From then until the Demon Guard army fully assembled, Chen Yixin’s daily routine consisted of either flying all over the Demon Palace with his little wings spread, or curling up asleep against Wenren Li’s chest. He also never again asked Wenren Li about Qingruo or Linyu and the others. One reason was because Wenren Li truly did not know; the other was because Chen Yixin had become somewhat afraid to ask.
“Reporting to Demon Lord, Nan Ke and the others have returned,” Wu Fei quickly entered the great hall to report to Wenren Li. He continued, “He also brought back a merfolk army, a demon cultivator army, and in addition, a human cultivator force of around a hundred people.”
To confirm that Wenren Li and Chen Yixin were safe and unharmed, the Roc Demon Emperor, Ze Fang, and Yan of the Merfolk Clan had all come personally. Naturally, the reason they brought armies with them was because the fat old man had received guidance from the Divine Well.
“Bring them to the martial grounds,” Wenren Li said as he rose from the great hall and headed toward the martial grounds. Today was also the day their Li Kui Demon Palace would launch its campaign against the Nether Domain.
“Yes.” Receiving the order, Wu Fei personally went to lead them over.
Their Li Kui Demon Palace possessed deep foundations; conquering the Nether Domain would be more than manageable. However, the mixed force of humans and demons Nan Ke brought back included three Soul Transformation powerhouses. The assistance these people could provide was not something to overlook, so Wu Fei could not afford to treat them carelessly.
When Ze Fang, the Roc Demon Emperor, and Yan led their forces into the martial grounds, even though they had mentally prepared themselves, they were still slightly shaken. One hundred thousand Demon Guards stood assembled, radiating an aura capable of swallowing mountains and rivers. That momentum caused hearts to tremble, while the Demon Palace’s foundations inspired fear and awe.
Wenren Li summoned them to the martial grounds not merely to let them witness this display or to intimidate and warn them, but to make them reaffirm their choice once more—whether they still intended to submit and pledge loyalty as they had before.
When it came to quick wits, Ze Fang was naturally the fastest. Leading the people he brought, he dropped to one knee. “Northern Sea Watermoon Pavilion is willing to pledge loyalty to Your Highness the Demon Lord.”
The Roc Demon Emperor and Yan glanced at Ze Fang before kneeling as well. Since they had already followed Nan Ke to the Taixuan continent, how could they still hesitate over the choices they had once made?
“The Northern Sea Sky Clan is willing to pledge loyalty to Your Highness the Demon Lord, even unto death!”
“The entire Northern Sea Merfolk Clan is willing to submit to the Demon Lord and become subjects under his rule.”
Wenren Li, dressed in black battle robes, stood upon the sole moon platform at the center of the martial grounds. He exchanged no unnecessary pleasantries and directly issued appointments. “Ze Fang shall serve as Tianshu Commander, Azure Roc shall serve as Tianxuan Commander, and Yan shall serve as Tianji Commander. You will accompany this lord in the expedition against the Nether Domain. Wu Fei, Ping Cheng, Nan Ke—you three will remain behind to guard the Demon Palace.”
“Yes!” Ze Fang and the others responded loudly, followed by the hundred thousand Demon Guards answering in unison.
From Wenren Li’s return to the Demon Palace, to the issuing of orders, the gathering of the army, and finally departure, only ten days had passed. Nether Domain Demon Lord You Ruo had only just received the news. Before she could even properly react, another message arrived stating that Wenren Li had already personally led his army to the border between the two domains.
You Ruo’s expression twisted uncontrollably. Her thoughts raced as she tried to determine exactly what she had done to thoroughly provoke Wenren Li into using her Nether Domain as the first target. Over the past decade or so, she indeed had ambitions for expansion and had taken actions toward that end, but she was not foolish enough to crash headfirst into a hard stone like the Li Kui Demon Palace.
“Was it Black Feather? No, that old fellow is best at smoothing things over… Then could it be… him!”
At last, You Ruo thought of the person she believed to be the key figure. She assumed Chen Yixin had prompted Wenren Li to move against her Nether Domain. In reality, however, Chen Yixin’s dislike of her accounted for very little of Wenren Li’s reasons for launching the campaign.
You Ruo and her Nether Domain lacked deep foundations, yet her ambitions were enormous. Throughout the years, she had constantly formed factions among the Ten Demon Lords, isolating and suppressing others. Many grudges and disputes bore her influence. A person like that remaining in the Southern Domain would always be a hidden threat to the Li Kui Demon Palace.
Furthermore, the Nether Domain was geographically close to Li Kui Domain. Since Wenren Li had already decided to unify the Southern Domain, why would he bypass the nearby target in favor of something farther away?
“It must be him!” The more You Ruo thought about it, the more convinced she became that she had guessed correctly. It had to be that when Chen Yixin passed through the border of the Nether Domain last time, her act of offering beautiful concubines had angered Chen Yixin, causing him to make Wenren Li vent his anger on her.
But even after discovering what she believed to be the true reason, it did nothing to improve her current predicament.
“Send messages to the other Demon Lords. I refuse to believe they can’t see Wenren Li’s intentions. No, there’s also the righteous path. Spread the news across the world for me. The righteous sects will never stand by and watch the Southern Domain become unified…”
There was nothing necessarily wrong with You Ruo’s course of action, but for the Nether Domain, now that enemy forces had already arrived at the gates, it was somewhat too late.
She holed herself up within Nether City, activating the great defensive formation. Yet the only news she continuously received was that Wenren Li had taken one city and one province after another from her, subduing both cities and demonic cultivators alike. The other eight Demon Lords might as well not have existed—none of them sent reinforcements. Even the Immortal Dao, which she believed would surely respond, remained completely inactive.
What she forgot was that the current Wenren Li was no longer the same as the one from over ten years ago. His Demon Consort was the Divine Son whom even the righteous path, led by the Heaven’s Secret Sect, was bound to protect and serve.
Crash! Clatter! You Ruo swept another jade communication slip from the desk. Grinding her teeth repeatedly, she found it impossible to reconcile herself to the situation. Her gaze fell upon the white jade wall, which reflected her own image. Her expression gradually steadied before she turned and returned to her sleeping chambers.
Within the military encampment outside Nether City, Wenren Li was currently studying a method he had obtained from the Roc Demon Emperor. The Roc Clan had always used this technique to purify and strengthen the bloodline power of their descendants. What made Wenren Li feel it especially worthy of study was that Chen Yixin had once hatched within the Azure Roc Clan. Perhaps this was the true direction for helping Chen Yixin hatch once again.
“The direction is correct, but there are too many flaws. Something is still missing…”
Wenren Li used cinnabar ink to sketch and write across a brocade cloth. His movements suddenly paused as a phoenix egg that had just awakened rolled out from inside his collar. Flapping its spiritual wings, it rubbed upward from Wenren Li’s collarbone, seemingly intent on rolling its egg body all over Wenren Li’s neck and face before being satisfied.
“A-Li, what are you doing?” Chen Yixin asked while continuing to rub against Wenren Li nonstop. Only after Wenren Li cupped him in his hand and gently kissed him did he shyly settle down obediently.
“I’m repairing a formation. It still needs some more time.”
Wenren Li lowered his gaze toward the phoenix before supporting him in one hand while continuing his writing and calculations with the other.
Chen Yixin stood quietly within Wenren Li’s palm, apparently still floating in the bliss of that kiss, while muttering continuously under his breath, “Ah, A-Li kissed me. A-Li really loves kissing me…”
“Enter!” Wenren Li lifted his gaze. The moment he spoke, a Demon Guard entered the tent and bowed respectfully to report.
“Reporting to Demon Lord, this is the surrender letter delivered by the Nether Domain.”
Wenren Li set down his brush. The surrender letter floated onto the desk, but before it could even be opened halfway, a blue flame reduced it entirely to ashes.
“Hmph, such low-grade seduction arts dare to be used here!” Chen Yixin flew down from Wenren Li’s hand and directly smashed himself onto the still-burning blue flames that had consumed the surrender letter. Still not satisfied after extinguishing them, he rammed into them several more times.
Wenren Li gathered the phoenix egg into his arms to soothe him while simultaneously waving a hand to relay his orders to the Demon Guard. “Tell Ze Fang and the others to accelerate their advance. If they cannot capture her alive, then kill her.”
With three Soul Transformation-level commanders accompanying the campaign, there was no need for him to personally take action.
“Yes.” The Demon Guard acknowledged the order and withdrew.
The phoenix egg in Wenren Li’s arms still puffed up angrily. Among the Six Phoenix Arts, both Dance and Song possessed seductive and enchanting effects. Compared to them, You Ruo’s attempt to use demon clan techniques within the surrender letter to increase Wenren Li’s favor toward her was indeed crude and inferior.
“Is A-Li angry? I destroyed it!” After venting his anger, Chen Yixin became slightly worried.
Wenren Li stroked the phoenix egg and let out a soft sigh. Then he rose, carrying it with him as he stepped out of the military tent. While walking, he said to Chen Yixin, “A-Rong, remember this: I will never be angry with you.”
Deep down, Chen Yixin still retained the image of Wenren Li from his own memories. In those memories, Wenren Li was imposing, solemn, and unsmiling. No one dared joke around before him. Even his Elder Brother Qingruo and Linyu only ever stopped at harmless teasing; they never dared cross the line, much less go too far.
Chen Yixin had never understood loneliness before. Yet looking at the present Wenren Li, whose eyes now held emotion, he suddenly felt loneliness on behalf of the Wenren Li from his memories.
“A-Li is good. This kind of A-Li is good.” Chen Yixin happily repeated the words before Wenren Li carried him along to the battlefield. You Ruo was still resisting against Ze Fang and the others. She refused to surrender obediently and continued insisting on seeing Wenren Li.
“Has Demon Lord agreed to this concubine’s request?” The moment You Ruo saw Wenren Li flying over, hope rapidly ignited within her eyes. She could not avoid surrendering, yet she was unwilling to surrender without any leverage at all. She wanted Wenren Li to exchange the position of a secondary consort for her entire Nether Domain of ten provinces.
“What request?”
Wenren Li had never even had the chance to read the surrender letter. With a wave of his hand, Ze Fang and the others all retreated behind him.
You Ruo drew in a harsh breath before kneeling and performing the formal concubine’s salute. “You Ruo is willing to offer the ten provinces of the Nether Domain as dowry, asking only to serve the Demon Lord and Demon Consort within the Demon Palace in the future…”
The moment she finished speaking and raised her head, her pupils violently contracted. Blood instantly flooded her vision—the blood pouring from her own eyes.
Her hand slowly lifted before drooping weakly back down again. Before her soul completely extinguished, she still heard the proclamation Wenren Li announced to the world.
“In the past, present, and future, this lord will only ever have one Demon Consort.”
“Demon Consort! Demon Consort!”
“Divine Son! Divine Son!”
The Demon Guards who heard Wenren Li’s declaration all began shouting in unison. Chen Yixin had already been confirmed as the Divine Son in the Northern Domain, and in the hearts of these Demon Guards, only the Divine Son was worthy of becoming their Demon Consort.
“Ah!” Chen Yixin let out a cry that sounded both delighted and shy. Then spreading his spiritual wings, he personally presented his eggshell toward Wenren Li’s lips. “A-Li is my tree, and I am A-Li’s Demon Consort.”
With one hand protecting Chen Yixin, Wenren Li swept his other hand forward. The great army advanced with unstoppable momentum, crushing everything in its path. In no more than half a month, one-tenth of the Nether Domain had already become territory under the rule of the Li Kui Demon Palace.
“Ze Fang, personally lead people to investigate thoroughly. Focus especially on whether there are any traces of activity left behind by the otherworldly demons within Nether City.”
“Yes!” Ze Fang, dressed in white scholar’s robes, immediately led his forces out. The Roc Demon Emperor and Yan remained behind within the command tent, waiting for Wenren Li’s further orders.
“Did the Divine Well ever give any warnings regarding the otherworldly demons?”
Wenren Li asked Yan a question. He felt that, given how mysterious and cryptic that old merfolk elder was, he should have entrusted Yan with some instructions.
“No.” Yan shook his head, but when he raised his eyes, his gaze paused briefly upon the phoenix egg rubbing about restlessly within Wenren Li’s palm.
“Speak plainly.” Wenren Li looked over. At once, Yan dropped to his knees with a thud.
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