The Heavenly Demon Grand Ancestor waved his hand dismissively. "No need to say more. Use the Heavenly Demon secret technique to contact them and order all of them to return. That mere Blood Pu old thing—leave him alive. I'll harvest him slowly in the future. Letting him die too quickly would genuinely displease me."
The Third Heavenly Demon Ancestor felt a pang of frustration. What he wanted to talk about had absolutely nothing to do with the Blood Pu Grand Ancestor.
"Grand Ancestor, I'm worried..." The Third Heavenly Demon Ancestor hedged.
"Worried about what?"
"I'm worried that the Blood Pu Grand Ancestor may have already fled to Dongyan Island and revealed our Heavenly Demon secret technique's secrets to the human race. If that happens, the human cultivators will definitely not let us refine things so easily. For the next several decades, things will be extremely difficult for us."
"Hmph! What hardships haven't our demon race endured before? The more dire the adversity, the more it sharpens our potential. What are you worried about? Go—summon them back immediately. We need to find a place and seclude ourselves for bitter cultivation. There's no time to waste idling here!"
The Heavenly Demon Grand Ancestor's tone carried a note of impatience.
Seeing him like this, the Third Heavenly Demon Ancestor didn't dare to push back. He knew the Grand Ancestor's mentality had already begun to bloat with overconfidence—whatever he said now would likely fall on deaf ears.
Then he'd just summon the others back quickly. Even if the Fourth was already dead, there were still five ancestors remaining. Once all five broke through to their peak state, the demon race's revival would have excellent prospects.
The Third Heavenly Demon Ancestor stepped outside and began channeling the Heavenly Demon secret technique to summon his companions.
Not long after he stepped out, the Seventh Heavenly Demon Ancestor from the outer perimeter had already returned. Spotting the Third, he approached on his own initiative. "Third Brother, I sensed something happen to the Fourth just now. What exactly was that? Was I imagining things?"
The Third Heavenly Demon Ancestor saw it was the Seventh who had returned and waved him off. "Seventh, you're back—good. Did you see the Second or the Fifth?"
"No! Wasn't the Fifth with the Fourth?"
The Third Heavenly Demon Ancestor let out a sigh, his gaze complicated as he stared into the distance. Clearly, he was worried—if the Blood Pu Grand Ancestor had defected to the human race, then the Fourth and the Fifth would both be in enormous trouble.
"Seventh, why are you still standing here? Now that you're back, go report to the Grand Ancestor," the Third said, glancing at him.
"Mm." The Seventh Heavenly Demon Ancestor nodded lightly and brushed past the Third's shoulder.
But just at that moment, the Third's nose twitched slightly, as though he had picked up on something. "Seventh, wait."
"What is it?" The Seventh stopped in his tracks.
"Did you see the Second?" The Third's eyes flickered.
"No?" The Seventh wore a bewildered expression. Of course, this Seventh Heavenly Demon Ancestor was none other than Jiang Chen in disguise. Hearing the Third's question, his heart sank.
"You didn't see him, yet there's a faint trace of his scent on you—a unique incense fragrance that belongs exclusively to the Second. And it was deposited very recently."
Jiang Chen's heart stirred, but he broke into a grin. "You're making a mountain out of a molehill. Maybe I just passed through an area the Second walked through recently? Leaving behind a bit of scent is perfectly normal."
Jiang Chen waved his hand dismissively, and in the same motion, a Glazed Divine Talisman in his palm activated. Divine light erupted—the Glazed Divine Talisman's offensive power detonated instantly, blasting straight toward the Third Heavenly Demon Ancestor.
Jiang Chen knew that any more questioning would blow his cover. Better to strike first. He had actually already been preparing to make his move.
And this Glazed Divine Talisman packed a full-powered strike equivalent to the Glazed Divine Venerable's own might—its destructive force was tremendous.
Even the Third Heavenly Demon Ancestor, caught completely off guard, might not be able to withstand it.
The Third had already grown wary amid his suspicion. But at such close range, dodging the entire attack in one instant was obviously no easy feat.
The attack detonated. Despite the Third Heavenly Demon Ancestor's desperate retreat, the blast still caught him square in the chest. A wave of pressure crashed through his torso, sweetness flooded his mouth, and a thin trail of blood slowly oozed from the corner of his lips.
"A trap, just as I suspected!" The Third Heavenly Demon Ancestor let out a long, piercing cry to alert the Heavenly Demon Grand Ancestor.
Jiang Chen let out a soft snort. "Then die!"