A Head Delivered from Afar [Monthly Ticket Request, Investment]

Boom!

A blazing expanse of azure, like glazed glass with the sheen of blue-and-white porcelain, swept over the cold pool in a tangible storm. The rocks, caves, and even the water of the pool were visibly reduced to dust, like the remnants of ancient ruins weathered away by countless years.

"Xun Wind."

The instant danger erupted, Jiang Ming sensed it. He immediately used the Long-Armed Demon Ape's innate talent, harnessing spatial power to shrink the earth into an inch. He vanished from where he stood and reappeared atop a mountain a hundred li away, his Fiery Golden Eyes opening as he looked ahead.

He saw a young girl in the sky. She had golden hair, brilliant as a stretch of golden sunset clouds. She had no arms, but a pair of golden wings grew from her back.

Using his Fiery Golden Eyes to gaze directly at her origin, he could tell that she was likely a Primordial Antiquity remnant with the bloodline of the primordial savage bird, the Azure Bird. Her ability to take human form despite possessing cultivation comparable to an Other Shore cultivator showed just how extraordinary she was.

The Azure Bird was a powerful Primordial Antiquity savage beast that wielded the origin power of wind, born with formidable secret arts of the wind path.

"You are... a divine ape. Have you seen a monk? He wiped out one branch of the Lightning Birds of our Primordial Ruins Demon Race."

The girl looked at Jiang Ming in confusion. Her voice was crisp and pleasant, as melodious as an Azure Bird's song, as she asked curiously.

"You attacked me without distinguishing right from wrong. Are you courting death?"

Jiang Ming decided he might as well impersonate a Primordial Antiquity remnant of the Long-Armed Demon Ape lineage. The moment he saw this girl, he thought of Yan Ruyu, a descendant of the Azure Emperor.

"Sorry, sorry, Demon Ape Brother. I didn't mean to. I only heard the little demons nearby say that monk was in Yin Wind Cave, so I attacked in anger."

The girl immediately apologized shyly.

Demon Ape Brother?

Jiang Ming glanced at the Long-Armed Demon Ape's body, covered in black fur and wreathed in dark qi. It truly did look intensely demonic.

Having read the original plot, Jiang Ming naturally understood that the Azure Emperor, that old block of ice, had most likely never left behind any bloodline descendants. Those who could call themselves his descendants could only be considered part of the lotus demon lineage.

He even suspected that Yan Ruyu might have been the reincarnation of a first-generation Lotus Race cultivator named Azure Immortal from the Three Thousand Dao Provinces during the era of Perfect World, who had died in the forbidden region.

After sensing that this place was likely where the Primal Chaos Azure Lotus, Immortal King Azure Lotus, had once fallen, she used the Lotus Race's secret nirvana art and asked Shi Hao to bury her there.

Yan Ruyu was more likely born from Azure Immortal's return through nirvana, so she could naturally be considered a descendant of the Azure Emperor.

"Little Qing, you flew too fast. Old Jin can't keep up anymore. You call yourself a Lightning Bird, yet you fly so slowly."

At that moment, a burly man appeared, his voice as loud as a great bell and loud enough to make ears buzz. He stood three meters tall, with a pair of black ox horns on his head, riding atop a Lightning Bird as he rapidly approached.

"Bullshit! It's obviously because you, Big Black, are too heavy. Lord Jin is exhausted to death."

The speaker was a Lightning Bird with a wingspan of ten meters, its body wreathed in golden lightning as it snapped furiously.

These were three Demon Race members comparable to Other Shore cultivators. Judging from their bloodlines, all of them were extraordinary and could be considered descendants of primordial remnants.

Though it was also a Lightning Bird, this one's bloodline was clearly purer than those dead birds from Lightning Valley.

"Who is he? Have you found that evil monk who wreaked havoc in the Primordial Ruins and deliberately slaughtered the Lightning Bird lineage?

By the way, where did Old Black from this place go? Don't tell me he died too?"

The Lightning Bird looked at Jiang Ming with its golden eyes and asked suspiciously.

"The Primordial Ruins have been far too unsettled lately. First, there was an evil monk hunting demon beasts and plundering spiritual herbs near Spirit Ruins Grotto-Heaven.

Then, on the side of Smoke Glow Grotto-Heaven, another bald donkey appeared. If he wanted spiritual herbs, he could have just taken them. Was there any need to wipe out the Lightning Bird lineage of Lightning Valley?"

The ox-horned burly man said in a muffled voice.

"Compared to that damned fatty, this is nothing. Ever since that dead fatty arrived at the ruins near Spirit Ruins Grotto-Heaven, he has been digging pits everywhere and clearly plotting something. Her Highness told us to keep a close watch on that dead fatty."

Little Qing, the golden-winged girl, spoke.

Jiang Ming was silently speechless. Sure enough, that dead fatty was hated wherever he went. Even demons disliked him.

Since he had run into them, getting acquainted with these demons was not bad. If he could sleep with Yan Ruyu, he would gain the right to use the Azure Emperor's weapon. He could borrow it to suppress his fate and return home to see his daughter.

Jiang Ming quickly came up with a plan. For him, vows of eternal love no longer existed; it was more about mutual need.

However, he also understood that he could not be overly eager to join them. That would only make them wary. It would be better to play hard to get.

"Let it go this time. Since you sincerely admitted your mistake and are pretty, I won't hold it against you. I'll spare you."

Jiang Ming spoke coldly, then turned to leave.

"What's going on? Who is he?"

The ox-horned burly man could not help asking as well.

"I don't know. When I arrived here, I immediately used my innate demon art to attack. I didn't see that monk, only him."

The golden-winged girl shook her head.

"I'll test him and see what he's made of. How dare he act so arrogantly? I've never heard of any ape lineage in the Primordial Ruins that is covered entirely in black fur."

The Lightning Bird immediately said eagerly.

"Ah, don't! Big Brother Jin Dian, he's very dangerous. The aura he gives off seems to be in my bloodline memories—"

The golden-winged girl hurriedly tried to stop him, but the Demon Race had always revered strength. Just because she said he was powerful, did that make him powerful? The more she said it, the more it stirred the Lightning Bird's competitive spirit.

Whoosh!

The Lightning Bird shot forward like a streak of golden lightning. Its golden claws extended, carrying hundreds of bolts of golden thunder as they blasted toward Jiang Ming. The golden lightning around its body blazed intensely, dense and countless, accompanied by earth-shaking rumbles. Each bolt was like a lightning spear dozens of meters long.

"Seeking death."

Jiang Ming coldly spat out four words. He struck with a simple punch, and surging black qi burst from his body like raging waves sweeping across the sky. The Long-Armed Demon Ape's innate secret art—Pluck Stars and Seize the Moon.

His large hand reached out. In an instant, his palm expanded, each strand of black fur moving like a black dragon twisting and coiling around it. That expanse of lightning fell into his hand and was directly engulfed and annihilated by spatial power.

The golden Lightning Bird was seized in his palm the next moment, letting out terrified screams. It had never imagined it would be captured so easily. Its earlier attack had been no different from delivering its own head from a thousand li away.

"Demon Ape Brother, please show mercy. Punish Jin Dian if you must, or make him offer up his treasured Lightning Stone as compensation to buy his life. Please don't kill him."

The golden-winged girl spread her wings and transformed into a gust of azure wind, appearing before Jiang Ming as she anxiously pleaded.

Lightning Stone?

Jiang Ming knew that this was one of the finest materials for forging artifacts below the level of materials used for hereditary saint weapons.

Even materials used by many Holy Lord-level figures to forge their treasures were no better than this.

Upon hearing the golden-winged girl's words, the Lightning Bird's heart bled. It had other treasures—why did she have to expose this piece of Lightning Stone?

However, sensing the killing intent in Jiang Ming's blood-red eyes and the surging void power in his hand, it immediately yielded. "I'm willing to use the Lightning Stone to redeem my life. I submit. I admit defeat."

Jiang Ming was speechless. Was this it? Should he say, "Thanks, brother, for traveling all this way to send me a reward"?