Great Demon - Chapter 86 Part 2

Upon leaving the Endless Abyss, Zhuyou found herself back where she had entered, in front of the frost-covered ravine.

At first, she had not given it much thought, but now, seeing the glacial remains, she realized Changying’s careful intent—leaving behind a trace of dragon breath here allowed her to locate Shangxi City at any time.

The demons and devils were indeed hiding. From the shadows, they peeked out in fear, having recently witnessed a fierce battle between dragon and phoenix and the sudden tearing of the void.

Now, seeing the Vermillion Phoenix reappear, they trembled even more. None could comprehend how the heavens had been torn open again or what lay beyond the black void.

They sniffed the air but caught neither the overwhelming scent of devil qi nor the aura of immortals, leaving them unsure whether this Vermillion Phoenix was a celestial being or a devil.

Neither devil nor god—perhaps only she existed as such in the Three Realms.

Zhuyou placed her hand on the ice formed from Changying’s dragon breath. For some reason, the thought crossed her mind to discard the strand of hair—now twisted and frayed beyond recognition—and instead, chip off a piece of the ice to take with her.

Yet, after a moment of consideration, she felt a tinge of embarrassment. Why did it feel as though Changying’s presence clung to her body, as if that soft, supple form was pressed intimately against her?

Pressing her lips together, she abruptly withdrew her hand and turned to the demons and devils hiding in the shadows.

None among them appeared to be Guanshang’s subordinates. Wherever he had taken his devil soldiers, they were now completely beyond her reach.

Zhuyou crooked her finger toward a cat demon half-hidden behind a mud wall. The cat demon was small, but his cultivation was over a hundred years old.

Seeing her gesture, the cat demon shrank back timidly before cautiously peeking out again. He glanced around, and when no one else stepped forward, he hesitantly took a step closer.

“Come here,” Zhuyou said.

The cat demon approached, keeping a few steps’ distance and turning slightly as if prepared to bolt at any moment.

Zhuyou chuckled softly. “Afraid of me?”

“Yes,” the cat demon answered honestly.

“Who’s in charge of Shangxi City?” Zhuyou asked.

The cat demon’s eyes darted around before he answered, “No one officially, but Lady Huoshu of Jianxiang Pavilion manages some affairs.”

“Where is Jianxiang Pavilion?” she inquired.

The cat demon pointed toward a distant brothel.

Zhuyou’s expression remained neutral as she slowly shifted her gaze away. “Bring her to me,” she ordered, “and fetch Wu Buzhi while you’re at it.”

The name Wu Buzhi was well-known throughout Shangxi City—there wasn’t a single demon or devil present who didn’t recognize it.

The cat demon hesitated for a moment, confused as to why she wanted to see Wu Buzhi. That one had a notoriously difficult temperament—not exactly bad, but undeniably sharp-tongued and sarcastic. “Wu Buzhi has been keeping to himself lately, not leaving his residence…”

“Do you need me to teach you how to knock?” Zhuyou said coolly.

The cat demon nodded hastily. “I’ll go find Lady Huoshu and Wu Buzhi right away.” As he turned to leave, he glanced back and saw Zhuyou standing motionless beside the dragon-breath ice. After a moment’s thought, he cautiously suggested, “Would you… like to find a place to sit while you wait?”

The other demons and devils immediately averted their gazes, fearful that she might decide to visit their homes instead. They all hung their heads low, not daring to speak.

“No need.” Zhuyou placed her hand on the bone-chilling ice as if her touch could melt the unyielding frost. Her fingers even brushed over it gently.

The cat demon quickly averted his gaze, not daring to linger for even a moment. Who in the devil’s domain didn’t know how fearsome she had once been? Although she never officially became one of the First Lord or Second Lord, even those mighty figures had to show her respect—who would dare defy her?

Rumors from the Devil Realm had long spread throughout Shangxi City. He had heard of how she would boil cauldrons of water to cook disobedient devils, throw them into snake pits, or hang them in the desert to dry them into devil jerky.

Now, her cultivation was far stronger than before, her realm unfathomably deep. Though she appeared amiable, who knew if she would suddenly change her expression and slaughter them all?

Thinking of the four-winged vermillion phoenix she had just manifested, the cat demon quickened his pace as though a hellhound were chasing him.

Zhuyou floated lightly upward and settled herself on the glacier. Within the pale, icy expanse, the outlines of flying eaves and corridor pillars were still faintly visible.

No other demons or devils dared to approach her, which only confirmed that the cat demon just now was either reckless or suicidal.

She suddenly found it all rather dull. It had been this way in the Devil Realm, and now it was the same in Shangxi City. She missed Hanzhu—and the dozens of silver-tongued devils from the Grand Hall. Now, her surroundings were desolate and silent, without a single clever speaker to amuse her.

Shangxi City had no shortage of inhabitants, but she wondered if any of them were sharp-witted. Many of these demons had been exiled from the Heavenly Realm. Stripped of their immortal bones and celestial titles, they had lost every trace of divine aura—yet they could still manifest their true forms and retain their cultivation, becoming demons.

If not for her fall into the devil path on the Immortal Execution Platform, she too would have become like those demons after those two hundred years.

Zhuyou swept her gaze around the area and lifted her hand slowly. The collapsed pillars around her suddenly stood upright. Even the shattered fragments pieced themselves together under her power. Broken bricks and tiles swirled in the air before settling back into place, restoring everything to its original form in an instant.

The debris vanished without a trace, and even the extinguished lanterns hanging in the sky reignited. Their glowing flames flickered gently in the wind.

The demons and devils hiding in the shadows were stunned. Why was she even restoring their city?

Zhuyou crooked her finger slightly, though no one knew whom she was summoning. None of them dared to move, wishing they could sprout roots and transform into mindless, shapeless trees.

“I’ve already saved Shangxi City for you—what is there to fear?” she said.

The demons and devils exchanged anxious glances. The reason they lingered in Shangxi City—choosing neither the Demon Realm nor the Devil Realm—was to avoid trouble and cling to their fragile lives. But now, with such a being capable of destroying heaven and earth before them, how could they not be afraid?

They were used to idling away their days in the city’s brothels and gambling dens, indulging in worldly pleasures. But now that Shangxi City had been severed from the rest of the realm, no one knew what its future held—or where they would go if it vanished.

Hearing her words, a few demons cautiously peered out from the shadows. They stole a glance at the Vermillion Phoenix, but the sight burned their eyes, forcing them to look away quickly.

A water demon crawled out of a nearby pool. Her limbs were deathly pale, bloodless, and so limp they seemed boneless. She clung weakly to the shore, her shrill voice trembling. “Does Your Grace truly mean to protect Shangxi City?”

“I’ve already offended the Nine Heavens’ Divine Venerable for it,” Zhuyou lowered her gaze, a faint smile playing on her lips.

The water demon’s swollen, rotting skin made her already striking black eyes seem even darker. Her eyes burned from the sight of Zhuyou, forcing her to lower her head and instead gaze at the reflection in the lake.

Zhuyou’s figure shimmered in the water, her image blurred by the rippling surface—like the reflection of the moon in the water, ethereal and unreachable.

“Why did the Nine Heavens sever Shangxi City? What wrong have we done?” the water demon asked sharply, still staring at the hazy reflection.

“You truly do not know?” Zhuyou’s smile deepened, unreadable.

The assembled demons and devils were dumbfounded. None of them knew the truth. The Heavenly Realm had deliberately concealed it—so no one was aware that the youngest daughter of the Phoenix Clan, Jingyi, was actually the hun soul of the former Devil Lord, let alone that the heavens themselves were on the verge of upheaval. Even the Phoenix Clan’s patriarch was soon to be stripped of his title.

The water demon was clever despite her ghastly appearance. She softened her voice deliberately, making it hoarse and grating. “Could it be… because of that wisp of devil energy earlier?”

Zhuyou, perched on the frozen eaves with the glacier winding behind her like a coiled white dragon, idly tapped her fingers against her knee and nodded. “Correct.”

“But if it’s just devil energy, why sever the city? Could something be hidden here?” the water demon pressed cautiously, her raspy voice dragging like something crawling slowly across sand.

Zhuyou clapped her hands lightly and glanced down at the water demon. For a moment, her gaze lingered—before swiftly moving on. Even she hadn’t expected to see a demon this hideous. 

Her expression grew colder, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “Indeed. But whatever is hidden here—it has been buried for a thousand years. Surely you’ve heard the rumors of demons mysteriously vanishing within Shangxi City. Have you ever wondered why?”

“Why?” The water demon braved herself to ask. Her eyes widened in shock. “Could it be… a void realm hidden beneath the city?”

“Since you’ve lived here so long, you must have heard how, a thousand years ago, Devil Lord Guanshang’s forces entered the city—only to vanish without a trace.” Zhuyou spoke as if guiding them step by step toward the truth.

A shivering devil knelt on the ground, her skin unusually pale despite the devil markings etched across her body. Stammering, she asked: “Could… could it be… the Devil Lord has returned?”

The air grew deathly still. Only the faint chime of wind-bells beneath the eaves disturbed the silence. The lanterns overhead swayed, their flickering flames trembling on the verge of extinction.

The water demon’s voice sharpened. “That wisp of devil energy—”

“That was not devil energy,” Zhuyou cut in softly.

“Then… what was it?” the water demon asked, inching forward before a sudden chill forced her to retreat.

Zhuyou’s crimson lips curved as she answered: “It was Guanshang’s hun soul.”

These words were like crimson thunderbolts falling from the heavens, striking the ears of the demons and devils until they buzzed. No one had expected that the devil mist would turn out to be the Devil Lord’s hun soul. They exchanged glances, bodies trembling, as though hearts long grown despondent had suddenly begun to beat again.

These demons and devils might seem disinclined to stir up trouble, but that was only because they lacked the strength to do so.

Nowadays, there are many celestial officials in the Nine Heavens, and even Shangxi City has almost fallen under their control. Yet, despite a thousand years passing, the Heavenly Realm had never sent an immortal to govern the city directly—at most, they had a few celestials keeping an eye on things from the shadows.

Zhuyou’s gaze swept across the crowd, noting the expressions of these demons and devils. She knew that once Guanshang returned, he would surely gather all the demons and devils under his command. Since that was the case, she might as well give things a little push and draw him out sooner.

Upon hearing her words, the demons and devils could barely contain their wild delight. Grins stretched across their faces, baring gleaming white teeth. Yet, despite their glee, they dared not act too recklessly—for this woman’s cultivation level might very well surpass that of the Devil Lord himself.

They could not discern Zhuyou’s cultivation level, but in their hearts, they understood—Guanshang, even at the height of his power, had been defeated by an ancient god’s po soul. And now, the Vermillion Phoenix capable of growing four wings… surely, she must be on par with the ancient gods.

The demons and devils sighed inwardly. If the Devil Lord were to join forces with this woman, why wouldn’t they be able to seize control of the Three Realms? Yet, even with such an alliance, it was uncertain if the Devil Lord could emerge unscathed. After all, the Devil Clan was in decline, while the Nine Heavens boasted not only many celestials but also the reincarnated ancient gods.

The water demon froze, her eyes widening so intensely that her sockets ached. She couldn’t help but dive back into the water, her voice shrill as she cried, “Could it be that the Three Lords of the devil’s domain have truly gathered the Devil Lord’s three hun souls?”

“There are no Three Lords in the devil’s domain anymore,” Zhuyou corrected. That First Lord had long been taken as a sword by the Divine Venerable of the Nine Heavens. After a slight pause, she added, “Besides, the one who brought the three hun souls together wasn’t them.”

“Then who was it?” The water demon’s disbelief was palpable.

“It was me,” Zhuyou said, her eyes curving slightly as she looked down upon the assembled demons and devils.

From the shadows emerged more demons and devils, each enduring the sting in their eyes just to catch a glimpse of the Vermillion Phoenix. Yet, the small devil kneeling on the ground trembled uncontrollably, pressing his forehead to the earth, unable to rise for a long time.

Zhuyou felt a deep satisfaction—no wonder Guanshang was so desperate to return. Wasn’t it to bask in the reverence of the devils and to make the celestials, devils, and gods of the Three Realms bow before his feet? This desire—this intention—boiled down to a hunger for fame and pleasure.

Suddenly, a searing pain flared along her spine, as though devil energy was trying to seep into her bones.

Zhuyou lowered her gaze. Though her lips curled faintly upward, no trace of joy could be seen in her eyes. She placed a hand against her back, pulling the devil energy—eager to gnaw at her bones—back into its place. Just this meager amount of devil energy, and it dared to try and disturb her mind?

“So,” she asked, lifting her eyes to sweep across the crowd of demons and devils, “do you still fear me?”

Fear lingered, unquestionably. No demon or devil dared approach her, and none would dream of challenging her.

Zhuyou spoke slowly, “Now that the Devil Lord’s three hun souls are reunited, he will soon recover the cultivation he held a thousand years ago. When that time comes, he will undoubtedly head to the Demon Realm. Why don’t I move Shangxi City into the Demon Clan’s territory to save him some trouble?”

“You are wise and farsighted, Your Grace,” the water demon called out suddenly, poking her head above the lake’s surface.

Zhuyou cast her a sidelong glance, thinking that while this creature was rather ugly, at least she knew how to speak properly.

Soon after, the cat demon arrived with Lady Huoshu—though Wu Buzhi did not follow.

Huoshu appeared to be a woman in her prime, still graceful and alluring. With a flick, she opened a paper fan, her brow furrowed as she cast a brief glance toward Zhuyou before lowering her gaze behind the fan.

The cat demon hastened to introduce her, “Your Grace, this is Lady Huoshu.”

Huoshu remained silent, her face still half-hidden behind her fan, without uttering a single word.

Zhuyou narrowed her eyes. “What’s this? Is a mere demon practicing the art of silence?”

Huoshu pressed her lips together but offered a shallow bow in response.

“The lady seldom speaks,” the cat demon explained, his bright eyes darting cleverly.

Only then did Huoshu finally speak. “I greet you, Your Grace. I beg your pardon—I dare not speak lightly, for my words, like a crow’s, tend to come true if they are ill-omened.”

“Is that so?” Zhuyou let out a soft laugh.

Huoshu nodded, the golden hairpin in her hair trembling slightly. Hidden behind her fan, her eyes curved faintly with amusement. “That’s why I rarely speak—I’d rather not offend anyone. Otherwise, I’d have to pay reparations.”

“Why do you hide your face behind that fan? Do you think I’m not worthy to look upon you?” Zhuyou’s voice grew colder.

Only then did Huoshu lower the fan, revealing that she had half-transformed—her upper face remained human, but her lower face had taken on the appearance of a field mouse. Yet she still spoke in a clear voice without a hint of squeaking. Her lips twitched as she explained, “I was startled by your imposing presence, Your Grace. It will take me a moment to recover.”

Zhuyou thought to herself that the demons of Shangxi City were each more ridiculous than the last. She closed her eyes briefly and asked, “Why didn’t Wu Buzhi come?”

The cat demon hesitated, clearly troubled. “He doesn’t seem to be in his room. There’s a restriction placed on it, and since his cultivation is a bit higher than mine, I can’t touch it.”

Zhuyou had planned to ask Huoshu some questions, but hearing this, she immediately swept out in a flash, heading straight for Wu Buzhi’s wooden hut.

The cat demon and Huoshu hurried after her, only to find that Zhuyou seemed familiar with the place—she found the hut with ease.

***

Although Wu Buzhi lived among the bustling city, his hut was small, narrow, and strangely shabby. In front of the door were offerings of tea and wine, carefully arranged in the manner mortals used to honor the dead.

The door was tightly shut, cloaked in an invisible restriction.

With a flick of her arm, Zhuyou shattered the restriction. Though invisible, it broke apart with a sound like porcelain shattering.

As the others caught up, gasping for breath, Zhuyou pushed open the door. An icy wave of devil energy rushed toward her.

A simple snap of her fingers dispersed it.

The lingering aura, though faint, was all too familiar—Guanshang’s. Somehow, without anyone noticing, Guanshang had already taken Wu Buzhi. Either to extract information… or because Wu Buzhi had discovered an unspeakable secret.

Guanshang.

She repeated the name in her heart, syllable by syllable.