Chapter 331: Chapter 331: Not Proper Demons at All
Yuan Erliang never imagined that he would have the opportunity to leave the Divine Wood Forest and even reach the Western Cold Wind State. If he went back to the Power Ape Race, he could boast for three days straight.
To repay Li Rui for bringing him out to see the world and for gifting him the rare treasures needed for cultivation, he decided to seriously complete the current task and gather information about the nearby hidden treasures.
After discovering traces of the Demon Race’s activities, he climbed through the trees.
The trees here were different from those in the southern Zhangye State, with fewer broadleaved plants and more needle-like leaves. Sotis they pricked, but with his thick fur, he only felt a bit of pain, nothing serious.
When he finally erged from the forest and reached a tranquil lakeside, he saw a Demon Race encampnt with smoke rising, full of life.
He craned his neck to get a better look inside.
Swish—
A cold, gleaming iron knife rested against Yuan Erliang’s neck.
"Who are you?"
A cold voice sounded from behind.
Previously, the timid Yuan Erliang would have trembled with fear, but after seeing many grand events with Li Rui, his ntal resilience had improved significantly.
Facing the undisguised killing intent, he almost calmly said, "I, I’m an exiled Power Ape from the south, war, fighting."
The knife didn’t move away.
"Ape Race? You’re from the southern Zhangye State?"
"Yes, yes."
The person behind him fell silent.
Yuan Erliang’s eyes darted around as he pondered how to win the other’s trust.
"If you don’t believe , go and ask. Many outsiders have co from the south, with profound cultivation, nurous in number, the ordinary Demon Race can hardly resist."
He added, "I got separated from my tribe, and to survive, I had to head north, and t a Giant Ape who escorted
here."
The voice from behind asked again, "Where’s the Giant Ape?"
"I don’t know, we got separated. I rember he said he wanted to go to the Cold Wind Plateau, so I ca over to find him."
Clang.
The iron knife was withdrawn and sheathed, but Yuan Erliang’s heart grew heavier as his hands were seized and tied with rope.
He turned around, only to see a fierce Demon Race with tusks and a face like a fiend coldly watching him.
"Shut up."
The tusked Demon Race pushed him forward, "Walk, no funny business."
Yuan Erliang’s heart raced, almost failing to stay calm, but rembering that Li Rui was secretly watching over him, he felt reassured.
Pat, pat.
The two demons proceeded deeper, with Yuan Erliang observing a small encampnt ahead, smaller than even his previous Power Ape tribe.
Yuan Erliang carefully surveyed the surroundings until they brought him to the center of the encampnt, in front of a circle of beast-hide tents.
"Boss, caught a little monkey claiming to be from Zhangye State," shouted the knife-wielding Demon Race.
Another figure erged from the largest tent, completely dissimilar in appearance to the previous one, with a fat stature, two tails, and a single horn on its head.
"Ape Race?"
The leader glanced at Yuan Erliang, "Why tie him up? Release him quickly."
The tusked Demon Race cut the rope with a swing of his knife.
Yuan Erliang felt a rush of joy internally, "The king is a good demon, a good demon!"
The two-tailed leader laughed heartily, "Of course, I am a good demon. Let
ask you, did you co alone?"
"I...."
Yuan Erliang hesitated for a mont, then quickly said, "I ca alone, traveled a long way."
"Then you must be hungry and thirsty from the road? Go, bring so food and drink."
The leader called out, and two different-looking Demon Races brought water and food.
Yuan Erliang confird that this was not a camp of a similar tribe but a mixed group of Demon Races. Seeing their friendliness, he even thought of calling Li Rui to reveal himself, but rembered his teacher’s advice not to expose that soone else was around if he didn’t show himself.
"Your majesty, I don’t want to trouble you. I just want to know what place this is? I want to head up to the plateau."
"Pfft...hahahahaha!"
The leader laughed again, "You? You’d probably die halfway up. But never mind, let
ask you a few questions first."
"Please, your majesty."
"You said you encountered outsiders, did you fight them?"
Yuan Erliang quickly shook his head, "My cultivation is weak; I wouldn’t dare."
"At least you have so self-awareness."
The leader said, "However, those outsiders are powerful and swift. Even I would struggle against them, so it’s lucky you made it here."
Yuan Erliang imdiately beca alert but asked nonchalantly, "Your majesty has seen them too?"
The leader replied, "Of course, not only have I seen them, but those outsiders saw my camp’s strength and ordered us to guard this mountain path. Since you want to climb the mountain, I have to thoroughly question you."
"They said that if any suspicious Demon Race or unclear outsiders attempt to use the windy trail by the mountain, we must stop them, and they specifically bestowed nine Cold Plain Snow Lotus plants to show appreciation."
"Such generous treatnt, I certainly have to fulfill my duty, don’t you agree?"
Yuan Erliang quickly laughed along, "You are right, your majesty, I’m not suspicious, I’m not suspicious."
The leader nodded, "You have no cultivation on you, indeed nothing significant."
Yuan Erliang thought: These Demon Race mbers seem to have allied with his master’s enemy. I can’t expose my identity, I must leave later and have my master avoid this place.
He felt he had done a good job already.
The knife-wielding Demon Race, who had gone off earlier, returned and said, "Boss, the pot and stove are ready."
"Good."
The leader said, "Little monkey, go with him."
Yuan Erliang quickly protested, "Your majesty, no need to host
so graciously. I need to be on my way and won’t impose any longer, I’ll leave now, I’ll leave now."
The leader laughed, "Hospitality? You wish. The pot and stove are for cooking you."
Yuan Erliang’s face froze, "What do you an, your majesty?"
The leader remained casual and still smiled broadly, "What do I an? Since those Immortal characters arrived, they have restrained the nearby Demon Race, and they don’t dare to wander. It’s been ages since I had a feast."
"Do you know, Demon Race flesh is much tastier than those stupid wild beasts? Since you ca knocking, I can’t let you leave."
At this mont, the various other Demon Races present burst into laughter.
"Little monkey, our boss loves boiling things alive. If you behave, they’ll knock you out before they boil you. If not, you’ll experience the scalding feeling of boiling water on your skin."
Yuan Erliang finally broke down and understood.
This encampnt wasn’t a proper Demon Race community; they were likely a band of barbaric marauders.
They planned to eat him from the start. It was only due to orders from those outsiders (Western Kingdom) commanding them to identify strangers that they spoke with him for so long.
He had already felt that this group’s smiles were off, turned out they were excited seeing food deliver itself.
"Great king, I’m not tasty, my na is Erliang because they say I don’t even have half a pound of at on ."
The leader chuckled, "You’re an amusing one. If you weren’t such a powerless waste, I might have kept you. Go ahead; no need to boil him alive today. Chop his head off first to spare him suffering."
He waved as if granting a great favor.
Yuan Erliang looked at the genuinely burly and strong bandit demons around him and couldn’t handle it anymore. He scread, "Master save , Master save !"
The leader sneered, "So you have a companion. Let’s see who can save you today."
He made a sharp sound in his mouth, like a whistle.
The expected response didn’t co. Instead, he saw a figure walk slowly into the encampnt gate, holding a black umbrella.
"Stop whistling, your lookouts have all been taken out by ."
Yuan Erliang almost reflexively translated.
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