by Mars Gravity
When the seven Patriarchs had risen to their feet, their faces were so black that it looked like they had climbed out of the bottom of a pot. They shot glances at Yun Che through the corners of their eyes, as they all wished to tear him apart with their bare teeth.
Even though it was clear that the ‘admittance of guilt’ on the part of the seven Patriarchs lacked conviction, because they had bowed their heads towards the body of Yun Canghai for all to see despite their status as the Patriarchs of the Guardian Families, no one could utter any further condemnation against them. Yun Che silently looked at Yun Canghai’s peaceful corpse as a sour feeling invaded his calm heart… Grandfather, the rehabilitation of the Yun Family cannot be accredited to me. If not for the fact that you stubbornly defended the Demon Emperor’s Seal to your dying breath for a hundred years… if not for your loyalty and righteousness that is reflected by the sun and the moon, even though I have immense ability, I would still not be able to cause the Yun Family to gain the hearts of the people. It was Grandfather who used his own life to allow me to see the light of day again… yet what I can do for Grandfather is only this much… It is not even a fraction of the affection that Grandfather had showed to me.
“Haha, the seven Patriarchs have personally gone down on their knees to acknowledge their sin against the Demon King. Even though it was something that had to be done, it has clearly demonstrated the broadness of the hearts of these seven Patriarchs, as well as their noble bearing!” Duke Huai said as he stood up with a serene expression. He calmly praised the seven people who had clearly committed a grave mistake and who were blatantly despised by all those who were present here and his demeanor was like that of a person who was completely uninvolved in the current messy state of affairs. He looked towards Yun Che and said in a steady voice, “Yun Che, the seven Patriarchs have disregarded their own dignity and have gone down on their knees to acknowledge their sins against the Demon King. This has been in complete compliance of your wishes! So now, it is time for you to return the Demon Emperor’s Seal to the Little Demon Empress.”
“It looks like Duke Huai’s memory is not that good!” Yun Che blandly said as he slanted his eyes, “I had said it before very clearly. If you want me to return the Demon Emperor’s Seal, these seven people must first kneel in repentance in front of my grandfather, and after they have done so, they still need to swear loyalty to the Little Demon Empress once more! I certainly did not see any of them swearing loyalty towards the Little Demon Empress!”
Duke Huai’s brows were pinched together as he declared in a low voice, “Yun Che, on the account that you are not only our junior but also the descendant of the Demon King, this duke and the seven Patriarchs have tried to be patient and accommodating with you in every possible way, so do not presume, lest you be too overbearing…”
Duke Huai and the seven Patriarchs were definitely being patient, accommodating and willing to compromise, but as long as one was not blind, you could tell that they were doing so under duress. It was only after Yun Che’s methodical coercion that they had no choice but to be accommodating and willing to compromise. In the eyes of everyone else, it was a small matter indeed to make the seven Patriarchs swear allegiance to the Little Demon Empress for all to see… Because as members of the Guardian Families, being loyal to the Little Demon Empress was their duty in the first place.
But Duke Huai was extremely aware of Yun Che’s true motive!
Yun Che wanted them to swear their loyalty once more… Furthermore the oath he wanted them to swear was the venomous oath, ‘If we were to rebel, then our descendants will be slaves and prostitutes for ten thousand generations’! If they swore such a venomous oath, it would undoubtedly pierce a poisoned needle through the heart of these seven Patriarchs, and if they continued to follow Duke Huai’s uprising, they would undoubtedly curse themselves and their descendents. And because all the heroes of the realm were present to bear witness, the entire Illusory Demon Realm would remember the venomous oath made by these seven Patriarchs.
This not only sickened the seven Patriarchs, it also sickened Duke Huai!
If the seven Patriarchs refused, then it undoubtedly announced to all the heroes of the realm that they had something to hide… At that point, it would not even have to be Yun Che, anybody who had a glib tongue could take the opportunity to smash an indestructible basin of shit on top of the heads of all the seven Patriarchs.
Yun Che’s move had put them in a position where if they advanced, it was sickening and if they retreated it was still sickening… It was even more malicious than the curse of a devil.
“I am being too overbearing?” Just as expected, the moment that Duke Huai opened his mouth, Yun Che’s counterstroke promptly followed, “May I venture to ask Duke Huai, in what way have I been too overbearing? As the Patriarchs who lead their respective Guardian Families, for them to swear loyalty to the Little Demon Empress is originally the only right and proper thing to do! They have been loyal to the Demon Emperor’s clan for ten thousand years, and right now I am only asking them to swear an oath to reaffirm their loyalty! It is not only giving them an opportunity to once again express their loyalty to the Little Demon Empress, but it is also to allow the Demon Emperor’s Seal to return to its rightful owner. This is simply the most simple thing to do under heaven, it is not the least bit excessive or disagreeable!! So how can you say that I am being too overbearing?”
Duke Huai’s chest rose and fell violently. He was aware that Yun Che was going to say such a thing and he was also aware that in front of all the heroes of the realm, he could not refute a single word that he had said… The Guardian Families’ existence revolved around their loyalty to the Demon Emperor’s clan; this was common knowledge for all the people within the Illusory Demon Realm. If any of the Guardian Families betrayed the Demon Emperor’s clan, they would undoubtedly earn the condemnation and enmity of the entire Illusory Demon Realm. Duke Huai’s mind whirled and he reluctantly said, “All the Guardian Families have been loyal to the Demon Emperor for a whole ten thousand years and the whole world knows that none of them have wavered! Yet you would force these seven Patriarchs to swear such a venomous oath! It is evident that you are slighting them and calling their loyalty into question! Hmph, all the so-called oaths that are sworn in this world will forever only be empty words. If they were truly perfidious, even if the oath they swore was one hundred times more venomous, what effect would it have?!”
“Duke Huai has indeed hit the nail on the head!” Yun Che said as he nodded his head and gave a dry laugh, “Since this venomous oath is only a string of empty words, then if just casually shouting out these empty words would not only profess one’s loyalty, but also cause the Demon Emperor’s Seal to return to the hands of the Little Demon Empress, I think that not a single person would have reason to reject, am I wrong? So why did Duke Huai just accuse me of being too overbearing then?”
“…” Duke Huai was left completely speechless.
“Hah…” Yun Che gave a cold laugh, “If I requested for them to represent their entire clan when they swore this oath, it would indeed have been rather forceful. After all, even though they are the Patriarchs of their families, they would be unable to represent and decide the will of every person within their clan. However, my request was merely that they themselves swore that oath! If these seven Patriarchs were truly loyal to the Little Demon Empress, even if this oath was ten thousand times more venomous, they would still remain calm and not a hint of hesitation or alarm would creep into their hearts! Instead, they would cheerfully use this as a pretext to express their undying loyalty towards the Little Demon Empress in front of all the heroes of the realm!”
“If even this simple request causes conflict and bewilderment… Hah, then isn’t it telling all of us present that you have something to hide?! Because if you swear such an oath, you would actually be cursing yourself!!”
“Not only that!” Without waiting for Duke Huai or the seven Patriarchs to respond, Yun Che sudde
nly extended his hand and pointed his finger towards Duke Huai as he said with tightly furrowed eyebrows, “Duke Huai, I simply cannot understand why you would speak out against this. An act which is not only mind-numbingly simple but also beneficial towards the Illusory Demon Royal Family. As an Illusory Demon Royal Duke, you should be rejoicing in such an act. Yet you keep speaking out against it, could it be that Duke Huai, you…”
Yun Che’s word stopped right there, but anyone who heard it would understand the meaning of his words. After a short pause, Yun Che’s expression and tone changed and he said, “Duke Huai, I may only be a lowly junior but there is something that I need to warn Duke Huai about… In Illusory Demon Realm, if anyone betrays the Demon Emperor, even if it is a member of the Guardian Families, he would at most be despised by all. But Duke Huai, you… and all of the members of the Royal Family who are present, if you have harbor any rebellious thoughts in your heart, even the heavens would not be able to overlook it!”
The expressions of all the members of the Royal Family seated in the east wing turned ashen, and Duke Zhong exclaimed in a deep voice, “Yun Che… what do you mean when you say such a thing?!”
“Duke Zhong, is it truly so hard to understand?!” Yun Che’s eyes narrowed slightly and he replied in an incomparably solemn tone, “Everyone here knows that in the beginning, the first Demon Emperor conquered the whole Illusory Demon Realm and brought it out of an era of endless chaos and ushered in an era of peace and calm that has lasted for ten thousand years! In the beginning, the ones who accompanied the first Demon Emperor though all his battles as he united the Illusory Demon Realm were the Twelve Guardian Families! Ten thousand years ago, the Twelve Guardian Families were the arms of the original Demon Emperor. In the ten thousand years that have passed, they have always been the protective walls surrounding the Demon Emperor. So it could indeed be said that they have covered themselves in glory. The position and prestige that the Twelve Guardian Families have today is indeed something that they deserve.”
“But all of you members of the Royal Family, it is only because you have inherited a portion of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline that you have been treated as the highest nobility since your birth. Possessing the grandest positions, having access to the best resources, and living in a lap of luxury that the common man would never hope to enjoy even once in his lifetime. Furthermore, none of you needed to contribute anything, and neither did you leave behind any legacy of blood and glory on the field of battle! All that you have is due to the fact that you have inherited the bloodline of the Demon Emperor’s clan! Therefore, all that you have is due to the favor of the Demon Emperor’s clan!!
“You can enjoy all of this with a clear conscience, but none of you must ever forget who was the one that gave this to you! Furthermore, there cannot even be the slightest hint of treachery in your hearts. If not, you will simply be ungrateful and treacherous as you try to bite that hand that fed you! Even the heavens and earth will not be able to tolerate your actions!”
“Right now, the Demon Emperor’s clan is going through the greatest crisis it has faced in the last ten thousand years. The previous Demon Emperor has died, the Little Demon Emperor has died and now only the Little Demon Empress is left to prop up everything by herself… But because she is a woman, she was ceaselessly questioned. All of you who belong to the Illusory Demon Royal Family have enjoyed ten thousand years of favor from the line of the Demon Emperor, and now when the line of the Demon Emperor has sunk into an unprecedented predicament, isn’t it the best time for your to repay the line of the Demon Emperor?!”
“If at this time, any member of the Royal Family harbors treachery in his heart instead of committing his all to protect and assist the Little Demon Empress, then they truly have no conscience left in their hearts and they are even lower than dogs and pigs! Ugly and shameless wretches who will surely be struck by heavenly lightning!”
Chapter 583: Suspension of Ceremony
“…” Duke Huai’s lips turned purple as both of his hands quivered slightly. His chest nearly burst open. This was the most malicious insult he had received in his entire lifetime, and what was even more painful than suffering this insult was the fact that he couldn’t even retort.
On the surface, it was a “reminder”, but in reality, it was a direct slap to Duke Huai, and a resounding slap of abuse to the faces of the east wing’s Duke Palaces, causing all the dukes and families on the west wing to become dumbstruck. As for those dukes in the east wing, every one of their faces was uglier than the next… and in this kind of situation, some Duke Palaces had even begun to regret attaching themselves to Duke Huai.
Not only were Yun Che’s words a huge scolding, they were also a set of incomparably heavy shackles, looping over their disloyal ducal bodies and causing them to feel so unwell to the point that they wished to die.
“Duke Huai, and all you various dukes, is there anything wrong with what I, Yun Che, said? If there’s anything wrong, please, point out my error.” Yun Che said in an extremely slow manner as his gaze swept the east wing.
Duke Huai, Duke Zhong… and all the most imposing dukes of the east wing were in absolute silence; not a single one of them spoke out to retort or berate. At this time, their current state of mind was as though they had been fed feces; not only could they not spit it out, they also could not resist, and had to unanimously nod and admit that it was right for them to be fed feces…
The Little Demon Empress had been silently watching Yun Che since the very start, with a complicated expression of confusion apparent in her eyes. In this Demon Empress Reign Ceremony, she was originally prepared to answer everything, but she didn’t expect that everything that she originally believed would happen did not occur. This grand ceremony had become Yun Che’s one man show. Even Duke Huai, who the Guardian Families were powerless against, who she herself would describe as “scary”, had been soundly defeated by the Yun Che who had “come out of nowhere”, while also cause seven world-shaking Guardian Families to nearly become fools.
Beneath her gaze, Yun Che suddenly turned around and faced her, then raised the Demon Emperor’s Seal in his hands once more, saying, “Little Demon Empress, please excuse Yun Che’s previous stubbornness. Yun Che shall now return this Demon Emperor’s Seal to the Little Demon Empress.”
After he finished speaking, he slowly advanced and offered the Demon Emperor’s Seal to the Little Demon Empress.
The two’s gazes were relatively close, and the image of a naked young girl’s jade body within the water that night surfaced in Yun Che’s mind unconsciously. A strange expression immediately flashed through the depths of his eyes, and even the corners of his mouth twitched afterwards. The Little Demon Empress’ razor-sharp eyes caught that trace of lewdness in his eyes, and an ice-cold killing intent instantly appeared in hers, causing Yun Che to nearly shiver in coldness. She didn’t immediately take the Demon Emperor’s Seal, and instead asked calmly, “You’re not going to continue pursuing the request you put forth just a moment ago?”
“No need.” Yun Che shook his head and continued, “The Demon Emperor’s Seal is originally an object belonging to the Demon Emperor’s clan; returning something to its rightful owner is just something you do. It was just that this Demon Emperor’s Seal bore proof of my grandfather’s loyalty and life. What my grandfather paid in addition to how he had been treated just made me unable to let go so easily, so earlier, I used the help of the Demon Emperor’s Seal to make the seven Patriarchs apologize to my grandfather and at the same time, remind a few people to never forget their duty and never lose their sense of morality… As a descendant of the Demon King, I don’t want to see the thing my grandfather used his life to defend be met with the conspiracy of some wicked people!”
“Since I’ve already reminded these people, it’s already enough. Otherwise, if there were people who hesitated and were unwilling to pledge loyalty after the end of this ceremony, wouldn’t it disgust the Little Demon Empress and the entire world who
is loyal to the Demon Empress?” Yun Che casually said a few words, but they were no doubt several knife stabs toward “some people”.
The Little Demon Empress extended her hand and gently took the Demon Emperor’s Seal with a tranquil face, her movements ever so careful and light as she clasped it in her hands. However, the Yun Che who was close to her still saw a slight turmoil in her eyes.
Since she was the only surviving member of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, no one truly understood what losing the Demon Emperor’s Seal meant to her, and no one knew how her heart throbbed at the moment. After sensing the burning temperature and pure Golden Crow aura of the Demon Emperor’s Seal, she closed her eyes softly and then turned around, walking back to the imperial throne.
In front of the throne, the Little Demon Empress turned around, hands grasping the Demon Emperor’s Seal. Her white slender fingers and smooth wrists looked as beautiful as the world’s purest jade stone within the shine of the Demon Emperor Seal’s clear firelight… However, in the entire Demon Imperial Hall, only Yun Che would be the one to have the thought to admire the Little Demon Empress’ hands.
“The Demon Emperor’s Seal that has been lost for a century has finally returned. This is a hugely fortuitous event, largely accredited to the Yun Family, and no one can deny that! With regards to the Yun Family’s huge service, this empress will reward them greatly. As for the injustice the Yun Family had bore within these hundred years, this empress will also give them a proper compensation! As for all the rights and wrongs buried within this… this empress will also definitely investigate this thoroughly!”
The Little Demon Empress’ gaze swept the great hall and the expressions of all those who had come in contact with it became sluggish; even their breathing had instantly stilled. With a shift of her arm, the Demon Emperor’s Seal disappeared within her hands, and she said, “This empress had previously made an oath in front of my royal father’s memorial tablet that I would use any and all means to retrieve the Demon Emperor’s Seal, and that once I retrieved it, I would hold a memorial service for the late emperor. This empress cannot violate the oath I promised to my royal father. This reign ceremony will be suspended for today. Everyone, please return to your residences, the ceremony will continue in three days!”