"I, Xue Wu-Yuan (without regret, without ruthlessness), along with my two brothers, swear here today: as long as you can preserve the lineage of the Blood-Eye Clan, my three brothers and I vow eternal allegiance to you..."

Seeing the solemn expressions of the three, Ye Jingyu was momentarily taken aback. He had only hoped to build a good relationship with them and perhaps gain some help later on, never expecting them to pledge loyalty so swiftly.

Furthermore, he understood that this allegiance was far different from the facile oaths spoken by faithless men among the Human Race. For demons, once a vow is sworn, it is loyalty until death—they would never betray unless killed. Very few among the demon race would ever break their oaths.

"I, Ye Jingyu, also swear here that as long as I live, I will absolutely not allow the Blood-Eye Clan to suffer any catastrophic annihilation!" Seeing their solemn faces, Ye Jingyu spoke, and with a single hand lift, he gently raised the three men from the ground...

Gratitude flooded the faces of the three. Having been defeated by Ye Jingyu, they should rightly be his slaves; their fealty was expected. Ye Jingyu owed them no promises. Yet, here was Ye Jingyu making a solemn promise to them—how could this not move them to profound gratitude?

After rising from the ground, the three stood respectfully behind Ye Jingyu. From this moment forward, he was the object of their unwavering loyalty.

Observing the look of submission in their eyes, Ye Jingyu offered a faint smile, then his eyes rolled back, and he promptly fainted.

"Jingyu..." Jiu Feng and the others cried out in alarm, flashing forward to rush toward him. The three—Wu-Yuan, Wu-Hui, and Wu-Qing—were equally astonished; he had seemed perfectly fine, why the sudden collapse? They could not know that although Ye Jingyu's physical body was strong, having his heart pierced was no small matter.

When Ye Jingyu finally awoke, seven days had passed. During this time, Liang Xiaoke, accompanied by the three Blood-Eye brothers, had swept clean all the surrounding tribes. The entire Panbulasi Grassland now held no other power that could stand against Ye Jingyu. He had become the sole leader of this emerging force.

Besides the three brothers of the Blood-Eye Clan—Wu-Yuan, Wu-Hui, and Wu-Qing—who were Ninth-Rank experts, Yue Hen of the Moon Clan was also a Ninth-Rank Demon Lord. There were twelve other Eighth-Rank Demon Lords. Adding Jiu Li Ta and three Eighth-Rank Demon Lords from the Minotaurs, the high-end strength gathered around Ye Jingyu was already a formidable power.

He, Liang Xiaoke, Jiu Li Ta, Wu-Yuan, Wu-Hui, Wu-Qing, and Yue Hen were all Ninth-Rank masters. It was only a matter of time before Chi Yixiu and Lin Xiaoyi reached the Ninth Rank as well. Coupled with fifteen Eighth-Rank Demon Lords, this assembly was sufficient to challenge any force short of the Eight Great Royal Clans.

Just as Ye Jingyu and his group were consolidating their control over the Panbulasi Grassland, far to the west of the Dou Hun Continent, near the Tian Gang Mountain Range, stood a ruined palace. This place had once been the main hall of the Rakshasa Gate.

Now, in the very center of the hall, Gui Jian-Chou, clad entirely in black, stared blankly at the throne before the palace. That was where his Master once resided—the one who raised him, taught him martial arts, and brought her back?

But now, she was gone, and she would never return to his side. And he himself was merely a Fourth Heaven Martial God. A Fourth Heaven Martial God! In the past, he would have considered himself a genius among geniuses. But after witnessing the might of Xuanyuan Jing and feeling the terror exuded by Ye Jingyu, he now saw himself as nothing more than trash. Yes, trash—useless trash.

Gui Jian-Chou wanted to weep, but no tears would come. He could only stare blankly at the ruined throne, and in a haze, he thought he saw a figure appear upon it.

Is that my Master? He chuckled hollowly. I must be missing her too much, seeing illusions? No, his Master always wore a red gauze skirt; he had never seen her wear white. What was this white shadow?

Gui Jian-Chou blinked, then fixed his gaze, realizing there truly was someone seated on the throne: an old man draped in a white long robe, clutching himself tightly.

He rubbed his eyes vigorously. Once certain it was not a hallucination, Gui Jian-Chou shot to his feet abruptly.

"Who are you?" The Blood Moon Blade instantly materialized in his hand, the tip aimed directly at the man on the throne, his eyes blazing with fury. Even if he was useless, he was still a disciple of the Rakshasa Gate; he could not allow the honor of the Gate to be sullied. That seat was reserved only for the Master of the Rakshasa Gate; no one else was qualified. If not for the fact that the opponent had appeared out of thin air—implying formidable strength—he might have charged immediately.

The aged man paid no heed to Gui Jian-Chou's words. He gently caressed the damaged throne, his deep-set eyes slowly surveying everything around him. His face was etched with sorrow and nostalgia, like an old man returning home after a long absence, only to find his estate changed beyond recognition.

Seeing that the man ignored his challenge, Gui Jian-Chou’s anger flared hotter. His body transformed into a streak of light, charging directly at the man. The Blood Moon Curved Blade unleashed a crescent-shaped blade aura, slicing toward the man on the throne.

Facing this strike, capable of cleaving mountains and splitting stone, the man merely flicked a single finger. The crescent blade aura shattered and dissipated entirely. Then, without any apparent effort, the man casually waved his sleeve. Gui Jian-Chou felt an immense force strike his chest, sending him flying backward uncontrollably. He slammed directly into a stone pillar, gouging a long, thin crack into it before slowly sliding down.

Crimson blood spilled from his mouth. Terror filled Gui Jian-Chou's eyes. What kind of power is this? How can it be so terrifying? Against this strength, I didn't even have the ability to resist? Who is he?

The man now stood up and instantly appeared before Gui Jian-Chou, planting a foot heavily on his chest and roaring with savage intensity, "Who am I? Who am I? I chose this place! This palace was built under my command! Everything here belongs to me! Tell me, who am I? Tell me, who am I?"

Feeling the crushing weight beneath the man's foot and hearing the furious roar issuing from his mouth, Gui Jian-Chou's face turned paper-white...