"You're taking him away?" the Demon Lord's gaze flickered as he glanced at Li Xuan. After a moment of contemplation, he nodded, "Very well."
Seeing the Demon Lord agree, Tiandao's attention shifted to Li Xuan.
Li Xuan's expression grew serious. He pondered for a moment before shaking his head slightly. "Though I don't know why you wish to protect me, I accept this favor. However, to abandon them and survive alone, I, Li Xuan, cannot do that."
"Interesting," the Demon Lord sneered as Li Xuan finished speaking.
With Tiandao intervening, the Demon Lord felt compelled to concede. After all, if Tiandao, coupled with the powers of the Six Great Families and Four Hidden Sects, were to truly intervene, the Demon Lord would face a considerable struggle.
Most importantly, Tiandao was the guardian of order and rules on the Hunyuan Continent. Forcing his will upon him would require immense effort, even if he emerged victorious. Ending the conflict without bloodshed was naturally the ideal outcome.
Yet, this nascent cultivator in the early Hunyuan realm had dared to refuse Tiandao's goodwill.
*Hum.*
Just then, three figures appeared. These three were the heads of the families who had broken through to the mid-level Hunyuan realm.
"Young Master, thank you!" Zhao Wujie and the other two bowed to Li Xuan, their gazes then turning towards the Demon Lord. The moment they emerged, Zhao Wujie and the others had sensed the Demon Lord's immense power.
Li Xuan nodded slightly. With Zhao Wujie and the others emerging from seclusion, it brought a glimmer of hope to the beings of the Hunyuan Continent.
"Demon Lord, you should know why the previous Demon Lord perished, shouldn't you?" Tiandao's gaze shifted to the Demon Lord as he spoke, having observed Li Xuan's refusal to leave.
The Demon Lord's brow furrowed upon hearing this. "Naturally. Tiandao, what are you trying to say?"
Tiandao's words at this moment were far from idle chatter, and the Demon Lord understood this. Recalling Tiandao's earlier kindness towards the junior Hunyuan realm cultivator, the Demon Lord harbored a vague, unsettling premonition.
"The one from back then, he was his master," Tiandao said slowly, pointing at Li Xuan.
The Demon Lord's gaze instantly locked onto Li Xuan, and a killing intent enveloped him. However, this killing intent quickly dissipated.
Tiandao, observing this, smiled faintly. As long as the Demon Lord was not foolish, he would surely not harbor any murderous intent towards Li Xuan. Otherwise, the consequences would be severe.
Thinking of the sheer power of that sword strike, even after ten thousand years, Tiandao couldn't help but tremble.
"You wish to protect them?" the Demon Lord asked Li Xuan sternly.
Truth be told, the Demon Lord felt extremely stifled at this moment. If Tiandao hadn't revealed Li Xuan's identity, he could have feigned ignorance. While he wouldn't have directly attacked Li Xuan, the Six Great Families and Four Hidden Sects would have vanished from this world.
But Tiandao had directly disclosed Li Xuan's lineage, leaving the Demon Lord feeling helpless. The Demon Lord was acutely aware of the power of that individual. The previous Demon Lord, who was also his master, had been slain by a single sword strike. The Demon Lord knew his own limitations.
Even if the current Demon Lord had surpassed his master, no one knew the true extent of that individual's power.
As for whether that person was still alive, the Demon Lord would not gamble on such a minuscule possibility.
Such a formidable being, who knew how long they could endure?
"They were my master's subordinates, and they call me Young Master. Naturally, I must protect them," Li Xuan stated immediately.
There was no other way. Li Xuan knew he was no match for the Demon Lord, and even with the combined might of the Six Great Families and Four Hidden Sects, there was no chance of turning the tide. As for Tiandao, his offer to protect him from the outset was already an act of immense benevolence.
To resolve this predicament, Li Xuan had no choice but to invoke his master's formidable reputation.
Demon Lord: "..."
"Demon Lord, with your current strength, even if you were to rule the Hunyuan Continent, you would ascend to the Upper Realm. Currently, if you wish to unify the Hunyuan Continent, this young master will likely not agree. Why not both step back? Forging good karma might lead to unexpected outcomes in the future."
Seeing the Demon Lord fall silent, Tiandao smiled and spoke.
The Demon Lord glanced at Tiandao, then his gaze shifted to Li Xuan.
"Very well. For the sake of that individual, I shall refrain from taking further action. However, I have a condition. If you can agree to it, I will cease my hostilities." The Demon Lord spoke after a moment of deliberation.
"What condition?" Li Xuan's heart eased slightly, and he asked.
The Demon Lord's gaze fixed on Li Xuan, and he said sternly, "From this day forward, the Demon Race shall exist independently on the Hunyuan Continent. As long as it does not endanger the fundamental stability of the Hunyuan Continent, the Six Great Families and Four Hidden Sects shall not attack the Demon Race."
Tiandao nodded with a smile. "This is a simple matter. The Demon Realm was always a part of the Hunyuan Continent. Its return signifies the completion of the Hunyuan Continent. This condition is not excessive."
Li Xuan also nodded slightly. As long as the Demon Lord departed, the remaining forces of the Demon Race would not be able to cause significant trouble. Tiandao's approval was primarily for Li Xuan's benefit. To halt hostilities now was undoubtedly the best outcome.
"I agree to this. Demon Lord, rest assured, if the Six Great Families and Four Hidden Sects do not abide by this condition, you will not need to act yourself," Li Xuan said to the Demon Lord.
"I believe you." The Demon Lord nodded. The disciple of that person, this face must be given.
The next moment, the Demon Lord waved his hand, and a stream of demonic energy shot towards the ground.
Instantly, the earth trembled, and the Demon Realm slowly rose, its expanse covering one-fifth of the Hunyuan Continent.
Finally, under the Demon Lord's control, the Demon Realm rapidly flew towards the distance. In less than ten breaths, the Demon Realm completely disappeared from everyone's sight.
"The Demon Realm has been relocated by me to the Sea of Life and Death. I hope all of you will honor today's promise." The Demon Lord swept his gaze across Tiandao, Li Tieyi, and others. Then, his demonic aura surged, and he vanished into the void.
With the Demon Lord's departure, those present felt as though they were in a dream, remaining in a daze for a long time.
"Young Master Li Xuan, the crisis of the Demon Race has been resolved. I shall not linger any longer," Tiandao said, cupping his fists towards Li Xuan.
Li Xuan's heart stirred, and he quickly said, "Senior Tiandao, may we converse?"
Tiandao paused, then smiled and nodded. "Then please, Young Master, accompany me for a walk."
"Good," Li Xuan replied, overjoyed, and walked over.
Soon, Li Xuan and Tiandao disappeared from everyone's sight.
"Everyone, let us first arrange for personnel to clear the battlefield," Li Tieyi said to the crowd after Li Xuan and Tiandao had departed.
The family heads nodded in agreement, then signaled their respective family's strong cultivators, who began clearing the area with their disciples.
"I never expected such an outcome today. However, ultimately, it is all thanks to the Young Master. If not for the Young Master's presence, I fear our Six Great Families and Four Hidden Sects would have vanished from the river of time today," Gu Zhengqi remarked with emotion.
Li Tieyi and the others nodded. "Regarding the matter of the Demon Realm, we shall abide by our promise. As long as the Demon Realm does not threaten the fundamental stability of the Hunyuan Continent, we shall not suppress them."
Li Tieyi paused and continued, "There is another point. Although our ancestors and spirits are no longer present, our respect for the Young Master must not wane. I have a premonition that our future rise, and even breakthroughs, may depend on the Young Master."
"Naturally," Nan Gongshang nodded, looking in the direction Li Xuan had departed. "To make a Demon Lord of such immense power hesitate to act, what level has the Master's strength reached?"
Everyone fell silent, gazing into the distance, but their eyes held a different kind of light.
"Will Young Master return?" Zhao Wujie suddenly asked.
The crowd exchanged glances, their eyes filled with complex emotions.
"He should, perhaps, return."