Pa! The crisp sound of a slap suddenly rang through the hall.
No one expected Ye Yu to openly strike Dong Fang Yelai! Weren’t they on the same side? Why would one ally hit another? Xie Buyu’s eyes filled with bewilderment. Even the succubus Bai Shuang, hiding in the shadows, stared in disbelief. Why stir up trouble now? How was Ye Yu supposed to strike in the ensuing chaos?
Most startling of all was Dong Fang Yelai himself. Dazed, he looked at Ye Yu in shock, wondering if he’d just hallucinated. Why had Ye Yu slapped him? Yet the burning sting on his cheek was all too real.
Covering his face with one hand, he trembled as he stammered, “Are you... are you insane?”
“You’re the crazy one!” Ye Yu snapped, fury blazing. “Do we even know each other? You want me to kill the Lord of the Divine Alliance on your command? Why should I?”
Enraged beyond measure, Ye Yu delivered another slap—harder than the first—knocking the towering god to the ground. This was beyond infuriating. Ye Yu had planned to sit back and watch the spectacle in peace, then slip away once the contest for the Divine Alliance’s leadership concluded—safe and problem-free. But here was Dong Fang Yelai, demanding he assassinate Xie Buyu in front of everyone. Had Dong Fang Yelai lost his mind?
Didn’t he see the massive war axe in Xie Buyu’s hand? That supreme artifact—the Xuanba Titan Slayer Axe—had allowed Master Yan Yong to defeat seven enemies of higher realm single-handedly. Such a weapon bestowed immense power. Now that Xie Buyu had entered the Ancient God Realm and wielded the Xuanba Axe, she could face even a God Emperor-level foe. Ye Yu, with only Great God Realm cultivation, was no match. Sending him to kill her was suicide.
Previously, in the side hall, Dong Fang Yelai had assumed Ye Yu was sent by that “old dog.” Ye Yu had kept silent, letting it pass. But now, ordering him to kill Xie Buyu in front of everyone solidified their conspiracy. When Xie Buyu swung that axe, she’d spare no one—not even Ye Yu. Did Dong Fang Yelai want him dead?
In this situation, who else but Dong Fang Yelai deserved a beating? Ye Yu’s demonic strength was terrifying—and as a Demon God in the Divine Realm, even more so. His next blow sent blood spurting from Dong Fang Yelai’s mouth and nose.
After nearly thirty-million years of recuperation in the side hall, Dong Fang Yelai had never endured such humiliation—two slaps before a gathering of juniors. Wiping blood from his face, he rose with fury. “Is this your idea—or that old dog’s?” he growled.
To Dong Fang Yelai, Ye Yu had to be Gou Langtu’s agent. All Ye Yu’s actions must stem from Gou Langtu’s orders. Now that Ye Yu had struck him, Dong Fang Yelai demanded to know whose command it was. If it truly came from the “old dog,” it meant Dong Fang Yelai was a discarded pawn—he’d have to find a way to break the hand that played him.
Pressing one hand to his cheek, Ye Yu scowled. “You patricidal, backstabbing wretch, have you lost your mind? Old dog, little dog—when did I ever say I was sent by him? Before you told your story, I didn’t even know what ‘old dog’ meant!”
Hearing this, Dong Fang Yelai was utterly dumbfounded. Not Gou Langtu’s agent? But how could that be? Wait... this afternoon, Ye Yu indeed never claimed any affiliation. He simply assumed Ye Yu was an agent, and Ye Yu never denied it—thus the entire plan. A colossal blunder! Dong Fang Yelai’s head ached at the realization of his own incompetence and embarrassment. Yet he couldn’t entirely blame himself—Gou Langtu had been vague: “I’ll send a Demon Realm powerhouse into Wuliang Hall to contact your disciple Hong Zhencheng. I don’t know his real name.” Ye Yu fit every description: demon, strong, close to Hong Zhencheng. Who could have foreseen that Ye Yu was a false ally? What a cruel twist!
Regret filled Dong Fang Yelai’s expression. Ye Yu turned to Xie Buyu and declared in a clear, righteous tone, “Lord of the Divine Alliance, I, Ye Yu, remain loyal to the Alliance. I am no conspirator of that scoundrel—please judge wisely.”
His conviction sounded so noble, one might have mistaken him for a learned sage reciting poetry. Xie Buyu’s brow furrowed. Had it truly been a simple misidentification? Not part of some ruse? Though disbelief lingered—after all, they were gods, supreme cultivators; how could they commit such a low-level error?
At that moment, a handsome demon suddenly stepped into view: Bai Shuang, the Demon God who had just joined the Wuliang Hall’s Divine Alliance. Strumming an ancient zheng, he sighed. “Senior, I [N O V E L I G H T] am actually your contact,” he announced openly. “You’ve had it all wrong.”
Exhausted by the nonstop twists onstage, Bai Shuang chose to reveal himself and secure his own identity. Better to step into the fray than watch the chaos unfold. And he certainly never doubted his ability to defeat Xie Buyu himself.
