Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Higher Domain!”
Ao Lu loved Qianqian very much. He told her anything. Qianqian knew what the so-called Higher Domain referred to. Her beautiful eyes widened. She hid both of her hands in her sleeves to hide the shock that she was feeling inside.
Qianqian was very close to Xiaonu. It was not just because Jiang Xiaonu was Jiang Yi’s little sister. It was more because Xiaonu was very innocent, kind, and cute. Qianqian had always seen herself as a human from a very young age, not a demon. That was why she loved making friends with humans. In recent years, she became so close to Jiang Xiaonu that one would think they were biological sisters. Yet, she never expected this pure and innocent lass would have such origins.
Xiaonu had been in seclusion for two years. After Ao Lu helped her to realize the third level of Ink Feather Divine Art, she went into seclusion. From time to time, she would only emerge to ask Qianqian a few questions about Jiang Yi’s situation.
It was a pity that Ao Lu had given orders for Jiang Yi’s situation to remain a secret. For this reason, Qianqian could not tell Jiang Xiaonu about how Jiang Yi was doing. Jiang Xiaonu was to focus on training wholeheartedly. Once she became strong enough, Ao Lu would let her go and find Jiang Yi herself.
The last time Xiaonu came out of seclusion was six months ago. If she did not transform, nobody would be able to tell how powerful she was. Thus, even Qianqian had no idea how her progress was or how her skills were. Even Ao Lu could not tell!
“The battle is about to begin. What if Little Sister Xiaonu does not come out of seclusion?”
Qianqian thought of a question and turned to face Ao Lu. Ao Lu smiled bitterly. “If she does not come out of seclusion, the demon race will be wiped out. Qianqian, your forebear will go out sooner or later. If I die in battle, activate the second plan. Let’s not talk too much nonsense. This concerns the survival of the demon race. Qianqian, if you cannot do it, your forebear will not die in peace.”
“En!”
Qianqian bit back tears and nodded. She did not say a single word of nonsense. She was all the more sure that Ao Lu would have to go out in battle; otherwise, the demons would perish for sure. For all she knew—if Ao Lu went out to battle, he might be able to get the demons out of this predicament.
Buzz!
Ao Lu finished giving instructions to Qianqian. He waved a single hand and two figures congealed in front of him. They were Qian Wanguan and Zhan Wushuang. Both of them were shocked by the sudden teleportation. On seeing Ao Lu, Qianqian, and the Shadow Emperor; they became even more frightened.
Plop!
After they recovered from the initial shock, they regained their composure and got to their knees. In a low voice, Zhan Wushuang said, “Lord Ao Lu, please go and save Jiang Yi. Please save Gods Bestow Tribe!”
Ever since the two of them were brought into Mystic Martial City, they had been locked up. It was only now that they were seeing Ao Lu and Qianqian. Neither of them knew what was going on outside the city. All they could do was kneel down and beg.
Ao Lu smiled bitterly once again. “The Great One cannot break the array in which Jiang Yi is trapped. As for… Sin Island, it is already gone. All the formidable martial artists of the thirteen clans have been killed in battle.”
“What?”
Qian Wanguan and Zhan Wushuang’s minds clouded over. Qian Wanguan was particularly affected. He had already taken the Situ Clan as his own family. He and Situ Ao were as close as father and son. The elders of the Situ Clan treated him especially kindly. In recent years, their relationship had deepened considerably.
His vision tunneled, and he nearly fell down to the ground. A sudden rage overcame him. He turned and glared at Ao Lu, gritting his teeth. “Ao Lu, why didn’t you save them? Are you the one who has been orchestrating this entire catastrophe? Do you want to wipe out the human race? Did you kill everyone on Sin Island?”
“Wanguan, watch your tongue! Lord Ao is not like that!”
Qianqian and the others had not even spoken before Zhan Wushuang shouted. At that moment, Zhan Wushuang believed for some reason that Ao Lu was not the mastermind. There was not a hint of killing intent in Ao Lu’s eyes. If he really was the mastermind, the two of them would be dead by now.
Princess Qianqian was evidence of this as well. The moment she saw the two of them, her gaze became warm. That kind of emotion could not be faked. If they were enemies to them, she would not be looking at them so warmly.
“He’s not?”
Qian Wanguan asked, astonished. In a shocked tone, he continued, “If he isn’t, then why didn’t he help Sin Island? If the demons of Endless Deep Sea had been activated, who would have been able to break the Nine Dragons’ God-Extinguishing Array?”
Zhan Wushuang had no answer to this question as well. He, too, had many questions in his heart. He turned to look at Ao Lu, waiting for answers.
Ao Lu remained emotionless. In a cool voice, he answered, “It is not that the Great One did not want to help. It was that I could not! If I did not act, the demon sovereigns alone would not have been able to deal with the North Thearch and Battle Thearch. They would be sending themselves to die. Do you know how many formidable martial artists the East Imperial Continent sent this time?
What’s more, Heaven Nether Sect sent martial artists who are able to break the array. The Great One cannot protect the array on my own. Are the lives of Sin Island’s martial artists more valuable than the ones of the demons? Since Sin Island was bound to be destroyed, why should I send my own demons to die along with them?”
At that moment, Qian Wanguan realized that he had maligned Ao Lu. Ao Lu was the thearch of the demons. If someone like that bothered to explain so much to the two of them, he could not be the mastermind. Otherwise, he would have killed them both in a blink of an eye. He would not have wasted so much time explaining himself.
Even so, however, Qian Wanguan was still curious. “Lord Ao Lu, why can’t you act?”
“That’s because I cannot lash out against humans!”
Ao Lu stood up and continued in a cold voice. “When I came out of the Mystic Divine Palace, I promised the Mystic Thearch that I would not step into the world of humans for no reason; neither would I kill humans for no reason! The Mystic Divine Palace left a piece of his soul in my soul spirit. If I go against my word, my soul will be destroyed! The alliance army of the East Imperial Continent attacked Sin Island. This has nothing to do with me at all. I could not go out and fight them without a reason. If the Great One does not fight, the other demon sovereigns would surely be slaughtered by the North Thearch and Battle Thearch. So if you have to blame someone, blame your Mystic Thearch…”
“Huh!”
Qian Wanguan and Zhan Wushuang stiffened in shock. Neither of them had any more doubts toward Ao Lu. They could tell he was not lying. The thearch of the demons would not bother to lie to two lowly humans. The Mystic Thearch could see into the future. Why would he have let Ao Lu out into the world if he thought that Ao Lu would be a threat to humans?
“Alright!”
Ao Lu waved his hand and said his final words. “The alliance army of the East Imperial Continent has already started to attack the Endless Deep Sea. The Great One has a reason to act now. The two of you are that brat Jiang Yi’s friends. Let Qianqian arrange for the two of you to go to Snow Region. Qianqian, if I die in battle and Jiang Xiaonu has not come out of seclusion as well, bring the two of them to Snow Region. I cannot save Jiang Yi, but I cannot allow his sister to die as well.”
“Forebear, take care. Qianqian will wait for you to return!”
Qian Wanguan knelt down and cried silently. Ao Lu turned to the Shadow Emperor. Both of them disappeared from the Mystic Martial City in a bright flash of light. It was a long while before Qianqian finally stood up again. She wiped her tears from her face and pulled herself together. She turned to Zhan Wushuang and Qian Wanguan. “Are the two of you leaving now, or are you going to wait for the battle to end?”
The two of them hesitated before standing. Zhan Wushuang asked, “Can we bring Jiang Xiaonu with us now?”
“No!”
Qianqian shook her head. “Forebear said that if she comes out of seclusion, she can save us. I hope to wait until the very last moment. If Forebear dies in battle and Little Sister Xiaonu still remains in seclusion, you can take her with you.”
“Then we will wait.”
Zhan Wushuang said resolutely, “We will wait for Little Sister Xiaonu before we leave. Princess Qianqian, if the demon race loses, where will you go?”
“Me?”
Qianqian laughed mirthlessly. She turned to look outside the palace and sighed. “The Endless Deep Sea is the demon race’s last home. If humans take over this place, there will be nowhere left for us to go. Forebear, Qianqian might go against your orders this time…”
