"That's right," Shao Chen said sheepishly.
It was only natural for a snow leopard to seek tutelage from a tiger. Perhaps it was learning to climb trees.
"Get up, get up. It's all ancient history. No need for loyalty or anything like that," Yao Yao said casually. "To be honest, it's been four hundred years. I've almost forgotten what my master looked like!"
I can attest to that. The last time Yao Yao saw the statue of Li Chengfeng atop Mount Tiesha, she was stunned for a long while before recognizing him.
After a few pleasantries, Shao Chen watched Diana emerge from the kitchen carrying a live koi, and quietly asked Yao Yao, "Mu Jigessa Man, this is..."
"Don't your Daoist temples have kitchens?" Diana asked, frowning.
"Kitchen" in Northeastern dialect means lacking cooking utensils.
"Uh... we're all demons, we don't eat cooked food," Shao Chen replied.
Diana sighed and tossed the koi into a nearby ornamental pond. She no longer had her demonic core and now had a human body. Even when she possessed her demonic core, she preferred human cuisine.
"Perhaps I should send someone to prepare something for this beautiful lady—" Shao Chen was at a loss, realizing he had failed as a host. This was a temple for demons; who would prepare human food?
"No need," I interrupted Shao Chen. "I'll arrange it."
I called Chen Ke and asked her to make something delicious for the Whale God, who would be returning soon.
"Whale God?" Shao Chen looked at Diana in surprise. I had deliberately used that title.
"Indeed," the fox demon chimed in, supporting me. "This person is the Whale God of the North Sea."
Shao Chen immediately knelt before Diana, his face filled with reverence. He was so overwhelmed that he couldn't speak.
I felt the timing was right and winked at the fox demon again. This time, she finally understood and helped Shao Chen up, then pulled him to kneel before me. Shao Chen was utterly bewildered and whispered, "Didn't I already kneel?"
"You knelt to Mu Jige's boyfriend. I haven't finished speaking. His first identity is the remarkable individual who broke the seal. His second identity is Mu Jige Sa Man's partner. His third identity," the fox demon paused deliberately, "is the reincarnation of Bai Ze!"
Shao Chen looked at the fox demon's face, blinked, and suddenly foamed at the mouth and collapsed...
Yao Yao shook her head helplessly. "Kunkun, why did you scare her!"
"The boss told me to say it!"
"I did no such thing!" I retorted.
"...You're still denying it? Your eyes were practically winking," the fox demon shook her head. "Men, after all, are just like that. Once they've had their fill, they deny everything."
Yao Yao squatted down. I had reservations about her human medical practices, but she was very skilled with demonic beings. She quickly revived Shao Chen. The other twelve demons finally relaxed. However, this time, they all chose to kneel with Shao Chen.
They had no connection to Li Chengfeng, but they were all descendants of Bai Ze, and they were kneeling to the reincarnation of their ancestor!
I calmly accepted their obeisance. Since Diana's stomach was rumbling incessantly, I couldn't delay any longer. I instructed them to establish a perimeter around this area as the northern barrier for our seaside base.
Shao Chen insisted on accompanying us to tour the base, saying he had much to discuss with me and Yao Yao, but was too excited to begin. Yao Yao was overly cautious, perhaps worried about revealing the base's location. I, however, felt it was unnecessary. A demon who had been spoken of by Li Chengfeng was surely trustworthy and wouldn't betray us.
After Shao Chen finished instructing his twelve subordinates on defense and vigilance, he returned with us to the seaside base. This time, we didn't travel through the mountains. Their Shenfeng Sect was quite wealthy and had several vehicles, so we drove back.
By the time we reached the base, after all the commotion, it was already three in the morning. In my room, yawning, I listened to Shao Chen and Mu Jige reminisce about Li Chengfeng. At emotional moments, Yao Yao would also become teary-eyed. I couldn't relate, as I hadn't known that immortal venerable. Just as I was about to find an excuse to change rooms and sleep, Shao Chen's phone suddenly rang.
"Hello, Old Thirteen, what's wrong?" Shao Chen asked.
"Boss, there's a large group of demons in the north, gathering towards Fenghuangtai."
"Which clan?" Shao Chen's voice grew tense.
"Shanhai."