Chapter 1326, The Ever-Changing Demon Emperor

Translator:  Ashish

Translation Checker: Silvain

 

“Relationship?” mumbling, Yu Zi Yu gave Seraphim a deep, lingering look.

 

[Could it be… he has noticed something? That shouldn’t be possible. I shouldn’t have left any trace. Besides, I’ve rarely interacted with Seraphim. There is very little chance of being discovered…]

 

However, just then, as if sensing Yu Zi Yu’s hesitation, Seraphim let out a long, deliberate breath before speaking in a steady tone, “All along I’ve felt that Alarion was a little strange. Until… the day he appeared before the Angel Clan, pointing out a clear path for all of us… it was then I realized, his heart was not with the Angel Clan… I once suspected his true identity. But thinking of the Imperial Artifact’s acknowledgment, I pushed that thought aside. And now, I can’t help but realize that Alarion seems to have been steering our Angel Clan toward the Demon Court all along… So I’m curious, deeply curious as to what is your relationship with Alarion that would make him push the entire Angel Clan toward the Demon Court?”

 

Hearing his speculation, Yu Zi Yu’s corners of the eyes started twitching at some point.

 

He understood now, Seraphim was overthinking things.

 

Or rather, Yu Zi Yu had overestimated him.

 

But then again, with the Sixteen Holy Wings, the sacred relic of the Angel Clan, vouching for him, it would be difficult for anyone to doubt the Alarion’s identity.

 

Which meant that the chances of being exposed were extremely slim.

 

Yu Zi Yu could not help but smile to himself, as he was struck with realization.

 

Still, regarding Seraphim’s question, he felt it was necessary to provide a convincing answer.

 

As long as the answer satisfied Seraphim… Yu Zi Yu believed not only could he draw Seraphim to the Demon Court, he could also draw the entire Angel Clan to his side.

 

Considering this, Yu Zi Yu came up with a simple yet convincing lie. “Alarion is my sworn brother in life and death.”

 

Then, he raised his right hand.

 

Immediately, with a thunderous roar, a dazzling burst of golden glow filled the hall as a golden feather cut through the air and hovered in Seraphim’s view.

 

“This is…?”

 

Startled, Seraphim’s expression changed.

 

He had instantly recognized the golden feather.

 

It was an Angel’s Natal Feather, an incomparably precious treasure that, to some degree, carried a portion of its owner’s Quintessence. Such a treasure was akin to a Human’s Innate Blood Essence, which could never be given away lightly.

 

If it was gifted, the meaning was self-evident.

 

A relationship forged over life and death; only such a bond would make an Angel gift such a supreme treasure, because in the event of danger, or a call for aid, the other party could sense it instantly and arrive without delay.

 

And the golden feather, radiating an incomparable brilliance, before him was even affecting Seraphim’s Bloodline. Even without Yu Zi Yu saying it explicitly, Seraphim understood.

 

No one but the Fifth Angel King, Alarion, could possess this feather.

 

Only his Natal Feather could influence the Bloodline of the King of Angels; only his feather could exude such a pure and sacred aura.

 

*Hooooo…* Seraphim took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart.

 

He understood there was a bond of life and death between the two, a trust that transcended life itself. Only such a bond could compel the Angel Clan’s foremost prodigy to entrust their entire clan to the Demon Emperor.

 

Only with such trust would Alarion believe that the Demon Emperor could watch over the Angel Clan, rather than consume it.

 

“I understand.” With that, Seraphim finally allowed himself a small sigh of relief.

 

This… was probably the best possible answer.

 

As for any other answer, it was better left unsaid. After all, any alternative might very well plunge the entire Angel Clan into eternal damnation.

 

With that thought, Seraphim took the initiative to speak again, “Please accept my thanks, Lord Demon Emperor, for resolving a question that has troubled me for so long.”

 

Then, with a tone that carried a pledge, he added, “So long as Lord Alarion’s heart remains with the Demon Court… we will, without question, follow the Demon Court’s lead.”

 

“Great.” Yu Zi Yu let out a hearty laugh, unconcerned whether Seraphim’s words were sincere or not.

 

After all, he was Alarion, and Alarion was him. If Seraphim truly harbored disloyalty, Yu Zi Yu would not hesitate to seize power from right under him.

 

Of course, that would be a last resort.

 

For all his caution, Seraphim’s rule had been nothing but competent.

 

If Yu Zi Yu usurped his authority, there was no telling how long he might have to continue walking among the Angels in the guise of ‘Alarion.’

 

So, seizing the power was only a last resort.

 

He believed that it would be better to let them grow, and then, when they bear fruit, reap the harvest. And that was the best way to deal with the Angel Clan in his opinion.

 

With a faint smile, Yu Zi Yu watched Seraphim slowly depart.

 

It was then that Anzuiel’s voice, the Spirit of the Sixteen Holy Wings, sounded softly by his ear, “…He may have sensed something. But… he doesn’t dare to say it.”

 

At that, Yu Zi Yu failed to stop himself from chuckling. “If he did say it, do you think he’d be able to walk out of this hall alive?”

 

“…That’s true.” Anzuiel nodded slightly, not pressing further.

 

He knew that while Yu Zi Yu might appear refined and easygoing, but in truth, he was a ruthless and cold-blooded individual This was laid bare by the slaughter of the Dwarves and Trolls, carried out by his organization, the so-called ‘Original Sins,’ a massacre that had claimed no fewer than a million lives.

 

A man this merciless, if he truly turned hostile, Seraphim would not leave here alive.

 

However, Seraphim was quite clever. Sensing something amiss, he had only tested the waters, and never dared to probe too far.

 

It was then, as if a thought struck him, Anzuiel asked, “If Seraphim truly realized you were the Fifth Angel King himself, what would you do?”

 

“Regardless of how he found out, so long as he didn’t speak of it, I would act as if I knew nothing. But the moment he spoke, I would act. I’d erase him. And not just him, anyone who knew this secret… would vanish from the face of this world.”

 

Hearing this, Anzuiel could only let out a bitter smile.

 

Though Yu Zi Yu’s cruelty and decisiveness had surprised him, what startled him even more was how seamlessly the Demon Emperor’s personality changed.

 

As Demon Emperor, he was quite majestic and domineering.

 

When it came to profit, he could be as calculating as a merchant, haggling over a single coin.

 

But when it came to his secrets, he became something else entirely.

 

Cold. Merciless. Decisive to the extreme.

 

Anyone who knows this secret… would vanish. It was a simple sentence, yet it was enough to turn one’s blood cold.

 

If the secret were to get out, who knew how many might learn of it?

 

But one thing was certain, even if a million people knew, Yu Zi Yu would slaughter them all without hesitation.

 

This was Yu Zi Yu.

 

This was the Demon Emperor of the current era. An unfathomable, terrifying existence who was impossible to predict.