Chapter Three: The Demonic Fiends from Beyond the Realm

A pot of tea was brewed.

Bai Yujing first rinsed two elegant porcelain cups with hot water, then gently placed them before Nangong Lin. He lifted the Yixing clay teapot, and a stream of clear, emerald-green tea cascaded into the cups. Wisps of steam rose, carrying the unique, rock-scented fragrance of Wushan, quietly diffusing throughout the room.

Nangong Lin picked up the warm teacup. "Thank you."

"You are welcome."

Bai Yujing set down the teapot and rose to his feet. "I am going to change my clothes." With that, he turned and walked into the adjacent bedroom.

Nangong Lin’s gaze swept across the living room: the large, soft sofa, the massive television occupying an entire wall, the strangely shaped audio equipment, and a sleek black piano standing quietly in the corner. Her eyes finally landed on the TV remote on the coffee table. With a flicker of thought, a thread of invisible spiritual sense reached out.

*Click.*

With a soft sound, the power button on the remote was pressed.

*Hum...*

The pitch-black TV screen instantly lit up, vibrant images leaping to life, accompanied by clear human voices and flowing background music.

Truly incredible. A trace of amazement flickered in the depths of Nangong Lin’s eyes. To think that, without the need for any magical power, the use of electricity could allow common citizens to enjoy such services. This was the power of science. A strong desire for knowledge welled up within her. Nangong Lin loved to read and was always willing to learn new things. In her imperial study, the plaque hanging on the wall did not read "I alone am honored," but rather "The sea of knowledge is boundless." She truly wished to delve deeper into the knowledge of this strange world.

She lowered her gaze slightly, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the warm, smooth surface of the cup.

*Creak.*

The sound of the bedroom door opening broke the silence. Nangong Lin turned her head to look.

Bai Yujing strode out. He had now shed the ordinary disguise he used to walk among the common folk, revealing his true, ruggedly masculine appearance. He was dressed in a magnificent vermilion dragon robe. Nine five-clawed golden dragons, embroidered with gold thread, coiled upon it, their scales and claws vivid and lifelike, as if they might break free from the fabric at any moment and soar into the heavens.

"All right." He sat down on the single sofa opposite Nangong Lin and naturally poured himself a cup of tea. "Tell me about the Extraterrestrial Demons."

Bai Yujing referred to himself as "Zhen," indicating he was now speaking as the Emperor of the Great Han, not as Bai Yujing. The difference was that the Emperor’s words held the weight of divine law, and no dissent was permitted.

Nangong Lin steadied herself, took a light sip of the clear tea, and began slowly. "I only became aware of the Extraterrestrial Demons in the last decade. When they invade a world, they often plant demonic seeds first to corrupt living beings. I call those who have been corrupted 'Demon-men.' Their primary characteristic is the need to periodically consume the life force of living humans; otherwise, they quickly take on the deathly state of a rotting corpse. Regardless of their original cultivation level, every one of them possesses the ability to regenerate from a single drop of blood—a great supernatural power that should only be attainable by cultivators in the Tribulation Stage."

She laid out the intelligence she had gathered about the Extraterrestrial Demons with clear logic, finally adding, "I once tried to prevent their arrival, but I failed. They possess a special power. Once they descend, they can project their power into the past. By corrupting normal beings in the past, they make their arrival an inevitability—one that can only be accelerated, never delayed."

Bai Yujing listened, then smiled. "In your opinion, who is stronger: me or those Extraterrestrial Demons?"

Nangong Lin raised her cold, clear eyes and glanced at him, her expression as calm as water. "An ant cannot distinguish between the size of an elephant and a human."

"Heh." Bai Yujing chuckled. This answer meant that the Extraterrestrial Demons could, like him, easily crush Nangong Lin, a Mahayana-stage cultivator. For the flourishing Great Han Empire, this was by no means good news. However, for him personally, the appearance of such a powerful race sparked a long-dormant excitement for battle.

He asked with interest, "Since you were able to come here, you must have a way to go back?"

"Not at the moment." Nangong Lin answered with striking bluntness, her tone remaining gentle. "According to my plan, I did not intend to confront the Extraterrestrial Demons directly for ten thousand years. I had originally intended to kill everyone in this world." The status she had promised Bai Yujing earlier was merely an empty gesture; she had never once considered fulfilling it. "If I hadn't discovered the Demon-men, I would have used the treasures accumulated in my storage ring to create a small number of humans whose life, death, and entire existence were under my surveillance. By doing so, I would have fundamentally curbed the invasion of the Extraterrestrial Demons and bought myself time to grow stronger."

"Will they find this place?"

"If you do not destroy the world, then they certainly will." Nangong Lin’s answer was resolute. "Based on the fragmented information I have accessed, the Extraterrestrial Demons have destroyed many worlds before annihilating the Divine Province. They will sooner or later—or perhaps already have—set their sights on Blue Star."

Bai Yujing fell into deep thought. If the Extraterrestrial Demons possessed such capabilities, the Empire could not afford to be unprepared.

"In your view, how should we determine if the Extraterrestrial Demons have already sown their seeds on Blue Star?"

Nangong Lin did not hesitate. "According to the memories I have read, you began implementing mandatory, free health check-ups for all citizens twenty years ago. Although Demon-men need to consume life force, their internal structure has fundamentally changed from that of normal humans. They cannot digest any food, nor can they taste it. Therefore, they could never participate in any form of medical examination, as it would expose their non-human nature."

Bai Yujing nodded. "Then we shall begin screening from those who refuse to undergo medical check-ups. By the way, do you have any means for us to appear directly at the Azure Dragon Gate of the Sacred Palace without leaving?"

"I am skilled in the technique of 'shrinking the earth to an inch'; I can take you there." Nangong Lin nodded, then changed the subject. Her tone remained gentle but carried an inviolable pride. "However, I do not want to. You may kill me if you wish."

She had been willing to disclose the threat of the Extraterrestrial Demons in the hope of using Bai Yujing’s hand to fight them. As for being ordered around like a servant? Since the other party was ultimately going to take her life anyway, why should she demean herself?

Bai Yujing spread his hands and laughed. "When did I say I wanted to kill you? The Great Han Empire is in need of top-tier talent like you!" He put forward a proposal that Nangong Lin had not expected. "I plan to establish an academy for immortal cultivation; would you be interested in helping me promote the path of cultivation and teaching the students?"

Bai Yujing seemed to remember something and added, "Is the environment of Blue Star suitable for immortal cultivation?"

"It is." Nangong Lin replied instinctively. "The spiritual energy on Blue Star is very abundant." She furrowed her delicate brows, a look of obvious confusion appearing on her beautiful face for the first time as she stared directly at Bai Yujing. "I want to overthrow your rule; you don't intend to kill me?"

"No adult would truly treat the challenge of a little girl as a threat, would they?" He shrugged, his tone casual yet permeated by an innate, absolute confidence.

Nangong Lin: "..."

She was momentarily speechless. The chasm in power between them, a gulf as wide as heaven and earth, had been pointed out in a way that felt almost "humiliating," yet it also made her realize something more clearly. This emperor before her seemed approachable, but his bones held an extreme, ultimate pride. It was just that his pride was rooted in his character, not displayed as superficial arrogance. A person with such pride who does not show arrogance can often get along well with others. In contrast, she possessed both pride and arrogance. Even if her tone was peaceful, that aloofness born of her strength and knowledge was hard to conceal. But she was proud, not stupid. As long as Bai Yujing's requests did not touch upon her bottom line, she would not easily refuse.

"Since you will not kill me," she stood up, her long sleeves swaying without a breeze, "then let us go."

Without any chanting or hand seals, she simply flicked her slender hand toward Bai Yujing.

*Hum!*

The space seemed to ripple like water. In the next second, Bai Yujing felt the scene before him blur and reorganize. His feet landed on solid, flat ground. Ahead lay the center of the Empire’s power: the Sacred Palace.