Chapter 816: A Big Catch with One Rod

P.S. (A minor error in the previous chapter's ending has been corrected; Lu Shan-jun was not supposed to be there.)

Still confused, Old Bull frowned and asked Wang Youhong, who had already taken a seat at the table, "Retreat where? What happened?"

Old Bull and his companions had made little progress in their secretive investigation into the abducted mortals. He believed they hadn't been discovered, and even if they had, their adversaries would surely confront them directly rather than retreat.

Wang Youhong glanced at Old Bull, then pointed south. "A large portion of the great demons and demon kings are retreating back to the Black Waste," she explained. "The rest are just common demons incited to revel, and no one will tell them the truth…"

Wang Youhong paused, her voice dropping to a whisper as she continued, "Tu Siyan is dead…"

Niu Batian was startled and pressed her, "Really? How did she die? And how do you know?"

Wang Youhong nodded gently. "It's true! There was a secret meeting recently, attended by many high-ranking members of our Tianqi Alliance, as well as numerous demon kings and great demons from the Black Waste who are not part of the alliance. Tu Siyan even had a clone present. But midway through, her primordial spirit suddenly disintegrated, and she died completely!"

Old Bull's expression was uncertain, his gaze sweeping from the inn entrance before returning to Wang Youhong. A myriad of emotions flashed across his face. "By my reckoning," he mused, "that immortal named Ji should be at Jade Fox Grotto-Heaven by now."

Wang Youhong's heart instinctively twitched as well, and she nodded, "Could there be any other possibility?"

Old Bull's face was conflicted. He hesitated, then asked, "Mr. Ji is so powerful; won't we be unable to escape his control? Do we really have to rebel…"

Wang Youhong's expression changed. She reached out and grabbed Old Bull's hand, which was holding his cup, and said sternly and sharply, "Brute Bull, at this point, do you still entertain such wavering fantasies? I warn you, if you hesitate now, you will die a worse death than Tu Siyan. She, a nine-tailed fox demon hiding in Jade Fox Grotto-Heaven, still couldn't escape death. While you and I may be powerful demons capable of summoning wind and rain, what are we in front of Mr. Ji?" She added, "Besides, don't forget Mr. Ji's single touch…"

Old Bull gnashed his teeth. Seeing his fear, Wang Youhong slowly released his hand, and Old Bull promptly drained the wine from his cup.

"Damn it, let's do it!"

If Ji Yuan were present and witnessed Old Bull's current act, he would surely exclaim that this 'Brute Bull' was less of a demon and more of an actor. He perfectly embodied the image of an 'honest demon' reluctantly drawn into a scheme, to the point where Wang Youhong still had to find ways to reassure him.

After Niu Batian made up his mind, he suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, "Oh, where's Corpse Nine?"

Wang Youhong breathed a sigh of relief. She had genuinely been uncertain if she could control this brute bull. If he were to back out now, he might expose both her and Corpse Nine. Their situation would become perilous from both sides: the Tianqi Alliance would scarcely tolerate them, and while Ji Yuan might spare Corpse Nine, he might not spare her.

"Corpse Nine has already left," Wang Youhong replied. "He's using the senses of some zombies to monitor the situation for us as much as possible. He'll inform us of any discoveries."

"What?" Old Bull exclaimed, a little agitated, failing to use voice transmission. Fortunately, the inn was mostly empty at the time; only the innkeeper at the counter glanced their way. "You mean he's not with us?"

Wang Youhong frowned. "Corpse Nine cultivates the path of corpses, which is generally disliked," she explained. "He would find it difficult to blend in with the demon and devil cultivators of the Black Waste, and would more easily draw suspicion. So, most situations will still depend on you and me."

Old Bull considered this and agreed. An old zombie like Corpse Nine naturally carried a stench of death, and many would suspect a corpse cultivator of eyeing their physical bodies. It would be surprising if he were met with anything but disdain.

"Alas, there's no other way then. Oh, right, I had a very close relationship with Lu Shan-jun even before joining the Tianqi Alliance; perhaps we can make use of him!"

"Lu Shan-jun?" Wang Youhong's brows furrowed. She recalled Lu Shan-jun's appearance and the faint aura of danger about him. "Few can truly see through that demon Lu Shan-jun," she warned. "He appears polite but is actually very sinister—a dangerous and ruthless individual. If you're not absolutely certain, try not to provoke him!"

"Heh," Old Bull chuckled, "Lu Shan-jun and I forged our friendship through our brawls. If I ask him for help, he'll respond. Besides, I, Old Bull, am usually carefree and don't like to overthink things. I'll simply claim that a demon king from the Black Waste snatched hundreds of beautiful women from me, and I want to find them. Even if he doesn't help, he won't suspect my true intentions."

Wang Youhong stared at Old Bull, momentarily stunned. 'So, this brute bull actually has some self-awareness,' she thought to herself, 'knowing he's impulsive, hot-headed, and a bit dim-witted?'

Despite her internal musings, seeking out beautiful women was indeed Old Bull's typical style, making the idea worth a try. Thus, Wang Youhong nodded in agreement.

"Alright, just don't give yourself away," she said. "I'll also try to use my methods to gather information. We need to clarify the locations of a few more of these transfer formations. If we miss this opportunity, figuring them out later would mean having to visit those Black Waste demon kings ourselves."

After their discussion, Old Bull hurriedly finished his breakfast. He paid the bill and checked out before leaving. Wang Youhong, however, had departed earlier.

Half a month later, Old Bull was standing guard at the entrance of a subterranean cave. He had already befriended the few demons and spirits who were originally stationed there.

True to his outward personality, Old Bull naturally favored a direct approach in his dealings. He found it more convenient to be straightforward, provided he maintained the right balance: assertive when needed, and brotherly when appropriate.

With his extravagant eloquence, Old Bull vividly described the pleasures of the human world to the Black Waste demons guarding the formation. He urged them to seize the opportunity to go out and revel, emphasizing that everyone else—except for the clueless fools—was already retreating, and they might not get another chance.

Old Bull sincerely offered to watch the formation for them, claiming he simply wanted to make friends. Unaware of his 'sinister' intentions, the demons were swayed, dazed by his words, yearning for freedom yet reluctant to abandon their posts. They were quickly persuaded.

Naturally, as soon as these stationed demons left the formation's vicinity and reached the outskirts of the nearest town, Lu Shan-jun was already waiting. The outcome, of course, was that they never returned.

This particular subterranean cave, originally dug by a giant mole cricket spirit, contained a hidden river deep underground that extended to a robust earth vein. A transfer formation was established there. This formation harnessed the power of the earth vein, similar to how mountain and water deities operate, allowing it to transport individuals or objects along spiritual currents. They would then emerge directly at a specific location beneath the sea, which marked the end of that particular earth vein segment.

Such a prime location, difficult for righteous cultivators to discover, naturally served as a 'fast lane' for various demons. It was also an obvious retreat route for demons from the Black Waste. There were actually many such spots, and Old Bull and his companions each chose one to lie in wait. The extensive coastline, on the other hand, was too vast to effectively monitor and was, moreover, a primary patrol area for righteous cultivators.

Now, almost every other day, and sometimes even daily, demons passed through. Old Bull routinely activated the formation to grant them passage.

Just then, a faint demonic cloud appeared in the distance before Old Bull. On the cloud's leading edge were several large ships—not valuable artifacts, but ordinary wooden vessels. Each, however, was filled with numerous terrified mortals.

'They're here!' Old Bull's heart stirred, and he rose from his meditative posture.

Naturally, the demons in the sky couldn't detect the formation's aura directly; they only knew its general location. After circling several times, Old Bull below deliberately released a trace of his demonic energy, and the demonic cloud immediately steered towards the formation's position.

"Open the formation, let me in!" Despite the desolate appearance of the mountains, the demons on the cloud knew the formation lay below.

"Hey, hey, which brothers are you, and under which demon king do you serve?" Old Bull called out. Hearing his voice, a demon on the cloud immediately replied, "We are under King Mark-Eye, delivering human livestock. Don't delay our business!"

"King Mark-Eye?" Old Bull pondered for a moment, recognizing the name—likely a one-eyed toad. This time, the shipment was genuinely under the command of a demon king, not a great demon abducting humans independently. This must be the route to the Human-Livestock Kingdom.

"Alright, alright, opening the formation now!" Old Bull manipulated the formation flags, and the brilliant light of the array unfolded, revealing the dark, gaping maw of the subterranean cave. The demonic cloud, carrying boat after boat of people, flew past one after another.

"Hey, brother, are there any beautiful women on the ship?" Old Bull called out, displaying a greedy expression. "Could you spare a hundred or so for me?" He gazed at the fair-faced women on the boats. Most of them were deathly pale, many having even soiled themselves out of fright, yet like everyone else on board, they dared not utter a sound—a clear sign they had been thoroughly disciplined.

'Hmph, does a mere minor demon dare to covet the King's possessions?' thought the demon on the cloud by the ship, whose eyes were slightly inverted V-shaped. It had initially given Old Bull a cold, dismissive glance but quickly realized its error. Old Bull's demonic energy wasn't weak; rather, it was incredibly condensed within his demonic form, as if a demonic fire burned within him. He was undoubtedly a formidable individual.

"I'd like to give you some," he said, "but these are all destined for the King. I'll make an exception and give you one myself." As he spoke, the demon scanned the nearest boats, instantly appearing outside a cabin. He grabbed the most exquisite beauty and tossed her towards Niu Batian.

"Ah…" The woman couldn't help but scream. Niu Batian, however, reached out, gently cradled her in his arms, and then softly set her down beside him.

"Thank you, brother," Old Bull said. "However, this cave will be sealed soon. You'll need to find another route next time."

"Hmm?" the demon countered. "Can it be delayed for a few days? We still have many more trips to make!"

The demon signaled his companions to proceed with the boats, while he himself descended from the demonic cloud, bringing another beautiful woman with him, approaching Old Bull. "Brother," he said, "guarding the formation must be hard work. Here, she's yours to do as you please—for pleasure or for food."

Another pale-faced beauty was pushed toward Old Bull. He accepted her but shook his head. "The situation is a bit dangerous," he said. "However, for the sake of these two beautiful women, I'll hold this for three more days."

"Three days?" the demon asked. "That's only enough for one round trip for me. How about half a month?"

Old Bull shook his head like a rattle-drum. "No, no, no, that won't benefit me at all! Absolutely not!"

The demon looked at the two trembling women, then back at Old Bull. "How about this," he proposed, "I can invite you to the Human-Livestock Kingdom, the grotto-heaven newly established by our King. You can choose the most beautiful women from among countless human livestock there!"

Old Bull's eyes lit up. "Can you make that decision?"

"I am the King's confidant," the demon replied. "Bringing one or two friends for some enjoyment is of no consequence."

"Very well then," Old Bull agreed. "I guarantee this formation will stay open for half a month. Just be quick about it!"

"It's a deal!" the demon affirmed.

The demon departed, satisfied. Old Bull, meanwhile, squinted his eyes, gazing towards the deep subterranean cave.

He hadn't expected King Mark-Eye to have newly established a Human-Livestock Kingdom, a grotto-heaven. How many people must have been abducted for that? And even if it were a small grotto-heaven, how could a single demon king establish it alone? Clearly, it was a collaborative effort, and the combined power involved was undoubtedly substantial. This meant it was highly probable that a large portion of the people abducted from Tianyu Continent were concentrated in that one place.

'I, Old Bull, just reeled in a big one!'