Jiang Wang’s gaze swept across the scene before him.

He could discern nothing of the events unfolding within the dense white mist, only the successive, piteous wails of the mirage dragon. Gone was the arrogant contempt it had shown towards divine beings, the casual dismissal of heaven’s favored children.

He had always known the enigmatic nature of the Red Makeup Mirror. Though it had bestowed upon him countless boons, each trial had been a brush with death. Even having attained the Divine Arrival realm, he dared not lightly undergo the mirror’s calamities again. In the past, when he possessed nothing and could only wager his life, he sought opportunity within the mirror, fully aware of the perilous odds. But now, through his own endeavors, he had carved a wide path for his future, a path leading straight to the Grand Dao, step by step.

With a grand path laid out, there was no need to seek skewed, desperate victories.

Several years had passed since he acquired the Red Makeup Mirror, this treasure accompanying him through multiple life-and-death struggles. Yet, even now, he could not claim to truly understand it.

What was its true origin? The former Hu Shaomeng and Hai Zongming knew not, nor did he, the Marquis of Wu An of Great Qi.

Scattered clues lay within his experiences of its calamities.

He had gleaned that the Red Makeup Mirror’s former mistress was a woman, and that this woman had an enemy named “Cover Sea.” He had since meticulously investigated overseas intelligence, yet the identity of “Cover Sea” remained unknown.

Indeed, were it not for this sudden journey to the demon world, necessitating his concealment within the mirror, he would have gradually ceased using it as his status and cultivation continuously rose.

The peril of the Red Makeup Mirror was something he had to confront with caution.

Only upon hearing the mirage dragon’s desperate cries within the thick fog did he suddenly recall the Red Makeup Mirror’s peculiar performance during senior Guan Yan’s struggle with the old dragon of Senhai for control of the Yu Heng Star Tower.

At that time, the old dragon of Senhai had already invaded his body, his life soul intertwined, blood flowing as one, muscles united, their lives inextricably linked. This had put senior Guan Yan in a dilemma, hesitant to act for fear of harming Jiang Wang. The defeated old dragon of Senhai, having retreated from Yu Heng, had relied on this maneuver. It was the Red Makeup Mirror that suddenly leaped forth, fixing the old dragon of Senhai in place, granting senior Guan Yan the opening to strip it away.

Considering this, coupled with the mirage dragon’s sudden ensnarement within the thick fog, could it be said that the Red Makeup Mirror possessed a strong targeted effect against the dragon clan? Could its power be speculated upon from the perspective of a dragon-controlling artifact?

Undoubtedly, the old dragon of Senhai must possess some understanding of the Red Makeup Mirror. However, the old dragon’s words were utterly unreliable. This very ignorance of the Red Makeup Mirror’s true nature was sufficient for the old dragon to weave schemes. To rashly inquire would likely lead him into a trap.

Jiang Wang trusted in the old dragon’s cunning, just as he was keenly aware of the shallowness of his own experience.

Until he had thoroughly subdued the old dragon, Jiang Wang would never reveal his lack of understanding of the Red Makeup Mirror before her, nor would he ever question her about it.

Thus, the Red Makeup Mirror itself, ironically, was an existence that the old dragon had to dread. But then again, how could Jiang Wang himself not dread the Red Makeup Mirror? The unknown was the greatest fear.

He knew the Red Makeup Mirror was singularly powerful and unique, but he knew not its specific extraordinary aspects. This very unpredictability constituted its danger.

The mirage dragon’s might, at least on the level of spiritual awareness, was undoubtedly infinitely close to that of a true god. Yet, it was so easily dragged into the white fog, without offering even a shred of powerful resistance.

What exactly lay within the white fog?

Jiang Wang, sword in hand, fixed his gaze upon the depths of the white fog. He saw only the swirling white mist gradually calm, the mirage dragon’s wails gradually fade… until finally, silence.

The mirage dragon had simply vanished.

Like a stone cast upon a lake, only an initial ripple disturbed the surface, ripples that gradually spread outwards, then nothing remained.

But the mirage dragon was certainly no ordinary stone. What kind of terrifying lake surface was this, within the depths of the Red Makeup Mirror?

Today, it had swallowed a mirage dragon, and the mirage dragon was powerless to resist. Tomorrow, if it sought to swallow him, Jiang Wang, what means of protection would he possess?

Jiang Wang waited quietly for a while, but no further changes occurred within the white fog.

He pondered for a moment, then cautiously spoke: “Junior has disturbed for a long time, and received much benefit. I wish to express my gratitude to senior, but I know not if I have this opportunity?”

“Senior?”

“…Girl?”

Regardless of how he addressed it, no response came from the depths of the white fog.

He employed every conceivable method, but no power, no matter how great, could penetrate the white fog’s depths. His Dao Yuan dissipated into the white fog, yet as before, he received not a shred of feedback.

Were it not for the lingering aura of the mirage dragon, Jiang Wang would have almost believed he had just experienced an illusion.

“Hello, are you there?”

“Still there, senior?”

“Eaten your fill, Esteemed One?”

“Upper Honored?”

After successively changing several titles, subconsciously blurting out “Upper Honored,” Jiang Wang was suddenly startled, then chuckled wryly.

He gained a deeper appreciation for the marvel of fate, the coincidence of cause and condition.

At this moment, his calling to the unknown depths of the Red Makeup Mirror mirrored Chai A’si’s calling to him. How similar they were! The enigmatic workings of Heaven, and the myriad beings.

He was the ancient god within the mirror, mysterious, unfathomable, and profound. He was also Chai A’si, ignorant, unaware, and struggling to survive. The chess game of Heaven and Earth, with time flowing vertically and horizontally, the one who holds the chess pieces is also a piece himself!

Regardless of how it happened, the Red Makeup Mirror’s consumption of the mirage dragon had once again aided him. The secrets within, perhaps he would uncover them himself when his cultivation was sufficient.

Jiang Wang simply put away his sword, no longer paying attention to the white fog depths that filled him with both gain and loss. He refocused his attention outside the mirror, upon Shen Xiao’s domain.

The future was immeasurable. He could only diligently cultivate himself and silently wait.

But just as Jiang Wang gave up probing, a faint murmur sounded from within the white fog. Like a crabapple awakening from a spring slumber, or a person unaware within a grand dream.

Jiang Wang steadied his five mansions, grasped his divine powers, and faced it solemnly.

He, who had researched the way of sound, naturally heard that this voice originated from the same source as the female voice he had previously heard during the divine soul calamities within the mirror.

Only, in the flying snow calamity, this voice was cold and emotionless. In the cover sea calamity, when mentioning “Cover Sea,” it was filled with hatred. In the ask heart calamity, it held a kind of sorrowful emotion… Until today, though it was merely a meaningless light hum, it was so real, so vivid.

As if some ancient existence, long dormant, was awakening.

Pondering anew. As he grew within the mirror during the transformations of the flying snow, cover sea, and ask heart calamities, did the Red Makeup Mirror itself also absorb sustenance?

Just as he concealed himself within the Red Makeup Mirror, remotely controlling Chai A’si, did some true existence also hide within the depths of the Red Makeup Mirror, slumbering?

His purpose was to escape the demon world, to return home. If the Red Makeup Mirror’s mistress truly still existed, what was her purpose?

But from within the white fog depths, no second sound emerged.

Yet, obscurely, Jiang Wang suddenly had a feeling. He seemed to understand the implied meaning of that single light hum— *Still want*. Still want to eat dragons.

She seemed to take it for granted that her every sentence, every action, every hidden thought, should be repeatedly interpreted.

This existence, so closely linked to the Red Makeup Mirror, must be extremely noble. Even if it was only a light hum, it carried a kind of inherent natural reason. Perhaps all her life she had been served, a single glance, a single expression, and others would understand her needs. The world revolved around her.

Even the Marquis of Wu An of Great Qi had to understand her unspoken words. But then again, where would he find another dragon?

The appearance of a dragon in Shen Xiao’s domain was originally an utterly inconceivable event. After Marquis Jiang’s observations in the demon world, the demon clan’s hatred towards the dragon clan was even greater than that of the human clan!

When he casually flattered a dragon among the Three Officials, Seven Officials, and Nine Differences of the Taiping Dao, Zhu Da Li had once expressed resistance towards the Taiping Dao, almost wanting to leave the organization. Only when he explained that the dragon difference position was specifically for capturing dragon clan matters, did Zhu Da Li beam with joy.

The demon clan’s hatred towards the dragon clan was evident from this.

If a dragon clan dared to appear in the demon world, it would be torn apart until no scales remained. He knew not the circumstances of this mirage dragon.

Perhaps… the old dragon of Senhai under the Yu Heng Star Tower could be used? Unsuitable, that one was left by senior Guan Yan for his own use.

To fully penetrate the Red Makeup Mirror’s secrets, he could perhaps only wait until his cultivation was sufficient, then venture into the vast sea…

“They all say the secrets of Shen Xiao’s domain are quite numerous, and the dangers extreme, everyone facing them as if facing a great enemy. I see it as just so, walking is very relaxed!” Along the small path in the forest, Yuan Mengji spoke a great deal of nonsense.

“Don’t even look at who is walking this road! Geniuses are inherently blessed by Heaven, your fortune is deep, Shen Xiao’s domain will not make things difficult for you either!” Chai A’si smoothly responded with a string of praises, from his hair to the soles of his feet. Compared to the strange and miraculous paths taken by Zhu Da Li and She Gu Yu, their path was indeed calm and uneventful—if one did not count the mirage dragon.

Even the swaying tree shadows held a hint of serene beauty.

Yuan Mengji possessed the protective means left by the Ape Immortal Court, and Chai A’si had a great ancient god to bear the brunt of disaster. In a sense, they could indeed be considered to have deep fortune.

So much so that while other teams struggled for their lives, these two, the weakest, could still chat and laugh, still appreciate the scenery.

Jiang Wang, alone within the mirror world, observed the two paths within Shen Xiao’s domain in contrast, yet with different feelings. The Red Makeup Mirror was clearly hidden within the body of Zhu Da Li, the Taiping ghost difference.

But when Chai A’si and Yuan Mengji encountered the mirage dragon, they were directly pulled into the Red Makeup Mirror. At that moment, Jiang Wang suddenly realized—the six paths in the forest of Shen Xiao’s domain were originally one road. The six groups of twelve demons were originally walking together… though they could not see each other, and experienced different things.

There must be some kind of connection between these six paths. If he could discover this connection, perhaps he could see through the deeper rules of Shen Xiao’s domain.

The key to this connection lay in what?

“What is that up ahead?” Yuan Mengji’s voice suddenly rang out.

Chai A’si concentrated his gaze for a while, then said: “It seems to be a stone stele.”

Yuan Mengji lifted his chin: “Go over and see.”

Chai A’si inwardly cursed, but obediently responded, drew his sword, and cautiously advanced. Yuan Mengji carefully followed behind.

Jiang Wang, observing through the viewpoint provided by the divine seal, also remained silent. If there was truly danger, he would naturally pull this Young Master Yuan to block the disaster… Moreover, he wanted to see the means of the Ape Immortal Court.

But perhaps their fortune was truly deep. The two demons walked all the way to the vicinity of the stone stele, and nothing happened. Rounding a corner, their vision cleared, revealing the true appearance of the stone stele, no longer obscured by the large trees. This stone stele was very simple, square and upright, without any superfluous carvings.

In the very center were engraved four characters, written with an iron brush and silver strokes, possessing a feeling of unchangeable correctness, as if being engraved here was the truth of the world.

The characters read— *Dragons are originally demons!*

In this serene old forest, before the solemn square stele, the two young demons faced each other.

The dragon clan were creatures of how many years ago! After the demon clan retreated to the demon world, no dragon clan had been seen again, nor had there ever been any discussion of them. To suddenly see these characters now was quite novel.

Jiang Wang, hidden within the mirror world, was stunned on the spot. These four characters instantly swept away the mist of history for him, allowing him to vaguely see the silent truth within the river of time.

At this moment, he felt the divine power seed representing the Samadhi True Fire become utterly transparent. His understanding of the world’s “knowledge” received a huge supplement, and enlightenment dawned in his heart!

According to the human clan’s records of ancient history.

Demon beasts and the human clan coexisted in the distant ancient era. The demon clan were advanced forms of demon beasts that had cultivated to a certain stage. In the distant ancient era, the demon clan wreaked havoc upon the world, enslaving a hundred clans, including the human clan. Later, the human clan rose, their legacy unyielding, uniting the hundred clans to resist the demon clan. Through successive sacrifices, they achieved final victory.

Of course, at the level of Lord Jiang, he already possessed the qualification to know a part of historical truth. He understood that demon beasts were actually creations of humans, and also an important reliance for the human clan to resist the heavenly-mandated demon clan.

In the demon clan’s historical records, demons were demons, and beasts were beasts. They meticulously recorded the process by which the human clan slandered the demon clan, confusing demons and beasts.

The glorious era described in the demon clan’s history was the dark era recorded in the human clan’s history. The glory depicted in the human clan’s history was all steeped in the blood of the demon clan.

So, looking back at history in contrast, the truth within the river of time gradually brushed away the dust… Both the human clan and the demon clan had their stances, but both human and demon clan history admitted that in the great battle of the distant ancient era, the dragon clan played a very crucial role.

Although there was still no more textual evidence to support this, having lived in the demon world for so long, combined with the knowledge he had previously obtained, and seeing these four characters before him now, Jiang Wang instantly connected all the clues and confirmed his judgment—originally, the dragon clan, the sea clan, the water clan, and the demon clan… were one family!

The dragon clan was originally a branch of the demon clan, one of a hundred categories and a thousand kinds, and moreover, an existence that ruled all water demons. Only in the late period of the distant ancient era, for unknown reasons, did the dragon clan lead all water demons and join the human clan’s camp, formally breaking ties with the demon clan.

Thereafter, they were called the “water clan.”

The alliance between the human clan and the water clan originated from that era and has continued to this day, always considered intimate comrades-in-arms. In some countries, the water clan could even enter the palace as ministers… Of course, the relationship between the human clan and the water clan also underwent huge changes in the development of history.

For example, in the middle ancient era, when the threat of the demon clan was already thoroughly resolved, contradictions between the human clan and the water clan were numerous, finally reaching an irreconcilable level.

Thus, Lie Shan Shi drove the dragon clan to the vast sea, causing the dragon clan to become extinct in the world, unseen in the human realm. The world possessed only one true dragon, the Long River Dragon Lord who eternally guarded the long river.

The water clan split again. One branch remained the water clan, under the rule of the Long River Dragon Lord, admitting the human clan’s sovereignty over the present world and existing attached to the human clan. Another branch followed the dragon clan and retreated into the vast sea. In the harsh environment of the vast sea, they gradually evolved into the present-day sea clan.

Since the dragon clan was of the demon clan, why did they not exhibit demon forms, but rather common beast bodies?

Why did both the mirage dragon he had just seen and the old dragon of Senhai suppressed in the Yu Heng Star Tower appear in beast bodies?

That was because in the process of resisting the vast sea, for the continuation of the clan, the sea clan had undergone fundamental changes. Their true bodies had become beast forms more adaptable to the vast sea environment.

Up to today. The demon clan trapped in the demon world still adhered to their self-认知, viewing themselves as the most noble race in all the heavens and ten thousand worlds. Demons were demons, and beasts were beasts, clearly divided.

But in the sea clan’s definition, if intelligence was not awakened, then it was a sea beast. If intelligence was awakened, then it was a sea clan… Under the pressure of survival, all past principles were no longer valid.

The dragon clan’s present beast form was only an example, leading the sea clan first!

“Why erect such a stele?” Before the solemn square stele, Chai A’si said in confusion: “There are no dragon clan here!”

“Ignorance is sometimes not a kind of happiness.” Yuan Mengji, who similarly did not know he had just encountered a mirage dragon, was still spouting a great deal of nonsense, lecturing his little brother: “You are completely ignorant of the Great Ancestor Shen Xiao!”

“I wish to hear the details!” Chai A’si cast a thirsting-for-knowledge gaze.

Yuan Mengji was after all the young master of the Mo Yun aristocratic family, possessing some genuine talent and learning, and a certain knowledge of history. “This is a historical secret, and only I, will still be kind enough to tell you!”

He looked at the square stele before him, sentimental about history, and sighed: “When Great Ancestor Shen Xiao contended for the position of Demon Emperor that year, the most important measure was to lead the dragon clan’s return, and with this, obtain enough leverage to contend against the Demon Emperor. For this great matter, he once adventured and snuck into the present world, venturing deep into the vast sea… But this plan ultimately failed, and Great Ancestor Shen Xiao also went far into the chaos sea.”

In the increasingly serene deep forest, this ape demon looked around, and said mysteriously: “Perhaps… there truly is a dragon here!”