Chapter 572: The Demon Emperor Arrives

Jiang Fan turned his head to look. He saw a handsome middle-aged man walking across the vast snowy plains with his hands behind his back. He had long golden hair, fair skin, wore a black fitted suit underneath, and a red cloak draped over him. With a casual step, he covered dozens of yards as if teleporting, greatly resembling the legendary ability of "Shrinking the Ground into Inches."

Jiang Fan's pupils constricted. What kind of divine ability was this? He dared not delay, quickly stood up, gripping his purple sword in a defensive stance, and asked, "May I ask for your esteemed name, Senior?"

The golden-haired middle-aged man approached slowly, a faint smile on his face. "Heavenly Secret Pavilion," he stated.

*He's from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion?* Glancing at Boundary Mountain, which was now close, Jiang Fan pondered for a moment. With the decisive battle imminent, it wasn't surprising for the Heavenly Secret Pavilion to dispatch powerful individuals as reinforcements. Moreover, they were so close to Boundary Mountain; no demon clan member would dare approach alone, right? Otherwise, if Vice Pavilion Master Ye made a move, anyone who came would be forced to stay. He cupped his hands and said, "Disciple Jiang Fan greets Senior from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion."

However, Consort Yunxia's delicate body trembled violently, and she suddenly lifted her head. When she clearly saw the middle-aged man, her eyes showed profound disbelief, followed by deep surprise. Her gaze towards Jiang Fan was full of amusement.

The Golden-Clawed Iron Wolf's eyes widened even further. Its limbs shook uncontrollably, on the verge of collapsing to the ground. The golden-haired middle-aged man stepped forward and gently patted its leg: "What a truly obedient and good spirit beast."

These words nearly made the Golden-Clawed Iron Wolf die on the spot from fright. Its limbs trembled incessantly, and whimpering pleas for mercy escaped its mouth. It wanted to explain, but the golden-haired middle-aged man had already leaped onto its back and sat cross-legged. He said indifferently, "Let's go, to Boundary Mountain."

The demon wolf dared not disobey. It took incredibly heavy steps, swiftly moving towards Boundary Mountain, fearing that any delay would bring about terrible consequences.

Jiang Fan was somewhat wary of this uninvited senior from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion. He immediately retrieved the Five-Magnet Origin Mountain. To prevent Consort Yunxia from regaining her mobility, he pressed his sword against her neck and ordered, "Behave yourself! We're almost at Boundary Mountain; don't force me to hurt you!"

To his surprise, Consort Yunxia remained surprisingly still and silent. Only at an angle Jiang Fan couldn't see did she reveal a cold smirk.

The golden-haired middle-aged man looked over indifferently and asked, "Who is this?"

Jiang Fan replied, "Consort Yunxia. Please excuse me, Senior. This woman is the Demon Emperor's consort. Not only is she cunning and dangerous, but the most troublesome thing is that she's very difficult to kill. I had no choice but to capture her and bring her back to let the elders handle her."

The golden-haired middle-aged man nodded slightly and praised, "Indeed, heroes emerge from the young. First, you turned the tide and destroyed countless demons; now, you've single-handedly captured the Demon Emperor's consort. Your name has already spread throughout both the human and demon realms."

Jiang Fan was meticulous. He vaguely sensed something off in the man's words. It seemed this person wasn't truly praising him; it was more like there was a suppressed anger beneath the surface. He subtly concealed the suspicion in his eyes and humbly replied, "Senior, you flatter me. It was just luck. May I ask if Senior has an important mission on this journey?"

The golden-haired middle-aged man looked calmly towards Boundary Mountain and said, "A relative is in trouble, so I merely came to help." He paused, then looked at Jiang Fan and continued, "You are so remarkable; you must be exceptionally intelligent. I have a question that has troubled me for a long time, and I'd like to hear your opinion on it."

Jiang Fan's eyes flickered. "Please speak, Senior," he said.

The golden-haired middle-aged man explained, "A powerful figure, with the help of many subordinates, became the ruler of a nation. However, the ruler is alone, while his subordinates' families are powerful and deeply entrenched, constantly threatening the ruler's reign. What do you think would be the best course of action?"

It was this kind of question. Jiang Fan was secretly puzzled; he had thought it would be about cultivation. However, this wasn't a difficult question to answer.

"Our human history has long provided the answer," Jiang Fan began. "Founding emperors, when they grew old and infirm, would all do the same thing to ensure a smooth transition of power to the next generation: they would purge meritorious officials and eliminate threats. However, this is usually done when the monarch is nearing death, a desperate and embarrassing act that will likely tarnish their name in history. It's the worst strategy."

The golden-haired middle-aged man was intrigued. "Oh? Are there medium and best strategies as well?"

Jiang Fan nodded slightly. "A smarter monarch would begin planning many years before their death, promoting corrupt officials and using them to eliminate meritorious officials. The monarch gains the benefits without dirtying their own hands, but they will ultimately gain a bad reputation for employing corrupt officials. This is a medium strategy."

Pausing, Jiang Fan continued, "The best strategy can be considered perfect. Use the pretext of war to suppress the influence of meritorious officials. If victorious, the monarch can leverage the great victory to consolidate power; if defeated, they can blame and punish the meritorious officials, eliminating targets. Furthermore, war is always cruel; regardless of victory or defeat, the meritorious officials' forces will suffer losses. The monarch remains detached, enjoying all the benefits while the meritorious officials bear the brunt of the disadvantages. This can truly be called the best strategy. However, this strategy loses popular support and will eventually lead to a backlash. Exercise caution."

Clap, clap—

The golden-haired middle-aged man lightly clapped his hands, making no effort to hide his approval. "Young man, you see things very clearly," he praised. "Your answer is impeccable. Then let me ask you another question."

He slowly stood up. Staring at Jiang Fan, he asked, "What if a formidable junior appears within an enemy force? Someone with astonishing talent, exceptional intelligence, who has also disrupted our grand plans. If given time, they will surely become a disaster. If it were you, what would you do?"

Jiang Fan thought seriously for a moment. He grabbed Consort Yunxia, pulling her up, and pressed his purple sword against her neck. He said indifferently, "Of course, I'd go around asking questions, just like you. Is it really that amusing to toy with a junior like this?"

"Demon Emperor!"

The air seemed to suddenly solidify. The Golden-Clawed Iron Wolf broke out in a cold sweat. *This little darling figured it out?* Consort Yunxia was also slightly surprised that Jiang Fan had seen through him.

The Demon Emperor let out a hearty laugh. An overwhelming demonic aura, as if materialized, shot into the sky, causing thunder to rumble within the dark clouds overhead. Simultaneously, a strong wind roared, swirling snowflakes everywhere and obscuring the sun with dark clouds. It was as if the end of the world had arrived.

"Hahaha," the Demon Emperor chuckled. "Interesting. How did you determine that I am the Demon Emperor?" With his hands behind his back, he watched Jiang Fan with a faint, enigmatic smile, not in a hurry to make a move.

Jiang Fan tightened his grip on the chain around Consort Yunxia's neck, pressing his purple sword firmly against her throat. His gaze was cold: "Because your consort and the demon wolf have been far too obedient ever since you arrived. Aside from the Demon Emperor, I can't think of anyone else who could intimidate them so completely."

A powerful human expert from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion had arrived. How could Consort Yunxia, someone so fearless of death, remain so quiet? How could the Golden-Clawed Iron Wolf, such a talkative fellow, remain silent? There was only one possibility.

The presence of the golden-haired middle-aged man made them absolutely submissive. Coupled with the golden-haired middle-aged man's physique, which was identical to a human's and showed no demonic characteristics, in the entire demon clan, only one person fit all these conditions. Only one person. The Demon Emperor!