Chapter 552: The Heavenly Demon Will Never Be a Slave

Hiking?

What a strange request?

Du Shuren immediately wanted to refuse, but with a treasured sword charged with thunderous power pressed against his back, he couldn't even dodge.

This person was a master.

Du Shuren's demonic heart constricted tightly, his Tianmo essence fully retreating into the primordial spirit of this Daoist body, making it appear completely normal and hiding any unusual traits.

"Fellow Daoist, what is the meaning of this?"

"Please," Li Changshou gestured invitingly, his treasured sword still crackling with lightning, showing no sign of withdrawal.

Du Shuren furrowed his brows: "Is there some issue between us..."

Zzz—

The sword tip pierced through Du Shuren's clothing without resistance, opening a small hole in his Daoist body and spraying out a tiny spurt of blood.

Du Shuren's eyes widened, and he turned to glare at Li Changshou, but he felt the cold killing intent hidden behind the young Daoist's smile.

Had he been exposed?

How was that possible?

He was different from ordinary Tianmo; he was directly created by his mother. By the standards of Honghuang creatures, he was like nobility among the Tianmo.

This Daoist body had been cultivated by his "mother" for many years, with cracks in the Dao heart planted since childhood, allowing him to infiltrate smoothly and effortlessly—how could he have been exposed?

"Please, go ahead."

Li Changshou urged again, lightly shaking the sword.

Du Shuren turned his head and glared at Li Changshou, his eyes flickering with a hint of malice, but then he flicked his sleeve.

"Crude! If you're inviting this poor Daoist to hike, at least specify the location."

"Eastward."

Li Changshou said calmly, the sword still pressed against Du Shuren's back, though he was inwardly puzzled.

Was this guy possessed by a Tianmo?

It was somewhat different from the Tianmo he had encountered at the edge of Xuandu City in that minor world—there was an odd sense that "this Tianmo doesn't seem all that cold."

Come to think of it, why had the Heavenly Dao used the black panther to lead him here?

It couldn't be just to make him come all this way to eliminate a Tianmo—that could be done with a single heavenly thunder. Why go through such roundabout means, even activating a great tribulation treasure like the black panther?

At that moment, Li Changshou also sensed what made this one unique.

He seemed full of ideas, with an active mind, and his eyes held a lively spark.

What schemes or plans could a Tianmo from beyond the realms have, traveling millions of miles from the Chaos Sea to the Five Parts Continent?

This "lesser" Heavenly Dao...

"Lesser" wasn't a insult.

The one that had stirred the black panther to lead him into this "chance encounter" with the Tianmo was the will of the Heavenly Dao itself, unrelated to the Ancestral Master or the dream he once had about the "red lotus emerging and Old Ancestor Minghe reviving"—it was the same force.

Compared to the Ancestral Master, who could intervene in the Heavenly Dao at will without being affected, this was indeed the "lesser" Heavenly Dao.

Why hadn't the Heavenly Dao sent him a dream directly this time?

It was probably afraid he would deliberately ignore it.

As Li Changshou pondered this inwardly, he kept a calm exterior and thrust the sword forward without warning, naturally poking a second time.

Zzz—

A second spurt of blood sprayed out, mirroring the first.

Du Shuren glared, turning to look at Li Changshou. "Fellow Daoist, what... what was that for?"

As expected, he didn't erupt in righteous fury or fight to the death against someone clearly hostile; instead, he chose to play it safe.

This Tianmo was quite timid.

"My hand slipped," Li Changshou maintained his faint smile. "Don't worry, Fellow Daoist. As long as you cooperate, I might take pity and spare your life.

Ah, I've been in seclusion lately and haven't eaten anyone for centuries—my tastes have gotten bland."

As he spoke, Li Changshou simulated a bit of demonic energy, dissipating the small amount of demonic blood his paper Daoist carried.

Du Shuren's expression changed, realizing inwardly that things were bad.

He was being targeted as prey!

Wasn't this the Five Parts Continent, the core of the Honghuang world? Hadn't the demon clans suffered great losses? Why was he so unlucky to run into such a demon master!

Du Shuren quickly thought of a countermeasure and soon calmed down.

What if he... let himself be devoured?

That way, he could subtly attack the other's Dao heart, turn him to his own use, and then proceed to Dongsheng Shenzhou for the tasks assigned by his "mother."

Though using a demon to navigate the Honghuang world would bring many inconveniences, it was better than being killed outright—this was far from fitting for someone of his stature...

Poke! Zzz—

"Fellow Daoist, what are you doing!"

"The blood spurts are quite a sight," Li Changshou said with a chuckle. "Where are you from, Fellow Daoist?"

The Tianmo replied: "Why do you ask such a thing?"

"This poor Daoist is particular about the origin of my food," Li Changshou said seriously. "Creatures from near the edges of the world have less spiritual energy and poor taste—that's something to avoid."

"This poor Daoist comes from an edge world," Du Shuren said hastily. "I lost my parents young and followed my master in cultivation, enduring a thousand hardships to reach my current level.

I beg you to show mercy and spare me. This poor Daoist is willing to offer all my treasures."

"Of course, of course."

As he spoke, Li Changshou had already led the Tianmo to a remote island, where they slowly ascended along the edge, occasionally poking the Tianmo to test his limits.

Along the way, he also tried to think of a way to extract information before forcing out the Tianmo's true form.

"What's your Daoist title, Fellow Daoist?"

"This poor Daoist hasn't taken a title; my name is Du Shuren."

"Oh?" Li Changshou remarked casually. "Among the people of this world, the Du surname isn't very common."

"The surname is indeed rare, as this poor Daoist comes from an edge world—it's normal to be uncommon," Du Shuren said, his mouth twitching wildly. "This Daoist body of mine is full of impurities and not pure at all..."

"No problem," Li Changshou laughed. "This poor Daoist's tastes aren't that picky."

Du Shuren's legs trembled, and he turned to look at the person behind him, just in time to see him calmly thrust another sword strike, causing immortal blood to spurt out.

What kind of savage was this?

How could even he, a Tianmo, feel somewhat helpless?

"What brings you to the Honghuang Five Parts Continent this time, Fellow Daoist?"

"This poor Daoist is heading to Dongsheng Shenzhou to visit old friends—actually, to seek refuge..."

"Oh?"

Li Changshou raised an eyebrow and continued chatting with Du Shuren, trying to draw out more information.

This guy was clever; he was acting a bit cowardly, but he stuck to the same "story script" repeatedly, with few flaws.

Li Changshou decided to use a small trick.

As they chatted amiably, Li Changshou suddenly turned his head on the midway slope of the barren mountain, gazing at the vast East Sea, and said with a smile:

"Fellow Daoist, just look at how magnificent this world is."

Du Shuren shuddered and immediately nodded: "It's indeed quite magnificent."

"Why not compose a poem, Fellow Daoist? If it pleases me, then today..."

Compose... a poem?

Du Shuren pondered for a moment, his mind racing, and his eyes gradually lit up. He opened his mouth, about to recite a poem with great flair.

Li Changshou: "Fellow Daoist, you seem different from ordinary Tianmo."

"That's natural; this poor Daoist was directly split off from my mother. Ordinary Tianmo split on their own, and their connection to mother is already negligible..."

Du Shuren's words halted abruptly. He suddenly turned, glaring at Li Changshou beside him.

Li Changshou smiled faintly, a flash of divine light in his eyes.

Du Shuren suddenly felt that this Daoist body and his primordial spirit were out of his control, as if he had lost all his powers and strength.

Before he could react, his vision blurred, and he fell into a dark corner, where waves of cold intent pressed against his "true form" like blades.

"You!"

Du Shuren's eyes bulged, and his Daoist body suddenly collapsed;

A plume of black gas emerged from his facial orifices, lunging at Li Changshou, only to be instantly enveloped by streaks of deep blue lightning.

The lightning surrounded but didn't destroy it, and the black gas trembled, condensing into a two-foot-tall shadowy figure that roared angrily at Li Changshou.

Li Changshou feigned delight and praised: "Indeed, a top-grade Tianmo."

Several streams of light burst from the ground, transforming into a table, chairs, chopping board, kitchen knife, and various seasonings.

Li Changshou reached out and grasped with his palm, infused with Heavenly Dao power, plunging into the lightning to seize the black gas, stabilizing its form before sealing it on the chopping board and sharpening his knife.

The Tianmo cursed: "You—you're going to do what!"

"The finest ingredients often need the simplest cooking," Li Changshou sighed with eyes closed. "Such a pure Tianmo is truly rare, a absolute delicacy."

"Du Shuren" shuddered all over, nearly breaking into tears as he huddled on the chopping board.

Soon, Li Changshou wrapped the knife in Heavenly Dao power and, without a word, cut off a small piece of the Tianmo's black gas. He placed it on a plate, sprinkled some roasting powder, and elegantly began to mix it.

"Want to chat with me about your mother? If you do, I might cut less and even consider keeping you as a pet."

"You—forget it!"

Li Changshou's eyes narrowed in amusement, but he didn't touch the black gas on the plate and picked up the knife again.

That day, the Tianmo's screams echoed in the hearts of creatures within thousands of miles, making many think it was just an illusion.

Thus, half a day later.

Heart demons, imitations, spirit-like entities...

Tianmo specially cultivated to mimic Honghuang cultivators, the Tianmo's asexual "mother," the mysterious Tianmo holy land, the massive black shadow worshiped by the Tianmo...

The meticulously planned mission, with information divided into stages, each segment triggered after a certain time or upon meeting specific conditions...

Li Changshou frowned deeply, standing with hands behind his back on a cloud, lost in thought for a moment.

Had those words he used to scare Master Bai when he returned from the Chaos Sea actually come true?

Had he, by sheer luck, stumbled upon the full scheme of Demon Master Kunpeng?!

Glancing at the middle-aged Daoist bound by lightning ropes at his feet,

As if sensing Li Changshou's gaze, the unconscious middle-aged Daoist trembled slightly and mumbled:

"I, Du Shuren, would rather die than reveal anything..."

Such a cowardly Tianmo was truly hard to come by.

Li Changshou pondered deeply as the cloud drifted into the range of Dongsheng Shenzhou, still hesitating whether to uncover the Tianmo's subsequent plans.

This might be a big matter.

The Heavenly Dao had guided him to capture this heart demon, likely wanting him to extract useful information from it.

"Let's find an evil cultivator with heavy karma and give it a try."

Li Changshou decided and spread his immortal sense, quickly locating an old Daoist in the southeastern part of Dongsheng Shenzhou who was entangled in karma and secluded in the mountains.

According to the details Du Shuren provided, it seemed the plan was to infiltrate a "Xianmen expert's" primordial spirit.

Using the power of the Taiji Chart and his evasion techniques, Li Changshou quietly approached the Heavenly Immortal realm old Daoist, scattering a dose of knockout drug. The old Daoist, in the midst of meditation, slowly lowered his head and began to snore.

Li Changshou tossed Du Shuren to the ground, pointed at his forehead, and drew out the Tianmo wrapped in lightning arcs, throwing it beside the old Daoist.

Lightning flashed, and the Tianmo shuddered.

"Go in, and don't harm him."

Li Changshou said coldly. The Tianmo formed a faint face from its black gas and glared at Li Changshou in fury.

Humiliation!

Shame!

This was the greatest insult to a Tianmo!

Li Changshou frowned, and electric arcs sparked at his fingertips, illuminating the old Daoist's cave dazzlingly!

'Hmph! A delivered primordial spirit—might as well corrupt it!'

The Tianmo snorted and burrowed into the old Daoist's forehead. Moments later, it was pulled out by Li Changshou, leaving the old Daoist's primordial spirit untouched.

"Got the next plan?"

The Tianmo: ...

"Hmph!"

Li Changshou nodded in understanding, stuffed the Tianmo back into the middle-aged Daoist's body, and quietly departed, as if he had never been there.

When Li Changshou learned of the Tianmo's next task, he felt uneasy.

Make contact with a Heavenly Immortal disciple of the Human Teachings' Duxian Sect and secretly control them.

Li Changshou: ...

What was this about?

Were the Tianmo planting agents step by step around him? Using cultivators as stepping stones?

If so, he might not be able to guard against it, especially now that he had moved to the Taibai Palace and couldn't monitor every Duxian Sect immortal constantly.

What was the Tianmo's goal?

Clearly, something was behind this—absolutely something!

It was known that the Honghuang Heavenly Dao barrier isolated the Chaos Sea, and the experiment on that old Daoist had proven that this Tianmo wasn't being remotely controlled by his "mother."

She probably couldn't do that anyway.

The Tianmo received subsequent mission information through triggers that weren't as complex as he claimed.

Indeed, Li Changshou found a few more karma-heavy great demons, letting the Tianmo infiltrate them one after another. Two more mission segments emerged, confirming that the Tianmo's plan had only two steps left.

Those great demons were, of course, burned to ashes by Li Changshou's true fire.

But what Li Changshou never expected was the content of those two messages...

The penultimate step of the Tianmo plan:

After infiltrating the Duxian Sect, wait for an opportunity to invade any elder's primordial spirit.

At this point, Li Changshou was certain—they were targeting him!

Had the Heavenly Dao accidentally helped him this time?

And when the Tianmo snorted and revealed the final "mission information," Li Changshou felt a chill run through his body, his Dao heart trembling slightly, and a sharp light flashed in his eyes.

Kunpeng?!

Was the one worshiped by the Tianmo really Kunpeng?

Since he had already left Honghuang and gone to such lengths with a feigned death escape, why return now and expose himself?

Li Changshou frowned at Du Shuren before him, and with a flash of lightning in his palm, he destroyed both the Tianmo and the Daoist body, scattering Samadhi true flames to reduce everything to dust.

This matter would likely not escape the Heavenly Dao's notice.

Was Kunpeng deliberately seeking revenge, trying to smear him?

Standing on a barren mountain by the sea, Li Changshou stood with hands behind his back as flames ignited around his paper Daoist body, turning it to ashes in an instant.

Not only that, the two paper Daoists underground providing support, as well as the one monitoring and following the black panther, all turned to ashes, self-immolated by Li Changshou.

Why go to such lengths?

Simply because the Tianmo "Du Shuren's" final task was to find a way to meet the Duxian Sect-originated Taibai Jinxing and ask him one question...

Do you want to see what comes next?