1257: Chapter 1257 The Demon King Descends, Beliefs Clash

The Six-Winged Dragon-Devouring Centipede let out a low hiss, a glint of bloodlust flashing in its massive compound eyes.

Shadow looked at the few, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

"Then... let us begin."

Yang Shuo transformed into a bolt of lightning, the thunder emperor battle halberd tearing through the Void Realm as he charged straight toward a group of Loose Cultivators who were gathering.

Ning Qiancheng led the Four Great Zombie Kings, their corpse-evil Qi forming a black cloud as they bore down upon the remnants of another faction.

The Six-Winged Dragon-Devouring Centipede flapped its wings and flew out, its massive body like a warship, charging into the chaotic battlefield and sweeping away everything in its path.

In the center of the battlefield, the Four Demon Generals led the Demon Beast Army, crushing the final resistance of the Radiant Allied Forces with unstoppable momentum.

This war, which had lasted for who knew how many days and months, had finally reached its end.

The main star of the Radiant Star Domain.

A towering complex of palaces floated above the clouds, casting golden radiance that illuminated the entire firmament, making it appear solemn and sacred.

This was the core of power for the Radiant Star Domain, the residence of Empress Xi, and the Holy Land that billions of living beings looked up to.

However, at this moment, this sacred hall was shrouded in an unprecedented shadow.

A dark golden meteor tore through the Void Realm, dragging a long tail of flames as it rapidly approached the main star.

Its light was as pitch-black as the abyss and as scorching as the fire of Hell; wherever it passed, the Void Realm shattered and the stars trembled. Even the Restriction array on the periphery of the main star began to activate automatically, with layers of golden light shields spreading out like ripples.

But in front of that dark golden figure, those light shields were like paper.

Luo Xiu did not even need to make a move; relying solely on the black God-Demon Flame surrounding his body, he burned through, incinerated, and crushed the layers of Restrictions.

His speed was pushed to the extreme; from the battlefield to the main star, crossing the endless Void Realm, it had taken him only a short half-stick of incense.

"Boom——!!!"

He landed at the very front of the palace complex, his feet shattering the plaza paved with ten-thousand-year refined gold.

The shockwave swept in all directions like a tsunami; countless palaces teetered in the tremors, golden tiles falling with a rustling sound.

Luo Xiu stood up, his white hair fluttering, his black robe snapping in the wind, and the dark golden God-Demon Flame burning fiercely around him.

His gaze swept over the personal guards and imperial guards rushing in from all directions, his eyes devoid of any ripples.

"Retreat."

His voice was not loud, yet it carried an unquestionable majesty.

The figures of those personal guards and imperial guards suddenly stalled; a fear emanating from the depths of their Souls made their legs go weak, and the weapons in their hands nearly slipped from their grips.

But they did not retreat.

They were Empress Xi's personal guards, the most loyal warriors of the Radiant Star Domain.

Even when facing a sixth-order Devil King, even with their hearts filled with fear, they did not take a single step back.

"Then die."

Luo Xiu frowned slightly and raised his hand, about to—

"Stop."

A voice came from the depths of the palace, gentle and serene, like a spring breeze brushing against one's face, like clear water flowing.

The voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, causing the fear in the hearts of those personal guards and imperial guards to instantly dissipate by more than half.

Luo Xiu's hand stopped in mid-air, his gaze passing over the layers of palaces and landing on the golden figure emerging from the main hall.

Empress Xi.

She wore a golden robe, her face stunningly beautiful yet cold as frost. Her phoenix eyes were as deep as the starry sky, and she radiated a majesty that made one dare not look directly at her.

Her pace was unhurried; every step she took landed on the Void Realm, yet it felt as if she were stepping on the rhythm of heaven and earth.

Behind her, golden light shone like the sun, shrouding the entire palace complex in a warm radiance.

Her gaze fell upon Luo Xiu, watching his pitch-black eyes, looking at the dark golden flames burning around him, and feeling the terrifying aura emanating from him, an aura capable of destroying heaven and earth.

In her eyes, there was no fear, no anger, only a deep sense of compassion.

"You all retreat."

Her voice remained gentle, yet it carried an unquestionable majesty.

The personal guards and imperial guards hesitated for a moment, but ultimately retreated slowly under Empress Xi's gaze.

On the plaza, only two figures remained—one gold and one black, one light and one dark, one gentle and one violent, like two extremes, confronting each other before this sacred hall.

Silence spread through the Void Realm.

In the end, it was Empress Xi who spoke first. Her voice was gentle and serene, like a mother soothing a lost child.

"Luo Xiu, you have already reached the Peak of power; why must you still cling to slaughter? Lay down your butcher's knife and seek redemption. If you are willing, the gates of the Radiant Star Domain will always be open to you."

Upon hearing this, Luo Xiu hooked the corners of his mouth into a faint smile.

In that smile, there was no mockery, no disdain, only a bottomless calm.

"Lay down my butcher's knife?" His voice was low and hoarse. "Empress Xi, do you know where this blade in my hand comes from?"

Empress Xi was silent for a moment, then shook her head gently.

Luo Xiu's gaze looked into the distance, toward the starry sky stained red by the flames of war, his voice carrying a trace of reminiscence.

"This blade was earned by this King through countless life-and-death battles.

Every time I swung the blade, I walked on the edge of death; every time I killed, I was forging this blade with my own flesh, blood, and Soul.

You ask me to lay it down—then what was all my struggling, all my pain, and all my striving over these years worth?"

A trace of compassion flashed in Empress Xi's phoenix eyes. "Power is not everything; there are things in this world more important than power—love, tolerance, and peace.

If you are willing to let go of your hatred and use your heart to feel the beauty of this world, you will discover that slaughter has never been the only way out."

"Love? Tolerance? Peace?" Luo Xiu laughed. The laughter was not loud, but it carried a bone-chilling mockery. "Empress Xi, what you speak of is nothing but a luxury for the strong.

When you possess sufficient power, when you stand at the highest point overlooking all living beings, you can, of course, talk about love, tolerance, and peace.

But what about those ants struggling in the mud? What about those living beings born to be oppressed, enslaved, and trampled upon? What right do they have to talk about these things?"

His voice grew colder, like ice. "The essence of this Universe has never been love and peace, but the Law of the jungle, the survival of the fittest.

The strong live, the weak die—this is an eternal truth, a Law carved into the bones of every living being.

You can use love to reform a person, but can you use love to reform a starving beast? Can you use love to reform a star about to be destroyed?"