Inner Demons

An uprising of displaced people occurred almost every few decades. The State of Ye was frequently prone to drought. When times were bad and many people starved, there would be some who didn't understand the truth of the world and wanted to "pull the Emperor down from his horse." But Lu Zhengyang knew that Daoist Orthodoxy and Sword Sect would not allow a large-scale popular rebellion within the State of Ye, and he also knew that the promise from the White Yama King meant that Great Ye's national destiny would certainly be long-lasting.

Therefore, he first sent troops to suppress it. Suppressing while placating, killing some and providing relief to others, the rebellion would ultimately disappear without a trace.

However, six months later, Lu Zhengyang received news—the displaced people who had risen up had not only failed to vanish but had instead grown in strength!

At that time, the officials throughout the State of Ye also knew that these displaced people could not shake the foundation of the state, so they concealed the true extent layer by layer, unconcerned. There was no precedent for such a thing in thousands of years of history, so how could it happen now in the State of Ye?

Thus, the rebel forces now numbered forty thousand, occupying the territory of six provinces.

The leader of the rebels, surnamed Song, was named Song Dengke. His hometown was a county called Qingyang, and after occupying the six provinces, he openly declared himself Emperor—with the state name, Qing.

The Emperor finally grew anxious and sought help from Daoist Orthodoxy and Sword Sect. But the Taoist priest in Wei Capital only said he would report back to his Sect, and then later said that the Emperor could resolve such a matter himself—it was merely forty thousand, what was there to fear?

Another three months passed like this.

The matter became even more serious—the rebel army had actually captured another six provinces and eighteen prefectures, occupying nearly one-third of the State of Ye. Reports from the front lines stated that the rebel army was even aided by demons and people skilled in Daoist Arts, and the Ye Dynasty's government troops were no match at all.

But it was then that he truly knew things had gone wrong—at some point, the cultivators at the Daoist Orthodoxy and Sword Sect outposts within the borders of the State of Ye...

...had all vanished.

It was only then that Lu Zhengyang felt fear... because this meant that Daoist Orthodoxy and Sword Sect had tacitly approved of the situation.

Daoist Orthodoxy and Sword Sect wanted to change the dynasty.

What followed was a war between Qing and Ye that lasted for several years.

During these years, another incident occurred.

The Emperor, sitting in his deep palace, saw the gloomy war reports from the front line, and his mood was naturally poor. Thus, he often went out for a stroll.

He disguised himself as a commoner and walked through the streets and alleys of Wei Capital, witnessing many people and events. The pressure of a failing state and his worry for the future finally allowed him to sincerely appreciate the suffering of the common people and understand how the market-dwelling folk cautiously lived out a day, a year, a lifetime.

This gave him a unique temperament—he possessed the nobility and grandeur of an Emperor, but also the open-mindedness of one who worries for his country and cares for all under Heaven.

Then he met a demon.

The demon was named Bai Yunxin.

Lu Zhengyang was a handsome man, and he possessed a special temperament rarely seen in the world.

And Bai Yunxin and her maid were already wandering in the mortal realm, liking everything fun, interesting, and novel. She quickly took a liking to this last Emperor of the Ye Dynasty.

Although a demon's affection is different from a human's, and whether Bai Yunxin treated him as a special plaything was unknown. But the demoness eventually learned his identity and troubles, realizing she had encountered a rare and amusing event that only happens once in a thousand years.

And Lu Zhengyang also knew that this woman was not human, but a demon with great powers.

He asked Bai Yunxin if she could help him save his empire—and promised that once peace was restored, the entire State of Ye's human worship incense would be offered to her.

A dynastic change was a rare event, only happening once in a thousand years, and was naturally extremely amusing. Bai Yunxin happily agreed.

Subsequently...

This Bai Yunxin also vanished.

The subsequent events are recorded in detail in the historical texts.

The State of Ye was overthrown, Wei Capital was breached, the city was massacred, and the Emperor of Ye died in the Violet-Gold Palace hall.

As for the earlier events, Li Yunxin knew that they were likely not fabricated—after eliminating Yue Yunzi, the White Yama King had told him why he helped the Ghost Emperor. According to the White Yama King, he owed the Ghost Emperor, Lu Zhengyang, a promise. Bai Yunxin's words now corroborated the White Yama King's statement.

Bai Yunxin spoke for a long time. Her tone was calm, with a slight sprightliness—it was evident that recalling her time with the Emperor of Ye was a very happy memory for her.

By the time she stopped talking, it was noon.

But the three demons were in the middle of the lake, feeling cool rather than hot. Li Yunxin squinted, thought for a moment, and couldn't help but ask, "So, does it have anything to do with the portrait in the broken temple on Goddess Mountain in Qingzhou?"

Bai Yunxin thought for a moment: "I don't know."

Li Yunxin nodded. He also thought for a moment, and then asked, "So, you helped the Ghost Emperor and me block the people from Sword Sect because you also owed Lu Zhengyang a promise. So the question is—when you agreed to help Lu Zhengyang back then, why did you disappear later?"

"My foster father wouldn't allow it," Li Yunxin expected Bai Yunxin to take some time to struggle and hesitate before deciding whether to tell him. But unexpectedly, she said it without any hesitation, "I didn't know the reason then. I only listened to Lu Zhengyang's side of the story, thinking it was just displaced people causing trouble. But after I agreed to him, I realized... it was actually the grand trend of the world. Those people wanted to change the dynasty, but my foster father didn't say why."

Li Yunxin understood that the "those people" Bai Yunxin referred to were Daoist Orthodoxy and Sword Sect.

This matter, along with the history of the Ye Dynasty's downfall hundreds of years ago, made him frown.

He felt that something was not right.

It wasn't that he was being overly suspicious, but rather—

The former capital of the Ye Dynasty was Weicheng. The Dragon Soul was in Dongting beside Weicheng. The Lord of Dongting was also in Dongting. Bai Yunxin also came to Dongting. Everything recent was happening near Weicheng.

So many people and events happening in such a small area...

Li Yunxin felt that perhaps all these seemingly unrelated events, spanning different periods and involving various forces that he knew of, were actually revolving around one single matter or one single reason.

He was learning more and more, yet also becoming more and more confused. Every time he felt he was close to touching the answer, he would suddenly realize that the supposed "answer" was merely one factor of "that matter."

The last Emperor of the Ye Dynasty, Lu Zhengyang, showed disrespect to the portrait on Goddess Mountain, and in the blink of an eye, heavy rain fell, displaced people rose in rebellion, and he was abandoned by Daoist Orthodoxy and Sword Sect... There must be a connection and something suspicious about this.

Li Yunxin was now the Dragon King. He knew what rainmaking was all about.

The Dragon Clan could all make rain, but their abilities varied. For example, a True Realm Dragon's Son like himself, who also cultivated Daoist Arts. Creating a fierce storm with so much accumulated resentment in Weicheng—it wasn't hard, but it wasn't easy either.

With his cultivation, he could create a light rain covering the entire Weicheng and Dongting. He could also create a medium rain with a smaller coverage area. If he wanted a violent storm, it could probably only cover Weicheng.

As for a super storm that lasted for seven days and seven nights... he felt it was impossible for him to achieve.

He didn't know who else could do it.

He hadn't belonged to this world before; he had seen weather satellite images—a large Earth covered with white cloud masses. The large ones were as big as a continent, and even the small ones spanned several provinces.

Therefore, he found it hard to imagine how powerful a demon's magic would have to be... to be strong enough to create a super downpour that covered nearly half a country and lasted for several days.

There were "Dragon Kings" disguised as demons all over this world. But these "Dragon Kings" were mostly aquatic beings, naturally possessing a slight ability to call the wind and rain. However, that ability was limited.

A "Dragon King" in a small river might exhaust all its strength to create a 'large-area' light drizzle once a month. But fortunately, there were many demons, so quantity could compensate for quality.

Taoist priests also "prayed for rain." But their rain prayers were pure shenanigans.

Taoist priests themselves couldn't call the wind and rain.

In Li Yunxin's view, the matter was easy to understand—when you look up at ordinary, low-hanging rain clouds, you feel they are right above your own roof, seemingly within reach.

In reality, they are a couple of kilometers high.

How could those Intent Realm and Illusory Realm Taoist priests who traveled the world, who couldn't even fly, have the ability to influence the condensation of water vapor in the sky that high—and on a super-large scale?

But while they couldn't, the local aquatic demons could.

It was easy to distinguish rain brought by demons—the cloud layer was thin and low, mostly one or two hundred meters high, the duration would not be long, and the rainfall would not be heavy.

So the Taoist priests burned Talismans, summoning the aquatic demons who naturally possessed the ability to bring rain.

Since these types of demons could serve as the local "Dragon King," they were inherently docile. They desired the worship incense for their cultivation and the offerings from the mortal world. Taoist priests represented Daoist Orthodoxy and cultivated the Celestial Heart Orthodox Law. They held an advantage in any conflict, and were backed by a powerful force. If they came here to "call the wind and summon the rain" and the demon genuinely refused to cooperate, they would sacrifice the Talisman and use the flying sword to slay it, then claim that the drought was caused by the demon's mischief—who was there to complain to?

Therefore, Li Yunxin regarded the demons' rainmaking as "hard labor," and the Taoist priests' rain prayers as "shenanigans."

So he was wondering whether the heavy rain that lasted for seven days and seven nights after Lu Zhengyang touched the portrait in the Goddess Mountain temple... was man-made or a coincidence.

If it was a coincidence, why did Daoist Orthodoxy suddenly want to overthrow the Ye Dynasty and establish a new Qing Dynasty?

With this thought, he quickly grasped the key point.

If they disliked the Lu family as Emperors, they could have simply replaced the Lu family. This would sound ridiculous in his former world, but no one here would dare say it was impossible.

The Emperors in this world were more like "professional managers" under the authority of Daoist Orthodoxy and Sword Sect.

If the Immortals, who possessed supreme authority, disliked the manager, they could simply dismiss him and appoint a new one—why create popular discontent, widespread riots, and smoke everywhere?

It must be remembered that Daoist Orthodoxy and Sword Sect wished for peace and prosperity in the mortal world, and for the common people to multiply and reproduce.

But the war from hundreds of years ago... everyone in the present Qing Kingdom knew how devastating it was. Within the provinces, nine out of ten households were empty, and from the start of the displaced people's uprising to the fall of Wei Capital, the population almost halved—this was "half the population" of a state. (To be continued.)

Then Li Yunxin felt the key lay in this "half the population."

He now knew that people were a good thing, and human lives were also a good thing.

Daoist Orthodoxy and Sword Sect could obtain fresh blood from humans. They could also... kill them. So many people died, so much resentment; it wouldn't be allowed to dissipate in vain.

If Daoist Orthodoxy and Sword Sect killed people for that resentment, they would be an evil cult, an evil path. Now they were killing people in Weicheng, and they would probably let others take the blame or find other excuses later. But killing people throughout the entire State of Ye would make it difficult to shift the blame or find excuses.

Then changing the dynasty was an excellent method.

The people weren't killed by them.

The problem was... what did they need so many dead people for?

The more he thought about it, the more he felt a chilling dread.

Now that he knew this history, he also knew the past of Bai Yunxin and Lu Zhengyang. It seemed that Bai Yunxin was "clean" and had no connection with Daoist Orthodoxy and Sword Sect. He felt a little relieved and stood up: "Since things are like this, I need to discuss something with you."

"The people from Daoist Orthodoxy might be planning to destroy Dongting, the Dragon Soul, and me. I need your help."

The little maid had been silent while Bai Yunxin was talking, but she spoke up now. She pouted and glared at Li Yunxin: "Why should we help you?"

The little maid was probably very pampered. But Li Yunxin had no time to argue with her and only looked at Bai Yunxin. He saw her thinking, her eyes slightly lowered: "How do you want me to help?"

"I don't know what changes will occur in the lake if the Dragon Soul is removed. But I'm afraid that the people from Daoist Orthodoxy will perceive the anomaly and act prematurely," Li Yunxin said. "I hope you will only take the Dragon Soul when my plan succeeds."

After hearing his words, the little maid stared at him. After a good while, she said, "Heh... you're a demon now, but hmph, you were a person before. You have a wicked heart!"

"If my mistress leaves late and encounters misfortune and harms her body, who should she talk to?!"

Bai Yunxin just looked at him and didn't speak. The maid said the question that she herself found difficult to voice.

Li Yunxin was silent for a moment, then stood up. He looked down at Bai Yunxin and her maid—the two human-shaped demonesses looked small and ordinary in the sunlight, appearing like sheltered, wealthy women who couldn't even fight a chicken. He let this feeling linger in his mind for a moment before speaking: "If I can escape unharmed, I will find a way to settle your marriage."

The maid was stunned. She first turned to look at Bai Yunxin, then at Li Yunxin. Then, she jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on: "Do you know what you are saying? Huh?!"

But Li Yunxin still looked at the seated Bai Yunxin: "No matter what issue or reason made you feel compelled to accept your foster father's arrangement, I will find a way to settle your marriage. I mean, resolve it completely, leaving no future troubles."

The little maid snorted: "That's a bold claim."

Li Yunxin turned his eyes to her and smiled: "Little girl. You and your mistress helped me before, and I remember that. But if you cause trouble again, I'll throw you into the lake."

The maid, who had been by Bai Yunxin's side, was probably being spoken to like this for the first time. She became furious, bared her mouth, and revealed the sharp teeth of a demon: "You dare?!"

Li Yunxin sighed, grabbed her casually. He was tall, practically lifting the little maid up. He lifted her, and with lightning speed, he slapped her bottom three times, then exerted force in his hand—

The little maid buzzed like a cannonball and was flung far, far away by him—a needle-like column of water only appeared at the junction of the water and sky two breaths later.

Bai Yunxin did not stop him and only watched quietly. After Li Yunxin clapped his hands again, she raised her face and said, "My foster father is the Golden-Winged Great Peng King. Do you know what you just said?"

Li Yunxin smiled: "Where there is a will, there is a way. Although that girl talks a lot, she wanted my help last night. I am only a True Realm demon, probably an ant compared to the Peng King... but since she hinted at it so eagerly and indirectly, it means I can somehow help with this matter, right?"

"I thought about it all night, and I feel that helping you is also helping myself. So don't reject me. Why don't you agree to let me help you, and in turn, you agree to help me? Wouldn't mutual benefit and joy be wonderful?"

Bai Yunxin was silent for a moment, then a smile appeared on her face.

"Ah... you are a True Realm demon now," she said softly. Her tone was like a low sigh, combined with the strange smoothness of a demon.

"Alright," she said again. At the same time, she stood up, facing Li Yunxin, "I will take the Dragon Soul in ten days. Is ten days enough for you?"

Li Yunxin frowned slightly: "It's a bit short."

The demoness smiled and simultaneously flew up onto a cloud: "If you can't complete these things in ten days, how will you help me in the future?"

With another wave of her hand, the little black donkey on the grass was also swept onto the cloud with her.

At the same time, two black specks suddenly fell from the sky, and Li Yunxin hurriedly raised his breath and dodged. Looking again—

...It was the two piles of donkey droppings that the little black donkey dropped from fright when it was swept into the sky. (To be continued.)

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