Chapter 617: Fish Dead, Net Broken

"Patriarch Yun, quickly put down your sword... Don't do anything rash!" Qin Zheng, the Sky Demon Emperor, rushed forward, shouting. Anyone could hear that the words of Yun Qinghong and his wife were not just filled with anger and resentment, but also a clear, desperate resolve to die!

Today... they intended to stain the Demon Imperial Hall with their own blood!

"Rash?" Yun Qinghong pointed his sword at Prince Huai, his face calm and resolute. "I, Yun Qinghong, have never been so calm in this life! My Yun clan has existed for ten thousand years to protect the Demon Emperor's lineage. But... in just a short century, both the former Demon Emperor and the Young Demon Emperor were harmed by traitors. Now, even the Little Demon Empress has fallen victim to a sinister plot... As a guardian clan, we failed in our duty to protect, allowing the Demon Emperor's lineage to be completely severed. And now, we are to stand by and watch the scoundrel who killed the Demon Emperor's family and my son ascend to the throne! As the head of the Yun family, what right do I, Yun Qinghong, have to continue living in this world?!"

"Prince Huai, if you wish to become emperor today, you will first have to step over my blood and my corpse!"

"Patriarch Yun!!" Gasps of shock echoed through the hall. No one had anticipated such a scene at the enthronement ceremony.

"Yun Qinghong... You are seeking your own death!" Chi Yang Bailie roared. Several patriarchs had already risen from their seats, forming a pincer movement around Yun Qinghong and his wife. Dozens of powerful auras also subtly enveloped Prince Huai.

"Patriarch!!" The entire Yun family was in a panic; even they hadn't known Yun Qinghong would take such a drastic step today.

"Don't come closer!!" Yun Qinghong suddenly raised his hand, stopping them. "This is a matter for my wife and me; it has nothing to do with the Yun family! Yun Waitian, the ring I gave you this morning contains the Yun family's patriarch token! From this moment on, you are the new patriarch of the Yun family! My wife and I have renounced our ties to the Yun family, and everything we do has no connection to it whatsoever! My only wish is that after today, the Yun family will permanently distance itself from Demon Imperial City, and even if it retreats from the world, it must never pledge allegiance to this scoundrel!"

"No!!" Yun Waitian emphatically shook his head, then soared into the air, shouting, "You are still the patriarch of our Yun family! Your will is the will of our entire Yun family! Even if everyone in the world claims you have wronged Prince Huai, we, the Yun family disciples, will never doubt a single word from our patriarch! If the patriarch says Prince Huai's residence harmed the Little Demon Empress, then it is absolutely true! Such a villain, not to mention us, a guardian clan, even the most ordinary citizens of the Illusionary Demon Realm should seek to eliminate him with their lives..."

Yun Waitian landed beside Yun Qinghong and glared at Prince Huai. "Prince Huai! You poisoned the Demon Emperor, an act of supreme treason! My son was also killed by your Prince Huai's residence... Today, either you die, or I do!"

"Exactly! The patriarch's command is the most irrefutable evidence in this world! If the patriarch wishes to stain the Demon Imperial Hall with blood, how can we, the Yun family disciples, be absent?!"

"Prince Huai! You harmed our Yun family's young master and killed the Little Demon Empress... Our Yun family will never rest until you are dead!"

"Today, our Yun family will use our blood and your dog's life to commemorate our young master and the Little Demon Empress!"

After their initial shock and confusion, all the Yun family disciples, seeing several elders unhesitatingly stand behind Yun Qinghong, ready to die alongside him, felt their own blood ignite. Though only about a hundred Yun family members were present today, their hatred flared, and every single one stood behind Yun Qinghong, none retreating or leaving.

"Hahahahahahaha!" Mu Feiyan laughed heartily. "As expected of the Yun family! Even after a century of suppression, your inherent spirit cannot be extinguished! Good... Good!! Then today, let us fight to our hearts' content!! Listen, children of the Mu family!!" Mu Feiyan spun around, his thunderous roar making the entire hall tremble slightly. "This Prince Huai, who is about to become the new Emperor of our Illusionary Demon Realm, is in truth the traitor who killed the Little Demon Empress and harmed the Demon Emperor's lineage! Such a rebel should be condemned by gods and men alike, struck down by heaven and earth, yet now, he is receiving homage from all under heaven in this Demon Imperial Hall... What an utter farce!"

"Mu Feiyan!!" Patriarch Xiao Xifeng of the Xiao family angrily retorted, "Among the twelve patriarchs, you are considered the most esteemed! I can't believe even you would slander the new Emperor like this! Since you claim the new Emperor killed the Little Demon Empress... what proof do you have?!"

"My word is proof!!" Mu Feiyan's voice was like thunder. "You claim to be guardian clans, but you are no longer worthy of that name! Now, you've become the lackeys of this rebel! A bunch of dogs who have long lost their dignity and shame, what right do you have to bark in front of me?!"

"You!!" Mu Feiyan's furious tirade made the guardian patriarchs surrounding Yun Qinghong so enraged their lungs felt like they would burst.

Mu Feiyan waved his hand and leapt into the air. "Children of the Mu family! The time has come to fulfill our guardian duty and show loyalty to the Demon Emperor's lineage... Follow me, and let's thoroughly slaughter these villains, spill blood across this hall that symbolizes the Demon Emperor's glory, and then together, go to another world to atone to the Demon Emperor's lineage... Those who are afraid to die, get out of my sight! The farther, the better!"

"Hahahaha!" Mu Yubai, Mu Yuqing, and Mu Yukong, the three brothers, laughed in unison. There was not a trace of fear of death on their faces; instead, they were filled with the joy of complete release, no longer needing to hold back. "Father, let our family fight to our heart's content today!!"

"Prince Huai! Do you truly believe you are worthy of being emperor in this Demon Imperial Hall? Do you truly believe you are worthy of wearing those imperial robes? And you, you pack of lackeys, you are no longer worthy of living in this world! The heavens and the Sacred Golden Crow God clearly see the sins you have committed and your hideous faces! Our blood today is just the beginning... You will eventually incur the wrath of heaven and earth, and you will not have a good end!!"

Amidst roars that shook the entire Demon Imperial Hall, Mu Yubai soared into the air, unleashing his utterly formidable Emperor's Might without reservation. He roared, waved his arm, and a hundred-zhang ice chain smashed down horizontally towards the people encircling Yun Qinghong and his wife.

Mu Yubai was the first to attack, and he did so with all his might, holding nothing back... Clearly, the Mu family, just like the Yun family, was ready for a desperate, no-holds-barred fight.

Facing the Yun and Mu families' "self-destruction," Prince Huai showed no trace of glee or satisfaction. His face twisted sharply in genuine anger, and he knew very well that the crazy actions of Yun Qinghong and Mu Feiyan were not an uncontrolled counterattack born of madness; on the contrary, it was the situation he feared most.

This was because he absolutely could not touch the Yun and Mu families right now; otherwise, he would have done so months ago... especially the Yun family! The return of the Yun family's son, the Demon Emperor Seal, and the Demon King's remains had not only significantly boosted the Yun family's prestige but had also swayed the hearts of all powerful figures in the realm, who, moved and guilty, sided with the Yun family! Though they were not in Demon Imperial City, they represented the will of various regions across the Demon Imperial Realm. In the past few months, the Yun family's reputation for loyalty had spread throughout the Illusionary Demon Realm. If he were to act against the Yun family in the early stages of his enthronement, he would undoubtedly face widespread skepticism, even anger.

In the current situation, the Yun family had decided to fight to the death... Although the Yun family had no concrete proof that he had killed the Little Demon Empress, and he even had an "alibi," the Yun family was willing to go so far as to spill blood in the Demon Imperial Hall for this belief... If the Yun family, a vast guardian clan of ten thousand years, weren't certain that the Little Demon Empress was harmed by Prince Huai, why would they act like this? If it weren't for their profound loyalty to the Demon Emperor's lineage, why would they act like this?

Given the power of Prince Huai's residence, even if the Yun and Mu families fought with all their might, they could not possibly kill Prince Huai; instead, they would be annihilated by his forces. But this was his first day as Emperor! To eliminate the two most loyal clans among the families under his rule – the backlash of public opinion he would face would be immense! And the idea of him being "the sinister mastermind behind the Little Demon Empress's death" would be deeply imprinted in the hearts and souls of all Illusionary Demon citizens with the demise of the Yun and Mu families.

The Yun and Mu families could not provide concrete evidence, but in this way, they etched doubt about Prince Huai into the hearts of everyone in the Illusionary Demon Realm, ensuring his imperial throne would never sit securely.

While the Little Demon Empress was alive, they endured countless hardships. But with her death, the Yun and Mu families, in their profound grief, had no retreat and, conversely, no more reservations!

This was not a reckless act of impulse on their part, but the final honor of a guardian clan! It was also, as parents... the piercing self-reproach for failing to protect their child once again.

"Yun Qinghong... you have truly disappointed this Emperor." Prince Huai trembled all over, but at this point, he had no other choice. "Take down all these traitors... kill them without mercy!"

Boom!!!

As Mu Yubai attacked, an immensely powerful surge of profound energy exploded in the center of the Demon Imperial Hall. This was Emperor-level power, the highest level of strength in the current era. Under such force, those from outside Demon Imperial City were instantly swept into a sky-obscuring storm, thrown far back, their blood boiling, nearly fainting.

And this was merely the aftershock of Emperor-level profound energy!!

Violent currents of air surged out of the Demon Imperial Hall; a dull sonic boom could be heard throughout the entire Demon Imperial City.

Exclamations of alarm filled the Demon Imperial Hall. Power of this caliber was beyond their endurance, let alone their ability to resist.

Battles between Emperor-level cultivators were exceedingly rare in the entire Illusionary Demon Realm. No one could have imagined that a disaster-level battle like this would unfold in the Demon Imperial Hall... and a life-and-death struggle at that! No one doubted that once this Emperor-level death match began, even the sturdy Demon Imperial Hall would be swiftly and utterly destroyed. Even the vast Demon Imperial City would be unable to withstand the terrifying power of dozens of Emperors.

On Prince Huai's side were seven guardian clans, dozens of princely residences, and a large number of peerless experts hidden in the shadows. On this side, there were only the Yun and Mu families, with an immense disparity in strength. The seven great guardian clans and the experts from the princely residences converged from different directions, their profound energy surging like a tsunami. But both the Yun and Mu clans were ablaze with hatred, harboring a desperate resolve. Even though they were vastly outnumbered, the power and aura erupting from each of them struck fear into the hearts of those fighting defensively.

Deafening roars, like the furious cries of beasts, almost drowned out the earth-shaking energy explosions. The Yun and Mu families, numbering no more than two hundred, fought desperately, yet they forcefully tore apart the encirclement of the seven great clans.

"You lackeys! Go to hell and atone to the Demon Emperor!!"

Amidst the furious roar, Mu Feiyan transformed into a blue shadow, plummeting like a streak of light into the ranks of the seven great clans' experts. Instantly, an extremely cold and formidable profound energy exploded.

This was the furious power of a Seventh-level Emperor, a terrifying force capable of destroying nearly half of Demon Imperial City. Amidst the earth-shattering boom, Jiufang Kui, Xiao Xifeng, and Lin Guiyan were caught off guard, blasted backward, blood spilling from their lips, while dozens of disciples below the Overlord Emperor realm were instantly blown to pieces.

A huge gap was torn open in the encirclement of the seven clans. Through this gap, Prince Huai's location was directly visible. Yun Qinghong's gaze turned cold, lightning flashed around his body, and he shot towards Prince Huai like a bolt of thunder... As if connected by telepathy, Mu Yurou also surged forward at the same instant. The couple charged directly at Prince Huai!

Prince Huai stood still, his gaze dark. In front of him, two pale figures suddenly appeared like specters. As space trembled, two almost identical blasts of icy profound energy simultaneously struck Yun Qinghong and his wife.

Bang!!

A deep, muffled explosion resounded, and a ripple of energy, almost solidified, flung Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou far back. Yun Qinghong reached out to support Mu Yurou's body. Looking at the two figures blocking their path, he sneered, "Even you two have become Prince Huai's lackeys!"

These two individuals, dressed in white, had pale faces and identical appearances; they were a pair of twin brothers. To be able to stop Yun Qinghong and his wife, they must possess at least mid-stage Emperor-level profound energy. With such strength, they could not be unknown in the Illusionary Demon Realm. These twin brothers, Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun, were the unrivaled strongest experts in the Northern Frontier of the Illusionary Demon Realm, revered as god-like beings there. Even in Demon Imperial City, their names were almost universally known.

"Serving our respective masters, how does that make us lackeys?" Bai Guiming said expressionlessly.

"Prince Huai's ability and influence make him more suitable to be Emperor than the Little Demon Empress. Furthermore, the Little Demon Empress had no successor; it was only a matter of time," Bai Guihun stated.

"If it were merely that, you might still be forgivable! But Prince Huai's residence killed the Little Demon Empress, and it's even highly probable that the former Demon Emperor also fell victim to their sinister plot. If you still stand with them, then you are lackeys who have cast aside all shame and humanity!" Yun Qinghong said with furrowed brows.

Bai Guiming said coldly, "Though Prince Huai's ambition is great, he would never commit such evil deeds."

"Hahahahaha!" Yun Qinghong laughed loudly. "More talk is useless! Today, no matter who stands in my way, I will make them bleed on the spot!!"

Rip!!

Yun Qinghong's purple sword slashed out, and two deep purple, lethal sword glints tore through space, striking directly at the vital points of Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun. Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun's faces darkened as their icy profound energy met the attack. With the collision of their three profound energies, a purple light curtain several dozen zhang in diameter instantly formed. Inside the curtain, lightning profound energy and ice profound energy wildly clashed and bombarded each other.

Yun Qinghong roared, and a cyan Profound Aura shot from his left arm, transforming into a lightning-infused purple sword. It plunged into the light curtain, continuously slicing and shattering the icy profound energy of Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun.

Yun Qinghong's profound energy was already superior to Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun's. With the addition of his Profound Aura, Yun Qinghong alone directly suppressed his opponents, even forcing the two into a momentary flurry. Mu Yurou, who had been about to make her move, paused. When she saw Prince Huai, who was only a hundred zhang away, her gaze suddenly fixed.

"Prince Huai... return my son's life!!"

Mu Yurou spun around and charged directly at Prince Huai, her eyes filled with bone-deep hatred. Her icy profound energy even carried a malevolent aura completely unfamiliar even to Yun Qinghong. The ice chain in her palm struck like a venomous serpent's fangs, aiming directly for Prince Huai's throat.

Mu Yurou's action startled Yun Qinghong, and he urgently roared, "Don't go over there!"