Mysterious mirror hanging high

"Fellow Daoist Bai Yuan!"

Qiu Xu flew over at that moment and cupped his hands in greeting: "Fellow Daoist Bai Yuan, it's good that you're alright, otherwise I would have felt guilty for the rest of my life."

"Hehe, didn't Fellow Daoist Qiu also return unscathed?" Jing Yu chuckled.

"Alas, don't even mention it. Ever since I was separated from you, fellow Daoist, I have had a very difficult time in the Demon Refining Realm."

Qiu Xu sighed, "Almost all of my guards have been killed or wounded... This is my fault."

"In the end, Qiu's ambitions were too high... The trials of the Demon Refining Realm are not something a mediocre person like me should participate in. If time could be turned back, Qiu would certainly not have taken such a risk."

Jing Yu looked Qiu Xu up and down: "Fellow Daoist Qiu, just now I saw your blood energy surging and your aura increasing sharply. It seems that your body refinement realm has broken through to the Mahayana level?"

Qiu Xu nodded: "We have finally made some progress, thanks in large part to your help, fellow Daoist."

The young master of the Azure Dragon Water Palace wisely refrained from inquiring about the opportunities Jing Yu had gained in the Demon Refining World. Instead, he took Jing Yu's hand and said, "Fellow Daoist Bai Yuan has made a great contribution this time, and the Azure Dragon Water Palace will repay you handsomely. Please do not miss our welcoming banquet to celebrate your return."

"No, Fellow Daoist Qiu, I must leave Qingqiu Star today," Jing Yu said.

Qiu Xu was surprised to hear this: "Why are you in such a hurry? Why don't you stay for a simple meal before you leave?"

Jing Yu's lips twitched: "To be honest, I offended several true disciples of demon lords in the demon refining world. I really dare not stay here for too long now. Please forgive me, Fellow Daoist Qiu."

"Offended the Demon Lord's true disciples! And several of them?" Upon hearing this, Qiu Xu was terrified and stammered, "Fellow Daoist Bai...you wouldn't have killed them, would you?"

"That's not quite right, but I have offended you badly. I'm afraid that if I stay here, I will implicate Fellow Daoist Qiu and even the entire Azure Dragon Water Mansion."

Qiu Xu breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this: "Fortunately... as long as the demon's life hasn't been lost, there's still room for maneuver... however..."

The iron-backed dragon clicked its tongue in amazement and said, "Fellow Daoist is truly formidable... A true disciple of the Demon Lord? I'm afraid I can't even get a word in edgewise with such a great figure."

"Since such a thing has happened, I, Qiu, will not keep you any longer... You can travel directly to other star regions through the large teleportation array on Qingqiu Star."

Jing Yu said apologetically, "I'm sorry to have troubled Fellow Daoist Qiu."

"Not at all!" Qiu Xu handed Jing Yu a bulging storage bag and pointed out the direction of the large teleportation array. Jing Yu didn't linger any longer, called out to Guo Tingshu, and directly put the Ox-Head and Horse-Face into the [Small Demon Refining Pot]:

"Brother Guo... is gone!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

After Jing Yu and Guo Tingshu left, Qiu Xu looked in the direction they had gone with a complicated expression, remaining silent for a long time.

A surviving dragon guard approached and whispered, "Young Master, why don't we just detain Bai Yuan... If he has truly offended the Demon Lord's disciple, that's our chance to shine..."

Qiu Xu glanced coldly at the dragon and said indifferently, "Do you think he dared to tell me this directly?"

"Fawning over the Demon Lord's true disciple? What level is the Azure Dragon Water Mansion at? Does it even have the right to fawn over him?"

"The true disciples of the Demon Lord are used to being high and mighty, and their personalities are mostly unpredictable. Don't end up getting nothing but trouble instead of getting any benefits."

"If those adults were to take their anger out on the Azure Dragon Water Palace, it would be a catastrophe for us."

"Damn it, get rid of this plague god quickly... Also, no demon is allowed to reveal that Bai Yuan has been to the Azure Dragon Water Palace."

Qiu Xu revealed a row of gleaming white teeth: "If I ever hear the words 'Bai Yuan' again, whoever said them will have their tongue ripped out!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The Second Heaven of the Immortal Realm, Divine Cauldron Star, Prince Xian's Mansion

King Xian [Ying Qianwen], dressed in a black python robe, leaned against a wide rosewood chair covered with mink fur, tapping the armrest with his fingertips.

Below Ying Qianwen, Li Huaiyou, dressed in a plain white scholar's robe, with a slightly slender figure, was holding a jade slip marked with several secret realms and resource points with his magical essence and slowly handing it to Ying Qianwen.

"Your Highness, these secret realms will be opened one after another within ten years."

"Among them, the [Canglan Water Mansion] and the [Earthfire Flame Cave] produce exactly the spiritual resources that the Immortal Dynasty is currently in dire need of. If we send people to guard them in advance, we should be able to monopolize the harvest." Li Huaiyou's voice was calm, but it carried an undeniable certainty.

“I learned about these secret realms through my own information channels in my previous life, so there shouldn’t be any other reborn individuals interfering,” Li Huaiyou added.

Ying Qianwen glanced at the jade slip and nodded slightly.

His appearance was not as sharp as that of Crown Prince Ying Qianjue, and his brows and eyes even carried a hint of melancholy from years of excessive thinking, but at this moment a trace of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.

Since Li Huaiyou joined the service, he has made many accurate predictions and plans, which have helped him seize several remarkable opportunities. Now, the prestige of the Prince Xian's mansion has subtly overshadowed that of the Eastern Palace, and there are even voices in the court and among the people calling for the establishment of a new crown prince.

Although the concept of "reborn individuals" is taboo and cannot be openly discussed in the Immortal Realm, and even the major Immortal Courts and Demon Courts have issued decrees to arrest them... the "reborn individuals" are simply too useful. Nowadays, which major power in the various heavens doesn't harbor a few insightful "reborn individuals"?

"What you have planned is exactly what I wanted." Ying Qianwen picked up the warm spirit wine on the table and was about to drink it.

Suddenly, hurried and suppressed footsteps sounded outside the hall. A guard dressed in black armor, whose aura was at the Nascent Soul stage, rushed in, knelt on one knee, and spoke in a tense voice:

"Your Highness, urgent report! Our caravan, which was sent to the Sirius Star Region, was ambushed by an unknown force on its return journey! More than half of the guards were killed or wounded, the leader was seriously injured and fled back, and the spiritual resources we were escorting, including Seven Luminaries Refined Gold and Void Stones... were all stolen!"

"Crack!"

Ying Qianwen squeezed the black jade wine vessel in his hand until a crack appeared.

His face suddenly darkened, his chest heaved slightly, and he slammed the wine cup hard onto the ground!

"boom!"

Broken wine vessels and shards of fine wine splattered everywhere, and the rich aroma of the spirit wine, mixed with the prince's anger, instantly filled the hall.

The kneeling guard commander trembled and lowered his head even further. The palace maids and eunuchs standing around him held their breath and fell silent.

"waste!"

Ying Qianwen gritted his teeth and said, "Investigate! Investigate thoroughly! Which demons and monsters dare to extend their claws to the Immortal Dynasty!"

"Father Emperor specifically entrusted this matter to the Prince Xian's Mansion for supervision, but you have botched it..." Ying Qianwen was furious.

"Your Highness, please calm down," Li Huaiyou's gentle voice rang out.

"As far as I know, a few days ago, another enclave mine outside Shending Star, which the Crown Prince was in charge of, was also plundered by unknown space pirates, resulting in heavy losses... Over the years, there have been countless attacks against the Immortal Dynasty, and it is not necessarily that they are specifically targeting Your Highness."