Chapter Eight: The Battle of Immortals and Demons

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A note to my readers: The public and VIP chapters of the fifth volume have finally been synchronized. The current Chapters 17 and 18 of the VIP section are, in fact, the ninth chapter of the public version. As this is my first time managing the unlocking of VIP chapters, some errors occurred, and I apologize for any inconvenience caused.

Additionally, I will unlock the remaining parts of the fifth volume in the VIP section as soon as possible. Once the seventh volume of the physical edition is released in Taiwan after August 10th, the seventh volume of this book will also be published in the VIP section.

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Shi Jun shook his head, as if trying to cast all unpleasant memories to the back of his mind—in the end, it was all the fault of the Underworld Emperor! If he hadn't wanted to find his long-lost father, he never would have agreed to become this thankless so-called "Underworld Catcher," and he certainly wouldn't have been inexplicably used as a pawn by that despicable character.

Thinking of this, Shi Jun couldn't help but recall what his mother had said on the phone earlier. The sudden appearance of an uncle was baffling, but seeing his mother happy made him happy too. Furthermore, since this uncle was his father’s brother, he believed he could obtain much more information about his father from him, making the search far less aimless than it had been before. At the thought of this, Shi Jun felt his palms grow warm, and his pace quickened.

He was finally nearing the residential complex where he lived. As he passed the local supermarket, Shi Jun paused, hesitating—the beer and snacks at home had been polished off by him and Hu Hai. Should he stock up? Perhaps buy some braised side dishes to go with drinks, in case he needed to entertain this relative he had never met.

Just as he was hesitating, he suddenly noticed five figures in the sky ahead, closing in on him at an incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, they had flown before him, blocking his path.

Flying around in broad daylight? That was too outrageous! Shi Jun looked left and right, dumbfounded, only to realize that among the pedestrians on the road, not a single person had noticed these posturing, strangely dressed individuals. Only then did he feel slightly relieved, focusing his gaze on these five uninvited guests who had clearly been using invisibility spells.

* * * * * * * *

Of the five people before him, four were young men, seemingly around twenty years old, each with an arrogant expression and handsome features. They wore what looked like uniforms: white robes trimmed with gold, embroidered with cloud and dragon patterns, appearing quite ornate. Their long hair was combed back and held in place by small, golden, flying-sword-shaped hairpins.

The one in the center was slightly older, though still only in his early forties. His face was large, pale, and pudgy, resembling a big, white, steamed bun, with small facial features scattered sparsely across it. His body was incredibly round, like a pufferfish, and the bronze-colored robe he wore was stretched to the point of bursting, looking quite comical.

The five stood still, eyes wide, staring at Shi Jun without blinking.

Shi Jun felt perplexed, and at the same time, sensed that the energy radiating from them was definitely not the spirit power from the Underworld he was familiar with. He felt secretly alarmed and instinctively grew wary, thinking, *I hope they aren't here for me.* Yet, he knew in his heart that this wish was ninety-nine percent likely to be in vain—his trouble was probably starting all over again.

Before Shi Jun could react, he heard a "wa-wa" laugh from above, even more unpleasant than the cawing of a crow. The person laughing seemed extremely pleased and triumphant. Then, a sharp, piercing voice rang out from behind him: "I told you long ago, Sikong Shangren, that you couldn't outrun me, the Demon of Forbidden Annihilation! Those incompetent Taoists couldn't even handle a couple of ghost spirits, and you actually had the nerve to bring them out to embarrass yourself?"

Shi Jun instinctively frowned—the voice was truly grating, like a large iron spoon scraping continuously against glass. Looking over, he saw the four white-clad youths simultaneously showing expressions of extreme distress, as if they couldn't bear the stimulation of the sound. One of them raised his hands to cover his ears, but after being glared at by the fat man in the middle, he hurriedly dropped them.

The middle-aged fat man, none other than Sikong Shangren, looked past Shi Jun and "humphed" lightly. "Are those little demons you’ve brought along so impressive? I think they are mostly incompetent fools who fail more than they succeed. Otherwise, why would they have been beaten to a pulp by a few ghost spirits from the Underworld earlier, requiring you, their master, to come and rescue them?"

Shi Jun’s heart stirred. He suddenly recalled that the groups led by Chi Shang, Wang Li, and the Ghost King of the Moon, Shi Ling, had each fought with people from the Immortal and Demon realms. Could it be... He quickly turned to the side and was startled once more.

Standing there with hands on hips was an oddly thin and exceptionally ugly bald old man who was as tall as a thin bamboo pole.

The man had a pointed mouth, monkey-like cheeks, and dark, sunken eyes that made Shi Jun’s hands itch; he had an inexplicable urge to greet the man’s nose bridge with a fist.

Behind him, six burly, bald men with thick eyebrows and wide eyes stood in a row. Each was shirtless, despite the season, revealing bronze-colored, well-developed chest muscles. Perhaps they were dirt poor, for in this chilly late autumn weather, the whole lot of them were barefoot, wearing only dark green trousers tied with golden belts. The thin, bald old man barely wore a small vest, which lacked buttons; his chest was gaunt, devoid of any flesh, and his two rows of protruding ribs were pitifully visible, as if he hadn't eaten for over a decade. The sight immediately made Shi Jun feel a wave of pity, as if he were looking at a group of refugees from Ethiopia.

* * * * * * * *

Seeing Shi Jun frowning as he examined him, the thin old man calling himself the Demon of Forbidden Annihilation bared his uneven, yellow teeth and let out a "hee-hee" laugh. His already wrinkled, ugly face twisted to the extreme, making Shi Jun feel a chill crawl up his neck.

Then he heard that voice, more shrill than Li Lianying's: "Xuan Xian! It really is the reincarnation of Xuan Xian! How marvelous!"

"Xuan Xian was discovered by us first! What does that have to do with you?" one of the youths beside Sikong Shangren stepped forward and shouted.

"Bullshit!" a thunderous roar erupted. It was one of the burly men behind the thin old man, who clenched his fists and glared with bull-like eyes. "My master found him first, so of course he is coming with us!"

Xuan Xian? Shi Jun had listened to them for a long time and realized they must be the people from the Demon Realm and the "arrogant-as-hell" Immortal Realm that Wang Li had mentioned. They had found him for the sake of the Eye of Insight, no doubt. But his name wasn't Xuan Xian. Could there really be another pair of Eyes of Insight in this world?

While his mind was in a jumble, he saw the two groups squaring off, ready to fight at any moment. Anger rose within him. *Why are these people all like this?* he thought. *Fighting a gang war on a busy street just because of a disagreement? Does having a bit of cultivation mean they can disregard the lives of everyone else?*

Before Shi Jun could intervene, a figure flashed and blocked his path—it was the burly man who had roared earlier.

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"What are you doing?" Shi Jun was already annoyed and shot a displeased glance at the bald giant. "Move!" He thought, *Don’t think that just because you’re shirtless you can pass for Schwarzenegger. It’s freezing out, and you’re not wearing enough clothes. You’re just plain stupid.*

Strange to say, as soon as Shi Jun finished speaking, the burly man instinctively took a few steps back, a flash of fear in his eyes.

* * * * * * * *

"Don't be afraid of him," the thin old man said, though he seemed somewhat surprised. He immediately ordered, "Xuan Xian has reincarnated and long since lost his previous cultivation. You all attack together and use the Great Flying Flame Curse to pin him down."

"Yes!" the other burly men responded in unison. With a "whoosh," they surrounded Shi Jun. Their palms locked, and in an instant, six balls of purple-gold flames roared down from the sky, landing around Shi Jun in a hexagonal formation. "Poof!" Columns of fire over a yard high erupted, trapping Shi Jun in the center.

"Pu Tian Luo!" Seeing the situation turn, Sikong Shangren shouted and commanded his four subordinates to quickly scatter, surrounding the six burly men and Shi Jun from the east, south, west, and north.

Then, these people each produced a bright, golden ring from their hands. Attached to the rings were countless tiny golden bells. As they shook them gently, the bells emitted a uniform, crisp sound that was quite pleasant to the ear. The six burly men, originally aggressive and standing in a circle with locked hands, couldn't help but grimace and shake their heads upon hearing the sound.

This "Pu Tian Luo" was a sound-based formation, and the demons under the Demon of Forbidden Annihilation were caught off guard. Seeing this, the thin old man’s face changed. He stretched out his chicken-claw-like, skinny hands and quickly formed a seal. With a loud "boom," the golden rings in the hands of the four white-clad youths flew into the air, and the crisp sound of the bells abruptly ceased.

These immortals and demons were two extremes: the people of the Immortal Realm wore ornate clothing, and even their weapons were opulent and grand, while these guys from the Demon Realm were ragged and shirtless. Although the immortals had been the ones to initiate the sound attack, from Shi Jun’s perspective, it looked like a group of destitute, shameless demon refugees robbing these immortals. It felt inexplicably comical.

* * * * * * * *

"Fire!" Pedestrians on the street were startled to see flames ignite out of thin air, trapping a young man in the middle. People from nearby shops immediately rushed out with fire extinguishers, spraying them wildly at the inexplicable flames. Strangely, the fire extinguishers were useless against the fire. While the flames burned fiercely, they didn't spread, and the young man trapped inside wasn't harmed at all; he just stood there, looking as if he were stunned, showing no intention of running away.

Shi Jun wanted to see what these two groups were up to, but being in a crowded city center, he didn't want innocent bystanders caught in a conflict they couldn't understand. In the current situation, there was no way to persuade them; once they started fighting, it would inevitably be like the Half-Mountain District incident... If any disaster broke out, he would be to blame.

Thinking of this, Shi Jun realized he had to leave immediately, or at least choose a more secluded place. Although he hadn't fully grasped the intentions of these two groups, he figured today’s incident would not end peacefully. A fight was inevitable. Fortunately, after the battle at the amusement park, Shi Jun’s confidence in his own strength had increased significantly. Observing the hand seals and incantations used by these two groups, they didn't seem that complex... A thought occurred to him, and he extended his right hand to form a seal—it was the "Teleportation Curse" he had learned from the techniques taught by the Huangquan Ancestor during the amusement park battle. *Since your target is me, then follow me!*

Sikong Shangren and the Demon of Forbidden Annihilation were in the middle of their clash when they suddenly noticed Shi Jun had vanished into thin air. Both were shocked. They had never expected Shi Jun to use such a high-level technique, nor did they imagine that the person who had clearly been trapped by both the "Great Flying Flame Array" and the "Pu Tian Luo Sound" could just disappear without a trace. After cursing each other, they hurriedly dispelled their formations and leaped into the air, searching for the faint light emitted by the Eye of Insight.

The pedestrians who had been busy fighting the fire suddenly saw a red flash, and the six unquenchable fires, along with the young man trapped within, vanished without a trace. They looked at each other in bewilderment, all dumbfounded, feeling that the whole thing was simply too inconceivable.

After a moment of silence, an old woman with bound feet who had been watching from the roadside couldn't help but clasp her hands together and shout: "Immortals!"

* * * * * * * *

The next moment, Shi Jun appeared in a vegetable field on the outskirts of the city, accidentally crushing a head of Chinese cabbage.

He hadn't expected the first use of the "Teleportation Curse" to be so successful. Shi Jun felt a tinge of pride. He looked up and saw no sign of the two groups pursuing him, but he didn't dare to be careless. After a moment of thought, another idea struck him. He chanted an incantation and flicked his fingers; four identical copies of Shi Jun appeared before him. Under his mental command, these four clones let out a "hee-hee" laugh and immediately used the "Teleportation Curse" in different directions, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Shi Jun let out a long breath and sat down on the ground, thinking, *If I had mastered these profound spells taught by the Huangquan Ancestor earlier, I wouldn't have had to go to the trouble of making those two clumsy decoys! If Da Hai saw this, he would definitely pester me to learn; he loves these weird, ancient spells the most.*

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but laugh, but then he frowned involuntarily. His mother was still waiting at home; how was he supposed to go back now? If that group tracked him to his house, wouldn't his mother and uncle be dragged into this? *Sigh! It seems I have no choice but to return to Da Hai’s place.*

Feeling helpless, Shi Jun took out his phone, dialed home, and said in one breath: "Mom, something came up, I can't come back for now! What? Uncle went looking for me? No need, don't wait for me, just eat first. I’ll come back as soon as I finish what I’m doing." Then, ignoring his mother’s questions on the other end, he hung up.

Just as he relaxed and prepared to use the "Teleportation Curse" to return to Hu Hai’s place, he suddenly heard a resonant voice from beside him: "Haha, little one, so you’re here!"

* * * * * * * *

Shi Jun’s heart gave a sudden jolt. He had never heard this voice before, yet it felt strangely familiar and warm, evoking a sense of closeness. He turned his head and saw a man in his early forties standing before him. He was dressed in a crisp black suit that accentuated his imposing, robust frame. He had dark skin, a high nose, deep-set eyes, and short dark brown hair. His eyes were sharp and spirited, and he was looking at him with a gentle smile.

"Why haven't you gone home? Why run off here all by yourself? You gave me quite a search." The middle-aged man was clearly in a good mood, and his tone was kind and gentle, like a teacher guiding a playful child who had lost his way.

"Search for me?" Shi Jun thought, *Who are you?* Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. *Could this be my uncle? No, that’s not right. I checked everywhere just now and there was no one, so how did this person suddenly pop up? Is he like those others, here to find the reincarnated Xuan Xian?*

Just as he was thinking, the man stared at him intently, looking him up and down. His expression changed, and he let out an "eh," muttering to himself: "Could the rumors be wrong? Why is this child’s body so strange..." Realizing Shi Jun was looking at him in confusion, he smiled self-deprecatingly: "I am your uncle, Lie Jin. I just returned from Beijing with your mother."

Shi Jun didn't answer immediately; he was worried this might be a trap. Then he reasoned, *Who would go to such lengths to deal with me? Is it even necessary?* But it was hard to say. The people who had suddenly appeared earlier had taken him for some "Xuan Xian," which didn't seem like a good omen. He had to be careful not to be deceived, becoming someone’s convenient nephew while dragging his mother into danger. So, he shrugged and said, "Sorry, I think you’ve got the wrong person," and turned to leave.

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* * * * * * * *

"Xuan Xian, where are you running!" A loud shout rang out. The seven bald men from before suddenly appeared before him. The thin old man, the Demon of Forbidden Annihilation, turned pale with rage, stepped forward, and sneered: "I didn't expect you to have some skill, but it’s useless. No matter where you run, I, Forbidden Annihilation, will still catch you!"

As he spoke, he caught sight of the middle-aged man behind Shi Jun. The thin old man opened his eyes in disbelief, his tongue suddenly tripping: "H-how, how could..." The six burly men behind him also looked as if they had seen a ghost in broad daylight, bowing their heads in fear and trembling.

The middle-aged man swept a cold glance over the seven bald men. He walked slowly to Shi Jun’s side with his hands behind his back, his tone becoming extremely stern and cold: "Forbidden Annihilation, take your people and get out of here!"

"B-but, the Great Demon Lord Jue Suo said..." the thin old man explained cautiously. The middle-aged man waved his hand dismissively: "Enough nonsense! Do you think I don't know what Jue Suo is thinking? Go back and tell him that this boy is the son of the Great Demon Lord Shi Li and my nephew. I don't care about the Eye of Insight or the Heart of the Covenant. Anyone who wants to touch a hair on his head must go through me, Lie Jin!"

The thin old man blinked unwillingly, wanting to say more, when someone shouted excitedly: "Found him!"

Shi Jun looked up and saw Sikong Shangren arriving with his four white-clad youths.

*They caught up so fast?* Shi Jun thought, *My four clones were useless; they were too pathetic.* As he was feeling frustrated, he heard Sikong Shangren sneer triumphantly: "Xuan Xian, did you think throwing out those decoys would fool us about the Eye of Insight and the Heart of the Covenant? Do you think we’re idiots? Save your breath!"

Shi Jun finally understood where the problem lay, but knowing it now didn't help. Both the Immortal and Demon realms were here, and now a powerful, ambiguous figure claiming to be his uncle had appeared. He had no idea how things would develop. Both groups were convinced he was this "Xuan Xian." If they started fighting, he knew he couldn't handle being outnumbered. He couldn't escape, and his clones were useless. Did he really have to gouge out his own eyes and dig out his heart to get away?

Thinking of this, he realized that rather than retreating, he might as well face them head-on and see it through to the end. Perhaps he could resolve the questions in his heart. He smiled lazily: "Eh? How did you know? That’s right, I was treating you like an idiot. What are you going to do about it?"

Upon hearing this insult, Sikong Shangren’s bun-like face turned red with rage. He was about to act when he saw Lie Jin standing next to Shi Jun. He froze, trying to recall who he was, and then his expression changed drastically. He backed away a few steps and cried: "Y-you are the Great Demon Lord Lie Jin!"

Shi Jun raised his eyebrows in surprise. *No wonder the thin old man was so terrified of him. This middle-aged man is a Great Demon Lord? Wait, what did he say earlier... I am the son of the Great Demon Lord Shi Li? Shi Li... Shi Jun... could it be...* His breathing nearly stopped. He wanted to grab Lie Jin and demand the truth. But how could he know if what Lie Jin said was true or a lie to deceive him? He decided to stay put and solve the current problem first.

Just then, Lie Jin smiled slightly: "Heh, I didn't expect that after years of seclusion, anyone would still remember me." He suddenly turned serious: "Since you know who I am, get lost!" His tone was extremely arrogant.

Sikong had heard of Lie Jin’s reputation, but never expected to run into him here. He cursed his luck, not knowing whether to advance or retreat, all the while swearing internally: *Damn it, Venerable Xuanji knew capturing Xuan Xian was such an important task that the Underworld and Demon realms wouldn't stand by, yet he only sent these few soldiers and didn't even provide any Celestials. Now I can't win, and if I go back empty-handed, I’ll be punished for failure. Why am I so unlucky...*

* * * * * * * *

Sikong was afraid, but he was not from the Demon Realm, and his understanding of Lie Jin’s power was limited to rumors. He wasn't about to "get lost" so easily. Desperate, he gritted his teeth and shouted, producing a small golden pagoda from his hand.

This small golden pagoda was about three inches high, exquisite and delicate, with seven levels. Each level contained a powerful curse. Once the seventh level, "Reversing Heaven and Earth," was activated, it possessed the power to destroy everything, a force that even a Great Demon Lord like Lie Jin would not dare to underestimate.

The treasure had a special origin. It was said that because he had served well, the previous Immortal Emperor, Venerable Baopu, had gifted him a piece of spiritual Western gold—"Duan Yu Gold"—and this treasure had been forged from it, called the "Heaven-Piercing Pagoda."

The Heaven-Piercing Pagoda was Sikong’s ultimate artifact. Although he was an Upper Immortal, he had already passed his tribulation and only needed to refine the pagoda to fuse with his own immortal power to ascend to the level of a Celestial. Unfortunately, he hadn't had enough time to refine it, and the pagoda was still unstable—meaning it hadn't fully accepted him as its master. But pushed into a corner, Sikong had no choice but to risk using his ultimate weapon.

Seeing Sikong brandish the pagoda, Lie Jin examined it for a moment, revealing a trace of surprise and regret: "I didn't expect someone with your cultivation to possess such a thing. It’s a pity... with your current strength, I’m afraid you can’t control it. If things go wrong, you’ll be controlled by it instead. Don't force it; just leave!"

Lie Jin was, after all, a prominent Great Demon Lord. With his deep cultivation and natural disposition, he cared little for fame or fighting. Even though he had the strength to contend for the supreme position in the Demon Realm, he chose to live a solitary life. If not for the search for his dear friend, the Great Demon Lord Shi Li, he wouldn't have come to the Human Realm to get involved in this mess. Although his words were harsh, he hadn't intended to harm the younger generation, and he was confident that even if the pagoda were powerful, he could escape with Shi Jun.

Unfortunately, Sikong didn't see it that way. Hearing Lie Jin’s words, he assumed Lie Jin was afraid of his pagoda. His confidence returned, and the gloom on his face vanished. He said pompously: "The Immortal and Demon realms are at odds, but I am not a person who likes to stir up trouble. How about this? For the sake of the Great Demon Lord Lie Jin, you leave Xuan Xian behind and go! I won’t hold today’s incident against you!" After speaking, he scanned the crowd, feeling his words were very appropriate and dignified, and became quite pleased with himself.

* * * * * * * *

Shi Jun had been the target of both sides, but now he found these three groups endlessly bickering over him, turning himself into an amused bystander. Seeing Lie Jin posture to protect him, he wasn't particularly worried, even if he didn't know if this "uncle" was real or fake.

Seeing both sides wasting time with empty threats and not fighting, he felt restless and bored. Hearing Sikong’s arrogant words, he couldn't help but stir the pot: "Are you guys done yet? Why are you all just standing there? Aren't you supposed to be powerful? Yes, you, the fat guy pretending to be the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, go ahead and fight! Fight him!" He pointed at Lie Jin and laughed: "He said he’s protecting me, so how are you going to catch me if you can't beat him? Go ahead, don't be shy, don't worry about me. If you’re too scared to fight him, you can fight that bald bamboo pole over there instead..."

Shi Jun spoke with great enthusiasm, which infuriated Sikong and Forbidden Annihilation to the point of collapse, even making Lie Jin shake his head and smile wryly.

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