Chapter 2535

This is the divine artifact that the Heavenly Demon wanted to take from Shangguan Biao's hands—Yangguan Dao!

He Lingchuan once smashed the "Yangguan Dao" into pieces right in front of the Heavenly Demon, making them abandon their hopes. How many Heavenly Demons believed that was the Heavenly Demon's doing? At least Zhu Xiuer and the others simply didn't believe it.

Dong Rui took it over, lightly tapped it twice, murmured some words under his breath, then aimed it at the hookworm—just one flash, and the mirror surface lit up.

"Oh, got it, got it!" This thing is really useful! "Inside the hookworm's body, there exists another completely different lifeform, visible as clear as day!"

As long as you master its usage and know how to search, Yangguan Dao can not only detect consciousness but also seek out life.

Ling Jinbao asked the prisoner: "Tell me about the peach blossom mark."

"We are called 'Night Demons,' and each Night Demon is responsible for a district in Baishu City. Whenever a peach blossom mark appears in our district, we must rush over as quickly as possible to collect… this." Tao Zhi tapped his chin on the table, "The embryo sac!"

"So the peach blossom mark is just a marker, to help you identify your prey?"

"Yes." Tao Zhi dared not refuse, "The peach blossom mark only grows on pregnant women, and once their embryo sac is taken away, the mark soon disappears."

"Then who is responsible for applying the peach blossom mark to them?"

"I don't know that. I only do the tasks in my hands, and dare not ask further."

"So the women who lose their embryo sacs don't even know they've had a miscarriage." Dong Rui nodded, "Being marked with the peach blossom several times could mean several miscarriages—no wonder their bodies gradually weaken."

Ling Jinbao frowned: "But that doesn't make sense. Wouldn't the city physicians detect a happy pulse in these women?"

"The embryo sac is too small, there's no fetal heartbeat, so the pulse doesn't show." Dong Rui pointed at Tao Zhi, "Its task should have a time limit."

"Yes, yes. These women begin to show a peach-blossom complexion within three days, and we must complete our task then. We absolutely cannot, cannot delay until the seventh day." Tao Zhi curled into a ball, "There have been Night Demons who delayed, and they were killed."

"Look, if given more time, the physicians would be able to detect the happy pulse. Handling the aftermath would then become very troublesome."

The main event has arrived.

"You came out of Yanxia Bay, didn't you?"

"Yes."

He Lingchuan spoke: "Tell us honestly what's inside, and perhaps we can spare your life."

"The main body of Yanxia Bay is the Lingyun Palace, but we can only live in the outskirts, called Yingzui Town." Tao Zhi licked his lips, "After retrieving the embryo sacs, we hand them over to the leader, who then takes them to Lingyun Palace to submit, and after that, we have nothing more to do."

So that place is actually called "Lingyun Palace"?

"Tell us about Lingyun Palace."

"There is a barrier between Yingzui Town and Lingyun Palace—we cannot enter at all. But I heard from a Night Demon leader who's been there that the inside is very vast."

He Lingchuan took out a small sand table and placed it before him: "Draw me a map of Yingzui Town."

Tao Zhi dared not refuse.

His drawing skills are very poor, but barely enough to make out.

"Also, how do you enter and exit the Yanxia Bay barrier? How many guards are stationed there?"

Tao Zhi lifted the fur on his belly, letting everyone see underneath:

"As long as I am alive, this symbol can help me pass through the barrier."

There is a branded mark on his belly, and the first thing Ling Jinbao saw made him want to dig it out.

But Tao Zhi also said, this brand must be on a living body for the barrier to recognize it.

"Any other living creature trying to enter the barrier will be detected, even if using invisibility or illusion arrays—it will still be seen through." Tao Zhi added, "I heard this barrier is sustained by a divine artifact of a great heavenly god, whose name is Miao, Miao…"

Miao Miao?

"Miao Zhantian?"

"Exactly! That's the name."

He Lingchuan really hadn't expected to hear the great name of Miao Zhantian in this remote seaside country.

Ling Jinbao interjected: "When did your leader enter Lingyun Palace?"

"Just these past ten or so days." Tao Zhi dared not refuse, "Actually, recently many people have come to Yanxia Bay by ship, all heading to Lingyun Palace, but manpower is still insufficient, so some Night Demons were reassigned to support. Our leader came up five days ago and told us the palace is undergoing major renovation, now bustling with activity."

"What kind of renovation?"

"The specifics, he doesn't know, but Yanxia Bay's seabed has newly opened several tidal caves, where many people are busy. On the day they flooded the caves with water, he happened to be there and watched the whole process."

Ling Jinbao wondered: "What are tidal caves?"

"They are artificial reef caves built by the sea. When the tide comes in, seawater flows in; when it recedes, seawater remains inside. With this constant rise and fall, the seawater inside keeps exchanging." The Yanshan Islands have many such tidal caves, though natural ones, and in winter they still emit wailing sounds like ghosts crying, which old fishermen once thought were the calls of yin vipers.

"What's inside the caves?"

"Who knows? The caves are pitch black, and we don't like water."

Zhu Xiuer couldn't help but interject: "Did you see a huge block, bigger than a whale?"

"He never mentioned it." Tao Zhi said, "The leader only came back once, then the next day was reassigned to Lingyun Palace and never returned."

Zhu Xiuer sneered: "He won't be coming back."

"Ah?" Tao Zhi exclaimed, "No way? We Night Demons have also been reassigned in large numbers."

"One by one, all will not return." Zhu Xiuer said gloomily, "Having seen the palace's secrets, still want to return alive to boast?"

After saying that, Zhu Xiuer dragged him aside, set up a soundproof barrier, then joined the discussion:

"If we want to find the Hidden God Sovereign, we probably have to go ourselves. Sneak in or force our way?"

"Let's sneak in first to learn the way." He Lingchuan pondered, "Let the Earth Mother make preparations, and if necessary, launch a strong attack!"

"How to get in?" Ling Jinbao suggested, "Should we take the water route? Those tidal caves connect to the sea at high tide—we might be able to sneak in."

"That water route will likely be a heavily guarded key point of Lingyun Palace, with who knows how many checkpoints and traps waiting. I fear no living being can enter or escape without them noticing." He Lingchuan analyzed, "We must enter through a place they cannot defend against."

Zhu Xiuer glanced at Tao Zhi, who couldn't hear what they were saying, but felt a chill down his back: "Why not, peel off the symbols on this guy's belly?"

"That's only one symbol. If we capture a few more Night Demons and Yanxia Bay finds them missing at dawn, it might raise alarm. Besides, the barrier of Yanxia Bay comes from Miao Zhantian's hand—we don't know if the scattered symbols can fool it. If not, it would instead alert Yanxia Bay." Yanxia Bay hides the Heavenly Demons' top-secret matters, so its alert level must be very high.

(End of Chapter)