Chapter 555: Reverse Strategy 14

Erlang was also shocked by this scene, but he wasn't as noisy as Dahu, secretly observing Chenshu.

"Great King, hurry up and introduce us!" Dahu was extremely curious.

Their Great King, who had been pure and desireless for hundreds of years, finally had his first stirrings of love?!

The Yao King was finally going to have a consort… though it seemed he couldn't.

Dahu scratched his head, just in time reining in his racing thoughts.

Chenshu seemed frightened by the sudden appearance of the two, letting out a cry and darting into Jin Chen's embrace, still peeking through half‑slit eyes, secretly curious.

Upon hearing the tiger demon ask Jin Chen to introduce himself, he lifted his gaze, both expectant and nervous, as if waiting for an answer.

The ardent gaze of the person in his arms made Jin Chen unable to ignore it; he lowered his eyes to look at the youth who relied on him wholeheartedly, his heart feeling as if spring water flowed through.

"Just as you thought," Jin Chen said, glancing at the two petrified demons, "Why don't you call someone?"

Dahu let out a howl, "Greetings, sister‑in‑law! I'm Dahu!"

Hearing that answer, he was overjoyed! Even if the Great King had no offspring, at least he now had a demon queen!

Erlang furrowed his brows, but without showing displeasure, he simply asked, "Great King, do you intend for this person to become the demon race's heir?"

Chenshu, who had been happy because of Dahu's reaction, hadn't even managed to smile before Jin Chen's answer cut off his joy.

"What business do you have with me?"

Jin Chen cut off the question, his aura turning cold.

Erlang's expression paused slightly, then he regained some composure.

Chenshu, at a loss, lowered his eyes, his fingertips instantly gripping the hem of his clothes.

Was he avoiding this question… or simply not wanting to answer here?

His long lashes trembled, veiling his dim eyes; Chenshu drew a deep breath, obediently burying himself in Jin Chen's embrace, neither asking further nor joining their conversation.

"The barrier of the Yaogong is in grave danger, Great King!"

Dahu failed to notice the tense atmosphere, wailing with a mournful face, "Those so‑called righteous human sects are like a dog‑skin plaster! They attack the barrier day and night!"

"It's only thanks to your many years of demonic awareness guarding the barrier; otherwise they'd have broken in long ago!"

Erlang also spoke solemnly, "Although the palace is temporarily unharmed, scouts have reported that many of the minor demon groups elsewhere have been captured and slaughtered."

"Before, they still honored the contract signed by the two races, but after you were sealed, those humans, regardless of good or evil, kill any demon they see."

The more Jin Chen listened, the colder his face grew, and the emotion in his narrow fox‑like eyes became increasingly ferocious.

"Is it the leader of the Slay Demon Sect?"

"Yes," Erlang replied, his face full of indignant solemnity, "The Slay Demon Sect and the Chen Family lead the charge, and nearly all the notable demon‑slaying clans have joined."

His gloomy eyes swept over the person in Jin Chen's arms, his brows furrowing deeper, "Come to think of it, this person… seems somewhat reminiscent of the Chen Family."

Even without turning around, Chenshu could feel the probing malice; he was already unhappy, and now he felt even more irritable.

He glanced back from Jin Chen's neck, met Erlang's gaze, said nothing, and simply lifted his head again to look at Jin Chen.

"Great King…"

The youth's voice lacked its earlier liveliness, overwhelmed by the fright‑induced tension and unease; Jin Chen lightly stroked his back to let him relax, speaking softly.

"Don't worry about it; go ahead and cultivate."

"... Okay."

The pinkish tint faded from Chenshu's eye corners, making him look paler and more fragile; he forced a smile, then rose from Jin Chen's embrace and left the small pavilion.

Even his retreating back lacked its former liveliness.

Jin Chen stared blankly at that blue figure gradually fading away, then after a long while lowered his eyes and drank a cup of wine.

"Continue." His voice had no warmth.

Knowing that persisting on this would surely anger the Great King, Erlang saw that he had said enough, slightly bowed his body, and continued reporting what had happened during this period.

Even if Dahu was slow, he eventually noticed something off; he furtively glanced at Erlang beside him, then stared at the departing back of the new sister‑in‑law for a while.

Does Erlang dislike this sister‑in‑law?

He racked his brains for a reason, and aside from not being able to bear a milk‑baby, this sister‑in‑law seemed to have no other flaws!

So what's up with Erlang… Oh!

Dahu slapped his forehead, realizing why!

He was lost in thought, only then noticing that Jin Chen had looked over because of his action; he hurriedly lowered his hand and gave a couple of hehe chuckles.

"I'm listening, Great King!"

Jin Chen glanced away indifferently, "Go to the extreme south, find the Black Snake Senior and obtain the Scarlet Cold Pearl; it will help me end my weary period early."

That means we're going to fight!

Both of them shuddered, immediately clasped their fists, and said, "Subordinates obey!"

"Just like that."

Jin Chen waved his hand again, dispelling the ripples of the Mirror‑Flower, Water‑Moon illusion, and the scene before him reverted to the original courtyard.

He set down his wine cup, his gaze drifting toward the interior of the house.

Outside the barrier, Dahu watched the Mirror‑Flower, Water‑Moon fade, then slammed his palm onto Erlang's shoulder.

"You brat, what are you doing bullying the sister‑in‑law?"

Erlang didn't care, brushed off nonexistent dust from his shoulder, and his tone remained as cold as ever.

"Is he a human, or a member of the Chen Family?"

"You're really something, worrying about this and that, yet you won't let yourself marry the sister‑in‑law!"

Dahu clicked his tongue twice, "I reckon it's because of your brother, right?"

"That little wolf pup has been unwaveringly devoted to the Great King, but you don't think—if the Great King truly liked him, after all those advances, there wouldn't be any issue with this sister‑in‑law."

Probably because his inner thoughts had been exposed, Erlang's gloomy eyes flicked toward Dahu, "Even if the Great King doesn't like my brother, we can't let a human born of a demon‑slaying clan become the demon queen."

You demon, you're utterly unreasonable and stubborn!

The big tiger felt extremely bored, reverted to its true form, let out a roar, and stepped forward first.

They must quickly get the Red Cold Pearl in order to severely punish this bunch of ignorant, arrogant scoundrels!

——

Inside the barrier room, Chenshu was apparently unaware that the two demons had argued for his sake.

He curled up on the inner side of the jade bed, the thick blankets reaching his chin, but the gaze visible outside had lost its former liveliness.

What was Jin Chen just worrying about?

Is it the identity of the heir of the demon-hunting family?

Or perhaps he thinks humans cannot form a bond, and can only be a lover temporarily kept in the backyard.

Before he could figure it out, drowsiness faintly surfaced; he wearily closed his eyes, yawned, and curled up under the blankets.

【Master, don't be sad.】

Bai Ze hurried to comfort him; as a companion beast, it could faintly sense the master's emotions, and naturally knew Chenshu's condition was not good at the moment.

【Yeah, yeah, don't be sad! The Host's brain just can't turn the corner right now!】 0731 also chimed in to persuade.

Chenshu heard the two systems chattering in his mind, turned over and covered his ears, saying, 'No noise, I want to sleep!'

The two systems immediately fell silent, temporarily cutting off their conscious connection.

0731 let out a sigh of relief, muttering somewhat awkwardly.

"Does the Main God think the Host doesn't care about him? But when the Host previously saved him, any grievance he suffered was digested on his own."