How could one read a fox’s paw that had no palm lines or patterns?

But the old monk examined it seriously. Before Wei Jie could impatiently come over to pull the fox away, he spoke: “Two lifetimes of romantic tribulation! This fox benefactor seems to always love the wrong person. This word ‘love’ cannot be overcome – how can one obtain immortal fate?”

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.

Because what the old monk said was indeed hitting the nail on the head. Yu Ling’er had indeed fallen on the word “love” in two lifetimes.

This old monk… what exactly was his background? Why could he see through Yu Ling’er’s romantic entanglements across two lifetimes?

Wei Jie became alert and reflexively pulled Xiaoxiao behind him, then squinted at the mangy monk.

The little fox was very devout about palm reading. Hearing these words, the fox’s ears drooped slightly, and she let out a fox cry.

The old monk could understand fox language. He smiled and said, “Fox benefactor, it’s not that if you give me more silver, I can help you spend money to avoid disaster. Some things in this world cannot be exchanged for silver! However, if you want a chance for transformation, you might as well ask the two people behind you. Their fates are tough enough – perhaps they can wrestle with heaven.”

The little fox turned around. Standing behind her were Wei Jie and Cui Xiaoxiao.

The old monk also seemed to read faces. Squinting at Cui Xiaoxiao and Wei Jie for a while, he stroked his dirty beard again: “You two also seem to be obstructed by karmic bonds. If you can understand early that flowers in mirrors and moon in water are all empty in the end, your immeasurable immortal fate would be incalculable!”

This time, Wei Jie could be certain the old monk was targeting him and Xiaoxiao.

Hearing the old monk say his and Xiaoxiao’s relationship was a karmic entanglement, Wei Jie couldn’t help but clench his fists.

Xiaoxiao didn’t seem to care about the old monk’s inauspicious words. She cupped her hands: “May I ask which great immortal you are? You’re specifically waiting for us at this street corner, aren’t you? Apart from breaking up marriages, do you have any other guidance?”

The old monk waved his broken fan and smiled slightly, pointing to the divine statues on the wooden shelf behind him: “There are too many immortals in the world. Whoever you think I am, I am. As for guidance, I wouldn’t dare. You two are people who dare to stir destiny into a pot of chaos. You may not believe my words anyway. It’s just that over that sea area, you have unfinished business. Walking away like this – have you thought about what fruit this cause will bear?”

Xiaoxiao looked in the direction he pointed, clearly indicating the demon island they had just escaped from.

Wei Jie frowned, staring intently at the old monk, but didn’t detect any divine essence like Dong Yuan’s on him.

He was peaceful and humble, just a dirty old monk. There was none of Dong Yuan’s barely concealed, overflowing immortal aura.

What exactly was this old man’s background? Could he be a god even more skilled than Dong Yuan, able to completely conceal his divine aura without revealing it?

Xiaoxiao was still talking to the old monk. She smiled bitterly: “I’m someone who doesn’t appear in the Book of Life and Death from past lives. Since that’s the case, what do past life grudges have to do with me? I only need to remember my current name and the people I care about. Old sir, if there’s nothing else, we’ll take our leave.”

The old monk didn’t insist, waving his fan and smiling: “Everyone has their aspirations. You two must forge your path. However, this old monk has something to give you. In your leisure time, female benefactor, you might look in the mirror – perhaps you can see cause and effect more clearly.”

After saying this, he pulled out a bronze mirror from his tattered sleeve.

Seeing this mirror, Cui Xiaoxiao quickly exchanged astonished glances with Tang Youshu.

This mirror was all too familiar to the Talismonger Sect disciples from two hundred years later!

This was something Tang Youshu had personally hung in the main hall of the Talismonger Sect after establishing the sect at Lingshan.

Master Tang, who cared about feng shui, thought the main hall faced the mountain, so he hung a mirror to ward off evil.

This feng shui mirror had beautiful patterns and was inlaid with silver pearls. When Tang Youshu was alive and had nothing to do, he would often take it down and carefully polish it.

But now, this mirror had appeared before their eyes – this old monk was truly eerie!

No one went to take the mirror, but the little fox stretched out her mouth and bit it over.

When the little fox handed the mirror to Xiaoxiao, she looked up to ask the old monk again.

But the old monk suddenly shivered, his cloudy eyes looking around in confusion.

When he saw a little fox right in front of him, he was so frightened he fell backward, actually knocking over the shelf full of divine clay sculptures, causing him to wail: “Hey, I was just taking a nap, but you brought a fox to scare people – pay up! Pay for my divine statue damages!”

This roguish monk was not the same person as the one who had calmly told their fortunes moments before.

Someone had possessed the mangy monk and specifically waited here for them. Now the possessing entity had disappeared, leaving only the original owner shouting and yelling.

Tang Youshu gave the monk some scattered silver coins, finally allowing them to escape.

When they left the fishing village, the sunset was spreading its glow. They sat on a small hillside.

Xiaoxiao repeatedly examined the mirror in her hands, but couldn’t see anything unusual. The mirror reflected her peach-blossom face.

Xiaoxiao had previously asked Tang Youshu how he originally obtained this mirror.

Tang Youshu recalled the past with a grave expression, saying that once while conducting business, he had helped an old merchant who had lost his money and couldn’t afford medicine, so he gave Tang Youshu this exquisitely inlaid mirror as payment.

It was just an ordinary mirror that had hung in the Talismonger Sect’s main hall for two hundred years without any abnormalities.

But now this identical mirror had come into Cui Xiaoxiao’s hands ahead of time. She didn’t know what this meant. Did that old monk’s inexplicable appearance mean Dong Yuan had sent him to persuade her and Wei Jie to break up?

Just then, Wei Jie, who had been lying on her lap, suddenly opened his eyes and leaped onto a tree branch. A Wei family message eagle was circling above his head, then landed on his outstretched arm.

Wei Jie took the letter from the eagle’s leg and examined several lines. Just as Xiaoxiao was about to ask what was wrong, he spoke: “Grandmother sent word that many demons seem to be controlled by someone and have poured out of the Underworld. There was no warning beforehand, and the Wei family disciples couldn’t suppress them at all – they could only barely seal the Underworld gates. But those demons scattered everywhere, impossible to control. Grandmother sent me this message to be on guard…”

Tang Youshu’s brow furrowed tightly: In the previous life, although the Underworld gates were also opened, because Master was awakened in time by the little black phoenix’s tragic death, he sealed the gates promptly, so not many Underworld beasts escaped.

And where had these beasts fled to now?

Speaking of this, both Xiaoxiao and Wei Jie simultaneously felt subtle, barely perceptible tremors in the ground.

These tremors were very similar to when Wei Jie became a demon and lost control under Mount Qilao, when the Underworld demons were restlessly trying to rebel.

Wei Jie quickly pressed his ear to the ground, listened intently for a while, then stood up: “No need to guess where they went. These things seem to be rapidly rushing toward us… There are too many of them. We… should leave first!”

The former lord of the Underworld, now being chased by a group of demons, was indeed laughable.

If Wei Jie were alone, he would probably stay and go on a killing spree to vent the demonic energy in his body.

But now, Tang Youshu’s cultivation was far inferior to before, and Yu Ling’er was also in critical condition. Wei Jie decided to put aside his pride as lord of the Underworld and take everyone to avoid the trouble first.

Having experienced so much together, the Talismonger Sect members had great coordination. Tang Youshu threw the little fox into the bamboo basket on his back, then wrapped swift wind talismans around both legs. Chanting incantations, he could fly rapidly over grass.

Xiaoxiao and Wei Jie could now move even faster, riding the wind, especially Xiaoxiao, who no longer needed to rely on fox clan members to travel at high speed.

Moreover, she could ask Wei Jie while racing: “What exactly happened?”

Wei Jie said gravely: “The most evil demons from the Underworld seem to have all been released.”

Xiaoxiao wasn’t familiar with Underworld demons, so she asked: “Where would the Corpse-eating Beast rank among these demons?”

Wei Jie said while running: “It? It doesn’t rank! It’s a small fry waiting behind to eat carrion…”

Good, with him putting it that way, Xiaoxiao understood – what was chasing them were floods and beasts!

So she ran even faster!

Now, rushing underground were hunting dogs, while there were fat rabbits in the hunting ground. If caught by these evil beasts, it would be another life-and-death battle.

The Underworld demons had long grown tired of eating underworld carrion and yearned to come to the mortal realm. Someone controlling the demons to emerge had also given these creatures orders to kill Wei Jie and his group.

For these beasts, the former lord of the Underworld’s tender flesh was comparable to Tang Monk’s meat – one bite could increase cultivation. How could these beasts resist such temptation?

At this moment, on Mount Kunlun, the immortal mountain closest to the mortal realm, two people stood in the Kunlun Great Hall.

One was a woman holding a qilin bone flute in her jade hands, standing behind Upper God Dong Yuan.

The son of the Heavenly Emperor – what glory! Moreover, Dong Yuan was romantic and passionate, and was also admired by the heavenly court women.

The lower god skilled at flute playing – Immortal Luhua – was also one of Dong Yuan’s admirers. However, even as an admirer, she couldn’t completely follow his words.

Just recently, when Dong Yuan hinted that she to use the qilin bone flute that could control demons to lure out Underworld demons, she hesitated.

As an idle lower god, she had always been lazy about managing affairs of the lower two realms. Once accidentally involved, losing cultivation was minor, but damaging the immortal reputation was major.

Being an immortal, one could do without mortal incense – at worst, immortal rank would just grow more slowly.

But once slandered and criticized by many mortals, what was calculated wasn’t just reputation. The foundation of being a god would also be unstable. If cursed excessively, there were precedents of falling from the divine realm.

Otherwise, what was the difference between demons and gods? Nothing more than light and dark, heaven and earth distinctions.

Being in a high position should earn worldly people. Now Dong Yuan was hinting for her to release numerous demons. Once these Underworld demons reappeared in the mortal realm, wouldn’t it cause devastation?

Immortal Luhua didn’t want to do such things that would damage her immortal rank.

But Dong Yuan smiled and touched her face, saying lightly: “The Underworld demons’ escape is due to the Underworld being masterless. Worldly people are ignorant and don’t know the lord of the Underworld has fallen to experience mortal tribulation. Even if these demons kill and cause evil, those mortals will only curse Emperor Gu Yan for neglecting the mortal world and being negligent in his duty. What does it have to do with you, an upper realm immortal?”

After a pause, he continued quietly: “Although the Underworld isn’t a good place for upper immortals, it’s a position many lower immortals can only dream of. If Emperor Gu Yan cannot return, this position can’t remain vacant. You’re skilled at controlling demons with flute music – wouldn’t you be the best candidate? When the time comes, I’ll speak well of you to Heavenly Mother Saint, letting you go to the Underworld to take over managing ghosts and gods. Are you willing?”

Having been so explicit, if Immortal Luhua still didn’t understand, she might as well jump off the Immortal Platform.

She was a human immortal who had cultivated through hardships and tribulations to ascend to heaven. She never expected that the heavenly realm’s struggles and machinations were no less than the mortal world.

Although no longer bound by life and death, as a human immortal, who wouldn’t want to climb higher?

Immortal Luhua, who had always been responsible for guarding immortal deer pens in the immortal realm, was completely moved by Dong Yuan’s words.

So she boldly went to the Underworld gates and blew the qilin bone flute, releasing those fierce beasts.

Now she stood beside Dong Yuan, watching the scene unfolding in the mortal realm through the Xuanyuan Divine Mirror.

Seeing Wei Jie and Cui Xiaoxiao fleeing in panic, Immortal Luhua also curled her lips disdainfully.

The former lord of the Underworld was now being chased by a group of Underworld demons in such a sorry state. If word got out, it would truly be a great joke in the immortal realm.

From him, one could learn a lesson: never be demoted to the mortal realm to live such a wretched life worse than ghosts…

Thinking of these demons ravaging the mortal realm, destroying Emperor Gu Yan’s divine reputation so she could smoothly replace him as the new master of the Underworld, Immortal Luhua smiled even more broadly.

But suddenly, all the Talismonger Sect members in the Xuanyuan Divine Mirror disappeared.

Those demons, having chased hungrily for so long, lost their target and turned to attack nearby villages.

When the earth dragons rolled, trees flew everywhere, fires spread, and nearby villages got word. They beat gongs and drums, calling villagers to respond with hoes and pickaxes.

But when they came to the hillside by the village and saw the terrifying scene of cracked earth and various strange giant snakes and beasts, they were so frightened they could only kneel and pray, begging the gods above to save them.

When someone prayed for Emperor Gu Yan to subdue these demons, someone in the crowd angrily cursed: “I heard Emperor Gu Yan has long been useless – these demons were released by him! Why pray to him? If these demons destroy our homes today, I’ll smash his temple tomorrow!”

The ignorant masses feared someone taking the lead. Hearing this, the helpless people could only tearfully curse the lord of the Underworld for bringing evil creatures to the mortal realm.

Some silently chanted the name of the good-fighting Immortal Dong Yuan, praying for his protection of the village.

Dong Yuan smiled slightly. As an immortal, one must appropriately display miracles. When the time was right, he would also send down divine intervention to subdue these demons.

Then there would be endless mortal incense to repair his divine essence…

Just as those demons were about to enter the village to eat people, something suddenly descended from the sky.

A small beast resembling a hyena appeared, wagging its tail in front of these demons.

The small fry among Underworld demons that didn’t rank – the Corpse-eating Beast – now somewhat pitifully opened its large mouth.

Its greatest mistake in life was being caught by a kid named Wei Jie, and it was forced to make a contract, being at that kid’s beck and call.

Previously, Wei Jie only used it against some cursed mortals, which was manageable.

But now, what job had it received? It was just a small Corpse-eating Beast, not some dragon-subduing, tiger-taming sacred beast! Wei Jie wanted to use it against so many beasts from the demon realm?

Wuu wuu, this place was too scary! It wanted to return to its Underworld home, quietly dragging some rotten souls back to its den to eat…

Just then, the sweet-talker arrived!

Cui Xiaoxiao, wearing an invisibility talisman, pasted a Taotie talisman on the Corpse-eating Beast’s back, then patted its head: “Good boy, after this job you’ll be famous! Think about it – protecting so many villagers, even heavenly sacred beasts, isn’t as fierce as you! Come on, get more excited, eat them all in a moment! I’ve already pasted a Taotie talisman on you – guaranteed you won’t burst from eating too much!”

Listen, did this sound human?

But the Corpse-eating Beast couldn’t run away anymore. Wei Jie’s power controlling it seemed stronger than before, faintly reminding it of the power it once experienced under the dominance of former Underworld lord Emperor Gu Yan.

And now Wei Jie stood steadily behind the Corpse-eating Beast.

Xiaoxiao pinched his arm and continued encouraging: “You’re Numei’s child – you can do it! Go for it!”

After speaking, she even patted Wei Jie’s head. Wei Jie glanced at her and said quietly: “I’m not the Corpse-eating Beast – patting my head won’t work! After finishing this job, you need to reward me separately!”

Looking at his slightly lowered eyes and flowing gaze, Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but whisper: “How should I reward you?”

Wei Jie smiled, leaned down to whisper something in her ear, and kissed her soft earlobe.

Xiaoxiao was shocked by his crude words like “eat your fill, sleep deeply.”

But before she could react, Wei Jie had already leaped up. The invisibility talisman on his body was also shaken off. At this moment, his demonic nature dispersed again, black scales gradually crawling up his face. His long hair flew as he hung suspended in mid-air, opening his throat to emit a whale-like, long howl.

Wei Jie had Numei’s bloodline in this life.

At this moment, Numei’s blood, which could enchant all beings mixed with the demonic nature of two lifetimes’ demon pearls, reached its peak. That rough, long howl, completely different from Numei’s gentle song, swept toward the demons filling the mountains and valleys like ocean waves.

In just that moment, the ears of the demons controlled by Immortal Luhua’s flute were filled with the man’s rough, extremely oppressive spiritual voice.

This sound drilled directly from their ears into their brains, leaving them momentarily stunned in place.

Just then, the Corpse-eating Beast suddenly opened its huge mouth that could reach the back of its head and swallowed the giant python nearest to it in one gulp.

Instantly, the Corpse-eating Beast’s body enlarged several times. It could transform consumed creatures’ power into its own.

The more it ate, the larger it became, and the more fierce it grew, like the king of poisonous insects in a poison jar, devouring its kind and becoming braver with each meal.

In the blink of an eye, it had eaten three distracted beasts. In just an instant, it grew three more heads, all grinning with the same large mouths, eating with increasing excitement.

At this moment, Immortal Luhua was completely stunned.

How was this possible? Didn’t Dong Yuan say Emperor Gu Yan’s divine essence had shattered, and he had even become a human demon?

A human demon, no matter how strong, was still mortal. How could he interfere with heavenly divine power?

Her flute music was now completely offset by Wei Jie’s long howl. Those beasts that lost control were devoured by the Corpse-eating Beast with spirit talismans, while the remaining demons were frightened into cowering, finally submitting to Wei Jie’s howling and beginning to return to the Underworld.

Dong Yuan also watched all this, his handsome eyes coldly glancing at Immortal Luhua: “This is all your ability? Your flute music can’t even suppress his howling?”

Immortal Luhua was so humiliated that she couldn’t raise her eyes. She quickly put the qilin bone flute to her lips again, channeling divine power to continue playing.

This time, she wanted to control the increasingly large Corpse-eating Beast. If it could turn and devour its master, Emperor Gu Yan’s mortal flesh would die without a burial place!

Unfortunately, she didn’t know that Wei Jie and the Corpse-eating Beast had a long relationship – they had made a contract.

This time, the sound entering the Corpse-eating Beast’s ears also reached Wei Jie’s ears.

…So that’s how it was. No wonder those demons seemed controlled by someone, constantly pursuing them. Someone was using flute music to control the demons.

This time, Wei Jie twitched his ear and accurately located the direction of the flute sound.

Divine flute music could transcend thousands of miles to reach here. Wei Jie, as a mere mortal, didn’t have such great ability.

But as long as the melody continued, the transmission channel remained unbroken. He only needed to do the opposite – integrate his long howl into this flute music, catalyze it with demonic power, and transmit it in reverse to send that musical master a great gift!

Thinking of this, Wei Jie channeled his energy again, emitting dense, long howls like rapidly growing vines, entwining with the flute music and transmitting.

But halfway through transmission, the power was insufficient, and the melody could no longer be transmitted upward.

Just then, Xiaoxiao concentrated her power and placed her palm against Wei Jie’s back, continuously transmitting the demon clan saintess’s power to him.

Xiaoxiao had Wei Jie’s demon pearl inside her body, allowing their spiritual energy to transmit to each other without obstruction.

With Xiaoxiao’s assistance, Wei Jie’s demonic energy intensified. His howling voice broke through the overcast clouds, rolling like thunder straight up to the nine heavens.

Just as Dong Yuan was intently watching the Xuanyuan Divine Mirror, suddenly that howling sound came from far to near like rolling thunder.

The Xuanyuan Divine Mirror’s surface began to vibrate, and the vibrations grew more intense!

The moment the Xuanyuan Divine Mirror shattered, the bone flute in Immortal Luhua’s hands also broke piece by pieces. Even her fingers holding the flute were broken by the reverse-transmitted force.

“Ah! My hand… my eyes!”

The mirror fragments from the shattered divine mirror had pierced Immortal Luhua’s eyes, stabbing her until blood flowed. She rolled on the ground in pain.

When Dong Yuan sensed something was wrong, he quickly retreated. Even so, his sacred face was cut by mirror fragments in several places.