Xiao Qiangwei stared at the thread of blood qi entering the bell.

What did a core-nurturing demon lord’s blood qi mean?

The finest Condensate method. At least five War Temple refinements. Or a treasured implement capable of anchoring an entire prefecture.

It was a credit no one else in Qingzhou had earned in years.

But—

She looked at the young woman with a complicated expression.

As expected — Lin Baixi stared at the bell in helpless confusion. “That’s not what I meant.”

Before she could continue—

“I know.”

Shen Yi rose slowly. His voice was level. “There’s no need to rush like this.”

A Jade Liquid Perfection practitioner pushing as hard as she could — it wouldn’t change much.

“…”

For the first time, Lin Baixi wished she didn’t understand him quite so well. He’d only said half of it, and she’d immediately filled in the rest.

“Anything else?”

He walked to where she was sitting, head down in silence, and reached out to ruffle her hair.

“Stop being dramatic.”

Going alone to the north cliff had been a somewhat foolish thing to do. But he still preferred the sharp-spirited young woman he’d known before — the one who, with her life hanging by a thread, had sat with her legs crossed and said something like call me Teacher and I’ll help you past the Threshold. What do you say?

Fight hard to stay alive. Use that life where it’s actually needed.

Not this — not spending it chasing someone else, as if closing a gap were its own reward.

“Oh—”

Lin Baixi went rigid as though struck by lightning, sitting stiffly on the bed, her head swimming.

“I’m going.”

Shen Yi walked toward the door.

Xiao Qiangwei looked at the Lin girl with undisguised envy, then came back to herself. “It’s this late — where are you going?”

“General Chen asked me to come to Linjiang when I had time. Say goodbye to General You for me.”

Shen Yi thought of what he’d overheard between the two lions. He was Linjiang Prefecture’s Demon Suppression General — it was past time to go and see the old general.

The young man became wind again and was gone from the courtyard.

Xiao Qiangwei pulled her gaze back with some reluctance, and found Lin Baixi still sitting in a daze on the bed.

She let out a quiet, helpless laugh. “Still want that dressing changed?”

“Yes! Yes!” The young woman nodded vigorously.

Beyond Qingzhou. Towering mountains.

The ranges rose and fell in waves, full of birds and animals.

Two figures moved through the forest. Both in scale-plated heavy armor. The one on the left had a pale, beardless face and an elephant’s trunk hanging to the abdomen. The one on the right had withered fur — an old, gaunt-looking wolf demon.

They came to a stop before a waterfall that looked completely ordinary.

The wolf demon stilled its steps. The elephant demon stood behind it. Then, in a flat tone:

“The Howling Moon Demon King comes to call. Junior Demon King, please come out.”

The mountain air moved with occasional birdsong.

The Howling Moon Demon King showed no impatience. Hands clasped behind its back, it waited.

Finally — the waterfall parted slowly, revealing a wet smooth-walled cave.

The massive bull demon sat inside, gnarled muscles bulging, an oppressive presence.

It looked outward with flat indifference. Behind those copper-bell eyes — a trace of wariness.

“Interesting. Coming to find me while I’m healing. That might be a first. I’d like to know what you want.”

The aged wolf demon smiled and shook its head, then walked into the cave.

Its frame, compared to the Junior Demon King, was extraordinarily small. It sat on a stone ledge without ceremony.

“Junior Demon King needn’t worry. I haven’t come to do anything in particular. Only to offer a small reminder.”

“Remind me of what?” The bull demon looked down at it.

“To remind you — because of what happened this time, I lost one of my generals. To settle things with the old flood dragon of the Yangchun River, I sent out extremely precious medicine, to compensate it for three dead brothers.”

The Howling Moon bared teeth gone slightly yellow.

“I know you want to prove yourself no less capable than Jiang Qiulan. But you’ve tried many, many times. Every time, I’ve covered the losses with my own subordinates’ lives.”

At that, the bull demon’s eyes narrowed slowly, and something playful entered the voice.

“Old thing — are you blaming me?”

It knew how much the other had quietly given. But it couldn’t accept a question like that.

“Insolence—!”

The elephant demon’s expression went cold. It stepped forward sharply.

At the bull demon’s feet, a barely-conscious old dog opened its eyes and looked at the elephant demon with a flat, hoarse voice.

“Step back.”

The Howling Moon raised a hand and cut off the exchange.

“Junior Demon King misunderstands. I only want to offer one word of advice — advancing your cultivation level is also part of your strength. There’s no need to make everything a fair contest with that woman.”

Seeing the old wolf yield—

The bull demon’s tone eased somewhat.

“Once I’ve healed, the breakthrough is one step away. When the time comes, I’ll remove your greatest concern. I won’t touch your territory. I only want Qingzhou.”

The Howling Moon was worried that once Jiang Qiulan broke through, the whole of Qingzhou would come at it together.

Old demons like this had long since lost their ambition. They only wanted stability.

Word was it had no energy left even for its own women.

“Then I’m in your debt, Junior Demon King.”

The Howling Moon’s eyes were full of exhaustion. Having the promise, something in it relaxed.

“Since that’s settled — let me offer a small gift in return. This brother of yours doesn’t look like he’ll make it. We’re of the same kind after all — let me take him back, nourish him with blood essence, keep him alive.”

The dog demon’s eyelid twitched. A trace of wariness.

The Junior Demon King hesitated — then looked at this subordinate, who had escorted it from home all the way to Qingzhou, flesh carved open by the Mysterious Ice Seven-Kill Sword Intent, never a word of complaint, loyal without condition.

It was a loss of face. But it finally couldn’t quite harden its heart.

“Thank you.”

“My king—!” The old dog struggled to rise.

“Don’t worry about me. Rest and heal.” A sigh, and a sharp rebuke.

The elephant demon stepped forward and took the dog demon’s weight. The dog demon gripped its spear tightly, but had no choice.

The Howling Moon rose and walked out of the cave, turning to look back once.

“Try to make it quicker — there isn’t much time.”

The bull demon’s expression went cold again.

“Don’t wear out what little goodwill I have left for you.”

The three figures moved away into the distance. The waterfall closed.

A long while later — on the smooth stones outside the waterfall—

A small young-looking figure appeared slowly.

Aqian’s heart — quiet for centuries — was finally moving in waves.

Something inevitably like panic had reached the delicate face.

Things she hadn’t dared imagine even in dreams — appearing right in front of her this easily.

It left her momentarily unable to think clearly.

A seriously wounded Junior Demon King—

This was probably the demon-hunters’ greatest opportunity in years.

She worked to keep her composure, fingertips moving quickly through seals. One by one, threads of drifting qi came together in her palm.

Until they condensed into a small flickering flame.

Aqian placed the qi into the gold bell, turned, ran the Turtle-Breath Method and the illusion technique, and vanished silently from where she stood.

(End of Chapter)