Chapter 702: Tearing Apart the Face

As the Demon Emperor, and one who had previously visited the Inner Palace, he knew better than anyone what was suppressed within its main hall. He also knew it was in an extremely weakened state and could not possibly break free.

Unless, someone went inside and disrupted its current weak state. Who entered? Did they bring out a treasure that could threaten his position as Demon Emperor? This was what concerned him most.

Consort Yunxia and the others were shaken violently by his roar, their internal organs churning.

Young Mistress Liuli clutched her stomach, a hint of pain on her face. "Father Emperor, I didn't go in." Ling Shu also turned pale, enduring the discomfort within her body, and said, "We've been in the Outer Palace the whole time."

"Could it be someone from the West Sea, East Sea, or the Divine Sect from outside this domain?" Consort Yunxia's mind was in turmoil. She said, "Demon Emperor, please calm your anger. Aren't there still two people who haven't come out? The girl from the Myriad Tribulations Sacred Palace and the person in the bamboo hat. Most likely, they entered the Inner Palace."

The Azure Demon Emperor's eyes blazed with murderous intent. His greatest fear was someone entering the Inner Palace and obtaining an opportunity to break through to the Demon Emperor realm. Yet, someone had done just that! Consort Yunxia's words did not calm his rage in the slightest; instead, they intensified it.

His gaze fell upon Jiang Fan. Though merely a look, it felt like a mountain suddenly pressing down on him. With a crunch, Jiang Fan's feet crushed the stones beneath him, sinking his entire soles into the ground. "You're the most suspicious!" The Azure Demon Emperor's eyes flickered with intense killing intent. "I wouldn't be surprised if anyone else possessed the Silver Scroll of Alchemy. But you, a mere human, are hiding so much! You are more suspicious than anyone!"

Jiang Fan gritted his teeth slightly. Directly facing the wrath of a Demon Emperor was far more overwhelming than he had imagined. With difficulty, he said, "Why bother with excuses when you're determined to incriminate me? If the Demon Emperor wishes to kill me, then do it. I have nothing to say."

He had expected the Demon Emperor to hesitate, but instead, murderous intent filled his eyes. "Good!" he snarled. "I've wanted to kill you for a long time! Now, I'll eliminate this trouble once and for all!" At this point, he stopped pretending and laid his cards on the table. "What?" Consort Yunxia was startled and quickly pleaded, "Demon Emperor, please reconsider! Do you want Young Mistress Liuli to be known for being defiled and pregnant? This would severely damage your reputation as well!"

The Demon Emperor cast a cold glance at her. "Can't you see? This child's threat is far more severe than any damage to my reputation! Why should I keep him alive?" Until now, the Demon Emperor had not killed Jiang Fan because he needed to maintain his dignity. However, Jiang Fan's threat was too great—so great that he might have brought out something that could jeopardize the Demon Emperor's position. At a time like this, what dignity mattered? The hidden danger had to be eliminated on the spot!

Suddenly, the Demon Emperor sensed something was amiss. He narrowed his eyes, staring intently at Consort Yunxia. "Wait a minute!" he said. "Haven't you always hated Jiang Fan to the bone? Yet, now that he's in trouble, you're so eager to defend him?" His gaze darted between them, suspicion flickering in his eyes. "Surely, nothing has happened between you two that I don't know about, has it?"

*Thump-thump—* Consort Yunxia's heart pounded. Had it not been for her exceptional composure, she would have shown a strange expression of fear by now. She said expressionlessly, "I'm only thinking of the Demon Emperor's reputation." Liuli also spoke up at this moment, pleading, "Father Emperor, you can't just kill him based on suspicion alone. What about the child in my belly?" Ling Shu, gathering her courage, begged, "Demon Emperor, please wait until the investigation is clear before making a decision. Don't harm him by mistake."

Jiang Fan listened and inwardly thought, "It's over." The Azure Demon Emperor was narrow-minded and extremely suspicious. The more united the people around him were, the more suspicious he became. The three women spoke in unison to plead for Jiang Fan, which only made the Azure Demon Emperor even more suspicious.

Indeed! The Azure Demon Emperor laughed in fury as he swept his gaze across the three women. "Jiang Fan!" he exclaimed. "You're truly remarkable! My woman, my daughter, and the prodigy of my race are all pleading for you, a mere human! I never realized you possessed such charisma!" If he hadn't suddenly moved to kill Jiang Fan, he would never have known that the people around him had been won over by Jiang Fan. The thought sent a chill down his spine. This Jiang Fan could not be allowed to live! Absolutely not! He must die!

A terrifying Nascent Soul aura erupted from within him. No one could dissuade him now. His killing intent was set; even if the King of Hell himself came, he would still slay Jiang Fan! Jiang Fan felt it too. He decided to stop pretending.

"Little Qilin!" The little Qilin, far away, instantly teleported into his arms, carrying the Sky Thunder Stone in its mouth, which held all of Jiang Fan's belongings. With a thought, a key made of condensed Memory Silver Sand appeared in his palm. In front of the Demon Emperor, Jiang Fan unlocked the Dragon-Binding Chain and chuckled faintly. "Alright," he said. "Since the Demon Emperor has revealed his intentions, I'll stop pretending too. This Dragon-Binding Chain has never been able to hold me."

"What?" The Azure Demon Emperor pulled the true key from his sleeve. "The Dragon-Binding Chain has two keys?" "No!" he realized. "Yours is... a replica! It's Memory Silver Sand! You refined the Tiger Demon Emperor's Memory Silver Sand!" He instantly understood that Jiang Fan had played him for a fool. Jiang Fan clearly possessed the ability to refine Memory Silver Sand but had feigned ignorance, successfully deceiving him and gaining access. With Memory Silver Sand, Jiang Fan could easily replicate a Silver Scroll of Alchemy and enter the Inner Palace!

"How dare you deceive me!!!" The Azure Demon Emperor was consumed by shame and rage, feeling his dignity insulted. Jiang Fan chuckled. "It's your own fault for being so suspicious. Your thoughts are so easy to read; it would be a shame not to trick someone as gullible as you."

The Azure Demon Emperor erupted in fury. "You're seeking death!" he roared, striking out with a palm. This terrifying blow from a Demon Emperor contained immense power. Jiang Fan merely chuckled. "Kill me? You're not strong enough!" He raised his hand and summoned a thunder dragon from the depths of the heavens. It roared into existence, carried him, and instantly vanished beyond the horizon, out of sight! This was clearly the third layer of Cloud Shadow: summoning the Nine Heavens Thunder as a dragon to teleport out of sight!

The Azure Demon Emperor's palm struck empty air, impacting the ground and leaving a terrifying beast claw print a hundred zhang wide! "He actually escaped my attack?" The Azure Demon Emperor was even more enraged! How could a mere human junior at the fifth level of Core Formation escape his attack unscathed? What an utter humiliation!

*Boom—* He stomped the ground, instantly launching himself forward. The earth itself trembled and cracked from his powerful push. Consort Yunxia's face turned ashen, her heart filled with despair. With the Demon Emperor personally giving chase, how could Jiang Fan possibly escape? Gritting her teeth, she turned and instructed Hai Mei, "Hai Mei, escort them and leave this place quickly. The Hellish Desolate Beasts are about to emerge."

Hai Mei was equally worried. "What about you?" Consort Yunxia said resolutely, "Don't worry about me!" She leaped, sacrificing her dwindling Nascent Soul aura, and pursued them closely.

Over the vast sea, a thunder dragon traversed dozens of miles. Jiang Fan dared not stop, summoning another thunder dragon for a second leap, instantly widening the distance between himself and the Demon Emperor. But he didn't relax for a moment. He could still feel the Demon Emperor's monstrous killing intent even from a hundred miles away. If there was one last chance for survival, there was only one option left.