Chapter 687: Chapter 688: Who is the Demon Head?
“I am the reigning Grand Emperor, always believing that setting the lives of the people as the foundation is paramount, incessantly striving for their well-being and prosperity!”

“Now that the demon head has appeared, causing chaos and disaster to the people of the world, he even intends to execute us. You all must flee immediately, I will hold off this demon head to buy you time to escape!”

“I also beg the knowledgeable and discerning people of the world to hurry to the sacred lands of Buddhism and Taoism, and ask the two ancestral masters to take action. Time waits for no one, please move quickly!”

“This demon head is known as Li Xiaobai, currently a wanted man by the Imperial Court. He has deeply fallen into demonhood and has become a monstrous demon, having slaughtered our current sovereign in the Golden Imperial Hall and wiped out dozens of civil and military officials. Moreover, he has caused a great uproar in the Central Plains, and countless government officers within our Imperial Court have been brutally murdered by him. He is the most dangerous demon head in the world!”

The emperor in his imperial robe had lost an arm and felt no courage to face Li Xiaobai alone. He had to wait until the arrival of two other Martial Artists of the Void Merging Realm before he could have any chance of victory, so he decided to use the common people to delay Li Xiaobai.

He knew that the other was not a true demon head and would not massacre the common people just to chase after him; this was his weakness, and the emperor intended to exploit it.

“Heh, the common people are indeed ignorant. I have the advantage and wear the imperial robe; they will certainly believe me. Not to mention Xiaobai’s reputation has already been tarnished. Don’t blame me for being sneaky and despicable. You forced my hand!”

The old man muttered to himself, glancing back at the chasing figure, his eyes flashing with a hint of mockery. However, the pain from his arm soon twisted his face into a fierce grimace.

“Damn it, how dare you force me to dismember my own arm. I will make sure you pay dearly!”

Hate swelled within the Grand Emperor’s eyes. Having lost a hand, his cultivation level had been greatly reduced; he would no longer be able to make progress and could no longer stand on equal footing with the two other high-ranked Martial Artists of the Void Merging Realm.

In the void, Li Xiaobai followed closely behind with large strides, witnessing everything the old man was doing. He had never imagined that the Grand Emperor would stoop so low as to directly use the common people as his shield, and it seemed like the people really did believe him.

That expression was exactly the same as when the Imperial Court falsely accused him of being a demon head and sent him to the execution platform!

“Everyone, this man is indeed the Grand Emperor, but you are unaware of the vile deeds he has committed in secret. Within the entire Imperial Court, from the emperor to the government officers, indulging in lust for women, avarice for gold and silver, accepting bribes and forcibly taking civilian girls are all too common occurrences.”

“Just a moment ago, Old Bangzi even requested help in finding a hundred virgin girls to warm his bed, and a few days earlier, my sister apprentice fell victim to his vile hands. The Imperial Court has always turned a blind eye to these matters, randomly pinning the blame on others, while these corrupt officers continue to roam free.”

“If it weren’t for my advanced cultivation level, I would have been silenced by him in the Golden Imperial Hall long ago. Indeed, I have killed many people, but those I killed were all deserving of death, the worst of the wicked!”

“The Imperial Court and government you trust are the true demon heads that devour your flesh and blood. Please open your eyes and take a good look at this world, and join me in slaying demons and vanquishing evil!”

Li Xiaobai looked down at the common people and let out a long howl to the heavens, venting all the dissatisfaction that had been accumulating in his heart over the days, denouncing the sins of the Imperial Court.

They say you can find a pretext when you want to punish someone, and these days, the Imperial Court had pinned almost all the false charges on him, knowing only he understood the bitterness and hardship.

He wanted to use his sincere voice to awaken the wisdom buried in the hearts of the common people, to help them recognize the truth, discern right from wrong, and salvage humanity in these tumultuous times.

Regrettably, his wish was doomed to be unfulfilled.

Most of the common people below weren’t actually listening to him, scoffing at his impassioned speech.

“Demon heads will be demon heads, they still dare to spread their wicked words and confound the public!”

“Run quickly, Li Xiaobai’s name has spread across the Central Plains months ago. He is an unforgivable great demon head, committing all sorts of heinous deeds. Who would have thought that today he would even slay the king and attempt to kill the Grand Emperor? Is there no one under the heavens who can subdue him?”

“It’s right that your junior sister died–your whole clan is full of demon heads! You are the great demon head, and your junior sister was a Demonic Woman of the Demon Sect. Now you want to bewitch people’s hearts? You must be dreaming!”

“This demon head is highly skilled, but sadly he’s low on intelligence. The Grand Emperor would rather risk his old life to buy time for us to escape. How could your few words shake the gratitude we feel for such a deed? We may be just common folk, but we too have courage in our bones. Even if you, demon head, can destroy my flesh, you cannot erase my unyielding spirit!”

“Exactly! Thanks to the relief aid distributed by the Imperial Court, my entire family has food to eat and is spared from starvation. The Imperial Court saved our lives, and that’s something you, a regicidal demon head, could ever defame!”

“Today, even if it costs me this old life, I will not let you harm the Grand Emperor one bit!”

The public was incensed. Among them were many spirited young people who believed they had seen the true nature of the world. They launched a verbal onslaught against Li Xiaobai without the slightest fear of his formidable strength.

They were prepared to die, but even in death, they were determined to fight this demon head to the end!

Looking down at the righteous faces below, Li Xiaobai felt an inexplicable sadness wash over him, and a sense of powerlessness swept through his body. His recently impassioned speech had been doused with cold water, leaving him feeling like he was punching cotton.

Listening to the words of the people, he even found himself laughable.

“They only see the bag or two of rice tossed to them by the Imperial Court, yet they don’t see the houses quietly taken away by the government officers.”

“They only see the land allotted by the Imperial Court for cultivation, yet they don’t see the whole mountains claimed by the government officers.”

“They only know their daughters were violated by Li Lao Mo, yet they don’t see those young girls, yet to be wed, dying miserably in the arms of officials.”

“The people only see what the government officers want them to see, never questioning its veracity. Perhaps there were some who doubted, but surely their heads have ‘moved’ long ago.”

“To harbor hope for such citizens… I’ve been too foolish.”

“If you think I am a demon, then so be it, I shall be that demon. But this demon will eradicate all evil from this world!”

“Even if it means tearing the heavens apart and shattering the earth, today I will erase the Imperial Court from the map of the Central Plains!”

“If the world can’t understand? It has nothing to do with me!”

Li Xiaobai’s expression was cold and indifferent. The eerie black aura around his sword surged unexpectedly, steadily climbing from his arm to his entire body.

Ignoring the harsh words from the crowd below, he unleashed his Inner Strength from beneath his feet and charged toward the expansive mountain range ahead.

He knew the Grand Emperor would not resign himself to defeat so easily. The latter would surely summon two other Martial Artists of the Void Merging Realm, hoping to turn the tide against all odds. Sadly, today, he had no compassion left in his heart—whomever the gods send, he would slay!