"Rest assured, I only undertake what I am certain of. While the Three Great Lords might still seem formidable to you, they are not necessarily my match..." Ye Jingyu's confident smile brightened further. Seeing such self-assuredness, the others also started to feel that the Destruction Lord and the others were not quite so terrifying after all...

Without issuing many further instructions, Ye Jingyu dismissed everyone to prepare. Jiu Feng and Xi Yang looked at him with curiosity. Did he truly place that much faith in these individuals? And knowing the entire situation was a trap, was he truly confident he could dismantle it?

Not offering much explanation for the worried smiles on the two women's faces, Ye Jingyu simply stepped forward, embraced their slender waists, and left the main hall, heading toward the back chambers. It had been a long while since he had shown them affection; before a great battle, a little relaxation was surely in order.

Luo Tian exited the City Lord's residence, his brow deeply furrowed. After watching the four demons depart, he pulled Fang Tianrui aside.

"Brother Tianrui, we have known each other for a hundred years now. How do you view the City Lord's current endeavor? I cannot help but feel he is being too impulsive..." Luo Tian voiced his concern.

"Heh, Brother Luo Tian, surely you've heard of acting rashly for the sake of beauty? His Lordship might be impulsive, but isn't that precisely the emotion we humans should possess? Furthermore, I don't believe the City Lord is reckless; since he dared to act, he must have some assurance. As his subordinates, having pledged our loyalty, we should simply follow his lead. Even those four demons trust the City Lord so completely; should we not trust him even more?" Fang Tianrui smiled, patted Luo Tian's shoulder, and then boarded his carriage to leave.

Luo Tian was left standing there, muttering to himself, "Trust? Those demons are brainless fools; what do they know?" With that, Luo Tian also entered his carriage and departed the City Lord's residence.

Little did he know that the true reason the Four Great Demons chose to trust Ye Jingyu in the end was their recollection of the terrifying power he displayed when his Chaos Body reached completion—a power absolutely not inferior to the Cosmic Tier.

As his carriage drew further away, a dark figure materialized precisely where the two men had just stood; it was Bing Ming.

"Jingyu was indeed right; this Luo Tian is truly a coward clinging to life..." Bing Ming muttered to himself, took a single step in the direction Luo Tian had gone, and his figure vanished once more into the void.

Luo Tian returned to his estate, yet he couldn't shake his unease. He paced incessantly within his room, constantly calculating the potential fallout of this situation. He was the Red Sun Emissary of the Dark Alliance, having already attained the Stellar Tier. After cultivating for so many years, his progress had been hard-won. He had initially submitted to Ye Jingyu seeking a powerful backer, but now he was expected to accompany Ye Jingyu to his death—a prospect he utterly rejected. His compliance at the City Lord's hall was merely to avoid Ye Jingyu silencing him on the spot. Now that he was outside, other options began to surface.

After pacing back and forth for a full half hour, Luo Tian seemed to make a decision. His body flickered, and he quietly slipped out of his mansion, intending to head toward Di Sha City.

After deep deliberation, he decided he must inform Yuan of Ye Jingyu's scheme. As for the punishment for violating his oath, that was a matter for later; at the very least, he had no desire to die now.

Given Luo Tian's cultivation, sneaking out of Extinguishing Flame City undetected was not difficult. After all, Ye Jingyu and the others would not expend their divine sense to cover the entire city constantly. Thus, Luo Tian easily slipped past the city limits, but when he was several hundred miles out, he was blocked by a dark figure. At the dark figure's feet lay two corpses; judging by their physique and appearance, they were Wu and Yue, who had been discussing matters in the hall with him just moments ago.

"Lord Luo, are you also going to Di Sha City to report treason?" Bing Ming’s face twisted into a cold sneer as he observed the panicked Luo Tian.

Jingyu was correct; those of a different race will harbor different intentions. These two demons indeed chose to betray Ye Jingyu in the end. But setting them aside, you, Luo Tian, are human. I had hoped that after returning to your residence, you would reflect soundly, but I never imagined you would ultimately choose the wrong path. You have only yourself to blame now.

Seeing the man before him emanating an aura of absolute coldness, Luo Tian knew that arguing was useless. His only hope of survival was to escape his grasp. Without exchanging pleasantries with Bing Ming, he flicked his finger, and a streak of pure light shot out—it was a flying sword, aimed directly at Bing Ming's heart. Simultaneously, he produced a silver shuttle, preparing to rip open the void and flee the area.

However, Bing Ming showed no intention of dodging. He simply raised one hand, and a massive seal radiating five-colored light ascended into the air.

With a sharp "Clang...", the supreme immortal sword Luo Tian had refined merely splashed sparks against Bing Ming's form, unable to harm him in the slightest. Meanwhile, the five-colored great seal descended upon Luo Tian's head, smashing him into pulp beneath his astonished gaze.

Even the shuttle he had just deployed was shattered by the Kongtong Seal, completely dissipating into the heavens and earth...

Having accomplished this, Bing Ming acted as if nothing had happened. He retrieved the Kongtong Seal and vanished from the spot.

In the following days, the disappearance of Luo Tian, Yue, Wu, and the others naturally drew the attention of some officials in Extinguishing Flame City. However, Fang Tianrui and the others were shrewd individuals. By this point, they understood what had occurred and gained a deeper appreciation for Ye Jingyu's capabilities. Especially Yan, who harbored similar thoughts, now secretly rejoiced that she had not accompanied Wu and the others, lest she too now be reduced to dust.

Soon, the day for Yuan and Ling's grand wedding arrived. Strictly speaking, demons did not observe weddings, but after many years of development, many high-ranking demons had begun emulating human customs. Furthermore, since Ling was human and Yuan was the Alliance Leader of the Earth Faction, and this marriage was personally sanctioned by the Destruction Lord, the ceremony was exceptionally grand, with nearly every City Lord under the Earth Faction receiving an invitation.

Ye Jingyu, now a prominent figure beside Yuan, was naturally included.

The wedding took place in the Demon Palace. The formerly pitch-black structure was now draped entirely in red silk ribbons, suffusing the eerie, forbidding palace with an atmosphere of fiery passion. On the largest plaza of the palace, Yuan, dressed in full crimson robes, walked with a blissfully happy smile, gently leading the red cord connecting him to Ling, who stood at the other end, leading them both toward the Three Great Lords seated at the forefront...

(Star Squad Group: 43215213, two more chapters this afternoon) E

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