Chapter 1138: Demon King Ming Yue |
Thousand-Mountain Bamboo Sea.
Ever since Qin Sang arrived, the place had remained peaceful, and nothing major had happened.
Qin Sang occupied the former cave dwelling of Wandering Man. It stood within the basin, a wooden hall built at the heart of towering ancient trees. Being in the demonic domain, everything he saw felt fresh and unfamiliar.
In the early morning, Thousand-Mountain Bamboo Sea appeared lush and vibrant.
A layer of mist seemed to drift above the basin, but in truth it was a manifestation of the spiritual array’s power, and it did not obstruct the sunlight.
At the edge of the basin, a guard force composed of demonic beasts and plant spirits stood watch over the demon king’s cave dwelling, diligently preventing intruders from sneaking in.
After Qin Sang’s arrival, security had grown even tighter. The old macaque had even taken it upon himself to personally guard the entrance to the basin.
Suddenly, a sharp cry shattered the stillness.
Squeak, squeak… From within the canyon came a succession of shrill monkey cries.
The old macaque had been sitting cross-legged atop a massive boulder on the cliff, just like an immortal cultivator. He had closed his eyes, faced the rising sun, absorbed the purple qi, and practiced breathing techniques.[1]
Hearing the cries, the old macaque sprang to his feet. A sharp light flashed in his eyes. With a low roar, he leapt from the boulder, transformed into a gust of demonic wind, and swept toward the canyon entrance.
There stood a man in feathered robes. Beside him stood a white-tailed black fox. Its eyes darted about restlessly, revealing a shrewd nature.
The feather-robed man looked no different from a human. Yet the demon race guards shrank back before him, their faces filled with fear, not daring to approach even half a step. His status was self-evident.
"The Swan Goose Demon King!" The old macaque’s heart trembled. He waved away the lesser demons and stepped forward respectfully, bowing deeply. "Greetings, Swan Goose Demon King. My underlings were discourteous. I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness."
"They were merely fulfilling their duty. What fault is there?" The Swan Goose Demon King smiled, completely unoffended, and spoke gently. "It has been many years since I last visited Thousand-Mountain Bamboo Sea. I wonder if Senior Bamboo is currently in his cave dwelling. I have important matters to convey."
The old macaque’s expression remained unchanged. "Reporting to Your Majesty, my king is in secluded cultivation. It is uncertain whether he will emerge today. I will report this immediately. I ask that Your Majesty wait a moment."
"How dare you!" the white-tailed black fox shouted angrily. "My king has come under the command of the Feathered Demon King to deliver orders! And you dare make us wait in this desolate wilderness?"
"Do not be rude!" The feather-robed man shot the fox a sharp glance, then looked around. "Thousand-Mountain Bamboo Sea is indeed as beautiful as its reputation suggests. Waiting a little does no harm. Go."
"Yes." The old macaque bowed and departed.
Watching its retreating figure, the feather-robed man’s eyes flickered. He turned to gaze at the emerald sea of bamboo, as though genuinely captivated by the scenery.
Soon, the old macaque returned. "My king invites you in…"
The Swan Goose Demon King and the white-tailed black fox followed it into the basin. The fox craned its neck, peering about curiously. The old macaque ignored it and led them into the reception hall.
Inside the hall stood a figure. It was not the one they expected, but rather the willow tree spirit.
"Greetings, Swan Goose Demon King." The willow tree spirit did not dare show the slightest negligence.
"And you are?" The Swan Goose Demon King frowned, displeased. "Where is Senior Bamboo?"
"My king is in secluded cultivation. It is a critical moment in his retreat and he cannot appear. He has ordered me to—"
Before the sentence could finish, the white-tailed demon fox darted forward and pointed at the willow tree spirit, hurling insults. "Outrageous! Even in seclusion, could Senior Bamboo not spare this little time? I say you are falsely conveying his will! A mere willow demon dares block my king from seeking an audience with Senior Bamboo. If you delay important affairs, can you bear the consequences?"
The willow tree spirit stiffened under the accusation. The Swan Goose Demon King stood silently to the side, clearly permitting the fox’s behavior.
The willow tree spirit sighed softly. "If Your Majesty does not believe me, I can only report again—"
"No need." A deep voice suddenly sounded from behind the hall. It carried a faint yet unmistakable pressure. "I have failed to welcome you from afar. I hope Daoist Swan Goose will forgive me."
The white-tailed fox’s arrogance vanished instantly. Fear surfaced in its eyes, and it shrank back.
The Swan Goose Demon King’s gaze sharpened. He scanned the hall but saw no figure. Even so, he did not dare show the slightest disrespect and cupped his hands toward the empty air. "Greetings, Senior Bamboo. It has been many years. I trust you have been well."
"Not particularly well." The voice sighed. "When you last came, I had already encountered an error in my cultivation and was forced into seclusion. To this day, I have not found a way to fully eliminate the hidden danger, so I cannot leave the cave dwelling lightly. You have come this time under Daoist Feather's command. Is it again a matter of troop mobilization? I have already ordered my subordinates to intensify their training. How many must be dispatched this time?"
The Swan Goose Demon King replied respectfully, "Reporting to Senior, this visit is indeed partly for mobilization. Sin Abyss has once again started a war. This war may prove extremely brutal, and the human race has repeatedly urged action. But there is also another matter of great importance…"
"Oh? What could be more important than mobilizing troops?"
"Uhh.." The Swan Goose Demon King hesitated. "Before my departure, the Feathered Demon King instructed me that this matter is of utmost gravity and must be delivered personally into Senior’s hands. It cannot be entrusted to lesser demons, lest something go wrong. I fear that here…"
He glanced at the willow tree spirit standing nearby, his meaning obvious.
"I have already said that I encountered an error in cultivation and cannot emerge from seclusion. Did Daoist Feather really say that he must see me in person, and that it cannot be handed to the willow demon?" The voice grew heavier, tinged with dissatisfaction.
Even the Swan Goose Demon King felt the pressure. He forced himself to nod. "That is correct. It concerns Heavenly Demon Hill and the fate of all demon kings. The younger generation is not qualified to participate, and their involvement may cause panic."
"The fate of the demon kings? So serious?" A faint chuckle echoed through the air. "If a demon king must appear… Ming Yue, troubled times are approaching. Since matters have come to this point, there is no need for you to hide any longer. Come out and meet Daoist Swan Goose."
The Swan Goose Demon King raised his head in shock.
"Yes!" A response came from the rear hall. A figure pushed the door open and stepped inside. He walked up to the Swan Goose Demon King, smiled faintly, cupped his hands, and said calmly, "Daoist Swan Goose, this is likely your first time meeting me. My sobriquet is Ming Yue."
The Swan Goose Demon King was stunned. He had intended to leverage the Feathered Demon King’s authority to probe the situation and force the bamboo demon to appear. Instead, the one who emerged was not the bamboo demon, but a stranger.
This person bore a human form. The demonic qi around him was extraordinarily pure. He carried the unique fluctuation and pressure of a demon king. Clearly, he was a Transformation Realm great demon. And one the Swan Goose Demon King had never seen before.
The voice from the void sounded again, "Swan Goose, Ming Yue is my disciple. He has now become a Transformation Realm demon king and is qualified to speak with you. From this point onward, Ming Yue will handle the matter…"
1. Purple qi represents fortune in ancient China. ☜