According to the normal devouring sequence of the Demon Beast Clan, the True Martial Realm would still have a thousand years before being devoured by them.

However, after the last major battle between the Demon Beast Clan and the Guardian God, the Demon Beast Clan rapidly grew, seeking strength to exact revenge on the Guardian God. As a result, they accelerated the devouring of these worlds to acquire more Spiritual Sources for their cultivation.

The Intermediate World before the True Martial Realm was recently devoured by three nearby Demon Beast Dynasties in alliance, and less than ten years have passed since then. Yet, the Demon Beast Clan has already begun sending spies around the True Martial Realm, preparing to devour it.

The Saint Emperors of the True Martial Realm had long been aware that the Demon Beast Clan would eventually come to devour the realm. However, they did not expect them to arrive so swiftly.

Upon discovering spies from the Demon Beast Clan targeting the True Martial Realm, these Saint Emperors panicked.

Although the Saint Emperors are not weak, there is an inherent difference compared to the Saint Emperors of the Demon Beast Clan. Moreover, the Demon Beast Clan has countless dynasties, with other dynasties’ Saint Emperors ready to provide support, while the True Martial Realm only has about a dozen Saint Emperors. Hence, the Saint Emperors of the True Martial Realm see no hope at all.

After discovering these spies, several Saint Emperors packed their belongings and quietly slipped out of the True Martial Realm, intending to escape. After all, staying in the True Martial Realm is a certain death, but at the Saint Emperor’s level, escaping elsewhere still ensures survival.

These Saint Emperors, despite their usual proclamations of protecting the True Martial Realm’s beings and receiving their tributes, chose to flee immediately when faced with crisis.

However, these Saint Emperors ultimately failed to escape the True Martial Realm. As soon as they stepped out, they were driven back by the Demon Beast Saint Emperors guarding the realm.

Since the Demon Beast Dynasties had planned to move against the True Martial Realm, they were fully prepared and certainly would not allow anyone to escape, especially the Saint Emperors of the realm.

The Saint Emperors, once dead within the True Martial Realm and devoured by the Demon Beasts, would become Spiritual Sources just like the realm itself. If they left the True Martial Realm, they wouldn’t transform into Spiritual Sources, which goes against the Demon Beast Clan’s goal.

With this situation, the Saint Emperors despairingly returned to the True Martial Realm, and disregarded orders from the Saint Emperor Hall, spreading the news about the Demon Beast Clan’s plans to devour the realm, letting all beings of the realm know.

This situation caused widespread lamentation among the people of the True Martial Realm.

Originally, only the Saint Emperors of the True Martial Realm knew of such events. The Saint Emperor Hall endeavored to suppress this information, preventing the lower echelons from knowing, to avoid panic within the realm. Otherwise, if the news leaked, internal chaos could ensue before the Demon Beast Clan’s attack, with countless casualties.

Yet now, these few Saint Emperors ignored the orders of the Saint Emperor Hall and spread this information, plunging the entire True Martial Realm into chaos.

Although the Saint Emperors of the Saint Emperor Hall were furious, ultimately they were powerless. Firstly, those escaping Saint Emperors were in numbers not less than those remaining in the Hall. If conflict arose, it was uncertain who would emerge victorious. Secondly, the situation in the True Martial Realm was dire; further internal strife would only hasten the realm’s downfall, leaving them no choice but to let things be.

Moreover, at this point, the Saint Emperors of the Saint Emperor Hall were genuinely powerless. The chaos in the True Martial Realm was beyond their control, and eventually, they chose not to appear, allowing the realm to thrash in turmoil, for the impending catastrophe meant all were doomed, rendering their efforts meaningless.

The True Martial Realm, Su Yang’s former dojo.

After Su Yang’s departure, this dojo became Su Yuan’s abode. Since the incident where he was tricked by the An Yang Saint Emperor, he has become much more cautious, spending years purely cultivating within the dojo, never venturing out.

When Su Yang left, he defeated the strongest Saint Emperor in the Saint Emperor Hall. Simultaneously, the three Crystal Skulls by his side advanced to the level of Saint Emperors, astonishing the entire True Martial Realm. Hence, even though Su Yang is no longer in the realm, his dojo remains a sacred site, regarded as the only place that could surpass the Saint Emperor Hall.

In such a situation, Su Yuan has had a comfortable life within the True Martial Realm for these years. No one dares to trouble him, and because he is Su Yang’s brother, he receives much respect from many, including annual gifts from the Saint Emperor Hall.

However, just a few days ago, when the news of the Demon Beast Clan planning to devour the True Martial Realm spread, this mountaintop began to experience frequent provocations.

Su Yuan is aware that disaster is imminent for the True Martial Realm, perhaps where everyone will perish. Therefore, he does not retaliate but restrains those around him, preventing them from exposing themselves so as not to be exterminated by the realm’s people before the Demon Beast Clan arrives.

Meanwhile, Su Yuan is deeply conflicted. With such calamity befalling the True Martial Realm, his first thought is of his brother, Su Mo. Though Su Mo has been away for decades without returning, Su Yuan misses him greatly and worries, wishing for his brother to return and take control of the situation.

Yet, facing such circumstances, he hopes his brother does not return, for the Demon Beast Clan’s devouring means no one from the True Martial Realm will survive. Should Su Mo return, would he not perish alongside the realm?

Perhaps Su Mo staying away is best, ensuring his survival. How cruel that what was meant to be a temporary parting of brothers could become eternal!

Standing in the backyard, Su Yuan hears constant whispers from people nearby about theft from the Treasure House. These are servants within the dojo who, despite their usual reverence, have now shown their true faces.

Some begin challenging his status, others criticize his weakness and ineptitude, and some even steal treasures from the Treasure House, taking Spiritual Source materials and rare items.

Su Yuan is aware of these happenings but does not react, ultimately just smiling wryly.

At this point, is it still meaningful to come forward and defend these possessions?