"Benefactor, three demons!" Hu Yuyu bristled, her innate demonic intuition sensing formidable power from the trio.

    Shou Qing hastily retrieved the Soul Suppressing Bell, his last remaining magical artifact.

    His other treasures had long been destroyed by Chief Ma.

    Jiang Liuer surveyed the three directions, his eyes flashing with ghostly light as he discerned the soul forms of the three demons.

    "River shrimp, freshwater mussel, and bitterling fish."

    A river delicacy convention? - The phrase abruptly surfaced in his mind.

    Jiang Liuer demanded: "Are you three the great demons behind Liu the Traitor?"

    "Liu the Traitor?" The shrimp demon paused before chuckling easily: "Liu Hong? Seems you know quite a bit! Apparently, you're not mere passersby."

    The shrimp demon continued: "We dare not claim the title 'great demons'. The true great demon is our king."

    Jiang Liuer's heart stirred: "Who is your king?"

    The shrimp demon replied: "His status is too exalted. Even if told, you wouldn't recognize him."

    Jiang Liuer pressed: "Did you imprison the Earth, River, and Mountain deities?"

    The mussel demon behind exclaimed in surprise: "How do you know this?"

    The shrimp demon explained: "We couldn't possibly contain those three deities. Matching their cultivation would be difficult enough. Our king imprisoned them."

    Jiang Liuer's heart sank.

    What formidable power, to single-handedly imprison three earthly deities.

    The bitterling demon coldly interjected: "Enough chatter! This human's probably calculating how to sword-slash us instantly!"

    Jiang Liuer started.

    His thoughts had been guessed!

    The shrimp demon smiled confidently: "Mere sword techniques might kill dogs. When I first gained sentience, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven hadn't even stormed the Heavenly Palace. I've cultivated for four hundred and ninety-nine years."

    He stepped forward.

    Demonic winds surged, black miasma spread, accompanied by ghostly wails and ear-piercing shrieks. With a grasping motion, he drew his mace weapon.

    "Brat, if you can land a single blow on me, I'll concede victory."

    Amidst howling winds, the shrimp demon closed the distance instantly, mace swinging toward Jiang Liuer's forehead.

    CLANG!

    The shrimp demon shrieked and staggered back, reverting to his true form - a human-sized river shrimp with a dented head.

    "Careful! This one's tough!" the shrimp demon cried through pain and dizziness.

    "You're just weak," sneered the bitterling demon as he thrust his sword at Shou Qing, who desperately raised his bell in defense.

    DING! The bell was pierced.

    Shou Qing threw out talismans - thunder and fire spells.

    The bitterling demon's sword swept through, shredding all talismans.

    Jiang Liuer yanked Shou Qing back by his collar.

    The sword tip grazed Shou Qing's nose.

    Wielding his glowing golden pestle, Jiang Liuer met the blade.

    Another DING! The pestle remained unscathed while the bitterling demon gaped at his shattered sword.

    Jiang Liuer crouched and struck a knee.

    CRACK!

    "AAAAAH!" The bitterling demon collapsed with a broken leg, screaming: "Such strength! Such powerful magic!"

    "I'll help!" roared the mussel demon. "Arrogant whelp! Taste my axe! My Mystic Iron Shell makes me impervious to your pestle!"

    Jiang Liuer formed a sword seal. The Heaven-Suppressing Sea Sword flew from his spatial ring, sheathe discarded, straight toward the mussel demon.

    The blade pierced through the massive axe and the so-called "Mystic Iron Shell", shredding brains before emerging. It curved mid-air toward the bloodied, dazed shrimp demon.

    Regaining slight clarity, the shrimp demon saw only a cold gleam before darkness claimed him.

    The bitterling demon suddenly paled: "Wait! That sword..." He trembled uncontrollably.

    SWOOSH!

    The sword curved again, claiming a large fish head.

    After shaking off blood, the sword returned to its sheathe in Jiang Liuer's hand.

    Three bloodstains marked the night.

    Three demons slain!

    Jiang Liuer stored his pestle, muttering: "Had you five centuries of cultivation, I might have worried. But 499 years? No exceptional talents, no powerful artifacts, no divine abilities - and you came to kill me?"

    Shou Qing breathed heavily: "Is... is it over?" He felt like a novice priest stumbling into an immortal battle.

    Jiang Liuer remarked: "Though claiming 499 years, that shrimp demon felt no stronger than Lang WuJi. Easy enough to kill."

    He stored the shrimp head and fish head in his spatial ring.

    Hu Yuyu added: "Cultivation years mean little. I've only cultivated 15 years, yet many century-old demons can't match me."

    Jiang Liuer frowned at the giant mussel: "Where's its head? Nevermind, I'll store the whole thing."

    Hu Yuyu brightened: "Benefactor! Giant mussels grow pearls! This one must have one!"

    Jiang Liuer's eyes lit up.

    Using the mussel demon's axe, he pried open the shell and dug through flesh.

    There it was - a pearl the size of a human head!

    Jiang Liuer grinned: "This must be priceless!"

    Their looting yielded mere hundreds of coins, but from the bitterling demon they found several books. Hu Yuyu peeked and blushed crimson, secretly tucking them away for "nightly study" with her benefactor.

    Jiang Liuer sighed: "Only the mussel was valuable?" Noticing Shou Qing mourning his broken bell, he offered the shrimp demon's mace.

    Shou Qing protested: "How can I accept without merit?"

    Jiang Liuer retorted: "You're no official. Without a weapon, even guards could overpower you."

    Chastened, Shou Qing accepted: "I'd repay this kindness with my life!"

    Jiang Liuer patted his shoulder: "If you die, I'll drag you back from the underworld. Can't lose my Zhuge Kongming."

    Though macabre, Shou Qing was deeply moved.

    Soon after their departure, guards arrived with torches, recoiling at the demonic corpses radiating oppressive aura.

    Later, a carp demon arrived, face dark with fury.

    ...

    ...