427 - Senior Sister Is on Top
Upon hearing the last four words, Tang Muxi’s eyes grew cold. A surge of anger arose as she recalled Yun Yuchen, Feng Gaoyi, and the others. She didn't know the purpose of the runic spell, but she could recognize the ancient characters on it, dating back tens of thousands of years. Demonic energy forming script—such power was beyond what ordinary people could wield. In almost an instant, Tang Muxi reacted. Her red lips parted slightly, and she spoke gravely, "This is the work of ‘demons.’ Among the descendants of divine beasts, someone must have already betrayed us." The entire room fell silent at her words. Everyone knew that “demons” were the culprits behind the death of the Divine Emperor and the destruction of the divine beasts. But now, these descendants of the divine beasts were actually taking a thief for their father, working for the very destroyers of their kind. How could this not provoke anger? Tang Muxi couldn’t fathom the thoughts of these people. Making a deal with the devil would surely end badly. But blinded by greed, one by one, they rushed toward their own doom. Jiang Yin, sensing his junior sister’s rising agitation, quickly held her hand and transmitted his voice, “Calm down.” Pulled back to reality by him, Tang Muxi gradually cast off her irritation and began to thoughtfully examine the runic paper in her hand. “Relay my decree: Search the entire demon realm for similar runic papers. Since the enemy has started their actions, they must have a plot in place, and it’s unlikely this is the only one. Once found, bring it to me immediately.” As for the traitorous descendant of the divine beast… Tang Muxi had no interest in that person and did not order an investigation. After all, there were too many willing betrayals, and dealing with them was not worth implicating innocents. But some things, even if she didn’t speak of them, others would still act on their own. “Why is the Western Demon King leaving so quickly? Could it be that the late-stage Divine Transformation divine beast descendant is one of your clan?” After leaving the realm of the gods, Xun Yi saw Wen Dai hurrying away. Stroking his beard, he squinted his eyes and approached her. Just now, Chi Yue’s words had all pointed toward the divine beasts of the western region, and Wen Dai was the head of the most prosperous family among them. Catching the schadenfreude in his tone, Wen Dai’s face darkened. She scoffed coldly, “Elder Xun, do not forget that the demon realm no longer differentiates between east and west. Such fallacies might hint at rebellious intentions.” Seeing Xun Yi’s face stiffen after she spoke, Wen Dai felt immensely satisfied. The cultivation at the late stage of Divine Transformation was neither high nor low, and the divine beast clan had several members within this range. Coincidentally, there were a few in the Qingluan royal family. Having rebuffed Xun Yi, Wen Dai ignored him and hurried to question Chi Yue further. Previously occupied with eradicating ghost threats, she hadn’t asked much. Today, she learned it was a member of the divine beast clan. To betray the “demon,” even without the Divine Emperor’s insistence, she would not let it go. * Wen Dai had spent many years in power, wielding not only formidable strength but also unparalleled strategy and cunning. After returning from her discussion with Chi Yue, she immediately began her investigation. She focused on a male descendant of a divine beast in the late stage of Divine Transformation who was frequently venturing out to bury runic papers. With many clues converging, Wen Dai quickly set her sights on Wen Caibai. Though Wen Caibai was nominally a member of the Qingluan clan, he was actually one of the Five Phoenixes—specifically, a white phoenix known as Honghu. To ensure no mistakes, Wen Dai visited the burial sites and used a powerful retrospection spell to recreate the scenes of those days. The results were unmistakable: that night, Wen Caibai, though cleverly disguised and without using Qingluan magic, betrayed a hint of his true essence when he fled. Pure and pristine, yet hidden within was demonic energy. With just one glance, Wen Dai identified him as a corrupted Honghu. Except for Yun Yuchen, this was already the second case of a divine beast falling to the demon side. Wen Dai, with swift and overwhelming force, captured Wen Caibai and strictly interrogated him, aiming to uncover the purpose and locations of the runic papers. However, no matter how much she pressured or punished him, he remained silent. Wen Dai admired his resilience, but that was all. This matter implicated the entire demon realm, and the consequences were unpredictable. With him remaining silent, Wen Dai resorted to soul-searching forbidden techniques to forcibly extract his memories. But just as she was about to act, Wen Caibai suddenly self-destructed, obliterating his soul so thoroughly that not even a wisp remained. This wasn't voluntary on Wen Caibai’s part. In fact, since Wen Dai had captured him, he had been deprived of his cultivation. Being able to self-destruct without spiritual power meant someone had preemptively planted a secret technique within him. With the trail gone cold, finding more runic papers became even harder. No matter how hard she tried, Wen Dai only managed to find three more. Including the ones discovered by Xun Yi, there were a total of five runic papers. These were not the entirety. Wen Dai wanted to continue searching but was out of time. Soon, the Demon Emperor and Ghost Emperor, who had been lingering at the shores of the Yellow Springs Sea, made their move. Chapter 244 The Ghost Emperor and Demon Emperor stormed in with overwhelming momentum, bringing an army of twenty thousand straight into the Yellow Springs Sea. The Yellow Springs Sea connects the realms of life and death. The mists over the sea could confuse the mind, making it tricky even for those in the Great Ascension stage to navigate without getting irreversibly lost. Yet, Yin Sheng and Chao E remained unfazed, armed with divine artifacts capable of easily dispelling the mist. “Hmph, after so many years, this mist is still as detestable,” Yin Sheng stepped forward, standing in front of ten thousand cultivators, gazing into the fog with a complicated expression. It wasn’t his first visit. Years ago, while disrupting the demon realm, he had crossed these mists without the State Map, relying solely on the formidable power of the Heaven-Demon Halberd to forcibly split the mist. This method was overly domineering, consuming much energy, and the path created quickly became covered in mist again. Now, having obtained the State Map, resolving the predicament was effortless. Yin Sheng raised his hand, and a meticulously crafted painting scroll soared into the sky. The jade scrolls on both sides were intricately carved with lifelike lotus blossoms, emitting a chilling glow. If Tang Muxi were here, she would recognize these lotuses as strikingly similar to those on the Ji Shi Lotus Lantern, as if they were part of the same artifact. The scroll hovered in the air, serene as still water, but the aura it emanated was unparalleled. Its mere presence dimmed the heavens and earth, assembling a divine might powerful enough to change the world. Using his demonic power, Yin Sheng unfurled the scroll. In an instant, an exquisitely grand depiction of mountains and rivers expanded before everyone.