Become a true immortal by emulating all demons.

Chapter 232 I'll Take Over

Does the Heavenly Demon Palace not have the final say?

Whether it was Cangli and Lao He, who had just been driven out of the Luo family, or Yuan Yuan and Su Xin, who came from Yongzhou and had only a vague understanding of the Hengshui forces.

Everyone was stunned for a long time after hearing this.

They could hardly imagine what else on this land was beyond the control of that majestic demon palace.

To be precise, the Hengshui Dragon Palace does have the right to say that, but Lin Shu—

Perhaps because the Moon Devouring Demon King had given the people of Yongzhou too many shocks, Su Xin and Yuan Yuan, after a brief moment of astonishment, both began to look on with slightly changed expressions of anticipation.

There may be exceptionally gifted individuals who seem to spring from the cracks in a rock, but they are always a tiny minority; most of them have a traceable lineage.

Everyone knew that Master Lin came from Blackwater City, but no one knew what his identity was before he entered the city.

The submission of the Night Wanderer God has always puzzled Yuan Yuan, but since Master Lin doesn't say anything, he doesn't want to pry into it.

Could it be that behind this Moon-Devouring Demon King lies an even more terrifying force, so powerful that even the Heavenly Demon Palace must bow down and obey its orders?

Seeing that everyone had misunderstood, Lin Shu leaned back in her chair and casually re-explained, "What I mean is, even if he..."

"They don't intend to get involved in this, but we can't just sit here and wait to die."

That makes a lot of sense.

Old He looked away, a forced smile playing on his lips—anyone can spout empty platitudes.

Even ants try to survive, let alone humans who have richer emotions.

Neither of them wanted to wait to die.

Of course, demons are willing to fight one after another for their own survival.

Yes, let's go and fight Hengshui Dragon Palace to the death.

If the Dragon King were truly so easy to deal with, Young Master Fengming wouldn't have needed to go to such lengths to get the Heavenly Demon Palace involved; he could have simply waved his hand and summoned the demons of both countries to storm Hengshui.

How refreshing!

Thinking of this, the old man suddenly felt a little bored.

The people he had accompanied the young master to meet were all sorts of people: the elders and lords of the Heavenly Demon Mansion, and the princes and nobles of Hengshui.

The strongest people Lin Shu and Yuan Yuan had ever seen in their lives were probably those two half-immortals in Yongzhou. They couldn't possibly imagine how vast the outside world was.

Now, I have to sit at a table with this group of people, seriously discussing important matters that the other party can hardly touch.

Just thinking about it makes me feel inexplicably sad.

He sighed softly, picked up his wine glass and drank alone, then reached for the plate of fried peanuts with his chopsticks.

Although Lao He didn't speak, the contempt he subtly revealed in his listless appearance silenced everyone present.

Su Xin narrowed her eyes slightly, and a chill gradually crept into her pupils.

To put it bluntly, regardless of whether the world will collapse in a year or two, at least for now, life in Yongzhou is very comfortable.

On the other hand, no matter how high his cultivation level or how powerful his methods, this old man is now nothing more than a cowardly person who can't stand the light of day and is also within the scope of the Dragon Palace's cleanup.

We've come all this way to help, are we really going to be met with indifference?

"Hey, if you want to die, go find a mountain to jump off yourself. Stop being such a disgusting person here."

Cangli snatched the chopsticks from the other person's hand and slammed them on the table with a loud bang.

He was already frustrated with his current situation and at his wit's end, so who would have the patience to put up with this old man's bad temper?

"Heh."

Upon hearing this, Old He didn't linger, and didn't even bother arguing with Cangli. He stood up and walked downstairs.

Yuan Yuan noticed this and raised an eyebrow slightly.

Having aged and experienced a period of amnesia, he is now much more composed and has a more comprehensive view of things than he did decades ago.

The mere mention of the immortals inspecting the Dragon Palace and the demons of the two kingdoms is enough to fill one with despair.

If the Heavenly Demon Palace doesn't take care of things, it seems like everything they do will be in vain.

But if we absolutely have to do something.

Lao He is an absolutely indispensable part.

This person not only has a thorough understanding of the Hengshui Dragon Palace and the Heavenly Demon Mansion, making up for everyone's lack of knowledge in this area, but his own strength should be that of an old demon who has been immersed in the late Nascent Soul stage for many years.

You should know that, nominally, this is the only personal bodyguard of the future head of the Luo family.

His status was so high that even a carefree demon king could not compare to him.

If the opponent is willing to stay before I break through, he will definitely become the number one general under Master Lin.

One person's value is higher than that of all the demon races in Yongzhou, including Yuan Yuan himself.

Lin Shu was young and impetuous, and as a great demon king in charge of the Nine Prefectures and One Pass, he couldn't afford to lose face.

Both logically and emotionally, Yuan Yuan should have stepped forward at this time to speak up and persuade the old man to stay.

However, after hesitating for a few moments, he still did not make a move.

It's not that I can't let go of my pride.

It's mainly meaningless.

An old man who is heartbroken and doesn't even care about his own life, cannot be paid by anyone on our own.

"Senior He, please wait."

Just then, Lin Shu also put down her chopsticks.

Aside from Lao He's inherent value, Luo Fengming's death for the sake of the unfamiliar demons alone deserves my utmost respect.

Whether we can cooperate in the future is another matter; it's just a meal, there's no need to make things so tense.

Old He's movements were slightly sluggish.

It's true that he once held a high status, but that was when he was a servant in the Luo family, not a master.

How could an experienced old servant not know how to read between the lines?

He was well aware of his earlier lapse in composure and how disrespectful he had been to these demon kings of Yongzhou.

What Cangli's attitude is, is Cangli's business.

This so-called "Master Lin" is the second time he has addressed someone as a senior, but he has never put on airs.

It's simply because the gap between her expectations and reality is too large that she resorts to such a harsh attitude, unwilling to be looked down upon or have her dignity trampled on.

"I meant no harm, Demon King, please don't take offense."

After thinking it over, Old He turned around and let out a long breath.

He scanned the crowd expressionlessly, but still offered a sincere piece of advice: "It may be dangerous outside Hengshui. It will be extremely difficult to cross this vast ocean quietly without being detected by the aquatic creatures."

"But with your abilities, there is still a sliver of hope."

"It's better than staying in a place where you're sure to die."

He cupped his hands in greeting: "As for me, after the young master's misfortune, I have no more ambitions, so I will not keep you company."

"Would it kill you to help me out?" Cang Li suddenly stood up. He had done so many things for this old man, and the other party owed him a huge debt. Now, he wanted to settle things with a simple "I have no ambitions."

It's true what they say, those who owe money are the ones in charge!

"help?"

Seeing that the civet seemed not to understand human speech, Old He's expression, which had finally calmed down, turned cold again.

After a long silence, he smirked again and said with a sneer, "What benefits will I get for my efforts? High-ranking positions and generous salaries, or rare and precious treasures?"

Having said that, Old He looked at Lin Shu with a defiant gaze, like a businessman waiting for a high bid: "Demon King, you can try bidding and let me broaden my horizons."

His snobbish demeanor finally caused Su Xin's long-suppressed dissatisfaction to erupt.

Old He used to work for Luo Fengming, who was already a figure who could practically touch the sky with one hand in Hengshui.

In terms of status, the other party might not even consider the entire Yongzhou a threat.

Rare and precious treasures—with the Heavenly Demon Palace's resources, what good things hasn't this person seen? If you really want to impress him, you'd probably have to bring out a treasure of the level of a rare mountain and sea treasure.

That's outrageous!

Luo Fengming is also incredibly wicked. He only has two trusted confidants by his side, Luo Fengge and Lao He, and they are both such opportunistic and treacherous people.

She glanced at Lin Shu discreetly, knowing that a single look from the young man would be enough for her to get up and chase the old man away.

Old He noticed the disdain in Su Xin's eyes, but he stubbornly stuck out his neck even more, making his demeanor even more provocative.

In a daze, he suddenly met Lin Shu's eyes.

Those were clear, distinct eyes, yet slightly tinged with helplessness.

It's like watching a lonely, helpless, stubborn person.

Under those gazes, Old He suddenly felt a sense of fear, the embarrassment of having his thoughts exposed.

A moment later, Lin Shu slowly stood up.

He did not promise high-ranking official positions or generous salaries, nor did he reluctantly offer two rare treasures from the mountains and seas to tempt the old man.

The preciousness of the Dharma lies in its ability to save lives.

How could someone who doesn't even value their own life be tempted by something that could save their life?

"You haven't seen Luo Fengming's remains yet, have you?"

Lin Shu said earnestly, "Let's think of a way to go and take a look together."

The absence of remains means that their fate is unknown.

Even though everyone knew that this young master of the Luo family had fallen into the hands of the Prince of Hengshui and had no hope of survival.

"Ha!"

Old He's breathing suddenly became much heavier, like an old ox panting.

Since returning to the Luo family, he has been numbing himself, daring not to think about anything related to the young master.

Given his strength, attempting to resist the Hengshui Dragon Palace would be an understatement, like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

If a goal is too ambitious, it can easily lose its meaning.

But now, the Demon King Lin has lowered his expectations a bit. He didn't even make any promises about killing the Dragon Grandson to avenge his young master; he just said he would go and see the corpse.

Although it is still difficult, since it is unavoidable to deal with the Dragon Palace, there is now a sliver of possibility.

Just a little bit is enough.

This was enough to show the old man a direction to move forward.

"sit."

Lin Shu didn't give the old man a chance to respond. She nodded slightly and casually raised her arm in invitation.

His voice was gentle and did not carry a commanding tone.

Old He, who had remained unmoved by Cang Li's insults and humiliations, involuntarily walked back and sat down at the table upon hearing this word, his body trembling slightly.

He kept taking deep breaths.

After an unknown amount of time, under the astonished gazes of the crowd, the old man lowered his head and said in a muffled voice, "What do you want to know?"

The previous use of the title "Demon King," while meant as an honorific, was actually more of an apology and an attempt to make amends.

People who are used to staying in the Heavenly Demon Palace would never respect idle wild demons.

Even without the intervention of the inner palace hermits, any palace lord could easily suppress the demon hordes of both nations, rendering their demon generals powerless.

He is still the Demon King, and all beings are equal.

Although Lao He no longer uses honorifics, his attitude shows that he truly regards Lin Shu as someone he can discuss things with.

"Tsk tsk."

Yuan Yuan couldn't help but laugh self-deprecatingly.

The two generations of demon kings of Yongzhou were doing the same thing. The younger one succeeded, but the younger one failed miserably. The difference was not just reflected in strength.

"What level do we stand on compared to the two major powers of Yu Hengshui?"

Lin Shu didn't waste any words and went straight to asking the most important question.

If you want to get involved, you naturally need to know what kind of beings you're about to face.

Upon hearing this, Lao He almost blurted out the word "ant".

This is not meant to belittle others, because those two words also include himself.

He pondered for a moment, then used a more euphemistic way of putting it: "Those who cultivate the Free and Unfettered Method are inherently much stronger than those who cultivate the Eternal Bondage Path. In the outer palace of the Heavenly Demons, someone with my level of cultivation can only be considered mid-level."

The implication is that even Lin Shu, who has the same cultivation level, would have to be ranked in the middle or lower tier.

"Every lord of the manor is a Nascent Soul cultivator at the Great Perfection stage, a being who has taken a half-step into the next realm."

"Only those who are fortunate enough to truly reach the Nascent Soul realm, like my master, can join the inner palace and become one of the many hermits."

"You should be able to understand the term 'hermit'," Old He said with a wry smile.

The fact that some people choose to live in seclusion speaks volumes.

If we could defeat the Dragon Palace, who would want to hide?

Clearly, the Dragon King's strength surpasses that of these hermits.

Don't feel aggrieved.

Old He reached for his wine glass again: "The Heavenly Demon Palace is in its current state thanks to the good fortune of its ancestors. If the Heavenly Demon Emperor hadn't broken through in the face of adversity and become a being who could rival the Dragon King, we wouldn't even have the right to hide."

The old servant's words slowly unveiled the veil between heaven and earth for the people of Yongzhou.

The title of "Immortal of Mountains and Seas" carries far greater weight than others imagine, so much so that it can cause many half-life immortals to abandon all desires, hoping only to reach this level.

He downed the drink in one gulp and looked at Lin Shu again.

I wonder what expression this fearless young man has right now.

The difference between the inner and outer courts is like heaven and earth.

Given the other party's cultivation level, even disregarding the inner cultivation realm, they would only be considered inferior within the outer cultivation realm.

If you don't have enough strength, then you can only make up for it with your status, like Luo Fengming did.

But this group of people clearly did not have such a distinguished background.

"To put it bluntly, if you want to have any influence in Hengshui, you need to be at least a lord of the prefecture or a half-life immortal."

Worried that the other party might not have understood, Lao He emphasized it again.

"I see."

Lin Shu's face did not show the fear and uncertainty the old man had imagined; instead, she was somewhat moved.

They were really lucky to survive back then.

With his Golden Core cultivation, he actually managed to escape unscathed after wading into such turbulent waters.

In fact, he had already anticipated this.

After all, with Yuan Yuan's profound cultivation, it would be difficult for him to even overturn a state.

The Dragon Palace's desire to sweep away the two kingdoms seemed like a trivial matter, and the only one they were wary of was the Heavenly Demon Palace, whose realm was definitely far superior.

"Do you have a solution?"

Old He carefully observed the changes in the young man's expression and suddenly felt it was utterly absurd.

The difference in their cultivation levels seemed to pose no pressure whatsoever to this demon king; he showed none of the humility that ordinary beings often feel when facing those in higher positions.

Little did he know that a junior cultivator who had already been under pressure from Young Master Qi, a Nascent Soul giant, since the Foundation Establishment stage had already honed his courage by defeating adversity step by step.

"Not at the moment."

Lin Shu shook her head and chuckled, "But like I said before, whether or not we fight is not up to the Heavenly Demon Palace."

"Where do you begin?"

Old He was full of confusion. You can't force a cow to drink water if it doesn't want to, so how could a mere idle demon king have the ability to force the Heavenly Demon Palace to do his bidding?

As he finished speaking, he noticed a meaningful look on the young man's handsome face.

"Since your young master is not even afraid of death and wants to accomplish this—"

Lin Shu rubbed her temples and said calmly, "There must be other tricks up your sleeve, right?"

Upon hearing this, Old He's body stiffened involuntarily.

So the other party's attempt to persuade him to stay wasn't because they admired his cultivation and experience, but because they were waiting for him here!

He closed his eyes and suddenly remembered the cold gaze that Lord Ning had cast at him, and his heart tightened slightly.

There must be a backup plan, but unfortunately, in Hengshui, probably only the young master would dare to use it.

Now that things have come to this, there's no need to hide anything.

Old He opened his eyes: "That Ning family girl, under the young master's arrangement, has not yet returned to the manor."

"hiss!"

Cangli gasped, fear welling in her eyes: "You dare to arrange this for someone? Aren't you afraid something might really go wrong if you're not careful?"

He subconsciously touched his neck and finally understood why Ning Yanche's attitude had been so strange at the Luo residence!

"The young master said that to achieve great things, one must not be afraid of bloodshed."

A hint of shame crossed Old He's face as he said softly, "So, he never intended for Ning's daughter to return alive."

Even on his deathbed, the young master was still thinking about this person.

"madman----"

Su Xin and Cang Li's faces turned slightly pale.

Judging from their identities alone, although Luo Fengming and Ning's daughter are not related by blood, they are both direct descendants of the Heavenly Demon Mansion, and they address each other as brother and sister.

It's inhuman to be so heartless to one's own sister.

If someone else said this, it would seem somewhat hypocritical.

Unfortunately, Luo Fengming was already dead.

They put their beliefs into practice through their actions.

You can call him ruthless, or even mentally ill, but that doesn't constitute double standards.

"However, it's highly likely that Lord Ning already knows about this."

Old He shook his head and casually gave Lin Shu a way out.

Such a so-called "backup plan" is something that ordinary people wouldn't even dare to think about, let alone use.

However, to his surprise, Lin Shu actually started to think about it after listening.

"Look, there's a solution." After a few breaths, the young man relaxed and stretched his arms, as if he hadn't heard the advice.

Since the situation is completely chaotic, let's just let it descend into utter chaos.

Regardless of the consequences, let's stir things up first, and then find a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos.

Even if Ning's daughter doesn't die, as long as she remains in the mortal realm, the Heavenly Demon Palace will not be able to escape.

As for whether it's dangerous or not.

The two major forces joined forces, intending to abandon the lives of the idle demons and focus on dealing with the immortals' inspections, so there was no question of gratitude or resentment.

Everyone's just trying to survive; it's all about using their own abilities.

Lin Shu's simple words, however, once again stirred up Lao He's fear.

He stared blankly at the calm face opposite him, goosebumps gradually rising on his body.

Even the young master hesitated for a long time before making this decision.

It was only with Luo Fengge's encouragement that she finally made up her mind.

He and this young man had only just met, and the entire meeting had lasted no more than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

From the moment the other party saw him, this abandoned servant of the Luo family, they were already plotting how to take over the young master's audacious scheme.

Where on earth did this vicious person come from?

Indeed, in theory, as long as Ning Qingzhi hasn't returned, the Heavenly Demon Palace's claws shouldn't be able to leave this mortal realm.

Whether or not to continue the fight is not up to them—because a new "Luo Fengming" has arrived in the Great Shun Dynasty!

"call!"

Old He shook his head vigorously, dismissing this absurd idea.

The young master was able to do this because he was the future head of the Luo family, which was like a life-saving charm.

What makes this demon king surnamed Lin? What gives him the right to take on this matter?

That's pure fantasy!