Chapter 598: Chapter 597: Utter Heartbreak
Just as the Golden Silk Demoness was preparing to leave and find an excuse to take control of the Demon Clan, a drastic change occurred. Her restrictive seals unexpectedly began to shift, catching her completely off guard. A purple aura completely severed the seals she had cast. To her shock, the Seven-Colored Demon Empress had broken free, with Ye Fan right behind her. She could never have imagined that the Seven-Colored Demon Empress could still be alive, let alone stronger than before.
At that moment, she gasped, "You’re not dead!"
"Thanks to you, I’m not dead yet!" the Seven-Colored Demon Empress said coldly.
The Demoness sneered, "So what if you’re not dead? The light of the full moon is still shining outside. I will simply kill you again!"
She was very confident. After all, she held the advantage of circumstance and naturally did not fear a weakened Seven-Colored Demon Empress.
But at that moment, the Seven-Colored Demon Empress said, "Then come and try me!"
She lunged forward, starting a fierce battle with the Golden Silk Demon General. Ye Fan knew neither of these women was to be trifled with, so he quickly stepped away.
"Golden Canary Feather!" the Golden Silk Demoness cried out.
But just as she cast the skill, the Seven-Colored Demon Empress made her move. The purple aura in her hand suddenly condensed into a blade and slashed forward, instantly crushing the Golden Canary Feather.
The Golden Silk Demoness was stunned. Amidst her shock, the Seven-Colored Demon Empress thundered down, landing a heavy blow upon her.
"AH!"
The Golden Silk Demoness spat blood as she was sent flying backward. She was left extremely weak, having suffered a severe injury from the strike.
The Golden Silk Demoness said weakly, "You’ve actually recovered to your peak! Don’t tell me the full moon has no effect on you anymore?"
She couldn’t believe it. The full moon was the nemesis of the Seven-Colored Demon Fox clan, yet here, in its full glow, the Seven-Colored Demon Empress was completely unscathed. It was a reality she could not accept.
The Seven-Colored Demon Empress said coldly, "That’s right. The power of the full moon may be the bane of my Seven-Colored Demon Fox clan, but everything in this world has its counter! I no longer fear the moonlight!"
The Golden Silk Demoness fell into despair. Without a doubt, all her preparations had been in vain.
"Why?" the Golden Silk Demoness asked, her voice full of resentment.
When the Seven-Colored Demon Empress pointed at Ye Fan, the Golden Silk Demoness finally understood.
Then, the Seven-Colored Demon Empress said, "Golden Silk Demoness, you were once my proudest disciple. I even stated that once your power reached the level of a Demon Emperor, I would pass my position to you and let you lead the Demon Clan. But why did you do this? Now, even if you obtained this position, you would be unable to lead our people!"
The Golden Silk Demoness said, "Master, you have treated me well, but I’m afraid you will never know the truth about the Dark Flying Eagle you killed all those years ago!"
At the mention of the Dark Flying Eagle, the Seven-Colored Demon Empress was immediately shocked. Years ago, an incomparably powerful Dark Flying Eagle had appeared among the Demon Clan. It had wantonly preyed upon other demons as food, enraging the Seven-Colored Demon Empress, who personally took action and slew the creature. So many years had passed that the Empress had nearly forgotten the incident.
She asked the Golden Silk Demoness, "Who was he to you?"
"He was my husband."
The answer stunned the Seven-Colored Demon Empress. She said to the Golden Silk Demoness, "We of the Demon Clan should not slaughter one another. It was precisely because of such infighting that our clan fell into a period of weakness!
"Even now, our clan remains in that weakened state, having yet to recover. Besides, the Dark Flying Eagle back then had been corrupted by Demonization.
"If I hadn’t killed him, countless more of our kin would have perished at his hands. He rampaged unchecked, turning thousands of miles into scorched earth and preying on other members of the Demon Clan!
"Was I wrong to slay him?"
The Golden Silk Demoness retorted, "The weak are food for the strong—that is the law of survival. You meddle too much. You are not fit to be the Controller of the Demon Clan!"
"Whether I am fit or not isn’t for you to decide! And turning on your own people isn’t the law of the strong—it’s madness!" the Seven-Colored Demon Empress shot back.
The Golden Silk Demoness’s words had clearly enraged her, leaving her deeply disappointed with the disciple she had personally mentored. Especially in recent years, she had trained the Golden Silk Demoness as her successor. She never thought her reward would be a blade at her throat. Thus, her anger was matched only by her heartbreak.
The Golden Silk Demoness fell silent. After a long moment, she composed herself and said to the Seven-Colored Demon Empress, "I understand. Kill me."
The Seven-Colored Demon Empress replied coldly, "Killing you would be simple—I need only lift a finger. But you have disappointed me too much. It seems that in all these years, you never truly absorbed the lessons I taught you."
Years ago, to ensure the Golden Silk Demoness had better cultivation resources, the Empress had personally journeyed to the ancient ruins of the Golden Silk Clan to find their cultivation methods. She then modified them herself before passing them on to her disciple. That was how the Golden Silk Demoness had been able to grow so powerful so quickly. But now, she showed no remorse, which left the Seven-Colored Demon Empress bitterly disappointed.
At that, the Seven-Colored Demon Empress sighed and said, "Leave."
"You’re not killing me?" The Golden Silk Demon General was stunned. She had committed a capital offense; she never expected the Seven-Colored Demon Empress to spare her life.
The Seven-Colored Demon Empress said, "Even though you tried to kill me, you are still my most prized disciple. Go. I will not kill you."
The Seven-Colored Demon Empress had spoken plainly, perhaps revealing the true feelings of her heart.
The Golden Silk Demon General said, "Fine! I’ll go!"
She turned to leave. But in the next instant, she suddenly lunged back, charging the Seven-Colored Demon Empress. The attack was completely unexpected.
The Seven-Colored Demon Empress condensed her purple aura into a sword and pierced the Golden Silk Demon General.
Instantly, the Golden Silk Demon General weakly cried out, "Master!"
"Why? You had a chance to dodge!" the Seven-Colored Demon Empress asked, perplexed.
The Golden Silk Demon General replied, "Master, only in that final moment did I finally understand your words. It’s just a pity that it’s too late!
"I have wronged you. Death is the best choice for me!" She was incredibly weak, on the verge of fading completely.
Deeply moved, the Seven-Colored Demon Empress trembled as she said, "Foolish child!"
Then, with a look of contentment, the Golden Silk Demon General closed her eyes. Perhaps this was the best ending for her. When one makes a mistake, one must bear the consequences. And clearly, the Golden Silk Demon General had done just that.
The Seven-Colored Demon Empress, however, was overwhelmed with sorrow. Her dearest disciple had died by her own hand, and her heart felt as if it were being torn apart by knives.
Ye Fan said, "Perhaps this was all arranged by fate."
"This was all a tragic fate!" the Seven-Colored Demon Empress mourned.
Without a doubt, her initial rage had given way to profound sadness, leaving her with a heavy sense of loss in her heart.
