Zhan Xiong said, "The Demon Emperor? He is a very mysterious person, and I have never had any dealings with him. He has no reason to target the Divine Continent Sword!"

Ye Fan said, "It’s true that he has no reason to target the Divine Continent Sword, but he does have a reason to target me."

Zhan Xiong looked at Ye Fan in shock. He’d never expected Ye Fan and the Demon Emperor were mortal enemies. He then ordered two of his subordinates to leave and wait elsewhere.

He asked Ye Fan, "What exactly is going on between you and the Demon Emperor?"

"Senior, there are far too many grudges between us. Never mind our past conflicts; just recently, he attempted to control the four millennium-old families and the eight great clans of Shangjing!"

"I foiled his plot, and our hatred for each other only grew deeper from then on. I defeated him in that battle, and it ended with him jumping off a cliff. It seems he didn’t die after all and has now started to take his revenge on me," Ye Fan explained to Zhan Xiong.

Zhan Xiong said, "If it’s as you say, then he’s coming for you this time!"

Ye Fan replied, "That’s right. He is indeed coming for me. More than that, he wants to sow discord between us!"

Zhan Xiong said, "The Demon Emperor is truly detestable! He was once the pride of the Divine Land, yet now he’s dragging the Divine Continent Sword into his personal grudges!"

"His ambition is immense, and I know him all too well," Ye Fan said. "Senior, have you ever heard of the Divine Dragon?"

Zhan Xiong was startled. The Divine Dragon was a mysterious organization with ancient and legendary origins in the Divine Land. But legends were just legends, so he had always assumed the Divine Dragon didn’t exist and was merely a faction fabricated for online stories. He never expected it to be real.

Ye Fan said, "The Demon Emperor was originally a member of the Divine Dragon, a terrifyingly powerful organization. Even someone like him didn’t rank among the top five strongest members there!" He then told Zhan Xiong about the situation with the Divine Dragon.

Zhan Xiong was shocked. He couldn’t believe the Divine Dragon was so fearsome. Despite being a high-ranking figure within the Divine Land, he had never once come into contact with them.

He then asked Ye Fan, "How do you know all this?"

"Because I was once a member of the Divine Dragon," Ye Fan replied.

This part of his past had always been suppressed deep in his heart. The word ’traitor,’ in particular, constantly troubled him. Although he had been framed, he knew that if someone intentionally concealed the truth, the label of traitor would be his to bear forever.

Zhan Xiong was astonished. While he didn’t know the full extent of the Divine Dragon’s power, the fact that both the King of Heaven and the Demon Emperor—two powerful Kings—had emerged from their ranks was enough to tell him how terrifying they were.

He said to Ye Fan, "Young friend, I never expected you to have come from the Divine Dragon. They are truly beyond my expectations."

Ye Fan replied, "I was once a member, but not anymore."

"What do you mean?" Zhan Xiong asked.

Ye Fan explained, "My goals were in direct opposition to their plans, so I became a thorn in their side. In the end, they killed my brothers and the woman I loved, and I was branded a traitor to the Divine Dragon! Therefore, I live for the sole purpose of bringing them down!"

It seemed he had finally voiced the desire buried in his heart. The gap in power was immense. Even someone as powerful as the Demon Emperor was insignificant before the Divine Dragon.

Zhan Xiong said, "Young friend, I understand. When I return, I will immediately begin investigating the Divine Dragon!"

"Senior, you mustn’t!" Ye Fan immediately warned. "The Divine Dragon is tyrannical, mysterious, and unfathomable. If you uncover even the slightest tip of their ambitious plans, they will stop at nothing to eliminate you!"

The Divine Continent Sword was not weak, but Ye Fan knew they were no match for the Divine Dragon. That was why he was cautioning Zhan Xiong.

Zhan Xiong nodded. He did not ask about the ambitions and plans of the Divine Dragon, as he believed Ye Fan definitely knew them. He understood that learning of their ambitions now would make the Divine Continent Sword a target for the Divine Dragon’s elimination. The Divine Continent Sword did not fear challenges, but they carried the heavy responsibility of maintaining order in the Shenzhou Underground World, so he dared not take such a risk lightly.

Today’s conversation with Ye Fan had given him a new understanding of the underground world. He lived in the Divine Land and thought he understood it completely, but he now realized that what he knew was merely the tip of the iceberg.

"This matter with the Demon Emperor is part of it. He is likely just a pawn that the Divine Dragon has placed in the underground world," Ye Fan said. "Senior, please don’t get involved in this fight. Leave the Demon Emperor to me!"

Ye Fan was full of confidence. He had allowed the Demon Emperor to escape by a fluke last time, but he would not make the same mistake again.

Zhan Xiong said, "No problem. However, it will be difficult for you to find the Demon Emperor’s whereabouts on your own. Leave the task of finding him to the Divine Continent Sword! I can give you his exact location in three days at most!"

Although Zhan Xiong didn’t know the Divine Dragon’s secrets, he was still very confident in his ability to find someone—even someone as mysterious as the Demon Emperor.

Ye Fan said, "Thank you, Senior!"

"Don’t mention it. If the Demon Emperor is merciless, then don’t blame the Divine Continent Sword for being ruthless!" Zhan Xiong said coldly.

「Shangjing」

Ye Langfeng had become a completely different person since the last incident. He grew more sensible and began helping the Ye Family manage its company. Even Ye Qingshan, who was highly suspicious of him, began to lower his guard.

Ye Qingshan was an astute man. He held the same belief as Ye Fan: there was definitely something wrong with Ye Langfeng, though he hadn’t said it out loud. The more flawlessly Ye Langfeng acted, the more suspicious Ye Qingshan became. His supposed lowering of his guard was merely a façade. He refused to believe there was nothing wrong with Ye Langfeng. A person has many flaws; when all of them suddenly vanish, something is definitely amiss.

That night, Ye Langfeng suddenly left the Ye Family estate. Knowing something was wrong, Ye Qingshan immediately tailed him. Ye Langfeng walked calmly ahead, eventually arriving at a mysterious complex of buildings. Thanks to his formidable strength, Ye Qingshan didn’t lose his trail. There were many guards protecting the place, but they all let Ye Langfeng pass through.

In the deepest part of the complex, a man sat under an eerie light. He wore a mask, and various parts of his limbs were inlaid with steel—not common steel, but a specially forged alloy.

Ye Langfeng stopped a short distance away from the man and knelt. He said respectfully, "Master, I have almost taken complete control of the Ye Family."

"Excellent. Continue, and you will soon have a new task," the man said, his voice tempting. "At that time, all eight of the great clans and the four millennium-old families of Shangjing will be under your control. That’s much better than just being the Ye Family Patriarch, isn’t it? Besides, once that time comes, whether you want the position will be entirely up to you."

Ye Langfeng’s heart raced with excitement, feeling as if he were already ruling over all those families. He hastily kowtowed in thanks to the mysterious man.

"Continue gathering the resources I need. The faster my plan is completed, the sooner you can fulfill your ambition."

"Yes, Master! I am doing my utmost to gather them!" Ye Langfeng assured him.

"Alright, go now," the mysterious man said. "Don’t let anyone see you. Be a good dog for me, and I, as your master, will certainly not treat you unfairly!"

"Thank you, Master!" Ye Langfeng left excitedly.

The mysterious person gave a mocking smirk, seeming quite pleased with himself. However, his anger flared at the thought of the injuries Ye Fan had inflicted upon him. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

He roared in a fury, "King of Heaven, I will show you the meaning of a true nightmare! I’m going to make that scene from all those years ago play out all over again! HAHAHA! That will be the best punishment for you!"