Chapter 74: You Xiyue’s Speculation

Yuxi Yue and Jun Yang, two people who appeared out of nowhere, certainly attracted the attention of many demons in Swallowing Heaven City.

Their whereabouts were quickly pinpointed by Jade Sandalwood, who hurried to the Demons’ Capital Inn to which the little demons had reported.

Upon seeing Yuxi Yue and Jun Yang, Jade Sandalwood was momentarily at a loss. How had these two venerable ancestors ended up in the demon realm? Were they here to find him, or searching for his master?

Jade Sandalwood dismissed the little demons, forcing a smile as he asked, “What brings you seniors to the demon realm?”

“Any clues about the disappearance of the great demon?” Yuxi Yue was only interested in this matter for now.

Jade Sandalwood hesitated, glancing at the two who radiated demon aura from every pore. Their concealment was flawless; he could not discern they were cultivators at all.

“No…” Jade Sandalwood was equally troubled by this case, yet found himself completely clueless. “Is that why the seniors have come?”

He couldn’t help but wonder—this was clearly a demon realm affair. Were these two ancestors so idle that they meddled even here?

Yuxi Yue squinted, seemingly reading Jade Sandalwood’s thoughts.

Jade Sandalwood gave another awkward laugh, explaining more specifically, “That crow demon and the wolf demon last night were affected in the same way. The little demons were suddenly frightened by something invisible, unable to move, even fainting from fear. Right after, the great demon vanished without any sign of attack.”

“We know about that. We went to the wolf demon’s lair last night,” Jun Yang said, pushing a stool forward for Jade Sandalwood to sit. He continued, “It seems this matter is related to a certain artifact.”

“Artifact?” Jade Sandalwood was puzzled. “What artifact?”

“The Demon Devouring Pearl.”

“The Demon Devouring Pearl?” Jade Sandalwood thought for a long moment, unable to recall such an artifact, and looked at Jun Yang. “Why have I never heard of it?”

“Have you heard of Cang Yu?”

“I have,” Jade Sandalwood nodded. “He was a famed genius artifact refiner in the Sacred Realm. They say he died fifty thousand years ago.”

“He did die. The Demon Devouring Pearl was the last artifact he crafted before his death.”

Jade Sandalwood had heard tales of Cang Yu’s madness, his slaughter of little demons across the demon realm. He hadn’t expected such hatred to result in the creation of an artifact like this.

“So you seniors suspect these recent incidents are connected to the Demon Devouring Pearl?”

Jun Yang then recounted the story of Hong Chen to Jade Sandalwood.

Only then did Jade Sandalwood realize the terrifying severity lurking behind this case.

If the Demon Devouring Pearl wasn’t found soon, disaster was likely to follow.

Jade Sandalwood grew worried. “Could it be that Hong Chen, like you two, is hiding himself with something that radiates demon aura?”

Yuxi Yue denied this. “If it were only that, I could still sense him. But your formation—aside from your master, are there others who use it? With only this formation, I cannot distinguish any spiritual energy from you.”

“Impossible,” Jade Sandalwood replied firmly.

Jun Yang was curious. “You’re so certain?”

Jade Sandalwood nodded again. “My master devised this formation. It requires one to possess both spiritual energy and demon aura within. Only half-demons can trigger it, and there are only two in the world: me and my master.”

The three fell into silence.

Outside, the little demons began discussing with the eagle demon.

“What’s the background of those two demons inside?”

The eagle demon was bewildered. After all, the chief marshal of the Demon Control Bureau, Jade Sandalwood, had just gone inside, and seemed familiar with the two within. “I don’t know either…”

He felt a pang of dread—he’d attempted to rob those two demons earlier. Though unsuccessful, it was still an offense. Would he be arrested by the Demon Control Bureau?

The little demons peppered the eagle demon with questions, but he was in no mood to answer.

Yuxi Yue analyzed the events mentally, then suddenly looked up at Jun Yang and Jade Sandalwood. “I heard that if a person without cultivation is bitten by certain demons, they can turn into demons themselves. Is that true?”

“You mean, Hong Chen might have devolved into someone without cultivation?” Jade Sandalwood shuddered at the thought of the terrifying Wandering Immortal Map, growing anxious. If so, Hong Chen would be just another demon—making him nearly impossible to trace among the countless demons in the realm.

“It does happen, but only with those who’ve lost their demonic intelligence, gone mad.”

“Then investigate which demons have lost their intelligence in the past fifty years,” Jun Yang ordered without ceremony. “Report your findings to me and to Ancestor.”

Jade Sandalwood knew the gravity of the matter, and did not hesitate. “Understood.”

He rose and left at once.

Yuxi Yue remained troubled.

Jun Yang tried to console her. “Their demon realm seems far more orderly than our cultivation world. News should come quickly.”

Yuxi Yue responded with a dull hum, her mood still heavy.

She was pondering another possibility.

What if the Wandering Immortal Map contained demons who had already lost their intelligence?

To date, only two people had entered the Wandering Immortal Map. Aside from the fact that cultivation would degrade inside, it was like a small world unto itself.

Jun Yang couldn’t bear to see Yuxi Yue so gloomy. “What else worries you?”

“Do you know who the other person sealed inside the Wandering Immortal Map is?”

“What, is there something wrong with the map?”

“What if Hong Chen turned into a demon inside the map?”

Jun Yang hadn’t considered this possibility. He frowned, searching his memory, but found nothing.

“It’s likely a matter for the Sacred Realm…” Jun Yang scratched his head. “Should I go back and inquire?”

“Go ahead.”

“But Ancestor, you…” Jun Yang, since becoming Yuxi Yue’s contracted beast, was rarely apart from her. If he returned to the Sacred Realm, it might take a day or two, especially since Fan Wuwei would surely pester him endlessly.

“I’ll wait here for Jade Sandalwood’s news.”

Jun Yang sighed. “I’ll return as soon as I can.”

“Alright.” Yuxi Yue gave Jun Yang a complicated look, unsure why he worried so much—she was, after all, far more advanced in cultivation than he.

Jun Yang slipped away to the entrance of the demon realm.

The eagle demon, seeing both Jade Sandalwood and Jun Yang leave, hesitated for a long while before entering, his tone much more respectful. “You… you know Demon King Jade Sandalwood?”

“I suppose so,” Yuxi Yue replied, eyeing the eagle demon’s awkward manner, then pursed her lips. “I’m going to sleep. Tell me when Jade Sandalwood arrives.”

“Yes, yes, rest well. Before Marshal Jade Sandalwood arrives, I promise to keep things quiet,” the eagle demon bowed repeatedly, escorting Yuxi Yue into the inner room, then stood at the door, keeping watch over the passing little demons.

He reminded them frequently to keep the noise down.

Yuxi Yue returned to lie atop the Dreamshade Mushroom, drifting into sleep.

Jun Yang arrived in the Sacred Realm, bypassing the Serpent Clan’s lair to go straight to Fan Wuwei.

If he was bound to be entangled with Fan Wuwei, he might as well seize the opportunity to negotiate, and ask him to help recall who else had been sealed in the Wandering Immortal Map.

Fan Wuwei was both flattered and astonished—this was the first time in hundreds of thousands of years that Jun Yang had sought him out.