Chapter 63: The Demon Realm – Taking a Master

“I know I’m just a half-blood of the Wood and Human clans, but I want to live, to become stronger, and to not be so helpless anymore. If you could just give me a little guidance, I’d be grateful. I don’t dare hope to inherit all your skills—I just want to learn a bit of self-defense.”

Yue stared at Sang Chu, picking up the jade stone in her hand and weighing it. “Since you’re so sincere, I’ll just—”

“Wait!!!!”

Hu Sui rushed in from outside, snatching the jade stone from Yue’s hand. “Wait, wait, wait! I saw this little cub first! What are you doing, you big black dog?!”

Yue glared at Hu Sui. “You damned fox, I’m the one who saved this little cub’s life! She wants to take me as her master, so why should you get involved? Go away, go away, go away! Don’t get in my way, so annoying!”

Hu Sui’s figure flickered so fast that Sang Chu couldn’t even see him clearly.

Then, in the blink of an eye, the two started fighting.

All Sang Chu could hear was the whooshing of wind.

“Instead of just taking one as your master, why not take both of us?” she said softly. After all, you can never have too many masters!

But as soon as she said this, both Hu Sui and Yue froze, then turned to stare at her in shock. “Do you know what you’re saying?”

Feeling intimidated by their gazes, Sang Chu unconsciously took a step back. “Well, um, Masters, I’m not very strong. Being able to take either of you as my master would already be more than enough. I just wanted to learn a bit of self-defense. But if you don’t mind, I’d be willing to take both of you as my masters.”

Looking into her clear, innocent eyes, Hu Sui and Yue, both great demons, exchanged a glance.

Yue said, “I’m fine with it.”

Hu Sui said, “Me too.”

…

Sang Chu followed the two demons through the streets of the demon city.

Above the mountains, the forests were as dark as ink.

A long white road wound its way up, connecting many mountain valleys, finally reaching the highest peak.

From a distance, it looked like a giant white serpent sleeping among the mountains.

Hu Sui said, “This is the Mountain of Myriad Demons. If you want to take a master, you must walk into these mountains.”

Yue added, “Only after enduring the baptism of demonic power can you enter the mountains to cultivate.”

Hu Sui took out a small folding fan, its black ribs inlaid with fiery patterns. “This is the Fire Jade Fan. Its ribs are forged from the bones of a fire fox, and the fan surface is made from the ink of the Deep Ink Vine, refined together with fire jade. It’s a powerful magical weapon.”

Hu Sui continued, “You have a dual-element heavenly spiritual root, with the wood element being the strongest—this is related to your Wood Clan bloodline. Among dual-element roots, wood and fire are the most compatible, so this Fire Jade Fan is perfect for you.”

Sang Chu felt a little suspicious. Isn’t this a weapon for dual-element cultivators?

She guessed he might have seen through her secret, but she hadn’t expected to be so transparent in his eyes!

If she hadn’t eaten the wood core from the plant spirit, she really would have been in trouble in the demon realm!

No wonder so many people died in Butterfly Valley!

Hu Sui saw her dazed look and urged, “Don’t just stand there. Take it. This fan suits you perfectly.”

Sang Chu quickly accepted it, not daring to say anything more—better to say less!

After dripping her blood to claim ownership, she curiously asked, “Master, how do I use this?”

Hu Sui replied, “Fire is hard to control. Try channeling your wood spiritual power into the Fire Jade Fan first.”

“Okay!”

Sang Chu carefully injected her wood spiritual power into the fan.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

Countless wooden thorns shot out, extending rapidly!

Not bad at all!

“Master, this fan is amazing!” Sang Chu exclaimed.

Hu Sui smiled. “This fan was originally made for my crane, but he was born with a weak heart and couldn’t cultivate. I was going to give you the fan in exchange for a bit of your wood heart to extend my crane’s life. But now that you’re my disciple, about that wood heart…”

Wood heart?

Yue frowned slightly. “I knew you, you wily fox, were up to no good. The wood heart is the very essence of the wood element, and you’re actually asking a little girl for it!”

Essence?

Sang Chu couldn’t help but think of the wood core. Isn’t that what they’re talking about?

She quickly contacted Tu You in her mind: [Little Rabbit, is the wood heart in the demon realm the same as the wood core?]

Tu You, who was busy helping Sang Chu with her questions, paused and replied: [There’s no real difference. Both are the source of wood element power. If you want to make a deal, just use the wood core. The wood heart only works at full effect if given willingly by a Wood Clan member. He probably needs a pure wood heart to cure his crane, but the wood core doesn’t have that limitation.]

[Okay, I’ll tell him.]

Hu Sui was getting anxious as Sang Chu stayed silent, but he couldn’t just blurt out his request. “Little disciple, if you can condense a drop of wood heart for me, I’ll teach you everything I know!”

Sang Chu hesitated for a moment before saying, “Master, I think I have something like the wood heart you mentioned, but I’m not sure if it’s mine, or if it’s related to me. I got it by chance in another realm, and I’ve forgotten a lot of things.”

As she spoke, she took out the wood core, feeling a bit nervous—what if he noticed the difference between the wood core and the wood heart?

But to her surprise, as soon as he got the wood core, Hu Sui’s whole face lit up with joy!

“There’s no mark of your soul on this wood core, so it’s probably not your own. You must have gotten it in some secret realm. I won’t be polite, then—I’ll teach you how to use the Five Elements!”

Yue, watching from the side as Sang Chu handed over such a precious treasure, couldn’t help but smack her on the head.

“Ow—!”

Sang Chu, caught off guard, clutched her head in pain. “Master Yue, you hit me so hard!”

“Serves you right, you silly girl! Do you know how precious the wood heart is?”

“But Master Hu Sui’s crane needs it, right?”

Both Yue and Hu Sui fell silent. Hu Sui realized she was suspicious. Originally, he’d planned to give her a magic weapon and slowly tempt her into handing over her wood heart. His wife’s crane would soon bear fruit, and once the fruit matured, he could control the situation.

He’d only mentioned the wood heart today to plant the idea in her mind for later, so he could use it to charm her.

He never expected that just by mentioning it, Sang Chu would hand it over immediately!

Even if it wasn’t her own original wood heart, it was still an incredibly rare treasure.

Hu Sui felt no shame—he just thought this half-wood, half-demon cub was truly generous. “Alright, Yue, she’s not that bright to begin with. If you hit her any harder, she’ll be even dumber! Little Sang Sang, come, I’ll take you to Fox Mountain.”

As he spoke, he instantly transformed into a giant nine-tailed fire fox. With a flick of his tail, he swept Sang Chu onto his back and sped off toward a tall mountain."