Chapter 258 - 134: How Dare You Collude with Demon Fiends

Chapter 258: Chapter 134: How Dare You Collude with Demon Fiends

Amidst the lush, dense mountain forest.

A streak of light flashed and vanished.

A woman hovered in the air. Her face was exquisite and cold, crowned with a jade hairpiece shaped like azure waves. A loose-fitting robe draped over her voluptuous, well-defined figure.

She glanced coldly down at the deserted Seven-Star Ridge. The Array she had personally laid was completely gone.

A fleeting murderous intent flickered in her narrow eyes.

But soon, Demon Monarch Bi Hai sensed something was amiss. She looked toward the hiding place of the demon people and found not bodies strewn everywhere, but rather that all traces had been cleaned up immaculately.

It felt like an orderly evacuation.

"..."

Demon Monarch Bi Hai closed her eyes slightly and gently performed a series of Finger Formulas.

After a careful search, her figure shot forward once more, her gaze scanning the mountains meticulously.

A long while later, she finally spotted an orderly column marching through the lush forest.

Tens of thousands of demon people were rapidly retreating into the deep mountains under the command of Demon Soldiers.

Seeing this, she breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"What happened?"

The Demon Monarch took a single step and appeared before her Demon Generals.

Anren Prefecture was not like the Border Region; the Group of Demons couldn’t possibly all gather in one place.

The target would be too large. If even a small problem arose, they could easily be wiped out in one fell swoop.

Therefore, Seven Stars Mountain was just one of her strongholds. She had only come to check on it because she happened to be escaping near here and noticed something was wrong.

"Lord Bi Hai!"

Ling Liu cried out joyfully, "You’ve returned!"

The other Demon Generals also bowed in greeting, then reported in great detail, "That traitor Fei Huang sold all information about Seven Stars Mountain to the Demon-slaying Bureau. Not only that, he entered the mountain and used the demon people to threaten us."

Hearing this, Demon Monarch Bi Hai clenched her fist slightly and said coldly, "I was too soft-hearted."

She recalled that Fei Huang had also saved many members of the Demon Crowd in the past, so she couldn’t bring herself to kill him. She had only driven him away, making them strangers from then on.

If something similar happened again, she would slay him without hesitation, with no regard for old ties.

"So, how did you all escape?" she asked, looking at the assembled demons in confusion.

"We had previously received a Demon General from another Prefecture City."

Ling Liu said, her face full of relief, "His Demon Monarch was also passing through Anren Prefecture. After learning of our situation, he came to Seven Stars Mountain personally. He not only killed Fei Huang, the constables from the Demon-slaying Bureau, and several Immortal Disciples, but he also stood guard over the mountain, waiting until we had all evacuated before leaving."

"Which Demon Monarch was it?"

Demon Monarch Bi Hai was taken aback for a moment, the exhaustion in her eyes lessening slightly.

These days, all demons could barely fend for themselves. With rumors that the Mountain Masters of the Qi and Yu Families were about to enter the world, everyone was on edge. It was truly rare for a Demon Monarch to be willing to lend a helping hand.

"We don’t know. That Demon Monarch didn’t leave a title... but he was so strong!"

The Demon Generals had looks of admiration on their faces as they all started talking at once, recounting what they had seen.

Ling Liu added softly, "And he was exceptionally handsome."

"You silly girl."

Demon Monarch Bi Hai shot the girl a helpless glance.

In truth, it was difficult to judge a Demon Monarch’s strength based on the words of these Demon Generals.

After all, their perspective was too limited to understand the differences between Golden Core experts. They could only make the most basic inferences from what they saw with their own eyes.

A Golden Core Realm expert dealing with a group of Core Formation Cultivators wouldn’t need to use costly Immortal Techniques.

In that kind of situation, the brutal, fist-to-flesh fighting style of a Body Tempering Demon Cultivator would naturally seem more impactful.

But Demon Monarch Bi Hai didn’t refute the demons’ speculation in her heart.

She casually glanced back in a certain direction.

Three Golden Core powerhouses, carrying a great treasure from the Demon-slaying Bureau, had come to ambush her. Even with her powerful Cultivation, it had taken considerable effort to shake them off.

However, just a moment ago...

She had sensed the aura of Magical Combat at the Golden Core Realm.

Just as Demon Monarch Bi Hai was about to turn back, the Chen Family’s Mountain Master who had been pursuing her went silent in an incredibly short amount of time.

’I thought Night Ghost Demon Monarch had come to help. With his terrifying strength, which is infinitely close to the Late-stage Golden Core Realm, he could indeed kill that Cultivator instantly. But now, it seems the one who acted was most likely this Demon Monarch from elsewhere. The Demon Generals’ judgment was correct. This person’s Cultivation, if not on par with Night Ghost’s, is at least far superior to my own.’

’Where did this Great Demon come from? None of the Demon Monarchs from the nearby prefectures match the Demon Crowd’s description. Could it be from Dragon Ridge...? No, that’s not right. Although I don’t know the full extent of those three Demon Monarchs’ power, they all need to garrison the Border Region and be ready to repel the Immortal Families’ counterattacks at any moment. How would they have time to meddle in other people’s affairs? It’s possible they came from the Great Shun Dynasty.’

Yongzhou Pass had been renamed Dragon Ridge. Merchants and Immortal Sects didn’t dare approach, but Demons could come and go freely, making it easy for them to gather.

This was probably why Demon King Su Xin wanted to capture the pass in the first place.

A thousand thoughts raced through Demon Monarch Bi Hai’s mind. She said softly, "If you meet this Demon Monarch again, you must persuade him to spare a few days to stay. I will be sure to thank him properly."

"After you lead the demon people into the mountains, come find me as soon as possible."

"Taking these beatings all the time isn’t a solution."

A cold light glinted in the woman’s eyes. "In such a short time, they’ve destroyed several of my Demon Strongholds and slaughtered tens of thousands of my demon people. It’s time to make the Demon-slaying Bureau bleed a little."

Since that Demon Monarch had cleaned up the mess for her and saved her a lot of trouble, she certainly couldn’t remain idle now that her hands were free.

"As you command!" the Group of Demons replied in unison, clasping their fists.

...

「It was noon.」

A tense atmosphere permeated every corner of the indescribably magnificent Anren Prefecture City.

The fall of Yongzhou Pass had already left the city’s common folk anxious and uneasy.

The Demon-slaying Bureau’s expedition to exterminate demons outside the city was naturally the most important matter at present.

Among the several dispatched teams, the one led by Vice General Lu Chengyu attracted the most attention.

Ordinary Cultivators and commoners couldn’t understand the complex ins and outs of the Immortal Sects.

They only knew that among this group was a Mountain Master Disciple from the Yu Family of the Mountain God.

A Mountain Master entering the world would surely sweep away all Demon Fiends!

But there had been no news at all from this highly anticipated team, and the prefecture’s gazette contained no information about the matter.

BOOM!!

Suddenly, a thunderous roar exploded.

A powerful aura, thick with the stench of Demon Blood, swept over, blanketing everything as it streaked across the sky.

Flying was forbidden within Anren Prefecture. All who entered or exited, regardless of their status, had to be inspected by the City Guard.

This was an ironclad law of the Court.

However, when the crowd saw the blood-soaked Flowing Cloud Sword Robe and the fury the handsome young man was struggling to suppress, no one dared to fly up and intercept him. They could only watch helplessly as he headed toward Qiankun Academy.

"The Yu Family’s Mountain Master has returned! He’s carrying several heads!"

"Why did he return alone?"

"He’s so furious. Could something have gone wrong with the demon-slaying mission?"

Curious onlookers quickly got to their feet and sprinted toward Qiankun Academy in unison.

Amidst the red walls and green tiles, everyone from the Immortal Descendants of the Scholars’ Academy to the Cultivator students of the Martial Arts Academy, including many lecturers, sensed the change in the aura from the sky.

Their faces paled in alarm as they hurried toward the academy entrance.

"Is that Lin Shu?"

The Ruan siblings, along with Chang Yi, were still telling Yu Sheng about the various news they had received from within the Demon-slaying Bureau.

Looking up, the moment they saw the familiar figure, they all rose to their feet.

In the blink of an eye, they realized Yu Sheng had already rushed out of the courtyard, and they hurried to follow.

In an instant, a crowd gathered at the entrance of Qiankun Academy, all staring at the figure hurtling toward them.

"Master Lin, what’s wrong?"

Fan Li looked astonished. Seeing the young man land, he hurried to greet him. "Are you alright? Why are you covered in Demon Blood? You look terrible. Did your old injuries relapse?"

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Lin Shu gripped the bloody hair and casually held up the several heads in his hand. "Recognize them?" he asked coldly.

"This is..."

Fan Li suddenly felt a cold sweat break out on his back.

All four heads—he actually recognized every single one.

The Demon-slaying Bureau’s main register recorded information on many Demons; some entries were detailed, others were rough.

But given Demon General Fei Huang’s show-offish habits, not only his aura but even his appearance had long since been illustrated.

"Number seventy-two on the main register, Demon General Fei Huang!"

Some of the spectating Cultivators had already shouted out the Great Demon’s name.

Such a renowned and Fierce Demon could only be captured by a Golden Core Powerhouse.

Yet this Yu Family’s Mountain Master had slain him with only a Core Formation Cultivation. Such strength was absolutely terrifying!

What’s more, this was only one of the four heads.

Could the other three also be equally vicious Great Demons?

Compared to the shock of the crowd outside the academy, the students and lecturers inside turned deathly pale.

"Th-that’s Master Liu! And Master Wang and Master Cui!" a scream suddenly erupted from the crowd.

"They’re lecturers at the Martial Arts Academy, and also disciples of Vice Mountain Master Yu."

Fan Li’s eyes widened. He couldn’t understand what was happening at all. They were also lecturers at the Martial Arts Academy, so why were the heads of these three senior veterans in Master Lin’s hands?

"Vice Mountain Master Yu..."

Lin Shu’s gaze turned frigid.

He strode forward, the stench of blood wafting from him. The glaring crimson made everyone around him hold their breath.

Staring at the young man’s back, they finally realized that this was a ruthless man who had fought through seas of blood in the Border Region. How could he possibly be the gentle and refined person they usually saw?

The lecturers and disciples, their eyes full of shock and uncertainty, subconsciously followed him.

They hurried along like this until they reached the base of a quiet little hill within the Martial Arts Academy.

At the foot of the hill stood a stone stele with three words inscribed on it: "Qingfeng Pavilion."

Lin Shu slowed to a stop and looked up at the pavilion on the low hill.

His voice was slightly hoarse, but it carried an icy chill that reached every single person’s ears clearly.

"A group of Vice Generals and Captains from the Demon-slaying Bureau were ambushed by demons. Their fates are unknown."

"I pursued a Demon General for a thousand li, fighting him with all my might, only to be stabbed in the back by my own people."

A mocking smile touched the corner of the young man’s blood-stained, pale face—partly self-deprecating, partly a sneer at someone else.

His gaze was desolate as he casually tossed the four heads onto the ground. His voice gradually took on a viciousness that was almost palpable.

"So, can someone give me an explanation?"

"Explain to me just who is colluding with the Demons."

Lin Shu was facing an empty space.

But everyone knew who he was questioning, and they completely understood the source of his fury.

The Yu Family’s Mountain Master had returned from the Border Region.

His injuries had not yet healed, but to preserve the Mountain God’s reputation, he had dragged his heavily wounded body outside the city to slay demons.

He possessed the terrifying strength to fight the Great Demon Fei Huang. Even if ambushed by demons, he had the power to turn the tide and perhaps could have successfully slaughtered them all.

But in the end, he was defeated by his own people. What a bitter irony!

"..."

The crowd was dead silent, their expressions varied.

In fact, Qingfeng Pavilion didn’t need to explain much. They only needed to clarify one thing.

Why did the three lecturers—Liu Wentao and the others—leave the Martial Arts Academy, why did they go to the Demon Mountain, and why did they appear at Lin Shu’s side?

Of course, they could claim they were there to protect him.

But that kind of lie would only fool outsiders. Anyone with any status knew what the Yu Family’s attitude toward Lin Shu was.

He was a burden to Yu Sheng, seriously affecting the Immortal Descendant’s future prospects.

They had long wanted to separate the two and wished for nothing more than for Lin Shu to die outside the city. How could they possibly protect him?

’This is bad.’

A lecturer suddenly trembled.

’If it were anyone else, Qingfeng Pavilion might have been able to brush it off with a few casual words. But who is Lin Shu? Who in Anren Prefecture doesn’t know Yu Sheng’s attitude toward him? This isn’t a Mountain Master Disciple questioning an Immortal; this is clearly a conflict between two Immortals!’

Sure enough, the crowd began to part.

A cool and aloof young woman walked forward slowly, her pair of vibrant eyes already filled with murderous intent.

She suddenly leaped into the air, instantly arriving above the pavilion on the low hill.

Everyone knew that Qingfeng Pavilion was where Vice Mountain Master Yu Mingxuan’s beloved disciples gathered.

But at this moment.

Yu Sheng kicked the plaque viciously, and an aura, also at Core Formation Perfection, raged forth.

BOOM! BOOM!

The entire pavilion rumbled and nearly collapsed completely.

She suddenly flicked her sleeve, and thousands of crisp, jade-green Sword Feathers materialized out of thin air, hanging in the sky.

Carrying a sharpness that could tear through anything, they hovered like a Divine Simurgh bowing its head, aimed directly below. It was clear she was ready to kill at the slightest provocation.

"Have you all gone mute!"

"Lin Shu asked you, who is colluding with the Demon Fiends!"