In the southwestern mountains of the Southern Continent.
Beneath a gloomy sky, a troop of demons clad in matching armor assembled on a hillside, arrayed in formation—each one bearing the hardened look of a seasoned warrior.
Behind them, the "Blossom" banner fluttered in the wind.
At the very summit, Louis Quickpaw knelt on a large crimson carpet, dressed in the old black court robes of Blossom Mountain. Before him sat a low table bearing a simple tea set.
His two adopted children stood motionless at his side.
For years, every branch of Blossom Mountain claimed allegiance to the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Monkey. Yet only Louis Quickpaw’s faction still insisted on flying the Blossom banner, using Blossom-era ranks, and requiring every new demon to swear loyalty before Monkey’s statue—even though they were the weakest and most brutally suppressed of all.
Time passed. The water on the brazier boiled again and again, but Louis Quickpaw made no move to brew tea. He simply gazed northward, waiting in silence.
After about an hour, several figures slowly appeared on the horizon. At their head was King Bullhorn.
Compared to centuries past, his frame was even more imposing—a massive black cloak draped his body, and the great horns atop his head looked almost like a helmet forged for war.
Louis Quickpaw’s eyes lingered on the ill-fitting, battered, yet thick black armor King Bullhorn wore. He couldn’t help but pause, his brows knitting in surprise.
He recognized that armor—it was the standard issue for senior officers back in the Blossom Mountain days. Because King Bullhorn was much larger than ordinary demons, Louis Quickpaw himself had approved the order for the craftsmen to forge this special set.
A party of ten demons landed steadily at the foot of the slope.
Leaving the others behind with their wooden chests, King Bullhorn brought only Red Boy, clad in red armor and wielding a red-tasseled spear, up the slope, step by step toward Louis Quickpaw.
King Bullhorn glanced lightly at Louis Quickpaw’s adopted children, then cupped his hands respectfully and smiled: “Your humble general greets Chancellor Louis.”
Louis Quickpaw couldn’t help but laugh, then turned to gesture to the Serpent Lord behind him: "Go and check."
"Yes, Father." The Serpent Lord immediately trotted down the slope, and soon returned, bowing: "Father, I’ve checked. It’s all correct."
The Serpent Lord, Louis Quickpaw’s adopted son, quietly folded his arms behind his back, his expression cold.
King Bullhorn watched Wren Fox’s tea-brewing hands, glanced at the serpent-demon behind Louis Quickpaw, then looked again at Louis’s smiling face. His own smile remained unchanged, but sweat had begun to bead on his brow.
Louis Quickpaw discreetly glanced at Red Boy standing behind King Bullhorn.
Unlike King Bullhorn’s shock at the news, Red Boy remained calm, as if he had known all along.
When Wren Fox finished brewing the tea, she filled two cups and slid them to either side of the low table. Only then did Louis Quickpaw feign sudden realization and exclaim, "I forgot to invite the Demon King to sit—my apologies! Forgive me, I’m getting old and absent-minded. Hahaha, please, Demon King, have a seat."
King Bullhorn’s mouth twitched slightly. He blinked and replied with a smile, "It’s no trouble at all. In terms of rank, I’m far beneath Chancellor Louis. Standing before you is only proper."
At these words, the boy behind him snorted coldly and turned his head away.
That single snort drew everyone’s attention.
Louis Quickpaw stroked his long beard and asked, "And this is...?"
"This is my only son. His childhood name is Red Boy. He’s over three hundred years old, but his nature remains unchanged—he’s never outgrown his childish ways."
"Oh?" Louis Quickpaw nodded. "So this is the famed Holy Infant King. It’s my first time meeting him."
King Bullhorn cupped his hands, "I should have brought him to meet the Chancellor long ago. That was my oversight."
"No matter." Louis Quickpaw waved a hand. "Please, Demon King, have a seat."
At this, King Bullhorn finally nodded, stepped forward, and sat down opposite Louis Quickpaw at the low table.
Compared to the small Louis Quickpaw, King Bullhorn’s massive frame was like an elephant facing a wildcat. Yet it was the wildcat who held his head high, projecting an air of superiority, while the elephant bent low.
Gazing at the old armor on King Bullhorn, Louis Quickpaw took a deep breath and sighed, "What does the Demon King think of that matter?"
"It’s nothing, really," King Bullhorn quickly waved his hand. "I just used the opportunity as an excuse to see the Chancellor and pay my respects—nothing more. As for the ones who caused you trouble yesterday, I’ve already dealt with them. Their heads are in the chests below; you can send someone to verify it right now."
As he spoke, King Bullhorn pointed to the demons carrying the chests at the foot of the slope.
"Oh?" Louis Quickpaw couldn’t help but laugh, then turned to gesture to the Serpent Lord behind him: "Go and check."
"Yes, Father." The Serpent Lord immediately trotted down the slope, and soon returned, bowing: "Father, I’ve checked. It’s all correct."
Louis Quickpaw sighed softly, "Demon King, do you know the Great Sage has returned?"
At these words, King Bullhorn’s face filled with terror. He shot to his feet, eyes wide: "The Great Sage has returned?"
Louis Quickpaw discreetly glanced at Red Boy standing behind King Bullhorn.
Unlike King Bullhorn’s shock at the news, Red Boy remained calm, as if he had known all along.
Red Boy sidled up to King Bullhorn, disgruntled. "That Louis Quickpaw—so smug and full of himself, strutting around on borrowed authority. Daring to show you such disrespect! Back then, before that monkey returned, we should've wiped them out for good."
"Enough!" King Bullhorn fixed his gaze ahead and said in a low voice, "Never speak like that again. If word gets out, even I won’t be able to protect you. When you mention them, you must call him Great Sage and the Chancellor."
"Father!" Red Boy shrieked indignantly. "How can you swallow such humiliation from Louis Quickpaw?"
"Are you never arrogant with your own subordinates?" King Bullhorn retorted coldly.
"That’s not the same! My cultivation is a hundred times stronger than those little demons—what’s wrong with being arrogant? Who is Louis Quickpaw anyway? He’s only a few centuries old and already looks ancient. Even Fifth Uncle says that not even the Grand Marshal Shortbeak could beat you. Power should decide who sits at the top—why should you let them lord over you?"
King Bullhorn snapped, "Because the Great Sage’s power is a thousand times above ours—that’s reason enough, isn’t it?"
Red Boy was instantly silenced.
King Bullhorn took a deep breath, pursed his lips, and said quietly, "When he says who should lead, that’s who leads—no one can stop him. And... things back then weren’t as simple as you think. Don’t bring this up again. Watch your tongue, or trouble will find you."
"What, will he kill us too? He’s just come back—he’ll have to fight the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist Order. Doesn’t he need our armies?"
King Bullhorn gave a short, bitter laugh. "Did you know you used to have a second uncle—the Serpent Lord?"
Red Boy stared, momentarily stunned.
"You don’t understand the Great Sage," King Bullhorn said slowly. "Back then, things were even worse than now—he hadn’t broken through to Heaven’s Way yet, wasn’t the true king of all demons, and Blossom Mountain was a ruin of war. But he still killed his second brother, the Serpent Lord, right in front of the five of us, settling an old score."
After a brief pause, King Bullhorn continued, "Besides, you’ve never seen a real war between Heaven’s Way cultivators. To them, we’re almost irrelevant. He alone could destroy the entire Heavenly Court. And if he faces an enemy he can’t defeat—someone like the Western Lord Buddha—even a thousand, ten thousand, a million of you wouldn’t make a difference. The wars at Heavenly Court and Blossom Mountain? In the end, it was him alone against Heaven and the Buddhist Order."
Glancing at Red Boy’s bewildered face, King Bullhorn quietly warned him, "Times have changed. Mind your words from now on. If the Great Sage decides to kill, he won’t care who you are. During the Blossom Mountain war, the five of us retreated first, and afterward we ignored Louis Quickpaw’s orders. Now, I’m afraid he’ll settle old scores."