Chapter 111

Chapter 111: The Pure and Upright Taicang Sect

Shuo Zong: "…"

Painful Demon: "…"

Stunned, the Painful Demon gazed at its own demon lord, who was cuddling up to Wei Xi in a fit of coquetry.

Shuo Zong also stared intently at his own Wei Xi, who had raised his hand protectively in front of Unity Righteousness.

For a moment, the leaders of both the righteous and evil factions felt an indescribable complexity in their hearts.

In the soft glow of twilight, the foolish master-disciple pair walking through the woods lifted their heads, finally looking past the Painful Demon to collide their gazes with their senior brother/disciple holding the Godslayer Whip.

Given the urgency of the situation, Shuo Zong didn't bother transforming into his public persona.

Thus, Wei Xi, who had instantly recognized his senior brother despite being too tempted by food and secretly coming over according to his social media updates against his disciple's instructions: "…"

Unity Righteousness, desperately wanting to reclaim his position as the 63rd head disciple of the Taicang Sect, and thus obediently pleasing his master while secretly disobeying his junior brother, whose charm spells homework for the month were still unfinished: "…"

An eerie silence hung in the air for three seconds.

United Right's expression changed abruptly. He dropped the rock he had just picked up, grabbed his master's hand, and started running down the mountain. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!"

Shuo Zong: "= ="

Wei Xi's vision blurred for a moment as he was suddenly dragged along by his senior disciple. He tried to break free at first. "Wait a minute!"

Meat!

Meat!

The meat was on the mountain!

United Right spoke hastily, "Ah, ah, ah, what are we waiting for? Don't wait, Master! I know you want to save the world, but if our junior catches us, we're both done for!"

Shuo Zong: "= ="

Shuo Zong watched their retreating figures in silence, his gaze sweeping over the deserted mountainside.

Aside from the foolish master and disciple pair, there was no other presence ahead.

In an instant, his mind raced, suddenly reaching an inconceivable conclusion. His gaze slowly shifted to the troubled demon beside him, who was covered in wounds.

The troubled demon's reaction was as he had anticipated, his eyes fixated on one particular figure.

In the blink of an eye, Shuo Zong grasped everything.

Why did the Demon World choose this point to appear? Why were they all heading towards the capital? Why did they suddenly divert to Wu Hua?

And more questions, like why... Wei Xi's Tai Cang Sect had developed in such a peculiar, almost cult-like manner.

It turned out that the problem had originated right at the beginning!

Veins popped on Shuo Zong's forehead at this realization. He had personally brought Unity Yi to the capital back then, and it was unbelievable that he hadn't noticed anything amiss for so long. The Mo Luo demons, who had left the sacred beasts behind, were approaching. Eager due to the troubled demon's earlier cry, they shouted, "His Majesty, the Demon King! Where is His Majesty?"

All that met their eyes was a desolate jungle.

The troubled demon snapped out of his stupor and his mind began racing. The Demon King had appeared himself, but had quickly left after seeing Shuo Zong. The gesture of throwing a stone at him was ambiguous, but the act of leaving held much significance.

Upon further reflection on their initial encounter, he could detect the scent of the Devil King, yet the body was entirely unfamiliar. What did this imply?

The Sovereign has yet to awaken his power!

The Sovereign senses a threat here!

Realizing this, Distressed Devil quickly dismissed his momentary injury and cast a swift glance at Shuo Zong before rising into the air. "The Sovereign has left! The situation is dire! Alert the other Mo Luo to come protect the Sovereign!"

To ensure they didn't disturb the Heavenly Dao and conserve their strength, the Demon World had been cautious in their approach. Not all of the millions of Mo Luo were mobilized, and only one of the Four Great Devils had come to the human world. The remaining Sky Demons, Earth Demons, and Death Demons remained in the Asura World, awaiting orders to serve as reinforcements when the Devil King needed them or if danger arose.

This was the Demon World's final trump card, and thus, even when cornered by the sacred beasts earlier, Distressed Devil had been unwilling to reveal it.

But now! The Devil King has appeared! What else is there to wait for?

His underlings responded eagerly to his call.

The only person on the scene deserving of caution was Shuo Zong, who held the Godslaying Whip. Distressed Devil stepped forward to shield his subordinates, blocking Shuo Zong's path with determination. He laughed bitterly, both triumphantly and warily. "Hahaha! Didn't expect this, did you? The Devil King appears at this very moment! Even the heavens are aiding us, the Asuras!"

Shuo Zong: "…Congratulations."

Anxiety Demon: "???"

What kind of response is that?

But at this crucial moment, Anxiety Demon no longer had the mood to ponder the hidden meaning behind his words, nor did he have any qualms. What was the Heavenly Dao, what were the heavenly bolts compared to the future of the Asura Dao? With determination, he threatened Shuo Zong, "Heavenly Luck God, I know what you're thinking, and I know I'm no match for you. But in the Demon World, there are no cowards who fear death! You won't be able to deter me from following His Majesty with your Godslayer Whip! If you want to stop us, you'll have to step over my corpse! Before I self-destruct, I will take countless humans down with me!"

The Mo Luo shouted, "Prince Anxiety Demon!"

Anxiety Demon turned to his subordinates, "Go and support His Majesty and the other princes. I'll stay here to hold him back!"

Although the Demon World was ruthless and hierarchical, it still held a sense of loyalty. Just as Anxiety Demon was willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of finding the Devil King, his existence held great significance to the lower-ranking Mo Luo. Many of them displayed deep sorrow, but Anxiety Demon faced death with unwavering courage, preparing himself for the Godslayer Whip.

Yet, when he turned to look, Shuo Zong's gaze was as if he was looking at an idiot.

Anxiety Demon: "???"

I'm about to self-destruct, can't you show some respect!

Shuo Zong averted his gaze, reflecting on his genuine anxiety earlier, feeling as if he had just swallowed a bucket of excrement, "…That can also be called a Devil King…"

Annoyance Demon roared with fury, "What did you say?!"

Shuo Zong couldn't be bothered to respond and wrapped the God-Slaying Whip around his waist. "Scram."

Annoyance Demon: "!!!"

Shuo Zong was currently irked by anyone associated with the Demon World. He coldly said, "Can't you understand me?"

The surprise was too great, and Annoyance Demon couldn't quite believe it. However, the pressing matter at hand was to usher the Demon King onto the throne. He couldn't fathom the reason behind Shuo Zong's actions, so he assumed that the latter was concerned about the lives of the nearby humans. He decided not to dwell on it any further. Nevertheless, out of suspicion, he left ten Demon Roar assassins behind before releasing Mo Luo Bird without hesitation and swiftly chasing after the Demon King.

A group of Demon Roars sped off into the distance. The injured divine beasts rushed over in shock. Xia Shouren, who had just been struck on the forehead by his opponent, stumbled toward his friend, dazed and holding his forehead. "Old Bastard! How could you let him go?! The Demon King has appeared!"

Shuo Zong's face was dark, and he didn't feel like explaining.

Bi Fang, accustomed to being fearful of authority and eager for promotion, took the initiative to justify his superior's actions. "Mr. Shuo Zong had no choice! Didn't you hear that the Annoyance Demon was about to self-destruct? One of the Four Great Demon Roars of the Asura World exploding – we might not even be able to withstand it, let alone what would happen to the towns and villages below the mountain with so many humans living there?"

Upon hearing this explanation, Xia Shouren immediately understood and nodded, apologizing to Shuo Zong. "Well, I misunderstood earlier. I thought you didn't want to stop him."

Shuo Zong: "…Haha."

Xia Shouren: "?"

What could the 'huhu' mean at this moment?

Bi Fang quickly intervened to divert his confusion, "Let's not dwell on that for now. With the troublesome devil having escaped, it seems he plans to gather the other Demon Lords from the Demon World. To make matters worse, the Demon King has appeared at this very moment... I dread to think of the consequences once they unite! Mr. Shuo Zong, the situation is dire. Please come up with a solution!"

Shuo Zong asked indifferently, "What kind of solution do you expect me to find?"

Upon hearing this, the assembled sacred beasts retreated in despair.

Indeed. At this point, what could be done?

Shuo Zong turned to look at the group of young devils who had prepared themselves for sacrifice.

None of them could fathom what they were even doing.

**************

Unity Right pulled his master along at breakneck speed. Driven by their instinct for survival, they left even the cars on the road far behind. The driver, with his window rolled down, gestured in disbelief to his companion, pointing at the two rapidly disappearing figures on the roadside, "My God, are those two track athletes? I was driving at 80 miles per hour!"

United Righteousness didn't feel that his speed was abnormal at all. After all, his master wasn't running any slower than him and was doing so effortlessly without even panting.

The first thing he realized was something else: "Damn! Master! That thing next to Junior Brother on the mountain earlier wasn't human, right? Was it the Asura you were planning to deal with?"

Wei Xi replied, "That's likely."

He had clearly sensed an extremely strong non-human scent just now. Although he didn't know what Mo Luo looked like, according to his second disciple, the Asura Realm was born from the world's malevolence and desires, and all living creatures within it carried a savage nature. That savage scent clashed with the mortal realm; it was like the sinister aura of a vengeful spirit but even more intense and dark. It was irresistible to Wei Xi.

Unfortunately, his first disciple had run too fast, and his second disciple was watching, leaving him no chance to taste it.

Upon receiving confirmation, United Righteousness recalled what he had seen in the twilight, and goosebumps broke out on his arms. "Oh my god! He looked even scarier in person than in the photo. He was so loud and taller than me. I didn't react in time and actually threw a rock at him. Master, do you think he'll chase after us?!"

Wei Xi narrowed his eyes. "Wouldn't that be better?"

United Righteousness started crying as he compared their combat abilities. "What are you saying to scare me for? It's already a critical situation!"

Wei Xi said, "I'm not scaring you. They're already chasing us and moving around everywhere."

United Righteousness: "!! ?! ?!"

Wei Xi narrowed his eyes, feeling it out. He usually had a slow reaction to most things, but when it came to food, he was unusually sensitive: "There's quite a lot."

Tuan Jieyi: "…They're here, they're here! They've come for revenge! I must have thrown something valuable away just now! Master, do you think we can beat them?"

Wei Xi: "There are too many. It's uncertain."

Tuan Jieyi: "Uncertain, and yet you aren't afraid at all!"

Wei Xi: "It's just getting beaten, being killed, or being eaten. Isn't that normal?"

His worldview had always been like this: being killed was better than starving to death, and there were always risks in hunting. If he encountered an opponent he couldn't defeat, he would offer his foot to them, biting back as much as he could before being devoured – it would be worth it!

Tuan Jieyi was utterly speechless. What strange thoughts his master had! Were all divine beasts this reckless when it came to saving the world?

As an ordinary human, even though he had said he wanted to learn from his master, he didn't have such grand aspirations for selflessly saving the world. Survival was obviously more important!

Tuan Jieyi panted anxiously, feeling like he was backed into a corner with no escape, but after a moment, he stubbornly spoke up: "No! Master! We can't just give up so easily!"

Wei Xi: "Huh?"

United Righteousness: "Since we can't handle them one-on-one, we need to bring in allies! Anyway, my junior apprentice brother said that if these Mo Luo are left unchecked, no human in the mortal world will survive!"

So, he rushed into the hotel and started pounding on doors, shouting, "Sages! Sages! If you don't want to die, rise up and save the world!!!"

**********

The sages who had come to Wuhua for rain-making rituals had yet to leave. Hearing United Righteousness's report about the Mo Luo appearing near Wuhua, they were all aghast. "Are you serious? How did you find out?"

United Righteousness, mindful of his own safety while maintaining his persona, replied, "Sages, don't doubt me! My master is a man of great righteousness. He sensed something amiss and risked his life to take me to the frontlines, where we discovered their whereabouts! There's no time to lose; let's prepare to exorcise these demons!"

Upon hearing this, the sages turned admiring glances towards Wei Xi. No matter what, Fellow Daoist Wei's courage was commendable.

Wei Xi was puzzled by the praise. "?"

Considering the stakes involving humanity's survival, the sages couldn't afford to be careless. Scanning their group, Elder Quan immediately picked up his phone and dialed, "Asura Dao is part of Buddhist culture, which our Taoist Association isn't well-versed in. I'll contact the local Buddhist Association masters in Wuhua for assistance."

United Righteousness, realizing Buddhism's contemporary influence surpassed Taoism, eagerly nodded. "Yes, yes, the more help, the better."

The Buddhist Association masters also had their own sources for such special information and had learned about the Asuras' manifestation even before the Taoist Association. Upon receiving the news, they were alarmed and immediately mobilized in full force.

In the bustling streets, numerous pedestrians turned their heads in confusion. "Hmm, did I just see wrong? Were those buses that just crossed the road full of bald people?"

**********

At the outskirts of town, a vast flock of Asura birds flew in all directions, searching tirelessly. The air cracked open with immense fissures, from which one Mo Luo after another emerged through the dark red gaps.

This was a grand assembly, and the demons' multiple eyes sweeping across the human world gleamed with ecstatic madness. "Torment Demon! Are you absolutely certain that Emperor Bo Xun is here?!"

Torment Demon: "I've already met His Majesty! Look, this green mark on my head is from when he struck me!'

Sky Demon: "???"

Torment Demon, a devoted fan, exclaimed, "I've figured it out. The Asura World doesn't concern itself with trivialities. His Majesty's physical form is incredibly strong; he must have thrown that rock at me to demonstrate his power!"

Sky Demon: "That makes sense!"

Thus, the demons rejoiced, overjoyed until one of the long-gone Asura birds returned, flapping its wings.

Torment Demon raised his right hand, allowing the demon bird to land on his arm.

With ecstatic joy, he exclaimed, "The Asura Bird has brought back excellent news!"

The Heavenly Devil glanced behind him and said gloomily, "Hurry up, those annoying fellows are almost upon us."

*************

On the battlefield, fluttering Taoist robes and monk's cassocks formed a unique landscape.

The old abbot from a renowned Buddhist temple, leading the Buddhist Association, finished chanting prayers while twirling his prayer beads towards the sky. He sighed with pity,

"Asura Dao acts on impulse. Their appearance forebodes calamity for mankind."

He turned to the members of the Taoist Association, "We heard about this news from Beijing a few days ago and promptly organized several discussions, but we had little confidence in converting Asura Dao. Not only that, we couldn't even track their movements. Surprisingly, the Taoist masters found their traces before we, the originators. Thank you very much."

The Taoist Association members repeatedly declined the praise, echoing their previous words about unity and righteousness. They also mentioned the existence of Azure Dragon and Black Tortoise, adding a touch of subtle pride amidst the tense situation.

Regardless of how peculiar the Taicang Sect was, Wei Xi's abilities were undeniable. As two major religions in the country, the Buddhist and Taoist Associations coexisted harmoniously in modern times, occasionally engaging in cultural exchanges. However, being different sects, human competitiveness was inevitable.

Director Wei's daring return with crucial information had indeed brought honor to the Taoist Association.

The old abbot nodded at Wei Xi with a smile. "Thank you, Daoist Wei, for your bravery on behalf of the mortal world."

Tuan Jieyi spoke up with righteous indignation on behalf of his master, "My master has always been compassionate towards humanity. He can't even bear to see a pickpocket stealing a wallet. How could he stand by idly in a time like this? Please, Master, don't be too modest."

The old abbot responded, "Oh? Master Wei is often a champion of justice?"

Recalling the days when his disciples had been coerced into helping elderly people who had stumbled, Wei Xi nodded, far from pleased.

The old abbot couldn't help but show admiration, "I wouldn't have expected such a worldview that encompasses the entire world from someone so young. I still have much to learn from you, young one."

This was the true dedication of a devout monk, putting life and death aside to seek out Mo Luo.

The Daoist masters wore warm smiles on their faces.

Wei Xi felt the weight on his shoulder again, that heavy burden. Seizing the opportunity when unity was at its peak, he promptly spoke up, "Master, I see that you and my master get along quite well. Perhaps you might consider more collaboration. I've heard that a few major temples in the area plan to hold events before the New Year. Could you help promote our Taicang Sect then?"

The old abbot: "..."

Wait, if you've put life and death aside, how come your business acumen is so sharp?

Monks: "..."

The monks met the old abbot's gaze that implied, "Your Daoist Association seems to be handling things unusually," unsure of how to explain themselves. They could only awkwardly address Unity Righteousness, "... Fellow Daoist Unity, the situation is dire. The Asuras have appeared. If we don't handle it well, it's uncertain if there will even be a tomorrow for the human world. This isn't the time to discuss such matters."

Unity Righteousness was well aware of this fact. In truth, he was so scared that he felt the urge to pee, but still waved his hand and said, "Ah! I just mentioned it. If we manage to overcome this crisis, the sect still needs to continue developing as usual."

Everyone: "..."

The old abbot had just praised him, and Taicang Sect had indeed contributed. It wouldn't be appropriate for him to reject the idea outright, so he nodded and said, "... Well... Fellow Daoist Wei truly embodies righteousness. If we can survive this, publicity would indeed be necessary."

Unity Righteousness looked at Wei Xi with reverence and said, "Master! You truly live up to being an auspicious omen!"

Wei Xi turned away, feeling immense pressure.

Fortunately, at that moment, an unusual sound echoed through the sky.

*************

The Asura Bird leaped forward, while the Four Demon Kings jumped below, their tails followed by hundreds of little demons they had brought along.

Their excitement was beyond words.

What could be more uplifting for Asura Dao than the appearance of His Majesty the Devil King?

They had been without their Devil King for thousands of years! Tens of thousands of years!!!

Back then, thousands of years ago, His Majesty led them to conquer the Six Realms, leaving even divine beings powerless. Wherever he went, everything retreated; it was a time of unparalleled glory!

But the more glorious the past, the more desolate the Demon World became after losing their Devil King.

After thousands of years, His Majesty had finally reappeared. Wasn't this a sign of the Demon World's resurgence?

The Celestial Devil's gaze searched eagerly around him. At the thought of seeing the Devil King, his heart raced with excitement.

What would the Devil King's reincarnation look like? Would he truly resemble what the Distress Devil had said, tall and mighty, with an unwavering aura?

In the darkness, the crowd ahead gradually came into focus. Amidst the illumination of lights, amidst the sea of monk and daoist robes, the Celestial Devil finally caught a whiff of that unforgettable scent.

In an instant, tears gathered in all his eyes, uncontrollably sliding down his face.

The Heavenly Devil could even hear the faint sobs hidden amidst the howling winds.

The Asuras, who defied the world, felt no shame for their falling tears.

These tears were shed for the entire Demon World!

Yet, what the demons detested was that the relentless blessed beasts refused to leave.

**************

The atmosphere instantly turned tense as everyone saw the approaching black aura in the distance.

The few birds that emerged alongside the dark aura had an eerie appearance, causing the young cultivators present to be greatly frightened and retreat. The old abbot, holding his prayer beads, murmured, "What is meant to come will eventually arrive."

Then, he spoke calmly to the juniors in front, "Step aside. Go to the back."

At the same time, he signaled for Wei Xi to stay put while he himself slowly walked forward.

Wei Xi, however, paid no heed to him. The scent of food had made him forget about his image, and he pushed through the crowd even faster than the young man.

In a battle situation, the front was naturally the focal point of attacks. A few elderly abbots and Taoist masters, who were about to protect the younger generation, paused in surprise when they saw this. They tried to stop Wei Xi, "Fellow Daoist Wei, there's no need for this!"

Youngsters should stay at the back.

Seeing them attempt to interfere with his meal, Wei Xi panicked and shot each of them an angry glare, his face filled with killing intent. "Mind your own business!"

The abbots and Taoist masters, feeling as if they were being threatened by their ally, were perplexed. "? ? ? ?"

Tuan Zhiyi, a coward who cherished life, was so moved that he almost shed tears. "You don't understand my master! He's trying to sacrifice himself to protect you!"

How could mere mortals comprehend the realm of a divine beast?

The elderly abbots and Taoist masters were taken aback before they finally caught on. Their gazes, which had earlier held a hint of suspicion during their business discussion, now held a tinge of admiration.

Tuan Zhiyi noticed their change in attitude and sighed inwardly. It would take him several lifetimes to attain the level of respect his master commanded. How difficult it was to be a qualified cultivator!

With these thoughts in mind, he couldn't help but feel a myriad of emotions. Gathering his courage, he followed his master and started pushing forward from the back of the crowd.

Along the way, the young cultivators all looked at him with respect.

Unity Righteous felt a mix of pride and the sensation of being under numerous scorching gazes from afar, as if they wished to devour him whole.

Tall among a group of short cultivators, he had nowhere to hide. He could only bend his knees slightly, helplessly thinking, Oh no, they're not actually coming for revenge, are they?

Just then, his junior apprentice brother rushed over with a group of people. The leader grabbed their master, who was walking straight ahead but still trying to head further away, asking, "Where are you going?"

Upon seeing his second disciple, Wei Xi recalled what had just happened and felt a little guilty. He called out, "Que'er."

The Phoenix, Bi Fang, following behind, recognized Wei Xi too. "Patriarch Wei! How did you end up here?!"

Wei Xi didn't respond. Behind him, Daoist Priest Quan, who often collaborated with Ning Tian on small projects as a leader in the Capital Daoist Association, had already recognized him and stepped in to explain, "Daoist Wei has been a great help this time. He's about to take the initiative to stand outside the encirclement to protect our fellow daoists and be the first to resist the Asuras!"

Shuo Zong: "Is that so?"

Wei Xi: "…No, I just wanted to…"

Go eat something.

The old abbot interrupted him, "My young friend, there's no need to be modest or bear any burden. Your noble character is evident to all of us. Among the current generation of cultivators, few possess such virtues. Venerable one promises you that if we survive this, our Heavenly Virtue Temple will vigorously promote the greatness of your sect! We will also lead the application for an accolade from the Religious Affairs Bureau!"

Wei Xi: "…"

An accolade from the Religious Affairs Bureau…

Wei Xi finally began to ponder whether he should explain the situation.

Seeing his silence, Shuo Zong frowned, his expression revealing a touch of helplessness. Was it really necessary to go this far just for the title of aauspicious beast?

Xia Shouren, standing aside, wore a strange expression, hardly able to believe it. "Is this real… Does he actually have such sentiments?"

Shuo Zong glared at him coldly, "Hush."

Tong Jiyi was displeased as well. What was wrong with Xia Shouren? His words were so disrespectful. In a fit of anger, his fear vanished, and he angrily confronted Xia Shouren, "What do you mean? Is it strange for my master, a harbinger of good fortune, to protect humans?"

Xia Shouren: "…"

After Tong Jiyi finished scolding him, a fiery passion stirred within him. Somehow, he found the courage to finally approach his master.

Looking around, he saw his junior apprentice brother staring at him with a peculiar expression. Unity Righteous asked, "Junior Brother, what are you looking at?"

His junior apprentice brother fell silent for a moment, pulling their master a little farther away from himself while his gaze turned cautious. "What are you doing here?"

Unity Righteous took a deep breath, flapped his sleeves, and stood tall against the wind, gazing into the distance with a heart full of valor.

A tiger's cub is never a dog; their master was an esteemed blessed beast, so how could this disciple allow himself to be underestimated?

He declared, "In times like these when humanity hangs by a thread, how can I, as the sixty-third Head Disciple of Taicang Sect and your senior apprentice brother, stand idly by? As the poem goes, 'I fear not death nor dismemberment, but seek to leave a legacy of integrity behind!'"

Shuo Zong: "..............."

Times when humanity hangs by a thread...

Unity Righteous noticed that his junior apprentice brother had fallen silent again. After a moment, he turned to the crowd and changed the subject. "What's the deal with these monks?"

Unity Righteous replied, "They're our reinforcements! Specifically brought in to deal with the Asuras!"

Reinforcements brought in to deal with the Asuras...

The junior apprentice brother seemed even more silent now, not only was he quiet, but his expression was full of indescribable emotions. Unity Right took this as admiration. After being in Taicang Sect for so long, he finally felt that, at this moment, he had rare dignity in front of his junior apprentice brother, and he straightened up with pride.

At this time, the distant black aura finally approached, revealing countless hideous faces behind the black fog.

There was a commotion among the crowd, and some young Taoist priests and monks were frightened into whispering cries. Unity Right also found these creatures terrifyingly ugly, but at this point, he couldn't afford to retreat. He raised his hand to shield the few young monks who had leaned on him in trust.

Many cultivators behind him were moved by his actions.

Unknown to them, Unity Right was almost peeing his pants in fear. As their gazes met, he finally recognized the lead demonic being with a bruised forehead and horns - it was the one he had hit with a stone earlier.

The scorching gaze he had sensed from afar belonged to this demon, while the others came from the three companions standing beside him. They seemed to have a good relationship.

Tears streamed down Unity Right's face. Damn, they were indeed here for revenge. Was it necessary to bring so many underlings just for a single stone? Were they planning to kill him?

He thought he was probably doomed this time. As a senior apprentice brother with rare dignity, he patted his junior's arm and lectured, "Junior Apprentice Brother! I've decided! Even if I die, I'll die gloriously. It was right to gather a group of monks. With them as witnesses, our Taicang Sect and our master's reputation for doing good deeds will surely be remembered for eternity!"

His junior didn't respond, and Unity Right assumed he was too moved to speak.

However, Shuo Zong really wanted to roll his eyes. Unfortunately, there was the even more talkative Xia Shouren beside him, constantly reminding himself of his lost tail and mocking, "Your master has a good reputation?"

At this crucial moment of life and death, Unity Right no longer cared about the dignity of a blessed beast. Everyone except his master was just ordinary vegetables in his eyes, so he angrily scolded, "If you dare to speak disrespectfully to my master again, believe me, I'll hit you!"

Xia Shouren: "?"

How could a mighty blessed beast be intimidated by a mere mortal?

Unity Right wasn't joking; he immediately threw a punch at his head with an unknown strength that left Xia Shouren seeing stars.

Xia Shouren, furious, turned to his friend, who coldly said, "Don't look at me. If it weren't for the urgency of the situation, I'd hit you too."

Xia Shouren: "...."

Thinking about his friend's ambiguous relationship with Wei Xi, recalling his own tail, and seeing Wei Xi acting as if nothing had happened, Xia Shouren was in immense pain.

"What kind of world is this?!"

In the next second, a shocking force struck his head, nearly knocking him to the ground.

Xia Shouren: "?????"

Xia Shouren struggled to turn his head and discovered that damn Devil had inexplicably left the group to come attack him.

He was both in pain and furious, utterly bewildered. "Devil! Are you insane?!"

The Devil seemed ready to throw in a few more punches, but fortunately, Shuo Zong finally intervened, lashing out with a whip to drag the Devil back into the Mo Luo crowd.

Beaten senseless, Xia Shouren stumbled to his feet, dust-covered and covering his wounds with a dazed expression. "What's wrong with these Devils? Do they have mental issues? Instead of looking for the Devil King, they come here to beat me up?"

Raising his head, he met his friend's gaze, which regarded him as if he were an idiot. "Who said they aren't looking for the Devil King?"

Xia Shouren: "??????"

Then he heard the Devil who had been whipped back, angrily scolding himself. "Impudent! To dare show disrespect to His Majesty!"

Xia Shouren: "?????"

Everyone else: "?????"

Amidst their confusion, they saw the towering Devils, starting with the Four Great Devils, kneel down in unison and loudly cry out, "Salutations to His Majesty the Devil King!"

Everyone: "????????"

Xia Shouren: "..............."

United Righteousness was still immersed in his melodrama, caressing his bruised fist as he bid farewell to the sky and earth. However, their sudden roar jolted him back to reality, only to meet countless burning gazes.

**************

The Mo Luo finally found their long-lost Demon King after thousands of years. At that moment of calling out their long-forgotten slogan, a myriad of emotions swirled within them.

Sadness, emotion, the ambition to conquer the mortal world, and boundless loyalty mixed with an ingrained dependence on their souls – all intricately intertwined.

After such a long search and countless setbacks, their Majestic Demon King had finally returned.

Following the chant, the scene fell into a prolonged silence.

Earth Demons' noses ran uncontrollably, while tears flowed endlessly from the Sky Demons' eyes. The two heads of the Death Demon wept together, and the wide maw of the Distress Demon nearly split its ears.

The Demon King stood before them, locking eyes with each one, his gaze as enigmatic as his unpredictable royal heart once was.

Fortunately, after a long while, his lips moved, and he finally spoke.

The Four Great Mo Luo simultaneously perked up, straining their ears to listen.

Then, they heard a barely audible whisper: "I didn't expect... You monsters not only look terrifying, but your hearts are also so despicable..."

Mo Luo: "?????????"

In the next second, they watched as the Demon King suddenly jumped up as if he had been electrocuted, turning to face the equally bewildered group of humans behind him. He began to shout at the top of his lungs:

"Fellow Daoists! Masters! Don't believe their lies!"

"So wicked! They see that you outnumber us and can't bear to torment me alone, so they're trying to ruin my master's Taicang Sect!"

"It was just a rock hitting my head! Do they have to be so petty?! Unimaginable!"

"Too vicious! Truly too vicious!!!"

"Fellow Daoists! Masters! You must distinguish friend from foe! Our Taicang Sect is innocent, we pay our taxes honestly, and all our business operations comply with national laws and regulations. We really aren't involved in any underground activities!"

Everyone present: "?????"

The kneeling Mo Luo stammered, "............Your Majesty???"