Imperial Nether Palace, a place only the venerable Nether Monarch could reside in and the holy land of the Imperial Nether Clan. Hovering above the Imperial Nether Palace was a devil core emanating boundless devilish energy that spread through the entirety of the imperial nether territory. This energy constantly strengthened the clan and offered protection to each clan member.

The palace emanated an ancient aura, and it was unknown just how long this palace had existed. Upon reaching the palace, Xiang Shaoyun felt a sense of intimacy between his blood and this place. It was as though something was calling out for him. His mind went blank from confusion.

He had thought that the sensation originated from the bloodline he shared with the Imperial Nether Clan, but he soon found that that wasn't the case. In truth, the sensation originated from someone related to him by blood, and it was a sensation he would only get from a family member.

Unfortunately, that sensation did not last long. After he was brought into the palace, he seemed to have been completely isolated from the outside world.

Not far from the Imperial Nether Palace was a deserted palace where a certain imperial nether woman had been subjected to eternal imprisonment.

The woman was hanging on a pillar in the palace. She appeared completely still, showing no signs of life. Her presence made the building look more like a tomb than a palace. This was a palace of banishment, and imprisoned within was once the clan's most powerful princess. Unfortunately, she had been punished with imprisonment after committing a certain mistake.

With her talent, she was once the clan's brightest star and was hailed as the future Nether Monarch. She had the purest bloodline in over 10,000 years. Why would someone like this be imprisoned?

That was because of the forbidden relationship between her and a human. She had even given birth to a mixed-blood child. That was the biggest humiliation the Imperial Nether Clan had suffered in history.

The royal family initially wanted to punish her with execution, but they eventually spared her life due to the Nether Monarch's request. With the Nether Monarch's help, the little princess still had a chance to become the future Nether Monarch and be in charge of strengthening the clan and leading the clan to greatness.

Alas, she would rather accept the punishment than remain in the royal family. After losing her man and child, she no longer wanted to live. She had been waiting for her death in the palace all this time.

However, for some reason, she couldn't die even if she wanted to. An indescribable force seemed to be keeping her alive—the belief that she would see her child once again. Even if her child was human, she still wanted to see what kind of a man he had grown into. She only wanted to take a single look at him, and she would die without regrets.

She had been imprisoned for nearly 30 years, signifying that her child was almost 30 years old. One day, she abruptly bounced off the pillar. Her long, messy hair covered her face, giving her a sinister look. She exclaimed in alarm, "My child! I can feel his arrival!"

The Imperial Nether Clan's bloodline had an incredibly powerful connection with each other, one that no other races could compare to. As a mother, so long as her child came near her, she would be able to sense his existence. That was how she was so sure that her child had arrived. She tried charging out, but she couldn't break free due to the seal around the palace.

She started shouting, "Release me! I want to see my son! I want to see my son!"

The once-venerable little princess was now shouting like a lunatic. Alas, her plea remained unanswered.

...

Meanwhile, after entering the Imperial Nether Palace, Xiang Shaoyun felt like he had arrived at an entirely different world. Under his feet was the starry sky, and above his head was the blue dome of heaven.

This was a shocking yet beautiful sight to behold. Even with the addition of two lifetimes of memories, Xiang Shaoyun had never been so shocked before. He was sure that this Imperial Nether Palace was more than an independent space. It might even be a god-grade tool of the Imperial Nether Clan.

Only someone with capabilities at a level that defied the natural order could create a palace like this. Here, Ming Cigeng became even more humble. His back was constantly bent, and he didn't even breathe too hard. He spoke softly, "Nether Monarch, the person you seek is here."

The moment he said that, a voice rang out, "You may leave."

After giving a bow, Ming Cigeng left without saying another word. Right after he left, Xiang Shaoyun felt a certain power descend upon his head. He lost control over the Nether Soul Dragon Headband within his head, and it directly flew out.

It settled atop his head and started emanating a certain power. The power resonated with the palace, completely changing the scene within the palace. It was as though a spark of light had appeared in the darkness. The entire palace brightened up.

Two roaring dragons flew out of the Nether Soul Dragon Headband, looking incredibly valiant and ferocious. Next, a figure appeared out of nowhere. He grabbed the Nether Soul Dragon Headband in his hand, instantly erasing the two dragons.

The only thing Xiang Shaoyun could see was a hazy yet lofty figure. He was completely incapable of getting a clear look at this person. From the very depths of his heart, reverence toward this person rose. This person felt as though he had crossed the long river of time to arrive at the present time, someone belonging to a completely different era.

Is this an existence of that level? thought Xiang Shaoyun inwardly in alarm.

That level was a level where one truly rose beyond life and death, a level where one could defy time itself, a realm even higher than the Rebirth Realm. Even in his previous two lives, Xiang Shaoyun had never met someone of this level. He did, however, hear of some legends regarding them. However, he had been too far away from that level, so he couldn't get a better understanding of it.

These existences were almost unheard of. However, that wasn't because they did not exist. Rather, existences at that level were no longer confined to the world. As a paramount race among the devils, it was only natural that the highest leader of the Imperial Nether Clan was an existence at that level as well. Otherwise, the humans wouldn't have had difficulty stopping them during the ancient war.

"The lost headband?" Nether Monarch muttered. His gaze then landed on Xiang Shaoyun. His penetrative gaze seemed capable of seeing through his entire being.

Before this person's gaze, Xiang Shaoyun had an uneasy feeling, as though he was completely naked.

"What is your name?" Nether Monarch asked. He spoke softly, yet his voice seemed to contain an indescribable power that compelled one to obey.

Xiang Shaoyun answered honestly, "I'm Xiang Shaoyun."