Chapter Fifty-Six: They Have Arrived

After spending a few days in the Demon Realm, Ning Xianyu had become quite familiar with its scent. It was truly distinctive—an overwhelming mixture of sulfur and a dryness so intense it seemed to draw blood from the nose, relentlessly assailing all her senses at every moment.

But this was the mortal world, and moreover, the desolate northwestern border, where the air should have carried only the crispness of snow and ice. How could the scent of the Demon Realm be here?

As she puzzled over this, Xuanyuan Tunhan led her back.

“They've arrived.”

“Who?” she asked, bewildered. Who had arrived?

Xuanyuan Tunhan said nothing, simply standing silently before the tent.

Meanwhile, Akali grew alert, grabbing Yi Tianling and taking off at a run.

“They’re here. They’ve tracked us down.”

Yi Tianling was still confused when, all of a sudden, a massive rift tore open in the sky. The once icy blue heavens seemed gouged, revealing a gruesome, fleshy wound.

From that void, a dry, bloody stench blasted forth, assaulting the senses of all four of them.

Akali’s eyes reddened. “They’ve come after us after all.”

Even daring to break into the mortal world—where could they possibly escape to now?

Yi Tianling understood at last, gripping Akali’s hand tightly.

“I won’t let them take you.”

Akali nodded fiercely, but tears already streamed down her face.

In the sky, the ten Demon Lords and the Demon King Zhuti emerged one after another, standing coldly in the void, staring down at them.

Behind that rift, countless demon cultivators were gathered, eager and restless, ready to charge through for battle.

So many formidable figures had come—this was a declaration of war.

Xuanyuan Tunhan sent a message to Ning Xianyu: “Act now.”

With no other choice, Ning Xianyu used the only move she knew.

Vast spiritual power surged from within her, rushing straight towards the Demon Lords.

The eleven demon monarchs didn’t resist; they simply dropped from the sky.

Now, at least, she didn’t have to crane her neck to look up at them.

It struck Ning Xianyu that the great demon had only asked her to act not to crush the enemy’s morale, but simply because he couldn’t be bothered to look up.

From this angle, she thought, the great demon could be rather amusing at times.

The denizens of the Demon Realm showed no embarrassment. After landing, they actually strode right over.

When their eyes fell on the Blood Source Stone, casually placed by the tent entrance, their expressions shifted.

Such a disgraceful display for their treasured relic.

That was the Demon Realm’s supreme treasure, guarded with utmost care, not a speck of dust allowed to touch it. Now it was set out like a mere doorstop, and not even a favored one.

Gu Dou and several other Demon Lords drew deep breaths, suppressing their anger, then caught sight of Akali.

She leaned in Yi Tianling’s arms, like an ordinary maiden.

And that cultivator—he was only at the Golden Core stage, not even at Nascent Soul.

Gu Dou and the others nearly choked with rage.

The Holy Maiden, raised with the devotion of all the Demon Realm’s people, was standing with a mere Golden Core weakling. This was an insult—a blatant, glaring insult.

“Human cultivator, you’ve gone too far,” roared Demon Lord Remnant Night, striking with his palm to separate Akali from Yi Tianling.

But the two swiftly dodged, running to hide behind Ning Xianyu and Xuanyuan Tunhan.

Ning Xianyu glanced at them, then turned back to fix her gaze on the Demon Lords.

Ten Demon Lords, exuding immense pressure—truthfully, she felt a bit afraid.

If the Demon Lords wanted to kill her, she’d just take Akali hostage. Let the system call her despicable if it wished—survival was paramount.

The Demon Lords drew closer. Upon seeing Ning Xianyu standing beside Xuanyuan Tunhan, all of them were startled.

Demon Lord Duanwuyou frowned. “Is that Xuanyuan Tunhan? Why does he seem different? Who is the woman at his side?”

Xuanyuan Tunhan, the ancient monster who had lived for tens of thousands of years, had always stood alone. Since when did he stand side by side with a woman, and even seem to defer to her?

Gu Dou scrutinized them, sensing carefully. “That woman is the one who blocked us in the Demon Realm. But if she acted—then where was Xuanyuan Tunhan?”

In the Demon Realm, they had disguised their appearances and cultivation levels, making recognition difficult.

They had guessed that their opponent was Xuanyuan Tunhan, given the ruthlessness and swiftness of the attacks.

But now, stripped of disguises in the mortal world, Gu Dou was certain that their adversary was a woman.

The Violet Wheel King objected. “How could it have been her? She’s only at the peak of Golden Core—there’s no way she could have stood against us.”

But Gu Dou insisted his senses did not lie. “It was her—there can be no mistake.”

Zhuti spoke as well. “Gu Dou’s perceptions are never wrong. Look—she still wears a sword at her waist.”

The spiritual sword was unmasked and unmistakable.

The demon cultivators were shocked to realize that their opponent had indeed been a woman.

A chill ran through them.

A single woman wielded such power—now, with Xuanyuan Tunhan at her side, did they even stand a chance?

And since when had the cultivation world produced such a formidable figure, with not a whisper of news reaching them?

The Demon Lords, convinced now that their foe in the Demon Realm was a woman, heard Duanwuyou suddenly say, “If the one who fought us was that woman, then the one hauling the Blood Source Stone away…”

That could only have been Xuanyuan Tunhan.

The renowned foremost figure of the Six Realms, who had gone to the Demon Realm and done nothing but carry the stone and run away.

Pfft.

Duanwuyou couldn’t help but laugh.

Thinking back, the stone-hauling figure had looked utterly bedraggled—and that had actually been Xuanyuan Tunhan? How ridiculous was that?

Zhuti, however, said, “If Xuanyuan Tunhan went but didn’t fight, there are only two possibilities.”

First, he looked down on the Demon Realm, believing that woman alone was more than enough, and so didn’t bother to fight.

Second, something was wrong with Xuanyuan Tunhan—he was unable to fight.

Gu Dou thought he was overthinking. “He just acted a moment ago—his spiritual power is as vast as ever.”

The others’ faces darkened further.

Uninjured, his strength undiminished, yet unwilling to fight—he could only be showing contempt for them.

Outrageous!

Zhuti stepped forward, spiritual power surging, and shouted, “Akali, bring the Blood Source Stone and return with us!”

His voice carried such force that even distant snowbanks quaked in its wake.

Had Akali and Yi Tianling not been sheltering behind Ning Xianyu, their very souls might have been shaken loose.

Ning Xianyu looked at Xuanyuan Tunhan: What now?

Zhuti also called out, “Xuanyuan Tunhan, you know how important this is. If you interfere, it means war between our realms.”

Xuanyuan Tunhan transmitted a message to Ning Xianyu, instructing her to repeat his words.

Ning Xianyu, astonished, relayed his message as she turned to look at him: “Take the Blood Source Stone back yourselves. You can take the person, too.”

Just like that—it was over?

So harmonious?