The Deer Demon King patted the restless black shark and let out an eerie, dry cackle. "I am Great Immortal Lu! To think you don't even recognize me—could it be you only just underwent your transformation?"
Qin Sang remained silent.
Great Immortal Lu assumed Qin Sang was merely intimidated. Newly ascended demon kings possessed limited strength, so acting timid and cautious before an established demon king was only natural.
For demon cultivators, innate talent was far more vital than for human cultivators.
Before taking human form, unless blessed with the rare fortune of being enlightened by a demon king through Emperor Flowing Dew, beasts remained ignorant and unenlightened, cultivating purely by instinct. Most demon cultivators were incapable of making elaborate, calculated schemes to vie for opportunities the way humans did.
Correspondingly, the demon race had many fortunate individuals whose bloodlines underwent spontaneous mutations, or who happened upon and consumed heavenly treasures. They had no need to join sects or factions, nor did they have to scheme tirelessly for cultivation methods and secret arts.
All they needed to do was hide away in some secluded cave abode, breathe in spiritual energy each day, absorb the essence of the sun and moon, comprehend the power of their bloodline, and cultivate their innate divine abilities. In due time, they could achieve their human form.
Such nameless demon kings who suddenly emerged from obscurity were not uncommon in the Demon Realm.
"Fellow Daoist Yuan, crossing paths with me is your great fortune," Great Immortal Lu said, a desire to recruit him stirring in his heart. "I serve directly under Great Sage Tianpeng. As long as I put in a good word and recommend you to the Great Sage, your rise to prominence is guaranteed! Premium cave abodes, wondrous treasures, immortal medicines, and an army of demon soldiers under your command—you can have it all!"
A demon king who had achieved transformation on his own without enlightenment from others surely possessed extraordinary talent. More valuably, this demon did not appear to belong to any faction.
As for whether the stranger was lying, Great Immortal Lu was not worried. If anything was amiss, nothing could escape the discerning eye of the Great Sage. One visit before the Great Sage would force him to reveal his true form.
To his surprise, no sooner had the words left his mouth than the other party violently beat his wings, retreating a thousand fathoms in the blink of an eye, his face filled with vigilance.
Great Immortal Lu's thoughts turned, and he quickly guessed the other's reasoning.
The demon race lived by the law of the jungle, where the strong swallowed the weak whole. Having only recently gained sapience, this demon acted primarily on instinct, clearly fearing that Great Sage Tianpeng might swallow him alive.
Great Immortal Lu burst into laughter. "What kind of exalted figure is Great Sage Tianpeng? Would he really covet a sliver of meat and hide like yours? The Great Sage is the sacred lord of our demon race, possessing a magnanimous heart that embraces the world, with countless experts under his banner. Do not measure the stature of a great being with a petty heart!"
Qin Sang paused for a moment before replying, "I have heard that you intend to wage war against the humans. It is far too dangerous; I have no wish to take part."
"Coward!"
Great Immortal Lu glared fiercely with his demonic eyes. "For years, we have been forced to cower inside the Demon Realm! How many of our brethren have the humans slaughtered, leaving behind an endless debt of blood? Now that Great Sage Tianpeng has raised the banner, we finally have the chance to vent our fury, yet you speak of shrinking back! To devour their flesh, drink their blood, swallow their Nascent Souls, seize their cave abodes, and enslave their descendants—what could be more exhilarating?!"
Seeing that Qin Sang remained unmoved, Great Immortal Lu changed his tone. "You wouldn't necessarily have to take to the battlefield in person. Serving in the rear can also support the Great Sage. That is precisely what I am doing right now. If you are truly concerned about your safety, why not follow me for a time and see how things stand?"
"I, Yuan, truly have no interest in such matters. Farewell!"
Qin Sang shook his head, turned, and flew away, vanishing beyond the horizon before long.
Great Immortal Lu did not give chase. Instead, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I took the initiative to invite him and offered him access to secrets, yet he remained completely unmoved. The likelihood of him being a spy is low. Hmph, this area is crawling with my lookouts; let's see where you can run. Hmm, I should have those old demons keep an eye on him too and observe a bit longer. That fellow's wings are somewhat strange—I wonder what bloodline he carries."
Human cultivators were fond of raising spirit beasts, and there was a high likelihood that Xuantian Palace possessed spirit beasts in the Transformation stage.
Those spirit beasts had already been tamed and were willing to act as traitors to their kind. The demon race had suffered from this before, so they naturally remained wary of any demon king of unknown origin.
Meanwhile, once Qin Sang confirmed that the deer demon was not pursuing him, he slowed his pace and flew along at an unhurried rate.
The reason he had put on such an act was precisely because he had anticipated this issue. He did not want to be suspected of being a demon traitor, which would only invite endless probing.
By intentionally or unintentionally brushing paths with nearby demon kings a few times, he could become a familiar face and gradually build connections. Later, with the testimony of these demon kings, even a fabricated story would pass as truth, making his movements within the Demon Realm vastly easier.
Over the following period, Qin Sang went out from time to time, diligently playing the part of a timid, cautious newly ascended demon king traveling to broaden his horizons. He became acquainted with several other demon kings and crossed paths with Great Immortal Lu twice more.
He adhered strictly to his principles, keeping a low profile, concealing the power of lightning within his wings so the phoenix wings appeared less conspicuous, and claiming to possess the bloodline of the Azure Bird.
Through these repeated encounters, he steadily chipped away at the demon kings' suspicions.
For more than half a year after that, Qin Sang remained active in the border region, patiently laying his groundwork. He searched for Killing Sword fragments while gathering intelligence to understand the distribution of power throughout the Demon Realm.
***
On a vibrant small island, thick jungles flourished, filled with the chattering of birds.
At that moment, a petite yellow spirit bird flew in from the horizon. Its gaze was lively and sharp, clearly possessing intelligence far beyond the ordinary birds of the island.
Soaring across the high sky, the spirit bird darted its eyes in every direction. Once it was certain there was nothing amiss, its body suddenly banked, diving steeply downward.
Plunging into the jungle, the spirit bird seemed guided by some presence as it accurately located an ancient tree. Reaching out with a wing, it brushed against the bark, causing a faint glimmer of dark light to flare. Instantly, several messages flooded into its mind.
It had been raised in Xuantian Palace since youth and had received enlightenment, allowing it to speak human tongue. Generations of its ancestors had been spirit beasts of Xuantian Palace. Rather than suffering mistreatment, they had been well provided for, living in great comfort. It viewed itself as an integral part of Xuantian Palace and had voluntarily infiltrated the demon race as an undercover agent.
Not long ago, the imprint inside its body had been triggered, guiding it to this very spot.
These messages had been left behind by Qin Sang.
He had made no deliberate effort to pry into top secrets, but had pieced together various clues from observing the surrounding phenomena. As for how much help this would be to Xuantian Palace, that was beyond his concern.
By now, Qin Sang had already ventured deep into the Demon Realm.
His excuse to Great Immortal Lu had been that he wished to avoid the crossfire of the war and preferred to seek refuge under Nine-headed Great Sage, leaving Great Immortal Lu thoroughly disappointed.
***
In the southern reaches of the Demon Realm.
Here lay a continuous expanse of rugged, precipitous mountains, thick with miasma and teeming with demonic beasts.
At the center of these mountains was a vast lake, yet its surroundings were eerily quiet.
The lake water was entirely gray and motionless, like a forbidden realm of death steeped in a dense pall of lifeless qi. The demonic beasts in the area dared not take a single step across its boundary.
Suddenly, with a loud splash, a figure flew up from the dead lake completely unscathed. Casting his gaze over the surroundings, he locked onto a direction, beat his wings, and shot through the air.
This person was none other than Qin Sang.
After entering the Demon Realm, his objective had been crystal clear: head straight for the so-called demon secret realms and demon kings' cave abodes.
Tirelessly traversing mountains and crossing rivers for nearly two years, he had now scoured more than half of the Demon Realm, yet had found nothing.
This dead lake had yielded no pleasant surprises either.
Once he confirmed that no Killing Sword fragments were present, Qin Sang had left the dead lake without the slightest hesitation, even though he could sense that secrets still lay hidden beneath its depths.
Looking southward, Qin Sang murmured, "Continuing south, the next target is Great Sage Tianpeng's cave abode, Mount Tianpeng. I've heard that Bi Fang had his courage shattered by Tong Lingyu, and after submitting to Great Sage Tianpeng, he retreated to Mount Tianpeng to nurse his wounds. Forcing my way into Mount Tianpeng would be ill-advised, but I can stake out the perimeter and wait for him to come out."
Qin Sang calculated his options. Among the remaining targets, the most crucial were the cave abodes of the two Great Sages; other places had very little chance of harboring a Killing Sword fragment.
"Right! I will head north to Nine-headed Great Sage's Myriad Demons Cave first, and save Mount Tianpeng for last. Once I slay Bi Fang, I will leave the Demon Realm. Conveniently, I am close to fully comprehending the fourth seal of the Seven Masters Buddhist Seal. While keeping watch outside Mount Tianpeng, I can master the first four seals together. Moreover, the Sun Divine Tree has already condensed the silhouette of the divine bird; it won't be long before it fully takes shape, even faster than I previously estimated..."
Putting thought into action, Qin Sang wheeled around and flew north.
As he neared the cave abodes of the demon Great Sages, Qin Sang grew increasingly cautious.
Nine-headed Great Sage's abode was easy to identify. Outside Myriad Demons Cave lay a cold pool draped with immortal vines and flanked by rare orchids, veiled in drifting clouds and mist like an earthly paradise.
The entrance to Myriad Demons Cave lay at the bottom of that cold pool.
The surroundings of the pool were exceedingly desolate.
Nine-headed Great Sage possessed an aloof, indifferent temperament and rarely took action, behaving more like a reclusive demon hermit. The forces gathered under his banner could not compare to those of Great Sage Tianpeng.
Concealing his tracks and reining in his aura, Qin Sang cautiously approached the cold pool. There was no need to force his way into Myriad Demons Cave; once he verified that the sword spirit showed no reaction, he departed in disappointment.
After investigating the remaining locations, Qin Sang finally arrived near Mount Tianpeng.
In stark contrast to the tranquility of Myriad Demons Cave, Mount Tianpeng surged with soaring demonic qi and echoed with the roars of gathered demons. Even with most demon soldiers deployed to the front lines, Mount Tianpeng retained a terrifying foundation.
Qin Sang quietly slipped onto a small mountain near Mount Tianpeng. Standing beneath a tree, he gazed toward the majestic peak, where dense demonic qi had coalesced into dark clouds that blotted out the sky.
The sword spirit still showed no reaction. Neither of the two Great Sages' cave abodes held a Killing Sword fragment.
After evaluating the strength of Mount Tianpeng, Qin Sang was certain that sneaking in to assassinate Bi Fang without alerting any demonic beasts was impossible.
Mount Tianpeng would not be lacking in demon kings; forcing an entry would be sheer folly.
He surveyed his surroundings and, to be safe, retreated a bit further. Selecting a mountain, he excavated a hidden cave abode. There, he kept watch on the movements around Mount Tianpeng while comprehending the Seven Masters Buddhist Seal.
He knew very well that the odds of running into Bi Fang through passive waiting were slim.
However, Qin Sang reckoned that Bi Fang, having submitted to Great Sage Tianpeng, was bound to have been granted spirit medicines. Calculating the time, his injuries should be nearing full recovery. Great Sage Tianpeng would never support an idler for nothing; with the battle at the front raging fiercely, once Bi Fang regained his fighting strength, he would certainly be summoned.
Having been pursued so miserably by Tong Lingyu, Bi Fang would undoubtedly want to seek vengeance against Xuantian Palace as well.
This stakeout lasted for half a year.
During this time, many demon kings came and went, but Bi Fang was nowhere to be seen, nor was there any sign of the frog-fish.
"The closer the divine bird gets to materializing, the faster it coalesces. At this rate, it will take shape in just a few months. I had originally intended to use Bi Fang to test the might of the Sun Divine Tree! What a pity that Bi Fang is acting like a turtle pulling into its shell, refusing to show his face. I can't keep wasting time here forever..."
Standing before the entrance of his cave abode, Qin Sang looked out toward Mount Tianpeng, brooding for a short while. He decided to wait two more months; if Bi Fang still failed to appear, he would switch to another target.
Another twenty-odd days passed in this manner.
In the midst of comprehending the Seven Masters Buddhist Seal and fusing the first four seals together, Qin Sang was abruptly jolted from his trance. His expression shifted slightly, and he stood up swiftly, gazing toward Mount Tianpeng.
At that instant, his aura was suppressed to an infinitesimally faint level, as though facing a formidable enemy!
Rumble...
A thunderous sonic boom tore through the sky, deafening the ears.
Immediately after, Qin Sang spotted a cloud appearing from the east, hurtling forward at astonishing speed.
From Mount Tianpeng, figures flew out one after another, arranging themselves in a respectful greeting posture. With the aid of his Heavenly Eye divine ability, Qin Sang caught sight of Bi Fang for the first time.
Yet Qin Sang felt not the slightest joy. He immediately had the Heavenly Eye Butterfly retract the ability, his heart filled with silent vigilance.
For reasons unknown, Great Sage Tianpeng had returned to Mount Tianpeng.
In a mere breath, the cloud swept over the summit of Mount Tianpeng and dispersed on its own, revealing an arrogant, unruly figure. It was none other than one of the demon race's Twin Sages—Great Sage Tianpeng!
Bi Fang and the other demon kings stepped forward to pay their respects.
Unexpectedly, Great Sage Tianpeng spoke a few words to the demons and barked an order for them to withdraw, while he himself remained suspended in midair, motionless for a long time.
Seeing Great Sage Tianpeng's behavior, Qin Sang was inwardly puzzled, feeling fortunate that he had kept enough distance, or he might have risked exposure.
Though his naked eye could not discern Great Sage Tianpeng's expression, Qin Sang could vaguely tell that the Great Sage remained facing southward, as if waiting for someone.
Before long, a black light appeared on the horizon, swift as a shooting star.
Upon seeing the black beam, Great Sage Tianpeng abruptly opened his demonic eyes, shooting out two nearly tangible beams of light with an overwhelming, oppressive aura. The black light paused momentarily, completely undaunted, and continued flying toward Mount Tianpeng.
At that moment, Qin Sang, concealed in the shadows, narrowed his eyes, his expression shifting erratically.
Although the newcomer had suppressed his aura, Qin Sang felt an undeniable sense of familiarity, having crossed paths with him too many times.
It was Old Man Hunmo, the very person who had hunted him on several occasions!
Old Man Hunmo had entered the Demon Realm alone to meet secretly with Great Sage Tianpeng.
Qin Sang had never imagined that while staking out Bi Fang, he would stumble across such a scene.
What is this old devil plotting? Could he be here on behalf of the forces of the Boundless Sea, meaning the devil path intends to conspire with the demon race to carve up Xuantian Palace?
Countless thoughts flashed through Qin Sang's mind in an instant, yet he felt that was unlikely.
The Palace Master of Xuantian Palace was still around, along with a Grand Elder possessing late-stage strength, backed by a multitude of experts. How could they simply let themselves be carved up unless the devils were willing to fight to mutual destruction?
Moreover, if Old Man Hunmo truly intended to collude with the demon race, he would have disguised himself far more thoroughly than this when meeting Great Sage Tianpeng in secret.
Qin Sang could not fathom the reason. Daring not make any rash moves, he held his breath and reined in his aura, quietly observing how the situation would unfold.
Whoosh!
Old Man Hunmo arrived before Great Sage Tianpeng and lowered his escape light. Shrouded in black qi that obscured his features, he bowed with a smile. "I trust the Great Sage has been well since we last met."
His demeanor was completely unlike the sharp antagonism between them during the Myriad Demons Assembly.
Great Sage Tianpeng's snort rumbled like rolling thunder, yet the sound of his voice did not leak outward. "Old devil, what scheme are you playing at? You asked for an audience with me, yet stubbornly refused to meet upon the sea. If you cannot provide a reasonable explanation and end up causing us to miss a tactical opportunity, I will ensure you never walk out of Mount Tianpeng!"
Old Man Hunmo showed not the slightest fear toward the threat, replying indifferently, "If I were to appear on the battlefield to meet with the Great Sage, the matter would inevitably cause a tremendous uproar. I have no desire to become the Great Sage's pawn, dampening Xuantian Palace's morale and stirring up unnecessary misunderstandings with them. Since I dared seek out the Great Sage, it is naturally for an extraordinary boon. I had intended to discuss this with you back at the Myriad Demons Assembly, but an unexpected mishap disrupted my plans, and I was only recently able to confirm certain matters."
With that, Old Man Hunmo glanced around. "Is this how the Great Sage treats his guests?"
"If you have the courage, then step inside!"
Great Sage Tianpeng snorted coldly and flashed into Mount Tianpeng. Unafraid, Old Man Hunmo followed with measured steps.
Chapter 1469