Lu Yang and his companion hit it off right away and decided to venture into the Demon Territory.

"We can’t rush into this. We need to gather some information about the Demon Territory first," Lu Yang said with restraint, trying to suppress the smile curling at his lips.

"Should Man Gu and the other two go to the Demon Territory?"

"Man Gu can’t go. The bloodline of his Ancient Barbarian Tribe acts as a double-edged sword to the Demon Race.

It can suppress lower-level demons, but to high-level Demon Beasts, it would just attract hatred," Lu Yang recalled with a shudder the incident during their Foundation Establishment Stage when they were training in the dense forest, and Man Gu’s Ancient Barbarian bloodline had awakened, drawing a mob of Golden Core Stage Demon Beasts upon them.

If Man Gu were to go to the Demon Territory, it would likely attract not just Divinity Transformation Stage but even higher-level Demon Beasts in droves. They would have nothing to do but to run for their lives.

Oh, considering that outrunning Demon Beasts might be impossible, they might as well just resort to Eldest Senior Sister’s Imitation Fist.

"Junior Sister Tao is busy cultivating her Feather Transformation Immortal Body and cannot leave," Lu Yang added.

Before visiting Meng Jingzhou, Lu Yang had been to see Tao Yaoye. He had seen her enveloped in platinum feathers, as if she was nurturing something within, cut off from any external contact and not to be disturbed.

"Junior Brother Li should be free; we can ask him," they decided.

The two temporarily left Old Ma to his devices, unconcerned with Xu You who was shackled, and headed to the Hundred Refinement Peak to find Li Haoran.

Li Haoran was bare-chested, his wig removed, revealing sinewy muscles and a shiny bald head, as he swung a large hammer with a grunt, busily forging some kind of magic artifact.

The noise of refining magic artifacts was substantial. The disciples of Hundred Refinement Peak always set up sound-isolating Array Methods before refining, so as not to transmit the noise and disturb the other disciples.

"Phew, finally nailed it," Li Haoran exhaled, picking up the small rectangular object beneath the hammer.

"What kind of magic artifact is that?"

Hearing Lu Yang’s voice, Li Haoran looked up and noticed the arrival of the two. He had been so engrossed in hammering that he had overlooked his surroundings.

"This thing? Oh, this isn’t a magic artifact. It’s compressed steamed buns," he explained.

"It’s a special treat from the Hundred Refinement Peak’s cafeteria, exclusive to our Sect’s disciples. It combines steamed buns with Great Recovery Pills and Essence Concentration Pills. Whether during tiring travels or when drained of spiritual essence in battle, just one bite guarantees a recovery of both physical and mental energy!"

"It can also serve as a breastplate when placed over the chest, even more functional than the previous sesame seed cakes. Want to try? I’ve just made them," Li Haoran offered.

The two hastily declined, shaking their heads as they explained their purpose.

Li Haoran frowned, looking troubled, "Go to the Demon Territory? I’m afraid that won’t be possible. My master told me to cultivate in the Sect in peace and not to leave until I’ve caught up with you both in terms of realm."

"Aren’t you already in the late stage of the Golden Core?"

"Sure, but I only reached the late Golden Core Stage three months ago, while you two have been at it for five months," he responded.

Lu Yang understood. Li Haoran was currently at the Seventh Heaven of the Golden Core Stage, while he and Old Meng had reached the Eighth Heaven.

That was the difference.

"If you’re planning to head to the Demon Territory, you’d better prepare in advance. Qin Haoran used to hide from debtors in the Demon Territory, so by extension, I’m quite familiar with it. There are some things to be cautious of. For example, Senior Brother Meng, it would be best not to bring that horse of yours to the Demon Territory."

"Ah, why’s that?"

"Old Ma is a mutated demon beast. Having a demon beast pull a cart is asking for trouble with the Demon Race, isn’t it?"

From the outside, Old Ma’s forehead bore several dragon scales, readily classifying him as a mutated demon beast, that is, a creature with Demon Beast lineage but with mixed and impure blood.

Li Haoran was unaware of Old Ma’s true identity.

But regardless of his knowledge, whether Old Ma was a Demon Beast or a mutated demon beast, having him pull a cart wasn’t much different from bringing Man Gu into the Demon Territory.

"But if you two reversed roles with Old Ma, you probably wouldn’t make enemies,"

"Reversed roles?"

"That’s right, the two of you pull the cart while Old Ma sits on it."

"..."

What would be the point of bringing Old Ma then?

"Are Demon Beasts always this unified?" Lu Yang mumbled to himself. The Human race is a single race, but the Demon Race is a collective of many tribes. Would the Tiger Clan get angry seeing Old Ma pulling a cart?

That seemed excessively unified.

"The Demon Race wasn’t always so united," Fairy Eternity knew the insider details.

"In the earliest times, Demon Beasts roamed rampantly, with no place for the Human race. The Tiger Clan, Long Clan, and many others had significant divisions among them, and it often came down to life or death battles."

"Later, as the Human race rose and tribes multiplied, the Demon Beasts began to feel the pressure. By our times, three of the Five Ancient Immortals were from the Human race, with the Demon Race only having the Qilin Immortal. The Time Immortal didn’t belong to any race. With three against one, the Human race had a huge upper-hand, and that established their dominant position."

"Feeling the pressure from the Human race, the Demon Race united on their own, collectively calling themselves the Demon Race."

In his heart, Lu Yang thought they must have been afraid of being eaten by you, forced to unite against a common enemy.

"Junior Brother Li, could you tell us about the Demon Territory?" Meng Jingzhou asked.

Li Haoran nodded and drew a large circle on the ground with a stick and many smaller circles within it.

"This is the Demon Territory, and these small circles represent the Demon Race."

"Unlike Great Xia or Buddha Country, the Demon Race has a chaotic order and hasn’t established a dynasty. They’re similar to the early Human race, living in tribes as their strongholds. The relations between the various species are intricate and complex, with blood feuds, private enmities, alliances, and betrayals.

Don’t just look at the superficial relationships between the Demon Races; there are many things we don’t know about them."

"The Demon Race can be roughly divided into three categories: those friendly to the Human race, neutrals, and those who detest the Human race."

"For instance, the Long Clan and Phoenix Tribe are very close to the Human race, whilst the Taozhu tribe belongs to those who detest the Human race. The Chaos Tribe is neutral. When you reach the Demon Territory, be careful and try to approach the territories of those friendly to the Human race."

"The Demon Race prizes strength and bloodline purity. The purer the bloodline and the stronger one is, the more respect they receive."

"For example, pure-blooded members of the Long Clan, Phoenix Tribe, or Xuanwu, those who are both from large clans and of pure blood, hold the highest status among the Demon Race."

"Of course, the Human race is an exception; at least, I haven’t heard of the Demon Race respecting us just because we’re of pure-blooded Human descent."

Next, Li Haoran talked about the taboos of each species, such as how a dragon has its reverse scale that must not be touched, or how one shouldn’t mention the selling of blood to the Phoenix Tribe, and so on.

"I don’t know much about the Demon Territory, after all, right now I only have half of Qin Haoran’s memories. A lot of things are unclear, and I might mislead you if I tell you everything. The Elders traveled everywhere in their youth; they must have been to the Demon Territory, so you can ask them if there are any other precautions."

"That makes sense."

The Elders were experienced, having been everywhere from the underworld to prisons, brothels, Buddha Country, and the Demon Territory.

Grand Elder was chatting with Xu You when the two of them found Uncle Ba.

"You’re going to the Demon Territory, are there any precautions we should know?"

Uncle Ba lowered his head and thought for a moment before seriously saying,

"Don’t tell them you’re from the Seek Dao Sect."