Suddenly, a cloud of mist descended from the rafters.
When it landed before Sha Pengkun and Yu Die, they soon grew uncontrollably drenched in sweat and their pores tightened up.
They had a sense of imminent crisis.
They hadn’t been so terrified in tens of thousands of years.
In the Yao Realm, they were lofty Yao Divine Generals.
Yet in front of Emperor Hades, they were nothing but ants. No, they were less than that. If he wanted to kill them, they would die. If they attempted to resist, they didn’t have so much as a ten percent chance of escape.
“Your Highness Emperor Hades, what would you like us to do for you?” Sha Pengkun knelt on one knee, his eyes flashing repeatedly. He knew even before he’d arrived that he’d have to pay a price for resurrecting his son, but now he was terrified to hear just what that price would be.
When they first arrived at the secondary palace, the emperor’s apprentice led them in personally, and returned their son without them so much as needing to ask.
The way they saw it, this series of events was them falling into the emperor’s plot, step by step.
Especially now that he’d appeared before them in person. Sha Pengkun had absolutely no idea what he’d ask for!
“You should…. started Emperor Hades. This time, his voice didn’t echo throughout the hall. Instead, it emanated from the cloud of mist. “Actually, I haven’t decided yet.”
“Then, Your Excellency…..” Sha Pengkun was even more confused. If he hadn’t decided yet, why had he appeared before them?
Could it be that Emperor Hades knew the yao planned to oppose him, and had appeared before him and his wife to pass on a warning to the rest of the yao race?
If that were the case, they were in for a lot of trouble.
In the past hundred years, the yao had split into two main camps: hawks, and doves. Sha Pengkun and his clan were hawks.
The pro-war crowd’s primary goal was to invade the God and Demon Realms, but the necessary first step to success was crossing the River Styx.
Although Emperor Hades was lord of the River Styx, he was human. He enforced the barrier between the Yao and God Realms for humanity’s benefit.
Over the past hundred years, the hawks had been continuously researching means of handling Emperor Hades, starting with his dao and cultivation techniques.
In recent years, they’d gradually formed a few vague ideas about how to contend with him, and their plans were only a single step from perfection.
However, this news was their greatest secret and known only to high-ranked members of their faction. There was no way it could have leaked.
Or had someone infiltrated their leadership?
As he considered the implications, Sha Pengkun’s expression shifted. He clearly didn’t know what to do.
“General Sha, your expression looks a bit off,” chuckled Emperor Hades through the mists. Sha Pengkun immediately realized he’d slipped up. Just now, he’d been overly concerned with a potential leak and failed to hide his emotions.
He laughed apologetically, pursed his lips, and said respectfully, “Official business has been complicated lately, so I’m unusually tired. I apologize for worrying you.”
“So that’s how it is. The yao’s internal affairs have indeed been rather complex lately, so it’s not strange that you’d feel exhausted.”
As he spoke, the mist-shrouded Emperor Hades returned to his throne.
As Sha Pengkun knelt on the ground, his eyes widened, and the veins in his neck bulged involuntarily.
What did Emperor Hades mean by this?
Sha Kunpeng asked himself over and over again. From the sound of things, Emperor Hades was obviously in on their plans.
His lapels instantly grew drenched with sweat. At the same time, Emperor Hades spoke once more. “I advise you not to pursue revenge against the man who murdered your son. After all, your yao race can’t cross the River Styx.”
The great hall instantly dissolved into nothingness. Countless lightning bolts flooded the space where the hall once stood, so fierce, it seemed that the apocalypse had arrived. Fierce winds howled, sending the clouds spiraling in reverse. Sha Pengkun and Yu Die, who were right in the middle of it all, trembled. Their hearts shook and their hands quivered uncontrollably.
“When you get back to the Yao Realm, tell those old monsters this: although I have not made any public appearances lately, I am no fool. I am keenly aware of who they’re conspiring with. If they really want to cross my River Styx, they’d best come see me, and bring the Eastern Monarch Taiyi with them!”
As soon as he finished speaking, a gust of wind swept up the Yao Divine Generals. When they came to their senses, they were already back in the River Styx.
When they got onto the riverbank, Yu Die furrowed her brows and said, “Emperor Hades already knows?”
Sha Pengkun frowned as well. There was a long silence before he looked at his wife and said, “Bring Ming’er home and forge him a new body. I’m going to go pay a visit to the yao holy lands.”
“Are you….” Yu Die’s expression shifted, but to her surprise, Sha Pengkun forcefully shook his hand, clenched his fists, and said, “I’m just going to pass on the message, and if possible…..I want to back out.”
He’d become a Yao Divine General, so he naturally wasn’t the cowardly sword.
However, Emperor Hades’ warning and his profound, incomprehensibly vast power made Sha Pengkun reconsider their organization’s plans. Were they really feasible?
It wasn’t just about him. He had to consider his clan, who depended on him.
He had to carefully think this over.
“Master, Sha Pengkun and his wife have already left.”
Back within Emperor Hades’ secondary palace, the youth who’d led the couple inside returned to the great hall. He’d just stepped outside to examine the couple’s footprints.
After the couple left the River Styx, he immediately returned to report this to the emperor.
“Of course they left. Or do you think the two of them alone could launch an offensive against my palace?” By now, the mists around Emperor Hades had already vanished. In stark contrast with others’ impression of him, Emperor Hades, an ultimate expert, was a tender-looking teenager.
Based on his appearance, he was less than fifteen years old.
However, his deep blue eyes contained the vicissitudes of life and a depth ordinary people couldn’t possibly understand.
He wore long purple robes, and his hair fell to his waist. His pale white hands held a tea cup and an ancient book, which he read in silence.
“The two of them naturally wouldn’t dare attack your temporary residence, master,” said the youth. He clearly had something to say, but he seemed somewhat nervous about it. “But you said it himself. What if they……..”
“What’s there to be afraid of?” The youthful emperor tossed his book onto the table then stretched lazily, his gaze contemptuous. “They’ve been restless lately. I’m afraid that they already know that my Dao Heart has trapped my true form and that I’m at less than ten percent of my full capacity. Even so, without the Eastern Monarch Taiyi, they’re insane if they think they can cross the River Styx. I needed to warn them and instill terror in their hearts. This might very well buy me time to restore my body, too.”
“How do you know the Eastern Monarch won’t get involved?”
The youth furrowed his brows. The way he saw it, his master was being a bit overconfident. He knew the yao were plotting against him, yet he not only made no arrangements; he even intentionally revealed his hand.
This was truly far too dangerous!
Emperor Hades sighed lightly. “He….. I understand him.”
Although he didn’t explain himself, his unconcerned tone proved his certainty.
Just as the emperor was about to return to his ancient tome, he seemed to recall something. He turned to the youth and said, “Right, aren’t you and Ye Zichen old acquaintances?”
