Actually, both Sword Sect's Sect Master and Cao Chong, as well as Yu Xiyi and Yun Jianyue, could see very clearly that even though Chen Chao was currently pushing the Demon Emperor northward, this battle was still Chen Chao falling into a disadvantage.

Both of them were at the Fuyun Realm, and the Demon Emperor was already injured. But even so, Chen Chao was still far behind.

Yun Jianyue said worriedly, "Could it be that the Demon Emperor is deliberately showing weakness, only to counterattack and kill in one strike later?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Xiyi turned to look at the Sword Sect's Sect Master. Although he did not speak, the meaning in his eyes was very clear - he wanted an answer.

The Sword Sect's Sect Master glanced at Yu Xiyi and said, "It is not impossible. An existence like the Demon Emperor is powerful not only in cultivation realm, but in many other aspects as well. In a battle, he knows far too well when his opponent is at their weakest."

Yu Xiyi frowned and asked, "So you're saying Chen Chao this fellow, who seems so imposing right now, is actually being deliberately led on by the Demon Emperor? And when his momentum weakens, that will be the moment of final decisive battle?"

The Sword Sect's Sect Master said nothing. Some things were already obvious.

Cao Chong said, "Once it reaches that moment, with the Demon Emperor's experience and insight, he will not let the opportunity slip away."

He was also somewhat worried. Chen Chao was too young, how could he possibly contend with an old monster who had lived for several hundred years?

Yu Xiyi said angrily, "So you're saying that punk Chen Chao is bound to die?!"

The Sword Sect's Sect Master and Cao Chong looked at each other, still saying nothing.

If both of them were still at their peak right now, the situation would not be this bad. But at this moment, both of them were almost completely unable to fight again.

Yu Xiyi gritted his teeth and was about to chase after that streak of flowing light. Among those present, no one was less willing than him to see Chen Chao die.

In his entire life, Yu Xiyi had always been used to being alone. He had never had a true friend. It was only after meeting that guy that he realized he could actually have friends, a best friend, someone he could entrust even life and death to.

Such things were rare. Some people might only meet one in their entire life; many others might never meet even one.

So when you meet such a person, you should cherish them.

"I already said it. Even if you draw your sword now, it will be useless. All you will accomplish is throwing your own life away."

The Sword Sect's Sect Master looked at Yu Xiyi and said solemnly, "Is it really worth doing something so meaningless?"

Yu Xiyi summoned his flying sword Wild Grass and sneered, "I don't know what meaningless is. I only know that I cannot watch Chen Chao just die like this!"

After saying this, he turned to leave.

"Yu Xiyi!"

Yun Jianyue suddenly spoke in a deep voice, "From what I know of him, he is not someone who lacks judgment. Even when facing the Demon Emperor, I do not believe he would just let himself be completely controlled by the Demon Emperor like this."

Yu Xiyi turned to look at Yun Jianyue, staring into his eyes. Compared to the Sword Sect's Sect Master, for some reason, he was even more willing to believe this young great daoist sage.

It might have been because Yun Jianyue had once invited him to go kill his own martial uncle.

Twice.

So he looked into his eyes, wanting to know whether he was lying to him.

Yun Jianyue gave a bitter smile and said, "Although I believe him, that doesn’t necessarily mean things will develop that way. If you want to go, you can. I’ll go with you."

Unlike the bond between Chen Chao and Yu Xiyi, the friendship between Yun Jianyue and Chen Chao was more like that of kindred spirits on the same path.

Within such a fellowship of shared ideals, the bond was oftentimes far more solid than ordinary friendship.

He, Yun Jianyue, might not do something that he knew was pointless, but if there was even a sliver of hope for Chen Chao, he would definitely try.

Yu Xiyi nodded. "Let’s go."

With that, he transformed into a streak of sword light and shot northward. At the same time, Yun Jianyue turned to look at the Sword Sect's Sect Master and said calmly, "Sect Master, rest assured, I know what I am doing."

The Sword Sect's Sect Master glanced at him and suddenly laughed. "Do you think I would miss this battle?"

Only then did Yun Jianyue realize what he meant. He smiled faintly.

......

......

The rapid northward movement of the two dharma idols left a blazing line across the sky, like a flame igniting the heavens themselves, even carrying a faint smell of scorched air around it.

The Demon Emperor watched indifferently as the dharma idol, while charging toward him, was already throwing punches, his expression calm.

The two dharma idols continued exchanging blows, tearing hole after hole through the sea of clouds.

Purely in terms of physiques, these two were now the strongest existences in the world.

Although the Demon Emperor was constantly retreating, his disadvantage was far less obvious than Chen Chao’s had been earlier. At this moment, while retreating, he even extended a hand to press down on Chen Chao’s head, suppressing him with boundless demonic qi.

Meanwhile, Chen Chao who had seemed to be at an advantage this entire time, now had a dharma idol already heavily damaged and on the verge of collapse. When that hand landed on the top of his head, he threw a punch straight at the Demon Emperor’s arm. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Outside the Demon Emperor’s sleeve, demonic qi surged violently, blocking Chen Chao’s earth-shaking punch, but still failing to fully stop it.

With a thunderous boom, another terrifying burst of qi exploded outward, once again ravaging the surrounding sea of clouds.

Yet the two at the center were barely affected.

After that punch, Chen Chao did not stop. He followed with rapid strikes, one punch after another, hammering toward the Demon Emperor.

The Demon Emperor remained expressionless. At the moment Chen Chao threw his next punch, he directly broke free from him, instantly opening a distance of several hundred feet.

Actually, the Sword Sect's Sect Master’s guess had been mostly correct. Someone like the Demon Emperor was far too skilled at judging situations and finding an opponent's weaknesses. But Sword Sect's Sect Master had still forgotten one thing.

Which was that while the Demon Emperor could trade injuries for killing Chen Chao, it seemed he was not too willing to pay that price either.

The demon race had never truly been as peaceful as it appeared on the surface. Undercurrents had always existed. If the Demon Emperor's injuries became too severe, there was no need to think about what he would face once he returned to the demon race.

The demon race had always required an incomparably powerful monarch to suppress it. Once the person sitting on the imperial throne was not strong enough, forget whether the demon race would be in a state of disunity, at the very least, that royal city would never remain peaceful.

Therefore, although the Demon Emperor wanted to kill Chen Chao right now, he still did not wish to truly risk his life and place himself in danger.

Originally, he had never expected the situation to develop like this. The greatest variable had been Sword Sect's Sect Master. The advancement of his realm and the determination he displayed this time had both been beyond the Demon Emperor's expectations.

The Sword Sect's Sect Master's advancement and determination had caused the Demon Emperor injuries he should never have suffered to begin with. And now this young martial artist was fighting so desperately as well. If the battle continued, his injuries would only grow more severe.

To the Demon Emperor, this was rather unacceptable.

After the two dharma idols pulled apart, Chen Chao did not stop his offensive. Instead, he strode forward in great steps. The sight of the gigantic dharma idol charging ahead was truly magnificent. Once it started running, it sounded like endless thunder continuously erupting.

Afterward, while advancing forward, Chen Chao's dharma idol split into countless figures that scattered in every direction before surging together toward the Demon Emperor.

The Demon Emperor remained calm throughout. After a brief observation, he found Chen Chao's true body. Then a strange weapon condensed from demon qi formed in his palm, which he directly hurled out, pinning itself into Chen Chao's body!

Chen Chao was instantly knocked back another dozens of miles.

Then he uncontrollably began falling downward.

The battlefield between the two had already reached the skies above Divine Capital.

After leaving a certain place within the imperial city and taking shelter in a tall tower, the Crown Prince stood before the railing, looking up at the sky with an increasingly grave expression.

If earlier, when the battlefield had been far from Divine Capital, they had only vaguely sensed that terror, then now, when even the people of Divine Capital could faintly see those two gigantic dharma idols, they all felt so oppressed they could barely breathe.

Wu Xinyue had been holding the Crown Prince's hand the entire time. Discovering that her husband's palm was already drenched in sweat, she looked at him worriedly, wanting to comfort him, yet unable to find the words.

News had already arrived earlier. That overwhelmingly terrifying great demon was none other than the Demon Emperor heading south, and the person opposing him was also none other than the young Lord Warden Commander, and also the elder brother of this Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince took a deep breath, trying hard to calm himself down, then uncertainly asked, "Xinyue, if Elder Brother leaves the battlefield now, would the Demon Emperor stop?"

"Your Highness."

Wu Xinyue looked at the Crown Prince and spoke softly. Though she did not say much, it still counted as a reminder.

The Crown Prince shook his head and said, "We can't think like that. Although Elder Brother is Great Liang's Lord Warden Commander... this imperial highness truly does not wish to watch Elder Brother die for Great Liang."

"He has already done more than enough for Great Liang."

Wu Xinyue also shook her head. "No matter what Your Highness thinks, Elder Brother would never think that way."

The Crown Prince sighed. His eyes had become somewhat moist. Even a cultivator with cultivation as low as his knew how terrifying the Demon Emperor truly was. Could it be that Elder Brother did not know?

Since he knew, yet still chose to fight, had he not already made his choice?

Wu Xinyue softly said, "The news from Ying Prefecture already said it. Back in Rainfront County, brother did not allow even a trace of heavenly lightning to fall into the human world. His feelings toward Great Liang's common people are not one bit less than His Majesty's or Your Highness's."

The Crown Prince remained silent. Many times, he had always been the one protected by Elder Brother. But when would there ever come a time when he could protect Elder Brother even once?

Wu Xinyue tightened her grip on the Crown Prince's hand and softly comforted him, "Elder Brother will not die like this."

The Crown Prince also forced out a smile. "That's right. How could Elder Brother possibly die?"

But at this moment, the Crown Prince's smile looked even uglier than crying.

Perhaps only Wu Xinyue could sense just how afraid the man beside her truly was right now.

He was not afraid that after this, Great Liang would have no one left to protect it. He was afraid that from this day onward, he would lose his elder brother and lose the last close family member he had left.