"Dear sister, are you quite alright? The big brute has been soundly beaten to a pulp by Lord Pig!"
Lord Pig spoke sweetly, patting You Ji's still-pale cheek with his furry little paw, his big eyes wide with feigned concern. He looked like an innocent, cuddly toy, completely oblivious to the fact that his actions had just reduced a high-ranking Demon Sect Envoy to a stain on the wall.
You Ji's heart was still a chaotic storm of shock and fear. The power she witnessed was beyond comprehension. She could only manage one instinctive question: "Wha—what was that sword's name?"
"Zhu Xian Sword!" Lord Pig replied cheerfully, as if stating the name of his favorite chew toy.
"The Immortal Execution Sword?!"
A sharp gasp echoed, and a majestic, middle-aged man instantly appeared before them, his gaze locked with terrifying intensity on the miniature sword in Lord Pig's paw.
"Father!" Bi Yao cried out, snapping out of her daze. She hurried forward and hugged the man's arm with relieved affection.
"Master!" You Ji also greeted him, recognizing the arrival of her leader.
This was Wanrenwang, the supreme Ghost King and head of the entire Ghost King Sect. Yet, at this moment, he paid no attention to his daughter or his trusted envoy. His entire focus was fixed on the golden creature in You Ji's arms.
"Are you… Zhu Ye? The one known as the junior brother of Qing Yunzi who has recently surfaced in Qingyun?" Wanrenwang's voice was measured, his expression deadly serious.
"Oh, you know Lord Pig? Lord Pig came here specifically to meet you!"
Lord Pig, still nestled comfortably in You Ji's embrace, casually rolled his body, tilted his head, and addressed the leader of the Demon Cult. He exhibited absolutely zero remorse or concern over having just executed the Azure Dragon Holy Envoy on the sect's front porch.
You Ji, instinctively holding the powerful creature, felt like she was cradling an active, unstable magical bomb. The most feared artifact in the realm, the Zhu Xian Sword, was resting right against her skin, and she hadn't even realized it until now.
"Lord Pig's fame precedes him; how could I not recognize such a formidable figure?" Wanrenwang stated, his eyes narrowing. He had received early, unverified reports about Zhu Hao, and the casual display of power he had just witnessed was proof enough.
Therefore, even with the blood of his second-in-command still staining the wall, Wanrenwang maintained his poise. "I wonder what brings Lord Pig here? Have you come to uphold justice and exterminate demons, perhaps?"
As he finished speaking, Bi Yao, You Ji, and the surrounding disciples all tensed up, their expressions turning wary and unfriendly toward the small pig.
"Do I really look like the sort to exorcise demons and uphold the Way?" Lord Pig asked lightly, finding a lazier position to recline. "I'll tell you straight: I heard the second volume of the Heavenly Book is in your possession. Lord Pig is here to acquire it!"
"You intend to snatch the Heavenly Book from me?" Wanrenwang's aura surged, his tone turning sinister and low.
"See? All you lot ever talk about is fighting and snatching! Am I really the kind of entity who bullies the weak and steals from children?" Lord Pig scoffed, waving a paw dismissively.
This theatrical dismissal made Wanrenwang and his entourage instinctively take a step back, their eyes darting nervously between the tiny pig and the spot where Qinglong had been obliterated.
THUD!
With a sound of shattering stone, a massive, inscribed stone tablet suddenly materialized in the middle of the hall, where Lord Pig had casually placed it from his space ring. It was covered in ancient, dense characters.
"The First Volume of the Heavenly Book!"
Wanrenwang, You Ji, and Bi Yao gasped aloud, staring with eyes that burned with centuries of accumulated desire. This was the treasure the Demon Cult had sought in vain for eight hundred years.
"He truly did find the Bleeding Cave!" You Ji realized, connecting the Hehuan Bell to this ultimate discovery.
"Lord Pig is certainly ambitious and possesses the conviction of a true patriarch-level figure!" Wanrenwang admitted, his respect now tinged with reluctant awe. Few from the righteous sects would dare conduct an open, casual exchange with the Demon King, lest they be instantly branded a traitor. Lord Pig's open approach was a testament to his utter confidence and disregard for mortal politics.
"Since Lord Pig is so refreshingly straightforward, I shall not be hypocritical either!"
Wanrenwang was decisive. He reached into his robes, retrieved the second volume of the Heavenly Book (a small jade slip) and tossed it directly to Lord Pig. He had momentarily considered refusing, but Zhu Hao's earlier demonstration and the presence of the Zhu Xian Sword made the risk far too great. An exchange was far better than outright war.
The second volume of the Heavenly Book has been discovered. It costs 1,000 energy and 1,000 experience points to collect it!
"Collect!"
Lord Pig commanded, and the jade slip was instantaneously absorbed by the system, vanishing into his space ring.
Wanrenwang was utterly bewildered. "Lord Pig, are you not worried the Heavenly Book I gave you might be a fake? You didn't even glance at it!" he asked, genuinely curious.
"Lord Pig has faith in your integrity!" Lord Pig replied smoothly, knowing the system had already verified the artifact.
"Hahaha! Lord Pig is truly a generous soul!" Though Wanrenwang still felt a twinge of pain over Qinglong's death, Zhu Hao's displayed trust earned a greater measure of his respect.
"If you dared to lie to Lord Pig, I would definitely come back and cleave you into tiny, miserable pieces with my big sword!" Lord Pig grumbled internally.
"Lord Pig is sleepy now!"
With his main objective complete, Lord Pig gave a massive yawn, stretched his neck dramatically, and immediately nestled back down, falling into a deep, peaceful sleep in You Ji's arms.
Wanrenwang, You Ji, and Bi Yao exchanged dumbfounded looks. What kind of unparalleled confidence is this? To fall asleep in the lair of the Demon King after killing one of his top men? Is he entirely mad, or simply untouchable?
"Master, what are your orders?" You Ji murmured.
"For the time being, do not antagonize him. As long as he does not overstep his bounds, let him have his way," Wanrenwang concluded darkly. He needed time to assess this variable before making a final move.
Over the next seven days, the Ghost King Sect became Lord Pig's involuntary sanctuary.
In the backyard, by a small lotus pond, You Ji sat quietly, reading an ancient scroll. Lord Pig, a small, golden orb of fur, was soundly asleep, resting perfectly on her slender thighs.
Next to them, Bi Yao sat, leaning her fair chin on one hand, her beautiful eyes fixed on the sleeping pig. In her other hand, she twisted a lock of her hair, occasionally teasing Lord Pig's nose with the delicate strands.
"Bi Yao, stop that! Lord Pig is deep in the middle of a beautiful dream about an immortal fairy!" Lord Pig grumbled, scratching his face with a small paw.
"Hmph! What fairy? Is she prettier than Aunt You and I?" Bi Yao snorted, immediately sticking the ends of her hair right up Lord Pig's nostrils.
"A-CHOOO!"
Lord Pig sneezed violently, sat up, and glared at her. "You dare disturb my sweet slumber? Prepare to face Lord Pig's invincible little fists!"
He leaped playfully into her arms, and Bi Yao laughed, gently kneading and squishing Lord Pig in her hands like he was a pampered lump of golden dough.
In this short week, You Ji, Bi Yao, and Lord Pig had established an utterly bizarre and familial rapport. The fear had evaporated, replaced by easygoing familiarity with the eccentric golden beast who liked to sleep in laps and occasionally execute envoys.
You Ji watched the interaction, a rare, gentle smile playing on her lips.
After their roughhousing subsided, Lord Pig sobered slightly. He took the exquisite Hehuan Bell from his neck and offered it to Bi Yao.
"Bi Yao, take this Hehuan Bell. It's yours."
Bi Yao's smile vanished. Her pretty face paled, and her eyes filled with sudden sadness and reluctance. "You… are you leaving us?"
"All good things must come to an end, little sister. Do not worry. Lord Pig will visit again. For me, a thousand miles is just a slow trot, and ten thousand miles is a simple morning stretch!" Lord Pig consoled her, taking her slender hand and gently fastening the beautiful bell onto her snow-white wrist.
"W-well, if you dare not return, I swear I'll fly all the way to Qingyun and give you a thorough beating!" Bi Yao threatened, her voice thick with emotion. She pulled Lord Pig into a tight, fierce hug, burying her face in his soft fur.
You Ji, seeing her daughter's distress, quickly intervened. "Lord Pig, you only gave a gift to Bi Yao. You are playing favorites, and it is truly breaking my cold heart!" she teased, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere.
"Nonsense! Lord Pig naturally has a gift for you as well, sister!" Lord Pig wriggled out of Bi Yao's embrace and jumped onto You Ji's shoulder, his tone conspiratorial.
"Oh? And what might that be?" You Ji asked, turning her head, her beautiful eyes alight with curiosity and a hint of genuine expectation. He has so many treasures…
"This!"
Before she could react, Lord Pig took one decisive step forward on her shoulder. The distance was negligible, and he instantly pressed his soft, furry snout directly against her surprised, rosy lips.
SMOOCH!
You Ji's mind went utterly blank, a flash of white-hot shock like a thousand simultaneous lightning strikes. She had been forcefully kissed by a pig!
While the legendary Holy Envoy of the Demon Sect was frozen in stupefied disbelief, Lord Pig deftly dropped the Mountain and River Fan into her lax arms. His Wind-Thunder Wings flared, and he vanished from her shoulder, reappearing instantly in front of Bi Yao.
He leaned forward, planting a second, equally unexpected kiss on Bi Yao's cheek while she was still staring at her stunned guardian.
"A final, triumphant kiss goodbye from Lord Pig!" he announced, his voice ringing with pure mischief.
"I kiss you goodbye, in this deserted little pavilion, letting the wind sneer at you for being unable to resist…" Lord Pig's booming, arrogant voice echoed through the air, and he became a golden streak, instantly disappearing far into the distance.
Wan Ren Wang looked up at the streaking golden light, his expression hardening. "Such speed! What terrifying velocity!"
Bi Yao, still processing the encounter, gently touched the spot where Lord Pig had kissed her. "You wretched, rascal pig! Don't you dare let me catch you again!" she muttered, though her tone lacked any true malice.
You Ji, still clutching the Mountain and River Fan like a shield, her beautiful face flushed a deep crimson, finally managed to stammer, "You… you detestable creature!"
She realized, with burning frustration, that the insolent pig had somehow made two of the most powerful women in the Demon Sect his unwitting accomplices, and then left them with a legendary relic and a stolen kiss.
Far above the clouds, Lord Pig chuckled mischievously, flapping his Wind-Thunder Wings.
"Kiss and fly away! How utterly exhilarating! The perfect combination of spiritual cultivation and emotional drama!" he thought, his little fat face radiating pure, unadulterated smugness.
He had his second Heavenly Book and had left behind two beautiful, powerful women who would never forget him. Mission accomplished.
Now, where was the third volume hiding? And who was next on the agenda to provide comfort and access to an ancient secret?