The legendary Jin Yao Workshop

As the night deepened, only the Windflower Sword's snores sounded in the room, one after another. In the darkness, Qi Mo's amber eyes remained bright. He glanced at the moonlight outside through the half-open window. It was nearly midnight.

Qi Mo glanced at the motionless figure on the bed and listened to his even breathing, then slipped quietly out of bed. The door opened and closed softly, but Lin Qingyang suddenly opened his eyes on the bed.

Lin Qingyang got out of bed and walked to the window to look down. Their room was on the second floor, with a clear view of the street outside the back entrance. Before long, a figure in a hooded black robe emerged. The outfit hid both his tail and ears perfectly. It was Qi Mo.

Lin Qingyang frowned, remembering Hua Jin saying that Qi Mo had escaped several times before. Had this little wolf cub insisted on coming to Wasteland Town with him just to find a chance to escape? Lin Qingyang's expression darkened. He picked up the still-snoring Windflower Sword and quietly left the room.

Most shops in Wasteland Town had closed for the night, with only the few suited to nighttime business still open. On the empty streets, Lin Qingyang followed Qi Mo from a distance, quickly circling past two streets. Then he rounded a corner, and everything before him suddenly lit up. It was a brilliantly illuminated street, bustling and noisy with people coming and going. The scent of cosmetics filled the air, and beautiful, scantily clad demon slaves clung to passersby, teasing and flirting. It was practically a different world from the rest of Wasteland Town.

In the small shop buildings on either side, pretty, alluring demon slaves smiled as they solicited customers. There were also shops selling demon slaves, who stood in rows with chains around their necks, waiting to be selected and purchased. Not far away, a demon slave who had committed some unknown offense was being viciously whipped by a shopkeeper. But the cries of pain were swallowed by the bustle and noise, and the passing demon slaves and pedestrians seemed accustomed to it.

Lin Qingyang and the Windflower Sword hid behind a pillar, watching A-Qi hurry down the long street and head farther inside.

"He snuck out in the middle of the night just to come somewhere like this?" Lin Yao asked with a yawn.

"Obviously. Places like this aren't open during the day," Lin Qingyang replied.

"But this shouldn't be his character type," Lin Yao said.

As they spoke, a provocatively dressed flower demon approached, took Lin Qingyang's arm, and said coyly, "You look unfamiliar, Daoist. Is this your first visit?"

A choking wave of perfume hit him. Lin Qingyang made something up on the spot. "I come here often. I just haven't sought you out before."

"Oh, you tease. Then let me serve you tonight. I guarantee you'll be satisfied," the flower demon said, leaning her whole body against him as though she had no bones.

In the time it took to exchange those few words, Qi Mo had vanished into the crowd.

Lin Qingyang frowned and hurriedly pushed the flower demon away. "Sorry, I'm allergic to pollen."

With that, he hurried forward to search, weaving through the bustling crowd until he reached the end of the street. Before him stood a magnificent, palace-like building, with three huge, glowing characters on its enormous sign: Jin Yao Workshop!

This was actually the legendary Jin Yao Workshop. Had A-Qi come here? But since he was already here, he had to go inside and take a look.

Lin Qingyang stepped through the magnificent entrance and was nearly blinded by the golden glare. An enormous golden screen stood by the doorway, painted with an exquisite Hundred Demons Painting. Every kind of demon creature looked so lifelike that they seemed ready to leap out of the screen at any moment. Lin Qingyang went up and touched it, thinking, This thing looks like solid gold.

Past the screen, the view opened up into an enormous circular hall. The black marble floor beneath his feet was polished enough to reflect people, while overhead hung a chandelier thirty feet long. Its exterior was meticulously carved from pieces of pure white bone. They looked like the same material as Hua Jin's fan, so they were probably all made of demon bone. Countless clear, brilliant crystals were set inside, shimmering with dazzling white light that lit the entire hall as brightly as day.

As soon as Lin Qingyang entered, a handsome male attendant approached. He wore blue-green silk robes, his hair was neatly combed, and a gentle smile rested on his face. Lin Qingyang glanced at the blue feathers on his head and guessed he was a peacock demon.

"Immortal Lord Lin, welcome to Jin Yao Workshop," the peacock demon said with a graceful smile.

"You recognize me?" Lin Qingyang asked in surprise.

The peacock demon smiled. "Immortal Lord Lin is renowned in the immortal realm. Naturally, I have admired you for a long time."

Just then, a slightly plump man entered behind him. Another bird demon, of some unknown kind, immediately approached him as well and said with a smile, "Sect Leader Feng, please come inside."

Sect Leader Feng was not from the Six Great Sects and was probably from some small sect. It seemed the staff here had all received standardized training and knew the sect leaders and elders of every sect inside out.

Lin Qingyang glanced at the guards by the entrance. That little wolf cub probably could not have slipped inside so easily. But if he was not here, where could he have gone?

"Immortal Lord Lin, please come inside," the peacock demon said with a smile.

Lin Qingyang could only steel himself and follow the peacock demon farther in. They passed through the main hall and entered the Exhibition Hall, where oddly shaped spiritual plants on either side gave off a faint fragrance. Looking up, he saw a flock of delicate, beautiful bird demons in gauzy clothes flying lightly through the air between the floors. They carried fine food and wine, their fluttering, colorful feathers dazzling to behold.

The brightly lit hall felt particularly spacious. Rows of large, transparent glass cabinets stood all around, each holding several demon slaves of the same kind for sale. Like pets in a pet shop, they were placed in display cabinets for customers to choose from. Signs beneath the cabinets recorded each demon slave's species, traits, and other information in detail.

These demon slaves all seemed to have been trained. They knelt obediently behind the glass, smiling and waving to people as they passed. Some even made seductive gestures to attract customers' attention. But not all the demon slaves were so enthusiastic. Some with naturally aloof dispositions simply knelt quietly, watching everything around them without expression.

Customers in the hall stopped before the cabinets to discuss and make their selections. When they saw one they liked, they would even have an attendant bring the demon slave out for a careful inspection. Not far away, Lin Qingyang spotted that familiar hat with its colorful feathers. It was the guide from earlier, leading his tour group as they looked around and made their selections.

The peacock demon did not have him linger here, instead leading him straight up the stairs to the second floor. There were noticeably fewer customers here, and their clothes were considerably more luxurious. They were all people of some standing. Sect Leader Feng, whom he had encountered at the entrance, was here as well.

The demon slaves here were also in glass cabinets, but these were smaller, more exquisite cabinets, with only one demon slave in each. Their species were no longer the common rabbit demons, cat demons, rat demons, and the like downstairs, but rarer kinds such as white tigers, silver foxes, and black panthers.

In the center stood an exquisitely carved circular marble platform, its surface inlaid with reflective, multicolored gemstones. Comfortable cushions and low tables surrounded it for guests to rest. Attractive male and female demon attendants carried all manner of delicacies and fine wines, speaking softly beside the guests and serving them attentively.

The two continued onward and reached the third floor. Lin Qingyang noticed that even the stair railings on this floor were inlaid with gemstones. Human trafficking really was profitable. Hua Jin had personally traveled to the Nine Skies Sect for a mere five-hundred-spirit-stone deal before; she really had shown him considerable respect.

The instant he stepped onto the third floor, he felt something incredibly soft beneath his feet, as though he were walking on clouds. The entire floor was covered in soft fur carpets, though he had no idea what kind of demon the fur came from. There were no display cabinets here. Instead, a huge display platform stood in the center, where several beautiful women were playing zithers. Beautiful they might be, but he could make out no Demon Clan features.

Looking around, he found that the attendants in this hall were the same, with no visible Demon Clan features. Were they some rather unusual species?

"What kind of demons are they?" Lin Qingyang asked, looking at an attendant passing before him.

The peacock demon smiled. "They are of the Human Clan."

Understanding dawned on Lin Qingyang, and he gave a somewhat speechless smile.