Chapter 527 528: Grasping Divine Techniques, Northern Border Pass

"My apologies for the trouble, Aunt Xia!"

Though she appeared calm, the determination in Yun Mengshang's eyes was unmistakable. She sensed she had just shown a crack in her facade. 'Or maybe I'm just overthinking it!'

With a flicker of a charming Divine Technique in her eyes, Yun Mengshang led Chen Dong into her cave abode. A rumbling sound followed as the stone door sealed the entrance.

Yun Misha was suddenly at a loss. 'What if Mengshang is just like Yun Mixue was? What if she throws away her path to power for love, willing to be tied down with a man and remain stuck at the Nascent Soul Stage forever? What would we do then?'

Sigh!

Gazing at the sealed cave abode, Yun Misha let out a heavy sigh. She immediately summoned the Nascent Soul Demon Cultivator of the Fox Demon Race she trusted most and ordered the woman to take her place on guard. Then, Yun Misha transformed into a streak of light and flew out of Immortal Fox City. The only thing she could do now was find Yun Miqiu to confer with.

Inside the cave abode, Chen Dong stood like the most loyal of servants, waiting attentively by Yun Mengshang's side.

In truth, Mu Qingzhu, within the Jade Embryo, could have taken control from Chen Dong. However, Yun Mengshang also cultivated the Yuqing Immortal Technique. Unless it was absolutely necessary, Mu Qingzhu had no desire to reveal her presence. If she took control now, Yun Mengshang would definitely notice.

「Twenty days passed in the blink of an eye.」

Over these twenty days, Yun Mengshang had been completely absorbed in comprehending a Divine Technique. At times, a smile would grace her lips; at others, tears would unconsciously stream down her face.

With only a few days left until the wedding date Yun Mengshang had set, a member of the Fox Demon Race outside the cave abode reluctantly sent her a message. "My King, the Demon Army is closing in! They fly the banner of avenging the Demon Child, and Demon Marshal Chi Xiao is leading them personally. They are expected to reach the Northern Border Pass by tomorrow! The Grand Elder forbade me from contacting you, but I'm worried that the Second Elder's injuries haven't fully healed, so..."

RUMBLE... The great stone door rose, and Yun Mengshang emerged with Chen Dong following close behind.

"You were right to do so. The Fox Demon Race is on the verge of war. As the Fox Demon King, how could I simply rest here in comfort!"

The Fox Demon looked troubled. "But the Grand Elder instructed you to focus on your comprehension!"

A crystalline sphere condensed in Yun Mengshang's hand. 'So this is the Frost Dream Realm! This level of power should be enough!'

The Fox Demon cultivator was overjoyed. "My King, you've mastered it!"

Yun Mengshang gave a slight smile. "It hasn't reached the level of a high-grade Divine Technique yet, but if you're asking whether I've grasped it... then yes, I have!"

Then, Yun Mengshang tossed her an Array Seal. "I am temporarily entrusting Immortal Fox City to you. I'm leaving for the Northern Border Pass now!"

With that, Yun Mengshang grabbed Chen Dong and transformed her very body into a technique, vanishing in a flash of frost.

The Fox Demon cultivator accepted the Array Seal, so overcome with excitement that she knelt for a long time, unable to rise.

Yun Mengshang and Chen Dong flew northwest out of Immortal Fox City. The initial landscape of sparse green trees soon gave way to a vast expanse of ice and snow.

After traveling for thousands of miles, they saw a winding wall stretching beyond the horizon, standing tall against the endless blizzard. The wall constantly pulsed with a rosy luminescence, repelling the Demonic Qi that seeped in from beyond.

This was the Northern Border Pass.

Just as Yun Mengshang and Chen Dong neared the pass, two streaks of light flew toward them.

"Why are you here?!"

The streaks of light resolved into two figures: Yun Misha and another woman, who possessed a gentleness reminiscent of a late autumn day. In contrast to Yun Misha's fiery red, palace-style gown, the other woman's goose-yellow dress made her seem far more approachable.

Upon seeing her, Yun Mengshang rushed forward and hugged the woman, speaking in a cajoling tone, "Aunt Qiu! I haven't seen you in so long! How are your injuries?"

Yun Mengshang had only cultivated for a little over a hundred years. For the Demon Race, she was still just a maiden, so it wasn't strange for her to act so affectionately.

The woman gently stroked Yun Mengshang's hair, her eyes filled with adoration. "You silly child. You're already the Demon King, yet you're still so immature!"

The corner of Yun Misha's mouth twitched. "Immature? You just haven't seen her when she's being tyrannical!"

The woman laughed. "Tyrannical is good! Our Fox Demon Race needs a tyrannical Demon King!"

Yun Misha sounded rather exasperated. "Since you're here, let's not stand around talking. Let's get inside the array."

Everyone flew atop the city wall. The rosy light constantly emitted by the wall was quite magical; it posed no obstacle to the Demon Race, yet it could stop the Demonic Qi. It functioned much like the Guardian Array of the Human Race, though it wasn't nearly as powerful.

Pavilions were stationed every ten miles along the wall, but at this moment, the rest of the ramparts were packed with members of the Fox Demon Race. Some had tails despite their humanoid forms, others had yellow fur and ears, and some even retained the head of a fox.

The Fox Demon Race as a whole comprised over a hundred different clans of Fox Race. The Frost Fox Race was not only powerful in its own right, but also because it possessed the Divine Technique known as the Frost Dream Realm. For this reason, the title of Fox Demon King was almost always inherited by a member of the Frost Fox Race.

After walking past a great many clans of the Fox Race, Chen Dong followed the women into one of the pavilions.

Inside the pavilion was a Light Condensing Mirror, which allowed one to see the situation in the distant Demon Realm with greater clarity.

Through the Light Condensing Mirror, they could see Demon Marshal Chi Xiao leading his massive Demon Army in a slow advance. They knew the Fox Demon Race could watch them, so they were in no hurry.

Likewise, the Demon Race on the other side had their own ways of knowing the situation at the Northern Border Pass. Upon learning of Yun Mengshang's arrival, Demon Marshal Chi Xiao licked his lips in excitement.

He had been coveting Yun Mengshang's spiritual aura for a long time. If the Fox Demon Race hadn't forbidden it, he would have much preferred to be the one to form that marriage alliance with her himself.

For the Demon Race, devouring the spiritual aura of living creatures increased their demonic nature and raised their standing. The thirty-six Celestial Kings of the Demon Race, for instance, had each devoured no fewer than a million souls.

This was why Chen Dong reaped so much of the Six Paths of Radiance every time he slew a member of the Demon Race.

Inside the pavilion, Yun Mengshang asked again, "Aunt Qiu, how truly recovered are you?"

Yun Miqiu offered a gentle smile, her eyes warm, but she didn't answer directly.

But Yun Misha answered for her, her voice laced with worry, "She can't use her Divine Techniques at full power for very long!"