Chapter 246
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Chapter 246: Title
Within the Tier-Nine Demon Lords City.
All inhabitants noticed the peculiar vibrancy of the city today. Though the spirit city normally buzzed with activity, this level of festivity remained uncommon.
"You outsiders remain clueless," purred an orange cat spirit lounging by the roadside, its makeshift stall of cloth displaying several spiritual herbs. Such scenes dotted every corner of the Tier-Nine Demon Lords City, only drawing gasps from first-time visitors.
Modern existence proved challenging for spirits. While dwelling in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains sufficed, survival in human society demanded constant expenditure—whether for mortal trinkets that dazzled worldly eyes or medicinal pills for cultivation. The latter scarcity stemmed from few spirit cultivators mastering alchemical arts.
Two figures stood before the feline’s stall, debating the city’s unusual liveliness.
"It wasn’t this animated during my last visit."
"Do spirits observe festivals? The lanterns and banners suggest celebrations, yet I recall no traditional spirit holidays."
The cat’s tail twitched as it interjected, "Truly ignorant?"
The pair turned without surprise—talking spirits filled every street here. Since the Awakening of Spiritual Energy, free hand seals to refine throat’s Horizontal Bone had enabled even low-tier spirits to speak. Once, speech indicated formidable cultivation or shapeshifting prowess; now, only overt power displays revealed true strength.
"Young ones curious?" The cat suddenly tapped its herbs with velvet paws. "First choose your purchase, then satisfy your curiosity."
Life’s hard, even for a cat.
After exchanging glances, the woman selected herbs. The long-furred feline bit into its flank, producing a POS machine it operated deftly with claws. "Five Clear Ling Herbs: five thousand spirit coins. Cashless only."
Golden eyes gleamed as it nudged a glass case containing sunbeam-colored fur. "Need refining materials? My shed fur’s Tier One grade. Bundle discount—total ten thousand?"
"We lack such skills," the woman declined, scanning her card.
From her bracelet’s storage magical artifact emerged a jade box—commonplace accessories after centuries of Spiritual Energy Awakening. The currency system’s evolution had long intertwined spirit coins with spiritual stones, creating seamless exchange.
At Tier One rarity, Clear Ling Herbs cost double elsewhere, but spirit stalls offered bargain hunting. Bulk buyers sought official spirit shops, though most herbs came from Ten Thousand Great Mountains’ bounty—so abundant that fast-growing varieties became nuisance vegetation for spirits.
United under Empress Nuwa’s worship and Nine Extreme Demon Lords’ rule, the spirit community maintained solidarity unknown to fractious humans. This cohesion preserved their hard-won status.
"Now, about the commotion?" The woman smiled as payment confirmation chimed.
Whiskers quivering with transaction joy, the cat straightened. "The Demon Lords descend upon us." Its voice dropped reverently. "Count yourselves fortunate—this marks their first public appearance in centuries."
The amber-eyed creature gazed beyond colorful banners toward distant palace spires. "When they’ll grace mortals again… even the stars may not know."
There is a special method among spirit cultivators for sharing information, particularly regarding the demon lords above them. When significant news concerning their kind arises, they eagerly spread the word without awaiting orders from their superiors.
If Empress Nuwa, creator of spirit cultivators, is their divine faith, then the Nine Extreme Demon Lords reign as their sovereign rulers. Whoever occupies the demon lord position becomes the revered object of worship for all spirit cultivators.
While Empress Nuwa safeguards their race during celestial catastrophes, it is the Nine Extreme Demon Lords who protect them through ordinary times.
The orange cat tapped its phone before displaying the screen: "Human cultivators already received news about the demon lords’ awakening. It’s trending across the Spiritual Network…"
……
Similar scenes unfolded throughout spirit city. Human curiosity proved understandable – the transformed cityscape defied normal expectations.
In this ‘tier-nine demon lords City’, resplendent birds from Ten Thousand Great Mountains soared through air, their beaks clutching crimson crystal lanterns from the urban center to distant palaces. Through unknown means, these lanterns spontaneously kindled flame upon being hung.
Every blossom-capable plant across the city erupted into flower simultaneously, seasons rendered irrelevant by mysterious energies. Water spirits glided across granite pavements, leaving gleaming surfaces that dried instantly behind them.
Transformed spirit cultivators in matching ceremonial robes drifted through streets, their flowing sleeves and long dresses accentuating ethereal beauty. Observant viewers noted distinct patterns on each garment and residual physical traits betraying their non-human origins – clear identifiers distinguishing them from mankind.
Multiple spectators activated phone cameras, one livestreamer marveling: "They say spirit cultivators breed perfection… Damn, the old tales undersold their beauty!"
Though some prominent figures had public images, most preferred revealing only their magnificent true forms. Even in tier-nine demon lords City, fully transformed cultivators remained uncommon – most who took human guise perfected their mimicry beyond natural humanity.
This unprecedented surge of partial transformations drew countless recording devices. For the first time since the city’s founding, daily routines paused as inhabitants sought to witness this centennial phenomenon.
Naturally, some possessed advance knowledge.
Special Bureau · tier-nine demon lords City Branch Office.
The division’s person in charge – a man who looked to be in his early twenties but was actually in his fifties – twirled a pen during his call: "Freshly appointed and already facing this? Our protocols never covered Nine Extreme Demon Lords emerging from Mountain and Sea Realm. Every local spirit cultivator knows already…"
Branch leaders required tier three cultivation and twenty-year terms. Chu Jiang, barely two years into office, truly qualified as ‘new’.
"…Confirmed. Dragon race Your Highness notified they’ll dispatch guards to city gate. External spirit cultivators? Pointless recalling them – roads jammed for kilometers since the announcement… Understood. Press will be controlled."
Rising to gaze through window, Chu Jiang murmured: "They’re here."
Daylight shimmered as spiritual energy rippled under celestial trails – eight figures of tier seven cultivation, having attained immortal realms. Previously, even one demon lord’s appearance drew intense human scrutiny.
Though Dragon Lord hadn’t appeared for centuries, humanity never forgot spirit cultivators – Earth’s second-largest non-human population. (Eastern practitioners only; Western werewolves/vampires excluded.)
But returning to the crucial matter – this time, eight demon lords descended together.
Although aware of their lack of malicious intent, what needed to be done still had to be addressed.
"Since secrecy is impossible, we’ll broadcast this openly. The spirit cultivators have no objections anyway."
Chu Jiang coordinated with relevant departments while accessing the Spiritual Network website through his terminal, navigating to the official live stream portal.
Upon his decision, a new feed materialized in the broadcast section simultaneously with an official announcement. Viewer counts skyrocketed instantly, climbing by tens of thousands every heartbeat.
Far above Blue Star’s surface, special satellites orbiting near the atmosphere adjusted their lenses toward Tier-Nine Demon Lords City. Opportunities to film such unique environments were scarce – though located within Huaxia’s borders, unauthorized surveillance of the spirit city risked diplomatic catastrophe. While spirit cultivators coexisted with humanity, they remained sovereign entities.
Centuries of research had propelled Blue Star’s technology along an unforeseen trajectory. Conventional satellites couldn’t penetrate Spiritual Energy-shrouded zones like Tier-Nine Demon Lords City or immortal realms guarded by formations. This changed a hundred winters past when specialized orbital observers became operational.
As head of the Special Bureau’s regional division, Chu Jiang commanded full authority over the Tier-Nine Demon Lords City broadcast. His fingers danced across holographic controls, altering the feed’s designation.
[007] transformed into [Tier-Nine Demon Lords City: Dawn of the Demon Lords]. The renamed channel drew avalanches of viewers, effortlessly handled by modern infrastructure capable of sustaining billions.
Four centuries had reshaped Blue Star – continents expanded, populations burgeoned. Though universal cultivation practices hindered reproduction, humanity still swelled from seven billion to over ten. This excluded myriad other species: Eastern spirit cultivators and ghost clans, Western blood clans and lycanthropes – all carrying phones in pockets or talisman pouches.
Huaxia’s cultural dominance ensured any development rippled globally instantly. When whispers spread of the nine legendary demon lords emerging, the world’s attention crystallized on the feed.
Chat exploded:
【Tier-Nine livestream!!! Childhood memories UNLOCKED】
【Last broadcast was during inaugural ceremonies omg】
【Official site said all demon lords appear?? Cap?】
【Dragon Lord ain’t coming, trust】
【Y’all fossils from pre-expansion era?】
【Dragon Lord still hibernating after 400 years?】
【Qingqiu fox ladies pls step on me】
【Local here – roads to spirit city IMPASSABLE】
【Trapped traveler reporting INSANE Spiritual Energy turbulence】
【City gate guards spotted shadowblurs WHOOSHING past】
【Mom, I’m seeing divine beings! QAQ】
【Spirit cultivators never give humans a chance – why must they all be so breathtakingly beautiful?】
【Whispering here… Dear spirit cultivator sisters and brothers, must we be so strict about interspecies boundaries?】
【…Their revealed spiritual features make them even more mesmerizing. I’m losing control – turning into a total deviant…】
Special satellites provided aerial coverage of Tier-Nine Demon Lords City, broadcasting every event within the city to live stream audiences.
Had the Special Bureau not implemented online-announced traffic controls warning of congested routes to Tier-Nine Demon Lords City, crowds would still be surging toward the location. However, viewer numbers decreased sharply after the live stream commenced – high-definition satellite feeds offered near-equivalent experiences to physical attendance.
More crucially, distant observers realized any rushed journey might conclude after the celebratory event for the Demon Lords’ arrival.
At the city gate:
Only fleeting shadows hinted at passing figures – none could discern which Demon Lord had traversed the area. Their velocity defied perception, leaving mere afterimages.
Speed reflected cultivation mastery.
The Demon Lords intentionally maintained this blurring pace – particularly toward human cultivators. Spirit cultivators differently sensed the overwhelming pressure radiating from their rulers, even when not directly targeted.
Human witnesses then beheld an unforgettable spectacle:
Shape-shifting spirit cultivators simultaneously performed archaic salutes toward the Demon Lords’ direction – gestures carrying primordial elegance that resonated across species.
Non-shapeshifters pressed foreheads to earth in full prostration, exuding supreme reverence.
Responding to this devotion, the streaking celestial figures gradually slowed.
Though several Demon Lords possessed colossal true forms, they’d appropriately reduced their sizes since departing the Mountain and Sea Realm. After exchanging glances upon reaching Tier-Nine Demon Lords City from the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, they assumed humanoid appearances.
【Holy heavens YES! Nine-tailed goddess – sister here’s READY!!!】
【First synchronized transformation! The spirit cultivators’ beauty rankings need immediate revisions.】
【Phoenix incarnate – Xuanfeng Demon Lord! Last human manifestation during the Mountain and Sea Realm’s discovery!】
【Screaming? I’ve already screenshot-spammed my gallery.】
【Xuanfeng’s aura… making me question my orientation.】
【Di Yan’s human form never gets old – yet always delivers fresh impact.】
【That winged-titan muscle mountain? Which Demon Lord??】
【Winged tiger? Qiongqi – ancient Four Perils lineage!】
【Divinely sculpted physique! Those steel cords need no touch-confirmation… *envious drooling*】
【Pssst – the admirer in front, your rainbow’s showing.】
【Peak musculature? Prime tease material ︿(￣︶￣)︿】
【Musclebound spirit cultivators? Thought they favored ethereal aesthetics…】
【What’s wrong with brawn? I’d gladly drown in such masculinity! Hehe~】
【Men over men?】
【Surrounded by men?】
【Oh, you all catch on quick. / Amusing.】
【Terrifying.】
…
"Seems Bai Ze spoke truth—the spirit cultivators beyond do thrive," observed the white fox in human guise, retaining vulpine ears and tail. Silvery locks coiled into an elegant chignon framed by pointed ears, its fluffy tail curled around the waist like living silk grasped in pale fingers.
Slanted eyes shimmered with ethereal beauty neither masculine nor feminine, simultaneously girlish and womanly in their perfection… an arresting vision that ensnared every gaze.
"When have my words ever deceived?" Bai Ze sighed with theatrical weariness. "Am I not the epitome of reliability?"
Among the nine demon lords, only he walked freely among human cultivators. The Mountain and Sea Realm’s isolation forced others to rely solely on his accounts, breeding quiet suspicion. Ancient histories told of far bloodier relations between their kinds than Bai Ze’s rosy tales suggested.
"Your credibility falters," Yue Xi’s crystalline laughter held an edge. "Need we revisit the Bai Ze Catalog debacle?"
"Must we exhume millennia-old scandals?" The Beast of Omniscience raised defensive hands. "Besides, strictly speaking, that particular folly—"
Across epochs, certain Strange Beasts exist singularly—perishing with their age only to rebirth anew, inheriting ancestral memories and abilities without being true successors. Bai Ze numbered among these cyclical entities.
Indeed, the nine demon lords’ longevity stemmed from their primordial nature. From nine-tailed fox to three-legged golden crow, Moon-eating Celestial Dog to Qiongqi, each represented celestial majesty even in antiquity. Now as fading remnants of divine lineage, they embodied fragments of heaven’s mandate.
"Observers linger," murmured Kirin, obsidian robes rippling as he glanced skyward.
"Human satellites," Bai Ze clarified. "Their Special Bureau notified me of live-streaming this celebration event." Though planned by lesser spirits, his endorsement legitimized the spectacle. Their exalted status demanded occasional visibility.
Clouds swirled beneath them as they lingered above Nine-Tier Demon Lords’ City, mortal eyes upturned like sunflowers seeking dawn. "To the Hall of the Legendary Dragon," Bai Ze declared. "Ao Ming’s court awaits."
Nine sealed palaces loomed below—testaments to absent lords. Only Yinglong’s sanctum stood ready, though Di Yan’s group winced at having burdened Ao Yuan with administrative tides.
Bai Ze alone engaged the Special Bureau; his peers reigned as figureheads. Yet as they approached carved obsidian gates, reality quivered.
"The dragon’s roar…" Xuanfeng’s feathers rustled.
"Ao Yuan stirs," the nine-tailed fox purred, tail flicking amusement. "Awakened to greet us, perhaps?"
"This isn’t his customary demeanor."
"Ao Ming informed me earlier that he would await us outside the hall, yet now…" Bai Ze descended swiftly from the clouds, quickening his pace toward the spirit cultivators stationed outside the hall.
"Why are only you present? Where are Ao Ming and Ao Lan?"
The addressed spirit cultivator answered without delay, "His Highness the Second Prince and His Highness the Third Prince received urgent news and hastened inside moments ago."
"The Second Prince instructed that the demon lords may proceed autonomously upon their arrival… Lord Bai Ze, Director Chu Jiang of the Special Bureau has arrived, and the satellite live stream commenced some time ago…"
Bai Ze acknowledged with a nod.
Today, they represented not merely themselves but the entire spirit cultivator community.
Under the satellite’s gaze and the live broadcast, countless eyes were undoubtedly fixed upon them.
With Ao Ming absent, responsibility for the spirit cultivators’ affairs fell to him as the most knowledgeable present. The plaza before the Hall of the Legendary Dragon stood prepared—only the principal figures remained to take their places.
Meanwhile,
Ao Ming had departed without hesitation upon learning of his elder brother’s awakening.
He entrusted external matters to Bai Ze with full confidence. The other demon lords, considering his fraternal ties, often treated him as a junior, maintaining cordial relations… This dynamic ensured minor disagreements wouldn’t disrupt broader plans.
His brother’s four-century slumber had permitted no communication. Had no signs of stability persisted, Ao Ming might have feared the closed-door cultivation posed hidden perils.
Ao Yuan’s sanctuary lay within the East Sea Dragon Palace. Beneath tier-nine demon lords City, a swift passage led to the aquatic realm—a space hollowed beneath the Hall of the Legendary Dragon through ancient formations, flooded with deep seawater.
Only the dragon race found this pressurized environment agreeable. While ordinary water-aligned spirit cultivators struggled here, Ao Ming and Ao Lan occasionally descended to swim in their true forms. More frequently, they used this route to visit their slumbering brother.
This occasion differed. Upon arrival, Ao Ming immediately noticed a figure standing upon the water’s surface.
The man’s raven-black hair flowed from a golden dragon-shaped crown, its silver filaments suspending pearl crystals like dewdrops among ink-black strands. His immaculate white robes shimmered with golden dragon cloud patterns along every edge, adorned solely by a jade pendant at his waist and a ring on his left index finger.
"Elder Brother," Ao Ming greeted.
Beside him, Ao Lan’s eyes sparkled as he sprinted forward.
"Brother—!"
"You’ve awakened at last!"
Ao Yuan caught his youngest brother’s embrace, smiling at Ao Ming. "No explanations are necessary. I comprehend everything."
"These centuries have burdened you."
Ao Yuan’s awakened consciousness had instantly perceived tier-nine demon lords City’s affairs.
Ao Ming inclined his head. "Your words honor me unduly, Brother."
"When last we spoke, you gave no indication of imminent emergence. Has urgency arisen?"
His brother never acted capriciously. Four centuries’ dormancy broken suggested grave purpose—but what could stir him now?
"We’ll converse elsewhere." Four hundred years’ cultivation had yielded revelations and resurrected memories. More crucially, visions from his dreams… if true, catastrophe might…
"Now awakened, I must greet old acquaintances." Cradling Ao Lan, Ao Yuan materialized beside Ao Ming.
Together, they ascended from the Hall of the Legendary Dragon’s depths into the world above.
