The Eternal God Emperor and the Demon Ancestor

Chapter 72 The Snow Sea Son-in-Law 2

Snowsea City is the capital of the Snowsea Divine Kingdom. It is covered in snow all year round and filled with holy energy. The entire city is built of hundreds of millions of miles of cold jade. Thirty-six layers of Snow God Forbidden Array hang in the sky. The imperial aura of the Snowsea Emperor flows at the core of the array. Even if a Great Saint Realm expert descends, he must conceal his sharpness and bow down.

Since returning from the Boundless Divine Sea, the Snow Sea Emperor issued a divine decree that all the gods within the Snow Sea Divine Kingdom should return to the capital. Only the God of War guarding the front lines and some ancient beings who had entered seclusion to break through to the Boundless Realm remained. In an instant, Snow Sea City was filled with gods, their divine auras intertwined like a vast ocean, even the void itself was slightly distorted by the pressure. Ordinary cultivators dared not even approach the inner city, for fear of being crushed to ashes by the residual power of the gods.

Xueyan Pavilion, nestled atop a celestial mountain within Snowsea City, is the residence of Hong Xueyan, the most beautiful woman in the Snowsea Divine Kingdom, and also the venue for her inaugural Heavenly Pride Banquet. Outside, plum blossoms bloom amidst the snow, and sacred springs murmur, but inside, the pavilion is already bustling with activity. Top cultivators below the Great Saint Realm from across the Snowsea Divine Kingdom have gathered here, with Saint Kings and Saint Realm giants of various races jostling shoulder to shoulder, the air itself nearly solidified by the various Saintly Laws. They have traveled from afar, not for anything else, but solely to witness the unparalleled beauty of Hong Xueyan, one of the Four Beauties of the Hell Realm and a peerless beauty of the Rakshasa Clan.

On the top floor of the Snow Beauty Pavilion, in an elegant hall constructed from ten-thousand-year-old ice essence and star jade, the chilling air mingled with the holy energy. A dozen of the most elite Saint Kings from the Hell Realm were seated scattered about. The maids in the hall were all exquisite beauties carefully selected by the Snow Sea Divine Kingdom, their cultivation at least at the peak of the Saint Realm. Their steps were as light as feathers as they presented jars of holy wine sealed for ten thousand years and sacred fruits containing the essence of the Great Dao to the tables, daring not to show the slightest negligence.

The assembled prodigies were all pillars of their respective races' younger generation, their auras deep and resonant, their sacred bones booming. Any one of them could unleash a bloodbath on the battlefield of merit. Yet, all eyes were fixed on the seat at the very center of the elegant hall, where a young human sat. His face was as handsome as a god or demon, surrounded by a chilling, sinister light like a soul-guiding lamp. His temperament was arrogant, unruly, and untamed. He was none other than Duanmu Yan, the number one Saint King of the Asura race.

A young Rakshasa warrior clad in cyan-gold armor, exuding an aura of dominance, spoke first. He was the Green Mountain Divine Son of the Yuegu Divine Kingdom, one of the seven great divine kingdoms of the Rakshasa race, and also a top expert among the Saint Kings. At this moment, however, he looked at Duanmu Yan with a mixture of respect and curiosity: "Brother Duanmu, I've heard that the Demon Refining Master crafted a set of Supreme Saint Armor for all of you and your fellow disciples. It shares the same origin as the Asura Armor of the Ni Xuan Divine Venerable, possessing boundless mysteries and allowing one to fight beyond one's level. I wonder if you could allow us to witness its power?"

Duanmu Yan held a crimson sacred fruit between his fingers. Upon hearing this, a wicked smile appeared on his lips, and his voice was deep and magnetic: "You are very kind, Divine Child of Green Mountain. However, my master has ordered that this armor should not be shown off in public, lest it cause trouble. I hope you will understand."

As soon as the words were spoken, a giant with entropy fire enveloping his body and bones sculpted like black jade stood up from the stone seat beside him. It was Aguyi, the number one Saint King in the Earth Entropy Divine Kingdom. His voice was booming, carrying a hint of awe: "Brother Duanmu is now the leader of the Asura Clan's Saint King realm. Since breaking through to the Lin Dao realm three years ago, his methods have become increasingly ferocious and brutal. On the Saint King battlefield, he specializes in killing Angel Clan cultivators. Relying on that Supreme Saint Artifact Armor, he actually crossed realms to kill six Angel Clan Immortal Realm Great Saints. Now, there are rumors on the Heavenly Court battlefield that Brother Duanmu is the 'Angel Clan Killing Machine'."

Upon hearing this, the Green Mountain Divine Child's admiration deepened. Although he had not set foot on the Battlefield of Merit for a long time, he had heard of Duanmu Yan's formidable power. Three years ago, in a Saint King Battlefield in the Heavenly Court Realm, Duanmu Yan single-handedly stormed into the Angel Clan's camp and killed dozens of Angel Saint Kings in a single day. Among them were divine disciples from top Heavenly Court forces such as the Temple of Light and the Temple of Space. His ferocity was overwhelming, and he directly ascended to become the number one Saint King in the Hell Realm. No one dared to challenge his might.

Faced with the praise of the crowd, Duanmu Yan nodded slightly, his tone humble yet unable to conceal his sharpness: "These are just some minor achievements, not worth mentioning. I, Duanmu Yan, owe my success today entirely to my master's meticulous cultivation. Without my master, I would still be nothing more than an ant in the Great Slave World, at the mercy of others."

The Green Mountain Divine Child repeatedly praised the Demon Refining Master's supreme divine power, then revealed a look of regret: "It is a pity that I have no chance to see Brother Duanmu in his Supreme Sacred Armor. It is truly a great regret in my life."

Duanmu Yan tilted his head back and downed a cup of holy wine. The wine transformed into surging holy power as it entered his throat. A hint of battle intent flashed in his eyes: "If the Green Mountain Divine Son truly wishes to witness this, he may accompany me to the Holy King Battlefield. I have been in seclusion for several years, and now that I have emerged, I intend to use the blood of Heavenly Court cultivators to validate what I have gained during my seclusion!"

Aguyi clapped his hands in amazement, his eyes filled with shock: "Back then, Brother Duanmu had already reached the peak of the Dao Realm, with over 70 million Saintly Dao Rules, a feat rarely seen throughout history. Now, after three years of seclusion, he has probably touched the threshold of the Great Perfection of the Saint King Realm, a legendary realm with 100 million Saintly Dao Rules. It is extremely rare to find such a realm even in ancient history. I'm afraid even a genius like the Blood God of War, who was a prodigy in the Yuanhui era, might not have reached the Great Perfection of the Saint King Realm when he was in the Saint King Realm."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall stood up and looked at Duanmu Yan with reverence.

The Great Perfection of the Saint King Realm is the supreme ultimate realm of the Saint King Realm, requiring the condensation of a hundred million Saintly Rules. Throughout history, countless cultivators have spent their entire lives trying to reach it. Even the Fengdu Emperor, hailed as the strongest in the Infernal Realm, likely did not reach this level when he was a Saint King in his youth. Yet Duanmu Yan, having cultivated for only a hundred years, has already approached this legendary realm. This talent and opportunity have left all the geniuses present sincerely impressed and ashamed of their own inferiority.

Unknown to all, Duanmu Yan was originally a lowly commoner from a slave world under the jurisdiction of the Asura Clan, born into a humble background and with a life as insignificant as grass. It wasn't until Ling Che discovered that he possessed the ancient bloodline of the Duanmu family of the Moon Worshiping Demonic Cult in the Kunlun Realm, and was born with a demonic vein and extraordinary talent, that he took him in as a personal disciple. In just a century, Duanmu Yan rose from slavery to the peak of the Saint King realm, only a step away from the Great Saint realm, perfectly demonstrating Ling Che's keen eye for talent and his skill in cultivating him.

"Master Demon Refiner, you are truly the number one genius of our Asura Clan, and a role model for all of us!" An Asura Clan Saint King stood up, his tone fervent. "Back then, the Master was severely injured in the God War of Kunlun Realm and remained silent for tens of thousands of years. Now, he has broken through to the Boundless Realm, successively suppressed several God Kings of the Heavenly Court, married the Exquisite Goddess of the Snow Sea Divine Kingdom, and even raised a peerless genius like Brother Duanmu. You are truly a legendary figure throughout the ages."

The Demon Refining Master, originally an ascended Asura, possessed extraordinary talent. He later joined the Temple of Destiny and was taken in as a personal disciple by the Auspicious God. He cultivated both divine and martial arts, with unfathomable martial prowess. Fifty thousand years ago, his spiritual power had already reached the eighty-fourth level. He also cultivated the art of weapon crafting, making him the most outstanding weapon refiner in the Infernal Realm. However, due to his reclusive nature, he lived alone in the Forest of No Return for many years, detached from worldly affairs.

Fifty thousand years ago, the Auspicious God died in battle, and the culprits pointed directly at the Ten Tribulations Heavenly Lord and the Sumeru Saint Monk of the Kunlun Realm. The Demon Refining God Master, filled with grief and rage, followed the army of the Temple of Destiny to the Kunlun Realm, participating in that earth-shattering divine war. After the war, he was severely injured by the Sumeru Saint Monk, his divine body fragmented and sealed in the Netherworld Dungeon of the Kunlun Realm. Originally, he was supposed to be refined and annihilated by a divine array in ten thousand years, but now he has been devoured by Ling Che, who has seized his identity and taken his place.

Because the Demon Refining Master was aloof and solitary, with no relatives or friends except for the Auspicious God, Ling Che was able to perfectly utilize this identity without anyone noticing. Now, the Demon Refining Master, in Ling Che's guise, is a pillar of the Asura Clan and even the Lower Three Clans. All the gods know that with his weapon-refining skills, once he breaks through to the Heavenly Perfection realm, he can achieve the Supreme Position in the Dao of Weapons. Such a status is even rarer than that of an Undying Boundless Realm expert. Ling Che's status in the Lower Three Clans is now at its zenith, and all the gods of the Lower Three Clans regard him as their future support.

As Ling Che's personal disciple, Duanmu Yan's background is unparalleled among the younger generation in the Infernal Realm. In addition, his Holy Dao Rules have now reached 90 million, just one step away from the Great Perfection of 100 million. No one among the geniuses present can compare with him, and they all feel ashamed.

Shi Poyun, the number one Saint King of the Stone Clan, whose body was forged from refined gold and black iron, gave a self-deprecating laugh and said in a deep voice, "With Brother Duanmu here, we're afraid we won't even be able to touch the bottom of Fairy Xueyan's Love Frost Wine."

"Frost of Love Brew" is an unparalleled sacred wine personally brewed by Hong Xueyan, and only her chosen Daoist partner can taste it. Upon hearing Shi Poyun's words, everyone in the hall understood immediately.

In a corner, Gu Yesang, the number one Saint King of the Ghost Clan in the Impermanent Ghost City, was surrounded by ghostly aura, his face effeminate, and a trace of resentment flashed in his eyes. He possessed exceptional talent and a powerful background, and was originally a popular candidate to compete for Hong Xueyan's affections. However, in front of Duanmu Yan, he didn't even have the courage to make a move. The difference in combat power was like an insurmountable chasm, and their backgrounds were even more disparate. This contest was destined to end from the very beginning.

Hong Xueyan's purpose in hosting this banquet at Xueyan Pavilion was to find herself a peerless Daoist partner.

Her life was filled with hardship. She was born to the royal family of the Snow Sea Divine Kingdom, the True God Honglun, and a human slave girl. Although she possessed the most noble royal bloodline of the Snow Sea Divine Kingdom, she suffered constant exclusion from a young age because of her mother's humble origins. If it weren't for her extraordinary talent and astonishing speed of cultivation, she would have been secretly killed by the True God Honglun's principal wife long ago.

Soon, the Snow Sea Divine Kingdom's grand sacrificial ceremony will arrive, during which the royal family will hold an unprecedented hunting war to hunt various ferocious beasts and compete for the treasures that the royal gods have set up in the hunting grounds. If Hong Xueyan can emerge victorious in the hunting war, she will receive a personal reward from the Snow Sea Emperor, completely washing away the stain of her humble origins and securing her position as the legitimate daughter of the royal family.

Therefore, she must find a powerful and influential Daoist partner before the hunting battle to increase her chances. The title of one of the Four Beauties of the Hell Realm attracts countless geniuses. Hong Xueyan possesses both beauty and talent, an ethereal气质, and the unique allure of a Rakshasa woman. Who wouldn't be captivated by such a beauty?

But now, Duanmu Yan has suddenly appeared, and everyone can only withdraw with tears in their eyes.

Sure enough, not long after, four maids dressed in white with ethereal grace moved gracefully to Duanmu Yan's side and bowed deeply: "Young Master Duanmu, the fairy invites you to the secret pavilion for a chat."

Duanmu Yan, being a boorish and impulsive person, didn't react immediately. The maids gently pulled him up and led him towards the secret pavilion at the top of the tower. His belated realization made Gu Yesang, Shi Poyun, and the others extremely envious, filled with envy and jealousy, yet they dared not utter a single complaint.

Within the snow-covered inner city, atop the imperial palace.

Several true gods from the Snow Sea Divine Kingdom's royal family stood high in the sky, their divine senses covering the entire Snow Beauty Pavilion, taking in the entire scene just now, their expressions all quite fascinating.

The Thousand Mountains War God, one of the three great war gods of the Snow Sea Divine Kingdom, clad in snow-white battle armor, exuding an aura as vast as the starry sea, looked at a middle-aged man beside him and said with a smile, "True God Honglun, your daughter has excellent taste and good luck! To be chosen by Duanmu Yan, if this marriage can be successful, you will have encountered the greatest fortune!"

The man had a dignified appearance and profound cultivation, reaching the peak of the Upper God realm. He was none other than Hong Xueyan's father, "True God Honglun." At this moment, his face was radiant with joy, unable to conceal his happiness.

Several royal gods nearby chimed in, "Honglun, Duanmu Yan is the personal disciple of the Demon Refining Master. His Highness the Crown Prince once said that the Demon Refining Master is only one step away from achieving perfection, and his martial arts cultivation has also advanced by leaps and bounds, his strength is no less than that of the Emperor. If you can establish a relationship with this family through marriage, your future status in the royal family will be unmatched."

Honglun Zhenshen stroked his beard and laughed, waving his hands repeatedly: "The matter is not yet settled, so I dare not speak rashly. But if my daughter can truly achieve a happy ending with Young Master Duanmu, I will definitely hold a grand banquet and invite everyone to drink and feast for decades to come."

He was secretly overjoyed, thinking to himself that his daughter, whom he had raised with such care, truly had a keen eye. Duanmu Yan was a top-tier single genius in the Hell Realm, with strength, background, and talent that were unparalleled throughout history. Having such a son-in-law made it all worthwhile for him to have offended his wife and keep his daughter with him.

Just then, outside the Snow Sea Imperial City, the roars of divine beasts echoed from the sky.

Four divine phoenixes, their wings ablaze with undying divine fire, soared through the air, pulling a luxurious palace shrouded in seven-colored celestial light as they slowly entered the imperial city. Above the palace, a majestic aura and divine music filled the air, clearly indicating the arrival of a great figure.