Yue Zhiyin was reluctant to use excessive force, so she could only suppress him with her aura.
Although Qi Yu and Si Qing and the others were inconvenienced by the auras of Yue Zhiyin and Sui You, making it difficult to approach, it wasn't impossible for them to act if they truly wished.
However, with their abilities, it would be a simple matter to kill Ming Lou in a few moves. But to subdue Ming Lou without killing or injuring him would be quite troublesome. It was more convenient to rely on Yue Zhiyin, Sui You, and Li Yu, who could also change their forms and had a racial suppression effect on Ming Lou.
Sui You let out a phoenix cry and cast a control spell on Ming Lou. With her phoenix claws gripping the back of Ming Lou's neck, she turned to Yue Zhiyin and suggested, "Why don't we seal him temporarily? Once we figure out what's going on and how to cure him, we can find a solution then."
"I've considered that," Yue Zhiyin said, looking down at Ming Lou struggling on the ground. "But Sui You, haven't you noticed that after Ming Lou became demonized, his power has been growing stronger with each wave, as if it's endless?"
"I'm worried that if we seal him, he might explode due to the excessive accumulation of power." This was not an impossible scenario.
Sui You fell silent.
Just then, a commotion suddenly erupted outside. Li Yu had asked his father, Shang Shen Huai'an, to help out here. He then transformed back into his human form and went to investigate.
A young Qilin, who had not yet learned to transform, rushed over, its voice urgent. "Holy Lord, something terrible has happened! The cultivation world is in chaos. Many sects, for some unknown reason, are fighting each other. They're like they've been possessed, fighting fiercely outside. Many disciples of the Bei Yuan Sect have gone out to help, but they can't stop them."
Upon hearing this, everyone's hearts sank.
Li Yu organized the Qilin within the clan who could already transform. He divided them into two groups. One group was to settle the young and the Qilin eggs and find a new water source, ceasing to drink from the Yellow River. The other group was to quickly go out into the cultivation world to spread the word about not drinking from the Yellow River and to unite with the uninfected cultivators to tie up and control those who had gone mad.
A group of young Qilin accepted the orders.
Feng Mingqi, Feng Sixian, and Feng Yunzui left the Qilin tribal territory and headed to the demon realm to mobilize troops, preventing any outbreaks among the demon race due to drinking from the Yellow River.
Qi Nian, Chi Ming, and Qi Yan, who could not help much here, immediately rushed to various tribes to explain the problem with the Yellow River water. This was to prevent widespread chaos.
The remaining Yu Zhen, Li Yu, Yue Zhiyin, Sui You, Shang Shen Huai'an, Si Qing, and Qi Yu, all gathered around the still-restrained Ming Lou, pondering a solution.
Looking at the pained but uncontrollable Ming Lou, Qi Yu pondered for a moment, then walked to the Yellow River water, scooped up a mouthful, and drank it down in front of everyone.
Yu Zhen and the others were greatly alarmed. Si Qing's expression changed drastically. Li Yu frowned, about to scold her for being reckless and tell her to spit it out quickly.
However, Qi Yu suddenly pressed an acupoint with her finger and then coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Si Qing, Qi Nian, Chi Ming, Qi Yan, Feng Mingqi, Feng Sixian, and Feng Yunzui all crowded around. Yu Zhen and Li Yu squatted in front of her.
Qi Yu wiped the blood from her lips and opened her palm. On it was a tiny, black speck. Qi Yu then found the spot where she had just spat blood and probed through the bloodstains. As she felt a hand full of blood, she indeed found many identical black specks.
"Demon seeds," Qi Yu finally understood the reason for the Yellow River water's problem. "I've only heard of this a few times. It's said to be a very rare seed from an immortal tree. Before the fruit ripens, these seeds are black. If they are crushed into granules, they turn into demon seeds. Consuming them will cause all beings in the three realms to demonize rapidly. However, after the fruit ripens, crushing the seeds and consuming them can resolve the demonization."
Yue Zhiyin, currently in dragon form to restrain Ming Lou, spoke with a voice that seemed to echo throughout the heavens and earth. "Where can we find such an immortal tree? I've lived for so long, and I've never heard of it."
Qi Yu rubbed her nose. "I haven't seen it either. I just remember seeing a book about weeds in the Heavenly Palace a long time ago that mentioned it." That was a very, very, very long time ago. She couldn't even remember what the book looked like now, only vaguely recalling that such a remedy existed.
"Alas, where can we find it in the vast ocean?" Yu Zhen said with concern for Ming Lou. "If we can't find a solution, will Ming Lou have to remain like this forever?" Sui You worried. Ming Lou's cultivation was actually the weakest among them. If his power continued to surge like this, it would drain his spiritual energy and lifeblood, leading to either an explosive death or death from exhaustion of spiritual energy.
"We can't delay any longer. I'll try another method." Qi Yu walked over, placed a hand on Ming Lou's arm, and first tried to absorb the power within him as she usually did, but it was ineffective. Yu Zhen and Li Yu had also exhausted all sorts of methods. Yue Zhiyin, holding Ming Lou down with his dragon claws, wanted to try dragon clan methods but couldn't spare his hands. Sui You was in the same situation. Shang Shen Huai'an did guide the power within Ming Lou through a few cycles, but it only alleviated some of his pain and was otherwise useless.
Qi Yu looked at Ming Lou, thinking, and suddenly said, "Senior Brother, Third Brother, Grandfather, when I count to three, you will immediately let go, and then I will take Ming Lou into the Evil Cold Hell."
"What do you want to do?" Yue Zhiyin felt a sense of unease. "We still can't be sure how to stop Ming Lou's continuously growing evil power. If you do something and draw this power into yourself, causing you to become like Ming Lou, then we will truly have no way out." One Ming Lou, though difficult to handle, could still be dealt with by their combined efforts. If Qi Yu, with her power constantly surging, lost her mind, they would truly be unable to control her. At that time, they would also suffer from heartache.
Qi Yu was silent for a moment, then turned and replied with a serious tone, "Senior Brother, my idea is this: I will use my true form to restrain and trap Ming Lou, and then use the power of the Evil Cold Hell to gradually absorb Ming Lou's demon seeds."
Yue Zhiyin refused without hesitation. "No, that's too reckless! Besides, why must you always be the one to sacrifice?!"
Just then, Ming Lou, who had been held down, suddenly let out a tiger's roar! Then, with a twist, he pushed away Yue Zhiyin's dragon claws and tried to bite him. Yue Zhiyin was furious and whipped him with his dragon tail, cursing that he couldn't get a moment's rest, and then pinned Ming Lou down again. Ming Lou let out a whimper from the lash and continued to snarl.
Seeing Ming Lou grow larger again, Qi Yu finally grabbed him and dragged him into her true form, the Evil Cold Hell. Yue Zhiyin, Sui You, and Shang Shen Huai'an found their hands empty.
Inside the Evil Cold Hell.
Qi Yu stood in mid-air and gently raised her hand. Immediately, ice chains around them firmly locked Ming Lou's limbs. The chains seemed to be alive, and after locking Ming Lou, they slowly absorbed his power. Ming Lou initially felt pain and instinctively struggled violently, but as his power weakened, the intensity of his struggles also began to decrease.
Qi Yu placed her hand on his heart meridians, circulating spiritual energy for Ming Lou. After a moment, Qi Yu flipped her wrist and suddenly struck out with a palm. Ming Lou let out a whimper and spat out mottled blood, filled with black demon seeds. As the rampaging power weakened and the demon seeds disappeared, Ming Lou's beastial eyes gradually returned to normal, and his body, from a colossal size, gradually shrunk into a small, fluffy ball.
Qi Yu raised her hand to catch him and retracted her true form's barrier. Yue Zhiyin and the others rushed over, and upon seeing that Ming Lou's body had shrunk, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
"Junior Brother Ming Lou, Junior Brother Ming Lou..." Yue Zhiyin gently shook the small white fluffy ball in Qi Yu's arms. The small ball had soft, fluffy fur and a pair of wings on its back. Feeling Yue Zhiyin and the others' calls and touches, it nestled in Qi Yu's arms and slowly opened its beastial eyes.
Sui You was overjoyed. But the next moment, he saw the small fluffy ball, Ming Lou, close its eyes again and then sniff around with its nose, finally latching onto Qi Yu's finger and sucking on it with relish. After sucking, it didn't forget to let out a milky "Aow!" to Yue Zhiyin and Sui You. Then it continued sucking.
Everyone else: "..."
Qi Yu: "..."
Yue Zhiyin: "..."
Sui You: "..."
"What's going on? Why has he become a little傻子 (shǎzi - idiot)?" Li Yu worriedly leaned closer and poked Ming Lou's head. Ming Lou opened his eyes wide and looked at Li Yu. Then, he suddenly bared his teeth and barked fiercely at him.
Except for Qi Yu, anyone who touched him would hiss and wave its little paw pads, barking fiercely at them.
Yu Zhen, Li Yu: "..."
Why did this little thing become so arrogant after it got better?