Chapter 124: The Recorded Names in Tianshu Hall, The Demon Workshop Master

The golden wind and jade dew, the mountain peaks like coiled hair.

Cranes cry gracefully beneath the pines, insects chirp in the grass; spiritual energy rises from the ground, and a crisp, rustling sound echoes.

Winding and twisting, moving constantly through the long corridors of the mountains, passing many pavilions and towers, Liu Xiang finally led the group to a palace.

Before the steps stand three or five strange trees, their shade dense, dark green and ancient.

Smoke-like light passes over the treetops, folding into the doorway, with frost-like patterns appearing, a hazy expanse of purple and cyan.

Around the doorway, smoke condenses into clouds, and the halo of light is dazzling, like flowers seen through mist, blurry and indistinct.

All around is still the use and folding of space; although Fang Longye could also do this, he could not achieve such complexity.

Liu Xiang's face was grim, the layers of halos behind him swaying—a sickly, deep green—as he forced a smile and said, "We have arrived!"

"Tianshu Hall."

Fang Longye's eyes shifted, examining the demon script on the palace plaque.

Is there no one here?

Looking at the cold and desolate palace, Fang Longye pondered in secret.

"This place is specifically for registration and record-keeping; while it is considered a core location, there is almost no need to come here again after one has joined the Demon Master Mansion."

Having spent a long time idling in the Demon Master Mansion, Jiao Mowang saw the look on Fang Longye's face and immediately understood his thoughts, explaining it to him.

"Wait, someone will come out to receive you."

Liu Xiang stood before the palace gate, his sleeves fluttering in the wind, and after giving Fang Longye a deep look, he spoke in a cold voice.

Then, he forced a smile at Jiao Mowang and Peng Mowang and said, "Two Highnesses, I shall take my leave now."

Having said this, he turned directly and walked down the steps; once he left the palace grounds, water light misted beneath his feet, the sound of waves arose, and he quickly vanished from sight.

No sooner had Liu Xiang left than the palace gate slowly opened, and a female demon immortal walked out from within.

She was heroic and spirited, her hair tied up in a bun, wearing simple and compact indigo armor, boots on her feet, and a sword at her waist, its tassel dancing.

On the woman's forehead was a dot of cinnabar, looking like a third eye, surrounded by flowing, radiant light.

She had no trace of Demon Clan features; were it not for the surging demonic aura around her, she would have seemed like a female immortal from the Heavenly Palace.

"I wondered who was coming; so it is the two Highnesses bringing a friend! What? Are you trying to recruit someone into the Demon Master Mansion again?"

The latter half of the sentence was clearly directed at Peng Mowang.

"Sister Mingxi, this is my good friend, Dragon Lord Yuanlong. Please take care of him!" Feeling Fang Longye's gaze, Peng Mowang's face was immediately filled with smiles.

This female demon immortal stared at him with a look that was not quite a smile for a long time.

She chuckled: "Heh heh~ Little Highness, you don't really think I'm unaware of your ugly behavior, do you?"

She weighed an Image Stone in her hand and said with a beaming smile: "You spend all day playing tricks on others; today, I actually got to see a good show~"

Peng Mowang's face turned black instantly, but he had nowhere to vent his frustration.

After teasing him, the female demon immortal named Mingxi put away the Image Stone, nodded to Fang Longye, and said: "I have long heard of Dragon Lord Yuanlong's great name; seeing you today, it is truly well-deserved."

"You are too kind~"

"Follow me! The Hall Master has been waiting for a long time."

"Thank you for your trouble!"

Crossing the threshold, the interior of the palace was empty and vast, with almost no trace of people.

However, along the way, they saw a few demon immortals, clearly acting in roles similar to clerks.

They were not busy, moving as if strolling in a leisurely courtyard.

Mingxi walked in front, her hair bun swaying, her indigo armor small and exquisite with very intricate patterns embroidered on it, and her knee-high boots made a crisp sound as they stepped on the glazed floor.

She kept her hand on the sword at her waist, holding her head high, like a dancing crane.

There was a sense of determination and decisiveness in her brows, making her look very heroic, and the aura around her body felt as if she had just come from war, filled with the tempering of iron and fire.

It was not just Mingxi; the few demon immortals they saw on the road were clearly holding positions equivalent to civil service based on the tasks in their hands.

Yet, their bodies still naturally exuded a biting aura, exceptionally tough.

This was normal; this was the headquarters of the Demon Clan—the Demon Master Mansion—and none of the figures who could come here were simple.

Walking up the stairs, they arrived at the third floor of the hall.

Mingxi signaled for the group to enter, then quietly withdrew.

The hall was not large, just ordinary.

There was almost nothing miraculous about it.

The Tianshu Hall Master, sitting upright before a desk, appeared to be nothing more than an old man with a white beard and a bulbous nose.

Sensing his aura, he felt like a mortal.

"Greetings, Hall Master."

Fang Longye bowed respectfully.

Having read all kinds of storybooks and novels in his past life, Fang Longye understood that the more someone acted like this, the more they were a big shot playing the pig to eat the tiger.

"Oh, no need for formalities. You are the lad, Dragon Lord Yuanlong, right?" The old man didn't even look at Jiao Mowang or Peng Mowang, only sizing up Fang Longye. Fang Longye felt as if the gaze pierced through everything, seeing his background and details seven or eight parts clearly.

This bulbous-nosed old man scratched his messy hair and muttered to himself: "What were you applying for again? Oh, right, Demon Workshop Master."

He raised his hand, and divine light descended from the dome, revealing an exquisite and delicate bookshelf, less than two zhang high, engraved with all kinds of strange patterns.

The compartments were carved into the shapes of different birds and beasts, containing numerous animal-skin books that kept flashing with radiance.

"Demon Workshop Master? This one!" The old man reached out, and an animal-skin book flew out, landing in the void between the two.

Even though it was a small animal-skin book, it felt like Mount Tai Pressing Top, suppressing everything.

Vast and majestic.

Auspicious energy swirled around it, purple and cyan clouds gathered, and faintly, billions of runes rose, countless demon-script seal characters flew across, and the phantoms of various figures flickered.

At a glance, one knew it contained incredible power.

Fang Longye was suddenly somewhat hesitant.

It was truly such a grand spectacle that he really did not know if there might be some scheme hidden within.

Seeming to perceive his thoughts, the old man with the bulbous nose rolled his eyes and said impatiently, "If there really were a problem inside, now that you are standing right in front of me, could you even stop me?"

Fang Longye gave an awkward smile.

"If you are willing to take the post, take out the Workshop Establishment Token."

Fang Longye gazed at the fortune and calculated the omens of good and ill, but there was no warning.

He immediately took out that bronze-colored token.

The old man nodded and struck it with a beam of light; the token in Fang Longye's hand lit up with a lustrous white divine radiance, drawing a wisp of his Aura inside.

Various lines spread out, coiling into all sorts of strange patterns. Finally, his image appeared on the blank front side, with three Demon characters generated at the bottom right.

"Yuanlong Dragon Lord."

Following this, his image and the Demon character name both radiated light, forming a phantom projection that swayed gently and cast itself into that animal-hide book.

Afterward, that animal-hide book wobbled and returned to the bookshelf.

A faint wailing sound came forth, like the gentle turning of a flute, and with the Divine Light swirling, the bookshelf vanished from sight.

"Hoo—"

Fang Longye exhaled a breath. There was no warning from heaven and earth, which dispelled his suspicions.

There was indeed no scheme here; only by leaving his image here and stationing a wisp of his Aura could he obtain the benefits that only a Demon Workshop Master could enjoy.

"Three opportunities to exchange for Dao Scripture and divine abilities for free."

"Authorization to read various secret records and information."

"A discount to exchange for ten treasures at half price every thousand years."

Finally, "You may request one Golden Immortal to be stationed at the Yaofang to ensure your safety."

Fang Longye's eyes flickered; this last item was likely established specifically for him!

This white-haired old demon with the bulbous nose yawned and said lazily, "Ordinary Demon Workshop Masters do not have such treatment as you."

"Except for the first item which is the same as yours, the second requires a fee, the third has the number of treasures halved, and the fourth, like the second, requires payment."

Fang Longye bowed in salute without saying a word.

Some things are understood in the heart.

He naturally kept this favor in his heart.

The old man with the bulbous nose waved his hand, and with a flick of his sleeve, he swept everyone out of the hall, landing them back in their original positions.

If not for the token in his hand that had already changed its appearance, Fang Longye would have thought it was just an illusion.

"Fellow Daoist, do you need a place to stay to sort through what you have gained?" Jiao Mowang asked with a smile.

"Then I will trouble you, Brother Daoist." Fang Longye smiled freely. After all, he had lived a long time and was very observant.

……

The third floor of Tianshu Hall.

It had long since changed its appearance; it was no longer cramped as before, but vast and boundless.

The old man with the bulbous nose from just now, dressed in black, stood on a high platform; above his head was the eternal starry sky, with stars floating and sinking.

Some shone brightly with scorching brilliance, while others hid away, leaving no trace.

Just like the fate of the Demon Clan since its establishment, rising and falling.

"I hope you do not let down the investment our Demon Clan has made in you!"

"The Demon Clan will always have a corner for you~"

The Demon Clan was built by gathering the masses; it needed core, die-hard members, but it had always welcomed the stopovers of those who were half-hearted.

……

Second chapter today~

(End of chapter)