"You're no longer a perfect celestial being?"
The old man stared at Ao Qingcheng, his body trembling as he spoke each word slowly.
As his voice trailed off, he felt a stabbing pain in his chest. He coughed up a mouthful of blood.
When the old man's words echoed through the hall, it was like a thunderclap. In an instant, waves crashed within the hall.
The powerful experts who filled the hall slowly rose to their feet, their faces like iron as they fixed Ao Qingcheng with glares as sharp as pins.
Ao Qingcheng's aura was completely different than before.
"That's right. She just went out for a bit. How could this happen?"
"She said she went to find Ao Qing. What exactly happened?"
Deep, heavy voices rang out. Clearly, they were unable to accept this reality.
Because Ao Qingcheng represented hope to them all. They didn't know how many resources they had spent over the years to nurture her.
Yet just when they were about to reap the rewards, this happened.
"Qingcheng, speak! Say something!" The old man spat out a mouthful of blood, then urged Ao Qingcheng urgently.
However, Ao Qingcheng just stared blankly ahead, tears streaming down her face silently. She didn't move a muscle.
The old man's trembling finger pointed at Ao Qingcheng. He was so angry he couldn't get the words out. Helpless, he shifted his gaze to Ao Qingcheng's subordinates.
He demanded of one of them.
"Y-Your Excellency Bifang, I, I, I..."
That subordinate was drenched in cold sweat, stuttering and unable to get a sentence out.
Ao Bifang slapped him dead with a palm strike. Then he seized another subordinate and thundered, "Speak! Or die!"
"I-I'll speak, I'll tell everything..."
Under Ao Bifang's oppressive might, this subordinate finally cracked and told the truth.
When his words fell, they stirred up a storm in the hall once more.
They nearly shocked everyone's jaws off.
Although they had guessed at various mishaps, never did they imagine this had anything to do with that good-for-nothing Ao Qing.
He was from the Red Sun Clan, a prodigy at the Demon King realm. How could he possibly have defiled the pride of the heavens from the Devouring Sky Demon Wolf Clan, Ao Qingcheng?
"Are you talking about that useless idiot Ao Qing? Did I hear wrong, or are you speaking nonsense?" Ao Bifang seized the subordinate's neck and rumbled, "Tell me right now, what exactly happened?"
"Your Excellency, I'm not lying. It really was Ao Qing's doing!"
Under Ao Bifang's oppressive might, the subordinate didn't dare conceal anything. First he gave a rough overview of events, then described in detail what had happened at the martial arts hall.
"The Demon Suppressing Mirror, how could there be a Demon Suppressing Mirror? How could those two mortals possess it?" Astonishment flashed through Ao Bifang's eyes. Then he grabbed the subordinate and asked, "I'm asking you, are you certain those two people have no cultivation?"
"Absolutely certain!"
The subordinate hurriedly said, "If you don't believe me, ask them yourself."
Seeing this, the other subordinates also nodded vigorously.
Hearing this, Ao Bifang clenched his fists tightly as killing intent rose within him.
"Ao Qing, mortals, I will have you dead..."
Grinding, hateful words shook the hall. Then he gave new orders.
"Where are the two Demon Lords, Fu Dao and Xiu Luo?"
At his command, two men with deep, powerful auras stepped forward.
"The two of you, hurry to that martial arts hall. Bring Ao Qing back, and raze that hall to the ground. I don't care if those two are mortals or not, bring back their heads!" Ao Bifang's icy voice echoed around the hall. Then with a wave of his hand, a black umbrella appeared.
"Remember, bring the Sky Blocking Umbrella. With it, the Demon Suppressing Mirror will pose no threat!"
Taking the umbrella, the two mighty Demon Lords Fu Dao and Xiu Luo immediately departed.
After arranging everything, Ao Bifang's gaze returned to Ao Qingcheng. Thinking of how that useless Ao Qing had ruined all his years of painstaking work, he thundered, "The rest of you, come with me to the Sky Devouring Hall!"
Deafening voices responded, then countless figures sped off.
The Sky Devouring Hall.
It was where the Sky Devouring Emperor Ao Zhong handled the Demon Sect's affairs, and also where he took his concubines.
"My dear, our three sons are good for nothing. Why don't we make another?" Ao Zhong smiled at the beauty before him.
But she pushed him away, complaining resentfully, "You have three sons, but I only have my precious Qing. Yet you know he was framed, and still punished and banished him. If anything happens to him out there, I won't forgive you."
"I'm sorry, my dear, but I had no choice. You know the Red Sun Clan is just looking for an excuse to attack us. I had to make that difficult decision." Ao Zhong sighed helplessly. "And Qing has always lacked motivation and never experienced hardship. I'm just taking this chance to temper him."
His wife Yun Wanqing clearly wasn't sympathetic.
"I swear, as soon as the clan situation stabilizes, I'll bring Qing back!" Ao Zhong raised his palm and smiled. "Don't you want Qing to have more siblings?"
Yun Wanqing glanced at Ao Zhong resentfully, but didn't reject him further.
Ao Zhong's face lit up in joy, and he moved to begin.
But just as he started taking off his pants, furious shouts came from outside.
"Sky Devouring Emperor, come out here now!"
Hearing this, Ao Zhong's expression changed.
"Damn Red Sun Clan, not satisfied with getting my Qing banished, now trying to suppress my imperial clan. I won't let you succeed!"
Seeing his wife's resentful gaze, he let out a breath, flared his aura, and flew out to face Ao Bifang and the others.