Chapter 25: Stand-in Part 7

In Kaifeng City, at the Exorcism Division.

The Dragon Soaring Jade in Xiao Kun’s hand emitted a faint glow as he bid farewell to Xiang Xian.

“This situation must have lasted for quite some time,” Xiao Kun said. “You spent every day with Guo Jing and noticed nothing?”

Xiang Xian replied, “The Demon Shaking Bell never rang. You know as well as I do that as long as a demon doesn’t cast spells or emit Demonic Qi, even an exorcist can’t detect it.”

Xiao Kun continued, “From the moment the demon appeared, all our actions have been within the enemy’s calculations. Step by step—how did they predict so accurately?”

“I don’t know.” Xiang Xian was thoroughly annoyed. “Wasn’t Sa Luan’s capture the same?”

The Demon Shaking Bell rang again.

“You guessed right,” Xiao Kun said. “I just hope it’s not another layer of scheme. Which direction?”

Xiang Xian said, “North, Wansui Mountain. I’ll go.”

Xiao Kun replied, “Without me there, you can’t draw the Wisdom Sword.”

“You’re not coming back, so I have to take a beating?” Xiang Xian retorted. “Then we’re both done for!”

“Do I seem that unreliable?” Xiao Kun said seriously. Then he realized Xiang Xian was indirectly reminding him not to overexert himself, so he waved it off and flew away on dragon control.

In a dark alley of Kaifeng City, A Huang flew over and landed on Xiang Xian’s shoulder. “Guo Jing entered the palace a little earlier.”

Xiang Xian and Xiao Kun had been inseparable for over a month. This was their first time apart, and with Wu Yingzong and Chaosheng missing, he felt uneasy and anxious. He frowned and asked, “Did anyone spot you?”

“No,” A Huang replied.

Inside the Wansui Mountain Imperial Palace, in the afternoon:

After taking that beating, Guo Jing lay exhausted in a side hall, awaiting summons. A strand of Demonic Qi silently assaulted him, possessing his body. The glow flashed again, and the Demonic Qi retracted.

Then, “Guo Jing” stretched lazily and casually drew a talismanic rune in the air, dragging Chaosheng out.

“This is the Song Imperial Palace.” “Guo Jing” straightened his robes leisurely and spoke in Mr. Qin’s tone. “Dynasties rise and fall on the Shenzhou Great Land, but I never imagined unworthy descendants would one day hand over the northern lands to the enemy.”

“You were once the Purple Tenuity Star as well?” Chaosheng grew even more puzzled.

Mr. Qin did not answer. Chaosheng said gravely, “What do you plan to do here?”

“Do you know how to plant the seed of obsession in a person’s heart?” Mr. Qin picked up the tea offered in the side hall, took a sip, and explained mildly to Chaosheng.

From Mr. Qin’s demeanor and presence, Chaosheng could not tell at all that this was a Demon Person.

After all, he had never personally experienced a battle against demons. From the ancient scrolls he had read, Demon People were all evil beings without their own consciousness, existing only to devour and destroy. The Heavenly Demon used its power to create numerous subordinates for its command. From this, it was clear that the great Demon King attached to the Demon Seed had already taken initial form to wreak havoc on the human world!

Mr. Qin’s appearance also overturned Chaosheng’s understanding of demons. Their wisdom was no different from mortals’—perhaps even superior—and not purely reliant on power.

“Everyone has the seed of desire in their heart,” Mr. Qin said, noticing Chaosheng’s constant wary gaze. He smiled faintly. “To make the seed grow, it must be nurtured through a transaction—the transaction between demon and human.

“But you must take care: there is only one chance for the transaction. You must offer conditions that the other party is willing to abandon everything for and accept wholeheartedly. Under those conditions, they will submit to you.”

Chaosheng kept staring at Mr. Qin. Mr. Qin added indifferently, “Be they mortals, exorcists, or even those who have achieved immortality, none can eradicate this seed. For example, Chang Qin’s obsession led her to enter reincarnation with her own body.”

“It was you!” Chaosheng said in shock. “You made Shan Yu Hong fall to demonic influence!”

“Not at all trivial.” Mr. Qin smiled. “To be precise, it was the Heavenly Sovereign. After all, with Shan Yu Hong’s cultivation base, she was not easily tempted.”

Chaosheng fell silent, pondering. He had gleaned quite a bit of information. There must be more than one like Mr. Qin—guys who could be called Demon Generals.

A palace servant came to announce, “Lord Guo, the Official Family has awakened.”

“The time has come,” Mr. Qin rose gladly and said. “Come, witness this transaction with me.”

Chaosheng followed Mr. Qin through the long corridors of the Wansui Mountain Imperial Palace toward the Chongwen Court. He did not try to escape midway or shout for help—after all, no matter how many guards were in the palace, they were no match for demons. Making a fuss now would only get innocents killed, and Wu Yingzong was still imprisoned by Mr. Qin.

His only hope was that Xiang Xian and Xiao Kun would quickly discover he had been brought to the palace.

Where were they?

On Shaoshi Mountain, the Golden Dragon slowly descended. Not far away, on a mountaintop, stood the Shaolin Temple built centuries ago. Mist shrouded the mountains, and faint bell tolls echoed.

Xiao Kun hurried toward the location marked on the map—the Fengshan Terrace where Empress Wu had ascended four hundred years prior.

The mist slowly dissipated, revealing a figure on the Fengshan Terrace.

“You’ve come, descendant of the Xiao clan.” A woman’s voice said.

The woman was in her twenties, dressed in a black robe embroidered with a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix in gold thread. She had jet-black hair, eyes like polished ink, and phoenix brows that commanded awe without anger. Her beauty was as cold as frost, and she held a sheathed sword.

Xiao Kun felt a faint sense of familiarity with her. Who was she exactly?

If Xiang Xian were here, the Demon Shaking Bell would ring incessantly, for her body emitted powerful Demonic Qi. Xiao Kun’s gaze shifted to her weapon. Though he did not recognize the woman, he knew the sword in her hand—

—it was Great Liao’s heirloom weapon, the Charging Wolf Sword!