265: Chapter 265 Accountability

The clamor in the mountain hollow ceased abruptly. A pressure, a hundred times more intense than before, descended like a canopy, causing the very air to seem to solidify, pressing down on everyone until their chests felt stifled and their breathing stalled.

Everyone instinctively looked up to see a majestic figure slowly descending from above the clouds. Black demonic power, visible to the naked eye, swirled around him. With every step he took, the earth trembled slightly, as if speaking of boundless fury.

The Demon Emperor held the White Lion in his arms—it was none other than the Demon Emperor's son, who had been severely wounded earlier by the Hu Family in league with the Wu Family and the Zhao Family.

At this moment, the little White Lion's aura was still weak, but its bright eyes were locked onto the crowd below, filled with deep-seated hatred and grievances.

"Little White, look carefully," the Demon Emperor's voice, low as thunder, echoed throughout the entire valley. "Do not let a single one who laid a hand on you escape."

The little White Lion let out a whimper and turned its small head, its gaze sweeping across the crowd. Wherever its eyes passed, whether it was the Wu Family Disciples or the Li Family members, everyone trembled, their legs turning to jelly. Many collapsed directly to the ground, losing control of their bladders.

The first to be targeted by the little White Lion was a middle-aged Martial Artist from the Wu Family. A few days ago, it was he who had commanded the Wu Family Disciples to form a fifth-tier defensive array, blocking it time and again.

Even when it had finally found a chance to escape, he had ruined it.

Locked in the gaze of those resentful eyes, the Wu Family Martial Artist turned ashen, pleading repeatedly, "Demon Emperor, please spare my life! I truly did not know the Lion King was your child at the time. If I had known, even if I were given the courage of a bear and a leopard, I would never have dared to lay a hand on it!"

The Demon Emperor snorted coldly, giving him no chance to argue. With a wave of his hand, a condensed streak of demonic power tore through the air, instantly piercing the Martial Artist's chest.

Blood splattered, and the Martial Artist didn't even have time to scream before he was reduced to a puddle of gore, dead beyond any doubt.

"And him!" The little White Lion's voice was childish yet carried unquestionable killing intent as its gaze pointed toward another Core Disciple in the Wu Family group.

The Demon Emperor did not pause in the slightest, unleashing another bolt of demonic power. Screams rose one after another as the Wu Family Disciples fell like wheat being harvested. In just a few short moments, the Wu Family group, which had originally numbered over thirty, was reduced to just a few survivors.

Wu Muchuan's face was deathly pale. His Martial King-level spiritual power could not circulate properly under the Demon Emperor's pressure, so he could only watch helplessly as his clansmen were slaughtered.

Following that, the little White Lion's gaze turned toward the Li Family.

Li Xiuyan stood at the very front of the group, forcing himself to remain calm, but his tightly clenched fists and the cold sweat on his forehead betrayed his fear.

"Demon Emperor, this matter has nothing to do with my Li Family!" Li Xiuyan pleaded. "We had already withdrawn halfway through and did not truly harm your son!"

"Withdrawn?" The Demon Emperor's eyes were cold. "That sword scar on my son's backside was caused by your Li Family's Psychic Sword. How dare you quibble?"

Before he finished speaking, the Demon Emperor's figure flashed, instantly appearing within the Li Family group. With a grab of his large hand, he crushed the bones of several Li Family Disciples, killing them on the spot.

"Father..." The White Lion blushed in embarrassment. Revenge was one thing, but why bring up the matter of its backside?

Seeing this, Li Xiuyan knew that begging for mercy was useless. He immediately mobilized all his spiritual power, attempting to break through, but was casually slapped away by the Demon Emperor. He was embedded into the mountain wall, spitting blood and looking utterly wretched.

The Zhao Family members watched with palpitating hearts. Zhao Zuoyang gripped the longsword at his waist, his palms slick with sweat.

He knew that although the Zhao Family had secretly helped the little White Lion, they had, after all, participated in the hunt from the beginning. If the little White Lion held a grudge, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Sure enough, the little White Lion's gaze finally landed on the Zhao Family group. Its small head tilted slightly, as if it were recalling something.

The Demon Emperor's gaze followed. Zhao Zuoyang felt a chill shoot from the soles of his feet straight to his scalp, his entire body stiffening.

"The Zhao Family..., hmph." The Demon Emperor spoke slowly, the undertone of death in his voice echoing throughout the sky. "You also participated in the hunt for my son. Shouldn't you give this Emperor an explanation?"

Seeing that the Demon Emperor was about to strike at the Zhao Family, the little White Lion immediately sent a secret mental message to the Demon Emperor, explaining the kindness shown by Ye Yisong and the Zhao Family.

Zhao Zuoyang's heart sank, and just as he was about to speak in his defense, he heard the Demon Emperor's secret mental message: "Little White told me that during its moment of peril, it was you who secretly helped it escape. This Emperor is clear about gratitude and grudges; I do not kill the innocent indiscriminately, but I cannot let you be treated too specially either."

"In consideration of the fact that you still know reverence, I will not take your lives, but you must take a palm strike from me to serve as punishment." As the Demon Emperor spoke, he raised his palm, gathering a not-too-strong ball of demonic power in his palm, and struck the center of the Zhao Family group.

Ye Yisong's heart skipped a beat, and a strong sense of crisis surged into his mind. He knew that the Demon Emperor was doing this as a show for the others, to avoid the Zhao Family being targeted by various factions in the future.

But it was too unlucky for him. Among the dozen or so people covered by the Demon Emperor's casual palm strike, he was included. For Ye Yisong, this strike was enough to leave him critically injured and near death.

Zhao Zuoyang's expression changed drastically. He wanted to block the descending palm, but was stopped by a single look from the Demon Emperor. The pressure in that gaze made him completely unable to move.

It was not just Zhao Zuoyang; everyone in the Zhao Family group was unable to move under the Demon Emperor's pressure.

Ye Yisong closed his eyes and sighed inwardly; it seemed this calamity was ultimately unavoidable.

Just as Ye Yisong gave up struggling, an extremely faint and imperceptible strange energy suddenly erupted within his body. It was the 798 Navigation System's self-protection mechanism being triggered.

The System panel flashed rapidly in Ye Yisong's Sea of Consciousness: "Detected that the host is encountering a mortal situation. Emergency avoidance mechanism initiated. Preparing to take over the body..."

However, at the very moment the System was about to completely take over, it paused, and then displayed: "Danger cleared. Emergency mechanism paused. Entering dormant state."

Ye Yisong's face turned pale. Damn 798 Navigation System, it had to pop up at this time! If he escaped from the Demon Emperor's hands in front of these hundreds of people, he would be finished!

After getting out, no Family would let him go. What awaited him would likely be nothing but being sliced up for research.

Huh? Why did it suddenly stop?

It turned out that just as the Demon Emperor's palm was about to strike Ye Yisong, a faint mental message suddenly rang out in his mind: "Father, show mercy! That is Ye Yisong!"

It was the little White Lion's voice! It caused the Demon Emperor's palm to pause, a flash of surprise appearing in his eyes, followed by realization.

But he had already made his move; if he stopped halfway, it would inevitably arouse suspicion.

At that moment, he slightly withdrew five parts of his strength, but his palm still struck toward the Zhao Family group.