The Manniu Clan, though rugged in appearance, observed every intricate ceremony without fail.
The ritual to appoint the chieftain lasted a full hour—and even now it was still not concluded.
Ye Yu, who had listened through much of it, was growing drowsy, unable to stifle successive yawns.
Yue Wanqiu beside him bore the same fatigue but never showed it.
After an indeterminate span, the entire procedure finally neared its end.
The Demon King Realm powerhouse Niu Li, whom Ye Yu had met that day, finished reading the heavenly offering proclamation from his scroll. He rolled it up and announced in a clear voice, “Let us invite the Law-Enforcing Elder, Lord Niu Shixiao, to present the chieftain’s token!”
At his words, a stern-faced man descended from the sky.
Though likewise tall, he was noticeably leaner than the other bull demons.
This was Niu Shixiao—the late chieftain’s brother, Niu Erhua’s uncle, and the Law-Enforcing Hall’s elder of the Manniu Clan.
With both hands he held a brocade box. Inside lay a simple grass ring woven from huahua branches.
It looked ordinary, but it had been passed down for hundreds of thousands of years and bore great antiquity.
Niu Shixiao approached Niu Erhua, who immediately inclined her head slightly.
According to the prearranged plan, once Niu Shixiao placed the grass ring upon her head, the inheritance ceremony would conclude perfectly.
Yet, under everyone’s watchful gaze, Niu Shixiao did not move.
Soon, all present sensed something amiss.
Niu Li, presiding over the ceremony, stepped forward and spoke by inner-voice transmission, “Elder Niu, what are you waiting for? All these demon friends are watching! If there is any issue, can’t we discuss it after the ceremony?”
Niu Shixiao shook his head, then bent slightly and placed one hand on Niu Erhua’s shoulder.
“Erhua, I have watched you grow since childhood!”
“In truth, I supported your becoming the chieftain of the Manniu Clan. But as an elder of the Law-Enforcing Hall, there are matters I simply cannot overlook. Therefore, you must give up the chieftainship!”
Niu Erhua looked blank, unable to comprehend her uncle’s meaning.
Not only she, but every demon in attendance was bewildered.
Especially the clan’s senior members—before his death, the former chieftain had explicitly named Niu Erhua as his successor, and all had agreed then.
Why now was he disrupting the succession?
Moreover, he was her own uncle—how could he do this to his brother’s daughter?
Niu Li’s gaze turned icily cold as he stepped to shield Niu Erhua. “Elder Niu, do you understand what you are saying?”
With a sneer, Niu Shixiao mounted the dais and pointed toward Yue Wanqiu. “Fellow clansfolk, behold this female demon.”
At his words, every eye fixed upon Yue Wanqiu.
Many were not strangers to the feather-clad maiden.
Yue Wanqiu had visited the Manniu Clan often enough.
Niu Li and others treated her with courtesy—evident today when, upon learning Ye Yu was her friend, they immediately lowered their defenses.
Such was Yue Wanqiu’s personal charisma.
Niu Li muttered, “Elder Niu, what exactly do you intend?”
Niu Shixiao ignored him and continued, “Some here may know this demoness, but others may not. Allow me to introduce her.”
“This is Yue Wanqiu, whose true form is said to be the legendary divine beast, Bai Ze!”
Ye Yu’s eyes widened at the revelation.
Bai Ze was a auspicious beast capable of dispelling all evil qi.
It was no exaggeration to call it the paragon of righteous creatures!
At last Ye Yu understood why Yue Wanqiu’s presence brought such tranquility to his heart—
the infectious aura of justice.
The surrounding demons began whispering among themselves.
In the demon clans, a Bai Ze had not appeared for nearly a million years.
Thus, they found this news astonishing.
Under the gaze of thousands of demons, Yue Wanqiu’s expression grew frosty. “Elder Niu, what do you mean by this?”
Niu Shixiao flung the grass ring—the chieftain’s token—to the ground and ground it underfoot.
At once, every member of the Manniu Clan rose in anger and shouted reproaches.
“Hey! What are you doing?”
“How dare you—have you gone mad?”
“You disgrace our ancestors; you deserve death!”
...
The scene was one of furious indignation.
The reason was simple.
This seemingly mundane grass ring was truly called the Ring of Life.
It was not only the chieftain’s token but also the sacred relic that had healed their ancestors.
In ancient times, when the Manniu Clan faced calamity, if not for the Ring of Life saving their forebears, the clan would have perished to history.
Thus, the Ring of Life held profound significance for every member.
Even as a Law-Enforcing Elder, Niu Shixiao had no right to trample it.
Yet, despite the uproar, he showed no fear. Instead, he wore an expression of approval.
“Excellent! Excellent! Remember how furious you are now—and ponder with your meager minds: could the true Ring of Life be shattered so easily by a single crushing blow?”
His words instantly fell like a hammer. The clamor died away.
All the bull demons frowned.
Hm—indeed, it seemed ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) unlikely.
Legend said the Ring of Life was a supreme demon-immortal artifact. How could it be so simply smashed?
Niu Erhua, undeterred, stepped forward and picked up a broken twig.
With a light pinch, she crushed it to dust.
It was clearly a branch from a Inquiry Tree!
The Inquiry Tree—a pretty name, but in the Demon Realm it was a common tree whose twigs held only the faintest demon qi. Beautiful, yes, but otherwise useless.
Niu Shixiao’s face twisted in mockery.
“Exactly. This is but a branch of the Inquiry Tree—nothing to do with the Ring of Life! Are you curious now as to where the real Ring of Life lies? Perhaps you should ask your dear godmother, Yue Wanqiu!”
