In the dim river water, Mo Fan and his group flew towards a rocky area overgrown with boulders, led by the grass carp demon.
It was called flying, but in truth it was merely swimming in the water. However, as they were all demon cultivators, their swimming speed was extremely fast, scarcely different from flying in the sky.
“Why does the riverbed have so many boulder formations like on land?”
You Er frowned slightly, weaving through the gaps between boulders alongside the demons.
The surrounding darkness made him feel considerable fear, as if man-eating evil demons might burst out from it at any moment.
Mo Fan, however, felt little of it.
Since becoming a demon, he no longer feared darkness, for he understood that he himself was the darkness spoken of by many humans!
“The world is vast and full of wonders; this must be one of nature’s spectacles!”
Mo Fan smiled and said, “In truth, whether riverbed or land, it is merely a matter of with or without water; the difference is not great.”
“Your Majesty speaks with much reason!” The woman in black nodded in deep agreement upon hearing this.
“Master, snapping turtles are cowardly by nature and like nesting in rock crevices, so we should not be far from that Black Armour demon general’s cave.” Fu Shou chuckled, then requested of Mo Fan, “Master, if there is to be a fight later, may I take action?”
“If I recall correctly, you were never this eager in the past; what has changed your nature today?” Mo Fan looked at the fellow somewhat surprised.
“Heh heh, one cannot escape your discerning eye, master.
I do indeed have a request for you.”
Fu Shou gave a dry laugh, then continued, “From what I know, that Black Armour demon general is a female demon, quite beautiful and alluring, so I wish to personally kill her, then ask you, master, to transform her into a tiger ghost.
That way, I would no longer suffer the torment of desires henceforth.”
“Shameless!”
The woman in black cursed aloud upon hearing this.
“You bloody thing, even after becoming a ghost, you cannot shed those filthy habits!”
Mo Fan could not help cursing either; he was truly shocked by Fu Shou’s outrageous idea.
“Master, this subordinate’s heart is bitter!”
“You are a sated man who knows not the hunger of the starved!”
Fu Shou pulled a long face, depressed as he said, “Back in the day, when I was alive, I revelled in nightly pleasures, yet now as your vanguard ghost, master, I am instead constantly lonely, and sometimes bullied by these ghostly things!”
“Who are you calling a ghostly thing?!” Lang Lang said discontentedly.
“Not you!” Fu Shou snorted coldly.
“Then you mean me?”
Bai Jinghu suddenly appeared behind Fu Shou, speaking eerily.
“…Senior, I truly did not mean you…” Fu Shou looked helpless.
“You have become a ghost, yet still think of such matters; can ghosts even bear children?!” Mo Fan was amused to laughter by Fu Shou’s bizarre words.
“Your Majesty, all living beings in the world have their ways; must you always view things through such worldly eyes?” Fu Shou rolled his eyes.
“Fine then, if there truly is a fight later, you may act!
If you can truly slay that snapping turtle demon, what harm in this king granting your wish?”
Mo Fan waved his hand, too lazy to bandy words further with the fellow.
As they delved deeper into the stone forest, the demons in Mo Fan’s sight gradually increased.
These demons took various forms: some walked with spirit bodies, others swam in pure true forms, and more appeared as grotesquely shaped water demons akin to monsters.
Mo Fan’s group’s arrival drew the attention of the demons, but upon seeing the familiar grass carp demon minion leading them, the demons said no more.
After passing through countless boulder crevices, a cave dwelling suddenly appeared in Mo Fan’s view.
“Where do these demons come from; do you not know this is the Black Armour General’s cave?
Begone at once!!”
Before Mo Fan could approach, the guarding demons on either side of the cave immediately scolded.
“May I ask, brothers, is the Black Armour General presently in the dwelling?”
At this, the grass carp demon stepped forward, smiling amiably at the two.
“Bold little demon! What are you to warrant such knowledge?”
“The Black Armour General’s whereabouts are not for the likes of you to know?!” The guarding demons sneered coldly at once.
“You…!!”
The grass carp demon was thoroughly infuriated.
“No need for further talk!”
Mo Fan spoke, and as the two demons looked towards him, a streak of red light flashed in his eyes.
In the next instant, the two demons froze in place.
“Is the Black Armour demon general in this cave?” Mo Fan asked.
“Yes.”
The two replied in unison.
“Very good!”
Mo Fan nodded, then opened his mouth to devour them both.
“Senior, I have done what you asked of me; you should have no further need of me now.
So I shall take my leave first.”
Seeing the cave guards swallowed in a single gulp so swiftly, the grass carp demon was greatly alarmed in his heart and instinctively retreated.
“Take your leave?”
“Where do you think you are going?”
Mo Fan spoke eerily, then opened his mouth again, instantly devouring the grass carp demon as well.
“Black Armour General, must we invite you out?”
Mo Fan said indifferently, his voice resounding through the water domain at once.
But soon he paused slightly, as feedback power surged, and he even gained a divine ability!
Breath of Water: An innate divine ability of aquatic races; once activated, it persists permanently, allowing breathing in water.
Mo Fan’s expression was odd; this divine ability was rather redundant for him.
Yet better than nothing; he immediately stirred his demon power to activate it.
Indeed, in an instant, the oxygen his skin could absorb became far richer.
“Fellow daoists, you do not seem to be cultivators of our Nether River. This general knows not when he offended you.
If my subordinate grass carp demon minion gave offence, his death is fitting; fellow daoists need not take it to heart.
Mere demon minions; killing them is no matter. This general shall not pursue it, consider it making friends.”
At this moment, a low female voice emerged from the cave.
Her words stunned Mo Fan; he had planned that if this Black Armour demon general came charging out in fury for revenge, he could simply subdue her, but she defied expectations, acting so politely.
This left Mo Fan’s prepared words momentarily hard to utter.
“Fellow daoist is too courteous. This king hails from Black Wind Mountain, a neighbour of sorts. I come not for slaughter, but to seek counsel on a matter.” Mo Fan said, his tone softening considerably.
“So that is it; fellow daoist, you should have said so earlier!
Coming with such a show of force, nearly frightening this general to death!”
The female voice from the cave sounded again, clearly relieved, then continued, “Since you have a query, pray speak and hear it. If this general knows, he shall tell truthfully.”
Mo Fan narrowed his eyes, smiling, “Then this king thanks fellow daoist in advance, but I feel it best if you emerge first.”
“This general is presently in seclusion, inconvenient to move, thus lacking in courtesy; pray forgive me, fellow daoist!”
“In that case, this king shall enter!”
Mo Fan sneered coldly, about to stride into the cave.
“Fellow daoist, visiting uninvited is not done by forced entry thus?
If word spreads, would it not make the demon king of Black Wind Mountain a laughingstock among the world’s demons?!” The voice from the cave grew gradually colder.
“This king has always done as he pleases; pray forgive me, fellow daoist!
As for the world’s demons?
Whoso dares wag their tongue, this king shall pluck it out!”
Mo Fan sneered coldly, then said no more, striding directly into the cave!
