There was no clash of auras, no collision of energy. Tie Xue, You Hun, and Shou Wu materialized simultaneously, facing off against Can Ye, who had come alone. They simply stared at each other across the void.
It wasn't that the three Great Emperors didn't want to kill Can Ye. The problem was that Can Ye was not easy to kill. Acting rashly would accomplish nothing and might even endanger the armies of the Star Realm stationed in the surrounding area.
The last time Tie Xue and You Hun had joined forces to pursue him, they had only managed to wound him. The Night Shadow Emperor, who carried the bloodline of the Shadow Demon, was unmatched in the world when it came to concealment and evasion. If he wanted to hide, no one could find a trace of him.
Tian Shu was already working in secret, and Hua Ying and Bing Yu were quietly assisting. The moment Tian Shu divined that single thread of heavenly providence, they could lock onto Can Ye's aura. When that happened, he would have nowhere in the sky to flee to and no door in the earth to escape through.
A long silence. The oppressive atmosphere hung like the darkness before a storm, pressing down on everyone's hearts until breathing felt difficult.
"So, are you male or female?" Mo Huang was the first to break the silence. This question had been gnawing at him for a long time, and he couldn't bear it any longer without asking directly.
Tie Xue and You Hun slowly turned their heads to look at him. Mo Huang shrugged. "Aren't you curious? I'm dying to know, at least."
Tie Xue and You Hun averted their gazes and looked back at Can Ye.
Can Ye didn't answer, as if the question hadn't been heard. Mo Huang felt a bit awkward and curled his lip.
"What brings you here?" Tie Xue asked. His voice was soft, yet steady and resonant. Hearing him speak, one might have thought it was nothing more than an old friend's pleasantry rather than a confrontation between mortal enemies.
Can Ye still didn't respond, standing rooted in place like a wooden post.
The three Great Emperors exchanged glances, instinctively sensing that something was wrong, but they were perfectly happy to stall for time. You Hun silently contacted Tian Shu's side, asking how much longer until Can Ye's aura could be fully locked down. The moment Tian Shu's work was done, they could strike without mercy and fight until one side was destroyed!
Tian Shu was clearly preoccupied and had no time to respond. Instead, his disciple Gao Zhan sent back a reply: one incense stick's time.
To lock onto a Great Emperor's aura through divination was no easy feat, even for Tian Shu himself—the Emperor who was said to know the past and perceive the future. What's more, this had come suddenly, and Tian Shu hadn't had time to prepare much. Whether the secret art would even succeed was uncertain.
You Hun received the reply and quietly sent a voice transmission to Tie Xue and Shou Wu. Upon hearing it, both of them silently clicked their tongues. One incense stick's time—wasn't long, but it depended on who they were trying to stall. Can Ye was a Great Emperor. Even with his presence revealed here, he was surely on his guard. Whether they could keep him talking for that long, no one was confident.
Still, the worst-case scenario was simply attacking all at once. With several Great Emperors joining forces, they wouldn't be at a disadvantage. However, if they spooked him into fleeing, any hope of finishing Can Ye off once and for all would be nothing but a pipe dream.
"Can you turn back?" Zhan Wuhen asked again, his expression earnest. "You were born in the Star Realm, raised in the Star Realm, and recognized by the heavens and earth of this realm to attain the status of Great Emperor. Why do you serve the Demon Race, slaughtering these billions of living beings?"
You Hun added, "If you turn back, all past deeds will be forgiven."
Shou Wu said, "But first you have to tell us whether you're male or female."
"Heh heh heh…" Beneath the night sky, a light laugh drifted over. Can Ye, who had not moved or made a sound since appearing, finally spoke. The tone was tinged with contempt, with disdain, with mockery, with ridicule.
The voice reached everyone's ears with perfect clarity, yet what was strange was that no one could determine Can Ye's gender from it. The voice wasn't unpleasant—on the contrary, it was quite pleasant to the ear. But based on that voice alone, calling him a man wouldn't be wrong, and calling her a woman would be just as valid…
No one had ever heard such a peculiar voice.
Yao Si already sensed that things were going badly. He quickly turned to Su Yan and said, "Message the Commander. Tell him the situation here."
Su Yan replied, "I've already sent word."
Yang Kai had instructed her beforehand that if anything major happened on this front, she was to notify him immediately. Can Ye's appearance on the battlefield was certainly major, so Su Yan had contacted Yang Kai the moment it occurred.
"What did the Commander say?" Yao Si pressed.
Su Yan shook her head. "No response. He's probably busy."
Yao Si frowned and didn't hesitate for even a moment. He issued his command: "All commanders, return to your respective camps immediately. Tally your troops and officers, stay on high alert, and be ready for anything."
The commanders, who had been enjoying the spectacle, acknowledged the order and hurried back to their camps.
A guard beside Yao Si swallowed nervously and asked, "Sir, do you think a fight is about to break out?"
Yao Si replied, "The Night Shadow has appeared. An opportunity like this won't come again—how could the Great Emperors pass it up?" He then shook his head. "But when the Great Emperors fight, we probably won't be able to intervene. All we can do is protect ourselves."
If the Great Emperors clashed, the shockwaves of their energy would wreak havoc—a scene of heaven shattering and earth splitting.
Over on Can Ye's side, the laughter had barely faded when a soft cry suddenly escaped the figure's lips: "Break!"
A pair of hands, previously hidden within the sleeves, shot out at lightning speed, forming a series of seals before the body. Emperor Yuan surged forth, and in the span of a single breath, the sky trembled and the earth shook. A deep hum echoed from every corner of the Star Realm. An abrupt change had erupted!
Zhan Wuhen had already made his move. He had been watching Can Ye's every action, and the instant Can Ye's voice rang out, he had stepped forward. Without any visible exertion, he had already closed the distance to Can Ye in a single stride, throwing out a light, seemingly effortless punch.