Chapter 25: The Demon of Business

"It's not your things that were stolen, of course you're not anxious. That demoness is truly hateful—if we catch her, we'll tear her to pieces!"

Qin Yue was being ushered in by the Black Jiao, one foot inside the doorway and one still out, when he caught a cold voice drifting from within.

He glanced at the speaker: a gaunt man dressed all in black, his hair tied in a human-style topknot, with no trace of demonic aura about him, just like Windcry when she took on human form.

His face was twisted with anger, eyes chilling to the core.

Qin Yue's gaze swept across the others in the room, spotting a burly, bearded man nearly ten feet tall, fierce-faced and dressed with careless disregard, his chest bare and bristling with thick hair.

There were several other beasts, their transformations incomplete—some, by their features, were clearly once wolf, bear, or leopard; at first glance they seemed almost human, but remnants of their original forms lingered. Others were blue-faced, tusked, hideous, and unrecognizable even as to their former shape.

Even after spending so much time here, growing accustomed to all manner of monsters, Qin Yue could not shake the feeling that he’d stepped into a den of fiends.

Lady Starshine, her face veiled, sat gracefully beside Windcry, her bearing as elegant and noble as ever.

She started slightly upon seeing Qin Yue, surprised to encounter the youth here.

In the time since they last met, his energy and spirit had clearly improved.

As soon as Qin Yue entered, a radiant smile blossomed on Windcry’s beautiful face. She rose of her own accord: “Allow me to introduce Mr. Qin. He is an honored guest of Burning Sky Marsh…”

She had yet to finish when the black-clad man, whose complaints had been interrupted by Qin Yue’s arrival, sneered, “You're regressing, Windcry, bringing a human here—what, do you want to emulate those powerful women keeping pretty boys for amusement?”

Lady Starshine’s voice was gentle, her tone flat: “Demon King Xuancang, your words are a bit much.”

“I don’t mean you, Lady Starshine. Humans and demons walk different paths. I just can’t fathom why Windcry would bring in a human pretty boy.”

Qin Yue thought to himself, ‘I’m not all that fair-skinned—if I hadn’t smeared Linhuang grass juice all over myself, then I’d really be a pretty boy.’

Windcry’s expression turned cold as she glanced at the man in black. “My affairs are none of your concern. Your lost trinket is of no concern to me, either. And let me warn you—show Mr. Qin the proper respect, or don’t expect me to help you, no matter how you beg!”

Xuancang laughed. “What could a wet-behind-the-ears brat possibly do? If anything, I’d rather you stop tipping off that little demoness for once!”

Windcry’s brows arched, her voice frosty. “What are you implying?”

Xuancang replied, “The demoness is grievously wounded. If not for you repeatedly dispatching your minions to warn her, how could she have evaded us and all those human cultivators time after time?”

Windcry’s expression grew glacial. “We set out together, attended that gathering together, and returned together. My place was nearly robbed as well. Why accuse me of collusion with her?”

Emberclaw scratched his chest hair, drawling, “All right, Lady Starshine is present. We’re all demons of status—petty bickering is just embarrassing.”

Xuancang snorted. “Don’t play the noble demon, Emberclaw. Everyone knows you have ties with the Demon Sect’s master. If that demoness had stolen your Alchemical Gourd, one word from you and she’d hand it right back. But if my Wind-Stabilizing Pearl is lost, will the Great King spare me?”

Emberclaw’s lip curled. “If you want to think so, I can’t stop you.”

The other great demons began to mediate.

“No need to fret, Xuancang. With the whole Beast Valley locked down, that demoness won’t escape.”

“The Demon Kings are all deep in slumber and won’t awaken soon. You’ll get your treasure back.”

“If we use this opportunity, through Lady Starshine, to reopen trade with the human sects, it would be no small benefit…”

“With omens manifesting and spatial rifts appearing everywhere, the future is uncertain. Now, more than ever, Beast Valley needs unity.”

Xuancang knew he was being unreasonable, but he had his woes. When the other Demon Kings slept, their slumber lasted decades or centuries. But the terrifying presence in his Undersea Lair slept lightly, waking at random, capricious and suspicious. Each time it woke, it insisted on seeing the Wind-Stabilizing Pearl to be at ease.

He might be a fearsome Demon King to the world, a tyrant of Beast Valley, but in that presence’s eyes, he was no more than a small demon, easily swallowed whole.

He had been the one to severely wound Feng Qian’ning, but the demoness was cunning, and with the Wind-Stabilizing Pearl, she had slipped away.

Now Windcry spoke again: “I invited everyone here to help, truly. Mr. Qin here, though young, is highly capable and resourceful. Xuancang, it seems you’re ungrateful…”

Her eyes glinted coldly. “That makes me redundant. If that’s the case, Demon King Xuancang, feel free to go hunt your demoness—you need not remain here.”

“Don’t be angry, Windcry. Xuancang’s just anxious.”

“We’ve all been friends for countless years—let’s not let a small matter breed discord.”

“Windcry says Mr. Qin is capable—what exactly does he do? Could he help us find the demoness?”

The great demons all tried to smooth things over, curiosity turning their gazes on Qin Yue.

Behind her veil, Lady Starshine’s beautiful eyes also settled on the youth.

She, too, was curious about Qin Yue.

While northern icefield mouse pelts were not considered top-tier materials, they were exceedingly rare. To hunt icefield mice in the frozen wilds beyond Beast Valley was no small feat. The boy’s elders must be extraordinary figures indeed.

With so many giving him an out, Xuancang could not persist, especially as he had no hard proof of Windcry shielding Feng Qian’ning. He cupped his hands to Windcry. “I was rash—sister, please don’t take offense.”

Windcry’s expression softened. “Each of your territories houses treasured medicines prepared by the Demon Kings. Their importance is obvious. Mr. Qin here hails from a reclusive family, and is highly knowledgeable in the nurturing of supreme medicinal herbs. I worry for my friends—if your lairs are robbed and the Demon Kings awaken, it will be hard to explain. But if your medicines are well cared for, perhaps you can redeem yourselves.”

“Are you serious, Windcry?”

“Does the boy—Mr. Qin—truly have such skill?”

“I’ve heard tell, in the great sects, of specialists who tend to supreme herbs. Is he one of those?”

In an instant, the eyes of the great demons changed. Though their forms might not have altered much over the ages, their consciousness far surpassed that of beasts.

To say they were wiser than humans might be debated, but to call them foolish was just as mistaken.

Qin Yue hadn’t expected to be summoned for this—Windcry was shrewd indeed. She could both curry favor with the Beast Valley demons and turn a profit—a true business demon.

He felt a rush of excitement, tempered with apprehension.

If he ever got the chance, he would have to learn transformation arts—if nothing else, he’d need to master disguise. Otherwise, one day, he might find himself hunted across the land by a horde of great demons and true Demon Kings.

Lady Starshine watched with growing interest, finding the youth ever more intriguing.

If he truly possessed such skill, not only Beast Valley, but even the greatest cultivation sects would vie to make him an honored guest.

She had no doubts—Windcry was clever, her intellect unmatched even in Beast Valley, which was why these demons deferred to her.

Xuancang looked skeptical. “Really? You’re not just putting up a front to cover your schemes?”

Windcry sneered. “Believe what you will—I’m not begging for your trust.”

Emberclaw said, “I believe it. Windcry, would you lend me Mr. Qin for a while? Let him tend my herb garden.”

Windcry smiled. “Since you ask, how could I refuse? However…”

Emberclaw waved her off. “Payment is no problem. Whatever herbs you lack, I’ll have delivered.”

Windcry nodded. “Mr. Qin’s reward must not be forgotten, and you must guarantee his safety.”

Emberclaw replied, “Of course. We may be demons, but we keep our word. I’ll make sure my people treat Mr. Qin with respect.”

The other great demons also vied to have Mr. Qin visit their domains and tend their herb gardens.

Only Xuancang remained dubious, silent—he intended to observe first.

At that moment, a blue-faced, tusked demon rose. “Windcry, could you let us see your treasured herbs?”

A leopard-headed, man-bodied demon nodded eagerly. “We’re curious about your herb gardens, too.”

Windcry replied, “Of course.”

She stood, leading the assembly toward the area where the Amethyst Treasure Tree and other great herbs grew.

Lady Starshine, too, rose and came to Qin Yue’s side, giving him a meaningful glance. Her voice was soft: “You are a man of talent. When you leave Beast Valley, I’d like to invite you privately, if you’d do me the honor?”

Qin Yue nodded gently. “If you ask, how could I refuse, sister?”

From her person, Lady Starshine produced a golden token and handed it to him. “Keep this. When you visit, present it to the gatekeeper.”

Qin Yue accepted the token, noting the small seal character for ‘Moon’ on the front, and a star chart engraved on the back. It was exquisitely crafted, seemingly of gold.

He thanked her with a smile and tucked it away.

Soon, Windcry led the demons to the Amethyst Treasure Tree. Even through the layers of wards, the dark purple, crystalline tree shimmered with vibrant, dazzling light.

Those who had never seen it before might be impressed by its appearance, but would not sense anything had changed.

But most of the great demons present had seen it before, and immediately noted the difference in its current state.

Even Xuancang, eyes cold as ice, squinted and cast an appraising look at Qin Yue.

Could this transformation truly be due to that little brat?

After inspecting several more herbs, Emberclaw and the others could no longer hide their excitement.

Faced with such evidence, there was no room for doubt. Their attitudes toward Windcry became deferential, and their regard for “Mr. Qin” warmed immensely.