Wan Lei and Fang Xiaoyu turned their heads to look outwards.
Their gazes cut through layers of dust and smoke, landing on familiar faces beyond.
Everyone from the Thunder Emperor's Palace had arrived.
The tribulation-crossing powerhouses from the Fang family, the Kui Lian Sect, and the Yin Yang Sect, along with many friends they knew, had all come.
Wan Liuchuan, Sui Xiaohang, Liu Yuxin, Qian Duoduo, everyone they knew, had come to witness this great battle.
While their arrival hadn't helped in any tangible way, and had even placed Wan Lei and Fang Xiaoyu in the difficult position of having to personally intercept enemy explosions, it was their camaraderie and concern that gave Wan Lei and Fang Xiaoyu the reason to protect them.
The battle they had expected to be a sure win, with their two peak Void Realm opponents facing three lower-ranked Demon Lords, they had anticipated using their talent to slice through the enemies like vegetables, emerging unscathed.
After all, from Foundation Establishment onwards, no cultivator of the same realm had ever been their match, and they had long grown accustomed to being invincible within their own realm.
However, they never expected that upon reaching the Immortal Realm, the enemies' methods would also differ. Using the perspective of a minor plane to measure the entire level of the demon race in the negative plane, they found themselves dealt a crushing blow by the crystallization of demonic wisdom and technology.
Even if they could defeat the enemies, the adversaries possessed means to drag them into mutual destruction.
They had been too careless.
The fact that the Demon Lords had self-destructing weapons was something Qian Niao hadn't informed Wan Lei of, likely because Qian Niao herself was unaware.
This was the trump card of every demon commander, a last resort for mutual annihilation, and naturally, it wasn't something to be widely known.
Demon Lord Feli watched them with a cold sneer, his smile laced with mockery and amusement, as if waiting for their choice.
Whether to sacrifice themselves, or sacrifice others.
Wan Lei and Fang Xiaoyu turned back, continuing to suppress Demon Lord Feli with all their might.
This time, they unleashed their full cultivation, striving to prevent Demon Lord Feli's self-destruction from harming anyone else.
Demon Lord Feli chuckled softly,
"As expected. It seems I can take you with me."
Wan Lei shook his head,
"No, you underestimate the divine artifact."
Demon Lord Feli froze, his expression shifting slightly. Then, with a resolute gaze, he laboriously raised his arm, channeling his blood energy into the information tablet on his arm. Following that, he lightly tapped the tablet with his right hand...
Boom!!!
A violent explosion occurred. This fused blast, combining the blood energy of dozens of demon generals and three demon lords, along with the self-destruction power of the tablet, was enough to kill any Void Realm expert within a radius of ten thousand miles.
The terrifying explosion, transmitted through the two divine artifacts to their bodies, made Wan Lei and Fang Xiaoyu feel as if their very beings were being ruthlessly destroyed. They could no longer maintain the artifacts; their armor shattered, disintegrating into scattered fragments, and they were both blown away.
A mushroom cloud rose from the center of the battlefield, a massive shockwave expanding outwards.
The uncontrolled Fate Diagram returned to its original form, falling to the ground without any radiance. The Creation God Disk also reverted to its normal size and entered Wan Lei's glabella.
By then, both of them were already gravely injured and unconscious. The momentary surge of powerful energy had inflicted severe damage on their flesh and souls.
The explosion ended, and the dust settled.
Countless cultivators in the vicinity rushed madly towards the battlefield...
Two months later...
The rear palace of the Thunder Emperor's Palace.
Wan Lei rubbed his aching head, feeling dizzy and splitting with pain. However, to his surprise, all his injuries had healed.
"My injuries were so severe, and they're all healed. How long was I unconscious?"
Wan Lei tapped his temples; the uncomfortable sensation still lingered.
"About two months. I heard my dad say so."
Beside him, Fang Xiaoyu's voice chimed in.
Wan Lei finally noticed the beautiful little maiden with skin like congealed fat and a face that could topple cities, lying next to him.
"When did you wake up? How are your injuries?"
"I woke up yesterday. After we fell unconscious, my dad brought us back. Everyone else has returned as well."
"So, you've been by my side watching me since yesterday?"
"What else? I even undressed you and bathed you. Otherwise, you'd stink."
Wan Lei blinked at the words, then looked down at himself. Indeed, he was completely naked. He then looked at his little Yu sister beside him and his eyes widened, drawing in a sharp breath.
Fang Xiaoyu was wearing only a sheer sleep dress, her graceful figure completely revealed. She lay on her side, propped up by pillows, looking at Wan Lei with a half-smile.
His Majesty the Thunder Emperor lay back down, suppressing the rising lust in his lower abdomen. He gently embraced his Empress, placing his right hand on the firm, shapely peak beneath her tender neck.
"Oh, it's grown bigger."
"Can't even wake up without getting fresh!"
Fang Xiaoyu rolled her eyes, but she didn't swat his hand away. Instead, she submissively allowed him to have his way.
"Wan Lei, this time, we can finally rest properly. For the past ten years, we've been fighting, constantly getting stronger. There have always been more powerful enemies awaiting us, always people pushing us forward.
We've faced death countless times, narrowly escaped it countless times, and survived each time. We are truly fortunate, and also truly unfortunate.
We're so tired. Ten years, and we've finally become the strongest people in this universe. No one can threaten us anymore. We can finally rest."
Fang Xiaoyu gently stroked Wan Lei's chest, feeling heartache for him while also feeling a touch of it for herself.
"No, we still have one most important thing left to accomplish."
Wan Lei's expression was exceptionally serious.
Fang Xiaoyu furrowed her brow at this, asking in confusion,
"What is it?"
Wan Lei stared intently at her, remaining silent for a long moment before stating very seriously,
"Fang Xiaoyu."
Little Yu sister's eyes widened. It had been years since Wan Lei had called her by her full name. He usually called her little Yu sister, older sister Yu, Yu wife, or my dear wife. The last time he called her by her full name was probably ten years ago when they were still enemies.
"Thank you for your companionship these past ten years, for venturing with me, for striving with me, for founding the Thunder Emperor's Palace with me, and for saving the world alongside me.
Last time, you said you didn't want to have enemies surrounding you on our wedding day, worrying about attacks and assassins, disrupting our wedding peace.
Now, we are the strongest people in the universe. We are the rulers of this universe. We are the undisputed, universally acclaimed supreme leaders of the Lei Feng Realm. No one will dare to disturb our wedding.
So, now, I want to ask you.
Fang Xiaoyu,
Do you...
Willing to marry me?"