138: Chapter 138 A Husband-Protecting Maniac, a Mere Superior Demon General

[Just as Chu Sheng settled into his residence, the Zhou Family's invitation was delivered to his door.]

[Addressing him as "Young Master Chu" at every turn, the signature was stamped with Zhou Lie's great seal.]

[Attached to the invitation was a gift list and a fist-sized piece of dark gold metal—sky profound gold.]

[Chu Sheng's eyes lit up when he saw that piece of metal.]

[The immortal slaying gourd had been dim for many days, kept in the deepest part of his Storage Pouch.]

[He had asked Yu Rumeng about the repairs, but she only said Materials were hard to find and told him to try his luck in White Bone City.]

[He didn't expect Zhou Lie to deliver it right to his doorstep.]

[The banquet was held in the main hall of the Zhou Family, with an even grander display than last time.]

[Zhou Lie personally greeted him at the door and led Chu Sheng inside by the hand.]

[Zhou Wuliu stood behind his father, his face ashen and his lips pressed into a thin line.]

[He was forced by Zhou Lie to toast Chu Sheng, his hand holding the wine cup trembling.]

["Young Master Chu, I offended you greatly a few days ago. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."]

[Zhou Wuliu gritted his teeth, speaking each word deliberately as if he had swallowed a fly.]

[Chu Sheng took the wine cup and drained it in one go, smiling slightly. "Young Master Zhou is too polite."]

[Zhou Wuliu turned and left, his sleeve knocking over the wine pot on the table.]

[Zhou Lie's expression darkened, wanting to lash out, but Chu Sheng waved his hand. "Young Master Zhou is young and impetuous; it's normal."]

[Halfway through the banquet, Zhou Lie dismissed the attendants and said solemnly, "Brother Chu, I wish to formally hire you as a Guest Elder of the Zhou Family. Name your conditions."]

[Chu Sheng put down his wine cup. "Materials. I lack some things to repair my Magic Treasures."]

[Zhou Lie laughed heartily. "I guessed as much."]

[He waved his hand, and a detailed list was presented to Chu Sheng. sky profound gold, Nether Iron, Blood Soul Stone, Nine Nether Wood—all were rare Materials, each worth a fortune.]

["These are my tokens of sincerity."]

[Chu Sheng looked at the list and remained silent for a moment.]

[He already had the sky profound gold; the Nether Iron and Blood Soul Stone were key to repairing the demon refining pot, while the Nine Nether Wood was a treasure for nourishing the Old Grandfather's Divine Soul.]

[He looked up. "What does Head Zhou want?"]

[Zhou Lie looked at him with a frank gaze. "I want an ally. Not a subordinate, not a vassal, but an ally who can stand side-by-side with me."]

[Chu Sheng was silent for a long time, then nodded.]

[After the banquet ended, Chu Sheng asked about Zhou Wantang.]

[Zhou Lie was stunned for a moment, seemingly not expecting him to ask this. "Wantang? I don't know where she is. That girl left home a long time ago and has been out of touch ever since."]

[Chu Sheng frowned, his tone unfriendly. "How did you raise your daughter?"]

[Zhou Lie remained silent, a trace of guilt flashing across his rugged face.]

[Chu Sheng didn't press further.]

[Back at his residence, Yu Rumeng was leaning on the couch peeling grapes.]

[She glanced at him, seemingly knowing everything. "Want to know Zhou Wantang's whereabouts?"]

[Chu Sheng nodded.]

[Yu Rumeng put down the grape and tapped her finger in the Void Realm, causing a screen of light to emerge.]

[In the light screen, Zhou Wantang was dressed in a purple Daoist robe, busy in an alchemy room.]

[She had grown thinner and more mature, with a bit more steadiness between her brows; her cultivation was surprisingly at the True Transformation Realm Early Stage.]

[Xia Nihuang stood beside her, watching her fire-control technique.]

[Chu Sheng looked at her, unsure of what he was feeling.]

[She was doing well in the Tianfeng Kingdom, protected by Xia Nihuang, with the Dao of Alchemy to study and a promising future.]

[Yu Rumeng withdrew the light screen and looked into his eyes. "Do you want to bring her back?"]

[Chu Sheng was silent for a long time before shaking his head. "Let her choose for herself. She should be the master of her own life."]

[The Old Grandfather muttered inside the ring, "You brat, you certainly know how to conduct yourself."]

[Chu Sheng ignored him.]

[The messengers from the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons arrived sooner than expected.]

[This time, the leader was a High-grade Demon General at the Sea Opening Late Stage. His aura was as deep as an abyss, and as he stood at the gates of White Bone City, the temperature of the entire city dropped by several degrees.]

[Behind him followed twelve Black-Armored Demon Guards, each with a cultivation at the Spirit Lake stage, lined up with overwhelming Killing Intent.]

[The White Bone City Lord personally welcomed them, bowing his waist like a shrimp.]

[The messenger didn't even spare him a glance, saying coldly, "Hand over Chu Sheng."]

[The White Bone City Lord wiped his sweat and said with a fawning smile, "My lord, Chu Sheng is Demon King Rumeng's person. I really don't dare..."]

[The messenger sneered. "Demon King Rumeng? Can she alone block the entire Hall of Ten Thousand Demons?"]

[Panic spread through the hearts of the people in the city.]

[Chu Sheng stood by the window, watching the team of Black-Armored Demon Guards at the city gate, his fingers tapping lightly on the window frame.]

[Yu Rumeng sat behind him, still peeling grapes as if she hadn't heard anything.]

[The messenger set up a challenge arena right at the city gate, building a high platform out of raw iron and bone.]

[He stood on the platform, surveyed the surroundings, and his voice spread throughout the city: "Chu Sheng, if you are still a man, come up and meet your death. What kind of skill is it to hide behind a woman?"]

[A provocation—clichéd but effective.]

[Chu Sheng put down his wine cup and stood up.]

[Yu Rumeng looked up at him, said nothing, and simply nodded.]

[He walked down from the city tower, crossed the long street, and stepped onto the arena.]

[The wind blew from the north, whipping his robes.]

[The messenger looked at him, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. "Spirit Spring Middle Stage? Just you?"]

[Chu Sheng didn't speak, only tightening his grip on his battle-axe.]

[The messenger waved his hand, and a High-grade Demon General jumped onto the arena. He was at the Sea Opening Early Stage, more than one whole major Realm higher than Chu Sheng.]

["Thirty moves." The demon general held up three fingers. "If you can last thirty moves, I'll consider it your win."]

[Chu Sheng smiled.]

[On the first move, the demon general struck with a palm, his Sea Opening Early Stage true essence pressing down like a mountain.]

[Chu Sheng dodged to the side and swung his battle-axe, which was caught between two of the demon general's fingers.]

[Second move, third move, fifth move, tenth move.]

[Chu Sheng fought while retreating, his Heavenly Demon Body and Taixu True Scripture operating simultaneously. Black Devilish Qi condensed into armor on his skin, each axe strike carrying a desperate ferocity as if he were prepared to die with his opponent.]

[The demon general grew more alarmed as the fight progressed. This demon cultivator was clearly only at the Spirit Spring Middle Stage, but his true essence was incredibly thick, and his aura was still climbing during the battle like a waking volcano.]

[By the twentieth move, blood seeped from the corner of Chu Sheng's mouth, but his eyes were frighteningly bright.]

[By the twenty-fifth move, the demon general began to get serious, each palm strike carrying ten-tenths of his power.]

[On the twenty-eighth move, Chu Sheng was knocked back by a palm strike; his webbing between thumb and forefinger split, and the battle-axe nearly flew out of his hand.]

[On the twenty-ninth move, he gritted his teeth and charged, taking a punch from the demon general head-on, breaking three ribs.]

[The thirtieth move.]

[The demon general gathered power for a palm strike, preparing to end the battle.]

[Suddenly, his gaze became vacant, his palm stopped in mid-air, and his whole body began to tremble.]

[He let out an inhuman scream and began to frantically attack himself, smashing a fist into his own chest; the sound of ribs snapping was clearly audible.]

[Another punch slammed into his own face, his nose bridge collapsing and blood flowing like a river.]

[The entire area fell into a deathly silence.]

[Chu Sheng stood at the edge of the arena, watching the self-mutilating demon general, his heart racing.]

[He felt a familiar aura—extremely faint, like the scent of flowers in the night wind, vanishing in an instant.]

[The Hall of Ten Thousand Demons messenger's face turned ashen as he jumped onto the arena and knocked the maddened demon general unconscious with a palm strike.]

[He glared at Chu Sheng, his eyes filled with murderous intent. "What Demonic Technique did you use?"]

[Chu Sheng didn't answer.]

[The messenger took a deep breath and moved personally, his Sea Opening Late Stage aura erupting like a collapsing mountain.]

[A voice descended from the sky—not loud, but it forced everyone present to kneel.]

["Whoever touches him, I will exterminate their entire clan."]

[Yu Rumeng landed on the arena, wearing a blood-red dress with her long hair flowing like a waterfall.]

[She stood beside Chu Sheng, her Dao Palace Realm aura spreading like a tide, pressing everyone down so they couldn't lift their heads.]

[The messenger knelt on the ground, trembling all over, unable to say a single word.]

[Yu Rumeng didn't even spare him a glance; she simply took Chu Sheng's arm and said with a smile, "Come, let's go home."]

[Chu Sheng was led off the arena by her, walking through the long street, leaving a deathly silence behind them.]

[He looked back once; the messenger from the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons was still kneeling there, not daring to even lift his head.]

[Back at the residence, Yu Rumeng let go of his hand and leaned back on the couch, picking up the unfinished grape.]

["Don't try to be a hero next time."]

[Chu Sheng wanted to say he wasn't trying to be a hero, but the words turned into a simple "Mhm" when they reached his lips.]

[The White Bone City Lord stood on the city tower for three days, his legs weak for three days, telling everyone he met, "Demon King Rumeng, the Dao Palace Realm Demon King Rumeng, came in person to pick him up! In person!"]

[From then on, whenever Zhou Wuliu saw Chu Sheng, he would take a detour, starting three streets away.]

[Zhou Lie sent more Materials along with a letter; the wording was even more polite, and the signature "Brother" was changed to "Humble Junior."]

[Chu Sheng read the letter twice and casually tossed it into a drawer.]

Chu Sheng watched this scene and let out a long breath.

"The Hall of Ten Thousand Demons really lost face this time. A High-grade Demon General suffered a backlash from a Nightmare and self-mutilated in public, while the messenger knelt and didn't dare look up. This is enough to make them a laughingstock for years."

He took a sip of tea, looked at the figure standing by the window in the image, and smiled.

"Most of the Magic Treasure Materials have been gathered, my cultivation is at the Spirit Spring Middle Stage, and I've even latched onto a Dao Palace Realm powerhouse. Once I've repaired the immortal slaying gourd and the demon refining pot, it'll be time to head back to the Tianfeng Kingdom to settle the score."

But Chu Sheng always felt a bit uneasy, feeling like everything seemed to be developing in a positive direction.

[Yu Rumeng's voice came from behind him, sounding lazy: "What are you thinking about?"]

[Chu Sheng didn't look back: "Thinking about how to get stronger."]

[Yu Rumeng gave a chuckle: "And what do you want to do once you're stronger?"]

[Chu Sheng was silent for a while: "Take back everything I've lost."]

[Yu Rumeng didn't speak again, she just reached out and held his hand.]