the Yun Family to appease the people and for the greater good of the Illusory Demon Realm. But what I have heard and seen today clearly shows that your Hellean Family acted out of self-interest, deliberately slandering the Yun Family and the Demon King!"

"Now that the truth is out and the Demon King's remains are here, your Hellean Family should clearly be the first to bow your heads and admit your wrongs to the Demon King... Why are you still standing there, unmoved!"

"And you... all seven of you patriarchs have personally admitted to collectively spreading the Demon King's 'crimes' across the Illusory Demon Realm a century ago, leading the world to condemn him. You are the culprits who caused a generation's hero to be slandered for a hundred years! Why, in the face of the Demon King's remains, are you unwilling to even admit your mistakes and repent? We may have made grave errors, but upon realizing them, we know to repent. Do your esteemed Guardian Families not even possess this much integrity?!"

"Your Guardian Families are as powerful as the heavens, and no one dares to provoke you. But if you do not apologize to the Demon King today, from this day forward, not only will I look down upon you, but I will also ensure that the entire Sky Demon Domain recognizes your actions! I am an old man with one foot already in the grave; I do not fear your retaliation!"

Qin Zheng's words, each like thunder, full of righteous indignation, directly struck Hellean Kuang and the other seven patriarchs. No sooner had his voice fallen than an elder beside Qin Zheng also shouted loudly, "This old man agrees with Domain Lord Qin! If you do not apologize to the Demon King today, you will bring shame upon your families' ten-thousand-year reputations!!"