Immortal of the Ages

Chapter 166: Come at Me!

Devouring demon bones, forging the Sword Ring… Yun Xiao's successive moves dumbfounded the horde of demons! In that moment, their eyes turned utterly blood-red. At least half of the demons, right there in the Spirit Treasure Palace, reverted to their true monstrous forms!

"Despicable bastard, you shall not die a good death!"

"Tear him apart!"

BOOM BOOM BOOM! Massive bodies of flesh and blood slammed against the sealing formation, their claws and fangs tearing wildly, roaring brutally. A mass of twisted demonic faces piled up before Yun Xiao's eyes!

"Stop, all of you!" Zhao Xuanjian led ten thousand guards of the Spirit Treasure Palace, their magical treasures raised, shouting in unison. "Fighting is forbidden outside the life-or-death arena!" At least on these human lands, their strength far surpassed the furiously irrational demons, giving them a stern reprimand.

"Would you of the Spirit Treasure Palace dare to break the human-demon treaty, openly sheltering this criminal?" a few demons at the Wind Fire Tribulation Realm warned with a menacing tone.

"Don't just slap labels on us! The ban on fighting in the Spirit Treasure Palace is our rule, which no one can break! If you want to fight, take it outside! And remember, if you damage our stuff, you're paying for it!" Zhao Xuanjian declared sternly, his voice resounding.

"Fine!" The demon crowd, hearing this, finally restrained their fury a bit.

"Everybody calm down! The kid's a goner," a voice bellowed.

"Just keep him here, he's just a turtle in a jar. The Eternal Joy Demon Emperor will take care of him. He'll regret ever setting foot here!" another snarled.

Yun Xiao chuckled. "How fascinating! Did your lot grow a brain overnight? Even picked up our human's famous turtle-in-a-jar phrase, huh?" His words not only chafed the demons, but the humans of a more submissive inclination also felt a pang of discomfort.

The two princesses of the Violet Sky Immortal Empire, their eyes burning with indignation at the sight of the brutalized Peacock Prince, stepped forward.

"Yun Xiao!" The fifth princess, with a finger thrust accusingly at him, her face a canvas of grief, cried out, "You're utterly selfish, acting without considering the consequences! You don't possess the strength to change the dynamic between humans and demons. You're just chasing a fleeting, thoughtless thrill. If the Demon Continent grows furious and declares war, you'll be history's villain, responsible for untold suffering."

From his elevated position, Yun Xiao looked down at the princess. His gaze was one of indifference and profound dismissal. "Princess, it's a time of peace now. If the mere flutter of a butterfly's wing could trigger wars, our kind would've been extinct ages ago. Despite our weaker standing after the ancient wars, why do you think we're still here? Because we have fighters who aren't afraid to die. Demons tread cautiously, content with the status quo. This so-called peace was purchased with the lives of countless Sword Cultivators, not by you playing the gracious, appeasing diplomat. You think they'd wage a war every time a Peacock Prince or Demon Saint offspring falls in a duel? What do you think this is, a child's game?"

With his eyes now tainted with streaks of red, he continued, addressing the crowd from the Violet Sky Immortal Empire, "As for causing the deaths of innocent people... Open your eyes and witness the hundreds of thousands killed by this Demon Prince. Their lives became the very feathers flaunting from his tail. When you all watched in amusement, did you ever care about their fates? Weren't they innocent? Where were you holy maidens when they suffered? You call me mindless? Does bowing down like submissive dogs make you the smarter ones?

"Do you even understand what this peace treaty is about? Demons slaying humans? All good. Humans killing a demon? High crime! So, by your logic, kneeling to the demons is righteous, while seeking justice for our kind is a crime deserving death. Hilarious..." Surrounded by a multitude of demons, Yun Xiao's laughter was chilling, but his heart surged with rage and sorrow. He sought justice for the people, hoping to ensure their safe passage into the next life. Yet, those of his own kind were stabbing him in the back.

Is this what humans had come to? So utterly selfish?

"These demons from the Demon Continent, savoring raw flesh and drinking blood, have been casting greedy eyes on our human world for ages. You think they're philanthropists? That if you parade around with those silly grins on your faces trying to appease them, they'll just spare you?

"All you lot, living like pigs and dogs in this so-called era of peace, actually believe this momentary tranquility was earned by groveling and being servile? If it weren't for the silent sacrifices of our ancestors, defending our borders with fierce determination, showing those demons our spirit and might, just how long do you think our world would stand?"

Soldiers bled on the frontiers, defending our homeland. Losing heads and spilling blood. Dying, wrapped in their own horse's skin. Meanwhile, the sons and daughters of great families indulged in the pleasures of the capital, savoring life's joys. They criticized the very soldiers that protected them, accusing them of disturbing the peace, saying they should be condemned. Did they really think these demons had kind hearts and would genuinely abide by a peace treaty?

"Even humans break their promises. How can you trust demons?" Yun Xiao once believed peace was possible. But the hundreds of thousands of souls on that Peacock Prince's tail feathers… What was the story there? All of the people, praising how beautiful it looked when it spread its tail, what was that about?

Who would avenge the dead?! These weren't heavenly elites who died but ordinary folks like Yun Xiao, toiling silently throughout their lives in the mortal realm. All the wars in this world that had yet to erupt, it wasn't because they groveled and celebrated an era of peace. It's simply because the other side still feared their sword.

That was it! If you didn't draw your sword, and instead approached with a goofy grin, even the most lowly demon would step on your face without hesitation.

As Yun Xiao spoke these words, the eyes of many humans turned bloodshot. His words pierced their souls. Surely, there were still righteous men in the world.

Zhao Xuanjian and Stray Dog exchanged glances. In their eyes, the white-clad youth on the battlefield was no mindless brute. Each step he took was calculated, deliberate. His words that day revealed truths many denied.

If he were to die tomorrow, he'd be remembered as a valiant youth of the human world. His spirit would inspire many. The culture of superficiality and frivolity that now plagued the Immortal Empires had begun at the Grand Temple, influencing generation after generation.

"Yun Xiao stands against the Peacock Prince, championing righteousness! If he can reforge the spirit of this generation, his merit will be boundless!" Zhao Xuanjian murmured.

"There are traitors in the Grand Temple..." Stray Dog remarked with a cold chuckle.

"Or they might just be spineless," Zhao Xuanjian retorted with a snicker.

Undoubtedly, hearing these words was agonizing to the demons and especially the weak-willed humans who had submitted. More painful than losing their fathers.

Indeed, the sixth princess of the Violet Sky Immortal Empire darkened in fury, gritting her teeth. "Shut your mouth, Yun Xiao! You twist facts, spewing lies. The demons have evolved; they're far more civilized than you! Regardless... even if no war erupts, both you and the Chen Clan backing you are doomed!"

"Oh? The Supreme Marshal defends our borders, slays demons, and protects our people. And now you set your righteous sights on him?" Yun Xiao laughed, smirking, "Here's the thing, I'm but a mere son-in-law of the Chen Clan, selling myself off without any power. Why would the Chen Clan back me?"

Everyone was taken aback.

Yun Xiao's face suddenly turned cold. He swept his gaze over the demons, declaring loudly, "Today, on this battlefield, I righteously slew the Peacock Prince! He treated our human lives like grass. So, I consumed his demon bones, refined his flesh, and will whip his corpse daily with my Sword Soul to vent my fury! Tell your Eternal Joy Demon Emperor that I stand for my own actions. If he feels his son was wronged, let him come for me. If he doesn't dare, I'll think even less of him!"

The words that flowed from Yun Xiao's lips left everyone, be they human or demon, stunned into silence.

"What guts is this?" Yet, after uttering those words, he had effectively put the Eternal Joy Demon Emperor on the proverbial hot seat. No matter if the demon chose to act or not, he was now caught in a state of torment. To act would mean lowering himself.

Yun Xiao held onto two undeniable truths. First, the Peacock Prince had met his end in a fair duel. And second, the Peacock Prince had trapped many human souls in his tail feathers. With these two facts, he positioned himself atop a pedestal of righteousness. Anyone who opposed him would feel their cheeks burn with embarrassment.

In short, this was hardly a brash moment of foolish bravado. Everything was coldly calculated.

But Yun Xiao wasn't finished yet. In the arena, he pointed his sword menacingly at the gathered demons, his voice cold as the devil himself. "Tomorrow, the War of Immortals will commence. The day after, the actual war begins! This is our Immortal Empire's battle of elites. What does your demon kind have to do with it? A bunch of uncivilized beasts dreaming of marrying our human empress?"

"Listen closely," his sword swept across every demon present. "Here's the deal. If this Eternal Joy Demon Emperor has even a shred of shame and doesn't come for my head within two days, I vow to slay all your so-called genius demons, Young Demon Saints, and Demon Princes in the War of Immortals. I'll drench our sacred land with your blood as an offering to the spirits of our ancestors and fallen. I'll sever the spine and legs of all your lackeys, forcing them to kneel and repent for a lifetime before the souls of our heroes.

"I beseech all the Demon Emperors and Demon Saints to try and put an end to me, to offer a sliver of hope for your five thousand elite demons.

"Lastly, a word for all you demons and lackeys. I will bear the consequences of my actions alone. Just me and my sword, free and unburdened. If you wish to fight or slice, come at me!"

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