Chapter 204

Chapter 204: Messenger of the Nether Realm

"Hey… want a healing pill?" You You offered compassionately, holding out a recovery pill.

The giant beast weakly whimpered "Aw~~~", its earlier threatening low growl replaced by defeated acceptance.

You You sighed and prepared to descend via sword control when Feng Rong grabbed her arm. "Wait!" He grimaced, summoning a wind gust to sweep away the poison gas lingering over the Scorched Earth below.

After the air cleared, they landed. The beast stretched out a pink tongue before You You could speak. She placed the pill on its tongue, watching it swallow instantly. The rumbling in its belly soon stopped, its expression relaxing.

Content now, the beast extended a paw toward her. "Meow~~" it purred, as if declaring forgiveness.

You You blinked. This beast displayed unusual intelligence for a monster. Wait –

"Aren’t you the Nightmare Demon?!" she realized. The dark energy surrounding it confirmed this wasn’t an ordinary creature.

"Aw!" It confirmed with an eye-roll.

You You and Feng Rong exchanged glances. Why would a demon remain in beast form… with digestive issues?

"Can’t you shapeshift?" You You asked. Most demons could transform unless severely injured.

The Nightmare Demon froze, then angrily presented its rear, tail lashing.

"What now?" You You muttered. Feng Rong cracked his knuckles. "Let’s kill it and find another."

The beast yelped and hid behind You You, glaring at Feng Rong.

"Enough," she intervened, pulling Feng Rong aside. "This might be our only lead. Let’s follow it – maybe the Messenger will appear."

Feng Rong grimaced. "And if it keeps…?"

"We’ve no choice. We can’t just summon the Underworld’s envoy by shouting-"

"You called?"

A death-pale face materialized between them – the same Messenger they’d met before.

Feng Rong: "…"

You You: "…"

The Nightmare Demon suddenly attacked but collided with an invisible barrier. Claws scrabbled uselessly against the air as it howled.

"Patience," the Messenger droned. "Busy schedule." He waved his hand, extracting chains of glowing soul spheres from the beast – identical to those left by Qin Yan and Qiu Yao.

"Residual souls?" You You breathed as he stored them in his black robe. "You work with the Nightmare Demon?"

"Nightmare Demon?" The Messenger tilted his head. "Ah, its Monster Realm alias. We call it Soul Beast – born in the Nether Realm to collect excess spirits. Overate this time, and the yang-rich season forced it into this form…"

"Aw!" The beast snapped at him, teeth passing harmlessly through his spectral form.

You You gaped. The "Nightmare Demon" was actually a Nether Realm civil servant? No wonder the Demon King knew nothing about it!