Chapter 341: Your Name

Oh, that's not right.

Ren Yidao thought for a moment and realized the situation was a bit off.

Oh!

I am the one who came here.

Then it's fine.

"What did Your Majesty mean by that just now?"

Ren Yidao smiled and naturally lifted his legs to walk into the palace.

Clang.

The palace doors behind him closed automatically, directly sealing off the path Ren Yidao could use to escape.

But Ren Yidao was unhurried, not even paying it any mind.

Run?

Can I run away?

What difference does it make whether this door exists or not?

The moment he saw the other party, Ren Yidao had already silently extinguished the thought of running away.

Brother, there is no running.

An Asking Dao Great Demon.

Far more powerful than his own Sect Leader, and far stronger than the old East Sea Dragon King he had seen from afar.

And it is very likely an Ask Dao Peak Great Demon, one of the truly most peak-level figures in the world.

The status of the master of the Demon Race, the bloodline suppression of the Demon God, the strength of the Ask Dao Peak.

These three points—even if Ren Yidao could ignore the first two, he could never get around that last, most important point.

Run?

Run where?

Outside of Shenzhou, where can I run?

Seriously, don't joke around.

"Heh."

Ren Yidao shook his head and chuckled, not a hint of timidity or panic visible on him.

Since he couldn't run, he could only find another way.

Moreover, since Ren Yidao had taken the initiative to come to the Demon Emperor Palace, he had naturally long since prepared himself to face the Demon Emperor directly.

He was 99 percent certain.

The other party is bluffing!

Huhu is pure-blooded and authentic, a genuine pure-blooded member of the Demon Race.

There isn't a single drop of human blood flowing in my veins, and not a bit of humanity on my body.

Who can say I am human?

Huhu, I am really not human at all.

Ren Yidao strolled to the foot of the steps and looked up at the woman with a lazy posture on the phoenix bed above, asking with a relaxed smile:

"I don't understand."

"Just now, why did Your Majesty say I was a spy sent by the Human Race?"

Even while being stared at by those majestic, beautiful eyes above, he showed no signs of panic, one arm behind his back, speaking eloquently:

"Could it be that I have done something previously that would make Your Majesty loathe me? To make you so suspicious?"

The woman was indifferent and did not respond.

But as she watched Ren Yidao's relaxed and composed appearance, a trace of doubt flashed deep in her eyes.

Could it be that I guessed wrong?

Ren Yidao stared openly and honestly into the Demon Emperor's fiery, bright eyes, his burning gaze not shifting in the slightest:

"Even if Your Majesty wishes to convict me, could you tell me the reason for it? So that I may die with understanding?"

Whether moved by Ren Yidao's attitude or wanting to verify something, the woman lying on her side above finally spoke slowly:

"You truly do not know?"

Good!

The moment the Demon Emperor spoke, the pressure in Ren Yidao's heart vanished, and he silently breathed a sigh of relief.

Communication is possible, very good.

When your own fist isn't as big as someone else's, the thing you fear most is that kind of big brother who won't listen to a word you say and starts fighting at the slightest disagreement.

That kind is truly terrifying.

When a scholar meets a soldier, reason cannot be explained.

And as long as a conversation can begin, it already means the other party at least won't suppress you with force right from the start, and there is still room for maneuver.

Feeling a little more settled, Ren Yidao shook his head and said earnestly:

"I do not know, I ask that you please clear up my confusion."

On this point, Ren Yidao truly could not figure it out.

Strange, where exactly did I expose myself?

Could it be that there is a traitor among us?

Cang Lan? Yao Yue? Or that Gui Yan?

Who exactly betrayed me?

But the Demon Emperor's next words made Ren Yidao's brows twitch slightly.

"Do you know who I am?"

The woman lay on her side in a languid manner, with no intention of looking directly at Ren Yidao.

She was an empress; even when explaining, she had to do it in her own way.

Ren Yidao thought for a moment and replied tentatively:

"I am but a rustic villager, unaware of Your Majesty's name, nor do I understand the might of the Demon Race."

This was actually the truth; he truly knew nothing.

It could even be said that the Human Race of Shenzhou today did not truly understand the Demon Race.

The reason behind this was also very simple.

Time.

For two races whose lifespans were not consistent, the scale by which they viewed time was different.

Three thousand years.

This period of time was long enough for the Demon Race, yet it had only seen three or four generations pass; they still remembered that decisive battle, remembered their former glory, and remembered the humiliation they had suffered over these years.

For the Demon Race, the hatred remained, the wounds had not yet healed, and they were ready at any moment to slaughter their way back into Shenzhou to reclaim everything that belonged to them.

But for the Human Race, this span of time could no longer be described as merely long.

What was the concept of three thousand years?

With twenty years to a generation, it was enough for one hundred and fifty generations to pass.

Even at thirty years to a generation, when converted, that was a full one hundred generations!

After a hundred generations had passed, who still remembered the years of old?

Even cultivators who possessed long lives found it difficult to resist the erosion of time.

Hatred?

As the victors, the Human Race had all but forgotten that hatred entirely.

Fortunately, the history of the Human Race had not been severed, and the circumstances of that time were still recorded in the classics passed down through the generations.

The Human Race had not completely forgotten the Demon Race; they still remembered the ancestral teachings of antiquity and viewed the Demon Race as a great enemy.

The folk customs remained simple, and they still viewed the Demon Race as a danger.

However, when the Earthly Realm had enjoyed peace for too long and had not suffered the scourge of demons for many years, this caution eventually changed.

For the Human Race of today, they had not experienced the demon scourge that left ten thousand miles devoid of human life, nor had they experienced the fear of trembling while being hunted by the Demon Race.

To them, lacking such experiences, the records in books were more like a series of strange stories.

Or even, illusory legends of unknown veracity.

It was truly hard to blame them for being forgetful.

Because what they saw were the repeated, miserable defeats of the wild Demon Race within Shenzhou, time and again being easily wiped out and turned into materials for cultivation.

This gave humans a misconception.

The Demon Race was nothing more than this.

Slowly, they stopped viewing the Demon Race as a true opponent.

Not only that, they slowly cast their greedy gazes upon their fellow men.

When there was no external pressure, internal strife became the thing the Human Race loved to do most.

Within the same One Divine Continent, there were sect disputes and enemies killing one another.

Between the two great Shenzhous, there were wars that toppled kingdoms, fighting to the death.

Why did the Kings of the Eastern Wasteland cast their gaze toward the neighboring Northern Qian Dynasty? Was it not because they were no longer satisfied with what they currently possessed and wanted to obtain more?

If the cake wasn't big enough, then make it bigger.

If it really couldn't be made bigger, then go snatch someone else's cake!

Since ancient times, it had always been this way, and it had never changed.

Ren Yidao did not want to question the rights and wrongs of this, nor did he want to be an awakening pioneer who stirred up the sense of crisis among the masses.

On either side, he could get along very well.

It was just that, when he arrived at Demon Emperor City and felt the hatred contained within their hearts, his mood became slightly heavy.

On one side, there was song and dance; on the other, they slept on their weapons, waiting for the dawn.

When the day the conflict truly erupted arrived, the situation might really not be very optimistic.

If it rises, the people suffer; if it falls, the people suffer.

When the day the demon scourge truly descended arrived, the most pitiful would still be the mortals without cultivation.

Sometimes, Ren Yidao wished, truly wished, that his heart could be a bit harder, that he could stop thinking about these extraneous things.

But unfortunately, after so many years, he still couldn't break his bad habit of sometimes being soft-hearted.

Even if this impulse had once caused him to be smashed to pieces by a stroke of great luck.

Was it worth it?

Perhaps, it was not worth it; he lost a life.

Perhaps, it was worth it; he came to this brand-new world.

As for the pros and cons, who could truly calculate them clearly?

Must one calculate it clearly?

Forget it, no more calculating.

The world is broken and tattered; someone must always be there to mend and patch it.

Although he spent most of his time causing destruction and looking for fun everywhere, this did not prevent him from occasionally having a brain spasm and starting to do some good deeds to help others.

When it comes down to it... Ren Yidao is someone who cultivates Merit.

These thoughts flashed through his mind, and no more than a breath after Ren Yidao answered, he heard the woman's voice, which carried a natural authority that brooked no anger:

"I am the current Demon Emperor of the Demon Race."

But that is not the point.

The real point is the next sentence, which truly made Ren Yidao's heart skip a beat.

"I am the sole surviving descendant of the Phoenix Demon God."

The Demon Emperor looked at the youth whose brows were twitching, a hint of a smile flashing in her eyes, and she asked:

"And now, tell me, who are you? To actually dare to impersonate the Phoenix Divine Son."

Speak, who exactly are you!!?

Ren Yidao blinked rapidly, for a moment actually not knowing what to say.

Oh my.

Isn't this awkward?

Li Gui has met Li Kui!

Regarding the Demon Emperor's bloodline, Ren Yidao actually had some guesses in his heart.

The fire and light he saw the moment they first met, plus the true appearance of the Demon Emperor City beneath his feet, all gave him reason to suspect.

But once she actually said it, Ren Yidao still couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion in his heart.

Ren Yidao took a deep breath and sighed with emotion:

"Finally, I've met you."

Hm?

The Demon Emperor's brows moved, and she looked at this fellow with some amusement.

Is he trying to put on a performance?

Does he really think I am trying to trick him?

"Are you trying to say that you've finally found a relative?"

The Demon Emperor sneered in her heart, looking down on this fellow even more.

Whether the Phoenix Divine Son has siblings or not, how could I, damn it, not know?

How could I not know!?

"No, I would not say that."

Ren Yidao did not know of the Demon Emperor's violent internal roar; he adjusted his emotions and smiled:

"Your Majesty the Demon Emperor says I am impersonating the Phoenix Divine Son; there is some misunderstanding regarding this matter."

"First of all, I have never admitted to this identity; it was something others imposed upon me of their own accord."

He spread his hands and said innocently:

"I am not clear why a phantom of a Phoenix appeared within the Bloodline Gate, nor was it under my control, but I am very clear in my own heart that I am not a descendant of the Phoenix; I have never been mistaken about this point."

Perhaps because the incident happened too hastily, Ren Yidao hadn't found a chance to chat with others, nor did he have any opportunity to admit to the identity of the Phoenix Divine Son.

Then, Ren Yidao smiled meaningfully and said softly:

"Secondly, didn't Your Majesty also wish to let them maintain this misunderstanding? Or did I misunderstand?"

Oh?

Hearing this, the woman narrowed her eyes and sized up Ren Yidao properly for the first time.

She sat up from her reclining position, stared at Ren Yidao, and asked:

"What have you realized?"

"Attitude."

Sensing the change in the Demon Emperor's attitude, Ren Yidao knew he had bet correctly and said earnestly:

"That Demon Emperor Order already indicated your attitude."

"If you were truly angry at me for usurping the identity of the Phoenix Divine Son, why would you give me a precious Demon Emperor Order? Presumably, you would have already taken action to crush this impostor to death."

"Therefore, regarding this matter, you are supportive, or at least tacitly consenting, hoping that others will continue to misunderstand."

You fellow still want to scare Huhu?

Do you think I was scared into growing up?

How could I possibly not see even this.

The Demon Emperor was silent; although she did not reply, she had already used her actions to tacitly confirm the correctness of his words.

She indeed had this intention.

Next, Ren Yidao took the initiative, stepped forward, and asked:

"Furthermore, regarding the matter of the Human Race spy that Your Majesty mentioned, I would like to ask you, what is the standard for judgment?"

At this point, the initiative in the conversation between the two had unknowingly fallen into Ren Yidao's hands.

"Is it because of what I did? Is it because I set out from the Eastern Wasteland with Yaoyue and Canglan, experienced countless battles along the way, and finally sent them both back to Demon Emperor City?"

"Or is it because the test of the Bloodline Gate proved the purity of my lineage, making you feel that I am a mole cultivated and sent by the Human Race?"

"Or is it that I actually did nothing at all, and merely being born within Shenzhou is enough to be a spy?"

Ren Yidao's emotions were not agitated, nor did he lose his composure; he simply stared fixedly at the Demon Emperor, asking a question with every step.

By the time he finished speaking, he had reached the bottom of the steps, no more than ten meters away from the Demon Emperor.

He said:

"In your eyes, are these the actions of a spy?"

"If that is the case, then I have nothing to say."

The two of them stared at each other quietly like this, neither shifting their gaze away.

After a long while, the Demon Emperor no longer leaned lazily against the couch, but slowly sat her body upright.

She lowered her eyes to meet the youth's gaze and asked:

"You... what is your name?"

"Ren Yidao."

It was not that he had no thoughts of using a fake name; names like Old Ai, High Bodhisattva, Little Fire, Fang Mu, Han Bubble... there were plenty of fake names, but none of these could be spoken aloud.

He was in the other party's domain, and his every move was infinitely magnified by her.

Lying was no big deal, but there was truly no need to lie for such a trivial matter.

"Ren Yidao of the Beiming Divine Continent's Demon Race, greets Your Majesty the Demon Emperor."

But just as he was about to bow, he was held up by a force.

The Demon Emperor shook her head and said:

"You do not need to bow to me. According to the rules, the Demon God's Child may see the contemporary Demon Emperor without bowing, not to mention that your bloodline is already almost equivalent to the Demon God alive."

"Since that is the case, then I thank Your Majesty."

Ren Yidao did not resist either, thanking her as naturally as following the flow, and then asked naturally:

"So, what about Your Majesty?"

"Hmm?"

The youth looked at the woman earnestly and asked as a matter of course:

"Ren has already reported his name; shouldn't Your Majesty also report your name? Or is it that you feel I do not have the qualification to know?"

The Demon Emperor in the phoenix crown and red robes twitched her brows and looked at him strangely for a long while.

Finally, she nodded, her red lips parted slightly, and she said indifferently:

"You, indeed have the qualification to know my name."

"My name is..."

She said:

"Huang Huang."

Huang, the sovereign.

Huang, the light.

The Phoenix, brilliant as the sun.

In the deepest part of the Moon Sacrifice Mansion.

Yaoyue sat opposite a woman wearing a white fox mask.

The mask obscured the woman's face, and her waterfall-like long hair was draped behind her, like black gauze scattered on the ground.

"Now, do you understand who you are?"

Yaoyue nodded silently, then shook her head, and finally nodded again.

Then, she raised her eyes, stared at the other party, and said:

"Then what is your name now?"

The Mingyue Priestess was silent for a long time, then slowly opened her mouth:

"Shuo."