Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Realm of Strange Demons

At noon, the sun blazed fiercely, scorching the heart and stirring up restless irritation. Yet as the day neared its end, the sun dipped lower, painting the clouds a vivid crimson. The evening glow was breathtakingly beautiful, no longer harsh as midday, but warm and gentle, soothing the soul.

In this twilight, Ye Sansi and Li Taiyi traveled onward, feeling no fatigue. Perhaps their hearts had known agitation and unease, but now their thoughts were only of friends waiting in the distance, longing for reunion and the fulfillment of promises. It was this conviction that gave Sansi and Taiyi unwavering resolve and fearlessness.

Several hours passed before they finally left Jian Prefecture and entered Ling Prefecture, finding a brief respite at last. Upon crossing into Ling Prefecture, the sky changed; the fiery red vanished, replaced by a deep blue. Night was fast approaching, and their immediate task was to find somewhere to spend the night. Unlike Jian Prefecture, there was no need to hide in the forest; here, they could seek shelter in a household, exchange some money for comfort.

The sun had already set, and visibility was poor. Taiyi pointed ahead and said, “Brother Sansi, now that we’re in Ling Prefecture, we needn’t fear pursuit by armored soldiers. Let’s see what lies ahead. If there’s a settlement, we can offer some silver for a hot meal and a good night’s rest, so we’ll be strong for the journey tomorrow.”

“Agreed. I think there’s a village up ahead. It’s about time for dinner—I can smell the smoke from cooking fires,” Sansi replied.

Quickening their pace, they soon spotted firelight after a few hundred steps, confirming it was indeed a village, and not a small one at that. Both halted, sensing something amiss. Frowning, Taiyi crouched beside Sansi and whispered, “Brother Sansi, do you sense it?”

“Yes, there’s a strong aura of demons here. Are we able to deal with this?”

“This is the presence of a powerful demon. We mustn’t act rashly. After so much travel, we’re exhausted and likely at a disadvantage. Let’s eat, rest, and then try to purge the demon. If we’re outmatched, we can always retreat.”

With that, the two moved further away, so as not to be detected by the demon. They found a place to sit; Taiyi brought out some dry rations, Sansi produced smoked meat, and together they ate a simple meal before lying down to rest.

Ye Sansi and Li Taiyi could have ignored the demon and continued their journey after a night’s rest, but, unspoken, both felt compelled to rid the village of the demon. Perhaps they already regarded the world’s people as precious, seeing the eradication of evil as their duty.

Before dawn, Ye Sansi awoke and roused Taiyi.

Taiyi rose and said, “We’re rested enough. Let’s go into the village.”

Ye Sansi gripped the Heaven’s Fury tightly. “With Heaven’s Fury in hand, I can sense even the faintest trace of demons. If danger arises, it will protect me. I’ll go ahead and scout, get a clear idea of the demon’s movements. Taiyi, you stay behind and wait for your chance to act.”

“Brother Sansi, please be careful.”

Ye Sansi and Li Taiyi approached the village as the sun began to rise. Sunlight followed Sansi into the village, while Taiyi stayed hidden outside, suppressing his presence with his cultivation. On the surface, the village seemed normal. People worked in orderly fashion, greeting Sansi as he passed; everything appeared commonplace. Yet, when Sansi activated the Eight Treasures Art and looked closely, he was stunned to find demon aura on every villager.

He glanced at Heaven’s Fury, which showed no sign of attacking, and muttered in confusion, “A village full of demons? How odd.”

He wandered onward and came upon a teahouse. He ordered some tea leaves, the proprietor wrapped them up and even gifted him a pot, brewing it and bringing it to a table. Sansi sat, sipping tea and observing the passing demons.

From the moment he purchased tea, the proprietor wore a smile devoid of malice. Sansi lifted the cup, sniffed—no trace of poison—and tasted it. It was indeed excellent tea.

Taiyi waited outside, growing increasingly anxious. Sansi had been inside for half an hour, and Taiyi feared for his safety. Unable to bear it any longer, he rushed into the village. The villagers, sensing his aura, became unsettled and gathered defensively, surrounding Taiyi.

Seeing this, Taiyi drew his sword and invoked the Eight Treasures Art, realizing all the villagers were demons. Panic struck him, and upon reflection, he knew he was no match for them. Both sides stood in tense standoff, neither attacking; Taiyi understood he must not act rashly.

Ye Sansi, hearing the commotion from the teahouse, hurried over and saw Taiyi surrounded. He quickly called out, “Taiyi, put away your sword! They are good demons.”

He pushed through the crowd, standing before Taiyi with arms outstretched, facing the villagers and shielding Taiyi behind him. “Dear neighbors, please calm down. He is my friend. It’s all a misunderstanding—he only entered because he feared for my safety. He means no harm.”

Taiyi, seeing Sansi’s words, sheathed his sword and bowed to the crowd. “I apologize for my recklessness.”

The villagers, seeing Taiyi’s sincerity, dispersed and returned to their tasks.

The teahouse proprietor came to the pair and said, “Gentlemen, the tea is freshly brewed. It would be a shame to waste it.”

Sansi and Taiyi returned to the teahouse, sat down, and sipped their tea.

Taiyi whispered, “Brother Sansi, the whole village is full of demons. How can we be sure they won’t harm us? Isn’t staying here too dangerous?”

“I heard you,” the proprietor approached. “Rest assured, young heroes. Though the villagers are demons, we have lived here for a century, peacefully coexisting with humans—never harming a single soul.”

“A century?” Taiyi asked. “How is it I’ve never heard of this place?”

The proprietor laughed, “Our king set a barrier around the village. Ordinary people and low-level immortals cannot see it. To them, it’s just a vast lake. For a hundred years, no mortal has entered.”

“Why can we see it?” Taiyi wondered.

“Perhaps your cultivation is high enough to pierce the barrier, or maybe one of you is of demon lineage. If so, the barrier opens naturally, allowing companions to enter as well. Our village houses demons who cannot survive in the human world. Over the century, we have grown strong—comparable to the demon realm. This village is but one part, guarding against hostile demons and wrongdoers from outside.”

“No wonder this place is unique. I’ve wandered for years and never knew,” Taiyi laughed, sipping his tea. “It must be because we’ve mastered the Eight Treasures Art and can see through the barrier.”

The proprietor smiled, “Indeed. I hope you won’t speak of today’s events after you leave. If immortal cultivators learn of this, they’ll hunt us to extinction.”

“If you’re as strong as the demon realm’s forces, why fear cultivators?”

The proprietor looked at Sansi and said, “I sensed kindness from this young hero as soon as he entered. His aura felt familiar and warm, so I knew he was a friend. I’m happy to share this with you.”

“We do not fear war, but dread harming innocents. Though some sect disciples slay demons, they bear no malice; unable to distinguish good from evil, they kill all for the sake of the world. How could we bring ourselves to kill them? So we hide here, avoid encounters, and prevent conflict.”

Hearing this, Taiyi stood and bowed to the proprietor. “I never imagined such wisdom among you. I believed demons were evil and immortals good—now I see how foolish that notion was. If I meet good demons in the future, may I send them here, to offer sanctuary to those suffering?”

“Of course,” the proprietor replied. “To save kin from calamity is our joy; it was our king’s original intent in founding this place.”

Sansi smiled, “You always refer to your home as ‘this’. Surely it has a name?”

“Realm of Unusual Demons,” the proprietor laughed. “We’ve seldom spoken the name in a century. Our king chose it offhand. This little village hardly merits the word ‘realm’. If you hadn’t asked, I’d be embarrassed to mention it.”

Sansi stood and said, “Why not? Unusual demons are different from others: kind-hearted and strong. What’s wrong with calling it a realm?”

The proprietor smiled, “Please sit, gentlemen. The water’s boiling. I’ll fetch more tea.”

Sansi sat, but Taiyi remained standing. “We thought this village was plagued by wicked demons and came to purge them. Now that we know the truth, we should be on our way. We have urgent matters, and delays slow our journey.”

As he spoke, the proprietor added fresh tea, brewed it, and set it on the table. “Where are you headed? Perhaps I can help.”

“Lingzhou City.”

“For ordinary travelers, that’s half a month’s journey.”

“We travel quickly—just a few days.”

“It’s nearly noon. The meal will soon be ready. Eat and rest, then I’ll take you to Lingzhou City. When the sun’s less fierce, we’ll depart. I guarantee you’ll arrive before sunset, without delay. How does that sound?”

Taiyi bowed, “That would be wonderful. But how will you take us?”

“Haha, young hero, my beast form is a Great Roc. If you ride on my back, a few flaps of my wings will take you there.”

With this reassurance, Taiyi sat down cheerfully and drank his tea. “Brother Sansi, this is perfect. In no time, we’ll reach Lingzhou City and see Lingshuang, Nian’er, and the others.”

Sansi frowned, speaking softly, “I have a bad feeling, but I can’t say what it is.”

“Are you unwell?”

“Not quite—just uneasy.”

“Perhaps you’re hungry and tired. Once you’ve eaten and rested, you’ll feel better.”

“Yes, perhaps that’s it.”

The proprietor invited them to his home for a meal. At the table, there was rice and vegetables, but no meat.

He smiled and explained, “We have many demons here, all kinds. Though no one objects to eating meat—it’s just beast flesh, and demons don’t mind—we feel it’s improper. So we forbid meat in front of other demons. My wife’s beast form is a white rabbit, and she loves vegetables and carrots. I’ve eaten vegetarian with her for a century. If the hospitality is lacking, I beg your pardon.”

Ye Sansi shoveled down the food, laughing, “It’s wonderful to have a meal at all! Who cares about anything else? Your wife’s cooking is excellent—these vegetables are tastier than any meat, truly delicious!”

Seeing Sansi devour his food, the proprietor nodded in satisfaction, smiling.

The scorching sun rose again, burning the earth, but the village remained refreshingly cool. The proprietor, in his Great Roc form, traveled swiftly, but there was no rush. After their meal, they spread mats on the ground, and Sansi and Taiyi lay down for a comfortable nap.

To reach Lingzhou City and journey to Liu Manor, to see Lingshuang—that was Ye Sansi’s dream these past few days.