The crowd watching the Haotian Mirror was stunned by the appearance of the girl in red.
Her looks and attire were remarkably similar to the current Heavenly Fire Empress.
Could it be that the Netherworld Demon Emperor and the Heavenly Fire Empress had a past connection?
People were bewildered.
Was there another hidden story here?
Please, no more surprises!
Two Empresses had already fallen from grace, siding with the Netherworld Demon Emperor.
Fans of the North Ming Empress and the Taiyin Empress were devastated.
Now, the most anxious were the fans of the Heavenly Fire Empress.
The Heavenly Fire Empress was different from the other two; she had the entire Heavenly Fire Dynasty behind her.
The Heavenly Fire Dynasty was currently the second most powerful force in the cultivation world, just behind the Celestial Court.
If the Heavenly Fire Empress also sided with the Netherworld Demon Emperor and tried to rescue him, it would complicate matters greatly.
The crowd discussed anxiously, even starting to consider what to do if the Heavenly Fire Empress sided with the Netherworld Demon Emperor.
"How dare you slander the Heavenly Fire Empress! You must have a death wish!"
A powerful energy wave erupted outside the Primordial Imperial City.
Countless soldiers in fiery red armor appeared, forming a massive army of ten thousand in the blink of an eye.
Leading this army was a towering man with blazing eyes and hair like flames.
With the appearance of this army, the surrounding space filled with scorching, violent energy.
"That's the Fire Fiend Army of the Heavenly Fire Dynasty!" someone exclaimed, revealing the identity of the soldiers.
"The Fire Fiend Army of the Heavenly Fire Dynasty is the only army with such overwhelming power."
"I've heard the selection for the Fire Fiend Army is extremely stringent, with even the lowest soldier having the cultivation of the Dragon Transformation Realm. Is that true?"
"The lowest soldier is at the Dragon Transformation Realm?" someone gasped in disbelief.
Reaching the Dragon Transformation Realm meant having a body as strong as a dragon, capable of tremendous feats.
In most sects, such individuals were core disciples, receiving special training.
But now, they were saying that even the lowest soldier in the Fire Fiend Army had this level of cultivation?
Most people found it hard to believe.
But someone spoke up, "Yes, the selection for the Fire Fiend Army is very strict. The Dragon Transformation Realm is just the basic requirement."
"I once participated in the selection but failed in other aspects."
"However, during the selection process, I gained much experience and improved my cultivation. I plan to try again next time."
People recognized the speaker, a prodigy at the Sky-Reaching Realm who had been gaining fame in the cultivation world.
Even such a prodigy had failed to join the Fire Fiend Army, making people realize how extraordinary the selected soldiers must be.
The crowd was in awe.
Although the world knew the Heavenly Fire Dynasty was a top power, second only to the Celestial Court, they had clearly underestimated its strength.
Even the Jade Pool Empress, usually aloof and confident, showed a hint of apprehension as the Fire Fiend Army appeared.
The Fire Fiend Army was as powerful as the Celestial Court's celestial soldiers.
Moreover, the leader exuded imperial might.
If her guess was correct, this leader was likely the Heavenly Fire Empress's younger brother, the Heavenly Fire King, a quasi-emperor second only to the seven great empresses.
With the arrival of the Fire Fiend Army and the Heavenly Fire King, no one dared to discuss the Heavenly Fire Empress further.
The Heavenly Fire King's fiery eyes scanned the surrounding cultivators.
No one dared meet his gaze.
Seeing this, the Heavenly Fire King let it go and focused on the living corpse of Xiao Fan in the Primordial Imperial City.
His eyes blazed with endless anger.
"Xiao Fan, I treated you as a brother, but you killed my father and nearly destroyed the Heavenly Fire Kingdom!"
"Today, no one can save you. I will watch you die!"
He had been guarding the Heavenly Fire Dynasty while watching Xiao Fan's life unfold through the Haotian Mirror.
But upon learning that the North Ming Empress and the Taiyin Empress planned to rescue Xiao Fan, he led the Fire Fiend Army to prevent it.
Xiao Fan must die!
He glanced up at the Heavenly Fire Empress, seeing her complicated expression.
Recalling her past with Xiao Fan, he felt uneasy.
He hoped his sister wouldn't be soft-hearted.
High above, the Heavenly Fire Empress was engrossed in the scenes displayed in the Haotian Mirror.
She didn't even notice the arrival of the Heavenly Fire King.
Her expression was complex, filled with anger, hatred, regret, and... a trace of love.
In her darkest times, she had met Xiao Fan.
Though his cultivation was lower than hers, his serene, unworldly demeanor had deeply impressed her.
Xiao Fan possessed the heart of a sage, understanding the true meaning of cultivation.
Through their time together, she found enlightenment and began a higher, purer path of cultivation.
Their relationship was both teacher and friend, despite his lower cultivation. She still respectfully called him master.
During those days, she grew close to Xiao Fan, influenced by his peaceful and indifferent nature.
Her sharp edges were softened by his guidance.
She also fell deeply in love with the man who changed her life.
Knowing he was troubled by the demonic consciousness, she invited him to the Heavenly Fire Kingdom.
The national treasure, Heavenly Fire, was a sacred item capable of dispelling all darkness and evil.
She also hoped to keep Xiao Fan close.
But this decision nearly led to the kingdom's downfall.
Over half of the innocent people in the capital died in that disaster.
And the culprit was Xiao Fan.
Her father, the king, died at Xiao Fan's hands.
Her younger brother, the Heavenly Fire King, witnessed everything.
Later, when she confronted Xiao Fan, he admitted to coveting the Heavenly Fire, accidentally causing the disaster.
After a half-hearted apology, Xiao Fan left.
There was no misunderstanding, no hidden truth.
Everything happened because of Xiao Fan's moment of weakness.