The Grey Rat's Demon Path

Outside the Peacock Secret Realm, numerous Demon Kings had gathered in the valley.

It was still half a day until the Peacock Secret Realm opened.

Over half an hour later, a bank of yellow clouds and mist appeared in the sky. It seemed to move slowly, but it was actually incredibly fast.

The clouds descended and the yellow mist scattered.

Revealing over a hundred Foundation Establishment Great Demons.

At the very front of these hundred-plus Foundation Establishment Great Demons stood a short, scrawny old man.

The old man had shifty, rat-like eyes, a pointy chin, and hollow cheeks. With his short beard, he gave off a rather sleazy impression.

"Red Cloud Mountain has arrived!"

"A Magical Treasure, the Smoke and Cloud Barrier!"

"It's the Yellow Wind Demon King!"

"To think the Yellow Wind Demon King would come this time!"

By the side of a boulder, Xu Chang'an slowly opened his eyes, a solemn glint flashing within them.

Among all the Demon Kings present, this old man's aura was the most tyrannical.

Peak of the Middle Stage of Core Formation!

Red Cloud Mountain has three Demon Kings!

The Yellow Wind Demon King was one of them!

His true form was a Weasel Demon!

His Bloodline aptitude was merely lower-middle grade, but it seemed he had a significant fortuitous encounter in his early years that improved it.

With that, he formed his Inner Core and achieved the status of a Demon King!

The Yellow Wind Demon King had held his title for over eight hundred years; he was a true Veteran Demon King!

"Yellow Wind Demon King!"

The many Demon Kings in the valley greeted the Yellow Wind Demon King.

"Hasn't Peacock Mountain arrived yet?"

The Yellow Wind Demon King's Demon Sense swept across the area as he slowly spoke.

His voice was high-pitched yet somewhat muffled, which was rather strange.

"Not yet!"

The White Fang Demon King replied.

Among all the Demon Kings present, he had been the first to arrive.

The Peacock Secret Realm was located within Peacock Mountain's territory. Logically, the Demons from Peacock Mountain should have been the first to get here.

But now, with so many factions gathered, only Peacock Mountain had yet to appear!

This...

It was a bit hard to justify!

"Peacock Mountain..."

The Yellow Wind Demon King snorted coldly but said nothing more.

'As the hegemon of the Red Cloud Mountain Range, Red Cloud Mountain was supposed to be the last faction to arrive to make a show of its power,' Xu Chang'an mused.

'But now, Peacock Mountain, the closest to the Secret Realm, has become the last faction to arrive.'

About half an hour later.

A stir came from the sky, and all the Demons looked up. They saw a gigantic fan wreathed in five-colored light, with dozens of figures standing upon it.

"The Magical Treasure, the Flowing Cloud Fan!"

"The Peacock King is here!"

"To think the Peacock King would come in person for the Peacock Secret Realm this time!"

"No wonder..."

The Foundation Establishment Great Demons in the valley discussed in low voices.

Peacock Mountain only had one Demon King holding the fort: the Peacock King.

The last time the Secret Realm opened, the Peacock King didn't appear personally. Instead, a Quasi-Demon King from Peacock Mountain came.

Who would have thought that this time, the Peacock King would show up in person.

Given that, it seemed perfectly reasonable for Peacock Mountain to be the last faction to arrive.

The Peacock King was dressed in Colorful Palace Attire. With a face as lovely as a flower and a complexion like the moon, her black hair draped over her shoulders, she looked like a cold, stunning beauty in her early twenties.

But this very same cold, stunning beauty was the Peacock King, whose fame shook the Red Cloud Mountain Range!

The Flowing Cloud Fan landed in the valley, and the Foundation Establishment Great Demons from Peacock Mountain stepped off.

The Peacock Princess was among them.

"Peacock King!"

The White Fang Demon King, the Green-eyed Demon King, and several other Demon Kings took the initiative to greet her.

The Peacock King nodded slightly.

"Since everyone is here, let's open the Secret Realm!"

The Yellow Wind Demon King shot a wary glance at the Peacock King, and his high-pitched, muffled voice rang out.

...

Xu Chang'an stayed in a remote corner of the valley, leaning against a boulder. With his Qi Refining Ninth Layer Cultivation, he was utterly inconspicuous.

When the Peacock King, Chu Xianyi, arrived, Xu Chang'an couldn't help but take a few extra glances.

'I have to admit, the woman is graceful and elegant—quite a sight!'

Upon her arrival, Chu Xianyi hadn't concealed her aura. Her cultivation was at the Peak of the Middle Stage of Core Formation, and there were faint signs she was about to break through to the Late-stage!

Furthermore, if what the rumors said about Chu Xianyi's Golden Core were true, she might even have a chance at reaching the Nascent Soul realm!

To avoid being discovered, he stopped paying attention to her after those initial few glances.

'Speaking of which, according to our previous agreement, Chu Xianyi is my Dao Companion of convenience!'

'Little Peacock, your Dao Companion is right here, and you don't even come over to say hello!'

Xu Chang'an grumbled inwardly, treating it as a bit of fun.

In the valley, including the Quasi-Demon Kings, the number of gathered Demon Kings exceeded twenty!

For this trip to the Peacock Secret Realm, basically every top-tier faction had sent dozens of Foundation Establishment Great Demons.

Major factions with a Quasi-Demon King holding the fort sent anywhere from a dozen to over twenty Great Demons!

Besides them, there were also the chiefs of some smaller mountain factions and some Independent Cultivator Great Demons.

BOOM!

Pillars of light shot into the sky.

They were hundreds of zhang tall, their auras immense, surging straight toward the Peacock Secret Realm outside the valley.

There was a Power of Restriction outside the Peacock Secret Realm, and only by joining forces could several Demon Kings open a passage.

What had looked like an ordinary sky began to ripple and blur under the impact of the pillars of light.

WENG~ WENG~ WENG~

The light shimmered.

Then, like a shattering eggshell, it cracked open to reveal a pitch-black space.

From within the space, the faint aura of an ancient, primordial wilderness drifted out.

"The Secret Realm is open! Enter at once!"

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

One by one, the Foundation Establishment Great Demons transformed into streaks of light and flew into the Peacock Secret Realm.

The Peacock Secret Realm selection had officially begun!

...

The main purpose of opening the Peacock Secret Realm this time was to select suitable Demons, to whom a portion of resources would be allocated for focused cultivation.

Eligibility would be determined primarily by the total value of the resources they collected within the Peacock Secret Realm.

This time, the Secret Realm selection would last for three months.

Once the three months were up, the selection would end!

With three months to spare, Xu Chang'an was in no hurry.