Chapter 112 - 111

"What I really want was it..." The Golden Crow muttered.

"I never really thought of it before... I'm just doing what I was tasked to do as the soul residue of the original Golden Crow... Back then, this noble one has told them, 'If your clan were to be on the verge of desperation and seek for the power for a comeback, then I will allow one request, and will grant nine drops of the Golden Crow's blood! At the same time, with the guidance of that person's life vitality, burn all of the power from their Golden Crow's bloodline, and allow them to receive a strength that is as strong as half-step into the Divine Profound Realm!"

The Golden Crow said while looking at the Little Demon Empress...

"But three years later, the bloodline's power and life vitality would burn out at the same time! By that time there would only be death! And there would not be any remedy for it in the world! Unfortunately, her clan was still too late after all. She is the only one left from the Demon Emperor's bloodline... Even if she receives this power, although it will help her exact revenge, eventually… It would extinct her clan even more quickly!"

"Get to the point already..." Issei said impatiently. Is there any need for her to be this fussy?

Issei is still feeling a little annoyed at the Golden Crow because of her little "test" so it's no wonder he's a little impatient with her.

"...Very well... This one also wanted to experience this brand new life the Phoenix said before... I think that is my main request... And if your excellency is willing, then I hope that your Majesty can help this small brat to erase the side effects after she inherited the Golden Crow legacies." The Golden Crow said after a bit of thinking.

She thought she might as well use this as a chance to see if he's willing to do it with the Little Demon Empress. If he wanted to then good but if not, so be it... It would be up to the Little Demon Empress on how to approach this problem later on.

The Little Demon Empress felt a little surprised when she heard the Golden Crow words. She never thought that the Golden Crow would assist her with this problem...

But soon her face becomes a little red since if Issei is willing then she basically has to dual cultivate with him... She's feeling a little nervous but also a little anticipation budding in her heart...

Although, most of her anticipation is because she would have the strength to enact her revenge... And as for the rest... Only she knows...

"I already said that I will help her so you can rest assured about that part." Issei said calmly.

The Little Demon Empress's body faintly shook but soon she calms her emotions down...

"Then this one doesn't really have anything else to say..." The Golden Crow said.

The Golden Crow is really impressed with Issei's attitude... Not womanly fussy like most men out there and act like a fake gentleman most of the time. When he said he will do it then he will truly do it just as can be seen from the previous incident. Truly a man of his words... And he's also a bit overbearing... But she likes!

"Um... Then shall we do it now?" Issei asked. They might as well get this over with... No need to prolong it more than needed.

"...If your excellency doesn't mind then sure... How about you? Are you fine doing it now?" The Golden Crow at first was taken aback but soon she calmed herself down and speak while looking at the Little Demon Empress.

"...I don't mind either." The Little Demon Empress said calmly... But inside she's feeling a little nervous.

Issei furrowed his eyebrows in a little bewilderment while looking at them seems to have some reservations like this. But he chooses to ignore it...

"Then... Receive these nine drops of blood." The Golden Crow bestowed exactly nine drops of blood of the Golden Crow...

It entered at the center of the Little Demon Empress's forehead. There's a golden fiery symbol that appeared on her forehead.

At the same time, she felt like her entire body is boiling from the inside out... It's extremely hot that even her face flushed red as if steam were about to come out from her head... She gritted her teeth to hold back the pain she's currently feeling.

"Now!"

*RIIIP!*

The Little Demon Empress' grey clothing instantly became tiny pieces of scraps with a soft ripping sound, leaving her entire naked body laid bare in front of Issei...

[What?!] Jasmine shouted in shock seeing that the Little Demon Empress clothes suddenly ripped into scraps...

"Your excellency! Now is the time for you to nourish her with your essence! Quick, before her body explode!" The Golden Crow said in a dire voice.

"..."

"Your excellency? What are you waiting for?!"

"...Why did you rip apart her clothes? And why does she need to receive my essence?" Issei asked feeling speechless...

[That's obviously because she's a pervert!] Jasmine said with a tinge of red on her face.

Xiaotao actually knows what the Golden Crow trying to convey here but she thought that she might as well let her be...

"Didn't you hear what I said before?! Her mortal body isn't capable of housing an entire nine drops of blood of the Golden Crow! She needed a essence from a Godly being such as you so that her body won't explode!" The Golden Crow said a little frustrated.

"...Who said that I need to give her my essence just to erase her bloodline limitation?" Issei asked while still feeling speechless.

Before the Golden Crow could say anything else, Issei approached the Little Demon Empress who felt like she's about to melt from the heat alone... She tremblingly extended her hands towards Issei thinking that he wanted to do the deeds... She grasped Issei's clothes trying to take off his outfit...

Issei frowned a little seeing her like this but soon he calmly put his hand on top of her head and a moment later... The Little Demon Empress felt like her body that was burning up immediately cooled down as if she just entered a windy field full of calming breeze...

She greedily took a few deep breaths inhaling the cool air that's currently surrounding her body...

The Golden Crow who saw this become slackjawed... Because she can sense that the limitation that was inside the Little Demon Empress's body just disappeared completely...

Not only that, but she also has successfully inherited and absorbed the entire nine drop of blood of the Golden Crow she just received...

The Little Demon Empress exhaled a short sigh and opened her eyes... Her once black as the abyss eye color changed into golden-colored eyes signifying her bloodline being awakened fully.

She slowly set her gaze upwards and went into a daze being in close proximity with her savior's otherworldly face.

"Are you feeling okay now?" Issei asked her calmly.

She nodded slowly as a response.

"Good... Then can you put on some clothes already?"

Only after hearing what he said that she remembers that she's currently in her birthday suit and in front of a man at that.

She hastily separated herself from Issei and took out a pair of robes to cover her body with... She doesn't dare to look at Issei's direction anymore and tries to hide her currently blushing face...

Didn't the Golden Crow said that they needed to dual cultivate to erase her bloodline side effects?! How embarrassing... She thought to herself...

The Golden Crow finally snapped out of her stupor and realizes that Issei is currently gazing at her in a weird manner...

"I-It's not what you think! This noble one didn't know that you can do what you just did! So this noble one thought that the only way to erase her bloodline side effect is to dual cultivate with you and receive your essence!" The Golden Crow hurriedly explained herself lest she would be branded as a pervert...

Xiaotao covered her mouth and giggled slightly seeing the Golden Crow being so flustered.

"You damn phoenix! You know about this, didn't you!? You knew all along that he could erase the bloodline limitation on someone else's body without giving his essence away!" The Golden Crow who saw Xiaotao chuckling at the side shouted at her feeling angry thinking that the latter is being silent about this on purpose.

"No... Pfft... I truly didn't know that Master could do this kind of thing..."

"You just laughed again! I don't believe you, you damn phoenix!"

"I'm not lying."

"I don't trust you!"

"Enough..." Issei said tiredly seeing that they're going to be here for a while if he doesn't stop their antics right now... Their relationship kind of reminds him of his wife and her particular friend though...

"Let's just get this over with..."

"Wait! I still need to send her to a secret realm of mine, to slowly draw out the power from the source within, so that she can comprehend the unparalleled profound art of my Golden Crow's bloodline, !"

At the same time the Golden Crow finished speaking, nine dots of golden light that was so bright that it could not be looked at directly descended from the sky, and landed on the body of the Little Demon Empress.

The Little Demon Empress' body then wrapped up completely by the golden flames and disappeared before their eyes.

"Now that's done with... Come out, the inheritor of the Heretic God Legacy and Princess Jasmine of the Star God Realm the next inheritor. I know you're both residing inside the ." The Golden Crow said.

Xun'er who heard her words comes out from the pearl along with Jasmine.

"Nice to meet you, Golden Crow Divine God." Xun'er said politely with a thin smile.

"Hmph! No need to act so respectful towards her, mother! She's just a pervert!" Jasmine said with disdain.

"Who's a pervert you little brat!?"

"Of course it's you! Who just told a man to give away their Y-Yang essence out of nowhere!"

"The damn Phoenix obviously know why I said those words! But I didn't expect that he doesn't need to dual cultivate to achieve what I wanted! She obviously knows of this but she won't tell me!"

Both of them are immediately at each other's throat... And when she's being pointed at, Xiaotao immediately put on an "I'm innocent" face...

"Sigh... Cut it out... Just give Xun'er the already..." Issei said with a sigh.

Both Jasmine and Xun'er become surprised after hearing what Issei just said...

Issei can sense that there's a residing nearby. The energy signature it had is identical with the previous seeds after all.

"Hmph! I was about to give it to her but her daughter's attitude just put me in a bad mood. So I changed my mind!" The Golden Crow snorted.

"You dare! You think that I can't destroy you?!" Jasmine said in anger.

The Golden Crow's soul said apathetically: "You do indeed have the power to destroy this noble one, however, this noble one possesses the willpower of the Golden Crow. In this world, there still does not exist anything that can cause this noble one to experience fear!"

"Heh! You're clearly afraid of Ise just now!" Jasmine sneered at the Golden Crow.

"He's not of this world and what do you know about the true extent of his full capabilities? And I wasn't afraid of him... I'm just respectful of him! You better get that straight." The Golden Crow scoffed at Jasmine.

"And you're only alive until because of his kindness! If it wasn't for him, you, the Star God from the Star God Realm who inherited the power of the Heaven Slaughter Star, may not even live as long as this noble one. Even if you somehow survive the poison that's currently affecting you, you would've still died sooner or later!"

"What did you say!?" a dark expression appeared on Jasmine's small, milk-white face.

"We Golden Crow Souls are able to mutually transmit memories. Even though this noble one is now in the Illusory Demon Realm, this noble one is aware of everything which happens in your Realm of Gods. Although your Star God Realm is able to use the 'Star Soul Reincarnation' to pass on the strength of a Star God, each 'Star Soul Reincarnation' will cause the divine strength to be weakened by a portion. Thus, your Star God Realm has to use other methods to avoid the subsequent generations from getting weaker."

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There's also a soul residue of the Golden Crow in the so it's not weird for her to know of all this information...

There's also Phoenix soul residue up there but since Xiaotao and the other Phoenix soul residue of this lower realm has some "problem" with each other, they inadvertently severed their connection with the Phoenix soul residue from the upper realm...

There's no Primordial Azure Dragon soul residue in the upper realm though...

"And since a hundred thousand years ago, the Heavenly Slaughter Star God did not exist 'alone'... Which is to say, you, who possesses the power of the Heavenly Slaughter Star God are just a temporary vessel! And the outcome for a vessel would naturally to become an 'offering'! For you to appear in this world would not simply just be due to being chased for obtaining the Heretic God's indestructible blood… The greater reason would be because you are fleeing from the Star God Realm!"

"If not, why did you, who was being chased, flee in this direction... which is opposite from that of the Star God Realm! Or perhaps, you went through such great dangers, putting aside all considerations to obtain the Heretic God's indestructible blood just to obtain enough strength to escape the fate of being an 'offering'? If so, congratulations, you just faced with a 'twist of fate' just like the Little Demon Empress just now! You have successfully changed your fate!"

What the Golden Crow meant by a "twist of fate" is obviously pointing at Issei... If she doesn't meet with Issei then perhaps her fate would've been sealed...

"Shut up!" The space around Jasmine ruptured immediately. A cold and incomparably terrifying murderous intent was released uncontrollably, causing innumerable cracks to appear in the surrounding space.

"Hahahahaha…" the Golden Crow's soul laughed: "Seems like what this noble one has said was spot on."

"In this world, there is no one who can decide this princess' fate, even 'that person' cannot!"

Jasmine's face was filled with terrifying indifference, she pointed at the pair of pure gold pupils in front of her, a scarlet ray flashed on her fingertip: "If you dare to continue babbling such nonsense, this princess will cause to disappear forever immediately!"

"Nonsense? You of all people should know what this noble one just said is the truth! Don't tell me you didn't receive any "Lucky" encounter during your stay with his excellency! Tell me, did you? Or did you not?" The Golden Crow said indifferently.

Jasmine immediately froze on the spot... She recalled everything that happened so far during her stay with Issei...

The amount of her and her mother's "Lucky" encounter is enough to make anyone feel envious... One of them is finding all the Heretic God Seeds which supposedly almost impossible to find and they indeed agree on the impossible part...

Their lives are also saved by him...

Jasmine's hand paused in the air... After a long time, she slowly lowered her arm, even the anger and murderous intent which she exploded with previously had, has completely disappeared...

"...You didn't need to remind this princess of our debts towards him... This princess knows fully well that the debts both we, mother and daughter, owed him are immeasurable... We don't even know if we could ever repay him... But, this princess's business is none of your concern! Since you know so much, this princess will ask you a question… You should know that the legacy of the Phoenix, Primordial Azure Dragon God, and you, the Golden Crow, exists on this little Blue Pole Star! Even the Heretic God's seeds have appeared in this world…" She said while changing the subject of their conversation.

"In this boundless universe with countless stars, to have an inheritance of a divine legacy is one in a hundred billion, yet on this little , there exists so many… From the Primordial Era. What exactly happened on this star? To have the vestiges of so many divine beings?"

Jasmine's sudden question caused the Golden Crow's soul to become silent. The pair of pure gold pupils stopped moving for a long while...

"Tell her... I wanted to know of this as well." Issei said towards the Golden Crow.

The Golden Crow who heard Issei's words finally said with an intense voice: "Since your excellency wish to know, this one will tell you… The reason why this star is called the is because, it is divided into one percent of land and ninety-nine percent water! From the outside, this star is azure."

"However it was not called the previously. Back then, it was forty percent land and sixty percent water. The reason for that is because, during the calamity of the Primordial Gods, a large portion of the land was destroyed into nothingness, leaving the current one percent. What's more, this star was located at the other end of this universe previously, not even a hundred Star Realms apart from the world in which you were born."

"What?" Jasmine scrunched her eyebrows: "What you are saying, is that back then this star traveled across half of the spatial chaos?"

"That's right! It continued to exist after experiencing such a force, and to just have ninety percent of its land to be destroyed, even in the Realm of Gods, this is an irreplicable miracle. The one who preserved this star was precisely the Heretic God! Because this Blue Pole Star… Was the first star that he created!"

Jasmine: "..."

"After the Heretic God's death, the only ones who knew of this world's existence were the few divine beings who were on good terms with the Heretic God! The Primordial Azure Dragon God, Phoenix and Golden Crow were the three amongst them! That was the only reason why they would leave their legacies on this star with such inferior strength! At least, your Star Realm would not be aware of the existence of this star which traveled across half of the spatial chaos!"

"...Then how about her? Did you know anything about her?" Issei opened an opening to the and at the other side of the opening, there's Bai'er figure.

"..." The Golden Crow squinted her eyes while looking at Bai'er but soon she gave her answer: "...This one is not sure... But she seems a bit familiar... Perhaps the original Golden Crow might recognize her but not me..."

"I see..." Issei muttered and then he closed the opening. He's not that disappointed since Xiaotao has said the same thing... And since even the Golden Crow seems to be familiar with Bai'er then Bai'er identity should be quite special as well for a being such as them to be able to recognize her.

"Your excellency... This one hopes that you can save this universe if a calamity were to befall it... A calamity that might bring ruin to this whole universe. It is an aura that should have become extinct with all the gods back in the Primordial Era! Although it is incomparably faint and indistinct, it is clearly becoming stronger year by year... Especially this year... For some reason, its aura somehow fluctuates at a rapid pace and it shouldn't be that long before that said calamities entering this universe..."

"That terrifying aura keeps on getting closer to reality, the largest contribution we, who were already died can make would be to give our all... If we hadn't met you... We would've given our soul origins to the most suitable person to prevent this calamity from happening. But since we've met you then there's no need for us to feel that worried any longer as long as your excellency is willing to help this universe from meeting its end..." The Golden Crow said in a dire voice.

"The Phoenix should realize this as well." She added.

"...Indeed. What the Golden Crow just said is all true." Xiaotao nodded in confirmation.

"...The aura 'which should have become extinct' that you spoke about, what is it?" Jasmine scrunched her eyebrows and asked.

"You should pray that what we felt is just our misconception... But if not... No matter how strong your Star God Realm is, it too will fall into endless fear! Even that who's said to be the strongest in the wouldn't be able to do anything in front of it..."

"So the reason why you asked for Ise's help is because he's the only one who can prevent it?" Jasmine asked worriedly.

"Yes... Most likely than not, he's our only hope." The Golden Crow affirmed Jasmine's question.

Issei frowned a little before he speaks: "If I could then I would help you but if not then I won't risk my life to defend this universe since I still have my own universe to go back to."

He won't risk his life like some idiot just to save another universe he barely knows... Sure he could bring those he considered friends to safety but if that proven to be too risky then he would also abandon that idea...

He still needs to go back to his pregnant wives after all...

"That's completely understandable. We won't ask you who's basically an outsider of this universe to risk your life just like that. As long as you're willing to try then we're content with just that." The Golden Crow said in relief.

She prefers Issei words just now rather than some empty promise...

"Here, catch this!" The Golden Crow changed her attention back to Xun'er... a purple glow appeared from within her pupils which flew rapidly towards Xun'er.

As the purple glow neared, bursts of ear-piercing cries could be heard. Xun'er eyes opened wide… the purple glow within her line of sight grew closer and closer, its original form was small, but the purple glow surrounding it was extremely deep, twisting like a violent beast, and wherever it went, the space around it was distorted.

Above, the thunder clouds which were originally suppressed by the Golden Crow's soul now pervaded the entire sky, and ear-splitting roars of thunder could be heard.

She felt excited for was that the moment the purple glow appeared, it was as if her profound veins were an awakened sleeping beast that had been agitated. This kind of agitated feeling was not unfamiliar at all...

The purple glow of devastating lightning could be seen within her line of sight, yet she did not feel a single bit of fear or rejection. Instead, she felt an extremely familiar feeling, down to her heart.

As the purple glow neared, Xun'er almost involuntarily reached out to grab it.

Immediately, all the lightning above dispersed, and even the aura became particularly gentle. Within her palm, it revealed its true form… An extremely tiny seed that exhibited a gentle, illusory purple glow.

It is precisely the Heretic God Lightning Seed...

"Since you have inherited the Heretic God's power, this naturally belongs to you" The Golden Crow's soul continued: "It originally appeared in the Illusory Demon Realm and this noble one obtained it. The endless thunder clouds within this Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley were borne because of its power!"

"Hmm... You have already possessed the , , and seed within your body. You almost fully collected the seeds left behind by the Heretic God... Two more seeds and you will fully inherit his legacy... Truly a heaven-defying 'luck'!" The Golden Crow gave Jasmine and Xun'er a knowing smirk.

Jasmine snorted to the side while Xun'er only smiles sheepishly...

"Go inside the to increase your cultivation base and also absorb that Lightning seed at the same time. It will be very beneficial to you." The Golden Crow then directly lifted Xun'er's body and thrown the latter into the boundless Sea of Death.

The is a giant sea of lava that's created by the Golden Crow... It is extremely potent for the others but not for Xun'er who's basically impervious to element.

It is of no use for Issei since the energy residing within it is not strong enough for him...

The moment Xun'er plunged into the she immediately submerged her entire body inside it... She then began to cultivate and also absorbed the seed while she's at it.

Jasmine gazed worriedly but soon she let her worries down when she remembered that her mother possesses the seed within her body.

"Then... Here's another gift from me to you, GodKing. Since that Phoenix gave you a huge gift… This noble one will bestow you with an even larger gift!" The words of the Golden Crow Soul targeted and belittled Xiaotao at every turn.

But Issei knows that it's basically just some sort of rivalry between them so he doesn't really care that much... Peeling off her tyrannical, mighty and violent outside, how was she different from a competitive, ordinary woman unwilling to lose...

At this moment, the pure gold pupils suddenly flashed, and for a moment, the entire sky was wrapped in gold light. The source of the light slowly floated down and landed in front of Issei.

Issei extended his arm, and touched the source of the golden light… This was something which was granted by the Golden Crow Soul, something she claimed a lot better than the gifts Xiaotao gave him… It was surely not to be taken lightly. Not that he really care that much though...

After making contact with Issei's hand, the glow slowly disappeared. Appearing in front of Issei's eyes was an ordinary-looking golden jade about the size of a fist. The jade could be considered translucent and dazzling, and nine irregular golden specks could be clearly seen. In fact, these nine specks were obviously linked by a golden thread.

"This is… the Jade of the Nine Suns!" Jasmine cried out involuntarily when she saw the jade in Issei's hand.

"Jade of the Nine Suns? You recognize this thing, Jasmine?" Issei muttered while observing the jade within his hand. He has to admit that It is indeed quite powerful... Sadly, the energy residing within it is of no use for him...

Don't get him wrong, it is indeed quite powerful but it's not strong enough to be of use to him...

"...It is quite unimaginable for something as divine as the Jade of the Nine Suns to appear in this plane!" Jasmine said with an abnormal voice, she then said in an overcast manner: "The Jade of the Nine Suns is one of the highest level divine jades of the Primordial World! Even in the upper realm, it is still an extremely rare divine object! When all the power of a Jade of the Nine Suns is triggered… It is enough to obliterate the entire Illusory Demon Realm in an instant!"

"Hmm, is that so?" Issei rotated the jade around his hand nonchalantly.

This thing is basically a nuclear weapon then? Well, he will think of how to make use of it later on he guesses... Then he put the jade away into the .

"I know it is of no use for you but at the very least, that jade is a thousand times better compared to the gifts that Phoenix gifted to you!" The Golden Crow said with a prideful voice while she's giving Xiaotao a mocking gaze.

Xiaotao doesn't give any kind of response towards the Golden Crow provocation though... She only stands calmly behind Issei without having her emotions changing in the slightest.

The Golden Crow clicked her tongue seeing that her provocation isn't working...

A little while later, Xun'er returned... But since she needed to solidify her cultivation, she heads back to the pearl first along with Jasmine.

Only after the Little Demon Empress returned from the Golden Crow that they proceed with their next agenda at hand... As in absorbing the Golden Crow divine energy...

The Little Demon Empress who was inside the secret realm has her cultivation rising at a rapid pace... From the 5th level Monarch... 6th... 7th... 8th... 9th... And it stopped exactly at the peak 10th level Monarch, half-step into the Divine Profound Realm... She also mastered the perfectly.

The Little Demon Empress officially has become the strongest person in the Illusory Demon Realm or even this entire lower realm...

Of course, that's taking Esdeath and the others out of consideration since they're basically an anomaly in and of itself. Needless to say about Issei...

...

The Little Demon Empress was a bit worried if the would disappear if the Golden Crow were to disappear as well... But the Golden Crow said she doesn't need to be worried about it since the spirits that are residing in the valley can maintain the valley existence.

There is a Sovereign spirit level inside the valley that helped her maintain it. So even if the Golden Crow disappeared, the valley would still remain as long as they don't overuse it just like how it has been arranged before...

Issei finally finished absorbing the Golden Crow divine energy... But he only hastens his recovery rate to nine and a half years... This time Issei is prepared to see just what is slowing his recovery rate down.

When he inspected just where those energies went, he found out that his power "Container" size is bigger than before... It's almost double the size it used to be...

He felt taken aback by this... Does that mean that he just got stronger?

No... It shouldn't be that easy...

The amount of energy that he absorbed to reach is almost immeasurable. Whether it's by absorbing the divinity from the other Gods he killed or some divine energy from ancient Godly artifacts...

And it's only with the help of Sora and the element within his body that he could breakthrough from to this fast and easily... If not, it would take him a dozen more years...

Issei frowned deeply while thinking about the other possibilities...

"Hmm... So this is how it feels like to have a brand new physical body... Not bad..." The Golden Crow inspected her newly created body.

She had a graceful, sexy and all-around lovely body. She is voluminous and exquisite, much like a matured juicy peach, with a faint luring sense seeping out. She has long flaming red hair which extends to her narrow waist.

Her eyes are colored golden just like her name. She has this aura full of pride and domineering surrounding her, unlike Xiaotao who has a calming and gentle aura.

(AN: Check my pat reon for new images).

Even though she loses her cultivation, she doesn't really care much since she believes with this new body she can surpass her old self.

Her old self might possess a higher cultivation base than all of the inhabitants but she can't move forward... Meaning that she's stuck in her cultivation realm unable to breakthrough no matter what...

Now that she gains a brand new body she could freely increase her cultivation and someday she will reach the True God Realm. The realm that the Original Golden Crow reached before...

"Master, would you give me a name? Don't you think it's unfair that you only give a name to this smelly Phoenix?" The Golden Crow with a voice laced with jealousy.

"Hm?" Issei who heard the Golden Crow voice stopped his train of thoughts.

"Like I said, won't you give me a new name?" The Golden Crow thought that Issei doesn't hear what she just said so she repeated herself.

"*Sigh*... Fine." Issei then thought for a moment while observing the Golden Crow.

The latter started fidgetting a bit being observed by the former so directly... Her cheeks are also faintly blushing but she doesn't shy away from Issei's gaze on her.

"How about Lieyan?" Issei finally said.

(AN: Lieyan = Raging Flame. In Chinese)

"Lieyan? Hmm, good name! Then Lieyan thanks Master!" The Golden Crow who now goes by the name Lieyan said with a small smirk on her face thinking that it's indeed a good name.

Unlike that Phoenix name who has the word "small" in it.

(AN: Xiao = Small. In Chinese)

The Little Demon Empress felt amazed seeing the Golden Crow her family worshipped could gain a brand new body like this... But her awe towards Issei just increased by a large amount...

"Then I believe we're done here... Shall we go now?" Issei asked the Little Demon Empress.

"E-Eh? Y-Yes." The Little Demon Empress was caught off guard being suddenly asked by Issei but soon she gave her answer.

"Just you wait, smelly Phoenix! I will soon surpass you!" Lieyan pointed at Xiaotao arrogantly.

"Um, it's reassuring knowing that you have the intention to do so." Xiaotao's thoughts are much simpler than Lieyan since if the latter grows stronger faster then her Master would have an extra hand...

"Cheh..." Lieyan felt a little annoyed that her supposed rival is not taking her seriously...

By now, Issei just felt amused instead of feeling tired by the sight of their "banter"... One side is being aggressive while the other side is like cotton that no matter how hard the other side push, it will only rebound back...

Then Xiaotao and Lieyan entered the before they exited the valley.

...

Illusory Demon Realm, north of Demon Imperial City, the entrance of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.

At this time, the long-silent protective profound formation suddenly flashed with a scarlet-golden light, and following that, it started to slowly and gently rotate as two human figures appeared under the light of the Golden Crow profound formation.

They both are of course Issei and the Little Demon Empress.

The Little Demon Empress stood behind Issei, who only came up to his chest and was swathed in grey robes. If the old Little Demon Empress looked only fourteen years old in age, now her body grew by a little just like that of a sixteen years old girl.

She now had an extremely beautiful face that could overshadow the beauty of heaven and earth and the luster of the sun and moon. But her look and gaze was completely covered with a limitless cold detachment and it was nearly impossible to detect any trace of emotion that a living being ought to possess. And what was most eye-catching, was a mark of scarlet-golden flames glowing in the middle of her brows.

A Demon Emperor who had awakened his Golden Crow bloodline would have the Golden Crow Imprint appear in between his eyebrows to signify his status. All the former Demon Emperor's Golden Crow Imprint was a dull golden color and it could be hidden at any time... But the imprint that was in the middle of her eyebrows was an eye-scorching scarlet-golden color.

That's because she has fully inherited the legacy of the Golden Crow which is the first in the entire history of the Illusory Demon Realm...

This could only happen because of the man in front of her... If not, the outcome would've been completely different... The Little Demon Empress thought to herself.

She dazedly looks at the facial feature of her benefactor, or should she say, savior instead...

Even until now she still can't believe there could be such an attractive man existed in this world...

She who's a woman felt some inferiority if she's compared to his countenance alone but soon she erases those unnecessary thoughts since she got a new objective at hand... And that is to get her revenge!

For the sake of achieving her vengeance and her desire for power, she seemed to have annihilated herself completely… Including her own feelings and life.

The power that she had desired for had been attained, however, her emotions had also been sealed and even her life was quickly slipping away… She silently stood there, without making a single sound or taking a single breath, as though she was the most beautiful and life-like doll in the world.

Issei who saw her like this gave a slight sigh...

"I won't tell you to forget about your revenge or anything like that... You could maintain your anger and hatred for as long as you wanted to but remember to never lose sight of your true self." He spoke towards her.

"If by chance you become lost in your desire for revenge and in return you involved the lives of the innocents then know that I will stop you immediately... Even if I have to kill you in the process." Issei said while he narrowed his eyes threateningly at her.

The Little Demon Empress who saw his gaze shuddered greatly... Her buried emotion resurfaced almost instantly.

"I said I will assist you in your revenge and not to help you kill the innocents. You better remember that."

"...Caiyi understands." She took a deep breath and answered softly.

"Um... It's good that you understand" Then Issei took back his threatening aura.

It's important to tell her this since someone like her who basically almost live her entire life dwelling in revenge tend to forget themselves... Ruthlessness is a good thing to have for a King but one needed to keep it balanced or it would lead to tyranny...

"And besides... I have a feeling that you can get your revenge soon enough..." Issei muttered while he set his gaze to the front.

"Eh?" The Little Demon Empress let out a confused voice.

"Well, you'll see later... For now, wear this." Issei tossed a pendant from the at her.

"That pendant will hide your true cultivation realm. You don't want your enemies to run away from you the moment they sensed your cultivation base, right?"

She nodded at Issei's statement and wear the pendant right away.

That pendant has been boosted by Issei and its effects are increased as well.

"Caiyi will surely remember your excellency benevolence." She bowed deeply towards Issei.

"Um..." Issei said without really much care.

"Where should we go now?" She asked.

"Just wait" Issei said calmly.

"...En." She answered softly. She doesn't know why Issei wanted to wait but she decided to listen to his words.

...

The sky grew darker and darker. The night was exceptionally dark today and no stars could be seen in the night sky. A dark cloud floated by, covering up the crescent moon. In an instant, the entire world became as dark as black ink, and when one stretched out his hand, he could not see his fingers. Even the air became exceptionally heavy… As though it was using the surrounding darkness to predict something.

"Tell me... Do you think there is a traitor amongst your subordinates?" Issei suddenly asked her.

At first, the Little Demon Empress was taken aback slightly but soon she answered calmly: "...Yes, I believe there is indeed a traitor amongst my subordinates..."

"Then... Did you ever investigate them?" Issei continues to ask her while crossing his arms behind his back.

"...I tried... But the result that I came up with is null... My biggest suspect is Duke Huai's faction but I have no proof for my claim." The Little Demon Empress answered after thinking for a moment.

"Hmm... Why don't you just let the Yun family use their on him and his accomplices?"

"...It's not that easy... If I just blatantly use it on them then it would cause public unrest... The people would think that I'm an incompetent ruler who doesn't even put trust in her subjects..."

"...Trust is it?" Issei muttered lowly.

To be honest, he can understand the view of the Little Demon Empress but he doesn't share the same idea as her... He doesn't really care whether he has the trust of his subjects or not...

After all, the only reason why he took up the seat of the is because of his beloved wife... He's not really that interested in that seat in the first place...

But since he wanted to make his wife happy then he would readily take over her place. That way she can rest easy and lessen her burden.

Hence why he doesn't share the same objective view as the Little Demon Empress...

"Master, they're here..." Suddenly, Naru appeared beside Issei while still kneeling.

"Well, no matter... It looks like your chance is here..." Issei stopped his thinking and said calmly while erasing his presence at the same time. Naru also followed suit...

The Little Demon Empress at first becomes taken aback by this newcomer and Issei's words but soon she understands what they're talking about just now...

She saw Duke Huai approaching their location accompanied by a man of medium stature. He looked elegant and handsome, and his face was rather pale. Overall, he looked as though he was a weak scholar, yet he was emitting an extremely frightening pressure from his entire body.

The world of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was shrouded in exploding flames and the constant rumble of thunder. At every corner, a disastrous elemental storm was present. However, around him, it was frighteningly silent and there was no sign of any flames or lightning. There did not even seem to be any trace of airflow. His hair and sleeves were all still just like his surroundings, where his frightening aura seemed to have condensed the air around him.

He was dressed in a red robe and looked to be only around thirty years old. Standing in front of Duke Huai, he seemed to be even younger than Duke Huai. Furthermore, the Duke Huai who usually treated everyone indifferently and was feared by many others not only stood upright behind him, but he also had a posture of respect.

The Little Demon Empress stared closely at this person, as her expression and gaze changed, revealing the astonishment she had in her heart.

Regarding Duke Huai's appearance, she's only slightly surprised. However, she never expected the person that accompanied Duke Huai!

He was a person that has disappeared for a hundred and fifty years without a word!

"Duke… Ming!" The Little Demon Empress' chest rose intensely. For this person to suddenly appear here today along with Duke Huai, she would not naively believe that he was here to welcome her. At that instant, in her astonishment, she had finally understood facts that she had previously dared not to believe.

"It's been a hundred and fifty years, but your highness still looks the same," Duke Ming spoke with a slight and gentle smile. If it were not for the frightening flow of air, anyone who saw that smile would feel that the smile was like a warm spring breeze,

"It's such a pity. Although your highness possessed the purest of the Demon Emperor's bloodline, even if you forcefully seal your vital Yin and maintained your body in a youth-like state, the feeling of the bloodline eating away at your body must be unbearable. It must be hard on you to bear it all these years. Although the Little Demon Emperor died early, there are many men within the Illusory Demon Realm. You could have found any of them to release your vital yin and live comfortably for the past hundred years. Hahahahahaha!"

Duke Ming and Duke Huai both laughed hysterically.

But the Little Demon Empress doesn't feel bothered by their insults in the slightest... There's only calmness that could be found in her face... Calm before the storm...

Both Duke's doesn't realize this abnormality and only thought that she has been scared silly.

"So, where is that man? That man who accompanied you here?" Duke Ming said while he surveys his surroundings.

"Did he run away already? What a shame... This duke wanted to ask for a few pointers. I guess he's nothing much and only a street performer with a little bit of strength." Duke Ming smirked seeing that he found nobody else in the vicinity.

He was feeling a little worried about this newcomer from Duke Huai's mouth but seeing that he's nowhere nearby then he can take it easy... He must've run away already after sensing his presence... It must be...

The Little Demon Empress's eyes widened by a bit and then she secretly gazes at Issei's direction.

Issei and Naru are standing there calmly without a care... While Issei is looking uninterested with this whole farce, Naru's beautiful face is frighteningly scary and cold... Even the Little Demon Empress's body flinched a little when she saw the current her...

If it wasn't for Issei hiding her aura then their cover would've been blown...

There's a crackling sound that can be heard from Naru's clenched fist. It seems that she's holding herself back from killing Duke Ming outright... If it wasn't for Issei telling her to calm down then she would've claimed his life already...

She can't accept this trash badmouthing her King like this... But since her King gave her an order then she would follow it till the end...

The Little Demon Empress can still see Issei and that newcomer clearly but how come Duke Ming couldn't see them? Then she remembered about Issei's identity and doesn't feel that confused any longer...

She then set her gaze back to Duke Ming...

Staring at this person that her father used to trust and value... This person that she herself used to greatly respect. In her heart, her anger was like a volcano that was exploding crazily.

She also clearly knew how frightening Duke Ming's profound strength actually was… That he was the third strongest person in the entire Illusory Demon Realm behind the Demon Emperor and Demon King.

However, now that both the Demon Emperor and Demon King had passed on, he had become the undisputed number one within the Illusory Demon Realm! Within a hundred fifty years, his strength had obviously risen greatly.

If it wasn't for her inheriting the full legacy of the Golden Crow then she would be no match for him... But now...

"Duke Ming, you have hidden very well." The Little Demon Empress' gaze was like an ice-cold sword and golden flames had already ignited on her hand which was holding the Demon Emperor's Seal.

"I believe so as well." Duke Ming answered complacently.

"This empress royal father placed such great trust in you, and all those years ago, when you desired to leave Demon Imperial City, my royal father had done his utmost to dissuade you… In the past, royal father told me to be wary of you, but from the beginning to the very end, I don't really understand what he said that… However, now I do... Who would have thought that you were really such an ungrateful, despicable, and poisonous villain!" She pointed a finger at Duke Ming feeling furious.

"Hehe…" Duke Ming gave an apathetic bark, "The lifespan of a man, if it is short, it will last decades... if it is long, it will last millennia. But in the end, all becomes dust and is scattered to the heavens and earth... All is transient. In this short life, if one is ambitious, why would one be willing to be beneath another and become another person's servant. If the Demon Emperor's clan could establish themselves as the emperors of the entire realm, then why couldn't this duke's clan do so as well?! This duke has merely done what many average people have desired to do but had not the nerve to. I have done things that these plebeians have never even dared to dream of! So what wrong did this duke commit?! Even if I were to suddenly suffered a defeat today, this duke only feels dissatisfied. I have absolutely no regrets!"

"Your words are absolutely wrong." The Little Demon Empress spat despisingly.

"Oh?" Duke Ming said amusedly: "Why don't you tell me exactly what this duke said that was wrong."

"It was not anything you said explicitly. Your entire premise is wrong to begin with." She shook her head as she gave a disgusted look at Duke Ming: "What is a human? Humans can afford to not be invincible, can afford to not have any glorious achievements, and can afford to live a life of complete mediocrity. What makes someone human is not their shape or their independent will. The most important defining and most basic characteristic of what defines humanity is their human nature, their intrinsic sense of honor and their innate sense of what is right and wrong. Duke Ming, these characteristics, do you possess them? Oh… It seems like you are nearly completely void of them. If that is the case, then what qualifications do you have to call yourself a man? In the end, you are merely a malicious beast at best!"

"Since even your premise that you were a human being is completely wrong, then whatever you have said after that is merely a big pile of rubbish!"

"Take a look at Patriarch Yun Canghai for example... That's how a true man should be! Unlike you who only think about yourself all the time! If this Empress were to choose who should become the next Demon Emperor then I would choose patriarch Yun Canghai without hesitation!"

"Furthermore, you compared yourself to this Empress clan, that is simply the biggest joke that this Empress ever heard. Why could our Demon Emperor's clan reign supreme for ten thousand years? It had nothing to do with the fact that we inherited the bloodline of the Golden Crow! In those years, it was the first Demon Emperor who pacified the chaos within the Illusory Demon Realm, ended the strife between humans and demons, and unified the entire Illusory Demon Realm, bringing ten thousand years of peace, prosperity, and lack of strife to the entire realm! So the Demon Emperor's clan does possess the qualifications to rule all under heaven and to receive the obeisance of all the citizens of the realm. But you, Duke Ming… What qualifications do you have?!"

"As a member of the Illusory Demon Royal Family, you have received the favor of the Demon Emperor's clan. From birth, you had a noble status, and you enjoyed the best that the Illusory Demon Realm could offer. But not only did you not feel grateful and loyal, you actually harbored such evil intentions in your heart!"

Each and every word of hers are full of disdain and hatred towards Duke Ming... Even if she thinks with her foot it's clear as a day that the traitor is these two before her.

But that's good... That way she doesn't need to waste her time to investigate even further... The culprit presented themselves before her and that's exactly what she wanted.

Issei thought that it's quite ironic how a demonkin like the Little Demon Empress understand more about human rather than Duke Ming who's an actual human himself...

[Hahahaha, truly a good descendant of this noble one!] Lieyan laughed jovially from within the .

"The Demon Emperor's clan could rule over ten thousand years and all under heaven was at peace. But you, even if your nefarious plot had succeeded, on the day where all truths come to light, you will also be destroyed under the hatred of all the people of the realm, and you will definitely not last!"

"Moreover, your royal father, your grandfather, all the ancestors of your clan, what view do you think they will take towards your so-called 'ambition?' Do you think they will feel gratified and proud?! No! What they will feel is only pain, sadness, disgust, and anger! Yes, anger! That they could not descend from the heavens to personally throttle you to death! Because you have turned all their glory into shame, causing your clan to forever become a black stain upon history!"

""Silence!!!""

Duke Ming and Duke Huai, who still carried a calm expression on their face until now, at this moment, could not help but let out a hoarse cry filled with anger and hatred. Their faces distorted, and intense emotions started to ripple in those previously calm eyes. In this world, the sharpest blades were words that cut to the heart! Every sentence the Little Demon Empress uttered, every word she said, was like the sharpest of needles that fiercely drove into his most vulnerable points.

This caused Duke Ming originally unyielding and resolute demeanor, which allowed him to disregard everything, to be completely perforated.

"Oh! Has your shame driven you both to anger?" The aura that Duke Ming released in his rage was incomparably shocking, but how could the Little Demon Empress be scared because of that? When she clearly has the upper hand this whole time? They just didn't know it yet...

Duke Ming could still stay calm until because he thought that the Little Demon Empress couldn't inherit the Golden Crow legacy because of her being a woman... After all, he knows the secret behind the Golden Crow legacy thanks to his investigation in the past.

The arrival of Yun Canghai and that mysterious newcomer made his heart unable to rest easy... So the moment he heard about their arrival from his son, Duke Huai's mouth, he immediately set off towards the valley...

"Haah..." Duke Ming observed the Little Demon Empress let out a short sigh. He calmed himself down albeit barely: "...Perhaps you're indeed right... But..." Duke Ming's eyes glistened dangerously.

"The victors rule the world while the losers become bandits... It doesn't matter if you're right or not right now because in the end... Only the winner able to decide what's right and wrong!" Duke Ming roared loudly. His whole body burst into flames, and a Giant Flame Devil that was more than thirty meters tall fell from the sky as it opened its big, ferocious mouth and stormed towards the Little Demon Empress.

The pressure from the tenth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm is nothing to scoff at but the Little Demon Empress doesn't put it in her eyes at all.

"Is that so?" The Little Demon Empress said languidly.

"This Empress couldn't agree more."

the Giant Flame Devil had only flown for less than thirty meters when a streak of scarlet-gold flames burned across the sky, and as soon as it touched the Giant Flame Devil, it was as if fierce flames touched rotten wood, and the Giant Flame Devil instantly burst into flames. In the blink of an eye, the crimson-black Giant Flame Devil became the color of scarlet-gold. Its figure twisted, and it roared in deep agony… Before long, it was burned to ashes and became sparks that shattered to bits in the sky.

Duke Ming who saw this had his pupils shrunk and his chest was heaving violently. He looked at the Little Demon Empress, and said in an intricate and fearful voice, "Impossible! Could it be… that your profound energy… has already… achieved the Divine Profound Realm!?"

The four words "achieved Divine Profound Realm" were so shocking that Duke Huai was completely stunned, unable to snap out of it for a long time.

Divine Profound Realm… the legendary Realm of Divinity! The people who stepped into this realm would no longer be normal. Instead, they would become a god amongst men! However, the reason it was a legend was because it had never appeared before... It was even generally acknowledged as impossible for a mortal being to achieve, and it merely existed within the records and imagination of humans.

The Little Demon Empress' extremely ridiculous strength… the bestowment from the Golden Crow Divine Soul…

Could the Little Demon Empress, who had awakened her bloodline and received the Golden Crow Divine Soul's unparalleled divine power, truly have stepped into the legendary realm that no one could achieve…

"No, that is impossible." Duke Ming shook his head slowly, and the crimson-black flames on his body swayed madly. In the span of a few breaths, the flames had already risen up to more than three hundred meters high. "How is it possible… For someone to be stronger than this duke in this world! Absolutely impossible!"

Duke Ming's eyes widened as he roared, and the three hundred meters tall Devil Flames burning on his body made a devilish howl and charged abruptly towards the Little Demon Empress.

In an instant, the space collapsed and the blue sky changed color. This was the strength of a practitioner at the tenth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm, that used to be the strongest in the Illusory Demon Realm, giving his all. If this Fallen Devil Flame were to fall, it would be enough to burn half of Demon Imperial City to ashes.

An apocalyptic pressure caused the crowd beneath to yell in terror.

The Little Demon Empress focused her gaze as the Golden Crow's flames burned silently on her body. She raised her arms, and her tender, snowy arms dazzling under her wide, gray sleeves. But it was the simple, light wave of the young girl's flawless, fine arms, that instantly planted an enormous Fire Cage, and shrouded Duke Ming and his three hundred meters of Devil Flames all within.

When the Fallen Devil Flame touched the Fire Cage, no matter how violent it was, it wasn't able to advance even half an inch. The Fire Cage started shrinking rapidly. Every inch that it shrunk, the Fallen Devil Flame then backed off an inch. Gradually, the Fire Cage shrunk until it was less than three hundred meters, but it was still shrinking in speed, and the Fallen Devil Flame that had nowhere to escape was being compressed, swallowed, and dissipated little by little, like a desperate beast trapped in a cage. No matter how it struggled or cried, it was unable to escape and could only wait to perish completely in lament.

The Fire Cage shrunk until it was only ten meters, and only then did it finally stop shrinking. The Fallen Devil Flame that was originally three hundred meters tall had been burned until there were only scattered flames left, and not a single trace could escape the cage. Duke Ming and Duke Huai was trapped in the center of the cage and couldn't move at all… Because during this process, they tried to escape more than ten times, but every time they touched the Golden Crow Flame on the Fire Cage, they were burned and overwhelmed by the pain.

The difference between his strength and the Little Demon Empress' was evident from this...

Solely based on the profound energy levels, the difference between the tenth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm and half a step into the Divine Profound Realm was less than half a small realm, but the difference between them was half a plane. Whether it was the Little Demon Empress' Golden Crow bloodline or the Golden Crow Flame, it all completely suppressed Duke Ming.

"How is it possible!? You shouldn't be able to inherit the Golden Crow legacy! You're merely a woman!" Duke Ming shouted in disbelief.

"Oh? You know about that secret as well? It looks like this Empress will be able to find all the traitorous bastards that called themselves this Empress loyal subjects from you!" The Little Demon Empress narrowed her eyes dangerously at Duke Ming.

The endlessly burning flames and the raging, dense smoke wavered in Duke Ming's pupils. In order to cut off the Demon Emperor's clan, he plotted deliberately for a hundred years, yet because of one mishap... It all disappeared into nothingness in a blink of an eye...

Duke Ming reached out his palm and pointed at the Little Demon Empress while trembling, declaring, "Little Demon Empress… This is not over… Don't think that this duke has lost completely… The strength you have, is not normal… In a short half a day, and to have your profound energy increase so fiercely… It is impossible for it to not have side effects… Perhaps… Your cost, is death… You can go and die before this duke! Hahahaha!!!"

The Little Demon Empress locked her eyebrows, and said coldly, "You're about to die and still dare to speak of such nonsense! This empress will now put you to a graveless death!"

If it wasn't for "his" help then what Duke Ming said would've been the truth... But now... It's nothing but empty words!

"You alone… Are not enough to kill this duke!!" Duke Ming gnashed his teeth in seeming madness. A dark bloodstream dropped speedily from the corner of his mouth. "Little Demon Empress… You just wait! This duke will one day… Obtain revenge, revenge that will repay this ten thousand times over!"

*Pfft!!!*

Duke Ming spat out a large sheet of blood mist, and the color of the blood mist was a ghastly sight of crimson-black. Under the shrouding of the crimson-black blood mist, Duke Ming's body gradually faded, and then completely disappeared...

He used the to escape from the Little Demon Empress's clutch... Even if he escaped, he lost a large amount of his life vitality and blood. His cultivation would surely be reduced by a great amount...

"Father! Don't leave me behind!!!" Duke Huai who's still inside the fire cage screamed in horror: "AHHHH!!! LITTLE DEMON EMPRESS! SPARE ME! SPARE MEEEE!!! AHHHHHHH!!!" He's burned from the inside out that caused his entire cultivation disappears into nothingness...

The Fire Cage was put away after the Little Demon Empress crippled Duke Huai of his cultivation... The Little Demon Empress became a flash and appeared where Duke Ming had been before. She looked at the dissipated crimson-black blood mist. Her eyes were filled with endless chill, and her chest was heaving.

This was the blood escape that used blood and vitality as a cost to activate. Even with the Little Demon Empress's strength now, she could not trace the direction in which he escaped...

"Ahhh!!! What is this?! Let go of this duke!!!" But soon he heard the same voice that belongs to the man she was about to condemn... The man she thought has slipped away from her clutch.

When she turned her head around towards the source of the voice, she saw Duke Ming is inside a cage made out of crimson golden barrier that encased the latter inside.

Duke Ming tried to use his strength to break free of the barrier but to no avail...

Issei doesn't even look at Duke Ming and he looks completely uninterested with the whole thing still...

Naru eyes are glowing in red while gazing at Duke Ming... It's unknown when, but Zin is also standing beside Issei gazing the same way at Duke Ming just like Naru did.

Their killing intent is laid bare before Duke Ming which made the latter felt suffocated... Who are these two?! How come there's another two peak level Monarch cultivator here!?

Even when he's still at the 10th level Monarch, he's still not a match for both Naru and Zin but now that his cultivation has decreased to 6th level Monarch... It's even worse...

"Y-You!" Duke Ming said in shock seeing Issei.

From his clothes, this man should be the mysterious newcomer that his son has informed him of... Since when did he arrive here?! Or better yet, why is he still here? Didn't he just used the just now!? Shouldn't he be at his secret hideout by now!?

"Here... I believe he's yours. Don't lose him twice..." Issei tossed Duke Ming towards the Little Demon Empress direction.

Duke Ming's body came crashing down to the ground beneath the Little Demon Empress right beside Duke Huai... Father and son, right next to each other...

"Li… Little Demon Empress!" Duke Ming held a hand to his chest, his entire body trembling uncontrollably... He had been strong enough to arrogantly look down upon the entire world, so he did not want to display fear in front of anyone, but right now his body betrayed him as it shivered uncontrollably...

Because his body had clearly felt the approach of death itself.

Before, he thought that he can still escape by using the but now... He knows that he can't escape no matter what he did...

He never thought that this mysterious newcomer could really create his own dimensional opening... He thought that it's just some trick... Never did he thought it's true...

The Little Demon Empress' eyes bored into Duke Ming, her flat and emotionless expression bearing no trace of rage or indignation, no signs of joy or sorrow.

"Caiyi thanks your excellency..." But her attitude changes instantly when she looks at Issei... Her face is filled with gratitude because he helped her yet again...

Then she set her gaze back to Duke Ming and released a terrifying pressure. This time she's prepared for anything and she won't let him escape from her hands twice...

"Huan Caiyi…" The terrifying pressure caused Duke Ming to feel as if his chest was about to explode. In the end, he could no longer endure it and croaked out hoarsely, "This duke… Really regrets deciding not to simply kill you one hundred years ago!"

The Little Demon Empress did not say anything, and she also did not get agitated by Duke Ming. She slowly and gently raised her petite and exquisite little hand, her tender white palm pointed in Duke Ming's direction.

This simple gesture of hers caused Duke Ming's pupils to suddenly contract. He let out a fierce and desperate howl, both his palms thrusting outwards as all of the profound energy in his body crazily surged forth. Fallen Devil Flames raged throughout the sky as Duke Ming thrust them towards the Little Demon Empress with a yell.

But how could he who just used the could contend against the Little Demon Empress? Even when he's still at his peak he still can't put a decent fight... Needless to say about the current him...

*BANG!!!*

Flames exploded everywhere as the very air itself was explosively torn apart... Duke Ming's body smashed heavily against the ground, his entire body twitching and spasming. He glanced at the Little Demon Empress's ice-cold face and his entire body started trembling in fear. His expression warped into one of abject terror as if he had seen a ghost.

The Little Demon Empress' eyes were like two chips of ice. Her hand lifted up and fell again, as a cluster of golden flames mercilessly struck the location of Duke Ming's dantian.

*Boom!!!* *AHHHHHHH!!!*

The flames blew apart and the ruthless Golden Crow flames crazily surged into Duke Ming's profound veins. The flames mercilessly incinerated the profound veins that had been drastically weakened by his loss of blood essence… Duke Ming's incomparably miserable and wretched howls rang out into the sky, they were so shrill that he felt like his throat was about to be ripped apart. Moreover, all the profound strength and profound arts that he had painstakingly cultivated for nearly a thousand years were being swiftly burned away by those cruel Golden Crow flames…

The Golden Crow flames only stopped burning once they reduced Duke Ming's profound veins to cinders. Duke Ming did not lose consciousness, but he had lost nearly all his profound strength, so his ability to endure pain was only a small fraction of what it had been before. His face was so distorted that he looked like an evil spirit and his body was curled up into a fetal position. From his trembling lips, he issued a voice that was incomparably weak but also extremely malicious, "Huan Caiyi… even if this duke… descends into the depths of the netherworld… I… will never let you off!"

"I'm afraid you won't have the chance." Before she could respond to his words, a calm but bored voice could be heard.

"There will be no place in hell nor heaven after your demise... I have already marked your soul with a mark. And once you died... Your soul will directly deconstruct itself into nothingness. You can forget being given a second chance or whatnot in the afterlife." Issei said towards Duke Ming.

Issei already marked Duke Ming's soul when he encased the latter inside his cage beforehand. He doesn't feel any pity towards this kind of person in the slightest...

"...Wh-What are you.... talking about?!" Duke Ming at first went into a daze but soon he shouted in a weak voice. He doesn't really understand what Issei just said but somehow he can feel terror rising up inside the depth of his very own soul...

As if something just emerged from within ready to cut his soul to millions of pieces.

"What my King is saying, trash... Is that even in death you will never find peace. You will never be able to reincarnate, there will be no other outcome for you except your ultimate demise of having your very own soul turn into nothingness." Naru answered coldly in place of Issei.

"ARGHHHHHHHH!!!" Duke Ming's blood-curdling howl of frustration and hate was as desolate and hopeless as any demon's.

Because somehow he can tell... He can tell that what they're saying is true... The horror he's currently experiencing is extremely unbearable. It's as if he doesn't have the control over his own soul... It's as if his soul has become someone else belonging... And that someone is "Death" itself...

Even the Little Demon Empress shuddered for a brief second when she heard it... But soon she snapped out of it.

The Little Demon Empress raised a palm and she made a simple gesture with her finger as four beams of fire shot towards Duke Ming's arms and legs. They instantly charred his limbs black and one last beam of fire shot directly into his mouth, causing all of his teeth to explode… And before the fragments could even fall to the ground, they had already been burned up in midair.

Duke Ming's eyes rolled back as his whole body went rigid and he directly passed out due to the extreme pain.

"Congratulations... You had your revenge. Well, at least a part of it..." Issei said towards the Little Demon Empress.

She still needs to deal with those from the after all.

"It's all thanks to your excellency help..." The Little Demon Empress bowed gratefully towards Issei.

Then, the Little Demon Empress dragged the two fainted Duke towards the capital...

...

She then had the three Grand Elders of the Yun Family to use a Profound Handle Soul Search in order to bring all of Duke Huai's crimes to light, from him and his father, Duke Ming, killing the previous Demon Emperor and Little Demon Emperor, giving info to the Profound Sky Continent, to sending the upper echelons of the Yun Family into a trap...

The entire capital is in shock after knowing their crimes...

Little Demon Empress didn't want to kill Duke Ming who's the main culprit without him suffering, she forced him to watch as she slowly burned Duke Huai, and his two grandsons Hui Ran and Hui Ye...

"Little Demon Empress… spare me… I don't know anything… I really don't know anything… ahhhh!!!!"

Hui Ye begged desperately, but his begging would never trigger any of the Little Demon Empress' mercy. She ignited flames from out of thin air and veiled the three of them. The sound of his begging immediately became horrific screaming.

Being burned by the Little Demon Empress' Golden Crow Flame, they were destined to be burned to ashes, and no one could possibly save them. But how would the Little Demon Empress just let them die that easily? The Golden Crow on their bodies followed their limbs and burned slowly, swallowing their bodies and blood bit by bit, torturing them with flames that seemed to be from hell itself.

"Waaahhh… Little Demon Empress… spare me… Grandfather… save me… save me… ahhhhh…"

The three bodies were burning in mid-air until their flesh and blood were all horribly mangled, and their limbs were all gone, but the sound of their screaming was still horrific. They were in extreme pain and could neither live nor die. All the people below were shivering with pale faces as their teeth chattered away. Just looking at a scene like this, listening to sounds like this, they were so in fear they almost couldn't stand straight.

Then she also killed the entire family of Duke Huai and Duke Ming... Those who directly involved with their traitorous deeds had also met their end...

In the Demon Emperor Hall, those sinners who helped the Duke Huai Palace but only on the borderline barely acceptable were still kneeling on the ground, and no one dared to stand up at all. Under the gaze of the Little Demon Empress, their bodies were trembling, and every pore from head to toe was shivering.

"This empress will give you a chance to compensate for your crimes!" The Little Demon Empress' voice was like the judgment of the reaper, sounded coldly in their ears, "I will give you ten days. Within these ten days, this empress wants you all to wipe out Duke Huai Palace's whole clan! Father, mother, wife… Exterminate their whole family! Even women and children cannot be excluded! And bring their corpses and pile them up in front of the gate of Demon Imperial City and burn them all. Not even a single hair can remain!"

"After ten days, if there is anyone left of Duke Huai's clan, this empress will condemn and kill a hundred of you! If there are ten people left, then this empress will kill a thousand of you!"

The ruthless command of the Little Demon Empress set off the most terrifying reign of terror in the history of the Demon Imperial City. A baptism of blood with the Little Demon Empress' endless hatred, with Duke Huai Palace at the center, had fallen onto the Illusory Demon Realm's holy Imperial City…

Duke Ming and his families, who used to look prestigious and extraordinarily proud, until today, had come to their miserable ends...

Because of the cruel command to exterminate the whole Duke Huai Palace, those who used to earnestly wish to lick the feet of Duke Huai Palace now could not wait to disassociate themselves from it completely. Each of them were striving to be first, fearful of being last and killing fewer people than the others… Especially the seven great Guardian Families and the many Duke Palaces, they knew clearly in their heart that if they wanted to save themselves and protect their families, they needed to do whatever they could to show their loyalty to the Little Demon Empress, even if they needed to give up their dignity, shake their tails, and beg for it…

Because the Little Demon Empress now absolutely had the power to make their ten-thousand-year-old family perish overnight, and she could use a few words to have all their clans be remembered by history as a byword for infamy!

Duke Huai Palace was Duke Huai Palace after all, they had many strong practitioners within, but it was impossible for them to endure against the joint forces of all of these peerless, strong practitioners, and they were eventually enclosed upon by them. The time limit the Little Demon Empress gave was ten days, but only a short three days passed before Duke Huai Palace was already completely ravaged, and the whole family was exterminated… not even a single survivor was left. Even those of Duke Huai's family that were thousands of miles away were slaughtered.

The once extraordinary and prosperous Duke Huai Palace had already become a charred ruin. The thick smell of blood was stirring within and didn't disperse for a long time. No one dared to go within ten miles of it. At that time, in Demon Imperial City, every force was trembling with fear, everyone was feeling insecure, and even while walking they were careful, not daring to speak too loudly.

Out of all of them... Only Duke Ming is left alive... And the reason for that is...

"He caused my royal father to die, killed my royal brother, brought the clan of the Demon Emperors to the brink of extinction, nearly consigned the Yun Family to the abyss, and plunged our entire Illusory Demon Realm into a hundred years of chaos… With crimes of this magnitude, killing him like this would simply be doing him a favor!"

"I won't let him die that easily. In fact, this empress will make sure that he lives on no matter what! For the next hundred years! And during these hundred years, this empress will ensure that each and every day, every single second of his life, will be filled with the cruelest and most painful tortures imaginable!"

The Little Demon Empress hatred towards him is not a simple hatred... It is a hatred that's been going on for a hundred years... And she would make Duke Ming suffer for exactly a hundred years because of it...

But that's only because she knows that even in death he won't find peace... If not... She might just keep him alive forever until the day she dies... She will force-feed him as many as life-prolonging treasures she could if it really comes to it.

After the baptism of blood, the Little Demon Empress organized a celebratory feast for an entire week... The whole Kingdom is allowed to attend it.

Hence the internal struggle that has been going on for a hundred years came at a close in but a short span of less than a week...

...

-At the Imperial Demon Palace-

The Little Demon Empress wears a brand new robe that isn't colored bland gray like the one she used to wear... It looks quite exquisite and eyecatching.

It's a mix of black and red-colored robe with a golden outline. It enhances her already kingdom-toppling beauty by another level... It makes her look a bit maturer as well.

(AN: Check my pat reon for new images).

She just got out of her room and after she's dressed by her maid, she took a deep breath before she walks into the private courtyard she renovated recently...

When she arrived at the entrance of the courtyard, she saw a few maids of hers are gazing dazedly in a certain direction... They had this lovestruck look on each and every one of their faces...

The Little Demon Empress face twitched a few times seeing her maids being like this but she can't really blame them either... That's because her benefactor is the one they're currently observing...

And with his otherworldly countenance, it's no wonder these maids of hers become lovestruck... Even she could barely keep herself in check whenever she's in his presence...

Now she understands why he wore that mask back then... If he were to walk around the city without his mask on then she wouldn't be able to imagine just how many butterflies and ants he would attract...

One of the maids who's currently "sightseeing" accidentally saw the Little Demon Empress. She hurriedly pays her respect: "L-Little Demon Empress!"

She kneeled on the spot and soon her fellow "accomplices" also follow suit...

The Little Demon Empress sighed tiredly at waved her hands off at them signaling that they're dismissed... They immediately scurried off from their previous spot albeit feeling reluctant...

The Little Demon Empress took a deep breath before she steps forward heading towards Issei's direction...

"Caiyi greets your excellency" She said softly...