"Li Yun, ah Li Yun," Yan Zhengming said with his usual teasing smile, "you are really something."
Cheng Qian knew he had to show his position. He quickly stepped forward with the wooden token Master had given him. He picked up the sword his senior brother had thrown aside and walked to Yan Zhengming's side.
"Second Senior Brother, you can go back and find Master yourself," Cheng Qian said calmly.
With someone supporting him, Yan Zhengming's sneer grew even wider. From three steps away, anyone could feel his sarcasm.
"You're not even as brave as a child," Yan Zhengming said to Li Yun, whose face had turned pale. Then he turned to Cheng Qian, so excited that he forgot his name. "Little… um… little copper coin, come with me."
Cheng Qian sighed helplessly. "Senior Brother, my name is Cheng Qian, not Copper Coin."
Yan Zhengming just hummed, as if there was no difference between the two names. He picked up his sword, lifted his chin proudly, and said, "Even if Master isn't here, you're holding his water-diverting talisman. I don't believe we can't flood this broken mountain gate!"
Cheng Qian almost stumbled when he heard that. Hadn't Senior Brother just said it was a thunder spell? Now it was water again? Could their sect's talismans really change between gold, wood, water, fire, and earth so easily?
Then Cheng Qian noticed something. Yan Zhengming's hand, the one holding the sword, was trembling slightly.
Cheng Qian thought bitterly, Senior Brother may be confused, but he still remembers to bluff.
Both boys knew their own limits. They were pretending to be brave heroes, but cold sweat was running down their backs.
Just then, the wind rose again.
As Yan Zhengming continued shouting, veins bulging on his hand, the stone door suddenly creaked and slowly opened inward.
It worked.
The old demon had actually believed his nonsense.
Cheng Qian was used to keeping a straight face, but Yan Zhengming had to struggle to stop himself from grinning proudly. He wiped his face and said politely, "Thank you, Senior."
Li Yun didn't know the truth. He was shocked by their "fearlessness." Seeing them enter the stone gate without hesitation, he froze for a moment. He was terrified, but he couldn't just turn around and run. After a stiff pause, he gritted his teeth and followed them inside.
Behind the stone gate was a large mansion-like cave. There was no old witch inside—only a giant bird lying weakly in the corner.
It wasn't an old hen. It was a golden phoenix, but its beautiful feathers were dull and scattered on the ground. Above the bird's head floated the image of a woman. Her voice was hoarse, but her face was not old. She still looked young.
Her eyes fell on the wooden token in Cheng Qian's hand.
"Whose spell is that? Let me see it," she said.
Yan Zhengming was about to continue lying, but the woman snapped sharply, "Shut up, little brat. Do you really think you can fool me? Bring it here!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Cheng Qian felt a strong pulling force. Before he could react, his body was dragged toward the giant bird. Yan Zhengming quickly grabbed him to stop him. Cheng Qian's chest hit his senior brother's elbow hard. The wooden token slipped from his hand and fell to the ground, but it was immediately pulled toward the phoenix by the woman's power.
Only then did Yan Zhengming realize something important. Even if the woman was badly injured and couldn't move much, killing the three of them would still be easy for her.
The woman reached out to grab the token from the air. Suddenly, a bright light burst out in the darkness. The three boys couldn't see what happened and closed their eyes. They heard a sharp cry. When they opened their eyes again, the wooden token had fallen back onto the ground.
The woman's figure had grown weaker. She shrank back in fear and muttered, "It's not him… This is Bei Mingjun!"
The boys looked at each other. Neither Cheng Qian nor Yan Zhengming knew who this "Bei Mingjun" was.
At last, Li Yun, who had been quiet the whole time, spoke softly.
"Bei Mingjun isn't a person. It's said that Beiming is a deep and endless sea of darkness. The Sect of Ten Thousand Demons is often compared to it. Over time, 'Bei Mingjun' became a title among demon cultivators—something they all want to claim."
He continued, "Senior Zipeng, this spell was carved by our master. The wood shavings haven't even been cleaned off yet. It's not from any demon lord."
Cheng Qian quietly asked, "What is the Sect of Ten Thousand Demons?"
Yan Zhengming answered uncertainly, "The strongest group among demon cultivators… like a big demon sect?"
Cheng Qian didn't think their master could possibly be some great demon lord. But from another point of view… maybe it wasn't completely impossible.
"Bullshit!" the woman shouted angrily.
Then she pointed at Cheng Qian. "Boy, come here."
Before Cheng Qian could respond, Yan Zhengming stepped in front of him.
He secretly shook his head at Cheng Qian and said politely, "Senior, my junior brother just joined the sect and doesn't know all the rules yet. I'm afraid he might offend you. If you have something to say, you can tell me."
He was tall, but his shoulders were still thin like a teenager's. Cheng Qian looked at his back and pressed his lips together. For the first time, he didn't see his senior brother as useless.
"I'm calling him!" the woman snapped. "What does it have to do with you?"
Cheng Qian quickly said in a low voice, "Senior Brother, it's fine."
He stepped forward through the heavy demonic aura.
"Pick up the spell," the woman ordered.
Cheng Qian bent down and picked up the wooden token. The moment he touched it, he felt a violent power inside it, like a fierce beast trapped within. But as soon as he held it, the power calmed down, as if it recognized him.
For a brief moment, the fear in his heart faded. A strange thought rose in him: When will I have this kind of power? When will I be able to go anywhere in heaven and earth without fearing anyone?
The woman stared at the token for a long time. Her expression changed several times before her tone softened.
"You came looking for someone? Fine. There is an Immortal Platform among the demons. There are restrictions on it that prevent demons from entering, but humans can. Go there and bring me something from the platform. If you do, I'll return the child who wandered in."
To an eight-hundred-year-old monster like her, these boys probably seemed like foolish chicks.
Unfortunately, they were not that easy to fool.
They exchanged several looks. Finally, Yan Zhengming made the decision: no matter what, they had to enter Demon Valley first.
As for what to do afterward… he didn't think that far. From the look of things, the phoenix might die on her own soon anyway.
Before leaving, Yan Zhengming cleverly picked up one of her fallen feathers.
They left through a shallow water path. After a short struggle through the water, they climbed onto the shore and reached the Valley of Demons.
As soon as they got out, Yan Zhengming slapped the wet feather onto Li Yun's chest.
"In ancient times, there was a fox borrowing a tiger's power. Now there's a brat borrowing a demon mother's power," he said. "You, hurry up and find a way to locate that person. We must leave before dark!"
Li Yun's heart tightened. "Senior Brother… is there something dangerous about night in this valley?"
Yan Zhengming snapped, "No! I just want to go back and take a bath. My feet are covered in mud!"
Cheng Qian was speechless.
He could tell Yan Zhengming wasn't joking. His expression looked like he truly wanted to cut off his dirty feet.
Under pressure, Li Yun bit his fingernails and finally came up with an idea.
He took out a small bottle from his clothes. Cheng Qian immediately recognized it.
"Isn't that toad foot wash?" he blurted out.
Li Yun looked deeply offended. "Junior Brother, this is Golden Toad Divine Water."
Three drops of it could turn a pebble into a jumping toad.
Yan Zhengming stared at it with disgust, unsure whether he was afraid of it or simply thought it was revolting.