NOVPUB"◎Coming at you with a truckload of bread people.◎"
Dou Zilin: "……"
He—did—not—want—to—guess—this.
For a moment, the only sound on the scene was Dou Zilin muttering softly under his breath.
He hesitated between the two answers of "sloth" and "turtle," carefully observing Yan Luoyue’s appearance once more.
Finally, steeling himself, Dou Zilin decisively declared, "You—you’re a snail, right?"
Yan Luoyue: "……"
Regrettably, you only got half of it right—the half with the shell.
A simple multiple-choice question had somehow been expanded by Dou Zilin into a third wrong option.
It was reminiscent of those English reading comprehension tests where, right before submitting, you’d second-guess yourself and change the correct answer from C to A.
Yan Luoyue couldn’t help but chuckle, then demonstrated her half-demon form on the spot.
She conjured a turtle shell on her back, turned around to shake it at Dou Zilin, then reverted to her human form, her eyes crinkling with amusement.
"Well? Do you get it now?"
Wu Manshuang watched Yan Luoyue’s little act, unaware that the corners of his lips had curled up.
Meanwhile, the Crow’s Cry Fire sighed wistfully, leaning in to whisper in Wu Manshuang’s ear:
"Your little sapling’s transformation isn’t very lush—just one smooth patch, like you, Big Rock."
Wu Manshuang’s smile deepened. "Oh? You think so too?"
"……" The Crow’s Cry Fire fluttered back slightly, eyeing him suspiciously. "Is it just me, or do you seem… weirdly proud of that??"
After seeing Yan Luoyue’s half-demon form, Dou Zilin finally had an epiphany. "Ah, so you’re from the turtle clan."
A beat later, he added, "Can’t blame me for guessing wrong—you don’t really act like a turtle clansperson."
"Really?" Yan Luoyue tilted her head. "Then—tell—me—why—don’t—I—seem—like—one—?"
Dou Zilin: "……"
Clearing his throat, he explained, "Not your speech speed—just your general demeanor."
He was nothing if not honest. "For example, every turtle clansperson I’ve met, upon meeting a stranger, would immediately ask, ‘Does your clan practice divination?’"
Not like Yan Luoyue, who had the leisure to tease people with riddles.
Yan Luoyue: "……"
Truth be told, the moment she heard "divination," she recalled a historical anecdote Ling Shuanghun had once shared.
Legend had it that the demon clans of old were far more barbaric and superstitious, relying on divination to determine the auspiciousness of major events.
And their preferred method? Tossing a live turtle into a fire and interpreting the cracks on its scorched shell…
Yan Luoyue gasped in horror. "You mean to tell me—after all these years—you’re still using turtle-shell divination?!"
If that were the case, she’d have to seize this business opportunity and start marketing tarot cards in the demon realm!
Dou Zilin frantically waved his hands. "No, no, don’t misunderstand—we stopped doing that ages ago!"
He fumbled for words. "It’s just… turtle clanspeople tend to live very long lives…"
So, those who remembered the old ways were relatively more common. Plus, bedtime stories were a tradition among the demon clans.
Adult demons often wove cautionary tales about their race’s vulnerabilities and natural enemies into these stories.
Thus, "careless turtles getting snatched for divination and turned into braised turtle stew" was about as well-known among turtle clans as "lying children getting eaten by wolves" was among humans.
In short, every turtle raised in the demon realm had an instinctive, genetic fear of being stir-fried!
Yan Luoyue: "……"
The demon realm’s customs were indeed… robust. She’d learned her lesson.
Since their group consisted entirely of demons, verifying their identities was straightforward—they just had to partially or fully transform.
So, Wu Manshuang promptly shifted into his Tengshe form.
Meanwhile, Ling Shuanghun transformed his arms into crane wings and even improvised a catchy crane song on the spot:
"Guests from afar, oh, do respect the host’s ways~
But don’t you dare stir-fry Little Yan, or we’ll all be in a rage~"
Yan Luoyue gritted her teeth. "…I really owe you one, Xiao Ling."
The Tibetan antelope demon, Pao Lulu, who had come to deliver the message, had been watching them curiously with her head tilted.
Seeing that Dou Zilin no longer had any doubts about the trio’s identities, she giggled:
"Done with the checks? Then I’ll lead our guests onward."
As she spoke, her soft, pointed ears flicked playfully, and she winked at Yan Luoyue.
"Don’t worry—our clan doesn’t practice divination!"
Along the way, Pao Lulu kept sneaking glances at the group.
In all her years, she’d never seen anyone emerge from that spatial rift before.
Each of the three was striking in their own way: a witty sister, a brother with wings unlike any snake she’d ever seen, and a crane brother whose singing voice was enchanting.
Throughout the journey, Ling Shuanghun kept scribbling notes on a bamboo slip, asking Pao Lulu several questions.
Pao Lulu couldn’t resist asking, "What are you doing, honored guest?"
Ling Shuanghun answered readily, "I’m a crane historian from the demon clans of the human realm."
Pao Lulu nodded excitedly. "I’ve heard of that! In the human realm, bird clans often serve as historians. Not like here in the demon realm—we usually have humans record history."
"Oh? Why’s that?"
Pao Lulu replied matter-of-factly, "Because humans are naturally good at it! They have a passion for documenting history."
Hearing this, Yan Luoyue fell into thought.
It seemed that just as some demons integrated into human sects as disciples,
here in the demon realm, some humans had naturally woven themselves into demon society.
Perhaps in the future, once the demonic clans regained their freedom, humans, demons, and spirits would intermingle, influencing one another and giving rise to new customs.
There might be friction and misunderstandings at first,
but eventually, it would all blend as seamlessly as droplets merging into the sea.
As they made their way to the elder’s residence, Pao Lulu also explained the structure of the demon realm.
Over the years, demons of different species—alongside humans—had begun living together in mixed communities called "clans."
Ten clans formed a "banner," and ten banners made up an "alliance."
Major decisions within a banner were settled through council meetings,
with each clan sending representatives to vote before reporting the outcome to their alliance.
Yan Luoyue found this system fascinating—it reminded her of a city-state voting structure.
The human realm was governed by sects, the spirit realm by alliances of cities, and the demon realm by this relatively egalitarian tribal confederation… truly, every land had its own customs.
As Pao Lulu led them over a hill, Yan Luoyue spotted a stone monument at the foot of the mountain.
To be honest, over the years, her experiences had taught Yan Luoyue to develop a habit—whenever she saw a stone tablet at the foot of a mountain, her first instinct was to read it.
This particular tablet, weathered by wind and sun, had clearly stood there for quite some time.
Not only was its polished surface covered in fine scratches, but even the once-vivid inscriptions had faded with age.
Yan Luoyue focused her gaze and read the first rule carved into the stone:
[When hunting for food, be careful not to eat someone’s child! If you catch a young one, ask twice! Ask twice! Ask twice!—Asking twice won’t kill you!]
Yan Luoyue: "…" Well, that’s certainly hammering the point home.
She immediately understood—this tablet contained something akin to the rules and regulations of the demon clans.
As she read further, she noticed that the rules were not only phrased plainly but also highly practical, brimming with the lively essence of daily life.
For example, one rule left a particularly deep impression on her:
[Humans, take note: Do not steal dung beetles’ food stores to fertilize your fields.]
Yan Luoyue: "…"
So this was just humanity’s ingrained farming instincts at work—planting wherever they went, huh?
The remaining rules were equally reasonable and vividly reflected the unique habits of different demon clans.
For instance:
[If a cuckoo asks a bunting to hatch its eggs, a contract must be signed, and payment must be made.]
Below this rule, a line of crooked, hastily scribbled words had been added—likely the furious work of some bunting:
"The last cuckoo who stole my eggs is now stewed. The whole clan’s invited to the feast today."
Yan Luoyue: "…"
She could tell—from the cause, to the process, to the resolution—this was very demon clan.
By now, Yan Luoyue was starting to get used to the demon clans’ way of handling things.
But when she reached a certain rule, she couldn’t help but burst into laughter. She tugged at Wu Manshuang’s sleeve. "Look at this."
The rule read:
[Do not mock a snake clan member for having a bulging belly after dinner—unless you’re looking for trouble.]
Beneath it, another line of slender, elegant script had been added—its strokes carrying a distinctly sinister air:
"If you feel you’ve lived long enough, then by all means, go ahead."
Making a playful face at the little snake, Yan Luoyue teased, "Oh no, what should I do? I’m so scared."
Not only had she poked Wu Manshuang’s full snake belly before, but she’d even tied him into a knot while he was in his serpent form!
Wu Manshuang didn’t answer directly.
Instead, he read the entire tablet. Noticing that Ling Shuanghun and Wu Ti had already followed Pao Lulu ahead, he finally smiled, leaned close to Yan Luoyue’s ear, and whispered, "This tablet is missing one rule."
Yan Luoyue blinked. "What rule?"
Wu Manshuang said with mock solemnity, "No—a turtle rule."
"—No being excessively adorable, little turtle."
Then, cupping Yan Luoyue’s face in his hands, he squished her soft cheeks together, forming a pout, before swiftly stealing a kiss.
His lips brushed against hers like a peach blossom carried by the spring breeze—light and fleeting.
Yet the warmth ignited by that brief touch seemed to blaze all the way into her heart.
"…"
Yan Luoyue stared at Wu Manshuang with wide eyes.
Meanwhile, Wu Manshuang straightened up, cleared his throat, and said as if nothing had happened:
"You see? If you’re too cute, I can’t help but want to kiss you."
"…"
Seeing that Yan Luoyue was still a little dazed, Wu Manshuang chuckled and added, "Or… you could kiss me back?"
"…"
Just then, Ling Shuanghun turned and called out, "Xiao Wu, Xiao Yan, hurry up! We’re waiting for you!"
Wu Manshuang naturally took Yan Luoyue’s hand. "Let’s go. Xiao Ling and the others are waiting."
It wasn’t until they had walked side by side for a few steps that Yan Luoyue finally snapped out of it.
She glanced down. In her line of sight, Wu Manshuang’s boots betrayed his attempt at composure—his footsteps were just a little unsteady.
"Man Shuang," Yan Luoyue giggled, "you’re walking funny!"
Her mood suddenly soared. Interlacing her fingers with his, she swung their arms high as they walked.
—Hehe, so he had been secretly nervous too!
…
The group continued onward until they reached a fork in the road.
At the left path’s entrance stood a statue of a woman, while the right path had nothing.
Ling Shuanghun instinctively moved toward the statue, but Pao Lulu pulled him back.
"Guest, that’s the wrong way. That leads to the insect clans’ settlement."
Yan Luoyue examined the statue closely. The craftsmanship was exquisite, rendering the woman’s likeness vividly.
Though aged, her features still carried a spirited vigor.
Upon closer inspection, Yan Luoyue noticed a pair of delicate wings on her back.
She had never met this woman before, yet something about the statue felt faintly familiar—as if she had read about someone similar.
Pao Lulu cheerfully explained, "That’s a statue of the Mayfly Queen. Many insect clans like to erect one."
"The Mayfly Queen?" Yan Luoyue searched her memory before it clicked. "You mean the mayfly princess who married a human?"
The very same protagonist of The Five-Year-Old Little Insect Queen—the princess who, on her wedding night with a swordsman, startled her groom into letting out a groundhog scream?
"That’s the one!" Pao Lulu’s large eyes sparkled, her ears twitching excitedly.
She eagerly asked, "Do you know her story? They say she was once betrayed by a human swordsman."
Hearing this, Yan Luoyue and Ling Shuanghun exchanged complicated expressions.
Wu Manshuang hadn’t heard the tale before, but after Ling Shuanghun whispered a summary to him, his face mirrored theirs.
Well… it wasn’t so much a matter of betrayal as it was sheer incompatibility!
Pao Lulu continued, "But it’s actually a very inspiring story. The princess returned to her clan, cultivated diligently, and eventually lived to the ripe old age of fifty-five!"
Fifty-five years old…
Considering that mayflies only developed wings upon becoming demons—and most died within a day of reaching that stage—fifty-five was indeed a remarkable lifespan.
To put it in human terms, this would be like someone in a society where the average lifespan was sixty-five living to over 1.3 million years old—now that was an inspirational tale!
Pao Lulu added, "The Mayfly Queen took over 1,600 consorts in her lifetime. She led her 20,000-odd children and even more clansmen to make indelible contributions in the Demon-Subduing War…"
Yan Luoyue: "…"
Twenty thousand children—that number alone was enough to make one’s scalp go numb.
Yan Luoyue counted on her fingers and mused: Insects can lay two to three hundred eggs in one brood, and the entire process from mating to production takes only a few hours... Oh, well, never mind then.
When it came to the next part of the story, for some reason, Pao Lulu’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
“They say that later, the swordsman who once wronged the Mayfly King also came to the demon realm. After years apart, the two immediately resumed their former...”
“Former romance?” Ling Shuanghun instinctively interjected.
“No, former grudge!” Pao Lulu exclaimed.
Ling Shuanghun: “Huh? My clan’s historical records never mentioned this... No matter, go on.”
Pao Lulu vividly recounted: “The Mayfly King was actually quite magnanimous. She said that although the two of them were never truly husband and wife, she acknowledged that the swordsman once held a nominal title. So, she was willing to let the two hundred or so children she brought along call him ‘Little Dad.’”
Yan Luoyue: “......”
Ling Shuanghun: “......”
Wu Manshuang: “......”
Pao Lulu, utterly baffled, continued: “But for some reason, the human swordsman’s face instantly turned green! Then, it’s said the two of them fought fiercely, and even when the Mayfly King offered to promote him to ‘Middle Dad,’ he still wouldn’t accept it!”
Yan Luoyue: “......”
Ling Shuanghun: “......”
Wu Manshuang: “......”
At this point, the antelope demon seemed genuinely perplexed: “Are human swordsmen always this quick to anger?”
Ling Shuanghun wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and muttered:
“You’re still young—it’s hard to explain... Let’s just say it’s a cultural difference...”
Now, Ling Shuanghun was beginning to understand why his clan’s historical records had omitted this incident.
The group chatted and laughed along the way, with Ling Shuanghun occasionally jotting down some unofficial historical tidbits.
And so, they finally arrived at the elder’s residence, where guards waiting at the entrance ushered them inside.
In the hall, seated at the highest position was the local banner lord, who happened to be visiting this clan when news of the human realm’s arrival reached him.
The banner lord inquired about their origins. When he heard that Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang were from the Guiyuan Sect, he immediately stood up, his eyes alight with a mix of surprise and joy.
“I was once sent to the demon realm by the Guiyuan Sect to spread alchemical knowledge,” the banner lord asked, his voice trembling. “Three thousand years have passed—how fares the sect?”
“All is well.”
Seeing his reaction, Yan Luoyue carefully described the current state of the Guiyuan Sect, particularly emphasizing the changes in the Alchemy Peak.
The banner lord listened intently, hanging on every word as if they were divine revelations.
After reminiscing, the banner lord sighed regretfully upon hearing their purpose for coming.
“A fragment of the Wuti Flame... I’ve heard no such news.”
He explained: “In the demon realm, the Wuti Flame is considered a legendary artifact. If it had truly appeared, word would have spread.”
Moreover, this banner lord was himself a top-tier alchemist in the demon realm. He was deeply passionate about rare flames and kept close tabs on such information.
Even he had no leads, which suggested that the demon realm had no clear knowledge of the Wuti Flame fragment’s whereabouts.
With no information on the Wuti Flame even in the demon realm, it was unclear where that elusive fragment had hidden itself.
Fortunately, Ji Qinghong had given Yan Luoyue another option.
With a slight nod, Yan Luoyue shifted the topic: “We’ve been entrusted to deliver a letter to Birdcall Gorge. Do you have a map? Could you point out where it is?”
“A map...” The banner lord hesitated.
Ling Shuanghun assumed he didn’t have one and quickly apologized: “Sorry to trouble you.”
“No, it’s not that I lack a map, but during wartime, such things are highly sensitive.”
The banner lord sighed and explained in detail.
“I was glad to hear you say the human realm remains peaceful.”
“Here in the demon realm, the demons have launched large-scale invasions again over the past twenty years... Fortunately, with the experience from the Demon-Subduing War, we’ve managed to keep things under control.”
Under these circumstances, sharing maps was ill-advised.
After a moment’s thought, the banner lord made a decision: “Here’s what I’ll do—I’ll draw you a simplified map and give you my token. It’ll help you avoid many inspections along the way.”
Among the demonic forces were two types of creatures: the Thousand-Faced Demons and the Puppeteers.
The former could shapeshift into other demon forms, while the latter could control demons’ actions.
This was why Dou Zilin, stationed at the entrance, remained vigilant even though the three visitors appeared human.
However, Thousand-Faced Demons left traces during transformation, whereas Yan Luoyue and her companions’ partial or full demon forms were seamless.
As for the Puppeteers, those under their control lost the ability to innovate, relying only on pre-existing knowledge as templates.
Thus, Ling Shuanghun improvised a crane song on the spot, dispelling Dou Zilin’s suspicions.
After thanking the banner lord, the three prepared to leave. Just before their departure, however, the banner lord called out to them, somewhat bashfully.
“You... you’ve come from the human realm, and you’re disciples of the Guiyuan Sect,” he asked softly. “Did you... bring anything from home?”
Even a wooden figurine, a kite, or a handful of earth would suffice!
Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang exchanged a glance, then simultaneously reached into their storage pouches. The next moment, the banner lord at the door was buried under an avalanche of Guiyuan Sect merchandise.
Guiyuan Sect disciple robes (both male and female styles), wooden swords bearing the sect’s emblem, small medicine bottles stamped with the Guiyuan Sect insignia, and most of all...
“What’s this?” the banner lord asked, holding a colorful, patterned box with confusion.
Yan Luoyue answered: “A blind box game console—Guiyuan Sect’s latest product.”
There was no helping it—among the items in her storage pouch, Guiyuan Sect-related products like these were the most abundant.
With a cheerful wave, Yan Luoyue said lightly:
“The sect has undergone many changes over the years... Once we’ve driven back the demons, you should return and see for yourself.”
As he watched the three figures disappear into the distance, the banner lord carefully gathered each precious gift, storing them away one by one.
In his heart, he counted them like the years he had spent in this foreign land: one, two, three...
The surroundings were empty and silent.
And so, no one else saw the redness in the banner lord’s eyes.
......
Having failed to uncover any leads about the golden flame fragment in the demon realm, Wuti seemed disheartened.
Ling Shuanghun, seeing this, felt a pang of sympathy.
He gently reassured: “Just because no one here has heard of the fragment doesn’t mean others elsewhere haven’t.”
Wuti nodded, but his spirits remained low—he didn’t even let out his usual “chirp chirp chirp.”
The white crane, holding Wuti Flame in high mythical regard, immediately sought to comfort the despondent divine flame:
“I recall in the legends, you once hatched a three-legged golden crow. How about we find you a bird egg to incubate?”
—After all, in a place like the demon realm, finding a bird egg would be no trouble at all.
The Fire of Wu Cried: "..." This was infuriating—why bring that up again!
Yan Luoyue and Wu Manshuang burst into laughter at the sight. Yan Luoyue leaned on Wu Manshuang's shoulder, watching with affectionate amusement as Wu's fiery temper flared up on the spot.
Well, this move by Xiao Ling was a reverse power play.
Just look—Wu, pecking relentlessly at Ling's head, was clearly livelier than before.
A moment later, Wu landed huffily on Yan Luoyue's shoulder.
Meanwhile, Ling Shuanghun straightened his robes with lingering dread, thinking to himself: So the legends were indeed false.
This Fire of Wu could never be the patient, nurturing "mother figure" from the myths.
After all, even at five years old, Xiao Wu and Xiao Yan were far more mature than this little flame.
...
As expected, the banner leader was highly respected. With his token in hand, Yan Luoyue and her two companions encountered almost no obstacles along the way.
Their identities as demonic beings also provided significant convenience.
Given the wartime state of the demon realm, no-fly zones frequently appeared overhead.
After several detours, the trio opted to travel on foot. Roughly half a month later, they arrived near the Xiangyun Clan Territory, close to the Bird's Cry Gorge.
The clan leader of Xiangyun warmly welcomed them.
However, when Yan Luoyue inquired about Bird's Cry Gorge, the leader gave them an amused look.
"Delivering a letter? You mean you're here to deliver a letter?"
Yan Luoyue blinked. "What's wrong?"
The clan leader laughed heartily. "Haha, what do you think Bird's Cry Gorge is?"
At the question, Yan Luoyue envisioned a serene, picturesque scene—winding paths, birds singing, flowers blooming, and a babbling brook.
The beautiful name also brought to mind the poetic line: "Fallen osmanthus blooms in leisure, the quiet night empties the spring mountain."
Wu Manshuang and Ling Shuanghun imagined something similar.
After hearing their answers, the Xiangyun clan leader slapped the table, roaring with laughter.
"No way! Bird's Cry Gorge is a vast desert canyon, a barren wasteland where even birds won’t poop... Hahaha, you must have misheard! No one lives there—why would anyone ask you to deliver a letter to Bird's Cry Gorge?"
Yan Luoyue exclaimed in surprise, "But the place is called Bird's Cry Gorge..."
"Exactly," the clan leader replied matter-of-factly. "Because every passerby says, 'What a godforsaken place—it’s roasting me alive!' Hence the name 'Bird's Cry Gorge.'"
Yan Luoyue: "..."
What? It could mean that?!
So the "bird's cry" in the name wasn’t about birds singing there, but about travelers cursing like birds...
Speechless, Yan Luoyue pinched the bridge of her nose, finally realizing the truth.
Right—Wu's mouth had been sealed in the Hongtong Palace all these years.
That golden wisp of flame was merely cloaked in Wu's feathers—how could it possibly sing?
Seeing their stunned expressions, the clan leader patted their shoulders kindly.
"If you're still determined, you can go check it out. Just remember to bring plenty of water—it’s scorching hot there."
Scorching hot... Hmm.
Yan Luoyue’s eyes gleamed as she met Wu Manshuang’s gaze.
Though they couldn’t discuss it openly in front of the clan leader, Wu Manshuang gave her a firm nod.
—After hearing that, Bird's Cry Gorge really did sound like the possible location of that golden wisp of flame.
After all, the Fire of Wu represented the extreme yang life force.
His vitality was so intense that it could render the surrounding land uninhabitable, turning it into a desert.
It seemed Ji Qinghong was reliable when it came to serious matters—the clue he provided wasn’t given for nothing.
Though the Xiangyun clan leader had a mischievous streak, his heart was in the right place. Seeing their resolve, he quickly warned them.
"Ten days ago, reaching Bird's Cry Gorge would’ve been easy. But now... you’ll have to take a detour."
Wu Manshuang asked respectfully, "Why is that?"
The clan leader’s smile faded as he sighed. "You must know how fast those damn Motherfiends reproduce. Wherever they appear, the frontline of battle follows."
And on the main route from Xiangyun Clan Territory to Bird's Cry Gorge, a large swarm of Motherfiends had recently settled.
At this, the clan leader spat bitterly.
His beard quivered as he cursed the invasive species disrupting the peace of the demon realm.
The Fire of Wu perked up, trying to fly closer to listen, but Wu Manshuang swiftly caught him and pulled him back.
The clan leader lamented angrily, "These damned fiends—their entire way of life is built on endless invasion. But we’re not like them..."
After all, demonic creatures only needed to consume enough corpses to evolve.
To achieve that, they’d even devour their own kind with relish.
Moreover, the reproductive efficiency of Motherfiends was terrifying.
This was why, in the mid-to-late stages of the Demon-Subjugation War, demonic clans gradually shifted from single-race solidarity to multi-race cohabitation.
Even animal and insect clans, which rarely interacted, began forming closer alliances, integrating insect clans into their communities.
Because in this relentless, life-for-life warfare, only insect clans could match their numbers.
Additionally, insect clans had another advantage—when demonic beings died in battle, their bodies reverted to their original forms. Insect demons’ forms were usually small and compact, leaving little nourishment for the invaders.
Hearing the clan leader’s hatred for Motherfiends, Yan Luoyue’s ears twitched as she remembered something.
Right—Chang Lili had given her several types of Motherfiend sterilization drugs.
Back in the human realm, they hadn’t had a chance to test them.
Now, in the demon realm, with a whole swarm of Motherfiends camped nearby, wasn’t this the perfect opportunity?
An idea struck her. She pulled out several packets of medicine from her storage pouch and explained their purpose.
"How about we try this method?"
The clan leader’s eyes lit up.
Yan Luoyue suggested, "Should we poison their water source?"
Back when she and Manshuang infiltrated the demon realm, they wiped out an entire fortress because Manshuang had washed his hands in their water supply.
The clan leader shook his head. "Last time, you poisoned them on their home turf, where their guard was down. That’s why it worked."
But the demons invading the demon realm were far more vigilant.
After years of warfare, methods like poisoning water sources had already been tried—and countered.
As the trio pondered, the clan leader suddenly brightened.
With a sly grin, he leaned in and whispered, "This medicine... it’s harmless to demons, right?"
Yan Luoyue nodded. "Lili guaranteed it’s safe, and I vouch for it too."
"That settles it." Clan Leader Xiangyun let out a long sigh of relief. "In that case, our clan has many fly demons... Heh heh heh, I can send them to spread powder on the Yimu Demons' food!"
Yan Luoyue: "!!!"
Wow, she was unfamiliar with the demon clan's combat methods—who knew they could fight like this?!
...
After years of warfare, the demon race wasn't foolish. Naturally, they guarded against insect demons transforming into their true forms and sneaking into their camps to gather intelligence.
But this batch of Yimu Demons had only recently been deployed, and their new camp was freshly established. The demons had many other matters to attend to, so their defenses against insect demons were temporarily neglected.
Seizing this opportunity, the Xiangyun Clan launched a surprise attack.
Yimu Demons disliked cooked food—they preferred raw meat.
Whether it was rotting flesh or freshly slaughtered meat dripping with blood, the Yimu Demons devoured it all.
So, you can imagine the following scenario:
Freshly butchered meat, its bloody scent thick in the air, attracting a swarm of flies—that’s perfectly normal, right?
Or perhaps, meat so rotten that pus oozes from it in thick streams.
Meat like that would naturally draw even more flies, wouldn’t it?
And flies, as creatures, have fine hairs on their legs. In nature, they already serve as pollinators.
...So, when these flies land on the Yimu Demons' food, their legs coated in a special powder, and they rub that powder onto the food—that’s also perfectly normal, right?
Don’t ask why there are flies in the demon camp.
Because flies are everywhere!
Even in modern times, in the extreme cold of the Arctic, flies and mosquitoes still survive.
In a pleasant, spring-blooming land like the demon realm, what’s the big deal about a few flies?
—What ill intentions could tiny little flies possibly have?
They just want to sterilize you all, that’s all.
And so, the first wave of fly scouts, their bodies laden with powder, marched boldly toward the Yimu Demons' nest.
Buzz buzz buzz—they advanced.
Buzz buzz buzz—they reached their designated targets.
Buzz buzz buzz—they rolled around on the Yimu Demons' food before being impatiently swatted away by the demons in charge of meals.
The first group of experimental subjects consisted of twenty Yimu Demons.
Once their mission was accomplished, most of the fly scouts retreated.
A small group, however, remained behind with jade slips that transmitted live footage, sending real-time reports back to Yan Luoyue and the others waiting in the Xiangyun Clan Territory.
Yan Luoyue watched intently for any changes in the Yimu Demons.
At first, the demons who had consumed the tainted food showed no signs of discomfort.
They continued feasting voraciously, birthing one bloodstained demon spawn after another, as if operating an assembly line for invaders.
Occasionally, they would even extend their sickle-like claws, impaling a weak spawn and shoving it into their gaping maws for a quick snack.
By sunset, Yan Luoyue still hadn’t seen the changes she was hoping for.
Frowning, she began to suspect that the dosage had been too weak.
But just as Wu Manshuang lit the magical lantern, the footage from the jade slips finally revealed something unusual!
On a bed piled high with soft furs, one of the Yimu Demons suddenly let out a strange, guttural shriek.
Its sickle-like claws slashed down violently, slicing the bed into pieces in an instant.
The demons tasked with tending to the Yimu Demon quickly scrambled away, watching fearfully as it thrashed in a frenzy—before giving birth to something covered in blood...
Huh? Yan Luoyue’s eyes widened in shock, and she instinctively leaned closer to the jade slip’s projection.
This time, the Yimu Demon hadn’t birthed a spawn.
It—it—it... it had laid an egg!
Yan Luoyue: "!!!"
She was utterly stunned.
Yimu Demons, by nature, had no concept of laying eggs.
This egg-laying Yimu Demon had pioneered a whole new method of reproduction among invasive species.
For a moment, the other Yimu Demons on either side craned their necks to look, while the demon attendants, displaying a reckless lack of self-preservation, crowded in for a closer view.
Yan Luoyue could confidently say: At this moment, the shock this Yimu Demon inflicted upon its fellow demons was comparable to the birth of the first Nezha in Chentang Pass.
...Honestly, just how had Chang Lili concocted this sterilization drug? The effects of this first batch were downright bizarre!
Ling Shuanghun mused, "I’ve heard of certain species whose offspring suffocate inside eggs because the shells are too thick..."
Hmm, suffocation—that was one possible outcome.
Though whether Chang Lili’s modifications were aiming for that remained unclear.
After the first Yimu Demon laid its egg, the others soon followed.
One by one, they grew agitated and began laying eggs of their own.
When the dozens of eggs were gathered together, it became obvious that their shells varied in thickness and size—some even had pockmarked surfaces, as if underdeveloped.
One particularly irritable Yimu Demon, channeling the spirit of Li Jing, raised its sickle-claw and split its freshly laid egg open.
With a sickening crack, the shell shattered, spilling out a shapeless mess of pus and blood.
Yan Luoyue murmured, "I wonder if anything can even hatch from these eggs."
If they could still hatch, then this wasn’t true sterilization—just a delay tactic, slowing the demon race’s offensive by prolonging their growth cycle.
But even a delay was better than spawning fully formed demon offspring.
Patting her sleeve pouch, Yan Luoyue perked up. "Chang Lili gave me several different drugs—let’s test the others too!"
Encouraged by the drug’s effectiveness, the three of them set off to ask Clan Leader Xiangyun if more fly demons could be dispatched for the mission.
As they pushed the door open, the female guard stationed outside bowed and asked if they needed an escort.
The woman was burly and imposing, with striking features: buck teeth, slightly protruding eyes, and a radiant forehead.
The moment Ling Shuanghun saw her, his expression turned solemn. He subtly switched places with Wu Manshuang, edging closer to Yan Luoyue.
Yan Luoyue: ???
Wait, Ling Shuanghun wasn’t usually the type to judge by appearances.
Could it be... that there was something off about this demon clan guard?
Yan Luoyue shot him a questioning look.
Ling Shuanghun responded with a pained grimace.
He whispered to her through a sound transmission, "Yan Luoyue, you might not know this, but I suspect her species is..."
Before he could finish, a drunken demon clansman stumbled past.
As he passed the female guard, he let out a loud, mocking whistle—whether flirtatious or derisive, Yan Luoyue couldn’t tell.
All she saw was the guard sneer coldly before raising a hand to signal the three of them to halt.
Ling Shuanghun gasped sharply on the spot. "I guessed right—she really is...!"
The next moment, the female guard... wait, what?
The muscles on her upper arms, shoulders, calves, and even her abs and defined waistline bulged out exaggeratedly!
Her muscles swelled larger and larger until, eventually, they morphed into multiple humanoid figures.
These figures leaped off the female guard’s body, their movements agile and swift, leaving Yan Luoyue utterly dazzled. She silently counted in her mind: One, two, three... eighteen!
Incredible! This female guard was actually carrying eighteen burly men with her!
Yan Luoyue’s pupils trembled violently, her eyes nearly popping out of their sockets—who could explain to her what kind of "covered in men" effect this was?!
Without a word, the eighteen men rolled up their sleeves and immediately surrounded the whistling demon, giving him a thorough beating.
Ling Shuanghun swallowed hard, finally managing to finish his sentence.
He said, "I guessed she was... from the anglerfish clan."
Now, anglerfish are rather peculiar creatures.
After birth, the males attach themselves to the females, eventually merging with them in the literal sense—becoming the female’s sperm sac, forever a part of her body.
This trait manifests among the anglerfish demon clan as...
Male anglerfish can cling to female anglerfish like clothing, transforming alongside them when they shapeshift, appearing completely normal on the surface.
But whenever needed, the female anglerfish can simply "pluck" these men off!
—Bet you didn’t see this coming! What looks like one guard is actually nineteen guards in one!
Ling Shuanghun muttered a crane clan proverb with lingering fear:
"Never provoke an anglerfish, because you’ll never know just how many anglerfish you’re dealing with."
Yan Luoyue: "..."
Yan Luoyue was too stunned by this bizarre biological trait to speak.
She thought to herself: Good heavens, is this the legendary... "Wait till I bring a whole van of guys to beat you up"?
