The Beast-Eared Girl's Crown

The Beast-Eared Girl's Crown had been successfully forged, and the pleasant chime of the system notification rang out in Zhao Gongming's mind once more.

[ Ding! Congratulations, Host, on successfully forging the Conceptual Level Magic Treasure, the Beast-Eared Girl's Crown!]

[Recipient: Lu Ya (Crown Prince of the Demon Race)]

[Critical reward triggered!]

[Congratulations, you have received: Cultivation Infusion!]

A vast, pure torrent of spiritual power erupted inside Zhao Gongming in an instant.

His cultivation had already been firmly established at the middle stage of Golden Immortal.

Now, it shot upward as if he'd climbed aboard a rocket!

Late-stage Golden Immortal!

Peak Golden Immortal!

Until at last... he reached the pinnacle of Golden Immortal!

He was only one step away from proving the Dao fruit of a Taiyi Immortal!

Zhao Gongming's aura surged around him, and the Thirty-Six Sea-Calming Divine Pearls automatically sprang to his defense.

They released brilliant Five-Colored Radiance, forcing Xuandu, Dizang, Cihang, Lu Ya, and the others back several steps.

"Th-this... did you just break through?!"

Grand Master Xuandu's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Peak Golden Immortal? It's only been a short while! Junior Brother, what were you eating to grow this fast?"

Cihang and Dizang exchanged a stunned look, their hearts filled with shock.

After all, once one reached the Golden Immortal realm,

every step forward required thousands, even tens of thousands, of years of cultivation and insight.

But Zhao Gongming had forged a magic treasure and jumped up several levels just like that?

"Junior Brother, how on earth did you do that?"

Xuandu couldn't help asking.

Zhao Gongming slowly reined in his aura and opened his eyes, a glint flashing within them.

With his hands behind his back, he gazed up at the sky and struck the pose of a lonely master. Then he said calmly,

"It was nothing."

"I only made a slight move, and that was already your limit."

Xuandu: "..."

Cihang: "..."

Suddenly, they felt they'd have been better off not asking!

That was so unbearably smug!

Just then, Lu Ya hurried over, his eyes shining.

"Senior Brother, where's my magic treasure? Let me see it!"

Zhao Gongming handed Lu Ya the gleaming golden crown.

He also praised its Absolute Dominion effect to the skies.

But he didn't mention a word about the side effects of transforming into a beast-eared girl and adding "meow" to everything he said.

He only described it as a special activation ritual.

"Just wearing it will let me command all the demons?" Lu Ya asked doubtfully.

"Of course!"

Zhao Gongming pointed to the three men beside him.

"If you don't believe me, ask them. My magic treasure may work in a unique way, but its effects are absolutely top-notch!"

Xuandu, Cihang, and Dizang exchanged glances.

Though their hearts were bleeding, they nodded firmly.

After all, as long as they got to watch someone else suffer Social Death too, they'd feel better.

"Good! Wonderful!"

Lu Ya was thrilled.

"Come on, Senior Brother, let's return to the Demon Court!"

"I'll take you to meet Father Emperor and my second uncle, and explain that misunderstanding from earlier!"

"Once I demonstrate this magic treasure, Father Emperor will surely believe that Senior Brother Cihang is innocent!"

With that, the group took off on streaks of light and headed straight for the Demon Court, beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens.

The human tribes below were left in utter disarray.

Suiren Shi, Youchao Shi, and Ziyi Shi stared at one another.

The image of Dijun-chan winking kept replaying in their minds, leaving them pale as paper.

"Wh-where did those disciples of the Saints come from?"

"Are the Dao paths cultivated by the disciples of the Saints... all this strange?"

Youchao Shi swallowed and spoke as if questioning his entire existence.

"Maybe... this is just the world of the powerful?"

"When the powerful do something, they must have their reasons..."

Deep within chaos, at Wa Huang Palace,

Empress Nuwa reclined lazily on a cloud bed, gazing at the shattered water mirror before her. Her peerless face wore a complicated expression.

She shook her head helplessly and sighed.

"What on earth are the personal disciples of my three senior brothers?"

"What in the world are those magic treasures they use?"

"Anyone who didn't know better would think they were some kind of unorthodox cultivators!"

"But..."

Nuwa recalled Cihang's transformation into a magical girl earlier, and the corners of her lips lifted slightly.

"Cihang really did look quite cute in a skirt."

"And that twin-tailed Di Jun..."

Nuwa shuddered.

"I really can't bear to watch that a second time in my life... No, why does it feel kind of addictive?"

"Do I actually want to watch it a few more times?"

At the South Heaven Gate of the Demon Court, Lu Ya led Zhao Gongming and the others straight through without hindrance.

Everywhere they looked, they saw magnificent towers and pavilions, resplendent in gold and jade.

Countless great demons patrolled the grounds, bowing respectfully whenever they saw Lu Ya.

"Greetings, Your Highness!"

Looking at the luxurious surroundings, Zhao Gongming couldn't help sighing.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. The evils of feudalism!"

"The evils of decadent luxury! The evils of power!"

Beside him, Grand Master Xuandu couldn't resist chiding him.

"Junior Brother, don't you always use your status as a disciple of a Saint to throw your weight around?"

"Just now, you were shouting about being a personal disciple of the Three Pure Ones louder than anyone."

Zhao Gongming paused, then suddenly came around. He slapped his thigh excitedly.

"Oh, right!"

"I'm part of the privileged class too! I have plenty of power!"

"Who says this feudal mythology is bad? This mythology is wonderful. I love it!"

While they were joking around,

Rumble!

A deafening crash suddenly came from the direction of the Demon Emperor Palace ahead.

Terrifying True Sun Fire raged, while the toll of the Chaos Bell shook the Nine Heavens.

Two towering figures were locked in a fierce battle in midair, fighting tooth and nail.

They were Eastern Emperor Taiyi and Demon Emperor Dijun!

"Monster, get out of my elder brother's body this instant!"

Eastern Emperor Taiyi's eyes were bloodshot, the Chaos Bell hovering over his head as he hammered away and roared.

"My elder brother would never have such a filthy kink!"

"You won't tarnish his good name!"

Dijun on the other side was being beaten as he fled, looking bewildered and aggrieved.

"Second Brother, have you gone mad?!"

"I'm perfectly clearheaded! I'm completely normal! You're the one who's lost your mind!"

"I'm your elder brother! How dare you attack me?!"

In a corner, Demon Master Kunpeng had curled up into a trembling ball.

He didn't dare step in to break up the fight, afraid the brothers would turn on him and beat him up together.

Seeing that things were about to spiral out of control, Zhao Gongming charged forward without a second thought. He gathered his strength and shouted,

"Stop!!"

"Don't fight anymore! Please, don't fight!!"

His shout made Taiyi and Dijun pause for an instant.

Lu Ya rushed after him and darted between the two, calling out anxiously,

"Father Emperor, Second Uncle, stop fighting!"

"There's nothing like that going on! It was all a misunderstanding!"

"This is all because of a magic treasure forged by Senior Brother Zhao. No monster has possessed anyone!"

Taiyi and Dijun stopped at the same time and looked at Lu Ya suspiciously.

"A magic treasure?" Taiyi frowned.

"What kind of magic treasure could turn Elder Brother into... into that?"

Lu Ya took a deep breath. To prove his innocence and demonstrate the treasure's power,

he stopped hesitating and summoned the gleaming golden Beast-Eared Girl's Crown, placing it on his head.

"Second Uncle, watch closely. I'll show you!"

A flash of pink light passed over him.

The next moment, the entire scene fell silent.

The once valiant Crown Prince Lu Ya

now had a pair of fuzzy cat ears sprouting from his head, twitching back and forth.

A long cat tail had appeared behind him as well.

He looked incredibly cute and sweet, radiating an irresistible urge to give him a good rub.

Lu Ya had no idea how shocking his appearance was.

He looked earnestly at Taiyi and Dijun and began to explain,

"Father Emperor, Second Uncle!"

"It really is just the effect of the magic treasure, meow!"

"That's all there is to it, meow!"

Taiyi: "..."

Dijun: "..."

Kunpeng: "..."

Behind them, Zhao Gongming covered his mouth, his shoulders shaking wildly.

It was over. The Demon Court... had been truly corrupted this time.