"Heh, so you're the one who practiced the Xuanming Decision?" Purple Jade, holding onto Purple Emperor's waist with one arm, tilted her head and looked at Feng Yun Wuj, her face brimming with excitement. "May I take a look at the Xuanming Tome?"
Her expression was so irresistible that it was hard to say no. Purple Emperor, dressed in purple, gently patted Purple Jade's head, shaking his head but not stopping her.
With a quick flick of his fingers, Feng Yun Wuj casually tossed the Xuanming Tome to her. "You want to see it? Here you go."
Feng Yun Wuj's straightforwardness stunned the three of them. They couldn't believe he was just handing over the Xuanming Tome so easily!
Purple Emperor grabbed the tome, glanced at it in confusion, and then handed it to Purple Jade. Purple Jade eagerly took it and immediately began flipping through the pages, studying it carefully.
"Purple Emperor, this guy is just like you," the beautiful woman, called Dong Hou, whispered into Purple Emperor's ear with a smile.
"Like me?" Purple Emperor looked puzzled.
Dong Hou looked up and coldly remarked, "Just as shameless and heartless."
"Purple Jade, what do you think?" the red-clad woman asked.
"East Hou, this book only has the second volume. I can't tell if it's genuine or not." Purple Jade raised her head, speaking softly.
"I knew something was off!" Dong Hou snorted coldly, suddenly lunging forward. Her jade hand opened as she reached for Feng Yun Wuj's throat.
"Are you planning to make another move?" Feng Yun Wuj felt a surge of anger. He swung his sleeve and drifted backward, dodging her.
"With these two hands, you think you can escape from me? Tianshan Broken Plum Palm!" Dong Hou waved her right hand, and a red light shot from her fingers, heading straight for Feng Yun Wuj's face.
Feng Yun Wuj saw a flash of red light and realized the attack was expanding into blossoming petals, with a faint plum blossom fragrance. His heart tensed, and he dared not be careless. He activated the Willow-Fluff Wind Body Technique, drifting backward, staying just three feet from her palm.
"Do you really think I can't handle you?" Dong Hou shouted in anger. A light shield suddenly flared up within a ten-meter radius, trapping Feng Yun Wuj inside.
"The Heavenly Demon Aura," Feng Yun Wuj vaguely heard her say. At the same moment, his internal energy began to spiral out of control, flooding through his meridians, causing his Willow-Fluff Wind Body Technique to fail.
A white, jade-like hand shot toward his neck with lightning speed, and Dong Hou's soft voice rang in his ears, though it sounded terrifying to him. "Now, let's see what you can use to block this."
Crack! Ice shards flew! A crystal-clear ice sword shattered beneath Dong Hou's hand. Feng Yun Wuj had managed to hastily form a long sword just in time, holding it between her palm and his neck, narrowly avoiding the strike.
With a sharp push of his right foot, Feng Yun Wuj shot backward at high speed. He was wary of Dong Hou; in the brief moment of contact, he felt his internal energy spiral uncontrollably, leaving him vulnerable.
"What kind of martial arts is this? Heavenly Demon Aura? How can it have such an effect? I was still some distance away from her, yet she could disrupt my energy flow like this. It's too strong!" Thoughts raced through Feng Yun Wuj's mind. As he saw Dong Hou preparing to strike again, he quickly raised his hand to stop her. "Hold on!"
"Oh? Do you have any last words?" The red-clad woman, Dong Hou, looked at him with a frosty expression.
"The Xuanming Tome is the only one I possess. My progress in martial arts has nothing to do with it. Whether you believe me or not is up to you."
"Forget it, Dong Hou. We didn't come here for the Xuanming Tome," Purple Jade said, lifting her head and speaking softly. "I already have the Tai Xuan Scripture. I don't need any more martial arts. In this ancient world, there are so few who practice the Sword Path. This man is a true expert. Keeping him around could prove useful."
Purple Emperor, dressed in purple, finally spoke. He opened his arms, pulling Dong Hou closer from behind. The cold expression on Dong Hou's face immediately softened.
"I never intended to kill him," Dong Hou giggled. "I only wanted to see if he's qualified to join the South Rising North Dipper Sword Sect!"
"No way, I want a kiss too," Purple Jade said playfully, tossing aside the Xuanming Tome and running over to kiss Purple Emperor on the cheek.
Feng Yun Wuj let out a deep sigh, completely bewildered by the relationship between these three.
"How about joining my South Rising North Dipper Sword Sect?" Purple Emperor looked up and smiled at Feng Yun Wuj. Though his appearance was ordinary, his smile was radiant, like sunlight breaking through the clouds.
"Haha, the South Rising North Dipper Sword Sect has good intentions. By taking in this young man, they can slowly extract the true whereabouts of the Xuanming Tome. Clever move," a cold laugh rang out from above, and everyone looked up to see a towering figure in the sky.
The man was at least two meters tall, dressed in dark iron armor, his face rugged with a short beard, and his skin slightly dark. A black and red cloak swirled behind him. What struck everyone as odd was his pair of purple eyes, which seemed to glow brightly even in the overcast sky.
"This man, I want him for the Demon Domain," the man's booming voice echoed through the air. "The South Rising North Dipper Sword Sect had better not interfere!"
As his words ended, fire rain suddenly fell from the sky, followed by a massive fireball hurtling downward.
"Humph! Fire Demon, Chi Lian Sect! How dare you act so recklessly in front of me, Purple Emperor? You're asking for death!" Purple Emperor's voice turned cold, and the chill in his tone was enough to send shivers down anyone's spine.
Feng Yun Wuj turned his head sharply to look at Purple Emperor. He saw that Purple Emperor was still gazing blankly at the sky, even as fire rained down. The purple figure before him slowly began to fade.
A shriek echoed from the sky, and then the purple figure solidified again. A narrow purple sword appeared in his hand, with a purple ribbon tied to the hilt, and a drop of dark red blood dripped slowly down the silver blade.
Crack! A massive, muscular arm fell from the sky, landing near Feng Yun Wuj. Purple Emperor's flames surged, and blood poured from the severed limb, igniting in a towering inferno.
The enormous fireball crashed into the crowd of the South Rising North Dipper Sword Sect, sending dozens of their experts flying. A dark red figure emerged from the flames—it was the Fire Demon from the Chi Lian Sect, and he was clutching his severed left arm, grimacing in pain as dark blood flowed from the wound.
The sky erupted in thunder and lightning, and violent winds howled. Giant tornadoes descended from all directions, and torrential rain poured down, making it nearly impossible to distinguish between people and animals.
"The Five Generals of the Demon Domain, all gathered here for the Xuanming Tome?" Purple Emperor spoke calmly, his voice devoid of any emotion.
In the sky, four figures gradually emerged…