This Is Clearly the Demon King

In the Dark Realm.

Shang Xinyan stood by the window, gazing outside with her once-clear eyes now distant and distracted, as if lost in thought.

It was all because a wisp of Qingfeng lingered in her heart.

That wisp had come softly, then left just as quietly, leaving nothing behind—except for taking her heart with it.

It had been over half a month since Gu Qingfeng departed the Dark Realm.

Ever since he left, the naive Shang Xinyan had grown even more withdrawn. She didn’t understand the emotions stirring within her, only that her chest felt tight, as if she couldn’t breathe.

Sometimes, she wondered—why did his figure keep appearing in her mind, even though they hadn’t spent much time together?

And why did she keep recalling the moments they shared?

At such times, a faint blush would rise on Shang Xinyan’s usually cold and aloof face, because the memories she could summon were… hardly fit for polite company.

There was no helping it. Their time together had been brief, and Gu Qingfeng had never allowed her to speak much—preferring to get straight to business. As a result, her recollections were limited in variety but rich in… education.

Shang Xinyan didn’t know if this was love, but she knew one thing for certain—she would never forget Gu Qingfeng in this lifetime.

For a girl as pure and reserved as her, the first impression was unforgettable. And when that first impression involved her own husband… well, that only deepened the mark.

Often, Shang Xinyan found herself grateful—grateful that Gu Qingfeng was her husband and not someone else’s.

Because, like her, he cared deeply for the human (and demon) race. He was also… considerate (in more ways than one). When she had expressed her desire to ascend to the Upper Realm, he hadn’t objected. Instead, he had supported her, saying, "Leave everything to me."

That had given Shang Xinyan a sense of security unlike anything she’d ever known.

But now, Gu Qingfeng was gone. And the longer he stayed away, the more restless she became.

She feared he might have been captured by the Ten Thousand Demon Kingdom. She feared his promise of a "surprise" was a lie—that he had simply grown tired of her and left…

Lost in these melancholy thoughts, Shang Xinyan barely noticed the passage of time.

Until—suddenly!

Her expression shifted.

Just now, she had sensed the entrance to the Dark Realm being opened!

Her heart leapt with joy, because—due to the ongoing practice of the 108 Heavenly Demon-Slaying Array—no one had left the Dark Realm recently except Gu Qingfeng.

If the entrance was being opened now… did that mean he had returned?

She nearly flew toward the entrance in excitement, but then, remembering her own shyness, she forced herself to slow down and walk instead.

Yet, before she could take more than a few steps—

Boom!

Five hundred towering waves of demonic aura erupted into the heavens, instantly flooding the entire Dark Realm!

Shang Xinyan’s face paled. A terrible premonition gripped her.

In a flash, she vanished from her spot.

At the same time, the overwhelming demonic presence sent shockwaves through the entire Dark Realm.

In an instant, countless Divine Realm experts panicked, soaring into the sky in alarm.

The speed of Divine Realm experts was nothing to scoff at. Within moments of the demonic aura’s appearance, over a hundred of the Dark Realm’s strongest had gathered at the entrance.

But when they arrived—every single one of them turned ashen with horror.

Five hundred ferocious Divine Realm demons stood proudly in the sky, forming a monstrous army that seemed poised to encircle the Dark Realm.

"It’s the Shepherd Dogs!" a Divine Realm expert cried out.

"How is this possible?! How did they find the Dark Realm?!"

"Are we trapped in an Eternal Nightmare?"

"There’s a traitor among us! Who leaked our location?!"

The human Divine Realm experts seethed with fury and terror.

"Dark Emperor, what should we do?" Many turned to Shang Xinyan, their pillar of strength.

But Shang Xinyan seemed… off. As if struck by a sudden realization, her face drained of all color.

The Divine Realm experts were sharp. Seeing her expression, they immediately understood.

Jue Mingzi, standing nearby, spoke gravely: "Dark Emperor, if I recall correctly… Gu Qingfeng was the only one outside the Dark Realm recently, wasn’t he?"

Shang Xinyan remained silent, her face growing even paler.

"Gu Qingfeng!!"

"He must be the traitor!"

"The Dark Realm has been safe for a thousand years, but the moment he arrives, demons show up at our doorstep! And he’s the only one who’s been out—who else could it be?!"

The human experts weren’t fools. Given the circumstances, Gu Qingfeng was undeniably the prime suspect.

"Damn it! One day, I swear I’ll kill Gu Qingfeng!" Jue Mingzi snarled with hatred.

As outrage swept through the crowd, Shang Xinyan finally spoke: "I don’t believe it’s him."

"Dark Emperor, you’re blinded by affection! The evidence is undeniable—it has to be him! I always knew he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing! You can’t let your personal feelings cloud your judgment!" Jue Mingzi argued desperately.

But before he could say more—the demonic forces suddenly shifted.

The Dark Realm experts, already on edge, immediately fell silent, their expressions tightening as they braced for battle.

True energy surged around them, the tension so thick it could be cut with a blade.

Under the watchful eyes of the entire Dark Realm, the five hundred demons—standing in perfect formation—parted down the middle like a tide, creating a wide, empty path.

The humans’ hearts sank. This… this was the unmistakable prelude to a grand entrance.

Could it be… the Azure Demon Emperor?!

They watched with bated breath—until, as the last of the towering demonic figures stepped aside, a slender figure came into view.

And when the Dark Realm experts saw who it was—their minds shattered.

Their eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets in sheer disbelief.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The figure strode forward leisurely, a faint smile on his lips. And as he passed, the demons knelt one after another—like dominoes—bowing in reverence.

Finally, the figure stopped at the forefront of the demonic army.

"Well, well. Everyone’s here? You didn’t have to go through all this trouble just to welcome me back."

It was Gu Qingfeng.

He grinned at the stunned crowd, waving as if greeting old friends after a long absence.

Silence.

Deafening, eerie silence.

As Gu Qingfeng’s voice faded, the Dark Realm fell utterly still.

Every single person stood frozen, staring at the man who stood like a demonic sovereign—with five hundred Divine Realm demons kneeling behind him.

Their minds had short-circuited. Because no matter how they racked their brains, they couldn’t fathom why Gu Qingfeng was standing among the demons… or why those demons were treating him with such deference.

If he was a traitor—since when did traitors receive this level of respect from demons?!

This wasn’t a traitor.

This was the Demon Emperor himself!