Chapter 593: Keeping the Empress Dowager in the Dark, Secretly Chatting with the Consort

When he first met Jiang Fan, he thought he had seen wrong. Jiang Fan had actually broken free from the Dragon-Binding Lock and escaped!

Jiang Fan’s heart sank upon hearing this.

If Consort Yunxia kept telling the truth, given the Demon Emperor’s keen perception, he would certainly suspect Jiang Fan was the one who had gotten there first.

“I released him to repay his life-saving kindness.”

“I have the key to the Dragon-Binding Lock.”

Without hesitation, Consort Yunxia pulled out the fake key from her bosom and said:

“Does the Demon Emperor wish to inspect the key?”

So, Yunxia had released him.

That made sense.

Consort Yunxia was a gentle person, and Jiang Fan had saved her life.

Releasing Jiang Fan was perfectly reasonable.

As for the key,

the Demon Emperor took it, rubbed it between his fingers for a moment, and then, still smiling, handed it back.

“You keep it.”

He didn’t have the slightest doubt about Consort Yunxia’s words.

Because it came down to what he always believed.

He knew Consort Yunxia’s character.

She wouldn’t betray him.

Consort Yunxia took it, placed it back in her bosom, and said:

“I released Jiang Fan privately; please punish me, Demon Emperor.”

The Demon Emperor looked at her with tenderness, grasped her shoulders, and chuckled softly:

“Haven’t you released enough humans already?”

“If I were to punish you, how many offenses would you have?”

Consort Yunxia’s body tensed slightly.

She subtly pulled away from the Demon Emperor’s hand.

She took a few steps back and bowed, “Thank you for your mercy, Demon Emperor.”

The Demon Emperor sighed with a touch of helplessness, saying, “So many years have passed, and you still refuse to call me husband?”

Consort Yunxia lowered her head, remaining silent.

The Demon Emperor let out a soft sigh and said, “Very well, let’s return to the Demon Imperial Court first.”

“Within a few days, visitors from an extraterrestrial divine sect will arrive.”

“We must handle them carefully.”

Jiang Fan let out a long sigh of relief.

He secretly glanced at Consort Yunxia and activated the Silent Meditation spell.

“Thanks.”

Jiang Fan’s voice suddenly echoed in her mind, making Consort Yunxia tremble and show a look of alarm.

“What’s wrong?” the Demon Emperor asked, surprised.

Jiang Fan’s voice reappeared in Consort Yunxia’s mind.

“This is Silent Meditation; you and I are communicating through divine sense. The Demon Emperor cannot hear us.”

Upon hearing this, Consort Yunxia finally relaxed.

She explained, “I’m distressed by Chunni’s injuries.”

The Demon Emperor glanced at Chunni’s severed finger and nodded slightly.

With a casual wave of his hand,

a mass of demon cloud rose from beneath everyone’s feet, carrying Jiang Fan, Consort Yunxia, Demon King Chunni, and Golden-Claw Iron Wolf.

They all traveled together toward the heart of the demon race, the Demon Imperial Court.

“Aren’t you being too bold? How dare you use Silent Meditation right in front of the Demon Emperor.”

Consort Yunxia sat emotionlessly, cross-legged behind the Demon Emperor.

She admonished him in her mind.

Jiang Fan said with a half-smile, “What, are you scared?”

He had tested Silent Meditation with Daoist Six Paths, in front of both Daoist Qinghe and the Ancient Giant.

He only dared to use it after confirming its effectiveness.

He hadn’t expected to scare Consort Yunxia so much.

“W-what am I afraid of?”

“I’m afraid that your acquiring the secret realm treasures will be exposed, and the Demon Emperor will kill you.”

Consort Yunxia said, feeling guilty.

She absolutely dared not let the Demon Emperor know about Jiang Fan searching her person.

The Demon Emperor was an extremely possessive man.

He wouldn’t allow outsiders to touch his woman in the slightest.

He would even mind if someone merely spoke a few words to her.

To have searched her, and twice, she couldn’t imagine what would happen if the Demon Emperor found out.

Jiang Fan smiled lightly:

“Your relationship with the Demon Emperor doesn’t seem harmonious?”

Counting the previous instance,

this was the second time Consort Yunxia had resisted the Demon Emperor’s affectionate gestures.

Consort Yunxia became cool and said, “This is none of your business.”

Jiang Fan said, “Come on, it’s boring on the way.”

“A chat would be good.”

Consort Yunxia retorted angrily, “Are you trying to make my private affairs into idle gossip?”

“I’m not that bored.”

“Turn off Silent Meditation; stop talking to me.”

“I want some peace.”

Jiang Fan, however, persisted, “Then perhaps we can discuss the internal situation of the demon race.”

“It seems the demon race isn’t a united front.”

“My trip to the demon race will likely end in death. Any small hope for survival rests on the internal conflicts within the demon race.”

Hmph!

Consort Yunxia found it both amusing and irritating.

No wonder Jiang Fan was suddenly curious about her relationship with the Demon Emperor.

So, he was playing mind games again.

He was likely trying to find a rift between them, then sow discord or something similar.

“One truly can’t let down their guard around you for a second.”

Consort Yunxia sighed resignedly.

After a long pause, she finally said, “The demon race is indeed not as united as it appears.”

“There are conflicts and frictions between the various tribes, and also between the tribes and the Demon Emperor.”

“However, if you think these conflicts can help you escape, you are being naive.”

“The Demon Emperor’s absolute power suppresses these conflicts, preventing them from erupting.”

“Take the Barbarian Elephant Tribe, for instance; there’s a deep-seated blood feud between them and the Demon Emperor.”

“When the Demon Emperor had not yet achieved his breakthrough, he and the leader of the Barbarian Elephant Tribe were both vying for the Demon Emperor realm.”

“The Barbarian Elephant Tribe leader had stronger fortune, being the first to obtain part of the Tiger Demon Emperor’s legacy, and was poised to break through to the Demon Emperor realm.”

“Yet, the Demon Emperor took the entire tribe hostage, coercing the leader into surrendering the legacy.”

“The Demon Emperor thus used cunning to be the first to ascend to the Demon Emperor realm.”

“And the first thing he did after becoming Demon Emperor was to kill the Barbarian Elephant Tribe leader.”

“Any Barbarian Elephant Tribe members who resisted were brutally purged.”

“Over a hundred Barbarian Elephant Tribe members were slaughtered, leaving only a handful alive.”

Jiang Fan’s expression remained calm.

Consort Yunxia was surprised. “Aren’t you surprised?”

“That the Demon Emperor would be this kind of person?”

Jiang Fan calmly countered, “Shouldn’t the Demon Emperor be precisely this kind of person?”

He never believed the Demon Emperor was truly as magnanimous as he appeared.

The demon race is a cruel species that deeply values the law of the jungle.

How could someone who rules as Demon Emperor be a benevolent or just individual?

Someone lacking ruthless methods, a cunning mind, or formidable strength would have been eliminated long ago during the competition.

Consort Yunxia paused, then said, “Alright.”

“It’s good that you know.”

“The Barbarian Elephant Tribe suffered near-extermination—isn’t that a deep enough blood feud?”

“Yet, decades have passed, and not a single member of the Barbarian Elephant Tribe dares to seek revenge.”

“Why?”

“The Demon Emperor’s absolute power stands in the way.”

“If you’re hoping to incite internal conflicts within the demon race to oppose the Demon Emperor, you should abandon that thought.”

Jiang Fan frowned and fell into deep thought.

Indeed, he had personally witnessed Daoist Qinghe and the Ancient Giant in action.

Their mountain-splitting, earth-shattering might was still fresh in his memory.

The demon race members, intimidated by this very power, would absolutely obey the Demon Emperor.

“If you truly want to escape, there’s only one person you can seek out.”

After a moment of hesitation, Consort Yunxia still pointed out a clear path for Jiang Fan.

“The Demon Race Priestess.”

Jiang Fan was puzzled. “Yaoyue?”

“That big-breasted, brainless little girl who just howls?”

He couldn’t imagine what kind of power Yaoyue could possibly possess to protect him.

“It’s the old priestess, Lingyin.”

“If there’s anyone within the demon race whom the Demon Emperor still fears, it can only be that old woman.”

There was a hint of bitterness in Consort Yunxia’s tone.

“However, the Priestess lineage has always been aloof and independent from the rest of the demon race.”

“If you beg her, she’s highly unlikely to help you.”

“Unless you have an inseparable connection to the Priestess lineage.”

“Only then might that old woman consider acting on your behalf.”

Jiang Fan rubbed his chin, falling silent.

As for an inseparable connection,

would being Yaoyue’s husband count as such a connection?

“What? Do you really have a connection with the Priestess lineage?”

When no reply came for a long time,

Consort Yunxia said, greatly astonished.