The Third Elder of the Demon Palace had just opened his mouth to speak when Mo Yuan raised a hand, cutting him off.
Understanding the signal, the Third Elder folded his arms and stepped aside, calmly watching as Xi Hai continued to court death.
"Mo Yuan, you little brat, you actually dared to come back?"
Xi Hai scoffed, sweeping his gaze over Mo Yuan's cultivation level. His brow twitched slightly. He'd been sent on a mission recently, and by the time he returned, the Demon Sea had already been sealed.
Frustration still simmered in his chest. He hadn't expected Mo Yuan to be so audacious as to come back now, of all times. He glanced sideways at the Third Elder, voice dripping with mockery. "Third Elder, are you getting senile in your old age?
To escort Mo Yuan back so openly—aren't you afraid the Demon Sovereign will toss you into the Heart of Wanyuan when he finds out?"
The Third Elder shot him a glance, his expression a smile in name only.
"The Young Lord is the true heir of the Demon Clan. What's the Demon Sovereign worth in comparison?"
"You—!"
Xi Hai was taken aback by his brazenness. He hadn't expected the Third Elder to speak so bluntly, let alone insult the Demon Sovereign outright.
"Fine, fine! You're all bold beyond belief. Just wait. When the Demon Sovereign returns, I'll make sure he hears about this!"
As he raged, the rest of the Demon Palace's forces began to converge. At the same time, many of Mo Yuan's former loyalists gathered around him. Word had spread that the Young Lord had returned, and excitement surged through them. The crowd instantly split into two camps, and tension crackled like dry tinder ready to catch fire.
"Third Elder, are you really going to rebel?"
Xi Hai was seething. These people were trying to force a coup while the Demon Sovereign was away. But they'd have to go through him first.
"Heh, rebel we shall. What are you going to do about it?"
The Third Elder stepped forward, pressing Xi Hai with every word. He was itching to see this scheming coward dead.
"Good! Then don't blame me for abandoning all pretense! Men, seize these traitors who dare defy their superiors!" With Xi Hai's shout, his loyal demon cultivators surged forward and launched their attack.
Mo Yuan's supporters were enraged. They retaliated immediately, and the courtyard erupted into chaos.
Even the elders clashed in fierce combat, flames and energy crackling in every direction.
Song Wanníng stood silently on the sidelines, watching the scene unfold without interfering.
This was as good a chance as any for Mo Yuan to take control of the Demon Palace.
She turned her eyes toward him. Though his expression was calm, his clenched fists were bulging with veins—proof of the fury simmering within.
…
The battle spread like wildfire throughout the Demon Palace.
Xi Hai was gritting his teeth, furious. Yet no word came from the Demon Sovereign, and even Qu Shang, the other young lord, was nowhere to be found.
The uncertainty gnawed at him. Something about the situation felt increasingly wrong.
What infuriated him even more was that Mo Yuan looked utterly relaxed, strolling around as if he were enjoying a walk in a garden. Unable to bear it any longer, Xi Hai lunged at him.
The moment he moved, Song Wanníng knew the farce had gone on long enough.
She raised her hand, sword flashing in an arc.
In the next instant, the once-arrogant Xi Hai was cleaved clean in two, his body plummeting from the air.
Even his Yuányīng didn't have a chance to escape. It was shattered along with his flesh.
Silence.
The entire area fell deathly quiet. All eyes turned toward Xi Hai's mangled corpse, frozen in disbelief.
That was a Nascent Soul elder—killed in a single strike?
Everyone swallowed hard. Fear and awe filled their eyes.
Even the Third Elder and his allies stared at Song Wanníng with terror and unease. They had known she was powerful, but to kill a Nascent Soul cultivator in one blow... it was horrifying.
Truly terrifying.
Mo Yuan swept his gaze over the stunned crowd, taking in every expression. A deep sense of vindication rose in his chest. He stepped forward and spoke coldly.
"The Demon Sovereign has already been eliminated by me. If you still refuse to come to your senses, then you'll be dragged out and executed. But if you're willing to forsake the darkness and return to the light, I'll grant you mercy."
Most of them were just low-ranking lackeys, obeying the orders of those above. Many had no choice in the matter.
Besides, he couldn't kill half the disciples in the Demon Palace. If he did, the other Demon Clan factions would only get bolder.
But as for the traitors who led the rebellion, he wouldn't spare a single one.
The disciples, still reeling, collapsed to their knees at his words, their faces pale with fear. With the Demon Sovereign dead and a powerful elder slain before their eyes, what other choice did they have?
Survival was all that mattered now.
And so, the unrest was swiftly brought under control.
Mo Yuan returned to the palace with the elders and began coordinating the aftermath.
Most of the traitors had already fled, but the Demon Palace would issue bounty orders to hunt them down. Especially the two Demon Sovereigns, Mo Yu and Mo Yun. Mo Yuan's hatred for them ran deep. Only their dismembered corpses would satisfy him.
As for Song Wanníng, she didn't concern herself with the Demon Palace's internal affairs. She quietly returned to her side hall to rest.
There, she retrieved a transmission talisman and sent a message to the Sect Master of Wentian Sect.
…
Meanwhile, the Wentian Sect Master had just finished a frustrating discussion with the elders about the latest disciple recruitment.
The sect's recent demotion meant they were losing out on promising young talents. Fewer were willing to join.
It was a bitter blow. If this went on, Wentian Sect might never recover.
Even the elders were no longer as respectful. Some of them had started making passive-aggressive remarks, subtly blaming him for the sect's fall from grace.
The Sect Master was already simmering with resentment when he received a message from Song Wanníng. His face darkened further.
What trouble was she stirring up now?
He frowned and activated the talisman. Song Wanníng's voice rang out clearly, loud enough for the elders preparing to leave to hear.
"Sect Master, my second disciple was killed by Ye Chuxue in the Demon Sea. I request that you deliver severe punishment to this traitor who dares murder a fellow disciple."
The familiar voice carried grief, and it sent a chill through the room.
Everyone looked stunned, as if they had misheard.
"What did Senior Sister Song just say? Who killed who?"
Someone rubbed their ears in disbelief.
The Second Elder rolled her eyes. "You heard her. Ye Chuxue killed Lu Nanfeng."
She had known Song Wanníng a long time and understood her well. If she said it, then Lu Nanfeng was definitely dead.
As for how Ye Chuxue had done it, there was surely more to the story. But that wasn't her concern.
She had long despised Lu Nanfeng for betraying his master and sect.
His death was a clean end to a dirty chapter.
"Impossible!"
The Seventh Elder was the first to protest. "Lu Nanfeng and Ye Chuxue were so close. Everyone saw it. How could she kill him?"
It wasn't about taking sides. Lu Nanfeng's affection for Ye Chuxue was obvious to all.
The two of them had been inseparable. How could such a bond turn into bloodshed?
The Sect Master's frown deepened. He agreed with the Seventh Elder's doubts.
He promptly sent a reply to Song Wanníng.
"Junior Sister Song, are you sure you haven't mistaken the killer?"