She moved through the bustling crowd, almost able to hear the desperate cries of her most loyal subordinate.
"Saintess, hold on!"
"Demon Lord, you scoundrel, leaving me to enjoy your pleasures!" The voice was filled with resignation and a tinge of envy. If Ye Wenxin hadn't transmigrated here, she might have been unwilling to part with such luxury.
"Saintess, it's terrible! The Demon Lord has fled with everything from the treasury."
Another subordinate reported, and the originally stunning Saintess turned red with anger, striking the nearby table in frustration.
"Demon Lord, you scoundrel!" She could only repeat this, using it to calm her turbulent emotions.
Ye Wenxin began to feel a bit guilty. After a moment's thought, she removed the restriction from the storage ring and sent it flying towards the distant Saintess with a burst of true energy.
The Saintess, contemplating how to support Feng Yue Palace, was stunned to find herself holding the storage ring. With a flash of gold, treasures began pouring out from the ring.
"Oh no!" she exclaimed, but the next moment, everyone present was engulfed in the gold and silver treasures erupting from the ring.
Not only that, but divine weapons and high-grade magical artifacts also emerged, leaving the onlookers dumbfounded, unaware of how the missing treasures had arrived there.
"Gu Qingcheng, I know you're here! Don't just leave the position of Palace Master and run away! Without you, Fengyue Palace is nothing!" The Saintess cried out for Ye Wenxin like a child abandoned, seeking that familiar presence.
Ye Wenxin sighed. Though it was unfortunate not to take the treasury, it was time to return Feng Yue Palace to its rightful owner. With this thought, she turned and left, weaving through the chaotic crowd. No one knew that this twelve- or thirteen-year-old girl was actually their unparalleled Demon Lord, Gu Qingcheng.
Three days later, shocking news emerged from Feng Yue Palace.
The head of the demonic cultivators, Demon Lord Gu Qingcheng, had entered seclusion for cultivation, leaving Saintess Liu Churan to manage all affairs until her return. This news stirred chaos, with rumors spreading wildly, the most popular being about Gu Qingcheng breaking through to the Transformation stage and entering the Tribulation stage.
Ye Wenxin sat in an inn, listening to a storyteller animatedly recounting these events. When the rumor of the Demon Lord's breakthrough to the Tribulation Stage was mentioned, everyone gasped.
"Is the Tribulation Stage really that impressive?" A commoner, unfamiliar with cultivation, asked, unable to grasp the concept from the storyteller's words.
After asking, the man tossed a silver coin to the storyteller, inquiring about the might of the Tribulation stage.
"Ah, you must be new here, brother. Let me explain. Cultivation is divided into Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Transformation, and Tribulation stages. This ranking applies to both the Immortal Sect and demonic cultivators. Ordinary people can't reach these levels, and advancement depends on time and talent."
The storyteller briefly outlined the cultivation levels, and the man continued, "Then why is everyone so scared of the Transformation stage?"
"Have you heard of Cang Yu Palace?"
"Of course."
"Do you know the strength of its leader?"
"Well, it's probably at the Transformation stage, the same as the Demon Lord."
The man replied awkwardly, guessing a term.
The storyteller, feeling smug, closed his fan and continued, "Not at all. Most sects, whether Immortal or demonic, rarely reach the Nascent Soul stage, let alone the Transformation stage."
"So this means the Demon Lord can fight ten at once in the Transformation stage?"
The storyteller glanced at the man, surprised by his directness, yet he was the first to say it so plainly.
"Well, according to you, that's about right. The Demon Lord is indeed powerful, hence called the world's number one."
The man nodded, seemingly out of questions, and the storyteller continued explaining the Tribulation stage concept.
"Those at the Transformation stage are rare, and reaching the Tribulation stage is even harder. It's said that reaching this stage allows one to become immortal."
This statement piqued everyone's interest, fueling dreams of endless life, though it was merely a fantasy.
Hearing this, Ye Wenxin tossed a silver coin onto the stage.
The storyteller beamed but found only a twelve- or thirteen-year-old girl before him.
"Little girl, was it you who tipped me?" the storyteller asked softly, unsure.
Ye Wenxin, with her delicate features, wore simple clothes. She had no cultivation aura, leaving the storyteller puzzled as to why this ordinary girl was interested in cultivation.
"Sir, I'd like to know when the Cangyu Sect is recruiting new members." Ye Wenxin asked, her voice sweet and childlike, matching her petite appearance and resembling a young heiress on the run.
"If I recall correctly, it's in about half a year. Little girl, if you're planning to attend the recruitment, how come you don't know the basic details?" The storyteller was puzzled, increasingly convinced Ye Wenxin was from a wealthy family.
"Well... it's a special situation. Could you tell me more? I want to become a disciple of the Cangyu Sect." Ye Wenxin pleaded, her voice tinged with appeal, her demeanor so endearing that the storyteller swallowed hard.
The storyteller hesitated but, given the crowd, decided to think carefully about what he should do next.
"Of course, I can. However, I haven't finished my story. You can come to me later, and I'll tell you everything I know."
Ye Wenxin thanked him, her smile captivating those around her, causing hearts to race and throats to dry, as if entranced by her presence.
She found it amusing and frustrating that she could hide her cultivation and change her appearance, even grow a third leg, but couldn't conceal her special constitution-an Ice Body.
An Ice Body, a Yin-Yang balanced physique, was more suited for dual cultivation than traditional methods.
Ye Wenxin had suffered due to this physique, rebelling against fate until she unknowingly became the Demon Lord, Gu Qingcheng.
Even now, she couldn't change or hide her Ice Body, worried about being exposed while infiltrating Cang Yu Palace.
Thinking of this, her delicate face showed a smile more painful than tears, stirring pity in those around her.
After about half an hour, the storyteller finished his tales and approached Ye Wenxin to chat.
Ye Wenxin patiently waited for the storyteller to pour tea, but he seemed to be waiting for something instead, staring at her.
"Sir, please have some tea." Ye Wenxin finally remembered she was no longer the high and mighty Demon Lord.
The storyteller's demeanor softened as he accepted the tea, drinking it in one go, then thanked her with a smile, "This tea tastes wonderful, thank you."
Ye Wenxin shivered but forced a smile, "It's the same tea."
The storyteller, a man in his forties, appeared dignified. But age-wise, he was old enough to be Ye Wenxin's grandfather.
"But in your hands, the tea is different."
Ye Wenxin felt a chill, her skin crawling, but maintained an innocent facade, continuing to ask about Cang Yu Palace's recruitment.
"It's in about half a year, and there are three written tests." The storyteller earnestly shared his knowledge, as if he'd experienced it himself.
Ye Wenxin scrutinized him. Though only at the Qi Refinement stage, he was a cultivator. Considering Cang Yu Palace's outer disciples had relative freedom, and his familiarity with it, his identity was clear.
"Are you a disciple of Cang Yu Palace?" Ye Wenxin asked, noting his pride, though he humbly replied, "Yes, I'm Mei Xiaosheng, an outer disciple of Cang Yu Palace."
He spoke proudly, though an outer disciple was nothing to the Demon Lord, yet now, he was Ye Wenxin's hope.
"Sir, you're amazing. Can you share more details about the test?" Ye Wenxin feigned admiration, suppressing her inner disdain.
"Well, I've told you all I can, but why are you so eager to join?" he asked, oblivious, continuing the conversation.
"To avoid marriage..." Ye Wenxin shared her pre-made story, speaking with such emotion that the storyteller was moved.
Indeed, when she arrived in this world, she faced a forced marriage but broke her suitor's third leg and began her journey, eventually rising to power.
The storyteller, unaware of her true story, sympathized with her plight, pondering how to help her change her fate.