496: Chapter 496 Making Trouble

It was evening.

The red clouds on the horizon reflected upon the grayish-black demon clouds, creating an eerie blackish-red hue.

At the foot of the mountain lay a massive Black Mud Pool, where a black-skinned wild boar would occasionally go for a roll.

"No wonder these pig demons have such exaggerated defense; there's something strange about that mud pool!" Old Fourth remarked, watching the pig demons in the Black Mud Pool below.

Liu Xuan swept his Divine Thought over the area. After a pig demon rolled in the mud, its body was covered in a layer of black mud that did not fall off but instead adhered to its fur like armor.

The black mud was no ordinary mud; it was more like a specially refined Body Refining Material.

However, Human Race Cultivators likely couldn't use it. It seemed specifically designed for pig demons, and most other members of the Yao Race couldn't use it either.

While the Black Mud Pool itself couldn't be used, its concept could be imitated. As Liu Xuan was pondering whether it could be replicated, Zhu Kai entered from outside the courtyard.

"The leader wants to see you. Come with me!"

Gu Sha Immortal Master stood up to follow. Old Fourth also prepared to go and take a look but was pushed back by a gentle wave of dharmic power.

At the mountain peak, Gu Sha Immortal Master followed Zhu Kai into a Black Palace. Walking through the palace corridors, the surroundings were cold and desolate, with no light entering from the outside. Only the candles on the walls burned silently, creating an extremely eerie atmosphere.

The aroma of meat wafted through the air. The deeper they walked into the main hall, the richer the scent became—a fragrance similar to roasted meat that was quite enticing.

Upon entering the central hall, the vast space was empty, save for a black-faced burly man sitting on a throne at the far end.

Before him stood a wide rectangular table laden with a row of golden, crispy roasted meat. Beneath the table, a fire continued to keep it warm, though it was unclear what kind of meat was being roasted.

The black-faced man had a fat head and large ears, yet his body was covered in lean muscle. Through his open robe, eight-pack abs were clearly visible, creating a stark contrast with his facial features.

Seeing Gu Sha Immortal Master enter, he swallowed the meat he was gnawing on and grinned, revealing two long tusks.

"This subordinate takes his leave!"

Zhu Kai bowed and withdrew, looking somewhat flustered, as if he were fleeing in a hurry.

"I am Gu Sha. Greetings, Demon Lord Pan!"

Gu Sha Immortal Master bowed unhurriedly. No matter how strange this place was, Liu Xuan had nothing to fear; after all, it was just a wisp of his Divine Thought.

"You've got some nerve!" Zhu Pan praised, picking up a roasted leg and tossing it toward him. "Have some first?"

"Thank you, Demon Lord!"

Gu Sha Immortal Master didn't stand on ceremony either, picking up the roast leg of some unknown creature and biting right into it.

"Hahaha!"

Zhu Pan's powerful laughter echoed through the entire hall. "You are the first person who has dared to eat my food. Interesting, very interesting!"

Suddenly!

The laughter stopped abruptly, and a terrifying Vicious Beast pressure filled the air. Zhu Pan leaned forward slightly, his blood-red eyes flashing with a fierce light.

"Zhu Kai said you have a token from the Peach Blossom Demon Lord. Let me see it."

Gu Sha Immortal Master felt absolutely nothing from the pressure that would have caused an ordinary Early Golden Core Stage Immortal Master to lose their composure. He took out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth before leisurely producing a Peach Blossom petal and tossing it over.

The consciousness within this body was a wisp of Divine Thought sent by Liu Xuan. No matter how strong Zhu Pan's pressure was, even if it crushed Gu Sha Immortal Master's own Divine Soul, Liu Xuan would remain unaffected. At most, he would experience a momentary disconnection and reconnection, resulting in a slightly slower reaction, but he would never lose his composure.

Zhu Pan took the petal and inspected it closely. There was nothing wrong with the token; it indeed carried the aura of the Peach Blossom Demon Lord.

"I sent several secret letters to the Peach Blossom Demon Lord before, but she ignored them. Why would she suddenly send someone now?"

"A mere token cannot prove your identity!"

A deep, oppressive voice spoke slowly, and the pressure in the hall intensified once more.

"Proving my identity is very simple!" Gu Sha Immortal Master paused, recalled for a moment, and then recited one of the secret letters Zhu Pan had previously sent to the Peach Blossom Demon Lord in its entirety.

"Demon Lord Pan, can you confirm my identity now?"

Zhu Pan stared intently at Gu Sha Immortal Master, the doubt in his heart not diminishing but rather growing stronger.

The secret letters he sent to the Peach Blossom Demon Lord had been strictly processed so that only she could view the exact contents.

This person only had an Early Golden Core Stage cultivation; how could he possibly know such secrets?

What was his relationship with the Peach Blossom Demon Lord?

He knew all of the Peach Blossom Demon Lord's close confidants, such as Demon Lord Bai Leng and Lü Luo. If either of them had come, he wouldn't have found it strange.

"What did the Peach Blossom Demon Lord send you here to discuss?"

The pressure in the hall slowly dissipated as Zhu Pan asked.

"The Peach Blossom Demon Lord sent me here to offer you a way out."

"Oh?"

A fierce light flashed in Zhu Pan's eyes, but he suppressed it. If he wasn't satisfied with Gu Sha Immortal Master's subsequent explanation, it wouldn't be too late to tear him apart then.

"The Beast Taming Sect continues to advance toward the Demon Court, and the front line has already made contact with your territory, Demon Lord Pan. If things continue this way, I wonder how long you can hold out?"

The current war situation was relatively stable, with both sides tacitly choosing to wear down their low-level forces.

But overall, the Beast Taming Sect had been slowly advancing into the Yao Race's territory. Demon Lords on the periphery like Zhu Pan faced immense danger.

One day, a group of Nascent Soul True Lords might descend upon him and slaughter all the pig demons.

This wasn't groundless worrying but a very real crisis; several Nascent Soul Demon Lords had died this way over the past few years.

In just a few years, while the battlefield seemed stable, the Endless Demon Court had lost nearly a tenth of its peripheral territory, and even several Nascent Soul Demon Lords had perished.

Most critically, Demon Saint Xuanyu had shown no sign of counterattacking. He shouted slogans loudly, telling the Yao Race at the border to stay calm and steady, but the actual support provided was far from sufficient.

"How does the Peach Blossom Demon Lord intend to help me?" Zhu Pan asked.

"In some time, Her Ladyship the Demon Lord will replace the Nascent Soul True Lords adjacent to this battlefield, and the middle and high-level personnel will also be replaced by our own people.

At that time, even if the Beast Taming Sect decides to move against you, Demon Lord, we will be able to notify you in time. We cannot guarantee your territory, but saving your life will be no problem."

Demon Lord Pan Shi's brows furrowed. "Is the Peach Blossom Demon Lord planning to make trouble for the Beast Taming Sect?"

He had originally thought that Gu Sha Immortal Master came with the token to persuade him to defect to the Beast Taming Sect and help attack the Demon Court.

Now, it was the complete opposite. The Peach Blossom Demon Lord wasn't trying to help the Beast Taming Sect, but rather the Demon Court?

"No!"

Gu Sha Immortal Master waved his hand. "It's not exactly making trouble. It's just that the war is progressing too quickly, and Her Ladyship the Demon Lord does not wish for the Demon Court to be defeated so soon."

'Does not wish for the Demon Court to be defeated so soon?'

Demon Lord Pan Shi's thoughts raced, but he still couldn't figure out what the Peach Blossom Demon Lord was up to.

Since she had already defected to Daoist Lord Lihuo, was there still a possibility of her breaking away from the Beast Taming Sect?

Making trouble for the Beast Taming Sect during a war was a major crime. If it were discovered in the future, how could she withstand the wrath of Daoist Lord Lihuo?

The amount of information was overwhelming, and Zhu Pan couldn't make up his mind for a moment. He even wondered if siding with the Peach Blossom Demon Lord was a good choice.

"You can take your time to consider, Demon Lord Pan. The transfer of the Nascent Soul True Lords on the front line should occur within a month. Regardless of what choice you make, this will not change!"