"What?" One-Horned Great King was stunned for a moment, then burst into uproarious laughter. He pointed at Ghost King Tu, laughing so hard he pounded his drum. "Mao Patrol Inspector, look what this lunatic is saying! She claims to be your Master’s wife! This... this is enough to make one die laughing, isn't it?"

Feng Zikang looked up at the Patrol Inspector Mao. His expression remained unchanged, still cold as ice, but his gaze now held a hint of amusement as he swept over Ghost King Tu and the Jasmine behind her, looking quite intrigued.

"Senior says this young girl is the daughter of my Master, White Eagle King. Do you have any proof of this?"

Mou Canglang was the senior disciple under White Eagle King. He was typically aloof, cautious, and meticulous. Serving as the Patrol Inspector of the West Sea in the Sea of No Return, he was exceedingly careful and naturally would not blindly believe Ghost King Tu's words without substantiation. However, his tone dared not show offense.

Addressing him as 'Senior' was already quite polite.

One-Horned Great King’s heart lurched; he stopped laughing and cautiously observed Mou Canglang, muttering inwardly. Why was this Iceberg Lord suddenly being so courteous? If it were usual, how could he possibly behave this way?

Could it be that this woman truly had some connection to White Eagle King?

He furtively glanced at Ghost King Tu, unable to believe it.

"Proof?"

Ghost King Tu sneered coldly and fumbled through Jasmine's belongings. Jasmine was vacant and foolish, offering no resistance, merely giggling vacantly. Ghost King Tu pulled out a golden lock and tossed it into the air. Amidst a flash of golden light, a white eagle spread its wings and soared, utterly majestic.

Mou Canglang immediately bowed low in deference, harboring no doubt whatsoever.

"Greetings, Martial Mother!"

This white eagle was his Master’s unique insignia; there could be no mistake! This woman must be the Martial Mother his Master often mentioned, and that silly girl must be the Junior Martial Sister!

The description was accurate, and now there was evidence; he had no reason to doubt.

One-Horned Great King was terrified senseless. Was she truly the wife of White Eagle King? Had he just courted disaster? He felt a chill down his neck; would he lose his life here for nothing today?

He stood aside stammering, "Patrol Inspector Mao, you must still verify this. Don't be deceived by someone..."

"Hmph!"

Mou Canglang hadn't stood up, nor had he moved an inch, yet One-Horned Great King was slapped flying far away.

"If you speak another useless word, I will kill you!"

One-Horned Great King was utterly disoriented but quickly clamped his mouth shut.

Ghost King Tu nodded. "You may rise!"

Only then did Mou Canglang straighten up, bowing respectfully. "Martial Mother, this One-Horned has offended you. How do you wish to deal with him?"

In his mind, such a minor demon was beneath consideration. If Ghost King Tu had uttered the word 'kill,' he would have done so without hesitation. One-Horned Great King's face was ashen, his soul nearly fled his body. He stared at Ghost King Tu, daring not make a sound, pleading only with his eyes.

Ghost King Tu chuckled lightly. "Since he was ignorant, let us forgive him this once."

This was also Feng Zikang's idea. Asserting status immediately and slaying demons, while a means of establishing power, might also alert White Eagle King. It was better to show weakness and proceed with lower visibility.

One-Horned Great King was overjoyed. He quickly knelt and kowtowed like pounding garlic, thanking them for sparing his life.

Mou Canglang snorted lightly. "A death sentence is avoided, but punishment cannot be escaped. Go receive one hundred lashes and serve labor on Spiritual Emptiness Island for three months!"

As long as he lived, what was there to complain about? One-Horned Great King agreed and retreated meekly.

Only then did Mou Canglang turn to Ghost King Tu, a smile blooming on his cold face. "Martial Mother, Master has been thinking of you these past few days. I never expected you to arrive! The old man will surely be delighted. The journey hasn't been entirely safe; allow your disciple to escort you to Eagle Wing Island?"

Ghost King Tu nodded. Mou Canglang turned back and frowned upon seeing Feng Zikang.

"And who is this young brother?"

"He is the benefactor of my daughter and me; he must not be treated lightly. I have already promised to take him as a guest to Eagle Wing Island," Ghost King Tu quickly replied. This was the explanation she and Feng Zikang had agreed upon.

"This... this..." Mou Canglang hesitated. This person was, after all, a cultivator, and Eagle Wing Island had always barred outsiders. But since Martial Mother had spoken, he dared not argue and merely nodded.

He glanced again at Jasmine. Jasmine still wore that vacant, foolish expression. He hesitated, "Martial Mother, Junior Martial Sister's condition..."

"Alas!"

Ghost King Tu sighed, bitterness welling up inside her, unable to be spoken. This sigh was genuine, but if she were to speak the truth, it would be a torrent of lies. After all, she was cunning and aged; lying was second nature, not a single flaw showing.

"My Jasmine was injured, damaging her nascent spirit, which is why she is so silly and dazed. If not for this, I would never have come to the Sea of No Return, bowing my head to beg him..."

Ghost King Tu sighed repeatedly, her face etched with suffering.

Mou Canglang’s heart stirred; he grasped the inside story. White Eagle King was an honest man, and fond of drink. Though he kept a tight lip about past events, his disciples knew a thing or two.

The Master had a wife and daughter but could not reunite with them, allegedly because the Martial Mother was too... unwilling to depend on a man. Her sudden arrival now—Mou Canglang had initially wondered why she reappeared—now he understood.

It was because his daughter was hurt. Pity the parents' hearts; the Martial Mother had finally put aside her stubbornness to seek out the Master.

Once Mou Canglang understood, he looked back at Jasmine. Seeing that although she was dull, she possessed heavenly beauty, his heart stirred.

White Eagle King had countless disciples, and the senior ones had all reached the Core Condensation stage. Although Mou Canglang was favored, he was only roughly equivalent to his senior brothers. To inherit the Demon King's mantle, he would need to employ some tactics.

If he could marry this Junior Martial Sister...

Mou Canglang looked at Jasmine again, growing more satisfied the longer he looked, and consequently, the more displeased he became with Feng Zikang, who was loitering near Jasmine.

"Martial Mother," he quietly leaned toward Ghost King Tu, "What exactly is the background of this young fellow? What favor does he claim to have done for you and Junior Martial Sister? We are currently at war with the Central Plains cultivators here in the Sea of No Return. Having a stranger here raises many concerns. Why not give him some benefits and let him depart?"

"No!"

Ghost King Tu shook her head, refusing. "He risked his life to save my daughter and me when we were attacked that day. Zhou Ping’an is a disciple of the East Sea rogue cultivators and has no connection with the Central Plains cultivation world. Do not make wild guesses."

Zhou Ping’an was the alias Feng Zikang was using in the Sea of No Return.

Mou Canglang felt rebuffed and sullenly withdrew, but he still beat around the bush, inquiring about Jasmine’s relationship with him. Ghost King Tu secretly found this amusing. Knowing this cheap disciple was falling for it, she spoke casually, reassuring him, her words carrying the subtle hint of a prospective mother-in-law satisfied with her future son-in-law. Mou Canglang was overjoyed and became smugly elated all the way.

Before long, they reached Eagle Wing Island, which was heavily guarded. Mou Canglang led them to the front mountain area to wait, apologized, and said he would first report to his Master. After all, White Eagle King was currently in seclusion, and it would be improper to bring them in directly.

Ghost King Tu snorted, seemingly quite displeased, but she also expressed understanding towards Mou Canglang, allowing him to go.

Once he was out of sight, Ghost King Tu burst into laughter. "My Lord, it seems this boy is quite interested in our Jasmine..."

Feng Zikang smiled faintly. "Don't bother with such a muddle-headed person. You still need to be careful. White Eagle King may be sincere, but he is an old demon who has cultivated for many years. If he sees through your pretense, your life might be in danger, and you might implicate me as well."

"My Lord, rest assured, this old one will certainly be cautious and careful!" Ghost King Tu retracted her smile and gravely agreed.

Feng Zikang nodded slowly. He observed Eagle Wing Island, even more amazed.

Overseas Demon Kings truly had their methods. The hundred li surrounding Eagle Wing Island were covered by a profound formation, impervious to wind and waves, making it difficult for outsiders to penetrate. It was hardly inferior even to the military formations of Dragon Tiger Mountain.

The arrangement was strictly ordered. If White Eagle King himself were not a master of formations, there must be an expert residing here.

If they were to launch a frontal assault from the outside, even if Eagle Wing Island only had a few Core Condensation masters defending it, it would not be easy for a Nascent Soul expert to break the formation and enter.

Looking at the crowd of demon disciples, they were not a mixed bag like those usually seen; they resembled a sect of the righteous path, with clear hierarchical levels: Qi Induction, Foundation Establishment, and Core Condensation, all perfectly ordered.

What surprised Feng Zikang most was seeing countless Foundation Establishment demons.

It was known that in the Central Plains, Foundation Establishment demons were exceedingly rare, as it was exponentially harder for demons to establish their foundation without the aid of the Great Reincarnation Disk, unlike rogue cultivators.

"...Accumulations of several thousand years—truly profound..." Feng Zikang murmured to himself, nodding slightly.

After all, the overseas demon realm was different from the Central Plains territory. The demons here had cultivated for many years, and the races were numerous. Over so many years, accumulating many Foundation Establishment demons was understandable.

Given their long lifespans, if no one hunted them down, allowing them to cultivate for hundreds or thousands of years, through relentless grinding, reaching Foundation Establishment was somewhat possible.

Core Condensation demons, however, still appeared to be few and far between.

According to Mou Canglang, on Eagle Wing Island, the Core Condensation demons consisted only of White Eagle King and his four senior disciples. This was only achieved because White Eagle King exhausted his efforts protecting his disciples during their tribulations.

Had he not expended such effort, perhaps he, too, would have stepped into the Nascent Soul stage, like Nan Tian Wuji.

Among the Five Great Demon Kings, it seemed Nan Tian Wuji, who had propagated four disciples—Fang Chuan Mu, Chong Er, Liu Tu, and Tie Shan Daoren—was the highest in cultivation and the only one to reach the Nascent Soul stage. The others were, at best, at the peak of late Core Condensation.

However, White Eagle King sacrificing his own cultivation to foster his disciples was worthwhile. Among the disciples of other Demon Kings, at most one reached the Core Condensation stage; none matched the number under his tutelage.

"This White Eagle King does possess some fortitude, willing to use his own cultivation to advance his disciples. I wonder what sort of person he is..." As Feng Zikang pondered this, someone outside shouted loudly and approached quickly, full of joy.

"Xiao Tu, you've arrived?"

Feng Zikang chuckled in surprise to hear Ghost King Tu had such an intimate nickname. When he looked over, Ghost King Tu’s face also flushed, her eyes twinkling.