But Xiong San Si abruptly spun back, his form shrouded in a black robe. At this moment, he emitted an unconcealed surge of power, firmly holding back Spider Lan Ruo and Spider Yin ten paces away.

Yu Xin, who had been close behind, also reacted and turned to look back…

His face instantly contorted with surprise: “Sister Lan Ruo! Brother Spider! You’ve also come! Excellent, excellent! The heavens bestow their treasures upon us, and this secret realm of God Xiao should rightfully be explored by us brothers and sisters!”

Spider Lan Ruo seemed not to hear, her gaze fixed solely on Xiong San Si. Spider Yin, however, turned to look at Yu Xin, his eyes devoid of warmth. This attitude utterly perplexed Yu Xin.

“We have no past grievances nor recent enmities. Just days ago, we were sharing drinks together. Why, when I offer a welcoming smile, do you respond with such a grim countenance? Could it be that for the mere sake of a single God Xiao secret realm, the bonds of brotherhood are cast aside?”

“Truly, from ancient times, wealth moves the hearts of demons; the words of the ancients are indeed not deceiving. The winds of the world are falling, and the hearts of demons are hard to fathom!”

Though he believed himself capable of handling Spider Yin without issue, and the pure and innocent Lan Ruo posed no worry, requiring no intervention from Elder Brother Xiong, the question of how this pair from the Spider House had arrived, and whether they harbored other intentions, still lingered. Xiao Yu Zhen, ever one to plan meticulously, naturally wished to ponder and subtly probe for a while.

“Cough!” He cleared his throat, just preparing to unleash his silver tongue and subtly glean some information, when suddenly—a resonant bell chimed.

The bell that echoed throughout Moyun City, familiar to all, now also reverberated within this very God Xiao secret chamber, shaking Yu Xin so violently he nearly bit off his tongue.

The silver-white wall on the other side of the secret chamber suddenly rippled like water. As the ripples swayed, the faint shadow of a courtyard emerged. Pavilions, terraces, and buildings of elegant design were visible, adorned with scattered flowers and lush green trees.

Before Yu Xin could get a clear look, two figures emerged from within the shadowy courtyard. They stepped forth, one behind the other, their forms transitioning from ethereal to solid with each stride, imbued with a sense of unwavering resolve, and thus entered the God Xiao secret chamber.

The appearance of these two newcomers was thus revealed to the gathered demons. One possessed a sinister countenance, his face marked with demonic patterns – none other than Dog Xi Hua, the young master of the Dog House. The other was clad in a large red kasaya, his rugged, thin frame emanating a hidden treasure light, his eyes bright and full of spirit. He resembled an iron tree bearing Bodhi fruit, his wisdom profound and hidden yet firm and solid – it was Master Yang Yu, a true inheritor of Ancient Nan Mountain.

“Cough, cough, cough!” Yu Xin nearly choked on his own words, forcing out another strained smile. “Elder Brother Xi Hua! You’ve come too! I was just about to call you! Truly, where in the demonic life do we not meet? This is fate, simply fate! Come, come, come, stand by your brother’s side. Let us explore together. And who is this by your side?”

Dog Xi Hua ignored him completely, merely letting out a snort from his nostrils. He then turned to look at Spider Yin. “Spider Yin, what wicked scheme are you plotting now? You’ve even tricked Lan Ruo into coming!”

Old Zhen, holding the zither, stood behind Spider Lan Ruo, utterly speechless at Dog Yin’s words. “Between me and Spider Lan Ruo, who is truly in charge now? Is it not obvious? I have already become the zither boy!”

“Furthermore, Dog Xi Hua, where do you find the audacity to speak to me thus? Were you not bowing and scraping to me, calling me young master, not so long ago?”

“It’s Yang Yu, ah.”

“The new king of the Heaven Rankings.”

Spider Yin turned his head away, too lazy to bother with this dog who relied on a sheep’s power. The rough-boned Yang Yu, clad in his large red kasaya, clasped his palms together in respect, bowing respectively to Spider Lan Ruo and Xiong San Si. “This humble monk greets Sister Lan Ruo, Donor San Si…”

His gaze swept over the assembled demons. “Greetings to all.”

The smile on Yu Xin’s face vanished. It was clear that he, like Spider Yin and Dog Xi Hua, was included in the category of “all.” Perhaps he wasn’t even truly included, as Yang Yu’s calm gaze swept over every demon but avoided him entirely.

He finally realized something was amiss. Moreover, he couldn’t understand why the God Xiao secret chamber was suddenly swarming with so many demons, and why those who had arrived seemed to hold a grudge against him. He, Yu Xin, was usually righteous and generous, welcoming and seeing off guests without fail, rarely failing to extend invitations. His words were pleasant to hear, his appearance handsome, and his interpersonal relationships were not bad. Could it be that they all knew this exploration of the God Xiao secret realm was his destined opportunity, and were deliberately targeting him?

Feeling a sense of danger, the young Zhen subconsciously shuffled a few steps closer to Xiong San Si. The black-faced, black-robed Xiong San Si, however, unlike his companion, was not lost in wild conjectures. He simply looked calmly at Yang Yu, his voice striking like stone against stone. “You recognize me?”

Yang Yu’s warm voice replied, “I have heard of you.”

Just moments ago, the chiming of the bell had briefly stunned his soul, and now hearing the words “heard of you” twice stirred a certain sensitivity in Xiong San Si. He spoke without emotion. “Oh?”

Yang Yu, however, offered no further response. He merely turned his body slightly, freeing himself from Xiong San Si’s probing aura and shifting his position. His gaze seemed to indicate something more profound. As his gaze fell upon a certain spot, a shimmering, splendid gap appeared. At first, it was just a fissure, but then vines climbed out of it, and flowers bloomed on the vines, filling the air with a faint fragrance. At this moment, it resembled a door adorned with fresh flowers, pushed open by a sliver of sword light, like sunlight itself!

The handsome and extraordinary Deer Qi Lang arrived with his sword, flipping his palm to collect the small door of blooming flowers from his hand and gather the room’s fragrance. His star-like eyes swept over the entire scene, and he smiled. “What are you all waiting for? You are already outside the treasure mountain; why not enter?”

“The dishes are not yet complete; how can the banquet begin?” This voice echoed from within a black lotus. “A mischievous child cannot wield a thousand-pound hammer.”

This black lotus had appeared in the secret room at some unknown moment, its volume swelling rapidly. From within its unfolding petals stood the imposing and fierce Rat Jia Lan. He who carried the Know Hear Bell down to Moyun City was the new king of Ancient Nan Mountain’s Heaven Rankings, Yang Yu, not some Bodhisattva or Arhat. Rat Jia Lan possessed the courage to compete with him entirely. The information had already been disseminated; what organization in the world, what temple of Black Lotus, did he fear? Among his generation’s demon kings, there were few who could truly shock him. No matter how potent the Know Hear Bell, how much could Yang Yu truly leverage its power? There was fundamentally nothing to fear! Not only was he fearless, but he even yearned for an opportunity to seize it and play with it.

“In dreams, vaguely, mother’s tears fall; on the city wall, the banner of the great king changes!” Seeing the virtual reflection of the God Xiao secret chamber in the night sky, and the demons pouring in like a whirlwind, Ape Meng Ji in the old residence of the Ape House grew more and more displeased. “Has the entire world conspired and made arrangements, but somehow only left me, Ape Meng Ji, out?”

“Bad! I am being targeted by a group!”

Ape Jia Zheng’s cup of old wine finally could not be drunk down. He thought of himself, an old Ape hero, who had painstakingly clawed his way up to the upper echelons of Moyun City’s noble families through sheer willpower, managing to establish a foothold and stand shoulder to shoulder with the Feather House and Dog House. How lamentable that a hero in his twilight years had no successor demon!

“Look at the Feather House, the Dog House, the Feather House – every single one of them had their ideas early on, each harboring schemes! Even Deer Qi Lang of the God Fragrance Flower Sea and Rat Jia Lan of the Black Lotus Temple have found their way! Only you, you haven’t grown a single ounce of a brain! At the Flying Cloud Building banquet, amidst a group of demons, were you the only one who truly ate?”

Ape Jia Zheng grew more and more furious, his eyebrows furrowing in anger. “Does our home lack your mouth?”

Ape Meng Ji spoke with grievance. “But I also arranged to deal with Snake Gu Yu, didn’t I?”

Ape Jia Zheng, still unable to quell his anger, retorted, “And still your mother, wanting Snake Gu Yu to lift a foot, would kick Ape Meng Ji to lie on his back with all four hooves in the air!”

Deer Qi Lang and Rat Jia Lan appeared in quick succession. In the God Xiao secret chamber, Yu Xin’s face grew increasingly grim. The secret room, empty just moments before, was now filled to the brim with demons, save for Ape Meng Ji; everyone who could possibly come had arrived. It was as if they had all been hiding in the shadows, simply waiting for the old man to open the door. This situation could no longer be explained away as mere coincidence.

Premeditated planning was the only—answer.

He, this fragrant steamed bun, had unknowingly been targeted. These insidious, petty demons! Shameless bandits!

“The dishes are not complete, what does that mean?” Spider Yin, still holding the zither, voiced the question in Yu Xin’s heart. He, Young Master Spider, as the oriole, was naturally very satisfied with the mantis catching the cicada with the yellow sparrow behind. But being followed by—a flock of orioles, that was very difficult to be happy about. Was there no end to this? How on earth did Yu Xin keep this secret? Was he selling steamed buns on the street and spreading the word that way?

Rat Jia Lan disdained to answer a mere Spider Yin’s question, his gaze instead fixed downwards. Despite being within this God Xiao secret chamber, his eyes could only perceive the silver-white floor tiles, unable to penetrate this barrier of form and substance. But he believed that the mysterious dog demon, the organization represented by the Peace Ghost Messenger, was also watching. He believed that the Peace Ghost Messenger, who held himself in such high regard, would absolutely not refuse such a challenge.

“Come on, Peace Ghost Messenger, come to this God Xiao secret realm! Cast aside your respective organizational influences, and let us decide victory and defeat!”

Seeing this situation, Deer Qi Lang also thought of the profound and unfathomable, good and evil hard to distinguish Chai A Si. If he were the first to enter the God Xiao secret realm, and that fellow made some small move from behind, it would truly be dangerous. Hence, he also lifted his sword, turned back, and looked down.

“Come on, Chai A Si, let me see what kind of divine being you truly are.”

This was the common question among the demons surrounding and viewing the virtual reflection of the God Xiao secret chamber in Moyun City. It was also the doubt in the minds of the other several demons in the God Xiao secret chamber. Rat Jia Lan and Deer Qi Lang were waiting, so naturally, Yang Yu and the others couldn’t go first. Everyone was on the level of a new king of the Heaven Rankings. No one could withstand being stabbed in the back multiple times. Thus, the Know Hear Bell still hung beneath the blood moon, and within the virtual reflection of the God Xiao secret chamber beneath the giant bell, the crowd of heaven’s pride remained silent.

And Chai A Si and Pig Da Li in the old residence of the Chai House, of course, also knew what Rat Jia Lan and the others were waiting for. They naturally understood this was an invitation to compete for the God Xiao secret realm.

“Really don’t know how to go, ah!”

There was no road, no door, and no map provided. And they had no idea how those several dog cubs found the way. To just charge forward blindly, flying into the virtual reflection only to find they couldn’t move, that would expose their clumsiness and become a laughingstock for the entire city’s common folk, wouldn’t it?

“Please, you go first.” Chai A Si, with a dignified expression, made a gesture of invitation. Although he wanted to participate in the God Xiao secret realm and believed that the Ancient God could easily send him in, since the Heaven Spider Mother was also in the city, he could only endure and continue to cultivate in hiding for a few more years! Now, he only wanted to follow the Ancient God’s instructions and leave this place. He would only wait until this laborious Peace Ghost Messenger also entered the God Xiao secret realm, and then he would leave under the cover of night to find Ape Xiao Qing. Avoiding the limelight for a few days, he would be able to properly warm himself for a few days.

“Let the winds rise and the clouds surge; I shall simply turn the red waves.”

“You all scramble for the great treasure, while I embrace my little darling.”

Among the demons gathered in the old courtyard of the Chai House tonight, Pig Da Li was perhaps the one who felt most unrestrained towards Chai A Si. One felt Chai A Si was profound and unfathomable, while another regarded Chai A Si with great caution. Was Chai A Si truly that terrifying? Perhaps there would be an opportunity to test him, but tonight was not the right time.

“Go ahead.” Pig Da Li folded his arms, acting even more aloof. “My path is not in the God Xiao secret realm.”

The Way of Peace does not seek outward validation; how can it be vulgarized? Furthermore, the higher echelons of the Way of Peace were still engaged in a secret confrontation.

The Peace Ghost Messenger and the Swift Wind Kill Sword thus confronted each other for a while, finally reaching a tacit understanding under the unspoken instruction of a certain great ancient god, and dispersing. As for who was waiting in the God Xiao secret chamber? “Have you played hide-and-seek as a child? Right, just like that.”

“Wait until you’ve hidden well, and then I’ll go home.”

More straightforward than the Peace Ghost Messenger and the Swift Wind Kill Sword was Snake Gu Yu; the moment Deer Qi Lang left, she had already stepped into the shadows. What God Xiao secret realm, what grudges between Ancient Nan Mountain and the Black Lotus Temple, what tangled interests of Moyun City’s great families—she truly did not care… In this regard, the great ancient god had much in common with her. It was a pity that it was impossible for them to have any such exchange. But their decisive departures also counted as a form of tacit understanding.

Sitting in the mirror world, orchestrating the demonic world’s events, the great ancient god had already instructed the Faceless Sect believers to come and retrieve the mirror. The old Chai House could not be stayed in for another moment; Chai A Si was simply too unlucky! This time, he planned to live among ordinary commoners. Selling cakes, selling clothes, anything was fine; even if he did nothing but lie around, it didn’t matter. The most important thing was to be ordinary. He would command Chai A Si, this late bloomer, from a distance. As for noisy places like the Lian Xi Guest Inn, he would respectfully keep his distance. Thus, he would be less likely to be affected. He would just hide among ordinary, law-abiding little demons, believing that no demon in Moyun City would be so unreasonable as to casually break into a residence!

Truth be told, the home of that Tiger clan big man across from the old Chai House also counted as a good foothold. It was close to Chai A Si and not too conspicuous.

No, it was not merely a secret chamber.

It was the entire virtual reflection of the God Xiao secret realm, including the secret chamber.

The Know Hear Bell suddenly chimed again, interrupting the great ancient god’s scheme. The demons watched in surprise as the virtual reflection of the secret chamber, suspended beneath the giant bell, suddenly detached from the bell and plummeted.

The silver-white secret chamber, the vast and splendid world of God Xiao. It was clearly only a virtual reflection, a true secret captured by the Know Hear Bell, a simulation of information in essence. But at this moment, it seemed truly to possess its spirit, just as Master Yang Yu had said. This virtual reflection of the secret chamber plummeted with unimaginable speed.

The entire Moyun City was alarmed! Beneath the blood moon, shadows were heavy, on high rooftops, and along the long streets, everywhere were demons. They swarmed from every corner of the city, gathering towards the point where the virtual reflection fell, for the sake of the God Xiao secret realm.

But this true secret’s falling speed was terrifyingly fast. Almost simultaneously with its detachment from the Know Hear Bell, it had already fallen upon Moyun City. It landed precisely in the north, covering the entire old residence of the Chai House, as well as a surrounding circular territory. It enveloped the Peace Ghost Messenger who had already leaped out of the yard, the Swift Wind Kill Sword who was just about to slip away, and the one who had already submerged into the shadows.

Of course, it also included the makeup mirror wrapped in coarse cloth within the shrine on the wall.