Chapter 858: Illusion Demon Nightmare

The Five Elements Realm, located in the northwest of the Illusory Demon Realm, is a desolate area without any cities, yet it is constantly guarded by a large army, day and night. This is because it was the starting point of the Heavenly Profound Continent's invasion of the Illusory Demon Realm in the past. The spatial profound formation, forged at immense cost by the Four Sacred Grounds, had its exit here.

At the same time, it could also be considered the invasion's endpoint. Although the Four Sacred Grounds were powerful, the number of people they could teleport was limited. Fighting on their home ground, Demon Imperial City eventually forced the invaders back to this realm, where the final fierce battle took place. Even today, traces of the devastating battle from a century ago remain.

Not long after the Little Demon Emperor disappeared, the exit of that spatial profound formation vanished. However, the Illusory Demon Realm couldn't be sure if the Four Sacred Grounds had completely withdrawn the spatial passage. To prevent them from reopening an exit, elite heavy forces, including many disciples from the Guardian Families, guarded the area day and night. A century passed without any unusual activity; not only did the profound formation not reappear, but there wasn't even a single abnormal spatial fluctuation.

With the suppression of the Prince Huai rebellion, the Little Demon Empress regained power and demonstrated astonishing strength. Consequently, the pressure on the guards here drastically decreased. What was once a critical location concerning the safety of Demon Imperial City now often resounded with the guards' laughter and cheerful chatter, entirely devoid of any oppressive or solemn atmosphere.

In the early morning, just as the sky began to brighten. A year ago, this would have been the time for an orderly changing of the guard. But now, the main guarded areas of the Five Elements Realm were filled with the sounds of snoring. The night guards were all slumped haphazardly, with hardly anyone remaining awake or alert. Even the leaders from the Guardian Families were fast asleep.

At this moment, above the central area of the Five Elements Realm, space suddenly twisted violently. An abnormal profound light flickered weakly, then within a few breaths, it burst into a dazzling radiance, forming a small profound formation with a diameter of only three feet. A spatial profound formation allowing only one person to pass at a time!

The moment the spatial profound formation materialized, a black figure slowly descended from it. An oppressive aura, as if from hell, enveloped the entire Five Elements Realm, causing all the sleeping guards to awaken in a terrifying tremor.

Demon Imperial City, Yun Family.

For three full months, there had been no news from Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress, who had entered the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. Although Yun Qinghong had consistently comforted Mu Yurou with exceptional calm and reassurance, he was in fact burning with anxiety.

Today, he had again not slept a wink. He stood silently in the courtyard, lost in thought until dawn. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, he prepared to go to the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley again, just as he had yesterday. At that moment, his sound transmission jade suddenly vibrated with extremely violent energy fluctuations. Preoccupied, he quickly picked up the sound transmission jade and glanced at the transmission mark — it was from Yun Zheng, a Yun family disciple stationed in the Five Elements Realm!

Yun Qinghong's brow furrowed sharply. The Yun family had few disciples guarding the Five Elements Realm, but each was a leader of some rank. Yun Zheng was the leader of all Yun family disciples stationed there. He usually sent routine monthly reports on the guard situation and had never before sent a transmission at any other time.

"Patriarch... help... me..."

The voice from the sound transmission jade was pained and hoarse, like that of a dying person, filled with deep fear and despair.

Yun Qinghong was startled and roared, "Yun Zheng, what happened over there?!!"

"Hehehehe..." What answered him was a low laugh. Although it was only laughter, bearing no trace of the other party's aura, it caused Yun Qinghong's chest to tighten abruptly, and his breathing suddenly became labored.

"Who are you?" Yun Qinghong asked gravely.

"Who I am, you might as well guess... Yun Qinghong." Behind the sinister voice, Yun Zheng's pained, weak groans could be heard.

Yun Qinghong's scalp tingled, and his hands trembled, almost losing control and crushing the sound transmission jade. A heavy name that had been weighing on his heart for days now appeared in his mind...

"XuanYuan... Wentian!?"

"A good guess." The voice from the other side praised softly, then slowly stated, "Yun Qinghong, go tell the Little Demon Empress that in half an hour, I will arrive at Demon Imperial City, and I will come alone. Have her bring the Wheel of Myriad Tribulations and personally welcome me. Perhaps then, I might consider pardoning Demon Imperial City. Otherwise, I will let all of you know what true fear is."

"Uwaaaaah—"

The final sound was Yun Zheng's desperate cry, followed by the shattering of the sound transmission jade.

*Bang!!*

The sound transmission jade in Yun Qinghong's hand was also directly crushed by his profound energy-uncontrolled grip. His back grew cold, and his chest felt as if a massive, ten-thousand-ton boulder had been placed upon it, immensely heavy.

If it had been three months ago, upon suddenly hearing of XuanYuan Wentian... not to mention XuanYuan Wentian, even if he had suddenly received an alert of another invasion by the Four Sacred Grounds, he would have remained incredibly calm. But this time, the arrogant, judgmental voice on the other end, telling him that only one person was coming, caused his hands to tremble violently. It took him more than a dozen deep breaths to barely compose himself.

Because the current XuanYuan Wentian was not the XuanYuan Wentian of a century ago, but someone capable of defeating the Little Demon Empress!! After awakening her bloodline, the Little Demon Empress's power was unparalleled, even breaking the history of the Illusory Demon Realm. The Ming King, who was originally invincible in the Illusory Demon Realm, could only flee before her. During this time, the Illusory Demon Realm had almost deified the Little Demon Empress, and the Twelve Families and princely estates were all completely submissive, daring not to harbor any disloyalty or defiance. Once the situation in the Illusory Demon Realm was entirely stable, vengeance against the Heavenly Profound Continent would no longer be a distant dream but something within reach.

And to be able to defeat the Little Demon Empress... that was a power Yun Qinghong could not imagine, nor could the Illusory Demon Realm comprehend! Furthermore, the Little Demon Empress had not yet emerged from the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. If XuanYuan Wentian were to invade Demon Imperial City, the consequences would be absolutely unimaginable!

Yun Qinghong's eyes flickered wildly, then he gritted his teeth firmly, finally making a grave decision. He suddenly thrust his arm skyward, and a shocking peal of thunder exploded above the Yun family, its lightning practically dyeing the entire sky of Demon Imperial City purple.

"The Purple... Purple Cloud Calamity Order!!"

This purple lightning bolt was nothing short of an earth-shattering Nine Heavens Profound Thunder for the Yun family. From the Grand Elders to the most ordinary Yun family disciples, everyone reacted as if struck by lightning, leaping up and frantically rushing towards Yun Qinghong's location. The Purple Cloud Calamity Order was the Yun family's most urgent summons. Even during the Heavenly Profound Catastrophe a century ago, the Purple Cloud Calamity Order had never been used. This was because the Yun family could only activate it when facing a situation of life and death!

The sudden appearance of the Purple Cloud Calamity Order alarmed not just the Yun family, but the entire Demon Imperial City. Especially the Twelve Families and the princely estates, who all turned pale with shock upon seeing the sky filled with purple lightning above the Yun family. All the family heads, elders, and princes didn't even have time to think; they immediately dropped what they were doing and rushed towards the Yun family at top speed.

The Yun family was in complete chaos, and the sky above Demon Imperial City was instantly filled with figures flying towards the Yun family, like a swarm of passing locusts.

"Patriarch! What happened?!!" All the Yun family elders scrambled over, still shaken. The moment they saw Yun Qinghong's expression, their hearts sank even further. Because Yun Qinghong's face was covered in a gloom they had never witnessed before.

"Father!!" Xiao Yun flew over, supporting Tianxia Qiyi. Tianxia Qiyi's abdomen was greatly swollen; the fetus was full-term and could be born at any moment.

"..." Yun Qinghong remained silent for a long time. Around him, more and more Yun family disciples arrived, panting. Under the Purple Cloud Calamity Order, in just a few dozen breaths, all Yun family disciples had gathered in one place, without exception. They all stared fixedly at Yun Qinghong, their eyes filled with shock and alarm. Even with all Yun family disciples gathered, Yun Qinghong remained silent. The atmosphere was so oppressive it became hard to breathe.

"Patriarch Yun!!"

Several shouts echoed from all directions. The various family heads, elders, and princes arrived in a frantic hurry and then all gathered around Yun Qinghong. Seeing the Yun family's formation, their hearts all leaped into their throats. Knowing Yun Qinghong, they knew he would never act this way unless something earth-shattering had occurred.

"Qinghong, what on earth happened?" Mu Feiyan asked with a solemn expression.

"Could it be... something happened to the Little Demon Empress?" Tianxia Xiongti asked nervously.

Yun Qinghong glanced around; most of those expected had arrived. He took a deep breath and said, "It seems none of you received an alarm from the Five Elements Realm?"

"The Five Elements Realm?" Everyone exchanged glances. "What about the Five Elements Realm!?"

"..." Yun Qinghong was already certain that all the guards in the Five Elements Realm had fallen to XuanYuan Wentian, and it had happened so quickly that they didn't even have a chance to send out a sound transmission. As for Yun Zheng, he had been deliberately left alive.

Yun Qinghong stated gravely, "XuanYuan Wentian has already broken into the Five Elements Realm... and will arrive at Demon Imperial City in less than half an hour!"

"Wh-what!?!?"

Everyone else was suddenly startled, but Tianxia Xiongti and Mu Feiyan, who knew the inside story, roared out loud, their faces draining of color in terror.

"Brother Yun, how many people did XuanYuan Wentian bring this time? Is it just Heaven's Might Sword Region, or have all Four Sacred Grounds come?" Su Xiangnan asked urgently.

"...Only he is coming," Yun Qinghong said.

Upon hearing this, everyone let out a long sigh of relief. Su Xiangnan's expression relaxed, then he sharply retorted, "One person? Humph, is he coming to his death then?!"

"But why is he coming alone? Is there something wrong with the spatial profound formation?" Yan Zijing asked, puzzled.

"No, this matter is not as simple as you think. Even if it's just one person... that's XuanYuan Wentian!!" Tianxia Xiongti said agitatedly, his forehead already covered in cold sweat.

"This... why is that?" Everyone looked confused.

"At this point, there's no need to hide it anymore." Mu Feiyan sighed heavily. They had originally intended to let the Little Demon Empress decide everything after her return. However, three full months had passed, and there had been no movement from the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. He clenched his hands tightly and said with an extremely heavy voice, "The current XuanYuan Wentian is fundamentally incomparable to the XuanYuan Wentian of a century ago. Do you know why the Little Demon Empress has remained in the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley for these past three months?"

"Didn't they say the Little Demon Empress was healing Young Master Yun in the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley...? Is there another hidden reason?"

"Exactly!" Tianxia Xiongti gritted his teeth fiercely. "It wasn't just Young Master Yun who was injured... the Little Demon Empress was also severely wounded, even... even forced to burn her source blood. And the one who pushed the Little Demon Empress to such an extent was precisely XuanYuan Wentian!"

"In other words, the current XuanYuan Wentian... even the Little Demon Empress is not his match!"

This revelation was like a thunderclap exploding in everyone's ears. The family heads and princes above, and the Yun family disciples below, all blanched in shock, as if struck by lightning.

"This... this is impossible! How can this be..." Su Xiangnan stammered, "Though XuanYuan Wentian's strength is great, perhaps slightly surpassing the former Demon Emperor, how... how could he be a match for the Little Demon Empress! In just a century, even with an extraordinary stroke of luck, his power couldn't have surged to this extent."

"It's true," Tianxia Yidao stated solemnly. "Xiao Yun, Qiyi, and I witnessed it ourselves on the Heavenly Profound Continent! XuanYuan Wentian used some unknown demonic art to possess others, and his strength increased to an incomprehensible level. Even after burning her Golden Crow source blood, the Little Demon Empress was defeated... and nearly died at XuanYuan Wentian's hands."

Xiao Yun and his wife both nodded quickly.

"If XuanYuan Wentian truly came, it means his injuries have healed... that's terrible." Tianxia Yidao's tightly clenched hands trembled. He had personally witnessed XuanYuan Wentian's terror and experienced the fear he inspired...

Immense shock and disbelief appeared on everyone's faces, and the air was filled with gasps. After awakening her bloodline, the Little Demon Empress's power had grown to an incomprehensible degree. Simply unleashing her aura was enough to make these Emperors tremble in body and soul, leaving them speechless with fear. They had always firmly believed that the power within the Little Demon Empress was a gift from the Golden Crow Divine Spirit, unprecedented in the history of the Illusory Demon Realm, and that no one on the Heavenly Profound Continent, with its countless powerful cultivators, could possibly be her match. Countless citizens of the Illusory Demon Realm had even come to revere the Little Demon Empress as a deity.

They never expected... If news of the Little Demon Empress's defeat spread, it would undoubtedly cause widespread turmoil.

"No matter what, if he truly comes alone, can we still be afraid of him?" a prince said, but his tone was hollow and lacked conviction.

Yun Qinghong slowly shook his head and calmly said, "When Prince Huai nearly succeeded in ascending the throne, who ultimately turned the tide? It wasn't us, but the Little Demon Empress alone! The Prince Huai's estate had plotted meticulously for many years, gathering countless forces and powerful individuals. At that time, even if the former Demon Emperor had returned alive, it would have been nearly impossible to reverse the situation, yet the Little Demon Empress managed it. It wasn't her prestige surpassing the former Demon Emperor, but her absolute power that rendered Prince Huai's strong cultivators helpless as children, crushing them in an instant!

"Everyone knows that after awakening her bloodline, the Little Demon Empress's power reached such a degree that it surpassed the 'Emperor' realm, very likely reaching the legendary Divine Path. This absolute power, beyond their current level, simply cannot be countered by numbers. Otherwise, Prince Huai's estate, which had secretly accumulated strength for centuries, would not have crumbled in an instant under the power of the Little Demon Empress alone. And for XuanYuan Wentian to be able to defeat the Little Demon Empress, there's no doubt that his strength has also reached that level... and is even a step higher than hers. He is simply not an enemy that our combined forces can contend with!"

Yun Qinghong's words were calm, but each one was incredibly heavy, weighing heavily on everyone's hearts.

"Qinghong, do you have a countermeasure?" Mu Feiyan asked.

"Only a method that is no method at all," Yun Qinghong sighed softly.