Designs

Thereafter, Qin Sang remained in the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea, cultivating in Yunyouzi's former cave dwelling. The affairs of the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea had always been decided by the Willow Tree Spirit. Qin Sang had no wish to interfere and hardly ever showed his face. Later, the Willow Tree Spirit brought the old macaque over to meet Qin Sang and break the truth to him. Watching the aged macaque weep bitter tears, Qin Sang felt a pang of sorrow as well. In the entire Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea, for the time being, only the Willow Tree Spirit, the old macaque, and the white cat knew of his existence. Before he realized it, more than a year had passed since his arrival. The search for news concerning Demon King Qianji and the stone slab was being arranged personally by the Willow Tree Spirit. However, this clearly could not be accomplished overnight. Qin Sang was patient and quietly awaited good tidings. *** Mount Jiuku. The cave dwelling of Demon King Jiuku lay within this mountain. Demon King Jiuku was a shadow bat who had achieved transformation, and among the lesser demons under his command were many demon bats. Of all the demon kings, his abode was the closest to the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea. Yin qi coiled around this mountain, and not a single blade of grass grew upon it—a starkly different sight from the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea. At this moment, within the cave dwelling on Mount Jiuku. Demon King Jiuku was personally receiving a man clad in feathered robes. This feathered-robed man had a prominent background. He, too, was a demon king—Demon King Lihong. He served beneath Demon King Yu and enjoyed considerable trust. "Fellow Daoist Jiuku, you must already understand the purpose of my visit. Demon King Yu has decreed that once word arrives from the front lines, you must dispatch your subordinates according to these numbers to join the battlefield." Demon King Lihong produced a jade slip and handed it to Demon King Jiuku. Demon King Jiuku possessed an unimpressive appearance, with a pointed mouth, monkey-like cheeks, and a bizarre pair of fleshy wings on his back. Extending a slender, sharp-clawed finger, he took the jade slip. After scanning its contents, he cried out in dismay, "Why so many? Last time, I dispatched my most trusted boys, and barely any returned alive. If I send out this many again, I fear Mount Jiuku will be bled dry!" Demon King Lihong's expression remained unchanged. "You must have already received word, Fellow Daoist, that the situation this time is unlike the past. Sin Abyss has been moving aggressively, showing signs of launching a massive offensive for a decisive battle. On this journey, I have visited each fellow Daoist along the way; all must dispatch this much military strength in support, not just you alone. Furthermore, should the situation become dire, Demon King Yu will personally take to the front lines and select several fellow Daoists to accompany him..." "A demon king participating in battle in person?" Demon King Jiuku interrupted Demon King Lihong, even more displeased. "This is clearly infighting among those two-legged sheep! Sending out some boys like last time was already doing our utmost duty. Why rush forward to throw away our lives for them? Letting them fight to the death is how we stand to gain... Worst comes to worst, we can abandon the Heavenly Demon Mound and go live carefree in the Ice Sea!" "The Ice Sea is desolate and barren, with nothing but seawater and icebergs. Finding even a foothold there is difficult. If the Ice Sea were suitable for cultivation, why would our ancestors have fought to the death against the human race to seize the Heavenly Demon Mound?" Demon King Lihong was dismissive of Demon King Jiuku's words. "Our ancestors formed a covenant with the Lesser Cold Domain, establishing an offensive and defensive alliance to a certain degree, only thus putting an end to the fighting. The human race's foundations will not be exhausted so easily. Tearing up the covenant by force would do us no good. Once we leave the Heavenly Demon Mound, returning will not be so simple." Demon King Jiuku had no retort. Sighing and groaning, he put away the jade slip. "I hope you will make preparations early, Fellow Daoist, and not delay the greater situation. I shall take my leave." Demon King Lihong rose to depart. "Hold on!" Demon King Jiuku suddenly called out to him. "Is your next stop the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea?" "Indeed," Demon King Lihong nodded. "Don't be in such a rush, Fellow Daoist. This is spiritual wine I have hoarded for many years—have another cup." Demon King Jiuku pulled Demon King Lihong back down into his seat, his face plastered with smiles. His sudden hospitality left Demon King Lihong bewildered. "If you have something to say, Fellow Daoist, speak plainly." Demon King Jiuku filled the cup and gave an odd chuckle. "I wonder... how do Demon King Yu and you, Fellow Daoist, view the master of the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea?" "What do you mean?" Demon King Lihong's eyes flickered, countering impassively. Demon King Jiuku pointed toward the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea and said in a secretive tone, "Have you counted how many years it has been since that bamboo demon showed his face?" Demon King Lihong drank the spiritual wine, leaned back against the stone chair, and teased, "If I recall correctly, you used to obey Senior Bamboo's every word. Now he has become 'that bamboo demon'?" Pausing, Demon King Lihong mused, "Come to think of it, I'm afraid it has been nearly three hundred years since I last saw Senior Bamboo. Even so, vegetation spirits naturally enjoy long lifespans, and their heavenly tribulations arrive far slower than ours. What's more, 'Senior Bamboo' is merely a title. No one knows his true background, and he may not truly be a bamboo demon of the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea who attained the Dao. Spending a few hundred years in seclusion is completely normal. The last time I visited the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea, I even spoke with Senior Bamboo." "Not showing his face for three hundred years is normal? Think back carefully—last time you went to the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea, did you ever see his true body?" Demon King Jiuku gave an eerie laugh, sneering, "No matter how long-lived a vegetation spirit may be, they cannot be exempt. The power of each heavenly tribulation only grows stronger! Just how many years has that fellow lived?" Demon King Lihong shook his head. "I only know that when the previous Demon King Yu was alive, Senior Bamboo was already the master of the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea. Could it be that you..." "I do suspect as much!" Demon King Jiuku concealed it no longer. "Though the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea is somewhat remote, it is a rare fertile land within the Heavenly Demon Mound, yet it has been occupied by that bamboo demon for so many years. More than half of the vegetation spirits in the Demon Realm reside in the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea under that old fellow's protection. If we send those vegetation spirits out—never mind their actual strength, so long as their numbers satisfy the covenant—the humans won't be able to fault the Heavenly Demon Mound, and we can preserve some of our own foundations." Hearing this, Demon King Lihong was taken aback by Demon King Jiuku's ambition. "You have brazen audacity, daring to scheme against the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea! Do you know how many souls have perished at Senior Bamboo's hands? Senior Bamboo's strength is unfathomable. The previous Demon King Yu treated him with the utmost courtesy. If not for his lack of desire for supremacy..." "Of course I know how formidable he is! Otherwise, why would I have endured in silence for all these years?" Demon King Jiuku gave a dry laugh. "I haven't lived long enough to want to throw my life away. I'm not egging you on to oppose him, Fellow Daoist; I merely want to test the waters. If he is still alive, naturally we will drop the matter. But if he was truly struck dead by a heavenly tribulation, what would we have to fear?" The more Demon King Jiuku spoke, the more feasible he felt it was. His tone grew increasingly agitated and full of temptation. "Think carefully, Fellow Daoist. That bamboo demon's lifespan rivals Xuanwu's, and who knows how many treasures he has amassed over all these years? Vegetation spirits cultivate even slower than we do; in the Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea, hardly any can truly present themselves on a grand stage. Are all those treasures just going to fall into their laps?" Demon King Lihong started, falling silent. Seeing this, Demon King Jiuku knew he had struck a chord. Striking while the iron was hot, he added, "I'm not the only one harboring such thoughts. Constrained by the lingering dread of the old fellow, everyone has been watching from the sidelines, not daring to act rashly for the time being. With Demon King Yu backing you, you needn't truly fear him. A slight probe will reveal the truth. When the time comes, the two of us can get there first—and I am willing to concede the lion's share to you, Fellow Daoist..."