After accidentally killing the Devil's Pet, Lan Huoyan disappeared. She didn't want to deal with people.
For everyone who had been saved by Lan Huoyan, her identity remained a mystery. Even the Four Generals knew something was off—this wasn't something they could handle. So, they all decided to leave.
If that mysterious woman hadn't appeared, they would all be dead. It was better to return, report what happened, and never set foot in this place again. Yang Zhouka, shaken by the events, made the decision to move his Yang Clan away.
Although he had wanted to revive the West Province, he simply didn't have the strength to do so.
With that, the Yang Clan and everyone who had come to investigate agreed to head back.
Before leaving, Lan Huoyan instructed Yang Hao, Mo Yanyu, and Han Tianxue to return while she stayed behind to investigate the origins of the monster.
The three nodded in agreement and quietly slipped back. By keeping their departure a secret, no one would realize they hadn't been present the entire day.
By the next morning, everyone was ready to move out.
The Four Generals ordered their men to cut off a portion of the monster's flesh to take back for testing. Transporting the entire creature was impossible, Instead, they took small samples for research. Before leaving, they froze the remaining body to prevent it from rotting.
As they prepared to depart, Yang Hao asked to Yu Ruyi.
"Sister Ruyi, is this meat valuable?" he asked.
"Yes," Yu Ruyi replied, "but if you eat even the slightest bit without the right strength, your body will explode. The meat can enhance physical strength, but only a True Elemental can safely consume 100 grams. The stronger you are, the more you can handle."
Yang Hao nodded thoughtfully as they made their way toward the Central Province.
---
Yang Hao, Mo Yanyu, and Han Tianxue, along with the Four Generals and many others under their command, set out on their journey to Central Province. After the monster attack, the Yang Clan and the Four Generals had decided that it was best to retreat.
They could only wait for the Immortal Sects to arrive and investigate, as the situation was beyond their capabilities.
The journey from West Province to Central Province took five days, and from the border of Central Province to the Royal City took another three days.
As Yang Hao stood before the gates of the Royal City, he was surprised by their immense size. However, when he recalled the power of the Devil's Pet, he realized that such gates would be nothing in the face of such a creature.
At the entrance, guards stopped them to verify their identities.
"What's going on?" one of the Four Generals asked. The guards only checked identities when there was a problem. He also noticed an unusual number of guards patrolling inside the city.
"Lord Mu, there have been reports of hundreds of missing mortal women, including some Mortal Elemental women and one True Elemental woman. The city exits have been blocked, and we are searching for those responsible," the guard explained.
Lord Mu, one of the generals, frowned. He turned to another general, who nodded in response. The disappearance of mortal women was not an issue they were required to handle, but the disappearance of Mortal Elemental and True Elemental women demanded their attention.
Yang Hao, who had been observing the city, listened to the guard's report. He turned to Mo Yanyu and told her to be careful.
Mo Yanyu's dark hand emerged from her sleeve, retrieving a mask from inside her robe. She placed it over her face and said, "This mask is special. Only those who see me put it on can actually see me. So, I'll be safe."
Yang Hao nodded as they remained inside the carriage.
Just then, Navrita's voice echoed in his mind.
"Yang Hao."
"Yeah?"
"Among devils, there are many types. Two of them are particularly dangerous: the Lust Devil and the Breeding Devil. The Lust Devil can make any woman desire him and claim them as his own. The Breeding Devil, on the other hand, can impregnate a woman, and within ten minutes, she will give birth to a child. In just a few more minutes, that child will grow as large as its father and continue the cycle. However, each woman can only give birth to one Breeding Devil. There's a strong possibility that these disappearances are related to a Breeding Devil. But there's also a chance that a Lust Devil is involved."
"So, you're saying there's a devil in Central Province?"
"Yes. I'll go out at night to track him down," Navrita replied.
Yang Hao nodded, deciding to keep Mo Yanyu close to him.
---
A maid stood in the corner of the room, her eyes lowered respectfully. Jiang Chenxue turned to her, her deep blue eyes calm but sharp. "Did you find anything?" she asked.
The maid nodded. "Yes, my lady. I heard the missing women might be in the Royal Castle."
Jiang Chenxue gave a small nod, her expression unreadable. "Good. You may go," she said, dismissing the maid with a slight wave of her hand. The maid bowed and left silently, leaving Jiang Chenxue alone in her loosely tied robe, the fabric swaying faintly as she moved.