At the herb hut, Old Turtle was bustling about, while Bai Shuo stared blankly under a tree.
“Hey, girl!” Old Turtle flicked her forehead, snapping her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see him, hands on his hips and glaring. “Can’t you see I’m swamped here? Quit daydreaming and help out!”
“Oh.” Bai Shuo, distracted, obediently entered the hut and handed him firewood.
Her uncharacteristically meek behavior made Old Turtle click his tongue in surprise as he resumed his work.
While the flames danced in the cauldron, Bai Shuo fed spirit herbs absentmindedly, her heart in turmoil. Zhe Sang had been back on the island for half a month, and with the inner disciple competition approaching in a few days, she had little time left. What should she do?
If Chong Zhao weren’t in seclusion, she could consult him, but he’d gone into retreat on the back mountain, with no telling when he’d emerge.
Maybe she should tell the sect leader everything. After all, Fan Yue had saved Senior Sister Er Yun and rid the island of the evil spirit, essentially helping Miao Miao avert a disaster…
As the thought crossed her mind, she began to rise, but a sudden movement left her seeing stars as she collided with something. Fan Yue was standing beside her, offering her spirit herbs with a hopeful look.
A curse mark wrapped around the boy’s wrist—a restriction spell placed by Zhe Sang. Bai Shuo had initially planned to secretly send Fan Yue away, hoping to deny everything, but Zhe Sang had foreseen her intentions and bound Fan Yue to the outer island.
Meeting the boy’s innocent and trusting gaze, Bai Shuo suppressed her thoughts.
No, if the sect leader discovered Fan Yue’s true identity… A weakened Lord of Hao Yue Hall with no demon powers, and considering the longstanding tension between demons and immortals, who knows if the sect leader might hand him over to the Celestial Palace for merit? Besides, the only ones who knew of Song He’s fall into darkness were Chong Zhao and Fan Yue. What if he wanted to bury that secret forever?
Her reverence for the immortal path had waned after witnessing Song He’s downfall. If it weren’t for Fan Yue, both she and Chong Zhao would’ve perished years ago on Mount Mu Xiao, never reaching this day.
Zhe Sang only intended to use the artifact to increase his power and defeat Chong Zhao. With the disciple trials so close, even if he obtained it, his spiritual power couldn’t grow significantly in just a few days. As long as she could delay him until Chong Zhao returned from his retreat…
With her heart set, Bai Shuo stomped her foot, finally making a decision.
In the demon realm, within the Cold Spring Palace’s grand hall…
As the bright moon hung high, Fu Ling entered, shrouded in a fierce aura, her clothes still stained with fresh blood. Tian Yu sat on the main throne, raising his eyebrows as he saw her.
"You're back?"
"Yes, Palace Master."
"Did you accomplish what I asked?"
"Mission accomplished." Fu Ling’s expression remained icy as she gestured forward, and a guard presented a box that emitted a faint red glow. Whatever was inside caused the entire box to tremble subtly.
Carefully, Fu Ling opened the demon box. Inside lay a fist-sized piece of a demon artifact. Though incomplete and only a fragment, the power emanating from it was so intense that the demons in the hall struggled to breathe.
Tian Yu’s eyes gleamed. With a wave of his hand, the demon box was in his grasp. He picked up the artifact, running his hand over its surface.
"The Demon Tiger clan has long faded; they no longer deserve the right to guard the Demon Gathering Banner. Such a pity—a divine weapon of the demon gods, scattered across the realm with no one capable of wielding its power to command all demons."
A hundred years ago, when the Heavenly Ten-Tailed Fox ascended to godhood, the demon realm was left without a successor to the throne. The fox split the Demon Gathering Banner into four parts, hiding them across the demon world. Since then, the four fragments had been held by Cold Spring Palace, Hao Yue Hall, Silent Secluded Mountain, and the Demon Tiger clan.
"Now that the Palace Master possesses two of the fragments, it won’t be long before you can eliminate Hao Yue Hall and Silent Secluded Mountain, reclaim all four fragments of the Demon Gathering Banner, and ascend as Demon Emperor, uniting the entire demon realm," Fu Ling announced confidently.
"Well said!" Tian Yu laughed heartily, looking at Fu Ling below him. "You wiped out the Demon Tiger clan and returned the banner fragment to me—an extraordinary accomplishment. Tell me, what reward do you seek?"
"Fu Ling requests one favor from the Palace Master: allow me to bring someone under the protection of Cold Spring Palace."
"Oh?" Tian Yu raised an eyebrow in surprise. "If you deem them worthy, they must be exceptional. Which demon sect are they from?"
"They’re a celestial,” Fu Ling replied slowly.
The hall fell silent. Tian Yu’s gaze shifted from the Demon Gathering Banner fragment to Fu Ling.
"A celestial? For a celestial to join the demon path defies all realms. Which celestial has the courage to do so?"
"He doesn’t know yet," Fu Ling smirked, gazing out of the hall, her eyes fixed toward the East Sea and the distant Miao Miao Isle.
"But I believe he will inevitably become one of Cold Spring Palace."
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