When Xuan Ye finished speaking, the elders present all fell into deep thought.
Xuan Ye's gaze finally settled on Yueye, seated in the place of honor. Her expression was strange, her face deathly pale. He delivered the final blow.
"As for the Undead Demon Race..."
"Are they asking us for help, or are we asking them?"
"They're clearly the ones who need our trade routes to make things easier for them. If we offend them, so what?"
His words struck like a thunderclap.
Yueye, Yue Chen, Yue Xing, and dozens of elders in the Council Hall who had lived for over a century all stared blankly at the young man before them.
[Ding! Choice Three completed!] [Difficulty: Hard] [Reward: Innate Dark Inner Spiritual Power +1.5, Revenge Evolution progress +10%]
The system's clear chime sounded like heavenly music.
Xuan Ye felt a dark, pure force surge through his body and flow into every limb and bone.
The deathly silence in the Council Hall was broken by a stifled gasp.
Several elders who had been full of doubt and anger stared at Xuan Ye with wide eyes.
One unconsciously stroked his beard, his fingers trembling slightly.
Another lowered his head, lips moving as he quickly calculated something. The light in his eyes shifted from shock to fervent approval.
Damage to their reputation?
Their people going hungry?
In the face of naked self-interest, such concerns were too fragile to withstand a single blow.
The Moon Demon Race had never been a kind and gentle people. Killing lower races was as commonplace to them as eating and drinking, and in their eyes, the Undead Demon Race were merely prey that happened to be a little stronger.
The only thing they truly cared about had always been profit.
And Xuan Ye's proposal would bring the Moon Demon Race tangible benefits. He had even looked further ahead than these old hands, who had spent over a century in business.
To have such skill at his age...
His value was immeasurable.
"Ahem..." An elder cleared his throat. The stiffness on his face quickly melted away, replaced by a warm smile.
"Young Master Xuan Ye's idea is both novel and practical. How did we never think of it before?"
The atmosphere changed in an instant.
Only the Goatee Elder's face had turned a liverish purple, and he was left with no way to save face.
He had intended to use the losses suffered by the trading caravan as an excuse to wrest some of the management authority from Yueye. Now that his plans had fallen through, he naturally refused to let the matter go.
"It's all just empty talk!" he shouted, forcing himself to stand his ground. "Who knows if an untested idea will work? What if it goes wrong and our losses are even greater?"
As soon as he finished, another elder let out a derisive laugh.
"Elder Yue Ning, that's not right. Young Master Xuan Ye is talking about control over resources. Our Moon Demon Race already holds the initiative over cultivation resources and food. What's so difficult about raising prices?"
The elder changed tack, fixing the Goatee Elder with a burning gaze.
"I don't think Elder Yue Ning is worried about losses. He's afraid he won't be able to sell off his private stock on time, isn't he? I've heard you've been lining your own pockets through the trading caravan's channels..."
"You... You're slandering me!" The Goatee Elder shook with rage. He pointed at the others, unable to get another word out.
Yueye had watched coldly from the sidelines until now. Only then did she speak.
Her voice was quiet, but carried a bone-chilling coldness.
"Elder Yue Ning questioned someone who had rendered meritorious service, and has now been exposed for lining his own pockets. According to clan law, all your shares in the trading caravan will be confiscated, and you will be sent to guard the border for three years!"
"You wouldn't dare!" The Goatee Elder shot Xuan Ye a venomous look and turned to storm out.
"Did I say you could leave?"
Yueye's voice abruptly darkened.
She didn't even need to act. Two black shadows shot out beside her. Two powerful members of the Moon Demon Race, one on either side, broke the Goatee Elder's bones with just a few blows and sent blood spilling from his mouth.
Then they dragged him out of the Council Hall like a dead dog.
The stench of blood spread through the room.
No one else dared voice an objection.
The ice melted from Yue Xing's cool, pretty face. She hurried over to Xuan Ye.
"Xuan Ye, you were amazing! You left all those elders speechless!"
"Serves them right! How dare they question Princess Royal!"
As she spoke, she gave her little fists a light wave.
She was nothing like her usual aloof self.
Yue Chen still stood with dignified poise, but her gaze had grown much softer as she looked at Xuan Ye.
"Young Master Xuan Ye, thank you for working so hard to come up with ways to help our clan."
Her heart was in turmoil.
She had often seen the boy lost in thought by himself and assumed he was worried about his own situation. She never imagined that he had been thinking all along about how to help the Moon Demon Race make up for its losses.
At first, he might not have known how much the princess and the two sisters had sacrificed for him.
Yet he had still taken the initiative to repay their kindness.
It was rare to find someone so grateful and mindful of what others had done for him.
Xuan Ye was in a good mood, too. He had finally triggered a system reward, and he really had helped Yueye.
But when he looked at Yueye in the place of honor, he paused.
Something was wrong with her.
She stared blankly at Xuan Ye, looking dazed. Her pale fingers unconsciously clutched the hem of her clothes, rubbing the luxurious fabric until it was crumpled.
She was still murmuring something under her breath.
"He's not... Not like him at all."
Xuan Ye had no idea what emotions were surging through Yueye at that moment.
She had thought this boy would be like she had been as a child: alone, helpless, and weak, in need of her protection at any cost.
But the boy before her was too strong and too sure of himself. He had even turned around and protected her instead.
Instinctively, she felt uncomfortable, even a little distressed.
Yueye felt...
The shadow she had been determined to protect was gradually breaking apart before her eyes.
"Ugh..."
Yueye covered her mouth and retched.
Xuan Ye was taken aback, but didn't think much of it. How could he understand such complicated feelings?
He assumed Yueye was simply unshaken by a crisis. After all, she was the head of the trading caravan and a princess of the Moon Demon Race. It was only natural that she had nerves of steel.
So he didn't dwell on it.
Back at their quarters.
Incense drifted through the room, dispelling the lingering scent of blood from the Council Hall.
Yue Chen and Yue Xing once again stood on either side of Xuan Ye, helping him out of his clothes.
This time, their movements were completely different from before.
Their fingertips were warm, with a faint, almost imperceptible tremor as they brushed over Xuan Ye's firm arms, carefully applying salve to his wounds.
Their touch was as gentle as a feather brushing against him.
Yue Xing's lovely face was very close. The warm breath she exhaled fell on the side of Xuan Ye's neck, bringing a tingling, ticklish sensation.
The fragrance in her hair was no longer merely delicate. It had become a faint, irresistible hook, lingering at the tip of his nose and burrowing into his heart.
Yue Chen remained composed, but her usually placid eyes shimmered, her gaze fixed on Xuan Ye.
As they tended to him, Xuan Ye felt the tension drain from his body, every muscle relaxing. The strain he had felt in the Council Hall vanished without a trace.
He closed his eyes and peacefully enjoyed this rare moment of quiet.
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