He looked up.
And saw...
A thick white mist exploded from the cave’s entrance.
The massive boulder that had sealed the cave’s mouth was instantly pulverized into dust, and the stone walls spiderwebbed with cracks.
Tiny, shattered crystals spread through the water, turning it hopelessly murky and obscuring all vision.
The roiling water became a violent undercurrent, throwing everything around it into chaos.
Fish and shrimp fled in terror as bubbles frantically surged from the lakebed, rushing toward the surface.
SPLASH—
The murky water suddenly parted, and two Crimson wheels of light burst forth.
Within the depths of those vertical pupils flowed patterns like molten lava, each fold sending out blood-red ripples through the water.
The surrounding water suddenly grew viscous.
A sharp pain, like being scraped by a blade, pricked at their skin.
Then, a pitch-black mountain rose from within the turbid currents.
Looking closely...
It was a colossal serpent, dozens of meters long.
Its black, white-edged scales rippled, layer upon layer.
Its massive body coiled and slithered through the water.
As the scales shifted against one another, a faint, metallic ringing vibrated through the entire area.
The Fat Catfish Spirit’s barbels quivered violently, and bubbles burst from its slimy skin as if it were boiling.
Its eyes were filled with terror.
It wanted to turn and flee, but its body seemed to disobey it, unable to move an inch.
Nearby, the two pythons were coiled into tight knots under the pressure of this aura, and Crimson Blood Beads even began to seep from the gaps between their scales.
As if sensing the two pythons’ condition,
The oppressive aura enveloping them suddenly withdrew.
"My apologies. I just broke through and haven’t quite gotten a handle on my strength yet."
The black serpent—Hu Qi—spoke, his voice deep and raspy, with a hint of languor.
It echoed freely through the waters, now chaotic from the shattered cavern walls.
In an instant,
upon sensing this aura, nearly all aquatic life within a ten-li radius began to tremble, fleeing into the distance.
"It was this ugly freak! He was trying to bully us! Good thing you showed up in time, Big Brother!"
The Yellow Python, who had been panicked and frightened just moments before,
snapped out of it the moment it saw Hu Qi.
As it spoke, it shot a provocative glare at the Fat Catfish Spirit, putting on the air of a dog backed by its master’s power.
The Red Python, however, looked on with ever-deepening reverence.
’His Big Brother’s power has actually reached this level.’
’Just the pressure of his aura alone was almost enough to kill me.’
’It’s simply terrifying.’
Hu Qi ignored the two pythons.
His gaze fell upon the Catfish Spirit, which was frozen in place.
His serpentine mouth opened slightly,
Revealing rows of fine, serrated teeth and fangs as sharp as crescent moons.
Then, those massive jaws rushed forward, growing larger and larger before the catfish’s eyes.
"Great King, this is all a misunderstanding!"
Just then,
seeing that it was about to be swallowed whole by Hu Qi,
the Fat Catfish Spirit finally snapped to its senses.
It hastily cried out,
"This humble one is merely a Spirit Monster under the command of the great Vortex Demon King! I came here purely on the orders of the great Demon King."
"I did not come to your territory, Great King, to run wild or cause you trouble."
As it spoke,
it trembled inwardly, never having imagined...
...that the ’Big Brother’ these two mentioned was actually a Great Demon who had reached the Dao Foundation Level.
’What kind of joke is this?’
’Why would a member of the Demon Race at this level reside in a remote corner of Tai Ze Lake?’
’But that wasn’t important right now.’
’What was important was saving its own skin.’
Fortunately, it wasn’t some wild Spirit Monster with no backing.
GURGLE...
The churning current suddenly stilled.
The cavernous, bloody maw had stopped less than a meter from the top of its head.
A thick, foul stench washed over it.
Seeing this,
the Fat Catfish Spirit’s body went limp, its once-tense muscles almost giving out completely.
It had been so close.
So close to death.
"The Vortex Demon King?"
Hu Qi’s voice, tinged with confusion, echoed out.
"That’s right! This humble one came here on the orders of my Demon King..."
At this, the Fat Catfish Spirit breathed a long sigh of relief inwardly.
It quickly began to explain.
It was terrified the other party wouldn’t understand the gravity of the situation and would kill it on the spot.
Then it would be too late for regrets.
The Demon Race was composed of various creatures that had undertaken Cultivation.
Even after gaining sentience,
there were still differences, to a greater or lesser extent, between them and humans.
Many still retained their bestial instincts.
It wasn’t uncommon for them to attack at the slightest disagreement, without any thought for the consequences.
Soon,
from the other’s explanation,
Hu Qi came to understand the general situation.
After an ordinary member of the Demon Race gained sentience, they would draw the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy into their bodies, strengthening themselves to a certain point.
Then, they could condense Demon Energy and be considered a Spirit Monster.
At this stage, a great chasm separated them from ordinary creatures.
They were no longer the same kind of being.
After accumulating Demon Power to its peak, opening their Meridian Passages, successfully transforming, and condensing a Demon Essence,
they could be called a true demon and would be able to use some Magic.
As for being worthy of the title Demon King,
one had to be a powerful member of the Demon Race who had reached at least the Nascent Element Realm.
The Vortex Demon King mentioned by this Fat Catfish Spirit was one such Demon King at the Nascent Element Level.
This individual ruled an expanse of water with a five-hundred-li radius in a corner of Tai Ze Lake.
He was its sole master.
The reason he had dispatched the Fat Catfish Spirit was not for any other matter.
It was an order from the Vortex Demon King to inform all the nearby members of the Demon Race.
In half a month’s time, they were to attend the celebration for the Vortex Demon King’s wedding to his thirty-third concubine.
"...This humble one has caused a great offense this time. I was blind and failed to recognize a great personage. I have been a disturbance. This humble one will take its leave now!"
the Fat Catfish Spirit said.
Seeing that Hu Qi did not stop it,
it gave a fawning smile.
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