Showing the Cards

Xu Xian lazily replied, "It's not up to me when they'll stop arguing."

The little girl said matter-of-factly, "Wouldn't it be fine if you just chose one side?"

Xu Xian curled his lip. Choose one? How? With what?

If he actually chose one, they might stop arguing, but he’d likely be split into ten pieces.

He wasn't about to do something so prone to offending people.

Besides, among the people backing those ten, which one could he, Xu Xian, afford to offend?

"Forget it. I don't want to die yet."

The little girl's eyes rolled around before she asked, "Then why don't you try to persuade them?"

"It's useless. It's not up to them either."

The little girl knitted her fine brows. "It's not up to you, and it's not up to them. Then who is it up to?"

Xu Xian gave her a deep look but said nothing.

The little girl looked perplexed. "Is there something on my face?"

Xu Xian said meaningfully, "You should ask yourself. Only your word counts."

The little girl stared at him blankly. "Ah? Me?"

Xu Xian let out a long sigh and decided to show his cards. "Sigh... I'm saying, it's already come to this point. Let's both stop the act, shall we? It's getting quite tiresome."

The little girl watched him.

Xu Xian watched her back.

In the courtyard before them, the group was still bickering and trading barbs.

Xu Xian was the first to look away, giving a shrug. "Suit yourself. Either way, I have plenty of time."

The little girl thought to herself that she had been right, but she still couldn't understand.

How had she been exposed? Was this youth truly that clever, or was there really someone hidden in this dusty sky whom even she couldn't detect?

Suddenly, she chuckled. "Heh."

Lowering her eyes, she asked softly, "When did you find out?"

Xu Xian didn't look at her, instead grinding his toe into the ground. He casually said, "Immortal-demon drunk is tribute wine. Five thousand jars of it... ordinary people couldn't buy that even if they had the money. I'm not stupid."

The little girl lowered her voice and asked again, "Then how can you be so sure they'll listen to me?"

Xu Xian pursed his lips and shrugged again. "I don't know for sure. It was just a lucky guess."

"Heh..." The little girl gave a low laugh. If she believed that, she’d be a fool. She shook her head slightly, her voice carrying a hint of a warning:

"I must remind you, you are indeed clever, but don't let your cleverness be your undoing. If I follow along with your script, you really won't have a way out."

Xu Xian looked back at her, his gaze solemn but filled with confidence. "I wasn't bragging. I really can do it."

The little girl narrowed her eyes into thin slits, a cold light flickering within them.

Xu Xian held up one finger and continued, "In one year—at most one year—I can also show you nether fire. The true nether fire."

The little girl's scrutiny intensified, her gaze unable to pull away.

If the fact that Bai Mang knew primordial demon script was reason enough for her to step in and settle the dispute, then the possibility of Xu Xian summoning nether fire was a reason she absolutely had to protect him.

If nether fire were born,

it could freeze Ruoshui.

The Demon Abyss,

and the demon race,

would then possess a glimmer of hope.

Setting aside his status as a third-class demon, his foundation, his temperament, his ability to kill across ranks, his translation of demon script, and his claim to summon nether fire—all of these appearing in one person was extraordinary.

Given time, she believed he would surely let the Demon Abyss see the light of day once more.

He would surely make the demon race great once again. She could gamble; she could gamble everything to give him time until he stood at the peak of the Nether Pool.

Her originally clear eyes turned deep at some point, becoming as empty and profound as an abyss.

"You say so?"

Xu Xian smiled and replied:

"I say so."

The little girl braced her hands on her knees and slowly stood up. At that moment, a powerful and surging aura rippled out from her entire being, sweeping outward like waves in water.

The people who had been arguing or watching the show were instantly alerted, feeling as if they were facing a great enemy.

They all turned toward the source of the aura. The moment they saw the little girl, every one of them was struck with shock, panic, and wariness.

Except for Qingmu.

The faces of the others turned grim, and many even showed expressions of pain.

The aura continued to ripple outward. Wherever it passed, space trembled, and the curtain of rain distorted. At the peak of the firmament, the black demon dragons bowed their heads, while the demon horses and demon falcons became even more restless.

Whether in the shadows or in the open, the Demon God Guards and the law enforcement squads all felt their spirits tremble as they stared nervously at that small courtyard.

"This aura... it's the demon god stage!"

"So strong!!"

Far away within the Inner City, by the side of the Nether Pool, within the ten demon god palaces, the ten demon kings had varied expressions.

Some wore meaningful smiles, while others showed heartfelt relief, as if everything was within their expectations.

They had been waiting for the High Priest to appear, not just because they needed someone to step out and mediate the dispute, but because the moment she appeared, the truth would be revealed.

If that youth named Bai Mang truly knew primordial demon script, the High Priest would naturally intervene to protect him, and they would all be the beneficiaries.

They had never said they wanted to monopolize the youth. That Demon Dao Pavilion had never been the private property of any single family.

It belonged to the entire heavenly demon race.

Chi Ming thought so.

The Small Priest thought so too.

"Have you finally lost your patience?"

"It seems my sister has already found her answer."

At this moment, within the small courtyard, the group of divine sons and goddesses retreated unnaturally, then stood back-to-back in extreme vigilance. Their gazes shifted back and forth between the girl and the youth.

Among them, besides Qingmu, none had imagined that the High Priest would be here.

Now, seeing that little girl-like entity release a terrifying demon god stage cultivation, their first reaction was that their suspicions had been correct.

There really was a peerless expert standing behind Xu Xian.

Specifically, Huang Xiao seemed to understand at this moment why the youth named Xu Xian dared to be so arrogant and humiliate him so.

However, in the next second, when the little girl stood up completely and took a step forward,

her true form manifested. Only then did they suddenly realize, turning to look at her as if she were a divine being.

They stammered, "The... the High Priest!"

Xu Xian saw the little girl shed her mundane appearance. Her dry white hair turned into gold, and her petite frame became slender while her emaciated body filled out.

She was bathed in golden radiance, her long golden hair swaying slightly in the rain.

A bright yellow robe draped over her body, making her look like an angel from mythology.

The profile of her face was bright and radiant, with a seductive fox-like charm.

She was a lady.

Yet she was a lady like an angel.

It wasn't just that she was beautiful; it was the temperament she exuded. Xu Xian had only ever seen this kind of temperament in his own Senior Sister, Jiang Wanyin.

Mysterious, steady, elegant...

As she revealed her true form, the divine sons hurriedly turned around. The men pressed their fists against their chests while the women placed their palms over their hearts, bowing their heads in solemn greeting.

"Greetings, High Priest!"

"Greetings, High Priest!!"

She walked with a slow, swaying, and graceful gait, her voice cold as she said, "All of you, withdraw. Stop making fools of yourselves here."