Chapter 2696 - 2695: Beggars

"The events that followed were very dull, at least in my view," the Demon King no longer wore a smile on his face,

"It was just a group of old fogies relying on their age and slightly higher cultivation, executing a young man who was desperate, who loathed and distrusted the Human Race, who refused to kneel to them or sacrifice himself for them,"

"But they soon discovered Song Ruozhao’s will and resentment were too strong, so much that they couldn’t destroy his primordial spirit or his peak physical form. They had to seal them separately, using the lingering essence of Daoism over countless ages to suppress Song Ruozhao’s primordial spirit and body,"

"What happened later, you know well. The clay statue, the mountain gate, Song Ruozhao was sealed until now, and then set free by you..." the Demon King approached Ling Feng and spoke softly.

Ling Feng quickly distanced himself from the strange Demon King and awkwardly said, "You know all that?"

Meanwhile, Ling Feng thought: Is this Demon King out of his mind? Telling a story is fine, but why get so close? You’re a male dragon; if you were the Devil Clan’s Queen, that’d be one thing. What’s with this male dragon trying to entice me?

"There are very few things in these Nine Realms that I don’t know, and I also know you desire the world’s secret treasures. It’s okay; if you want them, I will help you obtain them..."

The Human Emperor interrupted the Demon King’s temptation: "You, a human, actually collude with the Devil Clan and traitors of the Human Race partnering with these devils. Are you aware of your crime?"

Ling Feng coldly raised his head and cursed, "Aware of your mother’s head, old thing, don’t think I’m afraid of you. You heard it earlier, right? I’m not of your world,"

"Not to mention whether you can defeat me, I can leave this world, but can you, a native, do that? You can only watch me leave with open eyes,"

"And you, an ant in a cage, can only watch, serving as an emperor among the Human Race. What else can you do?"

The Demon King gave Ling Feng a thumbs-up again and praised, "Worthy of my friend, your words overflow with dominance!"

The Human Emperor was already furious, yet he was helpless, for now, he truly couldn’t act.

Song Ruozhao glared at the Human Emperor, gritting his teeth: "You wait; you’re last on my death list. I’ll first settle accounts with those old folks back home. If you want a premature fight, I don’t mind."

The Human Emperor sneered coldly, "Hmph, do you really think I can’t kill you? The day I obtain the Nine Realms’ secret treasure is the day of your and the Demon King’s doom. I will make all of the Devil Clan bow at the feet of the Human Race!"

Saying this, the Human Emperor transformed into a golden light and flew away. The Demon King watched him leave, coldly silent.

Song Ruozhao calmed himself before approaching Ling Feng and said, "Let’s resolve your issue first, Ling Feng. Now that you know my story, let’s go find Chao Yue."

Ling Feng was momentarily stunned, but nodded.

Then Song Ruozhao said to the Demon King, "Though I am at odds with some of the Human Race, I will not join you Devil Clan..."

The Demon King anticipated this and silently nodded.

Song Ruozhao hesitated for a while before finally clasping his fist and thanking the Demon King: "I still have to thank you for burying my wife and child back then. I, as a husband and father, failed to protect them."

The Demon King simply waved his hand calmly: "Su Hua was also one of our Devil Clan. I should bury her and her child, though, at that time, I only managed to retrieve part of their remains. The rest was already..."

Song Ruozhao painfully closed his eyes, unwilling to recall the bloody and brutal scene.

"I have buried them on Mount Donghua within our Devil Clan territory. When you want to pay respects, just come over; I’ll ensure no one stops you."

Song Ruozhao nodded.

The Demon King turned to Ling Feng and said, "Friend, carefully consider my offer. Our Devil Clan is much more straightforward than the Human Race. It’s correct to establish good relations with us."

Ling Feng was a bit puzzled but still nodded.

The Demon King nodded in satisfaction, revealed his true Black Dragon form, and left.

"This Demon King is quite a genuine person," commented Ling Feng, his conclusion stemming from hearing how the Demon King helped recover Song Ruozhao’s wife and child.

Song Ruozhao nodded: "Just don’t be misled by his nonchalant attitude. To become the Demon King isn’t to be a simple person. His attempts at friendship with you are both good and bad,"

"The good thing is, after your fallout with the Human Emperor, at least you’re not enemies of the Devil Clan. The bad is even without dealings or declarations with the Demon King, your association will become known, straining your relations with the Human Race,"

"However, since you’re not from this world, these relationships don’t concern you. You needn’t involve yourself in disputes."

"Hmm," Ling Feng nodded, "I did just get lost and wanted to leave, but after some occurrences and revelations, I must resolve them before departing."

"I’ve long known Chao Yue’s character over the years, saw through his schemes at a glance. Yet, I did not wish to meddle in such affairs—I’ve some responsibility for the young Taoist’s death,"

"When he returned before, he took away a large quantity of materials from the Daoist temple. I suspect he’s searching for a master to complete the Time Artifact,"

"Seeing as everything fell through, the Time Artifact likely isn’t fully cultivated. He would need help finishing the true Time Artifact."

"Then where will he go?" Ling Feng asked.

"Years ago, most businesses and masters were in Dongfeng City. Whether the city still stands now, I don’t know..."

"What are we waiting for, let’s go there and see!"

Ling Feng and Ling Yao mounted Little Fei’s back, while Song Ruozhao had reached a level of power where he could walk through the air rapidly, making Ling Feng somewhat envious, marveling at the former prodigy’s strength.

The trio journeyed in rounds, relying on Song Ruozhao’s memory and inquiry of passersby until they reached what was once Dongfeng City, now renamed as "Western Iron City," still a center for artifact trade.

To avoid attention, Ling Feng put away his pet, and Song Ruozhao discreetly sheathed his Dragon Qin behind him. Though he feared no one, he wanted to avoid unnecessary disputes.

After all, disputes lead to carnage, and now, Song Ruozhao only wished to find his old enemies, not to kill innocents, even though he might be one of the most powerful individuals across the Nine Realms.

"There was once a sinister Daoist in Dongfeng City called Ku Ling, an expert in crafting Time Artifacts, notoriously cruel and vicious,"

"When I was still in the Dao Sect, I heard he harmed many innocent families, using newborn babies as vessels to forge Time Artifacts." Song Ruozhao’s gaze was icy, clearly disdainful and repulsed by such wicked practices.

Ling Feng listened coldly, not indicating anything.

Ling Yao was initially puzzled, but upon hearing Ling Feng’s explanation of the brutality and malice in this crafting method, her eyes flamed with anger.

The Ancient Divine Tribe people adored nature and all living things. As a Goddess, Ling Yao especially did so. Despite her usually cold demeanor, such matters clearly touched and ignited her fury.

Continuing their walk down the street, Ling Feng noticed many beggar children, every one of them disabled, some missing hands, others were even without legs, only able to crawl on the ground.

Also, Ling Feng keenly observed that near these clusters of beggar children were fierce-looking men drinking, but their eyes never left these begging children.

Ling Feng realized they had encountered a beggar syndicate.