Meanwhile in the dark and foreboding abyss, a gathering of the Demon King's most trusted men took place. Da Ming, a towering figure with piercing red eyes, stood before the group, his voice low and urgent.
"My friends, I bring grave news," Da Ming began. "The Demon King's offspring, Jiǎo Lóng, has left the Underworld and now resides in the Heavenly Realm."
The room fell silent, the only sound the soft crackling of torches. Xiao Ming, a cunning and ambitious demon, spoke up, his voice dripping with malice.
"I think it's high time the Demon King returns to us," Xiao Ming said, a sly smile spreading across his face. "With Jiǎo Lóng out of the way, we can finally rise the Demon Realm back to its former glory."
Da Ming nodded in agreement. "But to do that, we need to seize the two remaining artifacts. Only then can the Demon King truly return."
Xiao Ming chuckled, a cold, mirthless sound. "We won't need to bring Jiǎo Lóng back to us. He'll come back to us himself."
Da Ming raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What do you mean?"
Xiao Ming's smile grew wider. "Think about it, Da Ming. Jiǎo Lóng is in the Heavenly Realm, surrounded by the very gods and goddesses who seek to destroy us. He'll soon realize that he doesn't belong there, that his true home is here, with us."
Da Ming's eyes narrowed, understanding dawning on him. "You're right, Xiao Ming. Jiǎo Lóng will come back to us, and when he does, we'll be ready."
The room fell silent once more, the only sound the soft rustling of dark wings. The demons knew that their time was coming, that soon they would rise again and reclaim their rightful place in the world.
And at the heart of it all was Jiǎo Lóng, the Demon King's offspring, unaware of the destiny that awaited him.
As the meeting came to a close, Xiao Ming turned to Da Ming, his eyes glinting with malevolence.
"Let us begin our plan, Da Ming. Let us bring about the Demon King's return, and with it, a new era of darkness and despair."
Da Ming nodded, a cruel smile spreading across his face. "Together, we will bring about a new era of terror, and Jiǎo Lóng will be the key to our victory."
The two demons laughed, their voices echoing through the dark and foreboding abyss, as the stage was set for a battle that would shake the very foundations of the world.
Back to the heavenly realm
As Jiǎo Lóng tried every means to get near Lingye, he couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration. Why was she pretending not to know him? And why was she keeping her distance?
Just as Jiǎo Lóng was about to give up, a commotion broke out at the entrance of the heavenly realm. A servant of the previous Demon King, named Zhènghuá, appeared, his eyes wild and his face pale.
The heavenly Lords and the heavenly emperor immediately went on high alert, their faces tense with suspicion.
"Seize him!" Tian Ji, the heavenly emperor, ordered. "He must be here to cause havoc."
But Zhènghuá didn't resist. Instead, he rushed forward, his eyes fixed on the heavenly Lords.
"Wait!" Zhènghuá cried. "I have a message for the heavenly Lords and the heavenly emperor."
The heavenly Lords and the heavenly emperor exchanged skeptical glances, but they nodded for Zhènghuá to continue.
"What is it?" Liu Huang asked, his eyes narrowing.
Zhènghuá took a deep breath before speaking. "I have come to reveal a prophecy regarding the Demon King's offspring," he said. "A prophecy that was hidden for centuries, but now must be revealed."
Liu Huang's eyes narrowed. "What prophecy?" he asked.
Zhènghuá hesitated before speaking. "The prophecy states that the Demon King's offspring will bring about a great calamity, one that will destroy the balance between the heavenly and demon realms."
Tian Shang's face fell. "That's impossible," he said. "Jiǎo Lóng is here, in the heavenly realm. He's not a threat to us."
Zhènghuá shook his head. "You don't understand," he said. "Jiǎo Lóng may seem harmless now, but he is the key to unlocking the Demon King's true power."
As Zhènghuá finished speaking, he vanished into thin air, leaving the heavenly Lords and the heavenly emperor stunned and confused.
"What just happened?" Tian Ji asked, his voice bewildered.
Liu Huang shook his head. "I don't know," he said. "But we need to be careful. The prophecy is clear: Jiǎo Lóng is a threat to our realm."
The heavenly emperor, Tian Ji, sat on his throne, his face stern and unforgiving. "Summon Jiǎo Lóng," he ordered, his voice echoing through the halls.
Jiǎo Lóng was brought before the heavenly emperor, his hands tied behind his back with heavenly chains. The heavenly emperor gestured to Liu Huang and Tian Shang.
"Interrogate him," Tian Ji ordered. "Find out if he is indeed the Demon King."
Liu Huang hesitated, his eyes fixed on Jiǎo Lóng. "If he is the Demon King, he must have the artifacts in his body," Liu Huang said.
Tian Shang nodded, his eyes gleaming with magic power. "I'll check," he said.
Tian Shang raised his hand, and a burst of magic energy shot out, enveloping Jiǎo Lóng's body. Liu Huang's eyes widened in shock as he saw the artifacts embedded in Jiǎo Lóng's body.
"It can't be," Liu Huang whispered. "My disciple...he's the Demon King."
The heavenly emperor's face darkened. "Kill him," he ordered.
But just as the executioner was about to strike, Lingye appeared, her eyes blazing with determination.
"Wait!" Lingye cried, rushing forward. "Don't kill him."
The heavenly emperor's eyes narrowed. "Why not?" he asked. "He's the Demon King."
Lingye took a deep breath. "I know he's the Demon King," she said. "But he won't awaken because I already pierced his heart with the Heart Stopper. And they're still there. If you don't believe me, you can check."
Liu Huang's eyes widened in surprise. He had believed Jiǎo Lóng, and now Lingye's words confirmed his suspicions.
"I'll check," Liu Huang said, stepping forward.
Liu Huang examined Jiǎo Lóng's body, and soon he found the Heart Stoppers, still lodged in Jiǎo Lóng's heart.
"It's true," Liu Huang said, turning to the heavenly emperor. "The Heart Stoppers are still in his heart."
The heavenly emperor's face fell, his eyes narrowing in confusion.
"Why did you save him, Lingye?" Tian Shang asked, his voice curious.
Lingye took a deep breath, her eyes flashing with determination.
"Because I know the truth," Lingye said. "Jiǎo Lóng is not a monster. He's a kind and gentle soul, and he doesn't deserve to die."
Lingye turned to the heavenly emperor. "I'll prove it to you," she said. "Using the Heavenly Mirror, I'll show you our past, and you'll see the truth for yourself."
The heavenly emperor nodded, his eyes curious. "Very well," he said. "Show us."
Lingye nodded, her eyes flashing with magic power. The Heavenly Mirror appeared, its surface glowing with a soft, ethereal light.
Lingye raised her hand, and the mirror began to glow, showing the heavenly emperor and the heavenly Lords the past, the truth about Jiǎo Lóng and Lingye's relationship.
As the mirror showed the past, the heavenly emperor and the heavenly Lords watched in awe, their eyes widening in surprise.
"Is this true?" Tian Ji asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Lingye nodded, her eyes shining with tears. "Yes," she said. "It's true. Jiǎo Lóng is not a monster. He's a kind and gentle soul, and he deserves our compassion and understanding."
The heavenly emperor's face softened, his eyes filled with a newfound understanding.
"Very well," Tian Ji said. "We will spare Jiǎo Lóng's life. But he must remain here, in the heavenly realm, under our supervision."
Lingye nodded, her eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you," she said. "Thank you for understanding."
As the heavenly emperor nodded, Jiǎo Lóng was untied, his heavenly chains removed. He stood up, his eyes fixed on Lingye, his heart filled with gratitude.
"Thank you," Jiǎo Lóng said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Lingye smiled, her eyes shining with tears. "You're welcome," she said. "You're safe now."