Breaking the Precept

Four Lodges, Demon Nation.

The sea of demonic flames roared in fury.

With a swoosh, a half-zhang-long loach leaped out of the sea, its entire body ablaze with black fire. "Oh, my goodness! Master! Master! Ah-Ni is about to be roasted alive!"

Night Wanderer conjured a ball of water vapor in his hand and flicked it lightly.

The demonic fire on Ah-Ni's body was extinguished. He landed on the shore, transformed into a humanoid figure, and squatted down shivering. "It hurts so much, it hurts so much! Ah-Ni almost died in there! Wuwuwu..."

Night Wanderer's spiritual sense scanned Ah-Ni's spiritual palace. He gently patted Ah-Ni's back and consoled him, "You've endured much, Ah-Ni. The demonic seed has been planted in your spiritual palace. With devoted cultivation, you can transform into a flood dragon."

Ah-Ni's eyes sparkled with hope. "I heard flood dragons can transform into true dragons. Do I have a chance to become a dragon?"

Suhe burst into laughter. "You silly little loach! You're not even sure you can become a flood dragon, and now you're dreaming of becoming a dragon? Why don't you aim for godhood while you're at it?"

Ah-Ni glared at him. "Stupid bird! Can't a loach have dreams?"

"Let's go. Back to Tianhai Cave. I still have questions for Haiyazi," Night Wanderer said, his pale face betraying his foul mood.

As he and Suhe transformed into their beastly forms and prepared to leave, a pile of blackened skulls suddenly descended above them.

Murderous intent filled the air.

The skulls glowed with an eerie light, and a deep, fragmented voice emanated from within. "How dare you trespass into the Black Flame Holy Land and kill my kin!"

"We're doomed!" Suhe's face turned pale, his whole being trembling. "A sixteenth-rank Black Flame Demon—a Zhalong!"

"Why panic? Let me test its strength," Night Wanderer said, swallowing Ah-Ni whole before charging into the pile of skulls.

He darted in and out of the skull pile but soon reverted to human form, landing back on Suhe's back.

"I can't beat it. Let's run."

"Do you have to be so blunt?" Suhe wanted to roll his eyes but spread his wings and shot into the sky.

Although the Black Flame Demon suppressed the Phoenix of Karma Fire, its movements were slow. The phoenix, known for its speed, could escape even if it couldn't win.

The skulls, initially preparing to crush the audacious white dragon, hesitated momentarily as their prey escaped in the blink of an eye.

Momentarily stunned, the demon gave chase.

What followed was a string of glowing skulls pursuing a blazing phoenix across the Demon Nation's night sky, like a bizarre game of kite-flying.

Feathers ruffled, Suhe nervously asked, "Which direction should we flee?"

"Southward," Night Wanderer replied, pointing ahead.

The Demon Nation bordered the southern lodges, making it the best escape route. Moreover, the southern lodges were a haven for Buddhist cultivators, significantly weakening demonic power. The only problem was that both of them were fugitives there…

No time to worry about that. Suhe beat his wings and flew southward.

The skulls relentlessly pursued them.

At the border between the southern lodges and the Demon Nation, a surge of spiritual energy collided with Suhe, causing him to sway.

Night Wanderer extended his spiritual sense to investigate and commented with a hint of unease, "The saying 'enemies always cross paths' has never been more fitting."

"What do you mean?" Suhe sent out his spiritual sense and, upon seeing the figure floating in midair ahead, grew sharp-eyed. "Oh, crap! This isn't just enemies crossing paths; this is the epitome of bad luck!"

The figure ahead was none other than Jin Yu.

Jin Yu's hands formed intricate seals, his aura towering, spiritual power surging around him. He seemed to be in the middle of something critical.

Not far in front of him floated countless colorful, shimmering lines, illusory yet tangible. They twisted and coiled like strange beasts with horns and tails.

Curious, Night Wanderer muttered, "What kind of beast is that?"

Suhe spat. "Who cares? We're in deep trouble, and you're worrying about beasts!"

Jin Yu, of course, noticed Night Wanderer.

He narrowed his eyes, momentarily tempted to strike down the thieving dragon. But he had painstakingly immobilized the Time Beast and was waiting for the Buddha Sovereign to arrive. He couldn't afford to be distracted.

Suhe instinctively veered away.

Night Wanderer, however, said, "Fly toward Jin Yu."

"Are you trying to get us killed?" Suhe protested.

Night Wanderer lightly tapped his head. "Trust me. Quickly."

Reluctantly, Suhe obeyed, cursing inwardly. Every time he listened to Night Wanderer, it led to disaster. But if he didn't, the conniving dragon always found a hundred ways to deal with him.

"You're courting death!" Jin Yu barely restrained the urge to abandon the Time Beast and kill the pair. He considered giving chase later, confident that his spiritual aura marked the dragon well enough for tracking.

Holding back his rage, Jin Yu trusted his barrier would contain the intruders. What could those two possibly achieve?

Night Wanderer tilted his head back, speaking seemingly to the air. "Senior, look who we've encountered. Didn't you regret not killing him inside the gourd? Here's your chance."

Jin Yu's crimson pupils narrowed instantly.

The Black Flame Demon, which had caused his cultivation to regress by an entire rank, had finally shown up!

The glowing skulls, oblivious to the white dragon's words, continued their chase.

Night Wanderer, feigning sincerity, offered, "Do you need our help, Senior? Oh, pardon us. We'll get out of your way."

Under his signal, Suhe turned and fled.

The skulls, utterly baffled, instinctively pursued them.

"Courting death!" Jin Yu instantly retracted his dispersed spiritual power, brandishing a flaming blade as he lunged at the skulls. "So, it's you!"

"Jin Yu! Black Flame Demons and Karma Fire Phoenixes have always stayed out of each other's way. Are you trying to break the rules?"

"You dare speak of rules after stabbing me?"

"When did I ever stab you?"

"When did demons become such cowards, denying their deeds?"

The skulls were more wronged than Dou E but had no chance to argue further. Jin Yu attacked relentlessly.

Enraged, the skulls retaliated. Though a few ranks weaker, their demonic fire countered karma fire effectively. They weren't afraid.

The phoenix and the demon battled furiously amidst the shattered starlight.

Meanwhile, Suhe had carried Night Wanderer several thousand miles away.

Still intrigued by the colorful lines, Night Wanderer pondered the mysterious beast Jin Yu struggled to contain. He flipped through his Small Starfield Compendium but found no answers.

He resolved to capture it for study if they crossed paths again.

Elsewhere, the Forgotten Feather Forest was filled with tension as Jian Xiaolou confronted Yun Fan...