396-397: The Wonders of Dao Artifacts! The Nightmare Royal Family's Powerful Filial Piety

With Chen Dengming withdrawing some of his Primordial Spirit power, the Thirty-second Prince immediately gained the strength to fight back.

However, at that moment, Chen Dengming took out a tree branch from his Storage Bag and used a hand seal to cast the first-tier Technique Method, <Water Yin Wood Lush Poison Gu Art>, which he had not used for a long time.

Once this technique was used, the thrown branches immediately emitted a putrid odor, bursting open into strands of fungus that swiftly entered the pores of the Thirty-second Prince's body.

"Well!"

The Thirty-second Prince's expression changed drastically. His body, which was about to move, stiffened as the fungal poison that had invaded his body quickly took control of him. Even the flow of his golden core power was blocked and suppressed.

Now, when Chen Dengming uses the <Water Yin Wood Lush Poison Gu Art> again, although the Technique Method is still a first-tier Technique Method, the Nascent Soul Power released by Chen Dengming endows this first-tier Technique Method with extraordinary power.

The Thirty-second Prince's golden core Law Power was firmly suppressed by the mycelium infused with the Nascent Soul's Law Power.

Even its body was gradually controlled by the mycelium, making it perform strange actions according to Chen Dengming's will.

The numerous guards and subordinates around him were all mentally invaded by Chen Dengming, their minds firmly imprisoned and stunned, frozen in mid-air.

To the patrolling demons and Devil Cultivators in the distance, this scene appeared as if the esteemed Thirty-second Prince were hovering in mid-air, humbly inquiring of others.

Under these circumstances, no one dared to approach and investigate.

The Demon Kingdom has a strict class system. The royal family has the purest demon bloodline, and even powerful Devil Cultivators are inferior to the royal family.

"These people aren't so easy to control. If we leave now, even if I manage to control the Prince later through the Human Heart Hall, he and his guards and followers will take advantage of the lull to spread the news of the attack and raise alarms!"

Chen Dengming thought to himself, plans can't keep up with changes.

He had previously thought he could easily invade the mind of a Golden Core Devil Cultivator.

The task was accomplished, but it only involved controlling the mind of a Golden Core Devil Cultivator beside the Prince.

The Prince himself, however, was protected from having his mind invaded due to the power of his bloodline.

In this situation, even if the Water Yin Wood Lush Poison Gu Art temporarily controls the situation, once he enters the Human Heart Hall and cannot be distracted, an accident may occur.

He acted decisively, quickly activating the Sound Transmission Jade Talisman to transmit his voice.

"Sect Master Zhuang, Fellow Bai Zhi, I need your assistance to take over my position and fill in for a period of time. Follow me later."

A few breaths later.

Chen Dengming forcibly controlled the Thirty-second Prince and his guards and attendants.

They landed in a building area near the Marketplace below and requisitioned one of the buildings and its courtyard.

Chen Dengming, disguised as Prince's attendant, used his power to order, "Everyone inside, come out immediately! His Highness the Thirty-second Prince has noticed something amiss with your residence. Cooperate with the investigation right away!"

The person living in the mansion is a Foundation Establishment Devil Cultivator.

By this time, they were already terrified by the sight and their faces turned deathly pale.

Upon hearing this, he stepped out of the courtyard, trembling with fear, and bowed, pleading his innocence.

"Prince Highness, Xiao Xiu is a sworn brother of Lin Qi, the centurion of the southern city. He is utterly loyal to the royal family. Xiao Xiu here..."

Chen Dengming frowned and interrupted, shouting, "Stop talking nonsense! Whether there's a problem or not is up to His Highness the Prince. Get out of here! If you dare to obstruct His Prince's business again, you'll be killed on the spot!"

The Foundation Establishment Devil Cultivator's expression changed.

Seeing that the group of people in front of him all had cold faces and lowered their heads, not uttering a word, and that the Prince sitting in the flying carriage was even more inscrutable.

The cultivator dared not disobey or ask any questions, and immediately withdrew from the residence, allowing Chen Dengming and the others to file in. However, he did not notice the rapidly changing eyes under the lowered heads of the group.

Soon, Chen Dengming activated the Formation within the courtyard.

A fragrant breeze, accompanied by the rustling of tree leaves, drifted into the courtyard.

Two beams of light flashed and transformed into the figures of Zhuang Chengxian, the sect leader of the Bright Light Sect Mingguang Sect, and Bai Zhi, the Saintess Bai Zhi, inside the room.

Seeing the dozen or so people inside the room completely controlled by Chen Dengming, including two Golden Core Devil Cultivators, Bai Zhi was shocked.

Chen Dengming waved his sleeve to close the door, then looked at Zhuang Chengxian and Bai Zhi and transmitted his voice, "I have already intimidated and controlled the minds of all these people, but this Prince is controlled by Technique Method. I need you to take my place and guard this place for at least half a cup of tea."

If anyone breaks free from control, you will need to act quickly to regain control of the situation.

Despite his doubts, Zhuang Chengxian immediately raised his hand in a bow, saying, "Sect Leader Chen, please rest assured, Zhuang and Bai Zhi will definitely make it for you within the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea."

"Good!"

Chen Dengming glanced at Bai Zhi, nodded in acknowledgment, went into the inner room, and took out the Soul House from his bosom.

"Daoist, fellow Daoist, go in peace, I will protect you!"

Soul House, the Little Array Spirit's figure flashed, revealing her graceful figure clad in a gossamer-thin gauze dress, her curves alluring, before Chen Dengming's eyes.

"Um!"

Chen Dengming nodded with satisfaction, quickly gathered his mind, guarded his heart without any thought, and swiftly entered the Human Heart Hall, whose outline had emerged in his Sea of Consciousness.

At the same time.

Inside the capital of Nightmare Country.

A demon general with a tiger's head and a human body, who was in charge of the safety of the royal family, flew to the Inner City wall wearing majestic armor.

His appearance was ferocious and terrifying. He was two zhang tall, with black and yellow fur that was stiff and strong. His hands and feet were thick and strong. He had a huge, rough claw like a palm-leaf fan. He held a Sound Transmission Jade Talisman in his hand, which exuded a terrifying aura. He frowned and asked a question.

"Was it His Highness the Thirty-second Prince who just left the palace?"

The Devil Cultivator on duty at the city wall replied respectfully, "Reporting to Commander Wang, it is His Highness the Thirty-second Prince who has left the palace. We have recorded it according to regulations. Prince Highness is heading to the Qilefang Dingwu Pavilion in the outer city!"

"Eccentric!"

The tiger-headed, human-bodied commander frowned. "The guards following His Highness are personally trained by me and are certainly aware of the rules."

"Your Highness, whenever you leave the Nightmare Imperial Palace area, you must report to me every short time it takes to drink a cup of tea."

Just then, the Sound Transmission Jade Talisman at his waist lit up, transmitting a message about the Thirty-second Prince.

"Wrong!"

Commander Tiger Head's expression changed slightly. He let out a low roar that echoed in all directions, "Fourth Squad of Guards, immediately follow me out!"

At this moment, in the residential area near the Marketplace where Chen Dengming was located, some demons and Devil Cultivators had been alarmed by the Thirty-second Prince's sudden inspection. They all came out of their homes, discussing and pointing amongst themselves.

The fishy, pungent smell in the air quickly became even stronger.

The Foundation Establishment Devil Cultivator who had been driven out of his residence dared not stray far, waiting anxiously outside his own courtyard as if awaiting judgment.

"What is Sect Leader Chen doing? This is too dangerous! If we fail, not only will we alert the enemy, but we'll also be surrounded. We have to fight our way out!"

In a pavilion not far from the mansion, the Seven-eyed True Lord Wu Xiangui lay in wait, transmitting his doubts through telepathy.

Mo Jiazheng, the Supreme Elder of the Shu Sword Pavilion, said solemnly, "Now we can only patiently wait for good news from Sect Leader Chen and give him our full trust."

There is no other way.

Aside from this plan, even if we managed to sneak in and reach the Imperial Palace of the Nightmare Country's capital, we wouldn't be able to avoid the array's power and infiltrate; we would have no choice but to force our way in.

Are you confident you can force your way through the protective Formation and kill the Nightmare Country and the Northern Yin Holy Mother? I'm afraid they'll escape before we even find them."

Seven-eyed True Lord Wu Xiangui was speechless for a moment.

If two Nascent Soul True Lord wanted to hide within the protective formation of the Nightmare Country's Imperial Palace, it would indeed be very difficult to kill them unless eight or nine Nascent Soul True Lord attacked together.

Just like the Mountain Protecting Formation of the Longevity Sect back then, if it were five or six Nascent Soul True Lord attacking, Chen Dengming wouldn't have needed to escape at all.

With three Nascent Soul on our side guarding the formation together, we can hold out for at least a few days, if not the longest.

At that moment, a terrifying spiritual aura emanated from the sky ahead, and the sunlight dimmed instantly.

A tiger-headed, human-bodied demon, as tall as a small building and two zhang in height, flew in with a group of Devil Cultivators dressed in standard armor, instantly startling all the surrounding cultivators into retreating.

"Great Demon General at the peak of the Golden Core Perfection? This should be the Tiger General Commander of the Nightmare Country."

Qiao Zhaoxian's expression changed slightly as he stared at the tiger-headed demon that stood like a small mountain in the courtyard. A sense of oppression emanated from it, causing the surrounding streets to fall silent.

The combat power of ordinary Demon Beasts is comparable to that of top sect cultivators of the same realm, while the combat power of demons is almost comparable to that of Dao Child of the same realm who possess Dao power.

This Tiger General Commander should be among the top five strongest figures in the Nightmare Country, enough to make Qiao Zhaoxian seriously, but he is not enough to be taken seriously by Seven-eyed True Lord and Elder Mo.

However, the two were now on tenterhooks, never expecting that a demon leader would suddenly appear, seemingly having discovered the problem.

Mo Jiazheng took a deep breath and transmitted his voice, "Fellow Daoist Wu, get ready. If anything changes, we will directly storm into the Imperial Palace. I believe Sect Master Zhuang and Sect Leader Chen will follow quickly."

Nephew Qiao, you and Nephew Bai shall proceed as originally planned.

He had just finished transmitting his message when suddenly the Tiger General on the other end, seemingly having received no instructions, let out an impatient roar.

"Men, break the Formation on this house!"

The tiger's roar transformed into sound waves, whipping up a gale that was deafening, causing the two demons dragging the flying chariot in the courtyard to tremble in fear.

Mo Jiazheng's expression changed drastically. "Get ready!"

"Does Commander Hu Ben perhaps have a problem with His Highness the Prince?"

Just then, an unpleasant voice came from inside the courtyard.

The door suddenly opened, and figures filed out one after another.

The leading Golden Core Devil Cultivator snorted.

Commander Hu Ben frowned in surprise and immediately raised his hand to stop his subordinates who were about to break through the courtyard's Formation, coldly shouting.

"Dream Demon, you have your duties as a protector, and I, the commander, have my responsibilities. Why have you been so slow in reporting His Highness's situation to me?"

His second half of the sentence was a question directed at the other Devil Cultivators in the courtyard.

But unusually, none of these Devil Cultivators showed any awe or fear after being reprimanded.

Fortunately, the Formation at the courtyard gate blocked their view, and the Tiger General Commander was unable to detect it immediately.

Just then, with a creak, the gate of the mansion opened.

The Thirty-second Prince's tall figure appeared right in front of the Tiger Guard Commander through the open courtyard gate.

In his arms, Bai Zhi's figure was still half-leaning against him.

The Thirty-second Prince, embracing a beauty, said impatiently.

"Prince Tiger Warrior! I merely went out hunting and was in high spirits, and specifically instructed no one to spread the news. Do you perhaps wish to share this pleasure with me, Commander Tiger Prince?"

"Your Highness!"

Commander Hu Ben's heart skipped a beat. When he saw Bai Zhi's alluring appearance, he knew perfectly well that the Thirty-second Prince's old habit had relapsed. He immediately clasped his hands and bowed his head in respect.

"I apologize for disturbing Your Highness's enjoyment."

In the Demon Kingdom, bloodlines are highly valued. Even if his strength surpasses that of the Princes, the Thirty-second Prince's bloodline is far more noble, and he possesses the strength of a Golden Core cultivator, making him one of the most outstanding Princes. How could anyone dare to offend him?

"Very well, Commander Tiger has been dutiful and meritorious. This time, Prince was wrong. Now that Prince safety has been confirmed, Commander Tiger may return."

"Yes!"

The Tiger General felt relieved and immediately withdrew his troops.

At the gate, the Foundation Establishment Devil Cultivator, who had been driven out of his own residence, stared in astonishment at Bai Zhi, who was being held in the arms of the Thirty-second Prince, and who possessed a natural allure.

Did this female cultivator emerge from his room?

The reason the Thirty-second Prince broke into his residence was because of this woman?

How come he hadn't noticed such a beautiful female cultivator before?

"Sect Leader Chen succeeded?"

In the corner, Mo Jiazheng, his mind tense, uncertainly transmitted his thoughts.

"This... it must have been a success, right?" Qiao Zhaoxian shocked and bewildered. "Could it be that this Prince, after assessing the situation, betrayed us?"

At the same time.

Inside the house, Zhuang Chengxian and Bai Zhi both breathed a sigh of relief.

The Thirty-second Prince retreated into the house, released his arm from Bai Zhi's, and a hint of confusion and struggle flashed in his eyes before he quickly regained his composure. When he spoke, he actually used Chen Dengming's voice to transmit his thoughts.

"There's no time to lose. This Prince, along with those demons and Devil Cultivators outside, are all under my control."

But their resistance was also considerable.

Especially this Prince from Nightmare Country, I will now escort you into the Nightmare Imperial Palace. It just so happens that this Prince will be taking eight female cultivators back with him on this trip, which is a perfect opportunity to cover it up."

Zhuang Chengxian asked, "Sect Leader Chen, what about you?"

"I am unable to move for the time being and can only stay here. This Thirty-second Prince knows the locations of his father, the Nightmare Country Lord, and the Northern Yin Holy Mother."

Once you're inside, launch a direct attack on the target. I'll be there to provide backup!

"Good!"

Zhuang Chengxian quickly nodded in agreement.

At times like these, even if there are many doubts, they must be kept to oneself, because there is not much time to explain. One must give the greatest possible trust to one's teammates.

"Sect Leader Chen, be careful!"

Bai Zhi's beautiful eyes gazed intently into the Thirty-second Prince's eyes, as if trying to see through them to locate Chen Dengming.

In the end, however, she was left only with disappointment.

"Let's go! Fellow Daoist Bai, you take control of that Foundation Establishment Devil Cultivator outside later."

Chen Dengming manipulated the mind of the Thirty-second Prince and issued commands.

Now.

Human Heart Hall, Chen Dengming sat upright in the center of the hall, with the candles in the lamps of the soul on one side flickering slightly.

Within the flames, faces contorted in agony and struggle were revealed.

However, these faces were quickly replaced and covered by Chen Dengming's face, and the flickering flames quickly calmed down.

At this point, it seemed that Chen Dengming had truly put to good use the powerful abilities of the Human Heart Hall, this Dao artifact.

He devoted himself entirely to controlling the Thirty-second Prince and his retinue of protectors.

It was as if they had become bystanders watching a game of chess.

All the demons and Devil Cultivators became pawns on his chessboard.

Although Mental Strength is being continuously depleted, the targets being controlled are all those with weak cultivation levels.

This rate of depletion can be maintained with the Heart Mending Pill.

Soon, he controlled the Thirty-second Prince and his entourage to enter the Marketplace and take away eight female cultivators from the Daoist priest they were trading with.

Then, halfway through the journey, they brought in Mo Jiazheng and others who had already disguised themselves as women, forming a female cultivation group that would soon be favored by the Thirty-second Prince, and then headed back home.

After that, everything went smoothly.

Even when entering the Nightmare Imperial Palace, there were no dangers or setbacks.

The hobbies of the Thirty-second Prince are widely known.

It was common for him to go out hunting for women and bring a dozen or so female cultivators back to the Imperial Palace for fun.

This time was no exception.

There were no demons guarding the gate who would deliberately provoke the Prince; they rigorously and meticulously examined everyone.

"The Nightmare Country Lord resides in the Nightmare Palace deep within the Imperial Palace. That Nightmare Palace is no ordinary place; it is the treasured heirloom of the Nightmare Country's demons."

We don't have time to wait any longer. It would be best to use these Thirty-second Princes to lure him out."

After successfully infiltrating the Nightmare Imperial Palace, Chen Dengming quickly manipulated the Thirty-second Prince to separate from the others, and hid in the palace with Mo Jiazheng and the other two, communicating through telepathy.

"The question now is, how should we deal with the Northern Yin Holy Mother?"

The Nightmare Country Lord and the Northern Yin Holy Mother Kingdom, one is at the Nascent Soul Perfection, and the other is at the Nascent Soul Late Stage.

It will take me a while to get here. If the three of you attack the Nightmare Country Lord at the same time, there is a high probability that he will die.

But the Northern Yin Holy Mother will also be alerted, and given her personality, she will definitely run away!

If we attack the Northern Yin Holy Mother first...

Mo Jiazheng solemnly said, "Let's kill the Nightmare Country Lord first! He's even stronger."

"Good, kill the Nightmare Country Lord first."

Seven-eyed True Lord Wu Xiangui nodded. "His son lured him out, so he won't be too wary. Killing him will leave the Nightmare Country leaderless and ineffective, which is more meaningful."

Bright Light Sect Zhuang Chengxian pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded without objection.

This is indeed the safest arrangement at present.

If Chen Dengming were still here, the problem would be much easier to solve.

One person held off the Northern Yin Holy Mother, while the other three quickly eliminated the Nightmare Country Lord, and then combined their strength to kill the Northern Yin Holy Mother.

But now that Chen Dengming is gone, we can no longer spare any effort.

Even if Mo Jiazheng is a Nascent Soul Perfection expert, it's hard to say whether the two of them could quickly resolve the battle against Nightmare Country Lord.

If time is delayed, the dangers and uncertainties will increase significantly.

"If that's the case, then it's decided. The three of you will take Nightmare Country Lord together."

"If the Northern Yin Holy Mother escapes the Imperial Palace, I will delay her; I will not enter the Imperial Palace!"

Chen Dengming transmitted his voice through the Thirty-second Prince.

Mo Jiazheng and the other two immediately understood the purpose of his arrangement.

"Alright! Nephew Qiao and Nephew Bai will be outside to meet you!"

This plan is appropriate.

Chen Dengming immediately manipulated the Thirty-second Prince with his mind, following the natural logic of the father-son relationship in his heart, and contacted his father, the Nightmare Country Lord, in a way that would not arouse suspicion.

Deep within the Imperial Palace of the Nightmare Country, a towering palace, as high as a mountain, is shrouded in mist, its magnificent outline appearing and disappearing, making it seem mysterious and unpredictable.

An emperor clad in black armor sat on a massive jade throne inside the palace.

His face was stern, with a short, deep red horn in the center of his forehead, exuding an aura of majesty and power. His magnificent crown and luminous jade buckle highlighted his noble status.

He was naturally the Nightmare Country Lord, the most powerful Devil Cultivator in the Western Demon Kingdom besides the Mochao Kingdom Lord.

At this moment, he was intently gazing at an ancient stone slab in his hand, occasionally frowning in thought.

"What secrets are recorded on this stone tablet obtained from the land of the Devil Fetus of that Outer Realm Devil Venerable? The fact that he values it so much, placing it alongside multiple Devil Fetus, means it must be extremely important."

Suddenly, he sensed something, and with a slight movement of his fingers, a Sound Transmission Jade Talisman flew out.

After reviewing the messages in the jade talisman, a smile involuntarily appeared on the Nightmare Country Lord's majestic face.

"Little Thirty-Two, still so filial. Among the dozen or so female cultivators we've gathered this time, we discovered a Foundation Establishment cultivator with High-grade Spiritual Root, and she immediately wanted to offer her to me. Truly..."

He shook his head and smiled.

He was very pleased with the filial piety shown by the Thirty-second Prince.

Among all the Princes, only the youngest of the Thirty-second Princes would be offered good prey or treasures.

In his eyes, female cultivators at the Foundation Establishment, or even those with High-grade Spiritual Roots, were nothing more than high-quality prey or food.

If he wanted it, he could get it easily.

But for the son, getting what he wanted wasn't so easy.

Yet the Thirty-second Prince was willing to offer him something that was hard to obtain; this kind of filial piety is rarely seen among demons.

The Nightmare Country Lord put away the stone tablet, took a step forward, and his figure disappeared into the mist, leaving the Nightmare Palace.

Little did he know that this time, he might be driven to his death by the most filial of the thirty-two filial sons.

Inside the Nightmare Imperial Palace, the Tiger General Commander, who had just learned from his subordinates that the Thirty-second Prince had returned, breathed a sigh of relief and casually asked a question.

"Did His Highness the Thirty-second Prince bring eight female cultivators with him this time?"

The subordinate was taken aback, then immediately replied, "No, this time His Highness the Thirty-second Prince brought eleven people with him."

"They brought eleven people? How could there be eleven? Wasn't it said that there were only eight people with Daoist Fang from the Dingwu Pavilion?"

Commander Hu Ben suddenly frowned, the word "" on his forehead was wrinkled into the word "Sichuan", and a frightening light shone in his eyes.

As one of the leaders in the Imperial Palace, he disliked anyone challenging or threatening the security of the Imperial Palace.

Unfortunately, the Thirty-second Prince always liked to bring female cultivators in for fun and cruelty.

This was a bad habit of the royal family, and he had no right to criticize it, but he still felt disgusted by it.

"Didn't the Thirty-second Prince also encounter prey on his journey? It's quite normal for His Highness to capture a few more female cultivators when he sees something to hunt."

The subordinate shook his head dismissively.

"No, that's not right!"

A thought flashed through the Tiger General's mind, and he suddenly remembered what the Thirty-second Prince had said earlier.

These words immediately echoed in his mind, "This time, Prince was wrong. Now that Prince safety has been confirmed, Commander of the Tiger Guards, please return."

"Was Prince wrong? Was Prince wrong?"

The Tiger General's eyes widened as he muttered, "Given the Thirty-second Prince's personality, why would he apologize to me? Is he reminding me that I was wrong, reminding me to confirm his safety?"

Hearing the murmurs, the subordinate beside him was taken aback. "Commander, His Highness the Prince probably didn't mean that, did he?"

"Something's wrong! His Highness the Prince has had an accident!"

The Tiger General roared, and his yellow and black tiger fur stood on end, unleashing a powerful and intimidating aura. He immediately turned and charged towards the Thirty-second Prince's palace.

But at that very moment, a furious roar suddenly came from the palace building in that direction.

"You thief, how dare you!!"

Boom!

A deafening roar, like thunder, could be clearly heard by everyone in the Nightmare Imperial Palace.

An immense and scorching surge of Spiritual Qi, centered on the palace complex, spread wildly outwards. The overwhelming force caused many buildings to crack and crumble, sending dust and smoke billowing into the air.

At the same time.

In the outer city Marketplace courtyard outside the Nightmare Imperial Palace, Chen Dengming's figure suddenly appeared in a Silver Light.

"Dao, fellow Daoist!"

"Old Chen!"

"Sect Leader Chen!"

Inside the house, Little Array Spirit, Bai Zhi, Qiao Zhaoxian, and the others all looked at Chen Dengming.

"Proceed according to plan!"

Chen Dengming gave a low shout and raised his hand to grab.

The Soul House instantly summoned the Little Array Spirit into his hand, and with a 'bang,' he rushed out of the house with lightning speed, patting his Storage Bag.

Two beams of light appeared!

With a flash of dragon shadow, the Five Dragon Overlord Hand covered his palm!

A Soul-Reaping Bow Staff, taller than a person, appeared in his hand at the same time!

(I didn't meet the monthly pass requirement, but I still managed to write 6.4K!)