The myriad worlds held no shortage of wonders. There were always inconceivable things in existence that defied all understanding.
Yang Kai's gaze shifted slightly as he pointed at another Demon Saint and asked, "And this one?"
Even though they were only observing the situation through a mirror-type treasure, this particular Demon Saint was by far the most conspicuous presence. It wasn't that his appearance was unusual in any way—it was more of a feeling, a sense that could not be ignored. The moment Yang Kai laid eyes on him, he could tell this fellow was not to be trifled with.
Bo Ya's expression turned solemn as well. She studied the figure carefully before speaking. "If I'm not mistaken, this should be the First Demon Saint—Lord Huang Wuji."
"The First Demon Saint?" Yang Kai said in surprise. "The Twelve Demon Saints actually have a ranked hierarchy?"
He had been in the Demon Realm for quite some time now and had never once heard of such a thing. He wondered where Yu Rumeng fell in the rankings, and where Bei Limo placed.
Bo Ya let out a soft laugh and shook her head. "The other Demon Saints don't have formal rankings, but Lord Huang Wuji is universally acknowledged as the First Demon Saint!"
"He's the strongest?" Yang Kai asked gravely.
"He is also the most senior among the Demon Saints," Bo Ya replied with a slight nod.
Yang Kai studied the figure intently, committing his features to memory, then asked, "What race of demon is he?"
"A Force Demon!"
Yang Kai silently gritted his teeth. Force Demons were inherently renowned for their physical strength, and to be both the most powerful and the most senior—his strength had likely reached a nearly inconceivable level. Back in the Star Boundary, it was hard to imagine who could stand against him.
Under Bo Ya's continued guidance, Yang Kai identified each of the Demon Saints one by one. In truth, Bo Ya had never met these Demon Saints in person either, but their racial features were far too distinctive. The names of the great Demon Saints were widely known throughout the Demon Realm, so all she had to do was match their characteristics to the correct identity.
The Flame Demon Chi Yan. The Wing Demon Fu Yu. The Stone Demon Mo Kan. The Shadow Demon Wu Hua. The Corpse Demon Zu Liao. The Bone Demon Ge Meng. The Sand Demon You Qiu...
And adding the Succubus Yu Rumeng, the Snow Demon Bei Limo, the Red Demon Huo Bu, the Blood Demon Xue Li, and the Force Demon Huang Wuji—these were the Twelve Demon Saints who stood at the absolute pinnacle of the Demon Realm. Not a single one was missing; they were all here. And the races behind these twelve Demon Saints, with the sole exception of the Fire Demons, were the most powerful clans in the entire Demon Realm.
Yang Kai held his breath as he stared at the scene within the mirror.
It was the calm before a storm. At a battlefield some unknowable distance away, Ming Yue stood alone, facing the twelve Demon Saints—some visible, some hidden. His expression was placid, unaffected by any wind. The Demon Saints, for their part, showed no intention of striking first. Though they held an overwhelming numerical advantage and were confident they could keep Ming Yue here forever, a cornered Ming Yue fighting with his life on the line could still grievously wound one or two of them. If they were careless, he might even drag someone down with him in mutual destruction.
And so, despite their favorable position, not one of the Demon Saints made the first move. Besides, their plan was never to slay Ming Yue here outright. Their goal was to drain his strength as much as possible, creating an opportunity for the Half-Saints to finish him off afterward.
Between heaven and earth, all was silent. Even breathing was imperceptible.
This standoff lasted for days on end. The Great Emperor and the Demon Saints stood frozen like an eternal painting set against the sky and earth, utterly still, until Yang Kai's anxiety nearly drove him mad.
Even from outside the battlefield, Yang Kai understood—the longer this dragged on, the slimmer Ming Yue's chances of escape became. Though the standoff had lasted several days, Ming Yue had gained no recovery at all during that time. The auras of all twelve Demon Saints were locked firmly onto him. The slightest opening would bring a torrential onslaught crashing down. He had to maintain absolute concentration at every moment just to endure this predicament. Under such circumstances, his physical and spiritual energy were being drained ceaselessly—how could he possibly recover?
Even Yang Kai, a mere observer, understood something so self-evident. How could Ming Yue, at the very eye of the storm, not see it as well? To break free, Ming Yue would have to take a desperate gamble for even a sliver of a chance. If the standoff continued as it was, his situation would only grow more dire.
Then, in a single moment, Ming Yue moved. He slowly raised one hand, holding his palm upright before his chest, and formed a seal. A gentle luminescence immediately enveloped his body.
The instant he made his move, all the Demon Saints reacted simultaneously, demonic energy surging skyward from within each of them.
Within the mirror's surface, Xue Li's form flickered, transforming into a streak of blood-colored light that shot toward Ming Yue. The crimson flash arrived in the blink of an eye and abruptly unfurled into what appeared to be a blood-red net capable of corroding all things, descending over Ming Yue's head.
Ming Yue's other hand grasped at the empty air, and a long sword seemingly condensed from moonlight materialized in his palm. Without even glancing, he swept the blade in a single arc.
The blood net split in two and whizzed past him on either side, reforming behind him into the figure of Xue Li, who opened his mouth and spat a plume of blood mist.
Ming Yue had no attention to spare. Behind him, a full moon suddenly appeared, suspended above his head. Moonlight bathed the surroundings, and the blood mist evaporated in an instant. At the same time, his sword danced like a coiling dragon as the moonlight blade shattered into a rain of swords that formed a defensive curtain before him.
Several crimson spheres were already hurtling toward him—Huo Bu had launched a sneak attack while Xue Li kept him occupied. Yang Kai could see it clearly: each of those scarlet spheres was fired by Huo Bu from afar, their speed absolutely terrifying.