After a brief exchange, the Light Sect Master quietly departed. Truth be told, he had sustained considerable injuries.
While his life wasn't in danger, it would be a grave mistake to underestimate the casual kick from Senju Yukika.
Even though Yukika hadn't used any spiritual energy or magic pressure—just raw chakra—his physical strength alone had surpassed normal boundaries. The Light Sect Master simply couldn't endure it.
That's precisely why Yukika chose not to kill him. Otherwise, that kick alone would've ended the Light Sect Master's life on the spot—no exaggeration at all.
Once the Light Sect Master left, Lord of Stone City returned to his quarters. At dawn, his subordinates came back aboard a flying vessel, bringing along photographs of stone walls from other cities.
The Mayor of Stone Town immediately informed Yukika, and soon after, everyone gathered in the main hall.
There, several giant stones had been placed on the ground. Hanging above each stone was a crystal screen, clearly replicating the walls from other cities for display.
The Lord of Stone City spoke slowly, "Brother Yukika, this one shows the wall of Tyrant City, and that one belongs to Sunrise City."
These two cities were the closest neighbors to Stone City. Together, they formed a triangular territory spanning nearly 800 to 900 miles.
If any demon were to act, there'd be no escaping the surveillance images projected from these walls.
As the images began to play across the screens, they soon captured the back of the demon from Tyrant City.
Shangguan Wan'er's eyes immediately lit up with recognition. The figure was all too familiar to her.
Then came a crucial moment—just as everyone held their breath, the demon turned, revealing his face completely to the onlookers.
The man had a high-bridged nose and narrow eyes that gleamed with a sinister glint. His complexion was a dull, ashen gray, and an eerie aura shimmered around him.
Next, the Lord of Stone City played the footage from Sunrise City. Sure enough, the demon had appeared there too, although he'd changed clothes—likely in an effort to conceal his identity. He was seen exiting from the eastern side of Sunrise City, then turning sharply right and flying off into the distance…
The moment this played, Lord of Stone City's heart skipped a beat. He muttered to himself, This isn't good.
Because just a little ways to the right of Sunrise City… was where the legendary treasure was about to appear.
He immediately concluded that the demon must have caught wind of the treasure's existence and was trying to slip in unnoticed and take advantage of the chaos.
He stole a glance at Yukika's expression, hesitant and uneasy. He certainly didn't want Yukika to find out about the treasure.
But the surveillance footage had already played to completion. Shangguan Wan'er fell into deep thought.
She suddenly asked, "Lord of Stone City, what lies west of Sunrise City?"
Yukika also turned to look at him. The city lord let out a quiet sigh. He knew the secret could no longer be kept.
Slowly, he answered, "Roughly two hundred miles west of Sunrise City lies the Jufeng Mountain Range."
Jufeng Mountain Range?
Tanaka Kuma, standing nearby, was visibly surprised. He had wandered through that region before, during his years of drifting. In fact, he'd once encountered a high-ranking military officer there and received an incredible opportunity.
Yukika fell silent. The appearance of Buddhist monks on Jufeng Mountain was already unusual, and now the demon Shangguan Wan'er had been chasing was heading there as well.
Could it be that something mystical was drawing them all to that mountain?
Yukika pondered, Maybe I need to go to Jufeng Mountain too…
The mayor of Stone Town could read Yukika's thoughts from his expression. His worst fears were materializing.
At that moment, two figures appeared quietly in the hall—it was the Sect Masters of Thousand Moons and Black Tiger Sects.
They had received word that the treasure would appear today. There was no more time to delay—they simply couldn't wait any longer.
But when they saw Yukika and the others already gathered in the hall, their faces flushed with embarrassment. They opened their mouths to speak, then quickly fell silent.
The Lord of Stone City gave them a sharp look, signaling them to leave immediately.
Yukika suddenly said, "If you've got something to say, say it here and now. Why sneak around like thieves?"
Hearing Yukika speak up, the Lord of Stone Castle smiled bitterly. He knew this treasure probably wouldn't end up in his hands anyway.
Sect Master of Thousand Moons was momentarily speechless, but the Black Tiger Sect Master sighed, realizing the truth couldn't be hidden any longer.
So, he decided to come clean. "We'll be honest with you, Lord Yukika—today, a rare and powerful artifact is going to be born on Jufeng Mountain."
"A rare artifact?"
Yukika murmured, turning the thought over in his mind.
No wonder the monks had shown up. Clearly, they were drawn by the artifact as well.
And the demon changing clothes and moving covertly toward the mountain? It made sense now—he must have learned of the treasure and hoped to claim part of it.
Yukika glanced at the mayor of Stone Town and instantly understood—this man had intentionally kept the news from him.
Yukika chuckled and turned to Shangguan Wan'er. "Well, if that demon's headed to Jufeng Mountain, then I suppose we should go too."
Shangguan was thrilled to hear that, though a bit anxious too. She wasn't sure if Yukika actually intended to accompany her.
If Yukika didn't go, she'd have a hard time capturing that demon alone.
And with the treasure appearing, there was no doubt that all sorts of powerful forces would be drawn to the area. Surviving such chaos on her own would be almost impossible.
But now that Yukika had spoken, what was there to fear?
With strength like his, wasn't he practically invincible atop Jufeng Mountain?
She quickly nodded and urged, "Since Lord Yukika is willing, let's head over right away!"
She knew time was of the essence—the treasure's birth was imminent. But she also desperately wanted to find that demon lord and unlock the secrets of the hidden technique within his body. Her eagerness made her visibly impatient.
And that, incidentally, aligned perfectly with Yukika's own thoughts.
He wasn't especially interested in the so-called treasure. What intrigued him more was uncovering the true intentions of the Buddhist monk and learning where Tanaka's enlightenment came from.
In the depths of his mind, Yukika felt that on this planet… he was on the verge of uncovering long-buried secrets about the Buddhist Order.
Seeing Yukika's calm demeanor, the mayor of Stone Town finally spoke up, "In that case, Brother Yukika… would it be shameless of us to ask if we might go with you?"