Just then, Xiao Ruobai and the others transformed into streaks of light and flew straight toward the mountain-like figure in the sky—the Azure Heaven Wild Bull, Lao Huang.
Lao Huang snorted. The terrifying qi and blood surrounding him slowly receded, and his enormous body gradually shrank amid the radiance.
He returned to his usual appearance: an unassuming blue ox.
Yet the Quasi-Emperor’s blood clinging to his horns bore witness to the horror of the battle that had just taken place.
He shook his massive head and naturally joined Xiao Ruobai and the others.
This scene immediately caught the eyes of everyone watching closely.
Only then did they remember that the Azure Heaven Wild Bull and Battle Asura’s group had arrived here at practically the same time.
“They’re together?!”
Whether it was the Ancient Demon Court, the demons of the present age, or the various divine senses observing from the shadows, waves surged through their hearts.
This Quasi-Emperor ox demon who had suddenly appeared and single-handedly reversed the course of battle was actually on the same side as these human prodigies?
Had they met by chance along the way, or had they been together from the very beginning?
Demon Emperor Yuan Tiangang stared at Lao Huang as he naturally reunited with Xiao Ruobai and the others. His expression was indescribably complicated.
He recalled how, back in the Imperial Tomb, he had once used his power to pressure others and force Qilinzi Mo Yu to return.
At that time, Mo Yu had even confronted him, the Demon Emperor, under the protection of Battle Asura and the others.
Who could have imagined that, when the Southern Domain fell into crisis, the first to arrive—and the one who would turn the tide of battle as a Quasi-Emperor—would be them?
He forcibly suppressed the churning qi and blood in his body as well as the turmoil in his heart. Then, with a complicated sigh, he turned his gaze toward the sky.
Across the scorched earth hung the relief of surviving a calamity, mingled with an even deeper sorrow.
Almost the instant the wager over the Southern Domain was established, the many human forces that had long been watching the battle learned of it.
Some powerful faction leaders also keenly sensed that something was amiss, though they could not say exactly what.
At the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, beside the Stargazing Platform, the hexagrams were in disarray. Master Tianji’s obscure divine sense was filled with confusion.
“Seven days? Ten battles between young prodigies? Dividing the territory and ruling separately?”
“Strange. The Ancient Demon Court’s luck fluctuates between brightness and darkness. It is deeply entangled with the present age, yet whether this is auspicious or ominous cannot be discerned clearly.”
“Taking the initiative to draw the human race into the game…”
At the Dao Repository Academy, Xing Tian'ao’s brows drew together slightly, and a grave look flashed through his eyes.
The Ancient Demon Court had remained dormant for countless ages before returning, and now it had taken the initiative to draw the human prodigies into a wager?
Was this blind arrogance born of too many years of silence, an eagerness to reclaim its former glory?
Or did it intend to use this battle between young prodigies to stir up the entire human power structure of Xuanhuang, perhaps harboring an even deeper scheme?
Within such top-tier forces as the Jade Lake Sacred Land and the Great Zhou Dynasty, powerful figures also sensed that this wager was far from simple.
Yet its true purpose remained as indistinct as viewing an object through a veil—hazy and impossible to discern.
However, the subtle doubts lingering in the hearts of the most powerful figures were soon drowned out by another emotion, one far more surging and impassioned.
It was the blazing battle intent of countless young prodigies from every corner of Xuanhuang!
“The Ancient Demon Court’s prodigies? They’ve been isolated from the world for countless ages. This is the perfect chance to see what they’re really made of!”
“A battle of young prodigies in the Southern Domain! The fate of an entire domain will be decided! How could I possibly miss such an event?”
“This is the day I make my name! If I can defeat all the Ancient Demon Court’s prodigies, what could stop me from achieving the Great Dao?”
For a time, the winds and clouds roiled!
Countless dazzling streaks of light shot into the sky from every domain, tearing across the heavens as they sped toward the Southern Domain in unison.
Among them were heirs of sacred lands, young masters of ancient clans, hidden geniuses, and ascetics yearning to break through under the most extreme pressure!
To them, this was an unprecedented stage of immense proportions!
At that moment, Gu Changge and Little White were strolling across the continent formed from fragments of the Immortal Realm.
Night fell, enveloping the bloodstained land of the Southern Domain, which temporarily sank into deathly silence.
The surviving demon tribes had retreated a hundred miles.
The dancing bonfire illuminated the Demon Emperor’s exhausted and complicated face.
After dealing with the most urgent arrangements for the wounded and reorganizing the defensive lines, he took a deep breath, dismissed his attendants, and walked alone toward the secluded courtyard at the edge of the camp.
In his hand, he carried a jade bottle radiating rich life essence.
Inside the courtyard, Lao Huang was sprawled on the ground, dozing with snores like rolling thunder, while Xiao Ruobai and the others sat meditating and regulating their breathing.
Yuan Tiangang paused for a moment at the courtyard gate. Then he stepped inside with a firm stride.
His arrival made Fatty Wang jolt, while Mo Yu’s body instantly tensed.
Lao Huang did not even lift an eyelid.
Xiao Ruobai slowly opened his eyes and looked at him calmly.
Yuan Tiangang took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing both his churning qi and blood and the even greater turmoil in his heart. Then he walked step by step toward Lao Huang.
As he gazed at this familiar yet unfamiliar old ox, memories of the past surged into his mind—memories of when they had both been Sacred Kings and had even competed with each other from time to time.
Those memories overlapped with the imposing presence of the Quasi-Emperor before him, leaving his throat dry.
He straightened his tattered robes and clasped his hands before Lao Huang, bowing deeply.
“Ox King…”
His voice, hoarse from his injuries and turbulent emotions, rang out clearly.
“…Senior.”
The word “Senior” was difficult for him to say.
“Today, I thank Senior for intervening and saving the demons of the Southern Domain from the brink of destruction!”
Lao Huang snorted. His ox eyes slid sideways toward Yuan Tiangang, and his voice rumbled like muffled thunder.
“Well, well, Little Ape. We haven’t seen each other for more than a decade, and you’ve really made a mess of things.
“Where did that vigor you had when you used to fight with this old ox go? Did a bunch of ancient relics crawling out of their graves beat you into this state?”
On any ordinary day, who would dare speak to the Demon Emperor like that?
Yet now, only a bitter look crossed Yuan Tiangang’s face. He showed not the slightest trace of anger.
He bowed again, his tone filled with deep helplessness and self-mockery.
“Senior’s rebuke is justified. I, Yuan Tiangang, was incompetent. I have failed my ancestors and nearly thrown away everything they built.”
“This is a drop of primordial ancient flood-dragon blood that I have treasured. I humbly ask Senior to accept it as a small token of my gratitude!”
A flash of smugness appeared in Lao Huang’s ox eyes.
You used to compete with me, but now you still have to obediently thank me.
How refreshing!
“Hmm. At least you know how to behave.”
He opened his mouth and inhaled. The jade bottle flew straight into it.
The surging essence of qi and blood spread through him, making him narrow his eyes in comfort. His attitude toward Yuan Tiangang visibly softened.
Yuan Tiangang felt somewhat relieved. Only then did he turn toward Xiao Ruobai and the others, his gaze first settling on Mo Yu’s face, his eyes filled with remorse.
He clasped his hands once more. This time, he lowered his stance even further.
“Fellow Daoists, and… Mo Yu.”
He drew a deep breath, his voice solemn.
“Outside the Imperial Tomb, I was arrogant and used my power to pressure others, nearly causing a grave mistake.
“Mo Yu, especially in your case, I was unquestionably in the wrong. I hereby offer you all my sincerest apologies. I hope you can forgive me!”
Xiao Ruobai’s expression remained calm, and he said nothing.
At that moment, Yuan Tiangang took out an object and extended it toward Xiao Ruobai.
“This object is called the Black Tortoise Shell. It is an ancient treasure of my clan, containing a trace of the Black Tortoise’s true intent. Once activated, it can withstand the full-force strike of a peak Great Sage. Please accept it as a token of my sincerity, and do not refuse!”
Xiao Ruobai glanced at the ancient, weighty shell. He could sense the powerful defensive Dao-rhyme contained within it. It was indeed a miraculous treasure capable of saving one’s life.
His expression softened slightly. He did not refuse, reaching out to accept it before casually handing it to Mo Yu.
“What happened in the past was a matter of differing positions and considerations. There is no need to bring it up again.”
That was enough for Mo Yu to accept his apology, and the tension in her body eased slightly.
Seeing that his apology had been accepted, Yuan Tiangang felt a weight lift from his heart.
His expression turned solemn, and his tone grew serious as he made a new—and even more important—request.
“The matter from before is settled. I, Yuan, have one more favor to ask.”
He turned to Xiao Ruobai. “The Prodigy Battle seven days from now concerns the survival of the demon clans in the Southern Region. You several fellow Daoists possess extraordinary strength. If you are willing to lend us your aid, my entire clan would be eternally grateful. I wonder…”
Xiao Ruobai raised a hand lightly, interrupting him once again.
“Your Majesty, we have accepted your apology. But lending you our aid is another matter entirely.”
“We came here in the first place for Mo Yu. Our earlier intervention was out of personal consideration. But now you want us to fight for your entire clan. That can no longer be considered a favor.”
Yuan Tiangang’s heart tightened.
Xiao Ruobai continued, his tone firm and decisive.
“We can represent the demon clans of the present age in battle. But this is a transaction, and there must be compensation…”
pression Bureau] Transported to a fantasy world overrun by demons and monsters, Gu Qingfeng becomes a jailer in the Demon Suppression Prison of the Great Yan Dynasty's Demon Suppression Bureau. From this point on, bizarre cases frequently occur in the Demon Suppression Prison, once known as hell on earth and infamous for its gloomy, terrifying atmosphere! Why do the demons and monsters in the prison wail miserably every night? Why has the corpse demon, capable of transforming into various beauties, donned black stockings and switched careers to become a foot massage therapist? Why has the eye demon, expert in soul-snatching and illusions, turned into a VR headset? Why is the fox spirit performing otaku dances? Are all these occurrences a twisted expression of demonic nature, or a descent into moral depravity? After peeling away layer upon layer of mystery, all clues ultimately point to a jailer named Gu Qingfeng. Gu Qingfeng: "Hehehe... My dear demons and monsters, whose card shall we flip today?"
e vast world of cultivation, where he becomes the master of the Heavenly Ruins Sacred Hall, a dying old man with barely a tenth of his former cultivation remaining. He is immediately confronted with a deadly crisis: his subordinates have rebelled, and his protectors are forcing him to abdicate. At the critical moment, the system descends from the heavens: [Ding! The host has been detected facing a life-or-death crisis. The system is now officially activated!] [As a gift, you have received the Supreme Beginner’s Pack and awakened the ultimate cheat: ten thousand years of pure cultivation essence every second!] Yin Tianjue: “Wait… ten thousand years of cultivation every second? That’s six hundred thousand years a minute, and in one day… I can’t even calculate it. Either way, I’m already invincible!” You’re a peerless prodigy rarely seen in ten thousand years? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re an undying ancestor who has guarded a sacred land for countless ages? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re the strongest chosen one, blessed with heaven-defying destiny? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. From this day forth, I have only one thing to say: “I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. Now, how exactly are you supposed to deal with that?”
s the Eldest Princess, renowned for her cold and aloof detachment, became the most docile of lambs, obeying his every command without question. But when the final move was played on the chessboard, as Gu Chenghan seized everything and ascended on the verge of apotheosis, that very Princess suddenly embraced him from behind, her tone carrying a dependence never heard before: "Wait... you haven't yet... commanded me to love you forever." Gu Chenghan froze abruptly. She... hadn't been hypnotized?! ... [The Eldest Princess's Diary] [When my soul was extracted, becoming the sole spectator outside my own shell] [At first, there was overwhelming fury, until I saw] [How he used my sword to effortlessly shatter my inescapable doom] [How he wielded my authority to eradicate fatal conspiracies I had never even detected] [Like a deity, he rescued me from the deep mire I was trapped in] [If not for those annoying vixens, he and I would be a match made in heaven] [I think I am ill, gravely ill] [My deity should belong to me alone] ... "Hypnosis? Oh, it succeeded, my dear Master." "Only this time, it's my turn to hypnotize you."
he colors of other people’s emotions. Light red meant anxiety. Gray meant exhaustion. Orange meant excitement. Yellow... meant repression. At the same time, he could gain unlimited control over one of those colors. Pale cyan: relaxation. Using this ability, he started offering “two-yuan hugs,” spending an afternoon exchanging emotional-color experiences with others. Then came his final female customer of the day— a girl whose emotional color was pure black... —— A week later, Xu Chuan had become skilled at using pale cyan—Relaxation—treating it like a bottle of menthol balm whenever he needed it. That was when he discovered he had unlocked another unlimited emotional color: Purple, the color of fear. So these emotional colors refresh every week? Fine, I take it back—I’ll never call you useless again... —— Much later, after Xu Chuan had accumulated countless emotional abilities, one night, he suddenly found himself inside someone else’s dream. There, he could use the emotional colors he possessed to paint. And in her dream, he painted her a shower of pink shooting stars, spreading across the depths of the night sky...
