……

During this period, some strange things started happening in the Blood Demon King Fortress. A series of thefts occurred in the homes of several demon nobility.

The most peculiar aspect was that what was stolen were not rare treasures, but various ingredients from the kitchens of these households.

Fortunately, for most of the demon nobility, ingredients were not of great importance, so they did not launch a large-scale search. Their attention was diverted by another major event.

In the Blood Demon King Fortress, there was a demon restaurant called the Heavenly Demon Pavilion.

This was a chain restaurant operated by a certain Demon God Hall, combining fine wine, gourmet food, and entertainment, making it a comprehensive establishment.

Recently, the business at the Heavenly Demon Pavilion was exceptionally booming, thanks to the famous "Dancer" Sulaya's tour performances. Demons who considered themselves powerful were all captivated by her dance and went to great lengths to win her favor.

Even the Blood Demon King and the Nether Fiend Young Master made several appearances at the Heavenly Demon Pavilion to support Sulaya, but unfortunately, Sulaya seemed quite aloof, with a "performance only, no personal services" label, making the demon nobility even more eager.

Of course, this had nothing to do with Wang Lici.

She came to the Heavenly Demon Pavilion not for beauty.

Instead, it was because the Heavenly Demon Pavilion had purchased a large amount of high-end, precious ingredients to cope with the booming business.

In the kitchen storeroom of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion.

Wang Lici, Lan Wan'er, and the little mouse were "zero-cost purchasing" in the storeroom. Having developed a refined palate over time, Wang Lici and her companions were no longer satisfied with ordinary demon ingredients and began to be selective.

"The demon ingredients are quite good," Wang Lici muttered as she picked through the ingredients, "but the processing methods are too crude, and the seasonings are extremely bland. Alas, I have to cook myself."

"Sister, look! There's a ninth-grade demon dragon tongue in the cold storage!" Lan Wan'er exclaimed in delight.

As soon as she spoke, Wang Lici appeared beside her in a flash.

Gazing at the forked demon dragon tongue, which was crystal white and elastic after preliminary processing, she showed a look of fascination, with dozens of cooking methods already flashing through her mind.

Tongue ingredients have always been a delicacy, let alone a ninth-grade dragon tongue, which even the gourmet Wang Lici rarely had the chance to taste.

Just as she finished admiring it and was about to make some storage space to "purchase" the ninth-grade demon dragon tongue, suddenly, the storeroom door creaked open from the outside, and voices of several demons came in: "Take that demon dragon tongue to the kitchen for cooking, then deliver it to the Heavenly Demon No. 1 private room. Be careful, the guests in Heavenly Demon No. 1 are extremely distinguished, and no mistakes can be made."

Oh no!

The two girls and the mouse felt a jolt in their hearts and quickly found a place to hide, not even having time to take the ninth-grade demon dragon tongue.

Just as they hid, several burly demon chefs entered the storeroom, lifting the ninth-grade demon dragon tongue together and leaving.

Wang Lici watched with heartache, almost in tears.

It was hard to come across such a rare ingredient, only for it to fly away just like that.

Unwilling~

"Sister, what should we do? Should we follow them?" Lan Wan'er swallowed, feeling a bit unwilling.

If they followed, there might still be a chance to intercept it.

Wang Lici gritted her teeth: "Follow!"

With that, she took the lead, concealing her presence as she followed.

Lan Wan'er and the little mouse immediately followed closely behind.

During this time, they had been staying in the Demon King Fortress, becoming very familiar with the terrain. Their proficiency in various hiding and concealing techniques had also greatly increased, making it naturally more difficult for demons to detect them.

In fact, it could be said that as long as they didn't encounter a demon of the Demon King level or a demon lord specializing in detection, it would be difficult for ordinary demons to discover them.

Soon, the two girls and the mouse tracked all the way to the kitchen, peeking down from above.

At this sight, Wang Lici's heart almost broke.

This was a ninth-grade demon dragon tongue~ Such a precious ingredient, and they were handling it so crudely. This was simply a waste of a treasure~!

Unfortunately, during the processing and cooking of the ingredient, the demon chefs never left the kitchen, and they never found an opportunity. Otherwise, Wang Lici would have done anything to rescue that ninth-grade demon dragon tongue.

Half an hour later, the demon chefs finally finished cooking the demon dragon tongue, placed it in a large dish, and carried it to the Heavenly Demon No. 1 private room.

After placing the dish, the demon chefs carefully closed the door and left.

At this time, the guests of Heavenly Demon No. 1 had not yet arrived.

A good opportunity!

The two girls and the mouse's eyes lit up, and they skillfully picked the lock and entered the Heavenly Demon No. 1 private room.

Instantly, the roasted aroma of the demon dragon tongue filled their noses.

It must be said, top-notch ingredients deserve the title "top-notch." Even with clumsy handling, they could still retain six or seven parts of the ingredient's original flavor. Just the aroma alone had already whetted their appetites.

The two girls and the mouse immediately pounced greedily, packing the dish and ingredients into the big mouse's storage pouch.

However.

Just as they were about to find a chance to leave, a demoness's voice sounded outside the door: "Young Master, thank you for helping me out earlier. Those lords were really annoying after drinking too much."

"Miss Sulaya, you're too kind. It was a trivial matter, no need to take it to heart," a male voice followed, sounding noble and elegant, "It's my honor to have the opportunity to invite you for a drink. I've had the kitchen prepare a ninth-grade demon dragon tongue~ please enjoy."

As they spoke, a male and female demon entered the Heavenly Demon No. 1 private room.

These two demons, one with silver hair and golden eyes, elegant and graceful, the other with white hair and snake-like pupils, seductive and alluring, were none other than the Nether Fiend Young Master and the demoness known as "Sulaya"!

"Huh?" The Nether Fiend Young Master glanced at the table, raising his eyebrows slightly, "There's clearly the aroma of demon dragon tongue, but where's the food?"

"Young Master, don't worry. Perhaps the kitchen took it back for further processing," Sulaya suggested, seemingly unwilling to complicate matters, "Since we're drinking, it doesn't matter what we eat. What's more important is with whom we eat."

"Alright, Miss Sulaya, you have a way with words." The Nether Fiend Young Master no longer dwelled on it, inviting Sulaya to sit, then took out the fine wine he had prepared from his storage space, ready to pour her a drink, "This is a specialty wine from my Nether Fiend Demon God Hall—Nine Nether Cold Soul Wine. It's cool and refreshing, and drinking a few more sips is great for tempering the soul."

"Young Master, your wine is indeed fine, but I'm weak and can't handle such a drink," Sulaya smiled gently, taking out a pot of wine herself, "Let's drink my wine instead. It's a specialty from my hometown, called Enchanting Bone Wine. It's warm and invigorating."

"It seems I was inconsiderate," the Nether Fiend Young Master paused in his pouring, intrigued, "As you wish."

The Enchanting Bone Wine was red in color and strong, and after a glass, the Nether Fiend Young Master couldn't help but praise it: "Good wine, good wine, it really gets my blood boiling~"

As they drank, the two demons unknowingly downed several glasses.

The Nether Fiend Young Master gradually became more heated, his gaze growing more aggressive as he looked at Sulaya, starting to make advances.

"Young Master, please don't... I only perform, not sell myself," Sulaya gently resisted, her slender hand against his chest.

"Hehehe~ The more you resist, the more I like it."

Under the influence of the Enchanting Bone Wine, the Nether Fiend Young Master's actions became increasingly unrestrained, revealing his true nature.

"But your guards are outside..." Sulaya complained, "If word gets out, how can I continue as a dancer?"

"That's easy." The Nether Fiend Young Master transmitted to his guards, "I have some important matters to discuss with Miss Sulaya, you all leave for now."

With that, he flipped his wrist, producing a ghostly cold demon flag, and tossed it out.

"Roar~!"

Low dragon roars echoed.

The golden patterns on the ghostly cold demon flag came to life, transforming into eight semi-transparent dragon shadows in the blink of an eye.

The ghostly cold demon flag split into eight, becoming eight triangular flags entwined with golden threads, each landing in a corner of the room, guarding one side.

In the next moment, beams of formation light crisscrossed, enveloping the entire room, isolating it from the outside world.

The room fell silent, the shouts and chatter from outside the window disappearing without a trace.

"This formation flag is called the Nether Eight Dragon Flag, a top-notch semi-offensive, semi-defensive half-step True Demon Artifact. It can isolate spying and protect oneself. Even if a Demon King attacks, it can hold for a while, and they might even get countered."

The Nether Fiend Young Master introduced it with a hint of pride.

A half-step True Demon Artifact~

A glint of greed flashed in Sulaya's eyes, but she smiled, "As expected of the Nether Fiend Young Master, such a rich background. However, this half-step True Demon Artifact has a Spirit Artifact, and I'm embarrassed to be watched by it."

"This is a small matter. Besides, the Nether Eight Dragon Flag only guards against external intrusion, it won't interfere internally," the Nether Fiend Young Master said, specifically instructing the Spirit Artifact, "Focus all your attention outside, do not spy on the private room. No matter what happens here, do not let your attention wander."

"Yes, Young Master!" The Nether Eight Dragon Flag obediently replied.

"Young Master, you're so considerate," Sulaya placed a hand over her heart, seemingly reassured, then leaned into the Nether Fiend Young Master's arms, "Please be gentle with me."

"Once you've tasted the pleasure of this Young Master..."

The two demons' figures intertwined, and scenes unsuitable for children began to unfold.

This excited the two girls and the mouse hiding in the cabinet.

Having spent years on the run, their stealth skills were honed to perfection. With the mouse's spatial abilities, they could slightly distort the surrounding space to isolate spying.

Confident that others couldn't easily discover them, the two girls jostled for a view through the cabinet gap, both with a playful eagerness to "take a peek."

However, space was limited, allowing only one person to peek. Wang Lici and Lan Wan'er jostled back and forth, not only failing to satisfy their curiosity but also risking exposure.

After a while, they stopped jostling, opting to take out the Heavenly Recording Disk to record the scene, planning to watch it slowly at home.

They might even sell the recording to others, charging a hundred immortal crystals per viewing.

As the battle grew more intense, like a fierce storm, vulgar words began to fill the private room.

Suddenly.

The Nether Fiend Young Master froze, letting out an angry roar: "You wretch, what have you done to me?"

"Hehehe, Young Master, don't panic," Sulaya maintained her seductive demeanor, her voice sweet and soft, yet leisurely, "This Thousand Mechanisms Soul Locking Nail is also a top-notch Dao Artifact. Once it pierces your soul, it will paralyze your entire soul. Now, you can't use even a bit of your divine sense or demonic power. Moreover, this nail prevents your soul from escaping, so abandoning your body to flee is impossible."

"You, you, you!" The Nether Fiend Young Master was both shocked and frightened, his voice weak, "How dare you! I'm the direct descendant of the Nether Fiend Demon God, the future Demon God! Aren't you afraid of the wrath of the Ancestral God?"

"Hehehe~ Alright, since you were quite vigorous, I'll let you die knowing why."

Sulaya said, flipping her wrist to reveal a dark dagger in her fair, delicate hand.

It was a Dao Artifact-level demon dagger, small and unassuming, yet exuding a deadly aura.

Seeing this, the Nether Fiend Young Master knew things were bad and tried to flee.

However, with his soul and demonic power paralyzed, he couldn't muster any demonic energy, unable to escape Sulaya's grasp.

Before he could even turn around, Sulaya's dagger had already slit his throat, then swiftly stabbed his heart.

"Who told you to possess the Nether Fiend True Demon Seed, which our Demon Lord has taken a liking to~" Throughout, she maintained a smile, her voice sweet and enticing, "But don't worry, your Nether Fiend Demon God will surely avenge you. Unfortunately, hehehe~ we'll make him believe it was the Human Immortal Dynasty's doing... Now, do you understand?"

"Humans! Demon Lord!"

The Nether Fiend Young Master's eyes bulged, his expression twisted.

At this point, how could he not understand what was happening?

This was clearly a plan to kill two birds with one stone: eliminate him to obtain the Nether Fiend True Demon Seed, while framing the Immortal Dynasty, sparking a conflict between the Dynasty and the Ancestral God, weakening both.

It's known that the Nether Fiend True Demon Seed is the foundation for becoming a Demon God, painstakingly extracted by the Ancestral God from his own body. Once taken, even the Ancestral God would struggle to form another.

At that point, the Nether Fiend Demon God's lineage might lose the Demon God inheritance.

He could almost imagine the Ancestral God's fury upon learning of this.

This Human Demon Lord had truly schemed viciously!

Unfortunately, even understanding the situation, what could he do? With his throat slit and heart pierced, he could barely speak, surviving only due to his lord-level demon body's resilience, barely clinging to life.

Sulaya methodically stabbed every vital point on the Nether Fiend Young Master's body.

Even with his lord-level strength, he couldn't withstand such brutality and finally succumbed. His soul remained pinned within his body, unable to escape.

After dealing with the Nether Fiend Young Master, Sulaya contentedly put away the dagger, a crazed look in her eyes: "Vile Snake, your time is up! Just wait!"

With that, she collected the Nether Fiend Young Master's body, lifted the table, and began searching the floor.

Who knows what mechanism she triggered, but suddenly, the floor's stones silently shifted, revealing a dark passageway.

Clearly, this passage and mechanism were pre-prepared.

Without hesitation, she leaped down, disappearing into the passage, fleeing without looking back.

"This..."

Witnessing this, Wang Lici and Lan Wan'er, hiding in the cabinet, were dumbfounded.

The series of twists was too abrupt, too terrifying!

Just moments ago, the two were engaged in indescribable acts, and suddenly it turned into this? That demoness was too ruthless and terrifying. Moreover, how did this suddenly involve the Demon Lord and the Immortal Dynasty?

Even being right next to it, they couldn't keep up with the pace, feeling like their brains were about to short-circuit.

"Not good! She's trying to frame our Immortal Dynasty, we can't let her succeed!" Wang Lici's mind buzzed, suddenly realizing.

Seeing the passage about to close, she didn't have time to think, hurriedly pulling Lan Wan'er and the little mouse into the passage, pursuing.

After winding through the passage for a while, Wang Lici's mind gradually cleared: "This isn't working. She's caused such a big incident, she must be trying to sneak out of the city. Once the Nether Fiend Young Master's death is discovered, the Blood Demon King Fortress will surely be sealed, and we won't be able to get the Netherworld Purple Gold Lotus!"

"Sister Lici, how about this, you go get the Netherworld Purple Gold Lotus, regardless of its readiness, just take it first," Lan Wan'er suggested, "I'll continue chasing the demoness with the little mouse. Don't worry, the little mouse remembers her scent, she won't escape. You can follow my scent markers to find me later!"

The two girls had committed countless crimes together, already having a tacit understanding, and immediately began to act separately.

When Wang Lici reached the cellar storing the Netherworld Purple Gold Lotus, she found it had bloomed about eighty to ninety percent. Although not the best time for harvest, its medicinal properties were mostly accumulated, making it acceptable to collect.

Without time to lament, she hurriedly collected the Netherworld Purple Gold Lotus, then followed Lan Wan'er's scent markers, leaving the Blood Demon King Fortress.

Traveling over a hundred miles east, into a desolate wilderness in the demon realm, she finally caught up with Lan Wan'er.

At this moment.

Lan Wan'er was hiding her presence outside a hollow valley.

Beside her, the little mouse was using its racial talent to distort space, protecting her within. Without Lan Wan'er's unique scent markers, even Wang Lici might not have found her.

The two girls and the mouse reunited.

"She sent a signal, seems to be waiting for someone," Lan Wan'er quietly transmitted to Wang Lici, explaining the situation, her gaze shifting to the valley.

Following her gaze, Wang Lici indeed saw the demoness hiding in a concealed spot within the valley, silently lurking. Her vibrant dance dress had been replaced with inconspicuous black attire, appearing quite cautious.

The two girls and the mouse stealthily approached the demoness's hiding spot, preparing to seize the bold demoness at the right moment.

No matter what, they needed to uncover the truth. Once they captured the demoness, everything would become clear.

However.

Before they could get close, a subtle spatial fluctuation swept through the valley, and an old man in a gray robe stepped out of the spatial ripple, appearing before Sulaya.

He was an old man with grizzled hair, a sinister gaze, and a cold demeanor, clearly not someone to be trifled with.

Being on demon territory, he appeared discreetly, with no aura leaking from his body except for the spatial ripple, yet he was not to be underestimated.

"Sir," Sulaya eagerly greeted him, "Everything is going according to plan."

With that, she retrieved the Nether Fiend Young Master's body from her storage space.

"The Nether Fiend Young Master's guards should soon realize something is wrong. Speed is of the essence," the gray-robed old man decisively set up formation flags to isolate the area, preventing energy leakage, then took out a pre-prepared black talisman, crushing it with his fingers.

Instantly.

Dark, cold Nether Fiend energy surged forth, forming a black vortex that enveloped the Nether Fiend Young Master's body.

This Nether Fiend energy was vast and nearly tangible, extremely difficult to control.

The gray-robed old man exerted great effort to barely manage them.

Under their influence, the Nether Fiend Young Master's soul, pinned within his body, and his storage ring were gradually extracted.

Simultaneously extracted was a "demon crystal" as transparent as a black gemstone. Surrounded by demonic energy, it exuded a formidable aura, akin to a demon god's presence, making one's scalp tingle with just a glance.

Clearly, this was the Nether Fiend True Demon Seed!

Seeing it, the gray-robed old man was delighted.

Ignoring his mental exhaustion, he quickly took out a specially prepared small box, sealing the Nether Fiend True Demon Seed inside.

Meanwhile, the Nether Fiend Young Master's body was thoroughly searched, leaving only the storage ring linked to his soul for now.

For this Nether Fiend True Demon Seed, the Demon Lord had evidently expended great effort, planning from long ago. Otherwise, the preparations wouldn't have been so thorough, with every step seemingly premeditated.

Yet the Demon Lord likely never imagined that his meticulously laid plan would be coincidentally witnessed by Wang Lici and her companions, recorded in its entirety by the Heavenly Recording Disk.

"Sulaya, take the Nether Fiend Young Master's body and place it at the Immortal No. 3 Base as planned. Only then will your task be truly complete," the gray-robed old man instructed, "Meanwhile, the Lord will engage the Nether Fiend Demon God, facilitating the next phase of the plan."

"Rest assured, sir."

Sulaya once again stored the body, concealing her presence as before, swiftly sneaking away from the valley.

The gray-robed old man casually tore open space, vanishing from the scene.

"These people are too wicked! They commit misdeeds and blame our Immortal Dynasty," Lan Wan'er stomped in anger, "Sister, let's catch that demoness and hand her over to Princess Suiyun. We can't let them succeed! Daring to frame the Immortal Dynasty, they must pay the price!"

Though the demoness seemed to have Divine Realm cultivation, Lan Wan'er and her companions weren't afraid.

With their current strength, ordinary Divine Realm opponents were no match for them, only the Lingxu Realm posed a challenge.

"Framing the Immortal Dynasty is indeed serious, but it's not urgent for now," Wang Lici wrinkled her nose, recalling the situation, a thought forming in her mind, "I feel that Nether Fiend True Demon Seed is more important. The moment it appeared, my bloodline started to stir uncontrollably, and I almost couldn't resist pouncing on it. This is an unprecedented impulse! That thing is definitely very, very, very important!"

"No, we must pursue the Nether Fiend True Demon Seed first! My Fourth Uncle said that the more effort the enemy puts into something, the more important it is, and we mustn't let them succeed. I have a feeling that if the Demon Lord obtains the Nether Fiend True Demon Seed, something big will happen."

"But sister, that's a Lingxu Realm expert~" Lan Wan'er felt a bit apprehensive, "Even if we catch up with the help of the little mouse, we can't beat him."

"Now that we're on demon territory, that Lingxu old man won't dare to go full speed, as it would attract trouble. Frequent spatial tearing is also taxing and risky," Wang Lici, with her rich experience in enemy territory, quickly sorted out her thoughts, "Spatial tearing and evasion leave traces, and with the little mouse's ability to track residual spatial traces and scents, we should be able to catch up with him. I have a plan to slay the Lingxu!"

"Spatial traces and scents dissipate quickly, so let's not delay, we'll discuss as we go."

Wang Lici, usually appearing indifferent to everything but food, was far more perceptive and decisive at critical moments.

It's no wonder she got along so well with Wang Yingxuan.

Having decided, Wang Lici began tracking the old man with the little mouse and Lan Wan'er.

As her experience predicted, the gray-robed old man didn't dare to frequently use spatial tearing on demon territory, instead cautiously sneaking, avoiding demon gathering places, leading to an unpredictable route.

Wang Lici carried Lan Wan'er, holding the miniaturized little mouse, flying low on a semi-immortal artifact, following the residual spatial fluctuations.

Over a hundred miles later, the little mouse finally picked up his scent again.

After several pursuits, covering an unknown distance, Wang Lici and her companions gradually discerned the opponent's trajectory.

Finally, they found an opportunity.

In a secluded, demon-free valley, the gray-robed old man set up camp under the night sky, lighting a campfire, intending to rest before continuing.

He sat cross-legged, regulating his slightly chaotic profound energy due to exhaustion, while resting his eyes.

Despite extensive preparations, controlling the Nether Fiend energy to extract the Nether Fiend True Demon Seed was mentally taxing. Afterward, he had been on high alert, unable to properly rest, leaving his mental state unrecovered. Now was a rare moment of relaxation.

The weak campfire cast a warm glow on his face, bringing a sense of comfort.

At this moment, a disheveled, dirty-looking girl stumbled toward him.

Despite her attempts at disguise, her face was unmistakably Lan Wan'er, who had followed Lici all the way.

Before Lan Wan'er could approach, the gray-robed old man snapped open his eyes, glaring at the girl: "Who are you? Why are you on demon territory?"The dirty, ragged old man in the gray robe, save me~~" Lan Wan'er saw him and immediately rushed over with a mix of surprise and joy, as if she had found a lifeline. "I'm an elite disciple of the Human Clan's Immortal Palace. I got separated from the main force during a reconnaissance mission when we encountered enemy troops. Luckily, I managed to escape after a fierce battle..."

"Scram!"

The old man in the gray robe waved his sleeve, and before Lan Wan'er could reach him, he flung her away.

Huh? My charm technique didn't work?

Lan Wan'er felt a wave of frustration.

Didn't Sister Lici say that seduction was actually simple? Didn't the enchantress easily deal with the Nether Fiend Young Master?

"Old man in the dirty, smelly, ragged gray robe, please save me~" Lan Wan'er threw him a clumsy seductive glance. "Right now, it's the crucial moment for immortals and demons to unite against the outer region demons. We are like family~ As long as you save me, I'll do anything you want."

Saying this, she scurried over again.

The old man's face darkened. "You foolish girl, you refuse to take the path to heaven and insist on barging into hell!"

With that, he waved his hand, conjuring a ghostly claw that reached out to grip Lan Wan'er's neck from a distance.

Her plan to seduce and defeat him failed instantly.

"Girl, you're out of luck..." The old man said coldly, ready to silence her, when he suddenly caught sight of Lan Wan'er tossing out a talisman from the corner of his eye.

He didn't pay it much mind, thinking what harm could a little Purple Mansion Realm girl possibly do...

But before he could finish the thought, the talisman shattered with a "crack."

A terrifying energy, as if it could destroy the world, surged forth, transforming into a solid-looking golden fist that struck towards the old man.

With just a simple punch, the golden fist exuded an overwhelming power, as if all the "force" in the world had converged into this one punch.

Where the punch passed, space collapsed continuously, and a terrifying roar echoed through the heavens and earth.

How is this possible?!

The old man's expression changed drastically. Realizing the danger, he could only defend hastily.

"Boom!"

Amidst the deafening roar, he was sent flying like a ragged cloth, his internal organs nearly shattered, his very soul almost dispersed, and blood spewed from his mouth.

At this moment, his mind was filled with only one furious curse.

"Damn! A True Immortal Strike!"

But the crisis wasn't over.

As he struggled to regain control of his body, Wang Lici descended from the sky, wielding a semi-immortal crescent blade, and slashed down.

A blade light, like a silver moon, cut across the sky, domineering and fierce, as if it would cleave the heavens and earth in two!

"I have a blade that can sever the Void!"