"Sister-in-law, do not trust these bald frauds; they are merely trying to deceive you to take the Spring and Autumn Chariot from your hands."
"Let me, Zhu Xun, handle this. Although I am only at the Cavernous Mystery level, I have a mentor in the Ultimate Happiness Realm behind me, possessing the strength to protect you as we make our way back to the Southern lands."
"The Fumin Province might be small, yet it also provides a foothold."
"Do not worry, sister-in-law. Zhu Xun inherits my elder brother's last wishes, and I would give up my life if necessary to ensure your safety."
As these words spilled from Zhu Xun's mouth,
the Little Leiyin Temple fell instantly silent.
Could such brazen and shameless people truly exist in this world?
This was the thought at the bottom of everyone's heart, including Tao Qian's.
Of course, in terms of relationships, Zhu Xun wasn't lying.
In terms of age, Yuan Mingzhen was only in her twenties, and Zhu Xun was old enough to be her great-grandfather.
However, in terms of seniority, Yuan Mingzhen was the Primordial Consort accepted by the "Emperor" just before his demise. All eyes watched as she entered the palace in the Phoenix Chariot. Even though the Emperor passed away before laying a finger on Yuan Mingzhen, she was nominally the heir to the Zhu Dynasty.
Zhu Xun was a prince from the previous generation, the Emperor's own brother, so calling her 'Imperial Sister-in-law' was not wrong.
But nobody was a fool, nor a naive child.
Who would not discern the subtext in Zhu Xun's words: follow me, sister-in-law, and I will take care of you in place of my brother.
Everyone could hear it, and so did Yuan Mingzhen.
Zhu Xun thought that the Devil Concubine, in a matter of life and death, would most likely capitulate to him.
To demonstrate his own strength and to some extent show off to the many warlords present... more precisely, to show his abilities to the hosts, the Three Arhats of the Demon Buddha Temple.
After Zhu Xun finished speaking, he suddenly began casting Sublime Dharma.
Behind him erupted mighty Source Qi, revealing a shattered Secret Realm resembling a "dark Demon Cave," and within it, six massive, Heavenly Pillar-like pillars of red Divine Qi Origin Light soared into the sky.
Merely glancing at the origins of that Divine Qi, the bystanders felt numerous mutations arising within their bodies.
Cries of alarm and lamentation were incessant.
Even the Three Arhats could not help but turn to look.
Kongchan Arhat narrowed his eyes as if he recognized the roots of those six pillars of Divine Qi, and spoke with some surprise,
"I had not expected you to still be alive."
The terrifying Non-human Clan shadow, wriggling in the depths of the Demon Cave Secret Realm, did not respond to Kongchan.
He merely snorted, and the phantom image of the Secret Realm shattered and dissipated.
Nevertheless, everyone realized that Zhu Xun indeed had a formidable backing.
In an instant, the various warlords and strong people began searching their memories for elderly strong people connected to the words "Six Yang."
Among the guests, there were disciples from the Ting Di Sect and the Ten Thousand Miles Sect.
Not long after, a disciple from one of the sects mentioned, "Hundreds of years ago, the Lou Guandao produced a Talent named [Six Yang True Monarch], who disappeared while transcending the Daoist Transformation Tribulation. Could this be him...?"
Almost simultaneously, a voice transmission from Master Yuan reached Tao Qian's mind.
"It's that old scoundrel Six Yang!"
"In his early years, he was sent by the Taishang Demon Sect as an undercover Demon Child to steal teachings from Lou Guandao, only to betray them later, believing the Taishang Demon Sect had no future, and truly joined Lou Guandao."
"His talent was incredibly high, practicing Dual Cultivation of Dao and Demon, entering the Perfect Realm of Ultimate Happiness at an astonishingly fast rate."
"Nevertheless, we all agreed that with his nature, he would definitely not overcome the Daoist Transformation Tribulation, and indeed, during his tribulation, he was covertly attacked by an Elder of the Taishang Demon Sect and utterly failed."
"Looking at him now, it seems he's had the fortune to stumble upon a Secret Realm to cling to life desperately, choosing that Heavenly Eunuch boy, probably hoping to absorb some of the Dynasty's Fortune to heal his injuries."
Master Yuan explained up to this point.
Then, as if remembering something, he scoffed, "If it were in the past, this approach might have worked, but this old thing didn't foresee that times have changed. The Longevity Heavenly Dynasty has been so fractured by your actions that the Imperial regime has been completely abolished. There's no Dynasty's Fortune to speak of; he can't even find a warm pile of excrement to consume."
Hearing this, Tao Qian's mind responded, "... Master Yuan, although your praise is welcome, it should not be worded like that."
No matter who explained it,
Tao Qian and the warlords now understood why Zhu Xun, the Zhu Dynasty's prince and true inheritor of Lou Guandao, chose to betray Lou Guandao.
It turned out to be a lingering connection: treasonous on the surface, yet he found a Lou Guandao senior who had Mutated and Fallen into practice Dual Cultivation of Dao and Demon.
Having shown his hand and strength, Zhu Xun believed the timing was perfect.
"Yuan Mingzhen had been trapped in the Han Mountain Temple, and now there was an addition of a group of dead baldies from the Free Temple. If she spends more time with them, whether by deceit or coercion, they might convert Yuan Mingzhen."
"Today is the first day she has appeared in public. As long as she agrees verbally, those hypocritical baldies have no reason to stop her, and Six Yang True Monarch would certainly make the Three Arhats of the Demon Buddha Temple give some face and not interfere."
"Going with the flow, to gather her into my fold, how wonderful that would be."
As Zhu Xun was thinking this way,
a scoff suddenly resounded through the area.
Everyone turned to Yuan Mingzhen, only to see the Devil Concubine not even glancing at Zhu Xun, taking the reins to return to the Han Mountain Temple. Before leaving, she let out a statement that shocked the entire Little Leiyin Temple.
"Hmph, I've heard you're a Heavenly Eunuch who, to compensate for an Innate defect, sought out a technique called [Nine Yang Replenishing Body Technique], and in the span of nine hours voraciously consumed nine thousand phalluses from various Life beings, including members of the Human Clan... Were it only that, it would be one thing, but due to your Innate deficiency causing a broken Mental State, you grew twisted and cruel, with a penchant for tormenting women."
"Even if I, Yuan Mingzhen, were to perish, I would not wish to have any entanglement with someone like you."
"Also, allow me to tell you another thing: your name is not on the Zhu family's bloodline register."