Both Loopy Toad and Zhenyuan were blank when they listened to this somewhat casual telepathic communication from Demon Saint’s virtual body.

　　Could it be that this guy wasn’t a serious person?

　　Loopy Toad tried to keep calm; Demon Saint’s lofty image in its heart had been totally ruined. It remembered how it had once idolized Second Generation Demon Saint as a kid in its clan and had collected all kinds of figurines of him.

　　No one had ever seen Demon Saint for real, which was why these figurines differed in appearance. They were all created by craftsmen in the demon world, and Loopy Toad remembered that some were limited edition collectibles carved by a well-known craftsman called Altria with the Sword of Promised Victory ¹ !

　　Second Generation Demon Saint continued speaking telepathically through his virtual body. “I’ve already ordered my Sage Master to prepare a feast; the two of you can rest assured that this definitely isn’t the Feast of Hongmen ² . It’s thanks to Senior Dog and Immortal Zhenyuan’s help this time that the unrest in the four great inner territories was quelled, forcing the four demon gods to band together against a common enemy. In fact, I need to express my thanks.”

　　Zhenyuan laughed in his heart. “You could actually tell it was all an act?”

　　“If I can’t see even that much, I should directly retire. There is a massive pension for a retired Demon Saint…”

　　Second Generation Dmon Saint said meaningfully, “Supposing that Immortal Zhenyuan was really going all out, we wouldn’t be wrestling with the power of wills just now; if we had fought for real, the entire demon world would have been destroyed. In addition, Senior Dog never took any action from beginning to end, presumably because it was considering the overall situation.”

　　“Mm, what you say is indeed correct.”

　　Immortal Zhenyuan nodded his head. “If Senior Dog took action and threw out a grade twelve spell in passing, all of you would be dead.”

　　Loopy Toad: “…”

　　“Hence this highlights how important it is to have this discussion. I hope both Senior Dog and Immortal will come. This isn’t only a matter of life and death for the demon world, but is also of the utmost importance for the human cultivation world.”

　　Second Generation Demon Saint laughed bitterly as he said telepathically, “Actually, Senior Dog and Immortal should already be able to sense it faintly – a major catastrophe is about to befall the human cultivation world… that Immortal spared no effort over a thousand years to find Drought Star is the best evidence of this.”

　　Immortal Zhenyuan’s expression turned stern when he heard this. “What do you know?”

　　Second Generation Demon Saint tossed him the bait. “I will explain the details as long as Senior Dog and Immortal come to the Holy Palace.”

　　This was a twist in events; Loopy Toad never thought it would actually receive an invitation to Demon Saint’s Holy Palace.

　　Previously, this was a place Loopy Toad didn’t even dare think about since it would never have the chance to set foot in it. Perhaps going to take a look around wouldn’t be bad?

　　Furthermore, Loopy Toad was very curious about how the position of Demon Saint was inherited. It might be able to obtain some clues through this interaction this time.

　　After a moment of silence, it nodded its head. “I can go take a look.”

　　Zhenyuan: “Since Senior Dog has already decided, I will of course accompany you!”

　　Second Generation Demon Saint exulted. “Then I wait upon your arrival. But there is one point I need to explain; given the Holy Pillar’s restriction, I am unable to welcome you in person. Senior Dog and Immortal will have to wait at the bottom of the Holy Pillar; when the time comes, I’ll have my Holy Palace’s Sage Master receive and lead you.”

　　Zhen Yuan was taken aback. “Don’t you have an immortal lift? Are your standards so low?”

　　“We just have stairs… Furthermore, the last person who climbed the stairs to the top took three hundred years to do so. It was too tragic – halfway there, he ran out of supplies and he climbed on with a weary spirit and in sheer exhaustion, almost dying in the process!” When Demon Saint said this, it seemed to Zhenyuan that there was the sound of tears in his voice.

　　Zhenyuan: “Demon Saint, why do you know this so well?”

　　Second Generation Demon Saint: “Because… I was that person…”

　　“…”

　　After he said that, the air turned tranquil once more and Demon Saint withdrew the virtual body and the power to drain things.

　　All the demons present were stunned.

　　The confrontation had actually ended just like that.

　　And it seemed to be a draw?

　　“Let’s go.”

　　Loopy Toad was silent for a moment before it spoke to Zhenyuan.

　　“Yes, senior!” Zhenyuan nodded his head in agreement, and immediately recalled his apparition, the dazzling golden light dissipating along with it.

　　Following that, Immortal Zhenyuan snapped his fingers and the heroic spirit throne transformed anew; after receiving new orders, the heroic spirits started to rearrange themselves to actually create a long flight of stairs at the top that stretched down to the bottom.

　　Zhenyuan smiled slightly, revealing his canines. “Senior Dog, this way!”

　　Loopy Toad: “…”

　　…

　　Second Generation Demon Saint heaved a deep sigh up on the Holy Pillar.

　　Sage Master watched him closely. “I never thought human cultivators would be willing to cooperate with our demon world given how deep the misunderstanding between both worlds have been over the years.”

　　Second Generation Demon Saint nodded. “I thought we had already reached a dead end in this matter, but after that fight just now, I realize that Immortal Zhenyuan is very powerful. Along with that Senior Dog and its unfathomable realm as well as its mysterious owner, we might be able to break out of this dead end if we join hands.

　　“The demon world and the earth are different, but the demon planet is in the Milky Way. I thought at first that by relying on the Gate Between Worlds as a link between the two, they could journey toward developing peace together, but I never expected the situation to come to the point it has today…”

　　Yet even though that was the case, Demon Saint today had witnessed how Loopy Toad and Immortal Zhenyuan had taken action to help mediate between the four territories. Looking at this point, he didn’t think the relationship between the human world and the demon world had reached the point of irreparable damage yet.

　　So long as they were willing to work together, they could definitely overcome this crisis.

　　Demon Saint continued, “The monster that fell through the rift in space previously might have just been a corpse, but if it had still been alive, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to handle it on my own. If our two worlds join together, there is still a possibility!”

　　Sage Master heaved a sigh. “It seems you already have a plan… I have nothing else to say, then. But I didn’t think you still had the mood to concern yourself with matters of heaven and earth.”

　　“I can hardly wait for Third Generation Demon Saint to hurry up and appear, but while I’m in office, I should at least do something worthy enough of being written down in the history of the demon world! How does the saying go… How do you become a successful demon?”

　　Second Generation Demon Saint thought for a moment before saying, “Fall without becoming a box for five years ³ , patrol the mountains like Little Drilling Wind for ten years ⁴ , reach the peak of a demon’s life in a hundred years; not a demon god, but a demon king is fine. Live quietly for a thousand years without scaling the walls of conflict, leave behind merits and a good name… It is he who can live to the end of his days, his portrait still on the wall after ten thousand days, with ten thousand demons queuing to burn him incense!”

　　“Good poem, good poem…”

　　Sage Master was startled. “I didn’t know you had this gift…”

　　“If i hadn’t become Demon Saint back then, I would’ve been an allegro singer!” Second Generation Demon Saint sighed. “If it wasn’t because my luck was good, I might not even be able to be Little Drilling Wind now… So while I’m in office at least, I want to create big news before I retire.”

　　“…”