Just as everyone was holding their breath, the stone statue suddenly let out a deafening cracking sound. Immediately after, a dazzling light burst from within, illuminating the entire Secret Realm.

The figure of the man in green robes gradually appeared in the light. He was no longer a cold stone statue, but a real, living person.

Elder Demon Su and the two Golden Core Cultivators, Elder He and Elder Gu, all stared with wide eyes.

This was a Secret Realm that had existed since Ancient Times! That meant the person sealed inside was a living fossil from that very era!

This was someone who had existed for who knows how many tens of thousands of years!

’Who knows how many ancient secrets, Cultivation Techniques, Secret Techniques, and Divine Powers exist in his mind!’

’This is an immense fortune for anyone.’

Not to mention this person was the patriarch of a clan at the Nascent Soul Great Perfection stage.

Now, as Elder Demon Su watched the person who had broken the seal and appeared before him, he was ecstatic.

"Hahaha! It’s just as I expected! After being sealed, the flow of one’s lifespan nearly halts, and all bodily functions are preserved at the moment of sealing!"

"In other words, the moment the seal is broken, the Demon Venerable’s consciousness and body will awaken!"

"Our fellow disciples of the Demon Dao originally lived in Dinghai State, but our gates were seized by you sanctimonious hypocrites from the so-called Righteous Sects! You drove us all out of Dinghai State, forcing us to fight for territory with those barbarians in the barren lands of Canglang State!"

"But now, with the Demon Venerable to lead us, his Nascent Soul Great Perfection Cultivation will surely allow us to counterattack Dinghai State! We will reclaim the glory of our ancestors and even spread the name of the Demon Dao throughout the Great Qi!"

Elder Demon Su roared with laughter, while the faces of Elder He and Elder Gu were drained of all color, deathly pale.

They were now in despair.

Sensing the unfathomably profound Cultivation of the person who had broken the seal, and knowing a little about the Yan Family, they understood that Elder Demon Su was not bluffing.

It was now highly likely that, just as Elder Demon Su had said, the Demon Dao would make a comeback in Dinghai State. The Righteous Dao might be expelled just as the Demon Dao once was, or perhaps even be wiped out completely.

Hearing the commotion around him, the unfocused eyes of the person who had broken the seal regained their Spiritual Movement.

Like a machine that had been rusting for years, he stiffly moved his head and looked around.

At the same time, a vast Divine Sense swept over the three people present, making their hair stand on end.

Just then, the person who had broken the seal finally seemed to awaken. A low, slightly confused voice, tinged with an ancient weariness, echoed in the chamber:

"I seem to recall being sealed by my father. Why have I been released? And who are you? Why have you appeared in the sacred lands of my clan?"

"This junior pays his respects to Yan Demon Venerable!" Elder Demon Su responded respectfully, unable to hide the excitement on his face. "I am a descendant of the Su Clan from Dinghai State. I have offended you today only to break your seal and allow you to see the light of day once more."

The two Golden Core Cultivators, Elder He and Elder Gu, felt a complex mix of emotions. They knew the situation was already far beyond their control and could only watch helplessly as the other two conversed.

Yan Demon Venerable’s gaze fell upon Elder Demon Su, then swept over Elder He and Elder Gu. He glanced around his surroundings, seeming to struggle to recall the past.

After a moment, he nodded slightly, a complex light flickering in his eyes. He sighed softly. "It seems the world has changed, the seas have turned to mulberry fields. So much has been turned upside down..."

As Yan Demon Venerable’s words fell, the hearts of all three men tightened.

Despite Elder Demon Su’s confident appearance, he was actually gambling.

He had wagered his life and the fate of the Demon Dao in Canglang State in exchange for a possible smooth path in the future.

Although every step Elder Demon Su had taken seemed to go smoothly, only he knew of the hardships and dangers that had paved the way.

Though he had learned early on that a Secret Realm was hidden here, and that a powerful Demon Venerable was sealed within, he had no certain method of opening it.

He could only advance cautiously, laying out his plans meticulously, luring the Profound Origin Sect and other Righteous Sect forces into his trap, and maneuvering himself into a key role in the proceedings.

Just to begin, after obtaining intelligence that the Yan Clan ancestor was sealed here, he came to Dinghai State alone and began posing as an Independent Practitioner Array Master. To gain everyone’s trust, he kept up the act for decades.

In that time, he had experienced countless schemes and backstabbing, became entangled in numerous grudges and vendettas, and fell into perilous situations more times than he could count.

Even now, though it seemed the Demon Venerable had been released and victory was in his grasp, Elder Demon Su knew he was still gambling.

He didn’t know the Demon Venerable’s personality.

If this Demon Venerable turned out to be a bloodthirsty maniac who would start a massacre at the slightest disagreement, then Elder Demon Su could very well become the first victim the moment the seal was broken.

This wasn’t an impossible scenario. After all, as fellow Demon Dao Cultivators, they had a profound understanding of how cruel and merciless their own kind could be.

Elder Demon Su had long been prepared for utter annihilation.

He had long ago disregarded his own life and death.

Despite facing countless unknowns and risks, he had never once flinched. Every scheme he laid, every step he took, was as perilous as walking a tightrope; one misstep, and he would be doomed beyond redemption.

Yet, he chose this path without hesitation. The resurgence of the Demon Dao was his grand ambition; restoring its former glory transcended any concern for his own life or death.

A long while after his lament, Yan Demon Venerable spoke again, his voice distant:

"I don’t know for how many tens of thousands of years I’ve been sealed. My Yan Race has long since been destroyed. The grudge for the one who took my Ling’er’s life... I can no longer take revenge."

’Ling’Er?’

Elder Gu and Elder He exchanged a glance.

’Isn’t that the woman from the Demon Race who was in love with this Demon Venerable?’

Elder Demon Su bowed respectfully once more and said:

"Yan Demon Venerable, our Demon Dao is in decline, oppressed by the so-called Righteous Dao to the point of near extinction. Today, I, Su Duo, risked death to break your seal. I ask for nothing more than for you to restore the might of our Demon Dao. I implore you to consider the suffering of us, your juniors in the Demon Dao, and lead us to rise once more in this world."

Unexpectedly, after hearing him out, Yan Demon Venerable ignored him. Instead, he revealed the object he had been cradling in his palms.

It was a bead that shone with a strange luster. A misty, grayish substance seemed to swirl within it.

After confirming the object was unharmed, Yan Demon Venerable finally breathed a sigh of relief and calmed his mind. He waved a dismissive hand at Su Duo.

"You released me from my seal, and for that, I am in your debt. But I will not interfere in this struggle between the Righteous and Demon Daos you speak of. If I truly cared about the difference between the two factions, I would never have married Ling’Er."

"But your wife was killed by those very members of the so-called Righteous Dao!"