"See the Emperor? See the Lord? Jiang Yu, you must be dreaming! You killed the Second Prince of Great Qi, took the Fifth Princess hostage – your crimes warrant death! Speak, who sent you?" Jiang Yan sneered, the whip in his hand lashing out, striking Jiang Yu's body and instantly blooming with sprays of blood.
"No one sent me! I advise the Grand Commander not to waste your effort!" Jiang Yu gritted his teeth, not daring to mention Great Qin easily now.
Xiao Beifa had already betrayed him, and Grandpa's Dao tradition was annihilated.
If he mentioned Great Qin now, wouldn't he be seeking death?
The only sliver of hope in his heart now was that Xia Yanran would consider their three years of shared past and persuade that Lord to save his life!
"Fine, fine! Let's see how long you can keep that stubborn mouth shut!!" Slap, slap, slap!
The whip fell incessantly, leaving bloody welts all over Jiang Yu's body.
Just then, the candle flames in the heavenly prison suddenly flickered, and then a commotion arose at the prison door.
"Huh? So there are accomplices!!" A sinister glint flashed on Jiang Yan's face. His presence here was just bait.
That Supreme Lord had personally promised to keep an eye on this place, to slay the demon for Great Xia!
In fact, in the views of both Emperor Xia and that Lord, Jiang Yu might just be a pawn placed by someone else.
Enduring in Great Xia for three years, just to bring disaster to Great Xia and stir up conflict one day.
In the wars between imperial dynasties, all kinds of schemes were used without exception.
As for who would ultimately benefit, Emperor Xia couldn't say. After all, his own throne wasn't obtained through legitimate means.
Those hoping for his death were countless!
Of course, Jiang Yan didn't know Ling Xiao's true identity.
But someone even Emperor Xia bowed and knelt to – how terrifying must his strength be?
Never mind if it's a demon, even if it's a Heavenly Demon, so what?
Buzz!
Spiritual light bloomed. Jiang Yan's figure instantly vanished from the spot.
At the entrance, Xing Shen, Huo Heng, and several Divine King experts, all dressed in black and covering their faces, were coldly staring at the group of worthless minnows and rotten shrimp responsible for guarding the heavenly prison.
A wisp of demonic aura surged around each of them, a means arranged by Ling Xiao.
"Good, you've come! Hahahaha, I invite the Lord to appear and slay this demon for the world!!" Jiang Yan laughed heartily.
But at this moment, heaven and earth were utterly silent. Not a single fluctuation came through.
After a good while, his expression slowly solidified.
Wasn't it agreed... to keep an eye on this place?
Lord, the demons are here!
What... are you doing?!
"For the world, slay whom?" Xing Shen and Huo Heng exchanged a glance. A mere first-grade Divine Emperor was naturally beneath their notice.
It's just... the Master still needed time. Hmm, is half an hour enough?
Forget it, the Master is so young, I'm afraid... he'll need a bit longer.
Buzz!
Overwhelming spiritual light flashed. Then, Jiang Yan and the others watched dumbfounded as demonic light seemed to surge into the sky around Huo Heng and the others, who stepped forward.
Faced with a third-grade Divine Emperor and a fourth-grade Divine Emperor expert, Jiang Yan naturally had no means to resist.
But the two intentionally delayed, not striking to kill.
Deep within the heavenly prison, a flash of joy appeared in Jiang Yu's eyes.
Someone came to break me out?
Could it be... Grandpa... came back?
---
Huayuan Palace.
In Xia Yanran's bedchamber, the candle flames suddenly flickered, and the world turned pitch black.
A black-clad figure swept in from outside, not arousing the slightest suspicion.
Outside the main hall, the guards on duty only felt darkness before their eyes, and then... lost all consciousness.
Xia Yanran opened her eyes in a daze, only to find herself seemingly in a completely unfamiliar space.
Dark, ancient, a black moon hanging obliquely overhead.
A figure walked under the moon, a sinister smile on its face.
"Huh? Jiang Yu!!! You... how did you escape?" Xia Yanran abruptly sat up. Looking at the figure slowly approaching her, her beautiful eyes were filled with complex emotions.
If judged solely on talent, this Jiang Yu could be considered top-tier in Great Xia, more than a match for her.
But now, he had killed the Second Prince of Great Qi and used her life as a threat. There was no feelings left between them.
But... how did he escape Father's grasp?
Or... did that Lord save him?
"Xia Yanran, I ended up in this situation entirely because of you. I was being tortured in the heavenly prison, yet you sleep peacefully here?" 'Jiang Yu' shook his head, a bloody light seeming to flicker in his eyes.
The current him was no longer as gentle and humble as usual, carrying a hint of sinister strangeness.
"Jiang Yu... you... what do you want to do?" Quite inexplicably, a trace of fear suddenly arose in Xia Yanran's heart.
Especially the sinister smile on the young man's lips sent a bone-chilling coldness rising from the soles of her feet.
"What do I want to do? Don't you know? Xia Yanran, what do you think I endured in Great Xia for three years for?" 'Jiang Yu' shook his head with a light laugh, covering the distance to stand before Xia Yanran in a single step.
"Of course, it was for you."
"Don't come any closer!! Jiang Yu... stay away!! Or I'll scream!!" Xia Yanran instinctively retreated, but was ultimately grabbed by the neck by 'Jiang Yu'.
"Go ahead and scream. Today, even if you scream yourself hoarse, no one will save you! Three years!! If it weren't for your special physique, did you think I would willingly endure the humiliation from your Xia family?" 'Jiang Yu' grinned sinisterly, demonic light flashing in his hand as he directly sealed Xia Yanran's spiritual power and threw her harshly to the ground.
"And you? You actually went to serve that Qi Deqiang? I hate it! Xia Yanran, I hate it!! Today, I will make you know who your true husband is!!"
Having said that, 'Jiang Yu' finally hesitated no more. The clothes on his body scattered away on their own, and he pounced onto Xia Yanran.
"No!!! Jiang Yu!! You beast!! I won't let you off even if I become a ghost!"
Boom!!
A thread of pain suddenly came.
Immediately after, Xia Yanran discovered with horror that the spiritual power within her body was madly flowing into 'Jiang Yu's' body along with their connection.
Simultaneously, the aura around the latter clearly fluctuated, and even the Spirit Flame within him surged inexplicably at this moment.
Scorching heat, demonic intent, Divine General aura!
Jiang Yu, I hate you!!
"Ah!!! Beast!! Stop!! Stop it, I'll die like this!!" Feeling the clearly draining spiritual power and vitality, tears welled in Xia Yanran's beautiful eyes. But the more she resisted, the more excited the young man on top of her seemed to become.
Until, one hour later, her cultivation was utterly gone, her entire body limp. Jiang Yu suddenly raised his head and let out a shrill roar.
Then, Xia Yanran stared dumbfounded as 'Jiang Yu' suddenly stood up, transforming into a demonic shadow several zhang tall.
It was a true demon exuding overwhelming ferocity and malice. With just one glance, Xia Yanran felt her mind tremble, nearly crushed by that demonic might!
"How... is this possible!! You're a demon! You really are a demon!!" Xia Yanran lay on the ground, her pretty face pale, wailing weakly.
Although Jiang Yu had revealed demonic intent when he killed Qi Deqiang earlier, Xia Yanran had thought it was due to his cultivation technique.
But now... seeing this terrifying demonic shadow before her, she knew she was wrong!
So!!!
This Jiang Yu was actually a true demon in disguise!!
The thought that the person she had been with morning and night for these three years was actually a demon made a chilling cold pour into her from the crown of her head.
"Hehe, Xia Yanran, everything... is over!!"