Chapter 178: A Furrowed Brow

Though the demon race, barbarian race, and human race now divide the three lands, they once lived together across the Nine Provinces.

Although everyone then suffered under the oppression of the Descendants, their cultural backgrounds were in fact very similar.

Whether along the streets' goods or the craftsmanship of buildings, one could see familiar forms.

Yet in matters of cuisine, the demon race and human race differed greatly.

Ji You was pushed by Gongshu Chou, walking along the street, passing through thick smoke rising from steaming stoves, his gaze scanning the food stalls.

Our side's climate is cold; aside from a few hardy spirit crops, little else can survive, but thanks to our backing against the Winter Sea, seafood is abundant.

Ji You had never seen such a large fish—nearly as tall as a man, frozen solid.

"Demon race specialty—could be worth buying some back."

Continuing along the black walls and white roofs, a sudden clanging and jingling ahead drew both their attention.

As they drew closer, they saw two demon race vendors quarreling over stall space, their words fierce, then suddenly erupting into furious roars at each other.

Next, they grabbed each other and marched down the main snow-covered avenue toward a circular arena.

"I thought I'd never see something like this. Come on, follow them."

"?"

Gongshu Chou didn't fully understand, but still pushed Ji You toward the circular arena, where he saw the two demon race vendors already fighting.

One had round ears sprouting from his head, the other a single horn atop his skull; they pulled arms, threw fists, their furious blows colliding, each impact sending waves of air rolling outward.

Soon, the violent fight drew a crowd of onlookers, and even several patrol demon soldiers—iron blades at their sides, waist tags secured—arrived and stood around the platform, watching intently and taking careful notes.

"What's going on?"

"They're using fists to settle ownership of the stall."

Ji You sat in his wheelchair, watching their fists whip the air—not random swings, but precise, structured, flowing exchanges.

Side kicks, straight punches—all executed with discipline, movements seamless as flowing clouds and water.

Even, Ji You could see streams of qi forming as they punched.

Gongshu Chou was also surprised: "Whoever wins gets the stall?"

Ji You nodded: "Among demon race civilians, disputes are settled by force. The loser must submit; the winner decides how to resolve the conflict. It's codified in their law."

"How do you know this?"

"Before we set out, a friend gave me a book on local customs called 'Demon Race of the Snowlands.' I've always been curious about this system, but wasn't sure if it was true—after all, trusting books blindly is worse than having none. Yet here it is, right before my eyes."

Gongshu Chou watched the two men punching and kicking: "Such a barbaric law—how has it kept the demon race from chaos for centuries?"

Ji You shook his head: "It seems barbaric, but holds great wisdom. The Demon Emperor permits private combat to resolve grudges immediately, preventing resentment from festering in his people. Yet demon law strictly forbids serious injury and denies any right to kill."

"Only to determine victory, not life or death?"

"Precisely."

"But what if someone is seriously injured? Fists and feet have no eyes."

"Though demon race bodies aren't as tough as the barbarians', they're far stronger than ours. Serious injury is rare. But if it happens, the offender is imprisoned in the Cold Prison atop Snow Mountain to reflect—severe cases may spend their entire lives there."

Gongshu Chou looked up, gazing at the distant snow-capped mountain piercing the sky, surrounded by endless frozen wastelands, speechless.

Ji You spoke softly: "This law has another benefit—not written in any book."

"Hmm?"

"It has kept the demon race from losing their fighting spirit and courage through centuries of hardship in the snowlands."

Hearing this, Gongshu Chou furrowed his brow, faintly grasping the meaning behind Ji You's words.

This law permitting private combat as a means of dispute resolution was, like the barbarians' centuries-long assaults on Cold Iron Pass, a way to cultivate the tribe's martial spirit.

In other words, the demon race had never abandoned the idea of reclaiming the Nine Provinces—they had simply rewritten it into law, embedding it into their people's habits.

Ji You sat in his wheelchair, watching for a long while: "Let's find a boxing hall?"

"Demon race have boxing halls?"

"The book didn't mention it, but I believe they're everywhere—because systems determine industry."

Ji You spoke calmly: "If strength decides one's fate, everyone will train in martial arts, just as humans all crave cultivation. When this desire grows widespread, an industry forms—and it would develop rapidly and maturely."

Gongshu Chou pondered: "You want to watch boxing?"

Ji You nodded: "Those two vendors' fists were already exquisite. I want to see something even more refined."

"Then I'll take you to find one."

Ji You nodded, then slightly furrowed his brow.

Never mind. No harm.

Soon after, Gongshu Chou pushed him along the road and spotted a courtyard on the main avenue.

The demon race language is mutually intelligible with human speech, but their script differs. They found this courtyard because, as they approached, they sensed powerful qi.

They stepped inside, walked down a long corridor, and finally reached the courtyard's depths.

To their surprise, the courtyard was enormous—nearly half the size of the outer courtyard of the Heavenly Book Academy—with several squads, each containing over twenty demon race warriors.

Before each squad, a boxing master taught techniques, fists striking with ferocious energy, qi flowing like rivers.

Ji You watched for a long while: "Go see the front."

Gongshu Chou followed his gaze and saw a group sparring ahead, their fist intent fierce, strikes crashing like thunder.

"Fierce fist intent."

"Yes, very fierce—rare among humans."

Gongshu Chou stood behind him and didn't notice Ji You's eyes slowly glowing with a faint gold.

At that moment, several demon race onlookers who had watched the earlier fistfight noticed him and furrowed their brows, whispering among themselves.

The human envoy's visit to the demon realm was whispered about in the inner city—not a secret.

But they hadn't expected to see a human in the imperial city's boxing hall.

"If demon or barbarian armies truly invade, ordinary humans have no power to resist."

Ji You watched for a long while, then finally retracted the golden glow from his eyes and spoke.

Gongshu Chou frowned: "You really think the demon and barbarian races will ally?"

"I can't be sure, but after what I've seen, I think the chance of war is lower now."

"You can tell that just from watching?"

"If the demon race truly planned to ally with the barbarians, they'd already be in wartime readiness. First step: redirect their thousand-year martial spirit outward—promote tales of the Nine Provinces' vast lands and fertile grasses, stoking envy among their people. But throughout our journey, I've heard no one speak of it."

Gongshu Chou froze: "So you didn't come just to look at demon women's backsides?"

Ji You instantly narrowed his eyes: "I told you—I have a friend, and I was watching the backsides for him. What I'm seeing now is what I came for."

"I thought you made up the friend…"

Ji You smiled faintly, calm as wind over water, but soon furrowed his brow again.

Never mind. Holding it a little longer won't hurt…

In the frozen snowlands, days are short and nights long, much like human winters. Before long, dusk arrived.

Nightfall slowly enveloped the grand city.

Due to snow mist and constant demon charcoal fires, the sky was hazy—stars and moon invisible.

Ji You, pushed by Gongshu Chou, returned to Jade Garden and stood on the corridor, gazing at the towering imperial palace ahead.

Night deepened. Gongshu Chou left first, leaving Ji You alone, his brow slightly furrowed.

At that moment, a fragrant breeze brushed his face.

Ji You turned instinctively and saw Princess Fengyang walking gracefully along the corridor.

Prince Ye Han was hosting a banquet for celestial sect prodigies at Jade Garden tonight. Ji You had gone out and missed it; Princess Fengyang had just left the feast and seemed to be returning to the palace.

The Demon Emperor had many offspring—over twenty, vividly demonstrating the meaning of ceaseless reproduction.

Yet only Ye Han and Princess Fengyang were born to the current Demon Empress, making them second only to the emperor himself.

Now she wore a shimmering crimson celestial robe, jade hairpins and silk belts, fine scales along her neck catching the moonlight as she glided across the corridor—then suddenly stopped, turning to look at Ji You.

"Your injuries are still severe. Why are you standing here?"

Ji You replied: "I just returned from outside. I wanted some fresh air before going in."

Princess Fengyang studied him, about to leave, but halted before stepping away.

To most humans, this demon princess was indistinct—no special impression. But toward Ji You, she felt the mindset of a physician toward a patient, and spoke again: "How is your health?"

"Thank you for your concern. I'm doing alright."

"But I see tension in your brow. Are you worried our demon race will go to war with your human race?"

"Uh, no."

Princess Fengyang frowned: "Excessive worry harms recovery. Try to lighten your thoughts. If you can't resolve them alone, speak them out."

Ji You fell silent for a long while, staring at his arms: "I need to urinate."

Princess Fengyang: "?"

"You insisted on asking."

"You've got someone with you, don't you?"

Ji You fell silent: "Never mind. I'd rather die holding it."

Princess Fengyang remained silent for a long while, then bit her lip lightly and turned to her maid: "Xiao Rou, help him."

"Yes."

Xiao Rou stepped forward, took his arm, and guided him toward the room.

Ji You entered the room with perfect composure, like a true gentleman.

He had no choice—otherwise, with arms useless as decorations, he'd have urinated in his pants.

As for asking Gongshu Chou for help, in his view, it was better to just piss his pants…

So he held out all the way from the street back home, originally planning to ask Jiang Yan or Yan Qiu Bai for assistance—after all, tendon and bone injuries took a hundred days to heal, and he truly had no confidence he could endure it alone.

Of course, the best choice was Jiang Yan.

Because Yan Qiu Bai was from Lingjian Mountain; by status, she was Yan Shuyi's cousin, and this kind of situation, while thrilling, was essentially tantamount to suicide.

But what he hadn't expected was that the one who finally arrived wasn't Jiang Yan, nor Yan Qiu Bai—it was the Demon Clan princess.

At this moment, Princess Fengyang waited outside the corridor, having waited a long time, her eyes darting restlessly; though her expression was calm, her gaze seemed utterly misplaced.

Only when she heard the door open did she slowly turn her head and see her maid Xiao Rou step out, stunned, as if her soul had left her body, her steps weak and unsteady.

"What's wrong?"

"He, he… he…"

Xiao Rou stammered, as if unable to speak, her face flushed as she stammered "he" for a long while, then finally held up two scorching measurements.

Princess Fengyang's crimson lips parted slightly; images involuntarily flashed through her mind, and she held her breath, hurrying away from the corridor.

The next morning, the sun rose above the towering snow-capped mountains, bringing only light, not warmth.

The human envoy changed into their court robes and were led into the Imperial City under the watchful eyes of demon clan guards.

The celestial sect prodigies followed closely behind, walking along the white marble avenue toward the palace, which loomed like a crouching beast.

Contrary to expectation, the demon emperor's palace was not as opulent as the Xia Empire's imperial court; instead, it was entirely black and white, rugged and grand.

Its pillars were black, its ceiling black, its floor white, its stone steps white, already filled with demon clan ministers and tribal chieftains.

At this moment, Ji You was pushed forward by Gongshu Chou, and he saw Ye Han and Princess Fengyang standing on the left.

As he looked over, Princess Fengyang gently turned her gaze to the right.

Ye Han noticed his sister's movement and couldn't help asking: "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing."

"Are you unwell?"

"I'm fine…"

Ji You's gaze did not linger on Princess Fengyang; instead, he fixed his eyes on the man seated upon the white throne.

He was tall and broad-shouldered, his blue demon eyes glowing brilliantly.

Though he restrained his aura, a powerful pressure still surged forth, causing the cultivators in the envoy to subtly pale.

So strong, Ji You silently murmured in his heart.

He had come from Yuyang County, entered the Heavenly Book Academy to cultivate, and along this journey, the strongest aura he'd encountered was Qi Zhengyang's.

He was the chief swordsman of Lingjian Mountain, a master at the peak of the upper five realms, yet even he paled in comparison to this demon emperor.

Then came the imperial audience: Wang Mingchang held a memorial scroll and recited the tribute list.

When he finished, he bowed forward: "Your Majesty, our human race and demon clan have coexisted peacefully for a thousand years. Now, those with malicious intent seek to incite war, bringing ruin to all living beings—their hearts deserve execution. We humbly beg Your Majesty to see clearly."

The Lin Clan chieftain spoke first: "The Nine Provinces are vast and fertile. You humans live in comfort—have you ever considered us demon folk?"

"After the Ancient War, our human race wished to live in harmony with the demon clan, to maintain peace forever—we never drove you away."

"You—"

The Lin Clan chieftain was stunned, then enraged, flinging his sleeve as his thick nostrils flared.

But Wang Mingchang had silenced him with one sentence: originally, humans had not driven the demon clan here—they had migrated here of their own accord.

As his words fell, murmurs spread through the court.

Some demon ministers, though not speaking outright, clearly favored war; others looked hesitant, constantly glancing at the demon emperor's expression.

Though Wang Mingchang and his companions were elderly, their spirits blazed as they debated fiercely against the crowd.

Seeing this, Ji You pressed his lips slightly.

It seemed the demon clan was divided over whether to ally with the barbarians—no unified opinion had yet formed.

But judging from the current scene, each tribe had already sharpened their blades, ready for war.

Yet the demon clan was fundamentally different from the human race.

Humans each acted for themselves, each believing themselves supreme, each vying for dominance, while the emperor was merely a puppet with no real authority.

But the demon clan had only one voice: the demon emperor. Whether to wage war or not rested solely in his mind.

Yet now, the demon emperor's eyes were cold and unreadable.

At this moment, the demon emperor's chief minister stepped forward: "The three clans coexist within the Qingyun Realm—they should not be mortal enemies. Since our demon clan borders the barbarians, making peace with them is beneficial, but this does not mean we must become enemies of the human race."

Gongshu Chou opened his mouth: "He actually guessed right—the demon emperor's will to fight is indeed weak."

Yan Qiu Bai stood beside him and couldn't help asking: "Who guessed right?"

"Ji You. He told me yesterday the demon emperor's chance of choosing war is low."

"Didn't you two go shopping yesterday?"

"Yes."

Yan Qiu Bai opened her mouth: "What did he see? Why would he make such a claim?"

Gongshu Chou pressed his lips: "He spent the whole day watching his friend's ass."

"?"

"Our demon clan has been trapped in the snowlands for years, while humans enjoy the Nine Provinces alone—this is unfair. Now that the barbarians wish to ally, it's a perfect opportunity."

"Exactly! In the Ancient War, this world should have been ruled by our clan—humans are merely thieves of Heaven's will!"

In the palace's rear hall, the Lin Clan chieftain and the Ya Clan chieftain passionately petitioned.

They strongly advocated allying with the barbarians—indeed, even before the barbarian envoy arrived, they had already held this view.

In their eyes, a thousand years of waiting was long enough. Though their lifespans exceeded those of humans, they would still die.

If they missed this chance, they did not know when they would ever see the Nine Provinces again.

But the Mao Clan chieftain and the Zhao Clan chieftain disagreed—they believed the barbarians, who had surrendered and fled during the Ancient War, were not trustworthy allies.

The key issue was: if they truly joined forces with the barbarians to storm the Cold Iron Pass, the demon clan's current strength would likely only serve to make the barbarians reap the rewards.

In the Ancient Era, they had already suffered this fate once—because of that, they had been forced to migrate ten thousand miles to this snowland.

"Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

"We've reconsidered for a thousand years!"

"Your Majesty, think of our demon clan's people!"

"A thousand years have passed—how much longer must we wait?"

"Your Majesty, wage war! Fight as our Ancient ancestors did, reclaim the Nine Provinces, and seize back the destiny that rightfully belongs to our clan!"

At this moment, the demon emperor, hearing the arguments from his study, wearily opened his eyes.

Previously, those in the Nine Provinces who had forcibly ascended without Heaven's sanction had confirmed to him that the human race had lost Heaven's favor—the time to redistribute the world had come.

But the problem was: Heaven had not, as in the Ancient Era, bestowed sacred artifacts upon worthy sages of other clans to ignite the Sacred War of Qingyun.

Heaven's demise is no empty words.

But where, then, had the new Dao taken root?

(I'm going to Singapore soon for the Yuewen IP Gala—updates may be unstable. Please understand. As always: I won't take leave unless absolutely necessary—I won't slack off for personal reasons. Please support with monthly votes!)

(End of Chapter)