The Divine Kingdom Master slowly reined in his overwhelming pressure.
The Inner Demon felt his body grow light as his hands finally regained their mobility.
Immediately, he reached up to grab the mask on his face, looked at the Divine Kingdom Master and the Emperor and his wife, and said, "Weren't you always desperate to know who I am? I'll let you see clearly right now."
Even at this moment, he was still playing for time to ensure the relocation of the three great tribes.
Otherwise, given his personality, how could he possibly waste breath on so much nonsense? He would have simply whipped the mask off.
"Ah!"
Dong Yuexian let out a deep sigh.
What will be, will be; what must come, cannot be avoided!
"Watch closely."
Holding the mask, the Inner Demon slowly peeled it away.
A familiar face gradually came into view beneath the gazes of the Divine Kingdom Master and the Emperor and his wife.
"Qin Feiyang!"
"What is the meaning of this?"
Even a supreme being like the Divine Kingdom Master could not help but freeze at the sight of the Inner Demon's face.
Why on earth was it Qin Feiyang?
He was certainly no stranger to Qin Feiyang. Back in the Tianyun World, when Qin Feiyang had clashed with the Sovereign, he had watched closely from the shadows. Later, when Qin Feiyang and his companions forced their way into the Secret Realm, he had personally tried to kill them. Even afterward, when Qin Feiyang and the others returned to the Tianyun World and headed into Pluto Hell, they had crossed paths with him directly.
Therefore, even if Qin Feiyang were reduced to ashes, he would still recognize him.
"Shocked, aren't you?"
"I actually look identical to Qin Feiyang."
The Inner Demon looked at the three of them and spoke.
"How can this be?"
"Yuexian?"
"Don't tell me he is Qin Feiyang?"
"Xiaoxi, is she your child with Qin Feiyang?"
The Emperor and his wife stared at Dong Yuexian, their faces filled with shock and suspicion.
"I..."
"He..."
Dong Yuexian lowered her head, not daring to meet their eyes.
"Is he really Qin Feiyang?"
"What kind of sins have we brought upon ourselves?"
Ji Suyi lamented.
"Don't be so pessimistic yet; I am not Qin Feiyang."
The Inner Demon shook his head.
"Not Qin Feiyang?"
The couple paused, frowning. "Then your appearance..."
"Or rather, you could say I am Qin Feiyang."
The Inner Demon added.
In any case, he had to buy as much time as possible for the relocation of the three great tribes.
"Not Qin Feiyang? Yet you could say you are Qin Feiyang?"
"What is that supposed to mean?"
It was not just the Emperor and his wife; even the Divine Kingdom Master was utterly bewildered.
Wasn't that a complete contradiction?
The Inner Demon feigned a moment of contemplation, then looked at the three of them and said, "You would never, ever guess."
"Just who in the world are you?"
"Stop playing games!"
The Divine Kingdom Master barked, his patience worn to the absolute limit.
The Inner Demon scoffed inwardly.
Of course he was going to stall—how else was he supposed to buy time?
Dong Ping could no longer hold back and roared, "Grandfather, Sixth Uncle, Sixth Aunt, he is actually Qin Feiyang's Inner Demon!"
"What?"
All three of their complexions shifted drastically.
Qin Feiyang's Inner Demon?
If so, everything that had happened before suddenly made sense. As an inner demon, he could indeed be considered Qin Feiyang, yet on the other hand, he had achieved independence, meaning he was not Qin Feiyang after all.
Yet this truth was too astonishing.
The person they had always valued and admired so greatly was actually Qin Feiyang's Inner Demon!
And most crucially of all, this Inner Demon had actually coupled with Dong Yuexian and fathered a daughter with her.
Although they had crossed paths with Qin Feiyang numerous times, it was only now that they learned he even possessed an inner demon. And that inner demon had been lurking right by their sides all along.
"Then what about Lu Yunfeng?"
The Emperor demanded in a deep voice.
Dong Ping replied, "Lu Yunfeng is Qin Feiyang's cousin, so naturally, he is also this Inner Demon's cousin."
"A cousin..."
"An inner demon..."
The Emperor and his wife finally understood.
Why was it that their Central Dynasty...
No! They should start with the Four Continents.
Why was it that ever since the events on the Four Continents, their Divine Kingdom had repeatedly suffered losses at the hands of Qin Feiyang and his crew? It was because they had two moles planted in their midst!
Furthermore, whether it was the Inner Demon or Lu Jiajin, both had once been favored confidants by their sides!
Any news, any intelligence, could be obtained by them at the very first moment and passed straight to Qin Feiyang and the others without delay.
"Bastards!"
The more the Emperor thought about it, the angrier he became.
If not for these two individuals, Qin Feiyang and his cohorts would likely have died at their hands long ago. How could they have ever gotten the chance to run amok for so long?
Boom!
An overwhelming, heaven-shaking aura erupted as the Emperor lashed out with a palm strike aimed straight at the Inner Demon's head.
"Father, no!"
Dong Yuexian hurried forward, clutching Xiaoxi in her arms, and threw herself in front of the Inner Demon.
"Grandfather, please don't hurt my daddy, okay?"
Xiaoxi looked at the Emperor with tear-filled eyes, looking utterly pitiful and heartbreaking.
The Emperor abruptly checked his momentum, staring at his daughter and granddaughter, his face a mask of bitter agony and rage.
"Yuexian, step aside."
Ji Suyi commanded.
"No."
Dong Yuexian shook her head.
Ji Suyi snapped angrily, "How can you be so foolish? He is Qin Feiyang's Inner Demon! He is the enemy of our Central Dynasty!"
"I know."
"Back in the Secret Realm, I already knew who he and Eldest Cousin really were."
Dong Yuexian nodded.
"And you still stayed with him?"
"And even had this child with him?"
"Have you lost your mind?!"
The Emperor roared.
"Father, we are truly in love."
"Xiaoxi is the crystallization of our love."
"I do not regret this choice."
Dong Yuexian shook her head, stubborn and unyielding. She looked up at the Inner Demon, her eyes brimming with tenderness and deep affection.
"Oh, my foolish daughter!"
Ji Suyi wore a look of helpless anguish and heartache.
What kind of terrible debt had they incurred in a past life to deserve this?
"Move."
The Emperor stared at the mother and daughter, pushing his boiling rage down with supreme effort.
"No..."
Dong Yuexian shook her head stubbornly.
"You really think I wouldn't dare hit you?!"
The Emperor thundered.
Dong Yuexian said nothing, standing stubbornly before the Inner Demon.
"Grandfather, please don't be angry, okay?"
"You're scaring Xiaoxi."
Xiaoxi hid in Dong Yuexian's embrace, her large eyes filled with timid fear.
Looking at this pitiful granddaughter, a sharp pain pierced the Emperor's heart, staying his hand once more.
Why had things come to this?
Of all the people she could have chosen, why did she have to pick this Inner Demon?
"Grandfather, Grandmother, Great-Grandfather, we are a family. Can't we just talk things out properly? Why do you have to be so angry?"
Xiaoxi asked innocently, looking at the three of them.
And truthfully, the little girl's appeal was so potent that even the Divine Kingdom Master fell silent.
"Sixth Uncle, Sixth Aunt, Grandfather, the Inner Demon killed my eldest brother! He is the enemy of our Central Dynasty! He infiltrated our Central Dynasty for the sole purpose of destroying our Dong family!"
Dong Ping roared over and over.
The Emperor's gaze flickered violently as he suddenly shoved Dong Yuexian aside.
Caught off guard, the mother and daughter tumbled to the ground, and the little girl burst into loud tears.
"Xian'er! Xiaoxi!"
The Inner Demon rushed forward, scooping Xiaoxi up and pulling Dong Yuexian to her feet. "Are you both alright?"
"We're fine."
Dong Yuexian shook her head.
Xiaoxi buried her face in the Inner Demon's chest, peering timidly at the Emperor as she whimpered, "Daddy, Xiaoxi is okay, but Grandfather was so fierce. I don't like him anymore."
Hearing those words from the little girl, a sharp pang struck the Emperor's heart, as if he had been pricked by a needle.
Swish!
The Inner Demon turned his gaze to the Emperor, his voice dark and menacing. "Let me tell you this: you can bully me all you want, but you will not lay a hand on them."
"She is my daughter!"
The Emperor bellowed.
"She is my woman! Not even you, her father, get to touch her!"
The Inner Demon roared back, refusing to yield an inch as he went toe-to-toe with the Emperor.
"You..."
The Emperor trembled with rage.
A father disciplining his daughter—was that not natural and righteous? Yet here someone dared to lecture him in return! This was pure insolence!
"Enough! That's enough!"
Ji Suyi cut them off, looking with aching heart at Dong Yuexian and Xiaoxi. She turned to the Emperor and the Divine Kingdom Master, saying, "The daughter and the child are innocent."
"Shut up!"
The Divine Kingdom Master glared at Ji Suyi, roaring, "This is all because you spoiled her rotten since childhood, turning her into what she is today!"
"No matter what she is like, she is my woman."
"And I like her just fine."
The Inner Demon scoffed coldly.
"You two aren't even married yet!"
"We haven't given our consent!"
The Emperor thundered.
"So what if you haven't?"
The Inner Demon grabbed Dong Yuexian's hand, declaring, "She has chosen me for life, and I have chosen her for life. That is more than enough."
"Scoundrel!"
The Emperor flew into a rage, glaring at Dong Yuexian as he shouted, "I'll give you a choice: choose him, or choose us!"
"Father, aren't you just forcing my hand?"
Dong Yuexian panicked instantly.
This was precisely what she feared the most.
Being forced to make a choice.
On one side was the man she intended to spend her entire life with; on the other were the family members she cared about most. How could she possibly choose between them?
"You must choose!"
The Emperor said grimly.
"Don't force her!"
"If you've got a grievance, take it out on me!"
"If you're really that unsatisfied, come outside and fight me! Let's settle this with our fists!"
The Inner Demon glared at the Emperor.
So what if he was his future father-in-law?
Anyone who dared to bully his woman would not be spared—not even the father-in-law!
He was truly a maniac when it came to protecting his wife.
"Fine, fine, fine."
"Let's go. Today I want to see just what you're made of."
The Emperor laughed out of sheer anger, striding toward the outside.
"I certainly won't be any worse than you."
The Inner Demon sneered.
"What are you doing?"
"He is my father."
Dong Yuexian tugged at the Inner Demon's sleeve.
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
The Inner Demon patted the back of Dong Yuexian's hand with a slight smile. Then, handing Xiaoxi over to her, he looked at Dong Tianchen's corpse—though the head was pulverized, the body remained.
He snatched Dong Tianchen's interspatial ring, shoved it into his tunic, and flashed outward, landing outside the Imperial Palace.
Since the True Meaning of Profound Truths was inside Dong Tianchen's interspatial ring, he couldn't let anyone else pick it up for free.
Back then, he had already said that Dong Tianchen lacked the fortune to enjoy it, and sure enough, he had lost his life in the blink of an eye.
"Grandfather, he's deliberately..."
Seeing this, Dong Ping quickly looked at the Divine Kingdom Master to speak.
Originally, he had wanted to say that the Inner Demon was deliberately stalling for time.
Before the words could leave his mouth, a cold light flashed in Dong Yuexian's eyes as she snapped, "If you utter one more word, don't blame me for discarding our bond as siblings!"
Dong Ping's expression stiffened.
This woman had completely lost her mind and gone off the deep end.
Without another word, Dong Yuexian clutched Xiaoxi and followed them out.
Dong Xin glanced at Dong Yuexian's departing back, then looked at Dong Ping and sent a mental transmission, "Enough. Even if you don't say it now, Grandfather will find out sooner or later. Don't make an enemy of Yuexian; it won't do you any good. After all, no matter how grave her mistakes, she is still Grandfather's most cherished granddaughter."
"The one who died wasn't your eldest brother, so of course you don't care!"
Glaring at her angrily, Dong Ping rushed out in pursuit.