Chapter 524: The Demons' Plot

Deep within the Eastern Wilderness lay a verdant mountain range. The mountains stretched endlessly, peaks rising and falling, lush green, encircled by shimmering clear waters. Deep within the mountain range, an expansive grassland unfolded.

On this grassland stood a vast complex of buildings, with numerous figures moving about. These figures, with long noses and broad ears, or golden scales on their faces, or single horns on their heads, or wings on their backs, were unmistakably half-demons.

The demon race was not skilled in alchemy or artifact refinement, nor were they adept at cultivating spiritual grains and herbs. Their cultivation relied solely on absorbing the essence of the sun and moon until they could assume human form, after which they could follow cultivation techniques. When humans launched a large-scale invasion of the Eastern Wilderness, it dealt a severe blow to the demon race. That war lasted for over a century, and without a demon emperor presiding, the demon race suffered innumerable casualties and was greatly weakened. After many years of recuperation, the demon race slowly recovered its vitality.

They learned from their mistakes and began to emulate humans. They captured many cultivators, and shapeshifted demons intermarried with humans, giving birth to half-demons. These half-demons could cultivate spiritual grains and herbs, and construct buildings. Raised among the demon race from a young age, they were more loyal to them. However, some shapeshifted demon cultivators looked down on half-demons, making their status within the demon race somewhat awkward.

At the edge of the grassland, a colossal verdant peak, tens of thousands of feet tall, stood majestically. From high above, it resembled a colossal green python coiling around the mountain. At the foot of the mountain, a colossal stone tablet stood, with the characters "Qingmang Mountain" carved upon it. At the summit of the mountain, a magnificent palace soared, its plaque inscribed with the characters "Qingmang Hall."

Inside the hall, a ruddy-faced old woman in green robes, in her early fifties, was conversing with a broad-shouldered man in black robes. Neither of them emitted any spiritual power fluctuations. They were Soul Transformation stage demon cultivators, Old Ancestor Qinghua and Old Ancestor Heihu.

"Heihu, you were far too impulsive this time, initiating conflict," Old Ancestor Qinghua said with a frown. Being older, she was more conservative in her actions. "Those old human cultivators are not easy to deal with. Things are going quite well now, aren't they? Why stir up trouble?"

"Sister Qinghua, this wasn't me stirring up trouble; the humans instigated it first," Old Ancestor Heihu replied with an ingratiating smile, his tone betraying considerable dissatisfaction with humans. "They controlled members of our Black Tiger clan, attempting to steal the Dragon Glaze Fruit. That is the sacred fruit of our Black Tiger clan, cultivated for over a millennium and nearly ripe. Human Soul Transformation cultivators, I don't know where they got their information, used secret techniques to control our shapeshifted clan members, intending to steal the Dragon Glaze Fruit. Fortunately, our defenses were strict, and the humans failed to succeed. After years of recuperation, we've finally recovered most of our vitality. It's time to vent our anger."

"You want to drive the humans out of the Eastern Wilderness? Not only can we not achieve that, but even if True Monarch Tianlang were resurrected, he couldn't. You're probably just shooting yourself in the foot."

"Hehe, I don't have such grand ambitions. There are hundreds of millions of humans in the Eastern Wilderness; driving them out is already impossible, unless our demon race gains a few more Soul Transformation cultivators. To be honest, sister, the reason I've caused such a stir this time is primarily for True Monarch Tianlang's secluded cultivation cave, and also to scheme against the Soul Transformation cultivators of the Eastern Wilderness." Heihu knew very well that if he didn't reveal the truth, Old Ancestor Qinghua might not support him, and without her support, his plan would be difficult to achieve.

"What? True Monarch Tianlang's secluded cultivation cave? Wasn't it said that humans discovered it long ago?" Old Ancestor Qinghua's expression changed, and she blurted out, staring intently at Heihu. True Monarch Tianlang once unified the Eastern Wilderness, and no one knew how many treasures he had amassed. These items disappeared with his disappearance. If she could obtain True Monarch Tianlang's legacy treasures, her cultivation might advance further.

"I've already investigated; that was merely a lie fabricated by humans, intended to make us give up hope. Sister, let's cooperate, find True Monarch Tianlang's secluded cultivation cave, and split the treasures equally. How about it?"

Old Ancestor Qinghua pondered for a moment, then raised her head and looked directly at Heihu, saying each word distinctly: "If you are deceiving me, even though we are both of the demon race, I will not be lenient with you. Now, tell me! How do I cooperate with you?"

Heihu chuckled, then took out a green jade slip and handed it to Old Ancestor Qinghua. "This is my complete plan. Even if we don't find True Monarch Tianlang's secluded cultivation cave, it would still be good to make the human Soul Transformation cultivators suffer a bit."

"You started laying out this plan centuries ago; no wonder you're so confident. Aren't you afraid your second nascent soul will be destroyed? It's rare for you to cultivate a second nascent soul and nurture that avatar to the Nascent Soul stage. Wouldn't it be a great pity if it were destroyed?"

Heihu smiled confidently, saying, "Fortune favors the bold. My avatar carries several rare treasures. Unless a human Soul Transformation cultivator personally investigates, ordinary people won't discover anything unusual."

"Alright! This old woman will be crazy with you this one time."

***

In Chu State, Pingmo City, a streak of blue light appeared in the sky, rapidly flying towards the city. Not long after, the streak of blue light stopped outside Pingmo City. The blue light was a blue flying boat, with Wang Changsheng standing at the front and Wang Ruyan and others behind him, broad smiles on everyone's faces. They had plundered fifteen immortal cultivation families, acquiring a large sum of cultivation resources.

A streak of green light flew out from the city; it was Li Qingshan of Huangsheng Palace. "Fellow Daoist Wang, you're finally back! Where is Fellow Daoist Tong?" Li Qingshan said with some concern.

"What? Have the others not returned yet?" Wang Changsheng was somewhat puzzled, thinking these fellows were too greedy. He had returned after plundering fifteen immortal cultivation families, but the others were still unwilling to come back.

"No, but news came back from the front line: Fellow Daoist Hua and her group fell into an ambush. Two fellow daoists died on the spot, and one was severely wounded. The Nethercorpse Sect didn't gain much either. You were the only team we hadn't heard from; we thought you were completely wiped out."

"Let's go inside and talk! It's not something that can be explained briefly." Wang Changsheng flew out of the blue flying boat and headed into the city with Li Qingshan. Wang Ruyan piloted the blue flying boat, following them into Pingmo City.

Not long after, Wang Changsheng and Li Qingshan appeared inside a green pavilion. Wang Changsheng briefly recounted the process of their assault on the Hundred Ghost Gate's mountain gate. Upon learning of Tong Tianqi's death in battle, Li Qingshan sighed deeply. He admitted that Zhao Yunxiao and the other two couldn't truly be blamed for their rash advance; the Hundred Ghost Gate's protective spiritual beasts were dead, and Chen Yifeng had fled in panic, which was why they confidently entered the Hundred Ghost Gate's mountain gate.

The situation with the Nethercorpse Sect was similar: they used a secret technique to cultivate two Core Formation cultivators, who feigned death. Then, the Nethercorpse Sect disciples scattered, leading Hua Qingwu and others to believe they had won and begin plundering treasures. While they were plundering, the demonic cultivators activated a formation to trap them, resulting in casualties on both sides among the Core Formation cultivators.

"It seems we have a mole within our ranks," Wang Changsheng analyzed. "The demonic cultivators appear to have known about our plans to besiege the Nethercorpse Sect and Hundred Ghost Gate; otherwise, it would have been impossible for them to set up ambushes and deliberately put on a show beforehand."