Among the mountain streams, cloud and mist hung thick.

A magnificent white horse came stepping slowly out of the fog and looked at the demons prostrated before it.

It walked among them, and report after report gathered from their mouths, each in turn discerned by that single black eye.

"The Blood-Transmuting Demon Emperor was slain by Nie Jun. According to two sword-bearing maidservants, its wife and child went missing in Great Qian."

"The White-Feather Demon Emperor went to the Eight-Direction Dining Hall. It entered a cave estate, and whether it lived or died is unknown... that Shen fellow, the cultivator, was present at the time."

"This cultivator later joined forces with Yu Chao'an and stole the Dark-Tail Spear. It was subsequently recovered by the Dark-Tail Demon Emperor and the Gold-Eyed Lion Emperor — only they seem to have fallen out, and the Dark-Tail Demon Emperor left the Thousand Demon Den and has not returned to this day."

The white horse's pace slowed further. Dwelling deep within its cave estate, it had not known so many great events had taken place within the Den.

It looked to another demon king. "Continue."

"The Azure-Plumed Demon Emperor pursued Shen Yi outside the Thousand Demon Den and was slain by several cultivators, Tang Yuan among them. Many saw the sky-blotting purple flames."

That demon king raised its head, trembling with fear. "And there is the Crimson-Heart Demon Emperor's fall — in that matter too there are traces of Wutong Mountain's disciples, and of Shen Yi."

At this point its very body began to shake. "Xuanguang Cave's Zhang Xuanyan slew the Bear Emperor and the Silver-Backed Demon Emperor within a cave estate, and was at last beheaded by the Gold-Eyed Lion Emperor..."

Only now, at last, did the White Swan hear its first halfway decent piece of news.

And it turned out to be the work of that same Gold-Eyed Lion it harbored certain doubts about.

Utterly absurd.

"The Lion Emperor's strength is formidable... but it is also exceedingly ruthless toward its own kind. The Savage-Mountain Boar Emperor and the River-Deer Emperor both offended it…