“Demon merman?” Mendong had just heard Zanxing’s story not long ago and still had a vivid impression, so he asked: “Is it the merman that caused trouble in Li’er Kingdom forty years ago?”

“No, no!” The innkeeper became anxious: “That demon merman was already killed by the old ruler long ago. How could it come back?”

“How is it impossible?” The woman replied urgently: “My mother said that back then, that demon merman killed people by feeding on young women’s blood, just like what happened to my sister now!” She suddenly turned to look at Zanxing and the others: “I don’t know why the ruler ordered a gag order, forbidding discussion of this matter in the city, but if the truth had been revealed a day earlier, these immortals have powerful magic—perhaps they could have caught the demon merman a day sooner, and my sister wouldn’t have died!”

“Madam!” Her husband, beside her, covered her mouth: “Stop talking!”

The woman struggled a few times but couldn’t break free, then began crying bitterly again.

“What’s going on?” Putao looked at the city guard leader in the room, who was hanging his head in silence: “Shouldn’t the commander explain?”

The leader stepped back, seeming very troubled.

Just then, more chaotic footsteps came from outside, and a group of guards rushed in. The lead guard cupped his hands and said: “Immortals, this subordinate has been ordered by the ruler to invite you all to enter the palace immediately to discuss the matter of subduing the demon.”

They had just said this was the first incident, but now they wanted to “discuss together.” Everyone exchanged glances, but Tan Tianxin spoke dismissively: “So quickly—looks like it can’t be hidden anymore.” He turned to leave, then, after two steps, seemed to realize something and looked at Gu Baiying with feigned composure: “Are you coming along?”

“Of course we’re going.” Nie Xinghong answered first: “For cultivators, subduing demons and eliminating evil to benefit the people is our duty.” He then enthusiastically invited Meng Ying: “Miss Meng should come too. Leaving you alone here, I really can’t feel at ease.”

Meng Ying completely ignored him and only looked inquiringly at Gu Baiying. Gu Baiying glanced at Tan Tianxin and said, “Let’s go.”

So they were going.

Zanxing followed behind Gu Baiying, feeling somewhat strange. In the original work, there was indeed this Li’er Kingdom secret realm plot, but that was also used for Mu Cengxiao’s leveling up and face-slapping, with no demon merman side quest subplot. Had the plot changed? She looked down at the red mark in her palm—there were no signs of it deepening.

At least, she hadn’t stolen Mu Cengxiao’s protagonist’s aura yet, so she wouldn’t be targeted by the original work.

“Zanxing, hurry up!” Tian Fangfang urged her from ahead.

She put away her thoughts and quickened her pace to follow.

……

Li’er Kingdom became quite cool at night.

The white palace was indeed holy and elegant when illuminated by the sun during the day, but at night, with white everywhere, it appeared empty and cold, somewhat desolate.

Outside the palace hall, doors hung a row of mirrors—without thinking, they all had demon-warding curses carved on them. Yellow talisman papers were pasted on the doors and corners. Night wind passed through the great hall, causing the pale lanterns to sway slightly. The bright lamps flickered in the hall, making it look less like a great hall and more like an altar, sending chills down one’s spine.

The ruler of Li’er Kingdom sat on the high seat, looking worriedly at the group walking in. After asking them to sit down, he sighed deeply and said, “I already know about what happened on the West Coast. You immortals have just come from the inn, so you must… already understand clearly.”

“Your Highness,” Mu Cengxiao looked at him and said: “Demons harming people—this isn’t the first time it’s happened in Li’er Kingdom, is it?”

The ruler lowered his head somewhat shamefacedly: “Indeed, it’s not the first time. In fact, over these past two months, this is already the ninth girl to be killed.”

Hearing this, everyone frowned. Zanxing asked: “If that’s the case, why didn’t Your Majesty explain this matter when we arrived earlier?”

“Exactly!” Putao also said: “My senior sisters and I arrived two days early, but we never heard the city people mention this matter. If Your Highness had told us earlier, perhaps tonight’s tragedy wouldn’t have happened.”

“It was my poor consideration.” The ruler said, “The earlier concealment was because I feared the people would panic, since the way they died was the same as those killed by the demon merman forty years ago. My ministers deliberated and, to avoid causing public fear, temporarily suppressed this matter, waiting until you all returned from the secret realm before asking the immortals to assist in subduing the demon. However, I didn’t expect that tonight the demon would strike… Previously, that demon would kill one person every ten days, but today… It hasn’t been ten days yet.”

“What reasoning can you have with a demon?” Hearing this, Gu Baiying seemed amused. “Since this demon has already gone on a killing spree, naturally, it will strike whenever it wants to. For a ruler of an entire nation to be so pedantically laughable.”

His completely impolite scolding of the ruler left the others not daring to speak, and the ruler was also full of shame.

Nie Xinghong shook his fan and changed the subject: “Your Highness said that the current victims are the same as those killed by the demon merman forty years ago. Does this mean that the demon currently causing trouble is the same demon merman from forty years ago? But wasn’t that demon merman already slain by the old ruler? How can it still bring disaster to the mortal world?”

“To be honest with you all, I wasn’t yet born forty years ago. I only know about my father’s battle with the demon merman from what others have told me and from records in the archives. If you immortals want to know, I can have someone bring those archives…”

“No need, I’ll tell them.” A voice rang out from outside the hall. Everyone turned to see a red-clothed woman walking in.

This woman had graying hair bound in a bun. Though nearly sixty, she still appeared vigorous and particularly spirited. Zanxing was stunned, then said: “Isn’t this…”

Wasn’t this the old woman they had encountered earlier at the golden statue of “The Ruler Slaying the Demon Merman” by the West Sea? At that time, this woman had even lectured Zanxing, telling her not to casually beautify demons lest the blood of those heroes who slayed demon mermen be spilled in vain. She hadn’t expected to see this woman in the royal palace now.

The ruler on the high seat stood up and said, “Mother Queen, why have you come?”

“Mother Queen?” Tian Fangfang asked in surprise: “She is…”

“This is my mother queen,” the ruler smiled. “It seems you’ve already met?”

“Indeed, we have.” Mu Cengxiao also said, “We just didn’t expect this lady to be Your Highness’s mother.”

“Since my son has ascended to the position of ruler, I am merely an ordinary woman. There’s no need to treat me with royal etiquette.” The woman said, “I was originally Princess Lizhu of Linshi Kingdom, and came here long ago through a marriage alliance. You immortals may directly call me by name.”

“Princess Lizhu,” Nie Xinghong, who was accustomed to pleasing women, smiled: “You just said you would tell us about the demon merman matter?”

“Correct.” Lizhu spoke calmly: “Forty years ago, not long after I married into Li’er Kingdom, there was a demon merman causing trouble in the city. When the ruler slayed the demon merman that night, I was also present.”

“I can tell you all everything.”