Chapter 457: The Nine Demon Tower Hides Two Saints; Departing for the Western Cattle Continent

Inside the Water Curtain Cave, waterlight shimmered on the stone walls.

Outside the cave, the Zhou Tian Spirit-Blocking Array still hummed, its three hundred and sixty-five flags pressing down on the earth veins, causing all spiritual energy within Flower-Fruit Mountain to retract—even the birds and beasts had grown quieter.

Su Chen did not rush to leave.

Since the Peng had wanted the other members of the Demon Alliance to lure him out, he wouldn’t act only in the Western Cattle Continent.

Though this ancient demon master had been tricked once and suffered a crushing defeat, as long as he still lived, he remained among the most formidable figures in the Three Realms.

In the secret chamber, Bai Ze, Chang Xi, Tian Peng, and Luan Erjie were all present.

Su Chen stood before a stone table, upon which lay a map of the Western Cattle Continent’s mountains and rivers.

He pointed out one by one the locations of demonic clans: Cuiyun Mountain, Jilei Mountain, Bibo Pond, and others.

“The Peng avoids Flower-Fruit Mountain because he suspects a trap here. Yet he doesn’t strike in his own stronghold, the Northern Wilderness Continent, because he fears I’ll grow fearful and refuse to come. So he chose the Western Cattle Continent—where neither side holds much power.”

Su Chen’s finger landed on the region of Cuiyun Mountain.

“He knows the Demon Alliance was founded by me and Monkey Brother. Back then, the Six Great Demon Sages stood united; when Hong Haier was captured, if Brother Niu were harmed, I could never stand idle.”

Bai Ze nodded, agreeing with Su Chen’s assessment, then added: “The Peng is a master strategist. When he served in the Demon Court, Emperor Jun didn’t employ him merely for his high cultivation. So the three of us cannot appear together—if we three openly head to the Western Cattle Continent, he’ll surely hide and refuse to show himself.”

Chang Xi looked at the mountain range on the map and understood Bai Ze’s meaning.

“So your plan is to make him believe Su Chen was truly forced out of Flower-Fruit Mountain.”

“Precisely.” Bai Ze nodded.

“That’s easy—we just need to ask the two of you to endure some temporary inconvenience.”

Su Chen’s mind stirred, and the Nine Demon Tower flew from his spiritual sea and landed above the stone table.

The nine-tiered ancient tower rotated gently, its surface swirling with demonic runes; within, a self-contained space formed, layered with light and shadow, severing all external heavenly omens.

Bai Ze stared at the Nine Demon Tower, his gaze sharpening.

“You mean for the two of us to enter this tower?”

Su Chen gave a slight nod. “The Nine Demon Tower forms its own realm—it can absorb people and conceal spiritual traces. If the two of you suppress your magic power and enter the tower, the Peng won’t sense you.”

Chang Xi looked up at Su Chen, her brows slightly furrowed.

“Then when the time comes, you’ll face the Peng alone. Since he wants to draw you out, he likely believes he can kill you in one strike.”

“Lady, rest assured—I have the Chaos Bell guarding me. I’m confident I can hold my own against the Peng for a short while.”

Su Chen summoned the Chaos Bell; the ancient bell hovered above his head, its body of dark-yellow hue, inscribed with archaic patterns, swirling with chaotic energy within.

Tian Peng stared at the Chaos Bell above Su Chen’s head, his eyes burning with envy.

“You’ve become more and more bizarre, kid. Even the Chaos Bell—a primordial supreme treasure lost for countless eons—you managed to find. Too bad this old pig, in both past and present lives, has enjoyed great fortune yet still owns not a single primordial spiritual treasure. If I meet that old Peng demon, I won’t last a single blow.”

Su Chen glanced at him.

“If Marshal isn’t confident, you may enter the tower too.”

Tian Peng cleared his throat.

“I’ll pass. My cultivation’s too low—I’d just take up space inside. I’ll stay behind to guard the array at Flower-Fruit Mountain. What if the Peng feints elsewhere?”

Luan Erjie whispered: “Advisor, my cultivation is too weak to help—I’ll stay too.”

Su Chen nodded.

“Flower-Fruit Mountain does need someone to hold it. Marshal, Luan Erjie—you and the other demon generals remain behind. If anything changes outside, don’t break the array—just defend the Water Curtain Cave.”

Bai Ze studied Su Chen for a long while, then finally spoke: “Young friend, I agree to enter the tower. But I must say one thing first.”

“Please, Elder,” Su Chen said.

“If things turn hopeless, save yourself first.”

Bai Ze’s tone was grave.

“The Peng deserves death, but not at the cost of your life. The Demon Emperor has only just become a Semi-Primordial, and the Demon Alliance’s foundation is still unstable. If you fall in the Western Cattle Continent, the consequences are unimaginable.”

Chang Xi added: “I’ll only kill the Peng—I won’t be the one to bury you.”

The words were harsh, yet they carried genuine concern for Su Chen.

Su Chen smiled, offering no rebuttal.

“Both elders, rest easy—I haven’t yet attained the Primordial Dao. I won’t die.”

Bai Ze shook his head, chuckling.

“Bold words indeed.”

The three settled on their plan. Su Chen raised his hand and cast a spell; the gate of the Nine Demon Tower opened.

Bai Ze swept his sleeve, drawing in all his spiritual traces, then transformed into a streak of white light and vanished into the tower.

Chang Xi glanced once at the moonlight outside the cave, then her form dissolved into lunar radiance and entered the tower.

Inside the Water Curtain Cave, Tian Peng circled the Nine Demon Tower half a turn and grunted.

“If you used this thing to ambush someone, it’d be downright despicable.”

Su Chen retracted the Nine Demon Tower into his spiritual sea and smiled. “Against the Peng, there’s no need for honor.”

As the two spoke, two sharp sounds pierced the air outside the Water Curtain Cave.

One ahead, one behind, demonic clouds swept across the sky above Flower-Fruit Mountain.

Before the mountain guards could speak, a booming voice roared out.

“Where’s Brother Su Chen?”

“We’re here!”

Su Chen stepped out of the Water Curtain Cave. The clouds descended, revealing Jiao Wang, clad in black robes, draped in a water-patterned cloak, surrounded by misty vapor—he had grown stronger, his cultivation now at the Mid-Stage of Taiyi Jin Xian.

Behind him stood Shi Tuo Wang. Both froze upon seeing Su Chen.

Jiao Wang studied him from head to toe, then laughed and cursed.

“You rascal, Su Chen! After all these years apart, you’ve already become a Da Luo Jin Xian!”

Shi Tuo Wang clapped Su Chen on the shoulder—hard.

“Back when we gathered at Flower-Fruit Mountain, you were still chasing after us. Now look—you’ve leaped ahead of all your brothers.”

Su Chen bowed.

“Greetings, Second Brother, Fourth Brother.”

At those words, both Jiao Wang and Shi Tuo Wang smiled—though their cultivation and status had changed, their bonds had not.

Jiao Wang said: “Big Brother sent urgent word: Hong Haier has vanished. Luan Erjie said this is tied to the Demon Master Peng. What’s really going on?”

Su Chen didn’t hide anything.

He told them everything: how the Peng had sought the Hong Meng Purple Qi beyond the realms, how Su Chen had shattered his refinement with the Chaos Bell, how the Peng dared not storm Flower-Fruit Mountain for revenge, and how he’d instead turned to the Demon Alliance.

Upon hearing this, Shi Tuo Wang slammed his great blade into the ground.

“So what if he’s the Demon Master? He dares touch my nephew—I won’t stand for it!”

Jiao Wang sighed. “When Peng Wang attacked you back then, we feared the Peng would strike the Demon Alliance. But over these years, neither side broke the peace—yet here we are, finally facing him.”

Shi Tuo Wang looked at Su Chen.

“Brother, tell us what to do. I may be too weak to fight the Peng myself, but I can handle his Demon Master Palace disciples.”

Jiao Wang added: “Fourth Brother’s right—we’ll follow your orders, Brother Su Chen.”

Su Chen said: “Thank you both for your trust. Then I’ll speak plainly: when we reach Cuiyun Mountain, we’ll pretend to be frantic, making the Peng believe we’ve failed to see through his plan and have lost our composure. He’s waiting for me—I’m waiting for him. Let’s see who bites first.”

Both Shi Tuo Wang and Jiao Wang nodded.

“Understood. You’re the Demon Alliance’s advisor—we follow you.”

After finalizing their plan, Su Chen wasted no more time.

He raised his hand and summoned the Chaos Bell, pouring primordial magic into its body, opening a spatial passage.

At the passage’s end, the mountain and river energies of the Western Cattle Continent reached out.

Su Chen stepped into the spatial passage.

“Brothers, come.”

“Alright, let’s go see Big Brother!” They answered, then entered the passage.

The three entered the passage. Moments later, the void above Flower-Fruit Mountain sealed shut again.