Demon territories, royal city of the demon race.

After the Demon Emperor returned, there was once a grand court session. In this grand court session, nearly every notable figure of the demon race gathered in the royal city. At that court, many powerful demons who ruled their own territories were filled with dread, especially those who had once been connected with Demon Lord Shenhua - their expressions at this moment were all somewhat unnatural.

Though they did not know whether the Demon Emperor before them was already aware of the truth of the matter, they were very clear: since Shenhua was dead, then as for them, they too would likely not meet a good end.

However, the final result was beyond their expectations. The Demon Emperor did not erupt in slaughter on the spot, but only said calmly that after the complete disappearance of the desolate north forbidden zone, he would lead a southern campaign in one stroke, to conquer the human race.

And this time, for the advance officials, the Demon Emperor named several individuals for the first time. Those people happened to be connected with Shenhua, and now they understood that the Demon Emperor must indeed know of the connection - this was merely giving them a chance to atone. Thus no one hesitated; they all agreed.

A single grand court session ended quickly. Before leaving at an unhurried pace, the Demon Emperor suddenly turned to look at the assembled great demons and said calmly, "This time, We will see it through in a single campaign. Those old fellows who spend their days only in cultivation should come out themselves — do not wait for me to invite them."

After speaking, the Demon Emperor strode away, leaving the many important figures looking at each other.

Originally they had not considered this to be any great matter, but with His Majesty’s last sentence spoken, everyone understood - this time the Demon Emperor was not merely intending to fight a token war, nor even to seize another thirty thousand miles from the human race.

He wanted to make the human race bow their heads completely, perhaps even to annihilate them entirely.

Thinking of the southern lands, which compared to the Demon Realm were simply like a celestial paradise, quite a few great figures were tempted. If it could truly be so, then even at some cost... perhaps it would be acceptable?

……

……

Leaving the great hall, the Demon Emperor walked slowly along the palace walls. Though the demon royal palace was still a royal palace, compared with the imperial city of the Divine Capital, it was much smaller, and overall black in color, extremely monotonous.

Walking within, it was as if an inexplicable chill poured in from all directions, this in fact matched well with the Demon Realm's frigid climate.

“Your Majesty.”

The High Priest approached from not far away. Seeing the emperor robe, he lowered his head and bowed as he spoke. He was the Demon Emperor's most loyal companion and most faithful follower.

The Demon Emperor gave a neutral “Mm” and asked, "How has the matter gone?"

The High Priest replied respectfully, “It is already done. However, Your Majesty, will this campaign not be a little too hasty?”

The Demon Emperor had returned from the desolate north for less than a month before beginning preparations for the southern expedition. In the demon race's past, this was not an ordinary matter. Moreover, this was not a small skirmish with the human race, but, in the Demon Emperor's own words, a campaign to see the work through in one effort. Such haste left the High Priest uneasy.

The Demon Emperor smiled. “If you have thought of something, speak directly. Between the two of us, there’s no need to be so restrained.”

“Then this subject will speak plainly. Your Majesty acting with such haste, it seems you do not truly intend to decide the realm in a single battle, but have another purpose. In the human race's words, perhaps it could be called ‘the intention of the drunkard is not in the wine.’”

The High Priest spoke softly, “Your Majesty wishes those people to die on the battlefield.”

The Demon Emperor neither confirmed nor denied it, only said calmly, “The Great Liang has grown ever stronger under Chen Che’s governance. In the last great war, Chen Che came in person, and the Great Liang defeated us once. Now their morale is high. If we truly fought head-on, the casualties would be too great. Though We wish to surpass Chen Che, the demon race's countless children are also Our subjects. If they can die fewer in number, that is also good.”

The High Priest nodded. “That Your Majesty holds the demon race in your heart is the demon race’s fortune.”

“Since I have already come to this point, letting them live in a better environment is also something I ought to do.”

The Demon Emperor glanced at the High Priest. They say the imperial mind is hard to fathom, in truth, even among the demon race, which compared to the human race had far fewer schemes, it was still so.

Previously the Demon Emperor had said it was to contend with Chen Che for victory and defeat, but a person such as he would hardly be so petty.

“Have this matter done well. In any case, I do not wish to see them again.”

The Demon Emperor cast a glance at the High Priest. Back in the desolate north, those who had tried to scheme against him, the Demon Emperor naturally would not spare a single one.

This was the Demon Realm, not the Great Liang of the human race. “Repaying injury with virtue” were words no one in the Demon Realm believed.

Standing at the summit, one's heart must be ruthless. For an existence like the Demon Emperor, standing at the very highest point, the heart must be even more ruthless.

The High Priest nodded, then halted his steps naturally. The Demon Emperor said no more, only walked forward casually. A moment later, he had already disappeared from the High Priest’s sight.

After walking for about a quarter of an hour, the Demon Emperor arrived before the Parasol Palace, and saw the parasol tree there, now grown into a towering giant.

Looking at the parasol tree, the Demon Emperor had a rare recollection of that woman from those years. Among his consorts she had not been especially remarkable, her origins also humble. If not for bearing a child like Autumn, perhaps the Demon Emperor would long ago have forgotten her.

But now that Autumn was so peerlessly gifted, it instead caused the Demon Emperor to recall some moments from those days.

That woman seemed to have spoken little from the moment she entered the palace, always liking to sit quietly alone on the palace roof, gazing into the distance.

He did not know whether she yearned for freedom, or what else.

The Demon Emperor had ascended the throne for countless years, and had seen too many struggles for power. Though in those struggles he had always been the victor, having experienced too much, he had grown somewhat numb. He could no longer even tell whether, apart from the paternal affection for Autumn as a father to his daughter, his care was also from the standpoint of one in the highest position, the concern upon seeing an heir capable of inheriting his throne.

Lost in thought for a moment, the Demon Emperor still stepped into the Parasol Palace.

This palace, in fact, he had visited only a handful of times.

After entering the palace, the Demon Emperor did not hurry to see Autumn. Instead, as if guided by some unseen hand, he came to the sleeping chambers where that woman once lived. Entering, he quickly arrived at the bed. The Demon Emperor looked at the woman who had been dead for many years but still appeared as if asleep. Her brows and eyes bore some resemblance to Autumn's.

The Demon Emperor shook his head. He thought for a long time, yet could not recall how the two had first met, nor how he had once bestowed favor upon her.

After a self-mocking smile, the look in the Demon Emperor's eyes softened. He said calmly, "You gave birth to a fine daughter. We may one day posthumously confer upon you the title of Empress."

The woman had been dead for many years. At this moment, she naturally could not open her mouth to give thanks.

The Demon Emperor did not mind. After leaving this place, he came to the front of another palace hall within the Parasol Palace. But this time, he only stopped before it, feeling the flow of qi in the surroundings, with a trace of appreciation in his eyes.

Some days ago, he had personally imparted teachings to Autumn, though he had not held much hope that she could take that next step in such a short time. Yet from the looks of it now, the results were indeed somewhat beyond his expectations. This daughter of his would likely step into the end of Nepenthe before long.

Among the demon race, this already meant holding sway over a territory of her own, even being able to stand and speak as an equal before himself.

Thinking of how his daughter, at such a young age, could achieve this, the Demon Emperor smiled. But the smile quickly faded. The throne of the demon race was not like that of the human race - it was not simply a matter of father dying and son inheriting. In the history of the demon race, cases where the father was still on the throne but the son could no longer wait were common.

If one day Autumn stood as his equal, perhaps father and daughter would inevitably have to fight.

The Demon Emperor did not care about this, nor did he feel anything was wrong. If one day he truly could not match his daughter, then naturally he should no longer be Demon Emperor.

After a moment of silence, the Demon Emperor turned to leave. Finally, he sat slowly on the threshold in front of the Parasol Palace, just as that woman had many years ago.

Looking at the parasol tree, no one knew what His Majesty the Demon Emperor was thinking at that moment.

...

...

Within the Parasol Palace, in the palace hall where Autumn resided, the flying sword she had named Autumn Beyond the Tower now lay across her knees.

Autumn closed her eyes slightly. Strands of black demon qi spread from her body, circling around her, then gradually took form, turning into strange symbols one after another.

After that, those symbols kept rotating, eventually forming a scene of sun, moon, and stars. The sun in front, the moon behind, countless stars encircling this sun and moon.

Except, the sun, moon, and stars were all pitch black.

It could not be said for certain whether this phenomenon Autumn produced was more remarkable than the rosy clouds and moon from Yun Jianyue. But the Demon Emperor had already laid countless restrictions around the Parasol Palace, so no matter how extraordinary the vision, nothing could be seen outside.

The Demon Realm was perilous, and the Demon Emperor had gone to great pains for this.

Autumn slowly opened her eyes, looked at the sun, moon, and stars before her, but soon shifted her gaze, finally letting it fall upon the flying sword on her knees.

Not far away on the ground, sword cultivation manuals lay scattered.

This dazzlingly talented female great demon seemed to have taken a different path.

"Chen Chao, next time we meet... can you still escape alive from under my sword?"

Autumn spoke softly, exhaling demon qi which gathered before her into a human figure. Who else could it be but Chen Chao?

Looking at the man before her, Autumn rose slightly, grasped her flying sword, and swept past in one light motion. She then saw the figure's head fall. Autumn kicked it aside, the corners of her lips curling into a smile.

This kind of self-deceiving means that even ordinary people would not take it seriously, let alone this demon princess.

At this moment, Autumn seemed to have returned to her youth. But in truth, her youth was unlike that of other boys and girls, she had never played with the things other children played with.

"Chen Chao, oh Chen Chao... when you die at my hands, I will hang your skull before the latrine, for a hundred years, a thousand years."

...

...

Infatuation Daoist Temple, after the beginning of summer one day, suddenly the green leaves in the mountains grew wildly, lush and vibrant.

Above the mountain peak, a vine hung down, completely covering a cliff face.

A woman rose from her meditation mat, walked a few steps to the entrance of the cave dwelling, and looked at the lush green vines hanging in front of the cave with a calm expression.

Not long ago, a young daoist who was called one of the Twin Pillars of Daoism alongside her broke through and entered Nepenthe, becoming the youngest daoist sage in the history of Infatuation Daoist Temple. She was older and had ascended the mountain earlier, but was one step slower.

However, in the thousand years since, it was unlikely that any other woman in the entire Daoism would become a daoist sage before this woman.

In fact, throughout the long history of Daoism, only a handful of female daoist sages have existed.

The woman looked at the scene before her and slowly spoke, using a name that some might never hear in their lifetime, “A Yue, you keep going ahead, I won’t fall too far behind.”

What she did not know was that before she set foot in Nepenthe and became a daoist sage, a young daoist had already become the youngest great daoist sage in the world.

There are many high peaks in this world, all very tall, but among them, there must be one that is the tallest.

...

Outside the bamboo building, the cicadas' chirping had become quite annoying.

Song Lian had been on edge these days, listening to the irritating cicadas. This Right Guard commander casually threw a few stones, hitting the summer cicadas on the trees with precision. After a moment, the surrounding cicada chirping was gone.

Satisfied, Song Lian nodded, then heard a voice from behind.

“To chirp for two months in the summer, cicadas have to hide underground for more than ten years. You just knocked them down?”

The bamboo door was pushed open, and a young man with a weary face came out from the bamboo building, looking somewhat weak.

Song Lian turned, startled at first, then cursed, “You’re not dead yet?”

Chen Chao looked puzzled, then laughed and cursed, “So eager for me to die?”

Song Lian sneered and was about to say his worries from these days but suddenly remembered something and asked with some anticipation, “So, how was it?”

Chen Chao looked blank, “How was what?”

Song Lian anxiously said, “You caused such a big commotion in there, and got nothing?”

Chen Chao smiled faintly, “Guess.”

"Your Father guess your ass!"

Song Lian wanted to spit on Chen Chao’s head right then and there. This bastard’s words were infuriating.

Chen Chao ignored Song Lian and said to himself, “I need to trouble you to watch over the Divine Capital for two more days. I'll be back soon.”

“Where are you going?”

Song Lian looked puzzled. This guy just got back to the Divine Capital not long ago, and now he's rushing out again?

Chen Chao calmly said, “Gotta go shake things up a bit.”