Chapter 1478: If I Make a Move, You Won't Have a Chance

The Golden Crow Prince, who had been gloomy, instantly beamed with joy, thinking, "That's my dad for you!"

He gloated at Zu'an, "So, little thief, you've finally had your day, huh?"

He even silently urged, "Refuse, refuse!"

Angering his imperial father would give them a legitimate reason to kill him.

He couldn't understand why he detested this person so much. Before encountering Zu'an, he had been the undisputed leader of the five prodigies among the younger generation of the demon race.

Crucially, his position wasn't due to his status but his exceptional talent. In terms of both cultivation level and practical combat, he was a leader among the demon race's younger generation.

He was universally acknowledged as invincible among peers of the same level, frequently challenged opponents of higher cultivation, and often emerged victorious against those stronger than him.

For years, he had been full of vigor and immense pride.

Yet, he had the misfortune of encountering Zu'an, who actually defeated him despite being at a lower cultivation level!

This made all his past accomplishments seem like a joke.

Initially, he remained unconvinced, believing Zu'an had resorted to deceitful tactics. Even after being severely wounded by a sudden attack in the imperial palace during their second encounter, his confidence remained unshaken, as he attributed it to a sneak attack.

However, subsequent encounters—the fight in the imperial tomb and various incidents in this uncharted territory—horrified him. He realized that the person he had once disdained was someone he increasingly had to look up to.

He even foresaw that he wouldn't be able to defeat him within a predictable timeframe—and the most galling part was that Zu'an's cultivation level was still lower than his!

This was truly soul-crushing!

Therefore, he desperately wished his father would intervene and help him eliminate this inner demon.

At that moment, Zu'an spoke, "Demon Emperor, I've already shared all the information about the Elixir of Immortality, yet you're still not satisfied and now demand what I carry. This hardly seems like a partnership, does it?"

The Demon Emperor replied calmly, "Only children make choices. I, on the other hand, always take everything."

Zu'an was speechless.

If he didn't know the Demon Emperor's true nature, he might have thought he was some lecherous old internet user from his past life.

The Demon Emperor's gaze swept across the group. "Given our previous cooperation, if you hand over what Yu just gave you, I can let you live. I urge you to consider this carefully."

In truth, he had no intention of truly letting them go; his words were merely a tactic to make them drop their guard.

He also aimed to sow discord among them. After all, the White Jade City Master, the Demonic Sect Leader, and the Medusa Queen were formidable individuals. Together, they seemed to generate an effect greater than the sum of their parts. While the Demon Emperor wasn't truly afraid, he had to proceed with caution, especially since Zu'an appeared to be favored by the will of this world.

After all, Yu had only bestowed benefits upon Zu'an alone; the other three women had received nothing. There was no reason for them to risk their lives for him.

If Zu'an proved reluctant to surrender the item, the other three women would surely have a change of heart, and cracks would appear in their relationship with him.

Unless all three women were deeply in love with Zu'an, it was unlikely they would stand by him.

The Medusa Queen was one thing, but would the Ice Fairy of White Jade City and the murderous Demonic Sect Witch fall for another man?

And the same man, no less?

That's preposterous!

Seeing Zu'an remain silent, the Demon Emperor sneered, "What, you can't bear to part with it? Do you intend to let your companions perish here because of your selfishness?"

Zu'an smiled faintly. "Since when did the Demon Emperor resort to such divisive tactics? I don't mind telling you, what Yu just imparted to me was a cultivation technique, and it has nothing to do with immortality. Demon Emperor, your cultivation is already unmatched, the strongest in the world, so why would you concern yourself with my humble technique?"

"A cultivation technique!" The Golden Crow Prince's breathing quickened. How could a technique bestowed by Yu be anything but extraordinary?

His imperial father might not need it, but he certainly did!

The Demon Emperor frowned slightly, a hint of disappointment crossing his face upon hearing it was merely a cultivation technique.

In his current state, a divine martial arts manual was far from what he needed most.

Still, he wasn't so quick to believe Zu'an's assertion that it had no connection to immortality. To ascertain the truth, he would need to examine it himself.

As for whether Zu'an's power would dramatically increase after learning Yu's divine technique...

It was preposterous to think he could learn it in such a short time. Even for someone like himself or Zhao Hao, regarded as the era's foremost talents, mastering a truly divine manual had taken months. And even at their current enlightened state, where understanding came easily, grasping the essence of a profound technique would still require at least several days.

Zu'an was far from that level; he might not even grasp its rudiments in a year or two.

The Demon Emperor stated calmly, "My nature is somewhat overbearing. For years, I've sought to claim anything of value as my own. Hand over that cultivation technique, and I assure you, you won't be short-changed. Once you return to the outside world, wealth and prestige will be yours."

Zu'an secretly scoffed. The Demon Emperor's immediate promise of "wealth and prestige" was an utterly hollow slogan, so vague he hadn't even bothered to invent specific details, revealing a complete lack of sincerity.

Of course, even with genuine sincerity, he would never hand over this technique.

"My apologies, Demon Emperor, but I have little interest in wealth and prestige. I'm afraid I must decline your generous offer."

Upon hearing his reply, the Golden Crow Prince nearly chuckled aloud. "Excellent," he thought. "Keep courting death; the more you push, the closer you get!"

The Demon Emperor's expression darkened. "So, you choose the hard way!"

Were it not for the fact that Zu'an was favored by the will of this world, when would he ever condescend to reason with someone whose cultivation was vastly inferior to his own?

Just then, the spatial portal began to fluctuate, and the aura of the entire world seemed to become somewhat chaotic.

Yun Jianyue said gravely, "This passage won't hold much longer. If we delay further, we'll all be trapped and perish in this world."

The Demon Emperor frowned, then with a wave of his hand, a gentle force enveloped the Golden Crow Prince, propelling him towards the portal. "You go out first," he commanded.

He was confident he could deal with Zu'an's group swiftly, but he still needed to travel to Spirit Mountain to search for the Elixir of Immortality. It would be disastrous if the portal closed in the interim.

The demon race still required a leader, so as a precaution, he sent the prince back first.

While the Golden Crow Prince longed to witness the hateful Zu'an being crushed, he feared that being trapped here would lead to his utter despair.

Unlike his father, whose lifespan was nearing its end, he still had many good years ahead of him to enjoy.

He even entertained a somewhat dark thought: if the portal to this world were to close after his departure, wouldn't he then become the new Demon Emperor...?

With the Demon Emperor blocking the portal entrance, Zu'an and his companions could only watch as the Golden Crow Prince departed.

The atmosphere grew heavy. Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue felt a wave of pessimism; they simply didn't know how to contend with the Demon Emperor. Although he had been injured previously from his battle with Qiongqi, he now appeared fully recovered, radiating an even greater oppressive presence than at his peak, as if his power had risen another notch.

Their only hope lay with Zu'an's Sun-shooting Bow, but with only one shot, the Demon Emperor might not even grant him the chance to use it.

Unless... someone was willing to sacrifice themselves to hold back the Demon Emperor, buying Zu'an the crucial moment to act.

Regarding the divine technique imparted by Yu, they trusted Zu'an's talent, believing he could learn it swiftly. Yet, "swiftly" still implied time, and time was precisely what they lacked.

Yu Yanluo, by contrast, seemed more composed. Being with Zu'an already brought her a sense of peace; they would live or die together.

At that moment, the Demon Emperor spoke, "I'll give you one final chance. Otherwise, you'll regret it too late."

Zu'an sighed. "Are you so certain you can defeat me?"

The Demon Emperor stared at him as if he were an imbecile. "Are you jesting?"

Even Yan Xuehen and the other two women stared at him with odd expressions. Wasn't this fellow's boast a bit too audacious?

"You may make the first move. If I strike, you'll have no chance." The Demon Emperor, being the world's strongest, couldn't bring himself to attack a junior first.

"Then you'll likely regret it," Zu'an countered. No sooner had his words faded than a series of azure divine lights surged into the sky behind him. The air seemed to ripple with reflective surfaces, from which various weapons gradually emerged, each exuding the aura of at least a Heaven-tier artifact.