Compared to their previous meeting.
When the Marquis of Northcloud had spoken to Qin Shujian from a position of authority.
This time.
He clearly treated him as an equal.
Qin Shujian remained calm, waiting for the Marquis of Northcloud to continue.
"You may not yet understand the situation in Thousand Mountains Prefecture, Sect Master Qin. Let me explain it so you won't be caught unprepared if something unexpected happens!"
The Marquis of Northcloud spoke slowly.
"Thousand Mountains Prefecture currently has two opposing forces. One is the Imperial Court, led by Yan Caizhe, the General of Rebellion Suppression. The other is the rebel faction led by Gu Changqing, which consists of the prefecture's former forces."
"But by my reckoning, another faction must be backing Gu Changqing, supporting his resistance against the Imperial Court."
"And that faction—"
"Most likely, it's the Demon Race!"
"The Demon Race!?"
Qin Shujian, who had been sitting motionless, looked startled by the Marquis of Northcloud's words.
The term "Demon Race."
Was both unfamiliar and familiar to him.
Strictly speaking, the demonic beasts in the Endless Mountains could not yet be considered full members of the Demon Race.
But the Demon Race was distinct from ordinary beasts.
Those who gave birth to Sentience were demons.
Those without Sentience were beasts.
So the demonic beasts in the Endless Mountains generally possessed little Sentience, placing them somewhere between demons and beasts.
Niu Dali of the Demon Branch, on the other hand.
Was a true demon.
However.
What surprised Qin Shujian was that the Demon Race was backing Gu Changqing, the Marquis of Thousand Mountains.
Although the Marquis of Northcloud had not expressed absolute certainty.
He knew perfectly well.
That someone of the Marquis of Northcloud's standing would seldom make an unfounded statement.
Even when he said "most likely."
It effectively