A huge thanks to Katy for the kofis. Enjoy the bonus chapters!

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By the time Qin Zhou and Wen Jue arrived, the entrance to Shanning Realm was already completely blocked by elite disciples. Everyone was armed, surrounding a small group of about twenty people in the very center.

“I told you I’m here to look for someone. Don’t worry, I won’t force my way in. I just need you to go inside and let them know I’m here.”

The young man in the black cloak who was surrounded had delicate features; even beneath the cloak, the demonic energy radiating from him was impossible to hide. Yet the expression on his face as he spoke seemed strangely at odds with that energy.

“Who’s afraid of you?! The person you’re looking for isn’t here!” one of the Shanning Realm elders snapped angrily. “A Demon Beast Tamer actually dares to step through the gates of our Shanning Realm so brazenly. We won’t let you leave here so easily today!”

The cloaked youth frowned slightly. “I haven’t laid a finger on anyone, nor have I killed any of your disciples. Why are you picking on me like this?”

“Because you’re a Demon Beast Tamer!”

The young man: “……”

In this world, Demon Beast Tamer really is a “super villain.”

Hearing this, the expressions of the Demon Beast Tamer companions behind the young man darkened.

Even if ordinary cultivators accepted them, these major sects would always view Demon Beast Tamer as rats in the gutter; once they showed their faces, they would never let them off the hook.

“Lord, since we can’t reason with them, why don’t we just go and steal their seventh-tier divine artifact from the Shanning Realm!” someone asked, unable to contain himself. The young man in black shot him a glare.

The speaker immediately shut his mouth.

“I’m looking for someone. Will you report it or not?”

“We won’t! Demon Beast Tamers are all cut from the same cloth!” The Shanning Realm had only just endured a riot instigated by that traitor, Administrator Li, which nearly tore the main hall to pieces. The terror of that Red Demon was plain for all to see.

Now, with so many Demon Beast Tamers showing up at their doorstep, claiming they’re here to look for someone—how could they possibly believe them? Demon Beast Tamers use their demon beasts to harm others; they’re a bunch of selfish, self-serving scoundrels who’ll stop at nothing to achieve their goals.

There’s no way they’d trust a Demon Beast Tamer!

Just as Shisi was about to roll up his sleeves, someone suddenly shouted, “The Grand Master is here!!”

They immediately cleared a path.

The Lord of the Shanning Realm stepped forward and, catching a glimpse of the demonic energy emanating from the twenty-odd Demon Beast Tamers, his expression darkened.

“You must be the Lord of Shanning Realm. I am the Master of the Hall of a Thousand Machinations…” Before the young man in black could finish his introduction, the demon wolf at his side shouted

“Master, why waste words on them? We’re here to steal the divine artifact!”

Shisi:?

He spoke in human language, which the beasts couldn’t understand, but the Beast Tamers and Shanning Realm disciples present heard it clearly.

These beast tamers! They certainly have ulterior motives!

What “searching for someone”? They’re clearly here to snatch the divine artifact that’s just emerged!

“Steal the divine artifact…” The Shanning Realm’s Master’s expression shifted several times; he immediately drew his Beastmaster’s Staff—“Disciples, form a formation!”

The young man in black: It’s over!

All the disciples of the Shanning Realm raised their staffs and chanted incantations.

A green glow, varying in intensity, lit up before their eyes.

A small teleportation portal appeared around each of them. Countless spirit beasts surged out of the portals. As the core combat power of a Beast Tamer, they were all, without exception, imposing and formidable.

Surrounded by hundreds of people and spirit beasts, the line of Demon Beast Tamers looked decidedly outnumbered. The young man in black laughed in exasperation, “Little Demon Wolf, you sure know how to stir up trouble!”

The ethereal form of a massive blue lion stood behind the Sect Master of the Shanning Realm. He stood upright, staff in hand, his posture rigid and his aura radiating righteous might. “Since you’ve come to steal the divine artifact, then come at us.”

It was no wonder the Shanning Realm disciples reacted this way; even the disciples of the Red Cloud Sea would be startled enough to form a defensive line upon first seeing these twenty-odd Demon Beast Tamers. It was an unspoken understanding that the two sides were enemies, not allies.

Demon Beast Tamer’s strength far surpasses that of ordinary Beast Tamers. Demon beasts grow by feeding on negative demonic energy, and their power far exceeds that of ordinary spirit beasts. Take Mr. Li, for instance—a single Red Demon Beast at the Nascent Soul stage nearly tore the Shanning Realm’s main hall to pieces.

Let alone these twenty-odd Demon Beast Tamer.

The Lord of Shanning Realm took one look and realized that not a single one of these numerous Demon Beast Tamer was below the Nascent Soul stage.

The Lord of Shanning Realm dared not imagine what would happen if these Beast Demon Beast Tamers summoned their beasts to attack… Shanning Realm would no longer be at peace. As the disciples of Shanning Realm prepared for battle, the Beast Demon Beast Tamers were no less ready.

If they were going to fight, let them fight.

Suddenly, a thunderous roar erupted from behind Shisi: “ROAR!!”

Shisi glanced back to see that the one roaring with such vigor was his own reckless demon wolf.

In the blink of an eye, the demon wolf had released the demonic energy within its body. The entire beast instantly grew to more than several times its original size, its face turning green and its fangs bared—a truly terrifying sight. It was actually nearly the same size as the green lion behind the Lord of Shanning Realm.

One blue, one black—under the clash of their beastly auras, they found themselves locked in a standoff.

Seeing this, the Demon Beast Tamers assumed that Shisi had given the order, and immediately began chanting their incantations.

“Demon Manifest!”

“Demon Snake, come forth!” 

“Reveal yourself!”

Summoning incantations rang out one after another as everyone summoned their own demon beasts. With so many demon beasts appearing, the area in front of the Shanning Realm gate became a bustling scene.

“Demon Wolf, you rascal…” Shisi looked up; since the Demon Wolf’s body had grown several times larger, he could no longer even reach its head.

The Demon Wolf sneered and said, “Master, why bother reasoning with them? We’re here for the divine artifact anyway. Let’s just raze the Shanning Realm to the ground and seize the artifact!”

Shisi: ?

Hearing this, the Lord of the Shanning Realm’s voice turned icy. “All disciples, heed my command: under no circumstances must you allow this horde of demon beasts and Demon Beast Tamers to set foot within the Shanning Realm!” 

“Yes!”

Upon hearing this, Shisi raised his hand. “Wait a minute, hey, wait a second…” This was a huge misunderstanding.

He really was here to look for someone!

But this time, no one was listening to Shisi anymore. The battle was about to erupt!

The moment the green light symbolizing spiritual energy and the red light symbolizing demonic energy collided in the air.

An explosion was about to occur.

Lu Shisi took a deep breath. Just because he was Lu Shisi didn’t mean his words carried no weight!

Shisi suddenly soared into the air, his figure like an arrow leaving the bowstring, heading straight for the two beams of light.

With a gentle swirl of his flowing sleeves, the spiritual energy surging from his body enveloped the two beams of light, drawing them into his sleeves. They swirled within his billowing sleeves for a moment before he flung them out.

The two beams traced two parabolic arcs through the air.

They finally crashed to the ground several li away from the Shanning Realm, startling the birds in the forest into flight. Everyone fell silent on the spot.

Everyone stared in stunned silence. Even the spirit beasts and demon beasts locked in combat stopped simultaneously, gazing up at the figure in the sky as if beholding a deity.

Shisi cleared his throat awkwardly. “Alright, now you’ll listen to me, won’t you?” As expected, overwhelming force was the most effective tactic! Lu Yi had used this move time and time again with flawless results.

“I’m here to find someone—I’m not here to steal the divine artifact!”

Shisi leaned forward and looked at the Sect Master. “Hey, has anyone named Qin Zhou come here?” 

Sect Master:!

Senior Qin Zhou.

“No.” A voice suddenly rang out from behind the Sect Master. Everyone turned to see a figure dressed in white.

“Senior!” The voice of the Shanning Realm’s ruler rang out first.

Shisi looked in the distance and spotted a white-robed cultivator. Hmm? The figure looked a bit like his boss. But that wasn’t right—why was the hairpin on that person’s head so golden?

“You…”

“You’re looking for Qin Zhou? What do you want with him? To steal a divine artifact?” Wen Jue spat out the last few words through gritted teeth. “Well, you’ve come at just the right time. Let me see which of you Demon Beast Tamers is the strongest.”

He hovered in midair, as if waiting for an opponent to step forward and challenge him. Lu Yi?!

Upon seeing the man in white, Duyan froze in place. How could Lu Yi possibly be here!

How did he get out of the lake?

Run—he had to run. If Lu Yi sensed his presence, he was as good as dead!

The demon wolf, which had just grown massive, instantly deflated like a burst balloon, rapidly shrinking back to its normal size as it tried to minimize its presence.

At that moment, the disciples of the Shanning Realm all breathed a sigh of relief. The senior had arrived.

The Demon Beast Tamer’s side didn’t know who Wen Jue was, but judging by the display just now, his strength was not to be underestimated. Instantly, everyone felt uneasy and turned to look at their Hall Master.

“What should we do, Hall Master? Should we accept the challenge?”

Shisi, who had been against fighting just moments ago, snorted upon hearing this. “I’ll take this challenge!”

He stepped into the air and flew several meters away from Wen Jue, standing face-to-face with him. “I’ll be your opponent!”

Though his words suggested a standoff, his unfamiliar face radiated a lively, cheerful glow—even his jet-black eyes sparkled with excitement, as if he were a happy, clumsy puppy who’d spotted a big bone.

Wen Jue shuddered at the metaphor that had popped into his mind.

How long would it take to recognize Lu Shisi? No time at all—he’d know him at a glance. Even if Lu Shisi were reduced to ashes, he’d be the easiest to spot among them. “Let’s have a go,” huh?

Then I’ll teach him a lesson.

“Looks like you’re the toughest fighter here,” Wen Jue sneered, raising his hand to unleash a burst of spiritual energy.

The spiritual light curved like a crescent moon, or perhaps a curved blade, hurtling straight toward the young man in black.

Lu Shisi’s face paled instantly as he frantically dodged the strike.

The moment he dodged, the spiritual energy slammed into the mountain pillar behind him. A thunderous boom echoed behind his ears, startling him so much he nearly jumped out of his skin. Wait, is he serious?!

That Lu Yi guy—he didn’t recognize him, did he? He’s going to tattle! He’s going to tattle to the village chief!

Lu Yi hit Xiao Shisi! He was bullying the weak!

“What are you doing?!” The young man in black turned pale with fear. Wen Jue replied coldly, “Naturally, I’m exterminating demons and evil.”

As he spoke, he raised his hand again.

Shisi cursed, “Which one of us is the demon? You’ve no shame!” Wen Jue snorted lightly and sent another blast of spiritual energy his way.

Shisi scrambled to dodge. “Why did the hairpin on your head change color?” He’d gone this far, and yet he still didn’t recognize him! Stupid Lu Yi! Only then did Wen Jue stop.

He touched the new hairpin on his headdress, a faint smile curving his lips. “What do you mean, ‘changed color’? It’s brand new.” 

Shisi:?

Judging by Lu Yi’s reaction, could it be that the village chief made it?

“I don’t just have a new hairpin—I also have this.” As he raised his hand, Shisi thought he was about to strike again and grew a bit flustered, but upon looking closely, Wen Jue rolled up his sleeve, revealing the gleaming gold bracelet on his wrist.

Shisi was taken aback. With his keen eye, it wasn’t hard to tell that the bracelet was no ordinary item either.

“Hmph, and this.” Wen Jue brought his hand forward, pulling out the small gold plaque from his waist. 

Shisi:?

Seeing his expression shift several times, Wen Jue chuckled, “And this.”

“There’s more?!” Shisi couldn’t hold back any longer.

Wen Jue tilted his chin slightly. “There are some things I can’t show you.” Since taking off his shoes would mean removing his anklet, he decided not to take them off.

Shisi’s eyes nearly turned red with envy. He’d only been away for a short while. How had Lu Yi suddenly acquired so many precious treasures? Village Chief, you’re playing favorites!!

Wen Jue snorted. “Aren’t we supposed to face off? I’m giving you this chance.” 

Shisi was slightly annoyed. “Fine, let’s do it! I’m the Lord of the Thousand Machinations Hall—do you really think I’m afraid of you?” 

Shisi raised his arm and shouted, “Demon Wolf! Come!”

Duyan, who had just shrunk his form and was preparing to flee, halted in his tracks. He couldn’t hear it.

He couldn’t hear.

Shisi caught a glimpse of his expression, snorted, and immediately began reciting the master-servant contract—after his lips moved, Shisi bellowed again, “Demon Wolf, appear!”

Duyan, who had been preparing to flee, felt a tremendous pulling force. It dragged his entire wolf body straight out into the air. By the time he came to his senses, he was already in midair.

A few meters away stood…his unbeatable arch-rival, Lu Yi.

No, Master… Duyan turned his head, the despair in his eyes plain to see. Are you serious?

Do you know who’s standing right in front of you?

Not even the entire Spirit Mountain Realm combined could stand up to him!! Are you just going to let him take me?

The Demon Lord gazed at his master, as if trying to stir up his master’s last shred of compassion with the glimmer of tears in the corner of his eye.

Shisi patted the wolf’s head soothingly, smiling slyly. “Go on, Demon Wolf. You can do it. Teach him a lesson!”

Duyan: “……”

Duyan slowly turned his head to face Lu Yi.

Memories of having his Golden Core stripped away were flooding his mind. His wolf legs… were starting to feel a little weak.