In the grand hall, Yang Kai wore a faint, easy smile, while the Demon Sovereign Chang Yuan appeared perfectly composed.
Behind him, however, Xue Li and Meng Ge stood with eyes bulging and bodies trembling slightly, their expressions one of utter disbelief.
The Demon Sovereign was actually ordering them to apologize to this detestable human?
They could scarcely believe their ears, staring blankly at Chang Yuan, wanting desperately to confirm what they'd heard but not daring to ask.
Chang Yuan let out a soft hum, displeased. "What? Are the two of you deaf or mute? Didn't you hear what I said? Shall I apologize on your behalf?"
"We wouldn't dare!" Meng Ge and Xue Li flinched, sensing the fury radiating from Chang Yuan. No longer daring to hesitate, they hastily clasped their fists and said through gritted teeth, "We have caused great offense recently—please forgive us, Holy Lord Yang!"
They looked as though they'd suffered the deepest humiliation. Though they were apologizing to Yang Kai solely under Chang Yuan's coercion, anyone could tell that given the slightest chance, they would absolutely wash away this shame.
Chang Yuan's forceful pressure had done nothing to resolve the enmity between the two sides—on the contrary, it had only deepened their hatred and fury toward Yang Kai.
Yang Kai remained indifferent, offering no reaction.
Chang Yuan burst into hearty laughter, looking quite pleased. "That's the way it should be. When you've done something wrong, an apology is only natural. There now—let's all stop bearing grudges against one another. I'd like to be friends with Holy Lord Yang."
"Well, I don't want to," Yang Kai said with a low chuckle.
Chang Yuan's expression soured. "You won't even give me this small courtesy? Surely Holy Lord Yang isn't that heartless."
The two went back and forth, and though no blades or bloodshed were visible in their words, everyone standing behind them trembled with fear, terrified that a single wrong word might provoke a real fight.
Yet both men wore pleasant, warm expressions with ceaseless smiles, making the atmosphere appear perfectly cordial.
Meng Ge and Xue Li felt as though their insides were being churned—bitterness rising in their throats.
Last time, Xue Li had intruded into human territory without permission and been injured by Chu Lingxiao. She had hurriedly returned to the Demon Territory and told no one about what had happened.
A month and a half ago, she and Meng Ge had encountered Yang Kai by chance and fought a fierce battle, then hastily retreated.
She had wanted to keep this matter hidden as well, but Meng Ge was different from her—he was loyal to the Demon Sovereign. After returning to the Demon Territory, he had reported everything that transpired. When the Demon Sovereign Chang Yuan heard the news, he immediately set out from the Demon Capital, heading here to meet this Holy Lord Yang.
Things having reached this point, Xue Li had no choice but to lead the way alongside Meng Ge.
They had assumed the Demon Sovereign was coming to restore their honor and exact revenge, and their secret anticipation had been wild. On the journey here, they had constantly fantasized about what torments they would inflict on that human brat if he fell into their hands, to vent the hatred burning in their hearts.
Yet they never expected the Demon Sovereign to adopt this sort of attitude upon meeting that stinking human brat.
The bitterness in the two demon generals' hearts was worse than the bitterest herb.
"Chang Yuan, enough with the talk. Why don't you tell me what you really want?" Yang Kai said with a faint smile, voicing the question in his heart.
Playing guessing games with a powerhouse of this caliber would only put himself at a disadvantage. Yang Kai decided to cut straight to the chase.
Chang Yuan sighed, making no effort to conceal his intentions. "It seems Holy Lord Yang has already guessed that I came here for other purposes. Yes—my main purpose this time is to confirm something."
"Confirm what?" Yang Kai narrowed his eyes and looked at him.
Chang Yuan smiled and said, "I want to know whether Holy Lord Yang is… the successor of the Great Demon God!"
At these words, everyone froze. Li Rong and Han Fei's eyes turned ice-cold, their auras surging sharply toward Chang Yuan.
Meng Ge and Xue Li's jaws dropped open in utter horror.
The three words "Great Demon God" held unparalleled impact for anyone of the demon race.
"Holy Lord Yang need not deny it." Before Yang Kai could speak, Chang Yuan raised his hand, cutting him off. "Originally, I only had my suspicions—that's why I rushed here to confirm. After all, if you had left this place and returned to the Nine Heavens Holy Land, even I wouldn't dare trespass into human territory. But now it seems Holy Lord Yang truly is his successor. Yes, without a doubt."
His expression and tone were utterly certain. Yang Kai neither confirmed nor denied it, curling his lip. "What makes you so sure?"
"Because of the loyalty these two wives show you!" Chang Yuan turned his gaze toward Li Rong and Han Fei, and a trace of envy actually surfaced in his eyes. He said in a low, distant voice, "In my possession are many treasured texts recording content unknown to anyone else. Among them is a record of the lineage that once served the Great Demon God."
"They called themselves the Ancient Demon Clan—the trusted confidants of the Great Demon God. They swore that for ten thousand generations, their descendants would serve and remain loyal to the Great Demon God alone. Unfortunately, before the Demon God perished, they vanished without a trace. No one knows where they went. The common belief is that they were wiped out—because they wielded power far too great, and the Demon God feared that after his fall, no one would be able to restrain them. So he personally destroyed the entire race."