Feng Zikang, of course, had no intention of faithfully guarding the entrance for the Hu Li Hu Tu brothers. Only after the two had vanished inside the cave did he leisurely step into the Xuan Yuan Cave himself.

The din was deafening, filled with drunken little demons everywhere. Right by the entrance, a rabbit demon hugged a wine jar fatter than its own body, its head buried deep inside. Only its long ears dangled outside the jar, dripping fine wine, and it was impossible to tell if it was already dead drunk.

Further inside, all sorts of bizarrely shaped fiends were leaping, jumping, singing, and celebrating.

Acknowledging the Boundless Sea Nether Prison Island as their ultimate patron was cause for great rejoicing!

“Come, brother whom I haven’t seen before, a toast!”

As Feng Zikang wove through the crowd of demons, eager drinking companions kept thrusting bowls towards him, insisting he drink or risk inciting their ire. Truth be told, the wine brewed by these lesser demons was quite excellent, its aroma captivating. Feng Zikang, unwilling to get entangled with these minor spirits, downed each cup offered, receiving loud praise from the throng of demons.

Having drunk his way through the crowd, he finally managed to squeeze toward the front of the Xuan Yuan Cave. There, the White Bone Divine Lord sat enthroned, holding an ancient bronze jue cup. His eyes were half-open, half-closed, his cheeks sunken, making him appear like a withered old man.

Below him, around a round table, eight or nine of his direct disciples were clustered together, looking spirited and elated, shouting boisterously, clearly enjoying themselves immensely.

“Senior Martial Brother, we are now, hic, the grand-disciples of that Soul Transformation Stage Netherworld Master!” a red-faced pig demon, clearly in his cups, boasted while spewing saliva between hiccups. “When we venture out later, our spines—hic—will stand much straighter!”

“That goes without saying!” The one called Senior Martial Brother had a pointed snout and a gaunt face, seemingly lacking any substantial flesh, bearing a faint resemblance to his Master, the White Bone Divine Lord. He slapped the table proudly, “These are the days when our Mang Cang Mountain will truly hold its head high! Who do these so-called Three Religions and Nine Schools of the righteous path amount to! We will enter the Central Plains!”

He clenched his fist. The Central Plains were rich and populous. Previously, awed by the might of the established righteous path, they dared not act recklessly. Now, with a Grand-Master at the Soul Transformation Stage supporting them, unleashing the Great Art of Soul Seizing of the Nine Hells and Ten Underworlds in the Central Plains—that would truly be…

“Wuya!”

The White Bone Divine Lord suddenly spoke. His expression was displeased, his voice grating like grinding bone, so unpleasant that Feng Zikang felt a sudden pressure in his mind, forcing him to quickly settle his spirit. He was secretly alarmed.

This White Bone Divine Lord’s cultivation was profoundly deep; he might have already reached the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment! He hadn't expected this old skeleton to have made such progress. Dealing with him would require considerably more effort.

“Cease your nonsensical chatter,” the White Bone Divine Lord slowly opened his eyes, a shade of emerald green divine light flickering within, cold and detached. With a mere glance swept over his disciples, he silenced them completely. “The reason I didn’t mention my Master before was precisely to prevent you from getting ahead of yourselves just because you have backing! The Central Plains harbor hidden dragons and crouching tigers; there are a few old monsters there that even your Grand-Master would hesitate to provoke head-on. What do you think you amount to?”

The Senior Martial Brother was quick-witted and immediately admitted his fault. “Master speaks wisely; your disciple misspoke! Slap myself!”

He raised his palm and lightly struck his own emaciated cheek twice, then grinned slyly and approached the White Bone Divine Lord. “Master, today I finally realize how deeply hidden your capabilities are. With a Master like the Netherworld Master, why do you still keep it quiet and potter around in this insignificant southwestern corner…”

The White Bone Divine Lord’s expression gradually softened after the Senior Martial Brother’s stream of flattery.

The White Bone Divine Lord coughed a few times, shaking his head helplessly. “You don’t understand…” Truly, they didn't understand.

Having cultivated for over a thousand years, he, too, had experienced youthful arrogance, especially after becoming a disciple of the Netherworld Master on the Boundless Sea Nether Prison Island. He had thought himself quite the thing, only to suffer several major setbacks and nearly lose his life before gradually grasping a shred of the wisdom required to survive in the cultivation world.

The current Central Plains righteous path was at its zenith. Especially during the time General Lu was active, virtually no one from the Outer Regions and various seas would dare provoke those of the righteous path. Even though General Lu had now failed his Tribulation and his spirit and form were utterly destroyed, the assembly of old monsters at the Soul Transformation Stage he left behind were equally formidable.

The Netherworld Master had once taught him: fear? Of course not. If you are Soul Transformation, and they are Soul Transformation, it’s half a dozen of one, six of the other—who fears whom?

But after cultivating for so many years, everyone lived cautiously, walking on thin ice. It had taken so much effort to reach this stage. For a Soul Transformation expert to risk their life for a mere disciple or some external trifle was simply out of the question; everyone was focused solely on the Heavenly Dao, hoping to pass their Tribulation soon and ascend to the Upper Realm, preferring to stay out of trouble.

After all, they, as rogue cultivators, were different from those of the Three Religions and Nine Schools of the righteous path; they sought only self-advancement, not the stability of a realm. Their own lives were paramount, unlike those righteous zealots or demonic fiends who fought desperately for the continuation of their dogmas.

Naturally, the righteous path also had its bottom line. As long as one did not cross it, they were too lazy to bother with these petty little demons. If a few junior disciples, high on righteousness, came seeking trouble, they were merely delivering a meal to the White Bone Divine Lord.

He himself was meticulously cautious, always mindful of the limits. First, he never caused trouble by entering the Central Plains. If disciples from prominent sects came to exterminate demons, he would still greet them courteously and send them off outside the borders, striving to avoid any fatal conflict.

It was only because the two from the Mo Family pushed things too far this time that he was forced to act, though ultimately, he hadn’t harmed Mo Fengren.

However, the White Bone Divine Lord’s excessive caution, leading to his defeat by Mo Li fused with the Mechanical Beast, caused widespread panic, forcing him to publicize his hidden lineage to bolster his… The current situation was indeed within his expectations.

Watching his disciples boil over with savage excitement, the White Bone Divine Lord sighed, knowing that Mang Cang Mountain was now destined for trouble.

How could these demons compare to his millennia of refined wisdom? They were all rash and foolish, only capable of stirring up trouble. If it weren't for the fact that these disciples could collect souls for him, saving him several times the effort in cultivation, and that he couldn't bear to see them dispersed, he would have long since left to return to the Nether Prison Island, abandoning the foundations of Mang Cang Mountain entirely.

But this was just a fleeting thought. The White Bone Divine Lord still harbored a sliver of hope that his disciples wouldn't be so foolish as to commit unforgivable sins in the Central Plains. If the combined forces of the Three Religions and Nine Schools erupted, even his shattered remains wouldn't escape.

For now… he could only live day by day. He knew clearly that without hundreds or thousands of his subordinates helping to gather souls, to cultivate the Great Art of Soul Searching of the Nine Hells and Ten Underworlds on his own until he condensed his Core, it would likely take another thousand years—a duration he couldn't afford to wait for!

The White Bone Divine Lord worried silently, sighing inwardly.

Noticing his Master’s displeasure, the Senior Martial Brother quickly tried to salvage the mood. “Master, do not worry. Since our Mang Cang Mountain has officially recognized its ancestry today, it is a day of great joy! We must celebrate! Let’s go!”

He slapped his forehead, suddenly remembering his arrangements, and quickly issued orders.

“Hey! Bring today’s fresh fare up to Master!”

The Senior Martial Brother and his disciples roared in agreement. From the back area, they dragged out a line of naked young women, chained with iron links. The centers of their scalps had been shaved clean, revealing smooth, white skin. Seeing so many demons, the women were naturally terrified, crying out for help.

The red-faced pig demon who had been talking with the Senior Martial Brother frowned slightly. “Senior Martial Brother, this is your fault. Since you’re presenting fresh food, why weren’t they washed and cleaned properly? Such noise will surely spoil Master’s mood.”

The Senior Martial Brother smiled eerily and bowed to the White Bone Divine Lord. “Master, please forgive my impoliteness. This fresh fare has been specially prepared. It is a method I learned in the mortal realm, called ‘Live Food.’ Only when these fresh virgins are awake and vibrant is the flavor truly infinite…”

“Oh?” The White Bone Divine Lord nodded, showing perhaps only a sliver or two of interest.

The red-faced pig demon, however, was keenly interested. “Senior Martial Brother, stop teasing! Tell us directly, how exactly are we supposed to eat them? Is it a live hot pot? But have these live things been properly purged of their filth? If they soil the pot, it won’t be pleasant…”

The Senior Martial Brother sneered and waved his hand dismissively. “Is your Senior Martial Brother such an uncouth person? To tell you the truth, I went to Mount Emei and saw a wealthy household eating monkey brains; I was utterly astonished at the time…”

Suddenly, someone slammed the table with a bang, shouting in anger: “Senior Martial Brother! You watched someone eat monkey brains and didn’t stop them? You infuriate me!”

The speaker was covered in long hair with a pointed chin—it was actually a monkey spirit. The Senior Martial Brother hastily waved his hands. “Sixth Brother, do not be angry. Your spiritual consciousness is now awakened; how can you compare yourself to those foolish monkeys? Didn’t I also watch that person eat the ‘Three Squeaks’ without making a sound?”

“What are the ‘Three Squeaks’?” the red-faced pig demon, always eager for new cuisine, inquired in detail.

The Senior Martial Brother shook his head with a wry smile. “The ‘Three Squeaks’ involves newborn mouse pups caught in a net, meat free of any hair, their eyes not yet open. They are served on a plate. When chopsticks pick them up, they let out one squeak; when dipped in sauce, another squeak; and when put into the mouth, a final squeak. This is what is called the Three Squeaks…”

“Ah!” The red-furred pig demon shuddered, instinctively touching the hair on his head. “Senior Martial Brother, it’s a wonder you could stomach that! Fortunately, people just eat pork without much fuss, mostly just stewed roughly; otherwise, I, Old Pig, would certainly feel a chill down my spine…”

It turned out the Senior Martial Brother was a rat demon, possessing profound magical power and fondest of mingling in the mortal world.

“Senior Martial Brother, never mind that. Tell us about how to prepare this fresh fare today…”

“It’s actually quite simple,” the Senior Martial Brother smiled faintly. “Just take a table, carve a small hole in the middle, allow this fresh maiden to crawl in so her head is lodged in the hole. Then, gently tap the skull cap open with a small hammer to reveal the brain, which will appear mottled red and white, slightly pulsating. Then, scoop a spoonful, dip it in vinegar or chili paste, and consume it. It is truly delicious…”

“Brilliant!” The pig demon stared dumbfounded, clapping his hands in praise.

“Mortals favor monkey brains, claiming monkeys possess the most intelligence. In reality, among all sentient beings, how can they compare to humans?” The Senior Martial Brother joyfully picked up one of the women, stroking her smooth head. The woman was already scared senseless and dared not make a sound.

“Human brains taste much better than ape brains!”

He pushed the woman down, and she fell to the ground. The Senior Martial Brother raised one hand, preparing to flip open the woman’s skull!

“Demon! How dare you!”

A black bead, trailing a streak of dark light, shot directly toward the Senior Martial Brother’s hand. He waved his hand to block it, and the bead exploded with a sound like thunder, scattering smoke everywhere.

The woman in his grip was forcefully pulled away to the side!

The Senior Martial Brother erupted in fury. He swung both hands to disperse the smoke, revealing a tall figure dressed in the guise of a lesser demon, standing protectively behind the group of naked women, looking resolute and righteous.

Mo Fenghuang!

She finally couldn't hold back and made her move!

Feng Zikang sighed and retreated further into the crowd.