Both of them froze at the same time.
Until humans appeared? What did that mean?
The Ruby Queen spoke calmly. “In the early years of the Ice Age, the Daemon Continent was nothing like the Demon Domain you see today. The various demon and nymph races retained their original forms. They did not resemble humans the way powerful demon and nymph cultivators do now.
“I cannot say whether humans were created by the demon and nymph races or arose naturally. But one thing is certain. The human body is the most rationally structured of all races—especially when it comes to thought.
“Pure humans possess no innate talent. And yet, through intellect alone, you gradually learned to wield power. Your rate of evolution was nearly ten times that of the demon and nymph races.
“You should understand this. The demon and nymph races ruled the Demon Continent for more than ten thousand years during the Ice Age. Then why does the Ice Age itself record only a little over two thousand years? Because it was only in the later stages of the Ice Age that demon and nymph races developed the wisdom to record history. It does not mean they did not exist before.
“And humans?” Her gaze sharpened. “After your emergence, it took you less than a thousand years to rise from slaves, to vassals, and then to sovereign nations.
“What does that imply? It means your capacity for evolution is terrifying. It means your form is inherently superior.
“At that time, the Ancestral Court conducted extensive dissections and studies of humans. They reached a single conclusion. The human form is the only viable path toward higher realms. Otherwise, why do demon and nymph cultivators inevitably transform toward human form once they reach a certain level? Especially after entering the God Realm, when their appearances become almost indistinguishable from humans.”
“They all believe that one day, using that form, they may pursue realms beyond the Twelfth Rank—beyond even the Great Heavenly God.”
Her words struck like thunder.
For the first time, Fa Hua and Lan Ge were being told—clearly and without ambiguity—that humans were not weak. That even the demon and nymph races had always understood humanity’s value.
Fa Hua spoke in a low voice. “If that is the case, why does the Demon Domain still allow humans to establish the Three Domains?”
“That was a promise to the Seven Holy Ancestors,” the Ruby Queen replied. “And there is another reason.
“For a thousand years, demon and nymph races—despite adopting human forms—have failed to find a true path forward. They only sensed that the direction was correct.
“Since the era of the Seven Holy Ancestors, humanity has not produced even a single Moon God. If a higher realm is to be found, someone must explore it first. So the Demon Domain allowed humans to develop.
“And besides…” Her eyes cooled. “To the Demon Domain, humans are still far too weak.
“But if one day a human reaches the Great Heavenly God Realm—then you will become an object of study.”
Lan Ge’s face went pale. “Your Majesty… you’re telling us all this so openly. You’re not planning to silence us afterward, are you? A final confession before the execution?”
The Ruby Queen fell silent.
Then she looked at him.
“You want to die?” she said flatly. “Very well. I’ll oblige you.”
She flicked her finger.
A crimson longblade of light erupted without warning, reaching Lan Ge in an instant.
Fa Hua and Lan Ge had been on guard from the beginning. Lightning flashed as Lan Ge yanked Fa Hua with him, the two of them vanishing dozens of meters away in an instant.
Lightning Flash!
The red blade sliced through empty air, leaving distorted afterimages behind.
At the same time, back-stingers slowly unfolded from behind the Ruby Queen. No armor manifested—only the stingers themselves. Step by step, she advanced, her aura rising with each movement.
The Ruby Queen of slaughter had returned.
“What do we do?” Panic surged through Lan Ge.
They had already tried to teleport the moment Lightning Flash ended. It failed.
Whether this space was sealed—or whether the Peerless Pearl was betraying them again—one thing was certain.
There was no escape.
“She’s Ninth-Rank,” Fa Hua said, steady and precise. “We fight.”
As he spoke, the Wisdom Shield flared into existence. It surged forward, multiplying into layers of golden shields that slammed toward the Ruby Queen.
She reached behind her back and grasped a single stinger, shaping it into a crimson longblade.
The sight sent a chill through both of them.
They remembered the battle between the Ruby Queen and the Tiger Demon King.
Even restrained to Ninth-Rank, the Ruby Queen was fighting them the same way she fought her equals. Being treated as worthy of that was almost an honor.
Almost.
The crimson longblade swept forward.
Every Wisdom Shield froze midair, as if time itself had stopped.
Fa Hua and Lan Ge froze as well.
A thin red line raced across the shields—from the first to the last—in the span of a heartbeat.
Then everything shattered.
The killing edge reached Fa Hua.
At the critical moment, both of them shifted sideways in perfect unison, lightning erupting beneath their feet. Against an opponent like this, speed mattered more than power.
Lan Ge erupted in flames. A roaring fire dragon surged forward, lunging at the Ruby Queen as the two retreated together.
She took a single step.
In the next instant, she was already beyond the dragon.
The fire dragon detonated midair, collapsing back into elemental fire.
The crimson longblade appeared before Lan Ge.
Too fast.
Far too fast.
They had believed that together, they could contend with any Ninth-Rank opponent.
But was this truly Ninth-Rank?
Why did she move as though the limits of energy and motion did not apply to her?
Light flashed.
Lan Ge vanished and reappeared at Fa Hua’s side.
Mutual Teleportation.
They could not teleport away—but within this space, the Peerless Pearl could still move them between each other.
Lan Ge felt cold sweat soak his back. For a split second, death had been right there.
The blade arrived again.
Clang!
The Wisdom Sword erupted upward to block.
The impact was devastating. The blade cleaved deep into the Wisdom Sword in an instant.
Ninth-Rank. She really is Ninth-Rank.
If she were any stronger, that strike alone would have ended Fa Hua—teleportation or not.
Even so, Fa Hua barely held on. His arms went numb, his body trembling, but with Lan Ge’s support, he endured.
Only now did they truly understand how terrifying the Ruby Queen had been at Eleventh Rank.
That blade is the real Divine Artifact… Our Peerless Pearl must be the fake, Lan Ge thought bitterly.
But the Wisdom Sword’s interference bought them a moment.
Just one.
A golden ring of light rose silently beneath the Ruby Queen’s feet, locking her in place.
Fifth Page — Imprison Heaven and Earth.
Lan Ge seized the opening, positioning himself behind Fa Hua.
As Fa Hua retreated, holy light surged outward. His body expanded, armor forming across him as Holy Spirit Body activated, fully unleashing the power of the Divine Statue.
Boom—!
The binding shattered.
The Ruby Queen became a blur and reappeared instantly.
Her combat style was brutally simple.
Absolute speed. Absolute power.
A vortex formed beneath her feet, its pull slowing her movement just enough.
At the same time, streaks of violet lightning and flame erupted, bombarding her relentlessly.
Lan Ge finally had the space to unleash his combination spells.
Explosions thundered one after another.
Her advance slowed.
She still moved forward—but no longer with instant inevitability.
For the first time, Fa Hua and Lan Ge found space to breathe.
Then the world turned red.
Threads of crimson light filled the air, dense and countless. Space itself began to fracture.
So would their bodies.
Light flashed.
Fa Hua and Lan Ge vanished.
Peerless Pearl — Cultivation Space.
The Ruby Queen stood alone as the surrounding space continued to split apart.
She did not rage.
She did not pursue.
She simply stood there, eyes distant, deep in thought.