Chapter 1814: Heavenly Fox Demoness

Volume Ten: War in the Demon Realm

"Haha, it's nothing. Even if I hadn't mentioned it, other fellow Daoists would have brought it up to you sooner or later. Besides, I might need your help with some minor matters in the future!" Master Wangu said with a smile.

"You're too kind, Master. If there's ever anything I can help you with in the future, Fellow Daoist Wangu, please don't hesitate to ask." Han Li replied with an equally pleasant smile, whether he meant it or not. From then on, their conversation flowed more smoothly.

After they exchanged insights on cultivation, Master Wangu specifically arranged for a group of graceful female disciples to perform a captivating Heavenly Demon dance for Han Li. Only after Han Li had thoroughly enjoyed the performance did Master Wangu personally escort him to the teleportation array and watch him depart.

The moment Han Li's figure vanished in the shimmering light of the teleportation array, the old Daoist's smile instantly faded, replaced by a somewhat gloomy expression. Just then, the nearby space rippled, and a graceful figure shimmered into existence behind him. A seductive laugh followed: "Well, Brother Wangu, do you think he can be recruited? Let's not waste our efforts and end up with nothing to show for it."

The woman was draped in a light white veil, her face as beautiful as a flower. Not only did her attire and styling mirror that of the concubine the old Daoist had been embracing earlier, but their faces were also remarkably similar, perhaps seventy percent alike. Yet, that slight distinction was enough to make her entirely different from the concubine. Her eyes held an intoxicating allure, and every movement exuded an astonishing charm that could drive men mad—a charm the concubine couldn't even begin to compare with.

Master Wangu showed no surprise at the woman's voice. He turned to face her and said, "Whether it's possible or not can't be determined right now. Even if he is young, someone who can reach the Integration stage is certainly no ordinary individual. But one thing is certain: if we don't put in more effort to win him over, it definitely won't work. Besides, he has immense potential; perhaps in a few hundred years, he might even advance another stage. Gaining his support alone is far more beneficial than trying to recruit several other unreliable old foxes."

"Advance to the mid-Integration stage? You're overestimating Fellow Daoist Han. Even if he managed to reach the early Integration stage so quickly, once you've entered this realm, each subsequent advancement becomes incomparably more difficult. Otherwise, why would you and I, having been in the Integration realm for tens of thousands of years, still be stuck at the peak of the early stage, unable to progress even an inch with our magical power? And it's not just us; aren't most other Integration stage cultivators across both the human and demon races similarly stuck at this level? Those who can reach the mid-stage are, after all, a mere minority. Late-stage cultivators are even rarer. No matter how exceptional this young man's talent, he'd still need thousands of years to potentially break through the early stage. If, during the upcoming demon tribulation, he truly manages to reach the mid-stage and is willing to protect this Immortal, I would gladly offer myself to him." The enchanting woman sighed and murmured.

Hearing the words "demon tribulation," Master Wangu's expression shifted slightly, and a flicker of fear appeared in his eyes. But he was no ordinary individual; his composure quickly returned, and he spoke coldly: "You and I both personally experienced the last demon tribulation. There's no need to elaborate on how terrifying the Ancient Demon race is. The majority of rogue cultivators at the Integration stage, from both human and demon races, perished during that catastrophe, with only four or five managing to survive. In contrast, a far greater number of Integration stage cultivators affiliated with major powers survived. The fundamental reason, of course, is that we rogue cultivators fought individually, ultimately being besieged and annihilated one by one by those high-level Ancient Demons. Therefore, this time, before the demon calamity erupts, we must exert every effort to recruit other Integration stage rogue cultivators. If we gather together, our chances of survival will undoubtedly be significantly higher."

"While your words are certainly reasonable, I still believe that expending so much effort to recruit fellow rogue cultivators may not be truly effective. Wouldn't it be better if you simply disbanded the White Bone Sect and pledged allegiance to one of the Three Emperors? I, too, could find a way to join one of the Demon Kings. After all, it's always safer to shelter under a big tree." The woman's eyes flickered, and she pouted as she spoke.

The woman was, in fact, a member of the demon race!

"Hmph, don't dream of such luxuries. You and I are both accustomed to living freely, unconstrained. How could we possibly submit to others and be bound by their rules? If that were the case, you wouldn't have rebelled against the Heavenly Fox Clan, nor would I have refused the invitation of the previous generation's Three Emperors, allowing us to live uninhibited until now. Furthermore, we've never contributed anything to these major powers. If we suddenly defect now, they might welcome us warmly, but we'd undoubtedly be used as cannon fodder later. If there's any real danger, it would certainly be us, the newcomers, who are sent to the front lines first. If that's the case, I'd rather remain independent, free to advance or retreat as I please. Moreover, even major powers like the Three Emperors and Seven Demon Kings, though they hold their territories, are not entirely safe. During the last demon tribulation, three Demon Kings and one Human Emperor still perished in battle. What we are doing now is preparing for future eventualities. Every additional Integration stage fellow Daoist we successfully recruit increases our chances of survival during the demon tribulation by another fraction. In any case, I'd rather trust myself than entrust my life to others." The old Daoist replied grimly.

"If we are truly going to proceed with this, then the upcoming Grand Ten Thousand Treasures Assembly will be an excellent opportunity to connect with other rogue cultivators. Aside from a select few, it's usually quite difficult to locate them. I'll leave the human cultivators to you, Master, and I will personally approach the demon race cultivators to persuade them. I believe that even if some rogue cultivators have heard rumors of the demon tribulation, they certainly won't have as clear an understanding as we do, or know that it's bound to erupt within a millennium. Oh, and before coming here, I had a brief discussion with the Black Wolf; he seemed quite interested. However, to fully convince him, we'll need to talk in more detail..." The enchanting woman appeared to be convinced by the old Daoist once more. After a moment of thought, she nodded and spoke.

"Excellent! Fellow Daoist Black Wolf of Tiankun once contended for the position of Demon King with King Tiankui Wolf, fighting for a full day and night before finally being defeated. His divine abilities are far beyond those of ordinary rogue cultivators. As for the human side, I'm not sure about others, but Old Ancestor Tianyin of Tianyin Mountain and I have some connections, and he's also attending the Grand Ten Thousand Treasures Assembly this time. Convincing him shouldn't be an issue..." Master Wangu said, greatly pleased by the news.

"If we can truly convince these two to join us, then even if we fail to recruit anyone else, we should be able to barely protect ourselves during the demon tribulation..." The woman offered a captivating smile, her face radiant with a hundred charms, her allure seeming to intensify manifold in an instant.

Even Master Wangu, a seasoned expert in the art of cultivating Yin to supplement Yang, couldn't help but feel his gaze momentarily lost as he looked upon the woman's face.

"Oh, Brother Wangu, could it be you're contemplating trying the dual cultivation method with me? If that's truly your intention, I wouldn't mind experiencing your techniques..." Seeing Master Wangu's reaction, the woman's smile grew even more alluring.

It was as if with a single word from him, her soft, seemingly boneless body would be entirely at his disposal.

But upon hearing her extremely tempting words, the old Daoist shivered, then immediately waved his hands with a wry smile: "You jest, Immortal! You are a Heavenly Fox spirit; how could I possibly presume to touch you? I'm not as young as I once was, and I still wish to live for a few more years." "What a pity. I genuinely wished to discuss the dual cultivation path with you, Fellow Daoist. It's just a shame you have the heart but not the courage..." The demoness chuckled softly, her seductive charm intensifying further.

The old Daoist chanted a Daoist name, not daring to meet her gaze. He quickly shifted his eyes and changed the topic: "Speaking of which, Immortal Hua, your Myriad Illusions Profound Art has truly reached a state of perfection. When you disguised yourself as a concubine, even I, who knew your true identity, couldn't sense anything amiss. I doubt Fellow Daoist Han noticed anything unusual either. It truly proves the Heavenly Fox Clan's reputation; their talent in concealment and transformation is easily among the top three across all demon races." "Hmph, Fellow Daoist Wangu, do you truly believe he didn't see through my disguise?" Upon hearing the old Daoist's words, the woman's smile abruptly vanished, and her voice turned icy.

"What do you mean by that, Immortal?" The old Daoist was genuinely startled.

"It's not surprising that you didn't detect it, Fellow Daoist Wangu, because when I was disguised as your concubine just now, a peculiar ripple in his divine sense was directly aimed at me. Had I not already activated a special sensing technique and focused all my attention on him, I wouldn't have noticed anything either. Fellow Daoist Han's divine sense is incredibly powerful; it's truly unlike anything I've ever encountered. If I had to compare, it might even be on par with the Three Emperors, Seven Kings, and other such figures..." The woman paused, then spoke with unusual solemnity.

"Such a thing..." Master Wangu inhaled sharply, his expression growing uncertain.

"However, you can rest assured, Brother Wangu. For him to reach the Integration stage at such a young age, he must possess incredible talent in certain areas, which isn't hard to understand. And while he might have discerned that my appearance was a mere illusion, I had already used a secret art of our Heavenly Fox Clan to completely suppress my true essence and magical power for a short period. Even with his astonishing cultivation, he could never have deduced that I am an Integration stage cultivator. Furthermore, I made no rash moves, so he should have perceived that neither of us harbored any ill will towards him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have conversed with you for so long before taking his leave..."

"What you say makes sense, Immortal. At worst, if he asks about it next time we meet, I'll simply offer some casual excuse and dismiss it..." The old Daoist pondered this, and his expression visibly relaxed.

"Actually, even if he *does* learn my identity, what of it? Am I unpresentable, Immortal?" The woman retorted with a delicate huff.

Master Wangu's facial muscles twitched upon hearing this, and for a moment, he could only offer a wry, silent smile.