Two days later, the Ascension Plan officially began.
The demon world’s elite warriors gathered en masse around the outer rim of the portal to Heaven, cracking their knuckles and flexing their muscles—clearly eager for a grand battle. This wasn’t acting, but genuine passion. The demons had waited too long for this chance; now that it lay before them, how could they surrender it so easily?
Once everyone had assembled, the nine state Demon Lords finally met together for the first time. Ye Yu swept his gaze /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ around and immediately sensed several extraordinary auras. Three of the Demon Lords were half a step into the Demon Emperor Realm, and four more were firmly in the Demon Lord Realm. Yet his attention settled on a tall, upright middle-aged man. No trace of demonic energy rippled from him—instead, it felt as if he stood fused with the very fabric of the demon world. Ye Yu had never encountered such a marvel and began to suspect that this must be a true Demon Emperor–Realm powerhouse. After all, the Demon Qi revival had lasted long enough that genuine resurgences into the Demon Emperor Realm were not unheard of.
Curious, Ye Yu swept his divine sense again and soon spotted Xu Nanqiao among the crowd. He sent a silent inquiry: “Who is that middle-aged man at the northern edge?”
Xu Nanqiao instinctively looked over, surprise flickering in her eyes—clearly she hadn’t expected Ye Yu not to recognize him. Still, she replied promptly: “That is Ling Qiansha, Demon Lord of Qintian State—his territory is the largest in the demon world, and he’s suspected to be half a step into the Demon Emperor Realm! His power is unmatched. Lord Ye, you really haven’t done any homework? You should at least know the state Demon Lords if we’re about to cooperate.”
Ye Yu’s thoughts turned over. “Why don’t you send me the dossiers on all the state Demon Lords, and I’ll tell you something in return? Make sure there are portraits—I won’t know who’s who without them.”
Xu Nanqiao frowned but obediently complied. She had exhaustively researched the demon world’s power structure and swiftly produced a file, which she quietly handed to Mo Geilian before nodding toward Ye Yu.
Ye Yu sent another silent message: “Update your information: Ling Qiansha isn’t half a step into the Demon Emperor Realm—he’s a true Demon Emperor–Realm expert.”
Xu Nanqiao’s complexion shifted. If Ye Yu’s intel was accurate, she and Bai Qingsong would need to revise their entire plan. This news was priceless. She offered a sincere bow of thanks and summoned Bai Qingsong to discuss strategy.
Seizing the moment, Mo Geilian also approached Ye Yu and passed over the dossier. “Big Brother, this woman gave this to me—what’s inside?”
Ye Yu casually erected a barrier and pored over the documents alongside Mo Geilian. The dossier was thorough, including Ye Yu’s own profile—his cultivation listed as Peak Demon Emperor Realm stood out glaringly, for every other lord had only just reached late Demon Lord Realm. Ye Yu’s status was startling indeed.
Notably, Mo Geilian himself had advanced to mid Demon Lord Realm. Ye Yu couldn’t help but suspect he might also be a transmigrator, given how rapidly his strength had surged since slaying Bai Miaoxiang. But Mo Geilian’s talent was simply extraordinary, his progress fueled by the Demon Ascension Heaven art—truly a gift from the heavens.
Soon, the appointed time for Ascension arrived. Ye Yu and Bai Qingsong returned to the gateway to Heaven. A hulking Blood Demon stepped forward—it was Qu Zhengding, Demon Lord of Juque State.
“Fellow Demon Lords,” he proclaimed, “our assault on Heaven concerns the honor of the demon world. I beseech you: hide nothing. Stand united against the enemy and fulfill our millennia-old dream!”
All the Demon Lords nodded in agreement—except Ling Qiansha, who said nothing, his expression grave as he stared skyward. Feeling overlooked, Qu Zhengding bristled, about to lash out, but a neighboring lord restrained him with a gentle shake of the head. With war at hand, no one wished internal strife. “Let’s settle any grievances after Ascension,” another murmured.
At that moment, Bai Qingsong slipped behind Ye Yu and sent a silent message: “Lord Ye, we must watch each other’s backs out there!”
“Of course,” Ye Yu replied, a playful smile tugging at his lips—an expression that sent a chill down Bai Qingsong’s spine. This Ye Yu is truly strange, he thought. But no matter—after Ascension I’ll find a chance to eliminate him and assign a capable subordinate to take Lianhua State.
With preparations complete, the nine Demon Lords stepped through the portal together, forging the advance vanguard to pave the way for the rest of their forces.
Ye Yu looked up at the heavens, excitement fluttering in his chest. As an immortal, he never imagined he’d one day lead an assault on Heaven itself—life was indeed full of surprises. But this was to his advantage: deep behind enemy lines, he would learn the moment the demons began their ascension and be ready in advance.
The group shot upward with increasing speed. Before long, the nine Demon Lords emerged into the Heavens. The bright, ethereal surroundings brought joyous smiles to their faces.
Qu Zhengding barked another order: “Demon Lords, begin cleansing this place!”
Ye Yu glanced at him again. What’s with this guy? Does he get a kick out of being boss? he wondered. According to Bai Miaoxiang’s memories, no one was appointed leader of the Ascension Plan.
Though Ye Yu bristled, many lords obeyed. Four Demon Lord–Realm masters unleashed their spells, slaughtering every living being within a thousand miles—no fairy or ghost-immortal spared. In action they reaffirmed the old adage: Weakness is original sin.
