Chapter 883: You Think This Grandpa Tiger Has No Temper? (I)

"They've set up an enchanted formation on the Mountain Range of the Seven Kings. Anyone who wants to approach has to show up in person. No clones allowed."

The demons of the Verdant Foxhills constructed a temporary pavilion for the human envoys. It sat tucked away in a quiet patch of forest not far from the demon settlement. Through the swaying branches, there was a clear view of the Mountain Range of the Seven Kings in the distance.

Many demons still held deep grudges against humans, so placing Chu Liang's group outside the main encampment helped avoid unnecessary trouble.

The ring of demon guards were clearly stationed there to keep the demonic beasts from attacking them. As for keeping Chu Liang and the others under watch, these guards couldn't possibly stop them if they decided to leave.

From every angle, Caiyi's arrangements seemed carefully planned.

The only problem was that they still weren't allowed to meet the Demon God.

A powerful restriction formation sealed off the Mountain Range of the Seven Kings. According to the demons, it had been placed there to prevent anyone from accidentally offending the Demon God. The formation enveloped the entire range and severed the connection between a person and their clone the moment they stepped inside.

In other words, anyone who wanted to meet the Demon God had to go up in person.

Thus, the human envoy team remained outside for now, deliberating whether they should meet the Demon God tomorrow.

To be fair, this was a very logical move for the demons. With so many factions eager to spy on the Demon God's condition, the formation served as an effective countermeasure. It prevented anyone from attempting an assassination from afar. If someone truly intended to kill the Demon God, they would have to come in person, and doing so meant risking their life. Would anyone truly dare to take that step?

For Chu Liang, this restriction posed a unique problem.

"They're clearly planning something against you," Lin Bei said bluntly.

Everyone knew how the downfall of the Penglai Supreme Sect had begun. At the time, Chu Liang had been moving around Mount Shu as a clone and completely fooled Daoist Cangsheng.

Now, the demons were insisting that Chu Liang ascend the mountain in person. Who could say whether this was part of a larger scheme?

If he were to die on the Mountain Range of the Seven Kings, there would be no second chance.

"As expected, the demons aren't doing this out of kindness," Li Chengfeng said. "They know about your bond with the Demon God. They are doing this to cut off her connection to the humans."

National Master Qu Hu spoke with visible concern. "Having Young Hero Chu climb the mountain in his true form is extremely dangerous. But if we refuse, the demons might see it as a sign of disrespect toward the Demon God. And if the talks break down because of that, the blame could fall on us. Refusing to go in person may be taken as a lack of sincerity."

Chu Liang responded without hesitation. "I must climb the Mountain Range of the Seven Kings."

He had come prepared to take risks. Turning back was never an option.

Li Chengfeng looked at him and said, "But your safety..."

Chu Liang gave a faint smile. "I must see Tuntun, but it doesn't have to be on their terms."

It was clear that Caiyi was trying to outmaneuver him and push him into making the first move.

If he climbed the mountain in his true form and the demons held any ill intentions, he would be in grave danger. On the other hand, if he refused to go after they had specifically asked him to go, he would most likely be blamed if the talks fell apart.

And so, Chu Liang chose to act first. Before the demons could put any scheme into motion, he would sneak into the Mountain Range of the Seven Kings himself. As long as he could find Tuntun, he believed she would still listen to him.

"As long as I get to see Tuntun before the meeting they have set up for us, there won't be any danger," Chu Liang said. "National Master, all I need is for you to lend me a hand and send me in front of the temple using the Great Dao of Distancelessness. It's actually quite simple."

"If I'm to bring someone with me using the Great Dao of Distancelessness," Qu Hu said, "then that person must have at least grasped the same Dao."

The Great Dao of Distancelessness functioned like a path between the real and the unreal, allowing him to travel freely across the world. However, if he tried to pull someone else onto that path, the force between the two realms would tear that person apart instantly.

Unless the person had also reached the seventh realm and comprehended the Great Dao of Distancelessness, they would not be able to withstand the tearing force.

It had only been just a few days ago that Chu Liang asked him for a Dao seed of Distancelessness. At the time, Chu Liang clearly hadn't even begun to comprehend it.

"No problem," Chu Liang said calmly.

He took a light step forward, and in the next instant, his figure flickered to the far corner of the pavilion. The movement revealed that he had already grasped the full Great Dao of Distancelessness. While he had yet to reach Qu Hu's level, his mastery had clearly surpassed the Dimension Compression skill he had used before.

After all, Dimension Compression was merely a skill that had branched off from the Great Dao of Distancelessness.

Qu Hu's eyes widened. "You've already comprehended it?"

While it was true that the Great Dao of Distancelessness was one of the more commonly comprehended Daos, that did not mean it was easy. It still was not something one could fully grasp after casually playing with a Dao seed for a few days.

Without a stroke of fortune, most cultivators spent more than a decade trying to understand it. And Chu Liang had been with them the entire time. There was no way he had stumbled upon some hidden opportunity.

So how had he done it?

Even the Dao Master of Distancelessness himself would have been shocked.

Chu Liang gave a casual shrug and grinned. "Just something I figured out in passing."

Qu Hu stared at him in stunned silence, shaking his head over and over and thinking,

Could it be that this kid really is a genius?

...

"Chu Liang will definitely climb the Mountain Range of the Seven Kings."

Inside the palace of the Verdant Foxhills, on the far side of the range, Caiyi lounged comfortably in a wide chair. Her long white tails curled lazily around her, and she reclined with the relaxed grace of someone completely at ease.

In front of her stood six fox-women of varying ages, each one a seventh-realm cultivator. Any one of them would be considered a powerful greater demon on her own.

"I know his style of doing things, " Caiyi said slowly. "He's someone who loves to take risk. If he hopes to use his connection to the Demon God to stop us, then he will surely go to see her himself. Giving him that chance also gives us an opportunity. It is our chance to sever the Divine Demon God's ties to the humans once and for all."

"Great King, so luring him to the Far West and placing the restriction on the Mountain Range of the Seven Kings... was it all to kill him?" one of the greater demons asked.

"Exactly," Caiyi replied. "He is no longer the little boy he once was. He must die, and it has to be in a way that leaves no room for suspicion."

With a flick of her fox tail, she rose to her feet.

"Once the real Chu Liang disappears from the pavilion, I'll take on his appearance and stir up trouble on the Mountain Range of the Seven Kings. While I create a commotion, the rest of you will disguise yourselves as the Penglai Supreme Sect's disciples, track down the real Chu Liang, and finish him off.

"In doing so, word will spread that Chu Liang disrupted the peace talks on purpose and was killed by the Penglai Supreme Sect's disciples who were seeking revenge. When the Divine Demon God hears that it was the humans who turned on him, she will not blame us. Instead, she will finally become our true god."

"As you command," the greater demons said as they clasped their fists and bowed.

In the Far West, only the demons of the Verdant Foxhills adhered so strictly to rules.

Moments later, a lesser demon rushed in and reported, "Great King! The clone of that human envoy Chu Liang has disappeared from the pavilion."

"Good," Caiyi said as she rose to her feet. "I'll make my move now. You head straight for the Mountain Range of the Seven Kings. The moment you find the real Chu Liang, kill him on sight. He must die at the hands of humans."

With those words, she turned. Her form shifted and transformed into a flawless replica of Chu Liang.