The "Fake Jade Pavilion Master" gritted her teeth tightly.
She was clearly determined not to yield, no matter what.
Seeing this, Qi Yu did not hesitate and directly struck the "Fake Jade Pavilion Master's" ankle with a palm.
Immediately, a scream of pain echoed through the heavens.
"Did you really think I was joking before and wouldn't dare to lay a hand on you?" Qi Yu licked the blood from her fingertips. "Let me tell you, not only do I dare to act, but even if you endure until death and become a ghost, I can still capture you."
The "Fake Jade Pavilion Master" looked at the vengeful spirits swirling around Qi Yu and finally became scared, her voice extremely weak. "...I am a fox spirit. I don't know who made me impersonate the Jade Pavilion Master. I only know that the person was a human male, and he cultivated evil arts very well..."
"That man told me that if I did as he said and joined the Ice Demon's side, I could become an immortal..."
"Then why did you appear in Yao Mountain?" Qi Yu lifted the "Fake Jade Pavilion Master's" collar.
"That human man also sent me here." The "Fake Jade Pavilion Master's" face was pale due to excessive blood loss.
Qi Yu stopped her bleeding.
"What does the man you're talking about look like?" Qi Nian gestured towards the "Fake Jade Pavilion Master" with his chin. "Also, you appearing in Yao Mountain was arranged by that human man. Then the rumored rewards of the Yao Mountain secret realm, the top-grade Myriad Spirit Pill, should also be in your hands?"
"No," the "Fake Jade Pavilion Master" shook her head. "That item is not in my hands. That man said I just need to bring the person who finally reaches the summit of Yao Mountain to him."
"Bring them? Where did he want you to take the person who reached the summit?" Qi Yu narrowed her eyes.
"He said to take them to the Myriad Demon Cave."
The "Fake Jade Pavilion Master's" voice grew softer. "I don't remember what that man looked like, because that man's face was always dark. He wasn't wearing a mask, but he had no features. He was also dressed all in black, and his voice was hollow."
Ming Lou twitched his lips. "Do normal humans look like that? Even monsters don't. How did you come to believe this man was human?"
The "Fake Jade Pavilion Master" bit her lip. "I am of the fox tribe, and I am most sensitive to human auras. Although that man felt very strange, I can guarantee that his aura was definitely human."
She was truly not lying.
Ming Lou was speechless for a moment and fell into thought.
"But if that's the case, why did you obey him? Was it because he had something on you? Or was it simply because he promised to let you become an immortal?" Qi Nian found the reason a bit far-fetched. Even ordinary demons could ascend to immortality after reaching a certain level of cultivation.
Let alone demons, even ghosts could cultivate the Dao and become immortals.
Since they could become immortals sooner or later, why did she have to do such a thing? Was it just to make the path to cultivation easier?
"...You haven't encountered particularly poor cultivation aptitude like I have, so you don't understand the reason," the "Fake Jade Pavilion Master" said, her voice trembling as she spoke of this. "For ordinary demons like us to cultivate to immortality, we have to go through many tribulations. For someone with particularly poor aptitude like me, I can't even survive the lightning tribulation of the Golden Core stage."
"But if I can't become an immortal, I can only remain a low-level demon, trampled and ignored by everyone. Who wants to live like that?! That's why I was forced to seek refuge with him."
"Cultivating to immortality is not something everyone can achieve," Qi Yu said coldly. "If all beings in the world, regardless of their aptitude, could become immortals, wouldn't this world be in chaos?"
"Moreover, you can't even complete your normal path of cultivation. How can you believe that man's words and that he can help you become an immortal?"
"If you don't strive, but rely on crooked paths, do you think cultivation is child's play?"
The "Fake Jade Pavilion Master" fell silent, but her expression clearly indicated that she still didn't think she was wrong.
Sui You pondered, "If we arrest this woman or let her go directly, it might alert the enemy. I suggest we find someone to accompany this woman to the Myriad Demon Cave and see what that man she mentioned looks like?"
Ming Lou supported this idea.
Yue Zhiyin stood by with his hands behind his back. "Since the top-grade Myriad Spirit Pill is a trap, I don't think it's necessary to risk ourselves by cooperating with the 'Fake Jade Pavilion Master' to go to the Myriad Demon Cave. You should all come to the North Sea with me."
"I've acquired a new treasure in the North Sea called the Floating Life Mirage. It's said to be able to see a person's past and future lives, and even memories." Yue Zhiyin looked at the "Fake Jade Pavilion Master." "Why don't we take her there? That way, we can immediately know if she's lying."
Qi Yu had no objections. Yue Zhiyin received unanimous approval, and everyone set off for the North Sea.
Yao Mountain was quite far from the North Sea. Traveling by cloud ship would take a day and a night.
Yue Zhiyin directly transformed into his original form, a colossal black dragon coiled up, almost as large as Yao Mountain.
He let Qi Yu and the others sit on his back and flew directly there.
This way, it would only take about half a day.
On the way.
Qi Yu sat near Yue Zhiyin's mane, leaning on him and braiding his fur into small braids.
Every now and then, she would tie them into little buns.
Yue Zhiyin felt a bit ticklish but didn't stop Qi Yu.
By the time they reached the North Sea, Qi Yu had fallen asleep on Yue Zhiyin's back.
She was still clutching Yue Zhiyin's mane in her hand.
After the others dismounted, Yue Zhiyin carefully tilted his body and caught Qi Yu, who had fallen, with his dragon claws.
Qi Yu's eyes were closed, and her extremely pale skin and cold body temperature gave Yue Zhiyin the illusion that he was holding a piece of ice in his claws.
After entering the sea, he resumed his Dragon King form and had the underwater maids arrange a room for Qi Yu. Then, he took Yu Zhen and Li Yu to the inner court and had the Floating Life Mirage brought forth.
The "Fake Jade Pavilion Master" was thrown to the ground, trapped in a bubble, and bound like a zongzi.
Yue Zhiyin instructed someone to keep a close eye on her before turning to leave.
When Qi Yu woke up from her dream, she saw a golden dragon palace ceiling and maids with scales on their cheeks on either side.
"Is this the North Sea?" Qi Yu rubbed her eyes and sat up. Due to sleeping, her long silver hair was slightly disheveled, with a few playful strands sticking up.
The maid, suppressing the urge to pet her, curtsied. "Your Majesty asked me to tell you that you can come to the inner court with us after you wake up, or you can wander around."
"Mmm..." Qi Yu nodded and got up, asking the maid to lead the way to the inner court.
The maid nodded and turned to walk out.
As Qi Yu passed a corridor, she saw Ling Ruo kneeling in the garden not far away in front of Yuan Cang, the second prince of the Dragon clan and Yue Zhiyin's brother. Ling Ruo was crying softly.
"Your Highness Yuan Cang... please pity me and let me see the Dragon King. I have something very important to ask him."
(For those who don't remember Yuan Cang, please refer to Chapter 13.)
"You knelt outside the North Sea begging for so long, and now that you're allowed in, your purpose is to see my brother?" Yuan Cang said with displeasure. "Tell me first, what do you want to see him for?"
"It's about the Ice Demon," Ling Ruo said, her eyes red and pitiful. "My brother is Divine Venerable Si Qing, my mother is Supreme Deity Liu Yu, and my father is the Sacred Lord of the Qilin."
"The Ice Demon was jealous of me and wanted to steal my identity. Now that she's been banished to the Abyssal Cold Hell, she still hasn't repented. Not only did she escape, but she also committed evil deeds, killed the minor Heavenly Dao, and wreaked havoc on the human world."
"We must gather our strength to send her back to hell..."
"The Ice Demon acts so outrageously," Yuan Cang said in disbelief. "She even wants to steal the body of a congenital true immortal like yours? Tsk, you really do seem pitiful. However, since your father, mother, and brother are all such high-ranking deities, why are you the only one here today and not them?"
"The Ice Demon used cunning tricks and lured them all to her side," Ling Ruo lowered her gaze, wiping away tears and sobbing. "The only ones I can appeal to now are the rulers of the various realms. Please help me, Your Highness Yuan Cang."