Chapter 453: Old Friends Reunite, Setting a Killing Trap; Tian Peng Emerges from Seclusion

Above Huaguo Mountain, the void rippled as Su Chen and Bai Ze stepped out from a spatial passage.

The sea wind whipped the mountain’s demon flags, snapping loudly.

Huaguo Mountain, once bustling, now lacked its usual vitality, draped instead in a heavy, oppressive lethality.

Before the Water Curtain Cave, a cold moon hung in midair; Chang Xi stood within its silver light, her jade palace gown untouched by dust.

Bai Ze saw her, paused, and after a moment of silence, stepped forward, clasping his hands to bow.

“Bai Ze, pays homage to…”

Before he could finish, Chang Xi raised her hand, a thread of moonlight cradling his arm.

“The Demon Court is gone,” she said, her voice soft, “today, there are no sovereign and subject—only old friends.”

Bai Ze stiffened, looking up at Chang Xi, unsure how to respond.

After a long while, he whispered, “My Lady, you’ve endured much these years.”

Chang Xi said nothing, her gaze turning to the northern heavens.

“Di Jun is dead. Tai Yi is dead. The old remnants of the Demon Court are scattered across heaven and earth—who among the survivors hasn’t suffered?”

Bai Ze closed his eyes. That battle, the solar true fire scorching the sky, the Dong Huang Bell shattering mountains and rivers, countless demon lords slain, blood staining the heavens.

Now they held no hatred toward the Wu Clan—only hatred for Kun Peng, who betrayed the Demon Court at the critical moment and stole the Hetu and Luoshu.

“This debt has dragged on too long,” Bai Ze opened his eyes, his voice chilling, “if we have this chance today, I will not let him escape—even if I must sacrifice my life.”

Chang Xi turned to Su Chen. “Can Huaguo Mountain withstand a battle between pseudo-Saints?”

Su Chen nodded.

“Huaguo Mountain, as the ancestral vein of Dongsheng Shenzhou, is naturally unshakable—but the lesser demons within cannot endure it.”

He raised his hand and summoned the Nine Demons Tower; the black ancient tower rose into the air, its nine levels opening, demonic energy coiling into a vortex—not harming, merely drawing in figures.

Inside the Water Curtain Cave, the monkeys had not yet reacted when a gentle force swept them up.

The demon generals and soldiers across the mountain were likewise drawn into the tower.

One little demon had just picked up a jar of wine when his vision blurred—he was already inside the tower.

“Where’s my wine? I didn’t even grab it!”

Inside the Nine Demons Tower, a self-contained space had been carved out by Su Chen, rich with spiritual energy, sufficient to shelter all the demons.

Moments later, half of Huaguo Mountain stood empty.

Only Luan Erjie, Mi Hou Wang, Yu Hong Wang, and fifteen Demon Kings at the peak of Xuan Immortal remained.

Luan Erjie stood behind Su Chen, whispering, “Advisor, I’ve already sent word to Yan Que, instructing him to notify all members of the Demon Alliance not to approach Huaguo Mountain for the next ten years.”

Su Chen nodded. Luan Erjie had grown increasingly mature over the years, sparing him much worry when he was away.

Mi Hou Wang gripped his iron rod, glanced at Chang Xi, then at Bai Ze, his throat working.

He usually talked nonstop, but now he was as quiet as a new recruit; Yu Hong Wang was even more direct, stepping aside silently, awaiting orders.

Bai Ze scanned the terrain of Huaguo Mountain.

“This mountain’s spiritual vein is the ancestral root of Dongsheng Shenzhou, anchored in the Eastern Sea, immensely powerful. To set the Zhou Tian Jue Ling Array, the 365 array flags must seal the earth vein nodes.”

He swept his sleeve, and a mountain-river array diagram materialized.

The map was dense with star points, precisely matching Huaguo Mountain’s ridges, waterways, caves, and cliffs.

Bai Ze began explaining the array setup, speaking rapidly, each word hitting the critical point.

Mi Hou Wang’s scalp prickled; staring at the dense star points, he blurted, “Master Bai Ze, what if one flag is placed wrong?”

Bai Ze glanced at him.

“If one point is misplaced, Kun Peng will not be trapped.”

Mi Hou Wang fell silent at once, daring not to ask again.

If that old bird escaped, Huaguo Mountain would pay the price.

Bai Ze withdrew a set of array flags, each engraved with ancient demon script, radiating an aura that severed heaven and earth.

As the group prepared to disperse and set up the flags, suddenly, deep in the rear mountains, a thunderous vibration erupted.

A beam of light shot skyward, followed by a crushing aura of Jin Xian peak.

Rocks tumbled, trees swayed; Mi Hou Wang spun around.

“Enemy attack?”

Su Chen’s brow lifted, sensing the rising energy.

“No. One of ours.”

As Su Chen spoke, a figure burst from a peak within Huaguo Mountain.

The figure had a pig’s head and human body, fangs bared, draped in a Daoist robe stretched grotesquely tight—it was Tian Peng, who had been in seclusion for over three hundred years.

He held a nine-tined rake, stepped on cloud qi, and upon emerging, threw back his head and laughed.

“Hahahaha! Old Pig has finally restored his Jin Xian peak cultivation!”

His laughter echoed through the forest—then abruptly cut off.

Tian Peng saw Chang Xi, his grip on the rake trembled; he saw Bai Ze, his eyelid twitched.

Finally, he looked at Su Chen—whose cultivation far surpassed his former Tai Yi Jin Xian level.

Tian Peng froze in place. He counted the years—only three hundred years had passed, not thirty thousand.

His lips twitched; he stared at Su Chen, speechless for a long while.

When they first met, this boy was barely a Ren Immortal—now, mere centuries later, Su Chen had surpassed his former self.

Was this reasonable? It was not.

Tian Peng took a deep breath and pointed at Su Chen: “You kid, be honest—aren’t you the Heavenly Dao’s illegitimate son?”

Su Chen said: “Just lucky.”

Tian Peng nearly choked. “Just lucky?”

He stole a glance at Chang Xi, straightened his robe, sucked in his belly, puffed out his chest—but his pig head ruined any aura of transcendence.

Chang Xi merely glanced at him and said: “Tian Peng.”

Tian Peng immediately bowed.

“My Lord Star Jun.”

Su Chen nearly laughed. This Marshal had many flaws, but before Chang Xi, he was utterly obedient.

Bai Ze turned to Su Chen.

“Who is this?”

Su Chen said: “Marshal Tian Peng. Former commander of the Heavenly River Army. Now temporarily residing at Huaguo Mountain.”

Bai Ze’s eyes flickered.

“Commander of the Heavenly River Army?”

Hearing this, Tian Peng straightened his spine.

“That’s right—this old pig. Back then, I commanded eighty thousand troops of the Heavenly River.”

He finished, stealing a glance at Chang Xi.

But Chang Xi showed no change in expression, leaving Tian Peng slightly crestfallen.

Bai Ze stepped forward.

“Perfect.” He pushed the array diagram toward Tian Peng. “Huaguo Mountain’s water veins are complex. I must set the Zhou Tian Jue Ling Array. Someone must regulate the water veins—Tian Peng Marshal is the best choice.”

Tian Peng glanced at the diagram, still tempted to put on airs.

But the moment he saw it, his face changed.

“May I ask, Master, who are you?”

He looked at Bai Ze, his gaze now serious.

Bai Ze said calmly: “Bai Ze.”

Tian Peng nearly dropped his rake.

The ancient demon sage Bai Ze! What is happening on Huaguo Mountain today?

The Yin Star Jun is here—and now Bai Ze too?

He couldn’t help asking: “What are you planning to do on Huaguo Mountain?”

Su Chen said calmly: “Kill Kun Peng.”

Tian Peng froze, his large pig ears twitching twice.

“Who? Kun Peng?”

Tian Peng swallowed hard.

“Can I still run away?”

Su Chen looked at him.

“What do you think?”

Tian Peng let out a forced laugh.

“I was joking.”

He immediately rolled up his sleeves and hurried to Bai Ze’s side.

“Master, I’ve dabbled in array arts. Don’t worry—the water vein regulation is mine. If Kun Peng truly dares come, I’ll show him what a former Heavenly River Marshal’s professionalism looks like.”

Mi Hou Wang muttered under his breath: “Didn’t you just want to run?”

Tian Peng turned and glared at him.

“What do you know? I was just checking the risk—habit.”

Yu Rong Wang chuckled from the side: “In plain terms, he chickened out.”

Tian Peng’s face darkened.

Su Chen waved his hand, cutting off the others’ jesting.

“We don’t have much time—let’s get moving.”

At the order, everyone began to act.

Bai Ze presided over the array, while Chang Xi guarded the surroundings to prevent Kun Peng from arriving prematurely.

Tian Peng regulated the water veins, Su Chen coordinated the personnel, instructing them to plant the three hundred and sixty-five array flags according to Bai Ze’s directions.

With each flag planted, the spiritual energy around Huaguo Mountain diminished by a fraction.