On Deceiving a Demon's Heart and Coveting Her Body

In the deadwood forest, after Bai Ling finished speaking,

A cloud of azure Qi immediately surged around her, and she transformed into a streak of green light, weaving silently through the trees.

The human, the half-demon, half-human, and the demon on the ground each used their own abilities to depart.

The human sword cultivator wiped the wine stains from the mustache at his mouth and lowered the sword from his chest. A golden light flickered, and the sword lifted him into the air.

With a flash of Sword-Ray, he flew after Bai Ling's streak of green light.

The black-furred ape demon grinned at her words, slung his twin axes over his back, and leaped with all four limbs!

His powerful arms seized the branches, and he began swinging through the forest. Despite his bulky appearance, he moved with astonishing speed, not falling behind the Sword-Ray in the least.

The green-scaled old woman stood where she was, leaning on her staff. She tapped the ground lightly, and dozens of thick vines immediately surged up from beneath it.

A massive, serpent-shaped mount supported the old woman and slithered forward close to the ground. It looked leisurely, but its speed was astonishing as well.

"Why are you all moving so fast?"

Crow Lord exclaimed.

The speed of Qi Ingestion-level movement techniques was indeed astonishing.

Wentesi watched the three figures speeding away and silently compared their speed to that of the professionals in the western fantasy world.

"At the very least, that speed has to be Middle Extraordinary or High Extraordinary."

Wentesi and Crow Lord were just about to take wing and follow close behind.

But a figure came hopping out on the ground.

It was Shu San. He jumped up on his tiptoes and shouted shrilly:

"Young feathered masters, wait! Give me a ride, give me a ride!"

Wentesi and Crow Lord both paused in the act of spreading their wings.

Crow Lord turned his head and looked at Shu San, who was as big as a fat cat. "Shu San, what is it?" he asked, puzzled.

An ingratiating smile spread across Shu San's face. He cupped his paws toward them and said:

"My cultivation is lowly, and with this little bit of skill, I can't possibly outrun all of you on four legs.

"Sorry to trouble you, young feathered masters, but could you give me a ride? Just a ride would be enough."

When Shu San finished, he looked eagerly at Wentesi and Crow Lord, his eyes full of hope.

A question arose in Wentesi's mind, and he asked:

"Was this Lady Bai Ling's idea?"

"I came of my own accord!"

Shu San shook his head repeatedly and explained:

"Lady Bai Ling didn't tell me to. I followed her here myself!"

With that, he looked up again, wearing a pitiful expression.

How exalted was the body of a true dragon? Even though Wentesi was possessing a golden eagle, he could never let a rat ride on his head.

Even the dragons ridden by Legendary dragon knights in the western fantasy world were mocked in the dragon race's inheritance.

Much less let this rat ride on him?

In the end, there was no other way. Helpless, Crow Lord had to take wing with Shu San, who was the size of a fat cat.

The instant Shu San got on, Crow Lord's wings dipped sharply. He flapped twice with effort and couldn't help grumbling:

"Shu San, how can a rat like you be so fat? You're too heavy!"

Shu San only chuckled and didn't answer.

The eagle and the crow took wing, and before long they caught up with the group ahead.

Flying high in the air was faster than traveling over the ground, after all.

As they flew, Wentesi saw Shu San sitting firmly on the crow's back and asked as if in passing:

"Shu San, what's the background of this Fire Virtue cultivator we're going to kill? Just how deep is Lady Bai Ling's grudge against him, for her to gather so many people?"

Shu San first shook his head, then nodded and explained:

"As for the details... I don't know either. You young feathered masters should know that Lady Bai Ling is the Green Snake Market Master's daughter.

"Although she's already his 308th daughter, she's still the Green Snake Market Master's daughter. Her status speaks for itself."

Bai Ling was actually the Green Snake Market Master's daughter?

Didn't that mean her father was that hero of the wilds?

On second thought, Wentesi found it reasonable enough.

Most of the snake-scaled half-demons in the market were probably descendants of that hero of the wilds.

Wentesi thought to himself:

Then it looks like Bai Ling is a wealthy young lady too. She's the offspring of a Foundation Establishment great demon, at any rate.

But his 308th daughter? The Green Snake Market Master has had far too many children, hasn't he? I suppose that hero of the wilds has the ability to match.

Shu San continued:

"That human cultivator is called Lin Hen. I heard he was originally a disciple of a Foundation Establishment immortal sect.

"His talent was ordinary, but he was extremely diligent. I also heard he made a seven-year agreement with the young lady of a human Lineage.

"If he broke through to Foundation Establishment within seven years, he could marry her.

"Lady Bai Ling had a close childhood friend who was a rare mutated fire serpent demon.

"She was talented too. In just a few decades, she broke through to the Middle Stage of Qi Ingestion, and she was only one step away from reaching the Late Stage of Qi Ingestion."

After hearing about these relationships, Wentesi sensed that something was amiss.

He had a feeling that whatever Shu San said next probably wouldn't be good.

Sure enough, a moment later, Shu San said bitterly:

"Lin Hen first used sweet words to deceive that fire serpent demon's heart. Once he'd gained her trust, he struck her down without mercy and ate the mutated fire serpent demon alive!

"All to nourish his cultivation and break through to the Late Stage of Qi Ingestion! So he could fulfill that seven-year agreement or whatever it was sooner!"

"Hiss. That's a bit ruthless."

But when Wentesi thought of the cultivation world's unabashed writings on eating one's fellow cultivators to nourish one's own Great Dao, he understood.

The cultivation world was a place where people and demons ate one another. The weak were meat for the strong.

Humans ate demons, demons ate humans, humans ate humans, and demons ate demons. It was perfectly normal.

Crow Lord, who was carrying Shu San, was startled too. Even his flight became a little unsteady.

Shu San added:

"Lin Hen was hiding in his immortal sect before, so it was hard for Lady Bai Ling to make a move.

"A few days ago, he broke the sect's rules and was expelled, becoming a Rogue Cultivator. Only then did Lady Bai Ling seize her chance."

The story felt a little familiar to Wentesi. He had a feeling there was more to the name Lin Hen than met the eye.

He had an inexplicable feeling, but when he tried to examine it, he couldn't quite grasp it.

Wentesi and Crow Lord continued flying and soon reached their destination.

It was a mountainside slope in the shade.

Bai Ling, the sword cultivator, the ape demon, and the old woman had all stopped on the slope and were waiting quietly.

They had only been delayed a little because they had listened to Shu San's story.

When Wentesi and Crow Lord landed, Bai Ling wasted no more words and went straight to the point:

"The target is in a hidden cave abode beneath the slope at our feet. He's been in there recovering from his injuries for over a month. He's badly injured and weak right now, so this is the best chance to strike."

When Bai Ling finished, she took a formation flag from her Storage Bag and addressed the ape demon, the old woman, and the sword cultivator:

"In a moment, I'll give each of you a flag. Set up the formation according to your positions. I'll go down alone to draw him out and lure him into the formation, then withdraw immediately once I succeed.

"This formation is called the Left Wood Right Water Two Forms Formation. It's at the Foundation Establishment level.

"Although it's damaged and has only sixty percent of its power, it's more than enough to trap a late-stage Fire Virtue cultivator.

"As long as the formation flags remain standing, he won't have any chance of escape. When the time comes, we'll all rush in and surround and kill him.

"Once it's done, I won't take a single coin of what he has on him. It'll all go to you!"

After hearing this, the ape demon and the old woman said nothing.

But the human sword cultivator asked in return:

"Are you sure this damaged formation can trap him? If he forcibly breaks it, we'll be at a disadvantage instead."

"It can trap him."

Bai Ling's tone was calm. She had evidently made ample preparations:

"The damaged part of my Two Forms Formation is the left wood. The right water hasn't been harmed in the slightest. As long as he's inside, there's absolutely no way he can break this formation!"

When Bai Ling finished, the three flags floated out and landed in front of the sword cultivator, the old woman, and the ape demon.

Only Wentesi, Crow Lord, and the fat rat received none. Evidently, the two of them weren't among those included.

Wentesi watched the scene calmly without speaking.

Meanwhile, his red dragon true body in the western fantasy world began calculating again.

Yarrow-Stalk and Shell Divination and Six-Line Verification activated!

The divination result: great fortune!

It seemed there was no problem.

Looking at the gray sky, Wentesi thought to himself:

Please, let nothing go wrong.