South Sea, Brocade Mountain.

"Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit."

A gigantic black magic circle appeared in the mountain forest.

The ominous aura spread like an ink drop in water.

A massive death frog leapt out of the magic circle.

"Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit."

The death frog crouched in the woods for a while, seemingly confirming the surrounding safety before it opened its huge mouth.

A group of elegantly dressed East Sakura women and children was spat out.

After completing its task, the death frog jumped back into the magic circle and disappeared without a trace.

The children held tightly onto their mothers’ hands, and the mothers looked around nervously like startled deer.

They had just been terrified to death; the soldiers nearly wiped them out.

Fortunately, the young master suddenly used some technique, summoning a giant frog to take them away.

But... where is this place?

Is it safe here?

The women and children all looked towards Madam Bai.

These women, who once envied Madam Bai for being the sole recipient of the Great Evil Demon King’s favor, now entirely relied on her.

Madam Bai sat on the ground, gently rocking Sesshomaru in her arms.

Sesshomaru turned over in Madam Bai’s embrace, murmuring something in his sleep.

Madam Bai felt relieved, knowing that Sesshomaru was just too exhausted, without any major issues.

Asuka walked up to Madam Bai, cautiously scanning the surroundings, and quietly asked:

"Madam, do you know where we are?"

Madam Bai glanced over and saw a villa in the distant view.

Madam Bai immediately understood.

She said:

"This is Xia Country South Sea."

Asuka was momentarily stunned, incredulously asking:

"Xia Country? Is this Xia Country?"

Could the young master have used magic to bring them to Xia Country?

Asuka looked at Sesshomaru with admiration.

The Great Evil Demon King had the power to traverse space; it seems the young master perfectly inherited the Great Evil Demon King’s talents!

Asuka asked:

"Then, is it safe here?

Will the Prime Minister’s men pursue us?

Shouldn’t we quickly find a place to settle down and hide?"

With the Great Evil Demon King absent, Madam Bai was everyone’s pillar of support.

Madam Bai replied:

"There is no place in the world safer than here."

After saying this, Madam Bai stood up with Sesshomaru in her arms and said:

"You all rest here first, I will go to that villa.

There is someone there, he can protect us."

Asuka hurriedly went to take Sesshomaru Young Master from Madam Bai’s arms.

If there is someone Madam Bai is familiar with here, even calling them a ’lord,’ then it must be an incredible person.

Is it inappropriate to meet such a distinguished person while carrying a child?

Unexpectedly, Madam Bai avoided Asuka’s hands, saying:

"If we want to ask that lord for help, we must take Sesshomaru with us."

Asuka withdrew her hands.

Despite her confusion, she adhered to Madam Bai’s wishes.

She whispered:

"It sounds like there might be a chance that lord will not help us.

Could it be dangerous, should I accompany you to protect you?"

Madam Bai shook her head:

"That lord has a fierce temperament. I might face danger going alone, but with Sesshomaru, it will be fine."

In Madam Bai’s impression, Li Yang was the fiercest among the fierce; her husband could only bow and submit before Li Yang.

She didn’t know whether Li Yang would help, but with Sesshomaru, Li Yang might have some compassion.

After all, the mark on Sesshomaru’s forehead was a gift from Li Yang.

...

Half-Mountain Villa.

Suzu and Meng Yu were watching anime on the second floor.

In the hall, Li Yang sat smoking on the sofa, a long-haired young man clad in black knelt across from Li Yang.

The young man was Crow.

He had emerged from seclusion, having finally reached Tier Six.

And then he heard the bad news.

His friend Ye Fan had died, at the hands of the Celestial Race.

"Master, it hurts here. I feel like I’m sick, but I don’t know the cause."

Crow pointed to his chest, face full of confusion.

He clearly wasn’t injured, so why did his heart feel torn apart?

Although Crow was an emperor of the Demon Race, he hadn’t experienced a true parting.

The Changbai Mountain Demon Race and the Security Administration had been at odds for so long, and some demons had died.

To Crow, those demons held little importance, much like ants glimpsed by chance or bees flying overhead.

He thought Heartless Little Monkey and Ye Fan were no different from those ants and bees.

But upon hearing the news of Ye Fan’s death, Crow’s heart felt agony.

He thought perhaps he was wounded, or cursed somehow.

This pain terrified him, even driving him to seek help from Li Yang in the South Sea.

Li Yang took a cigarette from his pocket and tossed it in front of Crow.

Crow was momentarily stunned, picked it up, and placed it in his mouth.

Li Yang leaned forward to light the cigarette in Crow’s mouth with a lighter.

Crow, feeling both honored and lacking the energy to refuse, awkwardly drew on the cigarette.

As it ignited, Crow coughed from the smoke.

He didn’t understand why Li Yang liked this wretched thing so much.

Seeing Li Yang watching him quietly, Crow mimicked Li Yang, taking another drag.

(Smoking is harmful to your health; if you aren’t an extraordinary being with iron-like lungs, don’t imitate.)

The spicy taste pierced his throat and rushed to his head.

Under the effects of nicotine, it did make him feel slightly better.

Yet, Crow could sense the hidden dangers within the smoke.

He looked at Li Yang, puzzled:

"Master, you should smoke less of this."

Li Yang jokingly said:

"There’s a group of non-mainstream people online who said, smoking harms the lungs, not the heart."

Crow earnestly committed this saying to memory.

He thought it might be the remedy for his heartache.

Could it be that the Master, like himself, had a heart cursed and endured unbearable pain?

Li Yang, putting out his cigarette, said:

"This thing is just like women wearing makeup, all fake.

The burdens you’re meant to bear, you’ll still have to bear.

It only lets us escape briefly.

To be a coward, a reasonable coward."

Li Yang still hadn’t explained the cause of his heartache, yet Crow somehow understood his meaning.

His friend had died, killed by the Celestial Race, never to return.

He must bear this sorrow.

At this moment, both Li Yang and Crow turned their heads towards the entrance.

Someone was coming.

Footsteps grew nearer, the villa door was pushed open.

A white-haired woman in an East Sakura robe walked into the hall, holding a boy.

The woman looked haggard, with faint traces of tears on her face.

Crow abruptly stood up, eyes wide.

He recognized this woman, the wife of Xiaohai.

What happened?

An ominous feeling surfaced in Crow’s heart, fear enveloping him, making his heart ache once more.

Madam Bai knelt softly, looking at the two inside, tearfully begging:

"Master, Second Brother, save us! Save my son and me, save my husband!"

"What happened to Xiaohai?!"

On the second floor, Suzu, who had been watching anime, hurriedly ran down.