Chapter 460 - 434: Strange Transformation of Mountains and Rivers, Great Transformation of the World

On the bank of the surging Jing River, Song Ciwan tossed the Fish Demon to the ground.

The Fish Demon flopped and shrieked, repeatedly claiming to be one of the Dragon King’s subordinates, which drew a laugh from Song Ciwan.

In all the waterways of the world, which great river had no dragon? Which body of water had no demon? Any Water Demon could claim to be under the Dragon King, but not every one of them could actually get his attention.

It was like how every member of the Nine Provinces Human Race could call themselves a citizen of Great Zhou, but how many of them could truly command the emperor’s ear?

This Fish Demon kept using the Dragon King’s name to puff itself up, but it failed to mention that the Nine Provinces were, in the end, the domain of the Human Race.

Under normal circumstances, as long as humans didn’t overfish, wantonly destroy the balance of aquatic species, or maliciously provoke Water Demons from the Dragon Palace bearing special marks, the Dragon King wouldn’t bother with ordinary fights and killings.

Did the Dragon King really have that much free time?

Take the fight between the Bird Demon and this Fish Demon. The Fish Demon hadn’t won because it was in the water and had help from Dragon Palace Water Demons. It had won simply because its skills were genuinely superior to the Bird Demon’s, allowing it to turn the tables and claim victory.

The Fish Demon’s shouting only proved it was all bark and no bite. At the same time, the Heaven and Earth Scale appeared and collected a ball of energy from it: [Demon Heart. The fear, unease, and terror of a Spirit Communication Stage Fish Demon. Weighing nineteen taels. Exchangeable.]

At Song Ciwan’s current level of Cultivation, offerings from beings of a lower realm, whether human desires or demon hearts, were of little help to her.

Still, something was better than nothing. Even a mosquito leg was still meat. No matter the prize, Song Ciwan would graciously accept it without complaint.

The Fish Demon’s frantic shrieks stood in stark contrast to her faint smile.

Gradually, the Fish Demon stopped shouting.

Its massive body lay flat on the ground. A growing, oppressive pressure weighed it down, causing the Qi Veins throughout its body to stagnate.

The Fish Demon lowered its head, a sudden, dejected realization dawning on it.

Its voice dropped. "Y-You... Your Excellency, you didn’t capture me just to make fish soup, did you? I... I’m ugly, and I don’t taste good..."

Song Ciwan was speechless.

She let out a soft laugh, but her voice was as cold and sharp as cut glass. It was a tone she had specifically designed for her disguise as Lu Bell, the young Blade Master—stern and imposing, as if laced with killing intent.

The Fish Demon might have been better off if she hadn’t laughed. The sound of it only made the demon more terrified.

Song Ciwan asked, "You said an Elemental Stone Ore was discovered in the Wind Mist Plain. How large is this so-called ’ore’? And when exactly was this ’new discovery’ made?"

Seeing that she was finally asking questions, the Fish Demon breathed a sigh of relief. The words tumbled out. "They say it was three days ago! The Human Race’s Shenxiao Army was skirmishing with Shituo Country’s forces. The fighting got too intense, and they blasted apart the Deep Crocodile Swamp in the Wind Mist Plain."

"When the swamp was blown up, it didn’t leave a crater. Instead, a giant mountain range erupted from the flat ground! The Vitality in the mountains was so dense it nearly formed a Primordial Qi Rain. All kinds of pure Primordial Stones were scattered at the foot of the mountains. You didn’t even need to survey it to see that it’s obviously an Elemental Stone Ore!"

As it spoke, the Fish Demon’s own tone grew excited.

It described the scene vividly, as if it had been there itself. "Right then, both sides started fighting fiercely again! All the Demon Cores and Demon Kings were deployed. On the Human Race’s side, cultivators at the Innate Third Transformation, Innate Acupoint Fusion, Divinity Transformation, and Earth Immortal realms—they were all thrown onto the battlefield as if they were worthless."

"That wasn’t a battlefield, it was a giant meat grinder! An expert such as yourself, Your Excellency, has no need to waste time with a little demon like me. You should join the fray! That Primordial Stone Mountain Range that erupted from nowhere is said to be nearly ten thousand miles long!"

"An Elemental Stone Ore nearly ten thousand miles long has never been seen before, not in the Nine Provinces or the Nine Celestial Demon Countries! Not to mention, this Elemental Stone Ore is also accompanied by several Ghost Essence Ore deposits."

"Everyone’s guessing that if they survey it more carefully, they might find even more Treasure Ores within this Elemental Stone Ore!"

At this, the Fish Demon’s lightbulb-like eyes bulged even wider, and a look of extraordinary excitement flashed across its face.

The Heaven and Earth Scale collected another ball of energy: [Demon Heart. The excitement, anticipation, and regret of a Spirit Communication Stage Fish Demon. Weighing twenty-three taels. Exchangeable.]

Based on the Heaven and Earth Scale’s description of the Demon Heart, Song Ciwan could tell the Fish Demon wasn’t lying.

’Sometimes, the Heaven and Earth Scale can be used as a sort of lie detector,’ she thought. ’How interesting.’

Song Ciwan didn’t actually feel a strong desire for the so-called Elemental Stone Ore.

As she had thought before, possessing the Heaven and Earth Scale gave her a wealth of ways to acquire resources. No matter how great the Elemental Stone Ore was, if it was a meat grinder, she had no reason to go wading into those muddy waters.

Song Ciwan’s focus wasn’t really on the Elemental Stone Ore itself, but on how its sudden appearance would change the dynamic between the Human and Demon Races.

Besides, a Primordial Stone Mountain Range erupting from flat ground—such a strange geological event had to have a cause.

A thoughtful look crossed Song Ciwan’s face. As if probing further, she asked the Fish Demon, "You said a mountain range erupted from the flat ground in the Wind Mist Plain after the swamp was blown up. Do you know why this mountain range appeared? Has any news spread through the various waterways?"

The question seemed to stump the Fish Demon. "The Deep Crocodile Swamp was just... blown up, and then a huge mountain range rose up. As for the reason, th-this... I... I don’t know!"

At that moment, the big-eyed, red-headed Fish Demon actually looked a bit simple and honest.

Song Ciwan knew she wouldn’t get any more information from it, so she simply said, "Never mind."

Then, she took a step forward, walking out onto the waves of the Jing River.

The Jing River surged and churned, its whitecaps reaching for the sky. Amidst the massive waves, the black-clad youth strode across the water as if it were solid ground.

The Fish Demon, left behind on the bank, stared dumbly as the figure drifted away into the rolling waves. Only when the churning water blurred the person’s silhouette did it suddenly realize that the invisible pressure binding it was completely gone.

It seemed the youth had let it go.

The Fish Demon was both shocked and overjoyed. With a powerful flick of its tail, it scrambled back into the water.

Its narrow escape from death left it with an indescribable mix of terror and relief.

As she strode across the waves, Song Ciwan received another ball of energy: [Demon Heart. The joy, lingering fear, and yearning of a Spirit Communication Stage Fish Demon. Weighing thirty-one taels. Exchangeable.]

Song Ciwan looked at this newly collected energy, a little perplexed.

The Fish Demon had narrowly escaped death, so joy and lingering fear were normal. But where did this ’yearning’ come from?

All one could say was that in this world, not only were the hearts of men difficult to fathom, but the hearts of demons were just as inscrutable.

That was why the Heaven and Earth Scale could only serve as a partial lie detector. Even if the Scale could perfectly analyze the emotions of all living things, could the person who received that analysis truly see through the hearts of all beings?

No.

The hearts of living creatures were an unfathomable mystery, just like the countless other impenetrable secrets of the world.

Executing the Lightweight Body Technique she had recently learned, Song Ciwan gradually crossed the Jing River and headed for the opposite bank.