Su Jingxuan had no choice but to leave the Yaksha Clan quietly. Although he had reached the Nascent Soul stage through relentless cultivation and the advantage of his original soul, the Yaksha Clan imposed strict restrictions on immature Yaksha spirits. Anyone who hadn’t matured to the Nascent Soul stage and above was not allowed to leave the clan, especially Seven Flames. Due to the incident when he was captured as a juvenile, Qi Yan carefully protected him, and he would be unable to leave openly.
Having waited for three hundred years, Su Jingxuan found himself in a real world, unlike the previously illusory one. He had already been separated from Jiang He for three hundred years, and he couldn’t wait any longer. The world was real, and his longing had driven him nearly insane.
Leaving the Yaksha Clan, Su Jingxuan headed directly towards the territory of the Demon Clan. Nobody in the Yaksha Clan knew about Jiang He. Even Jié Báiyīn, a human in the clan, had never heard of him. So, the only clue Su Jingxuan had was to search for Jiang He based on the term “Demon Emperor.” If Jiang He, in his original form as a black dragon, was a Demon Emperor, then searching among the Demon Clan was the right direction.
The territory of the Demon Clan lay to the south in the Spirit Realm.
Unlike the dwindling Yaksha Clan, the Demon Clan had a large population. They had creatures flying in the sky, running on the ground, and swimming in the water. Any creature that cultivated outside the human race was considered a demon. Although the progress of the Demon Clan members was slow, they naturally possessed various advantages. Their physique was powerful, their talents were remarkable, and after reaching higher stages, their strength was considered top-notch among beings of the same level. Therefore, despite numerous races in the Spirit Realm, only a few were genuinely powerful, and the Demon Clan was one of them.
Given the confirmation of the search range, Su Jingxuan’s actions in reaching the Demon Clan were very clear. He planned to inquire among the Demon Clan members since they would be more likely to possess information about themselves. Even if he couldn’t find anything, he could systematically visit each black dragon in the Demon Clan, searching methodically. He refused to believe that he wouldn’t find Jiang He this way.
Fortunately, Su Jingxuan had reason to be relieved. Even though he was not of the Demon Clan, the relationship between the Yaksha Clan and the Demon Clan was relatively peaceful. Unlike the hostility towards the human race, Su Jingxuan wouldn’t face immediate rejection as soon as he stepped into the Demon Clan’s territory.
Since Jiang He’s true form was a black dragon, Su Jingxuan’s plan was clear. He would first inquire about the Demon Emperor, as Jiang He must be a Demon Emperor. The Demon Clan would undoubtedly be the right place to start.
However, Su Jingxuan was disappointed once again. Just like when he inquired within the Yaksha Clan, he found that not a single person in the Demon Clan knew the name Jiang He. Even when he thought about Jiang He changing his name, Su Jingxuan considered inspecting the territories of each black dragon one by one. If he saw the real person, he could recognize him.
Unfortunately, it was in vain. The number of dragonkind in the Demon Clan was not large, and among them, black dragons were even fewer. Su Jingxuan took risks, observing and checking even the newly born black dragons. Still, he never discovered the presence of Jiang He.
For the first time in his memory, Su Jingxuan felt a bit fearful. He was afraid that he had entered a world without Jiang He. Why were the black robes here, but Jiang He was not?
Having practically searched the entire Demon Clan without finding his lover, Su Jingxuan was on the brink of collapse. He frantically thought, analyzed, and refused to give up. After careful consideration, he decided to focus on the Demon Clan’s genealogy, the Demon Clan’s “Spirit Register,” which was similar to a family tree. With this register, he could easily find anyone he wanted to search for.
Originally, Su Jingxuan had no intention of focusing on the Spirit Register of the Demon Clan. Though it might sound similar to a family tree, the difference was significant. Besides recording information about each demon in the clan, the Spirit Register also contained various important secrets about the Demon Clan. It could be considered a treasure of the Demon Clan, guarded by each Demon Emperor. Even the Demon Clan members themselves had few who could touch it.
Should anyone dare to entertain ambitions concerning such a significant matter, they will inevitably become the sworn enemy of the entire demonic race. At the moment, Su Jingxuan is affiliated with the Yaksha tribe. If the revelation of his investigation into the spirit spectrum were to surface, given Qi Yan’s temperament, he would undoubtedly shield Su Jingxuan, leading to strained relations with the demonic tribe. Hence, Su Jingxuan chose to invest more time in a meticulous search rather than take this risky route.
Nevertheless, at this juncture, he finds himself with no alternative. The spirit realm is expansive, and not all members of the demonic tribe reside solely in the demonic realm. Many, for various reasons or a preference for solitude, are scattered beyond its borders. If he fails to locate anyone within the demonic realm, his prospects outside grow even dimmer.
Peeking at the spirit spectrum remains his sole opportunity. After thoughtful consideration, Su Jingxuan persisted in concealing his Yaksha tribe identity and began to familiarize himself with the distribution of demonic forces and the current status of the demonic emperor. Recognizing that understanding both oneself and the enemy is key to navigating a hundred battles without danger.
Based on his findings, the present demonic emperor is named Jiang Xi, a formidable figure in the later stages of the Mahayana realm, having held power for nearly five thousand years. Typically, with such an extended lifespan and cultivation reaching the later stages of Mahayana, one should have ascended to a higher realm. Unfortunately, Jiang Xi, the demonic emperor, experienced misfortune in his youth, suffered severe injuries, compromised his foundation, and could only progress to this point, with no prospect of ascension.
Despite the lengthy lifespan of demonic beings, the current aged demonic emperor, Jiang Xi, is nearing the end of his heroic journey, approaching the time for reincarnation. Consequently, the stable demonic tribe faces a situation akin to the power struggles for the throne in the mortal realm, as the demonic emperor prepares to step down, triggering internal conflicts among his several dragon sons.
One should not assume that those who pursue longevity are inherently extraordinary. Regardless of race, they all commence from the most mundane origins, and the thirst for power and strife persists despite changes in race or environment.
The spirit realm is no exception; those in higher positions alone have access to superior cultivation resources, creating allure. Consequently, the relationship among Jiang Xi’s dragon sons is currently tense, marked by fierce conflicts. Surface disputes may be temporarily suppressed, but clandestine infighting persists, resulting in a weakening of the demonic tribe’s strength.
The position of the demonic emperor need not necessarily pass on to his dragon sons. However, the challenge lies in the fact that among the demonic tribe, these few dragon sons possess the most formidable cultivation. Unfortunately, these dragon sons are lacking in intellect. If any were to ascend to the role of demonic emperor, they might swiftly become targets for scheming by other tribes.
It is rumored that the old demonic emperor Jiang Xi, with his frail body, has been lying in the demonic tribe’s grand hall for several months, troubled by concerns for the future of the demonic tribe.
Su Jingxuan has no intention of entangling himself in these affairs, but he realizes that, despite the high cultivation level of the old demonic emperor Jiang Xi, his current vulnerability presents an opportunity for Su Jingxuan to peek at the spirit spectrum.
With everything in place, during the intense struggles among the demonic tribe’s dragon sons, Su Jingxuan, maintaining his concealment of his Yaksha tribe identity, infiltrated the demonic tribe’s imperial palace.
Despite being his first time in the demonic tribe’s imperial palace, Su Jingxuan curiously did not feel out of place. Each palace and every path seemed unusually familiar, as if he had been there before.
However, he was certain that he had never set foot in this place. Since gaining consciousness, aside from that ancient and solemn hall, he had only traversed the illusory world. This place was the real world, and he couldn’t have visited it. Yet, the strange sense of familiarity could not be ignored.
Nevertheless, unable to unravel this mystery, Su Jingxuan chose not to dwell on it. Prolonged contemplation tends to be time-consuming and mentally taxing. For now, peeking at the demonic tribe’s spirit spectrum took precedence.
Similar to the imperial palace in the mortal realm, the demonic tribe’s imperial palace houses the demonic royal family and is both prestigious and heavily guarded. Nonetheless, the Yaksha tribe’s inherent talent for stealth, combined with Su Jingxuan’s extensive survival experience, allowed him to navigate the palace. Despite being at the Nascent Soul stage, and surrounded by beings with higher cultivation levels, he successfully found the route he had previously investigated, leading to the old demonic emperor’s residence.
The old demonic emperor’s residence had no guards, only a Qilin monster resting on the ground. Cultivators, distinct from ordinary individuals, often seek tranquility within their abodes. Establishing prohibitions in their caves and leaving a spiritual beast as a guardian typically suffices.
This situation conveniently favored Su Jingxuan. Prohibition formations posed no challenge for him, given his current cultivation level. Although inferior to the old demonic emperor’s, his understanding and mastery of formations, acquired during his time as a human, were not lacking. The prohibition in this residence posed no problem for him.
As for the Qilin demonic beast guarding, that proved even simpler. His current form, the naturally gifted Yaksha spiritual body, excelled in concealment. Despite the keen sense of smell possessed by demonic beasts, they were helpless against the concealment ability of the Yaksha spiritual body. This ability contributed to the Yaksha tribe’s prestige, despite their smaller numbers among the various tribes.
Having bypassed the guarding demonic beast, Su Jingxuan infiltrated the old demonic emperor’s residence. Diligently concealing his aura, he entered quietly, only to discover that the residence was empty.
Contrary to the reports outside, stating that the old demonic emperor lay in his residence with depleted vitality, the absence of anyone perplexed Su Jingxuan.
Surveying the residence in bewilderment, he continued to meticulously hide himself while employing his techniques to open his heavenly eye, avoiding the risk of falling into a trap.
After anxiously waiting in the residence for nearly an hour without any signs of movement, he confirmed that the old demonic emperor was indeed absent.
Given the current absence of the old demonic emperor, it presented a perfect opportunity for Su Jingxuan to remain. Adhering to the proverb, the most dangerous place is the safest place, he reasoned that instead of repeatedly taking risks, it was wiser to hide within the old demonic emperor’s residence.
With his decision made, Su Jingxuan, a man of action, studied the layout of the residence, eventually selecting a secluded corner. Promptly, he employed a secret technique, preparing to linger for an extended period.
However, at that very moment, the previously tranquil residence abruptly shook, resonating with a resounding dragon-like roar.
Su Jingxuan was startled. When he turned around, he saw ripples of prohibition spreading on the wall in the direction of the imperial palace. Through the cracks, he glimpsed a hidden cave. In the cave stood a white-haired man with a robust figure, facing away from him, with horns on his head and dressed in a dragon-patterned robe.
In front of the white-haired man was a black dragon restrained by several chains.
