In Black Path of the Proud Immortal's hokey fantasy setting, there obviously had to be demons.

The primary antagonist in the 600 chapters Xu Jian had read of the novel was the Demonic Sect, though since demons were a species, there were plenty of demons just running around as individuals. They had a wide variety of body types and their spiritual energy was overwhelming. They were perfect rivals to defeat, and perfect 11th hour helping hands.

Xu Jian was familiar with this scenario in the novel, though he didn't have the specifics. According to his memory, three years after Lai Mingliao left the Wendian sect, a group of demons took over a sect further upstream, where the river cut through the mountains. They were mostly river demons, though their leader was a member of the enormous Mountain race, who were all well over 400cm tall.

These people were Xu Jian's goal.

The issue was, of course, that while they had money, Wendian wasn't particularly renowned or well-known. The only outstanding thing they ever produced was Xu Jian. The reason Xu Jian got away with so much was because he was an outlier. What reason would demons have to make the two day trek to visit such a trash sect?

Thankfully, he had the luxury of being the very Xu Jian that made WenDian interesting.

He had attracted the attention of a river demon scout, and that demon had realized that he was the proud and venerated Xu Jinyue, reduced to trembling and slapping the water like an infant, and meekly allowing strange demons to yank on his hair without complaint. There was no way that demon wouldn't report back.

This would be an oddity for most demons, but for the leader of this group, it was the perfect bait.

Well-rested and in a good mood, Xu Jian coughed up the rest of the water he had inhaled and waded over to the docks to hoist himself up. Everyone was too busy running and screaming to bother with him; he was in the civilian half of town.

Xu Jian was desperately tempted to dirty himself before going to see, but he didn't doubt the River demons knew he was down there, if they were already messing with the water current, and it would only be more suspicious if he was suddenly filthy.

He pushed his way through screaming townsfolk, and climbed up onto the rooftops when the paths became too choked with people. He danced from building to building, and leapt down only when he reached the Pier's main road, snaking up into the hills. He could see the procession incoming, with the enormous figure of their Mountain Demon leader standing tall over his accompaniment.

The civilians were too frightened to stop him, but Xu Jian's senior brothers were not. He was abruptly grabbed by the wrist and dragged back, away from the road. He resisted, and tossed his assailant into the water.

This attracted another disciple, who grabbed him by both arms and kneed him in the back.

“You did this?!”

It was only a scapegoat accusation, but it was an immense effort to not confirm that the blame was assigned correctly. He refused to waste his bonuses.

Then his senior uncles all came to stand in front of Heaven's Crossing Pier, swords raised. Xu Jian bit the arm of the disciple holding him when he tried dragging him back into an alley, and the disciple slammed him into a wall.

“You brought nothing but misery since the moment Sect Leader Liu took you in! We only wanted to learn the spiritual arts, but you acted as if only martial skills mattered! We keep to ourselves, but you only knew how to pick fights! We were patient with you, yet you ran around stealing everything in sight! Don't you dare tell me that the demons arriving weren't your doing! From the beginning, it's always been you! The only one causing trouble was you!”

Xu Jian was touched the teenager had such a strong grip on his grievances, but seriously, if he were arrested, it was over for him.

One of the elders standing guard turned to look at who was doing all the ranting, and narrowed his eyes at Xu Jian. “Is this really the time?”

The disciple groaned. “This disciple apologizes for the disruption! Xu Jian was causing a scene, and no doubt is intent on bringing those demons down on our heads…”

“Do you think he's in any mind to plot?” The elder flicked a sleeve scornfully.

Xu Jian bit down on his captor's fingers, and scrambled back up onto the rooftops in that tiny window of freedom.

“Xu Jian! Face the repercussions of your actions, bastard!”

“I refuse!”

“Forget him!” The elder snapped.

Xu Jian looked up, and fixed his jaw. The demons had come.

They were dressed richly in fluttering black robes, and adorned in silver jewelry that gleamed in the afternoon sun. They truly looked like immortals, the pinnacle of beauty and power, untouchable. Of course, even the original Xu Jian could have easily defeated more than half of these people. What he was most interested in was their leader.

Ying Long.

His true name was unknown, but that was how he was addressed. Early in the story, when Mountain demons were rare, he was an imposing presence; a massive man who dwarfed anyone he stood next to, everything about him suffocating and overwhelming. He could crush Xu Jian like an ant.

He wasn't described in the novel besides his size, the broken horn growing from his cheek to his hairline, and his jewelry, but he was certainly something to look at. His hair fell in thick, well-bodied waves, his figure was muscular and broad, and there was a strange symbol on his forehead that trailed off into dots along his nose. He wore a cloak over dramatic-looking robes with a flare of fur around the collar, and his jewelry was made from gold. Upon his ample chest rested a red gemstone, rather than a traditional decoration like jade; Xu Jian couldn't remember why that was.

Seeing the man made him shiver. Ying Long, despite his majesty, was also a sort of cannon fodder. He was introduced in the story as a way of measuring how strong Lai Mingliao had become. But if he could be used as an achievement...that means he was the strongest person available at the moment.

If he wanted to rush through the story, he was Xu Jian's only golden thigh to clutch in the next two years.

Ying Long observed the pier coolly. The area had emptied out entirely, and only the elders remained. He walked forward with a purposeful, dangerous stride. When he saw Xu Jian quivering on a roof, his eyes didn't leave him.

Finally, he stood at the line of defense, and spared a glance down at his opposition. None could hope to touch a hair on his head.

Xu Jian was tackled off the roof.

Both he and the disciple who tackled him crashed painfully to the ground. Xu Jian made sure to bite him again, and the disciple screamed and punched him.

Ying Long attempted to advance, but the masters held their swords higher. The disciple grabbed Xu Jian's hair. Xu Jian stuck his hand in the disciple's mouth.

“What a striking hair colour,” Ying Long remarked dryly.

Xu Jian threw himself on top of the disciple to reply, but his mouth snapped shut when he realized Ying Long had an entourage of twelve, and there were only four masters lined up between them.

With this few ears to listen to this truth, he wouldn't be able to reach a reward anywhere close to the banquet's! His +100-per-listener bonus would be wasted!

He scrambled to his feet and sprinted into town. The disciple screamed a few curses after him. Xu Jian didn't care; he had to find an audience!

The obvious choice was, of course, the Wendian sect's compound. Some people were taking boats and even swimming away from the pier, but many people wouldn't trust the water when River demons were already messing with it.

He danced over rooftops again, and could see the current of people flow towards the sect, just as he thought. That old sect leader was drooping pathetically at the head of the main courtyard, his eyes still red from all the crying. Xu Jian dropped into the crowds and came in through the door.

“Little thief,” a person beside him hissed. Xu Jian bit his tongue and bowed his trembling head.

The disciples attempted to assure the people that demons being here didn't necessarily mean it was an attack, that the masters were learned in the spiritual arts, it would be resolved peacefully, et cetera.

Xu Jian broke free to the front of the crowd with no small mount of elbowing, and landed at the feet of the sect leader, who kneeled down to help him up without hesitation.

“What are you doing! It's not safe here, a-Jian!”

“My house…” He bit down on his tongue again. Not yet…

The sect leader didn't need the full sentence. He glanced away, looking broken as usual. Xu Jian ignored him, turning to look over the courtyard and the skies.

He could feel something tearing the air current apart, and it was getting closer.

Xu Jian crawled behind the sect leader and peeked from behind his sleeves.

With a sound like thunder, an unruffled Ying Long flew through the air, riding on the blade of his enormous sword. With a light skip, the sword spun into his hand, and he landed on the ground hard enough to make the entire crowd bounce in place.

He stood tall, and smirked down at Xu Jian.

“There you are, 'Xu Jinyue’.”