Chapter 269: The Toad Wants to Eat Swan Meat

"Don't get distracted; the Old Demon hasn't been annihilated yet!" the Black Emperor warned.

Ye Fan's divine consciousness surged like an ocean, empowered by the All-Secret of the Nine Secrets. He transformed into a three-legged, two-eared circular cauldron, seemingly merging with heaven and earth, bearing the imprint of the Great Dao.

"You can't maintain this state permanently," the large black dog suggested. "Seal him inside my golden divine bell; that'll keep him sealed forever!"

Ye Fan and the Black Emperor joined forces, sealing the heavily injured Old Demon within the divine bell and suppressing him there.

"Just one divine bell isn't quite enough," Ye Fan mused. "Perhaps we need to add another weapon forged by a Great Power to truly secure him."

Ye Fan returned to his true form and grasped the divine lotus. His divine consciousness, like a golden river, surged forth, repeatedly washing over the seemingly delicate weapon, completely erasing its former owner's imprint.

"This is a divine lotus forged by a Great Power, the true form of a descendant of a Demon Emperor. It's a rare treasure!" The Black Emperor's eyes gleamed.

"Do you dare to use it?" Ye Fan warned, fearing the large black dog's greed. "The demon race will probably hunt you across the entire world if you do!"

With a whoosh, Ye Fan, holding the green lotus, gently swept it across the large golden bell. The divine bell vibrated, emitting a deep, resonant hum.

Only then did Ye Fan let out a long breath. "Alright," he said, "two weapons are enough to suppress him. After we rescue Pang Bo, we can decide what to do with him."

"Pang Bo, where are you?"

"Over here..." Pang Bo's voice echoed from deep within the Sea of Consciousness.

After searching for a moment, a glowing cage appeared ahead, entirely forged from divine consciousness. Pang Bo's primordial spirit was trapped by silvery chains.

"Ye Fan..." Pang Bo laughed heartily, tears streaming down his face.

Ye Fan also felt a pang of sadness; for several years, Pang Bo had been imprisoned, living a life without light.

"It's all over," Ye Fan declared. "I'm getting you out!" He acted, severing the cage and tearing apart the silvery chains of divine consciousness.

Half an hour later, Ye Fan and the Black Emperor emerged from the physical body, and Pang Bo regained control.

Here, ancient trees towering, though they weren't overly dense. Several stone platforms were situated amidst flowing streams and mossy rocks, with old vines hanging down, creating a natural and vibrant scene.

"These past few years have truly been a blur of darkness," Pang Bo said. "Most of the time I was passively cultivating, and my only joy was cursing that Old Demon..."

Pang Bo was an optimistic person, rarely sentimental, and quickly adjusted.

Ye Fan learned from their conversation that the Old Demon had initially coexisted with Pang Bo, finding it difficult to harm him. However, upon discovering the Immortal Palace in this place, everything changed.

Especially with the help of the Green Dragon King and Peacock King, two Great Powers, the Old Demon, whose lifespan was nearly exhausted, gained a new lease on life.

Six months prior, the Old Demon had gained full control of the physical body, and its divine consciousness and mental power grew increasingly stronger.

"The Old Demon learned our secret: that we came from the other end of the starry sky."

Ye Fan was startled. "What..." he uttered.

"That's precisely why I was able to survive," Pang Bo sighed.

The Old Demon placed immense importance on the other end of the starry sky, especially everything related to ancient China.

For Pang Bo, these past few years had been both an ordeal and a form of tempering.

Initially, while coexisting with the Old Demon and being suppressed by a Great Power, his cultivation progress was astonishing. Later, when the Old Demon took full control of the body, his cultivation progress could only be described as terrifying.

After all, he was a powerful figure among the demon race. Once he acquired a formidable physical body and resumed his cultivation, his progress was remarkably swift.

"Damn it, now I don't even know if I'm human or demon anymore," Pang Bo grumbled. "That old geezer messed up my body terribly."

"Ding-a-ling!" The large black dog, with its stubby tail wagging, trotted over. It was as strong as a bull, and a small golden bell hung from its neck, jingling pleasantly.

Ye Fan watched the bell, suppressing a smile, and stroked his chin thoughtfully. This large dog seemed to have quite an extraordinary background.

"This dog is huge!" Pang Bo exclaimed.

Seeing both of them staring, the large black dog bared its fangs. "What are you looking at?" it growled. "Are you jealous of how heroic and strong this Emperor is?"

"This large dog is several times bigger than the Tibetan Mastiff you used to have," Pang Bo remarked.

"Damn it, I'm not his pet! I was planning on making *him* my pet," the Black Emperor retorted, its face darkening instantly.

Black lines appeared on Ye Fan's forehead. "Go find somewhere cool to stay!" he told it.

"Boy, you're burning your bridges," the Black Emperor grumbled, clearly displeased. The battle with the Old Demon had left it severely depleted, and it would take months of recovery to recuperate.

"This isn't a place for talking. We should leave quickly," Ye Fan said, standing up.

"I can't go with you," Pang Bo shook his head.

"Are you worried?" Ye Fan asked.

"If I leave, the demon race will hunt you across the world, and your situation will become very precarious," Pang Bo explained.

Now, his life was no longer in danger, and he could leave on his own later, but it wasn't suitable for him to depart immediately.

"I know everything about the Old Demon, so they won't find any flaws. From now on, I will be a member of the demon race," Pang Bo insisted on staying.

Ye Fan sent the large black dog away and began a private conversation with Pang Bo.

After a long time, the sound of their laughter echoed through the forest.

"This is good," Pang Bo said. "One of us will be among the human race, and the other among the demon race, so we can support each other in the future."

"In a few more months, I'll be able to move around openly and help you get rid of a Holy Son or two."

"Sooner or later, we will find our way back home."

Not far away, the large black dog curled its lip. "Damn it," it muttered, "those two brats are no good; they're definitely going to be trouble in the future."

It was indeed not advisable for Pang Bo to leave, as it would surely cause chaos in this place. However, from now on, he was free and possessed the ancient scriptures of the Demon Emperor, allowing him to soar like a fish in the vast ocean in the future.

"Are you done scheming?" the Black Emperor impatiently urged. "If we don't leave soon, we might alert others."

"Leave that green lotus," Ye Fan requested the weapon, then handed it to Pang Bo. With a flash of green light, it merged into Pang Bo's body.

The Black Emperor reluctantly said, "This Emperor feels pain for such a rare treasure!"

Ye Fan said, "We should work together to completely destroy the Old Demon, otherwise, we'll have big trouble in the future."

"No need to turn him to ashes; just suppressing him is enough," the Black Emperor interjected.

In the end, the three of them acted together to suppress the Old Demon within the golden divine bell.

In truth, the Old Demon no longer needed to be sealed; he couldn't cause any more trouble. The "Divine Wound" strike from the Nine Slashes of the Demon Emperor had struck him, leaving him severely injured.

Ye Fan and the Black Emperor withdrew from the Immortal Palace, successfully passed through the meteorite forest, and erased all traces and auras.

The Black Emperor's origins were mysterious; it could even break through the Dao patterns laid by Great Powers, so it naturally left no flaws upon their departure.

The star stones, divine blood earth, and other materials were almost completely depleted, and the half-square source was nearly consumed—it was a lavish expenditure.

Deep into the night, all was silent.

On the mountaintop, ancient pines were verdant, tall, and beautiful. Clear spring water flowed through the forest.

Ye Fan silently returned to his room. That night, he slept deeply, his body completely relaxed after resolving a worry in his heart.

In the morning, the great fiery orb rose slowly, and the morning glow spilled in through the window. After washing up, Ye Fan felt refreshed and began to consider his departure.

The Black Emperor listlessly walked in, looking tired and continuously cursing. It had been restless all night but still hadn't obtained the ancient scriptures of the Demon Emperor.

After breakfast, Ye Fan went to find Tu Fei to discuss leaving the area soon to attend the Jade Lake Grand Gathering.

"Why the rush, Little Ye Zi?" Tu Fei asked, clearly enjoying himself too much to leave. He had become quite close with a female demoness and didn't want to depart.

"Do you want to miss the Jade Lake Grand Gathering?" Ye Fan countered. "Holy Sons and Holy Daughters from all the major Holy Lands will be there, and even demon figures like the Golden-Winged Little Peng King will appear. It's not something to miss."

"What's the hurry? We can travel with Princess Yan when the time comes; there's still plenty of time anyway. The Jade Lake Grand Gathering has been postponed for some reason," Tu Fei said, still unwilling to leave.

Ye Fan felt a bit uneasy. The Old Demon he had suppressed last night was definitely one of Yan Ruyu's kin, but he had no other choice; to rescue Pang Bo, he had to act that way.

"Black Emperor, don't refine that Old Demon into ashes," Ye Fan secretly transmitted. "Once I'm powerful enough, I'll decide how to deal with him."

"Damn it, this Emperor wishes I could," the Black Emperor grumbled. "That cursed old demoness has fused with my divine bell!"

"Little Ye Zi, want to visit Demon City together?" Tu Fei offered.

"You're going on a date with a demoness; wouldn't I just be in the way?" Ye Fan chuckled, shaking his head.

"It seems you're determined to leave. How about this then: let's depart together in two days. I need to go find Li Heishui, Liu Kou, and Jiang Huairen."

"Alright, I'll wait two more days for you," Ye Fan agreed. He also didn't want to leave abruptly, lest the demon race become suspicious.

Before leaving, he followed the Black Emperor's suggestion and decided to gather some materials in Demon City for engraving Dao patterns, as they might prove very useful.

Demon City, marked by ancient relics, had stood for eight hundred years. Although not large, it housed many old shops.

Ye Fan collected many precious materials, though their prices were high. Tu Fei and the female demoness walked ahead, their intimate behavior unconcerned by Ye Fan's presence.

"Hey, you two, take it easy, alright?" the Black Emperor piped up. "Don't treat us like we're not here."

The female demoness chuckled. "What a grumpy dog. You can already speak; why haven't you transformed?"

Ye Fan noticed that some of the demon race looked at him strangely, making him feel that he truly needed to leave.

Not long after, Qin Yao appeared, walking gracefully and lithely, her movements soft, like an immortal willow swaying in the wind.

"Why are you back in Demon City? Many eyes are on you," Qin Yao said, giving Ye Fan a sidelong glance, her eyes shimmering with a hint of allure.

"Sister Qin Yao..." a young demoness, sweetly smiling and charming, walked over gracefully in a golden feathered robe.

"Don't walk with Sister Qin Yao!" Ye Fan heard this warning. The young girl secretly transmitted the message to him, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

However, when facing Qin Yao, she smiled sweetly, revealing no such hostility.

Ye Fan smiled and secretly transmitted a question: "Why?"

"Have you heard the saying 'a toad lusts after swan meat'?" the girl transmitted scornfully, holding her head high.

Ye Fan was somewhat bewildered, unsure how he had offended the girl. He transmitted, "Little girl, aren't you being a bit too nosy?"

The young demoness coldly transmitted, "If you truly care for Sister Qin Yao, then stay away from her; don't get too close. You have a naturally crippled physique, destined to stop at the Dao Palace Secret Realm. You'll never become a true powerhouse, and you're not worthy of Sister Qin Yao."

Ye Fan was speechless for a moment, then stroked his chin. "What exactly is your motive?" he asked.

"Brother Golden Feather, Brother Bitter Bamboo, and Brother White Phoenix are all geniuses at the fifth layer of the Dao Palace. They are the ones worthy of Sister Qin Yao. It was one thing in the Southern Domain, but in the Northern Domain, are you still dreaming of a toad lusting after swan meat? Stop dreaming!" The demoness girl spoke mercilessly.

"So you're sticking up for those three toads, huh? But little girl, you're being far too meddlesome!" Ye Fan said in a low voice.

They spoke without uttering a sound, communicating through secret transmissions, so others were unaware.

"You'll be blocked at the Dao Palace Secret Realm your entire life," she continued. "Even if you're unrivaled among your peers, a crippled physique like yours is useless to geniuses above the Four Extremities Secret Realm. So, stop pestering Sister Qin Yao. If you truly care for her, leave quickly and don't be a burden."