Jiang Wang’s death in battle at Frost Wind Valley—the news arrived with a suddenness that defied belief. One moment, the youngest military merit marquis of Qi was a legend in the making, fighting bravely and decapitating two demon kings in a fury. The next, catastrophe had struck. At that very instant, Bai Yu Xia was still meticulously poring over details of the demon world, contemplating how best to devise a flawless path of merit for Jiang Wang’s upcoming excursion into the Heavenly Prison.

As a retainer, his duty was to follow the Wu An Marquis’s directives. However, offering sound counsel was also part of his role.

His ears, attuned to the myriad sounds of his surroundings, had not missed the cheers of the populace for Jiang Wang’s deeds. Nor had they missed the sighs of regret, the confusion, the shock. Yan Lao City, a great human city constructed within the demon world, boasted specifications far exceeding those of ordinary cities in the present world. Only those who had reached the Divine Arrival realm were even qualified to serve as its City Lord.

Moreover, this was a military city; every person residing here was a warrior sworn to fight the demon race.

They were not easily swayed by others, nor were they given to idle gossip. Bai Yu Xia, having rushed out of the courtyard specially prepared for the Wu An Marquis in Yan Lao City, witnessed Fang Yuan You clutching a man by the collar, his face flushed and ears burning as he roared, “What did you say?! What did you say!?” The other personal guards of the Wu An Marquis swarmed forward in a large group, each looking fierce and menacing.

The man held by Fang Yuan You pleaded for mercy, saying, “This isn’t what I said, it’s what the people returning from Frost Wind Valley are saying! Perhaps it was said incorrectly? Several military lords should just go and ask yourselves.”

Bai Yu Xia calmed the personal guards and went alone to visit Dou Yi Heng, the City Lord of Yan Lao City. As someone personally brought to the demon world by the Wu An Marquis, he was not refused entry. It was there that he received more detailed news, news that made it impossible for him to deceive himself any longer—Frost Wind Valley had entered a silent period, and Jiang Wang had not emerged. Any person with even a slight understanding of Frost Wind Valley knew precisely what this meant. Yan Lao City was under full martial law, with no one permitted to enter or exit. It was said that Tie Yan City in the Jing country, also in this vicinity, was under similar restrictions.

Both Qi and Jing were thoroughly investigating this matter, seeking to root out the mastermind behind the plot against the Wu An Marquis.

Not until late at night did Xiu Yuan, the commander of the Prisoner Electricity Army overseeing Qi’s military in the demon world, personally come to Yan Lao City. He even made a trip to Frost Wind Valley himself, personally breaking through the Frost Wind barrier, yet he could not find Jiang Wang’s corpse.

And for the time being, none of this concerned Bai Yu Xia. He felt utterly bewildered.

The first time in his life he had rebelled was when he cast aside everything to roam the world and test his sword. Upon his return, his father was gone, and the magnificent structure of the Lang Ya Bai clan was on the brink of collapse. Realizing there was absolutely no hope in Yue, he decisively abandoned everything, left the country alone, came to Qi, and entered the mansion of Jiang Wang, a man he believed would one day dominate a region.

But he had just taken up the Wu An Marquis’s bowl and chopsticks, hadn’t even eaten two mouthfuls of rice, when he looked up and the Wu An Marquis was gone.

Could it be that he, Bai Yu Xia, was in fact the legendary harbinger of ill fortune, the Lone Star of Heavenly Evil? Harming whoever he met?

Even a man like Jiang Wang, who had gathered both fame and power, could be harmed to death by him? He recalled that before meeting him, his journey of testing his sword in the world had been smooth sailing. It was only after meeting him that he had been left hanging at Tian Mu Peak, half-dead.

“Lord Bai, what do we do now?” Fang Yuan You asked, his eyes red-rimmed.

Truthfully, even with Bai Yu Xia’s temperament, it was difficult to accept this outcome at this moment.

It was all too sudden.

Although it was true that anyone could die after entering the Ten Thousand Demons Gate, Jiang Wang was, after all, such a world-renowned strong figure, his fame no longer limited to the younger generation. By virtue of his merit and prestige, he was already the undisputed foremost Heavenly Pride of Great Qi.

But such a figure, such a military merit marquis lord who had created extraordinary history and established glorious military achievements, had actually died in battle on the very first day of his arrival in the demon world. This was truly too absurd.

Fate seemed to be playing a cruel joke on him.

“What do you think?” Bai Yu Xia asked as calmly as possible.

“I think we should stay in Yan Lao City, find the mastermind, and avenge the marquis lord!” Fang Yuan You said through clenched teeth. “Our brothers all think this way too!” He was of true commoner origin, his talent and ability not outstanding. Relying entirely on a brave heart and a loyal disposition, he was selected by Jiang Wang from the ranks and became the commander of the marquis mansion guards, soaring ever since, chatting and laughing with many figures he had previously only been able to look up to.

One could say that everything he had today was thanks to Jiang Wang. And today, his roots had been pulled out. How could he not feel sorrow, how could he not feel hatred?

“As for finding the mastermind, we can certainly participate and contribute. But you and I must both understand that this is ultimately a matter for those above,” Bai Yu Xia said, thinking as he spoke. “However, what you said about staying in Yan Lao City is not wrong, and I support it. We must see the person if they are alive, and the corpse if they are dead. Until we see the marquis lord, there is still a slim chance. We should stay here and wait for him. Even if we wait until the very end, and everything is truly beyond salvage, the marquis lord still has one direct disciple…”

“We must assist him well too.”

He did not know that Jiang Wang also had a younger sister. But the urgent matter at hand was how to stabilize all of Jiang Wang’s operations. If Jiang Wang could return, his foundation would still be there. If he never returned, his lifelong career, hard-won, could still continue…

The premise for stabilizing everything required a core backbone, a legitimate banner.

And Chu Yao, as Jiang Wang’s direct disciple, was qualified to inherit the Wu An Marquis mansion.

Seeing that Fang Yuan You had fully grasped his meaning, Bai Yu Xia patted his shoulder. “Gather the brothers and prepare for battle. Additionally, immediately send someone back to Lin Zi to report to the Bo Wang Marquis. Don’t exaggerate or embellish; say what you know. Also, dispatch a few clever individuals to go out and gather information. The marquis lord was clearly schemed against in this matter; we cannot simply listen to what others say.”

Fang Yuan You endured his grief and hurried away. Bai Yu Xia stood alone in the courtyard, looking at the sky in silence for a time. *Brother Jiang, if it were you, what would you do?*

One stone stirred up a thousand waves.

The news of the Wu An Marquis being trapped in Frost Wind Valley—how could it be just a stone falling into water? It was simply pouring mountains to fill the sea!

Within an extremely short time, it spread throughout the human cities in the demon world. And with terrifying speed, it began to spread towards the present world.

On the Jing country’s side, Chun Yu Gui, to prove his innocence, also fully launched an investigation in Tie Yan City. Before the night had even passed, he brought the gathered intelligence and personally came to Lao City to report to Xiu Yuan—truly to avoid a strategic misjudgment by Qi.

If Qi truly believed that Jing was responsible for Jiang Wang being trapped in Frost Wind Valley, it would mean the pattern of great powers jointly suppressing the demon world would be completely broken. The human race’s covenant, which had continued for several great eras, would no longer be upheld by anyone. Thereafter, even on the battlefield of the demon world, everyone would be in danger.

So why, outside Frost Wind Valley, would Chun Yu Gui, in a state of complete ignorance, swear to the heavens, not hesitating to use his own reputation as a guarantee, and still insist on temporarily suppressing Ji Zhao Nan’s suspicions to prevent Qi from overreacting?

This matter was truly dangerous.

In the demon world, a place drenched in the blood of countless humans, secretly making a move against another country’s Heavenly Pride was the most despicable behavior.

To open this precedent was to be hung on the pillar of shame, to bear eternal infamy! Frankly speaking, before obtaining the final investigation results, Chun Yu Gui himself was also very uneasy.

Jing country was too ancient, too vast, and its internal factions too complex. All kinds of political views had their supporters. All kinds of radical ideas had once existed.

Chun Yu Gui was truly afraid that it would not be someone from some mountain sect within the country who suddenly had a whimsical idea and used this stupid method to suppress Qi.

For example, Zhao Xuan Yang’s whereabouts were still unknown, and all follow-ups concerning him were left unsettled.

Among the six in Jing Tian Fu, could they have no opinions against Jiang Wang? Could they have no hatred against Qi? Would they do something?

Even Chun Yu Gui himself couldn’t be sure…

Fortunately, the final investigation results did not drag his reputation through the mud. At least based on the evidence in hand, they did not. The young person who suddenly made a move against Jiang Wang in Frost Wind Valley was indeed a person from the Wei country in the Central Domain, named Mei Xue Lin.

He was said to be a descendant of the hero Mei Xing Ju, who had heroically sacrificed himself in the demon world—but by the time of his birth, the Mei family had already declined, and Mei Xing Ju’s influence did not extend to the present day.

He was the only son in the family.

His cultivation was in the Inner Mansion realm, without divine powers. He had currently opened three mansions. He studied Confucian techniques and worshipped the holy land of Book Mountain.

His father, Mei Wen Si, had, however, pushed open the Heaven-Earth Gate. His mother, Han Yun Mei, was just an ordinary person.

Mei Xue Lin had been diligent and striving since childhood, cultivating in the Inner Mansion at a young age, already a rare talent. But the Mei family lacked sufficient resources to support his advancement, and the Wei country could only provide very limited assistance. He came to the demon world to fight simply to earn the provisions needed for his progress.

In Tie Yan City, Mei Xue Lin made quite a few friends. His temperament was gentle, and he was very reliable in his actions; his reputation was very good. In this Frost Wind Valley incident, he had volunteered, actively participating as a supporter in the rescue battle at Frost Wind Valley. He was in Wang Kun’s team, following Wang Kun to Frost Wind Valley.

However, Wang Kun was also only temporarily leading the team and did not know this person well. Mei Xue Lin had a person he liked, and it was said they were on the verge of becoming Dao companions, but that woman died on the battlefield…

Mei Xue Lin’s life was laid out in detail like this before Xiu Yuan’s case.

But the commander of Great Qi Empire’s Nine Executions did not even glance at it, only staring at Chun Yu Gui. “So you can all already confirm that he is indeed a person from Equality Country?”

“He should have joined Equality Country between the years three nine one four and three nine one five. Because his character underwent relatively significant changes during that time.”

Chun Yu Gui sat properly on the guest chair and stated seriously, “His three best friends in Tie Yan City, and more than ten people including his parents and teachers who had close relationships with him in the present world’s Wei country, have all been apprehended. They can be handed over to your country for investigation at any time.”

Xiu Yuan did not comment.

Chun Yu Gui continued, “The power displayed by Mei Xue Lin was absolutely not normal. He should have been possessed by a strong individual at least at the Cave True level, very likely one of Zhao Zi, Qian Chou, Sun Yin, or Li Mao. We are inclined towards Zhao Zi, because she had a frontal collision with the Wu An Marquis in Xia land. Of course, we also do not rule out the possibility that a leader from Equality Country personally made a move but deliberately suppressed their power to make us misjudge. The way he finally disintegrated his body should be Equality Country’s Extinction Transformation technique.”

Jing country’s intelligence capabilities were extraordinary; they could even grasp the details of the collision between Equality Country and Qi in Xia land.

But Xiu Yuan only asked, “Since Mei Xue Lin was possessed by a certain Cave True level strong individual, and only then was he able to display that level of power. Since he already possessed that level of power, then why would he still use the Extinction Transformation technique?”

Chun Yu Gui was slightly taken aback and said somewhat uncertainly, “Perhaps Mei Xue Lin’s body was not sufficient to support the use of that level of power. Or perhaps it was for hiding his identity?”

“He is a person from the Wei country in the Central Domain, and the eighteen generations of his ancestors are all clearly recorded on your Mirror World Platform. Since his face was already exposed, what identity was he still hiding?” Xiu Yuan looked at him. “You don’t need to pretend to be naive in front of me.”

Chun Yu Gui said rather awkwardly, “My meaning is, the destruction of traces. That existence that borrowed Mei Xue Lin’s body did not want people to see the traces of him using this body. So he destroyed the corpse, leaving people no way to track him.”

Xiu Yuan asked again, “Have you seen the Extinction Transformation technique?”

Chun Yu Gui shook his head. “Indeed not, I’ve only heard about it.”

Xiu Yuan said, “Then you cannot confirm that what you saw was the Extinction Transformation technique.”

Chun Yu Gui was silent for a moment, then said, “But I can confirm that Mei Xue Lin is indeed a person from Equality Country.”

“I’m not asking you how you confirmed it either,” Xiu Yuan said flatly. “Go back. Tell Pei Xing He my original words. First, this Mei Xue Lin is a person from the Central Domain. Second, this Mei Xue Lin has been embedded in your Jing country’s Tie Yan City for a long time. If you want to completely dissociate yourselves, what you are currently doing is still far from enough.”

Pei Xing He was the Commander of Killing Disaster, and also the current overseer of Jing country’s military in the demon world.

After the Ten Thousand Demons Gate, the human race maintained a garrison of at least three True Monarch level strong individuals year-round to ensure the safety of “Sui Ming City,” the most central human city after the Ten Thousand Demons Gate. These three True Monarchs always took turns guarding here, coming from the six great overlord countries.

Derive Dao level strong individuals only served as top-tier combat power for the garrison. The people truly in charge after the Ten Thousand Demons Gate were still commanders like Xiu Yuan and Pei Xing He, who held military power.

Chun Yu Gui listened and said, neither humble nor arrogant, “I will certainly convey Commander Xiu’s words verbatim. Regarding the misfortune of the Wu An Marquis in the demon world, our Jing country will also fully cooperate with the investigation. The person who borrowed Mei Xue Lin’s body to make a move in Frost Wind Valley is necessarily still in the demon world. If Jing and Qi cooperate, we will dig three feet deep to find him.

But Chun Yu Gui wants to say a sentence to Commander Xiu—’Jing country will certainly do well what is due to Jing country. Jing country is also willing to cooperate in matters not due to Jing country. But Jing country is not Qi country’s enemy, at least not in the demon world.’ Please, Great Commander, treat this matter with prudence.”

He stood up and bowed to Xiu Yuan. “My words are exhausted here. Chun Yu Gui takes his leave.”

By this time, the sky had already brightened.

The long night had finally passed.

Looking at this young Heavenly Pride’s black Daoist robe blending into the morning light, Xiu Yuan sat behind his military desk, silent.

Jing country’s Chun Yu Gui, naturally, did not disappoint his name as a Heavenly Pride.

But Qi country had Jiang Wu An, who held even more promise for the future, yet had unfortunately been trapped.

As for whether the mastermind could be quickly found, Xiu Yuan actually did not hold out too much hope.

Equality Country did currently bear the greatest suspicion, but Jing country was not necessarily entirely innocent either. Even other countries, how could they all be trustworthy? Thinking more darkly, the possibility of disaster stemming from within Qi itself was also not nonexistent.

Jiang Wang, young as he was, had been enfeoffed as a marquis and was renowned throughout the world, causing too much envy. Secretly, he didn’t know how many pairs of eyes were fixed upon him. He had originally intended to transfer this young military merit marquis under his command, to personally look after him, but before he had time, the disaster had already occurred.

That mastermind, capable of thinking of borrowing Mei Xue Lin’s body, capable of blending into Frost Wind Valley to make a move, how could he not have prepared for his withdrawal? Even with Xiu Yuan’s fastest-arranged defense and rush to Yan Lao City, it had already consumed a good half of the night—a period long enough for a True Person to escape far away.

And they still had not been able to lock onto the true identity of the target person. Mei Xue Lin was merely a small role, insignificant.

Cultivating Confucian techniques, from the Wei country in the Central Domain, embedded in Tie Yan City, secretly joining Equality Country—he could be said to be covered in labels, making people dizzy and unsure of who exactly to suspect. But these were actually not very important. Because he was only a small role, completely without autonomous possibility in front of an existence possessing the true strength of the Cave True realm.

“Who could it be?” Xiu Yuan pondered quietly.

But in the next moment, he suddenly stood up.

Because he felt an extremely powerful, world-dominating aura, suddenly descending!

Qi country’s vice-gate to the Ten Thousand Demons Gate had a fixed location in the present world, built in the underground city of Ji Chuan. But the exit on the demon world side was not fixed; it would randomly appear in the areas near Yan Lao City—this was to increase the difficulty of being locked onto, preventing it from becoming an entrance for the demon race to counterattack the present world.

At this time, the descending aura completely enveloped the entire area of Yan Lao City, rushing to the sky and colliding with the ground, causing the golden sun suspended high in the demon world sky to dim by a few points!

Thus, thunder flashed in the clear sky, thus boomed the heavenly drums. In that distant Sui Ming City, located in the core area of the human race, three majestic auras immediately rose in response, rushing and intimidating in all directions.

All of this, all of it, was declaring one message—Great Qi’s military god, Jiang Meng Xiong, had personally descended into the demon world!