Chapter 1 The Demons Gather

Prince Liejie watched the demons coming and going in the crowd, now transformed into children, women, porters, and even non-human objects such as restaurants, lanterns, and ships.

The students of the Imperial College, in small groups, followed several fox and snake women to the boarding point. They were dazed, both greedy for the beauties' jade bodies and, under the influence of the wish power, believed that they had been valued by Prince Lu and that future success was not a dream.

The wish power had a perfect influence.

They didn't realize that the appearance of a prince in Yingtian should have been frightening, let alone being valued by this prince, which would have caused heart attacks among the nine generations of families.

The painted舫 (fang, ornamental pleasure boat) had been prepared. These Imperial College students were stained with some righteousness, which was the reason why Prince Lu chose them. The 1,300 people were not chosen at random. Otherwise, the beggars on the street, the lower-class merchants, and the actors would die and disappear without anyone paying attention to their survival.

The important thing was the righteousness, not the number of 1,300 people.

And righteousness, for demons, was like a drug that was addictive, both fearing it and eager to devour it.

Demons raised with righteousness were the best sacrifices, and this was not an original ritual of Prince Lu, but something a certain cultivator had told him.

It was a pity that there were too few possessors of righteousness, and it was completely random and subjective. Prince Liejie couldn't help but think in his heart that the path of Confucianism was uncontrollable. The descendants of those in high positions often did not have the conditions for righteousness to appear. Perhaps those with overwhelming power had no good intentions.

Prince Liejie did not know Ji Xiang's location, but the black daoist robe was too conspicuous. Perhaps only one or two people in the world dared to wear such a daoist robe.

The black robe represented the leader-like status of the cultivators in the world. Although most cultivators did not care about the meaning of this robe, and even scoffed at it, thinking it was just an empty name, a false name was still a name, at least it was orthodox righteousness, personally bestowed by the emperor.

"Two ladies, have you seen a daoist in a black robe?"

Prince Liejie walked towards the fox and snake women. The fox and snake women thought it was an ordinary person greeting them, and just turned their heads, about to tease him:

"Hehe, your words of greeting are a bit clumsy... Prince Liejie!"

The fox and snake women were immediately frightened. However, those deceived young masters had already boarded the ship. They thought that Prince Liejie was here to examine their work, so they immediately tried to curry favor with Prince Liejie.

"Well done."

Prince Liejie praised them, which made the two female demons blush.

After all, Prince Liejie was not a demon, but a true people's god.

Under Prince Lu, demons accounted for only a part, and more were cultivators and people's gods. Although Prince Liejie's identity was not prominent and he had only arrived recently, he was considered a popular figure under Prince Lu. His cultivation was also extremely high, coupled with his face that was just shedding its childishness, and his extraordinary martial spirit, many female demons hoped to have a night of romance with this god.

If they could absorb more divine energy during the pleasure, they could strengthen themselves in the future.

That was the most important thing.

After all, the potential of the people's gods was great. If one day they shed their identity as a people's god and took over the heavenly god position, that would be a true heavenly god descending to the world. If they could form a good relationship with him at this time, the opportunity would be great.

It was just that Prince Liejie often mixed with that red-clothed fire girl. That fire girl's cultivation was not high, but her words were unpleasant, and the female demons had a lot of prejudice against Fire Lord.

"Prince, Prince, who are you looking for? Our sisters will help you find him. But, tonight, can you come to my 舫 (fang, ornamental pleasure boat)?"

The fox woman took the lead in extending the invitation, and the snake woman was not willing to be left behind. At this time, the two female demons did not look like demons at all. Their ruddy faces were like bright lanterns, carrying hope and expectation.

They were just faithfully executing orders.

Prince Liejie thought so.

If they were not chosen by Prince Lu to eat people tonight, if they were lucky... they might be able to survive.

Looking again at the painted 舫 (fang, ornamental pleasure boat) docked on the riverbank, the Imperial College students were living in a drunken dream, completely unaware that they were about to turn into food in someone else's stomach. If their bones were difficult to digest, they should be fed to the maggot-dog demons.

"Well... okay."

Prince Liejie agreed to the two female demons, and for some reason, a trace of pity seemed to rise in his heart. He didn't understand whether it was for the female demons or for the mortals who were about to be eaten:

"However, eating people is not allowed tonight."

Prince Liejie's response made the fox and snake women clap their hands happily, as if they had inexhaustible energy all over their bodies. When the two young ladies went to appease the Imperial College students and sent their maids and little demons out to search, Prince Liejie walked not far away and was hit on the shoulder by a lantern.

"Lord Liejie, this little demon saw that black-robed daoist. He appeared here during the day, and he was with the Imperial College's school director and his daughter."

"This little demon remembers that they were the people Prince Lu specifically named, and the school director has righteousness on him."

Prince Liejie turned his head and saw a standing lantern stand making a sound to him. The people around him didn't find anything abnormal, and some mortals even took lanterns from the lantern stand, and the lanterns had eyes or sharp teeth and bloody mouths.

"Yu Beiban Plague Ghost, why didn't you tell me just now?"

The Yu Beiban Plague Ghost was three zhang (丈, approx. 3.3 meters) tall and looked like a huge lantern stand. It was not afraid of the Buddhist Great Compassion Mantra, and it would bring plagues wherever it appeared.

It just didn't dare to show its demonic power now, so it stood on the side of the road like it was harmless to humans and animals, acting as a tool for selling lanterns.

"Lord, please forgive me."

The lantern demon pleaded guilty: "It's just that I saw the Lord talking to the fox and snake women just now, and I was afraid of delaying the Lord's beautiful affair."

Prince Liejie laughed. The lantern demon continued:

"That black-robed man has some inexplicable technique. The moment I saw him, he disappeared the next moment. I couldn't find him in the southeast, northwest, or anywhere. It wasn't until I was sold to lanterns in other places that I saw him twice. Each time he appeared and disappeared, there were no traces at all."

Prince Liejie asserted: "That's a遁術 (dun shu, escape technique), right?"

"Fire Lord also has the fire遁 (dun, escape) technique, but it is rare. I don't know any 遁 (dun, escape) techniques."

The lantern demon suddenly realized: "So it's a 遁 (dun, escape) technique. 遁 (dun, escape) techniques are rare and difficult to learn. Most people learn 神行 (shen xing, divine movement) techniques and few learn 遁 (dun, escape) techniques. This little demon has never seen one either. Thank you, Lord, for your guidance."

Prince Liejie: "Since it's a 遁 (dun, escape) technique, then it's troublesome. I'm afraid he doesn't have a fixed walking trajectory. You probably can't tell what kind of 遁 (dun, escape) technique it is either. His踪迹 (zong ji, traces) are difficult to find."

"Not necessarily."

The lantern demon suddenly said, "Just now, I saw the iron headwear of Plum Blossom Mountain. It wasn't just one demon, but a group, about twenty or so, from the Golden Core level and up, to above the Innate level, each of them."

"Those Plum Blossom Mountain demons just entered the city and gathered together to go straight to a certain place. Their actions didn't seem to be within the arrangements of several adults."

"Have the other adults arranged anything for the iron headwear people?"

Prince Liejie frowned: "The iron headwear of Plum Blossom Mountain..."

"This guy is not a demon under my command. I haven't made this arrangement. Do you know where they went?"

The lantern demon pointed out the route to Prince Liejie, who went to that place and used a spirit talisman to send a message.

Everywhere in the Qinhuai River, there were existences like Prince Liejie, either demon kings or divine generals, all driven by Prince Lu.

"Yingtian Xiaoling Guard Chiliarch, Black Haze Divine General, the iron headwear has gathered more than twenty demons to act, coming and going in the city, I don't know what they are doing. Was it you who dispatched them?"

Prince Liejie's inquiry quickly received a response:

"No! But are you really sure he appeared in Yingtian Prefecture?"

Prince Liejie laughed: "I don't know either. It was the Yu Beiban Plague Ghost who sells lanterns who told me."

"Liejie, the iron headwear is a great demon with an iron scarf who cultivates in Plum Blossom Mountain, behind the tomb of Emperor Wu. Although I am the Chiliarch of the Xiaoling Guard, I can't enter the depths of Plum Blossom Mountain. Emperor Wu's tomb is in the front of the mountain 神道 (shen dao, sacred way), guarding the gate for 太祖 (Taizu, the Great Ancestor) Hongwu Emperor of our dynasty. The area I govern can only reach the periphery of Emperor Wu's tomb."

"I didn't see him go out, but I can't go in to verify whether he's there or not."

"The iron headwear is not harmonious with me. He has always wanted to show off in front of Prince Lu and be on an equal footing with me and others."

After receiving a full response, Prince Liejie was about to inform Prince Lu about this, but when the spirit talisman was connected, it was not Prince Lu's voice.

"The prince is preparing for ascension. From now until this time tomorrow night, it will take twelve hours in total and cannot be disturbed."

"What's the matter?"

Prince Liejie responded respectfully when he heard this voice:

"So it's the Yao adult, the 利市 (li shi, profit market) Immortal Official."

After saying that, he reported the matter truthfully, and that Yao adult said lightly:

"It's just a small matter. Who cares what he's doing? Don't you have your own work to do? Have you seen the Grand Master of the Forbidden City?"

Prince Liejie responded truthfully: "Not yet."

Yao adult warned: "There are many things in Yingtian Prefecture. It's common for cultivators and demons to fight a little, but under the influence of wish power, it will eventually calm down. You don't need to worry too much about these things. During the day, a 地仙 (di xian, earth immortal) of the White Lotus Sect also fell, and nothing can be found out now."

"Tomorrow, I'm afraid similar things will happen. If you encounter them, stop them appropriately. If you don't encounter them, you don't need to care about them anymore."

Prince Liejie: "I understand. Since the prince cannot be disturbed, I will act according to circumstances."

Behind the spirit talisman, Yao adult sent a confirmation, allowing him to do so. Soon, the light on the spirit talisman dimmed.

Yes, he still had serious work to do.

"That's right, speaking of the White Lotus Sect... In addition to the demons, if the people of the White Lotus Sect help me find him, it should be faster... Where did that 地仙 (di xian, earth immortal) cultivator who was killed during the day appear?"

Prince Liejie found the White Lotus Sect cultivators patrolling the streets and came to the scene of the incident during the day.

........

Liu Zimin inquired all the way in Yingtian Prefecture, looking like a madman. He didn't dare to return to the Xishan Daoist Temple and could only take refuge in a temple. The temple host looked at his appearance and thought he was a visiting cultivator. There were indeed many cultivators entering Yingtian during this period. Cultivators who had no place to live would live in various temples, which was normal.

Anyway, they didn't charge money. They were all Daoist friends.

Liu Zimin thanked the temple host, thinking that if it were normal, he wouldn't even look at these small temples and courtyards, let alone interact with them. Now he was forced to hide here, which was really unpredictable.

Thinking again of Ji Xiang who appeared during the day, his mind was a mess.

Was it the world that had gone crazy, or was he the one who had gone crazy?

One of them must be abnormal, right?

Could it be that both sides were abnormal?

"If I had known, I would have talked to that strange black-clothed cultivator. I was blind and didn't recognize Mount Tai."

"I'm afraid I wouldn't have fallen into this predicament now."

"What sect are those cultivators who arrested people from? Why have I never seen them before? I have also cultivated in Yingtian Prefecture for several years. It's normal for ordinary people not to know them, and it's normal for the temple host cultivators in small temples not to know them. I'm also a disciple of a large sect and have seen many fellow Daoist temples. This Xishan Daoist Temple is also quite famous near Yingtian, but these cultivators who came out during the day have high realms, and I don't recognize them. How is that possible?"

"By the way, what god is enshrined in this temple?"

This small temple was not big. There were only two or three guest rooms, and only two incense halls. The temple host was receiving pilgrims, but after those pilgrims came in, they went straight to the side hall, ignoring the main hall.

Liu Zimin suddenly felt strange, so he came to the main hall and looked up, seeing that the statue in the main hall was a big man with a crying face, which made him very puzzled.

The incense was also very strong. Why did this god have a crying face?

He was confused when he suddenly felt like someone was speaking in his ear.

"Pass through the demonic tribulation to see your true nature, one spirit returns to the original and restores the true appearance..."

The voice was getting closer and closer, as if it was ringing in his heart. Liu Zimin suddenly felt a little muddled, and countless wish powers began to influence him.

Liu Zimin shook his head violently and suddenly felt that the main hall was strange. He had been in contact with Ji Xiang before, and at this time, he had a little resistance to this kind of wish power influence. A trace of demonic energy suddenly appeared on his body, keeping Liu Zimin awake, which made the statue make a sound of surprise!

Suddenly, a hand suddenly appeared, coming out of the statue, and grabbed Liu Zimin's neck!

The statue stretched out from the high platform, capturing Liu Zimin from a distance, and at the moment of grabbing him, Liu Zimin's mana was sealed, and he couldn't use it at all. Except for being a little stronger, he was almost like a mortal!

But the power of the hand extending from the statue was even greater than his. Liu Zimin couldn't even struggle and was terrified.

"Seeing my main hall means you have broken free from the influence of wish power. It's really strange. Why does it fail when I try to influence you again? You haven't passed through the demonic tribulation and restored your true appearance, have you? It should be useful to influence you again now?"

"Is the demonic tribulation still working? Strange, strange!"

The big man statue with a crying face actually stood up like this, saying nonsense, wanting to dissect Liu Zimin's brain to see its structure, but he didn't expect that the moment he stood up, a command came from somewhere.

Driving God Technique.

"Sit!"

Bang!

The crying face statue, just stood up, was suppressed by this command, and actually sat down without any resistance! Because of the excessive force, he actually smashed his divine platform directly into pieces!

"Temple... very strong incense."

Ji Xiang walked into the main hall, his shadow stretched very long under the lamplight.