The Demon Emperor of Inner Demons had already broken through the seal, but Qin San and the others were unaware, as the battle had reached its peak.
Qin San was fighting two opponents at once, yet he held the upper hand.
"Twin Swords Unite!" Zhuo Mingyuan and Yuan Jie simultaneously unleashed their swords, their power doubling.
"Pathetic. Have you forgotten? The combined sword technique of the four of us was created by me," Qin San easily countered.
"It's time to end this."
Qin San's hand gathered power, preparing for a lethal strike.
But just then, the surroundings darkened briefly before returning to normal.
It happened so quickly that Qin San and the others had no idea what had occurred.
Soon, a black substance separated from everyone's bodies, taking shape and forming another version of themselves.
However, these doppelgängers were cloaked in darkness, with only faint similarities to their original selves visible.
The Demon Emperor of Inner Demons, satisfied with his long-lost technique, declared in a voice that echoed throughout the secret realm:
"Juniors of the secret realm, can you hear me? Thank you for your efforts in setting me free. As a token of my gratitude, I shall gift you your inner demons."
Following this was the Demon Emperor's maniacal laughter.
The Demon Emperor of Inner Demons!
Qin San felt a surge of joy. He hadn't even performed the sacrificial ritual, yet the Demon Emperor had already emerged. This was perfect.
But Qin San's joy was short-lived. His inner demon slashed at him with a vicious strike.
Qin San reacted swiftly, blocking the attack and creating distance, but his inner demon pursued relentlessly.
This inner demon was more troublesome than Zhuo Mingyuan and Yuan Jie combined.
Zhuo Mingyuan and Yuan Jie were also under attack from their own inner demons.
Each inner demon prioritized attacking its original self, as it held the highest "taunt value."
Qin San didn't want to waste his energy unnecessarily. He shouted into the air, "Demon Emperor of Inner Demons, can you hear me? We're on the same side. Disperse this technique!"
The Demon Emperor naturally heard him. Though he wasn't near Qin San but rather near Su Luo, he could sense everything within the secret realm.
He replied, "Apologies, but I only materialize the inner demons. I cannot dispel them. You'll have to kill your inner demon yourself."
This was the truth. Once the inner demons were materialized, he couldn't undo the technique, though he could exert some control over them.
Of course, powerful inner demons were beyond his control, and weak ones weren't worth the effort.
Despite this flaw, the inner demons would naturally attack their original selves, so materializing them was merely a way to inconvenience his enemies—no big deal.
Upon hearing this, Qin San cursed the Demon Emperor in his heart.
If only it were that easy! The problem was that this damned inner demon was absurdly strong and didn't fear injury, willing to trade blows recklessly.
With so many enemies still to deal with, now this inner demon was in his way.
Qin San's inner demon taunted, "You're utterly useless, Qin San. Han Ying'er treated you like that, yet you didn't kill her. I despise you from the bottom of my heart."
"Shut up! You have no right to speak."
"Do you still think she likes you? Look at yourself. There's no chance for you now."
"You're asking for death!"
"Hahaha."
Zhuo Mingyuan was similarly overwhelmed by his inner demon.
"Zhuo Mingyuan, your swordsmanship is too weak."
"What are you? Why do you resemble me so closely, even in your sword techniques?"
"I am your inner demon, and my swordsmanship is far more ruthless than yours. Your feeble techniques are an embarrassment."
"Hmph." Zhuo Mingyuan didn't bother responding, determined to prove the strength of his techniques through action.
But it seemed his inner demon's techniques were indeed stronger.
"Yuan Jie, how could you like someone like Qin San? Are you blind? He just tried to kill you."
"..." Yuan Jie was heartbroken. She never imagined Qin San would want to kill her.
"Since you're silent, let me take your place. You can stay in the corner and cry forever."
"I believe Qin San must have had a good reason."
"You're hilarious. Still making excuses for him? You're hopeless. Just die."
If Yuan Jie's inner demon defeated her, it would take over her body and become its new master.
Meanwhile, in another part of the secret realm, Han Ying'er's inner demon shattered her restraints, allowing her to escape.
Han Ying'er didn't immediately engage her inner demon. Instead, she sought out Qin San, wanting to ask him why he had done what he did.
As for Nangong Xiyun, who had been hiding in the shadows, she had already fled.
It wasn't the Demon Emperor she feared, but her own inner demon.
Nangong Xiyun's inner demon had existed for a long time, but even she couldn't deal with it, so she had sealed it deep within her.
The Demon Emperor's technique had loosened that seal.
And based on the information in her diary, if her inner demon were materialized, it would be game over for everyone.
The aftermath of her battle with her inner demon would be enough to annihilate everyone here, including the Demon Emperor himself.
So Nangong Xiyun had no choice but to observe from a distance for now.
As for Lin Xuan, he had been watching Qin San's one-versus-two battle from afar. He couldn't participate in such a fight—his current strength would only hold them back.
However, he had Elder Yan. He kept a close eye on the battle. If Zhuo Mingyuan and the others were truly defeated, Elder Yan would have to step in.
But then, the situation took a sudden turn. Inner demons appeared.
"Lin Xuan, you were a loser in the past, and you still are. After all this time, you're still at the Qi Refining stage. Even with Elder Yan's guidance, your cultivation hasn't improved at all."
"Steady progress is my cultivation principle."
"Bullshit! That's for ordinary people. With Elder Yan by your side, you should be rapidly advancing your cultivation. Power is everything. Speed is the way."
"I don't need your opinion. I have my own pace."
"Fine, then let me take your place!"
Lin Xuan's inner demon immediately unleashed a devastating technique, attacking without regard for its own safety.
Lin Xuan struggled to counter.
In an instant, the secret realm was filled with battles between originals and their inner demons.
Li Siyi was no exception.
Originally by Su Luo's side, Li Siyi was now locked in combat with her inner demon, gradually being pushed further away from Su Luo.
The pressure from her inner demon was overwhelming, and Li Siyi was steadily losing ground.
"Li Siyi, your progress is still so slow. If it were me, I'd already be at the Golden Core stage."
"What are you bragging about? I've worked so hard and only reached Foundation Establishment. How could you do better?"
"Hahaha, it's because you're not ruthless enough. You have someone right beside you who could help you advance quickly, yet you do nothing."
The inner demon was referring to Su Luo.
Li Siyi had considered seeking powerful techniques or secrets from Su Luo, but she doubted he would agree. He was only focused on clearing the secret realm.
So she had given up.
But her inner demon believed she wasn't ruthless enough.
If it were her, she would imprison Su Luo, torture him, and force him to reveal his secrets.
The inner demon was convinced this would work.
Hearing her inner demon's thoughts, Li Siyi's killing intent grew stronger.
"Enough talk. I'll deal with you."
"If you can't do it, I will. We're one and the same."
"You're you, and I'm me."
"Then I'll make you become me."
Like the others, Li Siyi's inner demon fought with reckless abandon.
But Li Siyi remained calm, methodically countering its attacks.