Chen Qingyuan volunteered eagerly, driven by both brotherhood and a sense of obligation to Predecessor Dugu.

In battles among peers, Chen Qingyuan showed no fear.

“Let Xiao Yan go first!” Dugu Changkong pondered for a moment before saying, “After all, this is his matter.”

“Alright.” Chen Qingyuan nodded lightly, without objection.

Chen Qingyuan opened a gap in the prayer bead barrier, and Wu Junyan, dressed in a light-colored long robe, walked out slowly.

Freed from constraints, Wu Junyan could finally fight without holding back.

As the inheritor of the Qing Sect, what kind of performance could Wu Junyan deliver?

Countless eyes gathered, filled with complex emotions.

In the distant starry sky, on the warships of various forces from the Northern Wilderness, a group of cultivators watched in astonishment.

The elders of the Song Family of the Ancient Clan and the Misty Sacred Ground had lifted the prohibition, allowing Song Ningyan and Zhangsun Fengye to regain their mobility.

The turn of events exceeded everyone’s expectations.

They had thought Wu Junyan was doomed, but who could have imagined he had such a terrifying master behind him?

Had they known earlier, some sects in the Northern Wilderness might have been willing to gamble everything to protect Wu Junyan, thereby forging a good relationship with Dugu Changkong.

“Three wins, and we can retreat safely.”

Zhangsun Qian, deeply concerned for Wu Junyan, clenched her hands until they turned purple, her eyes filled with worry. She silently prayed for everything to turn out well.

“At the Hundred Veins Banquet, many of the younger generation’s experts were beaten by Chen Qingyuan and his companions. Who can defeat them now?”

The Heaven’s Pride secretly discussed, surprised by the bet on the three battles.

“Fu Dongliu, the number one in the Western Border, is far stronger than most Holy Sons in the Imperial Province. Yet, Fu Dongliu was defeated by Chen Qingyuan and almost lost his life.”

The high-ranking members of various sects had already learned about some events in the Ancient World through their juniors’ accounts.

Therefore, ordinary Heaven’s Pride and Holy Sons couldn’t represent the Imperial Province in battle. So, who would it be?

Half an hour later, a blood mist seemed to appear in the starry sky ahead.

The cultivators blocking the path quickly stepped aside and turned to look.

“It can’t be him!”

That familiar aura sent chills down their spines. A few Holy Sons guessed something, their eyes flashing with fear, their throats tightening, and cold sweat breaking out.

“Clang, clang…”

A man, ten feet tall, slowly walked over from a distance.

He was bound by dozens of black iron chains, his face covered by an iron mask, revealing only a pair of fierce eyes.

His upper body was bare, his lower body clad in black pants, and he walked barefoot.

With each step, the ground cracked beneath his feet, and the chains on his body clanged loudly, producing a piercing “ding-dong” sound.

“The Son of the Demon!”

As the chained man appeared, more and more people recognized his identity.

Even some Mahayana cultivators couldn’t help but tense up, their eyes grave.

“This… doesn’t seem fair!”

Letting the Son of the Demon fight felt like bullying. This thought echoed in many minds, but no one dared to voice it.

This was a decision made by the top echelons, and ordinary people wouldn’t dare oppose it.

The Son of the Demon from the Xuanji Sect was about five hundred years old.

The Imperial Province had once seen a great demon who killed countless lives and disrupted the order of many places. That area belonged to the Xuanji Sect, which couldn’t allow the situation to worsen, so they dispatched many high-ranking members to suppress the great demon.

As a result, the Xuanji Sect lost several late-stage Great Vehicle cultivators, suffering heavy losses.

After the demon was suppressed, the Xuanji Sect invited many top experts from various sacred grounds to join forces and eradicate the demon.

After years of effort, the demon was finally killed.

However, the matter didn’t end there.

Months later, a nearby star underwent a terrifying change, filled with demonic energy.

Upon investigation, the Xuanji Sect discovered the truth.

The demon had committed countless atrocities, including consuming the blood of virgins.

A human woman, after being violated, became pregnant with the demon’s child.

Unable to bear the shame, the woman committed suicide.

Despite this, the child in her womb remained unaffected, absorbing the mother’s blood and then the spiritual qi of the area.

Thus, the Son of the Demon was born, accompanied by terrifying blood-red phenomena.

Initially, the Xuanji Sect’s high-ranking members planned to kill the Son of the Demon to eliminate future troubles. However, they later decided to imprison and control him, turning him into a puppet.

Many sacred grounds knew about this and didn’t intervene.

If the Xuanji Sect couldn’t even control a yet-to-mature Son of the Demon, they didn’t deserve to be one of the thirty-six sects.

Today, the Son of the Demon appeared before the world for the first time, shocking many.

“Kill him!”

A command reached the Son of the Demon’s ears.

His eyes turned blood-red, and his mask couldn’t hide his fierce, bloodthirsty expression. A beast-like growl emanated from his mouth, exuding immense pressure.

Facing the Son of the Demon, Wu Junyan remained unfazed, his expression calm and his heart steady.

“Boom—”

A powerful aura surged from the Son of the Demon’s body.

The young cultivators’ expressions changed slightly. He was at the Body Fusion stage!

Reaching the Body Fusion Realm under five hundred years old was exceptional. Moreover, this was the Son of the Demon, inheriting the bloodline of a great demon, likely far stronger than the younger generation.

No wonder the top echelons of the Imperial Province proposed three battles; they were clearly prepared.

“Wu Junyan is only a Nascent Soul cultivator. How can he cope?”

“This battle is precarious.”

“Although Wu Junyan performed well at the Hundred Veins Banquet, he surely can’t defeat the Son of the Demon.”

The Heaven’s Pride gathered, whispering among themselves, as if they had already seen Wu Junyan’s fate.

Buzz—

The next moment, the top experts from the Imperial Province and Dugu Changkong jointly sealed off an area, creating a temporary battlefield.

They set up this barrier to prevent external interference.

The forces balanced each other, making it impossible for either side to break the barrier instantly, let alone manipulate it secretly.

While the barrier was effective, it also meant that if the battle became extremely dangerous, even Dugu Changkong would struggle to ensure Wu Junyan’s safety.

This battle was destined to be brutal, with inevitable casualties.

“Old Wu, be careful!”

Chen Qingyuan shouted loudly.

“Mm.”

Wu Junyan glanced back at Chen Qingyuan and nodded lightly.

Then, under everyone’s gaze, Wu Junyan stepped into the barrier of the temporary battlefield.

The Son of the Demon also entered, and the two stared at each other from a distance, a thick killing intent filling the void.

Dugu Changkong appeared calm on the surface, but he was somewhat worried inside.

The Son of the Demon was bloodthirsty, and if Wu Junyan were to lose, it would be hard to save his life.

A new round of confrontation had begun!