The forest fell into an uneasy silence as Yue Yun and Mei Lin moved further away from the village. The moon hung low above them, its pale light spilling through the trees and painting the ground in silver.
Yue Yun slowed his steps.
That feeling again.
Something was wrong.
He frowned slightly. "We're being watched."
Mei Lin didn't look surprised. She kept her voice low. "I've felt it since we left."
They both stopped.
A shift in the wind passed through the forest.
The trees trembled.
Then—movement.
A figure stepped out from the shadows.
Tall. Silent. Draped in black and crimson robes that seemed to absorb the moonlight around him. His eyes glowed gold, sharp and unsettling, carrying a presence that felt cold… almost suffocating.
"I've finally found you," the man said calmly. "Yue Yun… God of Skyfire."
Yue Yun's eyes narrowed.
Beside him, Ao Xuan let out a low growl, its blue scales flickering as its power responded to the stranger's presence.
"Who are you?" Yue Yun asked, his tone steady but guarded.
The man smiled faintly.
"I am Wen Shouye."
A pause.
Then, with quiet certainty—
"Supreme Demon Lord."
Mei Lin's eyes widened slightly.
Yue Yun's expression hardened.
He had heard that name before—even in the Celestial Realm. Wen Shouye was feared across all three realms. A ruler of chaos. A being whose power stood at the peak of the Demonic Realm.
"You shouldn't be here," Yue Yun said, stepping forward.
Wen Shouye's smile didn't fade.
"I go wherever I choose."
His gaze shifted slightly, becoming colder.
"But I didn't come for you."
He paused.
"Not yet."
Yue Yun's body tensed.
"Then why are you here?"
Wen Shouye's eyes darkened.
"I came because of your sister."
The air seemed to freeze.
"Yue Yan."
Yue Yun's hands ignited instantly, blue flames sparking to life around his palms.
"Stay away from her."
Wen Shouye tilted his head slightly, as if amused.
"You're too late."
His voice lowered.
"Her light… already calls to my darkness. One day… she will choose me."
The flames in Yue Yun's hands flared brighter, Skyfire roaring to life and illuminating the forest in deep blue light.
But before he could strike—
Wen Shouye's figure faded.
Gone.
Like smoke carried away by the wind.
Silence returned once more.
Mei Lin stepped closer, her voice quiet but serious. "Is Yue Yan strong enough to face him?"
Yue Yun stared at the empty space where the Demon Lord had stood.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then, in a steady voice—
"She will be."
His eyes hardened with resolve.
"Because I'll make sure of it."