Chapter Ten

Meanwhile, Xiaotian was carrying Shi Buyi on his back, searching anxiously around the shores of Lake Tianmiao while muttering complaints and enduring a continuous stream of scolding from Shi Buyi. "It's all your fault and that damn Tongtian Tower! Why did I have to be so soft-hearted? Why didn't I just burn both of you to ashes? You've wasted so much time. Now that big guy Shi Jun is missing, where am I supposed to look for him? Make him reappear right now!"

Xiaotian had long since suffered enough of Shi Buyi's "cruel methods." He knew that if he talked back, he would receive a fierce knock on the head, so he simply shut his mouth, thinking: *If I don't make a sound, there's nothing you can do to me, right? This is a great idea. From now on, whenever you, little fiend, open your mouth, I'll just stay silent and play dumb. Who asked me to be no match for you?*

Who would have thought that the moment he had this thought, another heavy blow landed on his head. "Are you looking for death? How dare you not speak? Remember, from now on, when the boss asks a question, you underlings must answer immediately!"

Tongtian Tower, which had shrunk and hidden itself on Shi Buyi's body, was quick-witted and immediately chimed in, "Boss, you are truly wise beyond measure! You are completely right! This guy Xiaotian is simply courting death. You might as well just wipe him out! Of course, don't hold back on me either—wipe us both out together using the incantation I told you earlier!"

Shi Buyi burst out laughing at Tongtian Tower's words and tapped the tower lightly. "How can we do that? Without you two newly recruited underlings, wouldn't being the boss be utterly boring? Stop talking nonsense and shut your mouth!"

Xiaotian almost cried, thinking: *Whether I speak or not, you hit me. When Tongtian Tower speaks, you just tell him to shut his mouth. Isn't this entirely unfair?*

Shi Buyi had no time to care about what Xiaotian was thinking, suddenly remembering that he was supposed to be able to communicate mentally with Shi Jun. He had been so carried away by the endless flattery of his two underlings that he had even forgotten about this. How hateful!

Thinking of this, while wearing a grin, he gave Xiaotian's head three solid thumps, then closed his eyes to concentrate for a moment before muttering to himself, "Where are you? Oh, you want me to go to Yearning Mountain? Fine!"

Then he opened his bead-like black eyes and shouted loudly at Xiaotian, "Hurry! We've found that guy! He told us to turn around right now and head straight for Yearning Mountain!"

"Where is Yearning Mountain?" Xiaotian knew he would probably get beaten for asking, but he still had to ask in a low voice. To his surprise, however, the little demon star Shi Buyi didn't get angry this time. Instead, he grabbed a handful of the golden fur on the back of Xiaotian's neck and pointed a small hand toward the south. "That way is Yearning Mountain! Shi Jun said there is an extremely important matter waiting for your peerlessly brave, handsome, and wise boss and me to resolve! Giddyup!" With that, he directed Xiaotian to fly swiftly toward the south like a streak of lightning.

***

The sudden appearance of the four great elders—Yuan Hao, Huo Wu, Dingxiang, and Chongtai—instantly silenced the chaotic scene. Everyone stared at these veteran figures who had not appeared together in public for many years. Those with a bit of intelligence faintly guessed that the current situation was far more complicated than simply dealing with a traitor.

Yuan Hao, clad in a black robe as the foremost of the four elders, spoke in a low voice with Hongshuang for a moment, and then whispered among the other three elders. Although chieftains like Letu and Senmiao held high status, they did not dare to crowd too close, consciously gathering together while appearing both cordial and subtly guarded against one another.

Meanwhile, Biyuan and the others had long been left aside, standing around rather awkwardly. Although Fudao, A Li, and the unconscious Elder Tianmu were temporarily ignored, they were already closely monitored by the subordinates of Letu and Hongshuang.

Having lived through thousands of years of human history, Zisheng disdained the petty calculations of human hearts, but she had seen enough to recognize the signs. Seeing this situation and linking it to the disappearance of Julan and Hongshuang's recent behavior, she had already guessed the true purpose of the assembly with near-certainty, and she gave a quiet, inward shake of her head.

Indeed, having conferred among themselves, the four elders finally seemed to reach a unanimous decision. Yuan Hao, acting as their representative, stepped to the front of the platform, cleared his throat, scanned the audience below, and began to speak.

"I believe everyone is already aware that our leader, Julan, has gone missing. The disappearance of the Grand Leader is a truly shocking event! Combining the results of multiple searches conducted by Lords Hongshuang, Letu, and others, we have reason to believe that Lord Julan's disappearance is inevitably linked to a conspiracy involving internal traitors colluding with external enemies in an attempt to subvert the Demon Realm!"

Hearing this, the crowd instinctively cast their gazes toward Fudao, who was squatting beside Elder Tianmu, feeling a measure of doubt. To say that Fudao had colluded with outsiders to seize the Nisu Treasures had a shred of credibility, but Julan was, after all, the supreme demon spirit of the Demon Realm. Could Fudao and a mere handful of outside experts truly harm him? That seemed a bit far-fetched, didn't it?

Sensing the thoughts of the crowd, Yuan Hao darkened his expression. "Does everyone remember? During the Four Realms War that occurred over a decade ago, our Lord Julan fought valiantly against overwhelming odds and retreated intact. In truth, however, he had already sustained extremely heavy injuries. Upon his return, he immediately sought out a hidden place to undergo secluded cultivation and has not managed any affairs for many years! The traitors most likely caught wind of this news, then quietly sneaked in along with external enemies, found Lord Julan while he was still healing, and treacherously ambushed him. If not for the opening of the Nisu Treasures and the harassment of external enemies prompting various tribes to send people to find Lord Julan to preside over the overall situation, I believe we would not have discovered this tragic news regarding our Lord in a timely manner!"

***

So that was how it was! All the demons felt that Yuan Hao's words made a certain amount of sense, and they nodded repeatedly, their faces reflecting extreme indignation. In their hearts, Julan was an exceptionally wise leader; to think that he had been murdered by treacherous villains—this was simply outrageous! Many hot-tempered demons roared in anger, rolling up their sleeves as they prepared to charge onto the platform and drag Fudao and the others down.

"Calm yourselves! While traitors must be severely punished, the Demon Realm currently faces internal troubles and external threats without a leader. If the other three realms were to suddenly launch an offensive against us, how would everyone respond? Therefore, after repeated deliberations, the four elders have decided upon an expedient measure: to select a virtuous and respected individual from among the current tribal chieftains to temporarily assume the duties of Lord Julan and lead us through the current crisis!"

"That is correct," chimed in Dingxiang, the only female among the four elders. "After discussions, we have decided to adopt the voting system frequently used in the political arenas of the mortal realm. The four elders, the tribal chieftains, and the deep-tao-practicing great demon spirits will be responsible for casting votes. Each person is limited to a single vote, and whoever receives the highest number of votes in the end will shoulder this responsibility."

With a wave of her delicate hand, more than ten gleaming, multicolored small round medallions appeared in mid-air. Each medallion was engraved with the emblem of a different tribe and hovered steadily in the air. "Everyone with voting rights shall, upon command, cast their held small sword toward the emblem of their favored candidate. Whoever receives the most swords in the end shall be our temporary leader, acting in place of Lord Julan!"

Electing a new leader! Hearing these words, the demons below erupted into an uproar. Who wouldn't want the chieftain of their own tribe to win?

In an instant, the demon factions from various tribes broke apart along distinct boundaries, gathering together according to their respective tribes and discussing the advantages of their own side with excited expressions. Only a small fraction of sharp-minded individuals secretly felt that something was amiss: choosing a leader through such a hasty method and without listening to the public opinion—could this truly work?

As Dingxiang's voice faded, the expressions of the dozen or so tribal chieftains on the stage also turned solemn. Although most of them tried their utmost to maintain composure, their sharply gleaming eyes betrayed the anxiety burning within their hearts at that moment.

Four great elders, twelve chieftains, and twenty-six great demon spirits—only these forty-two individuals possessed voting rights. The chieftains, who originally held votes themselves, would naturally not cast their small swords into anyone else's target, leaving the outcome to depend heavily on the remaining voters. At this juncture, apart from strength and prestige, much would depend on ordinary alliances and personal relationships.

Chunniang gazed infatuatedly at Letu's back, her hands unconsciously clenched into fists as she silently rooted for her beloved. At this moment, however, Letu paid her no mind whatsoever; his burning gaze was fixed unwaveringly on the golden round medallion hovering in mid-air, engraved with the emblems of the sun and leaves—the mark of the Shishi Tribe.

***

Chiyang's figure flickered slightly, instantly flashing out of the encirclement of the three.

Earlier, she had intentionally turned her back to Huangsha; in reality, she was secretly channeling her remaining spiritual energy and silently executing the "Blood-Transfer Soul-Returning Art," finally gathering a certain amount of power.

She had lost her golden bow, though fortunately, this fight did not require long-range attacks for the moment, but defending herself had become significantly more difficult.

The moment the two grey figures lunged forward, Chiyang secretly palmed two "Heart-Burning Darts," aiming for an opening and forcibly breaking through just before Huangsha and the others could unleash their "Frost-Shaking Earth" technique. At the same time, she scattered a handful of "Heart-Burning Darts," her body tracing a graceful arc in mid-air as she slipped behind the three of them and quietly vanished into the barrier.

The reason Chiyang dared to breach the barrier alone was actually inspired by Huangsha—if the four great elders of the Demon Realm had descended simultaneously, how could they possibly have failed to alert the Crane Clan?

Having carefully observed everything along the way, she had noticed the cranes flying about freely, showing no sign of vigilance whatsoever toward the arrival of two butterfly-winged water beasts. That had given her something to ponder: according to her understanding, the crane clan was naturally peace-loving and unschooled in deception. If this had been an intentional act, it could never have escaped the notice of the battle-hardened and sharp-eyed Chiyang. Clearly, Huangsha had been lying, and the four great elders and the Demon Realm as a whole likely had no hand in this matter.

Her previous hesitation in entering the barrier was also an attempt to draw out the traitors hiding inside in preparation for an ambush. After all, fighting outside was risky, but since the traitors had lured her here, they must have been eager to eliminate her. As long as Chiyang showed suspicion or made a move, these fellows might lose their patience and take desperate risks.

Once the enemies rushed out, the defense inside the barrier would inevitably weaken, giving her a few more chances of survival.

Although Chiyang's ultimate goal was to hide inside the barrier, she also wanted to strike a blow outside first in hopes of alerting the Crane Clan. After all, she was venturing alone and lacked support; a fight outside would certainly draw the cranes' attention, and once the news spread, even if Zisheng and the others failed to notice the signal she left behind, they would catch wind of the rumors and rush over.

***

After much deliberation, Chiyang finally decided to take the risk, and to her fortune, she succeeded. Although only Qingyan and Houtu emerged, Xuan Shi should be the only one left inside the barrier now, making her manageable.

Upon entering the barrier and taking in the scene within, Chiyang didn't hesitate; she exerted all her strength to cast a dozen "Torrential Flow" defensive shields, sealing the barrier like an iron bucket and blocking Huangsha, Qingyan, and Houtu outside. Then, reverting to her true form, her body grew weak and she sank to the ground with a dull thump, her chest heaving violently as her eye rims slowly turned red.

Before her lay the corpse of the Yaksha—the elder-like figure who had looked after her so attentively ever since she entered the Netherworld. His body was covered in bloody wounds, his eyes wide with fury, dying with an unfulfilled grievance.

Crouched beside the Yaksha was the corpse of Xuan Shi. This tall, athletic female warrior had evidently suffered cruel abuse from the three traitors before her death; her garments were in disarray, her hands and feet secured with profound iron shackles, and a deep red scythe was plunged straight into her lower abdomen. Chiyang instantly recognized it as Houtu's habitual weapon.

***

Although the inhabitants of the Netherworld were formed through the condensation of nether-yin cold energy, they ultimately remained spiritual entities. Once dead, if they could not promptly return to the Netherworld's Soul-Nurturing Department, they could never be reborn. The Yaksha and Xuan Shi had died in the Demon Realm, where the powerful restriction of the barrier prevented their primordial spirits from departing. Judging by the situation, the two of them had been dead for quite some time, making any return of their souls impossible.

Chiyang drew a black jade box from her bosom, executed a spiritual incantation, and gathered their corpses into it.

Struggling to suppress the urge to weep, she constantly reminded herself to remain calm, yet injured as she was, she seemed unable to maintain her composure as before. Various emotions rushed over her, and the physical and mental pain only made it harder for her to find peace.

Chiyang knew that the earlier commotion must have drawn the attention of the Crane Clan. By now, Huangsha and the others were likely in a precarious position as well—unless they truly had some tacit understanding with the Demon Realm beforehand, staying or leaving would be perilous. Though the Crane Clan was naturally aloof, the Snake Clan, which lived adjacent to them and maintained friendly relations, was not to be trifled with. Once they caught wind of the news, trouble might follow one wave after another.

Chiyang refused to believe that the three of them—Huangsha and the others—could forge connections with the four great elders of the Demon Realm; after all, their status was too low. Yet someone must have been backing them from behind; otherwise, how could they have dared to mutiny and murder their commanding officer?

So who on earth could it be, and for what reason, that they wanted to murder both the Yaksha and her? Could it be him?

At this thought, Chiyang trembled all over, a trace of fear flashing in her eyes as she shook her head and muttered to herself, "I must be jumping to conclusions. It can't be. There's no reason, it's simply impossible! I'm truly cursed, why..." Halfway through, her voice gradually trailed off.

She suddenly thought of Shi Jun, a hint of tenderness welling up in her eyes.

At that very moment, the barrier protected by the torrents emitted a deafening roar. With a loud *bang*, it shattered apart. Instinctively, Chiyang stood up, threw up a defensive barrier around herself without a second thought, and took a step back—

The entire field of vision was filled with fluttering cranes and shifting serpentine shadows. Chiyang swept her gaze around, but where were Huangsha and the others to be found?

A long, clear cry—seemingly a summons from the leader of the crane flock—sounded, and the cranes soaring across the sky scattered with a rustling sound. The threat in the skies temporarily lifted. Looking at the countless snakes surging in from all directions, drawing ever closer, Chiyang sighed softly in her heart.

Why was it that until the very end, the shadow reflected before her eyes was still his?