Chapter 2: Perhaps You Need a Guardian

Though it had been a long time, Zoran still vaguely remembered the plot.

His crimson eyes remained fixed on Shendu. Under that steady gaze, the spirit-form of Shendu couldn't help but shudder. For some inexplicable reason, he felt that Tso Lan had changed.

The Eight Demon Sorcerers.

They were the pinnacle of evil in this world, at least, they had been during their prime. Their power was so formidable that, to maintain the balance of Yin and Yang, the world was forced to manifest the Eight Immortal Sages to counter them.

Among these eight, Shendu’s strength was almost indisputably the greatest. Not only did he possess immense physical power and a draconic form, but he was also a master Dark Chi Wizard.

Ranking just below him was the eldest of the brothers, Tso Lan. This, too, was beyond dispute. Any power derived from the four fundamental forces of the universe, like gravity, could never be weak, unless the wielder was incompetent.

But at this moment, the scales had shifted.

Shendu had previously managed to escape the Demon Netherworld on his own, only to be defeated and sent back by Jackie Chan and his team. Now, he was nothing more than a wandering spirit. Anyone could push him around.

It was no wonder the other six demons wanted to hear Tso Lan’s opinion.

In the blink of an eye, Zoran grasped the situation. Before him, Shendu’s expression and words were draped in utter sincerity. He acted as if he were ready to endure any punishment to atone for his past betrayals.

However, having watched the original series, how could Zoran not know Shendu’s true nature? Or rather, his "true dragon" nature? It was common knowledge that Shendu never kept his word. He was entirely unreliable.

To complete the System’s quest, Zoran’s most urgent priority was to escape the Netherworld.

Silence hung over the abyss for a moment. Zoran was thinking.

He vaguely recalled that in the original timeline, the other seven demons cast a collective curse on Shendu, forcing him to release them once he left the Netherworld. If he failed, he would be trapped forever in the body of whoever he possessed.

Bound by that curse, Shendu had indeed worked diligently. He possessed Valmont, found the Pan'ku Box, and began unlocking the demon portals one by one. But, thwarted by the nearly invincible plot armor of Jackie Chan and his crew, each demon was picked off and sealed back into the Netherworld.

Zoran glanced around. It seemed the other demons were preparing to follow that same plan; they were just waiting for his approval.

But having analyzed the situation, how could Zoran possibly agree? He had no intention of being released just to play a bit part before being sealed away forever. Moreover, he couldn't wait that long. Even a demon’s wisdom would eventually be eroded by the vast stretches of time and the hollow despair of the Netherworld.

Furthermore, the consciousness inhabiting this body now was his, a twenty-something transmigrator. Zoran wasn't sure he could endure the mental toll. He had to get out, and he had to do it fast.

It must be said that only a newcomer like Zoran, not yet broken by the Netherworld's torture, could think this clearly. As the saying goes: A fresh brain just works better.

Seeing that the others were growing impatient, Zoran rose slightly and drifted down to stand before Shendu. He looked the dragon demon over before speaking in a deep, elegant voice to the group:

"Perhaps... we should change the person in charge."

"What do you mean?" The other demons looked at Tso Lan in confusion.

Zoran remained unhurried, his voice smooth. "Shendu, you have failed far too many times. Not just in your betrayal of us, but in the mortal realm. You were defeated again and again by mere humans... Hmph, pathetic. Those who defeat you now were nothing more than our slaves a thousand years ago."

His voice drifted through the void, forcing the other demons to recall their former glory.

"Now, my disappointment in you can no longer be masked."

"No! Give me one more chance!" Shendu pleaded, sensing the shift in the air.

Zoran spared him a cool glance and turned away, leaving only a silhouette. "Opportunities are reserved for those who are useful."

Shendu opened his mouth to explain, but Zoran’s next words cut him off:

"Evidently, you are not."

The words fell like a death sentence. But Shendu, thinking quickly, blurted out, "My brother, I know you still resent my past actions, but I promise you, this time I will get you all out!" He then turned to the other six, his tone earnest. "Only I, in this spirit form, can leave this place. Trust me, this time, there will be no failure!"

Shendu was resolute; he didn't argue against Tso Lan’s critique. Instead, he pointed out a crucial fact: only his current spiritual state allowed him to bypass the portal's restrictions.

In his current physical form, Zoran could not leave. This was the mighty power of the Immortal Sages cast upon the human world; it was a force that could not be resisted, not even by ultimate demons like them.

Shendu looked at Tso Lan. "Brother, I understand that the despair of this place has worn on you and you wish to leave, but in your current state, it is simply impossible."

Hearing this, Zoran fell silent. He had almost forgotten that detail.

However, Shendu’s words sparked a thought. Spirit form.

Was there a power, or a method, that could strip the soul from the shell, forcing one into a spiritual state?

Suddenly, Zoran’s eyes lit up. There is, brother. There is!

To his knowledge, there was one way to force a state of astral projection. And the demon who could facilitate this was standing right in front of him. Zoran looked at Shendu with a faint smile, his voice tinged with a hint of suppressed excitement.

"It is not that I don't wish to trust you, but you have failed and betrayed us too often. I believe... you need a guardian."

"A guardian?" The demons, including Shendu, were stunned.

"Exactly. Someone to ensure you honestly fulfill your promise to release us..."

Zoran didn't hide his intentions and shared his plan with the others. He would also leave the Netherworld, in spirit form.

The key to this lay within one of the twelve powers Shendu had manifested as the Twelve Talismans, one particularly inconspicuous stone.

The power of Astral Projection.

The other six demons were speechless after hearing Zoran’s proposal. Ultimately, however, they agreed. The eldest among them would leave the Netherworld as a spirit to supervise Shendu.

Truthfully, Zoran was a bit surprised they agreed so quickly. But he soon realized the deciding factor: Shendu was simply too untrustworthy. At this point, they'd sooner believe the first emperor of China had come back to life than believe Shendu. Tso Lan, on the other hand, didn't have such a tarnished reputation. As the eldest, his word still carried weight.

Meanwhile, Shendu, finding himself in the eye of the storm, watched his demon brother curiously. For some reason, he felt Tso Lan had truly changed. Had the eons of imprisonment really eroded his brother's mind? Why did he feel that Tso Lan was becoming even more difficult to handle?

But the demons had already settled on the plan; there was no room for protest. Shendu sighed, likely envisioning a miserable future as a "working-class dragon."

The most critical step of the plan now relied on a single object:

The Sheep Talisman.