Two streams of black smoke halted before them, revealing faces that appeared friendly, seemingly no different from ordinary people.

The more profound a Heavenly Demon’s cultivation, the more human-like their countenance.

These two Heavenly Demons were not ferocious; they even displayed complex expressions: “Our Queen!”

These words were addressed to Feng Miaojun. She had closed off her inner voice, not allowing other Heavenly Demons to eavesdrop, so they had no choice but to communicate verbally.

Feng Miaojun waved her hand weakly: “Stand down.”

The Heavenly Demons flinched, noticing the couple’s clasped hands. Their hateful gazes, however, fell upon Yun Ya: “This man imprisoned our clan for three hundred years. We long to devour his soul alive. Please grant us this, Your Majesty!”

If the stone heart was the prison, then Yun Ya was essentially the warden. After facing each other day and night for three hundred years, which prisoner wouldn’t want to kill him without delay?

“You dare disobey my command?” Feng Miaojun’s voice turned stern. “Stand down. Don’t make me repeat myself a third time!”

Her voice lacked strength. The two Heavenly Demons exchanged glances and added: “He is our mortal enemy!”

She could feel them constantly appraising her. The Heavenly Demons were wary of her status on one hand, yet on the other, they were unwilling to let Yun Ya’s soul escape, not wanting him to peacefully enter reincarnation after death.

Feng Miaojun summoned the Star Sky Cone and placed it on her knee. Its body gleamed bright as snow, with only the tip flickering with a red light like a candle flame that might extinguish at any moment, yet it successfully prevented the Heavenly Demons’ probing advances.

They were more sensitive than ordinary spirits and sensed the terrifying nature of the Soul Poison.

More and more Heavenly Demons gathered around them, quickly forming a black mist that slowly rotated around them like blood-thirsty sharks.

The sky darkened, and hope for survival dimmed.

Yun Ya whispered: “You still have a chance.”

She still had an opportunity to escape with her life; the Heavenly Demons would not trouble her.

Feng Miaojun turned to look at Yun Ya. Despite the dim light, she noticed his gaze was bright and gentle, like stars on the horizon at dawn.

Hah, she had once fled without regard for anything and tried every means to sever the connection between them. Yet after all the twists and turns, fate had still bound them firmly together in the end.

This was quite nice.

“No need.” She smiled gently, a hint of red tinting her pale face, like a night-blooming cereus, beautiful with passionate resolve. “I’m used to it now, protecting you completely.”

So it turned out that being bound to someone in life and death could eventually become a habit.

More than a dozen breaths had passed since the stone heart was placed on the altar, yet there was still no movement within.

Not only was he in despair, but so were all the cultivators within the Demon Rejection Formation.

The formation could only last for a limited time; sooner or later, they would be devoured by the Heavenly Demons circling outside. Worse still, this terrifying race had escaped their confinement and returned to the mortal world. From now on, countless bloodbaths would plague the human realm.

Everyone was anxious, and this anxiety was mixed with despair.

Feng Miaojun also felt somewhat hopeless. If the Boundary God still wouldn’t appear after the Yan King had gone to such lengths, what could she use to save Yun Ya?

She had no complaints about accompanying this man to the underworld. However, if there was even the slightest chance of survival, she absolutely wouldn’t want to miss it!

Feng Miaojun looked ahead, unconsciously gazing toward the Demon Rejection Formation. The delicate altar still emitted a faint glow in the darkness. It should have been a soft, bright yellow, but a large portion had been stained red by Yun Ya’s blood.

Fresh blood continued to flow down slowly, causing the patterns and symbols engraved on the cauldron’s body to be highlighted, appearing particularly striking.

Patterns!

Feng Miaojun stared for a moment, her heart jolting as she suddenly sat upright.

She had been so confused.

Yun Ya could be excused; at this time, his entire consciousness had to focus on battling the Heavenly Demon leader in his mind, leaving him no attention to spare. But what about her? She had been blinded by anxiety and fear, her mind far less sharp than usual.

If the Yan King’s method couldn’t work, why didn’t she try to snatch back Yun Ya’s heart?

If she put it back now, perhaps there was still time?

However, the Demon Rejection Formation didn’t just repel Heavenly Demons; living beings couldn’t approach it either. How could she seize that altar? The formation contained a group of Yan people, and the Yan King would certainly not allow it. She glanced at Yun Ya; the Heavenly Demons hated him to the bone, and without her protection, they would surely attack him vigorously, perhaps even more forcefully than they were attacking the Demon Rejection Formation. How long could that small branch in his arms remain effective?

In an instant, countless thoughts raced through her mind. Just as she was about to speak, she saw crimson smoke suddenly pouring from Yun Ya’s mouth and ears!

Its color was brilliant, even carrying a hint of golden light, particularly dazzling in the dim environment. Even the cultivators within the Demon Rejection Formation immediately noticed it.

“The Heavenly Demon leader!” Someone murmured, their voice filled with despair.

They had all seen clearly how the red smoke had transferred from Feng Miaojun to Yun Ya before, so they naturally understood what was happening.

The Heavenly Demon leader had also emerged!

Could the already dire situation possibly deteriorate further?

The Yan King’s expression also fluctuated between gloom and uncertainty. The bronze talismans forming the Demon Rejection Formation were old relics of Emperor Li Lei; he had expended great effort to collect them. No matter how effective these items were or how meticulously they had been maintained, too much time had passed, and their power had been continuously diminishing. Against the Heavenly Demons, they could only serve as a temporary measure. Now, with the addition of the incredibly powerful Heavenly Demon leader, how much longer could the Demon Rejection Formation hold?

The emerging red smoke condensed into a humanoid figure in mid-air, indistinct and lacking clear features.

Immediately afterward, its long laughter resonated in everyone’s mind. That laughter was triumphant and exhilarated, crisp as silver bells, yet to the cultivators’ ears, it sounded like funeral bells.

Only Yun Ya knew why it laughed so joyfully.

Indeed, as the red smoke drifted out, he had completely regained consciousness and full control of his body. Previously, he had concentrated his mental strength to prevent it from leaving his sea of consciousness, delaying the moment of this Heavenly Demon clan boss’s return to the world, and buying more time for the Yan King and Feng Miaojun.

But now, it seemed unnecessary.

The Boundary God had not been summoned; the most crucial link in their plan had failed!

Yun Ya had calculated everything meticulously, even sacrificing his own life. After three hundred years of magical combat, the Heavenly Demons had finally emerged as the ultimate victors.

How could the phrase “utterly satisfying” possibly describe this moment of triumph?

The other Heavenly Demons also paused their assault, looking at Feng Miaojun, then at the red figure, momentarily confused as to why there appeared to be two clan leaders. However, the red figure’s power was more formidable, so they didn’t hesitate long before gathering behind it.

“Don’t celebrate too early.” Though Yun Ya’s voice was as faint as a wisp of smoke, it carried a subtle mockery. “The other Heavenly Demons may be free, but you cannot escape death!”

The Heavenly Demon leader’s laughter ceased abruptly.

Upon emerging, it had immediately witnessed the scene of black shadows filling the sky and cultivators desperately holding on, immediately knowing its side had achieved a great victory. It hadn’t noticed the condition of Yun Ya and Feng Miaojun. As soon as he finished speaking, it sent a wave of divine consciousness sweeping over them.