"Where's the highest-quality spiritual root in your memory? Preferably the polluted kind."

Shen Yi communicated with it through his spirit-soul. Just as the several Great Qian Grandmasters and Tang Yuan had said, the Thousand Demon Den ahead would only grow more and more dangerous. Better to gather all the treasures he wanted in one go now.

The White-Feather Demon Emperor pondered a long while, then finally spoke. "White-Feather... greets... my lord..."

This reflex arc was a bit slow.

Shen Yi waited quietly a while longer before hearing the white crane continue. "Peerless-grade killing-force spiritual roots — in the Sixteenth Den. The Dark-Tail Demon Emperor uses them to nurture a divine spear. Any more news than that... White-Feather doesn't know either."

"The Dark-Tail Demon Emperor is solitary by nature, dwelling alone, rarely associating with other demons."

At this, Shen Yi keenly caught the crucial point. Them? Which was to say, more than one spiritual root. But the Sixteenth Den — just what manner of strength was that?

He looked at White-Feather, only to find this old crane still wearing a wholly vacant look, yet a measure of fear instinctively surfacing in its eyes.

"A thousand years ago, it once fought Nie Jun, losing by only half a grade."

"And it once, when Great Qian was at the height of its influence, joined hands with another demon emperor to cut down three six-zhang golden bodies."

Two short sentences gave Shen Yi some concept of its formidable strength. Absolutely not an existence his present self could resist. Should he truly encounter it, he might not even have a chance to react before being cut down outright.

"..."

Shen Yi fell silent, and only after a long while asked in his heart, "If I wanted that spiritual root, is there a way — what are the odds?"

The White-Feather Demon Emperor answered without hesitation. "Fifty-fifty."

"How so?" Shen Yi lifted his eyes in some surprise — so high, of all things.

"If it's in its cave estate, then there's naturally nothing to be done. But White-Feather has heard its true body is a Dark-Tail…