80: The Four Demons

Compared to the humans' anxiety, the Four Demons under Lord Chuping were living quite comfortably.

They had mastered the art of playing both sides, speaking to people like people and to ghosts like ghosts.

At this moment, deep within Black Rat Mountain, the Four Demons had gathered in a secluded Immortal Cave.

The cave was filled with a lazy atmosphere, a mix of fruit and wine aromas.

Shuli and Shuling were completely unrestrained, sprawling about.

Shuling sat cross-legged on the main bed of the Immortal Cave, holding a string of crystal-clear fruits in her paw, occasionally popping one into her mouth.

These fruits were taken from a Vine Demon that had gained sentience, offered as tribute to Xuesha.

When Xuesha grew tired of them, he would bestow them upon the lesser demons below.

“Honestly, this life is much more comfortable than when we were with Lord Chuping.”

Shuling narrowed her shrewd, beady eyes, her tail wagging contentedly behind her.

Shuli, curled up in a corner covered with soft silk brocade, was gnawing on a candied fruit with her pointed snout. She looked up at the remark.

“Shh—be quiet, walls have ears.”

If Xuesha knew they had once associated with Lord Chuping, Black Rat Mountain would become Black Blood Mountain tomorrow, a hellish sea of blood.

Although Xuesha was not as powerful in Divine Ability as Lord Chuping, Xuesha had many eyes and ears. If one of them had clairaudience or something similar, they would be completely finished.

“This life is comfortable, yes, but our strength is improving too slowly.”

“I still miss the days of swindling and deceiving together.”

Shuling finished her fruit and sighed. Before, when she was with Lord Chuping, she could increase her strength just by attracting hatred—how stable that was!

Lord Chuping was very generous; she, Shuling, was not someone who could be bought with a few fruits.

“What do you all say, how are Chang Sheng Village and Nan Shu Village doing now? Should we find a moment to sneak in and take a look?”

Shuling blinked her nimble eyes, suggesting with a sincere expression.

“No, no, no!”

“We local demons are Xuesha’s primary surveillance targets. If Xuesha knew we could freely enter and exit the villages, we would be done for.”

“In my opinion, staying outside now, we can still act as inside agents, and perhaps be useful at a critical moment.”

“Husband, I’m just worried Xuesha will make us do terrible things.”

Once such things were done, there would be no turning back, and Lord Chuping would likely never use them again.

“Hiss, hiss!”

Little Green Snake flicked his tongue from the rafters.

“What’s there to fear? If things really go south, we can just feign compliance, hide in the village, and what can he do to me? Don’t worry, I see Xuesha is very arrogant. He probably long ago forgot about us small fry.”

He had a wine pot coiled on the tip of his tail, occasionally tilting his head back for a swig.

“Don’t say that. I heard the latest news: Xuesha devoured two more disobedient minor demons, not even spitting out their bones.”

At these words, the Four Demons felt a chill shoot from their tailbones to their crowns, and they all shivered in unison. However, in an instant, they all forced themselves to appear calm again, resuming their former leisurely demeanor.

“That’s why we need to be even more careful. That Xuesha is temperamental; today he might reward you with grapes, tomorrow he might chew you up like grapes.”

Five days ago, Xuesha suddenly led a large number of demons to occupy this place, giving them no time to react.

Moreover, they were originally minor mountain demons, without much power, but they were clever, excellent at speaking to people like people and to ghosts like ghosts.

This was their Dao of survival.

Xuesha saw they were sensible and indeed needed manpower, so he spared their lives.

“Shuling, do you think what we’re doing… counts as betraying Lord Chuping?”

Shuli suddenly asked, a hint of unease flashing in her black-bean-like eyes.

Little Green Snake’s tail paused for a moment, then resumed its nonchalant swaying.

“It… it shouldn’t, right?”

“It’s true that Lord Chuping treated us well, but given the current situation, we’re powerless.”

“Exactly, Xuesha’s pressure alone could crush us to death.”

Little Green Snake slid down from the beam, “Besides, we haven’t harmed anyone; we’re just making a living under Xuesha.”

Shuling nodded vigorously: “And we secretly helped a few humans who were almost eaten by Xuesha!”

The Four Demons exchanged smiles.

On the surface, they were obedient to Xuesha, but secretly, they often feigned compliance and even occasionally tipped off the villagers down the mountain.

As long as they weren’t caught, they offended neither side.

Just as they were speaking, heavy footsteps echoed from outside the Immortal Cave.

The Four Demons’ expressions immediately changed. Shuling waved her hand, and all the human delicacies and fine wines were hidden underground.

Langya, Xuesha’s confidant, pushed aside the curtain and entered, his crimson eyes sweeping around.

“Lord Xuesha summons you. He has a task for you.”

“Yes, yes, yes, we’ll go right away.”

Shuli’s posture instantly became half its height, bowing and scraping, her tail wagging like a rattle drum, utterly fawning.

Xuesha’s Immortal Cave was much gloomier than theirs, with bones of unknown creatures hanging everywhere, and the ground was sticky with some unknown liquid.

“I hear you four are natives of this area?”

Xuesha’s voice was like sandpaper rubbing.

Shuling immediately answered tremblingly, her demeanor utterly fawning: “Yes, my Lord, what are your commands? We are very familiar with this area and will certainly tell you everything we know!”

“Yes, yes, my Lord, we know exactly how many mountains and how many demons there are in this area.”

Shuli also rushed forward to add.

“Is that so? In that case, you four aren’t strangers to the so-called Lord Chuping, either?”

Xuesha’s voice was calm, as if asking casually, but the content struck directly at the core.

Little Green Snake immediately fell to his knees, his body stiff as a snake stick.

Shuling was more nimble; she suppressed the panic in her heart, her eyes darting around, and plastered an even more fawning smile on her face, a smile so saccharine it seemed to ooze water, her voice, however, trembled just right.

“My Lord, you know, we are but lowly minor demons of these mountains and wilds. Normally, we just wander around the villages, picking up scraps to get by.”

“A while ago, near Chang Sheng Village, we accidentally heard the villagers mention some Lord Chuping, saying he was a formidable character, which scared us quite a bit.”

Shuli nodded frantically beside her.

“Yes, yes, my Lord, everything my Shuling says is true. That Lord Chuping seems to be a person who can summon wind and rain in the mouths of humans, but from the bottom of our hearts, we only recognize your might, my Lord, and only wish to serve you faithfully!”

Little Green Snake also hurriedly kowtowed like pounding garlic, mumbling indistinctly: “My Lord, please be clear, I would never dare to have second thoughts…”

Xuesha looked at the three small demons, no, four, like soft noodles before him, and also a small spider that was hidden on Shuli’s head from beginning to end, with great disdain.

Surely no one would want such subordinates, right?

Their demeanor made him, who had previously suspected them of being spies, look like a fool.

“Cough, cough!”

“Alright, I called you here this time to give you a task! If you complete it well, I will reward you with half a year of Cultivation on Qingyun Mountain.”