Become a true immortal by emulating all demons.

"Tsk."

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Cangli withdrew his head, wrapped his arms around the back of his head, and leaned back in the carriage.

He really didn't understand what the relationship was between that kid and Su Xin.

While he was considered a trusted subordinate, the man surnamed Lin showed absolutely no regard for rank or status.

Not only did he adopt an arrogant title that made people want to laugh, but he also dared to ride in the same carriage as the Demon King, and his words were extremely casual.

Could it be a lover?

Cangli narrowed his eyes slightly, then quickly shook his head and dismissed the idea.

No, no, that's not right.

Judging from Su Xin's ruthless and merciless actions, and her usual indifferent expression, she doesn't seem to have any romantic intentions.

I must have been overthinking it.

That kid is just shameless.

"Go for it, go for it. There will come a time when you give up."

To be fair, Cang Li does not like having a burden, but what he said earlier was not meant to belittle Lin Shu.

The two are worlds apart.

Under normal circumstances, if that young man wanted to join his faction and become a vanguard general, he would have to think twice; there was absolutely no need to target this person.

He simply disliked the arrogant and ignorant manner of young boys.

They were worried that something might happen that would implicate them.

The simplest point can be seen from many of the previous details.

In the desolate place of Dragon Ridge, Lin Shu was the undisputed little demon king, but if she maintained this arrogant demeanor outside, it would be easy for someone with ulterior motives to notice something amiss.

"Anyway, if I really cause any trouble, I'll definitely be the first to run away."

He closed his eyes dejectedly.

I'm here to make my own way in the world, not to babysit other people's children.

Without the sneer of the raccoon, the two carriages quietly drove out of the desolate land, and the mountains and fields regained their verdant hues.

Until they saw that equally magnificent border post, with a huge plaque with a black background and gilded decorations hanging on the city gate.

Lin Shucai learned for the first time the exact name of the place opposite Yongzhou, which was collectively known as Da Shun and was constantly fighting with his side.

The Great Shun Dynasty, Yuzhou.

……

Within the bustling city, the long streets are ancient.

Aside from the more open clothing and the fact that the people on the street generally have fairer and smoother skin, the local customs and culture seem to be not much different from those of Yongzhou.

Even the words they spoke, if spoken at a slower pace, Lin Shu could understand about 70-80% of them.

You should know that in my previous life, even between a few villages, the dialects could be quite different, let alone in foreign lands.

"Two kinds of people cannot be raised in the same place."

"They all grew up eating baijiu (a type of medicinal herb), and given their close relationship, there's no need to be surprised."

Su Xin patiently explained, and then called out to the carriage: "Get out of the carriage."

"The deities here seem even more imposing?"

Lin Shu stepped off the carriage and looked around at both sides of the long street.

On this one street alone, there are two small temples, one at the beginning and one at the end.

Moreover, many of the people coming and going wore small ornaments related to the golden tiger, whether they were made of gold or wood, regardless of their value, as if it were some kind of tradition.

Perhaps it's a case of "once bitten, twice shy."

Having witnessed the Night God Temple in Yongzhou City, Lin Shu now harbors a degree of apprehension towards such things.

"You've guessed wrong."

Su Xin smiled gently, but as Cang Li turned around after getting out of the car, she quietly put away her smile and transmitted her voice, saying, "The more chaotic a place is, the more it needs to stabilize people's hearts in this way."

"Just like in Yongzhou, the Qi and Yu families don't need to build too many temples. With their prestige, which commoner doesn't know about the two immortals?"

Then, she changed the subject: "However, it is also because of this chaos that the immortals here are able to collect more incense offerings and prayers than those on our side."

"If that's the case, why don't the Qi and Yu families follow suit?"

Lin Shuke didn't believe it because the mountain god was kind-hearted and couldn't bear to see the people suffer.

To put it bluntly, 90% of the "demons" he had seen had far fewer lives on their hands than those of the immortal descendants.

The number of living beings Qi Hanshan needed to refine a single spiritual treasure was probably beyond what even demon lords like Yunlong could dream of.

"If you understand incense offerings as taxes levied by the imperial court, you'll understand."

Su Xin stepped forward and said calmly, "When the country is peaceful and the people are prosperous, they will still be grateful to the immortals, but not to any particular half-life immortal. Only a small portion of the people will pass through their hands."

"Only by letting the people know that the local official is more powerful than the county magistrate, and who is truly protecting them."

"In places like Yuzhou, most of the incense offerings end up in the pockets of the Zhao family mountain god. This is the reason why he can escape the 'half-life' label more quickly than other immortals."

After giving a brief explanation, she looked at him with a meaningful gaze: "As for why the Qi and Yu families didn't follow suit... if they're too greedy, trouble is bound to come."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Lin Shu nodded thoughtfully.

No wonder others think he's a country bumpkin; his understanding of these things is practically nonexistent.

However, given the current situation, listening to it is pointless as it won't have any practical effect.

Instead, that feeling of powerlessness intensified even further.

Everything in this world seems to be under the control of the immortals.

The reason why the demons of Da Shun had the spare capacity to support Longji Zhang was not because they were stronger, but because the "management" methods of the immortals on both sides were different.

This absurd reason makes individual hard work and struggle seem so hopeless.

Perhaps this is why the Heavenly Demon Palace, formed by the great demons, chose to reduce its sphere of influence as much as possible, live in seclusion, and enjoy its hard-won freedom.

In short, if I can't beat you guys, then I won't play with you anymore. It's better than being used as a pawn.

"Feed".

Cangli watched the two approaching and wanted to remind Lin Shu to keep a low profile.

He glanced at the young man's simple blue robe and noticed that the young man's overall demeanor blended perfectly into this group of ordinary people.

Seeing this, Cangli's expression improved slightly.

They have a good eye; they must have experienced some trials in the mortal realm.

That handsome face is still so striking; it would be even better if he could smudge it with ink like I do.

"Don't stray too far from me. Yuzhou is different now than before." He turned around, his tone becoming more subdued.

"What's the difference?"

Lin Shu let the other party scrutinize her from head to toe.

When it comes to experience in concealing one's identity, he felt he was no less capable than this demon king.

Moreover, he was just an ordinary person in the mortal world, so he didn't need to pretend. He only needed to use his tribulation-repelling spiritual root to conceal his aura, and his behavior was no different from that of a normal person, with almost no "demonic aura".

"You'll find out soon enough." Cangli quickened his pace with a forced smile.

"..."

Lin Shu raised an eyebrow.

He was just a little curious that even in a familiar place like Yongzhou, he not only had a split soul to help him, but also had a blood connection with Yu Sheng, allowing them to communicate remotely.

Even with a greatly broadened perspective, it was still necessary to rely on the help of many demon lords to gather enough information.

Su Xin and Cang Li entered Yuzhou without any subordinates. Were they just going to wander around like headless flies, going wherever they ended up?

Or does the Demon King possess some special abilities?

I didn't keep him waiting long.

The other party quickly provided an answer.

The three walked to a secluded alley but did not stop. Suddenly, a lean tabby cat leaped down from the wall and accurately pounced into the cat's arms.

It turned into mist and seeped into the heart of the painted-face man.

The whole thing took only a breath.

With a casual wave of his sleeve, Cangli sent the tabby cat darting out from his fingertips and disappearing into the street in the blink of an eye.

"As expected, something bad has happened again."

The tabby cat only passed through his body once, yet it seemed to bring back a lot of news.

Lin Shu glanced sideways at the street.

He watched quietly and attentively, but still couldn't discern anything unusual about the cat.

If this thing were to lazily perch on the wall, occasionally yawning and glancing over... Lin Shu felt that she probably wouldn't notice anything unusual.

While the cat may appear to have a physical form, its ordinariness makes it easier for people to lower their guard than a human.

Wonderful.

"Come with me."

Cangli dropped his nonchalant expression and headed seriously towards the south of the city.

About half an hour later.

He led the two through hidden alleys, pushed open the door, and stepped into a tightly closed courtyard.

"who!"

Those inside the courtyard were clearly tense and immediately let out a loud shout.

They formed a circle, but that couldn't mask the stench emanating from within.

"..."

Lin Shu covered her nose with the back of her hand and, through the gap, saw the two corpses that the group of people were surrounding.

Both of them looked as if they had been dehydrated, with only thin skin covering their bones. Their faces were contorted with rage and fear, and their eyes had turned into murky green liquid that flowed down their uneven cheeks.

Some of the people in front of them were responsible for concealing their aura, while others used their demonic power, wishing they could grind the corpse to dust and leave not a trace.

What a deep grudge that must be.

"Get out of the way."

Cangli offered no explanation, expressionlessly pushing through the crowd and crouching down beside the corpse.

He extended his demonic claws from his fingertips and slashed across the thigh of one of the corpses. The inelastic skin peeled away loosely, revealing the leg bone underneath.

The entire leg bone looked like a fragile piece of rotten wood, covered with countless wormholes.

The plump, bluish-green maggots nested in their skeletons, wriggling around inside.

"Lord Cangli, save him!"

The group of people clearly recognized the man with the painted face and instinctively pleaded.

Lin Shu was stunned for a moment before realizing that the two "corpses" were actually still alive.

"It's beyond saving," Cangli replied coldly.

Upon hearing this, the surrounding crowd fell silent for a moment, then looked away and said in trembling voices, "Then please give them a quick death."

With their limited strength, dealing with these maggots would be extremely slow and would cause unbearable suffering for both of them.

However, if they don't take action, those inexplicably appearing immortal descendants will soon be able to track them down and kill them.

The experience of personally torturing and killing a fellow human being is not something everyone can bear.

"..."

Cangli narrowed his eyes, his palm pulsating with demonic power.

In an instant, the two corpses, along with the maggots, were reduced to ashes under his hands.

The foul odor gradually subsided.

"call."

Lin Shu let out a long breath and turned to look at Su Xin beside her.

The young demon king stared blankly at the direction of the man's leg bone, and instinctively touched his wrist.

After realizing someone was watching her, she looked up and gave a slight smile.

He was clearly trying to force a smile to reassure the other person, but he failed in the end.

"What happened?" Su Xin looked directly at everyone and changed the subject.

"We don't know anything about them. Those people seemed to appear out of nowhere. We don't know them, and we've never had any grudges against them. The methods they used are far more sophisticated than those of the Zhao family..."

The group of people seemed to recall some horrifying scene, their expressions changing drastically: "Does Your Excellency know their origins?"

"What else could it be? It came from Hengshui, of course." Cangli casually picked at his ear.

"Hengshui?" Everyone was taken aback.

No matter how arrogant they are, how could they possibly provoke those aquatic creatures to travel thousands of miles to kill them?

"Why...?"

"It's none of your business."

Cangli put down his hand and didn't hide anything, saying directly, "That young master of the Luo family got into a fight with Prince Hengshui in a brothel in Yanchi Prefecture in order to win a smile from a beauty. I heard that he splashed wine on Prince Hengshui's face."

"The two sides started arguing, neither willing to give in."

"Before joining the Heavenly Demon Palace, the Luo family originated from Yuzhou. Since the prince couldn't catch young master Luo Fengming, he naturally had to take his anger out on you first."

"..."

The courtyard fell into a deathly silence.

The group looked at the empty space where their companions had been placed, the wails and pleas for mercy still echoing in their ears. Then they looked at the listless Cangli, their eyes filled with a sense of bewilderment.

They never expected the reason to be so simple.

It's so simple that it feels a bit childish.

Lin Shu pursed her lips.

Deep down, I felt a sense of unease, like some people were dying of drought while others were drowning in floods.

Both were demoted to demon form by the immortal sects, but while some are still struggling to survive, others are already able to compete with the descendants of the immortals.

The group of people before me are all demon lords.

Even in the face of such matters, it is still a battle between gods, with mortals suffering the consequences.

Not to mention others, even Su Xin never imagined that her previous desperate efforts were actually paying the price for the young master of the Luo family's momentary anger.

Hengshui wanted to take his anger out on the demons of Yuzhou, so the Luo family naturally had to retaliate.

"I hope Lord Cangli will take me in!"

The demon lords present quickly came to their senses. Rather than grieving for their companions' deaths, their most important task now was to survive.

"What are you thinking about?"

Cangli gave everyone a strange look and laughed, "Why should I take you in? The Luo family won't give you any reward money. Just stay here quietly. I'm busy making a name for myself, I don't have time for this."

After saying that, he looked at Lin Shu and said, "You too, just stay here and behave yourself, don't wander around aimlessly."

After explaining these small matters, Cangli stretched and said, "Suxin, what do you say? Let's go out and look for some goods. Even if we don't find anything big, we can still make some money, right?"

Young Master Luo is currently angry.

The heads of these Hengshui people, regardless of size, could win his favor.

"..."

Su Xin pondered for a moment.

Despite the harsh words of the raccoon, if the aquatic creatures in the vicinity are not dealt with, they will indeed be a major threat.

"I'll be back as soon as possible." She nodded to Lin Shu.

Not knowing the background of the aquatic people who came on this trip, it was somewhat inappropriate to bring them along.

"I see."

Lin Shu didn't insist on getting involved.

He's here to make money, not to die.

The most urgent task is to figure out the situation.

"listen to me."

During their conversation, Lin Shu was suddenly grabbed around the neck with an arm.

The raccoon put its arm around his shoulder and leaned down slightly, but didn't look at the young man. It simply transmitted its voice indifferently, "If you encounter any problems, talk to it first. You're a little demon king, after all, and you're stronger than these people. Don't be reckless."

Lin Shu followed the man's gaze and noticed a black cat coiled up on the high bluestone wall, its body jet black and reddish in the sunlight.

Before he could respond.

Cangli licked his lips, his eyes flashing with ferocity, and withdrew his arm, heading towards the outside of the courtyard.

Su Xin followed closely behind.

The two figures quickly disappeared at the end of the quiet alley.

"..."

Lin Shu waved her sleeve and closed the door, then turned around to count the number of people.

There were seven people in total.

From newly promoted demon lords to powerful demons comparable to the Golden Hall, there are all sorts of demons.

But judging from the fear on their faces, they probably wouldn't be of much use if they actually encountered something like what happened before.

I should have brought the Eight Trigrams Dragon-Locking Plate with me; at least I could have gotten these people to lend me some of their demonic power.

He stepped onto the stone steps leading to the door, sat down against a pillar, closed his eyes, and began to rest.

……

The sky gradually darkened.

Lin Shu silently calculated the time in her mind.

After about four hours, he finally opened his eyes and looked around.

Given the Demon King's speed, this should have been enough time for the two of them to investigate Jade City. If they haven't returned yet, it means they've gone to a much farther place.

This means that if any trouble arises, the Demon King will have a hard time getting back in time.

Lin Shu adjusted her breathing, keeping her entire body in a state of constant alert.

"My name is Feng Shu. Are you from the Liang Kingdom, young friend?"

Seeing that the young man had finally opened his eyes, the man with the highest cultivation level among the group carefully led the others closer.

Feng Shu was not deliberately trying to ingratiate himself with her.

However, they were not familiar with either Su Xin or Cang Li. Judging from their respective instructions and actions before leaving, this young demon lord clearly had a close relationship with the demon king.

Only by keeping this person in check can everyone benefit from the situation and receive some protection.

"May I ask your surname, young friend?"

Feng Shu lowered his stance and took the initiative to offer his hands in greeting.

The others also forced smiles.

However, to make the atmosphere slightly awkward, Lin Shu just stared at Feng Shu quietly without responding.

"this……"

The smiles of the demon lords became somewhat stiff.

Feng Shu's hands, suspended in mid-air, were caught in a dilemma: whether to put them down or continue holding them up.

He felt a deep bitterness in his heart.

It's true what they say, a fallen phoenix is ​​worse than a chicken; now it has to endure being subservient to others and being looked down upon.

"I apologize for my intrusion, young friend. Please continue to rest."

"Ugh."

Lin Shu suddenly let out a soft sigh and casually pinched her fingertips: "Only 120,000... that's fine too."

Others were unaware of the existence of merit-based and demerit-based rewards, and naturally did not know that he was calculating merit-based rewards based on everyone's cultivation level, and then judging whether it was worth the risk.

They were just a little puzzled, and then followed the young man to look at Feng Shu.

On Brother Feng's awkwardly smiling face, a bluish maggot poked its head out of his nostril, curiously observing the outside world.

"What time is this?! What time is this?!"

Seeing the expressions on everyone's faces as if they had seen a ghost, Feng Shu finally realized that something was wrong.

He suddenly covered his nose with his hand, his eyes wide with rage, and staggered backward.

If I'm not mistaken, he must have accidentally gotten this stuff on himself while dealing with the bugs on his two companions.

A single maggot was not enough to kill him.

What truly terrified Feng Shuzhen was that this worm had been inside his body for so long, and it had most likely attracted the Hengshui Clan!

My surname is Lin.

Lin Shu stood up, nodded slightly, and first responded to the other party's previous question.

Then, he looked up at the top of the wall.

As Cangli said, this is not Yongzhou, so don't be reckless when things happen.

The black cat sensed the gaze and lazily raised its head.

It licked its paws with its tongue, just as it was about to indicate that it understood, but its plump body suddenly froze on the wall.

The bright red, barbed tongue suddenly broke off, the limbs were flipped over in exaggerated arcs, and the bones were crushed by an invisible hand.

Her round belly was pressed into a thin sheet.

The entire process takes place between breaths.

Before the black cat could even let out a wail, it shattered into a cloud of gray mist.

"I'd like to tell you first, you'd better show some backbone, Demon King."

Lin Shu gently exhaled a hot breath.

He stepped down the stone steps and looked at the towering blue waves that surged around the courtyard, each a hundred feet high, before quickly connecting and transforming the world into a clear body of water.

It's getting harder and harder to make money these days.

Lin Shu is no longer the naive young man he once was; he has already fought against many Golden Core cultivators and immortal descendants.

But this kind of earth-shattering method, which is not an illusion, he had only seen a similar one in one person.

That is yourself.

"You were also admitted through the special admission program?"

Lin Shu muttered to herself.

Perhaps due to the repeated instructions from the two demon kings, the pressure was too great, and at this moment, a sense of excitement actually welled up in his heart.

Several silhouettes slowly emerged from the blue waves.

The sounds of playful conversation also drifted into the courtyard.

"Brother, you were able to break through the Demon King's methods. This has truly broadened my horizons."

"You're not bad either. Your methods with the Azure Sea are quite reminiscent of those supernatural powers."

"Hehe, brother, you have a good eye. Many years ago, a cultivator in our clan attained the Nine Revolutions Purple Heaven Golden Core. I was observing this grand occasion when I was fortunate enough to comprehend this technique."

"Oh, how come I've never heard of that cultivator?" a more composed voice asked curiously.

"I had just completed my Golden Core attainment when the Dragon Palace summoned me there overnight."

The figures in the water chatted happily, reminiscing about the past, paying no attention to the several figures inside the courtyard.

Lin Shu stood quietly, the excitement in her heart slowly fading away.

So you're not like that after all.

No wonder it only looked somewhat similar.

He calmly clenched his fists, the Nine-Turn Purple Heaven Golden Elixir within his body circulated wildly, and as his robes fluttered, a powerful spiritual force soared into the sky.

Finally, the panicked screams behind them and the loud discussions in the water curtain ceased.

In an instant, more than ten pairs of eyes focused on the young man.