112: Her identity revealed! She's actually the reincarnation of the Demon Empress?

"Leng Yanran?"

"The Demon Empress?"

"The one everyone has the right to kill?!"

The Yaoguang Saint's hysterical roar was like a sudden thunderclap, exploding over the Kaoshan Sect.

The entire square instantly fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone was dumbfounded.

They stared blankly at the girl on the Martial Arts Stage, dressed in ink-black robes and radiating overwhelming Devilish Qi, feeling as though their brains could no longer process the situation.

What on earth?

The Demon Empress?

That legendary ancient Devil Head who, by her own power, had nearly overturned the entire cultivation world and made countless Holy Lands tremble?!

She... hadn't she fallen long ago?

How... was she reincarnated?

And she even joined the Hidden God Sect?!

*Gulp.*

Someone, somewhere, swallowed hard.

This news was a hundred times more explosive than seeing the wholesale distribution of Emperor Weapons or witnessing an Emperor's Might just moments ago!

After the brief silence came a tumultuous uproar like a mountain tsunami!

"My God! Did I hear that right? The Demon Empress?!"

"No wonder she knows the Swallowing Heaven Demonic Art! It turns out she's the creator of that Cultivation Technique!"

"Too terrifying! This female devil is actually still alive! She even sneaked into the Human Race's territory!"

"This Hidden God Sect... what kind of place is it? How can they take in any kind of monster or demon?!"

The younger generation of Cultivators might not have much of a concept of the name 'Leng Yanran'.

But those old monsters who had lived for thousands of years now had faces as pale as ghosts, as if struck by lightning.

Their eyes were filled with a fear that went deep into their bones!

Because they had lived through that dark era shrouded in blood!

They had seen with their own eyes how that woman, with a single sword, slaughtered her way up to the Nine Heavens, massacring several Immortal Lineages until blood flowed like rivers!

She was the nightmare of the Human Race!

She was the shadow that could never be erased from the hearts of all Righteous Path Cultivators!

"It's her... it really is her..."

A Grand Elder from an ancient family trembled violently, pointing at Leng Yanran on the stage, his voice as hoarse as a broken bellow.

"When I was young, I was fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to see the Empress from afar... That gaze, 그 aura... there's no mistake!"

"She is that female devil!"

As soon as these words were spoken, there was no longer any doubt in the crowd.

Public opinion flipped in an instant!

Just a moment ago, everyone was fearful of the Hidden God Sect's power and Li Daoxuan's unfathomable strength.

But now.

They had found a moral high ground sufficient to unite them in shared hatred!

A devil!

Everyone has the right to kill them!

This was a creed engraved into the bones of every Righteous Path Cultivator!

"So that's how it is! So that's how it is!"

The Elder of the Yaoguang Holy Land was the first to react. He pointed at Leng Yanran on the stage, then at Li Daoxuan, who remained calm on his throne, a sinister smile appearing on his face as he realized the situation.

"I finally understand!"

"I was wondering why this Hidden God Sect was so wicked and overbearing!"

"It turns out you are all birds of a feather! A nest of snakes and rats!"

"What hidden Sect? It's clearly a devil's den harboring the remnants of the Demonic Path!"

"Li Daoxuan!"

He suddenly turned and let out a righteous roar at Li Daoxuan, as if he had become an envoy of justice.

"As a Sect Master, you dare to harbor such a female devil who brings chaos to the world!"

"Are you trying to make an enemy of the entire Righteous Path of the Central Region?!"

"That's right! Hand over the devil!"

"Exterminate the devil and uphold the Dao! It shall be today!"

"Li Daoxuan! If you still call yourself part of the Righteous Path, you should sacrifice your personal feelings for the greater good and execute this woman on the spot! To appease the world!"

For a moment, the crowd was incensed.

Those Holy Lands and ancient families who had been scared witless earlier now seemed to have found their backbone.

Each of them was filled with righteous indignation and shared enmity.

It was as if by standing on the moral high ground of 'exterminating devils,' they could ignore Li Daoxuan's terrifying strength.

Dozens of powerful auras rose once again.

This time, they were no longer targeting Leng Yanran.

Instead, they all locked onto the Youth in White Robes who had remained calm and composed from the very beginning.

They were forcing his hand!

This was a blatant ultimatum!

They were gambling.

Gambling that no matter how strong Li Daoxuan was, he wouldn't dare to defy the world by openly protecting a Demon Empress with so much blood on her hands!

On the Martial Arts Stage.

Leng Yanran's face instantly turned as pale as paper, without a trace of blood.

The overwhelming demonic power on her body also slowly dissipated at this moment.

The thing she feared most had finally happened.

Her identity was exposed.

She looked at the ugly faces below the stage, filled with hatred, fear, and greed.

Then she looked at her Senior and Junior Brothers beside her, whose faces were equally solemn but who still instinctively shielded her behind them.

An indescribable bitterness welled up in her heart.

In the end... she had still implicated them.

She wasn't afraid of death.

She had already died once in her previous life.

But she didn't want this 'home' she had finally found to be destroyed because of her.

She didn't want the Revered Master who had pulled her out of the abyss to bear the eternal infamy of 'harboring a devil'.

"Revered Master..."

Leng Yanran slowly turned around and looked at the man who was still sitting on the throne with an expressionless face.

A deep sense of apology flashed in her eyes.

Along with determination.

She slowly raised the Demonic Sword in her hand, intending to take her own life.

Let the Karma of my past life be settled by my own hand in this life.

"Revered Master's great kindness, this Disciple... will repay it in the next life."

However.

At the very moment her sword's edge was about to touch her snow-white neck.

*Hum—*

An irresistible gentle force instantly bound her.

The Demonic Sword in her hand fell to the ground with a *clang*.

She looked up.

She saw that Li Daoxuan had stood up at some point.

He didn't look at the shouting 'righteous people' below the stage.

Nor did he look at the Yaoguang Saint, who was still grinning sinisterly on the ground.

From beginning to end, his gaze was fixed on his second Disciple.

That gaze was as calm as water.

Yet it seemed able to see through all her pretenses and strength.

"Who said you could move?"

His voice was very soft, yet it carried an unquestionable authority.

"Your Revered Master hasn't spoken yet; since when was it your turn to make a decision?"

"But... Revered Master..."

Leng Yanran's eyes reddened, her voice choking up.

"I... I am a devil..."

"So what?"

Li Daoxuan asked back indifferently.

He slowly walked down the steps, step by step, until he was in front of Leng Yanran.

He reached out and gently wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes.

Then.

He turned around and faced the army of tens of thousands of 'righteous' Cultivators below the stage alone.

He faced those dozens of Holy Lords and experts who were brimming with Killing Intent.

The corner of his mouth curled into a cold arc.

His gaze was filled with blatant... protectiveness.

And disdain.

"She is my Disciple."

"That is enough."

"As for you..."

His gaze swept across the entire field, finally settling on the Elder of the Yaoguang Holy Land who was still shouting.

"You want me to... sacrifice my own for your 'greater good'?"

"Are you even worthy?"