Martial Cultivator

Inside the Parasol Palace, Autumn stood beneath that parasol tree for a long time, pondering the truth or falsehood of her royal elder brother’s words.

That royal elder brother, compared with herself, actually came from much the same background. His consort mother was from the merman race in the northern demon sea. At the time, the merman race held considerable prestige in the North Sea, and there was a demon lord seated within the clan. In order to stabilize his own throne, the Demon Emperor married that woman, but no one expected that later the merman clan’s old ancestor would encounter major problems in cultivation. Not only did he suffer qi deviation, he then went on a killing spree within the merman race, causing many powerhouses to fall one after another. After that, for a long time no talented descendants were born, and the clan naturally declined beyond control. Even with marital ties to the Demon Emperor, it was still the same.

The merman race’s territory was continually eaten away. Now there remained only a single sea island, barely clinging to life, and that was because a demon royal prince was there. Otherwise, extermination of the race would hardly have been an exaggeration.

With their power gone, this royal prince was no longer well regarded in the royal palace. Being bullied in childhood was a common occurrence. The Demon Emperor shared one similarity with the Great Liang Emperor: he paid little attention to his own offspring.

Even Autumn herself was only valued by the Demon Emperor in recent years, after she displayed unparalleled talent. Before that, compared with her royal elder brother, her days were no different.

Before this, whether one lived comfortably in the royal palace depended on whether the family behind them was strong enough.

In truth, in many things, the human race and the demon race were not much different.

Now regarded throughout the demon race as the most likely to inherit the demon throne, Autumn could not think about matters from only one angle; all aspects had to be considered. However, although Autumn was clever and not easily deceived, she still felt vexed when it came to such matters.

This sort of thing was, after all, better suited for that young martial artist to think about.

Thinking of this, Autumn frowned slightly, feeling some disgust at herself for thinking of that young martial artist at this moment.

In an instant, her eyes turned completely snow-white, and she swiftly dispersed her emotions.

She did not know why, but she always felt that if she thought too much about that young martial artist, something bad would surely happen.

Taking a deep breath, Autumn returned beneath the parasol tree and continued practicing her sword.

Before leaving the demon realm next time, she had to raise her sword dao realm to the great sword immortal realm.

By that time, no matter how many methods that young martial artist had, in the end he would still die when it was time for him to die.

......

......

The High Priest had already set out for the Southern Frontier.

The demon realm was vast. If the northern demon sea was included, then this expanse of demon realm territory was, compared with the lands of the human race, in no way inferior.

It was only that the climate was harsh. The central region where the demon royal city was located, from the upper to the lower reaches of the Onan River, including the Southern Frontier, still had a few months each year, from late spring to high summer, without snowfall. But over by the demon sea, it snowed all year round, the sea surface remained frozen year-round, and for demon race members of low cultivation, life was in fact very difficult.

As for why White Jing so readily agreed to go south, and even showed great interest in the matter, if one were to say there were no reasons of this sort behind it, no one would believe it.

In truth, the High Priest understood this old friend of his very well. He knew that although White Jing was proud, he was likewise very concerned about the members of his own clan. Such a temperament was actually uncommon among the demon race, especially among great demons who had achieved cultivation and among demon lords.

Having cultivated themselves to the point of being unaffected by heat and cold, where would they still care about how others lived.

And the southern end of the demon realm, that is, the place they called the Southern Frontier, in fact had a far better climate. Many demon races gathered there, and even more tribes. Previously it had long been in a state of leaderlessness, until the previous Demon Emperor passed away and that Demon Lord Redsleeve, the previous Demon Emperor’s own younger sister, nearly ascended the throne. Although she later lost in her struggle with the Demon Emperor and did not truly take the throne, she then went south, and the Demon Emperor did not wipe her out completely.

Perhaps it was because of lingering familial affection, after all she was his royal aunt, or perhaps because the Demon Emperor was busy dealing with his other ambitious brothers. In any case, after Demon Lord Redsleeve went south and arrived in the Southern Frontier, she swept through many local tribes, forcing quite a few demon lords to bow their heads and submit.

From then on, Demon Lord Redsleeve became the de facto common ruller of the Southern Frontier.

In the present Southern Frontier City, there had long been a saying circulating among the demon race: in the demon realm, one could afford to be disrespectful to the Demon Emperor, but one must absolutely not ignore Demon Lord Redsleeve.

That current Eldest Royal Princess, in the south, spoke with far more authority than the Demon Emperor.

This was not to say how high Demon Lord Redsleeve’s prestige was in the south, or how many were willing to go through fire and water for her. Rather, it was because her methods were iron-blooded, and because she herself was there. Any matter would almost immediately come to her attention, and once it did, there was no need to say what the outcome would be.

Therefore, this time the High Priest’s journey to Southern Frontier City was not done with great fanfare, but alone, silently.

Several days later, when the High Priest arrived at the gates of Southern Frontier City, he could not help but feel some emotion. The scale of Southern Frontier City now was actually not much different from that of the demon royal city.

In earlier years, he had traveled throughout the demon realm and had naturally visited this Southern Frontier City as well. Back then, Southern Frontier City had been far smaller and far more dilapidated than it was now.

Where was there anything like its present scale.

However, he also knew that the several reconstructions of Southern Frontier City had culminated in the final one after Demon Lord Redsleeve took control.

As for why Southern Frontier City had been built to a scale comparable to that of the demon royal city, the demon races of the Southern Frontier had, over these years, thought and debated this matter quite a lot. But no matter how it was discussed, it could not escape two words: Demon Emperor.

The High Priest entered the city slowly, and did not avoid convention, paying the city-entry fee that had been learned from the human race.

After entering the city, the High Priest approached the main residence near the city center. Just as he was considering whether to directly identify himself and ask whether that Demon Lord was currently in the city, a thin, middle-aged man came over. Upon seeing the High Priest, he cupped his hands slightly and said, “You are Mister Jing, correct?”

The term “Mister” was quite rare among the demon race.[The same term can be used as tutor, teacher, gentleman, or just respected man.]

The High Priest thought for a moment, then nodded and said, “That is me.”

The man then smiled and said, “Miss Red wishes to see you.”

The High Priest asked curiously, “Miss Red?”

First “Mister” and “Miss,” forms of address common among the human race but extremely uncommon among the demon race, and then the surname Red? The High Priest could not recall having a friend here with the surname Red.

The man said, “It is Her Highness the Eldest Royal Princess.”

The High Priest was startled, and only then nodded.

With this person present, there was indeed no longer any need to consider whether it would be possible to meet Demon Lord Redsleeve. However, as he followed him toward the main residence, there was still quite a bit of idle conversation.