Chapter Eighty-Four
By the window, a wisp of demonic energy coalesced into human form. Sen Yu, clad in black robes, stood concealed in the lamplight, his features both bewitching and handsome. His eyes held a cold gleam, carrying the sharp ferocity unique to the demon tiger clan.
“You are... the Second Prince of the Demon Realm?”
When Sen Yu came to Great Marsh Mountain to pay his respects to Xian Shan and Xian Zhu, he was intercepted by Yan Shuang. Ayin had caught a distant glimpse of him then.
Seeing Sen Yu nod, Ayin grew alert, positioning herself protectively in front of Yan Shuang. “What brings you to the Heavenly Palace?”
After A Jiu’s massacre at Great Marsh Mountain, many immortals suspected the Demon Tribe was behind it. With Sen Yu sneaking in under cover of night, Ayin naturally regarded him with heavy hostility.
“There’s no need for alarm. I mean no harm.” Sensing Ayin’s animosity, Sen Yu spoke gravely. “I’ve come because of Hong Yi.”
A Jiu? Ayin remained unmoved, her expression turning even colder. “He slaughtered Great Marsh Mountain. The Immortal Realm has already sentenced him to the Nine Heavens Mystic Thunder Punishment. What more is there to say?”
“Aren’t you curious? Though Hong Yi is domineering, his nature is pure and kind. He received the protective grace of Xian Shan and Xian Zhu—how could he possibly commit such an atrocity against Great Marsh Mountain?”
“Countless High Immortals across the realm witnessed it with their own eyes. Could that be false? Even if I don’t believe it, what can I do?”
“Sometimes, what is seen with one’s own eyes may not be the truth,” Sen Yu said. “Even if you don’t believe Hong Yi, as a disciple of Great Marsh Mountain, don’t you wish to know the truth behind its destruction? Though your senior brother has ascended to High God, the treacherous affairs of the Three Realms are far more complex than you imagine. If the truth of Great Marsh Mountain remains uncovered, even with his status as the son of a True God, his future may not be peaceful.”
Hearing that the Great Marsh Mountain incident held hidden depths and could implicate Yuan Qi, Ayin looked at Sen Yu. “What do you mean? What hidden circumstances surround A Jiu’s massacre of Great Marsh Mountain?”
Seeing Ayin willing to set aside her prejudice and listen, Sen Yu began, “There is one matter, known only to the Demon Emperor and the Fox race, that has remained hidden from the outside world until now.” He paused, then spoke heavily, “The Fox race’s tribal chief, Chang Qin, was assassinated in the Demon Realm’s Nether Mountain several months ago.”
“How could that be? Chief Chang Qin possessed profound demonic power...”
Ayin was stunned. She and Yuan Qi had just seen Chang Qin at Tranquil Mountain a few months ago—how could it be so sudden? Moreover, Chang Qin possessed strength at the peak of High Lord level—who could have killed her so easily? Remembering the tragic death of Lan Feng, Ayin frowned and exclaimed, “Could it be...”
“Yes, it was the Demon Tribe,” Sen Yu said, his expression icy. “She met her end at Nether Mountain. By the time I arrived, she was already...” Sen Yu did not continue. “There was an aura of the Demon Tribe at Nether Mountain. Only the most treacherous force in the Three Realms could have killed her so easily.”
“Since leaving the Third Heaven two hundred years ago, Chang Qin had remained at Tranquil Mountain, seldom leaving the Fox race. Why did she suddenly depart the mountain? Where was she going? And why was she assassinated by the Demon Tribe at Nether Mountain? All of it is a mystery. Returning to Tranquil Mountain to investigate, I discovered that the Fox race Elder Chang Mei was also missing. According to other Fox race Elders, before Chang Qin left the mountain, a High Immortal from the Immortal Realm had entered Tranquil Mountain to meet with her in secret. I searched for months but could not uncover which High Immortal had entered Tranquil Mountain that day. It wasn’t until news of Hong Yi at Great Marsh Mountain arrived that I began to suspect the one who visited Chang Qin was likely High Venerable Xian Shan or Xian Zhu. They must have discovered something unusual about Hong Yi, which prompted them to go to Tranquil Mountain to see Chang Qin.”
Ayin listened quietly, her frown deepening.
“So that’s why you came to Great Marsh Mountain to see my two senior brothers?”"Yes, I want to know exactly what they said to Chang Qin and what they were investigating that led to Chang Qin's tragic death and Chang Mei's disappearance. Unfortunately, before I could meet the two High Immortals, disaster struck Great Marsh Mountain."
"Even if everything you say is true, what about A Jiu? It is an undeniable fact that he slaughtered Great Marsh Mountain and pursued Yan Shuang and Qing Yi."
"It was not him who slaughtered Great Marsh Mountain," Sen Yu spoke slowly.
Ayin suddenly looked up. "What did you say?"
"Hong Yi is the last remaining Nine-Tailed Fox Demon of the Fox race. With Chang Qin gone, he must return to the Fox race to inherit the throne. That day, when I learned he had ascended to godhood, I hurried from Rakshasa Land specifically to tell him about Chang Qin's misfortune and bring him back to the Fox race. But I was a step too late. When I arrived, he was already trapped in the immortal net cast by Yu Feng and others. Sensing something amiss, I hid nearby. During the battle between the immortals and Hong Yi, they were distracted and did not see that at the last moment, when Hong Yi broke through the immortal net, a mass of Demonic Qi escaped from his body. My instincts told me something was wrong, so I followed the Demonic Qi. Unexpectedly, even though it had been severely wounded by Immortal Power within Hong Yi's body, it still detected me. I fought with it at the Immortal-Demon boundary, but it managed to escape. Later, when I returned to the Immortal Realm, I learned that Hong Yi had slaughtered the entire Great Marsh Mountain. If my guess is correct, Hong Yi must have been controlled by the Demonic Qi. Everything he did at Great Marsh Mountain was against his will, not his true intention."
Seeing Ayin's shocked expression, Sen Yu continued, "Ayin, I know you and Hong Yi share a deep friendship. Otherwise, you wouldn't have brought him back to Great Marsh Mountain that day. In three days, the Immortal Tribe will punish him with the Nine Heavens Mystic Thunder Punishment at the Azure Dragon Platform. He is severely injured. If he endures the Heavenly Thunder again, he will surely die. The Fox race has only this last lineage left. I beg you, for the sake of your past friendship, help me save him."
"If I hadn't been merciful and brought him back to Great Marsh Mountain, none of this would have happened." Ayin took a deep breath. Though visibly moved, she refused to believe him. "You have no proof that Demon Lord Chang Qin died at the hands of the Demon Tribe, and your claim that A Jiu had Demonic Qi in his body is merely your word. Immortals and demons have long-standing grudges. How do I know you aren't colluding with the Demon Tribe, deliberately harming my Immortal Tribe?"
"You don't believe me?" Sen Yu's expression turned angry.
"The tragic scene at Great Marsh Mountain is right before my eyes. How can I believe you? If what you say is true, why hasn't the Demon Emperor presented evidence to prove that A Jiu and the Fox race were framed by the Demon Tribe, and that your Demon Tribe never intended to harm the Immortal Tribe?"
Sen Yu frowned. The reason he came to the Heavenly Palace half a month later was that he had rushed back to the Demon Realm to inform Sen Hong of this matter. But he had no evidence, and the fact that Hong Yi slaughtered Great Marsh Mountain remained. If the Demon Emperor intervened forcefully to demand the Immortal Tribe hand over Hong Yi, it would likely ignite an immediate conflict between immortals and demons.
Hong Yi was imprisoned in Yu Feng's Immortal Locking Pagoda, and the Demon Tribe could not approach it. He had no choice but to seek Ayin's help.
Seeing his troubled expression, Ayin said solemnly, "Since you could come to Phoenix Roost Palace, why not go to Sunlit Palace and tell Yuan Qi about these matters? If there truly is another hidden truth behind the Great Marsh Mountain tragedy, how could he stand by and do nothing?"
"That is precisely why I came to Phoenix Roost Palace tonight," Sen Yu replied.
A trace of confusion appeared in Ayin's eyes.
"The one in Sunlit Palace now is not Gu Jin, but Divine Lord Yuan Qi. His Upper Deity Power envelops Sunlit Palace. I would be detected by the Immortal Tribe before I could even get close. Do you think, if I rashly appeared in the Heavenly Palace now, I would still have a chance to rescue Hong Yi?"After the destruction of Great Marsh Mountain, High Immortals like Yu Feng suspected it was a deliberate act by the Demon Tribe, putting them on high alert. They had already reinforced the Immortal-Demon boundary with a hundred thousand Immortal Generals. Sen Yu feared that as soon as he appeared in the Heavenly Palace, he would be torn to pieces by a crowd of furious High Immortals.
Ayin understood Sen Yu's purpose, "You want me to persuade Yuan Qi?"
"Divine Lord Yuan Qi awakened because of the Great Marsh Mountain disaster, which means Great Marsh Mountain must have been extremely important to him. Now, he likely wants nothing more than to eliminate Hong Yi. I have no evidence, so he won't believe me. You are his junior sister—perhaps only your words will reach him."
Seeing Ayin's hesitant expression, Sen Yu spoke earnestly, "Ayin, with the Demon Tribe emerging, the Three Realms are bound to face great chaos. Chang Qin and Great Marsh Mountain have already fallen victim to them. If we cannot uncover the mastermind behind this soon, the calamity to come will be even greater. Even though Yuan Qi is the son of a True God, with the Ancient Divine Realm now closed, he will find it difficult to remain unscathed. Even if not for Hong Yi, for Yuan Qi and the innocent lives lost at Great Marsh Mountain, you should believe me."
"Not just for my two senior brothers and everyone at Great Marsh Mountain, and not just for Yuan Qi," Ayin looked at Sen Yu. "Demon Lord Chang Qin showed kindness to me and A Jin. If it truly is the Demon Tribe secretly causing trouble and taking her life, A Jin and I will not stand idly by."
She paused briefly, her eyes clear and resolute, "Right or wrong, whatever the truth may be, A Jin and I will uncover it together."
Sen Yu nodded, "As long as you can persuade Divine Lord Yuan Qi to postpone the Mystic Thunder Punishment scheduled three days from now and give me time, I will surely find a way to uncover the truth."
Ayin glanced at the sky, "Tomorrow morning, I will go to Sunlit Palace."
Sen Yu's figure gradually faded, "I will remain at Phoenix Roost Palace, awaiting your news."
Late at night, Wind Spirit Palace, Immortal Locking Pagoda.
Hong Yi was imprisoned in the pagoda by the immortal net, covered in wounds and still unconscious. Though he was the one who slaughtered Great Marsh Mountain, his brow was furrowed with gloom, as if he were enduring immense suffering.
Yuan Qi stood before the immortal net, silently watching him, his eyes devoid of any emotion.
Chang Que stood behind him, glancing worriedly at Yuan Qi but not daring to speak.
"Your Highness, why have you come to the Immortal Locking Pagoda?"
Since Hong Yi destroyed Great Marsh Mountain, logically, Yuan Qi should have no desire to see him again except to witness his death under the Mystic Thunder.
"Because there are many things that cannot be explained."
Yuan Qi suddenly spoke, leaving Chang Que even more puzzled, "Cannot be explained? What things?"
"Yu Feng and Hua Shu believe Hong Yi is the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon who killed Lan Feng in the Heavenly Palace, but when Lan Feng was murdered, Hong Yi was still at Great Marsh Mountain."
"Didn't High Lord Yu Feng speculate that Hong Yi used the pretext of ascending in rank to secretly leave Great Marsh Mountain and infiltrate the Heavenly Palace to kill High Lord Lan Feng?"
"No, back then, since my senior brother vouched for Hong Yi in front of all the immortals, it means he was certain Hong Yi was definitely in the Hall of Eternal Life during those two days, facing his tribulation and not leaving the mountain. Someone deliberately killed Lan Feng, then returned to Great Marsh Mountain, framing Hong Yi for Lan Feng's death and shifting the blame onto him."
"Who would have such capability?" Chang Que looked surprised.
"Several months ago, a Demon Creature appeared at Great Marsh Mountain. At the time, my senior brother and I didn't know the origin of that creature or how it managed to break through the Mountain Protection Array and escape in an instant, leaving no trace."
"Your Highness now...?"Yuan Qi gazed at Hong Yi, who lay unconscious within the immortal net, his expression cold and grave. "That Demon Creature's Demonic Power has long since ascended to the level of a High God, which is why none of us ever detected it—it has been hiding within Hong Yi's body all along."
As his words fell, a silver Divine Light swept from his hand toward the slumbering Hong Yi.
Beneath the Divine Light, a faint, sinister trace of black Demonic Qi flickered around Hong Yi's neck, revealing a menacing and chilling aura.
Deep within the Nine Nether Purgatory, the Demon Venerable, who was recuperating amidst the prison flames, suddenly opened his eyes, a flicker of alarm crossing his face.
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