Chapter 224: Great King, Is It Really You? Alive, You

Facing the threat of two Demon Emperors, the old monkey straightened his hunched frame, his eyes locked on the two Demon Emperors like an aging general holding his ground, fearless and unyielding.

“Your Graces, though old, I know what matters most to Great Demon Mountain—this cave is tied to the survival of my clan; it cannot be handed over.”

The old monkey showed no sign of retreat.

The Dragon Emperor snorted coldly nearby, causing the air around him to tremble.

“Old Monkey, don’t force us to punish you. Do you really think your Black Feather Peak can withstand our combined might?”

The Dragon Emperor now dropped all pretense, laying bare his threat.

The old monkey’s heart tightened instantly.

……

“I just had an idea!”

Watching the tense scene before him, Xuan Yuan Shuo’s eyes gleamed, as if he’d caught a rare opportunity, whispering secretly.

Both turned to look at him, their gazes filled with confusion.

Xuan Yuan Shuo said: “According to our investigation, Great Demon Mountain still has at least one hundred and fifty Soul Transformation-level Demon Kings, tens of thousands of Nascent Soul-level beings, and millions of other demons—such immense power, if we could harness it…”

Second Uncle stared at his burning gaze, frowned, and asked: “What are you planning?”

Xuan Yuan Shuo suddenly turned to Zhou Qing, his eyes holding a trace of hope, and said: “I originally thought we’d drag them out slowly, but now it seems we won’t have much time to interfere.”

“Moreover, Great Demon Mountain lies precisely between Blood Prison Mountain and the Thousand Illusion Labyrinth, backed by the territories of two Demon Emperors behind it—such a perfectly balanced, surrounded territory is better seized by us than left for other demon clans to claim.”

Seeing Xuan Yuan Shuo’s intense stare at Zhou Qing, Second Uncle seemed to guess something, but still shook his head.

“This plan is too risky—too many flaws. Don’t even think of targeting him,” Second Uncle said.

Xuan Yuan Shuo turned to Second Uncle: “If not him, then help me—he can already transform into Jin Peng’s form; for you, it should be effortless.”

Upon hearing this, Second Uncle felt a pang of guilt.

The Emperor’s Radiance Scripture originated from the bloodline inheritance technique of the Jin Peng clan. The Old Peng King had purified his bloodline to such an extent and awakened the ancestral powers hidden within—it was truly remarkable.

But I never cultivated the Emperor’s Radiance Scripture, nor do I possess Jin Peng blood—how can I fake it?

Beside him, Zhou Qing had also grasped the gist, disbelief creeping in.

You want me to impersonate Peng Emperor Feng Xuan Yi?

What nonsense is this?

But Second Uncle still had to warn him beforehand, lest this fool develop improper thoughts.

“The technique Zhou Qing cultivates is called the Emperor’s Radiance Scripture, derived from the bloodline powers of the Jin Chida.”

“You know how bloodline inheritance works—only those with direct spiritual lineage can cultivate it; even soul-searching won’t work.”

Xuan Yuan Shuo frowned slightly, a flicker of disappointment crossing his eyes.

What do you mean, old man? Afraid I’ll steal it?

The conditions to cultivate a demon bloodline technique are incredibly strict. Zhou Qing reaching this level is sheer luck.

But this Emperor’s Radiance Scripture came from that feathered beast?

I’ve clashed with him for years—never once saw him use it.

And when Zhou Qing first used it against his disciples, I was terrified—I truly thought a demon had appeared.

The purity of that golden radiance? Feng Xuan Yi spent his whole life chasing it and never reached it.

But if it came from the Old Peng King of Cang Lan Mountain, that makes no sense either.

You weren’t there—his corpse, and the second spiritual consciousness born from it, were both crushed by the Emperor’s finger. Everyone below the abyss searched thoroughly.

Where did you get this Emperor’s Radiance Scripture?

And you didn’t cultivate it yourself—you gave it to your favorite disciple?

You clearly care for him more than you let on.

But none of that matters now. Since Zhou Qing cultivates it, it can work.

“Great Demon Mountain desperately needs a leader. Zhou Qing can perfectly mimic the Jin Peng’s form. Help him transform into Feng Xuan Yi’s appearance. I have a secret technique that lets Zhou Qing unleash a Zhan Ling-level attack for a short time—what do you say?”

Xuan Yuan Shuo looked between Zhou Qing and Second Uncle, eyes brimming with anticipation.

Second Uncle immediately shook his head: “Too dangerous…”

“I’ve already broken through to mid-Zhan Ling. Letting Zhou Qing unleash a Zhan Ling attack will let him touch this realm early—how many would kill for such an opportunity? And it won’t harm me much.”

Xuan Yuan Shuo hurried to explain.

Upon hearing this, Second Uncle’s eyes lit up.

That… isn’t impossible.

But then he remembered the critical issue, his brow furrowing again: “But this boy won’t stay on the border—aren’t you digging your own grave?”

Xuan Yuan Shuo remained calm: “No problem. As long as the other Demon Emperors believe Feng Xuan Yi hasn’t truly perished, no one will dare lay claim here. And when the time comes, Zhou Qing can simply announce he’s entering seclusion.”

Second Uncle fell silent, then slowly turned his gaze toward Zhou Qing.

The decision must be his own.

To be honest, Zhou Qing was tempted.

Not because of anything else—but the chance to unleash a Zhan Ling-level attack. This would greatly benefit his future cultivation.

How many spend their whole lives without ever seeing a Zhan Ling cultivator, let alone standing in that realm to comprehend it?

"If you strike once, I’ll reward you with twenty supreme spirit stones—how’s that?"

Seeing Zhou Qing hesitate, Xuan Yuan Shuo seized the moment.

Zhou Qing’s hands clenched involuntarily into fists. After a moment, he spoke: “I want Wu Xing spirit stones—preferably fire and water attributes!”

Xuan Yuan Shuo’s eyes sparkled with amusement, and he answered without hesitation: “Agreed!”

“You know Feng Xuan Yi’s appearance—hurry up!” Time was critical. Xuan Yuan Shuo turned to Second Uncle, then formed hand seals and slammed them onto his own forehead.

The next instant, a miniature figure resembling a Nascent Soul—or perhaps a Primordial Spirit—slowly pulled itself out of Xuan Yuan Shuo, his face twisted in agony.

Witnessing this eerie sight, both Second Uncle and Zhou Qing involuntarily gasped.

……

“Old Monkey, why be so stubborn? If you truly won’t yield, I’ll give you two-tenths of the treasures inside Feng’s cave—how’s that?”

Seeing the old monkey still unmoved, the Dragon Emperor lost patience and spoke bluntly.

The old monkey shook his head again.

As always: what lay behind him was the lifeline of them all—no way would he surrender it.

Seeing the old monkey’s resolve, the Spider Empress burned with rage, her once alluring face twisting into a grotesque snarl.

Behind her, a colossal spider phantom slowly emerged, spewing thick black mist from its mouth—wherever it touched, the air corroded, releasing a pungent stench.

“Since you refuse wine, you’ll take the punishment!”

The Spider Empress roared, and the spider phantom lunged toward Hei Ling Peak.

The massive impact shook the entire peak violently, boulders tumbling down with deep, rumbling crashes.

Many demons looked on in terror, unsure where to flee.

Yet strangely, Hei Ling Peak did not collapse—after a brief tremor, it returned to stillness.

The old monkey and the other Demon Kings turned pale, instinctively retreating and assuming defensive stances.

The Dragon Emperor frowned, about to tell the Spider Empress to ease up—don’t draw Xuan Yuan Shuo’s attention.

But the next instant, a deafening cry erupted from within Hei Ling Peak—a golden light shot across the sky like lightning, striking straight at the Spider Empress.

The golden light moved too fast—the Spider Empress had no time to react fully before it was upon her.

In panic, she instinctively blocked, her giant spider phantom swelling instantly, its eight thick legs crossing into an impenetrable defensive web.

At the moment of collision, a thunderous boom erupted.

The Spider Empress felt a terrifying force slam into her, pain exploding through her body, hurling her backward uncontrollably.

When she finally staggered to a stop, she couldn’t suppress a choked groan—blood trickled from her lips.

The pride in her eyes now flickered with fear and disbelief.

The Dragon Emperor froze, as if only now realizing what had happened—he turned sharply toward the golden light.

There, suspended in midair, stood a colossal figure, wreathed in blinding golden radiance so brilliant it blinded the eyes.

Wings spread wide, blotting out sun and sky like twin golden heavens—each flick sent a piercing whistle through the heavens.

“Feng… Feng Brother?”

When they finally recognized the figure, the Dragon Emperor stood frozen, the Spider Empress pale with terror.

From that single strike, she sensed the opponent was even stronger than before.

Zhou Qing held his head high, eyes like twin blazing golden suns, fixed on the two.

His aura was vast, commanding, and naturally awe-inspiring!

Behind him, the old monkey and the other Demon Kings stared at the majestic silhouette in the sky, eyes filled with excitement and joy, hands trembling as they whispered: “Great King—is it truly you?”

If not the Great King, how could he emerge from Hei Ling Peak?

“Great King!” Regardless of truth or falsehood, the old monkey cried out first.

The other Peng clan members, after a brief stunned silence, erupted in cheers.

The despair that had hung over them vanished instantly—they knelt, bowing reverently to Zhou Qing; some wept uncontrollably.

Behind Hei Ling Peak, Xuan Yuan Shuo’s face was pale, his expression stunned.

Why does Zhou Qing’s transformation look different from the training ground?

And this form… it’s nearly identical to the Old Peng King beneath the abyss of Cang Lan Mountain.

What’s going on?

“Don’t look at me—if we’re exposed, we strike and kill them outright!”

"By the way, after this, silence or erase the memories of anyone who saw Zhou Qing transform into the Golden Peng on the training ground—avoid trouble!"

After giving his warning, the Second Elder fixed his worried gaze on Zhou Qing.

Xuan Yuan Shuo nodded, refrained from asking more, and turned his gaze back forward.

At this moment, Zhou Qing calmly looked down at the two Demon Emperors below, yet his heart surged with excitement.

The sensation of that single strike was simply exquisite—he felt like a sovereign, able to erase ordinary Soul Transformation cultivators with a mere gesture.

Is this the power of the Severing Spirit realm?

But hearing the countless demonic beings bowing behind him, he quickly steadied his spirit, confirmed the puppet given by the Second Elder was still in his bosom, then gazed at the two Demon Emperors and spoke slowly.

"Gentlemen, aren’t you rushing things a bit?"

When the Serpent Emperor and the Spider Emperor heard this familiar voice, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief. "You’re not dead?"

They never imagined Feng Xuan Yi, who should have perished, would appear now—and in such a powerful form, repelling the Spider Emperor.

As for the other Demon Kings, tears burst from their eyes; they trembled with excitement.

Their pillar still lives!

Zhou Qing watched their expressions and felt a deep, satisfying thrill.

With only a Soul Transformation cultivation base, to intimidate two Severing Spirit Demon Emperors in this instant—who else could accomplish such a feat?

At this moment, his expression remained as calm as still water, utterly unruffled. "Do you really wish me dead so much?"

Upon hearing this, the Serpent Emperor’s heart clenched; he quickly forced a smile. "No, no! Seeing Brother Feng still alive, we’re genuinely overjoyed."

The Spider Emperor hurried to add: "Brother Feng, it’s a misunderstanding—everything is a misunderstanding. We were merely worried that the Wei Lun Demon and Qing Luo Beasts might threaten Taiyao Mountain, so we acted hastily. Please don’t take offense."

Zhou Qing merely gave a cold snort, then slowly descended. As his body shimmered with light, he resumed his true form—Feng Xuan Yi’s appearance.

Yet now his face was slightly pale, as if recovering from a grave illness, yet radiating an unusual sharpness.

This was a role Zhou Qing had improvised for himself.

After all, Linggu Mountain had been utterly leveled, forming a vast abyss, a place perpetually shrouded in darkness where anyone approaching would be disturbed by negative emotions.

Such a horrific scene was enough to prove a Severing Spirit cultivator had indeed perished.

The Peng Emperor had been seen there, and after being missing so many years, even if not dead, he must have been severely wounded.

Since this was a performance, it couldn’t be too perfect—otherwise suspicion would arise.

Better to reveal the wounds outright—it would avoid suspicion.

Indeed, seeing Zhou Qing in this state, the Serpent Emperor and Spider Emperor’s expressions subtly shifted.

He’s alive—but injured. Yet he must have gained an extraordinary opportunity.

But how much has he recovered?

They exchanged glances, each seeing the same hesitation and unease in the other’s eyes.

As fellow Demon Emperors, they knew the terrifying power of this realm—if they struck rashly and he retaliated in his dying moments, dragging one of them down, they’d be doomed.

Even injured, it wasn’t worth it—it would only benefit others.

The Wei Lun Demon, the Qing Luo Beasts, even the human race, all hoped they’d slaughter each other and then reap the rewards.

The Serpent Emperor took a deep breath, forced a smile, and spoke: "Xuan Yuan Shuo’s words are never trustworthy—he’s too cunning. Now that we see Brother Feng still in fine form, we’re deeply relieved."

The Spider Emperor added: "Since Brother Feng has returned, you must have much to attend to. We won’t disturb you further—we’ll take our leave now. We’ll visit again soon, to drink and chat with you."

With that, they bowed and turned as if to depart.

But Zhou Qing suddenly spoke: "Wait!"

The voice was quiet, yet it froze the two guilty men in place.

They halted instantly, feigning calm. "Brother Feng, is there something else?"

Zhou Qing slowly pointed behind him at Heileng Peak. "Your strike just now damaged some of the arrays I left behind."

The Serpent Emperor had wanted to claim he hadn’t struck at all, but the words died on his tongue.

In this situation, fewer complications were better.

With a wave of his hand, twenty supreme spirit stones infused with demonic power flew toward Zhou Qing.

The Spider Emperor, knowing he was in the wrong, tossed over thirty supreme spirit stones.

"A small token, compensation for our impulsive actions—please accept it!" With that, the two instantly transformed into streaks of light and vanished.

Looking at the supreme spirit stones in his hand, Zhou Qing’s heart pounded; he couldn’t help but grin.

If not for the Second Elder and Xuan Yuan Shuo backing him from behind, he’d never have dared demand compensation so openly.

But if you’re going to perform, perform fully.

"Your Majesty!"

At that moment, excited shouts erupted from every corner of Taiyao Mountain.

Zhou Qing looked up and saw a sea of demonic creatures, dense as clouds, surging toward him.

After all, two Demon Emperors arriving together had thrown every demon into panic—they’d all crept over secretly, eager to witness the outcome of this standoff.

Who could have imagined their own Majesty still lived—and that the two Emperors from Xueyu Mountain and Qianhuan Miku had fled like beggars begging forgiveness?

Their returned Majesty seemed even stronger than before.

Suddenly surrounded by so many demonic beasts, Zhou Qing felt his scalp prickle.

He immediately turned to the old monkey, ready to give orders—then suddenly realized a grave problem.

How did Feng Xuan Yi usually address this loyal general?

If he misnamed him, he’d expose himself—and all his efforts would be wasted.

Quickly, inspiration struck. He spat a mouthful of fresh blood, his face turning instantly ashen, then gave the old monkey a sharp glance.

The old monkey was no fool—he instantly understood. Though deeply worried, he forced composure.

"I’m entering seclusion—duration unknown. Do not disturb me!" Zhou Qing, despite his weakened state, issued the order with undeniable authority.

Then, with a trembling hand, he activated the Taiyao Token by infusing it with spiritual power.

Instantly, the cave entrance shimmered with five-colored light, then coalesced into a ripple-like portal.

Zhou Qing took a deep breath, stepped into it, and vanished.

Leaving behind a crowd of demonic beings, awestruck and thrilled.

Seeing this, the old monkey and others beamed, eyes glistening, then trembled as they addressed the million demonic creatures.

"Your Majesty is safe! Return to your posts at once! From today, increase patrols around Heileng Peak—no suspicious individuals allowed near."

"Also, issue orders across Taiyao Mountain: all demons must maintain order. Any who cause trouble will be executed without mercy!"

"We obey the Strategist’s command!"

Countless demonic creatures bowed and dispersed in a thunderous rush.

Not far away, two figures watched this scene furtively.

"This kid’s got guts—he just swindled fifty supreme spirit stones right at the end! He’s earned this!" Xuan Yuan Shuo said, a smile flickering in his eyes.

The Second Elder grinned proudly. "Of course—he’s my student. That kind of mindset? Your disciples couldn’t match it."

"Yeah, yeah, you’re amazing, alright? Now’s the chance—let’s go!" Xuan Yuan Shuo rose immediately.

The Second Elder rolled his eyes inwardly: "You’re so petty—you think Zhou Qing’s going to steal your stuff?"

But he hurried after him anyway.

…

Inside the cave, Zhou Qing found himself in a vast circular stone chamber.

At its center stood a stone bed.

The bed, made of unknown material, radiated powerful spiritual energy—far superior to the one he’d seen earlier on Canglan Mountain belonging to the Demon King Hou Shan.

On top of the bed lay a layer of soft golden feathers, emitting a faint glow.

"These are from the corpse-peng Emperor of Canglan Mountain!" Zhou Qing’s eyes lit up.

Back then, Xuan Yuan Shuo had summoned the old Emperor, who crushed the former Peng Emperor with a single finger—many golden feathers were seized.

Below the abyss, Number Six had returned and used some of those stolen feathers to open the hidden chamber.

These must be what Feng Xuan Yi took. Clearly, his obsession with becoming the true Golden Peng was no ordinary one.

Without hesitation, Zhou Qing swept them all into his possession. The jade bed? He’d wait—too obvious. Might cause friction later.

Before he could examine anything else, the Second Elder’s voice echoed in his mind.

Zhou Qing turned, activated the cave again with the Taiyao Token, and two figures entered instantly, dropping four unconscious Demon Kings beside him.

"So this is the feathered beast’s lair?" Xuan Yuan Shuo glanced around, curiosity in his eyes, quickly scanning the ancient furnishings.

The Second Elder also surveyed the room, murmuring in awe: "Pretty bare-bones. Let me see what treasures are here first."

The two immediately began rummaging.

Zhou Qing walked to a shelf lined with numerous vials, each containing one or two pills of varying quantities.

Also hanging on the stone walls were several long swords, radiating chilling cold.

Zhou Qing didn’t touch them. The Second Elder’s words were fine—but Xuan Yuan Shuo wasn’t close.

Don’t think your little tricks can fool a Severing Spirit’s spiritual sense.

Besides, these items would be divided equally later.

In one corner of the chamber stood a massive alchemy furnace, surrounded by jade pestles, jade bowls, and alchemy cauldrons.

So Feng Xuan Yi was also an alchemist.

"This guy actually collected over fifty blood-red Fire Crystal Stones?" Xuan Yuan Shuo pulled them from a hidden compartment, astonished.

(End of Chapter)