After more than half a day like this, Yang Kai really couldn't hold back anymore.
His trip to the Demon Realm had another purpose beyond what it seemed. Yu Rumeng only believed that he had been driven to desperation in the Star Realm and, in a fit of anger, defected to the demon race. She had no idea about his true objective, and even less knowledge that he had already transferred the Heart Seal Secret Art to the Warming Divine Lotus. The secret art she had painstakingly planted at the cost of sacrificing herself had very little binding effect on Yang Kai — it was far more effective at tying her down than anything else.
He had to seize this opportunity to gather some intelligence.
And so, Yang Kai dropped his pretense of being upset with Yu Rumeng and struck up a casual conversation with her.
As the atmosphere gradually warmed, Yang Kai judged the timing to be about right before asking with studied nonchalance, "By the way, Rumeng, how many Demon Saints are there in the Demon Realm?"
This was absolutely intelligence that even the Great Emperors couldn't ascertain. If he could get a clear picture, it would be immensely helpful for the future. To know your enemy and know yourself — that was the path to never being imperiled in a hundred battles.
"There are a total of twelve Demon Saints in the Demon Realm." Yu Rumeng didn't suspect anything. Besides, this wasn't exactly a secret — now that Yang Kai had come to the Demon Realm, he could learn as much from anyone. "Each Demon Saint commands a varying number of Demi-Saints and presides over a varying number of fragment continents."
"Twelve!" Yang Kai let out a low whistle. "That's two more than the Star Realm."
Yu Rumeng smiled faintly. "It's thirteen now, actually. The Star Realm only has nine!"
"That's true enough." Yang Kai nodded. The Night Shadow Great Emperor had defected to the enemy, and with that one swing, the Star Realm had lost four fewer powerhouses of Great Emperor level compared to the Demon Realm. That was before even counting the imprisoned Great Emperor Mingyue — and if you factored in the Great Emperor whose fate remained unknown, the Star Realm's high-end combat strength was even thinner.
The concept of the Bottle of Heaven and Earth should apply in the Demon Realm as well. The reason the Demon Realm had more Demon Saints than the Star Realm had Great Emperors, Yang Kai estimated, was that the Demon Realm's "bottle" had a larger capacity than the Star Realm's — which was why twelve Demon Saints could exist.
The situation in the Star Realm was far from optimistic. A quiet unease stirred in Yang Kai's heart. These twelve Demon Saints alone were already a formidable threat. If they all surged into the Star Realm together, the devastation would be unimaginable — the entire Star Realm might very well shatter to pieces.
"Are the Demon Saints the most powerful beings in the Demon Realm?" Yang Kai pressed further. "I seem to recall someone mentioning that there's a Great Demon God in the Demon Realm?"
In a flash, Yu Rumeng's figure came to an abrupt halt.
Yang Kai hadn't anticipated it and shot forward a considerable distance before doubling back, asking in bewilderment, "What's wrong?"
Yu Rumeng's expression was grave as she fixed her gaze on him. "Where did you hear that?"
Yang Kai shrugged. "I've forgotten. Someone mentioned it to me offhandedly, or maybe I read it in some old text." Yu Rumeng's reaction told him something was off — she looked genuinely tense and uneasy.
After a moment of deliberation, Yu Rumeng said, "Never mention those words again." She didn't specify which words, but Yang Kai wasn't a fool — he knew exactly what she meant.
"Why?" Yang Kai frowned.
"Listen to me!" Yu Rumeng's tone was deadly serious. "Absolutely, under no circumstances, mention them ever again. Otherwise, if something happens to you, even I won't be able to protect you."
That serious? Yang Kai felt a chill run through him. Yu Rumeng was already a Demon Saint, and even she couldn't guarantee his safety? If that was the case, then this Great Demon God truly existed — and existed at a level above even the Demon Saints?
Back during his decades of trials within the Thousand Illusion Dream Realm, in the final battle, the Evergreen Divine Tree had sacrificed itself, using its very essence to seal the passage between the two worlds. From the other side of that passage, a colossal hand had descended, blotting out the sky. Even separated by the barrier between planes, the power that hand had exerted was beyond comprehension — it had nearly caused the Evergreen's efforts to fail.
That was power that transcended the Demon Saints. In the Demon Realm, they called it the Great Demon God.
Everything in the Thousand Illusion Dream Realm had been shaped from events that had actually occurred in reality. In other words, somewhere in the long river of history, a Great Demon God had indeed appeared. But now Yu Rumeng was solemnly warning him not to even speak those words, which left Yang Kai somewhat perplexed.
He didn't know what the three words "Great Demon God" signified in the Demon Realm, but he could sense the weight they carried in this world.
"I understand," Yang Kai said with a solemn nod. "I'll never mention it again."
Yu Rumeng visibly relaxed. "That's good."
Yang Kai then asked, "What about Great Emperor Mingyue? I heard he might have been trapped somewhere in the Demon Realm. What's his situation now?"
"Why are you asking about that?" Yu Rumeng furrowed her brow slightly.