Mount Buzhou

Master Yuanshi Tianzun is currently in seclusion, striving for the Saint position, and won't emerge anytime soon. As for Senior Uncle Taishang and Uncle Tongtian, they're even less worth mentioning.

Alone now, with mere Golden Immortal cultivation, it's best to keep a low profile.

"The bird that sticks out gets shot—I understand that principle." Xuanqing stroked Xiao Hei, who was already asleep on his shoulder, and silently made up his mind.

Before he had enough strength to protect himself, he absolutely wouldn't reveal his trump cards lightly, nor stir up trouble recklessly. This scheme to claim merit from Empress Nüwa's creation of humanity had to be done without a trace.

Xuanqing walked on, deep in thought.

As he ventured deeper into Mount Buzhou, the surrounding life force grew increasingly complex.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, he descended from the sky and landed in a lively forest valley. A large number of demons gathered here, most with low cultivation, not even fully transformed, still retaining partial features of their original forms.

The place was peaceful, a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere outside.

With a flicker of thought, Xuanqing's body shimmered with a faint immortal light. In an instant, his originally transcendent aura became utterly ordinary, and his green robes turned into a coarse beast-hide cloak, making him look like the most common little demon.

He patted Xiao Hei, who was curiously looking around on his shoulder.

"You change too. Keep a low profile."

Xiao Hei blinked in confusion.

Xuanqing had no choice but to channel a stream of magic power into him, transforming Xiao Hei's majestic Qilin form into a dull-looking little black mutt.

Xiao Hei immediately sensed something was wrong, looked down at his stubby legs and fleshy paws, and let out a pitiful "whimper."

"Stop whining, or I'll turn you into Little Piggy," Xuanqing sent a telepathic message, annoyed.

Xiao Hei shut his mouth at once, burying his head in Xuanqing's neck, sulking.

Xuanqing nodded in satisfaction, blended into the demon crowd, and walked unhurriedly toward Phoenix Mountain. The demons here paid little attention to this "outsider," clearly used to new demons seeking refuge.

Just then, an indescribable pressure swept across from the nine heavens.

All noise in the valley instantly ceased.

Countless demons, regardless of cultivation level, trembled uncontrollably. Some even prostrated themselves on the ground, bowing toward the sky.

Xuanqing's heart tightened. He lowered his head along with the rest, but his peripheral vision glanced upward.

Two dazzling golden lights streaked across the sky, like twin suns patrolling the heavens, radiating the imperial dominance of rulers over all.

Within the golden light, two figures were clearly visible.

One wore an imperial robe and crown, his face stern and majestic—Demon Emperor Dijun. The other held a Chaos-colored great bell, his aura fierce and unrivaled—Eastern Emperor Taiyi!

So they came after all.

Xuanqing thought to himself.

These two brothers, neither early nor late, had to rush to Mount Buzhou right after the Dao Ancestor Merged with Dao. Their purpose was obvious.

They had their eyes on Empress Nüwa's status as a Demon Race Great Saint, wanting to use racial duty to "hijack" her, forcing her to join the Demon Court and endorse the Demon Race's Great Cause of unifying Honghuang.

Their scheme was so loud, even Kunlun Mountain could hear it.

Fortunately, the pressure came and went quickly. Dijun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi seemed uninterested in wasting time on these minor demons, flying straight toward Phoenix Mountain.

Xuanqing glanced once and looked away.

The Demonic Qi here was mixed, his own aura was disguised, and with the Merit Golden Wheel concealed internally, as long as he didn't court death, those two Demon Race sovereigns would never detect him.

Once the pressure faded, the demons in the valley breathed a sigh of relief and returned to their lively chatter, buzzing about the two great figures they'd just seen.

"It's His Majesty the Demon Emperor and His Majesty the Eastern Emperor!"

"Heavens, I actually saw Their Majesties with my own eyes—so majestic!"

"Are Their Majesties here to find Empress Nüwa?"

Listening to the surrounding gossip, Xuanqing's heart remained calm.

Although Mount Buzhou was under Empress Nüwa's protection, in name it was also the border between the Witch and Demon Races. These little demons seemed at ease, but they were living on a volcano, with danger lurking at any moment.

He was about to continue on his way when suddenly, a violent surge of magic power erupted from the distant forest, followed by a bloodcurdling scream!

"Ah--!"

"The Witch Clan! The Witch Clan is attacking!"

A terrified shout sent the entire valley into chaos.

The once-peaceful atmosphere vanished completely. Every little demon wore a look of sheer panic, scattering in all directions, the scene pure pandemonium.

If you can't find the book by title, try searching by author—maybe it just changed names!

Xuanqing frowned slightly and stopped in his tracks.

A Witch-Demon conflict?

He looked up at the sky. Dijun and Eastern Emperor Taiyi's figures were nearly at Phoenix Mountain. With their cultivation, they couldn't possibly miss the commotion here.

Sure enough, the two golden lights paused briefly in midair.

Eastern Emperor Taiyi seemed to want to glance this way, but Dijun reached out and stopped him.

Though Xuanqing couldn't hear what they were saying, he could guess the gist.

"Big Brother, down there..."

"No matter. Just a few little demons. Dead is dead. Empress Nüwa is the priority."

Sure enough, the two golden beams only paused for a moment before flying off toward Phoenix Mountain without looking back.

In the Demon Emperor's eyes, the lives of these lowly little demons were clearly less important than winning over a Demon Race Great Sage.

Xuanqing shook his head.

This was the heart of an emperor.

He hadn't wanted to meddle, but the Merit Golden Wheel inside him trembled lightly once more.

Saving these sheltered little demons would earn him merit!

And this might be an opportunity to make contact with Nüwa.

With that thought, Xuanqing hesitated no longer.

His form flickered, and he moved against the fleeing tide of demons, heading toward where the conflict had broken out.

Soon, he arrived at the scene.

In a patch of ravaged woodland, three Witch Clan warriors—each over ten feet tall, with bulging muscles and totems tattooed across their bodies—were grinning as they surrounded a few trembling little demons.

At the front was a Rabbit-eared Girl who had mostly completed her transformation. She held a small Magic Treasure, her cultivation no higher than Earth Immortal, and was mustering her courage to shield the weaker little demons behind her.

"Little Rabbit, with cultivation like that, you dare fight us of the Witch Clan?" one warrior taunted in a rumbling voice, hefting a massive bone club still stained with blood.

The Rabbit-eared Girl's face was pale, but her eyes were stubborn.

"This is land under Empress Nüwa's protection. You... you can't just do as you please!"

"Nüwa?" another warrior laughed loudly. "Right now, she's probably busy entertaining your Demon Emperor. When would she have time to care about ants like you?"

"That's right! Come quietly, let us make meat stew out of you, and you'll suffer less!"

With that, the warrior holding the bone club stepped forward, his palm as wide as a winnowing basket reaching straight for the Rabbit-eared Girl.

The girl shut her eyes in terror, swinging her Magic Treasure in desperation.

Just then, at this critical moment.

A calm voice rang out through the woods.

"Hey there, big brothers. Built like mountains, picking on a little girl—don't you think that's a bit embarrassing for the Witch Clan's reputation?"

The three warriors paused and whipped their heads around.

There, leaning against a large tree, was a "little demon" in a beast-hide robe, with a small black mongrel dog on his shoulder, watching them with leisurely interest.

"Where'd this brat come from, daring to meddle in the affairs of our Twelve Ancestral Mage Tribe?" the lead warrior growled, eyes fierce.

"Don't misunderstand. I'm not meddling." Xuanqing waved a hand, his expression earnest. "I just think your taste is a bit off."

"What?" All three warriors were taken aback.

Xuanqing pointed at the Rabbit-eared Girl.

"Look at her. Fur as white as snow, ears soft and pink—clearly delicious... ahem, beautiful. You want to make meat stew out of her? What a waste."

He pointed at the other little demons.

"And these ones—fresh and tender, clearly prime material for alchemy. You want to throw them all in one pot? Such a shame."

The three warriors were left dumbfounded by his words, completely unable to figure out his angle.

The Rabbit-eared Girl and the little spirits were even more terrified. This sudden fellow demon was scarier than the Witch Clan!

Xuanqing paid no attention to their expressions and continued on his own.

"So, I have a proposal."

A friendly smile spread across his face.

"How about this: you hand them over to me. I promise to make full use of them, not a scrap wasted. In exchange, I'll leave you your whole corpses. What do you say?"

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