They arrived at Qiongju Island just as dusk fell, but the island was bustling with activity, brightly lit and as lively as daytime.

Ji Xuezhen brushed aside Mu Xuanling’s hair that had been tousled by the sea breeze. His slightly cool and rough fingertips grazed her delicate cheek, causing a subtle tingling sensation that made her pause. Ji Xuezhen spoke casually, “Qiongju Island is within the demon race’s sphere of influence. The Eastern Sea demons have always been unruly and have a fierce temperament. Try not to provoke them. We’ll collect the Changshou Lotus and then leave.”

Mu Xuanling thought coldly to herself – I’ll provoke them on purpose.

“If you deliberately cause trouble, you’ll face the consequences yourself,” Ji Xuezhen warned mildly. “Although I will protect you, I also have my limits.”

Mu Xuanling pouted and snorted, “If I were to call you ‘Sect Master Ji’ here, do you think those Demon Kings would come out in full force to kill you?”

Ji Xuezhen chuckled lightly, “They wouldn’t, they wouldn’t dare, and they couldn’t.”

This was confidence bordering on arrogance.

Mu Xuanling was momentarily speechless but had to admit that what Ji Xuezhen said was true. Although the relationship between the Eastern Sea demons and the Divine Continent Immortal Alliance wasn’t good, it wasn’t a life-or-death situation. Unless there was significant profit to be gained, the Demon Kings wouldn’t risk their lives to kill the Immortal Alliance’s Sect Master.

Ji Xuezhen continued, “I’m concealing my aura and hiding my strength not because I fear them, but because I don’t want to disturb the locals. Don’t cause trouble for the Eastern Sea demons.”

Mu Xuanling felt frustrated and gnashed her teeth in anger. Ji Xuezhen was indeed too powerful. Revealing his identity wouldn’t be troublesome for him, but for the Eastern Sea demons. Her plan to use the demons against Ji Xuezhen was crushed before it could even begin.

Ji Xuezhen unceremoniously grasped her hand, his wide sleeve covering their interlocked fingers. Mu Xuanling tried to break free, but he squeezed her palm.

“This place is full of all sorts of characters. You’d better stay close,” Ji Xuezhen said in a low voice. “I have other ways to restrain you, but you wouldn’t want to try them.”

This was the misery of being less skilled – one could only be at the mercy of others, helpless and on the verge of tears.

Mu Xuanling suddenly understood the pain Ji Xuezhen must have felt when his divine apertures were sealed. How could karma come so quickly in this world…

She resigned herself to following beside Ji Xuezhen, moving forward with the crowd. The main city of Qiongju Island looked not much different from human towns. Demons had always admired human civilization, borrowing from their customs in food, clothing, housing, and transportation. However, they couldn’t shed their bestial nature and couldn’t learn moral integrity. The streets were thick with demonic energy, and as far as the eye could see, nine out of ten were demons in human form, with a few overseas cultivators scattered about.

Most demons here chose to take human form because some demons’ beast forms were too large and inconvenient for travel. However, even in human form, they were still proud of their original forms, which was reflected in their attire. For example, some snake demons transformed their hair into small green snakes, some rabbit spirits wore fake white ears on their heads, and some fox spirits sat on stools, wagging their fluffy tails with their buttocks raised. Half-demons living among humans would carefully conceal traces of their half-demon bloodline, but these full demons flaunted their features shamelessly. Precisely because they weren’t half-demons, they could freely pretend to be.

The higher a demon’s cultivation, the more beautiful and alluring their appearance. The demons on the street were of all varieties, each exuding charm and extraordinary beauty. They dressed boldly – female demons with exposed chests and bare thighs, most male demons shirtless, showing off firm, sexy chests and abs. Mu Xuanling stared wide-eyed, unable to look away.

Ji Xuezhen frowned slightly and pulled Mu Xuanling in front of him, blocking her lingering gaze on those male demons. He said in a deep voice, “Don’t look too much.”

Mu Xuanling glanced at Ji Xuezhen and laughed mockingly, “Sect Master Ji, look how open these demons are. You’re the only one all buttoned up, yet you’re the one getting all the attention.”

Ji Xuezhen, in his pristine white robes, looked cold and aloof, meticulous in his appearance. He stood out in this place, his features handsome and dignified, otherworldly. He caught the eye of many amorous female demons who kept batting their eyelashes at him, trying to seduce him flirtatiously. They simply assumed this handsome cultivator was an overseas wanderer, never imagining he could be the Immortal Alliance’s Sect Master.

Ji Xuezhen had always been indifferent to others’ gazes, but he couldn’t tolerate those demons eyeing Mu Xuanling. He intentionally kept her on the inside, using his body to block others’ views, but he couldn’t stop Mu Xuanling’s wandering eyes. He began to doubt Xuan Xin’s words – wasn’t the Enlightenment Water supposed to cut off all emotions and desires? It seemed Mu Xuanling had only severed her feelings for him.

Yet the existence of the Tears of All Beings was an undeniable fact…

Ji Xuezhen suppressed the irritation in his heart and said coolly, “Demons only imitate human form without human nature. They don’t understand human etiquette and shame.”

Mu Xuanling retorted, “How noble is human nature? It’s just using a hypocritical facade to hide a despicable heart. Otherwise, where would so many inner demons come from? I think demon nature is better than human nature. At least they’re not hypocritical. They expose themselves openly, and I look at them frankly. It’s better than certain hypocrites who want to look but hide it.”

Ji Xuezhen’s breath caught. Mu Xuanling was right – he was hypocritical. Even wanting to look at her, he had to restrain himself.

Seeing his unusual expression, as if she had hit the mark, Mu Xuanling became even more smug. “You do want to look, don’t you? Which one? Is it that pitiful rabbit demon, or the charming and alluring fox spirit? I see they’re interested in you too. You’re a sword cultivator, not an ascetic. You don’t need to preserve your virginity. There’s nothing wrong with having some fun…”

Halfway through her speech, Mu Xuanling’s mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out – her speech aperture had been sealed!

Ji Xuezhen’s fingertip touched her lip, emitting a faint white light. He couldn’t help but gently rub the small wound on her lip, saying in a deep voice, “If you can’t speak properly, then don’t speak at all.”

Mu Xuanling stared in disbelief, her eyes reddening with anger. Instinctively, she tried to bite Ji Xuezhen’s fingertip. Ji Xuezhen couldn’t withdraw his hand in time and was bitten on his index finger. The moist, warm breath enveloped his fingertip, causing him to pause slightly, his heart skipping a beat.

A Dharma body is indestructible, how could she possibly bite through it? But Ji Xuezhen, fearing his protective spiritual energy might damage her teeth, had relaxed his force, allowing her to leave shallow teeth marks on his knuckle.

Mu Xuanling released her bite with sore teeth, her red eyes glaring at Ji Xuezhen. Her cheeks were puffed out, but she couldn’t speak.

Ji Xuezhen put his hand behind his back, rubbing the tingling spot on his knuckle. He couldn’t help but curl his thin lips slightly, saying in a hoarse voice, “With your eyes red like that, you do look a bit like a rabbit demon.”

Mu Xuanling was taken aback, her mouth opening and closing. Ji Xuezhen understood.

— So you were sneaking glances at the rabbit demon!

Ji Xuezhen’s handsome face darkened slightly. He hadn’t been.

Aren’t all rabbits in the world the same?

Ji Xuezhen led Mu Xuanling into the first inn they saw after entering the city. He said in a low voice, “Luowu Mountain is even more dangerous at night. Let’s rest for the night and set out early tomorrow morning.”

Mu Xuanling, still sulking, couldn’t say anything.

The inn was noisy. Demons, unrefined in their manners, spoke and behaved quite rudely. In the main hall, over a dozen demons made as much noise as hundreds of people.

A charming and alluring female demon noticed the two as they entered. Her eyes lit up, and she sauntered over, swaying her hips. The demoness had slightly curled hair with crimson tips, her chest half-exposed, her waist as slim as a water snake, with a red gemstone adorning her navel, particularly eye-catching. The demoness’s gaze flitted ambiguously between the two, and she blew a fragrant breath towards Ji Xuezhen, saying in a coquettish voice, “Hello, cultivator brother. Are you from Spirit Luan Island?”

Disciples of Spirit Luan Island would have a spirit phoenix totem embroidered on the chest of their robes. The demoness didn’t see such a totem on Ji Xuezhen’s chest, but seeing him with a half-demon in tow, she guessed only male cultivators from Spirit Luan Island wouldn’t despise half-demons.

Ji Xuezhen replied coldly, “No.”

The demoness smiled upon hearing this, her gaze becoming even more alluring. She leaned against the counter languidly, her ample bosom nearly spilling out, her slender waist as soft and delicate as a willow branch. Every part of her was captivating.

“So, cultivator brother is a wandering cultivator… Are you two looking for lodging?” the demoness asked with a smile. “Unfortunately, there are no vacant rooms in the inn today.”

Ji Xuezhen’s brow furrowed slightly.

The demoness seductively brushed her slightly curled hair, the tips grazing her lips as she said in a bewitching voice, “However, my room is quite spacious, and the bed is very soft. Would the cultivator brother like to share it with me? It’s free of charge…”

The surrounding demons erupted in raucous cheers. A somewhat shrill voice called out, “Manager She has her eye on a human cultivator again. Are we fox demons not good enough?”

The demoness addressed as Manager She glanced sideways at the speaker, flicking out her snake tongue in response to the provocation. She smiled and said, “I just prefer the dignity of human cultivators. Unlike you fox spirits who are in heat all the time.”

The fox demon didn’t take offense and shouted back, “Isn’t that just perfect for you!”

Manager She ignored the fox demon and turned back to gaze lovingly at Ji Xuezhen. Ji Xuezhen’s expression remained cold and indifferent. Without sparing Manager She another glance, he said to Mu Xuanling, “If that’s the case, we’ll find another inn.”

As Ji Xuezhen put his arm around Mu Xuanling and turned to leave, Manager She drawled lazily, “There’s not a single vacant room on Qiongju Island right now. The Demon Race Martial Arts Competition starts in two days, and many powerful demons have gathered on the island. Don’t say I didn’t warn you – if you offend the wrong Demon King, you’ll die.”

Demon Race Martial Arts Competition?

Mu Xuanling halted her steps, turning back to look at Manager She in confusion. Beside her, Ji Xuezhen asked, “The Demon Race Martial Arts Competition shouldn’t be for another half year.”

Manager She expressed surprise, “Aren’t you here for the competition? It was originally scheduled for half a year later, but for some reason, it’s been moved up. The island wasn’t fully prepared, so things are a bit chaotic.”

The demons of the Eastern Sea Islands hold this competition every thirty years. Adult demons can participate, and many hope to make a name for themselves, join under a Demon King, or establish themselves as kings and claim an island. Generally, famous and powerful demons don’t participate, but each competition sees unknown demons rise to prominence, showcasing extraordinary skills and becoming formidable Demon Kings. The Divine Continent harbors many powerful demons cultivating in seclusion, and the Eastern Sea Islands have numerous blessed lands. It’s not uncommon for demons who have cultivated in obscurity for a century to suddenly become famous. Such a grand event naturally attracts many demons and human cultivators, and with crowds come conflicts. Spirit Luan Island commands respect in the Eastern Sea, so both demons and human cultivators show them deference. Therefore, disciples of Spirit Luan Island often help maintain order and mediate disputes.

Earlier, Manager She had thought Ji Xuezhen was from Spirit Luan Island and wanted to treat him with respect. Now knowing he was a wandering cultivator, she felt free to flirt. Ji Xuezhen, in his snow-white robes, looked extraordinarily handsome and otherworldly, like a celestial being. He had intentionally concealed his aura, so others couldn’t sense his true cultivation level and assumed he was just a Golden Core realm wandering cultivator, thus showing no reverence. He wanted to keep a low profile, but his appearance and demeanor made that difficult. To the lustful demons, he was a delectable dish. However, Manager She couldn’t quite figure out Mu Xuanling’s identity. Although she could sense demonic energy from her, she couldn’t tell what kind of demon she was.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you. The island is quite chaotic these days, and it’s dangerous outside. My inn, however, is safe,” Manager She said with a smile, her words brimming with confidence.

Both Ji Xuezhen and Mu Xuanling could tell that Manager She was quite powerful, likely a snake demon over 500 years old. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to run an inn on the diverse and chaotic Qiongju Island. Many demons in the inn eyed the beautiful snake demoness covetously, but none dared to be disrespectful.

“Little sister, are you and this cultivator brother companions?” Manager She didn’t ask if they were Dao partners because Dao partners must be on the same path to dual cultivate, and humans and half-demons couldn’t dual cultivate. However, there were cases of humans being attracted to half-demons for their beauty and forming partnerships.

Mu Xuanling gave a cold laugh and crossed her arms but couldn’t speak.

But Ji Xuezhen could, and he said, “Yes.”

Mu Xuanling was startled and looked sharply at Ji Xuezhen, silently mouthing: No!

Manager She raised an eyebrow in surprise, her gaze flitting between the two. She couldn’t quite figure out their relationship now – it almost seemed like the half-demon was being held captive…

But that didn’t matter to her; she didn’t care about the half-demon’s well-being.

Manager She put on a smile again and said coyly, “That’s fine too. Little sister can join us. My bed is big enough, and the more, the merrier.” She winked, her chest half-exposed, exuding a sensual charm that made the surrounding demons’ eyes burn with desire.

Mu Xuanling’s face stiffened, her eyes filled with suspicion.

Was it what she thought it meant?

Her ears reddened slightly, feeling both embarrassed and annoyed. Her experience was limited; she didn’t understand the customs of the Eastern Sea demons and had just been propositioned by a snake demon.

Sang Qi had also spent considerable time in the Eastern Sea. Although he knew what the Eastern Sea demons were like, given his personality, he naturally wouldn’t have taught Mu Xuanling such useless knowledge. Demons had always been indulgent and followed their desires, especially snake and fox demons who particularly enjoyed carnal pleasures and were indiscriminate in their tastes. For demons, mating, and reproduction were natural and important matters – what was there to be ashamed of? If they liked someone, they would propose intimacy. Whether one had a Dao partner or spouse wasn’t a consideration; in fact, they found it more fun with more participants.

The snake demon before them was exactly like this.

Mu Xuanling felt that she, as the Holy Maiden of the Demon Race, was being excessively proper. It turned out that “proper” demons were so improper!