Madam Xueyao was indeed waiting at the foot of the mountain.
During the earlier melee, the Four-Square Ram King and his group had brought along additional hands. She and several other helpers had protected the weaker young demons of the mountain-ape clan and contributed a great deal.
The others had already received what they wanted and left on their own, but the Demon King’s precious blood she sought was rather special, so she had remained behind to wait.
“Fox King.” Madam Xueyao smiled faintly and bowed to him.
The old Fox King cheerfully shook the small bottle in his hand. “No need to worry. I brought it.”
Her smile deepened. “Then...”
“But you know me.” The old Fox King’s eyes curved into crescents. “I have always been wicked at heart. Now that this has fallen into my hands, you will have to pay a price if you want it.”
A trace of helplessness appeared on Madam Xueyao’s face. She shook her head with a quiet laugh.
“Had another Demon King said that, I would be terrified. But you...”
She sighed softly.
“You have probably thought up some nasty trick to tease someone again.”
“Hahaha!” The old Fox King laughed heartily. “Relax. I am not teasing anyone today.”
He pointed at Scholar Xiao.
“Ask away.”
Scholar Xiao stepped forward with an amiable smile and bowed to her.
“Forgive the intrusion, Senior.”
Madam Xueyao regarded him with some curiosity. She did not put on airs and returned his greeting gently.
“What would you like to ask me?”
Scholar Xiao did not immediately raise the matter. He was widely read and knew something of the demonfolk of Great Wilderness Mountain, so he began courteously.
“Senior belongs to the Lunar Jade Rabbit clan. I have heard that your clan possesses considerable knowledge of medicinal ingredients, and that many apothecaries obtain spiritual herbs and medicinal materials through dealings with your people.”
Madam Xueyao relaxed slightly and answered with a smile, “That is correct.”
“In truth, apart from those powerful demon clans naturally close to humans, most strong clans within Great Wilderness Mountain seldom conduct business with them.”
She gave a rueful smile.
“By the time the Lunar Jade Rabbit clan passed into my hands, we could no longer be considered powerful. Yet our population remains large, so I had no choice but to make contact with humans and earn spirit stones from them.”
“There is more to it than that,” the old Fox King added with a smile. “I heard you even sent several children to Fire Cauldron Sect to study pill refining. You must enjoy a fairly good relationship with them.”
Madam Xueyao’s gaze flickered. She lowered her eyes before answering.
“...Yes.”
“It was a gamble, in truth.”
“Demonfolk and humans follow different cultivation systems. No one knew whether members of our race could even learn their pill-refining arts.”
“As for our relationship with Fire Cauldron Sect... they are the foremost pill-refining sect among humans, and they require vast quantities of medicinal ingredients. After doing so much business together, some goodwill naturally developed between us.”
She carefully distanced herself from them.
“At the time, the old Pill King was merciful. He said the Lunar Jade Rabbit clan possessed a natural affinity for herbs, so perhaps we would achieve twice the result with half the effort.”
“Unfortunately, not long after the children arrived, the old Pill King entered seclusion. They only send word home occasionally. They have barely begun their studies and have not learned much else.”
“Every parent worries for their children.” Nothing could be read from the old Fox King’s expression as he smiled. “You have certainly worked hard to find each of them a path forward.”
Madam Xueyao lowered her head slightly.
“It is only what a parent should do.”
“Then did they ever ask you to provide any special medicinal catalysts?” The old Fox King lowered his voice as though sharing a secret. “Humans, for instance. Or cultivators.”
Madam Xueyao slowly raised her eyes.
She did not deny it at once. Instead, she laughed softly.
“Someone truly did once approach me in hopes of conducting such business.”
“Oh?” The old Fox King looked delighted and pointed at Scholar Xiao. “See? What did I tell you? We would make progress.”
Madam Xueyao gently shook her head.
“I did not dare accept that deal.”
“Everyone knows that my strength is unremarkable among the many contenders of Great Wilderness Mountain. I have only come this far because of the goodwill I have built.”
“And most of the Demon Kings willing to lend me a hand are mild-tempered and relatively friendly toward humans.”
She lifted her gaze.
“I would never dare conduct business that severed my own path of retreat.”
The old Fox King laughed loudly.
“At least you are honest.”
He clapped his hands lightly.
“You have protected your clan until today precisely because you know when to tell the truth.”
“Good. ‘I did not dare’ is far more believable than ‘I could not.’”
“Who was the other party?” Scholar Xiao pressed. “Were they from Fire Cauldron Sect?”
Madam Xueyao shook her head.
“They deliberately concealed their appearance, so I do not know where they came from. At the very least, they were not one of the Fire Cauldron Sect cultivators who regularly deal with us.”
“However...” She looked thoughtful. “They were most likely a pill refiner. Beyond that, I truly know nothing.”
“We refused the business, but someone else was bound to accept it. Presumably, they approached another clan afterward, which led to the disappearance of those who entered the mountain.”
“A pill refiner.” Scholar Xiao let out a long sigh and tapped his head lightly with the Literary Talent Fan. “That is truly like searching for a needle in the ocean.”
“Look on the bright side.” Yu Qingtang patted his shoulder consolingly. “At least that is more useful than merely knowing the culprit is ‘a person.’”
“At worst, I will help you beg Senior Sister Tianxin when we return and ask her to let you see that picture after all.”
Scholar Xiao looked moved.
“Brother Yu! You truly are my good bro!”
His expression eased somewhat.
“Ah, but my curiosity is still difficult to suppress. Hopefully Senior Sister Tianxin will uncover the rest and satisfy my curiosity as well.”
“In that case—”
The old Fox King reached out to hand Madam Xueyao the Demon King’s precious blood. The moment she extended her hand, however, he abruptly drew it back again, smiling.
“Oh, right. There is one more thing.”
“I heard you bought a precious medicine from Fire Cauldron Sect. All you lack is a single drop of a Demon King’s precious blood as a catalyst. With it, you can break through and join the ranks of the Demon Kings.”
His eyes curved with amusement.
“In that case, allow me to congratulate the new Demon King in advance. Have you thought of a suitably grand title?”
Madam Xueyao’s expression shifted faintly.
“Your information remains as well-informed as ever.”
“Yes. Keeping that precious medicine in my possession any longer would only invite trouble. Unless I consume it soon, some other demon may lose patience and try to seize it.”
“As for a title...” She shook her head helplessly. “A breakthrough achieved through medicine will still leave me far inferior to the other Demon Kings. I would not dare choose anything too ostentatious.”
“Easy enough.” The old Fox King raised the bottle with a smile. “Then choose.”
“You may have this drop of Demon King’s precious blood, or...”
His smile deepened.
“You may have the life of that little Deceit Beast.”
Madam Xueyao’s eyes widened for an instant before she immediately regained her composure and laughed softly.
“The Fox King is teasing me again. Xuerong, he...”
“Do you not know how he came to be at the banquet?” The old Fox King pointed at himself. “He was helping that black-hearted old ram and was captured by me.”
Madam Xueyao pressed her lips together and fell silent.
Her gaze flickered. Several times, she seemed about to speak, but no words came out.
The old Fox King studied her deeply, then laughed.
“It seems you still are not clever enough.”
“Once you become a Demon King, you will at least be able to protect your entire clan for a century. But if you wish to protect that Deceit Beast...”
He shook his head.
With a flick of his hand, he sent a drop of golden-red precious blood flying from the bottle.
Caught off guard, Madam Xueyao hurriedly raised her hand to catch it. Gratitude flooded her face.
“Fox King!”
“Xuerong will never do it again!”
“Once you become a Demon King, many things you did not dare do before should become things you dare to do.” The old Fox King’s eyes curved with amusement as he glanced back at her. “But you are still not ruthless enough.”
“It is good not to be ruthless enough,” he said with a sigh. “Since you cannot bear to give up his life, keep a close eye on him. Do not let him run wild again.”
Ziyun bared her teeth as she passed in front of Madam Xueyao.
“Keep him under control! Otherwise, every time I see him, I’ll bite him! I’ll bite all his fur off!”
Madam Xueyao froze briefly, then bowed.
“I will remember.”
...
Now that Ye Chenyan was free and no longer had to return to the little bamboo cottage in the Immortal-Bewildering Forest every day, Yu Qingtang brought him to Nobody-Likes-Me’s bathhouse.
With three million spirit stones in his possession, Yu Qingtang was feeling magnificently wealthy and declared that the visit was his treat.
Unfortunately, Chi Yantian refused to indulge him. He was heading to the dragon-lineage territory with the Young Dragon King to search for ore and was so excited that he could not remain seated for even another moment.
In the end, only Scholar Xiao accompanied them.
Scholar Xiao waved his Literary Talent Fan and smiled with knowing consideration. Lowering his voice, he said to Ye Chenyan, “Relax, Brother Ye. I will arrange everything.”
He squeezed over beside Nobody-Likes-Me and pulled him aside, murmuring something Yu Qingtang could not hear.
It was only after Yu Qingtang entered the bathing area that he learned they would be soaking in an open-air pool today—
A huge, steaming sulfur spring, divided down the middle by a wooden partition.
Yu Qingtang suddenly understood.
Last time, it had been nine-grid hot pot.
This time, it was a divided hot pot.
Yu Qingtang looked left and right.
“Which side is my Brother Xiao in?”
Ye Chenyan had already entered the water. He was half reclining against the edge of the pool and looked back at him with a raised brow.
“How are you supposed to sneak a peek? You are looking at me now, so I will have to look back later.”
Yu Qingtang’s eyes widened in outrage.
“What! How can someone accuse the victim before doing anything himself?”
He narrowed his eyes, snatched up the bucket used to add water, and made as though to pour it into Ye Chenyan’s side.
“Let me add some cold water so you can calm down!”
“Wait, wait—” Ye Chenyan hurriedly surrendered. “I was wrong!”
He closed his eyes.
“I will not look. If you say I cannot look, then I will not.”
He leaned against the edge of the pool and lifted his eyes toward him.
“All right?”
Yu Qingtang lowered the bucket of cold water and moved it within reach beside himself.
“I am leaving this divine artifact right here.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“If you dare make any suspicious movement later, I will...”
Ye Chenyan nodded obediently.
“Then I will be taking a cold bath today.”
Only then did Yu Qingtang begin removing his clothes. He watched Ye Chenyan closely to ensure that his eyes remained honestly shut, then entered the water with lightning speed.
Once he had comfortably sunk into the pool, a thought occurred to him—
In the past, he would never have felt this embarrassed about sharing a bathhouse with another man.
He looked up with the weariness of one who had endured the vicissitudes of life.
But back then, he had never worn dresses. He had still been an upright, modern man who could frolic bare-chested on the beach and stride openly into the men’s bathhouse.
He wiped his face.
There was no going back.
A faint sound came from the neighboring side.
Yu Qingtang immediately grabbed the partition between them and poked his head over, vigilant.
“What are you doing?”
Ye Chenyan jumped and sank slightly deeper into the water.
“I was looking at the menu!”
He narrowed his eyes and pointed at Yu Qingtang, who was clinging to the partition, his expression amused.
“Well, well. You forbid me from looking over there, but you are allowed to look over here?”
Yu Qingtang looked perfectly righteous.
“What is wrong with looking at you?”
“No.” Ye Chenyan raised a brow. “I get embarrassed too.”
He poked Yu Qingtang’s hand.
“I...”
Yu Qingtang spun around with swift efficiency, scooped up a ladle of cold water, and held it above Ye Chenyan’s head.
Ye Chenyan: “...”
He sighed.
“Fine, fine. You are allowed to look at me, but I am not allowed to look at you.”
He held up the menu.
“What do you want to eat?”
“Let me see!” Yu Qingtang leaned closer, then suddenly stared at his ears. “You said you did not look, so why are your ears so red?”
“It is hot.” Ye Chenyan turned his head away. “In any case, I did not look.”
Yu Qingtang narrowed his eyes and once again raised the ladle of cold water with a swish.
“You may not have looked, but were you thinking something you should not have been?”
“Confess!”
Ye Chenyan closed his eyes.
“Then pour it.”
Yu Qingtang: “...”
He cleared his throat and quietly lowered the ladle again. His own ears slowly turned red.
“Forget it. You look pitiful, so I will spare you this once.”
“Let me see the menu.”
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