Chapter 59: Demon Lord (4)

“Left Protector, General Yin Yan is requesting an audience outside Youjue Palace.”

A subordinate came to report.

Standing at the entrance of the bedchamber, Luo Ye raised an eyebrow. “Tell him to scram.”

Yin Yan was the general in charge of guarding the Demon Palace. Like Liu Sha and Luo Ye, he had been saved by the Demon Lord and promoted all the way to his current position.

While the other generals were stationed in different regions, only Yin Yan had earned the Demon Lord’s trust and was allowed to stay in the Demon City.

Luo Ye had never liked Yin Yan—not because he was also trusted by the Demon Lord, but because Luo Ye had always suspected that Yin Yan was a spy sent by the cultivation world.

Yin Yan had fallen from a cultivator into a demon, yet even after all these years, he remained out of place in the Demon Realm. He was as “righteous” as those sanctimonious cultivators, never willing to associate with demons.

The cultivation world saw the Demon Lord as their greatest threat, eager to eliminate him at all costs. If a spy were to discover the Demon Lord’s current vulnerability, he would be in grave danger.

Naturally, Luo Ye wouldn’t let Yin Yan see the Demon Lord in his current state.

“But… General Yin Yan said that if the Protector does not open Youjue Palace, he will force his way in after one incense stick’s time…”

“Oh? Force his way in?” Luo Ye smirked coldly, his gaze sinister and brimming with killing intent.

He had always suspected Yin Yan, and now that something had happened to the Demon Lord, Yin Yan was the first to act—wasn’t that proof of ulterior motives?

Luo Ye soared to the entrance of Youjue Palace, landing atop the gate tower and looking down at the tall figure standing below.

Yin Yan pointed his long blade at him, his tone cold. “I heard that something happened to the Demon Lord and that you two siblings have hidden him away. Is it true?”

A fierce glint flashed in Luo Ye’s eyes. “Heard? You’re quite bold to dare speculate about the Demon Lord like this!”

Yin Yan: “If it’s false, let me enter Youjue Palace to confirm.”

Luo Ye: “You think just anyone can enter my Youjue Palace?”

Yin Yan: “Such secrecy—there must be something wrong. If you won’t let me see the Demon Lord, don’t blame me for fighting my way in to find out the truth!”

A murderous light burst from Luo Ye’s eyes. With a flick of his fingers, countless invisible threads shot toward Yin Yan, aiming to tear him apart.

Yin Yan spun his long blade, creating a whirlwind around himself that shredded the razor-sharp threads into tangled clumps.

Luo Ye chuckled darkly, raising his other hand. Yin Yan was instantly yanked upward by unseen threads, crashing into another silk web. Reacting swiftly, he cast a spell to freeze the threads while his blade glowed with spiritual light, slashing downward toward Luo Ye on the gate tower.

He was fast, but Luo Ye was faster. His first strike missed, and his second strike was stopped mid-air, caught by Luo Ye’s threads.

As the two clashed in a flash of movement, Luo Ye sneered. “As expected of the once-proud genius of the cultivation world. Even as a demon, you still cling to your old techniques. Do you really think you alone can do anything to the Demon Lord?”

Yin Yan frowned. “You and the Right Protector are the ones acting suspiciously! If something has happened to the Demon Lord, the elders should be informed so a solution can be found. Instead, you’re hiding him away—what are you plotting? If the Demon Lord were awake, he would have made arrangements instead of being brought back in secrecy. If he isn’t awake, then your actions are a betrayal—you deserve death!”

With that, he slashed his blade down, collapsing half of Youjue Palace’s gate tower and reducing a section of the wall to rubble.

Yin Yan swiftly retreated, but blood dripped from a wound on his arm. If he had been a moment slower, his entire arm would have been torn off.

He looked up, only to feel a sharp pain on his cheek—a fresh spray of blood had burst from a cut.

Luo Ye, completely unharmed, stood atop his fine threads, laughing coldly.

“You’re really getting on my nerves.”

Yin Yan felt an overwhelming pressure. He cautiously switched his blade to his other hand, but he showed no intention of backing down.

The two engaged in another rapid battle, blades and threads flashing through the air. Moments later, Yin Yan was slammed against a wall, spitting blood.

Luo Ye raised his hand to take his head.

Suddenly, a fan flew in, blocking the fatal strike for Yin Yan.

“Left Protector and General Yin Yan—why such a violent confrontation?”

A figure emerged from the darkness, catching the returning fan.

Luo Ye narrowed his eyes.

“What is Ninth Elder implying?”

Changchun Jia spoke gently, “Left Protector, don’t be upset. I mean no disrespect. It’s just that there are more pressing matters at hand—perhaps we should set aside minor disputes for now.”

As he spoke, several figures appeared in the shadows.

Luo Ye’s expression turned serious.

The nine elders had gathered—all of them. He alone could not stop them.

He knew they wouldn’t be able to hide the Demon Lord’s condition for long, but he hadn’t expected them to act so quickly.

Someone must have been pulling the strings behind the scenes!

At the forefront stood the Grand Elder, an old man with crane-white hair and wrinkled skin, his sharp eyes gleaming.

“Where is the Demon Lord?”

Luo Ye remained silent.

The Grand Elder repeated, “Where is the Demon Lord?”

His voice resonated through Youjue Palace, causing many servants to bleed from their mouths and collapse unconscious. Even Luo Ye’s threads snapped under the force.

A shadow took advantage of the chaos, slipping into Youjue Palace and heading straight for Liu Sha’s chambers.

Inside, Qian had refused further acupuncture after two needles, crying and hiding under the blankets.

Listening to the commotion outside, Liu Sha waved a hand to put Han Qiu to sleep, then coaxed Qian out of the blankets.

“Demon Lord, please take my Leaving Mirror.”

Qian reached out curiously, grabbing at the air until a mirror appeared in her hands. She examined it with interest.

“Demon Lord, under no circumstances should you let go of the mirror.”

Qian asked, “If I hold the mirror, does that mean I don’t have to get any more needles?”

Liu Sha nodded. Qian immediately clutched the mirror tightly, playing with it obediently.

The eerie shadow slipped through the walls and spotted the childlike Demon Lord. The Right Protector, Liu Sha, was nowhere to be seen.

A golden opportunity!

The shadow lunged toward the child, but the moment it touched her, the scene shattered like a reflection, transforming into a swirling vortex of sand that pulled it inside.

“Ahhh!” A piercing scream rang out.

At the entrance of Youjue Palace, the Third Elder, who had been using spirit projection, staggered unsteadily. His voice trembled. “The Demon Lord is indeed inside Youjue Palace.”

“Luo Ye, do you have anything left to say?”

Luo Ye tilted his head. “What else is there to say? I simply don’t trust you. Did you all rush here out of concern for the Honored Lord? Clearly, each of you has your own motives, coming to spy on the Honored Lord’s condition. Who knows, you might even be colluding to harm him.”

“Left Guardian, you are mistaken. We are the elders personally appointed by the Honored Lord. How could we possibly be a threat to him? On the contrary, you and your sister deliberately concealed his condition. If you harbor ulterior motives, then the Honored Lord may truly be in danger.”

An elder stepped forward, speaking with righteousness.

“Since the Honored Lord has emerged, he should be escorted back to the Central Palace, under the joint protection of the Guardians and Elders.”

A surge of hostility rose in Luo Ye’s heart, and the silk thread in his hand was about to tighten when Liu Sha appeared beside him, stopping his hand.

“Since all the elders are gathered, my brother and I have no objections. Let us follow the elders’ suggestion—escort the Honored Lord to the Central Palace. My brother and I will guard him personally, while the elders stand watch outside the hall.”

The Grand Elder met her gaze for a moment before relenting. “Very well. The Honored Lord trusts you both the most, but we must see for ourselves that he is safe.”

Qian played with the mirror, watching as a black shadow suddenly appeared inside. Curiously, she reached out to touch it.

Her hand passed through as if dipping into water.

The cool, slippery shadow squirmed in her grasp.

Qian found it amusing, like catching little fish.

The elders, along with Liu Sha and Luo Ye, arrived at the sleeping quarters. The siblings first knelt on one knee in salute.

“Honored Lord, the nine elders and General Yin Yan have come to pay their respects.”

Nine elders and a demon general gazed at the childlike Demon Lord, each with a different expression, but they still bowed as usual.

“Greetings, Honored Lord.”

Just as Qian looked up at them, she happened to catch hold of the shadow in her hand. Startled by their synchronized greeting, she reflexively squeezed, accidentally crushing the soft and slippery shadow.

A sharp scream rang out as the Soul Elder in the back collapsed to the ground, her body twisted like melted mud, unable to rise.

She cultivated soul arts, and losing a fragment of her soul was equivalent to dying once.

Liu Sha immediately lowered her head. “Honored Lord, please quell your anger!”

The others quickly withdrew their scrutinizing gazes, suppressing any hidden thoughts.

The Grand Elder lowered his head and spoke. “We did not mean to offend the Honored Lord. We are merely concerned for your well-being. Please forgive us.”

Qian was confused. Why did they all speak like this? She had met many strangers before, but these were the strangest ones.

Among them, she only knew Liu Sha and Luo Ye, so she could only call their names.

“Liu Sha.”

Liu Sha responded smoothly, “Yes, Honored Lord. As per your command, the elders will immediately seal the Demon Palace and await your recovery.”

The Demon Lord had lost his power and could not seal the palace himself, so the nine elders had to do it together.

As long as the Demon Palace was sealed, the demon generals outside could not enter. Even if the elders inside turned traitorous, the siblings could still protect the Honored Lord.

“Sealing the Demon Palace is a serious matter. It is only done during large-scale attacks, as it is the last line of defense for Demon City. Now, the Honored Lord is merely unwell and has not encountered any real danger. Moreover, we are all here guarding him. Is it truly necessary to go to such extremes…?”

Luo Ye shot him a cold glare. “Fourth Elder, are you defying the Honored Lord’s command?”

The Fourth Elder glanced briefly at the “Demon Lord,” not daring to look too closely. His expression darkened as he hastily replied, “Of course not!”

The Grand Elder slowly lifted his heavy-lidded eyes and looked at Qian.

“Honored Lord, have you truly decided to seal the Demon Palace?”

Liu Sha held her breath. She had not told this amnesiac little Honored Lord about the situation, so she was unsure if she would comply.

Luo Ye, too, rubbed his fingers, ready to kill at a moment’s notice.

As for Qian, she could not sense the tension at all.

She hummed in response.

Whatever it was, nodding seemed like the right choice.

The Demon Palace was sealed, and Qian was returned to the sleeping quarters where she had first appeared.

This time, however, she was carried back in a lavish sedan chair, surrounded by attendants, elders, and guardians, forming a grand procession.

That night, Qian soaked in a pool, playing with the water while Liu Sha knelt at her side, washing her chubby little arms.

The mirror had shrunk and now hung around Qian’s neck.

“Liu Sha, the shadow is gone,” Qian said, holding up the mirror.

Liu Sha smiled. “If the Honored Lord finds it interesting, I will catch a few more for you tonight.”

Qian did not understand what they were, but she laughed, innocent and delighted. “They’re so soft and squishy, like jelly slime!”

A long time ago, she used to love playing with jelly slime.

The Demon Palace remained brightly lit through the night.

In the darkness of one of the palaces, hushed voices conversed.

“Is that truly the Demon Lord?”

“Judging by Liu Sha and Luo Ye’s attitude, it must be.”

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He has suffered backlash and regressed to this form—his demonic power must be nearly depleted. As long as we eliminate Liu Sha and Luo Ye, killing him will be easy!”

“But the Demon Palace is sealed…”

“There will naturally be ways to open it. The demon generals across the realm should have heard the news by now. Just wait—someone will make a move soon.”

That night, as Qian lay in bed, several black shadows appeared at her bedside.

The moment they stepped within her bed’s range, the surrounding air rippled and swallowed them whole.

The next morning, Qian woke up and found new black shadows in the mirror. She played with them, squishing them into a ball.

Unfortunately, these shadows were not very durable and would break after a while.

But it didn’t matter. The next day, new ones would appear for her to play with again.

Several days passed like this. Then, the elders guarding outside the hall came to request an audience once more.

“Honored Lord, Demon General Xing Bochong has captured the Immortal Lord Ling Yu of the cultivation world alive and wishes to present him to you. You once declared that whoever could capture Immortal Lord Ling Yu would be granted True Blood of the Heavenly Demon to enhance their bloodline.”

“Demon Lord’s health is unwell; this matter should be discussed at a later time.” Luo Ye sneered. “We can’t possibly unseal the Demon Palace just for such a trivial matter.”

The Grand Elder added, “Furthermore, he has also obtained the Fortune Reversal Pill and wishes to present it to the Demon Lord as well.”

At this, even Liusha and Luo Ye could not refuse.

The Demon Lord’s condition was extremely troublesome. Over the past few days, Han Qiu had examined her multiple times but could not determine the cause of her illness, nor find a way to restore her.

Seeing no improvement in the Demon Lord’s condition, Liusha and Luo Ye couldn’t help but grow anxious.

The Fortune Reversal Pill was a rare elixir capable of treating the backlash of demonic bloodlines. Because its ingredients came from the treasure vaults of major cultivation sects, it was extremely rare and difficult to obtain.

If there was anything that could cure the Demon Lord, the Fortune Reversal Pill was the most likely candidate.

“The two Protectors are indeed loyal, but the Demon Lord’s health must take priority. Since an elixir capable of healing the Demon Lord is now available, we must naturally unseal the Demon Palace and allow Xing Bozhong to present the pill.”

Liusha and Luo Ye exchanged glances.

This was an obvious trap, but they had no choice but to walk into it.

Qian was seated on a grand, luxurious throne and carried to the main hall.

The protectors and elders stood below the throne, while rows of demon soldiers lined both sides. Servants knelt behind them.

The elders’ expressions revealed nothing, but several of them were already calculating what “accidents” might soon occur.

As the Demon Palace was unsealed, Xing Bozhong arrived in haste, riding a scaled warhorse. He led two squads of soldiers carrying treasure chests and a golden cage containing the captive Lingyu Immortal.

Dismounting swiftly, he announced in a loud voice, “Your subordinate, Xing Bozhong, has come to present a prisoner to the Demon Lord!”

Inside the golden cage, Lingyu Immortal gazed up at the high throne, his eyes brimming with killing intent. However, under the watchful gazes of the crowd, he soon closed his eyes to conceal his emotions, silently awaiting the right moment.

Deep within the mountain, the Demon Lord Huai Yunong was surrounded by surging demonic energy, his acupoints emitting faint reverberations.

He was on the verge of a breakthrough—only to be interrupted once again by a disturbance.

Huai Yunong frowned, his eyes filled with hostility as he looked upward.

What in the world were these people doing?!

Not long ago, his closed-door cultivation had been disrupted once before.

That seemed to be when the Demon Palace was sealed. Now, it was being opened again.

Could it be that the cultivation world had launched an attack while he was in seclusion?

With rage boiling within him, Huai Yunong finally decided to interrupt his own cultivation and head out ahead of schedule to see for himself.