Third Valley Master of Ten Thousand Demons Valley

Old Yan and Ms. Xiao were a normal married couple, so of course they had a normal married life. But they were also cultivators—one had achieved some success in the Dao, while the other was still halfway there. It was easy to imagine that over the years, Old Yan's performance in the bedroom had left something to be desired.

This kind of thing came with the unavoidable pressures of middle age. Add to that the fact that their precious son Yan Kuan had never been by their side, and his mother might have started thinking about having another child. That would have put Old Yan under immense pressure.

"Dad, you're a grown man. Is it really that serious?"

Yan Kuan naturally wouldn't expose his father's last shred of stubborn pride. As he patted his shoulder, he discreetly slipped a jade bottle into his pocket.

Old Yan had been cultivating quite diligently over the years, just a hair's breadth away from opening the Sea of Bitterness. Yan Kuan figured he'd give him a little push to help him break through smoothly, so he wouldn't completely lose his standing as the man of the house.

The fact that Yan Kuan's parents had reached their current level of cultivation was entirely due to his continuous supply of spiritual liquid. Even so, it had taken nearly three years for them to barely achieve this much—proof that their aptitudes were truly unremarkable. But they were his parents, so of course he had to look after them.

"Dad, Mom, you've made some progress in your cultivation now, but here in Jingcheng, the mundane atmosphere is too thick. You won't reach any great heights."

After staying home for a few days and helping his father successfully open the Sea of Bitterness, Yan Kuan had formed some ideas about their future plans. He sat down with his parents to discuss them in detail. "My thought is that we should move our family business toward Sichuan.

The setup here in Jingcheng is mostly complete. We can find someone trustworthy to oversee it. We'll establish a company, hire professionals to manage and grow it, and stay in the background ourselves. As long as we have enough strength, those smart people won't dare to betray us."

"Son, we'll listen to you. Whatever you say."

The revitalized Old Yan had been strutting around these past few days, but when it came to major decisions, he still followed his son's lead. Xiao Lin doted on her son even more, so she naturally had no objections. Once the whole family reached a consensus, things became much easier.

Right after the New Year, Old Yan followed Yan Kuan's advice and recruited some professionals from Hong Kong to set up a branch company in Sichuan. While the company was busy hiring staff, the chairman's family had already left the city and headed deep into the uninhabited areas of the Daba Mountains.

"Son, is this the Ten Thousand Demons Valley you mentioned? It's magnificent!"

Inside a cliffside cave outside the Ten Thousand Demons Valley, Old Yan and Ms. Xiao looked down from afar at the vast valley shrouded in rising demonic energy. With their cultivators' keen eyesight, they could clearly see the enormous city deep within the valley.

"Dad, Mom, wait here for a few days. I'm going to have a proper talk with the people of Ten Thousand Demons Valley."

At around ten years old, Yan Kuan was no shorter than the average twelve-year-old boy. This time, he had come to the Ten Thousand Demons Valley with full confidence, which was why he had brought his parents along.

"Alright, son. Be careful."

Old Yan and Ms. Xiao were both reasonable people. They knew they couldn't help their son much, but they also wouldn't cause him trouble. After nodding, they quickly suppressed their auras and watched as their son flew off the cliff toward the Ten Thousand Demons Valley.

At the entrance of the Ten Thousand Demons Valley, a demon banner flapped noisily in the wind. The moment Yan Kuan landed, he heard faint whistling sounds rising from all around.

"What cultivator are you, trespassing on our Ten Thousand Demons Valley? State your name at once!"

A dozen demon soldiers appeared before Yan Kuan. They wore armor that gleamed with cold light, woven from metallic scales, with demonic energy flowing through it.

Yan Kuan spoke calmly, "Dan Master Li Feiyu requests an audience with the three Valley Lords of Ten Thousand Demons Valley. Please announce me."

"Dan Master? Li Feiyu? Wait here."

The demon soldier leader glanced at Yan Kuan after hearing his reply, clearly recognizing the name. After telling him to wait, he turned and went back into the valley to report.

"A distinguished guest arrives, and we failed to welcome you from afar. How rude! How rude!"

Yan Kuan didn't wait long before he saw a cloud of demonic energy descend ahead of him. Over a dozen demons appeared in his sight, among them the Horse Monkey Demon he had traded with before. The one leading them was also a monkey—with a thunderbolt mouth, Fiery Golden Eyes, and fur gleaming with golden light.

"Li Feiyu of Shu Mountain greets the Third Valley Lord."

Yan Kuan recognized this great demon at a glance. A being so reminiscent of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven from Journey to the West could only be the Third Valley Lord of Ten Thousand Demons Valley, Sun Wukong.

"Brother Li, no need for formalities. Our Ten Thousand Demons Valley has always been hospitable and loves to befriend outstanding human elites. Why don't we enter the valley and talk?"

As he spoke, the Third Valley Lord extended his right hand toward Yan Kuan, clearly intending a handshake. It seemed this demon monkey was quite up with the times.

"The Third Valley Lord is too kind."

Yan Kuan smiled as he took out an ancient sword and held it in his left hand, then extended his right hand to shake Sun Wukong's in a polite gesture. Under the Third Valley Lord's guidance, he entered the depths of the Ten Thousand Demons Valley for the first time.

Deep within the valley lay an ancient city, built in the age of antiquity. It wasn't particularly grand, but it carried a breathtaking momentum.

The black walls were constructed entirely from ink-colored crystal. Though not vast in area, they were awe-inspiring—built by the hands of an Ancient Demon Saint, with saintly marks left behind.

They entered the ancient city and arrived at a mansion. The Third Valley Lord invited Yan Kong to sit and ordered demon maids to serve tea before speaking politely, "Brother Li, what business brings you to our Ten Thousand Demons Valley today?"

As he spoke, his gaze unconsciously drifted to Yan Kuan's left hand. The bronze sword, ancient in form and hidden in its sheath, gave him an extremely dangerous feeling—as if drawing it could take his life. It put him under great pressure.

"Third Valley Lord, I won't beat around the bush. I came to the Ten Thousand Demons Valley today to talk about unfinished business from three years ago. Though we never met face to face back then, I'd say we've been kindred spirits for quite some time, wouldn't you?"

Yan Kuan spoke with a smile, occasionally fiddling with the ancient sword in his hand, making the already impatient monkey even more restless. When he saw the monkey was about to lose his composure, he added slowly, "The Ten Thousand Demons Valley provides the spiritual herbs, and I'll refine the pills for you. That way, we both benefit."

The Third Valley Lord calmed down when Yan Kuan brought up the matter and replied with a smile, "So Brother Li is talking about that. I had the same intention back then, but Brother Li's sudden departure left us quite disappointed."

"As for why I left back then, the Third Valley Lord should be able to guess the reason. I was too weak at the time and didn't have the courage to meet you all face to face."

As he spoke, Yan Kuan laid the ancient sword horizontally across his lap. The intense killing aura caused several demons with weaker resolve to revert to their original forms. Though he didn't say it outright, the meaning was clear—with this ancient sword in hand, Yan Kuan was confident enough to speak with them as equals.