Changyuan didn't seem to have any intention of killing this demon, nor had he caused any lasting damage to his body or bones. He was simply torturing him—making him endure unbearable physical suffering in order to break his will and force him into servitude.
So while the demon's injuries appeared severe, they were in fact nothing serious. He was merely too weak from being imprisoned here for several months.
After consuming the Myriad Medicine Spirit Milk, with his physical constitution, he would recover in a dozen days or so.
Yang Kai took a deep breath, his expression gradually relaxing.
"Holy Lord Yang..." A figure suddenly materialized out of thin air beside Yang Kai. The demon lord Changyuan appeared with an unhurried air, his face twisted in a bitter expression. He let out a dry laugh: "The moment you set foot in my Demon Palace, you start laying hands on my people. That's hardly appropriate, is it? Did you even bother to ask me—the owner—for my opinion?"
"Your person?" Yang Kai straightened up and regarded him with cold menace, his expression anything but friendly. He sneered: "He's MY person!"
Changyuan's brows furrowed as he looked at Yang Kai in puzzlement: "What does Holy Lord Yang mean by that? This lord doesn't quite understand. Could it be that Holy Lord Yang has mistaken him for someone else? He—"
"His body belonged to a demon general from years past, but the soul inside is that of a friend of mine!" Yang Kai cut him off before he could finish, not giving the demon lord the slightest face.
Changyuan's expression shifted, surprise showing on his face: "So Holy Lord Yang already knew about this!"
"I'll settle this with you later!" Yang Kai gritted his teeth, bent down, and lifted the demon from the ground. He shot Changyuan a sidelong glance: "Arrange a room. I'm going to treat his injuries."
Changyuan could only smile bitterly and hastily nod.
He could tell that Yang Kai wasn't speaking nonsense or making baseless claims. The soul hidden within that former demon general's body might genuinely have some connection to him—and not a shallow one at that.
Brimming with silent resentment, Changyuan still cooperatively arranged a side chamber for Yang Kai.
Inside the side chamber, the demon lay on the bed while Li Rong and Han Fei continuously channeled demonic yuan into his body to aid his recovery.
Changyuan watched from the side for a while and found it rather dull. He made a perfunctory excuse and left.
Stepping out of the Demon Palace, the second-layer Saint Realm demon who had led Yang Kai and the others here was still waiting outside. Upon seeing Changyuan, the demon hastily bowed in respect.
"Send word to Gou Qiong and the rest. Tell them to come to the Demon Capital at once—I want to see them within ten days!" Changyuan ordered in a grave voice.
"Yes!" The demon accepted the command and departed immediately.
Only after he had gone did Changyuan turn to look back at the towering Demon Palace. His gleaming eyes could barely conceal the excitement within. His face twitched slightly.
Yang Kai had come—bringing the Demon God's Secret Canon with him. That meant the problem which had plagued him for hundreds of years would finally be solved! It had been his deepest wish ever since becoming a demon lord, and now that the most critical moment was at hand, how could he not be excited?
"There's nothing more to worry about. He should regain consciousness in about half a day!" Li Rong and Han Fei withdrew their hands, no longer channeling demonic yuan into the demon's body, and gave Yang Kai a slight nod.
"Mm." Yang Kai acknowledged with a murmur, his gaze complicated as he looked at the demon before him. He hadn't expected that the one he'd thought needed the least worrying about would have fallen to such a state.
"My lord... this person..." Li Rong looked at Yang Kai with curiosity, not understanding why he placed such importance on this demon.
Yang Kai smiled: "His name is Earth Demon!"
"I just heard that this body belonged to a demon general from the past?"
"That's right. Earth Demon originally had only a wisp of a remnant soul. By chance, he obtained an intact demon general's body. His divine soul took possession and claimed this shell." Yang Kai immediately explained.
Li Rong and Han Fei nodded repeatedly as they listened, only then understanding the connection between Yang Kai and Earth Demon.
When Yang Kai had been very, very weak, Earth Demon had always been by his side, helping him in many ways. Though at first, neither trusted the other and both harbored killing intent. But as time passed, through their earnest cooperation, they gradually opened up to each other. In the end, even after Earth Demon gained his freedom, he never left Yang Kai's side.
He was grateful that Yang Kai had given him a second life, and Yang Kai was equally grateful for the help Earth Demon had provided.
As they were speaking, Earth Demon suddenly opened his eyes and called out with great effort: "Young Master! Old Meng!"
Yang Kai's spirits surged. He quickly turned to him, asking with concern: "How do you feel?"
"Terrible!" Earth Demon curled his lip, his face full of indignation.
Meng Wuya burst out laughing: "You old demon—how did you end up like this? If Yang Kai and I hadn't happened to come here today, you'd still be enduring that torture!"
"Damn it all—once I cultivate to the third layer of the Saint Realm, I'll wring Changyuan's head off and use it as a chamber pot! That's the only way I'll get over this grudge!" Earth Demon cursed between ragged breaths.
"If you've got what it takes, come right ahead. I'll be waiting!" Changyuan strolled in with a wide smile on his face, looking as if nothing had happened.
Yang Kai fixed him with a cold, sinister gaze.
Changyuan said leisurely: "Don't blame me, Holy Lord Yang. I truly didn't know he was your person. I did behave rather rudely toward him before, I'll admit. Mm—consider this my apology to this brother here."