This thing was sly as hell and way too fast. You couldn't even catch it if you tried.
Hearing that, Baili Shang's expression sank. He stared into the distance for a long while before finally leading his men back to the demon clan.
Inside the Demon Palace, the Demon King was busy with official matters. Without even raising his head, he asked when his son walked in, "Did you see it?"
"No."
Baili Shang sat down, his face grim.
"That thing, is it just one, or…"
A bad premonition gnawed at him. He had a feeling that monster wasn't simple.
Only then did the Demon King look up, his face seventy percent similar to Baili Shang's.
"No one knows." He stepped down from the dais, his expression unreadable. "Some disciples died before. Because their deaths looked the same, we connected the cases. But those who reported seeing the monster… all ended up gone too.
We've only been searching based on their reports, but the monster's never shown itself again."
The Demon King sipped tea, a cold aura spreading from his body.
Disciples were dying mysteriously, yet he hadn't even caught the killer.
Baili Shang suddenly looked at him, voice sharp as ice. "So it could be a whole group…"
If it was just one, it was manageable. If there were many, that would be a nightmare.
The Demon King set down his teacup. "I've already given orders. Anywhere we find deaths with the same signs, report it to the palace immediately. Maybe we'll get some news. You just came out of seclusion, so you can follow up on this."
"Alright."
Baili Shang nodded. He wanted to see what this monster really looked like.
Suddenly, the Demon King's tone shifted, and a faint smile appeared.
"You once told me to keep an eye out for news about a woman named Song Wanníng. Want to hear it now?"
He gave his son a teasing look, secretly impressed at the kid's taste.
All these years, the boy never cared for women. But the first time he showed interest, it was for such an outstanding genius.
Tsk.
Baili Shang: "…"
His ears turned faintly red under the stare, so he pretended to ask casually, "Is that so? How's she been lately?"
When he was in seclusion, he'd worried Song Wanníng might run into trouble. That was why he asked his father to watch her. But judging from the Demon King's relaxed face, she was clearly fine. He wasn't nervous at all.
The Demon King smiled again, voice carrying hidden meaning. "Song Wanníng's famous now. That little girl not only opened the Central Region's seal, she also wiped out the Huo family. The entire region doesn't dare provoke her. What do you think?"
His tone was mocking, his gaze filled with disdain.
"Look at you. How are you supposed to be worthy of her? No wonder you're pining away all by yourself."
His precious son had always had a smooth path, his cultivation speed terrifyingly fast.
But now he'd seen someone even more monstrous. Consider that a life lesson.
"Father!!!"
Baili Shang glared at him in protest, clearly annoyed.
"I told you to check on Song Wanníng's safety. What the hell are you talking about?!"
No way was he admitting it in front of his old man.
"Is that so? I thought you liked her."
The Demon King strolled away leisurely, then added offhandedly, "Still, that girl's sharp. Maybe she knows something about the monster. Heh heh…"
With a low chuckle, he returned to his work.
Baili Shang shot him a glare and walked out of the study. In his heart though, he agreed. He just needed an excuse to contact Song Wanníng. And now he had one. Decision made, he hurried back to his room and immediately sent her a message talisman.
At that moment, Song Wanníng was cultivating.
The moment she woke from the Wordless Heavenly Tome, her eyes carried a cold and murderous gleam. The killing intent hadn't faded from her body, and sweat trickled down her forehead.
That hunting ground was a massive trial. Every beast inside was her opponent. But so far, she hadn't managed to kill a single beast. Instead, she'd been killed countless times.
Suddenly, her message talisman lit up. When she saw it was Baili Shang, her brows lifted slightly and she opened it. As soon as she heard about the monster devouring hearts, her body went rigid.
In the golden dragon's memories, the creatures from that foreign world had devoured hearts too. Thinking back, she'd already run into them once in the lower world. And now the demon clan had monsters like that appearing here?
"I'll come right away."
She sent her reply and immediately set out.
Back then, those monsters had shown up endlessly, impossible to kill off.
If they'd really appeared in the Spirit Realm… how many would there be?
Her expression grew heavier, unease settling deep in her chest. But maybe it was just coincidence. Maybe it wasn't the same kind of monster. She comforted herself with that thought, then tidied up and rushed toward the demon clan.
Meanwhile, when Baili Shang got her reply, a faint smile tugged at his lips.
After so long, just hearing her voice gave him peace. For a moment, he could almost see that cold and unyielding figure standing before him. His face heated slightly. Calling his trusted aides, he decided to personally stake out the area where the disciples had reported sightings, so he wouldn't be caught empty-handed when Song Wanníng arrived.
So he led his men there and began the long wait.
…
"Ah, help me!!"
"Ahhh—"
A scream tore through the forest.
Gong Ye spread out his divine sense and saw something horrifying several kilometers away.
A monster, its form unclear, was digging a heart out of a man's chest.
Several corpses were already scattered nearby, every single one missing their heart.
"What the hell was that thing?"
Gong Ye's face darkened as he rushed toward it. By the time he arrived, the man's heart had already been eaten. The monster was small, pitch-black, with blood-red eyes that had no pupils. Its claws gleamed with a deadly sharpness. He crept closer. While it was still devouring, he used a treasure to trap it.
The monster thrashed inside, slashing wildly. Its claws tore shadow after shadow, nearly breaking the treasure apart.
"What sharp claws!!!"
Gong Ye's brows tightened. He poured his strength into suppressing it. At last, he pinned the monster beneath another treasure. Its red eyes lifted, glinting with eerie menace. His heart skipped a beat. For something so small, it was far too dangerous.
"Keeping you as a pet might not be a bad idea."
With a grin tugging at his lips, he picked it up and carried it back to his cave.