The First Demon of the Chan Sect-Chapter 257 - 203: Birthday Celebration Ceremony

"Gah!" Just as the Yellow Wind Demon was about to continue swinging the Wolf Fang Club, it opened its mouth wide in shock at the line of small characters on the club, taking a long time to react. With utmost respect, it bowed to the club in front of it and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. My Master is well and unharmed!"

Qing Liu Zi looked at the Yellow Wind Demon’s action with curiosity. As he was about to fly forward to investigate, he was pulled back by Chi Mangzi, who said, "Second brother, stay calm and composed!"

As the Yellow Wind Demon bowed, the golden light on the club changed again, revealing several Tao Runes: "You all return to Yellow Phoenix Ridge for now. I have my own plans regarding this matter."

The Yellow Wind Demon bowed once more and turned to the horde of Little Demons, saying, "Minions, back to the mountain!"

After speaking, he led a vast procession of Little Demons back towards Yellow Wind Ridge.

Standing not far away, Teng Hong watched with bewilderment as the iron club flew chaotically through the Void, his eyes filled with deep confusion.

This action had actually been initiated privately by Teng Hong. Although the Ancestor Witches were not concerned about Teng Hong’s leadership, they had explicitly told him that there were places he must not disturb, such as the Four Spirit Palace of the Four Extremes, Wanshou Mountain Wuzhuang Temple, East and West Kunlun Mountain, and this eight hundred miles of Yellow Wind Ridge, among others. But Teng Hong was stubborn and refused to believe such tales. So, he targeted the relatively weaker Yellow Wind Ridge, not knowing that the king of Yellow Wind Ridge was unmatched in combat, capable of annihilating millions of Earth Witch Clan members all by himself.

The iron club floating in the Void had no such considerations. It returned on its own, delivering a ruthless beating upon Teng Hong’s head, causing him dizzy spells and seeing stars. At the same time, the hoarse voice of the Heaven and Earth Taoist echoed in his ear, "You little rascal! Born new into Daluo and yet you so arrogantly led millions of your people rampaging across the Primordial lands! If it hadn’t been for me this time, not to mention you, those millions of your people would have already died eight hundred times over!"

Dizzy and sweating profusely, Teng Hong knelt down before the iron club, saying, "Lord Heaven and Earth, Teng Hong admits his mistake!"

The club stopped its beating and automatically flew back into Teng Hong’s Primordial Spirit Sea. The voice of the Heaven and Earth Taoist once again sounded in his ear, "Roll back to the village for me!"

Feeling ashamed towards his people, Teng Hong solemnly waved his hand and said, "Brothers, withdraw and return to the village!"

Although the Earth No Gate members found their leader’s behavior strange, they still broke camp in an orderly fashion and headed towards Mount Buzhou.

In the Ancestral Witch Hall, the Heaven and Earth Taoist let out a sigh, saying, "It’s still me who is the more thoughtful one. I planted a strand of Divine Sense in the Witch Treasure of every Great Witch and above early on. Not only can I contact them in time, but I can also keep track of their movements. However, this little fellow Teng Hong is really too much trouble! Ai!"

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of miles away in the Yellow Wind Cave, Qing Liu Zi and Chi Mangzi were scrutinizing the Yellow Wind Demon with unmistakably naked eyes, causing it to feel extremely uneasy.

"Big brothers, what is the meaning of this?" asked the Yellow Wind Demon cautiously, looking at his two elder brothers.

"Tell us, what was the deal with that club just now?" Qing Liu Zi demanded fiercely, "And why did the Witch Tribe retreat?"

The Yellow Wind Demon spread its hands and said, "The aura on that club was from Qingmingzi, His Majesty. He said he would handle the matter and instructed us to withdraw our troops back to the ridge! As for why the Witch Tribe retreated, I have no idea!"

Chi Mangzi looked at the Yellow Wind Demon with suspicion, saying, "Your Majesty the North Emperor is the Emperor of the Demon Court North; what does he have to do with that Witch Tribe? Could it be that His Majesty is not only the Demon Race’s Heavenly Emperor but also has old ties with the Witch Tribe?"

Qing Liu Zi’s expression changed, saying, "Big brother, don’t speak carelessly! Our Master once said that the North Emperor is the person he finds hardest to fathom in his lifetime and the last person he wants to offend! Such a powerful being is not for us to judge rashly!"

Chi Mangzi gave a bitter smile and said, "Indeed! What does the Witch and Demon Clans’ affairs have to do with us? A great calamity approaches, and everyone is in danger. We might as well just guard our own territory properly!"

The Yellow Wind Demon and Qing Liu Zi nodded in agreement, but they did not notice the sharp gleam that suddenly flashed in Chi Mangzi’s eyes.

On Penglai Island at the East Sea, by the Lotus Pond.

Li Qingming and Yang Mei, who had been lingering in Penglai and refused to leave, were drinking tea and playing chess in a pavilion by the Lotus Pond. Li Yanran and the former forces of Wang Shu were nearby, watching the two with smiles as they engaged in a battle of wits.

As for the chess game, it was Li Qingming’s adaptation of a game from Hua Xia in later times, chess. Made of yin-yang cold and warm jade, the board and the flags were carved from top-quality Innate Refining Materials. If one observed closely, they would notice a hint of golden light shimmering within the chessboard and pieces, which provoked an inexplicable sense of awe.

"General!" Yang Mei, with a grin, aligned his cannon directly targeting Li Qingming’s leader’s position.

"Heh heh!" Li Qingming gave Yang Mei a glance and said, "Old timer, are you sure you won’t change it?"

Yang Mei looked at the chessboard doubtfully for a long moment, disdainfully saying, "Youngster, you still want to bluff your way with me! I won’t change it, absolutely not. Even if you beat me to death, I won’t change it!"

"Alright! Jumping knight!" Li Qingming smiled as the hidden knight swiftly leaped and captured Yang Mei’s cannon.

Yang Mei suddenly became so anxious that he cried out, "No, no, it doesn’t count! Give me back my cannon piece, I need to rethink my move!"

Li Qingming looked at Yang Mei with a smile and said, "Old man, what have you been doing all this time? I repeatedly asked if you wanted to change your move, and you insisted that you would never change it even if it killed you. Now you want to take back your move? There’s no way!"

Yang Mei, like an old child, stomped his feet and protested, "I don’t care, I just don’t! You have to give me back my cannon piece, or I won’t play anymore!"

Li Qingming was about to tease him further when he suddenly felt a slight tremor outside Penglai Island. His brows furrowed slightly, and he immediately instructed Six-Eared, who was not far away, "Sun Ling, someone has come to visit the island, go and lead them in, and bring them to see me!"

Sun Ling scratched his ear and swiftly performed a Seal Technique with his hands, stepping out of the Island Protection Array. Outside the island, there was a group of Taoists radiating tremendous auras, each holding various brocade boxes.

Two people led the group; one had a fair complexion without a beard, handsome and suave, with somewhat lower cultivation, but also that of a Daluo Golden Immortal. The other was dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe with coral horns on his head, no doubt the Dragon King.

This group of people couldn’t find the entrance to the island and was getting anxious when suddenly, a splendid golden pathway appeared before them in the void. A tall and lean young man stood at the entrance of the pathway, sizing up the group of visitors.

Realizing the identity of the person appearing from the island, the Dragon King quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply, saying, "Greetings, Fellow Daoist! I am Aoguang, the East Sea Dragon King. My visit this time has a twofold purpose: first to see Emperor of the North, and second to deliver an invitation from the Heavenly Court. Please kindly relay this message on my behalf; I would be immensely grateful!"

Upon hearing that this fellow was the East Sea Dragon King, Sun Ling opened his eyes wide and took another long look before saying, "I am the eldest disciple of my Master, Sun Ling. My Master has ordered me to lead the Fellow Daoists onto the island. Please, follow me!"

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist!" Old Dragon King Aoguang returned the bow, and the group followed Sun Ling, stepping onto the lengthy pathway of Penglai Island.

Having heard that this Sun Ling was a disciple of Li Qingming, Aoguang was curious about his power and subtly extended a thread of his Divine Sense onto Sun Ling. To his shock, the Divine Sense disappeared without a trace, like a stone dropped into the ocean.

With a half-smile, Sun Ling turned his head to glance at Aoguang but said nothing, continuing to walk ahead in silence.

Shock was evident in Aoguang’s eyes; he had never imagined that a disciple of Li Qingming could possess such formidable strength—it was absolutely startling!

Sun Ling led Aoguang and his companions to the edge of the Lotus Pond and reported to Li Qingming, "Master, the Fellow Daoists have been brought here!"

Aoguang and Ao Yu bowed deeply, saying, "East Sea Dragon King Aoguang and Ao Yu pay their respects to Qingmingzi Your Excellency!"

Li Qingming gently waved his sleeve, lifting the two to their feet, and said, "The two Fellow Daoists need not be so formal! Sun Ling, set up some chairs."

Upon hearing this command, Sun Ling moved a couple of stone chairs from a nearby pavilion and arranged them inside the pavilion.

Aoguang and Ao Yu sat on the stone chairs, rigid and apprehensive, as if they were not in the presence of Li Qingming but facing some ferocious Primordial beast.

Li Qingming smiled nonchalantly and asked, "I wonder, what brings you Fellow Daoists here today?"

Aoguang chuckled and pulled out a gold-embossed jade invitation from his sleeve, saying, "For several Primordial Meetings, due to my duties with the Dragon Clan, I have not had the opportunity to visit Your Excellency. This time, on occasion of the upcoming celebration, I am entrusted by Heavenly Emperor Di Jun to deliver this invitation, personally inviting Your Excellency to attend the grand celebration in three years. Your presence is essential!"

Li Qingming took the invitation, glanced at it and chuckled lightly, "It seems that the two Emperors of the Heavenly Court have finally found their successors!"

Yang Mei snatched the invitation for a look and sneered, "Heh, these Heavenly Emperors Di Jun and Taiyi sure do know how to reproduce!"

Upon seeing this unfamiliar Taoist, a thought struck Aoguang, who then inquired, "May I ask who this senior is?"

Li Qingming’s mouth twitched and he replied, "This old fellow is called Yang Mei, there’s no need to mind him!"

"You little brat!" Yang Mei roared in anger, "What I say is the truth! Everyone knows that nine is the ultimate number. Yet Di Jun and Taiyi each had ten! In my opinion, there will certainly be a disaster befalling these twenty little fellows."

Li Qingming’s mind stirred and he thought to himself, "This old fellow indeed has some insight. Able to predict unstirred events with decent accuracy, truly living up to the cultivation of a Saint."

Li Qingming smiled and proposed, "Fellow Daoist, there’s still some time before the grand ceremony. Why don’t we discuss the Tao together?"

Hearing this, Aoguang eagerly nodded in agreement. After all, Li Qingming was a figure of status; an invitation from him to discuss the Tao meant he was willing to guide on the path of cultivation. How could Aoguang not be delighted? (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)