484: bet

Silence enveloped the battlefield for several full breaths.

Then—

"Roar—!!! The Ox King is invincible!!!"

"We won! We won! Heaven blesses our race!!"

"Kill! Kill all these remnants of the Ancient Era!!"

After a brief moment of daze, the Current Era Demon Clan camp erupted into deafening, earth-shattering cheers and frenzied shouts!

Despair instantly transformed into wild joy; their crumbling morale was like being injected with molten iron, instantly reforged into something incomparably hot and frenzied!

All the Yao warriors had bloodshot eyes, and their gazes toward the Ancient Demon Court army were filled with the flames of revenge and rekindled Battle Intent!

The Demon Emperor, Yuan Tiangang, was trembling with excitement, looking at that figure in the sky that stood like a stabilizing pillar, his eyes nearly brimming with tears.

In contrast, on the side of the Ancient Demon Court, all the ancient Yao soldiers, including those Great Sages and Saint Kings, had faces filled with unbelievable horror.

An ancient Quasi-Emperor had actually been defeated?

He was even knocked out of the sky, his life or death unknown?

The aura of that terrifying bull floating overhead was even more horrifying than before!

The originally unstoppable offensive also slowed down!

The Ancient Imperial Prince stood atop his Bronze Chariot, his usually indifferent and aloof face twitching slightly as his eyes stared fixedly at the giant pit in the distance where dust was billowing.

He then snapped his gaze toward Old Huang in the sky, and for the first time, a trace of an emotion called wariness flashed deep within his eyes.

But he quickly forced it down, his expression returning to coldness.

Just then—

"Buzz..."

Deep within the Bronze Ancient City, in that absolute darkness where not even light could penetrate.

The aura of a terrifying existence, even more ancient and powerful than the Gold-Robed Quasi-Emperor, slowly awakened and began to spread.

Just the leakage of a sliver of that aura made the cheering Current Era Demon Clan feel as if their throats were being squeezed.

The cheering stopped abruptly, and even Old Huang glanced over, a hint of solemnity flashing in his bull eyes.

However, this aura only spread for a brief moment before receding like a tide, returning to that bottomless darkness as if it had never appeared.

But the lingering might it left behind was like a cold brand seared into the hearts of all living beings; the foundation of the Ancient Demon Court was unfathomably deep!

Following that, an obscure ripple arrived, and a moment later, the Ancient Imperial Prince's voice rang out again.

This time, it spread clearly across the entire battlefield, devoid of any emotion.

"Clashing with Emperor Weapons only increases slaughter and harms the harmony of heaven. Since that is the case, let us change the method to decide the ownership of this Southern Region."

His gaze swept over the ecstatic Current Era Demon Clan and over Old Huang, whose aura was surging to the heavens.

"Seven days from now, at this very place. Both of our sides will each send ten Prodigies with a bone age under a hundred years to conduct ten duels. The side with the most wins shall be the victor."

"If my Demon Court wins, the myriad Yao of the Southern Region must honor my Ancient Demon Court as their common lord, be brought under our command, and follow our orders."

"If your side wins..."

He paused slightly, his voice growing even colder, "My Ancient Demon Court will cease its invasion, and the Southern Region shall be divided in two, with each side governing its own territory."

"As for the candidates!"

A cold arc curled at the corner of his mouth, and his gaze seemed to inadvertently sweep past Xiao Ruobai and the others as he clearly added.

"There are no racial restrictions; Human Race Cultivators may also participate."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire field was shocked!

A battle of Prodigies! A ten-person duel!

The stakes were actually the future of the entire Southern Region Yao Race!

And the Ancient Imperial Prince's final sentence, specifically pointing out that the Human Race could participate, was clearly intended to drag Xiao Ruobai and these Human Race Prodigies into this world-shaking gamble that would decide the fate of the Southern Region!

As the Ancient Imperial Prince's voice fell, the battlefield once again sank into a dead silence, with only the wailing of the wind over the scorched earth making this gamble feel even more heavy.

Everyone showed hesitation; Prodigies under a hundred years old and ten duels—this was almost like gambling with the new generation of the race's future.

The Yao Emperor gripped the slightly vibrating demon emperor bell in his hand and forced himself to speak, his voice spreading across the battlefield: "Is the Ancient Imperial Prince's word true? You will not go back on it?"

"The Ancient Demon Court is as good as its word."

The Ancient Imperial Prince stood on the Bronze Chariot, his golden pupils cold as frost.

"But if your side dares to avoid the battle or secretly substitute over-aged participants, it will be considered a surrender. At that time, my race will activate the Emperor Weapon to flatten the Southern Region!"

Before his voice had even faded, the Bronze Ancient City vibrated faintly, as if confirming his words. That obscure aura that had slept for eons once again spread out indistinctly, intimidating the entire field.

In the sky, Old Huang's massive true form slowly descended, his four hooves treading upon the Void Realm.

His aura gradually withdrew, yet he still emanated a Quasi-Emperor pressure that made all living beings feel suffocated.

His crimson bull eyes swept over the Ancient Imperial Prince, then glanced at the panicked Current Era Demon Clan below, letting out a roar that made the Void Realm ripple.

"A bet it is! I, Old Huang, will be watching right here. Whoever dares to play tricks will take a kick from me first!"

Although his vitality was somewhat depleted from the great battle, he remained the most solid backing at this moment. These words acted like a reassuring pill, causing the agitation of the Current Era Demon Clan to settle slightly.

On the cliff, Xiao Ruobai's brow furrowed imperceptibly.

Ling Xi's cold gaze swept over the depths of the Bronze Ancient City and then fell back onto the Ancient Imperial Prince's seemingly calm and ripple-less face, her slender fingers curling silently.

Something was wrong.

This bet seemed fair, and even more favorable to the Current Era Demon Clan side that had just won and had Old Huang backing them up.

A seven-day period, ten duels, and especially that last sentence that seemed generous but was actually a deliberate mention that the Human Race could also participate.

This didn't seem like a forced compromise; it seemed more like a stage that had been prepared long ago.

"What do they want to do?"

Fang Hanyu also carried a trace of confusion and couldn't help but ask: "Betting the Southern Region's territory just to have ten fights? And even specifically allowing the Human Race to participate?"

Xiao Ruobai's gaze was deep as he slowly shook his head: "Beneath the surface, there must be a deeper meaning. What they seek is definitely not simple."

But for a moment, he was also unable to completely see through the truth behind those layers of fog.

It was just a warning sign originating from the depths of his spiritual perception, ringing silently.

Ling Xi was silent for a moment before speaking coldly: "We will wait and see. Within seven days, some clues will surely emerge."

As the bet was established, the suffocatingly tense atmosphere on the battlefield finally eased slightly, replaced by a kind of exhaustion and messiness following the temporary halt of the great battle.

The Ancient Demon Court army withdrew toward the vicinity of the Bronze Ancient City like a receding tide.

Among this retreating army, those Current Era Demon Clan members who had already defected to the Ancient Demon Court appeared particularly conspicuous and wretched at this moment.

Mixed in with the ancient Yao ranks, they followed as the army slowly retreated. Many were wounded, their expressions panicked, their eyes darting about, not daring to meet the gazes of their former kinsmen on the opposite side.

Immense fear and uncertainty about the future were intertwined in their hearts, a complex mix of emotions.

In the chaotic battle just now, they had been used as cannon fodder, suffering heavy casualties.

Now, they were neither here nor there as Yao, and could only steel themselves to follow their new masters down this dark path to the end.

On the side of the Current Era Demon Clan, the wild joy of surviving the disaster gradually subsided, replaced by immense sorrow and busyness.

When they saw the figures of those traitors, their gazes were filled with undisguised disdain and hatred.

Above the scorched earth, the smoke had not yet dissipated, and the smell of blood mixed with the bitterness of betrayal was so thick it wouldn't disperse, a scene of tragic devastation.