On the other side, just outside the Jiyue Pavilion,
After a brief wait, Ying Huo and Yu Bu Xia finally saw the “little lion” Gu Ji they had come to find. Gu Ji regarded the two unfamiliar deities with wary curiosity and asked, “We don’t know each other, do we? You came all the way to Jiyue Pavilion for me—what’s the reason?”
Ying Huo didn’t answer immediately. She studied Gu Ji’s appearance intently. Indeed, from her bearing and aura, Gu Ji was a formidable rival. A fleeting thought even crossed her mind—should she eliminate this opponent before Ye Yu learned of her existence? But the idea was too rash. More than cruelty, Ying Huo feared that if Ye Yu discovered the truth, he would never forgive her. After all, it was not uncommon for high-ranking evil deities to entertain dangerous schemes.
Gu Ji, as a demon goddess, was exceptionally sensitive to killing intent. Though Ying Huo’s murderous thought had lasted only an instant, Gu Ji detected it. Her golden hair lifted slightly as if caught in a breeze, and her eyes narrowed into predatory slits. “You... want to kill me?”
The question instantly made the air crackle with tension.
Yu Bu Xia glanced at Ying Huo and shook his head subtly, then stepped forward with a smile. “You’re Gu Ji, right? I’m Yu Bu Xia, and this is my friend Ying Huo. We didn’t come with any other ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) purpose but to ask if you’ve seen Ye Yu recently.”
At the mention of Ye Yu’s name, Gu Ji’s eyes brightened. In the divine realm, only she and Shen Fu Xin had known of Ye Yu’s existence—it was as if he had vanished without a trace. Hearing his name spoken aloud stirred her excitement, but uncertainty held her back. “What is your relationship with Ye Yu?” she asked coolly.
“I am Ye Yu’s wife!” Ying Huo declared, pointing at herself with unwavering confidence—as though the legitimate consort challenging a rival.
Yu Bu Xia hid a groan behind his hand. Sister, what was our real purpose here? Charging in with such a boast would only make Gu Ji close off completely—even if she knew where Ye Yu was, she’d never tell you!
Unsurprisingly, Gu Ji’s expression turned icy. “I am Ye Yu’s wife! I’ve never even heard of you.”
“Funny—I’ve never heard of you either,” Ying Huo shot back. “Who’s to say you’re not an impostor, pretending to be his dao partner?”
Ying Huo stepped forward to confront Gu Ji, but in height she was at a disadvantage. As a demon goddess, Gu Ji stood half a head taller, her presence naturally more imposing. For women, height could matter as much as power.
Ying Huo sighed inwardly and summoned a bit of levitation, lifting herself just enough—about a centimeter—to look down on Gu Ji. Cheating perhaps, but it gave her the psychological edge she craved.
“Heh,” Gu Ji growled, “so you came looking for trouble. No matter—when I defeat you both, I’ll learn everything I want to know!”
Her ferocious roar made Ying Huo laugh outright. Challenging an Ancient God Realm deity to battle when she herself was only a Great God Realm practitioner?
“Little lion,” Ying Huo called out, “you’re brave, but you know nothing of my power!”
Her divine energy began to surge around her. Her robe billowed though there was no wind, and the stars overhead gleamed with renewed brilliance.
Yu Bu Xia moved forward to stop her, but a gentle force pushed him back—it was clearly Ying Huo’s doing: “Stay out of this!”
“Listen,” Ying Huo said to Gu Ji, “I won’t belittle you. I’ll suppress my cultivation to match yours. If you lose, you’ll obediently tell me what you know. If you win, I’ll answer any question you have. Deal?”
Confidence radiated from Ying Huo’s face. Gu Ji met her gaze without fear. “Gladly.”
...
Meanwhile, within Equilibrium City, the bickering had escalated to the brink of violence. The temple guardians’ attempts to intervene failed, so they reported to the city lord’s mansion, seeking guidance. Little White was unfazed—this sort of squabble was nothing new. Whenever Yu Bu Xia was away, it had often been Little White who maintained order here.
With supreme confidence, Little White declared, “As long as I’m around, Equilibrium City won’t turn upside down! Let me see what’s happening—if it gets really bad, I’ll just swallow them whole!”
Ye Yu raised an eyebrow in surprise. Little White winked and proclaimed, “Big brother, I’m half the power in Equilibrium City now. When sister-in-law and Yu Bu Xia came looking for you, I held the fort!”
Intrigued, Ye Yu followed the temple guardian to the scene of the disturbance. Hundreds of deities had gathered—most spectators, only four agitators: a handsome middle-aged god named Han Gu and three vendor deities. They were still hurling insults.
“Curse your ancestors! You dare talk back? You think I’m soft? Come on, today I’ll beat you!”
“Count me in!”
“Me too!”
“Hmph, you really think I’m afraid of you three? Enough talk—let’s fight!”
The onlookers cheered on instead of stopping them. Everyone knew fights were forbidden in Equilibrium City, but these four were no pushovers, so the crowd eagerly awaited the outcome.
The temple guardians finally shouted, “Quiet! White God of Equilibrium City has arrived! If you have any complaints, bring them to White God!”
Han Gu furrowed his brow and turned to look. White God? Little White? Could they be the same? His gaze locked upon Ye Yu, barely noticing the small white creature beside him—as far as he was concerned, it was just a decorative divine pet.
The three vendors, regulars in Equilibrium City, recognized White God’s reputation. Though Little White looked harmless, it devoured gods without leaving bones. Seeing its arrival, they immediately fell silent and bowed. “We pay respects to White God. This matter isn’t our fault—it’s this guy who insulted us first and acted arrogantly afterward. We humbly ask White God to let us settle this outside the city. We swear we won’t cause trouble here again.”
