The four forests fell silent.

The large white bird overhead had quietly landed in the grass at some point, cautiously watching the confronting groups in the mountain forest. The leopards flicked their tails, hiding their bodies in the shrubs, not daring to look into the silver lion’s eyes again.

After a long while, someone’s voice rang out: “What kind of joke is this…”

The demon race and the human race were mortal enemies. It would be good enough if they didn’t fight to the death upon meeting—holding hands and traveling together? Was this reasonable?

Insane!

“We sect members will never associate with evil demons and heretics. We absolutely cannot join hands with them!” A cultivator shouted indignantly, raising his arms.

“I’m putting it out there today—I’d rather die, jump off this mountain, than hold hands with them!”

“Give me a break.” Mountain Spider on the side snorted disdainfully: “As if anyone wants to hold hands with you people. Why don’t you look in a mirror and see what you look like? Incompetent humans also delude themselves into thinking they can travel with our noble demon race—are you worthy?”

“A lighthouse eight zhang tall—illuminates others but not itself!”

Such clamoring voices continued endlessly. Zanxing just found it noisy. She turned to Youlang from the Sishi Clan: “You can see that our grievances with them run deep. Joining hands isn’t an easy matter.”

“This is the only way.” Youlang said calmly, “If you cannot achieve ‘balance,’ we also cannot guide you into the mountain.” After a pause, the man continued: “You saw—we emerged from a restriction opening. Only those who achieve ‘balance’ can see the entrance. If you’re unwilling to join hands, you can also think of other methods. However…” He emphasized his voice: “If you want to fight, please go outside to fight. Don’t damage the mountain forests here.” After speaking, he looked very regretful at the flower sea that had just been destroyed.

Zanxing suspected these two had come out just to say this. If not for her and Gu Baiying’s battle damaging this flower sea, even if they fought to mutual destruction, these two probably wouldn’t have appeared.

“If you’re not entering the mountain for now, we’ll head back first,” Qiongniang said. She whistled—the whistle sound was very strange, and the large birds and leopards that had been hiding immediately approached the two of them.

“Wait.” Gu Baiying suddenly spoke.

Zanxing was slightly stunned, then saw the young man suddenly look toward her and raise his chin: “Hey, want to cooperate?”

Zanxing: “?”

He could agree to this? Had Gu Baiying’s brain broken down? Even if he suddenly had a change of heart, wouldn’t the demon-slaying army kill him?

Indeed, as soon as he said this, before Zanxing could answer, Putao frowned. She asked: “Gu Baiying, have you gone mad? Our mission to enter the mountain is to exterminate the demon race… Joining hands with demons—don’t you find this absurd?”

“Not to exterminate the demon race, but to exterminate the troublemaking demon.” Gu Baiying looked impatient and had no intention of continuing to explain to her. He only looked behind him: “Those willing to enter the mountain come with me. Those unwilling…” He paused: “Either stay here or return to your sects yourselves. Choose one.”

“Gu Baiying!” The Zhao family disciple from Chihua Gate broke free from the silencing technique and looked at him in disbelief: “What kind of attitude is this? As the leader of the demon-slaying army, mixing with the demon race, you… You’re a traitor!”

Gu Baiying looked at him coldly: “Since I first saw you, you’ve said this many times already. You also said I’m in charge here—whether to listen is up to you.”

“You’re being irresponsible to the demon-slaying army!”

“Why should I be responsible for you people?” Gu Baiying’s attitude was very unfriendly as he looked at him contemptuously: “I’m not your father.”

The Zhao family disciple nearly choked from holding his breath.

“Fellow Cultivator Gu,” Nie Xinghong from Yinfeng Sect waved his fan with a very friendly attitude: “Even if our side agrees, but… what about their side?” He smiled as he looked toward Zanxing.

Zanxing said, “I make the decisions for Heishi City. If I tell them to agree, they wouldn’t dare disobey.” Zanxing tilted her head slightly, speaking to those behind her: “We’re handling serious business here. Everyone, restrain yourselves and don’t eat anyone.”

White Bone Woman licked her lips, her gaze greedily sweeping over the demon-slaying army members: “This slave will… try her best.”

The demon-slaying army: “…”

“Alright,” Zanxing’s voice immediately became much more relaxed: “Since that’s the case, please proceed.”

The demons had brought fewer people than the demon-slaying army, naturally ensuring each demon could be paired with a human cultivator. However, some in the demon-slaying army would rather die than associate with demons and left angrily. In the end, after picking and choosing, exactly fifty pairs were walking two by two.

Among these paired groups, they also tried to ensure “balance” to avoid violating Yue’e Mountain’s taboos. For example, the fairy-like, beautiful young woman, Meng Ying, was paired with the gentle and refined Xiao Shuang. The resolute and wild Mu Cengxiao was paired with the charming and seductive White Bone Woman. Mendong was paired with Earth-Eating Ghost, Tian Fangfang with Lady Zhagling… However, this was only done as much as possible. When suitable matches couldn’t be found, they could only first satisfy the basic condition of one human and one demon.

The group formed pairs and stood together. Whether intentionally or not, the last two remaining were Zanxing and Gu Baiying.

That made sense. These two—one the princess of the demon race, one the leader of the demon-slaying army, one bright and magnanimous, one handsome and spirited. Whether in appearance or temperament, whether in cultivation or status, standing together, they truly were a heaven-made pair of lovers—no, arch-enemies.

Qiongniang and Youlang hadn’t expected Zanxing and Gu Baiying to decide in such a short time, and were momentarily surprised. Not knowing if these two also had obsessive-compulsive disorder, after the two races paired up, Qiongniang and Youlang’s gazes toward them became even gentler. Youlang said, “Now you can hold hands.”

Those paired demons and humans looked at each other, extremely unwilling in their hearts. One held the determination of a warrior cutting off his arm, the other harbored the reluctance of condescending to lower oneself. Unwillingly and reluctantly, they joined hands.

Zanxing looked toward Gu Baiying. The young man looked at her critically, as if extremely disgusted. After a long moment, he spoke: “Perhaps we could find a rope…”

In the next moment, Zanxing directly grasped his hand.

Gu Baiying froze.

Zanxing had already turned to look at Qiongniang on her own: “Let’s go.” She didn’t look at him again, as if this hand-holding was completely natural for her, without any burden.

Qiongniang waved her hand, and ripples immediately appeared in mid-air. But these ripples were different from before—even the air seemed to become distorted. Before everyone, an entrance appeared. This entrance seemed to appear out of thin air. From outside, one could glimpse the scenery inside—also a mountain forest, but appearing somewhat desolate.

“Let’s go.” She took the lead and walked in.

Zanxing pulled Gu Baiying’s hand and hesitated for a moment before following Qiongniang inside. As soon as she stepped in, it felt like stepping into water, and the surroundings quickly became blurred. Looking up again, the flower sea was no longer beside them. Here, the jungle was vast and deep with dense forests. In the distance, at the blurred mountain range lines, a white pagoda stood majestically.

This was the real Yue’e Mountain.