As ten people departed, Zi Linling turned to Elder Du and Shen Liuxing. "I had originally intended for you to notify Patriarch Ye to go to the Divine Relic Domain. However, since Patriarch Ye is already aware, you shall now proceed with the second task!"
"What task?" Elder Du and Shen Liuxing asked urgently.
Zi Linling replied, "Return to the Battle Heaven Domain. Gather Brother Xuanyuan, Shangguan, Brother Dan, and Brother Rong. Together, make a trip to the Demon Spirit Domain, the residence of the Spirit Race. Inform them of the impending cataclysm and urge them to prepare."
"Elder Du, you are more familiar with the Demon Spirit Race. Therefore, you shall lead this mission. Try to avoid conflict with them. However, if they are obstinate and refuse to listen, there is no need to be polite. Conquer them by force!"
"Understood!" Elder Du nodded. "Young lady, are you going to the Demon Realm alone?"
Zi Linling nodded. "The Netherworld passage currently only allows one person to pass. Do not worry, I have Long'er, Xiao Hu, Huang Yi, and Xuanwu with me. And if all else fails, I still have the Divine Maiden Palace!"
Elder Du hesitated for a moment. "Very well! Take care of yourself!"
Zi Linling nodded. "The demons and spirits of the Demon Spirit Domain are not very friendly towards humans. Therefore, you must all stay together and not separate, lest you be defeated one by one."
"We know!" Elder Du said, then he pulled Shen Liuxing and prepared to leave.
"Wait!" Zi Linling called out to them, handing them a bottle of Nine Yang Pills. "Be careful!"
"Yes!" Elder Du and Shen Liuxing nodded and headed towards the teleportation array.
Zi Linling then took out another bottle of Nine Yang Pills and handed it to Ye Zhan. "These are Nine Yang Pills. They can heal the internal injuries caused by the Extreme Yin Heavy Water. Take them!"
"Patriarch Ye, once I have awakened Ye Lingyuan, I will bring him to acknowledge his ancestors. At that time, I will definitely address you as 'Father-in-law'! You go and search for your wife's whereabouts. I will meet you as soon as possible."
"Alright! Miss Zi, I will definitely find Yulan!" Ye Zhan said, taking the Nine Yang Pills and turning to leave.
Zi Linling glanced at the Emperor's Palace behind her, then activated the Ghost Gate Pass and proceeded through the Netherworld passage towards the Demon Realm.
The Demon Realm is the dwelling place of the demonic race. The demons here refer to the demonic cultivators on the Azure Star and some corrupted beings, not extraterrestrial demons. With the help of the Ghost Gate Pass, Zi Linling rapidly traversed the Netherworld tunnel. Soon, she arrived at the territory of the Demon Realm. The Demon Realm does not welcome any cultivators other than demonic cultivators or corrupted beings. Therefore, the first thing Zi Linling did upon entering the Demon Realm was to take out the Heaven and Earth Demon Pearl to disguise herself as a demonic cultivator. The Azure Star Soul had said that Zi Linling's close kin were in the Demon Realm, and that Zi Linling needed to rescue them. This close kin could only be her father, Zi Guochang, her mother, Yue Wumei, or her maternal grandmother, Yue Hua. There was no fourth possibility. Zi Linling's first task was to gather information, and the best place to do so was a tavern. Zi Linling found a tavern, sat quietly in a corner, ordered a pot of wine, and began to sip.
"Did you hear? Our Demon Race's Saintess is going to be executed!"
"Saintess? Which Saintess?"
"Who else could it be? It's Saintess Yue Wumei, who returned twenty years ago!"
Upon hearing the name "Yue Wumei," a chilling coldness emanated from Zi Linling. Her fingers gripping the wine cup tightened, and the cup shattered with a sharp crack. The clear sound immediately drew the attention of everyone in the tavern.
"Waiter, I accidentally dropped my cup. Please bring me another one!" Zi Linling suppressed the coldness, endured the anger in her heart, and tried to keep her voice steady.
"Certainly, miss!" The waiter responded and quickly brought a new wine cup. Zi Linling nonchalantly poured a cup of wine and continued to sip. The discussions in the tavern resumed.
"Saintess Yue Wumei? Wasn't she missing for nearly a hundred years? How did she suddenly return?"
"Indeed! Not only did she return, but her brother, the former Demon King Yue Wudi, has also returned?"
"Really? The Demon King has returned?"
"Of course, it's true. However, I heard that the Demon King was severely injured, and only a wisp of his soul remains. He is currently healing in the Demonic Pool!"
"That's so tragic!"
"Isn't it? I wonder what befell them, brother and sister."
"I heard they both fell into the Heavenly Yuan Continent, and our Saintess is no longer pure."
"How is that possible? Both the Demon King and the Saintess were already mid-stage Divine Lord realm powerhouses a hundred years ago. Who would dare to snatch food from a tiger's mouth?"
"You are unaware! I heard that when the Demon King fell into the Heavenly Yuan Continent, his physical body was destroyed. And our Saintess lost her memory, and then married a man from the Heavenly Yuan Continent and gave birth to a daughter."
"What? Such a thing happened? But what does this have to do with the Saintess being executed? Moreover, the Saintess has been back for twenty years, and no one mentioned this before. Why are they suddenly going to execute her now?"
"This... I heard that for the past twenty years, the nine elders of the Demon Race have been trying every means to interrogate her about the whereabouts of the Saintess's daughter, but the Saintess has always refused to reveal even a word."
"So, you mean the Saintess is willing to reveal her daughter's whereabouts now?"
"I don't know about that. Come, let's drink!"
"Then when do they plan to execute the Saintess?"
"In three days. The announcements have already been made. Didn't you see them?"
"Don't be silly, if I had seen the announcement, why would I be asking you?"
"What a pity! Our Saintess is not only beautiful but also kind-hearted. It's truly a shame that she is to be executed like this!"
"Come, come! Let's drink!"
Zi Linling drained the wine in her cup, then placed a few spirit stones on the table and left. She could now confirm that the Saintess mentioned by those people was her mother, Yue Wumei. It was likely that her mother, Yue Wumei, had returned via that black vortex after the battle at the Zi family in the Azure Dragon Empire. She did not know if her mother, Yue Wumei, had regained her memory on the Heavenly Yuan Continent or after returning to the Demon Realm. However, none of that mattered now. What Zi Linling needed to do was rescue her mother. She left the tavern and, following directions, soon arrived at the Demonic Valley. The Demonic Valley is the sacred land of the demonic race, equivalent in status to the Nine Holy Cities of the Nine Sacred Domains.