Chapter 633: Pardon and Kill

The Little Demon Empress's stern voice echoed through the Demon Imperial Hall, instantly making everyone's faces turn grim. Her voice had only mentioned Prince Xuan... This meant she had no intention of dealing with the kneeling offenders collectively; instead, she planned to summon them one by one, individually!

Everyone's hearts pounded even harder. Facing the Little Demon Empress as a group, they at least felt a modicum of support, but a solo summons... Each person would inevitably disclose everything they knew about others' crimes, hoping to atone and prove their loyalty at any cost to save their lives. Moreover, apart from themselves and the Little Demon Empress, no one would know what they said, what they promised, or whom they betrayed. If anyone said too little or showed insufficient loyalty, they would very likely be made an example of by the Little Demon Empress. With the Little Demon Empress's current power, killing someone was truly as simple as slaughtering a chicken.

In an instant, those already profusely sweating were now drenched, desperately trying to think of what to say. And over the past seven days, the "united front" they had painstakingly agreed upon, the "agreement" to conceal each other's heinous crimes, quietly disintegrated in this atmosphere of chilling silence and terror.

Prince Xuan, the first to be summoned, tremblingly rose and walked step by step towards the stone chamber under the varied gazes of the crowd. Though only two hundred paces away, he nearly collapsed at least three times. Every step felt like approaching the abyss of death.

The Prince Xuan Yun Che remembered was short, stout, and jovial. Yet, after merely seven days, he had visibly thinned down. The moment Prince Xuan entered the stone chamber, he dropped to his knees with a thud, his body trembling like a sieve: "Your humble servant... greets... greets the Little Demon Empress... Your humble servant knows his sin... but the sin lies with me alone... My wife and children had always warned me against associating with Prince Huai, but I was blinded by greed... it truly has nothing to do with anyone else in my manor. I beg the Little Demon Empress to only kill me; everyone else in the manor is truly ignorant and merely suffered because of me... I plead for the Little Demon Empress's mercy, spare my family... After I am executed, I will surely be eternally grateful in the afterlife... I beg for the Little Demon Empress's mercy..." Prince Xuan trembled all over, weeping profusely, his face filled with regret and terror. After his desperate pleas, he had kowtowed to the Little Demon Empress seven or eight times, his forehead bleeding.

"Did I say I would kill you? Are you so eager to die?" the Little Demon Empress said coldly.

Prince Xuan suddenly looked up, his face stunned, unable to believe his ears for a moment.

"Hmph!" The Little Demon Empress snorted coldly and said in a deep voice, "For the past hundred years, your Prince Xuan's manor, though not achieving great merit, has committed no major transgression either. What's rare is that while I was weak for many years, and most royal manors secretly sided with Prince Huai, your Prince Xuan's manor never betrayed me. Even when you eventually aligned with Prince Huai's manor, it was only because you believed I was dead, and you acted to ensure your manor's safety. You, Prince Xuan, are at fault, but I am also at fault. My fault was being too weak, so weak that those loyal to me were continuously oppressed and bullied by traitors. Your lack of any thought of betrayal during my century of weakness is enough to show your loyalty and cover for your mistakes of the past four months... Rise."

Prince Xuan's expression was blank, his eyes filled with tears, unable to believe every word he heard. Since the Little Demon Empress's return, every glance had felt like falling into an ice cave, every word was filled with murderous intent, and every command threatened to make the Demon Imperial City run with blood. As an offender, he hadn't slept peacefully for seven days, living in constant dread, even preparing his own coffin. His greatest hope was to save his wife, children, and manor... Yet, he never imagined that when the Little Demon Empress judged him, there would be no killing intent; instead of condemning him, she even showed approval.

As if soaring from the edge of hell to heaven, Prince Xuan's tears gushed forth. Instead of rising, he prostrated himself completely on the ground, sobbing, "Your humble servant... thanks the Little Demon Empress for her divine grace! My family has received imperial favor for generations, yet I consorted with traitors, truly deserving ten thousand deaths... The Little Demon Empress's grace is boundless; I have nothing to repay it with, save for dedicating this body and this life to eternal loyalty, unwavering until death... If I ever dare to show the slightest rebellion again, may I be struck down by heaven and earth..."

"No need to say more, rise," the Little Demon Empress said, waving her hand lightly. "Your wife and children must be worried for you at the manor. Go back early to put their minds at ease. You may withdraw."

"Thank you for your divine grace, Little Demon Empress... Thank you for your divine grace..." Prince Xuan shakily rose... this time, trembling with excitement. He bowed deeply and backed away, continuously expressing his gratitude, not stopping even after his feet stepped out of the barrier. "Thank you for your divine grace, Little Demon Empress... Thank you for your divine grace..."

Those kneeling in the hall watched Prince Xuan emerge so quickly, completely unharmed, his face flushed with excitement, continuously offering thanks...

"Prince Xuan..."

Some tried to speak with him, but Prince Xuan ignored everyone, turned, and left in a hurry. But everyone could clearly see his expression was one of immense relief... and a subtle joy.

"This..."

"Could it be that the Little Demon Empress simply pardoned him?"

Everyone exchanged glances, but Prince Xuan's safe return, and his expression of surprise and relief, instantly alleviated much of the heavy pressure in their hearts. The tragic fate of Prince Huai's manor had left them in constant terror for days; every moment in the Little Demon Empress's presence was filled with endless dread, and their minds uncontrollably conjured various tragic scenes. Yet, Prince Xuan had been inside for only a few dozen breaths, and the outcome was clearly a pardon.

They began to feel that their panic had been entirely unnecessary... Indeed, they were, after all, members of the Guardian Families and Royal Manors, pillars of power in the Illusory Demon Realm! The Illusory Demon Realm had just undergone such a massive upheaval; its foundations and pillars could not afford to be shaken! Prince Xuan's influence among the royal manors was weak, incomparable to that of the Guardian Families, yet he was safe and sound... As long as they sincerely repented and expressed loyalty, the Little Demon Empress would surely go along with it and grant a pardon, at most issuing a warning...

Thinking this, everyone's hearts immediately calmed considerably, and even the atmosphere in the hall no longer felt so oppressive.

"Helian Kuang, enter."

The Little Demon Empress's voice pierced through the barrier, coming from within the stone chamber. This time, the one summoned was Helian Kuang, the patriarch of the Helian family.

"Patriarch..." Several core elders of the Helian family looked at Helian Kuang with concern.

"Don't worry, I am a Guardian Family patriarch after all; nothing will happen," Helian Kuang took a deep breath and walked towards the stone chamber.

The moment he entered the stone chamber, a piercing coldness washed over him, making his whole body instantly chill and involuntarily shiver. Helian Kuang dared not meet the Little Demon Empress's eyes, and quickly knelt: "This sinner, Helian Kuang, greets the Little Demon Empress."

"Rise," the Little Demon Empress's voice was exceedingly calm, devoid of any emotional fluctuation. Her gaze indicated a stone chair to her right: "Take a seat."

No murderous intent, no anger, no oppressive presence, and he didn't have to stay kneeling. Helian Kuang's heart settled slightly. He slowly rose and cautiously moved to sit on the stone chair.

The Little Demon Empress extended her hand, and a small, delicate white jade teacup appeared in her palm. With a gesture, the teacup seemed to be lifted by a gentle breeze, floating lightly onto the stone table in front of Helian Kuang. "Patriarch Helian, have some tea."

The teacup was flawless white jade, but it was empty, without a single drop of tea. However, Helian Kuang wouldn't dare voice the slightest objection in front of the Little Demon Empress. At this moment, even if the Little Demon Empress said he was a dog, he would cooperate by barking twice. He took the teacup with both hands, brought it to his lips, carefully tilted his head, feigning a slow and leisurely drink. After a good while, he carefully placed the cup down.

"Finished your tea?" The Little Demon Empress's eyes narrowed slightly as she spoke indifferently.

Helian Kuang quickly cupped his hands and bowed, "Yes... This tea is mellow and fragrant, a drink only found in the heavens... Thank you, Little Demon Empress, for the tea."

"Since you've had your tea," the Little Demon Empress's gaze subtly sharpened, "then you can rest easy on your way!"

As the last syllable fell, the Little Demon Empress's body crossed space, appearing like a phantom in front of Helian Kuang. A delicate, snow-white hand, imbued with flames seemingly from hell, slammed heavily into Helian Kuang's chest. Violent Golden Crow flames surged wildly into his body, instantly incinerating his internal organs.

"Ugh..." Helian Kuang's eyes were wide open in death, the world before him spinning.

BOOM!!

With a deafening roar, Helian Kuang's body was sent flying from the stone chamber, violently crashing into the kneeling crowd. He landed with eyes wide open, utterly lifeless, a horrifying charred black mark imprinted on his chest.

"Patriarch... Patriarch!" The core elders of the Helian family screamed and rushed forward, but Helian Kuang's body held no trace of life. A strong, pungent burning smell emanated from him; he was utterly dead.

"Patriarch..." Gazing at the corpse, the Helian family's core elders were terrified, their bodies trembling. At this moment, the Little Demon Empress's cold, low voice came from within the stone chamber: "Helian Kuang, as a Guardian Family patriarch, colluded with Prince Huai, intending rebellion. His death is well-deserved. His crime should have implicated the entire Helian clan! But considering the Helian clan's ten thousand years of guardian service, I shall show leniency and grant your entire Helian clan a chance for a fresh start... Helian Tu!"

The Helian family's Second Elder, whose name was called, trembled, then hastily turned and knelt.

"From today onwards, you are the new patriarch of the Helian family! I order you to immediately drag Helian Kuang's corpse away and hang it above the North City Gate within one hour, to be displayed for seven days! During these seven days, anyone who dares to take him down, intercede, or mourn for him, shall be executed on the spot! If anyone in your Helian clan dares to voice the slightest objection or dissent, I will kill them. If your entire clan dares to defy my orders, or harbors even a trace of disloyalty, I shall ensure that the Helian clan ceases to exist in this world!"

With every word the Little Demon Empress spoke, the fear in the Helian elders' hearts intensified. Helian Kuang was utterly dead, but if his death alone could secure the safety of the Helian clan, who would be foolish enough to resent it for a dead man? Helian Tu tremblingly said, "I respectfully obey the Little Demon Empress's command... Thank you for your grace, Little Demon Empress. My Helian clan will henceforth be unwavering in our loyalty to you, dedicating our lives and souls..."

"Also, don't forget the Purple Vein Divine Crystals you owe the Yun family."

"Yes... Yes..." Helian Tu, dragging Helian Kuang's corpse, nodded in terror as he backed away, his trembling steps as if treading on knife edges.

Fear, like a plague, spread wildly throughout the Demon Imperial Hall. Their hearts, which had just slightly relaxed due to Prince Xuan's unharmed departure, now leaped back up manyfold. Everyone's face was deathly pale, devoid of any color... For ten thousand years, the Helian family's status among the Guardian Families had been second only to the Yun family, yet its patriarch, Helian Kuang, was directly killed by the Little Demon Empress... What then of the other Guardian Families and Royal Manors?

"Jiufang Kui, enter."

All gazes turned to the Jiufang family. Jiufang Kui tremblingly rose, but no sooner had he stood than his legs gave way, and he collapsed back to his knees. His greatly dilated pupils revealed his boundless inner terror. Helian Kuang's horrific death was like planting a demon in his heart... because he knew clearly that among the Twelve Families, the Helian clan was the first to pledge allegiance to Prince Huai's manor, and his Jiufang family was the second! Their clan was inherently similar to the Helian clan, and they had been in-laws for generations... The Little Demon Empress had just killed Helian Kuang and now called for him, Jiufang Kui... How could he not be terrified?