Just as Bai Qi was leisurely enjoying his sunbathing, he suddenly felt a powerful magic.
This magic was neither righteous nor dark, but a hybrid magical aura combining both good and evil, yin and yang.
Soon, a magic door appeared before Bai Qi, and two figures walked through it.
"Is this your welcome ritual?"
Savage and the Wizard Boy were immediately surrounded by three different mixed Shadowkhan ninja legions as soon as they stepped out of the magic door.
"I have to be cautious with you."
Bai Qi recognized the Wizard Boy and Savage before him. Not only did Bai Qi recognize them, but the original memories of Shendu also contained figures of the two.
The world Bai Qi inhabited was not the original, singular Jackie Chan Adventures world.
As a modified world that integrated various anime and movies, Shendu's memories also had slight alterations compared to the original. For instance, the current Vandal Savage and the Wizard Boy, who should have been beings from different worlds, should not have been known to Shendu. However, due to the fusion, Shendu's memories now contained their information. Moreover, beings like Dormammu from Doctor Strange, Doctor Fate who symbolized destiny, and even the ruler of Apokolips, Darkseid.
After Bai Qi was resurrected, these sealed memories gradually surfaced in his mind.
In ancient times, Shendu had led his demon minions to defend against the invasion of Apokolips, and even Darkseid had not fared well against a fully powered Shendu.
Reviewing his memories, Bai Qi found that neither of the two before him was simple.
The Wizard Boy, to begin with, was a special case born from the combination of yin and yang magic, representing chaos itself.
As Doctor Strange had said, the Wizard Boy was chaos, and as long as chaos existed in this universe, he would never truly die.
Then there was Vandal Savage.
This was truly a mortal whose physique rivaled gods.
If Iron Man used his technology to help humanity resist alien invasions, then Vandal Savage himself was a legend. He had single-handedly propelled the development of human civilization. In the DC Universe, Genghis Khan, Napoleon, and Jack the Ripper were all former aliases of Vandal Savage. He had also joined the Nazi Party. His millennia of life had allowed him to accumulate unimaginable command and wealth.
Bai Qi had considered contacting such a powerful figure, but felt it was not the right time.
The recently resurrected Bai Qi knew that his strength was less than ten percent of its peak, and he lacked capable subordinates. More importantly, he was not Shendu.
Although Shendu, as a demon, was arrogant, his long lifespan granted him wisdom that humans could not match. Moreover, Shendu was sealed on the surface, not underground, so his wisdom was well-preserved.
But now, the one in charge was not Shendu, but Bai Qi.
Even without Shendu's wisdom, Bai Qi understood one thing: if he immediately sought out a powerful figure like Vandal Savage after his resurrection, whether he would receive help was uncertain, but he would most likely be devoured without even a bone left.
Therefore, Bai Qi chose to endure, to lie low, to act discreetly, and to gradually develop his forces while regaining his strength.
This could be seen from Bai Qi's few public appearances.
The incident where Bai Qi wreaked havoc at the port did indeed cause quite a stir and successfully brought Bai Qi into the public eye.
But in Bai Qi's opinion, it was all worth it.
Firstly, the main protagonists were not in New York at the time, preventing Jackie Chan from cheating or having gods fight for him. Secondly, it diverted everyone's attention to himself, thereby distracting from the Umbrella Corporation, this sudden and incredibly powerful company.
After all, to ordinary people, the power struggles between corporate giants were too distant. On the other hand, a demon appearing and causing chaos at the port would instill a strong sense of crisis, especially in those living in New York.
As expected, the media hired by rival companies, after Bai Qi's stunt, abandoned their investigation into the Umbrella Corporation's scandals and collectively turned to reporting on the demon and his statements.
Thanks to Bai Qi's actions, the Umbrella Corporation gained a relatively favorable environment for development.
Now, Bai Qi's forces could be said to have taken shape.
However, before Bai Qi could contact Vandal Savage and the others, Savage had proactively sought him out, and judging by his demeanor, he didn't seem to be there to cause trouble.
Bai Qi waved his hand and withdrew the Shadowkhan legions.
Savage surveyed the surroundings and said, "You plan to discuss matters with me in a place like this? Surely the Original Demon doesn't lack a decent palace."
"Indeed, I was impolite. Please, this way."
Bai Qi stood up and walked towards the depths of the island, with Savage and the Wizard Boy following behind.
Along the way, the two observed their surroundings. Savage cast a glance at the Wizard Boy, his expression essentially asking, "Isn't the Original Demon supposed to be arrogant? Is this one not the real deal?"
It was no wonder Savage had this thought. Since they had arrived on the island uninvited, the original Shendu would have immediately unleashed a dragon's breath, and talked about other things only after they survived. But this time, nothing happened. Not only did he not attack, but he also withdrew the Shadowkhan legions.
After a brief exchange with Bai Qi, Savage didn't detect any of the arrogance that a demon should possess in his words. Instead, he felt like he was conversing with a human.
The Wizard Boy also found this unusual behavior incomprehensible.
Soon, led by Bai Qi, they arrived at the center of the island.
This island was formed by a volcanic eruption from the seabed, and at its center lay a dormant volcano. Bai Qi's palace was built within the volcano.
Perhaps because Shendu himself was a demon of fire, Bai Qi not only felt no discomfort in such a high-temperature environment but felt as if he were in his element.
As for how Bai Qi managed to build a palace in a place that was almost uninhabitable for humans.
The answer was simple: the Shadowkhan.
The Shadowkhan ninjas were formed from dark energy and the darkness in one's heart. They weren't even considered human, so they wouldn't be affected by high temperatures.
With the tireless work of a large number of Shadowkhan ninjas, Bai Qi's palace was completed in just a few days.
"Speak, what business brings you here?"
Seated on the throne symbolizing power, Bai Qi looked down at Savage and the Wizard Boy below.
Only then did Savage feel that it was right. This was how the Original Demon should behave.
Savage looked at Bai Qi on the throne and stated the purpose of their visit.
"The Original Demon Shendu, one of the Eight Demons, the Fire Demon, was once defeated and sealed in hell by Lu Dongbin of China. Later, for reasons unknown, he returned to the surface, established his own kingdom, and became a dominant overlord, only to be defeated and sealed by the Saint Seiya, Lopez. His power split into the twelve Talismans scattered across the world."