bookbashuk Chapter 784 The Demon Race Has All Returned
Chapter 784 The Demon Race Has All Returned
The snake demon watched as Xiao Shuai's white figure disappeared into the night, his narrow pupils slightly contracting, and his brows furrowing involuntarily. This fox was always full of tricks; his submissive demeanor when he left with Elder Qingyi just now suggested he was plotting something even more sinister. But for now, he had no better option than to wait. He could only nod silently, his green figure flickering like ink-black vines, vanishing without a trace into the deep twilight.
The cave suddenly became empty, with only the cold wind swirling through the cracks in the rocks, stirring up withered leaves and dust, making a "whooshing" sound, as if someone was hiding in the shadows and sobbing softly, making one's heart tighten.
Seeing Elder Qingyi stroll leisurely from the cave entrance, his whisk lightly brushing the grass clippings off his robes, the fourth brother hurried over, rubbing his hands, which were red from the cold, and asked anxiously, "Elder, are everything arranged over there? Have the demons tried anything else? Shouldn't we return to the sect to report?"
Qingyi nodded, his gaze lingering on the fourth brother for a moment, sweeping over his blood-stained sleeve, before he said in a deep voice, "Fourth brother, Xielang and I will go back to report to the sect leader first. You stay here." He paused, his tone becoming more serious, carrying an undeniable solemnity, "Your cultivation is solid, and you are calm and composed. You don't panic in the face of trouble. Only with you guarding this place can the sect leader truly feel at ease."
The fourth brother felt a warmth in his heart, knowing that this was genuine trust from the elder. He grinned, revealing a touch of naive honesty: "Don't worry, elder, you can go back first! Leave this to me, I guarantee there won't be a single problem! Even if I have to guard it for three days and three nights, I won't let any suspicious people get close!"
The wolf, its heart itching with excitement, unconsciously swept its fluffy tail behind it, took two steps forward, grinned, revealing its sharp fangs, and said excitedly, "Why don't I stay too? After all, with my skills, it's good to have more people around, right? If something happens, it can lend a hand..."
Before he could finish speaking, the fourth brother glanced at him sideways, his eyes filled with a hint of mockery: "What? You think I can't handle this alone?" He raised an eyebrow, cracked his knuckles, and said, "Or do you feel like we didn't get enough of a spar last time and want to take this opportunity to try again?"
Evil Wolf's eyes lit up. He'd indeed been outmaneuvered by Fourth Brother's superior strength in their last encounter, and was about to retort, "Let's try it then," when Qingyi coldly interrupted him: "Nonsense!" He flicked his whisk, sending a gust of wind past Evil Wolf's ear. "We're all brothers, what kind of behavior is this, fighting and killing all the time? It's utterly disrespectful!" He glared at Evil Wolf, his tone stern. "Go back and properly cultivate your transformation technique, stop thinking about these useless squabbles!"
The evil wolf had always been intimidated by Elder Qingyi's authority. It shrank its neck, like a scolded dog, and hung its head, not daring to utter another sound. Only its tail still gently swept the ground in defiance.
Qingyi then turned to the fourth brother, his tone softening slightly, yet still carrying an undeniable seriousness: "That snake demon and Xiao Shuai said they came to discuss matters with the sect leader, and they seemed to have fought to a draw before retreating, but they may not have had any good intentions." He glanced into the depths of the cave and lowered his voice, "I feel this is very strange. If they really wanted to discuss matters, why would they bring so many skilled fighters? In my opinion, they deliberately feigned weakness. If you were alone, they might have revealed their true colors—I even suspect they came to capture the sect leader. You must be extremely vigilant and not be careless in the slightest. If there is any unusual movement, send a signal immediately, and we will return as soon as possible."
The fourth brother nodded, his smile vanishing instantly, his eyes turning sharp as knives: "Elder, rest assured, I understand the importance of this matter and will never allow them to harm the Sect Master in the slightest."
Qingyi said no more, waved to Xielang, and the two figures flickered like two wisps of smoke, quickly disappearing into the thick, impenetrable night.
Outside the cave, only the fourth brother remained, standing alone in the cold moonlight. He tightened the magic weapon at his waist; the short sword forged from black iron gleamed coldly. The night wind whipped his robes, making them flutter, and he warily scanned the surrounding dense forest—the wind tonight seemed colder than usual, carrying an indescribable chill, as if something was lurking in the shadows, waiting for its chance to strike.
Qingyi knew in his heart that the fourth brother was always steady and meticulous in his work. The conflict with the demon race last time was indeed just an accidental misunderstanding, and he couldn't be blamed.
After settling the remaining matters, Qingyi led Xielang, the leader, and the others back, their figures quickly disappearing into the depths of the mountains and forests. Unbeknownst to them, a figure stood quietly in the treetops not far away—it was the elder of the Fierce Tiger Sect.
The elder gazed in the direction they had departed, his expression complex. He had come to inspect the territory, never expecting to run into Qingyi and his group, let alone that Qingyi's strength had improved so much. The Demon Suppression Hall's power now far surpassed that of the Fierce Tiger Sect, which unsettled him. But then he thought, Qingyi had always treated the Fierce Tiger Sect well and had never provoked them. It was best to keep this matter to himself and not make a fuss, lest it cause unnecessary trouble.
On the other side, seeing that Ma Xiuxiu was sleeping soundly, He Yuzhu quietly got up and went outside. A night breeze blew by, carrying the fragrance of grass and trees. He looked towards the shadows in the corner and called out, "Fourth brother, how is it? Have Elder Qingyi and the others left?"
The fourth brother emerged from the shadows and nodded: "Sect Master, the demon race has retreated, and Elder Qingyi and the others have returned to the sect. I'll guard this place, so you can rest assured."
He Yuzhu hummed in agreement, his brows furrowing slightly: "You have a task now—carefully check the surroundings to see if anyone is still secretly watching you. If someone is, it means they still have doubts about me."
The fourth brother nodded, deliberately putting on a stern face and lowering his voice: "Sect Master, rest assured, I'll take care of this. But... if there are any loose ends, should we deal with them directly?"
He Yuzhu was amused by his words and slapped his arm: "Are you crazy? If you really kill someone, wouldn't that be like telling everyone that I have a cultivator by my side? Just let them watch and talk about it, don't do anything, understand?"
The fourth brother grinned, a sly glint in his eyes: "I knew, I was just teasing you, I didn't expect you to actually take it seriously." With that, he vanished into the night.
He Yuzhu wanted to say something more, but seeing only the empty corner of the wall, he could only touch his nose, smile awkwardly, and turn back into the house. The night wind blew through the old locust tree in the corner of the yard, the leaves rustling as if they were laughing softly at his tricked appearance.