Xu Xian settled down by the banks of the Nether Pool. He meticulously inspected the attic he had chosen, inside and out.
He swept every inch of the interior and exterior—even the cracks in the walls and the gaps between floorboards—with his divine sense to ensure there wasn't a single plant from the Demon Abyss hidden away.
He then buried eight golden talismans at the eight corners of the room and reinforced the entire space with a formation to ensure he remained unseen and that no sound or movement would leak out.
Even if he were to tear the house down from the inside, no one would notice.
Only after completing these preparations did he stop.
Stepping onto the terrace, the radiance of the nether water shimmered like silver-white frost. The drizzling rain composed a poignant, beautiful melody for the night.
Outside the courtyard, the barrier of the formation still stood. Beyond that barrier, there were no fewer than several dozen seventh-rank lesser demon kings and eighth-rank greater demon kings combined.
His situation was precarious.
Xu Xian knit his brows. He knew very well that he had to make the most of his time.
With his plan already formed, he retreated back into the room, racing against every second.
He stationed the little book spirit outside the formation to remain vigilant and on guard.
He sat cross-legged on the bed and continued his meditation on the Nether Fire.
That night, the courtyard did not know a moment of peace. Among the demon gods, aside from the high and low priests who came in person, the others stayed away.
The demon gods of the Ten Great Demon God Palaces did not come themselves. Instead, they sent their divine sons and divine daughters to deliver primordial demon arts for translation.
Furthermore.
To Xu Xian's frustration, once they arrived, they didn't leave. They stayed within the courtyard, picking rooms close to Xu Xian to move into.
Their intention was obvious, yet they had the gall to claim they were staying to ensure Bai Mang's safety.
They gave solemn assurances that they would not interfere with Bai Mang's work.
Xu Xian pretended not to care, letting them do as they pleased. After taking the ancient texts, he slammed his door shut and told them to wait—he would deliver the goods in one month.
The divine sons and divine daughters were left speechless and disgruntled. They had already witnessed Bai Mang’s temperament back at that small courtyard.
Even when he was in dire straits back then, he couldn't hide his arrogant and affected nature. Now that he held power, such behavior was only to be expected.
Though they harbored resentment, they could only endure.
In particular, Huang Xiao, the son of the Wind Demon, was incredibly stifled. Never in his life had he suffered such indignity.
In the days that followed, the descendants of the demon gods surrounded the attic. Some were bored, some were lost in thought, and others took the time to cultivate.
Waiting!
Constant waiting!
The little book spirit used its pupil of insight to monitor their every move. The days passed one by one.
The Nether Capital remained the same. The topic of the youth Bai Mang was still mentioned and discussed with great interest in the streets and alleys of the outer city.
His deeds would also be brought up from time to time at gatherings within the inner city.
However, the fervor gradually died down.
After all, the demon gods had reached a consensus to handle the matter quietly. No one dared to ask, and no one spoke out. Bai Mang seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth.
Many even speculated in private that the youth Bai Mang was already dead.
Rumors were plenty, and life went on.
A small interlude might cause a great stir, but once the waves passed, the sea returned to its calm under a vast, clear sky.
The Demon Abyss had been like this for thousands of years.
Just like four years ago when the Thunder Demon sword hung over the peak of the Demon Abyss, it caused a massive uproar and widespread panic, yet everything was fine now.
Only the academic elders within the Demon Abyss remained obsessed with the matter, unable to let it go.
After all.
The primordial demon script had always been a dead knot in the literary circles of the Demon Abyss. For so many years, no matter how much effort they poured into it, they hadn't made an inch of progress.
Now that they had finally found a key that could unlock this knot, it had gone cold before they could even begin to verify it.
Naturally, they were unwilling to accept this.
However...
The tacit approval and refusal of the twelve demon gods left them with no choice. They could do nothing more than sigh in private, complaining to themselves.
A pity, truly a pity!
Within the courtyard, Xu Xian had been cultivating in seclusion. Every few days, however, he would step out onto the terrace. It wasn't because he was lazy or tired, but simply to let those people see that he was still there.
This was to prevent them from forcibly breaking through the door and the formation, which would expose his secret.
The intermittent nature of his work naturally affected his progress. Along with his headaches, this was a helpless compromise on the youth's part.
Ten days passed in a flash. The youth’s routine remained unchanged, but the descendants of the demon gods were beginning to grow restless. They urged Xu Xian multiple times and even tried to goad Chi Ji into asking him if he was finished, as there hadn't been any sign of movement.
Chi Ji didn't refuse, but she didn't agree either. She chose to remain silent...
Like the others, her father believed she had a good relationship with Xu Xian and that her intervention would grant them priority. But she had her own hidden thoughts.
Eventually, many of these descendants grew dissatisfied and knocked on Xu Xian's door.
Led by Huang Xiao and Lan Yan, they were ignored by Xu Xian. He told them he would definitely deliver within the month and asked what the rush was—were they in a hurry to be reincarnated?
He even turned the tables on them, threatening to put the two of them at the very end of his translation queue.
This nearly caused Huang Xiao to explode with rage like a bloated balloon.
Some were impatient, others were foul-mouthed, and many even questioned if Bai Mang knew the primordial demon script at all, suspecting him of intentionally stalling for time.
Moreover, since the house was blocked by a formation they couldn't see through, they speculated that Bai Mang must be plotting something unspeakable inside.
Of course.
While some were anxious, others remained calm, such as the group represented by Qingmu. They understood the youth's intentions clearly. Stalling for time was hardly surprising.
It was only human nature.
They would have done the same in his position.
Since he had promised one month, he naturally wouldn't finish early. This involved an unspoken, indefinable choice of human nature.
If he finished the translation early, the number of variables would only increase. Regardless of whether he could actually do it, spending this month in peace was the best choice for any smart person.
What Bai Mang was doing wasn't improper.
The demon gods also tolerated this behavior. It was only a month, which to them was but a fleeting moment. They could afford to wait.
Even the high priest, Jin Qing, had not visited again.
The composure of these demon gods was within Xu Xian's expectations, but it also made him wary. The calmer they were, the more cautious he became, as it proved these people were not easily fooled.
His plan had to be even more perfect and meticulous.
Otherwise.
There was a high probability that everything would fall apart at the last moment.
Ten days passed, then another ten. In the blink of an eye, twenty-eight days had passed since Xu Xian moved into the courtyard. The rainy season of the Demon Abyss continued.
The pattering of the light rain was tireless.
However, the thunder and lightning had not been heard for a long time.
The Nether Pool lay still, its waters neither rising nor churning despite the continuous rain.
On the night of the twenty-eighth day, inside Xu Xian's room and within the heaven-sealing trapping formation, the temperature plummeted. Ice flowers began to bloom continuously on the eaves, the floor, and the walls. They grew more numerous and dense until, in an instant, the entire room felt as if it had fallen into the depths of a harsh winter.
The entire space was sealed in ice.
Xu Xian slowly opened his eyes. The moment he raised his right palm, a cluster of azure flames abruptly surged forth.
With a soft whoosh, the depths of the youth's eyes turned a profound, icy blue.
The little book spirit phased through the formation and entered. It froze for a moment before becoming excited.
"Master, you did it!"
Xu Xian raised his gaze, exhaling a faint cloud of icy mist. With a calm expression that betrayed neither joy nor sorrow, he said, "Yes, I did."
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