292: Ex vs Current

"Wait, how should we handle Zhu Yan?"

Olexia pulled down the cuff of her torn suit jacket and pursed her red lips. "It seems there's still a little mongrel dragon, Ao Ya, who hasn't shown up. Will the Yin Soldiers left in the Demon Realm be eaten by bugs?"

Nether Crane, who was feeling her Topknot, immediately straightened her small face upon hearing this. "Oh, Ao Ya? He should have been eaten!"

Her little foot kicked Zhu Yan's severed arm wound on the ground, making Zhu Yan gasp from the pain.

"When I fought him, his Demon Power was mixed with a violent aura; he wasn't familiar with his own origin at all. He definitely swallowed them whole without digesting them properly." Nether Crane's small, milky voice carried a hint of seriousness.

"Eaten?" Shang Wan Ning raised an eyebrow.

"Uh-huh!" Nether Crane nodded, her Topknot bobbing.

"Back then, when this old dragon defected, he took away a batch of loyal followers, many of whom were seventh and eighth-tier Great Demons. This time, when you raided the Demon Realm's lair, I watched the show. Heh, the entire Demon Realm doesn't even smell like a god anymore."

Her small finger poked Zhu Yan's collapsed nose bridge. "Guess where those Great Demons went? He used Planar Corruption as firewood, refined them into tonics, and swallowed them all!"

"It's an old tradition of the Demon Race—Great Demons eat lesser Demons to prolong life. The Heavenly Court is similar; they hack down colleagues and seize divine positions just to survive the spiritual depletion of the Era of Dharma Decline."

"No wonder..." Chen Yu Ning suddenly realized, crushing a piece of sealed area rubble with the tip of her boot.

"Attacking the lair was like tearing down shoddy construction. So, it was just a hollow turnip relying on swallowing its own kind to keep up appearances."

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" Zhu Yan suddenly burst into maniacal laughter, spitting Demon blood mixed with saliva.

"A half-step short, just a half-step short! If it weren't for you, this roadblock..." His single eye glared venomously at Nether Crane.

"I would have taken the Underworld's origin long ago. And based on this piece of trash, Shang Wan Ning? What is she even?"

"Caw—Caw—"

The air instantly became silent.

The "I see" expression on Shang Wan Ning's face froze. Olexia raised an eyebrow, a playful curve forming on her red lips.

Chen Yu shrank her neck and silently pulled out her Recording Stone.

"Trash?"

Shang Wan Ning even smiled, slowly strolling up to Zhu Yan, the hem of her Mysterious Black phoenix robe sweeping over the bloodstains on his face.

"Zhu Yan, you Old Turtle."

She squatted down, looking straight into his intact heterochromatic eye, her gaze like that of someone viewing a fish on a chopping board.

"I give you two choices."

Shang Wan Ning held up two fingers.

"First, you willingly hand over the control of the Demon Realm and the fragments of the xuan pin gate. I will be merciful and give you a quick end." Shang Wan Ning wiggled her index finger.

Fierce light flickered in Zhu Yan's single eye; he was about to spit.

"Second, I help you 'remodel your Demon life.' Heard of sex reassignment surgery? The technology is mature, painless, and fast. Once done, you'll be packaged up and sent directly to the Succubus Bar on Yin Street."

Shang Wan Ning wiggled her middle finger, her smile dazzling. She turned to Meng Jiang: "Sister Meng, how much incense offerings does a top hostess at your place cost for a monthly package?"

Meng Jiang understood immediately, calculating the cost on her nail-polished fingers: "A top hostess? A monthly package starts at this price."

She made an exaggerated gesture. "And the bar's special service, 'Fiery Passion,' guarantees the new hostess feels 'at home' and has 'booming business' every day."

Her eyes swept over Zhu Yan's withered old face and twisted severed arm, and her red lips delivered the fatal blow.

"I just wonder if the transsexual 'Old Turtle' will get any customers with that appearance."

"Pfft!" Chen Yu couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing. She quickly covered her mouth, the Recording Stone recording enthusiastically.

Niu Mengmeng's small face was serious as she added a cruel blow: "Sister can sponsor the 'Succubus-Exclusive Pole Dance Crash Course' as a favor. Guaranteed learning, and free retakes if you don't master it."

Olexia folded her arms and said coolly: "I will provide the 'Elixir of Eternal Youth and Vitality' to ensure he is 'dedicated to his work' and has endless energy."

Zhu Yan's withered face turned from ashen white to liver-colored. His single eye bulged almost to the point of splitting, and his throat made rasping sounds.

A dignified eighth-tier peak Great Demon, who had schemed for a thousand years, was being openly discussed by a group of women about being sent to work as a succubus escort—what a tremendous humiliation.

"You... you all..." Zhu Yan trembled with rage, his Demon Power running wild, making the Demon blood on his wounds gush out even faster.

"Shameless, despicable! Is this all the ambition the Underworld Yin Gods have?"

"Ambition?"

Shang Wan Ning blinked in surprise. "This method of mine is called 'waste utilization' and 'precise assistance for re-employment.'"

"Giving you a path to survival is better than having your soul scattered, right?"

She patted Zhu Yan's uninjured shoulder. "Think carefully. Option one: die quickly."

"Option two..."

Shang Wan Ning deliberately dragged out the syllables, glancing at Olexia. "Go to the bar to shine brightly and experience the second spring of 'Demon life.' My Underworld upholds Demon rights very seriously."

Zhu Yan couldn't catch his breath, his single eye rolled back, and his throat made a few rattling sounds.

His Demon Power completely lost control, and the corrupt energy surged wildly inside his body. He spat out a large mouthful of dark golden filthy blood several meters away, the stench assaulting the nose. His head tilted, and he passed out from sheer anger.

"Tsk, what poor psychological fortitude."

Shang Wan Ning jumped back disdainfully, dodging the splattering filthy blood. "He fainted already? He hasn't even chosen a plan."

She looked at Xiao Si, pointing at the unconscious Zhu Yan. "Extracting the control and fragments while he's unconscious shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"Zhu Yan's Demon Soul is severely damaged. Stripping the Demon Realm control authority and the Xuan Pin fragments will not be difficult."

"As for the body..." The sphere turned towards Sister Meng. "Sending him to the bar might be a bit too graphic."

Meng Jiang: "Forget it, it affects the bar's style. I only accept handsome men and beautiful women. This Old Turtle is perfect for filling the riverbanks of the Wangchuan River."

"Seconded."

Niu Mengmeng nodded. "Waste utilization, reinforcing the river defenses."

Chen Yu raised her hand: "Report, I request permission to study the Planar Corruption. Maybe we can develop a new flavor of hotpot base."

Everyone: "..."

Shang Wan Ning rubbed her forehead: "I approve Sister Meng's suggestion."

"Secretary-General, have the Logistics Department handle the aftermath."

The Purple Talisman at her waist glowed faintly, and Ling Qi's cool voice immediately rang out, accompanied by the rapid clacking of a keyboard in the background.

"Received."

Ling Qi paused, then continued calculating the expenses. "Reconstruction of Ghost Gate Pass, spatial repair of the Core Area, reinforcement of the Wangchuan River banks. Total estimated cost: seven hundred billion incense offerings."

"Your Majesty, would you like this to be drawn from the internal treasury or your personal vault?"

Shang Wan Ning's vision went black, feeling another stab in her heart. She took a deep breath and gritted her teeth: "Charge it to Zhu Yan's account! Doesn't he have an inheritance?"

"Sell all the sustainable resources of the Demon Realm. For the insufficient portion..."

Her gaze swept over everyone present, finally settling on Nether Crane, revealing a kind smile.

"The former Your Majesty has been 'borrowing' the Core Area for so many years. Shouldn't the property fees, security fees, and emotional damage fees be settled now?"

Nether Crane: "!!!"

Her main body 'whooshed' and shrank back behind the stone tablet, only revealing half of her small head and a Topknot, watching Shang Wan Ning warily.