The Tiger Demon lay prostrate on the ground, not even daring to lift its head.
It was originally an insignificant minor leader in this Crimson Blood Mountain.
After the Crimson Blood Demon Emperor died, the greater and lesser demons on the mountain scattered like monkeys from a falling tree, fleeing until none remained.
It had hidden outside for a few days, and seeing that the trouble seemed to have passed, it mustered the courage to sneak back.
It had intended to take advantage of the chaos to scavenge some leftovers from the storehouse or the Demon Emperor's sleeping quarters, which could at least be exchanged for some Cultivate resources.
Who would have thought that just as it reached the back mountain and before it could even make a move, it would be caught red-handed by this Jinx.
"Senior, spare my life! Senior, spare my life!"
The Tiger Demon kowtowed desperately, its forehead slamming against the gravel until blood flowed freely, yet it remained completely oblivious to the pain.
"This little demon only came to look... to see if there was anything of value left. I really didn't intend to do anything else, and I certainly had no intention of spying on you, Senior!"
Jiang Yuechu couldn't be bothered to listen to its wailing.
She slightly tilted her chin, gesturing to Running Ox beside her.
Running Ox understood her intent and stepped forward, planting a foot on the Tiger Demon's back.
The heavy pressure made the Tiger Demon's ribs creak and crack, nearly causing it to lose consciousness.
"Cut the nonsense!"
Running Ox barked angrily, "I'm asking you, before that old dog Crimson Blood died, was anyone brought to this mountain as a prisoner?"
The Tiger Demon gasped in pain, shaking its head like a rattle.
"This little demon doesn't know... I really don't know anything!"
"Usually, I was only responsible for patrolling the perimeter. I could never get close to that old thief Crimson Blood's core secrets."
"Senior, please see clearly, every word I say is the truth!"
Jiang Yuechu said nothing.
She merely slowly raised her right hand.
Within her palm, a flicker of eerie red light appeared and disappeared.
The surrounding air instantly began to warp.
Feeling a terrifying pressure capable of killing it in an instant, the Tiger Demon felt a warmth in its crotch; it had actually wet itself out of fear.
"I remember! I remember now!"
At the threshold of life and death, the Tiger Demon's mind raced, and it screamed at the top of its lungs.
"Before... before, that old thief Crimson Blood did indeed give an order!"
"He once ordered the two kings, Hu Da and Hu Er, to bring back a demon!"
Upon hearing this.
Running Ox's massive frame shuddered violently.
He pulled his foot off the Tiger Demon's back, bent down, and gripped the Tiger Demon's collar tightly with both hands, hoisting it entirely into the air.
"Was it red in appearance, looking like a firebird?!"
Running Ox's eyes bulged, his heavy breath blasting onto the Tiger Demon's face, his voice booming like thunder.
The Tiger Demon was being choked until its eyes rolled back, its limbs flailing wildly in the air.
"Cough, cough... Se... Senior, let go... I'm being strangled to death..."
Jiang Yuechu frowned slightly and gave Running Ox a cold glance.
Only then did Running Ox realize what he was doing, and he sheepishly let go.
Thud.
The Tiger Demon fell heavily to the ground, gasping for air as if it had just survived a disaster.
"Speak, quickly!"
Running Ox urged impatiently from the side.
The Tiger Demon swallowed hard and looked at Running Ox with a bitter face. "Senior... my status is lowly. I only caught a glimpse from afar back then; how could I see exactly what it looked like..."
Seeing that Running Ox was about to lose his temper again, the Tiger Demon backed away in fear and hurriedly added.
"But! I am certain that it was indeed an avian demon!"
Hearing this.
Running Ox pressed impatiently, "Then where is it now?!"
Prostrate on the ground and trembling all over, the Tiger Demon stammered, "Well... after the news of the Crimson Blood Demon Emperor's death spread, Crimson Blood Mountain fell into chaos. Everyone was busy fighting for resources to leave this place; who would care about a captured demon..."
"However... I remember that the Hunyuan Demon Emperor also seemed to have visited Crimson Blood Mountain."
"I venture to guess that it was most likely taken away by him."
"Hmm?"
Running Ox's movements paused.
He widened his eyes, which were as large as copper bells, and asked suspiciously, "Why are you so certain?"
The Tiger Demon shrank back, intimidated by Running Ox's Aura, but since its life was on the line, it steeled itself and cleared its throat. "Please allow me to explain, Senior."
"As the old saying goes, everything leaves a trail, and the truth only becomes clear through reasoning."
"Seniors, think about it. It's one thing for a Demon Emperor to be imprisoned here; after all, there are other Spirit Mountain Demon Emperors guarding Spirit Mountain. Even if one left Crimson Blood Mountain, they still couldn't leave the Spirit Mountain territory..."
The Tiger Demon swayed its head, its speech even taking on a rhythmic, measured tone.
"To safely take them away from Crimson Blood Mountain, it would inevitably require another Spirit Mountain Demon Emperor to act for it to be possible."
"Firstly, without the strength of a Demon Emperor, how could one suppress another Demon Emperor while on the move?"
"Secondly, if it weren't a Demon Emperor of Spirit Mountain, how would the other Spirit Mountain Demon Emperors allow them to leave?"
"Therefore, in my humble opinion, combined with the traces of the Hunyuan Demon Emperor's arrival at Crimson Blood Mountain at that time..."
"This matter must be the work of the Hunyuan Demon Emperor."
As soon as these words were spoken.
The expressions of both Jiang Yuechu and Running Ox shifted.
Jiang Yuechu sized up the Tiger Demon lying on the ground from head to toe.
It had thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a face full of rough features.
She hadn't expected that when it spoke, it would use such fancy phrases and have such clear logic.
Beside her, Running Ox's eyes were wide as he listened, looking quite dazed.
His mouth hung open as his mind processed the Tiger Demon's words, and he suddenly had an epiphany.
That's right.
Such a simple logic, and yet he actually needed a minor demon to remind him.
This made him look so foolish.
Running Ox couldn't help but feel his face heat up.
To hide his embarrassment, he suddenly glared and roared gruffly, "I thought of that long ago... there's no need for you to be so talkative!"
The Tiger Demon shuddered at this sudden scolding.
It sheepishly shrank its head back.
It grumbled inwardly.
If you knew, why did you ask?
Who are you trying to fool?
On the surface, however, it didn't dare show the slightest complaint, only able to offer a forced smile and repeatedly agree.
Jiang Yuechu ignored Running Ox's awkwardness.
She looked at the Tiger Demon and asked calmly, "Who is the Hunyuan Demon Emperor?"
As if granted a great reprieve, the Tiger Demon hurriedly spilled everything like beans from a bamboo tube.
"The two Seniors might not know."
"The Hunyuan Demon Emperor is the Demon Emperor of the Eighteenth Cave of Spirit Mountain. His true form is a black-skinned old dog."
"He serves the Wuxiang Lineage..."
The Tiger Demon lowered its voice, as if speaking of some monumental secret.
"Rumor has it that the Crimson Blood Demon Emperor previously went out with the Hunyuan Demon Emperor and the Thousand Feathers Demon Emperor to handle some business."
"As it turned out, something went wrong, and in the end, only the Hunyuan Demon Emperor managed to escape back..."
Upon hearing this.
Jiang Yuechu and Running Ox exchanged a look.
The two of them instantly thought of something.
That day, the Thousand Feathers Demon Emperor and the Crimson Blood Demon Emperor died one after another.
Only that figure clad in a black robe managed to escape by a stroke of luck using a secret technique...
This demon was, in all likelihood, the Hunyuan Demon Emperor.