Chapter 970: Abandonment

The cultivators were alarmed by the immortal restriction, but they didn't realize that King Nine Phoenix was already leading the demons away.

At Flower Immortal Lake.

"The immortal restriction caused a significant disturbance. I just saw people emerging from the Heaven Tower. The cultivators are bound to launch a thorough investigation into the cause of this anomaly. You all should leave with me."

As King Nine Phoenix spoke, she opened the restriction and entered the cave dwelling beneath the hills.

The demons exchanged glances. Without objection, they silently followed her into the cave.

Just then, Qin Sang's body stiffened slightly as a murmuring voice transmission suddenly reached his ears. A flicker of surprise and doubt crossed his eyes.

Immediately afterward, Yuan Zhu, whose expression remained normal, brushed past him and entered the cave without looking back.

Qin Sang stared intently at Yuan Zhu's retreating back, his mind racing. His hand subconsciously clenched into a fist as he silently followed.

Inside the cave.

Silence filled the air.

King Nine Phoenix sat cross-legged on the altar. Activating the long plume had significantly drained her, so she was now refining several pills she had taken earlier to restore her true essence.

The others could only wait.

Qin Sang stood in a corner, his gaze occasionally sweeping over the demons' faces, paying particular attention to Yuan Zhu. However, Yuan Zhu kept his eyes tightly shut, seemingly engaged in meditation, and did not look at Qin Sang at all.

Half an hour later, King Nine Phoenix awoke from her meditation. She slowly opened her eyes, a sharp gleam flashing before quickly fading.

Seeing this, the demons rose one by one and approached the edge of the altar.

"Caiyi, bring out the other set of spiritual materials for the formation. I need to improve this grand formation. Although I possess the Heavenly Phoenix Plume, taking all of you out simultaneously will still be somewhat strenuous. Fortunately, your cultivation levels aren't high, so the pressure will be much less..."

Fairy Cai Feng asked in surprise, "Aunt Nine, wasn't the long plume that pierced the immortal restriction the Heavenly Phoenix Plume?"

King Nine Phoenix chuckled. "While the Heavenly Phoenix Plume is indeed our clan's supreme treasure, its origins are somewhat less significant than that other long plume. It alone wouldn't have been enough to break through the immortal restriction of the Seven Kill Hall."

At this point, King Nine Phoenix suddenly stopped speaking, offering no explanation for the origin of that long plume.

King Nine Phoenix took the spiritual materials. After a dazzling display of arrangements, the grand formation's range was expanded by half, and the runes on the altar became even more intricate.

"Activate the formation!"

At King Nine Phoenix's command, the demons pressed their palms against the altar.

Simultaneously, King Nine Phoenix spread her palm and produced an extraordinarily beautiful phoenix feather.

Unlike the previously damaged long plume, this phoenix feather was strikingly vibrant and colorful, yet incredibly light and thin, feeling almost weightless in King Nine Phoenix's hand.

*Buzz!*

The altar vibrated, and the runes glowed dazzlingly.

As the grand formation's power was activated, King Nine Phoenix stood in its center, raised her arm, and unleashed a surge of true essence. With a gentle stroke of the phoenix feather in front of her, it erupted in a burst of seven-colored light.

Upon hearing King Nine Phoenix's voice transmission, the demons stepped onto the altar. They felt their bodies tighten as they were enveloped by the phoenix feather's light. After a moment of dizziness, a deafening roar suddenly erupted in their ears.

When they opened their eyes, they found themselves outside the Seven Kill Hall, amidst a raging storm.

*Whoosh!*

A grey storm swept towards them.

The demons hastily dodged, evading the storm's core.

Shock still lingered in their eyes as they looked around. All they saw was an endless expanse of storm; they couldn't see the immortal formation or discern their direction.

They quickly retrieved their jade talismans from their mustard bags. The talismans glowed, indicating that they were still very close to the Seven Kill Hall. The Heavenly Phoenix Plume had not transported them very far.

Nevertheless, it was astonishing that the Heavenly Phoenix Plume could indeed transport them out of the Seven Kill Hall. Judging by King Nine Phoenix's tone, the damaged long plume seemed to have an even more significant origin than the Heavenly Phoenix Plume itself. They wondered what kind of supreme treasure it could be.

King Nine Phoenix hovered at the crest of the wave, her face pale. Clearly, activating the Heavenly Phoenix Plume had not been easy.

She sent several streams of light towards the Heavenly Phoenix Plume, sealing the treasure.

"Let's go. The Seven Kill Hall is about to close. We don't want to run into any Nascent Soul stage cultivators."

King Nine Phoenix's figure flashed, and she was about to dart out of the storm.

Unexpectedly, Yuan Zhu suddenly called out, stopping King Nine Phoenix. "Senior King Nine Phoenix, the task our clan assigned us is complete. May we leave now?"

"Leave?"

King Nine Phoenix turned to face them. "Where do you intend to go? I have matters that require assistance, so you will need to remain with me for some time. During this period, you are to obey my commands alone."

The demons exchanged glances. Yuan Zhu, unfazed by King Nine Phoenix's gaze, spoke calmly.

"Our clan promised us that once the task was completed, they would release us from the secret art, allowing us to return to our true forms. We had planned to return to the Demon Sea together.

"Since Senior has given an order, we will naturally comply.

"However, since taking on human forms, we have been constantly traveling across the Canglang Sea, yet our cultivation hasn't progressed an inch in nearly a century. If we delay any longer, even with the clan's reward, our chances of transforming will become extremely slim.

"Senior, perhaps you could first release the secret art on us. Then, when you require our assistance, you can reactivate it. This way, your important affairs won't be delayed, and we can also continue our cultivation—a win-win situation."

King Nine Phoenix coldly retorted, "Do you truly believe that secret art is so easily activated and deactivated at will? Once this important matter is concluded, I will naturally allow you to return..."

"Is it truly just difficult to release?"

Yuan Zhu's expression suddenly turned grim. He bellowed, interrupting King Nine Phoenix, "Senior, do you dare swear by your heart demon whether it's merely *difficult* to release, or if it's *impossible* to release? We've long been treated as sacrificial pawns, haven't we?!"

Yuan Zhu's voice was hoarse with emotion as he interrogated King Nine Phoenix. His words struck like a thunderbolt.

At his words, all the demons paled in shock.

Qin Sang, standing on the periphery, hadn't anticipated witnessing such a scene. His expression flickered as his gaze darted between King Nine Phoenix and Yuan Zhu.

King Nine Phoenix's eyes narrowed slightly.

Yuan Zhu's eyes were filled with despair, and a bitter smile touched his lips. He turned to Fairy Caiyi and said hoarsely, "Gu Heng, Fairy Caiyi, do you still not believe it?"

"Aunt Nine..."

Fairy Caiyi's cherry-red lips turned white, and her face was streaked with tears. She stared at King Nine Phoenix in disbelief. "Is what he said true? Are we really... the clan's abandoned pawns?"

Facing her familiar junior, King Nine Phoenix opened her mouth but no longer attempted to conceal anything. She merely let out a soft sigh, her silence conveying everything.

Witnessing this, the demons' faces turned deathly pale, and they plunged into utter despair.

They had never imagined that their diligent service to the Demon King would result not in reward, but in abandonment. No, upon reflection, they realized they had been expendable pawns from the very beginning of the plan, and the promised rewards were merely a ruse to alleviate their concerns.

This was not a plot by a single clan, but a conspiracy encompassing the entire demon race.

They hailed from various prominent demon clans within the Demon Sea, including sacred heirs and trusted confidantes of Demon Kings, all possessing the potential for transformation. Who could have ever conceived that the demon race would abandon this generation of their young?

"Why aren't you acting?! Do you truly believe she'll spare our lives?"

Yuan Zhu roared furiously.

They had uncovered a secret that the Demon King had diligently kept hidden. King Nine Phoenix could not possibly allow them to leave alive, as the revelation would undoubtedly cause widespread turmoil if it reached the demon race.