Contention of the Imperial Sons

"Imperial Son Jin Buyi?" Holding a chamber pot in one hand and just about to go dump it, Xu Ying was filled with surprise and joy at the news. "Lord Jin truly struck it rich! I wonder if he's forgotten his poor relative." Jin Buyi had left him a letter in the sun, saying that he had achieved wealth and prominence, that he had a massive family fortune in the Demon Ancestral Court to inherit, and that he had taken Yuan Qi, the big bell, and the immortal insect along to share in the riches. Over the past few years, Xu Ying had been busy perfecting the six Immortal Realm cave-heavens, so he had been unable to go to the Demon Ancestral Court to reunite with them. In fact, the Demon Ancestral Court had also repeatedly extended earnest invitations to Xu Ying, claiming the Demon Ancestor wished to receive him. However, Xu Ying had offered the same pretext every time, excusing himself to perfect the six cave-heavens. At that moment, iridescent clouds surged across the sky. It was the phenomenon formed when the Ancestral Court's Earth God opened this world, allowing the morning radiance from outside to illuminate the Heavenly Dao Ancestral Court. Xu Ying hurriedly dumped the waste from the chamber pot into the refuse pit. The Ancestral God's bodily waste transformed into a howling blast of dark wind and malevolent qi, vanishing into the distance without a trace of where it had gone. The Ancestral God's injuries had never healed. Though it was called bodily waste, in truth it was impurities and tainted blood refined out of his body. Who knew what manner of battle had taken place back then to leave his wounds so grave. Xu Ying carried the chamber pot toward the water to wash it, only to see colorful phoenixes dancing gracefully across the sky and Bi Fang birds heralding auspicious tidings on either side. Below, an archaic divine beast—a white qilin—cleared the way, followed by divine elephants, while Baxia flanked both sides. In their center flew a gigantic celestial roc. Carrying the chamber pot, Xu Ying looked up and gazed into the distance. Palaces and halls of the immortals stood upon the back of that celestial roc, complete with covered corridor bridges and winding paths. Atop the creature's head sat a gazebo, perched like a crown upon its brow. Within the palaces on the roc's back and the gazebo on its head, demon warriors stood guard, watching vigilantly in every direction. Graceful maidens strolled among them, their slender, supple figures a delight to behold. *Lord Jin certainly puts on grand airs nowadays,* Xu Ying thought in sheer envy. He craned his neck, but failed to spot old friends like Yuan Qi or the big bell. He only saw the Ancestral Court's Earth God standing atop a giant drum, flying ahead of the celestial roc to lead them over. Xu Ying waited by the roadside with an eager, hopeful look on his face. Just then, the deep toll of a bell rang out, followed by Yuan Qi's voice carrying down from the roc's back: "Ancestral God, disciple Jin Buyi requests an audience." "Lord Seventh! Lord Bell!" Xu Ying shouted in excitement. The moment his voice rang out, silence fell across the roc's back. After a brief pause, a fair, chubby youth poked his head out from above. His hair was slicked back, concealing two long, dragon-like horns—one black, one white. "Sev—Sev—" Standing in the gazebo, Yuan Qi looked down to see Xu Ying in a state of utter destitution, standing by the roadside clutching a chamber pot, his face a mix of joy and desolation. Xu Ying's lips moved as if struggling to call him by name, but his demeanor finally turned respectful, and he called out clearly, "Lord Seventh!" Yuan Qi seemed to shudder, sensing a lamentable barrier had arisen between himself and Xu Ying. Yet in the next breath, he cried out with pure delight, "Lord Bell, Lord Bug, Lord Jin, come out quickly! Ah Ying is here too!" Without another word, he leaped down from the celestial roc's head with a joyous yell. Rushing up to Xu Ying, he abruptly shed his disguise and reverted to his true form—an enormous serpent that tightly coiled around Xu Ying. He laughed heartily, "Ah Ying, it's been years! I've finally taken human form!" Though he laughed with abandon, he thought silently, *Even though Ah Ying has fallen on hard times, I must never let him feel estranged.* He was simply too kindhearted. From the other side, the big bell came whistling out, flying around Xu Ying like it was having a fit, chiming with relentless clangs. The big bell could also tell that its former master was not what he used to be, yet it filled the air with cheerful laughter and ceaseless chimes, as if trying to keep Xu Ying too distracted to dwell on the disparity in their current stations. *I only hope Ah Ying won't shun wealthy relatives like us,* it thought silently. The big bell was also different from before. Though its body had not been reforged, it was embedded with numerous gems that were visibly extraordinary, dazzling and resplendent. It flaunted luxury in every way. The Runes of All Things and All Kinds inscribed across its surface had been meticulously refined. Its Dao phenomena were intricate and exquisite; it had clearly beheld many top archaic sacred beings! Not only had it grown wealthy, but its might had also surged beyond measure! At this moment, the immortal insect buzzed its wings and drifted lazily over. It cast a sidelong glance at Xu Ying, thoroughly disdainful of this impoverished relative. It had been eating far too well, sporting a protruding belly and swelling into a plump, oversized insect, leaving one to wonder whether it could still fight as fiercely as before. Reunited after a long parting, Xu Ying was naturally overjoyed to see them. Completely forgetting the chamber pot in his hand, he mingled happily with them—in a delightful aroma. Just then, a three-legged young man entered Xu Ying's sight. He was over ten feet tall, with three legs. His garments were sumptuous beyond measure, patterned with clouds and morning haze, buttoned with stars, and adorned with fine jade. Though young in appearance, he had white hair. A smile graced his face as he looked at Xu Ying like an elderly father. Overjoyed, Xu Ying forgot all about the bucket in his hand, charged forward, threw his arms wide, and wrapped the three-legged youth in a tight embrace. Laughing heartily, he said, "Lord Jin, I've finally seen you!" Jin Buyi had initially retained a touch of reserve, but a warm current surged within him, causing him to cast aside that Imperial Son restraint. He smiled and said, "Little Mas... Ah Ying!" This was the true tragedy. He knew he could never return to how things used to be. Yet Xu Ying was happy for him—because the Jin Buyi of the past had belonged to Xu Ying, whereas the Jin Buyi of today belonged to Jin Buyi himself! Suddenly, a cough sounded. Several elders with overwhelmingly powerful auras appeared behind Jin Buyi, each accompanied by a few young men and women. Jin Buyi grew slightly stiff. Xu Ying let go of him, glanced at the elders, and felt a jolt of surprise. *The demon race's foundation is far more formidable than that of the Heavenly Dao Ancestral Court.* Those elders were Demon Sovereigns, standing behind Jin Buyi as if guarding his safety. Xu Ying's senses were exceptionally sharp, and he immediately perceived that their cultivation and strength were unfathomably deep, exerting immense pressure upon him! He then looked toward the young demon race men and women beside them, feeling quite surprised. These young men and women were actually three-legged, just like Imperial Son Jin Buyi! *The demon race has more than one three-legged golden crow!* A few more young women walked forward, led by the red-clad demon maiden Ling Siyi, whom Xu Ying had met once before. Xu Ying remembered her: she carried a willow branch refined from a bough of the Demon Emperor's Dao tree, which was extraordinarily potent. With a single sweep of that willow branch, she had recreated everyone whom Zi Xi had devoured—a terrifying sight! Ling Siyi bowed gracefully to Xu Ying and said with a smile, "Siyi greets Young Master Xu." The elders and the youths beside them were all surprised. Someone murmured under their breath, "He is Xu Ying? Why does he look like an errand boy?" Still holding the bucket, Xu Ying returned the greeting with a slight bow and smiled. "Lady Siyi, I originally planned to visit the Demon Ancestral Court to pay respects to the Demon Ancestor once matters here in the Heavenly Dao Ancestral Court were settled." Ling Siyi said to the demon elders, "Demon Sovereign Han, Demon Sovereign Jinghong, this is Young Master Xu Ying." The demon elders looked Xu Ying up and down; some nodded slightly, some frowned, and others stared at the bucket in his hand. Ling Siyi was also curious about the bucket he held, not knowing what it was used for. One of the demon youths was equally curious and poked his head forward to peer into it. Xu Ying finally remembered and blurted out, "You go pay your respects to the Ancestral God first. I still have to go scrub the chamber pot!" Yuan Qi jumped in fright, only now realizing that what Xu Ying held was a chamber pot. He had just hugged him so tightly—who knew if he had gotten anything on himself? Watching Xu Ying walk briskly away, he muttered, "Ah Ying truly has fallen into decline..." Unable to bear the sight, the big bell said, "Ah Ying will definitely rise again." The Brood Mother clicked scornfully: "Squeak, squeak!" The Earth God led the way ahead, saying, "Please follow me, everyone." The group followed him. Among them, the white-robed youth who had peered into the chamber pot frowned deeply and asked, "Ling Siyi, was that Xu Ying just now the very person the Demon Ancestor sent you to invite? He's nothing but a servant, nothing remarkable about him. Why would the Demon Ancestor want to invite him?" Ling Siyi replied, "Likely to ask him to restore the Heavenly and Earthly Dao of the Demon Ancestral Court. The Heavenly and Earthly Dao of our Demon Ancestral Court has collapsed. Young Master Xu was able to revive the Heavenly and Earthly Dao of Lihen Heaven, so the Demon Ancestor is merely taking a desperate gamble." Hearing this, the others shook their heads in turn. The white-robed youth chuckled. "There is no need for him now anyway. I heard the Little Celestial Venerable has gained the aid of a young hero who is using the Returning Dao Jade Platter to sort out the Ancestral Court's Grand Dao. His name is Ningqing." Xu Ying arrived at the riverbank to wash out the chamber pot. Looking at his reflection in the water, six more faces suddenly appeared beside his own—some vicious, some eccentric, some cunning, some greedy. "Lord Seventh wouldn't look down on poor relatives like us, would he?" "Lord Seventh would never do that!" "Lord Seventh is our brother born of different parents and a different race, how could we kill him?" "Beat him to death, put him in the big bell, set up a fire, and boil him into soup to eat." "Ah Ying!" Yuan Qi's voice carried over. Xu Ying turned his head. Only the six faces remained beneath the surface of the river. Yuan Qi, now a fair, chubby youth, walked toward him with reddened eyes and said, "In the years we've been apart, we've missed you so much." The six faces under the water dispersed one after another. A warm current welled up in Xu Ying's heart, like a flame burning bright. He smiled and said, "Lord Seventh, I missed you all very much as well." Yuan Qi walked to his side, took the chamber pot, and helped him scrub it. Xu Ying's heart settled into serene stillness, not a single demonic thought arising. In front of the thatched cottage, the Demon Sovereigns prostrated themselves on the ground, bowing before the Ancestral God. The Ancestral God smiled. "You wish to select a new generation of Demon Emperor to inherit the Demon Emperor's lineage. When the demon race chooses, it selects the Imperial Son with the finest bloodline, the greatest strength, and the sharpest intellect to inherit the lineage. That is why you have brought the Imperial Sons here to observe my Primordial Spirit, am I right?" The four Demon Sovereigns prostrated themselves. Demon Sovereign Han said, "We beseech the Ancestral God to grant our request." Coughing repeatedly, the Ancestral God smiled and said, "Back then, your forebear, the Demon Ancestor, died taking a blow for me. How could I refuse? So be it, let the children remain." The four Demon Sovereigns kowtowed in gratitude. By the river, Xu Ying asked, "Lord Seventh, who are those three young men and women beside the Demon Sovereigns? Their cultivation and strength seem extraordinarily formidable." Yuan Qi said, "They are also Imperial Sons of the demon race, all three-legged golden crows. The one in white is called Jin Daoli, and the one in yellow is Jin Yiqi. That young woman is Jin Lan. In recent years, the Demon Ancestor manifested his divine presence and ordered Ling Siyi and the others to scour the myriad worlds in secret for descendants of the golden crows, and they found them." At this moment, the big bell and Ling Siyi came looking for them. Yuan Qi glanced at Ling Siyi and stopped speaking. The big bell spoke up frankly: "Every Imperial Son has a Demon Sovereign backing them. But Demon Sovereign Jinghong is dead, with only his Primordial Spirit remaining, lacking sufficient strength. So after we arrived at the Demon Ancestral Court, we got pushed around." Xu Ying's heart stirred. He cast a glance at Ling Siyi and asked, "How were you pushed around? From what I saw, you arrived in grand style—hardly looking like victims of bullying." Ling Siyi said softly, "Young Master Xu, it wasn't truly bullying. It's just that Imperial Son Jin Buyi received the heritage of the previous Demon Emperor, the Eastern Emperor Heaven-Calming Formula. Several Demon Sovereigns wished for the Imperial Son to pass this sacred demon scripture to the other Imperial Sons, so they employed rather drastic measures..." Yuan Qi sneered, "Lord Jin obtained the Eastern Emperor Heaven-Calming Formula, which already makes him the chosen successor of the Demon Emperor! Why should he pass it to them?" The big bell said, "They never received the heritage of the Eastern Emperor Heaven-Calming Formula, so they aren't even true Imperial Sons. Originally, they had no right to compete with Lord Jin for the title of next Demon Emperor. Isn't it just that several Demon Sovereigns played favorites and forced Lord Jin to pass on the technique?" Ling Siyi gave a wry smile. "This was Demon Sovereign Han and the others' decision; there was nothing I could do. Moreover, since the Demon Ancestor has said nothing, my words carry little weight..." Xu Ying's expression was gentle, cultured, and refined. He smiled and said, "There is no need to blame yourself, Lady Siyi. We know you wouldn't take sides. We are already grateful enough that you looked after Lord Jin." His visage gradually turned sinister, then suddenly snapped back to normal. He said, "Let bygones be bygones. We, Xu Ying, never hold a grudge." Hearing his odd phrasing, the big bell was surprised. *'We, Xu Ying'? Could the 'we' in Ah Ying's words not refer to us?* Holding the chamber pot, Xu Ying chuckled and walked back toward the thatched cottage, muttering under his breath, "Our memory isn't good, so whenever there's a grudge, we always settle it on the spot..." Hearing this, the big bell whispered, "Lord Seventh, have you noticed that something seems off with Ah Ying?" Puzzled, Yuan Qi asked, "What could be off? Ah Ying looks perfectly fine to me. Don't let your imagination run wild." Still doubtful, the big bell trailed behind Xu Ying, eavesdropping on what he was murmuring. Suddenly, Xu Ying's head twisted entirely around to the back of his body. Bearing an uncanny smile, he spoke as casually as ever, without the slightest discomfort: "Lord Bell, what do you want to hear?" The big bell's heart lurched, instantly realizing things were bad. It hastily replied, "It's been so long since we last met, I just wanted to be close to you." With a whoosh, it flew into Yuan Qi's Realm of Xiyi and shouted, "Disaster, absolute disaster! Lord Seventh, do you remember that on the shrine sealing Ah Ying, there were two sealing runes? The immortal dao seal on that second sealing rune has taken effect!" Yuan Qi felt a jolt of horror and hurriedly said, "Get inside my belly!" He immediately revealed his true body, transforming into a giant serpent thousands of li long, his Primordial Spirit ascending to drift amidst the cloudy skies. The big bell flew out from his Realm of Xiyi and plunged into his mouth. Moments later, the big bell arrived in the world within Yuan Qi's belly. There, inscribed across the heavenly firmament, were various runes—among them the Eight Great Incantations transcribed by Xu Ying: Huang, Shang, Li, Ai, Bao, Nue, Bi, and Hun! "For this day, the two of us brothers have prepared for a very long time!"