Chapter 316 - 272: The Demon of Bygone Years, Settling Karma (Part 2)

Chapter 316: Chapter 272: The Demon of Bygone Years, Settling Karma (Part 2)

The old Lion King was aging and had rarely involved himself in the affairs of Lion’s Mane Cave for the past decade. Now, Cheng Mengying was the one making decisions and handling most of its matters.

The Cheng Mengying of today was still as petite as ever, wearing a short purple skirt that revealed her incomparably fair legs, just as she had all those years ago.

However, unlike back then, her human form was once an Illusory Transformation, but now it was a true Transformed Form.

"Cyan-Eyed Lion King, please take a look."

The emissary from Peacock Mountain didn’t say much, simply handing over a Storage Bag.

Cheng Mengying accepted the Storage Bag with a hint of confusion. After probing it with her Demon Sense, a look of astonishment spread across her face.

Inside the Storage Bag was a massive amount of resources!

Elixirs, Spirit Medicine, Spirit Plants...

The lowest Grade among them was Tier Three Low Grade!

The highest-grade Spiritual Items included were even Tier Four!

"This is..."

"There is a Jade Scroll inside the Storage Bag with the information recorded. The Cyan-Eyed Lion King will understand once you see it."

The Peacock Mountain emissary didn’t elaborate.

Hearing this, Cheng Mengying didn’t stand on ceremony and took the Jade Scroll out from the Storage Bag.

She then sent her Demon Sense inside to inspect its contents.

The Jade Scroll didn’t contain much information, and Cheng Mengying finished reading it in a very short time.

Her expression was complicated, momentarily difficult to describe.

Recorded in the Jade Scroll was a letter.

A letter from the Gray Rat!

The letter offered a few simple greetings, wishing her a smooth Demon Path and hopes for Longevity, things of that nature.

Then, it explained the resources in the Storage Bag. It contained numerous Cultivation Elixirs suitable for the Core Formation Realm, as well as Tier-Breaking Elixirs to advance from the Early Stage to the Middle Stage, and from the Middle Stage to the Late Stage of Core Formation. There were also many other Spiritual Items.

Ordinarily, these resources would be enough for her to cultivate all the way to the Late-stage Core Formation Realm.

At the end of the letter, one line was left.

You gave me a sapling, and I give you an orchard in return!

—Gray Rat.

’Gray Rat...’

For all these years, Cheng Mengying had thought the Gray Rat was dead, that he had perished along with the fall of Red Cloud Mountain.

Back then, many of Lion’s Mane Cave’s top-tier Great Demons had mocked her.

The other Great Demons competing with her also sneered, saying her investment had ultimately come to nothing.

But when she formed her True Core and attained the status of a Demon King, they were all forced to shut their mouths.

It was just as she had said back then.

"The Gray Rat is exceptionally talented! He’ll definitely make it!"

"So what if he breaks through to Tier Two High Grade Skills in the future? The bottleneck to the Quasi-Third Tier can take decades to overcome. With his lifespan, how could he possibly break through?! If he doesn’t reach the Quasi-Third Tier, what’s the point of a Tier Two High Grade Alchemist to you!?"

"That’s enough, Uncle Long. I’ve already made the investment. There’s no point in discussing it further."

"I’m done talking. I’m going back to cultivate."

"You..."

"Uncle Long, no matter how good external help is, it’s never as good as one’s own strength! If I become a Demon King, who would dare give me so much trouble!"

「...」

’The Gray Rat... he wasn’t dead!’

’But how did he get involved with Peacock Mountain?!’

’And...’

’These resources!’

’If I can reach the Late-stage Core Formation Realm, I’ll be considered a top-tier Demon King!’

’That’s a Realm that even the old Lion King of Lion’s Mane Cave never reached!’

The return she received far exceeded her initial investment, and it also far surpassed the expectations of every demon in Lion’s Mane Cave.

"Cyan-Eyed Lion King, the items have been delivered to you. If that is all, I will take my leave!"

The Peacock Mountain emissary said, not waiting for Cheng Mengying’s reply before departing. Then, they transformed into a streak of light and vanished over the horizon.

「...」

Within the Escape Light was an exquisitely beautiful woman dressed in a Feathered Robe.

The Storage Bag given to Cheng Mengying contained enough resources for a cultivator to break through to the Late-stage Core Formation Realm.

The temptation presented by such a treasure trove was immense!

If any other Demon King had been sent, they might have been tempted to embezzle some of it, leading to a major incident.

Therefore, the Peacock Mountain emissary sent to Lion’s Mane Cave this time was none other than Peacock Mountain’s own Colorful Cloud Demon King! The very same who was once the Peacock Princess.

’It was actually him!’

At this moment, the Colorful Cloud Demon King’s mind was mostly preoccupied with the scene that had unfolded before her departure.

She had been summoned by the Ancestor to the Seven-Colored Cloud Palace.

Inside the Seven-Colored Cloud Palace, she saw the Ancestor, and she also saw a familiar face.

The Gray Rat Alchemist!

The Gray Rat Alchemist was standing extremely close to the Ancestor, practically pressed up against her.

The Ancestor’s expression showed no sign of strangeness, nor did she make any move to stop him.

’Then again, with the Ancestor’s might, who could possibly stand so close without her permission?’

’Back when Red Cloud Mountain fell, didn’t the Gray Rat Alchemist perish along with it? Many demons had lamented his loss at the time!’

’Now, why...’

A trace of shock and doubt flashed through her mind, but she didn’t dwell on it further.

Just then, the Ancestor’s voice rang out.

She was to go to Lion’s Mane Cave and present the Cyan-Eyed Lion King with a Storage Bag.

Just as she rose to accept the task, the Gray Rat Alchemist beside the Ancestor suddenly winked at her.

It seemed like a tease, or perhaps... a come-on!

’A come-on!?’

’Huh!?’

’What does he mean by that?’

’Right next to the Ancestor... how dare he!?’

’The Gray Rat Alchemist’s Alchemy Skill is superb, but his Cultivation is shallow. Could it be that he thinks such a gesture, made out of the Ancestor’s line of sight, could actually escape her notice?’

’How ridiculous. The strength of the Ancestor’s Demon Sense is beyond his imagination!’

’Based on my previous interactions with the Gray Rat Alchemist, he didn’t seem like that kind of demon.’

’Was it a misunderstanding? Or perhaps...’

Just as she was pondering this, she saw the Gray Rat Alchemist’s appearance change.

He transformed into a handsome young child with red lips, white teeth, and delicate features.

’Huh!?’

’Wait!’

’That’s the Ancestor’s Dao Companion, the Purple Thunder Demon King!’

’The Purple Thunder Demon King is the Golden Lion Spirit from before!’

’Then...’

’The Gray Rat is!?’

She didn’t have time to think any further before she left the Seven-Colored Cloud Palace.

Before leaving, she also saw the young child whisper something softly into the Ancestor’s ear.

They were so close his lips almost touched the Ancestor!

No, they did touch!

The area was surrounded by a Restriction, so she couldn’t hear what was said.

Even if she had heard, she wouldn’t have cared.

Because she was still reeling from the shock of discovering that the Purple Thunder Demon King was the Gray Rat Alchemist.

She had been thinking about it the entire way here in her Escape Light, but she still hadn’t managed to sort it out.

’Is the Purple Thunder Demon King skilled at transformation and just took on the Gray Rat Alchemist’s appearance?’

’Or is the Gray Rat Alchemist actually the Purple Thunder Demon King?’

But now, on her way back, she had finally figured it out!

The Gray Rat Alchemist is the Purple Thunder Demon King!

The Purple Thunder Demon King is the Gray Rat Alchemist!

And by extension, the Gray Rat Alchemist is the Golden Lion!

All the various clues from the past had already pointed to this!

When the outcome is unknown, unraveling the threads of a mystery is extremely difficult. But when you already know the answer, working backward is exceptionally easy.

She first met the Gray Rat Alchemist during the encirclement of the Great Demon Cyan Eagle.

At the same time, that was also when the Golden Lion first appeared!

’If the Golden Lion is the Gray Rat, then that makes sense!’

Furthermore, when Tribulation Cultivators were running rampant on Cloud Sea Peak, she had rushed there and later learned that the Golden Lion had appeared, killing many Tribulation Cultivator Demons!

Shuyun Peak on Cloud Sea Peak was the Gray Rat Alchemist’s own domain!

’If the two demons are one and the same, then the Golden Lion’s sudden appearance there is also very reasonable!’

For the Ancestor’s celebration, she had represented Peacock Mountain to deliver an invitation to the Gray Rat Alchemist.

At the time, the Gray Rat Alchemist’s exact words were: "Thank you, Peacock Mountain and Princess, for this honor. I will definitely attend the celebration!"

But in reality, the Gray Rat Alchemist did not participate in the celebration.

However...

The Golden Lion *did* appear at the celebration. And he later revealed his identity as the Purple Thunder Demon King!

’Looked at this way, the Gray Rat’s words back then weren’t a lie.’

’Also, at the Red Crocodile Demon King’s wedding, the Gray Rat Alchemist was a guest on Red Cloud Mountain.’

’When Red Cloud Mountain was destroyed, given the strength of the Human Race, the Gray Rat Alchemist should have perished along with it!’

’But if the Gray Rat Alchemist is the Purple Thunder Demon King! With the Purple Thunder Demon King’s combat power, he could have escaped from Red Cloud Mountain.’

With that, everything could be explained.

The Gray Rat Alchemist, the Golden Lion, the Purple Thunder Demon King.

Three seemingly separate identities, but in reality, all one demon.

’And, they all have one identity in common: the Ancestor’s Dao Companion!’

’The Ancestor’s Dao Companion...’

’If that’s the case, doesn’t that mean she...’

’During that battle back then, her hair was a mess, her clothes were torn, and large patches of snow-white skin, streaked with crimson blood, were exposed to the air.’

’Beneath her Seven-Colored Long Skirt was her soft, fair figure, and also...’