The kitchen.
Chen Fan looked at the compass and quickly got up.
The Fire Demon's private kitchen was large, with all sorts of seasonings.
Guided by the Dragon Scale Compass, Chen Fan opened the drain of the washbasin.
Instantly, a fiery red lava stone appeared before his eyes.
Lava stone, something exclusive to the Fire Demon.
"This is not the Fire Demon's."
Chen Fan's brows suddenly furrowed.
He was very familiar with the Fire Demon's aura.
Yet, this lava stone carried no trace of the Fire Demon's presence. Instead, it exuded a more explosive aura.
"Could it be that another Fire Demon exists?" Chen Fan was surprised.
Wasn't it said that the Fire Demon was the last ancient ferocious beast in this world?
How could another one appear?
If not, then how could this lava stone be explained?
Chen Fan looked at the lava stone, sensing the aura contained within it.
Slowly, a voice echoed in Chen Fan's mind.
A familiar voice, from the Fire Demon.
"City Lord, someone brought something of a fellow creature. I need to go out. If I haven't returned within three days, it means something has happened. Remember to save me..." This was the Fire Demon's last voice.
"Where am I supposed to save you?"
Chen Fan was speechless.
There was no map, no marker.
If he wanted to save someone, he wouldn't know where to go.
Putting away the lava stone, he asked, "How long has the Fire Demon been missing?"
"Two days and one night."
"Mm."
He nodded in acknowledgment and then said, "Then, let's wait and see..."
"Yes."
...
Two days passed in a flash.
During these two days, Chen Fan did nothing but wait for news of the Fire Demon.
Unfortunately, there was none.
"Time is up."
Chen Fan's expression was grave.
Its absence meant the Fire Demon had indeed run into trouble.
At this moment, no matter who encountered trouble, the Fire Demon could not.
But, where could he find the Fire Demon?
"Bang."
Suddenly, Chen Fan's expression changed.
The lava stone, which he had placed on the table, exploded.
From the shattered lava stone, a flame spirit the size of a thumb emerged.
This little fellow was extremely weak, shaped like a lizard, and engulfed in flames.
"Fire Demon?"
Chen Fan sensed a familiar aura.
"City Lord."
The Fire Demon was very weak: "I am a part of the Fire Demon's soul."
Chen Fan remained silent, merely looking curiously at the flame lizard before him.
So this was the Fire Demon's true form, his first time seeing it.
"City Lord."
The Fire Demon's soul was anxious: "I can feel the weakness of my main body, it is at its last breath. I beg the City Lord for aid."
Fine.
Chen Fan withdrew his gaze.
The Fire Demon could not be in trouble, let alone die.
"Do you know where it is?"
"Mm."
The flame lizard nodded vigorously.
There was a connection between the main body and the soul of the subordinate form.
"Old Demon, let's go."
Chen Fan summoned Old Demon and instantly shot into the sky.
Everyone in Wenlan City saw the beam of light shooting into the sky and rapidly departing.
This had almost become Chen Fan's signature. Whenever there was any commotion, it meant the City Lord had gone out.
There was no doubt.
The flame lizard perched on Chen Fan's shoulder, pointing the way for him.
"Ching."
Sword light sliced through the sky, followed by demonic energy in its wake.
Old Demon had now long since recovered to his peak state.
As for his cultivation, it had naturally returned to the realm of a half-step Supreme.
Over a hundred years ago, he had possessed this very cultivation.
"Over there..."
The flame lizard pointed again.
The two men and one beast flew through the air, breaking through the void.
"Hmm?"
As Mia Forest appeared within his line of sight, Chen Fan's brows furrowed.
"It's down there." The flame lizard pointed at Mia Forest.
"This place..."
He remembered. There was another demon existing within this forest.
During the battle at Sacred Mountain that day, the Sacred Emperor had summoned the demon from Mia Forest to assist.
After the battle, the demon had disappeared.
During this period, Chen Fan had long since forgotten about him.
He had almost forgotten about that demon.
If it weren't for seeing Mia Forest again, Chen Fan truly wouldn't have remembered.
"Clang!"
The Ama-no-Murakumo sword appeared directly in his hand.
The sword light was like a blazing sun, dazzling and boundless, as it slashed down.
With a 'boom', before the sword light even fell, a beam of light shot up from Mia Forest.
The beam was pitch-black, filled with demonic energy.
Ching!
The demonic flame beam could not stop the sword light and was torn in two.
The sword light's trajectory remained unchanged, directly striking into Mia Forest.
Mia Forest was instantly torn open by the sword light, a ten-thousand-meter-long rift appearing, nearly splitting the forest in two.
Gurgle, gurgle.
Demonic energy surged.
The formation sealing Mia Forest had been cut open by a single sword strike.
The power of oblivion began to dissipate.
As if the seal had been removed, immense demonic energy poured out.
The demonic energy quickly enveloped the entire Mia Forest.
A voice echoed from within Mia Forest: "Is City Lord Chen here for retribution?"
The speaker was none other than that familiar demon.
Before Chen Fan could respond, the other party continued: "On that day, I assisted the Angelic Holy Assembly and stood against City Lord Chen. It was my mistake to choose the wrong side. Since I lost, I must accept it. I am willing to offer some treasures to let this matter be bygone. Is that acceptable?"
Chen Fan smiled faintly: "Originally, I had forgotten about you, but you insisted on reminding me. That's where you went wrong."
"...What does City Lord Chen mean?"
"The literal meaning."
Mo Chong: "????"
"Where is the Fire Demon?" Chen Fan inquired.
"What Fire Demon?"
Mo Chong feigned ignorance: "The Fire Demon you raised? City Lord Chen came to my place looking for the Fire Demon? Has he gone missing?"
"I never said he was missing," Chen Fan chuckled.
Good heavens, he confessed without being prompted.
He had initially thought it would take some effort to get the other party to admit it, but now, it seemed unnecessary.
Mo Chong: "..."
"Heh heh."
His laughter was somewhat awkward: "City Lord, you jest. Of course, I don't know if the Fire Demon is missing..."
"Enough."
Chen Fan was too lazy for such back-and-forth, and waved his hand, interrupting the other party: "Release him, and today's matter will be considered settled. Otherwise, I will level this forest today."
He didn't say kill, only level Mia Forest.
The implication was already clear: leveling Mia Forest meant killing everyone within it.
"..."
Mo Chong remained silent.
If he could, he truly didn't want to clash with this newly emergent overlord.
He had thought his actions were seamless, but who would have thought he'd be discovered so quickly.
"Sigh."
Feeling that his luck was turning sour, Mo Chong sighed: "May I ask how the City Lord discovered it?"
Chen Fan did not reply, shaking his head.
His movements were leisurely, yet the Ama-no-Murakumo sword was spitting out sword light.
Stalling for time is useless.
What I want to do, not everyone can stop, not everyone is qualified to stop.
"I'll try."
Old Demon, who had remained silent throughout, volunteered, his body radiating powerful demonic energy.
Looking at the demonic mist below, he said, "Our powers are of the same origin. Today, let us have a good fight, one to the death. Either I devour you, or you slay me. How about it?"
"..."
"Hearty."
Old Demon laughed heartily: "We demonic cultivators, we take life and death lightly. If you're not satisfied, fight! Kill..."