The Final Trial! Chapter Forty-Nine The Young Lord of the Demon Clan

With his continued discussions with Xuanyuan Beifeng, Luo Chen found clarity regarding his next steps. Although Shi Ling hoped Luo Chen would continue cultivating on the continent at his current pace, Xuanyuan Beifeng had revealed the true intentions within the Demon Clan. Despite his present lack of power, the Demon Clan could not go a day without its leader. Thus, they wished for Luo Chen to return to the Tiangang Realm as soon as possible to assume the position of young master.

Yet such a move meant declaring enmity with the Four Great Realms. For millions of years, the Demon Clan had remained hidden within the Scar of Darkness, relying on its unique and ruthless formations to keep the Four Great Realms at bay. Only the demons could freely enter and exit, while the outskirts of the Scar of Darkness were guarded by outpost cities established by the Four Realms. Xuanyuan Beifeng’s arrival in the Sword Tomb Secret Domain had been made possible only by the elders forcibly opening a passage.

If Luo Chen made his choice, he could leave the secret domain unnoticed; to the Four Realms, it would seem as if he had perished within. Faced with these options, Luo Chen was momentarily at a loss, and gradually his gaze shifted to Qingxuanyu.

“Shi Ling, let me talk to Yu’er,” he said.

Shi Ling nodded, and Luo Chen walked toward Qingxuanyu. The array suppressing divine sense had been lifted. As Luo Chen appeared, tears silently traced down Qingxuanyu’s cheeks.

Luo Chen glanced back at Xuanyuan Beifeng; in that moment, the soul-binding rope on Qingxuanyu vanished. All she wished for was to enter this youth’s embrace, for only there could she feel a sliver of warmth.

Luo Chen stroked her hair, feeling the gentle tremors of her sobs, and then, holding her waist, he leapt to a distant hill.

“Yu’er, I have something I need to discuss with you, but I hope you’ll be prepared,” he said.

Qingxuanyu responded softly. Luo Chen smoothed her hair, then looked toward Shi Ling and the others in the distance.

“Yu’er, what would you do if I were one of the Demon Clan?” he asked.

Qingxuanyu fell into deep thought, gazing at Luo Chen’s earnest eyes. Her heart raced; she knew he was not joking.

“Um…”

Seeing her hesitation and anxiety, Luo Chen sighed and sat casually on the ground. He understood that this choice was difficult for anyone. But Shi Ling had said, once he returned to the Tiangang Realm, after ten years, Luo Chen would become a peerless power, equal to the greatest in the Four Realms, able to protect all he wished to guard.

“Brother Chen, even if you’re of the Demon Clan, Yu’er is willing to follow you into darkness,” she said.

“Yu’er, you…”

Luo Chen rose instantly, gazing at her delicate face. Their eyes met for a long moment. He was at a loss for words, so he simply pulled her into his arms. Then, glancing at Xuanyuan Beifeng and Shi Ling, he nodded to them.

In the next instant, Xuanyuan Beifeng took out a jade flute. As its melodious notes echoed, sand and dust rolled in from the horizon. Qingxuanyu, frightened by the sight, clutched Luo Chen’s hand tightly.

Luo Chen understood her fear. Smiling, he embraced her and charged toward the approaching army of blood ants.

“Yu’er, we’ll return in ten years,” he said, gently pressing her head to his chest. Before them, the space seemed to shift, and a black dot appeared amidst the blood ant army. It grew, forming a swirling black vortex.

Luo Chen looked at Qingxuanyu in his arms, nodded, and together they vanished into the vortex.

Seven days later.

The Holy Land’s trial team assessment ended, but the trial turned into a tragedy for the continent. Of the nearly two thousand disciples who entered, fewer than fifty emerged. The Tianqing Academy saw only five return; overnight, Qingxingyue’s hair turned white. The greatest blow for Qingxingyue was the death of Luo Chen and Qingxuanyu.

From the surviving disciples, it was learned that Luo Chen and Qingxuanyu had stayed behind to block the blood ant army, sacrificing themselves to protect the others. Afterward, there was no news. The calamity echoed across the Mortal Domain, becoming a tragedy rivaling the disaster at Tianqing Palace.

From then on, the Mortal Domain’s balance changed. Tianqing Palace merged with the Empire, the Heavenly Sword Hall was destroyed, and the Yinchuan Empire became the dominant force on Tianqing Continent. The Sacred Land of Tianchi chose to ally with the Empire for survival.

A year passed after the Sword Tomb tragedy. Qingxingyue became a royal consort to the Empire, and Princess Guyue ascended as the Empress of Yinchuan. Thus, Tianqing Continent once more became the most prosperous empire in the Mortal Domain.

Seven years slipped by.

Within the Tiangang Realm, Luo Chen stood on a floating island, gazing at the azure sea below. His temperament had changed greatly; his silver hair, waist-length, danced wildly in the breeze, and the once youthful face now bore marks of maturity. On his forehead was a golden cross-star mark, the insignia of the Imperial Throne. In these eight years, Luo Chen had reached the first tier of the Divine Seat. Thanks to the Demon Clan's powerful abilities of investigation and infiltration, he now wielded the full force of all elemental powers, becoming the first King of Elements in all eternity.

“Brother Chen!”

Hearing the voice behind him, Luo Chen smiled and turned to see a woman in a silver-blue gown, her hair adorned with a violet phoenix hairpin, descending gracefully from the sky like a celestial maiden.

“Yu’er, what brings you here?” he asked softly as she approached. Despite being the Demon Clan’s sole mistress, Qingxuanyu was bashful before Luo Chen. He gazed at her youthful face, gently pulled her before him, and kissed her forehead.

“Yu’er, the elders believe that a year from now, the Demon Clan will return to the world.”

“Ah… does that mean war with the Four Great Realms?” she exclaimed.

Luo Chen said nothing, only held her in his arms, gazing at the enormous floating gate on the distant horizon. After a few moments’ hesitation, he spoke slowly:

“It’s not war. You’ve been with the Demon Clan long enough to know we are not evil. I intend to find a way for the two clans to coexist peacefully with the Four Realms.”

Qingxuanyu was stunned, her eyes fixed on Luo Chen, flickering with uncertainty. She could hardly believe his words. For days, she had worried about the clan’s decision, fearing that the Demon Clan’s return meant an outright declaration of war. Luo Chen’s answer was entirely unexpected.

“What is it, Yu’er?” he asked.

She shook her head without replying, only burying herself in his embrace. Yet Qingxuanyu was deeply afraid: the feud between gods and demons was ancient, dating back to the creation of the world. She could not understand why Luo Chen would choose peace; such a path would not be easy.

Meanwhile, in the Holy Domain,

Within the hall of the Yuanyang Palace, twenty supreme powers of the domain sat high above. Each wore a grave expression. The news of the Demon Clan’s young master returning had prompted this meeting, yet even the strongest dared not speak rashly. According to the records, the Demon Clan was inherently cruel and bloodthirsty, and the powers of darkness ever mysterious.

“Let us discuss what we should do next. The Demon Clan’s young master is said to have reached the Divine Seat. Of the twelve Divine Seats representing the elements of heaven and earth, the Demon Clan has now awakened seven, while our God Clan possesses only five,” said the man on the highest seat, his tone severe.

The others exchanged glances. This was Bai Fei, Lord of the Holy Domain. His words were true, and the matter was no secret. The Divine Seats signified the purest power of time, attainable only by those with supreme cultivation and profound elemental insight.

Yet even those at the peak of the Divine Seat dared not attempt lightly; a lack of resolve or purity of insight could lead to destruction, their cultivation ruined forever. The five Divine Seats currently in use were remnants from the ancient times, refined over centuries by the God Clan. No one had expected the Demon Clan to possess seven seats, when gathering all the seats' power was required to forge even one.

“Your Highness, have you heard of the legendary Silver Throne? It is said to be the lord of the twelve Divine Seats. If we can find the Silver Throne, perhaps we can stand against the Demon Clan,” said the Fire Rain Divine King.

“I know what you speak of, but the Silver Throne has appeared only twice in millions of years. Where should we seek it?” Bai Fei replied.

At this, the conversation stalled, and the assembly fell into gloom. As the strongest of the Holy Domain, they had all studied the ancient steles. The Silver Throne’s two appearances both occurred in the distant barbarian era millions of years ago. Legend held that when the Silver Throne emerged, all gods bowed in submission, and the Silver King led the twelve seats to pacify the chaos in mere months.

It must be remembered that the barbarian era was the age of gods, with countless powers at the Divine Seat. At that time, the realms were united, and only one domain existed between heaven and earth. The current Four Great Realms were born from the division that followed the end of the barbarian age.