In the Heavenly Demon Palace, the Four Heavenly Demons made their grand entrance, visible through the semi-circular view.
Following them, the Left and Right Protectors appeared.
This wasn't an ordinary, uneventful entrance; it was accompanied by a dramatic shift in the scene.
The previously clear sky darkened as they fully emerged, with dense clouds rolling in, creating a crushing atmosphere of "black clouds pressing down on the city, about to destroy it."
Thunder rumbled in the background.
The aura of grandeur was certainly present, but...
Looking at the vast expanse of clouds, Su Luo couldn't help but want to unleash a【Heavenly Cloud Calamity】.
Using such a massive cloud would surely be exhilarating, possibly even obliterating the entire Heavenly Demon Palace.
But he suppressed the urge, keeping his senses sharp. Now wasn't the time for such actions.
After the Four Heavenly Demons and the Left and Right Protectors appeared, they didn't speak. They scanned the area below, then divided into two groups of three, standing respectfully as if awaiting someone's arrival.
The once noisy semi-circle instantly fell silent, even the thunder in the sky ceased, and a zone of utter silence expanded.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
Clear footsteps echoed, audible to everyone present, growing louder as if right by their ears.
At the same time, an inexplicable pressure descended abruptly.
Ordinary members of the Heavenly Demon Sect collapsed immediately, unaware of what had happened.
Yet, despite the absence of the Demon Lord in the semi-circle, the pressure intensified.
This pressure wasn't evenly distributed; the stronger one's strength, the greater the impact.
Even the titled Heavenly Demons were feeling the strain, and some weaker ones began to sweat.
Directly gazing at the direction of the Demon Lord would further amplify the pressure, so most refrained, enduring in silence.
"Here it comes, Su Luo, let's settle this once and for all," Situ Ye stared directly at the Demon Lord's direction. "Let's go big or go home. Hurry up, or you'll lose."
Su Luo hesitated for just a second, and Situ Ye felt he was already at a disadvantage, as the pressure from direct gaze increased exponentially.
"Alright, alright."
If you want to play, then fine by me.
Su Luo looked towards the Demon Lord, the pressure was indeed present, but he skillfully neutralized it.
After all, Su Luo had already long since resolved these pressures and was inherently strong, both in cultivation and in soul strength.
Such minor pressure was insignificant.
What was puzzling was, why was Yun unharmed?
Su Luo sensed that Yun was still standing behind him, which was unusual; she should have collapsed like the other ordinary members of the Heavenly Demon Sect.
Nangong Xiyun was indeed holding up, but she realized her mistake and quickly collapsed, leaning onto Su Luo's shoulder.
Su Luo tried to move her away.
But Situ Ye shouted angrily, "Don't do unnecessary things, our competition isn't over yet!"
Su Luo's slight shift in gaze drew a roar from Situ Ye, as he felt he couldn't hold on much longer.
At this moment, Situ Ye's forehead veins bulged, his eyes bloodshot, his entire body tense and trembling.
He was still stubbornly holding on.
Fine, fine, stay still. Let's see how long you can last.
Su Luo decided to let Situ Ye accept his defeat willingly, planning to lay Yun down only after the competition ended.
The other Seven Talents didn't directly face the Demon Lord's direction, so they were still holding up, though with considerable effort.
In fact, enduring like this was less preferable than just passing out.
For those who fainted, the pressure would immediately disappear.
Finally, the Demon Lord emerged.
Jiang Ningshu.
Cold and elegant, lofty and isolated, her long hair danced in the wind.
She glanced downwards, and the pressure intensified further.
However, all the conscious individuals simultaneously gazed at the Demon Lord!
Enduring so long had been for this moment, to catch a glimpse of the Demon Lord.
Yet, a single glance caused explosion.
More members of the Heavenly Demon Sect collapsed instantly.
Situ Ye too, he had stared for too long and could only catch a fleeting glimpse of the Demon Lord, barely discernible.
Before passing out, he heard Su Luo's taunt.
"You lost, weakling."
Then Su Luo placed Yun on a seat, standing casually himself.
The other Seven Talents also stared at the Demon Lord, managing to hold on for a while, though none were comfortable.
Only Qing Bukuang seemed relatively relaxed, though not by much.
Normally, the Demon Lord didn't exert such intense pressure.
But this was the opening of the Heavenly Demon Grand Ceremony, and the atmosphere had to be impressive.
Finally, the Demon Lord Jiang Ningshu spoke.
"Day..."
She misread.
Jiang Ningshu subconsciously read out the text in front of her, an interface suddenly appearing before her eyes, displaying "Loading Diary".
Most would feel embarrassed, but Jiang Ningshu remained composed and continued.
"The Heavenly Demon Grand Ceremony, begins."
Despite not knowing what was in front of her, the immediate priority was to conclude her duties.
One mistake was enough; any further investigation could wait.
With that said, the pressure disappeared, along with the Demon Lord.
The Demon Lord didn't need to deliver any additional speeches; demonstrating her strength and mystery was sufficient.
In the Heavenly Demon Sect, power spoke louder than words.
Once the semi-circle had a chance to recover, the Right Protector stepped forward, performing a spell that bathed the entire area in green light, waking the unconscious members of the Heavenly Demon Sect.
This was just the beginning; there was still much to come.
But Su Luo felt that what followed would be even more tedious.
The Left Protector began speaking: "Everyone, the Demon Lord has departed. If you didn't get a chance to see her, don't be disheartened; as you grow stronger, you will naturally encounter the Demon Lord."
"Now, let's commence the Grand Ceremony."
The Left Protector delivered a lengthy, uninspiring opening speech, then proceeded with the content.
"Next, let's revisit the glorious achievements of our Heavenly Demon Sect in recent years!"
"Five years ago, we annihilated the Divine Sword Villa, acquiring the divine sword 'Listening to Dragon's Roar'."
"That same year, we framed Master Yue, ruining his illustrious reputation and turning him into a pariah."
...
"Three years ago, we instigated Zhang Li to massacre numerous comrades, significantly weakening Infinite Sect."
"Two years ago, we competed with the Earthly Fiend Sect, affirming our status as the top demonic sect!"
...
"This year, with overwhelming power, we simultaneously attacked the top ten sects, achieving a sweeping victory!"
Every success is inseparable from everyone.
"Here, I sincerely thank you all."
At this point, the semi-circle echoed with loud cheers and applause in response to the Left Protector.
After a while, the Left Protector continued.
"The past is past, but now we are not lacking. Our Heavenly Demon Sect shows signs of reclaiming past glories."
"With the infinitely promising Seven Talents, especially Qing Bukuang, arguably the strongest Seven Talents in history."
"The number of titled Heavenly Demons continues to rise, with more cultivators recognizing and joining us."
"Most importantly, our Demon Lord has once again broken through, reaching the pinnacle of this world, the Great Vehicle Perfection!"
"In the near future, our Demon Lord might become the first Tribulation Phase expert in ten thousand years!"