Immortal Master/Demon God

Beneath the frost-covered sea, the beautiful song grew ever clearer. Each note penetrated Wu Ying's eardrums, reaching the depths of her soul. They seemed no longer merely melodies, but transformed into countless alluring, tender, and lingering whispers, intertwining and weaving a mesmerizing dream.

She saw herself back in her childhood, sleeping peacefully beneath towering cherry blossom trees on the border of a magical realm filled with pink wildflowers. Warmth, contentment, happiness... everything she longed for was presented in that song.

"Immortal Venerable..." She loosened her grip on the red silk, and her body involuntarily moved closer to the city of skeletons.

"Wu Ying! Don't go over there!"

The red silk spontaneously wrapped around Wu Ying's body, and the clear, cold female voice, like an ice pick, instantly shattered the illusion. In a daze, a surge of powerful immortal energy rushed into Wu Ying's body, forcibly dispelling the seductive music.

"...!" The icy power instantly brought Wu Ying back to her senses. She gasped for breath, and when she looked again, there were no wildflowers in front of her. There was only the underwater demon city formed by piles of corpses, and eerie frost covering everything. But she still couldn't see Yunhe's figure.

"Calm down," Yunhe's voice remained calm. "Tell me, what exactly did you see?"

“I saw… a city made up of whole corpses?” She was still shaken, clutching the delicate red silk tightly. “Those fish were all bones. They were… living? trading? behaving like humans. It was very strange… Everything here was covered in a layer of frost… It was beautiful, but… it was also very strange.”

“Corpses… white bones…” After a moment of contemplation, Yunhe pointed out the current situation in a deep voice, “You should be in the ‘Kunxu Mirage’. The song you heard… must have been caused by the friction of the Ice Demon’s wings. The Ice Demon is best at discerning minds, weaving illusions to lure people astray, and then enjoying them. Oh, they especially love to eat human hearts. Follow the ribbon and come this way. Don’t look or listen too much; just remember, everything you see and hear right now is an illusion.”

On the red silk, the gentle, serene celestial power cleansed her consciousness like a clear spring, helping her resist illusions. Wu Ying gritted her teeth, trying to ignore the increasingly clear celestial music in her ears, her entire focus on the red silk in her hand, her gaze fixed solely on the faint, beautiful celestial light ahead. She carefully lifted her legs, traversing the frozen city. The song grew more urgent, and the scenery around her began to slowly distort and change.

She simply closed her eyes and followed the silk ribbon step by step. She didn't know how much time had passed, perhaps only a moment, or perhaps a thousand years, when she lost her balance and stumbled into a cool but soft embrace.

Her body suddenly felt light, and the bizarre illusions and inflammatory songs receded like the tide. She was leaning against Yunhe's arm, with a vast, empty seabed beneath her feet.

"Awake?" Yunhe released her hand, his gaze sweeping over her pale face.

In the immortal's hand, the folding fan shimmered with light, its thin, almost invisible golden rays extending outwards, while the other end glowed with a faint, extremely pure blue light.

Realizing she was in someone's arms, Wu Ying jumped back with a start: "Thank you for saving me, Immortal Venerable... What's that up ahead?"

“The Ice Demon’s lair,” Yunhe said calmly. With a flick of his fan blade, the cyan light shattered and dissipated, leaving only a distorted scream on the seabed. “It’s gone. Let’s go. The Soul-Binding Coral’s habitat is right behind it.”

The strength of Immortal Venerable Yunhe... is truly unfathomable. Wu Ying recalled the singing voices with at least a hundred different timbres just now, and she shuddered in fright, yet couldn't help but feel admiration.

She followed and asked, "Immortal Venerable, weren't we planning to find the Ice Soul first..."

"Zheng—"

Before he could finish speaking, a shard of ice collided with Yunhe's folding fan.

In the pitch-black seabed, four "lanterns" as large as hills suddenly lit up. The creature was as long and slender as a snake, but it also had several ice horns growing from its head, making it look quite bizarre.

Discarding the attack aimed at Wu Ying, Yun He stuffed the little girl into a coral reef and faced the battle alone.

"Didn't we find it?" Yunhe chuckled. "Hide it well. Xue Sha doesn't care whether you get beaten to death or not."

Meanwhile, outside the entrance to the Demon Abyss.

Mo Yiheng stood with his hands behind his back, his black robes fluttering in the chaotic demonic energy. Due to old injuries and the depletion of demonic energy, his face was still pale, but his gaze was sharp as a knife, and his body exuded a powerful aura. After taking the medicine left by Wu Ying and being guided by Yun Shu, he had recovered a considerable amount of his energy—although not as strong as before, it was enough for him to eliminate those with disloyal intentions.

The shadows of the chains twisted silently, and Night Asura knelt on one knee: "Your Excellency."

"explain."

"My subordinates have been ordered to secretly investigate the water source. So far, we have found traces of the 'Spirit-Eating Grass' in three underground rivers within the Demon Realm and in the main vein flowing towards the foot of Yunhua Mountain."

"What is that?"

"According to ancient medical texts, this substance is extremely mildly toxic, but prolonged contact can cause irreversible damage to the inner core of demons. If plants come into contact with it, it will steal and erode the source of their spiritual herbs and demonic plants. The poisoner is skilled and discreet. Currently, only a few suspects have been identified, and the specific culprit has not yet been determined." Night Asura took a breath and continued, "Furthermore, the Envoy of the Smoke Domain and the leader of the Seven Fiends are still frequently entering and leaving the secret realm. The demonic energy fluctuations within the secret realm are becoming increasingly intense. The other day, my subordinate secretly entered and saw that the demonic array was almost complete, only needing the blood of one demon to activate. Its effect... seems to be to use the bloodlines of various demon tribes as a catalyst to summon the remnant souls of ancient demon gods."

"Oh?" Mo Yiheng paused, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Then have you found out which demon god they are targeting?"

"...It's Yunhua."

"...Who?" Mo Yiheng thought he had misheard.

“Yunhua…Immortal Master.” Ye Xiuluo repeated again, emphasizing the last two words.

Yunhua. Mo Yiheng smoothed his sleeves, savoring the name.

The founder of Yunhua Mountain, and also the master of Yunhe and Yunshu. However, due to a failed tribulation during his ascension in the later stages of his cultivation, his original mind and ideals were shattered by rolling heavenly lightning, causing him to lose the ability to distinguish between good and evil and only know how to eliminate demons. In the end, after personally killing all the demon gods in the Demon Realm at that time, Yunhua lost himself and fell into the demonic path.

He is the most righteous and indignant immortal master... and also one of the most tyrannical and ruthless demon gods.

...Actually, nothing else matters.

Importantly, Yunhua is Yunshu's mentor, who is also like a father to her.

What if Yun Shu finds out that Mo Yiheng injured his grandmaster...

...Can we even fight this?

"What a grand gesture." Mo Yiheng took a deep breath, pressing his temples in exasperation. "To overthrow me... for this insignificant Demon Lord position, they've even brought out their grandmaster..."

He slowly raised his hand, and the Soul-Suppressing Golden Lotus appeared in his palm. Demonic energy gathered, and although Mo Yiheng did not make any attack intention, the terrifying pressure caused the surroundings to tremble. The Envoy of the Smoke Domain was an old subordinate of the old man, and the Seven Fiends had also competed with him for the position of Demon Lord... He had long known that these people were dissatisfied, and he was aware of their situation.

"But they shouldn't have set their sights on the wrong place, much less use such forbidden techniques in an attempt to plunge the Demon Realm back into war. The situation inside the secret realm is unclear, and if Ancestor Yunhua were to launch a direct attack, many unforeseen circumstances might arise... It would be better to turn the tables on him."

If they want to play with fire, then let them burn themselves.

"Night Asura".

"Your subordinate is here."

"From this day forward, you will not only be my librarian, but also their most trusted ally. Do you understand?"

Night Asura's eyes sharpened, he bowed and accepted the order, then instantly disappeared back into the darkness.

Before the secret realm, only Mo Yiheng remained. He gazed at the gloomy sky of the Demon Realm, but his divine sense involuntarily drifted into the distance, towards that immortal mountain shrouded in clouds and mist year-round.

Master... Senior Uncle... Ancestor...

What if he doesn't perform well? Will he be unable to get close to his master again? He doesn't know who sealed his grandmaster back then. He only knows that he is definitely no match for his grandmaster... Besides, his grandmaster hates the demon race the most. When they meet, if he hears that Mo Yiheng is still the Demon Lord and that his precious little disciple Yun Shu has been blinded by demonic poison... he will definitely cut him into a thousand pieces and mince him into mincemeat.

The more he thought about it, the more agitated he became. He simply sat down on the ground to calm himself down and rest, lest he lose his temper and go find a few traitors to kill to vent his anger.

Tsk. Why summon anyone but their grandmaster? These old fogies are really tired of living.

"...Never mind."

He put away the Soul-Suppressing Golden Lotus and entered the secret realm openly and honestly.

Instead of wasting time thinking nonsense, you might as well go in and see if your master is sleeping soundly.

"Greetings, Your Excellency."

After the demon soldiers guarding the secret realm paid their respects, two of them randomly separated, one on each side, carrying glass lanterns and following behind Mo Yiheng, not daring to say a word.

The ancient stone walls were riddled with cracks, and thick chains crisscrossed, pressing down on the serving demons, preventing them from rising. After passing through several more gates, they finally reached the deepest part of the secret realm, the place where the demon god was suppressed.

Unlike the noisy outside world, the depths of the Demon Abyss, shrouded in darkness, are utterly silent. The shackles are made of ten-thousand-year-old cold iron, and even from a thousand feet away, their icy chill can still pierce to the bone. Currently, the demon gods are all slumbering in their respective "palaces," and only the ancient, pure, and violent demonic energy fills and nourishes the entire Demon Realm day after day.

Mo Yiheng keenly sensed an aura that didn't belong here—the scent of forbidden magic. He didn't point it out, only casually remarking that the place was cold and damp, and that the demon soldiers should wear extra clothing while on guard.

"Thank you for your consideration, Your Excellency."

"Hmm, step back. I will sit quietly for several hours to quell the chaotic demonic energy turmoil here."

"yes."

Darkness returned to the surroundings. Mo Yiheng sat cross-legged, calmly sensing the incongruous trace of immortal power mixed with demonic energy and chill.

Patiently tracing its origin, an hour later, Mo Yiheng finally located the place at the very bottom where the cold iron and sealing array were most concentrated.

As expected of his grandmaster, even the seal required the most powerful restrictions. He sighed in admiration and tried to probe the internal situation. The instant he succeeded, a force as heavy as Mount Tai pressed down on him, making it hard for even the Demon Lord to breathe.

Yunhua's steady breathing was right next to him. Even though only a soul remained inside his body, the slight rise and fall of his heart was enough to shake the layers of seals and shackles.

The demonic energy within him seemed to be affected, stirring restlessly. He steadied himself, suppressing the discomfort and the ensuing irritability. Just as he was about to take another step, his outstretched divine sense instantly and clearly detected that Yunhua's fingers twitched, as if disturbed by the noise and about to awaken!

He abruptly withdrew his consciousness, his heart pounding wildly.

Fortunately, Yunhua's action seemed to be unconscious, and there was nothing unusual within the Demon Abyss Secret Realm.

"Hoo..." Mo Yiheng exhaled a breath of turbid air, confirming that Yun Hua was unharmed. He then urged his magic power to move close to the ground and went straight to a certain abnormal array eye with a mixed smell of demonic blood. He used his magic power to replicate a magic crystal to replace the object on the array eye.

Ha... You want to use your grandmaster to get rid of me?

The crystal gleamed with a faint light, and was quite beautiful. He gazed at the bottom of the abyss for a moment longer, then carefully placed the object inside the Soul-Suppressing Golden Lotus, concealing its aura, before flicking his sleeve and leaving.

Why don't you go down there yourselves and give our master a go?

Yunhua Forbidden Land.

Yun Shu was adjusting her breathing in the spring when she suddenly opened her empty eyes and clutched her chest.

Jin Zhu, who was practicing her sword nearby, was startled. She quickly put down her sword and ran over to help Yun Shu catch his breath, anxiously saying, "Fox Immortal? What's wrong... is your injury hurting again? I'll go get some medicine..."

"Cough... It's alright. No need."

That being said, his slightly furrowed brow and bewildered expression clearly indicated that he had noticed something amiss.

Strange... Yun Shu used her demonic power to probe her body and found that the remaining immortal essence was violently trembling and tearing, as if it wanted to move towards two places that were far apart - this was a sign that she was sensing the violent activity of other people's immortal essence.

He carefully distinguished them and easily concluded that one came from the far north, while the other came from the southeast.

In the far north... has my senior sister run into big trouble?

As for the Southeast... the Southeast, the Demon Realm... Master?! But Master isn't...

This deduction startled him so much that he almost fell over, but fortunately Jinzhu was there and caught him in time.

The junior sister helped her grandmaster to sit down, her voice filled with worry: "Lord Fox Immortal... your complexion looks terrible again. What's wrong?"

He didn't hear clearly, his eyes darting between the north and the southeast, completely at a loss. A similar sense of helplessness enveloped him as he had felt in the days following his blindness. In the end, he went nowhere, but slowly sat back down, forcing himself to calm down and focusing all his energy on healing his wounds with his demonic power.

I can't cause trouble for my senior sisters.

He thought to himself that.

He's like a cripple right now; if he acts recklessly, he'll probably distract others from protecting him.

But that fluctuation... really bothered him.

Especially in the southeast.

After a long while, he called out softly, "Jinzhu, I have a request."

"Huh? Me? Me?" The other person seemed a little flustered, but still nodded emphatically. "Okay, as long as... as long as it's not too difficult..."

"It's not difficult," Yun Shu said gently. "Please ask the elders in the sect to pay more attention to the Northern Territory and the Demon Realm these days... If you feel that they are acting strangely one day, just let me know. Is that alright?"

Hearing that it was just a message, Jinzhu relaxed greatly. She patted her chest and vowed, "Okay! I'll remember! Fox Fairy, please focus on healing. I'll tell you everything I heard!"

Yun Shu was amused by her appearance: "Yes. Thank you."

Jinzhu skipped away, leaving Yunshu alone with a basket of pastries. She picked up a piece and put it in her mouth, but found it tasted like cardboard.

Senior sister... please don't let anything happen to you.

And Master... Yunhua... how could this happen suddenly...?