Chapter 459: Chapter 417: Demon Clan Closed Cultivation

Iron Feather Country.

"Someone, the Mountain Lord has fainted—"

Amidst a flurry of activity, Maque led the Feather Clan guards inside. It took quite some time to confirm that Shen Huaxi had merely collapsed from exhaustion and fallen asleep, but was otherwise fine, finally allowing them to breathe a sigh of relief.

Turning around, Maque looked angrily at Jiang Yuebai beside the study desk.

The study was littered with papers, filled with various botanical illustrations and texts. Jiang Yuebai remained seated, with a look of sudden realization.

"So that’s how it is."

Unable to hold back, Maque said, "Master Wangshu, even if you’re eager to debate, you can’t keep our Mountain Lord up for over ten days and nights without rest, can you? Our Mountain Lord has not yet recovered from the injuries caused by the Blood Sea Ancestor."

Jiang Yuebai looked apologetic, "I’m sorry, once I start researching, I can’t stop easily, and I thought Huaxi seemed quite serious; he didn’t say he was tired or anything."

"Our Mountain Lord is thin-skinned; he’s risking his life to accompany you!"

Jiang Yuebai glanced towards the screen inside, expressed concern for Shen Huaxi with a few words, confirmed he just needed rest, then got up to take her leave.

"I’ve really disturbed you this time. I’ll first visit the Demon Clan and return to debate with Huaxi after some days. If you need help with anything, feel free to send someone to find me at the Demon Clan."

Jiang Yuebai tidied up the papers on the table and took her farewell.

After she left, Maque returned inside to find Shen Huaxi awake.

"Mountain Lord, when did you wake up?" Maque asked, delight evident on her face.

Shen Huaxi sat up, nodding towards the outside, "Did she... really leave?"

Maque nodded, "She left."

"Phew~~"

Shen Huaxi let out a long breath, leaned against the bedhead, and shook his head with a smile.

"Next time if she comes again, notify me in advance. No, let’s have the people tidy up quickly, and we should head to Wentian Island sooner; this place is unbearable."

Maque had never seen her Young Master avoid someone like this, and she found it both amusing and exasperating. However, she could tell that the Young Master was genuinely happy, despite his words saying otherwise.

"Really, leave right now?" Maque probed.

Shen Huaxi blushed slightly, coughed, and said, "Maybe I’ll rest a few more days. Go get the books from the third layer of the bookshelf for me; I need to read more, think more, and can’t be lax anymore, otherwise I’ll be asked questions in my own domain next time, and that would be embarrassing."

"Yes."

Shen Huaxi and Maque exchanged smiles.

The night outside had gradually passed, and dawn began to break from the east; the sky of the Extraordinary People Country was about to brighten.

*

Jiang Yuebai navigated the Flying Core Boat alone across the Illusionary Wave Sea, with the small upturned boat drifting with the waves, neither fast nor slow.

Little Green hung beneath the upturned boat, its glowing green light dispelling the surrounding fog and deterring the lurking Fish Demons.

The thin Jixiang squatted in the cabin, gnawing on a piece of mineral stone, spreading crumbs all over. Occasionally, he paused to look east and sighed, seemingly missing Xie Jingshan.

The Condensing Light Mirror had been casually tossed inside the cabin. The mirror’s surface shimmered as the Ice Armor Beetle King Jade Dust rolled with the Ice Hornless Dragon in the Dragon Transformation Water, with a faint dragon majesty now visible on Jade Dust’s icy blue shell.

At the bow, the Puppet Avatar was practicing the "White Dragon Spear Technique," which Jiang Yuebai had modified from the "Burning Hundred Spear Technique."

The Crane Feather Avatar held a stack of papers, deducing various formulas of the Little Demon Technique, while the main body alternated between Phoenix True Fire and Earth Evil Fire, refining the five viscera and cultivating the "Nine Revolutions Golden Body Technique."

After refining, there was still the comprehension of Jian Palace Thunder to continue, taking poisons, making the Mermaid Silk’s Magical Robe, and simply not having enough time.

"With three divine thoughts and three avatars, I’m already stretched thin. I wonder if the Soul-Shaking Stone is easy to find in the Upper Realm; I’d need ten divine thoughts and ten avatars to be sufficient."

Jiang Yuebai began looking forward to the day she would ascend to the Upper Realm.

Regarding matters of Demon Cultivation, she had already figured things out at Shen Huaxi’s place.

In ancient times, Heavenly Witch Clansmen were human in form, with demon blood and demon hearts. They could cultivate demonic arts due to the demon heart. However, the current Extraordinary People have long lost their demon hearts, and their demon blood is no longer pure, leaving only strong human bodies capable of practicing the Human Clan’s Body Refining Cultivation Techniques.

The Ghost Clan, as a new race born from the combination of the Demon Clan and the Human Clan, is naturally born with a piece of demon bone within, used to store and manipulate demonic or yin qi, allowing them to cultivate yin qi or directly cultivate demonic qi.

Shen Huaxi’s demon bone was his wings. Tian Nanxing’s notes recorded the possibility of grafting demon bones onto human or demon bodies.

Yet, all of this remains theoretical, with all attempts made so far ending in failure.

A fortunate byproduct of Tian Nanxing’s research was that Xie Jingshan greatly benefited during the time his sword bone was extracted, ingesting many of Tian Nanxing’s Bone Regeneration Medicines. Now, Xie Jingshan can freely manifest his sword bones throughout his body.

The bone is the sword, and the sword is the bone; he is experiencing a form of Man and Sword Unity without yet reaching the Nascent Soul Stage.

Jiang Yuebai compiled these issues, writing them all in a letter to Lu Nanzhi.

She recalled Lu Nanzhi mentioning having once reformed her Demon Body, with her entire skeleton being refined into Ice Demon Bone. She intended to ask Lu Nanzhi about the refining process and see if there was a way to improve it.

In any case, without absolute certainty, she wouldn’t try it on her own body. At most, she would learn to refine Tian Nanxing’s Bone Regeneration Medicine, using the White Vine on her body to cultivate a White Vine Avatar and experiment on the avatar.

After two months of sailing, she finally reached the Demon Clan.

The four Fish Demons were still there on the beach. Upon seeing Jiang Yuebai, they immediately and respectfully invited her to the Demon Clan.

The Elder of the Divine Tree still appeared to be asleep, only briefly greeting her and then telling Jiang Yuebai to find the Phoenix, which would teach her everything about the demon arts and the Demon Clan thereafter.

The affairs of the entire Demon Clan remained coordinated by the Female Phoenix, only now there were two little ones, causing the Female Phoenix to appear much more weary than during their last meeting.

Judging by the scattered Phoenix Feathers throughout the Phoenix Nest, it’s clear she must be profoundly exhausted.

Furthermore, the Male Phoenix had grown more irritable. When Jiang Yuebai arrived at the Phoenix Nest, it was scolding the two Little Phoenixes, making them cry out.

"Esteemed Phoenix Lords, I’ve returned. Would it be alright if I helped tidy your nest and stayed for a while? If there’s anything the Demon Clan needs my help with, feel free to ask. I can even help care for the little ones for a few days, so you two can go out and enjoy a couple’s retreat."

Upon hearing this, the Female Phoenix and Male Phoenix were moved to tears, and Jiang Yuebai instantly appeared at their side, comforting them while collecting Phoenix Tears with a small vial.

The Female Phoenix and Male Phoenix took off intimately together, and Jiang Yuebai put away the Phoenix Tears, turning to face the two Little Phoenixes, each larger than herself, whose sunny expression darkened immediately.

"Hmm, now your parents are not around, you’re at my mercy. From now on, listen to me in all matters big and small, or else..."

A vine in Jiang Yuebai’s hair coiled, snapping a section of Phoenix Tree Wood in response.

The two inexperienced Little Phoenixes, intimidated by Jiang Yuebai’s menacing aura, immediately huddled together, nodding vigorously in assent.

"Now, over there in the corner, go set up a nest for me, quickly!"

The two Little Phoenixes sprang into action, extracting Phoenix Tree Wood from various parts of the Phoenix Nest to build a small nest for Jiang Yuebai in a corner unobstructed and perfectly illuminated by moonlight.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yuebai was not idle, swiftly tidying up and organizing the Phoenix Nest.

She stood atop the highest point of the Phoenix Nest, observing the entire Demon Clan land under the bright moon.

Reflecting on her life, she recalled entering the sect for cultivation at six, completing Foundation Establishment at fifteen.

With the aid of Five Elements Spiritual Objects, she achieved Heavenly Grade Core Formation by twenty-nine.

Now, at thirty-nine, she was already at Mid-Stage Golden Core, surpassing even those with Innate Spiritual Bodies in cultivation speed.

"Grandfather, I wonder where you are. If you could see my accomplishments today, you would surely be proud of me, wouldn’t you?"

The night breeze caressed her face, gradually calming Jiang Yuebai’s thoughts. Knowing her grandfather still existed somewhere in the world made her inner longings slowly fade away, further stabilizing her Dao Heart.

Once, she indeed considered, upon reaching a certain level of cultivation, comprehending the Time Law to reverse time and save her grandfather.

Now, it’s no longer necessary.

Taking a deep breath to quell her turbulent thoughts, her path now had no regrets, leaving only the unstoppable drive forward.

The Supreme Elder was right; no matter what conspiracies or intrigues arise, if her own strength is robust, anyone who comes to her will falter!

So, with a ten-year plan, she would retire in the Demon Clan and strive for Late-Stage Golden Core!