Stuck in the mud, Gu Yan flew into a rage and cursed, "You little fox, are you trying to take me down with you? You damned bastard! I'd believe you if the sun rose in the west!"

Gu Yan was about to climb out of the mud when he felt an invisible force pulling him down. In the darkness, he thought Gu Liyan was tripping him up, so he kicked down twice with all his might. "Little fox, are you trying to trick me again? Huh?"

"Ugh—"

Gu Liyan's muffled groan came from beneath his feet. Gu Yan realized he still couldn't break free from that force, so he kicked a few more times. "Let go! Do you want to die?"

In the darkness, Gu Liyan's location was completely obscured, but Gu Yan was certain that Gu Liyan had taken several solid kicks from him.

Gu Yan felt something under his feet and a force lifted him up. Thinking that Gu Liyan had let go, he didn't think much of it and jumped up directly onto the shore.

Wiping the mud off his face, Gu Yan pointed at the mud puddle and cursed, "You damned little fox, how dare you scheme against me! Come on up here if you dare! I'll kill you!"

...

The only sound was the cold wind blowing around them; the silent mud pool offered no response.

Gu Yan sneered, "Don't think I can't do anything just because you don't come out. Once I force you out, it won't be as easy as just dying!"

Gu Yan waited for a while but still didn't see Gu Liyan. He frowned and wondered, "Has this kid already run away?"

Just as Gu Yan was about to leave, a green light flashed, and a figure appeared not far away.

Gu Yan watched the person's back warily, mistaking it for Gu Liyan. "Damn little fox, you dare to show your face! Just wait and see..."

Gu Yan's words came to an abrupt halt. The person turned around, and it was not Gu Liyan, but a mysterious man wearing a mask... the Nine Netherworld Emperor!

"Who are you?" Gu Yan asked the Nine Netherworld Emperor warily.

The Nine Netherworld Emperor did not answer Gu Yan's question. Instead, he raised his hand and gently waved it at the mud pit, which was then split open.

Gu Yan was startled by his ability, thinking to himself, "This guy is actually this powerful! He must be one of the strongest people in this world!"

But then Gu Yan suddenly noticed that there was a person lying at the bottom of the mud pit. Upon closer inspection, it was Gu Liyan!

Gu Yan stared wide-eyed at Gu Liyan, whose fate was unknown. "How could he...?"

The Nine Netherworld Emperor waved his hand again, and Gu Liyan's body soared up and landed between the Nine Netherworld Emperor and Gu Yan.

Gu Yan recalled the moment he felt someone pulling him downwards. He suddenly realized that although there was a downward force, there was also an upward force helping him. After carefully recalling that force, he immediately realized, "Could it be that he... he wasn't trying to harm me, but rather... to save me?!"

Gu Yan shuddered, realizing that he had kicked Gu Liyan several times, sending him to the bottom of the pool, and possibly even knocking him unconscious. He was filled with regret, thinking, "So I misunderstood him!"

The Nine Netherworld Emperor glanced at Gu Liyan, who was still breathing, and then looked at Gu Yan coldly, saying, "It seems you don't like him!"

Gu Yan raised his head and looked at the Nine Nether Heavenly Emperor, asking, "You said 'like'? What do you mean?"

The Nine Netherworld Emperor coldly snorted, "So you're saying... you don't care about his life or death at all!"

“I…” Gu Yan frowned and did not answer him. “What does my relationship with him have to do with you?”

The Nine Netherworld Emperor smiled meaningfully. "His affairs are naturally related to me!"

Gu Yan looked at the Nine Nether Heavenly Emperor and questioned, "Who are you? What do you want?"

"Me?" The Nine Netherworld Emperor's lips curled up. "My name is Nine Netherworld, and I guess I can be considered a demon now!"

"A demon!" Gu Yan was slightly taken aback, thinking to himself: This kid knows the little fox, could he be the little fox's father? But his voice sounds quite young, it doesn't seem like it!

Before Gu Yan could confirm the relationship between Gu Liyan and the Nine Netherworld Emperor, the Nine Netherworld Emperor had already arrived in front of Gu Liyan.

Gu Yan instinctively blurted out, "Don't touch him!"

The Nine Netherworld Emperor narrowed his eyes and looked at Gu Yan, "Don't you hate him and wish he were dead? What's wrong with me taking him away!"

"I, I was..." Gu Yan frowned, unsure whether to trust Gu Liyan or not. She hurriedly said, "Whether he is trustworthy or not, he is a member of my demon race. I am the one who should punish him, whether he is right or wrong! It is none of your demon race's business!"

"Heh, that's true! In that case, I, your good brother, won't interfere. After all..." The Nine Nether Heavenly Emperor raised an eyebrow, looking at Gu Liyan with a smile, and said, "Our grudges are settled!"

The ancient saying raises the question, "What grudge?"

"Hehe, why don't you just ask him!" The Nine Nether Heavenly Emperor chuckled, and his figure vanished from the spot in a flash.

Gu Yan squinted at Gu Liyan, and the doubts that had faded in her heart deepened a little!

"Splash—"

A basin of water was poured over him, and Gu Liyan shuddered. He slowly opened his eyes and found that he had somehow returned to the demon race. However, the current situation puzzled him.

A group of lesser demons surrounded them, each with a basin of water at their feet, and some of them were holding whips...

"You..." Gu Liyan's words were cut short as he realized that he was actually tied to a tree!

"Hmph, little fox, who gave you the guts to ambush the strategist! If the strategist hadn't shown mercy, you wouldn't even know how you died!" A little demon shouted as it stepped forward.

Gu Liyan looked puzzled. "What sneak attack? I didn't!"

"Still pretending! Looks like you won't know your place unless I teach you a lesson!" The little demon with the whip stepped forward and swung it, striking Gu Liyan's body.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!