Inviting Bai Mang

After Chi Ji left the small courtyard, she walked toward the Crimson Demon Palace. On the way, the wind picked up and rain began to fall...

She took her time, strolling through the rain like someone who had lost her soul, moving aimlessly. The sound of the wind filled her ears, and the cold, icy rain slapped against her face, condensing into droplets that splashed at her feet.

She didn't care at all. Her mind was in disarray, ignoring the carriages racing past and the bustling noise of the city behind her. It wasn't until she reached the gates of the Crimson Demon Palace that she stopped. She slowly looked up, her thoughts gradually returning to the present.

Before her eyes, at the city gates, dozens of Crimson Demon Guards mounted on demon falcons stood ready. A black giant dragon stood at the gates, exhaling dragon breath.

She was somewhat dazed. "What is this?"

The leading young officer stepped forward respectfully, clutching his fist to his chest and bowing deeply. He said in a low voice, "Your Highness, the Sovereign has ordered you and Lord Black Dragon to personally make a trip to bring Bai Mang back."

Chi Ji was even more confused, thinking she had misheard. "Bring back who?"

"Bai Mang!" the officer affirmed.

"Which Bai Mang?"

"That Bai Mang."

"I'm going to get him?"

"Yes."

Chi Ji continued to press, "By riding the Black Demon Dragon King?"

"The demon god gave those instructions."

After a series of questions, the answers were all the same. Chi Ji felt as if she were dreaming, completely baffled.

Why?

Her throat tightened, and her eyes remained full of disbelief. Her heart was like a surging sea, unable to find peace as she stood there foolishly. The officer urged her in a low voice, "Your Highness, the demon god wants you to set out immediately, or it will be too late."

Chi Ji swallowed again and agreed in her confusion. "Fine!"

She climbed onto the dragon's back. The Black Demon Dragon spread its wings and soared high into the sky, followed closely by the demon falcon legion. They departed from the banks of the Nether Pool and hurried toward the slums outside the Outer City.

On the way, she finally learned the truth from the guards and understood why her father had suddenly changed his mind. Not only did he want to protect Bai Mang, but he also wanted her to bring him back, even going so far as to use the Black Demon Dragon King. Moreover, it wasn't just her father who had done this. The other Demon God Palaces had done the same, and some had even moved ahead of them.

The reason was simply because of news they had obtained from somewhere. Bai Mang could translate ancestral demon script? She didn't know where the news had come from, nor could she guess its truth. She hadn't even recovered from the massive shift in the situation.

One moment, she was terrified for him. One moment, he was someone everyone wanted to kill. This moment, everything had changed. She was heading back, riding the Demon Dragon King and carrying her father's instructions to invite him back to the palace with great fanfare.

And what about Bai Mang? In the blink of an eye, he had become a sought-after sensation in the eyes of all the demon gods. He was like a treasure.

She really didn't know whether she should be happy for Bai Mang or worried. The good news: Bai Mang didn't have to die. The bad news: Bai Mang would likely become a tool, the core interest in the power struggle of the entire Demon Abyss. She lowered her eyebrows and looked away, murmuring to herself, "Life truly is unpredictable..."

...

On the other side, within the curtain of rain, the entire area outside the Outer City was in complete turmoil. Nine carriages from the Demon God Palaces, pulled by seven-colored demon horses, had arrived from the banks of the Nether Pool and were now hovering above the slums. They were lined up in a row. The massive war horses snorted and kicked in the rain, their wings—large enough to block the sky—slowly flapping to maintain their hover.

Surrounding the carriages were the elite guards of the nine Demon God Palaces, all clad in full armor and looking majestic. Among the leaders were top-tier experts at the greater demon king stage. Standing atop the carriages were youths and young women with brightly colored hair and double horns, all possessing emerald eyes.

Lesser demon king stage. Greater demon king stage. Heavenly demon race. Elite heavenly demon race. Divine sons. Goddesses...

The entire vagrant lands first erupted in chaos. "Those are carriages from the Demon God Palaces..." "Heavenly demon race, it's actually the heavenly demon race... so many of them..." "What on earth is happening?" "That courtyard... it seems to be the one belonging to that guy named Bai Mang..." "Quick, get down on your knees..." "Don't look up if you want to keep your life."

Then, it became deathly silent. Even though it was raining, demons of all sizes were prostrated in the muddy alleys and every corner, not daring to lift their heads or make a sound. Some children couldn't help their curiosity and tried to peek up, but their heads were immediately pushed down by the adults beside them. For these people, they had never seen such a grand display in their entire lives, not even in their dreams.

Not only them, but the scouts lurking in the shadows to keep watch were also stunned. They looked at one another, their eyes wide with disbelief. What was the situation? They were supposed to move in tonight. They were supposed to kill him. How could divine sons and goddesses suddenly show up? Could it be... that the demon gods actually believed that kid's nonsense? Absurd.

Yet, none of them dared to speak. They stood silently, watching to see what would happen. As for the enforcement squad that had already prepared everything and was just waiting for nightfall to charge in, they were now completely numb. With a display like this, were they still supposed to go in? Did the latest order to execute him on sight still count? They didn't know what would happen next, but they had a faint premonition.

The sudden reversal had left everyone at a loss. In the courtyard, the little book spirit was spinning in circles above Xu Xian's head. Round and round she went, growing anxious. Yet Xu Xian sat on the threshold as if nothing were wrong. He frowned, not moving an inch.

The little girl had urged Xu Xian more than once to run, saying it would be too late if he didn't, and that people were really going to die. Unfortunately, Xu Xian remained unmoved.

She was certain that Xu Xian had a way to escape. He had buried a formation in the city. As long as he ran, she could use a special demon forbidden art to mask his aura the moment he activated the formation, then hit him from behind to knock him out. Finally, she could secretly take him away and enjoy the rewards for herself.

But Xu Xian had refused decisively, showing no intention of leaving. She was sure that what Xu Xian had said earlier was deliberate. He had intentionally leaked the news, trying to save his own life. She even suspected that Xu Xian might have seen through her identity long ago and knew everything. Everything that had happened recently was just him acting. She had been played!

But she was unwilling to accept it. She couldn't accept the reality that Xu Xian's acting was better than hers. She kept a calm expression and shrank behind Xu Xian, pretending to be nervous and afraid. She kept her head down, though she occasionally peeked toward the sky.

In the Nether Capital, the rain continued to fall without end, punctuated by the occasional roll of thunder. On the carriages lined up in the rain, a youth with long azure hair was the first to speak, breaking the silence. He intoned solemnly:

"Azure Demon's son, Qingmu, by order of Azure Demon Lord Qingshuang, invites my young friend Bai Mang to the Azure Demon God Palace for a conversation!"