Chapter 98: The Sight

“Big brother, it’s already been over a hundred days, yet there’s still no sign of any change. Could it be that the Cloud Wanderer is so tenacious, still resisting after all this time?”

“I don’t know.”

“Big brother, I know you don’t know, but it’s been so long without even a trace of imperial aura spilling out. Do you think the one we sent in might be dissatisfied? After all, the higher the cultivation of a Demon Emperor, the more imperial aura they emit. Back then, our clan’s venerable elder was at the late stage of metamorphosis, and at that time, the imperial aura that spilled out was as much as four strands…”

His voice abruptly halted.

He looked ahead, eyes wide with astonishment: Could it be that he had been drawn into an illusion? The Cloud Wanderer who had entered over a hundred days ago was actually coming out?!

What a joke. Even Demon Kings entering this place, even those at the late stage of metamorphosis, had less than a one percent chance of success, and that after spending years inside. Many Demon Kings at the peak of metamorphosis had perished here. For this one to emerge so swiftly was simply unfathomable.

“B-big brother, am I seeing things?”

Though Luan Qingshan was a Demon Emperor at the metamorphosis stage, such a scene was unheard of.

His elder brother tightly gripped the long flute in his hand, and a faint flame flickered within his eyes.

“What kind of illusion do you think can confound my heart-fire phoenix eyes, which have already successfully transformed?”

Having spoken thus, he no longer hesitated and bowed deeply.

“The Luan Bird Clan’s Great Elder Luan Qingliu pays respects to this honored senior. If there were any offenses before, I humbly apologize. From this day forth, our clan pledges to serve this senior for a hundred years!”

Hearing his elder brother speak in such a way, Luan Qingshan immediately regained composure and, without further words, also bowed deeply.

“It seems you did not expect me to come out. But that does not matter; the original intent was to teach you a lesson.”

Hong Yun smiled gently as he looked at the two metamorphosis Demon Kings before him and took a few steps forward.

“Your will to survive just now was strong—very commendable. But I still want to know why.”

He truly had not expected the other party to be so straightforward and unhesitating in pledging their service, which left him a few words to spare.

Yet he remained puzzled as to why they treated him this way; this was not something he had learned from the chaotic memories he had gathered within his heart-fire.

Luan Qingliu heard this and said little, lowering his head as if recounting something simple.

“Following the ancestral edicts of our Demon Emperor’s will, if one can emerge from within, our clan must befriend, never make enemies; your current cultivation merits our Luan Bird Clan’s full commitment.”

“Then why is it a hundred years? Is it because every hundred years you must offer a metamorphosis for sacrifice?”

Hong Yun fixed his gaze upon him, his tone imbued with an undeniable conviction.

“Just submit directly to me. There’s no need for a century-long term.”

Luan Qingliu’s heart suddenly faltered, as if something inside him was magnified infinitely.

He focused his eyes on Hong Yun, but then emitted a muffled grunt, covered his eyes, and staggered backward, blood flowing from within.

Without hesitation, he immediately knelt on one knee.

“I am willing to serve the lord!”

“Big brother, if your mind is being controlled and you can still resist, send me a message at once! I’ll summon the third and sixth brothers right away!”

Luan Qingshan, shocked at his elder brother’s state, sent him a mental message, his heart burning with fury toward Hong Yun, who had used some unknown method to cause this.

Yet Hong Yun, from the look in the other’s eyes earlier, had already discerned some clues.

He lightly snapped his fingers, and a swirl of calamity energy gathered above his hand. To ordinary eyes, it was imperceptible, but to his calamity-sensing eyes, it shone like a bright lamp.

“Interesting. It seems you can see the thing in my hand.”

Having said this, he stared intently, observing the reaction.

Luan Qingliu dared not look casually but cautiously shifted his gaze to Hong Yun’s fingertip.

Feeling the familiar sensation, he grew alarmed and dared not lie.

“My lord, this is what our Luan Bird Clan calls imperial aura. It is indispensable for transcending metamorphosis.”

Interesting. The Great Elder of the Luan Bird Clan before him truly could see the calamity energy in his hand.

It seemed Hong Yun had discovered something and suddenly understood: he did not know this world as well as he thought. They were aware of calamity energy after all, though they called it by a different name.

How much calamity energy they could see, he did not know.

Hong Yun speculated silently, then snapped his fingers again, condensing the calamity energy refined from his kidneys into a lotus flower on his fingertip.

“Tell me, what shape do you see this imperial aura as?”

Hearing this, Luan Qingliu covered one eye and looked with the other, a hint of puzzlement in his expression.

“My lord, there is no imperial aura on your fingertip.”

Hmm?

Could it be that he had messed it up himself?

Hong Yun looked at his fingertip. Under his calamity-sensing eyes, there was indeed a deep blue mass of calamity energy flowing.

Hesitating, with a growing suspicion, he once again condensed a lotus flower of calamity energy from his heart-fire, letting it dance on his fingertip.

“Look again carefully.”

Luan Qingshan immediately raised his eyes again.

With a drop of bloody tear, he lowered his head once more.

“My lord, I see a very beautiful… flower.”

Is that so?

Hong Yun felt his suspicion had been confirmed. Seeing the blood upon the other’s face, he felt somewhat embarrassed.

After all, his experiment had injured the other’s eyes; he owed him some compensation.

After some thought, finding nothing of value on himself, he gently blew toward the calamity lotus he had condensed.

“Very good. Since you can see it, I shall gift it to you.”

After forcibly implanting the calamity lotus into the other’s brow, he made no further delay and ascended into the sky.

“I have matters requiring seclusion for a while. If nothing urgent arises, do not disturb me.”

Luan Qingliu had never expected such a turn of events. Feeling the stirring in his brow, he trembled and knelt deeply, knocking the ground repeatedly.

“Thank you, my lord. I pledge my life and loyalty to you!”

“Big brother, you…”

Before the words were finished, a scorching aura emanated from Luan Qingliu’s body, forcing him back.