Perhaps because it was the first time transforming into human form, Zhu Yurun spent the entire night in an excited frenzy.
Xiao Lingyu had tried several times to suppress him the way he used to when Zhu Yurun was still a little white pig, but each time he met those soft, trusting eyes, he would end up backing down and reluctantly accompanying him instead.
The newly transformed Zhu Yurun was extremely curious about his own body and kept asking Xiao Lingyu:
“Little monster, where did Little Pig’s ears go?”
“Little monster, will Little Pig also have to walk like you using hind legs in the future?”
“Little monster, what is this?”
When Zhu Yurun curiously revealed his small, pink, delicate private part and blinked at Xiao Lingyu for an explanation, Chu Mingwei, who had been standing by watching with amusement and no restraint, finally seemed to regain a shred of conscience. He reached out and picked Zhu Yurun up.
“This is your tail.”
Zhu Yurun looked at Chu Mingwei in confusion. “A tail should be on the butt, right?”
Chu Mingwei nodded very seriously. “When you transform into human form, it moves to the front.”
Zhu Yurun curiously poked at it, then looked up very seriously. “Little monster and Big Senior Brother don’t have tails either, right?”
Chu Mingwei: “……”
Xiao Lingyu: “……”
Compared to his curiosity about his body, Zhu Yurun’s biggest problem was walking. By the time he had fallen onto the bed more than ten times and was crawling forward with all four limbs, Xiao Lingyu finally gave up. One night simply was not enough for Zhu Yurun to learn how to walk, even with the encouragement of his favorite snacks.
Chu Mingwei leaned against the bedside. Every time Zhu Yurun instinctively crawled toward Xiao Lingyu, Chu Mingwei would pull him over to his side, claiming it was training.
Eventually, when Zhu Yurun gave up completely and lay sprawled between the two of them, Chu Mingwei realized a serious problem: now that Zhu Yurun had a human form, he could no longer sleep in the corner. And judging by his behavior, he clearly intended to stay right between them.
So Chu Mingwei casually picked him up.
“Zhu Yurun, turn back.”
Zhu Yurun blinked his round eyes. “Turn back to what?”
“To your original form as a pig.”
Zhu Yurun looked blank. “How?”
That single question made both Xiao Lingyu and Chu Mingwei freeze.
Xiao Lingyu tried carefully, “Zhu Yurun, do you still remember how you transformed into human form?”
Zhu Yurun looked even more confused. “Little Pig just slept, and then I became like this.”
Xiao Lingyu gave a bitter smile toward Chu Mingwei. This was troublesome. They had assumed that if Zhu Yurun could transform, reverting would naturally follow. They never expected he would be so muddled that he didn’t even know how he had transformed in the first place. If he couldn’t return to his pig form, he also could not be placed into a spirit beast pouch. If they had to break through the Void tomorrow, Xiao Lingyu and Chu Mingwei would be fine—but Zhu Yurun might not survive any accident.
At that moment, Zhu Yurun, exhausted from playing, naturally climbed into Xiao Lingyu’s arms, openly occupying his embrace and sucking on his fingers as he fell asleep.
Seeing this, Chu Mingwei also reached out and pulled both of them into his arms, lightly poking Zhu Yurun’s soft little belly. The two men exchanged a glance, their expressions gentle.
At the same time, in the Demon Emperor Palace, a completely different atmosphere prevailed. The various clan elders were gathered in the main hall, arguing intensely over Zhu Yurun.
The Demon Emperor sat silently at the top seat, listening to the heated disputes below.
“Demon Emperor, Little Pig is originally a member of our Illusory Demon Realm. How can we allow humans to take him away?” White Tiger Clan elder Bai Ze said angrily.
Another elder, Qi Wei of the Red Refinement Clan, immediately echoed him. “Exactly! The Spirit Rhinoceros lineage has guarded our Illusory Demon Realm for generations. Little Pig is one of them. Protecting the realm is his duty.”
Bai Mi, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke coldly. “Elder Qi, do you intend to watch the Spirit Rhinoceros lineage become extinct?”
Qi Wei flushed in anger. “I only stated facts! Their duty is to protect the Illusory Demon Realm!”
The hall immediately descended into chaotic argument again. Some insisted Zhu Yurun must remain; others argued he should leave.
Bai Mi lowered his eyes, hiding the sarcasm within them.
Yun Ting’s words echoed in his mind: “I am going to die. My only wish is for Little Pig to leave the Illusory Demon Realm and live freely outside. Can you promise me that?”
Two thousand years. Yun Ting had never asked him for anything. This was the only request.
Bai Mi slowly lifted his head toward the Demon Emperor.
The Demon Emperor, too, was filled with bitterness. The Illusory Demon Realm had become what it was because of his hesitation over the years.
Finally, he spoke.
“I have decided. The Demon race will cooperate with the human race to prevent the collapse of the lower realm. If we survive this calamity, we will leave the Illusory Demon Realm and integrate into the lower world.”
A wave of shock swept through the hall.
“And Little Pig,” he continued, “will leave with the human cultivators.”
Protests erupted immediately, but the Demon Emperor’s authority suppressed them all.
Bai Mi was ordered to escort the humans out the next day and proceed to Yun Tian Sect for negotiations.
That night, news spread rapidly throughout the Illusory Demon Realm: the lower realm was about to collapse, the Demon race would ally with humans, and Zhu Yurun would leave with them.
Meanwhile, in a dim side hall of the Demon Emperor Palace, Xiao Lingyu, Chu Mingwei, and Zhu Yurun were resting.
A crack silently opened in the air.
A hand reached through.
Qing Ming stepped out.
Xiao Lingyu and Chu Mingwei immediately woke and went on alert. But upon recognizing him, they relaxed slightly.
“Senior Qing Ming. Where is Old Ghost Head?”
“His body has been dormant too long; his soul has not yet fully fused. He is currently resting near a market outside Yun Tian Sect,” Qing Ming replied calmly.
Xiao Lingyu nodded in relief.
Then Qing Ming’s gaze landed on Zhu Yurun.
“I will borrow the Nine Yi Cauldron inside the Spirit Rhinoceros pig’s body.”
After a series of misunderstandings and explanations, it was discovered that Zhu Yurun had unknowingly swallowed the Nine Yi Cauldron—and could not spit it out.
Qing Ming made his decision without hesitation.
“I will take the Spirit Rhinoceros pig with me.”
Zhu Yurun immediately protested loudly.
“No! Little Pig does not want to go with you, bad person!”
Qing Ming ignored him completely.
Chu Mingwei then asked carefully, “Senior, where are you taking him?”
“Yun Tian Sect.”
At that name, both Xiao Lingyu and Chu Mingwei exchanged a glance.
Qing Ming continued coldly, “To save Jing Zhan.”
Mention of Yun Tian Sect made Chu Mingwei’s expression deepen.
After discussion, they decided to follow him.
They soon entered the Void.
The world outside became a vast expanse of gray nothingness, cold and directionless.
Qing Ming led the way without pause, moving through the Void with ease.
At one point, he suddenly stopped and looked to the side.
Chu Mingwei frowned. “There is demonic aura.”
Qing Ming nodded. “The outside world here has already been infiltrated by demonic energy—even the Void is affected.”
His gaze lingered on that direction for a moment.
Strangely, he seemed to sense Jing Zhan’s aura there.
But Jing Zhan was clearly imprisoned in Yun Tian Sect’s forbidden area.
Something was wrong.
However, saving Jing Zhan was the priority.
Qing Ming resumed forward motion.
Chu Mingwei and Xiao Lingyu followed closely, while Zhu Yurun slept soundly in Xiao Lingyu’s arms.
Eventually, Qing Ming stopped again before a space barrier.
He raised his hand.
And tore it open.