The Mingming River of the past was no different from the Mingming River of now.

However, the youth standing before the Mingming River lacked the later madness and evil aura. At this time, Gui Yansheng gazed at the black great river before him, his tone carrying undisguised amazement.

Gu Baiying walked to Zanxing’s side and raised an eyebrow at the sight: “So this is Heishi City’s moat?”

“He can’t cross the river,” Zanxing frowned.

“What?”

“Without the Black Dragon Fish, he can’t cross the river,” Zanxing said.

The Mingming River before Heishi City would not even float a goose feather—cultivators could not cross this river. Most demon cultivators chose to ride Black Dragon Fish to cross the river and return to the city. The Black Dragon Fish lurked at the river bottom, and to cross, one needed to feed them pills refined from demonic essence. The current Gui Yansheng was merely a youth who hadn’t even awakened his Demon Lord’s yuanli—where would he get such pills?

Gui Yansheng knew this as well. Xiao Chun moved closer, carefully looking toward the turbulent black river, and said softly: “The cultivators on the road said that only demon race people can cross the Mingming River. But we just hid in the forest and watched those demons throw something into the water, then a big fish surfaced and carried them across.”

“That thing must be what’s needed to cross the river,” Xiao Chun concluded.

“But we don’t have any,” Gui Yansheng hesitated for a moment: “Should I go ask them to lend us some…”

Xiao Chun grabbed him: “Didn’t you hear what they said? All demon race people have that fish-feeding stuff. Heishi City doesn’t allow outsiders to enter. If they discover you’re an outsider…”

Before finding his birth father and confirming his identity, rashly exposing himself wasn’t a good plan. Moreover, Gui Yansheng himself wasn’t certain whether he was truly of the demon race. After all, up until now, he hadn’t shown any differences from ordinary people. If he weren’t of the demon race but simply had unusual eye color, and mistakenly entered Heishi City only to be discovered by those demons, his fate would be predictably miserable.

“Then what should we do?” Gui Yansheng looked at the river before him, a trace of irritation flashing across his brow. Previously, driven by passionate blood, he had trekked to this place, thinking that once he found Heishi City and located his birth father, he could turn things around. Now he realized he had been thinking too simply.

Xiao Chun thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled slyly: “I have an idea.”

He turned back, opening his mouth in confusion: “What idea?”

“You wait here for me,” she pulled Gui Yansheng to sit under a tree to the side, where the grass and forest were dense and not easily discovered: “I’ll be back in a moment.”

“What are you going to do?”

Xiao Chun smiled and ran forward: “Just wait for me!”

Her voice was light and cheerful, as if she had complete confidence, but Zanxing vaguely felt something was wrong. Soon, the girl returned. Her face was somewhat red, as if she had just run at full speed, her breathing a bit unsteady. She simply stuffed a soft pouch into his hands: “Here!”

Gui Yansheng was stunned: “What is this?”

“The fish-feeding stuff.” Xiao Chun’s eyes sparkled as she pushed him toward the river: “Don’t dawdle, hurry and cross the river.”

“Wait, where did this come from? Aren’t you coming with me?” Gui Yansheng turned back.

Xiao Chun helped him open the pouch and took out several pitch-black pills to throw into the water: “Of course I can’t go. I’m a mortal—if people discover a mortal’s aura, wouldn’t that implicate you as well? Besides, I’m timid. If I saw some terrifying-looking demon race member and cried out in fright, wouldn’t we be exposed?”

In the middle of the black torrent, a huge whirlpool gradually appeared, and from within it slowly rose a fish spine like a small mountain. Xiao Chun pushed Gui Yansheng forward: “Don’t worry about all that. Quickly find your father, and don’t forget our agreement.” She smiled brilliantly, standing on the shore and vigorously waving at Gui Yansheng: “When you become successful, don’t forget this friend who shared hardships with you!”

The pitch-black giant fish carried the youth as they gradually disappeared into the vast waters. Zanxing turned back to look at the young girl on the shore.

The smile faded from Xiao Chun’s lips, and a trace of worry flashed in her eyes.

Gui Yansheng was very nervous.

Perhaps because it was his first time riding such a massive dragon fish, throughout the journey, he gripped tightly to the dragon fish’s sharp spine tightly. After an unknown amount of time, a huge city appeared before his eyes.

The city sat distantly on a pitch-Heishi mountain. At this moment, the sky was growing dark, and colorful lights faintly emanated from the mountain. At first glance, brilliant lights and countless household fires created a lively and prosperous appearance.

He stepped onto the shore, and behind him, the Black Dragon Fish flicked its tail and disappeared into the cold waves.

Gui Yansheng entered Heishi City.

He walked very carefully. Everyone here was dressed strangely, so the white cloth strips bound over his eyes didn’t attract attention—it seemed like the most natural thing. His mood relaxed somewhat as he observed his surroundings, feeling momentarily hesitant. Speaking of it, having found this place, he still didn’t know what his father was called or what he looked like. Moreover, with his identity, he wasn’t sure who he should ask to verify it.

He walked along the street while looking around until he accidentally bumped into someone. When he steadied himself, before him stood an extremely beautiful young woman. Among all these strangely-shaped demons, this woman appeared particularly ethereal, wearing a light azure long dress, her long hair like a waterfall, with crescent eyebrows and starry eyes, jade-soft and flower-tender. She didn’t look like a demon at all, but rather like a fairy.

The woman was also gentle, reaching out to help him up with a smile: “Are you alright?” However, the moment her fingertips touched Gui Yansheng’s hand, she paused. She imperceptibly grasped the youth’s wrist, as if confirming something, stared at Gui Yansheng for a long while, then suddenly smiled softly: “A mere mortal, actually mixing among the demon race—your courage is truly not small.”

Gui Yansheng’s body stiffened.

“I’m not a mortal,” Gui Yansheng forced himself to remain calm: “I am of the demon race.” As he spoke, he removed the cloth strips bound over his eyes, revealing a pair of golden pupils.

The woman seemed not to have expected him to do this and was slightly stunned. But after a moment, her smile became even more gentle: “In Heishi City, I don’t seem to have seen any golden-eyed demons. You’re from outside? What brings you to Heishi City?”

Perhaps because this woman’s attitude was indeed gentle, or perhaps because her appearance and dress were no different from a fairy’s, invisibly making people trust her more, Gui Yansheng said: “I want to find someone—my father.”

“Oh? Where is your father? What is his name?”

Gui Yansheng shook his head, his tone becoming dejected: “I don’t know.”

The woman stood in place, looking at him with some difficulty for a long while, then finally said: “Very well, you’re too dangerous here. If the demons discover that you’re a mere mortal who has mixed in, there will be trouble. Come with me.” She smiled: “I have a way to help you find your father.”

Gui Yansheng stared at her fixedly, as if considering whether her words were true.

The woman wasn’t in a hurry either, smiling as she waited for his answer.

The lights on the mountain flickered on and off, with brilliant gems adorning the front of every cave dwelling, covering Heishi City in a layer of hazy, gorgeous colors.

He stood within these layers of overlapping halos and slowly nodded: “Alright.”