Chapter 259 Hongyi

Ziyun Mountain, Thousand Flower Valley.

The falling blossoms were a sight to behold.

What ruined the view, however, were the two ferocious-looking scorpion demons blocking the path, guarding the entrance to this paradise.

Apart from a plague-stricken monkey spirit, no creature had ever managed to break in since the two scorpion demons began guarding the mountain gate.

The brothers were a bit simple-minded, but they were diligent and had never played any tricks.

"Big brother, Father said he wanted to find us wives. I don't know how that's going, but I can't settle for just any female demon."

"You can't settle? It's hard to find a female demon these days. Save up your dowry first."

"Heh, I've saved all the salary the Mountain Master gave me. It's enough to marry a wife. I just hope the female demon is fierce, not weak like the girls in the village, full of rouge and powder."

"How about I find you a tigress?"

"Yes, yes!"

"Dream on. You'd be lucky to get a hornet demon!"

"A hornet? That sounds good too."

The two scorpion demons whispered to each other.

Demons have very different aesthetic preferences, not to mention the two of them were from Xiliang.

"But she can't be too fierce. If she reeks of blood, she'll soil the purity of Ziyun Mountain, and I'm afraid the Mountain Master will pickle us in wine."

The elder scorpion changed the subject, expressing his concern.

"True, true."

The younger scorpion shuddered and hurriedly agreed.

Since coming to Ziyun Mountain and eating spirit grain, they rarely ate blood-food, only occasionally hunting wild beasts to satisfy their cravings.

Their demonic aura was no longer as turbid as before.

Living in this blessed land, they inevitably absorbed some of the pure spiritual energy of the earth. If they went out, anyone could tell at a glance that they were demons with an owner.

While the two brothers were talking, they didn't notice a wisp of red mist drifting into their nostrils.

A fishy, sweet scent spread.

The two scorpion demons stumbled and fell into a deep sleep.

A colorful red python then appeared, coiled its body, and as wisps of smoke rose, it revealed an elegant figure. Beneath a crimson robe, she revealed delicate, pale feet.

Although she had transformed into human form, she still retained some demonic features.

Snake-like skin folds on her neck made the woman look strange, yet her every movement exuded an ethereal, immortal grace.

Clearly, this python demon was no ordinary creature; to possess such pure, immortal energy, she must have come from a famous immortal mountain.

"I hope I'm not too late..."

The female demon gazed at the mountain peak, whispering with deep anxiety in her eyes.

Her name was Hongyi, and she had come from Lishan. She was an immortal official, albeit a lowly and nameless one.

She was both a colleague and a childhood friend of Star Lord Maori.

His mother, Bodhisattva Pilanpo, had been severely injured and fled to Lishan for help. Her immortal body had yet to recover, and it was unclear when she would be able to appear. Hongyi had been entrusted by the Bodhisattva to investigate Ziyun Mountain.

Before entering the mountain, Hongyi had done some research.

She knew that Ziyun Mountain had changed masters, and the original Hundred-Eyed Demon King had suffered a great loss at his hands.

This was naturally a good thing.

She had heard of the Hundred-Eyed Demon King's notoriety while in heaven. Even the Great Sage had suffered at his hands. Now that he had betrayed his master and caused Bodhisattva Pilanpo's immortal body to be destroyed, nearly meeting his doom, such a demon king was not someone ordinary immortals could handle.

Moreover, he now had a new backer, so there was nowhere to file a complaint even if she went to heaven.

What if, when she arrived, they asked, 'Who is the person below bringing charges against this official?'

That would be truly tearing off the mask and ruining one's fate.

Even someone with great supernatural powers like the Bodhisattva remained silent on the matter, only sending her to investigate.

Thinking of the hidden affection she had never dared to voice, Hongyi couldn't help but feel a sense of sorrow.

"I should have told Star Lord to stay away from that monkey..."

The Great Sage carried a great destiny; one careless move, and even the immortals in heaven would be dragged into the calamity, ending in complete destruction.

Hongyi muttered to herself, her form shifting back into a red python, and she headed toward the mountain peak.

She had visited Ziyun Mountain many times in the past.

Back then, Star Lord had not yet ascended to heaven to take charge of the Bright Palace, and he would follow behind Hongyi, calling her 'sister' in a low voice.

But one day in heaven is a year on earth.

Since Star Lord went to heaven, the two had lost contact.

As time passed, their feelings had gradually faded.

Not long after Hongyi entered the mountain, the two scorpion demons woke up. Having had their minds clouded, they didn't realize what had happened, thinking they had just taken a nap.

...

At the Clouds, the Dan Yang Chicken was flapping around in the forest like a free-range chicken.

Although it had entered the mountain gate and become a piece of poultry, it lived a wild life, often hunting poisonous insects and beasts. It had become a 'chicken tyrant' in the mountain, and most demons avoided it.

Don't look down on this creature because its intelligence was incomplete. It was a rare beast. It couldn't harvest moonlight or cultivate, but its strength was no joke; ordinary demons couldn't withstand a single peck from it.

And that 'Evil-Breaking Sun-Calling' crowing ability was the ultimate bane of demons.

However, the Mountain Master had ordered that the Dan Yang Chicken must not attack spirits that had gained intelligence.

Otherwise, the small demons in the mountain would likely all become spirit pellets.

"You bald chicken, are you done messing around? The time is up, get back to the cage! You need to lay your egg today!"

Du Di chased after the chicken's tail, cursing loudly.

Calling it a 'bald chicken' was not wrong.

The Dan Yang Chicken hadn't grown many feathers in years, and its reddish chicken skin was exposed, looking as if it had been scalded and plucked.

It looked even uglier than when it had just hatched.

But the eggs it laid were getting better and better, occasionally producing six-turn spirit pellets.

It didn't need to be fed anything else, just bugs and poisonous creatures; it was very easy to raise.

There was no shortage of poisonous insects in the Spider Web Cave.

It was all thanks to this chicken that the ladies in the manor had increased their cultivation significantly.

Hearing Du Di's cursing, the chicken wasn't afraid at all. It scratched the ground, dug out a scorpion from under a rock, swallowed it in one bite, and glared at Du Di with its crossed eyes in provocation.

It was obvious that this chicken tyrant was doing it on purpose.

"You bald chicken! Eating my kin again?"

Du Di cursed, but he wasn't really angry.

Scorpions that hadn't even gained intelligence weren't his kind, he just couldn't stand the provocation.

"I should really ask the Mountain Master to raise some yellow dogs to chase you!"

Du Di pointed fiercely at the bald chicken, but that was all he did.

The chicken now knew its own value, and it wasn't afraid of Du Di doing anything to it.

"Hurry up and get over there to lay your egg!"

Du Di suppressed the urge to take action and waved his hand.

"Cluck, cluck~."

The Dan Yang Chicken twisted its butt and walked back slowly, not looking like it was being chased at all, but rather like it was being escorted.

In Ziyun Mountain, the only ones who could make the Dan Yang Chicken bow its head were those few masters.

Watching the Dan Yang Chicken turn back, Du Di didn't bother to scold it further. Just as he was about to follow, his footsteps paused. He turned his head abruptly, his yellow eyes scanning the area. The pressure of a demon king made the air freeze, and even the plants went still.

After a long while, Du Di frowned and turned back.

"Was it an illusion?"

By the time Du Di herded the Dan Yang Chicken back to its cage, the rustling of wind through the trees returned to the previously quiet forest.

A crimson snake shadow slowly appeared in the branches, a trace of sorrow flashing in its eyes, as it followed the tracks on the ground.

It was called a chicken coop, but the place where the Dan Yang Chicken lived was actually a large, two-courtyard residence, more luxurious than where most demons on the mountain lived.

Daily, there were small demons serving and cleaning.

It drank spirit water from Dragon Well and ate spirit grain.

Countless small demons wished they could be this free-range chicken, raised by the Mountain Master.

"Put in some effort. Lay a double-yolk egg today so the Mistresses can be happy."

Du Di said to the Dan Yang Chicken, which was nesting on the bed.

"Cluck!"

The Dan Yang Chicken glanced sideways at Du Di and squawked.

"It's not like I haven't seen it before."

Du Di grumbled, but he walked out and closed the door.

Just as the Dan Yang Chicken was exerting effort, a snake shadow poked in through the crack in the window.

This sudden sight startled the chicken, causing it to shrink back.

"Star Lord... who on earth turned you into this?"

The red python spoke in human language, her voice filled with tears.

The Dan Yang Chicken tilted its head, looking at the red python, its bean-sized eyes seemingly filled with emotion, and for a moment, it didn't move.

This expression convinced Hongyi of her judgment. She stepped forward and coiled around the Dan Yang Chicken, preparing to take it away secretly.

However, this action startled the Dan Yang Chicken.

"Cock-a-doodle-doo—!!"

A loud crowing sound rang out, waking the entire mountain.

"Star Lord?!"

Hongyi was stunned. Her spirit was shaken by the crowing, and for a moment, her body froze, allowing the Dan Yang Chicken to break free.

"Where did this thief come from! How dare you steal from here!"

Du Di heard the noise and broke through the door. His tail needle shot out, carrying a bone-chilling cold light.

He attacked with a lethal poison strike, not intending to give Hongyi any chance to explain.

This was natural; she had come to steal the chicken, what else was there to say?

Du Di was furious. There was only one such chicken; if it were stolen, how could he continue to be the 'chicken official'?

Wouldn't he be taken by the Mountain Master to be pickled in wine for another three months?

Thinking of the Mountain Master's methods, Du Di wanted to peel the skin off this red python.

If she were stung, Hongyi would be in trouble.

A thousand-year-old scorpion's poison was no joke; even ordinary immortals would have their immortal bodies ruined if stung.

At the critical moment, her figure dissipated into red mist, dodging the attack.

"Gathering form and scattering energy? She's a demon with some background!"

Du Di's eyes narrowed.

Ordinary wild demons couldn't even transform into human form, let alone use such magic.

Even a demon king like Du Di had not mastered any high-level spells, relying always on his innate poison and the physique of a demon king.

Even his martial arts had been learned secretly in the mortal world and polished over a thousand years.

Thus, this red python must have a background.

But so what?

Du Di now served a master and had roots; who didn't have someone backing them?

"Want to run?!"

Du Di watched the red mist burrow into the ground and immediately lost track of it.

If this were the past, the thief might have escaped.

But unfortunately, Du Di had learned a ground-burrowing technique from the Mountain Master.

Although not as ethereal as her form-scattering technique, it was a top-tier choice for saving one's life and chasing enemies.

Du Di had suffered a lot to learn this technique.

It was only because of his tough demon king physique that he hadn't been broken by Chen Nuo during his practice.

Techniques are not easily taught.

It was just a matter of using his body to test it.

Even so, many demons would kill for the chance.

This magic was the foundation of supernatural powers; if one could gain enlightenment from it, it would truly be changing one's fate.

They say supernatural powers cannot defeat destiny.

But listen to this: supernatural powers can even contend with destiny.

Hongyi failed to escape the mountain. Her dispersed form gathered again. The Dan Yang Chicken's crowing had shaken her spirit, making it difficult for her to continue.

"Such a fierce demon king, is that Du Di?"

Hongyi said, still shaken.

Although she had the magic power of a demon king, it was supported by spirit pills.

Naturally, she couldn't compare to the ferocity forged by Du Di's thousand years of slaughter.

Moreover, Hongyi had no experience in combat since childhood, having only learned techniques for self-preservation and escape, and knew no martial arts. She didn't even have a weapon, so how could she fight this Du Di?

Her mother had raised her to be an attendant in the mountain, just to make up the numbers.

To put it bluntly, she was just for show.

This was why, in the Lingxiao Palace, her childhood friend could ascend to the position of Star Lord, move into the Bright Palace, and receive the congratulations of all the immortals.

While Hongyi could only watch from afar, not even receiving a single glance from the Star Lord.

The difference in status was like Clouds and mud.

"Has the Star Lord forgotten me?"

However, compared to the shock to her spirit, the emotional blow was what hurt Hongyi the most.

This made her seem to forget that she was still in Ziyun Mountain.

"Snake demon! Where are you running to!! Die!!!"

With Du Di's roar, his pincers emerged from the ground, clamping Hongyi tightly.

She had just used the technique of gathering and scattering her form and hadn't recovered yet, so she couldn't use it.

Oh no!!

Hongyi's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't react in time and was unable to escape. Watching the tail needle stabbing toward her, despair welled up.

But Du Di's tail needle stopped right at Hongyi's neck. She could even smell the toxic stench.

If this had really stung her, half of Hongyi's life would have been gone on the spot.

"...Consider yourself lucky. The Mountain Master wants to see you."

Du Di said, loosening his pincers.

"See me?"

Hongyi was stunned and slowly stood up.

"Follow me."

Du Di turned and walked away, not worried at all that Hongyi would escape.

Or rather, he was somewhat eager for her to do so, as that might provoke the Mountain Master to take action himself, and then there would be a show to watch.

Hongyi was smart and clearly understood this, so she had no extra thoughts and obediently followed behind Du Di.

"Tsk..."

Du Di, who didn't get to see a good show, felt secretly displeased.