This severed arm belonged to none other than Old Nine.
“I never expected that after so many years, I would still be able to see the Demon Emperor.”
Old Nine smiled and said, “Back then, when we met, the Demon Emperor was at the height of his power, divinely martial and extraordinary, renowned throughout the cultivation world. At that time, I was merely a graceful… beautiful young man.”
The corner of the Demon Emperor’s mouth twitched.
A graceful beautiful young man?
How utterly shameless.
Do not think I am unaware that you are a great devil.
“How did you end up in this state?” the Demon Emperor asked.
Old Nine sighed and said, “It is a long story. I once obtained certain opportunities that allowed me to be indestructible and immortal. However, experts from several major sects in the cultivation world joined forces to hunt me down, and in the end, they dismembered my body.”
“Fortunately, I encountered this lad. Otherwise, I would probably still be lying in the mortal realm even now.”
“Demon Emperor, I can swear on my life that this lad has not deceived you. Every word he said is the truth.”
The Demon Emperor snorted coldly. “You are indestructible and immortal. What use is swearing on your life?”
“The blood flowing in his body proves he belongs to that race.”
“I cannot be mistaken about this.”
“I bear a deep enmity with that race. I once swore that upon encountering anyone from that race, I would kill them immediately.”
“Do not try to persuade me further. For your sake, I can grant him an intact corpse.”
Old Nine had not expected the Demon Emperor’s killing intent to be so intense. He said, “Demon Emperor, do you wish to take revenge?”
“I dream of it!” the Demon Emperor said through gritted teeth. “This emperor wishes he could slaughter his way beyond the domain and exterminate all those surnamed Ye.”
“However, this emperor has only a strand of divine sense left, and this strand will soon dissipate.”
“This emperor no longer has the chance for revenge.”
“No,” Old Nine said. “You still have a chance to take revenge!”
The Demon Emperor’s gaze fell upon Old Nine. Puzzled, he asked, “What exactly are you trying to say?”
Old Nine pointed at the unconscious Ye Qiu and said, “He can help you take revenge.”
“How is that possible?” the Demon Emperor said. “He belongs to that race and is surnamed Ye. They are all in the same group. How could he possibly help me take revenge?”
After speaking, the Demon Emperor’s expression turned cold. “I understand now. You are trying to fool me so that this emperor will spare this lad, are you not?”
“I warn you, do not anger me, or I may not be polite to you.”
“Although you are indestructible and immortal, and this emperor has only a strand of divine sense left, suppressing you for a thousand years would pose no problem.”
Old Nine said, “Old friend, in my current state, is there any need for me to fool you?”
“To be honest, I also bear enmity towards those surnamed Ye.”
“Otherwise, with the strength of those fellows in the cultivation world, how could they have dismembered and suppressed me?”
“I suspect that those surnamed Ye were pulling the strings behind the scenes.”
“However, as the old saying goes, every injustice has its perpetrator, and every debt has its debtor. We cannot kill this lad simply because he is surnamed Ye, can we?”
“He cannot choose his own origins.”
The Demon Emperor emphasised, “He is not merely surnamed Ye. He belongs to that race.”
“I know,” Old Nine said. “If I had not seen through his background, I would not have become his guardian.”
Curiosity appeared in the Demon Emperor’s eyes, followed by a sneer. “I never expected that a great devil like you would become his guardian?”
“I am doing this precisely for revenge,” Old Nine said. “To get back to the point. Although this lad is surnamed Ye and has the blood of that race flowing in his veins, he comes from the mortal realm, not from beyond the domain.”
The Demon Emperor asked, “So you are saying that this lad’s ancestors went from beyond the domain to the mortal realm?”
Old Nine said, “I do not know the exact details, but I guess that his ancestors fled there to escape calamity, thus leaving behind their bloodline.”
The Demon Emperor simply did not believe it. “Flee calamity? Heh… Would the Ye family ever need to flee calamity?”
“Old friend, if you do not believe me, please look.” After speaking, Old Nine pointed a finger at the centre of Ye Qiu’s forehead.
After a while.
Ye Qiu’s entire body became transparent, revealing that his bones were covered in densely packed runes.
The Demon Emperor recognised them at a glance and exclaimed in shock, “This is the Ye family’s method.”
“Old friend, take a closer look at those runes,” Old Nine said.
The Demon Emperor stared at the runes on Ye Qiu’s bones, his eyes blazing like torches. After examining them for a while, he recognised them.
“These… the Curse of God!”
“He is a sinner of the Ye family.”
“How strange. He is surnamed Ye and has the blood of that race in his body, yet he has become a sinner?”
The Demon Emperor was filled with confusion.
Old Nine said, “Old friend, you should understand that in a great clan like the Ye family, much like imperial offspring, scheming, infighting, and power struggles are inevitable.”
“I surmise that some upheaval must have occurred in the Ye family back then, causing this lad’s ancestor to be afflicted with the Curse of God and forced to leave beyond the domain.”
“Then this branch preserved their bloodline in the mortal realm.”
“Of course, these are merely my guesses. I do not know exactly what happened, but one thing is now certain: this lad will be our ally.”
“He bears half the fortune of the human race, has obtained the fortune of the demon clan, and has me as his guardian. In the future, he will surely rush beyond the domain. Once he reaches beyond the domain, do you think the Ye family will let him go?”
“I have been by his side for some time now. I know this lad’s character very well. He values loyalty and justice, hates evil like an enemy, and never forgets a grudge.”
“Imagine if he learns about his ancestor’s past and discovers the Curse of God upon himself. Do you think he would spare those in the Ye family?”
“Therefore, this lad and the Ye family are destined to fight to the death!”
“Moreover, even if you kill him and strip the demon clan fortune from his body, who will lead the demon clan out of Nanling?”
“The situation of the demon clan is similar to that of the demon clan. We cannot afford further decline, or before long, both the demon clan and the devil clan will be utterly destroyed.”
“Thus, keeping this lad alive holds greater value.”
“Based on my understanding of him, with the several opportunities you have bestowed upon him this time, in the future he will certainly help you take revenge as a way of repaying your kindness.”
The Demon Emperor said, “Even I never managed to rush beyond the domain back then. Do you think he can? Moreover, the ancient starry road is already broken. How will he reach beyond the domain?”
Old Nine smiled and said, “Old friend, have you forgotten something? This lad possesses five Qiankun Cauldrons.”
“You know the origins of the Qiankun Cauldrons very well.”
“Tell me, if the Ye family learns that he has the Qiankun Cauldrons, will they not come looking for him on their own initiative?”
The Demon Emperor suddenly awoke to the realisation. He fell silent for a long while before finally withdrawing all his killing intent.
“This lad was able to climb the Three Thousand Mountains and obtain the demon clan fortune. Perhaps it is the will of heaven.”
“Very well. I shall trust you this once.”
“I do not expect this lad to take revenge for me. I only hope he remembers his promise to me and protects the demon clan.”
As the Demon Emperor spoke these words, his figure suddenly became blurred.
Old Nine’s voice grew heavy. “Farewell, old friend. Have a safe journey.”
“Eternal farewell. Take care of yourself!” After saying this, the Demon Emperor took one last deep look at Ye Qiu before his figure dispersed with a boom.
