Protect Our Patriarch
Book 5: Chapter 118: Dream of Wealth and Nobility: Disguised Private Visit

...

Heading north from the extreme west, crossing the endless snow-capped mountains, one enters a vast uninhabited zone rarely touched by humans. Beyond this zone, heading further northwest, lies the territory of the Red Moon Demon Dynasty.

The continent where the Red Moon Demon Dynasty resides is known as the Red Moon Continent.

Structurally speaking, the Red Moon Continent, home to the Red Moon Demon Dynasty, is actually connected to the Zhongzhou Continent, where the Great Qian is located. However, the two are distinctly separate realms, as if they are entirely unrelated worlds.

This separation is due not only to distance and the existence of realm gaps but also largely to historical reasons.

In terms of existence, the history of the Red Moon Demon Dynasty is actually older than that of the Han Yue Immortal Dynasty.

Initially, the Red Moon Demon Dynasty was more like a conglomerate of various large and small forces rather than a unified nation, lacking a centralized government and a complete social system.

At that time, the major forces ruled their own territories, each acting independently despite nominally respecting the strongest as a common leader. This lack of unity, despite the dynasty's strength and potential for expansion, led to slow development due to internal checks and balances, leaving regions like the Western Jin and Great Qian undeveloped.

This situation persisted until the establishment of the Han Yue Immortal Dynasty.

Perhaps due to external threats or simply the right timing, under the threat of the Han Yue Immortal Dynasty, the Demon Dynasty finally ended its era of divided rule after a period of turmoil and achieved political unification.

The Shentu Clan, the strongest and largest family at the time, unified most of the Demon Dynasty's territory and absorbed most of the family forces under its command, proclaiming themselves as "Emperor" and establishing a stable government.

The remaining scattered sect forces, seeking survival, had no choice but to seek protection under the True Demon Hall, which was one of the only two forces with Demon Lord-level experts. As a result, the True Demon Hall grew increasingly powerful.

After some twists and turns, a balance was eventually reached between the Shentu Clan and the True Demon Hall.

Thus, the political structure of the Demon Dynasty was finally solidified, becoming the present-day Red Moon Demon Dynasty.

Over tens of thousands of years, the True Demon Hall has been passed down through generations, standing firm and unshakeable in its position.

In the southwest region of the True Demon Hall.

Amidst the continuous mountain ranges stands a massive demon palace.

This is a majestic and grand architectural complex, primarily stone-built, with each brick meticulously crafted, engraved with exquisite patterns, and exuding a rich demonic aura.

However, in certain places, there are specially crafted buildings made entirely of metal. These structures have towering spires and a cold, imposing presence, resembling steel beasts, fierce and menacing.

This fortress-like demon palace is known as the Fuluo Palace.

Here is the stronghold of the Little Demon Lord, Chao Qianjue.

As a direct descendant of the current Demon Lord, Little Demon Lord Chao Qianjue has shown extraordinary talent since childhood and is highly regarded, practically the "crown prince" of the True Demon Hall. Naturally, he enjoys a significant allocation of resources.

His demon palace is even more grandiose than some Void Realm Demon Lords' palaces, both in scale and personnel, it is top-notch.

The Demon Lord's favor towards him is evident.

In recent years, the Little Demon Lord has been in seclusion, and the Fuluo Palace has been relatively low-key, but this has not diminished the Little Demon Lord's prestige within the True Demon Hall.

The place where the Little Demon Lord is in seclusion is one of the rear halls of the Fuluo Palace. It is relatively secluded, with a certain distance from all surrounding palaces, and heavily guarded, not even a fly could get in.

On this day, the Divine Realm guards responsible for guarding the seclusion area had just completed their shift change and were instructing their subordinates to stay alert.

Unexpectedly, as they were speaking.

Suddenly.

A domineering aura surged from within the hall.

The aura was majestic and overwhelming, like a mountain pressing down, making one's chest feel heavy.

The Divine Realm guard paused in his speech, his eyes lighting up instantly.

Could it be that the Little Demon Lord is about to emerge from seclusion?

He immediately sent someone to report the commotion.

In just a moment, ripples of space appeared in the air in front of the hall.

Then, an elder in dark robes stepped out, appearing outside the hall.

The elder was thin and frail, with an aged face, seemingly unassuming in presence, yet his dark robes seemed to absorb light, exuding an aura that made one's heart race with unease.

It was clear that this was a Void Realm expert.

The Divine Realm guard's heart tightened, and he respectfully stepped forward, bowing, "Greetings, Elder Gong."

This elder, named Gong Litu, was one of the twenty-seven Demon Lords of the True Demon Hall.

Of course, this was his official title; in reality, he was a retainer of the Chao Clan, assigned to follow and protect Chao Qianjue since he was young, acting as his steward and guardian.

In this Fuluo Palace, aside from the Little Demon Lord, he held the highest status and authority.

"Stay vigilant," Gong Litu glanced at them and instructed, "Even if the young master is about to emerge from seclusion, do not let your guard down. Any mistake, and I will hold you accountable."

"Yes, Elder Gong. We understand."

The Divine Realm guard replied respectfully.

He dared not be careless.

Though the Little Demon Lord held high prestige, the True Demon Hall was rife with factions and intrigue, with countless individuals both openly and covertly wishing him harm. From a young age, Chao Qianjue had survived numerous assassination attempts.

As guards, they understood that the more critical the moment, the more they could not relax their vigilance.

As they spoke, the aura emanating from the hall gradually receded.

This indicated that the person inside was about to come out.

Everyone fell silent.

Sure enough, after a short while, a figure pushed open the door and stepped out.

It was a young man with a resolute face and a stern expression.

He wore only a black robe, casually open at the collar, giving him a carefree appearance, yet his aura was steady and authoritative, exuding a sharp and decisive presence.

This young man was none other than the Little Demon Lord, Chao Qianjue.

The Divine Realm guard's heart tightened, and he immediately stepped forward, bowing in salute, "Greetings, Young Master."

The other guards quickly followed suit, bowing respectfully, not daring to show any negligence.

There were at least dozens of guards present, and their collective salute only heightened the young man's imposing presence.

"Rise."

The Little Demon Lord Chao Qianjue waved his hand, his stern face showing no expression.

"Congratulations to the young master on emerging from seclusion, reaching new heights in cultivation." Gong Litu, the Chao Clan retainer, also changed his previous cold and stern demeanor, smiling as he stepped forward to congratulate, "With your current strength, inheriting the True Demon Canon is just around the corner. In the future, you will surely dominate and surpass the Immortal Dynasty."

"Elder Gong overpraises." The Little Demon Lord Chao Qianjue waved his hand indifferently, "It's too early to talk about inheriting the True Demon Canon. Firstly, the Ancestor still relies on the Canon's support to contend with the Immortal Sovereign. Secondly, the official title has yet to be decided. If word gets out, others might gossip behind our backs, accusing our Chao Clan of being domineering and privately appointing the True Demon Hall's successor."

Gong Litu chuckled, "The young master is overly cautious. With your bloodline and talent, even in the history of successors, you rank among the top. In the current younger generation, who else is qualified to compete with you for the position of the True Demon Hall's successor?"

As a retainer of the Chao Clan, Gong Litu naturally held high hopes for this young master.

The young master not only had exceptional bloodline and talent but also possessed a style reminiscent of the Demon Lord, skilled in strategy and decision-making, with great foresight, truly a person capable of great achievements.

Once the young master ascends, he will undoubtedly lead the Chao Clan to greater strength, and the retainer families attached to the Chao Clan will also rise with the tide.

The Little Demon Lord Chao Qianjue merely smiled nonchalantly, changing the subject, "How is the war situation in Yan Kingdom?"

"The conflict between Yan Kingdom and Liang Kingdom is quite intense, with fierce battles on both sides, yet neither can gain the upper hand." Gong Litu quickly composed himself, answering while lowering his voice, "Young Master, the Yan Kingdom's royal family has sent a secret envoy seeking an audience. However, since you were in seclusion, we dared not make any decisions."

The Little Demon Lord frowned slightly, "The Yan Kingdom's royal family is, after all, my maternal clan. Elder Gong, please take my token and secretly deploy three elite battle groups from the True Demon Hall to infiltrate Yan Kingdom and assist in the battle, aiming to decisively determine the outcome."

Gong Litu's expression showed slight hesitation, advising, "Young Master, the situation on the outer region battlefield is tense, with a tacit understanding between the Demon Emperor and the Immortal Emperor to restrain themselves and avoid triggering the next round of the immortal-demon war. The Demon Lord has also given instructions."

"If we support Yan Kingdom, and the news leaks, leading both sides to amass troops in Yan and Liang Kingdoms, could it escalate the conflict and become the spark for another immortal-demon war?"

"Elder Gong, I've considered your concerns. However, while we are cautious, does the Immortal Dynasty not have its own concerns? You need not worry too much; just have our battle groups disguise themselves as Yan Kingdom's royal guards and swiftly capture the two disputed commanderies." The Little Demon Lord said calmly, "Even if Liang Kingdom suspects, without concrete evidence, what can they do?"

"Young Master is wise." Gong Litu bowed, "I will handle this matter shortly."

As they spoke, the two had already left the rear hall and entered the study used for discussions.

Compared to the seclusion area, the study was more grandiose and luxurious, with every inch showcasing the deep heritage of the True Demon Hall.

The Little Demon Lord sat in his seat, casually sipping the twelfth-grade sunflower tea offered by a servant, and then asked about another matter of concern, "How is the situation on the Muzhen Continent?"

Compared to the conflict between Yan and Liang Kingdoms, he was more concerned about the situation on the Muzhen Continent.

That continent's area was almost equivalent to thirty percent of the Demon Dynasty's directly governed territory, making it far more important than Yan and Liang Kingdoms.

Therefore, the Little Demon Lord had long been planning everything.

However, this grand plan was for his future ascension to Demon Lord.

If, under his scheme, the Muzhen Continent could be unified, it would create a situation where the Immortal Dynasty's influence wanes while his rises, and he would gain great prestige, allowing him to gather more strength to gradually squeeze the Immortal Dynasty's living space.

"Our infiltration into Xia and Zhou Kingdoms has been quite successful, with our covert control gradually increasing. We frequently incite internal conflicts to weaken their unity. Once you become Demon Lord, we can launch a swift attack, coordinating from within and without to capture the entire Muzhen Continent." Gong Litu spoke, then hesitated, "However, recently, one plan has not been going smoothly."

"Tell me." The Little Demon Lord asked indifferently.

"During your seclusion, Princess Luojia of Zhou Kingdom on the Muzhen Continent has gained fame, receiving support from many princes and clans. This woman is deeply strategic, adept at building networks and winning hearts, and her talent and bloodline are formidable even among great prodigies." Gong Litu said, "Judging by the Zhou royal family's and some clans' attitudes, it seems they want to elevate Princess Luojia to the position of Empress."

"I suspect that if this woman ascends to the throne, she might obstruct your grand ambitions. Therefore, we implemented a scheme..." Gong Litu explained the key points, "The final result was that what should have been a sure thing was thwarted by a young man from the small Eastern Qian Kingdom on the Frontier Continent."

"Peerless Prodigy? You say the young man who thwarted the plan is a Peerless Prodigy?" The Little Demon Lord raised an eyebrow, showing some interest, "A mere small Eastern Qian Kingdom can produce a Peerless Prodigy? Seems like they have good fortune."

"It seems he became a Peerless Prodigy after inheriting a treasure tome. Intelligence indicates he possesses the Mysterious Pill Treasure Tome, which is closely related to the Yun's Clan of the Immortal Dynasty. It's possible they are secretly nurturing a grandmaster alchemist." Gong Litu said.

"Became a Peerless after inheriting a treasure tome? I thought it was a genuine Peerless." The Little Demon Lord sneered, "Even if such a person grows, they will only reach the early Void Realm at best. However, his identity as an alchemist is somewhat special, and if he truly becomes a Void Realm, it could be troublesome. Let's find an opportunity to eliminate him."

"As for Princess Luojia, hearing how formidable she is, we naturally can't let her inherit the Zhou Kingdom's throne. As for the specifics, Elder Gong, I trust you don't need me to remind you."

"Yes, Young Master, I will make arrangements. Many in Zhou Kingdom do not wish to see her become Empress." Gong Litu smiled, "As for that alchemist named Wang Shouye, his family's background is too small to protect him, so it's just his bad luck."

In just a few words, they had decided the fate of numerous countries and individuals, their casual attitude exuding a grand sense of "pointing out the country" and "wielding power."

After discussing these major policies, the Little Demon Lord remembered another matter, "What about the Yin Snake Demon Concubine? Has she been quiet lately?"

"I have now reached the mid-Divine Realm, and my bloodline potential has been fully developed. It's time to borrow her 'primordial yin' and use the secret method I obtained to break through the bloodline bottleneck. If I can overcome this hurdle..."

Suddenly, the Little Demon Lord felt a surge of excitement.

Others believed he sought the Yin Snake Demon Concubine's "primordial yin" merely to break through his cultivation and save time.

But only he and a few confidants knew he had discovered a miraculous secret method while exploring the ruins of the Magicauldron Venerable from the Shenwu period.

This secret method was a perfect match for the Yin Snake Demon Concubine's Cha Nu Yin Demon Art, allowing him to cultivate a Primordial Yin Embryo Pill using her primordial yin essence, which had special effects in enhancing cultivation and evolving bloodlines.

He was not in a hurry to inherit the True Demon Canon, mainly because he wanted to wait until his cultivation and body could withstand the Primordial Yin Embryo Pill, attempting to push his bloodline to the level of an innate dao body.

If he succeeded, such a bloodline level would be unparalleled in both the Immortal and Demon Dynasties. At that point, his future would be limitless.

It was clear that the Little Demon Lord was a person with a grand vision, far removed from trivial pursuits.

Unexpectedly.

Upon hearing this, Gong Litu's expression changed instantly.

Cold sweat dripped from his forehead as he trembled, "Young Master, it's my fault for not keeping an eye on the Yin Snake Demon Concubine. She has defected to the Blood Child Demon Lord, intending to use his power to oppose you."

The Little Demon Lord's expression gradually darkened, "Blood Child Demon Lord? That old man, what makes him think he can stop me?"

"Young Master, please calm down. The Blood Child Demon Lord is eccentric, relying on the uniqueness and power of his cultivation method, he respects no one, not even the Demon Lord can restrain him. He must think that with him protecting the Yin Snake Demon Concubine, you wouldn't dare touch her." Gong Litu said helplessly.

"Hmph!" The Little Demon Lord sneered, "In that case, I'll meet the Blood Child Demon Lord and see how capable he is of protecting the Yin Snake Demon Concubine."

"This..." Gong Litu wiped his forehead sweat again, awkwardly, "It seems the Yin Snake Demon Concubine has defected."

"Defected?" The Little Demon Lord Chao Qianjue's face twitched, his expression becoming somewhat inexplicable, "Didn't the Yin Snake Demon Concubine join the Blood Child Demon Lord? How could she defect? Doesn't she still rely on him for protection?"

"Young Master, the situation is roughly like this. The Blood Child Demon Lord took the Yin Snake Demon Concubine and others to the Eastern Qian Kingdom on the Frontier Continent, likely targeting an unknown relic there." Gong Litu explained while wiping sweat, his face slightly pale, "Unexpectedly, the Blood Child Demon Lord was ambushed by Eastern Qian, losing an avatar, and the entire Yin Snake Demon Concubine's faction was captured, reportedly leading to their defection."

"Reportedly! Reportedly!" The Little Demon Lord trembled with anger, his expression twisted, "Everything is reportedly. How is it that you still don't have a clear understanding of the situation? Elder Gong, you have greatly disappointed me."

"Young Master, the incident occurred in a remote small country on the Frontier, catching us off guard. I did send people to investigate, but Eastern Qian is currently at war with neighboring countries, strictly guarding against spies. Several groups I sent failed to infiltrate, so it will take time to gather accurate information."

Gong Litu's expression was quite helpless, "Our current intelligence is mostly from the Blood Child Demon Lord's side. He assured us he would capture the Yin Snake Demon Concubine and the defectors, and the Demon Lord has given him the opportunity to resolve this matter."

"Hmph, relying on that old man to accomplish anything?" The Little Demon Lord's expression was extremely dark, "Perhaps I should personally lead a team to the Frontier, figure out the situation, and find a way to capture the Yin Snake Demon Concubine."

"Young Master, you mustn't." Gong Litu hurriedly stopped him, "Your status is too noble, and too many are watching you. If you venture into the front lines of the demon-immortal conflict, and your identity is exposed, it could attract the Immortal Dynasty's net. If anything happens to you, it would be a great loss for both our Chao Clan and the Demon Dynasty."

The young master's entry into the Immortal Dynasty's territory is too dangerous.

If a future successor of the Immortal Dynasty dared to secretly enter the Demon Dynasty, he believed the Demon Lord and the Demon Emperor would spare no effort to eliminate them. For the Immortal Dynasty, if the young master dared to enter their territory, the situation would be the same.

He was tasked with protecting the young master, and for him, the young master's safety was paramount, so he would never allow the young master to take such risks.

"Young Master, how about this? I will call upon our Chao Clan's Fifth Ancestor and take some elite forces to the border to assess the situation, then act accordingly."

The Little Demon Lord pondered for a moment, his expression gradually becoming stern, "Very well, have the Fifth Ancestor accompany you. No matter what, find a way to capture the Yin Snake Demon Concubine. Elder Gong, do not disappoint me again."

"Yes, Young Master." Gong Litu's expression was extremely serious, bowing before leaving to handle the matter.

After he left, the Little Demon Lord's expression grew even darker, his eyes flashing with a fierce light, "Yin Snake Demon Concubine, you cannot escape my grasp."

...

At the same time.

In the Han Yue Immortal Dynasty's Chuan Nan Prefecture.

Geographically, Chuan Nan Prefecture is located in the southern part of the Immortal Dynasty, extending southward into the sea as a massive "peninsula."

As on Earth, the further south one goes on the Han Yue Continent, the hotter the climate becomes.

By the time one reaches Shengxia Commandery, it is a place where it is summer all year round.

Shengxia Commandery governs seven counties, each county overseeing five to seven garrison towns, forming the administrative structure of the Immortal Dynasty's territory.

Although the Great Qian modeled its regional government structure after the Immortal Dynasty, it did not establish the "county" level, mainly because the Immortal Dynasty's county governors were Purple Mansion Realm cultivators, and the commandery governors were Divine Realm cultivators. The Great Qian, being too young and lacking national strength, could not assemble enough strong cultivators to form such a political structure.

Therefore, in the Great Qian, Purple Mansion Realm cultivators govern an entire commandery, leaving the county level vacant.

In the extreme south of Shengxia Commandery, there is a county called Anjiao County, located at the tip of the coast. Despite its harsh geographical environment, it is rich in marine products but remains impoverished.

Because much of Shengxia Commandery's coastline is rich in fisheries, Anjiao County, being relatively distant, naturally has a disadvantage in sales.

However, Anjiao County has advantages that other places do not.

The tidal currents here are rich in nutrients, making it ideal for cultivating coral reefs. Some of the top-grade corals cultivated here have even become tributes to the immortals.

The Shengxia Zhou Clan is a newly ascended fourth-grade family, dominating the Anjiao County area as the local overlords.

At this moment.

In one of the coral cultivation fields.

Yun Mengyu and Wang Fugui, two young children, were surrounded by a group of Lingtai Realm Basalt cultivators.

At this time, Yun Mengyu and Wang Fugui had already shed their luxurious clothes, disguising themselves as ordinary rogue cultivators. To conceal their refined appearance, they even smeared some oil on their faces, making them look less fair and tender.

The Basalt cultivators surrounding them, however, were all dressed in fine clothes, with the leader being a rough-looking middle-aged Celestial Realm cultivator.

The middle-aged Celestial's face was extremely grim, "Where did you little brats come from, so ignorant of the world, daring to meddle in the Shengxia Zhou Clan's affairs."

"This young lady spits on you!" Yun Mengyu was not the least bit afraid, angrily retorting, "What Shengxia Zhou Clan, you're just a bunch of lawless villains ignoring the Immortal Dynasty's laws. I never thought our dignified Immortal Dynasty would have families imprisoning slaves, disregarding their lives, and forcing them to work at sea. I've seen several die with my own eyes."

"What do you know, little brat? They are all coral workers who signed contracts voluntarily. Planting coral at sea inherently carries risks of encountering undercurrents, and it's normal for some to die." The middle-aged Celestial retorted angrily, "You dare to rely on a bit of cultivation to disrupt our coral field operations, it's unforgivable! Surrender now!"

"You think you can make this young lady surrender? You're not worthy!" Yun Mengyu snorted coldly, turning to Wang Fugui, "Fugui, don't interfere in this fight, this young lady is going to unleash her fury."

"Please, go ahead..."

Wang Fugui looked resigned, waving his hand.

This wasn't the first time such an incident had occurred on their journey. However, the main cause lay with Wang Fugui.

Having grown close to Emperor Longchang since childhood, he was influenced by the emperor's penchant for "traveling incognito." Therefore, he suggested that since they were going to find the immortal spring, they should travel leisurely through Chuan Nan Prefecture, shedding their original identities to explore the world.

However, Yun Mengyu, the fourth princess, although not yet officially established, already had an overwhelming sense of responsibility and authority as a princess.

On their journey, they naturally dealt with injustices directly, knowing that no matter how big the commotion, once others learned of her identity as the "fourth princess," they would be scared out of their wits.

Even if a few dared to resist, hoping to use force to capture the princess, they would be dealt with by the hidden guards accompanying them.

Having passed through three commanderies, she had already toppled one commandery governor, four county governors, and "suppressed" six fifth-grade families, with countless others implicated.

Moreover, she grew more enthusiastic, becoming addicted to traveling incognito, and forbade any publicity after each incident!

Now, it was Shengxia Zhou Clan's turn to be unlucky.

These people had long been accustomed to being local tyrants, with their people in the county, everything was well arranged, and they never expected to hit a hard wall, acting more and more arrogantly and lawlessly.

This time, however, they ran straight into the fourth princess's trap!

...

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