Chapter 596 - 603: The Monster Reappears

This thing was incredibly cunning and so fast it was impossible to catch.

Upon hearing this, Baili Shang’s expression darkened. He stared grimly ahead for a long time before leading his men back to the Demon Clan’s territory.

Inside the Demon Palace, the Demon King was handling official business. Seeing his son return, he asked without looking up, "Did you see it?"

"No."

Baili Shang sat down, his expression serious.

"That thing... was it just one, or..."

He had a bad feeling, a sense that there was more to this monster than met the eye.

At this, the Demon King finally looked up, revealing a face that bore a strong resemblance to Baili Shang’s.

"No one knows."

He walked down from his high seat, his expression unreadable.

"Some disciples died previously. We only connected the cases because of the similar state of their bodies."

"However, the disciple who saw the monster... disappeared after reporting the sighting."

"And we’ve only been searching based on that disciple’s report, but the monster has yet to show itself."

The Demon King picked up his teacup and took a light sip, his aura exuding a cold chill.

’His disciples had died inexplicable deaths, yet he hadn’t even caught the culprit.’

Baili Shang shot him a look, his voice growing colder. "In other words, it could be a group..."

If it was just one, it would be manageable. A group, however, would be a huge problem.

Hearing this, the Demon King set down his cup. "I’ve already given the order. Any discovery of a body in a similar state elsewhere is to be reported to the Demon Palace immediately. We’ll wait and see if any news comes in."

"You just came out of seclusion. You can follow up on this matter."

"Alright!"

Baili Shang nodded in agreement. He was also eager to see what this monster looked like.

Suddenly, the Demon King’s tone shifted, a hint of a smile appearing on his face.

"You asked me to keep an eye out for news about a woman named Song Wanning. Are you interested in hearing what I’ve found?"

He sized up his son with a teasing gaze. ’He had to admire the boy’s taste in people.’

’Growing up, this kid had never shown any interest in women.’

’Now that his heart was finally moved, it was for such an outstanding genius.’

Tsk.

Baili Shang was left speechless.

The tips of his ears turned slightly red under his father’s gaze. He feigned nonchalance and asked, "Is that so? How has she been lately?"

Before his seclusion, he had worried Song Wanning might run into trouble, so he had casually mentioned it to the Demon King.

But seeing the Demon King’s relaxed demeanor, he guessed that Song Wanning was fine.

Therefore, he wasn’t nervous at all.

The Demon King glanced at him with another smile and said cryptically, "Song Wanning is famous far and wide now. Not only did the young lady open the barrier to the Central Domain, but she also wiped out the Huo Family!"

"No one in the entire Central Domain dares to cause her trouble. How do you think she’s doing?"

He said this with a hint of ridicule, his eyes filled with mock disdain.

"Look at you. How are you worthy of her? No wonder it’s a one-sided crush."

’This precious son of his had a smooth-sailing life since childhood, with an astonishing cultivation speed.’

’He never thought there’d be someone even more heaven-defying. It was certainly an eye-opening experience.’

"Father!!!"

Baili Shang glared at the Demon King, his voice full of displeasure.

"I asked you to keep an eye on Song Wanning’s safety! What is all this nonsense you’re talking about?!"

’He couldn’t possibly admit it in front of his old man.’

"Is that so? And here I thought you were interested in her!"

The Demon King rose gracefully to his feet and mentioned casually, "However, that young lady is exceptionally clever. Perhaps she knows something about the monster?"

"Heh heh heh..."

With a low chuckle, he returned to his desk to handle his affairs.

Baili Shang rolled his eyes at him and walked out of the study, but internally, he completely agreed with the Demon King’s suggestion.

’He was just looking for an excuse to contact Song Wanning... and wasn’t this perfect?’

Having made his decision, he hurried back to his room and immediately sent a Communication Talisman to Song Wanning.

At that moment, Song Wanning was cultivating.

As she awoke from her session with the Wordless Heavenly Scripture, a savage glint flashed in her eyes.

The Evil Qi around her had not yet dissipated, and her forehead was beaded with cold sweat.

The Hunting Ground was a massive training arena, and the demon beasts within were her opponents.

But so far, she hadn’t managed to kill a single demon beast. Instead, she had been killed many times over.

Suddenly, a Communication Talisman chimed.

Song Wanning activated it and saw that it was from Baili Shang.

She raised an eyebrow slightly, opened it, and listened intently.

When she heard that the monster devoured hearts, Song Wanning’s body instantly went rigid.

In the Golden Dragon’s memories, the monsters from the other world had also devoured hearts...

Thinking back, Song Wanning had actually encountered them before in the Lower World.

’And now, this kind of monster has appeared in the Demon Clan’s territory?’

"I’m on my way."

She replied to Baili Shang’s Communication Talisman and immediately decided to go investigate.

Back then, these monsters had been endless, impossible to exterminate.

’If they have truly appeared in the Spirit Realm, how many are there?’

Song Wanning’s expression grew heavy, and a sense of unease settled in her heart.

’But it could also be a coincidence. Maybe it’s not the same kind of monster.’

She comforted herself with that thought, then quickly gathered her things and headed for the Demon Clan’s territory.

Meanwhile, Baili Shang, having received the reply he wanted, felt the corners of his mouth lift in a faint smile that broke through his indifferent expression.

He hadn’t seen her in so long; just hearing her voice put his heart at ease.

In a daze, that resilient and aloof figure seemed to appear right before him, and his cheeks grew slightly warm.

He summoned a trusted subordinate. He decided to personally stake out the location for the next few days, so he wouldn’t be completely clueless and unable to answer her questions when Song Wanning arrived.

And so, he took his men to the location from the disciple’s report and began the long wait, day after day.

* * *

"Ah, help me!!"

"AHH—"

A blood-curdling scream echoed through the forest.

Gong Ye spread his Divine Sense and, several kilometers away, witnessed a horrifying scene.

A monster of indiscernible shape was tearing out a person’s heart.

Several bodies lay nearby, all with their hearts torn out, as dead as could be.

’What is this thing?’

Gong Ye’s heart sank. He opened his eyes and rushed toward the monster.

By the time he arrived, the monster had already devoured the person’s heart.

The monster was a small, black mass. Its blood-red eyes had no pupils, and its claws were exceptionally sharp.

He approached stealthily and, while the monster was feeding, used a Magical Treasure to capture it.

Trapped, the monster frantically tried to break free. Its sharp claws became a blur of afterimages, nearly destroying Gong Ye’s Magical Treasure.

"Such sharp claws!!!"

Gong Ye’s brow furrowed as he began to think of a way to suppress it.

Finally, the monster was pinned beneath another Magical Treasure. It raised its blood-red eyes, looking incredibly sinister.

Gong Ye’s heart skipped a beat. ’The monster looked small, but it was surprisingly powerful.’

"It might not be bad to keep it as a pet."

The corner of his lip curled up. He picked up the dangling monster and returned to his hidden cave.