"My cultivation is too low?"
The smile on Ling Xiao's face gradually faded, replaced by a look of gravity.
"Mi Yong, have you seen her before?" Beside him, the demon ape Mi Yong's expression was also one of shock, his eyes faintly holding a trace of fear.
"Master, I have not." Mi Yong shook his head.
He didn't doubt Feng Ling's words in the slightest; she must be a great demon from the top floor.
Because just moments ago, a mere wisp of fluctuation emanating from her had nearly caused his mind to collapse.
"Did you feel it?" Ling Xiao sighed. Although he was reluctant to admit it in front of Mi Yong, there was an aura about Feng Ling that could suppress him.
But the current problem was, how should he deal with this girl of mysterious origin?
A sentience derived from a demonic bone—once she grew up, wouldn't Ling Xiao's own identity become awkward?
Killing her seemed far too risky.
Besides, the girl seemed harmless and was quite adorable.
Not killing her left Ling Xiao feeling deeply uneasy.
"I felt it, Master. The aura on that girl seems... to have an extremely strong restraining effect on demonic energy." A flash of trepidation passed through Mi Yong's eyes. It wasn't just restraint; it was complete suppression!
In fact, Mi Yong had a vague notion that if Feng Ling wished, she could suppress and kill him at any moment.
"What secrets are hidden above the ninth floor?" Ling Xiao sighed again and glanced at the spirit beast egg nearby.
"I'll leave this spirit beast egg here for now. Guard it well for me."
"Yes! Master." Mi Yong bowed deeply, and Ling Xiao's figure vanished from the spot.
As expected, the Myriad Worlds Glazed Pagoda is not simple.
Moreover, the path Ye Fan was taking also showed a tendency towards demonic transformation.
Perhaps, in the end, this demonic bone would be the key to his achieving the supreme demonic path.
Things belonging to a Son of Destiny required extreme caution from Ling Xiao.
Just like when he seized the Supreme Demon Blade in the ancient ruins, it was a situation of near-certain death.
If he hadn't been wearing a Dao artifact demon armor, Ling Xiao might not have survived the full-force strike from that ancient powerhouse.
He just wondered what kind of danger, or perhaps... surprise, Feng Ling would bring him this time.
Northern Frontier, Holy State.
Similar to the Eastern Wastes, this was a forbidden land for humans.
Various demon clans were entrenched here, forming powers that occupied the Holy State's largest expanse of mountains, forests, rivers, and streams.
Although called a single state, the Holy State was divided into four frontiers.
The Eastern and Western Frontiers were domains of human orthodox traditions.
Major sects and noble families were rooted there, complex and entangled, locked in constant struggle.
The Northern Frontier was the domain of the Ten Thousand Demons Sacred Land. It appeared united, but undercurrents had long been swirling.
The Southern Frontier spanned countless miles—it was the Endless Sea.
Teeming with sea demons, with the Jiao-people as their kings.
The center of the four frontiers was the most prosperous and flourishing part of the Holy State.
The Holy Church, the nominal ruler of the four frontiers, was born there.
---
At this moment, somewhere in a mountain range stretching for thousands of miles in the Northern Frontier.
A slender figure stood atop a mountain peak, gazing into the distant sky.
A river of stars stretched overhead, but the girl's eyes held a trace of loneliness.
Since Bai Zhixi returned to the Holy State, she had been confined to Qing Qiu by the Fox Queen.
Although she excelled in spatial arts, this time the Fox Queen was truly furious and forbade her from taking a single step outside Qing Qiu.
The events of the Eastern Wastes had been relayed upwards by the master of the Demon God Mountain.
Although the identity of the white-clothed swordsman remained unconfirmed, the name "Ling Xiao" had infuriated the Fox Queen.
Especially Bai Zhixi's audacity to rally the demons to confront Ling Xiao directly made this Demon King of the Ten Thousand Demons Sacred Land decry it as sheer recklessness.
Bai Zhixi had never left the Northern Frontier, but who was the Nine-Tailed Fox Queen?
One of the Nine Demon Kings of the demon race, how could she not know of this youth's status in the Eastern Frontier?
Eldest young master of the direct line of the ancient Ling Clan, only son of the Elixir Origin Sacred Master, Young Master of the Ten Thousand Daos Demon Sect.
Any one of these identities was enough to make the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox Clan hesitate to provoke him.
Moreover, rumors said Ling Xiao was vicious and cruel, his demonic arts fierce and formidable.
Countless geniuses of the Holy State had died by his hand over the years.
The Heavenly Fox Clan was not weak, but it only had two Emperor Realm experts in total.
The Ling Clan alone, publicly, had Three Emperors and Ten Kings.
In the entire Holy State, the number of powers daring to openly challenge the Ling Clan could be counted on one hand.
Furthermore, the Fox Queen had received news early on that the Saintess of the Ethereal Dao Palace, the most mysterious sect in the Eastern Frontier, was soon to be engaged to that Ling Xiao.
Thus, Ling Xiao would have four supreme legacies standing behind him.
Fortunately, from the accounts of the great demons who returned from the lower realm, the Fox Queen learned that Ling Xiao had not been injured but had suddenly escaped and disappeared.
Even so, these past few days, the entire Qing Qiu had been shrouded in an extremely tense and oppressive atmosphere.
This kind of mood hadn't descended upon Qing Qiu for many years.
The Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox Clan rarely made enemies actively. Its members almost never left Qing Qiu, remaining a neutral demon clan.
But this time, Bai Zhixi's mischief had nearly plunged the entire Heavenly Fox Clan into an abyss of eternal doom.
How could this not enrage the Fox Queen?
"Zhi Xi, so you're here?" A kind, aged voice suddenly came from the distant sky.
Then an old woman dressed in rough hemp clothes appeared behind Bai Zhixi.
"Ancestor Bai Qian, you've come!" Bai Zhixi put away the melancholy on her small face, turned around, and bowed respectfully to the old woman who had two furry ears and nine tails.
The old woman smiled warmly. Leaning on a peachwood cane, she walked unsteadily to stand before Bai Zhixi.
Despite her aged appearance, in the Ten Thousand Demons Sacred Land, the name Bai Qian commanded absolute respect.
The Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox Clan had two Divine Emperors: the Fox Queen was one, and the other was this very ancestor, Bai Qian.
"So late, and not asleep? Admiring the moon?" Ancestor Bai Qian reached out and patted Bai Zhixi's head.
As the one hailed as having the strongest innate talent in the Nine-Tailed Clan, Bai Zhixi was naturally doted on by all the powerful figures in the clan.
Bai Qian was not only an ancestor of Bai Zhixi's bloodline but also half a master to her.
"What, still upset about being confined? Look what your ancestor brought you?" Ancestor Bai Qian pulled out a spirit fruit glowing with strange, shifting colors from her robes.
A fragrant aroma immediately spread, causing the spiritual power within one's body to hum uncontrollably.
"Ancestor..." Bai Zhixi forced a bitter smile. The Seven-colored Dragon Fragrance Fruit was indeed her favorite spirit fruit, but today she had little appetite.
"Oh my, what's wrong with my little Zhi Xi? How come you've changed so much after going out to play? Tell your ancestor, what's troubling you?" A flicker of surprise passed through Bai Qian's aged eyes as she smiled and drew Bai Zhixi into her embrace.
"Ancestor, that matter I asked you to inquire about... did you find out?" Bai Zhixi rubbed playfully against the ancestor's arm, looking up at her with expectant eyes.
"You mean that Young Master Ling Xiao from the Ling Clan? I found out." Ancestor Bai Qian nodded, her expression somewhat grave.
"He has indeed returned to the Holy State. And the rumors are true; this young man is arrogant, cruel, quick to kill, and... somewhat lustful. It's said he's often surrounded by bevies of beautiful women. Even among the humans, his reputation is extremely poor."
"Ancestor, that's not what I was asking..."
"Then what were you asking?" Ancestor Bai Qian was taken aback, looking down at Bai Zhixi.
She saw a faint blush appear on the young girl's face. Bai Zhixi hesitated for a long moment before finally speaking, "Is it... is it true that he has a marriage engagement with the Saintess of the Ethereal Dao Palace?"