The sealing formation slowly revolved, as purple runes leapt through the air.
Shadows cast by the rocky wall quivered faintly.
The entire world fell silent.
Jade Cauldron Immortal suddenly looked toward Erik Yang.
Erik Yang's eyes widened slightly as he stared at Anna Yang, gripping the Trident Saber tighter without meaning to.
Jade Cauldron Immortal quickly turned to look at Anna Yang.
Anna Yang bowed her head slightly, but tears at the corners of her eyes could no longer be held back, falling one by one. Her hand on the stone table trembled.
Only now, after glancing back and forth, did Jade Cauldron Immortal suddenly realize he had said the wrong thing. He hurriedly covered his mouth, but it was too late.
The atmosphere throughout the cave-manor was so stifling it was hard to breathe.
Neither Erik Yang nor Anna Yang spoke, and Jade Cauldron Immortal felt his scalp begin to tingle.
After a long moment, Jade Cauldron Immortal swallowed dryly and slowly approached the edge of the barrier, stooping to try and see Anna Yang's expression.
He whispered, "Actually... her return isn't such a big deal. So she's back, so what? It's not important... just a little girl, how could she compare to you, the bride who shared the wedding ceremony?"
Anna Yang turned her face slightly away.
Locks of black hair fell, veiling half her face.
Jade Cauldron Immortal could only straighten up and glance back at Erik Yang, blinking in indecision.
Erik Yang sighed softly. "Master, you should go back now. With me here, nothing will happen."
"Alright," Jade Cauldron Immortal replied briskly, as if granted amnesty, and turned to leave.
Just then, Anna Yang suddenly spoke.
"I want... to go out." Her voice was as faint as a distant wind. In the silent cave-manor, it was so clear that no one could ignore it.
Jade Cauldron Immortal froze mid-step, feeling a lump in his throat and a chill down his spine. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
"No." Erik Yang replied expressionlessly.
Jade Cauldron Immortal finally set his foot down, torn between leaving quickly or staying to hear more. His stiff face darted glances back and forth, utterly at a loss.
"I must go out," Anna Yang insisted again, blinking rapidly, her gaze unfocused and panicked.
"No." Erik Yang's grip on the Trident Saber tightened, his answer still cold.
Anna Yang lifted her head slightly, staring blankly at Erik Yang, smiling as she said, "I must go out, truly. Second Brother, let... let me out. Please?"
Her eyes were full of confusion, loss, and all manner of negative emotions.
"No." Erik Yang hurriedly avoided Anna's gaze, repeating his decision: "No matter what you say, I won't agree. This muddy water isn't yours to stir. One misstep and your soul will be destroyed!"
"You said that as long as he came back, you'd let me out!"
"I said he'd have to come fetch you! Has he come? It's been so long since he left Five Elements Mountain—has he ever thought to visit Mount Hua?" Erik Yang's voice suddenly rose. "How did he promise me back then? How long did it take for him to break that promise? On your wedding day, he left you for another woman! It's been ten years since he left Five Elements Mountain! Ten years! He knows you're here—has he come even once? How is that monkey worth longing for?"
"Whether he's worth longing for is my concern, not yours!" Anna Yang's voice rose just as sharply.
Gritting his teeth, Erik Yang glared at his sister, nearly spitting out his words: "Letting you go is my business too—it's not for you to decide!"
For a moment, the atmosphere was on the verge of erupting into violence.
Jade Cauldron Immortal, caught in the middle, looked around anxiously, suddenly flustered.
"Wait—wait, aren't you two siblings? Erik, that monkey isn't really so—"
"This is none of your concern, Master!" Erik Yang snapped, glaring at Anna and cutting Jade Cauldron off.
Helpless, Jade Cauldron Immortal tried to collect himself, blinking as he looked at Anna. "Anna... your brother is only thinking of your good. Why not just—"
Anna Yang glared at Erik, her hand on the table shifting slightly, then opening. A red light quickly gathered in her palm.
"Lotus Lantern..." That was Anna's answer to Jade Cauldron.
At the sight of the Lotus Lantern, Jade Cauldron Immortal's eyes widened reflexively, and he swallowed hard.
It was the relic left to Erik and Anna by their mother Yaoji, now inherited by Anna. As a weapon, perhaps it wasn't much—especially in the hands of Anna, who was only at the Spirit-Refinement stage, and could not unleash its true power.
But...
Even bringing out her mother's relic, the person Anna was facing was her own brother. Jade Cauldron understood well what that meant.
The forced smile on his face could no longer hold; he was already starting to regret coming here...
"Let me out..." Anna Yang slowly stood, the Lotus Lantern's light blossoming bit by bit until it suppressed the formation in the cave-manor, bathing everything in vivid crimson. "Today, even if I die, I must go out. I have to see him and demand the truth!"
Erik Yang shifted the Trident Saber from left to right, taking up a battle stance. "Then you'll have to get past me first!"
Just as the fight was about to erupt, Jade Cauldron Immortal, desperate, jumped between them, waving his Divine Wand and shouting, "You're siblings! No, no... If you want to fight, you'll have to dismantle these old bones first!"
"Master, move aside!" the two shouted in unison.
At their shout, Jade Cauldron Immortal instantly shrank back, his whole body recoiling.
After a brief shock, he stomped his foot and pointed at them, roaring, "What do you mean by this! No matter how useless I am, I'm still your master! You want to fight in front of me? If I'd known it would come to this, I'd have adopted two cats or dogs instead—at least they'd never make me this angry."
With that, he covered his face and began to cry, collapsing between them and refusing to get up.
Between sobs, he peeked through his fingers at their faces. That glance quickly firmed his resolve: Erik Yang was staring at him in alarm, and Anna Yang was clearly restraining herself.
Seeing this, Jade Cauldron immediately raised his voice, wailing like an old woman, tearing at his beard and pounding the stone floor as he cried. The spectacle was truly impressive.
No one expected their master to pull such a stunt. For a moment, both Erik Yang and Anna Yang were stunned.
"Master, please... please get up," Erik Yang quickly dropped his defensive stance and reached out to help Jade Cauldron, but Jade Cauldron pushed him away.
"Help Master, will you!"
With Erik's shout, Anna Yang lost all her temper, hurriedly withdrew the Lotus Lantern, and crouched nearby, watching Jade Cauldron anxiously. "Master, please, don't be like this..."
"What's wrong with me acting like this? You two call yourselves disciples, but never listen to me—have you ever treated me as your master?" Jade Cauldron scrambled to his feet, covered in dust and tears. "Today you even dare to draw weapons in front of me? Huh? Do you still respect your master at all?"
With that, he tapped Erik Yang's head with the Divine Wand.
Erik Yang didn't dare dodge.
The whisk swished toward Anna, but was repelled by the barrier formation.
He flicked the Divine Wand directly at Anna, who frowned slightly but did not dare to dodge. Yet before the whisk could touch her, it was rebounded by the formation.
"You are not allowed to fight! Do you hear me?"
"Disciple understands," Erik Yang could only bow respectfully.
Anna Yang said nothing, but also bowed respectfully.
"It's dangerous outside right now—you are not to leave for the time being," Jade Cauldron said, pointing at Anna. "If you want answers, as your master and half a guardian, I'll go question that monkey for you. I'll make him give you a clear answer, and if he dares to wrong you, I'll skin him and strip his tendons! Is that enough?"
Anna was stunned, speechless for a moment. Erik Yang quickly bowed. "Thank you, Master."
Turning around, Jade Cauldron Immortal began to walk out, his steps unsteady.
First time acting, and so convincingly—truly not easy. Fortunately, his audience was just his two disciples; even if they saw through it, they probably wouldn't dare say anything.
Step by step, Jade Cauldron Immortal reached the outside of the cave-manor, feeling utterly exhausted. He leaned against the rock wall, clutching his chest and breathing heavily, sighing helplessly: "Did I boast too much just now? Going to question that monkey..."
He couldn't recover for a long while, so he shook his head hard. "No choice, for my two precious disciples, I'll go. Surely that monkey will give me some face and won't dare do anything to me."
Just then, goat-spirit steward Yang Xian hurried over, greeting Jade Cauldron Immortal with a simple bow.
"What's going on?" Jade Cauldron reached out to stop him.
"There's an urgent dispatch from the Western Isle for Second Lord."
"Let me see it first." Jade Cauldron had already reached out for it.
Yang Xian glanced toward the cave-manor, hesitating whether to hand it over.
Before Yang Xian could decide, Jade Cauldron snatched it away and opened it: "Abnormal demon army movements on the Western Isle?"
...
At that moment, on the Western Isle—Lionback Kingdom.
Dozens of warships floated overhead as massive stores of supplies were unloaded. Along the narrow mountain roads, countless demons carried these supplies into Lionback's cliffside city.
"Let us first toast... to our alliance." In the grand hall, King Roc raised his cup to Nine-Headed Wyrm.
Opposite them, Nine-Headed Wyrm sat side by side with Princess Marina Azurewave. Staring at his wine cup, Nine-Headed Wyrm seemed to be hesitating about something.
Princess Marina gently took Nine-Headed Wyrm's hand.
The two shared a glance. Nine-Headed Wyrm pursed his lips and sighed softly, then raised his cup.
"That's more like it!" King Liontusk laughed heartily. "Although it's now clear the convoys weren't butchered by the Great Sage, that Six-Eared Macaque is just as dangerous. We're all grasshoppers tied to the same rope—if any one of us falls, we're all doomed!"
"Come! Drain this cup, and from now on we're brothers—sharing fortune and peril together!"
All three demon kings rose together.
Nine-Headed Wyrm took a deep breath and stood up as well.
They drained their cups in one go.
Outside the hall, two minor imps whispered to each other.
The younger asked the elder, "Didn't Azurewave Pool always keep its distance from Lionback Kingdom? Why have they suddenly moved here?"
"Because it's safer here."
"Safer?"
"Don't ask so much. Knowing too much gets you killed faster," the elder imp lazily glared at the younger.
"Report—!"
Just then, a demon hurried in from outside the hall, kneeling: "Your Majesties, Many-Eyes the Centipede has sent an envoy, claiming urgent business!"
For a moment, all four demon kings exchanged glances.