High-level martial arts: Long spear with black flames to suppress demons.

Du Yue's phoenix aura then became apparent. She did not actively exert pressure, but many demons still involuntarily lowered their heads.

She herself was far from as composed as she appeared.

She gently lifted the hem of her dress with one hand, glancing down every few steps, clearly not yet used to the long train trailing behind her. Upon entering the main hall, she first found Shen Chang'an, and only relaxed slightly when he nodded at her.

Led by a maid, Du Yue ascended the high platform and came to the throne. She looked back at the large chair, then glanced at the crowd below, before carefully sitting down.

The golden-red robe spread out along the side of the seat, and the phoenix statue on the backrest suddenly lit up its eyes.

A clear, melodious sound gently echoed through the hall.

Jin Yao and the others' eyes flickered slightly, and then they bowed together, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness."

Du Yue subconsciously sat up straight, placed her hands on her knees, opened her mouth, but couldn't remember what to say, so she could only look at Lu Qingyan.

Lu Qingyan promptly transmitted her voice: "Let everyone take their seats."

"Please sit down."

After Du Yue finished speaking, she saw everyone thank her and sit down again, and then she quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Shen Chang'an saw her reaction and couldn't help but smile. Just a moment ago she had some of the demeanor of a demon emperor, but after this glance, she reverted to her old self.

As the bell tolled, music rose from all around the jade platform, and conversations returned to the hall.

The first to take the stage were a dozen or so fox-woman clan members, all from the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox Clan. They wore moon-white dance dresses, with different colored fox patterns on their foreheads. Their long sleeves and skirts flowed with their steps, as if a thin layer of moonlight was attached to them.

As the music slowed, long tails of snow-white, pale gold, fiery red, and light purple unfolded in succession. As the woman turned around, the shadows of the tails intertwined, and the scene on the stage changed accordingly.

The edges of the jade platform gradually faded, and the moonlit forest emerged from the thin mist. Flowering trees grew along the water's edge, fireflies flitted among the branches, and a crescent-shaped lake stretched out before everyone's eyes, with even the distant shadows of the forest reflected in it.

The dancer's toes lightly touched the lake's surface, causing ripples to spread outwards. Her long sleeves swept across the flower branches, and petals drifted down with her movements. The music and the enchanting scene blended seamlessly, making one, even knowing they were sitting in a palace, unable to resist looking to see where the lake stretched to.

Shen Chang'an watched for a while and also expressed some admiration.

These women did not disturb the viewer's soul; they merely confined the illusion to the vicinity of the jade platform, using light, shadow, music, and dance to present the scene. The fact that they could achieve such natural detail clearly shows considerable effort had been put into it.

As the music ended, the moonlight and the surrounding mountains and forests gradually faded away. A few petals fell onto the platform, and before they even touched the ground, they turned into tiny glimmers of light.

Du Yue watched intently until the illusion disappeared, then looked back at the jade platform as if trying to find out where the lake had been hidden.

Tu Shan Feiyue sat below, and noticing her reaction, her smile deepened.

Next up on stage were members of the Peacock Demon Clan.

The leading woman walked to the center of the platform, her feathers slowly unfurling behind her, followed by a five-colored radiance that mingled with the lights on the dome. One moment it was a serene moonlit night, the next, the entire hall seemed to be enveloped in flowing rosy light.

Further on, there were butterfly fairies, flower fairies, and the winged race skilled in music. Butterfly wings swept through the air, leaving colorful trails in the lamplight. The winged race conjured musical instruments with their spiritual power, the strings producing clear and bright sounds that accompanied the steps on stage. When a flower fairy stepped onto the jade platform, tender buds actually sprouted at her feet, and in the blink of an eye, a circle of tiny flowers bloomed.

Shen Chang'an picked up his wine glass, took a sip of the fruit wine. It was sweet at first, but the aftertaste was stronger than he had imagined. The warm spiritual energy spread down his throat, which was quite comfortable.

The welcoming banquet was indeed devoid of many formalities. Lu Qingyan made a few brief remarks at the beginning of the banquet, after which everyone was allowed to drink and enjoy the music freely. Occasionally, a clan leader would come to offer a toast, but he would only greet Du Yue and would not take the opportunity to bring up any matters that required her decision.

Du Yue initially sat upright, but gradually became more at ease when she realized that everyone wasn't staring at her. When she tasted a dish she liked, she would eat a few more bites, and when she saw a novel performance, she would stop eating, afraid of missing out.

Shen Chang'an glanced at her, then looked at the beautiful demon woman dancing on the stage, and couldn't help but sigh.

Life seems pretty good. They live in the best palace in the royal court, eat delicacies made with carefully prepared spiritual fruits and dishes by various ethnic groups, and enjoy songs and dances that are rarely seen on ordinary days.

After Du Yue becomes the Demon Emperor, she can watch the performances from time to time.

However, thinking about the inheritance and rules that Du Yue would have to learn about later, he suppressed the thought and continued drinking his wine.

The welcoming banquet ended close to midnight.

The music on the jade platform gradually faded, and the guests from various clans took their leave one after another. Before leaving, the young phoenix clan members couldn't help but glance up at the higher place a few more times, and it wasn't until they followed their elders out of the hall that their hushed conversations resumed.

Lu Qingyan asked Du Yue, Shen Chang'an, Murong Yan, and several clan leaders to stay a moment and briefly explained the arrangements for the next few days.

The five Phoenix clans still need to prepare the items needed to nurture their origins, and the royal court also needs to check the relevant formations. Du Yue doesn't need to do anything for the time being; she can stay at Qiwu Palace, rest, and familiarize herself with the surrounding environment.

Lu Qingyan said, "We will explain the specifics of how to restore it and what preparations are needed after we have verified them. We will not call you over at the last minute and start immediately."

Du Yue nodded, and the others had no objections.

After saying this, everyone dispersed. Du Yue followed Lu Qingyan back to Qiwu Palace, and when they reached the door, she turned back and waved to him.

Shen Chang'an gestured for her to rest early, and then walked out of the main hall with Murong Yan.

A night breeze swept through the long corridor, dispelling the lingering effects of the wine. Palace lanterns still burned in the distance, their reflections shimmering gently on the ripples in the waterways. Compared to the earlier bustle inside the palace, this place was remarkably tranquil.

After walking a distance, Murong Yan slowed down and walked alongside him.

"I'm going back tomorrow."

Shen Chang'an turned to look at her, somewhat surprised: "Back to the human world so soon?"

"If you leave Shanghai, you won't know what Gu Lian is up to. After I leave, I'll keep an eye on things in Beijing and let you know as soon as I have any news."

"Then I'll trouble you, Auntie."

Murong Yan glanced at him: "Why are you telling me this?"

Shen Chang'an smiled and didn't stand on ceremony anymore.

Back in the courtyard, he didn't rest immediately, but instead went up the wooden stairs to the second floor and onto the lakeside terrace.

Here you can see the roof of Qiwu Palace peeking out from under the tree canopy, and further away, the lights of the royal court meander along the palace walls until they are obscured by the mountains in the night.

He stood holding onto the railing for a while, then slowly raised his head and looked at the night sky of the demon realm. The moon in the demon realm seemed closer and much larger than that in the human realm. He wondered if it was because the royal court was on higher ground or for some other reason.

A silvery-white full moon hung above the distant mountains, its light spilling over the canopy of the paulownia trees and falling on the layered rooftops. The majestic palaces of the day were now softened by the night, and the occasional cry of a night bird drifted from afar before quickly fading into silence.

Shen Chang'an stood holding onto the railing for a long time, recent events flashing through his mind like a revolving lantern.

Just as I was lost in thought, a voice suddenly came from above: "What are you doing here so late at night instead of sleeping?"