Finally, Wen Zixing couldn’t help but speak up, “Please excuse me for speaking out of turn, Sect Leader, but this disciple believes these incidents are actually caused by the demon race’s manipulation.”
Lu Chongyun looked over. “Do you have any evidence?”
Wen Zixing suddenly choked up, at a loss for words. He had no evidence, but he also couldn’t exactly say this world was a book, right? Let alone one with such a damning ending!
Chao Muxue spoke up, “When a fish and a clam fight, the fisherman will benefit. If we look from this angle, the demon race has every reason to instigate a conflict between us and the devil race, as they would gain the most. The Demon Emperor has already united the Demon Realm and is perhaps setting his ambitions to conquer the Three Realms, inciting the present situation.”
Wen Zixing nodded quickly, “That’s exactly this disciple’s thought!” He looked hopefully at his master and other elders, wishing they would investigate. If they could uncover the demon race’s plot in time, it might change the story’s course completely and prevent further tragedies from happening!
“Xing’er and Martial Niece Muxue have a point,” said Peak Master Lin thoughtfully. “No matter what, we should investigate thoroughly before drawing conclusions.”
“Do you mean to suggest that the devils are following the demon race’s orders? That’s ridiculous. It’s the devils who are wantonly causing slaughter in the Cultivation Realm. They cannot be absolved of blame.”
“If the demon race is also taking advantage of the situation to fish in muddy water, wouldn’t we be falling into their trap by attacking the devil race?”
“None of the troublemaking devils have been captured. They disappear without a trace after committing their crimes. If we could catch some, we have ways to extract the truth.”
Lu Yaoyao lowered her head guiltily. She had instructed Yaqing to capture devils who broke rules and caused troubles in the Cultivation Realm, then take them back to be locked in the Devil Palace’s Punishment Hall where they were to receive punishment according to their crimes. According to Yaqing, he had interrogated them but found no evidence of anyone else orchestrating their actions.
The reasons for their crimes varied—some accidentally revealed their identities, provoking attacks from humans that resulted in casualties when retaliating, while others simply couldn’t control their bloodlust… In any case, there was no sign of external manipulation.
The Three Realms were so vast. Despite deploying her devil army, Lu Yaoyao couldn’t prevent these incidents. Could she miss something? Perhaps her current best course of action was to ask her Daddy to investigate personally…
The discussion continued—
“I’ve already sent Elder Zhang and some disciples to Cold Mountain Forest to see if they can find any clues.”
The First Elder frowned, “And the devils? Shouldn’t they be held accountable?”
“Given the situation, we must be cautious. I’ve notified various sects and clans to stay vigilant and capture any devils they encounter.”
“…”
The conversation eventually shifted away from Lu Yaoyao’s group. After receiving their detailed report, Lu Chongyun and the peak masters continued their deliberations, and Lu Yaoyao and her friends were dismissed. Of course, they were not informed of the final outcome of the discussion.
Back in her small pavilion, Lu Yaoyao endured a round of care and fussing from her senior brothers. Finally, after sending them off, she returned to her study to write a letter to her Daddy. Daddy had been in seclusion in the Devil Realm, and Father was also in seclusion at the Extreme Peak—she hadn’t seen them both in a long time. Fortunately, since she and Father were both in Guiyuan, she could visit anytime.
Thinking this matter might also involve the demon race, Lu Yaoyao mentioned it in a letter to her friend in the Demon Realm, albeit only subtly. Xiao Si’s Silver Wolf clan was now highly valued and had direct contact with the Demon Emperor; she didn’t want to cause trouble for the simple-minded boy.
Lu Yaoyao also thought Brother Yuanyuan. He had only occasionally written to her over the past three years, and recently he had gone nearly a year without replying. She worried that he might be in trouble. Brother Yuanyuan was very strong and capable; could he be working for the Demon Emperor?
The two of them depended on each other in the Abyss, so Lu Yaoyao trusted Shen Changyuan completely. Originally, she wanted to ask him about this issue and see if he could check for unusual activities within the Demon Realm, but since she didn’t know where he was, she decided not to trouble him.
While Lu Yaoyao waited for her Daddy’s response, she and her friends started their intense training. Their recent experience had seriously revealed their weaknesses, so they concentrated on combat training, practicing one-on-one duels, group fights, and large-scale battles. Their combat skills improved significantly, and they soon became adept at utilizing their strengths depending on the situation.
Meanwhile, back in the Devil Palace, Lu Qingyu, who was still in seclusion, received his daughter’s letter. After reading it, a strange light flickered in his eyes.
He pondered for a moment before disappearing from his meditation room.
…
The gate of the Punishment Hall looked like the head of a giant beast, with the doorframe carved in a terrifying and fierce manner. The entrance resembled the gaping mouth of the beast, ready to swallow anyone who approached, making people hesitant to step inside. Only two devil guards stood on either side of the gate, and once you entered, you’d need to walk down a long corridor.
The corridor walls were dark bronze with a pitch-black ceiling, like a deep black hole. Ancient wall lamps hung every ten meters, emitting a ghostly red light, and the air was filled with a lingering scent of blood.
Walked toward the end of the corridor, and you would see a square, shabby room, with walls lined with densely packed torture instruments. In the open space inside, there was a square table with four chairs. Resting on the table was an exquisite-looking wine pot accompanied by matching cups and two plates of fried snacks that looked like black insects, giving off a slightly gloomy devil aura. Two devil wardens sat on the chairs, both were tall with droopy eyes and appeared remarkably similar, possibly blood relatives.
“Where are Fourth and Second?”
“Eldest Brother, you know Fourth can’t go a day without his Rage Whip. Old Second is accompanying him for some fun,” Third glanced towards the inner entrance, where bars specially made from devil iron formed rows of cells. “The Punishment Hall has been holding more prisoners recently, and Fourth has been excited for days.”
The Punishment Hall in the Devil Palace was overseen by First Grand Elder Shentu and had always been the most feared place among devils. Few who entered ever left alive, as most couldn’t withstand the torture methods employed there. Due to the extremely high mortality rate, the dungeon was usually empty, but these past two years saw a great influx of prisoners, all brought in by the Little Princess’s trusted subordinates.
The Punishment Hall itself didn’t normally see many ‘visitors,’ as devils who offended His Venerable were usually dealt with on the spot. Because of its notorious reputation, devils usually avoided this place, and only those who offended Grand Elder Shentu would end up there. Thanks to the increasing number of prisoners, Grand Elder Shentu started paying more attention to the Punishment Hall, and even the other two elders would occasionally come to visit. The servants left behind by Her Highness also took interest. Consequently, the four warden brothers’ treatment had improved, and they no longer had to pay for their own food and drink.
Soon, the Second and Fourth emerged from the dungeon. The fresh scent of blood emanated from them, even from afar.
The eldest of the four warden brothers frowned and said gruffly, “Her Highness just wants them to receive the punishment they deserve. Don’t overdo it.”
“Don’t worry, Eldest Brother, we leave them with a breath of life,” replied Fourth. The four of them shared the same mother, but unlike his three tall elder brothers, Fourth was short and scrawny, only resembling them in facial features.
Contented, Fourth went over to the table to pour himself a cup of wine. He casually tucked his Rage Whip, which was the length of his arm, into his belt. The dungeon hadn’t been this lively in a long time, and Fourth was delighted at the number of prisoners, which provided ample opportunity for him to enjoy himself. Her Highness only commanded to keep them alive, and Punishment Hall never lacked ways to make others live worse than death.
In the Devil Realm, everyone knew the Little Princess was His Venerable’s treasured darling. On top of her father’s backing, she also had ability and strength of her own, along with a loyal army that could sweep through thousands of enemies.
Who in the Devil Realm would dare oppose her?
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