Chapter 410 313: Preparation 2

"Tan Yong, is your family in Changming Province City?"

Han Yuan asked.

Tan Yong was stunned.

He didn't understand why Han Yuan would suddenly ask such a question.

The question was also extremely sensitive, and for a moment, he didn't know how to respond.

Seeing his expression, Han Yuan smiled. "Forget it. You don't need to answer me."

"But you must remember what I'm about to say."

Tan Yong quickly nodded. "Please give your instructions, Supervisor Han."

Han Yuan said in a solemn voice, "I will set off for the Great Demon Palace tomorrow."

"The day after tomorrow, you must leave the Great Demon's Headquarters, go into hiding, and wait for news."

"If you get word that I've died, take your family and leave the Great Li Dynasty. Live in obscurity and never reveal your true identity."

"If you get word that I'm still alive, then wait for my return."

"Understand?"

Tan Yong grew more and more alarmed as he listened.

He knew Han Yuan must have his reasons for arranging things this way.

Besides, these arrangements clearly indicated that something major was about to happen.

He took a deep breath. "Supervisor Han, isn't there anything I can do to help?"

From Han Yuan's words, he knew that his return to the Great Demon Palace would be fraught with immense danger.

Han Yuan laughed heartily. "You've already helped me a lot over these past few years."

"Don't read too much into it. This is just a precaution."

"All you need to do is wait for news."

"Understood?"

Tan Yong nodded firmly.

He assumed Han Yuan was returning to fight Dong Sen and Zheng Xi.

In a conflict of that level, his own Cultivation was indeed no help at all.

"Then go and make your preparations,"

Han Yuan said with a wave.

Tan Yong gave Han Yuan a solemn bow, then turned and left the hall.

'I should get ready, too.'

Han Yuan sat alone in the vast, empty hall, muttering to himself.

「The next day.」

With the Heaven-Defying Saber on his back and the Orange Cat in tow, he left Changming Province City and headed straight for the Great Demon Palace.

The journey was uneventful.

Three years later, he stood once more before the gates of the Great Demon Palace.

This time, however, it was a life-or-death challenge for Han Yuan.

But he didn't enter immediately. Instead, he stood before the entrance and roared, "Dong Sen! Zheng Xi! Get out here and die!!!"

"Dong Sen! Zheng Xi! Get out here and die!!!"

"Dong Sen! Zheng Xi! Get out here and die!!!"

His voice rolled like thunder, echoing throughout the Great Demon Palace.

For a moment, every disciple in the Great Demon Palace froze on the spot, a single thought surfacing in all their minds.

'Who in the world is that audacious?!'

Soon, one of the Great Demon Palace disciples realized. "It's him! He's back!"

"That's right. Only he would dare do something like this!"

"He's been gone from the Great Demon Palace for three years, and the moment he returns, he provokes two of his seniors! What the hell is he trying to do?!"

"I don't know. No one can ever figure out what's going on in his head."

"I'm curious to see how our two seniors will react."

The expressions of the Great Demon Palace disciples were complicated.

A mix of shock, disdain, curiosity, and horror...

But they all knew one thing: today, there was going to be a good show.

「Inside the True Demon Hall.」

Situ Hui was indeed in a terrible state, sitting deep within the hall like a piece of withered wood.

When he heard Han Yuan's voice, he actually laughed. "Interesting... Just what are you planning?"

Situ Hui found he couldn't see through this disciple of his at all.

But then he immediately muttered to himself, "Then again, this is fine... Let the three of you fight to the death. Whoever survives will be worthy of having their body seized by me."

Yan Qingyu had been right.

Situ Hui was indeed considering the option of seizing Han Yuan's body.

But Han Yuan was not his only option.

Dong Sen and Zheng Xi were also among his options.

Still, Situ Hui leaned more toward Han Yuan.

Because this fellow's talent was so immense that even he couldn't help but feel jealous.

If he could seize Han Yuan's body, he might be able to break through to an even higher realm.

Just then, figures began to rush into the True Demon Hall.

These were the Elders of the Great Demon Palace.

They had come to ask Situ Hui just what was going on.

But just as they entered the True Demon Hall, its great doors slammed shut.

"What... What is the meaning of this?"

The Grand Elder frowned.

"It seems the Palace Master has no intention of interfering in the conflict between his three disciples,"

the Second Elder said, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Mm... The tradition of our Great Demon Palace has always been this way."

"Only the strong survive,"

another Elder added.

After that, all the Elders fell silent.

They realized that Han Yuan must have returned this time to contend for the position of Palace Master.

The tradition of the Great Demon Palace had always been like a 'gu' ritual—disciples were encouraged to kill one another, and the last one standing earned the right to become the Palace Master.

By sealing the True Demon Hall now, Situ Hui seemed to be giving his tacit approval to Han Yuan's actions.

In other words, Situ Hui also wanted to step down.

Han Yuan might even be acting on Situ Hui's orders.

Han Yuan had no established power base in the Great Demon Palace, so this move actually leveled the playing field between the rivals.

It would all come down to skill, to see who would have the last laugh.

Song Chen's eyes glinted. Without a word, he vanished from the spot.

Only then did the other Elders react, scrambling to head for the Great Demon Palace's main gate.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

Figures streamed out of the Great Demon Palace, gathering at the gate.

It wasn't just the Elders; even the regular disciples wanted to come and watch the spectacle.

In the chaos, the passageways became a frantic mess.

A disciple dressed in the Great Demon Palace's uniform slipped unnoticed into the palace.

This figure was none other than Yan Qingyu in disguise.

Once inside the Great Demon Palace, she quickly darted into a hidden corner and concealed herself.

Meanwhile, Han Yuan remained standing before the Great Demon Palace gate, his expression a mask of supreme arrogance.

"What's this? Are Dong Sen and Zheng Xi going to hide in their shells like cowards?"

"Don't you even have the courage to come out and face me?"

Han Yuan snorted coldly when he saw the large crowd but no sign of Dong Sen or Zheng Xi.

In the face of his taunts, not even members of Dong Sen and Zheng Xi's own factions dared to speak.

They knew that if they spoke up, they would likely become the target of Han Yuan's anger.

This was a man who dared to kill an Elder; he certainly wouldn't care about them.

Not even the leading Elders dared to make a sound.

For a moment, despite the sea of people surging before the Great Demon Palace gate, an eerie silence fell over the crowd.

Han Yuan narrowed his eyes, waiting patiently for a little longer.

Before long, Dong Sen emerged, followed by a dozen or so disciples.

"Finally, one of them shows up."

"Brother Dong, it seems you're a cut above Brother Zheng,"

Han Yuan said with a grin.

"Han Yuan, do you have any idea what you're doing?"

"Apologize to me now, and I might still let you off the hook,"

Dong Sen said coldly.

Han Yuan's words had already backed him into a corner.

He couldn't possibly back down now.

Upon hearing this, Han Yuan burst out laughing. "Brother Dong, if you kowtow to me right now, I might just spare your life!"

At his words, the eyes of everyone gathered nearby went wide.

Clearly, Han Yuan wouldn't be satisfied until this ended in death!

"Fine! Fine! Fine!"

So angry he began to laugh, Dong Sen said directly, "Then let's see who's better!"

Han Yuan grinned. "Don't be so hasty, Brother Dong. Brother Zheng isn't here yet."

"I refuse to believe he's really going to hide in his shell."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than another voice rang out.

"You're not worthy of making me hide like a coward."

The grim-faced Zheng Xi emerged from the Great Demon Palace, his own men in tow.

A look of anticipation spread across the faces of the crowd.

The main actors in today's grand drama had finally assembled.

Next would come a battle between titans, one that would decide who would take the seat of the Palace Master of the Great Demon Palace.

"Junior Brother Zheng, since you've arrived, I'll let you have the first go."

"Go on and teach Han Yuan a proper lesson,"

Dong Sen said with a sudden smile upon seeing Zheng Xi.

Clearly, he wanted to sit back and watch the two tigers fight.

Zheng Xi wasn't about to fall for that. "Brother Dong, you are our senior. The task of disciplining a junior brother naturally falls to you first. I can't be the one to break protocol."

But just then, Han Yuan extended a finger, pointing first at Dong Sen, then at Zheng Xi.

"You two. Come at me together."