Inside the great hall, it was as deathly silent as a tomb.
Hiss—
The Demon Emperor sucked in a breath of cold air. Even as the master of a court, he felt his scalp tingle at this moment.
Was this the power of one born of Spirit Mountain, a practitioner of the orthodox lineage?
To kill a great demon of the Mountain Gazing Realm without even lifting a hand... The woman's eyelids lowered slightly. "Since he was an accomplice, his death is not to be regretted."
"Then who is the primary culprit?"
The Demon Emperor's body trembled; he didn't dare hesitate for a single moment.
He hurriedly crawled forward two steps on his knees, speaking extremely fast, fearing that being a second too slow would lead him to follow in the Flood Dragon Demon's footsteps.
"Reporting... Reporting to the Great Saint!"
"The chief culprit who caused the death of your son is the Grand Princess of the Great Tang Dynasty!"
The woman's movements paused slightly.
"Great Tang?"
Her brows furrowed slightly, as if she were reminiscing.
A moment later, a flash of contempt crossed her eyes.
"I wondered who would dare to be so..."
Her voice trailed off.
However, the woman's tone suddenly shifted, turning cold and grim. "But... since we know who the murderer is."
"As the master of the Western Regions Demon Court, ruling over ten thousand demons, why have you allowed her to live until now?!"
The Demon Emperor's heart skipped a beat.
Here it comes!
This madwoman was indeed going to vent her anger on him!
The Demon Emperor let out a heavy sigh and clutched his chest. "When this humble king heard the tragic news, my heart was also pierced with grief. I wished I could immediately assemble the army and march into Chang'an to avenge your son. However..."
"With this broken body of mine, even barely surviving is a struggle. Truly... the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
"Furthermore..."
The Demon Emperor paused, cautiously lifting his eyelids to observe the woman's expression, choosing his words carefully.
"The Immortal Sects issued a Decree years ago. Although I am the master of a court, in the face of the Immortal Sects' Decree, I am walking on thin ice and dare not overstep in the slightest."
These words...
First, he played the victim, indicating he was an invalid.
It wasn't that he didn't want to fight, but that he couldn't.
Then, he brought up the great mountain that was the Immortal Sects.
This was the key point.
Even though your Spirit Mountain is powerful...
My Demon Court is not some amateur troupe either.
I have people backing me too!
If you really want to run wild here, or if you want to kill me as well to vent your anger... you'd better weigh the consequences.
See if you'll provoke the people behind me.
As expected.
Upon hearing the words 'Immortal Sects'...
The killing intent in the woman's eyes receded slightly.
"Hmph."
"My son is of the direct bloodline of the Golden-Winged Great Peng. To die in such a filthy place is already a monumental disgrace."
"A life for a life, a debt for money."
"This is the ultimate principle of the Heavenly Dao!"
The Demon Emperor kept his head low. Hearing this, the heavy stone in his heart finally hit the ground.
Good.
This fire has finally been diverted toward the Great Tang.
He immediately took on an air of shared indignation, cupping his hands. "The Great Saint is wise!"
"The Great Saint is wise!"
"That Human Race Prodigy relies on her extraordinary talent and the backing of the Great Tang to act lawlessly. If she is not eliminated, she will surely become a great disaster!"
"However..."
The Demon Emperor's eyes darted as he offered a seemingly well-intentioned reminder. "Although the Great Tang currently has no orthodoxy, it still possesses some heritage... If they were to fight for their lives..."
"Mere ants."
The woman slowly rose.
Her figure vanished instantly from the spot.
Only a cold voice remained, echoing in the hall.
"I would like to see."
"If this so-called Great Tang..."
"Can withstand the wrath of Spirit Mountain!"
...Outside the Demon Court lay an endless desert and rocky wasteland.
Wind and sand swirled, the yellow dust rising like a Dragon.
The woman did not ride the wind; she simply walked slowly through the sandstorm.
A mangy old dog with withered fur followed her closely, three steps behind.
After traveling over a dozen miles...
The old dog suddenly stopped.
It looked at the figure ahead.
It hesitated to speak.
By rights, a servant should never presume to guess the master's thoughts.
But today's events were simply too strange.
Anyone with eyes could see the trickery behind the death of the Little Saint King.
Incitement by the Flood Dragon Demon, avenging a friend...
They were all just excuses.
The so-called Flood Dragon Demon was nothing more than a scapegoat pushed forward to take the blame.
Even a dog like itself could understand this.
With the Madam's insight, how could she not see through such clumsy tricks?
But why... why did the Madam go along with the Demon Emperor's wishes?
The old dog felt stifled and finally couldn't hold back.
"Madam."
"Speak."
The old dog hurried forward two steps and lowered its voice. "This old servant is dull-witted and has one thing I don't understand. Even if the Little Master's death was not by the Demon Emperor's own hand, he likely fanned the flames behind the scenes intentionally..."
"You think I can't see that?"
The old dog's body trembled. "Madam's insight spans ten thousand miles. That Demon Emperor's meager Dao Cultivation naturally cannot escape Madam's Dharma Eye. It's just that this old servant doesn't understand... Since you knew you were being used, why did you go along with it and spare that fellow's life?"
Upon hearing this...
The woman let out a heavy sigh. "Killing him is easy, but what happens after he is killed?"
"The Heavens have orthodoxy, and each has its duty."
"The Western Regions Demon Court may seem like a motley crew, but in reality, it is backed by the Immortal Burial Pass and belongs to the Fuluan lineage."
"My Spirit Mountain inherits the Taibai Jinde and belongs to the Zhuoyu lineage. We and the Fuluan are two completely different paths. While we aren't exactly like fire and water, we are certainly not in a relationship where one can intervene at will..."
The woman took a deep breath, her tone carrying a hint of desolation.
"Even your master, as one of the eighty-one Demon Emperors of Spirit Mountain, must walk on thin ice before the grand trend of orthodoxy and dare not easily cross the line."
"Then..."
The old dog murmured, "Then the Little Master's revenge..."
"The debt will be paid, naturally."
The woman said indifferently, "I cannot touch that Demon Emperor, but this Great Tang... it has neither orthodoxy nor a rightful seat."
"Even if one is also in the Lamp-Lighting stage, without the support of a Dao foundation and without understanding the mysteries of the five manifestations, it is ultimately nothing but a reflection in the water..."
Hearing this, the old dog's body shook, and the worry in its eyes finally dissipated somewhat.
That's right.
Madam is of the Spirit Mountain orthodoxy, practicing the supreme Great Dao.
Even if the opponent has also luckily stepped into the Lamp-Lighting stage, if they have no orthodoxy to rely on...
They are nothing more than clay chickens and pottery dogs... Outside Chang'an City.
At this very moment.
It was already a sea of people, crowded shoulder to shoulder.
From princes and nobles down to peddlers and servants, everyone was waiting with bated breath.
Colorful banners fluttered, blotting out the sun; gongs and drums thundered, shaking the azure sky.
On both sides of the official road, the Imperial Guard had already cleared an open space.
A red carpet covered the ground, stretching for miles.
Furthermore, a high platform had been temporarily erected, its bright yellow curtains fluttering in the wind.
Atop the high platform.
A man stood with his hands behind his back.
He wore a Sky-Piercing Crown, a reddish-yellow robe, a jade belt around his waist, and black boots.
Though his face appeared young, he naturally possessed the majestic aura of an emperor.
It was the current Emperor of the Great Tang.
Behind him, the civil and military officials were lined up on the left and right according to their rank.
Ordinarily, for such a ceremony to welcome back a victorious army, dispatching one or two high-ranking ministers would already be considered a great imperial favor.
But today.
The Son of Heaven had come in person!
And he had come ten miles out of the city to welcome them!
The Old Eunuch stood bowed at the Emperor's side and whispered, "Your Majesty..."
"How much further?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the scouts report that the army is less than three miles from here."