122: Since you won't leave the city, I will enter!

As night fell.

Five Elements Immortal City.

Inside an Immortal Cave on a mountain peak.

Crunch, crunch!

You Tong chewed twice, swallowing the remaining limbs of Xuan Shuang along with his Law Seed. Having raised this Dao child for so many years, from Early Stage Foundation Establishment to a Great Cultivator of Foundation Establishment, his taste was quite good!

“This Illusory Shape Pearl has been nurtured for so long, yet it's still only a Medium Grade Tier 2. It’s truly difficult to raise.”

On You Tong’s slender right hand, a pale red jade pearl floated. The jade pearl emitted a hazy red glow, within which a deer-headed, human-bodied spirit could vaguely be seen.

“You, come down.”

“Starting today, you will take over the duties of the previous Dao child. Your name shall be Xuan Shuang!”

You Tong raised her hand and pointed at one of the dozens of large Spider Demons on the spider web above, speaking to it.

That Early Stage Foundation Establishment Spider Demon fell from above, crashing straight to the ground.

At the same time, the Illusory Shape Pearl Magical Artifact floating above You Tong’s right hand flew out and merged into the head of that Early Stage Foundation Establishment Spider Demon.

In a few breaths.

The Spider Demon, whose body was as massive as a small mountain, visibly shrunk, transforming into a Dao child of five or six years old, clad in a black robe, with two deer antlers on his forehead, essentially an exact replica of the previous Xuan Shuang.

“Xuan Shuang greets Her Ladyship!”

The new Xuan Shuang kowtowed in gratitude, his eyes filled with pleasant surprise.

“Do your job well.”

“Her Ladyship will personally go out to feed.”

“Go notify that Peacock Demon at the West City Gate to make a trip to True Disciple Lin’s Fiend Qi gathering place.”

After You Tong finished speaking, she turned and, like a ghost, walked out of the cave, her figure incredibly swift, disappearing from sight in an instant.

“Yes, Her Ladyship!”

The new Xuan Shuang kowtowed in gratitude again.

At this moment, above the spider cave, the other dozen or so Foundation Establishment Spider Demons hanging there were all trembling slightly, each spitting out black jade pearls from their mouths.

“Congratulations, elder brother, on your promotion to Dao child!”

“Congratulations…”

The new Xuan Shuang’s ears were filled with the congratulatory voices of the Spider Demons.

The newly appointed Xuan Shuang swallowed the black jade pearls one by one, his own aura deepening considerably.

He then hurriedly left the Immortal Cave to carry out his duties.

The previous Xuan Shuang and the one before him, he had seen how they died. If they angered Her Ladyship, they would be eaten.

However, at the very least, Her Ladyship would nurture Xuan Shuang to Late Stage Foundation Establishment before consuming him.

He still had many good days ahead.

…

Late at night.

On Qing Yue Mountain, several Immortal Caves of Human Race Foundation Establishment Guest Elders had their Formations inexplicably activated. The Golden Core Spider Demon You Tong, as if strolling through her own backyard, selected tasty Law Seeds and flesh and blood from Human Race Cultivator.

Foundation Establishment flesh and blood had undergone one transformation, making the Physical Body purer than that of Qi Refining.

For Demon Cultivators, it held a fatal temptation, one that was very difficult to resist.

“The quality of this batch really isn’t as good as the last, but it’s still good enough to be half-full.”

“I’ve held back for so long, it was stifling me.”

You Tong returned to her Immortal Cave, sitting down with great satisfaction on the skull of a Golden Core Spider Demon.

“For that main dish at the birthday banquet, how could I risk leaving the city like that?”

“It’s highly likely a Fellow Daoist of Core Formation, capable of easily eradicating the essence of my Physical Body left within Lin Yueya. All the more reason not to go out.”

Such obvious scheming, she was not foolish.

You Tong lazily reclined on the mountain of pig skulls, her eyes slightly closed, letting that little Peacock Demon go first to scout the situation.

As for the main dish, she would wait and see. If there were no suitable choices, then she would select a slightly lesser Human Race Prodigy, force their growth, feed them a large amount of Medicinal Pills, and use secret techniques to barely create a main dish.

“Sigh.”

“That Black Tortoise on the neighboring peak, however, smells very fragrant!”

“Smelling it so close every day, this time when Brother Blood Gentleman and his companions come, we must eat that Black Tortoise together.”

“This Peak Master has been in charge for so many years, secretly eating so many Human Race Foundation Establishment Cultivators is enough. Running back to the mountains is all there is to it.”

You Tong, lying on the mountain of skulls, pondered.

The city was protected by a Tier 3 Formation; as long as she didn't leave the city, she would be safe and sound.

…

Soon after.

Outside the Immortal City, at the Fiend Qi gathering place.

“Why is it only a Late Stage Foundation Establishment Peacock Demon?”

“It seems that You Tong isn’t taking the bait; she’s quite cautious.”

“A main dish cultivated for so long, yet she can still suppress the anger in her heart?”

Shi Chuan, hidden a hundred zhang beneath the ground, sensed the aura of a Late Stage Foundation Establishment Peacock Demon through an Demonic Vine Avatar dozens of miles away.

That Late Stage Foundation Establishment Peacock Demon’s escape speed was extremely fast, and her aura was formidable!

Immediately, Shi Chuan sent out a Fiend Vine spirit snake to cover Lin Yueya, who was acting as bait outside, concealing her tracks and pulling her underground.

This Late Stage Foundation Establishment Peacock Demon specialized in speed, and it was unknown if she possessed any Magic Treasures given by the Golden Core Spider Demon, making her quite dangerous.

It was naturally not advisable to confront her head-on.

Since that Golden Core Spider Demon wouldn’t come out, he would go find her in the city.

If there was one less main dish, then I will be the main dish!

If it required a Human Race Prodigy, then I would act as a Human Race Prodigy!

In the end, he still had to go out himself and act as bait.

“Set new keywords, seeking suitable items within a five-thousand-li radius to serve as a Human Race Prodigy disguise for entering Five Elements Immortal City.”

Shi Chuan, underground, re-edited the intelligence keywords.

Given the Golden Core Spider Demon’s caution, the choice of disguise also had to be reasonable. If the identity couldn't withstand scrutiny, that old Spider Demon would surely become suspicious.

However, no matter what, the opponent was already his prey!

The roles of hunter and hunted had already swapped.

Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, it was zi shi (11 pm - 1 am).

[Keyword successfully triggered]

[Received a Tier 2 green intelligence report]

[Tier 2 Intelligence: To the southeast of this location, at the foot of Black Ape Mountain on the outskirts of the Ten Thousand Demons Mountain Range, there is a Core Disciple named Wang Lin from the Cloud Roost School, a Foundation Establishment School that perished there. He possessed a Jiao Python Spiritual Body combined with Dual Spiritual Roots. Five years ago, due to his extraordinary talent, he was targeted, and his entire School was annihilated.]

[He wandered the outskirts of the Ten Thousand Demons Mountain Range, afflicted by a Foundation Establishment Demonic Poison, and after struggling for half a year, he was buried underground!]

[Wang Lin’s basic information is as follows…]

…

“This child’s talent is indeed not bad, reaching Qi Refining Perfection just past thirty.”

“If this child were to successfully establish his Foundation, it would be a threat to the surrounding Foundation Establishment Schools. Between Foundation Establishment Families and Cultivators, it’s the law of the jungle.”

“If the Cloud Roost School were to rise, how could they enjoy their former good days? Taking action first was indeed the optimal choice.”

Shi Chuan scanned Wang Lin’s basic information, understanding it in his heart.

Subsequently,

Shi Chuan then escaped underground in the night.

And that Late Stage Foundation Establishment Peacock Demon, who had come from the Immortal City, circled the Fiend Qi gathering place several times. After no longer sensing Lin Yueya’s aura, she hurriedly returned to the Immortal City, not lingering to search carefully.

PS: Fellow Daoists, the retention rate is stubbornly not increasing. I'm reverting to two updates. After the novel goes on sale in a few days, there will be ten thousand character updates. Thank you for your support, Fellow Daoists! Many thanks!