After I stopped trying, a rich woman trained me into a demon emperor.

The primordial spirit of a cultivator in the Tribulation Transcending stage is extremely difficult to erase.

Having cultivated for thousands of years, the primordial spirit has been refined. As long as the primordial spirit remains, one can possess another body and start anew.

He fled ten feet away, and Zhou Ran had already stepped out of the inn's threshold.

Zhou Ran walked slowly, holding the Taihuang Black Blade upside down.

His demonic energy was depleted, and his Nascent Soul stage primordial spirit was riddled with cracks, making it difficult for outsiders to discern his true nature.

That previous attack exhausted the power of the Demon Bone, damaged the Grand Commander's remnant will and the White Bone Brush, and also severely injured his primordial spirit, with most of his trump cards destroyed.

The primordial spirit that swallowed bones emitted a translucent, eerie green light, darting left and right in the void.

He cultivated for thousands of years, and his primordial spirit was so refined that ordinary magic weapons could not harm him in the slightest.

However, Zhou Ran's previous strike severed the laws of the void, and the surrounding space was locked shut by the iron chains of the laws. No matter how much Tun Gu activated his primordial spirit escape technique, he could not move an inch.

Zhou Ran took a step, leaving deep red bloodstains on the bluestone slabs beneath his feet.

His face was stern, showing no sign of weakness.

The Taihuang Black Blade dragged along the ground, making a piercing sound.

The primordial spirit that had swallowed bones struggled in mid-air, its tone sharp:

"Wait! I am willing to surrender! The Six Heavens are yours, the Demon Palace is yours, and I can even find the Demon Emperor's origin for you!"

Zhou Ran walked down to it and looked up at the struggling, eerie green: "You called me a thief before."

The Devouring Bone Primordial Spirit trembled: "I have misspoke."

Zhou Ran stepped down, and the black and gold threads of the Demon Emperor's authority spread along his sole, transforming into a massive footprint that suppressed the Devouring Bone Primordial Spirit.

The swallowed bone screamed in agony as its primordial spirit rapidly dissolved under the erosion of the black-gold light.

The remaining black lightning roared past, devouring the shattered soul power completely, leaving no trace.

The Grand Duke who had just completed his tribulation perished.

Zhou Ran looked towards the remaining demonic warships and troops outside the city.

More than half of the 100,000 troops were lost, and the rest were thrown into chaos.

The demon generals either knelt or stood, holding back their troops and daring not to make any rash moves, with no way to retreat.

The demonic cultivators stared at Zhou Ran.

Zhou Ran's clothes were stained with blood, his face was pale, and his black knife was pointed diagonally at the ground.

No one dared to regard it as an ordinary deity.

The Grand Duke, who was in the Tribulation Transcending Stage, had already died, and no one dared to step forward to die.

Zhou Ran looked around and said loudly:

"I once said that seeing me is like seeing the heavens."

He swallowed his own bones and died, and no one outside the city dared to utter a sound.

The remaining soldiers and the demon realm's warships were stranded, and command had been lost.

The commander was beheaded, his soul and body destroyed, and the fate of his remaining troops is unknown.

In mid-air, Gu Ji, the commander of the Integration Stage, gripped the military flag tightly. He was the leader of the Third Army under Tun Gu.

Gu Ji relied on Tun Gu for four hundred years, using resources to advance to the Fusion stage. He only sought to rely on the strong to save his life, and there was no question of loyalty or righteousness. Now, his backer has fallen.

Gu Ji examined Zhou Ran closely. Although he revealed his Nascent Soul cultivation level, he was still able to kill someone who had just completed a Tribulation.

Gu Ji was unaware of the details of that strike, nor did he know if his opponent could deliver another blow.

He knew that losing the bet meant certain death, so he dared not try.

He stood in mid-air, his palms sweating.

He looked down at the skeleton that had turned to ashes below, then glanced at Zhou Ran, who stood in front of the inn with a cold expression.

He sensed that Zhou Ran's aura was weak, knowing that the strike had consumed a great deal of energy.

But he didn't dare to gamble.

If the opponent still has strength left, and if that black blade contains the Demon Emperor's will, taking one step forward will result in annihilation.

The lieutenant beside him whispered, "Commander, should we retreat?"

Gu Ji gave him a cold look:

Where to retreat to?

The demon realm's warship formation has been destroyed; who can escape that black blade?

Gu Ji calmed his breathing and made up his mind.

He withdrew his magic, landed on the ruins outside the North Gate, planted the Third Army's black banner in the ground, knelt down, and bowed his head in submission.

"Commander of the Third Army, Gu Ji, has surrendered with his troops and pays his respects to His Majesty the Emperor!"

Bone-silenced voice, enveloped in magic, echoed throughout the entire battlefield.

With Gu Ji taking the lead, the hesitant demonic cultivators put down their weapons.

One after another, other commanders followed suit, and the remaining soldiers knelt down in droves, shouting "Greetings, Your Majesty!" The sound echoed far and wide.

Various factions within the city were spying through the doors.

Kuishan stood in the Chamber of Commerce's attic, pushing open the corner of the window.

He looked at the demonic cultivators kneeling outside the city, then at the gaunt figure in front of the inn, and felt a chill run down his spine.

The shopkeeper beside him swallowed hard, his face turning deathly pale.

"Master, this new Emperor has beheaded the Bone-Devouring Duke."

Kuishan shouted, "Nonsense, I can see it!"

Kuishan's hands, however, refused to obey his commands.

He originally thought Zhou Ran was just a Nascent Soul cultivator with some background, but he didn't expect the other party to be so ruthless, even killing a Bone Devourer cultivator in the Tribulation Transcending stage without hesitation.

The shopkeeper asked cautiously:

"Master, was the gift we sent earlier too inadequate?"

Kuishan slaps his thigh:

"Yes! Quickly go to the storeroom, bring out that sixth-tier Earthfire Bull, and present it to the Emperor as a mount!"

"But Master, that bull is meant for breeding..."

"What's the point of breeding them! What use are calves if they're dead?"

Go quickly, or things might change!

The shopkeeper accepted the order and left.

In front of the inn, Zhou Ran did not immediately take over the army.

He stood there for a while, and his legs felt a little weak.

The cost of killing the tribulation-crossing expert with a single strike far exceeded expectations.

The cracks in the primordial spirit have not widened, and are therefore difficult to heal.

The black blade absorbed the remaining demonic energy to maintain its form, but it absolutely could not fall at this moment.

The surrendered soldiers had just joined the city and were already watching from within; it was hard to guarantee that there weren't any loyalists who would die for their country or spies from other sides.

Zhou Ran sheathed his sword.

"Bone silence".

"Your subordinate is here."

"Can the Bone-Swallowing flagship sail?"

"Your Majesty, although the main ship is broken, the formation is intact. It can be repaired and set sail in three days."

"Where is the Bone-Swallowing Demon Palace?"

"It's in the Devouring Heaven Mountains in the middle of the Sixth Heaven, three days' journey from here."

Zhou Ran nodded:

"Assemble the demon realm warships and take in the wounded."

Those who died in battle must be registered and none should be missed.

The magic crystal weapons left behind by the Bone Devourer have all been sealed and are awaiting inventory.

Bone-silent and bewildered.

In the demon realm, the victors usually plunder and slaughter the vanquished, but unexpectedly, the first order was to register the dead.

"Your Majesty, those who died in battle..."

"When a person dies, the accounts must not be disordered."

Zhou Ran stared at him, her expression calm:

"Tun Gu drove them to their deaths; that was a debt Tun Gu owed. Now that Tun Gu is dead, this debt will be recorded in the Tun Palace's account."

His bones and mind were jolted.

In the demon realm, the strong prey on the weak, and no superior has ever considered the lives of ordinary demon cultivators and soldiers as worthwhile.

He bowed his head and replied, "Your subordinate obeys!"

After giving his instructions, Zhou Ran turned and went back to the inn.

As I stepped over the threshold, I swayed slightly and almost fell.

Qin San quickly stepped forward and supported his arm.

"master."

"It's alright."

With Qin San's help, Zhou Ran sat down and placed the Taihuang Black Blade on the table. The black and gold light on the blade gradually faded.

"Where is Yan Lie?"

"Yan Lie has led three thousand Dark Armored Soldiers to guard the North Gate. I kneel outside the gate, awaiting my fate."

"He was ordered to kneel and not to rise without being given permission."

Qin San replied, "Master, the injuries are quite severe."

"It's alright."

"The primordial spirit is damaged."

"I know it myself."

Zhou Ran sat down, leaning against the wall.

Xiao Rou ran out from the backyard, holding a bright red Demon Infant Fruit.

Seeing Zhou Ran covered in blood, his eyes reddened: "Zhou Ran, eat this to heal your wounds."

Zhou Ran opened his eyes and looked at Xiao Rou's concerned face. He wanted to smile, but the movement aggravated his wound, so he had to give up.

Xiao Rou used her fingernails to peel off the fruit skin, revealing the glistening flesh, and handed it to Zhou Ran.

Zhou Ran took the fruit and bit into it. The warm medicinal power flowed down his throat, slightly relieving the pain in his primordial spirit, but the flesh of the fruit was extremely bitter.

"How does it taste?"

"It's acceptable."

"You're lying, this fruit is clearly bitter."

Xiao Rou pouted, took out a jade box from her bosom, poured out several snow-white nourishing gu, and placed them on the back of Zhou Ran's hand.

When the Nourishing Essence Gu comes into contact with the skin, it absorbs the residual power of the lightning tribulation from the wound.

As the violent energy was absorbed by the Gu worm, Zhou Ran's expression finally eased a little.

In the corner, Xuan Ying and Gu Li sat cross-legged, using the inn's demonic energy to heal their injuries.

Xuan Ying opened his eyes and looked at Zhou Ran: "Your Excellency, although Tun Gu is dead, the situation in the Sixth Heaven is even more chaotic."

"Explain in detail."

"The Sixth Heaven is vast, and besides the Bone-Swallowing Realm, there are three other great dukes who rule over it."

Xuan Ying got up and walked to the table, dipped her finger in the tea, and drew a simple map.

"The Eastern Mountain-Splitting Duke, whose true form is a Mountain-Moving Ape, possesses immense strength and commands a hundred thousand Mountain-Splitting Army soldiers, who act with brutality."

"The Crimson Scale Duke of the West controls the Six Heavens Volcanic Mine and is extremely powerful."

"The most mysterious is the Grand Duke Wuxiang in the south. No one has ever seen his true face. He is skilled in illusion and assassination, and the Wuxiang Pavilion is spread throughout this world."

Xuan Ying pointed to the central area: "The Devouring Heaven Demon Palace is located in the central area. Now that Devouring Bone has died in battle, its territory and resources will surely attract covetous eyes."

They might not dare to attack His Majesty directly, but they will certainly send people to probe his strength.

Gu Li opened his eyes and sneered, "Testing? Anyone who dares to come, I'll crush their bones!"

"You can barely stand up now, how can you expect to crush someone's bones?" Xiaorou retorted from the side.

Gu Li looked embarrassed and remained silent.

Zhou Ran opened his eyes and looked at the water stains on the table:

"Let them test me then. Now that I have come to the Sixth Heaven, I have no intention of settling in a corner."

If they behave themselves, that's fine; but if they dare to lay a hand on me, I wouldn't hesitate to execute a few more dukes.

His words were calm, but the murderous intent they contained caused the temperature inside the inn to plummet.

"Qin San".

"Your subordinate is here."

"Order Bone Silent to reorganize the army and accompany me to the Devouring Heaven Demon Palace in three days. I want to see for myself how much wealth Bone Silent left behind."

"Yes."