Let time slip back a little.
Deep beneath the dark earth, a series of crisp chimes suddenly rang out.
An orange cat, carrying a long sword on her back, held a string of bells between her paws and shook them repeatedly.
The chimes came from the bells.
After shaking them for a while, the orange cat asked uncertainly, "Bingli, do you think that Heavenly Demoness will come?"
A voice came from the sword on her back. "By the way—how long has it been since Gu Qingshan last saw that female demon?"
Hmm? How long had it been?
Mountain Girl thought back carefully and said, "The last time they met, Young Master was still in the God Illumination Realm."
Luo Bingli gave a cold snort. "Tsk, tsk. They've gone fifteen realms without seeing each other. No matter how close they were, they must be strangers by now."
Mountain Girl shook the bells as she hesitated. "Not necessarily. I think that female demon seems to feel something special for Young Master."
Luo Bingli grew interested. "Oh? You mean that thing?"
"Right, that thing—though I think she dresses far too provocatively to be worthy of Young Master," Mountain Girl said.
"Does that Heavenly Demoness have a name?" Luo Bingli asked.
"I think it's Li An. Li as in 'departing flame,' An as in 'darkness,'" Mountain Girl said.
"What does she do?"
"Heavenly Demoness Empress."
"...Another empress. Is she a sheltered flower, like Reneedol?" Luo Bingli said disdainfully.
"No. She's a demon king who devours people's souls," Mountain Girl said.
Luo Bingli's tone turned solemn. "That gives us another sliver of hope. Things are so perilous this time, I doubt we'll make it through. No, whatever happens, we have to keep that female demon here!"
"Come to think of it, Heavenly Demons are originally