Moreover, there was another important reason why everyone chose to curry favor with Yun Liyue first, instead of waiting to approach Yang Cheng directly later.
It was because by now, they all felt an instinctive awe toward him—an awe even deeper than what they held for Emperor Qian Yuan himself.
Yun Liyue could only smile wryly at their behavior.
She too hadn't expected that her little boy, that quiet and calm child, would have such terrifying strength.
"Your Majesty the Empress, His Highness the Crown Prince is truly unbelievable."
"That was the Ouyang Clan of the Horn Constellation Realm! They reportedly had seven True Gods, yet His Highness slew them all!"
"What do you mean just seven True Gods? The entire Ouyang Clan—over one thousand people—was completely annihilated by His Highness!"
The crowd, filled with awe and admiration, couldn't hide the fear that rose within them.
After all, that was more than one thousand lives.
And the one who killed them all was only twelve years old.
At that age, their own sons hadn't even dared to kill a chicken.
But along with fear came a strange sense of security. They all began to feel that a person like Yang Cheng was born to be emperor.
They were all royal relatives, not enemies of the Crown Prince. As long as they didn't stand against him and continued clinging tightly to the great pillar of Splendid Radiance Hall, it would only bring them benefit, never harm.
Yang Xi and Consort He were also present.
When she saw Yang Cheng's unbelievable feats, Yang Xi's eyes widened in disbelief.
She had always known her younger brother was extraordinary, but this level of monstrous talent completely shattered her understanding of what was possible.
It felt like growing up hearing divine legends, only to one day realize that the hero of one such myth was her own little brother.
"I've even heard rumors spreading through the Horn Constellation Realm," said one noble. "They all know our Crown Prince was born with innate knowledge and divine strength!"
"Hahaha! Those people are simply ignorant! We already knew that long ago. When His Highness was only ten months old, he had already shown astonishing intelligence."
"I still remember when His Highness was one year old, during his bone aptitude ceremony—it was I, the Clan Patriarch, who personally presided over it."
"Patriarch, you and His Majesty even kept it secret from us then, saying His Highness possessed the 'Divine Dragon Sword Body,' when in fact it was the Ancestral Dragon Sword Body!"
The entire hall erupted in excitement. The heavy gloom from before vanished completely.
"Without realizing it, Cheng'er has already grown up," Yun Liyue sighed softly, a gentle smile in her eyes. "From now on, perhaps as his mother, all I can do is manage his palace affairs and the matters of the harem for him."
Her tone was filled with pride and affection.
As a mother, how could she not love hearing others praise her son like this?
Horn Constellation Realm — Northern Region.
Recently, a terrifying demonic cultivator had emerged here, known across the land as the Heaven-Devouring Mad Demon.
In just over two years, more than several thousand powerful experts in the north had been found as dried corpses—victims of his devouring arts.
By the banks of a great northern river, a merchant caravan was under siege by a group of mountain bandits.
"Old Huang, hand over your granddaughter," the bandit chief sneered. "Do that, and we might let the rest of you live. Otherwise, all of you die here today."
The caravan leader, Old Huang, was a grey-haired man known as Huang Chegong. Behind him hid a sixteen-year-old girl—his granddaughter, Huang Miaomiao.
Huang Miaomiao had caught the bandits' attention because she possessed the Wangshu Dao Body, one of the top ten cauldron constitutions—a physique highly coveted by demonic cultivators.
"Impossible!" Huang Chegong roared in anger.
"Then kill them!" the bandit leader barked. "Attack! Keep killing until he gives her up!"
Just as the bandits were about to strike, a young man suddenly appeared above them.
"Who's there?" the bandit chief shouted sharply.
The youth didn't bother replying. He drew his sword and slashed toward the nearest bandit.
A single sword strike split the air—the sheer force made the bandit's pupils contract in terror. "That's… the Tai Xuan Sword Canon! You… you're the Heaven-Devouring Mad Demon!"
"Since you know, then get lost," the youth said coldly.
The bandits turned pale and fled in panic, rolling and stumbling over each other as they ran.
The name "Heaven-Devouring Mad Demon" had become the ultimate nightmare of the Northern Region.
"You… you're the Heaven-Devouring Mad Demon?" Huang Chegong asked in shock, his heart pounding wildly.
The youth, however, only bowed politely.
"This junior is Yang Xiu," he said calmly. "I greet you, Senior."
Seeing the youth's calm demeanor, Huang Chegong finally felt a little relief. "It seems the rumors were exaggerated after all. Young Master, you don't seem like that kind of bloodthirsty mad demon."
Yang Xiu smiled faintly. "I did kill many people, that much is true. But the ones I killed were all evil. You and everyone here are good and innocent. Why would I ever slaughter without reason?"
At his words, everyone's wariness vanished, replaced by gratitude and respect.
Especially Huang Miaomiao—after all, Yang Xiu had saved their lives today.
Afterward, Yang Xiu followed the caravan on its journey.
Inside the same carriage with Huang Miaomiao, he silently exhaled in relief. 'The aura of the Wangshu Dao Body really does help stabilize my condition.'
The reason he hadn't unleashed a massacre today wasn't because he had suddenly grown compassionate.
It was because he had finally realized the terrible flaw of the Heaven-Devouring Demonic Art.
After consuming too much life essence, his power had begun slipping out of control. His blood energy fluctuated violently, and he could feel madness stirring beneath his calm. That was why he hadn't even bothered killing those bandits.
However, Lu Jingshu had once told him—the Wangshu Dao Body could dissolve the hidden dangers of the Heaven-Devouring Demonic Art.
That was why he came seeking Huang Miaomiao.
Which meant this girl had now become crucial to him.
He couldn't afford to force her. He had to proceed slowly, win her trust, and capture her heart.
Only then would Huang Miaomiao willingly stay by his side in the future.
'Yang Cheng, I've now reached the point where I'm invincible beneath the True God Realm. I'd like to see how you'll compete with me next.'
Yang Xiu's confidence surged.
After tempering his strength a bit longer, he planned to return to the Wasteland Realm and trample Yang Cheng beneath his feet.
Just as his thoughts burned with pride, a soft voice interrupted.
"Yang Xiu," said Huang Miaomiao suddenly, "have you ever heard of someone named Yang Cheng?"
Yang Xiu froze. For a heartbeat, his mind went blank. Of all names she could mention…
He forced his expression to stay neutral. "Never heard of him. Who is this person?"
Huang Miaomiao giggled lightly. "Hehe, then you really don't know much about what's happening in the world! Yang Cheng—he's the most famous person right now! Just a few days ago, he went alone to the Horn Constellation Realm and destroyed the Ouyang Clan of Linjiang City."
"The Ouyang Clan had seven great Insight God Realm experts—one of them even a Peak Insight God. You have no idea how terrifying this Yang Cheng is! They say he's from the Wasteland Realm and only twelve years old! He's already being called a peerless prodigy—"
But Yang Xiu could no longer hear her words.
His head buzzed like thunder. His thoughts scattered, his vision swayed.
When he first heard her say "Yang Cheng," he had comforted himself that it must be someone else. A coincidence.
But when she mentioned both the Wasteland Realm and twelve years old, all hope of denial shattered.
'Why?'
'Why is it always him?'
He, Yang Xiu, had been ruined by that boy. Driven out of the Wasteland Realm, forced to flee to the Horn Constellation Realm, where he had to slaughter to survive and grow stronger.
Outsiders might think he lived gloriously now—feared as the Heaven-Devouring Mad Demon.
But only he knew the pain beneath the surface.
Every day, he was hunted. Every time he killed to gain strength, he risked losing himself to madness.
And now, this cultivation path had chained him forever. He could no longer calm his mind to cultivate like before. His future would be nothing but endless killing and blood.
His blood surged violently, his qi roared out of control.
Moments later, he could no longer suppress it.
Pfft!
He coughed up a mouthful of blood, his vision dimmed, and his body went limp.
The so-called Heaven-Devouring Mad Demon collapsed unconscious inside the carriage.