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

That's what they say, but what they really think is anyone's guess.

Ji Canghai's face was expressionless. He neither agreed nor refused, but said, "The ancient ruins in the capital have been quite interesting lately. In my opinion, we should try to visit these ruins first. The Merfolk will definitely be interested. Let them come over."

That's what he said, but he casually set up a barrier to cover the area, including Bai Qingyu.

"What do you think of the merfolk's treasure?"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's eyes turned to them, except for the little ones at the table behind them who seemed to ignore the atmosphere around them, chatting and laughing happily, completely forgetting that the people sitting around them were all big devils with names and identities.

Because they were so noisy, Ji Canghai had to mute them, which made it a unique sight.

Ji Canghai's plan truly startled even Bai Qingyu.

This guy's plan is insane. He's creating a false impression to deceive the merfolk, starting with the newly discovered ruins, making them believe it's something easily obtainable, and that they just need to join forces to deal with the humans.

Once the merfolk come ashore, they will be led to fight against the righteous sects. After being worn down, they will be turned against the merfolk and prevented from returning to the sea. Then, with the help of the righteous sects, they can join forces to defeat the merfolk in one fell swoop, and then go to the deep sea to take the treasure from the merfolk's interior.

The Merfolk are known for their wealth. If you kill them, the spoils you get will be so plentiful that even a sip of soup will make your mouth water.

Moreover, for many of them, the entire Merfolk race is an immense benefit.

Killing people also means worrying about being struck by lightning. Killing a few civilians might be fine, but killing too many at once will definitely cause trouble. It will either be divine punishment or a full-scale manhunt by righteous sects like Tianyang Palace.

But the merfolk are different; no one cares how many merfolk they've killed.

Seeing them discussing so enthusiastically, Bai Qingyu assumed that this plan had been in the works for a long time, and that they had thought of it during their last collaboration. Who knew that this was actually the first time these guys had come up with this idea? The key point was that this plan was actually Ji Canghai's idea.

Upon careful consideration, this plan is indeed feasible, but risks are inevitable; a plan without risks would only be a trap.

These old devils weren't looking at that; they were looking at the feasibility and how much they could gain.

What price will they have to pay? Will they ultimately lose or gain, or will they make a fortune?

The brilliance of this plan lies in the fact that if they relied solely on themselves, they certainly wouldn't be able to defeat the Merfolk.

Uniting with righteous sects is a different story.

As long as we prevent the merfolk from returning to the sea, we can easily defeat them by attacking from both sides.

I believe that Tianyang Palace and the others will have this opportunity to "take revenge," and they certainly won't hold back.

Volume Two: Journey Through the Demon Book: Chapter Fifty-Two - Who Makes Us a Mother After All?

The conversation at the table was just casual talk and couldn't be considered a concrete plan, but even so, it was chilling. Even Bai Qingyu couldn't help but sigh at how inhuman the Demonic Sect was.

The merfolk were genuinely trying to cooperate with them, but these guys were plotting how to stab them in the back and deliver a vicious blow.

If the Demonic Cult really follows this plan, the Merfolk will either die or be severely injured in the end, which will be a real problem, because the entire Merfolk will be severely injured and bleeding prey, and the smell of blood will attract all kinds of hunters.

Especially the demonic sects and those righteous sects.

Even if the humans don't attack them, the sea creatures will eventually do so.

Listening to these old devils chatting and laughing, Bai Qingyu didn't want to offer any opinions and simply sipped her drink.

Just listen to these things in general terms; these people certainly won't tell her the real, detailed plan in front of her.

This is normal. No matter what, she's an outsider. No matter how good her relationship with Ji Canghai is, it's still with him. Her relationship with other demonic sects is very ordinary.

The banquet ended quickly, and it was clear that everyone was in a good mood.

There are still ten days left. There will be a banquet every day after that. The important thing for the rest of the time is not eating, but socializing and cooperating. The relationships between the demonic sects are much better than those between the righteous sects. There is also intrigue, but it is not as intense as between the righteous sects.

It is also because the two sides are in different situations. The righteous sects are powerful, and their lack of unity does not affect anything. In order to become stronger and have a higher status, the struggle naturally begins. On the surface, they seem to be harmonious and beautiful, but in reality, they are extremely chaotic.

Therefore, the situation of the Demonic Sect is quite the opposite. On the surface, it is chaotic, but behind the scenes, it is just like what we see here: a group of cult leaders sitting here chatting and laughing, saying these shocking things.

After the banquet ended, Bai Qingyu left with her children. Ji Canghai walked beside Bai Qingyu with his hands behind his back, smiling broadly.

"Those present today represent almost all the demonic sects in the world. We have discussed these matters many times before, and this is just a rehash of old stories. Divine Phoenix need not be surprised."

"What surprises me isn't the matter itself, but that the sect leader would say these things in front of an outsider like me." Bai Qingyu glanced at Ji Canghai, his tone calm as if he were joking.

"Shenhuang is joking. To others, Shenhuang may be considered a half-outsider, but to my Heavenly Sect, that is absolutely not the case. As for discussing these matters in front of Shenhuang, it is only based on the most basic trust. Although I, Ji Canghai, am a member of the Demonic Sect, I pride myself on being better than those hypocrites from the Heavenly Sun Palace when it comes to being a person. Since Shenhuang is considered family, then naturally we should treat her as family as well. If there are any issues, then naturally we should sit down and discuss them together as a family."

"These are matters that Master Ji is an expert in. I'll just listen and not comment."

"That's fine too. It's not a good thing anyway, so it's better not to get involved."

"While I may not participate, I can still keep my mouth shut."

Upon hearing this, Ji Canghai smiled and shook his head, "Actually, there's nothing worth saying. The people of Tianyang Palace aren't stupid. As long as we take action, they can guess something."

"..."

"Then let's leave it here. Shenhuang, take the children to rest first. The banquet will be the same tomorrow. Someone will come to inform you. If Shenhuang really doesn't want to go, that's fine too. After all, the wedding banquet hasn't officially started yet."

"Well, I won't go in the next few days. If I go, some people might be unhappy." Bai Qingyu shrugged. With her present, it was obvious that some people couldn't speak freely, and some were even quite dissatisfied with her.

For example, that cult leader surnamed Yue, I really don't like her.

“Alright, no problem. Shenhuang, please rest well. If you have time, Shenhuang can go and see Changsheng and Xuan'er and give them some pointers. We are all rough men, and no one in the sect knows these things. We still have to rely on Shenhuang.”

With the wedding approaching, Ji Canghai has been busy with preparations these past few days. He has no problems with the wedding banquet itself, but there are some minor issues to address.

These details weren't done for others to see, but for Ji Xuan to see.

Ji Xuan is his precious daughter. He will only get married once in his life, so Ji Canghai naturally wants to make the wedding banquet perfect, the more perfect the better. He hopes to leave a deep impression on Ji Xuan, the kind that she can never forget. This is also a precious memory that he, as her father, can leave for his daughter.

After getting married, Xuan'er was no longer the little girl who liked to pretend to be mature.

"Well, I'll try my best."

Thank you.

Without further pleasantries, Ji Canghai bid farewell and left, leaving a female elder to lead Bai Qingyu and the others toward the resting pavilion.

Looking at Ji Canghai's retreating figure from afar, Bai Qingyu felt quite emotional.

These are probably the happiest few days for this cult leader for a very, very long time to come.

It's clear that Ji Canghai has been in an exceptionally good mood these past two days.

As a father, Ji Canghai is quite competent. It's rather rare that someone who is clearly a fearsome old devil has such a side to him. Anyone who didn't know better would think that Ji Canghai had already taken over Tianyang Palace, and that he could be so happy.

Back in the attic, Bai Qingyu stretched and snapped her fingers. Her dress transformed into the light, flowing white dress she usually wore, which was casual wear for her and perfect for staying at home.

How are you feeling today?

"No good." Xiaoya shook her head.

"Oh?"

"The food is terrible, not as good as my mother's cooking at all. And it's so noisy around here, lots of people are talking. I don't like it here."

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement, and even Zhen Tian spoke up, "The environment and atmosphere here are not suitable for children. Let's stay here for the next few days and not go out."

"That's fine too. It's okay if we don't go out. It's not time yet anyway. Let's just bear with it for now and treat this place as home. It won't be noisy here, right? We can just stay home."

As Bai Qingyu spoke of this, something occurred to her.

Could there be demons listed in the Demon Register within the Heavenly Cult itself?

That's not necessarily true. Not all of the many people who came this time are from the Heavenly Sect. Many are from outside, and there might even be some demons listed in the Demon Register.

That evening, Bai Qingyu didn't leave the children behind alone. Instead, she sent a clone out to find Changsheng and his wife.

She was truly worried about being here.

With so many powerful figures here, including several Mahayana cultivators, it wouldn't be good if they attacked the children after I left.

It's better to be safe than sorry, especially since these are all old devils who don't play by the rules. No one can guarantee that nothing will go wrong.

Changsheng will only be observing and giving instructions; his clone can handle that.

Inside the room, the boys were playing cards and mahjong together. She sat by the window, legs crossed, one hand supporting her cheek as she read a book. It was a book about marriage, full of folk customs and traditions.

The room has excellent visibility, with luminous pearls installed in every corner, making it very bright.

While reading and listening to the children's voices, Bai Qingyu looked up and saw that Xiaoya was slacking off. Instead of cultivating, she was lying behind Xiaoyao, watching Xiaoyao play mahjong with great interest.

I didn't remind her; these past few days out were practically a holiday, so it wouldn't hurt to let her have some fun.

Bai Qingyu felt anxious when she thought that Xiaoya in the capital only had ten years or less at most.

It would be a lie to say she wasn't in a hurry. If Xiaoya succeeds in rising to power with Xu Yuanqing's help, her situation won't be good either. She has almost no allies. Apart from Xu Yuanqing, no one will support her. Even if they do, it will only be superficial support. They definitely look down on Xiaoya, the Ninth Princess.

The Ninth Princess was ranked too low, was too young, and appeared suddenly, so how could the court officials possibly accept her?

Xu Yuanqing's intervention will inevitably lead to another result: the suspicion of the ministers.

For example, is Xiaoya a puppet of Xu Yuanqing?

This is an internal issue, and with Xu Yuanqing around, there's no need to worry too much. What she's really worried about is another problem that arises from these issues—the interference of cultivators.

The court officials were dissatisfied, so naturally some cultivators would take notice of this, because there were too many opportunities to manipulate things.

After closing the book, Bai Qingyu searched in her storage ring and then took out the two books.

These two books were obtained from Xu Yuanqing. They are books for emperors, covering everything from astronomy, geography, and economics to domestic politics and even warfare. In short, they are all the most basic things that a monarch needs to learn and master.

As the emperor, one can't be completely ignorant and clueless.

Being the Human Emperor is no easy task; there are too many things to take care of, and one wrong step can lead to the deaths of countless people.

"Xiaoya".

"Hey, Mommy, I'm here."

Upon hearing Bai Qingyu's call, Bai Xiaoya jogged over. She was dressed in a white training uniform, with her hair tied in a bun, and two red ribbons hanging down on either side, exuding a lively and energetic vibe.

"You don't need to cultivate these next few days..."

Before Bai Qingyu could finish speaking, the little girl's eyes lit up.

"Really, Mother!"

"Really, but you can't just sit idle. Take these two books and read them. If there's anything you don't understand, be sure to ask me. This is very important. I'll randomly check your work, and if you don't pass, there will be a punishment."

"Punishment?" Xiaoya was a little scared.

"Yes, punishment, a punishment you absolutely do not want to experience."

"But...but..."

"No buts. Just read them. I'm not asking you to finish reading them in a few days. You just need to memorize both books within two years and have your own understanding of them. Don't just memorize them by rote. Try to understand them flexibly. Once you understand them, you'll naturally be able to memorize them. It doesn't matter if you can't memorize them."