Chapter 330: Demon King Temple Fair

330. Chapter 325 Demon King Temple Fair

As soon as the anomaly appeared, Hua Tiancheng noticed it and immediately ordered a thorough investigation, but found no clues.

"What is going on? Could it be that another heavenly and earthly calamity has descended?!"

Hua Tiancheng's heart was in turmoil, probably due to the aftermath of the calamity; his first reaction was that disaster had struck again, everything coming too suddenly and too strangely.

If it were truly some kind of calamity, it would be impossible for Longyuan Mountain to have no awareness; they hurriedly called to contact all parties, including the immortal sect adjacent to Longyuan Mountain.

"How is the Bureau Chief doing now?"

After hanging up the phone, Hua Tiancheng's face turned extremely grim: "Not only the Cultivation Bureau, but even the Cultivation Academies everywhere, and even including the Longyuan Immortal Sect, are experiencing this situation."

The secretary rushed in from outside: "Chief, it's terrible—now the public is panicking, everyone online is discussing it, and the Cultivation Bureau's phone and email are about to be overwhelmed."

If things continue to develop like this, who knows what they'll turn into; the key is that they also don't know the specific cause.

Just as everyone's hearts were in turmoil, a golden stream of light tore through the sky, rushing toward the direction of the Cultivation Bureau, where the surging, majestic spiritual energy instantly vaporized the surrounding clouds.

Often dealing with the owner of this spiritual energy, the Cultivation Bureau is not unfamiliar with this aura.

"It's the Great Sage Monkey King!"

As the words fell, the golden light gradually faded, revealing a furry face, golden hair flowing like flames, filled with an indescribable majesty, and even those pupils shone with brilliant light, inspiring awe.

"Monkey King—"

Hua Tiancheng hurriedly stepped forward to salute respectfully, his expression anxious as he was about to speak, but the Monkey King seemed to know what he wanted to say, waving his hand and saying:

"No need for many words; I already know your affairs, and this journey is precisely because my master ordered me to come here specially to dispel your doubts."

From its tone, it seemed to know what was going on.

"You need not worry; all of this is done by my master."

The Monkey King's words were like a heavy bomb falling into the hearts of Hua Tiancheng and others; they looked at each other, their expressions full of confusion: "Was it the Demon Master who did this?"

Hua Tiancheng's heart grew increasingly uneasy; could it be that they had offended the Demon Master somewhere?

But that shouldn't be the case; over the past year, they have lived in peace with the demon race, and even Hua Mountain, Tai Mountain, Emei, Penglai, and other famous mountains and rivers have been allotted to the demon race, strictly forbidding any human cultivators from going to disturb them.

Hua Tiancheng cautiously asked: "I don't know why the Demon Master would do this?"

The Monkey King's golden beast eyes seemed to see through his thoughts at a glance, smiling as he spoke: "Chief Hua, don't worry; my master is doing this for your benefit."

"My master once said that after the heavenly and earthly calamity passes, everything will return to normal, and the people will live in peace and prosperity—this is clearly a good thing—but Chief Hua, have you noticed that the overall cultivation speed of ordinary people has declined?"

Hua Tiancheng was stunned, then quickly realized.

In fact, he had also noticed this problem.

The Cultivation Bureau selects talent strictly; one must reach a certain cultivation level and realm to enter, the threshold is extremely high, and even after entering, there is a quarterly assessment system; if one fails the assessment several times, their duties will be suspended.

The Cultivation Academy also selects students based on aptitude, and the Longyuan Immortal Sect's system is similar; all three forces are very strict, and those who can enter are the elite of the people, naturally not daring to be lax.

But most people are different: their cultivation is ordinary, and as cultivation becomes more difficult later on, and since the calamity has already passed, there is no longer any danger, no one urges them, so their cultivation speed naturally declines.

"So my master hopes to use this opportunity to trigger our sense of crisis and strengthen the training of the general public?"

Speaking with smart people is effortless; just a hint, and the other understands the meaning.

The Monkey King nodded: "Exactly, my master said this is equivalent to weighted training; he has it under control, so you need not worry—now you will be affected, but it will not harm your foundation, and in fact, it will bring benefits later."

Upon hearing this, Hua Tiancheng's hanging heart finally settled, and he bowed deeply to the Monkey King again.

"The Demon Master's righteousness is truly awe-inspiring; please, Monkey King, convey our gratitude to him."

Hua Tiancheng wanted to change this situation but had never thought of a good method; now that the Demon Master has acted this way, the entire populace of Daxia will feel pressure.

With pressure comes motivation.

"The most important point is that this is also to prepare the human race for future cosmic warfare."

Upon hearing the Monkey King's words, Hua Tiancheng was incredulous: "What?! Cosmic warfare?!"

He had not imagined that humanity would one day have this; the Demon Master holds such high hopes for them, and thinking of this, Hua Tiancheng felt his heart surge with emotion.

After all, who wouldn't want to gaze upon the vast, boundless universe? The scene of the Demon Master traversing the void across the universe left a deep impression in their memory.

Since ancient times, humanity has never ceased to dream of entering the universe; technology has developed to this point, detectors have been sent out not a few, and humanity's fantasy of the universe has never stopped.

And now, we have such an opportunity.

The Cultivation Bureau immediately joined other government departments to issue the relevant notice.

【Dear citizens, please do not panic; in light of the heavenly and earthly calamity having passed, our nation's cultivation speed and level have declined per capita, and this frequent anomaly is a special training method of the Longyuan Mountain range; please everyone maintain a calm attitude.】

After the notice was issued, opinions varied from all sides, but fortunately everyone had a sense of reassurance in their hearts, so they did not panic like headless flies.

However, the official did not reveal the matter of cosmic warfare; nowadays, the customs of Daxia are fierce, they revere cultivation, and if they knew this, they feared the entire nation would be in an uproar.

Everyone would rather fly straight into the universe, who would then focus on cultivation? After comprehensive consideration, this matter should still be postponed for later.

"I think this is a good thing; although the heavenly and earthly calamity has disappeared now, we cannot guarantee it won't appear again in the future; indeed, during this period I felt my cultivation had slackened considerably, and indeed I need to strengthen it."

"Being prepared in times of peace, I support the government's approach; although it's a bit hard to bear, it's still within controllable limits."

"The government has made a grand gesture; Longyuan Mountain is quite good; I haven't heard this name for a long time; the last time I heard of it was when the heavenly and earthly calamity had just ended."

"I think it won't work; we ordinary people have finally managed to live peaceful lives, and suddenly this comes along; even if we want to enhance training, that should be for the army and the Cultivation Bureau—what does dragging the general public into this have to do with anything?"

"Do they still want to make everyone a strong person? They didn't even consult our opinions; this kind of forced training really makes people unhappy."

Most people support this training method, but there are always a few muddle-headed ones who voice discordant opinions, though they cannot stir up any waves, after all, arms cannot twist thighs.

Moreover, everyone is reasonable and knows this is for their own good; previously, those blackguards were all suppressed by other netizens' comments.

Later on, even the populace became accustomed to this special training method, felt nothing wrong with it, and after knowing its benefits, even actively demanded to increase the intensity.

Daxia is flourishing everywhere, and Ye Qin of Longyuan Mountain is not idle either; after arranging all this, he prepares to study the matter of the Nine Provinces Immortal Cauldron and the Signal Tower.

The place where the Nine Provinces Immortal Cauldron is buried lies within the blessed lands of Taishan, the Yellow River, the Yangtze River, etc.; even if his true body does not go there, in the dark he can still sense the cauldron, as long as he releases his divine sense.

Ye Qin's eyes flashed with light, a faint green light emanating from his body, then sinking into the ground; Longyuan Mountain is the center of the blessed lands, able to establish connections with other mountains and rivers.

On the other side, the underground great cauldrons in nine different directions also sensed it, the cauldron bodies emitting faint tremors.

The patterns and inscriptions engraved on them seemed to come alive, beginning to wander incessantly, and even the surrounding soil emitted a faint light.

However, this movement was not significant, and since the Nine Tripods were deeply buried underground, they usually did not reveal themselves; even if someone passed by above, they would not notice.

An ancient aura emanated, quickly spreading upward into the sky, continuously extending until it left the atmosphere, still rapidly ascending, and finally breaking free from the blue planet.

In the distant, profound universe, stars of various sizes were scattered, constellations twinkling, filled with endless mysteries; the magnificent Milky Way flowed slowly, recounting ancient history.

On a planet farthest from the solar system, a towering magical artifact stood, its entire body emitting icy black light, its horn-like launchpad aimed at the endless starry sky above, as if transmitting some kind of signal.

This is the signal tower established by the Heavenly Sect; similar devices exist elsewhere in the universe.

From the surrounding fluctuations, it can be seen that the signal tower has begun operating; as invisible ripples spread outward, signal towers of major sects across the universe received this message, including Ye Qin on distant Earth.

【All signal towers have successfully connected; the mysterious world deep in the universe is about to be officially opened. At that time, cultivators of Huanyu may enter via the signal tower in soul form to explore the unknown world in the depths of the universe and obtain great opportunities. This realm is special, capable of reflecting reality—please treat it with caution!】

Perhaps due to the Nine Provinces Immortal Cauldron serving as a medium, the content may be incomplete, or perhaps major sects intentionally concealed it; in any case, the information revealed is very vague.

Just a simple sentence—aside from mentioning an imminent message, there is no information about this world at all, leaving people unable to help but let their imaginations run wild.

However, one thing can be known: this is likely what Qinghuan previously told him—the other world explored by major sects in the depths of the universe.

For this world, high-level cultivators of the universe still place great importance on it, as evidenced by the Heavenly Sect's lavish construction of signal towers.

Yet this world can be entered through the signal tower, somewhat resembling a virtual world in online games, but it can also reflect and display.

Such a world, hidden deep in the universe, inevitably makes people wonder: what kind of place is this exactly?

But it is obvious that the major sects clearly do not understand it either; if there were real benefits, they would not possibly give them away for free to cultivators of Huanyu.

They likely intend to have Huanyu cultivators enter and explore, helping the major sects gather information about this mysterious world.

"Finally, it's about to open?"

Ye Qin withdrew his divine sense, yet he looked up at the void, his eyes filled with curiosity and inquiry.

What exactly is going on in this world?

How many secrets will it hide?

The information he currently has is truly too little, but he believes there should be great opportunities in that world; otherwise, those universe cultivators would not flock to it so eagerly, nor would they make it so mysterious.

"It seems I must make a trip."

Since this world is connected via the signal tower as a bridge, as long as one is within the signal tower's radiation range, the soul can enter; even if Ye Qin and others are on Earth, they can directly enter—it can be said to be very convenient.

After all, not everyone is as strong as he is, capable of entering the universe.

However, under current circumstances, the demon race cannot prematurely expose themselves in the universe; if they went, their souls would surely reveal themselves, and it is unknown what trouble they might provoke, so Ye Qin does not plan to send them.

As for humans, the cultivation level of Xia's cultivators is still insufficient; going to such a world involves many dangers, lest they gain nothing and instead perish there.

Thus, after all considerations, only Ye Qin seems to meet the conditions, but his energy and strength are limited, and he cannot possibly explore that entire world.

Ye Qin's eyes flashed with light, as if he had thought of something: "I almost forgot about them—calculating the time, it's also about time for them to revive, isn't it?"

He slowly closed his eyes, and green light burst from his body; several points of light appeared around him, resembling the Big Dipper, and soon a mysterious pattern emerged.

At this moment, Ye Qin was deducing heavenly secrets; the "they" he mentioned were precisely the ancient people he had previously drawn back from the long river of time.

When Ye Qin first established karmic ties with these ancient people, later, in the fragmented memories of mottled years, he gathered their lingering souls and brought them back to the present world.

However, since this act was too heaven-defying, and to avoid attracting heavenly attention, these ancient people could not revive immediately.

Ye Qin could only have the Great Demon place their vessels—the idols they inhabited—in famous mountains and rivers to rest, accepting incense offerings, so they could shed their clay bodies and live again; it can be said he went to great lengths.

After so long, these ancient people's souls have stabilized, and it is now time for complete revival; they only need a little opportunity, which for Ye Qin is not difficult.

In fact, if not for that heavenly and earthly catastrophe causing radiation to affect everywhere, these ancient people would have already revived half a year ago.

"Old friends, it's time for you to come forth."

The mountain wind stirred slightly; Ye Qin stood atop the peak, his heart already resolved.

Xia Cultivation Bureau.

"Reporting to the Bureau Chief, during this period, everyone's training speed has increased—let alone that, even under these circumstances, some have broken through under pressure; I've investigated the data of several staff members, and all show significant improvement."

The secretary reported excitedly about the recent situation—not only the Cultivation Bureau, but ordinary people as well; although growth is not as obvious as in the Cultivation Bureau, the overall trend is very good.

Hua Tiancheng's pleased expression showed on his face: "No wonder he's the Demon Master—results came so quickly."

The secretary also nodded, voice full of admiration and reverence: "Yes, the Demon Master has far-sighted vision; truly, we cannot hope to match him."

He seemed to think of something, taking out an item from the file folder: "This was sent by the Songshan branch of the Cultivation Bureau, saying the Songshan Demon King has something to discuss with us."

Hua Tiancheng's expression showed a few points of confusion: "What does the Songshan Demon King want with us?"

He took it over; the object's appearance seemed like a letter, made of bark; though somewhat rough, when opened, a vibrant life force burst forth, refreshing and fragrant.

As light flashed, bold characters floated in midair.

"This Demon King specially invites the Cultivation Bureau, Cultivation Academy, and numerous Xia cultivators to come to Songshan for sightseeing, to exchange cultivation experiences; there will also be a Demon King lecture, ancient temple fair, etc. —presented by the Songshan Demon King."

Whether Hua Tiancheng or the secretary, both were stunned in place.

They couldn't have misread it, could they?

The Songshan Demon King has opened wide the gates, inviting human cultivators to come play!

Although Xia's leaders, as well as the Cultivation Bureau and Cultivation Academy personnel, know of the Great Demons' existence, superiors have kept it secret, still not wishing to affect human life.

Most importantly, they fear that if humans learn of the Great Demons' existence and rush to their territories, it might disrupt demon cultivation, possibly breeding conflict; considering all reasons, the authorities have not made an explicit announcement.

Those Great Demons' territories—such as Taishan, Songshan, Hengshan, etc. —the Cultivation Bureau still prohibits idle people from approaching.

Great Demons hold friendly attitudes toward humans, but many demons still dislike interacting with humans.

Yet now, the Songshan Demon King actually issued an invitation, actively inviting them—how could Hua Tiancheng and others not be startled?

They stared at the invitation again and again; it carries the aura of a Great Demon, genuine beyond doubt, absolutely no mistake.

Even more surprising is what comes next: not only the Songshan Demon King, but the Hengshan and Hengshan Demon Kings also sent invitations one after another.

Three Demon Kings sent messages!

The secretary was somewhat at a loss: "Could it be that the sun rose from the west? These Great Demons all sending invitations to human cultivators—truly strange."

Hua Tiancheng, however, stared at the invitation for a long time, pondered briefly, and said: "The Demon Kings all say this was ordered by the Demon Master; since it's the Demon Master's decision, we can unconditionally carry it out."

Although they don't know what medicine the Demon Master's gourd sells, after so many events, Hua Tiancheng and others can say they unconditionally trust Ye Qin.

After all, if Ye Qin truly wanted to be harmful to humanity, dealing with them would be easy as pie—there would be no need to beat around the bush or wait until now.

"The demon race lives together with us on this planet, and they have also provided us with much help, allowing us to overcome difficulties. It is also time to inform the broad masses that they are the benefactors of all humanity."

Originally, the secretary had a stern expression, but upon hearing the two words Hua Tiancheng said afterward, his expression involuntarily turned strange.

However, Hua Tiancheng was not wrong—most people, although they know that Longyuan Mountain still has demon masters, do not know that behind this, it is actually a group of Great Demons.

"Demon" truly means exactly what the characters suggest, and who knows what expression the ordinary people will have when this grand gathering truly begins.

The secretary sighed somewhat: "But speaking of which, lately the demon masters have been acting rather frequently—first, they had cultivators undergo negative-pressure training, and then they let these Great Demons open their doors wide. I always feel the demon masters have some other idea."

When the heavenly and earthly calamities disappeared, the Longyuan Mountain range basically became hidden, and they even never saw a demon master's face. Afterwards, the leaders of Daxia still wanted to visit to personally thank them, but were refused by the demon masters.

If it weren't for the occasional sightings of Great Demons at the Cultivation Academy and Longyuan Immortal Sect, they would almost have forgotten what demons look like.

"No matter what ideas the demon masters have, we just need to support them—the demon masters will not harm us."

"You immediately have the relevant departments issue a notice downward—it's rare that the Great Demons actively invite us, so we must give them face. By then, not to mention all the cultivators of Daxia, at least 80% of people must attend!"

"Also, mobilize personnel to go to Song Mountain, Heng Mountain, and Heng Mountain to assist from the side. It's rare to hold such a grand gathering—we must do everything perfectly and absolutely cannot lose face!"

The secretary nodded and hurriedly began making arrangements. (End of chapter)