Li Tianjue’s expression darkened, his body suffused with killing intent.
At that moment, a startled cry echoed from afar: “No! Yu’er, my precious grandson… King Toad Demon, please show mercy!”
A figure flew rapidly from the distance. Upon seeing him, everyone realized it was the renowned Marquis Lushang.
He was one of the four hereditary marquises of the Northern Underworld Empire, decorated with numerous military achievements, and a prominent figure in Jade Void City. He rushed forward in a panic, pleading with the Toad Demon King, “King Toad Demon, I beg you, release Yu’er. I will agree to anything you ask!”
Marquis Lushang’s face was filled with anxiety. As soon as he finished speaking, more people flew from the distance.
They were all leaders of renowned families and sects in Jade Void City, and even envoys from other nations, including Chu Tianshu and Shangye Shaoqing. They arrived with grave expressions, filled with worry.
“Don’t do anything, my Yao’er is still in his hands!”
“King Toad Demon, please release my young heir. He’s only eight years old…”
“Please, King Toad Demon, spare my princess. Otherwise, how can I report back to His Majesty? My entire family will be executed…”
“King Toad Demon, you are so vicious, to actually attack these children!”
Listening to the pleas and curses from the crowd, the Toad Demon King let out a booming laugh, his sinister eyes showing no trace of pity.
“If you want this venerable one to release your children, you may! As long as Li Tianjue kills himself on the spot, this venerable one will release them immediately.” The Toad Demon King’s vicious eyes gleamed with excitement, as if foreseeing something amusing.
“Li Tianjue, you are the chief disciple of Qingxu Heaven, the paragon of righteousness!”
“Won’t you sacrifice yourself for these children?”
“Kill yourself!”
The Toad Demon King’s incisive and seductive tone echoed in everyone’s ears: “Sacrificing one of you can save so many children. Everyone will be grateful to you, isn’t that worthwhile? Why are you still hesitating!”
Everyone was astonished, including the common people on the ground.
Countless eyes in Jade Void City were fixed on Li Tianjue, filled with unease. They never expected the Toad Demon King to make such a demand.
These patriarchs, sect leaders, and envoys from other nations all hoped Li Tianjue would step forward to save them, to exchange their grandchildren, daughters, and princesses for their lives. However, no one dared to speak up, to ask Li Tianjue to commit suicide in public. They couldn’t bring themselves to say such words.
Su Luo experienced the wickedness of the demonic sect cultivators for the first time.
Murder by borrowed knife!
Chu Tianshu anxiously shouted, “Senior Brother, don’t!”
He was afraid Li Tianjue would act impulsively.
“Brother Li, don’t be rash. Even if you die, the Toad Demon King will not release these children,” Shangye Shaoqing also shouted, looking at the Toad Demon King with a face full of anger.
Even though these children were unrelated to him, he did not want to see Li Tianjue threatened and forced to commit suicide.
The Toad Demon King, however, grew impatient and said coldly, “Fine, you refuse? Li Tianjue, I didn’t expect you to be a coward, unwilling to sacrifice yourself for these children. You are a disgrace to the righteous path, no different from selfish demonic cultivators.”
Li Tianjue said coldly, “You don’t need to speak so righteously. It’s just your scheme.”
The Toad Demon King sneered, his claw-like hands gripping the little boy’s head. “So, you intend to watch these children die? Very well, this venerable one will begin…”
“Stop, don’t!”
Marquis Lushang could no longer bear it and shouted hoarsely, “Young Master Li, this Marquis begs you, save my grandson’s life! This Marquis will pay any price, just begging Young Master Li…”
He wept bitterly, his face twitching.
Fearing that the Toad Demon King would actually act, others also pleaded, “Young Master Li, we are sorry, we beg you! Sacrificing one of you to save so many children is worthwhile. We will absolutely not let the Toad Demon King go and will avenge you, but for now, we must save these children first…”
“Young Master Li, you are selfless, and we will remember you for a lifetime.”
“We have no choice…”
Listening to the cacophony of voices, with some even kneeling, the Toad Demon King laughed loudly, “Li Tianjue, so many people are begging you, and you remain unmoved? These are dozens of living lives, including one from your Qingxu Heaven. Is their lives less important than yours?”
Li Tianjue floated in mid-air, silent.
His face showed neither joy nor sorrow, detached from the world, as if he were deaf to their cries and pleas.
Su Luo and Tang Xiaoguo were infuriated.
How detestable!
These people, for the sake of their children’s lives, actually had the audacity to ask their Senior Brother to die?
Their children’s lives were precious, but were others’ lives not?
The main culprit was clearly the Toad Demon King, yet instead of uniting against him, these people were pointing their spears at Li Tianjue.
If he saved them, the Toad Demon King might not release the children, but Li Tianjue would die. If he didn’t, these people would curse Li Tianjue as heartless and unrighteous, and even damage the reputation of Qingxu Heaven.
As expected of demonic sect cultivators, they had presented an impossible dilemma to Li Tianjue.
“Wait, I have a question.”
Su Luo’s eyes moved, and she stared at the Toad Demon King, saying, “Even if my Senior Brother is willing to save these children, you said the children are in your hands, but where are they? Who knows if you haven’t already harmed them!”
This was the reason she hadn’t acted.
Without seeing Xiaobai and Princess Rou’er, Su Luo dared not rashly unleash the Divine Sealing Art.
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone’s expressions changed slightly.
The Toad Demon King’s face darkened, “Hmph, this venerable one holds one in my hand, and you still don’t believe me?”
Su Luo looked at him coldly, “If you harm any of these children, you don’t need to negotiate with us. With so many people here, one spit from each of them could drown you. If it weren’t for fear of the children getting hurt, would everyone allow you to threaten them?”
Marquis Lushang and the others also felt uneasy, and they all called out to the Toad Demon King to show them the children’s safety.
After much consideration, the Toad Demon King finally said, “Fine, this venerable one is not afraid of you playing tricks. They are all just small children, how could they possibly cause trouble? This venerable one will show you.”
Saying this, he waved his hand, and his wide sleeves billowed as if blown by a strong wind.
The Toad Demon King held the little boy in his hand aloft. In an instant, a glistening spider silk appeared around the boy’s neck. The Toad Demon King then pulled out a second, third, and fourth child from his sleeve… In a moment, he pulled out more than ten children, each with a strand of spider silk tied around their neck.
Someone exclaimed, “Sleeve Conceals the Universe!”
Su Luo finally understood why they couldn’t find the children; they had been collected by the Toad Demon King within his sleeves. It was evident that his black robe’s sleeves were no ordinary item but a spatial artifact, which explained why they hadn’t been burned.
When Su Luo saw Jun Mubai, her long-held anxiety finally subsided.
Xiaobai was fine, his face a little pale, but unharmed.
When all the children appeared before everyone, the Toad Demon King held the other ends of the spider silks and warned, “Do you all see clearly? All the children are here, but with a single thought from this venerable one, I can poison them all. So, I advise you not to act rashly!”
“Li Tianjue, it’s your turn now.”
The Toad Demon King also worried about unexpected events and immediately shouted, “I will count to three. If you still don’t act, these children will die in your stead. One…”
Everyone’s heart leaped into their throats, looking at Li Tianjue with anxiety and helplessness.
Waiting for him to kill himself.