A Mischievous Smile Between Kindred Spirits

On the bronze candlesticks in the council hall, nine glass lamps burned brightly in the night wind, reflecting the snake scale patterns on Ji Xueruo's black wide sleeves as if they were shimmering shattered ice.

Granny Liu stood beside her, her snake-headed cane tapping the ground lightly, producing a muffled echo, as she quietly observed the weary-looking young nobleman.

Half a year has passed, and Ao Yu's figure has not changed much. He is still as strong and powerful as a young lion. However, his originally dashing young face has become much more mature, and he even looks somewhat like his famous cousin Ao Yunlie.

"Young Master Ao has come from afar; the Snake Clan has truly failed to greet you properly. But what brings you here so late at night?"

Ji Xueruo and bowed, her tone as calm as an autumn pool, but she was slightly surprised when she caught a glimpse of the beads of sweat on the other person's forehead.

Ao Yu, disregarding formalities, his long golden hair disheveled like reeds in the wind, asked, "Has the Holy Son of the Golden Peng Clan contacted Clan Chief Xue Ruo recently? Perhaps he wanted to personally pay his respects?"

Granny Liu's white eyebrows furrowed suddenly, and she slammed her snake staff heavily on the ground. "How does Young Master Ao know about this? It seems that the dealings between my snake clan and the Golden Peng Clan have not been leaked."

Ao Yu wiped the sweat from his brow, his gaze intense. "To be honest, I did intentionally try to extract that information from the Golden Peng Holy Son. My reason for rushing here overnight was to remind Clan Chief Xue Ruo — the Golden Peng Clan Saint Son's 'thank you' was likely not what it seemed!"

Ji Xueruo's fingertips traced a soft sound on the paperweight, but her expression remained calm. "It is only natural for the great Demon Race to examine newly emerging races. If the snake race wishes to return to the sacred mountain, it should naturally accept scrutiny."

"No!" Ao Yu suddenly raised his voice, startling the bronze bells at the corner of the hall, "This is no ordinary investigation!"

"What do you mean?" Ji Xueruo's voice was icy.

Ao Yu didn't care about his image, casually lifted the lid of the teapot, gulped down a large mouthful, and then gasped for breath:

"What I am about to say is something that ordinary Demon Race cannot know; only Demon Race who are also great demons of the Divine Mountain could know—the Supreme Elder of the Golden Peng Clan passed away fifteen years ago, and there have been no cultivators at the Void Transformation Realm in the Golden Peng Clan since. However, the younger generation of the Golden Peng Clan can be called a prodigy and an elite, among whom the Golden Peng Holy Son is the most outstanding."

"They wanted to continue building momentum for the Holy Son to cover up the news of the Supreme Elder's passing, so they ordered the Golden Peng Holy Son to attack the top genius of the Zhongyuan Spiritual Treasure Sect in the secret realm, thereby expanding their prestige. However, who knew that this Holy Son, overconfident in his talent, secretly indulged in wine and women, resulting in an inflated cultivation level? In the battle with the Spiritual Treasure Sect's genius, he ended up with a severe and irreparable injury. Although it was a secret realm competition, such an injury was enough for them to demand an explanation from the Spiritual Treasure Sect. The reason they chose to swallow this bitter pill was because they didn't want the Spiritual Treasure Sect to reveal that they were the ones who initiated the conflict and had nothing to do with the secret realm competition. So, even though they were the ones who were beaten, they secretly gave the Spiritual Treasure Sect a large sum of money as hush money."

"They are powerful demons of the sacred mountain, after all. Are they really willing to swallow this anger?" Ji Xueruo she finished speaking. "If the Spiritual Treasure Sect refuses to let this go, this matter will definitely become the fuse that ignites a conflict between humans and demons. The Golden Peng Clan, which provoked the conflict and caused all the Demon Race to be innocently implicated, will become the eternal sinners who actively stirred up the conflict between humans and demons. And the Golden Peng Clan, which has already lost its strongest fighting force, is even less likely to do something that offends both sides. At best, they will be expelled from the sacred mountain as an apology; at worst, they will become the eye of the storm in the war. So they have no choice but to swallow this matter."

"Indeed, Clan Chief Xue Ruo said exactly the same thing as my clansman." Ao Yu suddenly revealed a sorrowful smile, but immediately composed himself and continued, "After this incident, the Golden Peng Clan's younger generation's suppression of other Demon Race's prodigies lessened considerably, but it still existed. However, in the South Sea Immortal Island incident, none of the Golden Peng Clan's prodigies who were sent there survived, which severely damaged the Golden Peng Clan. Now, the Golden Peng Clan's elders are gone, and the young ones are gone too. Overall, the Golden Peng Clan's strength has fallen out of the ranks of the great Demon Race. So, their primary concern is to strengthen themselves and avoid being devoured and divided up by other great Demon Race. How could they possibly have the spare resources to invest in Demon Race with potential?"

At this point, both Ji Xueruo and Granny Liu looked stunned.

Ao Yu swallowed hard, his gaze sweeping over the gloom on the two men's faces. "So I think their visit is less likely for investing in the Serpent Clan, and more likely to be to find suitable targets for plunder!"

Granny Liu's cane clattered to the ground. "Outrageous! My Eldest Young Lady nearly died during the Ghost Festival while searching for Lotus Root Heart to save that holy son, and they dare to repay kindness with enmity?"

Ji Xueruo hearing this. She did not want to take advantage of the kindness shown to her, and she dared not easily believe that the Demon Race would value gratitude so highly.

The saying "Those Non-Self our kind will surely have different hearts" is an ironclad rule among Demon Race. If this were a human facing internal and external troubles, seeking trustworthy allies would undoubtedly be a viable path. However, it is completely impossible for Demon Race.

Regardless of how many snake clans it would take to help the Golden Peng Clan in their struggle against other powerful Demon Race, the Golden Peng Clan simply cannot trust any demons outside their own clan. Even Ji Xueruo were in their shoes, she would think that colluding with other powerful Demon Race from within to get a share of the spoils would be the best option.

Ao Yu sighed bitterly, "The law of the jungle is the rule of the demon Demon Race of Dongying. The Golden Peng Clan is currently facing a generational gap and urgently needs to fill the power gap left by the passing of its Supreme Elder, so naturally they will stop at nothing. As for the Snake Clan... the entire clan is female, making them an anomaly among the Demon Race, which means they won't have many scruples. Moreover, the Second Young Lady of the Snake Clan has intricate connections with You Su, who is currently wanted by the Five Continents, so the Snake Clan's situation is naturally awkward. If things really come to a head later, they can all claim to have a legitimate reason for their actions."

He shook his head silently, sighing, "My elder brother once said that the Demon Race prides itself on being human, yet they still treat each other like fish on a chopping block. That's what he can't stand the most, so on the South Sea Immortal Island, he never questioned the origins of those he allied with, naively considering everyone one of his own. He thought that as long as there was a fool like him around, no matter what race they were, they could all work together, but he never expected..."

The conversation abruptly ended there. Ao Yu didn't continue, but instead pulled out a tattered half-roll of a secret report from his sleeve:

"The Heavenly Dog Clan, located in the northernmost part of Japan, was completely subservient to the Golden Peng Clan, but they were annihilated a month ago. What's most terrifying is that not a single Demon Core remained in their corpses. The Heavenly Dog Clan has always been the Golden Peng Clan's most loyal lackeys, doing many dirty deeds for them. People will only suspect the enemies they made because of this, but they won't suspect the Golden Peng Clan."

Ji Xueruo's back suddenly tensed, and her fingertips under her black wide sleeves dug deeply into her palms.

She had heard a little about the extermination of the Heavenly Dog Clan, but she hadn't paid much attention to it, let alone imagined that the Golden Peng Clan was behind it. Such things as the extinction of clans were commonplace in the Eastern Ying Continent, and it was perfectly normal for weak demons to be bullied by other demons. But now, thinking about it, it was like a warning bell ringing in her ears.

"Why is Young Master Ao telling us all this?" She suddenly looked up, the candlelight flickering in her eyes. "The Golden Lion Clan has never had any dealings with my Snake Clan, but it belongs to the same great Demon Race as the Golden Peng Clan. Your help to my Snake Clan will not benefit the Golden Lion Clan in the slightest."

Ao Yu's expression suddenly darkened, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the golden lion pattern on his cuff. "Because you have a close relationship with the You Su."

Ji Xueruo's face froze for a moment, then flushed slightly. "He and my sister are in love, so naturally there's something between them."

"I don't know your sister, I only know you. The fact that he gave up his chance to survive alone to come back and save you from that giant snake shows how much he values you."

Ji Xueruo clenched her fingers, somewhat afraid to look at Granny Liu's expression when she heard these words.

"On the South Sea Immortal Island, my brother Ao Yunlie and I both owed Brother You a debt of gratitude. Without him, I wouldn't have been able to kill that Little Saint Son of the Savage Holy Hall to avenge my brother, nor would I have been able to return alive from the island."

The young man, who suddenly looked much older, smiled bitterly. "I told my people that Brother You wasn't Evil Demon; he was the one who saved us. But they didn't dare defy the world and only told me to keep their kindness in my heart. I hate myself for being powerless to clear his name, yet I can no longer stand by and watch the snake clan, with whom he has such a close relationship, suffer."

The hall fell silent suddenly, with only the clear sound of the candle wick popping audible.

Ji Xueruo glanced at the shadow of the palace pillar. There was no fluctuation of aura there because of Granny Liu's Technique Method, but a person was hiding there. She knew that You Su was holding his breath and hiding in the dark, probably already gripping the hilt of his sword.

"I understand..." Ji Xueruo sighed, but a hint of ruthlessness flashed in her eyes. "I never intended to let him enter the ancestral land. Although this is just Young Master Ao's speculation, anyone who really wants to devour the snake clan's flesh should be prepared to die from the poison."

"The Serpent Clan..." Ao Yu hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped himself.

Ji Xueruo, however, sensed his hesitation and raised her hand, saying, "If Young Master Ao could represent the Golden Lion Clan, he wouldn't have come alone. The Snake Clan will remember your kindness in informing us."

Looking at her suddenly cold expression, Ao Yu realized that further words were pointless, and he clenched his fist:

"I am telling you this so that the Snake Clan can prepare in advance. I know that Clan Chief Xue Ruo has lofty ambitions, but even if the Golden Peng Clan does not harbor any ill intentions towards the Snake Clan, the Snake Clan should not place its hopes on the Golden Peng Clan. Because the demons of the Divine Mountain will never let go of this good opportunity."

As soon as he finished speaking, he flicked his sleeve and bowed, saying, "That's all I have to say. Ao Yu takes his leave."

He turned to leave, but then suddenly turned back, saying, "I heard that Brother You is not dead. Clan Chief Xue Ruo doesn't need to worry too much."

Finally, he gave Ji Xueruo a look that seemed to express his condolences, which made the young clan leader feel uncomfortable.

"Young Master Ao, let me see you off."

Granny Liu was incredibly meticulous, and in the blink of an eye, she cast a concealment Technique Method on Ao Yu. If the news of Ao Yu's arrival in the Snake Clan were to be exposed, it would surely cause a great deal of trouble, and Elder Liu clearly intended to personally send him away from the Snake Clan before she would be satisfied.

Ao Yu understood, and without resistance, she put on the hood and quickly left with Granny Liu.

In the shadows, You Su's figure emerged like a faint ink painting.

The boy and girl exchanged a glance, then spoke in unison:

What do you think?

You Su suddenly chuckled, her eyes narrowing slightly as if she had thought of something extremely pleasant.

Ji Xueruo recognized the boy's smile; he would always wear that malicious smile whenever he was plotting something bad.

Little did she know that in the boy's eyes, she was also showing the same smile.

Without needing to say more, Ji Xueruo understood that You Su was definitely not planning to leave now.

The cicadas' chirping shattered into gold leaf amidst the rising heat of the volcano. Beneath the vermilion archway of the ancestral land of the snake clan, the spokes of a gilded chariot rolled over the bluestone slabs, and the golden roc tail feathers adorning the chariot shaft trembled gently in the hot wind, each feather reflecting a scattering of iridescent light.

Ji Xueruo stood before the steps, her black wide sleeves cascading down like night, the silver snake-scale ornaments at her waist shimmering with golden feathers, giving her an even more captivating air of nobility than usual.

"Yu Xiaoran of the Golden Peng Clan, has come with generous gifts to express his gratitude to the Snake Clan Chief for saving his life!"

Before the announcement had even finished, the gilded car doors had already swung open.

The young saint, Yu Xiaoran, wore a peacock blue brocade robe, with half a golden feather hairpin in his hair. When he stepped down from the carriage, his robes fluttered without wind, and his noble aura was tempered with a touch of gentleness, unlike the arrogant demeanor of the Demon Race of the divine mountain.

"The Serpent Clan warmly welcomes the Golden Peng Holy Son!" Granny Liu echoed loudly.

Behind her, in addition to all the snake maidens of Ji Lingruo coming out in full force to welcome the Golden Peng Holy Son, seven elders, each with their own unique beauty, also attended in their finest attire.

"Chief Xue Ruo found Lotus Root Heart for me to heal my crippled body; my Golden Peng Clan will never forget this." Yu Xiaoran raised his hand, and servants filed out behind him, carrying a three-foot-tall crystal box. "This is just a small gift to express our gratitude."

Ji Xueruo's gaze swept over the dazzling gift boxes: a lychee fairy tree carved from North Sea ice crystals, each lychee imbued with Daoist charm; silk fabric Star Sand Silk Weaving, shimmering like the Milky Way in the sunlight...

The serpent clan women gasped in amazement, and even the seven elders, who had seen much of the world, couldn't help but show their astonishment.

"You flatter me, Holy Son." Ji Xueruo nodded slightly. "The Demon Race should help each other. Holy Son is blessed by heaven. I have only done my bit."

"Clan Chief Xue Ruo is too modest. If you were to find Lotus Root Heart that are also called Mianli, I'm afraid every Demon Race on the sacred mountain would ask you to find one." Yu Xiaoran said with a warm smile.

"The Holy Son has just recovered from his serious injuries and shouldn't be traveling so much," Ji Xueruo replied with a smile, her beauty unparalleled.

A hint of amazement flashed in Yu Xiaoran's eyes as she raised an eyebrow and replied, "My father originally intended to thank you in person, but how could he allow his savior to come to his door to express gratitude? Please, Clan Chief Xue Ruo, don't take it to heart. My father is a bird that flies high and is used to arrogance, but his gratitude towards you is no less than mine. Therefore, he specifically instructed me to personally visit and express my thanks along with these gifts, to convey the Golden Roc's gratitude."

"Golden Peng Clan is not arrogant; he is simply too considerate of the Snake Clan. On the contrary, I was preoccupied with my breakthrough the other day and couldn't spare the time, which disappointed your father's good intentions. I am truly ashamed."

Ji Xueruo suddenly turned to the side, and the snake women behind her had already made way for her. "To express my apologies, I would like to ask the Holy Son to give my snake clan the opportunity to entertain our distinguished guest."

Yu Xiaoran raised an eyebrow and said with a clear laugh, "Clan Chief Xue Ruo, please don't be so polite. Then I... will be troubling you!"

Behind the delighted young nobleman, the beautiful enchantress who had remained silent all along frowned slightly.