In the grand hall, the expressions of everyone present were quite unsightly. The Golden-Winged Little Peng King was being utterly unreasonable, and even the Azure-Robed Little Jiao King was furrowing his brow.

“Why bother inviting Yan Ruyu? Just summon the Azure Jiao King and have him slap that bird-man to death!” Tu Fei said angrily.

He knew this was impossible. The Golden-Winged Little Peng King had an incredibly formidable ancestor known as the Peng King, regarded as a titan among the demon race.

Setting aside the Peng King’s unrivaled combat power, his clan’s legendary extreme speed alone was enough to give every great holy lord a splitting headache. He roamed freely across the world, and no one could stop him.

Ye Fan also felt deeply aggrieved, wishing he could advance into the Four Extremes Secret Realm right now and slap the Golden-Winged Little Peng King to death with a single blow.

This peng bird was far too arrogant. Upon their very first meeting, he had tried to seize the cauldron forged from the Source of All Things’ Primal Qi. He had spoken little but moved immediately to take Ye Fan’s life. Ye Fan had never encountered such a madman before.

Nevertheless, the Golden-Winged Little Peng King was genuinely powerful. Ranked within the Four Extremes Secret Realm, his cultivation was immeasurably deep — comparable to the Holy Son Yao Guang.

“You’d better just endure it. Among the younger generation, no one is his match. Even if there are elders who could kill him, they wouldn’t dare make a move. If the Old Peng King were provoked into emerging, that would be a catastrophe of enormous proportions,” a demon cultivator advised.

“Damn it, that bird-man has way too powerful a background. No wonder he dared to attend the grand gathering at the Jade Pool, even wanting to challenge Holy Son Yao Guang in battle — he has every reason to be fearless,” Tu Fei cursed.

“The Golden-Winged Little Peng King has swept through the younger generation without finding a worthy rival. He truly has the capital to be proud of himself. Saying anything else is useless,” a demon cultivator said, shaking his head.

The Heavenly Peng clan was blessed by the heavens. Their physical bodies were exceptionally powerful — capable of battling dragons and jiao — and they possessed extraordinary speed that no other race could match.

The Golden-Winged Little Peng King had brought all of these advantages to bear. In battles against those of the same realm, his combat power was unrivaled, and the Heavenly Peng’s extreme speed was peerless — he could even evade spiritual sense attacks.

Even with the old madman’s footwork techniques, Ye Fan was far behind his opponent in speed. He certainly couldn’t match the Golden-Winged Little Peng King’s velocity — not unless he broke through into the Four Extremes Secret Realm, where he might be able to contest for supremacy in speed.

After all, it was precisely through such footwork techniques that the old madman had once caught up to the Heavenly Peng clan’s king.

“Damn it, that bird-man is absolutely infuriating!” Tu Fei was a big-mouth, speaking without any restraint.

“It’s just a small bird, isn’t it? Roast it and be done with it. This Emperor used to love roasting small birds most of all.” It was then that the Black Emperor, who had been silent all along, muttered softly.

Ye Fan desperately wanted to kick him. This damned dog only knew how to boast shamelessly — and hadn’t shown the slightest sign of action just now.

“Human boy, I’ll be waiting for you outside!” The Golden-Winged Little Peng King transmitted his voice from outside the palace, and then fell completely silent.

Ye Fan stood up, walked to the center of the great hall, picked up that strand of golden hair, and wound it around his fingertips.

“Kid, are you trying to harm someone…” the big black dog said, puzzled.

“Shut up!” Ye Fan didn’t want this damned dog making wild guesses, and tucked the golden hair away.

Mighty figures like the Peacock King and the Azure Jiao King had very little lifespan remaining, and spent their days in seclusion cultivating. Thus, unless something of great importance arose, no one would disturb them.

Although the Golden-Winged Little Peng King was formidable, he hadn’t quite reached the threshold of summoning them out of seclusion. Before long, sounds like celestial music drifted from outside the palace as Yan Ruyu arrived.

The palace was filled with rare and brilliant flowers, and the four walls were embedded with numerous luminous pearls and precious jade. But with Yan Ruyu’s arrival, all of that radiance dimmed.

She appeared to be no more than eighteen or nineteen years old. Her white dress trailed along the ground, her black hair drifted lightly, her long lashes fluttered, and her eyes seemed shrouded in a misty haze — like a sacred lotus in full bloom. Her entire bearing was ethereal and otherworldly.

She embodied perfection. Every gesture, every movement carried incomparable grace. A hundred flowers lost their color, luminous pearls shed their light — everything beautiful around her seemed to grow dull with dust.

“This must be Immortal Lady Yan. There is no such captivating immortal beauty anywhere else in the world. What a great fortune to meet you today — truly the blessing of three lifetimes.” Tu Fei, the big-mouth, stepped forward and showered her with compliments.

“Men need to be a little wicked to succeed,” the big black dog said, utterly unimpressed, muttering softly from the side.

Tu Fei’s face immediately darkened with irritation, but he dared not make a scene. He attentively invited Yan Ruyu to take a seat, acting as though he were the master of the place.

It wasn’t just him — even the several young demon powerhouses present, who regularly encountered Yan Ruyu, felt momentarily dazed just now. Everyone appreciates and yearns for perfection.

“Immortal Lady Yan, we meet again,” Ye Fan greeted her respectfully.

Yan Ruyu smiled and gave a gentle nod in response, saying, “Little Brother Ye’s cultivation has been advancing at a remarkable pace — something truly worthy of celebration.”

“What is there to celebrate? Little Brother Ye has run into serious trouble. A madman has set his sights on him. The Golden-Winged Little Peng King wants to take his life,” Tu Fei said, cutting straight to the point.

“Why?” Yan Ruyu’s every frown and smile was captivating, her voice melodious as heavenly music.

“The Golden-Winged Little Peng King has set his sights on Little Brother Ye’s Source of All Things’ Primal Qi root. He wants to seize it, and is determined to take his life,” Tu Fei said with righteous indignation.

“Sacred treasures of heaven and earth stir men’s hearts. Even without the Golden-Winged Little Peng King, others would have made their move,” Yan Ruyu said. A shimmering light played within her beautiful eyes. She had experienced this sort of thing herself.

Several of the young demon powerhouses present looked a little uncomfortable — for though they sat here with the group, they had, in truth, harbored other thoughts as well.

“You carry a sacred treasure, so naturally others will covet it. You should cultivate in seclusion,” Yan Ruyu said.

She had not said that Ye Fan should not have come to this place, but her words were effectively as clear: the hidden dwelling of a great demon elder was not his sanctuary.

Back then, when Ye Fan had set fire to the Ji Family’s Supreme Elder in the Southern Region, the cauldron forged from the Source of All Things’ Primal Qi had already been exposed.

As long as he appeared in his true form, wherever he went, he was certain to be targeted.

However, this time he had no choice. He needed to enter the demon race’s sacred grounds in his true form, and draw closer to certain old acquaintances, otherwise there would be no way to find out Pang Bo’s whereabouts.

The Azure-Robed Little Jiao King said, “Brother Peng has gone too far. When the time comes, I hope the Immortal Lady will lend her aid and help me persuade him.”

Yan Ruyu’s identity was extraordinary — she was a descendant of a great demon emperor, and her own cultivation was astoundingly formidable. Two years prior, in the Southern Region, she had fought the Ji Family’s Divine King Body to a standstill.

“I’ll try to persuade him,” Yan Ruyu said with a nod.

Outside the palace, the landscape was beautiful, scenic everywhere — unusual rocks, ancient pines, wisps of mist, and plunging waterfalls, all magnificent and breathtaking.

The mountains were dotted with halls and towers. Across the way rose a lush green mountain covered in old, vigorous pines. On its peak stood a pavilion surrounded by ancient pines, where the Golden-Winged Little Peng King and several demon cultivators were seated, drinking together.

The Azure-Robed Little Jiao King, Yan Ruyu, Ye Fan, Tu Fei, and the others flew over and descended. The Golden-Winged Little Peng King shot to his feet, his eyes fixed on Ye Fan, killing intent surging forth like a tide.

“What is the meaning of this?” Yan Ruyu parted her crimson lips and asked.

The Golden-Winged Little Peng King cupped his hands, saying, “Greetings, Immortal Lady Yan. I want to take the Mysterious Yellow Primal Root!” He made no attempt to conceal his intent, stating his desires directly.

“Ye Fan is an old acquaintance of mine and my guest. You are being entirely unreasonable,” Yan Ruyu said, standing atop the mountain peak, her white dress billowing. She looked as though she might ride the wind away at any moment.

“Among our demon race, the strong have always been revered. What possible connection could you have with this desolate ancient waste-constitution? Do not try to deceive me,” the Golden-Winged Little Peng King said, his golden hair flying, his eyes flashing like bolts of lightning.

“He is an old acquaintance of mine. I do not wish you to make things difficult for him,” Yan Ruyu said, standing serenely.

“You are a descendant of the Great Emperor, with the sacred blood of our demon race flowing within you. You should have no dealings with a cripple. Let me kill him and sever the meaningless karmic ties for Your Highness the Princess!” The Golden-Winged Little Peng King’s words were resolute, and his killing intent surged sharply.

“Damn it, that bird-man is a complete madman!” Tu Fei cursed under his breath.

“Enough. What kind of logic is that!” Yan Ruyu’s expression turned displeased. “He is my friend. What does that have to do with cultivation?”

“He carries on his person a sacred treasure like the Source of All Things’ Primal Qi root, and has now appeared in our demon race’s sacred grounds. This is the will of heaven — this treasure should fall into my hands,” the Golden-Winged Little Peng King said, refusing to yield.

“So you’re saying that out of personal selfishness, you want to kill my friend?!” A faint cold smile appeared on Yan Ruyu’s flawless, perfect face.

“That is not quite how to put it. I have the ambition of a Great Emperor. If I obtain this treasure, I can refine it into a supreme weapon in the future, which is equivalent to strengthening our demon race!” The Golden-Winged Little Peng King’s words were utterly resolute. His head full of golden hair flew wild, and two sharp rays of light shot from his eyes.

“Aren’t you afraid the wind will get so strong it’ll make your tongue stumble? How many Great Emperors have there been throughout the ages? You think a madman like you can become one?” Tu Fei, the big-mouth, sneered coldly.

“Judging by the fact that I have swept through the Eastern Desolation’s younger generation without a single defeat, I am already comparable to how a Great Emperor was in their youth!” The Golden-Winged Little Peng King shot two beams of cold light from his eyes, staring at Tu Fei as though looking at a dead man, and said, “Three moves are all I need to end your life. Feel free to come and test that claim!”

He revealed a frenzied killing intent in his eyes, and advanced with large strides, genuinely intending to take Tu Fei’s life — utterly supremacist in bearing.

Tu Fei, the big-mouth, was furious. He had fought Holy Maiden Yao Guang for a long time and managed to hold his own, yet the Golden-Winged Little Peng King claimed he could kill him in three moves. It was deeply galling. He gritted his teeth and said, “Madman!”

But he still held back the impulse to charge forward, because the Golden-Winged Little Peng King was genuinely terrifying. Not long ago, he and the Azure-Robed Little Jiao King had joined forces, only to be knocked flying by the Golden-Winged Little Peng King with just his left hand.

It should be noted that the Azure-Robed Little Jiao King was a figure comparable to the holy sons of the various great holy lands!

The Golden-Winged Little Peng King turned around and locked his gaze on Ye Fan, saying, “Come forward and receive your death!”

“Would you have dared to kill the Desolate Ancient Holy Body before the time of the Desolate Ancient era?” Tu Fei, the big-mouth, called out.

“What a pity — that age is long gone, never to return,” the Golden-Winged Little Peng King said, utterly coldly.

“That remains to be seen. Perhaps he will be a miracle,” Yan Ruyu said gracefully, stepping forward to block him.

The Golden-Winged Little Peng King halted. “Your Highness, you should not be blocking me,” he said in an icy voice. “There is no hope whatsoever for someone like him. Throughout these endless ages, he is not the only one of his kind. Did those holy lands not try to cultivate such bodies? In the end, did they not abandon the effort?”

“Perhaps things will turn out unexpectedly,” Yan Ruyu said. Her immortal body remained motionless, blocking the way forward.

The Golden-Winged Little Peng King laughed coldly again and again, and said, “You and I both know that this kind of constitution has only one path — a dead end…”

He proceeded to elaborate on his own, and what he described was not far from what Ye Fan himself had speculated.

In the past, several holy lands had discovered Desolate Ancient Holy Bodies and cultivated them in secret. However, it had proven extremely difficult to help them open their sea of suffering.

Later, a method was finally devised. The difficulty was overcome, and these individuals were enabled to cultivate, achieving astonishing results. Once a Desolate Ancient Holy Body could cultivate, so long as an endless supply of spirit medicines was provided, their cultivation would advance rapidly, and their combat power would be immeasurable — even the great holy lords in their youth could not measure up.

Yet every step forward for this kind of constitution required an enormous quantity of resources — more than even a holy land could bear.

There had once been a holy land that spent one million catties of Source Ore to cultivate a Desolate Ancient Holy Body all the way to the fifth level of the Dao Palace. But even a holy land with such deep foundations could no longer sustain the cost.

According to their projections, to achieve the great perfection of the fifth level of the Dao Palace and break into the Four Extremes Secret Realm, at least ten million catties of Source Ore would be required — more than any holy land could provide.

Furthermore, who could say what difficulties would arise after entering the Four Extremes Secret Realm, or whether such a constitution could continue to cultivate? The unknown loomed large.

Thus, even sects with some foundation knew that the Desolate Ancient Holy Body was certain to be stopped at the fifth level of the Dao Palace. That “Desolate Ancient Heavenly Chasm” could simply not be crossed.

In this world, not even a holy land could produce ten million catties of Source Ore. It was a staggering, despairing figure.

All the great holy lands had failed. They came to the conclusion that the Desolate Ancient Holy Body had fallen — it could no longer recapture its former invincibility, and could never rise again.

From that point on, various sects throughout the world came to know that the Desolate Ancient Holy Body had become a crippled constitution. No matter how great the price paid to cultivate it, it would ultimately be stopped at the Dao Palace Secret Realm.

It was simply impossible to enter the Four Extremes Secret Realm — unless several holy lands went mad and cultivated such a constitution jointly, providing ten million catties of Source Ore. Perhaps then this constitution could break free of its chains.

Obviously, that was impossible. For with resources of that magnitude, one could cultivate a vast number of powerful experts — there was no need to squander them in such a way that yielded no return.

As for what trials would await a Desolate Ancient Holy Body’s cultivation path after entering the Four Extremes Secret Realm, the great holy lands did not know — because no one had ever reached that point to attempt it.

The Golden-Winged Little Peng King was utterly cold, and said, “I think you should all be well aware of these circumstances. What awaits him is a dead end. Better to let me grant him release. The Source of All Things’ Primal Qi root should be in my hands — it will forge my path to becoming a Great Emperor!”

Yan Ruyu’s immortal form stood with an otherworldly grace, like a thin veil of cloud covering a bright moon, or a gentle breeze brushing past jade blossoms — as though a celestial being from the heavenly realm had descended into the mortal world. She gave a slight shake of her delicate head and said, “A Great Emperor cannot be achieved by those who extinguish all emotion and feeling. I will not allow you to kill him.”

The Golden-Winged Little Peng King stepped forward. His robust body carried a demonic quality that was overpowering in its bearing, and he said, “Am I really one who extinguishes all emotion and feeling? The real reason I came to the Azure Jiao King’s dwelling is that I actually wanted to propose to Your Highness.”

“How could Immortal Lady Yan possibly marry a madman like you!” Tu Fei, the big-mouth, cut in.

“Who else but me?” The Golden-Winged Little Peng King swept his gaze across all present and said, “When the day comes that I become the Demon Emperor, the Princess shall be the Demon Empress.”

“I have never seen such an arrogant bird-man. Wait until you’ve developed the bearing of a Great Emperor before you come out and blow such hot air!” Tu Fei said angrily.

“You will see it in the future!” The Golden-Winged Little Peng King’s tone was flat, but the killing intent surging within him was tremendous. He reached out a large hand toward Ye Fan, grabbing for him.

Boom!

The entire mountain peak shuddered. Yan Ruyu made her move, shooting forth a crystal-clear lotus flower that blocked the Golden-Winged Little Peng King’s outstretched hand.

“I’m merely killing a desolate ancient waste-constitution. Your Highness, do you truly intend to stop me? Is it worth it?!” The Golden-Winged Little Peng King’s gaze was like a blade.

“You say you intend to walk the path of the Great Emperor. Then fight the Desolate Ancient Holy Body of the same realm — let me see whether you have the qualifications for that,” Yan Ruyu said calmly.

“What a pity — there is no Desolate Ancient Holy Body of the same realm in this world for me to kill!” The Golden-Winged Little Peng King clasped his hands behind his back and looked down with disdain upon everyone present.

“Kill a Desolate Ancient Holy Body of the same realm… This bird-man really is a madman — utterly arrogant beyond reason!” Tu Fei could not help but curse.

“I can suppress your cultivation to the second level of the Dao Palace!” Yan Ruyu calmly extended her jade hand. The center of her palm shone with brilliant light, too dazzling to look upon directly.

“A supreme weapon!”

Everyone was shaken. They sensed an aura of irresistible power, trembling involuntarily. This was the majesty of the supreme way — a sacred weapon left behind by a great demon emperor.

“Throughout the ages, how many Great Emperors have there been? All of them possessed peerless, world-dominating qualities. Do you dare to test yourself — can you truly suppress the Desolate Ancient Holy Body of the same realm?!”