Heaven-Dominating Martial Emperor

That night, everyone was filled with joy as they drank and celebrated.

Even Ye Chen took a rare moment to relax. Instead of cultivating, he joined the others, drinking under the moon.

"Come on, come on! Pour me another! This isn't nearly enough!!!"

Luo Sandao was boisterous as could be, quickly hitting it off with the other members of the Demon Sect and letting out hearty laughs from time to time.

As the atmosphere grew more festive, Ye Chen quietly slipped away from the celebration.

He went to the window and gazed out into the distance, his mind a swirl of thoughts.

'With Luo Sandao joining us, the Demon Sect has obviously grown stronger.'

'And on top of that, I've obtained the Cangming Sword and even comprehended Sword Intent.'

'If I were to face those four Primordial Mansion Realm Cultivators from Luoyun City who besieged me back then, I could probably kill them all with a single strike!'

'Ordinary Primordial Mansion Realm Cultivators are no longer a match for me.'

'In all of Lei Province, the only one left who could give me pause is probably the legendary Venerable Ming Lei.'

Ye Chen's eyes glinted. The cool night wind brushed against his cheeks, sobering him up slightly.

Venerable Ming Lei was hailed as the strongest expert in Lei Province.

Rumor had it that his power was great enough to rank among the top ten in the entire Great Hong Dynasty.

Yet, to this day, Ye Chen had never seen the slightest trace of him.

Or rather, there had been no sign of him in Lei Province for countless years.

Many said that Venerable Ming Lei had left Lei Province long ago, traveling elsewhere in pursuit of a higher realm.

'With my current strength, I could probably leave Lei Province as well.'

'But I wonder how much farther I have to go before I'm strong enough to face Luoxia Fairy and bring Tongtong home.'

Gazing at the vast, unchanging night sky, Ye Chen soon felt a wave of exhaustion.

So much had happened lately.

Ever since he was ambushed by the Luoyun Sect's leadership, who drew his blood for Alchemy, he'd barely had a moment's rest.

He had cultivated the Demon God's World-Shocking Tome, destroyed the Luoyun Sect, and fought his way to the Cold Wind Sect to find Tongtong, only to watch helplessly as she was taken away by Luoxia Fairy...

Then he had returned to the Luoyun Sect, founded the Demon Sect, and condensed a golden Spiritual Sea within Luoyun City, all leading up to now...

He had never slacked off in his cultivation, remaining constantly on edge, never daring to stop for even a moment.

All because he wanted to personally bring Tongtong back to his side.

He and Qin Ruotong had depended on each other for survival for years, but now they were separated, unable to see one another.

He wondered if Tongtong, wherever she was, might be gazing at the same round moon and missing him too.

'And, of course, there's the truth behind the Qin family's destruction.'

'I have to get to the bottom of it all!!!'

'I'll take that truth, find Luoxia Fairy, and bring Tongtong back with my own two hands!'

Ye Chen leaned against the windowsill and gradually drifted off to sleep.

That night, the atmosphere in the Demon Sect was electric, and no one went home sober.

But elsewhere, a hidden crisis was slowly brewing.

...

「Luoyun City.」

「The Li family Estate.」

Under the pitch-black night sky, a streak of golden light, like a blazing sun, suddenly tore across the heavens and crashed into the Li family's courtyard.

The tremendous disturbance instantly startled everyone awake.

The Li family's guards, disciples, and Elders... all rushed out, staring ahead with expressions of shock and uncertainty.

"What was that noise?"

"What happened outside?"

「In a quiet meditation chamber.」

Li Yunxiao's eyes snapped open, a flicker of astonishment in their depths.

Luoyun City had not originally belonged to the Li family.

But ever since Ye Chen had eradicated the Yan family and brought the Li family under his sway, the Li family had become vassals of the Demon Sect.

Li Yunxiao had gone ahead and expanded the Li family's stronghold in Luoyun City, establishing it as their new foundation.

He had just taken the Fourth Grade Realm-Breaking Pill that Ye Chen had given him, intending to build on his success and break through to the Second Layer of the Primordial Mansion Realm.

But suddenly, a terrifying aura washed over the estate from outside—an aura so powerful it made even his heart pound with dread.

'This aura is...'

His brows furrowed as a terrible premonition washed over him.

...

The brilliant golden light slowly receded, revealing an old, withered figure before the members of the Li family.

"I haven't come to the wrong place, have I?"

The old man's eyes shone like stars as he coolly swept his gaze over the crowd.

"This is the Li family, correct? I hear you've become the Demon Sect's lackeys."

As soon as he spoke, the expressions of the Li family members changed.

"Insolent!"

"Who are you to come here and cause trouble for the Li family!"

"It's not for some wretched old man like you to tell the Li family how to conduct its affairs!"

"Exactly! Get out of here now, or we'll break both your arms and legs and make sure you never leave this place alive!"

...

Seeing the righteous indignation on the faces of the Li family members, the old man's expression remained cold and unmoved.

"Has their servitude already become so ingrained?"

"How pathetic."

He clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze full of pity as he looked upon the Li family members.

"You wretched old man, how dare you be so disrespectful!"

"This is the Li family! We won't tolerate your insolence!"

One of the Li family's disciples couldn't stand the old man's gaze any longer.

His face flushed red as he took the initiative and lunged, throwing a palm strike at the old man.

"Li Ze, wait!"

A Li family Elder behind him cried out to stop him, but it was too late.

"A junior with no respect for his betters, who doesn't know his own place."

The old man shot the youth a cool glance. A golden light flashed in his eyes, and a terrifying power blasted forward through the void.

He hadn't moved an inch.

Yet the youth, who had just taken his first step, was struck as if by the heavy blow of an Ancient God's Hammer. In an instant, his flesh was torn asunder!

He was sent flying backward, leaving a trail of blood in his wake, his body already a mangled wreck.

"Li Ze!!!"

"Quick, get Li Ze some medical attention!"

The Li family's Grand Elder roared. He ordered the guards beside him before glaring at the old man, his entire being radiating the fury of an enraged lion.

"Old fiend, what has the Li family done to offend you that you would strike so viciously?!" he said, his teeth clenched in rage.

"Old fiend?"

"You can't be much younger than me. That's a rather infuriating thing to be called."

The old man shook his head slightly, and the golden light flashed in his eyes once more.

BOOM!

The Li family's Grand Elder sprayed a mouthful of blood. Just like the disciple before him, he collapsed as if struck by some colossal, unseen force, and fell to the ground, lifeless.

...

The entire courtyard fell silent.

Every gaze that fell upon the old man was now filled with terror.

The Grand Elder of the Li family was a Cultivator at the Ninth Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm.

In their Li family, he was considered a top-tier expert.

Yet before this old man, he couldn't even withstand a single blow!

They hadn't even seen how the old man attacked!