80: Princess, please wait.

The Green Wood Divine Boat transformed into a sharp green streak, smashing through the air and heading straight for the Imperial Palace gates.

Yan Ruyu didn't even dare to look back.

The image of that slab smashing a Quasi-Emperor's Divine Thought was branded in her mind like a nightmare.

Run!

Must run!

How is this a Human Race Prodigy? This is clearly an Archaic Vicious Beast wearing human skin!

However.

"Princess Yan."

A lazy voice sounded in her ear without warning.

"You took my betrothal gifts, and now you want to run before the wedding night?"

"That's not according to the rules, is it?"

Yan Ruyu's pupils contracted.

The Void Realm ahead warped.

A long, pale hand reached out from thin air and gently pressed onto the bow of the speeding Green Wood Divine Boat.

"Dong!"

This Great Sage-Grade Divine Boat, powerful enough to shatter mountains, slammed into an invisible Wall of Sighs.

It instantly came to a standstill.

The enormous inertia caused the hull to tremble violently. The old women behind Yan Ruyu were thrown out directly, slamming heavily onto the deck and spitting blood.

Su Xuanchen stepped out of the Void Realm and stood on the bow.

He was still tossing the Broken Jar Lid stained with Jin Yu's flesh and blood in his hand, looking at Yan Ruyu with a faint smile.

"Princess, please stay your steps."

Yan Ruyu's face was deathly pale, her back pressed against the cabin, with nowhere left to retreat.

She looked at the man before her; the sense of oppression originating from the depths of her Soul made moving a single finger an extravagant hope.

"You... what do you want to do?"

Yan Ruyu's voice trembled, and her light golden vertical pupils were filled with terror.

"I am a descendant of the Azure Emperor..."

"I know."

Su Xuanchen interrupted her and waved his hand.

"Buzz!"

A green light screen unfolded in the air.

Within the light screen, the majestic figure of the Azure Emperor stood with his hands behind his back, his voice solemn, spreading throughout the Imperial Palace.

"...This Emperor grants this Legacy to the two of you."

"The condition is simple."

"You must marry my descendant."

"And protect my Azure Emperor Lineage for ten thousand years..."

The image stopped abruptly.

A dead silence fell.

Yan Ruyu stared blankly at where the light screen had vanished, feeling as if she had been struck by lightning.

That was the Old Ancestor's voice!

That was the Old Ancestor's recorded Divine Thought!

"This... how is this possible..."

The old women behind her trembled all over, dropping to their knees with a thud, tears streaming down their faces.

"It's the Ancestor! It's the Ancestor's Edict!"

"The Ancestor... married the Princess off to this Lord?!"

Su Xuanchen retracted the light screen, walked up to Yan Ruyu, and reached out to lift her exquisitely perfect chin.

"Did you hear clearly?"

"Your Old Ancestor was practically weeping and begging to shove you onto me."

"And included a complete set of dowry."

Yan Ruyu's delicate body trembled. She wanted to resist, but she went limp under Su Xuanchen's domineering gaze.

Was it humiliation?

Absolutely.

She was a Yao Race princess, a Goddess admired by countless Prodigies, yet now she was being sent away like mere cargo.

But... she glanced at the puddle of Jin Yu's meat pulp beside her.

Then she looked at the Broken Jar Lid in Su Xuanchen's hand, which radiated a terrifying aura.

Strong.

Ridiculously strong.

In this world where the strong prey on the weak, relying on such a powerhouse might be... the only way out for the Azure Emperor Lineage.

"Yan Ruyu..."

She lowered her proud head and bowed deeply to Su Xuanchen.

Her voice was dry, yet it carried the submission of someone who had accepted their fate.

"Greetings... Husband."

The aloofness that usually kept people away from her shattered completely.

Su Xuanchen smiled contentedly.

"That's more like it."

"We're family now, no need for formalities."

At this moment, one of the old women nearby mustered her courage and spoke tremblingly:

"Son... Son-in-law."

"That Jin Yu was the Saint of the Gold Emperor Lineage, and his father is the Vice Hall Master of the Kunlun Sacred Hall, a Quasi-Emperor..."

"Now that you've killed him, I'm afraid..."

"Afraid of what?"

Su Xuanchen glanced at her, his tone indifferent.

"Quasi-Emperor?"

"I've killed the Divine Thoughts of at least eight, if not ten, Quasi-Emperors."

"If his father dares to come, I'll send them to reunite."

Arrogant!

Boundlessly arrogant!

But looking at the blood-dripping Emperor Jar Lid in his hand, no one thought he was joking.

"Alright, enough nonsense."

Su Xuanchen turned and looked toward the boiling Blood Pool deep within the Imperial Palace.

"The main business is important."

"This Demon Emperor Blood Pool has been sitting here for so many years; if we don't use it soon, it'll go bad."

...Deep within the Imperial Palace, by the Blood Pool.

Dense Life Essence Qi transformed into a red haze, enveloping the entire plaza, making it seem dreamlike and illusory.

Su Xuanchen stood by the Blood Pool, forming hand seals with both hands.

"Rise!"

Dozens of Formation Flags flew out and vanished into the Void Realm.

"Buzz!"

A Great Formation that isolated Heavenly Secrets and sealed off auras instantly took shape.

Having finished all this, he turned around and looked at the two women behind him.

"Undress."

Those two simple words caused the air to freeze.

Yan Ruyu's cheeks flushed crimson. She subconsciously covered her chest, looking at Su Xuanchen in disbelief.

"Here?!"

There are outsiders present!

And those old women are standing guard outside the formation!

How can this man be so shameless?!

"Or else?"

Su Xuanchen pointed at the Blood Pool as if it were the most natural thing.

"Bathing with clothes on? Do you think this is a hot spring?"

"This Blood Pool is formed from Demon Emperor Essence Blood, which is incredibly potent. Clothes will obstruct the absorption of Essence Qi, or even be incinerated, harming the Physical Body instead."

"But..."

Yan Ruyu was still hesitating.

Beside her, the rustling sound of fabric rubbing together began.

"Husband is right."

Gu Lingshuang's expression was calm, and her movements were smooth and natural.

Untying the belt, shedding the robe.

Her tight-fitting attire slipped off, revealing snow-white silk undergarments, and then, the last line of defense fell to the ground.

Splash.

A perfect, delicate body, enough to cause a Saint's Dao Heart to collapse, was displayed completely in the open air.

Her skin surpassed snow, and her curves were exquisite.

Especially those long, slender, straight legs, which shone with an ivory luster under the reflection of the blood-light.

Gu Lingshuang showed no trace of shyness.

She was an Empress.

In her eyes, this body was a weapon, and also capital used to please her beloved.

"Plop."

She stepped into the Blood Pool. The red pool water covered her chest, revealing only her delicate collarbones and smooth, fragrant shoulders.

She turned her head and gave Yan Ruyu a challenging look.

"What's wrong? Does younger sister still need someone to serve her?"

"Or are you... not confident in your figure?"

This look completely ignited Yan Ruyu's competitive spirit.

She was the Yao Race's foremost beauty!

In terms of figure or appearance, when had she ever lost?

"Who says I can't!"

Yan Ruyu grit her silver teeth and hardened her heart.

Her slender hand trembled slightly as she untied the sash around her waist.

The dark green palace dress slipped off.

Followed by her close-fitting undergarments.

A moment later.

A stunningly beautiful body, entirely different from Gu Lingshuang's, was revealed.

If Gu Lingshuang was the mature and coldly glamorous Iceberg Snow Lotus.

Then Yan Ruyu was the chaos green lotus, interwoven with wildness and vitality.

Her skin displayed a jade color, a manifestation of the Demon Emperor Bloodline's extreme purity.

Although her entire body was flushed with embarrassment, she still held her head high, stepping into the Blood Pool like a proud peacock.

Su Xuanchen stood on the bank, watching this scene.

He had to admit.

This sight truly tested a cadre's self-control.

"Hoo..."

He forcefully suppressed the restlessness in his heart.

"Time for business."

He sat down cross-legged and summoned the Broken Jar Lid.

"Go!"

The Emperor Jar hung suspended, letting down wisps of black light that covered the entire Blood Pool.

"Although the Demon Emperor Essence Blood is good, the Evil Qi is too heavy."

"I will refine the Impurities for you; all you need to do is absorb!"

Boom!

Spiritual Power erupted within Su Xuanchen's body, activating the Emperor Jar.

The Blood Pool boiled.

The originally violent blood rapidly became docile under the suppression of imperial might, transforming into extremely pure red energy that drilled into the bodies of the two women.

"Mmm..."

Gu Lingshuang let out a muffled groan, her delicate brows slightly furrowed.

Pain.

It was the agony of metamorphosis.

But she gritted her teeth and endured, frantically circulating her Cultivation Technique and devouring the power.

Her aura climbed steadily.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Yan Ruyu's situation was not right.

She belonged to the Yao Race and shared the same Origin as the Demon Emperor Essence Blood.

Her absorption speed was more than ten times faster than Gu Lingshuang's!

"Ah—!"

Yan Ruyu suddenly let out a sharp shriek.

Dense, cyan Demon Markings appeared on her originally jade-colored skin.

A Green Lotus Phantom appeared behind her, swaying wildly, nearly causing her Physical Body to burst.

"This is bad!"

Su Xuanchen's expression changed.

"Bloodline Regression to Ancestor! Energy overload!"

Yan Ruyu's Realm was too low; she couldn't possibly withstand such vast Emperor Blood Essence!

At this moment, Yan Ruyu's eyes were bloodshot, and her consciousness was blurred.

The Yao Power within her had completely run wild, turning her into a ticking time bomb.

"Hot... so hot..."

She unconsciously clawed at her long hair, thrashing in the Blood Pool, as fine blood streaks cracked open across her formerly perfect body.

"Save... save me..."

She looked at Su Xuanchen on the bank, her eyes filled with despair and pleading.

"Troublesome."

Su Xuanchen cursed softly.

Without any hesitation.

"Plop!"

He jumped straight into the Blood Pool and grabbed Yan Ruyu, who was on the verge of collapse.

She was burning hot to the touch.

Her skin felt scalding, like a red-hot branding iron.

"Stop moving!"

Su Xuanchen shouted in a low voice, forcefully restraining her flailing hands.

"Listen to me if you don't want to die!"

He kissed Yan Ruyu's red lips.

This action was purely to save her life.

The Dual Cultivation Secret Technique activated instantly.

Boom!

Both of their bodies shook simultaneously.

The violent, destructive Emperor Blood Energy within Yan Ruyu found an outlet, rushing wildly into Su Xuanchen's body.

Meanwhile, the Origin of the tempered Myriad Tribulations Indestructible Primordial Demon Body within Su Xuanchen transformed into supremely pure Yang Qi, feeding back into her.

Yin and Yang converged.

Perfectly blended.

"Mmm!"

Yan Ruyu's body tensed, then softened into a pool of spring water.

The pleasure of her Soul being torn apart and then reconstructed made her involuntarily let out heart-pounding moans.

Red waves surged in the Blood Pool.

Su Xuanchen guided the massive energy, forming a Heavenly Cycle circulation within their two bodies.

With every circulation, Yan Ruyu's Bloodline became purer.

The Green Lotus Phantom behind her also transformed from its initial violent state to become increasingly solid and divine.

Meanwhile, Su Xuanchen's aura was skyrocketing wildly.

The Bottleneck of the Great Sage Hegemon loosened!

...At the same time.

Outside the Kunxu Divine Domain, in the Endless Sea Region.

"Rumble—!"

Black giant waves surged toward the heavens, dyeing even the sky an inky black.

"Where do you think you're running!"

A tyrannical roar echoed throughout heaven and earth.

On the sea surface, a Thousand Zhang-long Deep Sea Demonic Whale was opening its massive bloody maw, chasing a silver streak of light ahead.

Inside that streak of light was a silver True Dragon whose scales were shattered and whose body was covered in blood.

The Saintess of the Sea God Palace.

"Damn it... these traitors..."

She had been fleeing for three days and three nights.

She had fled all the way from the Sea God Domain to this place.

Behind her was the pursuit of the three major Rebel Royal Clans of the Sea Race.

"The Kunxu Divine Domain is just ahead..."

She looked at the continent shrouded in mist ahead, a determined look flashing in her eyes.

That was the territory of the Human Race.

And her only path to survival.