A long silence was broken by a cold snort from the Demon Lord within the Pixiu Stone.
"Xu Yi, I've already told you, you'll gain nothing from me. One day, the Demon Race's footprint will once again cover the Nine Provinces, and no one will be able to stop us."
Xu Yi's eyes flickered upwards, revealing a hint of a mocking smile. "Your words are as ridiculous as you are. Now you are the fish, and I am the cleaver, yet you still dare to boast. You are truly seeking your own demise."
Xu Yi gently placed her palm on the Pixiu Stone, and the Earth Core Azure Flame within her body surged outwards.
Azure flames enveloped the Pixiu Stone, causing the air to distort.
"Ah! Xu Yi! May you die a terrible death!"
Screams erupted from within the Pixiu Stone.
Xu Yi turned a deaf ear, her eyes following the dancing flames.
She wanted to test if the Demon Lord's bones were as hard as his words.
"Xu Yi! Xu Yi! When my demon army invades the Nine Provinces, I will tear you limb from limb! You are dead! You are dead!"
Within the Pixiu Stone, the Demon Lord's shadowy form struggled and roared, filled with boundless hatred.
He had acted with such caution, waiting for days before choosing a new target, and always covering his tracks meticulously. Why was he still discovered?
And the one who discovered him was the very Xu Yi he detested the most!
He could feel his demonic power gradually dissipating under the scorching heat.
If this continued, he might very well be annihilated in the flames.
What now?
What should he do?
Xu Yi was rather surprised by the Demon Lord's continued defiance.
This did not align with her impression of the Demon Race.
Did this also mean that this Demon Lord harbored vast ambitions, to the point of enduring torment rather than revealing the truth?
Xu Yi pondered for a moment and quickly devised a new plan.
The deterrence of the Earth Core Azure Flame was not enough; she needed to employ more intense methods.
Xu Yi used her divine sense to unlock one-tenth of the heavenly tribulation seal within the Pixiu Stone, a glint of schadenfreude flashing in her eyes.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
As thunderous roars echoed, the Demon Lord, already battered by the Earth Core Azure Flame, froze instantly.
Upon seeing the lightning element coursing beside him, he let out a startled cry and began to flee frantically.
From the outside, only indistinct blurs of movement could be seen flickering continuously.
Crack!
A purple bolt of lightning suddenly tore through the void, striking the shadowy form.
The shadowy form let out a pained cry and instantly lost its ability to move.
Following that, several more bolts of lightning struck his body.
Faint wisps of black mist evaporated from him, and his solidified form gradually became ethereal and insubstantial.
He no longer had the strength to even shout, only able to cower in a corner, enduring the dual torment of the Earth Core Azure Flame and the heavenly tribulation, whimpering intermittently.
"Lord Demon Lord, have you changed your mind now?"
Xu Yi paused her attack and asked softly.
She did not truly intend to kill this Demon Lord. What she needed more was information, intelligence from the Demon Race.
"Xu Yi... *cough, cough*..." the Demon Lord stammered, "Xu Yi, you think by trapping me here... I... I truly have no way to escape. I will remember today's humiliation. One day, you will fall into my hands, and I will repay you a thousandfold."
Xu Yi's expression changed, and she immediately looked at the Pixiu Stone.
She didn't believe it.
The opponent's soul was imprisoned within the Pixiu Stone; escape was impossible.
However, Xu Yi had miscalculated this time.
Bang!
A muffled thud.
The Demon Lord's shadowy form suddenly exploded, then transformed into wisps of black smoke, quickly dissipating into nothingness.
"It was a clone!"
Xu Yi cursed softly in annoyance.
A demon's clone was akin to a cultivator's duplicate, controlled by the main body, usable for offense, defense, and deceiving opponents.
However, the art of soul cloning among demons was extremely difficult and fraught with a high chance of failure, making it uncommon within the Demon Race.
Xu Yi hadn't immediately realized that this shadowy figure was merely a clone of the Demon Lord.
Still, even a clone had a significant impact on the main body.
By choosing self-destruction to escape, the Demon Lord's true form must have suffered a massive blow, possibly even a decline in cultivation.
Xu Yi did not feel any joy from this; her expression grew even more somber.
He was willing to pay such a heavy price to conceal the truth. What kind of conspiracy lay behind this?
Xu Yi felt a weight on her shoulders, her intuition telling her that the day the Demon Army returned was not far off.
And yet, they had not devised a single counter-strategy, remaining entirely on the defensive.
Xu Yi's brows furrowed; she needed to accelerate her actions.
She closed her eyes, recalling the events of the past few days one by one, her thoughts gradually becoming clearer.
An hour later, Xu Yi opened her eyes, her divine sense finding Wen Yi resting in her room. She said softly, "Wen Yi, come to my room."
Wen Yi, who was meditating in her room, was startled. Upon recognizing Xu Yi's voice, she quickly nodded, "Yes."
Xu Yi arrived quickly; in less than the time it takes to brew half a cup of tea, a soft knock sounded at the door.
"Come in."
"Senior Xu, you were looking for me?"
Wen Yi's eyelashes trembled uneasily, a hint of nervousness in her voice.
Senior Xu wasn't interrogating a demon, so why had she suddenly summoned her?
Could it be that she suspected Wen Yi of being involved with the Demon Lord?
Wen Yi was startled by her own wild thoughts and wished she could bury her head in her chest.
Wen Yi's nervousness was palpable, and Xu Yi saw it clearly.
Therefore, Xu Yi softened her tone, "You don't need to be nervous. The reason I called you here is about your master."
"My master's matters?"
Wen Yi looked up in astonishment.
Her master had already ascended. What could Senior Xu be referring to?
Xu Yi flipped her hand, and a small, golden cauldron appeared in her palm. "Do you recognize this?"
"It's the Nine Dragon Cauldron!" Wen Yi blurted out.
She vividly remembered the battle between her master and Xu Yi that day.
It was on that day that she suddenly realized her master was not omnipotent; she too could make mistakes and get hurt.
"Yes, this is your master's secret treasure, the Nine Dragon Cauldron. I took it from your master that day, and today I am gifting it back to you," Xu Yi said softly.
"I cannot accept!" Wen Yi knelt down with a plop. "Senior Xu, I know you are kind-hearted. Seeing me adrift and without support, you wish to bestow this treasure upon me for protection.
However, Wen Yi's cultivation is shallow, and I know I cannot safeguard such a precious treasure. I fear I would tarnish its prestige. I implore you to retract your decree. Wen Yi is immensely grateful."
The Nine Dragon Cauldron was a treasure that her master, True Ancestor Jing Qiu, was reluctant to use, keeping it high on a shelf. How could Wen Yi possibly be worthy of such a magical artifact?
Furthermore, one should not accept rewards without merit. She had already received considerable help from Xu Yi and felt ashamed to accept further gifts, even if this Nine Dragon Cauldron originally belonged to her master.
"Please rise and speak," Xu Yi said.
Seeing Wen Yi's fearful demeanor, Xu Yi shook her head slightly.
She remembered the younger Wen Yi, who was娇憨 (jiāo hān - cute and naive), lively, innocent, and pure. It seemed that the upheaval at Mingyue Pavilion had also significantly altered her temperament.