Outside Solitary Heaven Peak, the colossal silver wolf stood poised in the void, facing the purple celestial flames that soared to tens of thousands of degrees. Though naturally fearful of fire, it remained utterly unconcerned.

Augustine, clad in robes the color of aged silver, stood directly on the tip of the wolf’s nose, his gaze, cold as glacial depths, fixed upon Hei Mingba emerging from the Purple Flame Demon Palace, and Yan Senxu who trailed closely behind him.

“Hahaha, Augustine, you little pup! Why leave your own territory to visit me?” Hei Mingba boomed with laughter, showing not an ounce of deference to the figure before him.

Though both were Demon Lords, a chasm of power separated them. When Augustine ascended to his title, Hei Mingba had already ruled as a Demon Lord for millennia. In Hei Mingba’s eyes, Augustine was inevitably a newcomer, a junior.

“Old man Hei Ming, your youngest daughter murdered my son. How do you propose we settle this debt?” Augustine’s gaze snapped back to Hei Mingba, his voice sharp and cold.

“Oh? The son you mentioned was murdered?” Hei Mingba paused for a beat, then a smile of genuine amusement spread across his face. “You have so many sons, what does the loss of one or two matter?”

“You…” Augustine choked on his anger. What did he mean, so many sons that a few deaths were inconsequential? It was true; his expansive affections had resulted in a rather large progeny. Had it been any other son, this rage might not have ignited so fiercely. But the one slain was Vangus, his most beloved—the one most likely within the Lycan lineage to ascend to Demon Lord status. To have him cut down now—how could he remain calm?

“What ‘you’? Is it not the truth?” Hei Mingba chuckled lightly, yet made no gesture to invite Augustine into his palace for a seat. He understood that this fellow’s fury, spurred by his son’s death, was at its zenith. While Hei Mingba did not fear him, a drawn-out brawl could damage the palace’s priceless décor, and repairs were always a costly nuisance.

“She killed Vangus, Hei Mingba! He was my dearest son!” Augustine roared, his voice thick with barely contained fury.

“Ah, him? A pity, a true pity. I heard he carried the sealed essence blood of a Wolf God. Once his power reached the Ninth Rank, he could have easily broken the seal and achieved the rank of Demon Lord. It is indeed a loss that he died so young. However, he nearly caused my daughter’s demise not long ago. Is his death not simply karmic retribution?” Hei Mingba remarked with an easy smile.

When Augustine first heard the preceding remarks, the blazing heat of his anger had cooled considerably. Though Vangus was his son, he certainly would not initiate a full-scale war with the Purple Flame Clan for the sake of one. Had Hei Mingba offered a sincere apology and compensated him with a colossal store of resources, the matter might have been settled. But Hei Mingba’s final sentence acted as the spark that ignited his true fury.

“Right, my eldest daughter is perpetually cultivating on Solitary Heaven Peak, and my youngest has been traveling. She should be currently in the Panblas Grasslands. I truly don’t understand how she ended up in your Lycan territory slaying your son?” Before Augustine could fully vent his rage, Hei Mingba interjected again.

“Hmph. My son was patrolling the Giants of the Abyss Forest on my behalf when he was ambushed by your youngest daughter for reasons unknown, leading to his death!” Augustine continued his harsh condemnation.

“Indeed? Did you send no high-level protectors when your son was out patrolling? Young Vangus, despite his talent and bearing the Wolf God’s essence blood, was only a Sixth Heaven Demon Monarch, wasn't he? Could you truly feel comfortable sending him out alone for surveillance?” A faint, knowing smile touched Hei Mingba’s lips.

“Hmph! Who says I didn’t send protection? I even dispatched Ilon, my closest aide!” Augustine snorted again.

“Ilon is a genuine Ninth Rank Demon Monarch. Do you suggest my youngest daughter possesses the strength to fell a Ninth Rank Demon Monarch and subsequently eliminate your son?” Hei Mingba countered with a placid smile.

“This…” Augustine found himself momentarily speechless. Among the Eight Great Royal Clans, a young master achieving the Sixth Rank indicated considerable talent; a rare few reaching the Seventh Rank were considered geniuses among geniuses. It seemed impossible for any clan, save perhaps the Asura or Demon Dragon races, to field a young expert above the Ninth Rank. Hei Mingshuan could certainly not be one. This was the crux of his confusion, yet he had unequivocally witnessed the flash of Hei Mingshuan’s blade ending Vangus’s life. The imprint data sent back could not be false. How could this be reconciled? Had Ilon not been near Vangus? That was impossible. Augustine had issued strict orders: under no circumstances was Ilon to leave Vangus’s side unless dead—never alone.

“Heh heh, Augustine, perhaps this is merely a misunderstanding, wouldn't you agree?” Seeing Augustine falter into silence, Hei Mingba smiled once more.

“A misunderstanding? That information was transmitted via the spiritual imprint I left within my son! How can that be a misunderstanding? Hei Mingba, regardless of anything else, you must give me satisfaction!” Augustine, unable to decipher the contradiction, chose to abandon thought and rely only on the undeniable fact: he saw Hei Mingshuan cleave his son down with a single strike.

“Satisfaction? What manner of satisfaction do you demand?” Hei Mingba’s tone remained maddeningly casual.

“Hand over your youngest daughter to me, to deal with as I see fit!” Augustine’s declaration was firm and uncompromising.

“Do you truly believe that possible?” Hei Mingba’s face twisted into a cold sneer. Was this fellow feverish? Never mind Augustine; not even the Asura King could command him to do such a thing.

“What is impossible? I have already dispatched the Four Great Demon Monarchs under my command to the Panblas Grasslands. I suspect it won't be long before your daughter falls into my grasp!” Augustine’s tightly held expression finally cracked into a thin, cold smile.

“Augustine, are you courting death?” Upon hearing that Augustine had already dispatched forces to seize his youngest daughter, Hei Mingba’s voice instantly dropped several degrees. As his voice chilled, the purple flames outside Solitary Heaven Peak momentarily shrank, and the ambient temperature plummeted.

“Hahahaha! Do you think I fear you?” Feeling the eruption of Hei Mingba’s anger, Augustine threw back his head and laughed, the sound brimming with triumphant arrogance.

Seeing Augustine’s unrestrained, scornful laughter, the flames surrounding Hei Mingba suddenly surged outward, unleashing a palm strike that traveled through the air, aimed directly at Augustine...