I am Guhuoniao, not an umbrella demon, please do not disturb me.

The surrounding scenery kept receding, and Arakawa was right in front of us.

It was indeed a huge barrier made of demonic power. Its overall strength wasn't particularly high; it could stop mortals, but it was far from enough to withstand a sect.

The purpose of the Lord of Arakawa in creating this barrier should be to isolate humans and demons, turning all rivers into the Arakawa River, a paradise for water demons, like Nanshan and Shiwan Mountain.

Arakawa's location is already quite far from human settlements. The nearest city is at least 20 kilometers away, which isn't too far, but it's enough to isolate the two sides.

Enveloped in platinum power, Bai Qingyu ignored the barrier and let the little snake lead her directly into the desolate river. Sure enough, as soon as she entered, she sensed the presence of hundreds of aquatic demons.

As they arrived, Arakawa reacted quickly, with countless water demons surrounding the little snake. However, the little snake's aura was too strong, and its bloodline was overwhelming to the surrounding water demons. The group of demons did not dare to approach within a hundred meters of the little snake.

In Bai Qingyu's view, the water surface was unremarkable, but underwater there was a vast expanse of monsters of all kinds.

Most importantly, the Demon Book was trembling incessantly here.

There are definitely more than just one or two demons living in this area.

Arakawa no Nushi appeared at this moment, walking on the water as if it were flat ground with his hands behind his back, and came to Bai Qingyu.

Following human etiquette, Arakawa clasped his hands in a respectful bow, saying, "I am the Lord of Arakawa, and I have been waiting for you for a long time, Divine Phoenix Lady."

Arakawa no Nushi's personality is very arrogant, somewhat similar to Shuten-dōji, and even more arrogant. His arrogance is not mindless, but rather an arrogance from the bottom of his bones. However, this arrogance has to bow down in the face of reality.

If he were alone, what would it matter if he died in battle in Arakawa, even if he shed his last drop of blood into the river?

But no, there are many more monsters in the Arakawa River, like the Goldfish Princess, the Carp Spirit, and so many more.

He was willing to die in battle, but he didn't want to see Princess Goldfish die as well.

Princess Goldfish is still young and hasn't grown up yet.

He wonders if there will ever be a day when he will be able to witness Princess Goldfish grow up.

Bai Qingyu stood up. "I have long admired the name of Lord Arakawa. Princess Goldfish is currently playing with my children. I will personally bring her back when it gets dark, so there is no need to worry."

"Thank you, Divine Phoenix!"

The Lord of Arakawa was quite polite, inviting Bai Qingyu ashore to sit in his usual simple courtyard, where a beautiful clam spirit girl poured him tea.

Before Bai Qingyu could speak, the Lord of the Wild River asked, "What does Your Majesty think of this Wild River?"

"It's good. It isolates the world and creates a pure land for the demon race, greatly reducing the conflict between the demon race and the human race. It's good for both sides, but the problem is that it's easy to be targeted."

"Indeed, the fact that Arakawa has been able to be established to this day is also thanks to the Empress's Tongzhou."

"No, you earned this through your own hard work."

Arakawa could tell that Bai Qingyu didn't like this kind of topic, so he simply got straight to the point.

"What does Your Majesty think of the child, Princess Goldfish?"

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Volume Two: The Journey of the Demon Scroll: Chapter Thirteen - The Future of Princess Goldfish

Bai Qingyu felt that the Lord of Arakawa was a leader with great courage and vision. Apart from lacking ambition, his aura alone made him seem more powerful than Shuten-dōji, the Demon King of Nanshan. Or rather, the two of them had completely different styles. The Lord of Arakawa was all about tolerance and protection, while Shuten-dōji was all about ambition and aspirations.

So when the Lord of Arakawa suddenly asked her about the Goldfish Princess, Bai Qingyu felt it was a bit strange.

Given Arakawa no Nushi's personality, he would never abandon any of his subordinates, and his words made her feel that Arakawa no Nushi wanted to entrust the Goldfish Princess to her care.

"In my eyes, Princess Goldfish is a bit childish, but she is actually very smart. She is also quite talented in cultivation. If she can be properly nurtured, she will definitely become a powerful demon. However, her mind is not on cultivation. She is playful and too naive."

Bai Qingyu picked up the teacup, took a sip, paused for a moment, and continued, "Actually, her innocence is the most precious thing about her. It also shows that your Arakawa is safe enough, and the environment and atmosphere are warm enough, which is why she has such a personality."

"It is precisely because of this that this naivety actually limits her growth. To her, your world of Arakawa is like a beautiful dream. Living in a dream, she will subconsciously try to escape the outside world, especially the relationship between cultivators and demons."

"She is too attached to you and too dependent on you. Rather than saying that her environment and personality limited her growth, it is more accurate to say that she did not want to grow."

“Growing up is terrifying for her because as she grows up, she will lose many things around her, such as an object, a demon, her friends, or her family.”

“Growth comes at a price; the more you grow, the more you lose. She doesn’t want to bear that price, so she’s always maintained that mindset.”

He put down the teacup, and the tea rippled slightly, revealing Bai Qingyu's profile in the reflection.

At this moment, not only was the Lord of Arakawa listening to Bai Qingyu's speech, but the surrounding youkai and those familiar with the Goldfish Princess were also listening silently. For a moment, they were stunned, as if they understood something, yet also as if they understood nothing at all.

Princess Goldfish and the Phoenix Goddess have only met twice, but it seems like the Phoenix Goddess really understands Princess Goldfish.

In fact, Bai Qingyu's rhetoric could be applied to many people, especially her cronies, but it's more fitting for the Goldfish Princess.

"I really admire the Goldfish Princess's innocence. There aren't many demons who can maintain this kind of mentality."

"But for you Arakawa, the current situation of the Goldfish Princess is not a good thing. A Goldfish Princess who is so innocent and cute now is very likely to be injured or even have her life threatened in the future war with human cultivators."

"Why are there so few innocent and kind people in the world? It's because such people are too easily hurt. Over time, no one wants to be that kind of person anymore. Everyone puts on a mask, pretends to be someone they don't, and hurts each other with those around them. Gradually, this mask grows on their faces and takes root in their hearts."

"This is my opinion of Princess Goldfish. What do you think, Chief Arakawa?"

Bai Qingyu raised his eyes to look at the Lord of the Arakawa, but unfortunately he couldn't see anything. At his level, he had reached the point where he couldn't show his emotions, and his eyes could hide them very well. Apart from seeing that he was somewhat sentimental, it was impossible to guess what was in his heart.

Of course, there's another reason: Arakawa's eyes are too small.

It can't be described as small, but rather as rather long and sharp. His dark blue skin, pointed ears, and three gill-like lines on each side of his face make him look like a shark in human form, highlighting his sharpness.

"What the Divine Phoenix Lady said is indeed true; it is also my fault for being incompetent."

Arakawa spoke calmly, “What Your Highness said about growth having a price is certainly true, but it also depends on the situation. For some demons, the price they have to pay for growth is not great; it is just some innocence that they have lost and can never get back, such as Your Highness’s children.”

"Your Majesty has the power to build a warm haven for the children, a home that can withstand the storms from all sides, but I do not."

"If possible, I also hope that, just as Your Highness said, Princess Goldfish can continue to run away and maintain this precious innocence."

Arakawa no Nushi was always conflicted. Of course, he hoped that Goldfish Princess would grow up, but growth comes at a price. If one day in the future, Goldfish Princess would no longer chirp around him and call him a big oaf, he might feel very uncomfortable.

No, can I hold on until she grows up?

Given Ponyo's personality, the price to pay for her growth would be enormous.

What price could it take for Princess Goldfish to grow up instantly...?

Upon hearing this, Bai Qingyu did not directly answer the Lord of Arakawa's question, but instead blurted out, "That depends on whether you want to be selfish or think of her."

"Shenhuang, you are mistaken. For her, both of the two choices I could make would be selfish."

"That's true, after all, it wasn't her who chose it, but you who chose it for her."

Bai Qingyu was now absolutely certain of the Lord of the Arakawa's true purpose in summoning her here. It wasn't to ask her to help deal with that sect at all; it was simply for the sake of the Goldfish Princess, nothing more.

This surprised her. To put it somewhat arrogantly, the war between Huangchuan and the Four Symbols Sect could be quelled simply by her personally going to the Four Symbols Sect and saying a few words. The Four Symbols Sect was weak, and its sect leader was only at the Integration stage. As long as she went, the Four Symbols Sect would not refuse to give her face.

Alternatively, they could help strengthen their barrier themselves; a barrier created with the power of destiny would be many times stronger than their current one.

However, none of this happened; the Lord of Arakawa was making a choice for Princess Goldfish.

Now that things have come to this point, he himself is also hesitant.

Two choices, completely different endings. He couldn't say which ending was the best, especially from the perspective of Princess Goldfish. If it were just his own opinion, then entrusting Princess Goldfish directly to Bai Qingyu would undoubtedly be the best.

In Bai Qingyu's hands, Princess Goldfish's life was far better than Arakawa's.

If you take the two out and let other demons compare them, will they live in the desolate river or become the child of the divine phoenix?

These two options would leave no room for hesitation; 99% of people would choose the latter.

“I think that sometimes we can’t just think about ourselves. Princess Goldfish is still young, but she’s not ignorant. We should also try to think from her perspective. Otherwise, little Goldfish might not agree to stay. Even if she really goes to Tongzhou, it will be a regret for her whole life.”

"When she finds out the truth one day, the blow to her won't be much better than your other option."

"She's a little arrogant, but you can't help but know that she loves this place."

After Bai Qingyu finished speaking, Huangchuan's face showed no extra expression, but the tea in his hand, which was rippling with waves, revealed that his heart was far from calm.

He thought back to last night, when Goldfish Princess came back, and how he had scolded her.

After mentioning Shenhuang's name, everyone told her who Shenhuang was.

It can be said that among all the demons in the world, apart from those who are always looking for trouble, there are very few who don't want to be the child of the Divine Phoenix. The remaining demons who don't want to be the child are most likely those who want to be the husband of the Divine Phoenix.

But after learning everything, Princess Goldfish's first reaction was whether she could ask the Divine Phoenix for help, rather than thinking, "The Divine Phoenix is ​​so kind to me, and I, Princess Goldfish, am so cute, can I become the Divine Phoenix's child?"

Being able to play with the Divine Phoenix all day long, even forgetting the time, and only knowing to go home when it gets dark, it's impossible for the Goldfish Princess not to like being by the Divine Phoenix's side.

"I understand, thank you, Divine Phoenix."

After a while, Arakawa put down the cup in his hand.

"That's good. We're all demons, and I really like Princess Goldfish. If you need anything, Chief Arakawa, please don't hesitate to ask."

"No, no need. This is Arakawa's own business. Why involve Her Highness? Her Highness has a special status."

Lord of Arakawa's meaning is simple: Bai Qingyu is indeed the Divine Phoenix Lady, and her strength is so great that even the Heavenly Sun Palace has to give her some face. But precisely because of this, she cannot interfere too much, otherwise it will easily cause a backlash.

She is a demon, and by being more high-profile and involved in more things, she will eventually force all the sects in the world to join forces. They will not allow a demon with such a high status to exist in this world.

Speaking of status and position, Bai Qingyu is probably the highest-ranking demon in the last thousand years.

Even the former Demon King of the Ten Thousand Mountains could not do what she did.

Aside from his terrifying feat of killing the Demon Subduing Sect Leader and his ability to control the fate of the Great Spirit Kingdom, another reason why Bai Qingyu has not been targeted by all the sects in the world is the presence of the Heavenly Sun Palace.

While Tianyang Palace didn't openly support Bai Qingyu, everyone understood their true intentions.

Not only does Tianyang Palace provide support, but it also has the Tianjiao (Heavenly Cult) behind it.

In short, the Lord of Arakawa's meaning is simple: he will handle Arakawa's affairs himself and does not need Bai Qingyu's help, so as not to drag Bai Qingyu down.

This is where the arrogance of the Lord of Arakawa is manifested.

He is the leader of Arakawa, and he should bear all the storms himself, providing shelter for the demons of Arakawa. Whether he succeeds or fails, he will not rely on outsiders.

As for his subordinates, he did not give them any strict requirements.

If you don't want to get involved, that's fine too. Go to Tongzhou, or anywhere else in the world, but you absolutely cannot defect to the enemy.

That's already very kind; anyone else would never have done it this way.

You enjoy his protection as the Lord of Arakawa during normal times, but when it comes to fighting, you're afraid of dying and want to run away. There's no such thing as a free lunch.

"In that case, I can guarantee that no matter what happens afterward, I will temporarily help you Arakawa Water Demons before the Goldfish Princess fully matures."

Lord Arakawa has backbone, so Bai Qingyu naturally wouldn't say anything and insisted on going up to help. That wouldn't be offering help in a time of need; it would be insulting him.

"Thank you, Divine Phoenix!"

Lord Arakawa rose and bowed deeply to Bai Qingyu using the etiquette of a human cultivator.