198: The leader of the righteous path! The chessboard has been turned upside down!

The flying boat vanished.

Even the ten-thousand-zhang space crack that had torn through the sky was self-repairing at a speed visible to the naked eye, as if it had never existed.

It was as if the golden heavenly palace from moments ago—sacred enough to seem unearthly and capable of crushing one's perception—was merely a collective hallucination sweeping across millions of people.

Ten Thousand Bones Plaza was as silent as a grave.

Only a trace of spatial ripples remained in the air from the flying boat's departure, along with the lingering aura of that vast Divine Might that purified everything; like an invisible branding iron, it was deeply etched into the Divine Soul of every demonic Cultivator.

A dead silence lasted for dozens of breaths.

“Gulp.”

The sound of someone swallowing hard rang out like a clap of thunder in the absolute silence.

Immediately following that.

“Pfft—”

A demonic Cultivator in the Saint Realm who had just broken through and had a shallow Foundation suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, his aura instantly withering.

Clutching his chest, his eyes were hollow, his Face filled with emptiness and bewilderment.

“My demonic heart... it's shattered...”

He had cultivated for over a thousand years and considered his willpower to be as firm as demonic iron.

But just now, the Dao Heart he took such pride in had been easily crushed into powder by the luxury and overbearing nature of that flying boat!

A ship cast from divine gold?

Adorned with Top-Grade Spirit Stones?

Escorted by an Emperor Formation?

Is this something a fucking human can actually do?!

“Her Highness the Saintess's... distinguished guest?”

A demonic Cultivator, in a sleep-talking voice, was still repeating the ridiculous reason given earlier by the Nine Nether Elder.

“Slap!”

A crisp slapping sound rang out; he had given himself a blow.

“Distinguished guest, my ass!”

He began to roar hysterically, his voice filled with the anger of being fooled and the terror of waking up from a dream.

“Did you see that flag clearly? That character for ‘Su’!”

“In the entire Ancient Desolate Continent, which family surnamed Su is worthy of such a grand display?! Who would dare to use such means?!”

“The Everlasting Su Family!”

“It's the Everlasting Su Family!”

“He is not a friend of our Demonic Path at all! He is the leader of the Righteous Path, the sole heir of an Immortal Family! He is the Divine Son of the Everlasting Su Family!”

This roar, like a bolt of black lightning, instantly jolted awake all the demonic Cultivators who were still in a state of shock!

“The Everlasting Su Family... *hiss*—”

“I remember now! Legend has it that the Divine Son of the Everlasting Su Family has marriage contracts with the Nine Nether Saintess, the Yaochi Saintess, and the Great Xia Empress!”

“My god! So, that man just now was the legendary... Su Family Divine Son, who slept for eighteen years and was hailed by the Righteous Path as the ‘Number One Salted Fish of Xuanyuan’?!”

“salted fish?!”

A demonic Cultivator sounded like he had heard the world's biggest joke, his voice cracking.

“You call that a salted fish?! That flying boat could buy our entire Nine Nether Demonic Cult along with Ten Thousand Demon City ten times over!”

“Is the salted fish in your house that valuable?!”

“The rumors misled me! This is no salted fish; this is clearly a world-destroying true dragon crossing the river!”

In an instant, all speculations about Su Chen being the 'Saintess's distinguished guest' were completely torn to shreds.

Those demonic Cultivators who previously felt it was unfair that Su Chen could directly enter the Secret Realm now found their resentment completely evaporated.

In its place was a bone-deep lingering fear and a sense of relief.

What a joke!

Talking about fairness with the Divine Son of the Everlasting Su Family?

The fact that he didn't wipe Ten Thousand Demon City off the map with a single slap is already giving plenty of Face to the Nine Nether Demonic Cult!

They actually wanted to storm the arena earlier to demand an explanation?

What's the difference between that and a group of ants holding 'protest' signs while charging at a dozing demonic dragon?

They wouldn't even know how they died!

For a moment, all the demonic Cultivators felt a chill down their spines. Looking in the direction where Su Chen had vanished, their eyes held only the awe of survivors... Meanwhile, in a dark corner of the plaza.

Gu Changfeng, Jian Buping, Yue Qinghan, and the rest of the Righteous Path Prodigy group were even more dumbfounded, their worldviews collapsing in a single blow.

They had disguised themselves as demonic Cultivators and infiltrated Ten Thousand Demon City to carry out a top-secret mission concerning the future of the Righteous Path—to cooperate with 'Cold Moon Immortal' Ling Qingzhu, disrupt the demon codex, and seek opportunities.

But now... what were they seeing?

“Se... Senior Brother Gu...”

A Disciple from Jixia Academy, his voice trembling, nudged Gu Changfeng, who was already as stiff as a statue.

“Am... am I under some top-tier illusion?”

“The core of our mission, Lady ‘Cold Moon Immortal’... she, was she just holding hands with that Su Family Divine Son?”

“And now, they... seem to have boarded the Su Family's flying boat together with that demoness from the Nine Nether Demonic Cult...”

“...And gone back to the Su Family?!”

Gu Changfeng did not answer.

On his Face, which usually looked like he was in full control, there was now only bewilderment.

Clatter.

The feather fan in his hand slipped from his stiff fingers and fell onto the ground covered in skeletal remains.

In his mind, his books like 'Records of Demonic Domain Customs', 'Three Hundred Rules for Undercover Conduct', 'On Ninety-Nine Methods of Gaming the Demonic Heart'... all the knowledge and schemes he took pride in had, at this moment, turned into a pile of soaked waste paper.

This game of chess was no longer just messy.

The fucking chessboard had been overturned, and the person who did it had used the board to knock out everyone playing!

Su Chen is the Divine Son of the Su Family!

The banner of the Righteous Path's younger generation! The hope for the future!

But now, this hope has simply packaged up the Saintesses of both the Righteous and Demonic Paths and taken them home!

What on earth is going on?!

“Preposterous!”

An angry shout broke the silence of the Righteous Path Prodigy group.

It was Jian Buping!

His disguised Face was full of uncontrollable rage and disdain, and the Sword Intent on his body almost broke through his disguise to pierce the sky!

“Su Chen! It's that Su Chen again!”

He spoke through gritted teeth, emphasizing every word.

“A playboy who relies on his family background and indulges in pleasure!”

“What right does he have to make Lady ‘Cold Moon Immortal’ travel with him?!”

“He's clearly embracing beauties on both sides, taking the Dao Hearts of us hard-working Cultivators and the ten-thousand-year Face of our Righteous Path, pinning them to the ground, and rubbing them with Spirit Stones!”

“I am ashamed to be associated with such a person!”

“Amitabha.”

The little monk, Monk Jiese, quickly pressed his palms together to mediate.

“Benefactor Jian, please calm down. Perhaps Benefactor Su's trip... perhaps it has another profound meaning?”

“Profound meaning? What profound meaning could there be?”

Beside them, Yue Qinghan, who hadn't spoken, spoke up in a sour tone.

As she spoke, she secretly took out that lace-trimmed recording spirit stone and took a picture in the direction the flying boat had vanished, whispering to herself.

“This flying boat is just too beautiful. If only I could go up and take a picture... I've even thought of the title: ‘The Tycoon’s Ride and Humble Me’...”

“I think he's just lustful and has been bewitched by that Nine Nether Demoness! Lady ‘Cold Moon Immortal’ must have been coerced by him!”

Jian Buping had already automatically found the most 'reasonable' explanation for Ling Qingzhu's behavior.

Gu Changfeng finally recovered from the massive shock.

His chest heaved violently as he bent down to pick up the feather fan, forcing himself to calm down.

“Everyone, please calm down.”

He said in a low voice, his gaze sweeping over every fellow Disciple present, his eyes as sharp as knives.

“This matter has completely exceeded our plans.”

“Her Majesty the Empress's order was for us to cooperate with ‘Cold Moon Immortal’.”

“But now that Lady ‘Cold Moon Immortal’ has left, there is no longer any point in us staying here.”

He paused, a trace of unprecedented determination flashing in his eyes.

“As it stands, there is only one way.”

“We must immediately report everything that happened here, in its entirety and without missing a single word, to our respective Sects!”

“Let the Holy Lords and Old Ancestors decide the next move!”

“This game of chess is no longer something we can play!”