Chapter 149

Seeing his companions fall one by one, Hu Cao clutched his right shoulder, which had been scorched by the Sacred Flame, and said hoarsely, “Wait… maybe we can talk this out.”

Ning Xu lowered her gaze, looking at the flame at her fingertips.

This wisp of fire could be as large or as small as she desired, entirely within her control. To others, the Sacred Flame possessed a temperature capable of incinerating everything, yet in her hands, it was obedient and tame. She didn’t withdraw the flame but instead said calmly, “Talk about what?”

Hu Cao took a deep breath. “You want the last fragment—I can give it to you.”

Hearing this, Ning Xu smiled. “Do I need you to give me what I want?”

Hu Cao was momentarily dazed. It was clearly just a simple rhetorical question, yet he felt an overwhelming sense of pressure.

She was different. Completely different.

The first time he had met her, Ning Xu had just been a newly admitted disciple, listening to the morning lessons in the sect square.

Back then, she had been just one among a large group of disciples, nothing special—someone he wouldn’t have given a second glance. If he hadn’t heard her inner thoughts that day, she would have been no different from any other disciple.

At this thought, Hu Cao suddenly froze. Inner thoughts… Right! Inner thoughts. Why hadn’t he heard them again?

So… were those inner thoughts he had heard back then just an illusion? Or had something changed over the years?

As he pondered deeply, a spark ignited before his eyes, bursting like a firework. The searing heat felt as if it would melt him, pulling his scattered thoughts back together. Instinctively, he took a step back, a flicker of fear flashing through his heart.

At this moment, he clearly realized—standing before him was no longer an ordinary disciple of Wenxin Sect, but a Spirit Transformation Stage powerhouse.

She had the ability to keep him here forever.

Hu Cao’s tone became even more respectful. “No matter what you intend to do, I can help you—just spare my life.”

As soon as he said this, the remaining demon cultivators still alive spoke up.

“Hu Cao, you—?”

“Hu Cao, what do you mean?”

“If even Hu Cao has surrendered, should we still fight?”

“Fight my ass!”

As Ning Xu stepped forward, the others instinctively moved aside while keeping a wary eye on her.

“I want the position of Demon King,” she said.

Hu Cao had just claimed he would help her with anything she wanted, hadn’t he?

If what she wanted was the position of Demon King, what would he do?

Her voice carried on the wind, reaching everyone’s ears. Some were shocked, some scoffed, while others fell into deep thought.

Hu Cao silently walked to her side. “I will first take you to retrieve the last fragment.”

The Melon-Eating System clicked its tongue. 【Tsk tsk tsk, this male fox really knows how to adapt to the situation.】

【But I don’t recommend letting him live. He’s not a good person—many innocent men have fallen victim to his schemes.】

Ning Xu was well aware that Hu Cao wasn’t a good person, but for now, he was still useful.

The journey ahead went smoothly. Whenever they encountered obstacles, Hu Cao took care of them, demonstrating his usefulness through action.

After walking for more than half an hour, Hu Cao stopped and said respectfully, “It should be around here. The exact location is unclear, and we’ll need to search further.”

Ning Xu released Brother Pig.

Brother Pig sniffed the air and immediately dashed toward a specific spot. With a couple of scrapes of his hooves, he effortlessly unearthed the last fragment.

Hu Cao: ……

Stunned, he muttered, “That easy?”

The Melon-Eating System lazily retorted, 【What else did you expect?】

【Never underestimate Brother Pig’s appetite!】

【When it comes to food, he’s extremely dedicated! No one can match his greed!】

Ning Xu: ……

Brother Pig focused on eating, completely ignoring the Melon-Eating System.

Watching the last fragment disappear into Brother Pig’s stomach, Hu Cao spoke up. “The demon clan has long wanted to invade human territory. For years, they’ve been secretly plotting and even collaborating with some humans. Now that the peace treaty between humans and demons has expired, they’ve been waiting for their opportunity.”

“The Grand Elder has been working for years to revive the old Demon King. The method of revival requires assembling all four demon core fragments.”

“Now, all four fragments are inside your spirit beast’s stomach. From now on, you must be extremely careful.”

Ning Xu asked the Melon-Eating System, “How long will Brother Pig take to digest the fragment this time?”

【Hard to say.】

“Can he avoid falling into a deep sleep?”

【Of course. He has many ways to digest the fragment. Sleeping is just the easiest option.】

Ning Xu: ……

So, all this time she had Brother Pig bound to her, and he spent most of it sleeping… was he just slacking off?

Feeling a bit disillusioned, she asked, “Are all ferocious beasts this lazy?”

The Melon-Eating System replied, 【Only Brother Pig.】

Si Yan agreed. “Indeed. Moo Moo has never fallen into deep sleep.”

Ning Xu: !!!

They were both ferocious beasts, so why was Brother Pig such a lazy glutton?

She gestured to Hu Cao and the others, signaling them to withdraw for now.

Although he didn’t understand her intentions, Hu Cao still led his remaining subordinates away from the area.

Once the place was cleared, Ning Xu tried to negotiate with Brother Pig. “Brother Pig, how about you stay awake this time?”

Brother Pig looked at Ning Xu with his small eyes and asked, “What is it?”

Ning Xu said, “I want the position of Demon King.”

“You’re coming with me to the demon clan to fight for it.”

Brother Pig: “……”

This request was really pushing a pig beyond its limits.

With a look of disdain on his pig face, Brother Pig grunted, “I don’t want to be the Demon King.”

Ning Xu replied, “I’ll be the one taking the position.”

Brother Pig lazily flopped onto the ground. “You’re not a demon.”

Ning Xu said, “But you are, and that’s enough.”

The Melon-Eating System burst into wild laughter. 【On the surface, Brother Pig is the Demon King, but in reality, the true power lies in the hands of the host. Host, this is what you mean, right?】

Ning Xu hummed in agreement.

Brother Pig rolled over and lay flat on the ground, continuing the conversation in a lying-down position. “The position of Demon King isn’t easy to take.”

Ning Xu said, “That’s why I need your help.”

Brother Pig’s small eyes widened slightly, staring at Ning Xu. “There are a lot of powerful demons in the demon clan!”

Ning Xu nodded. “I know.”

“But not every demon loves to fight. From what I understand, a large portion of the demon clan isn’t interested in war.” Thanks to the peace treaty, most demons had grown accustomed to a stable life and now cherished peace, wanting to maintain their way of living.

She continued, “Right now, the one in charge of the demon clan is the Grand Elder that Hu Cao just mentioned. If we take her down, it’ll be as good as securing the position of Demon King.”

Brother Pig yawned. “So we just need to beat the Grand Elder, right?”

Ning Xu corrected him, “No, we need to defeat the Grand Elder and her supporters.”

Brother Pig asked, “How many powerful demons are in that group?”

“Five.”

Brother Pig snorted. “Alright. But let’s be clear—I’m never going to handle affairs, and once I finish digesting this fragment, you’d better find me some high-quality spiritual treasures to keep me full.”

Ning Xu agreed. “Alright.” That was her responsibility as his master.

Brother Pig heaved his fat body up, turned around, and took the lead. “Then let’s go. The sooner we finish this, the sooner it’s over.”

The Melon-Eating System cheered excitedly. 【Let’s go, let’s go! Time to stir up trouble in the demon clan!】