"Brother, it seems we've arrived at an inopportune moment," Ye You murmured, standing high in the sky and observing the standoff between the demons below.
The Ancient Town of Demons was in chaos, on the brink of conflict. Their search for someone within the town would undoubtedly be fraught with trouble.
Ye Ling, however, remained calm. He surveyed the demons below and then asked Chu, who was perched on his shoulder, "Can you find the person I'm looking for?"
Chu nodded and pointed to a hunched, elderly figure with white hair and goat horns below. "It's him."
"It's him?"
Ye You followed Chu's gaze, focusing on the old man. "That old man is just a goat demon. While his aura isn't weak, possessing seventh-grade cultivation, wasn't it someone in the True Martial realm who planted the marks on Xu Changsheng and the others?"
"With that demon's strength, how could he plant a soul-binding mark?"
Ye Ling scanned the goat demon with his divine sense. "Chu hasn't mistaken. This goat demon is merely a clone of a powerful demon. If even the clone has seventh-grade cultivation, it's not impossible for the main body to be in the True Martial realm."
"A clone?"
Hearing Ye Ling's words, Ye You was taken aback, his eyes filled with surprise.
The goat demon possessed a complete soul and body, appearing to be a living demon. How could it possibly be someone else's clone?
Ye Ling explained, "There are myriad divine abilities for manifesting clones. Although this goat demon's clone is peculiar, as long as one masters a divine ability that can evolve flesh and blood, creating such an independent entity isn't difficult."
"Such clones have advantages and disadvantages. While they siphon some of the main body's power, they also inherit a portion of the main body's consciousness and flesh and blood. If the main body dies, it can use this clone to resurrect."
"This type of clone ability is generally equivalent to the main body's second life. The user has the clone operate in the Ancient Town of Demons while they themselves remain hidden. It seems they are quite a cautious individual who values their life..."
"So that's how clones work, with all these complexities," Ye You mused, observing the goat demon with curiosity. He then asked, "Can we find its main body?"
Ye Ling chuckled, "That brings us to the second disadvantage of this type of clone."
Ye You: "The second disadvantage?"
Ye Ling continued, "Because the main body can resurrect through this clone, there is always a connection maintained between the clone and the main body."
Ye You nodded thoughtfully. "In other words, we can find the main body through this clone?"
"Precisely," Ye Ling said with a slight smile. "No matter where that fellow's main body is hidden, with its clone here, it cannot escape our grasp."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go check it out!"
A glint flashed in Ye You's eyes upon hearing Ye Ling's words. He took the lead, flying directly towards the plaza of the Ancient Town of Demons!
On the plaza, the goat demon targeted by Ye Ling was leading a large group of demons, sternly confronting a tiger-headed demon. "Nan Batian, our Ancient Town and Shu Mountain have always minded our own business, coexisting peacefully for a thousand years. Yet, you suddenly led your brethren to attack Shu Mountain. Are you trying to push the demons of our Ancient Town to a dead end?"
Nan Batian, having retreated from Shu Mountain, was disheveled and in an extremely foul mood.
The goat demon's confrontation with a large contingent of demons only worsened his expression. He glared at the goat demon and cursed, "My leading my brethren to attack Shu Mountain is our own affair. Shan Bu, you're now surrounding us with so many demons. Are you trying to engage in fratricide?"
Shan Bu said coldly, "Of course, we're capturing you to hand over to Shu Mountain, to atone for our sins and maintain the balance of the Ancient Town of Demons!"
"Atone?" Nan Batian paused for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Shan Bu, you're a seventh-grade great demon, yet you've always been confined to this wretched town. Now you want to capture me to atone to Shu Mountain?"
"You've grown accustomed to being a dog for humans!"
Nan Batian's words were extremely sharp. Before Shan Bu could react, the demons behind him became restless, exclaiming, "Town Master, Nan Batian is insulting you so, how can we tolerate this?"
"Nan Batian was always arrogant and disrespectful to the Village Chief. This scoundrel is truly too presumptuous! We beg the Town Master to capture him!"
"Yes! We beg the Town Master to issue an order, capture Nan Batian, and hand him over to Shu Mountain!"
The mountain and wild spirits clamored, eager to rush forward and tear Nan Batian and his followers to shreds!
The tiger demons under Nan Batian's command were already frustrated by their failed mission. Now, being constantly provoked by a group of demons, they refused to back down and retorted defiantly!
"Come on! If any of you don't come, you're a grandson!"
"Whoever doesn't show up is a coward!"
"A bunch of weaklings who only know how to bully their own kind!"
Nan Batian's retort was like igniting a powder keg. The two sides on the plaza immediately erupted into a heated argument. If their leaders hadn't yet given the order, they would have already engaged in combat!
Shan Bu, seeing the agitated state of the demons behind him, a hint of amusement flashed in his eyes. He then secretly circulated his cultivation technique, activating a certain divine ability.
"Roar!"
Suddenly, several demons among Nan Batian's and Shan Bu's ranks went berserk, attacking the demons beside them!
"What are you doing... Ahhhhhh!"
"Brothers, the other side has attacked! Let's go, kill them all!"
"You started it! Come on! Who's afraid of whom!"
As demons on both sides began to lose control, the plaza quickly descended into chaos. Nan Batian couldn't control the situation and could only watch helplessly as his brethren engaged in combat with other demons.
In an instant, the plaza became utterly chaotic.
Shan Bu, also amidst the confusion, locked his aura onto Nan Batian and secretly produced a dagger, lunging to stab him!
Caught off guard, Nan Batian was struck by the dagger, his tiger face contorting. "You old bastard, you ambushed me! I'll kill you!"
Nan Batian roared, raising his tiger claw to strike fiercely at Shan Bu!
"You're going to die!" Shan Bu sneered. He didn't meet Nan Batian's claw head-on. A faint gleam flashed in his eyes as he quickly released the dagger and retreated.
Nan Batian's palm strike missed. As he prepared to pull the dagger from his abdomen, he suddenly felt his body weaken, his spiritual energy draining at a visible rate!
Nan Batian stared at Shan Bu in horror, gasping, "You poisoned me?"
Shan Bu sneered, "Some secrets need to be taken to the grave. Here..."
"What secrets need to be taken to the grave?"
Ye You's voice suddenly echoed from behind Shan Bu, causing Shan Bu's pupils to contract sharply!
"Who?"
Without hesitation, Shan Bu leaped forward, creating distance between himself and Ye You.
But as he turned to look at Ye You, he felt a hand land on his shoulder!
Shan Bu's scalp tingled!
There was another one?
Ye Ling stood behind Shan Bu, pressing down on his shoulder, and asked with a smile, "I'm very curious now. You orchestrated the attack on Shu Mountain, so why are you now pretending to know nothing and so eager to kill Nan Batian?"
"Are you trying to conceal some secret?"
Upon hearing Ye Ling's words, Shan Bu trembled. He tried to struggle, but no matter how he thrashed, Ye Ling's grip remained unyielding!
"Damn it!!!"
Shan Bu's expression became somewhat contorted. "Who exactly are you?"