Chapter 365

Within the borders of Yunzhou, the migrated demon clans marched into the city in vast numbers.

Prince Ye Han, according to the divisions of claws, scales, feathers, and fur, assigned them to five major commanderies of Yunzhou.

These common demon folk, whose ancestors had been exiled to the snowlands a thousand years ago, were already several generations removed; their knowledge of Jiuzhou came only from folk tales and operas passed down within their clans.

Yet when they saw firsthand the vibrant spring, the wildflowers in bud, the tender new shoots of willows, they were all stunned.

In an instant, the cries of “Long live the Demon Emperor! Long live the Demon Clan!” echoed across the land.

“Arrange housing for the demon citizens according to need, then report to the clan for registration.”

“Also, order five Xuan Yao from the frontlines to withdraw, each leading five hundred soldiers, to maintain order in the commanderies and prevent large-scale conflicts.”

In Baihua City, Prince Ye Han issued these orders to his attending official.

The demon people had a simple, honest folk custom: private duels were permitted, which was why their bloodline had remained fierce for a thousand years.

But the demon law’s allowance for private duels referred only to individual versus individual, not group versus group.

Ye Han sent troops to garrison the areas because he feared the bloodthirsty demon citizens might spark large-scale conflicts organized by clans over land and housing.

Individual duels sharpen the bloodline; group versus group only breeds resentment.

The attending official hastily carved the orders onto bamboo slips; the moment he finished the final character, the prince’s voice sounded again beside his ear.

“Notify the Feather and Scale tribes: order their artisans to regroup and proceed to Baihua City to construct the demon capital and the imperial palace.”

“As Your Highness commands.”

The official who recorded the orders bowed slightly, then withdrew from before the demon prince and hurried off to issue the commands.

Seeing this, Ye Han turned and returned to his own courtyard.

After the migration of the people, many matters required planning.

Especially since Yunzhou was rich in mineral resources but lacked production, and minerals were currently the most useless thing to them.

What they needed most was to immediately reclaim land and plant crops.

But for the demon folk who had lived in the snowlands for a thousand years, they were unskilled in such matters—how to plan was critical.

With the change in living environment, everything must transform: policies that once suited them no longer applied; those to be deleted must be deleted, those to be abolished must be abolished, those to be added must be added—this was his first test as heir to the throne.

He sat before his desk, gazing at the slightly overcast sky outside the window, lost in thought.

At that moment, a servant from the mansion hurried into the room.

“Your Highness.”

“What is it?”

“The Princess has returned.”

Hearing this, Ye Han rose from behind his desk and stepped out the door, heading toward the courtyard next door.

This elegant garden had been specially prepared for her; it had once belonged to Yunzhou’s Spirit Stone Guild, featuring exquisite scenery, winding streams, and lush vegetation and flowers—though still unblooming, it was already far greener than the snowlands.

When he had previously visited the human realm, he had brought back several kinds of flowers for his sister, but none had survived; back then, he had promised to take her to see the human lands himself—now, he had finally kept his word.

As expected, Fengyang sat upon the stone bridge over the courtyard pond, legs dangling, her snow-white feet raised, her delicate white toes curled like pearls, lightly tapping the water, her gaze sweeping everywhere.

“Fengyang.”

At the soft call, Fengyang turned her head toward Ye Han: “Big brother, long time no see.”

Ye Han studied her from head to toe: “You’ve broken through.”

“All thanks to Big Brother and Father Emperor.”

“Your strength is your own—it has nothing to do with us. You treat clan members daily at the clinic, yet your cultivation still advances so swiftly—it humbles me.”

Ye Han smiled gently at his sister, then his gaze suddenly shifted: “By the way, when I came, I met Xiao Rou—she said you went out wandering. I’m puzzled: where did you go?”

Fengyang’s eyelashes trembled slightly: “Just entered Jiuzhou—everything felt new. I walked to the northern border and couldn’t move my feet, so I stayed a while longer.”

“Only the northern border?”

“I’m a stranger here—where else could I possibly go?”

Hearing this, Ye Han said nothing more, but turned his head toward the pavilion on the southern side of the courtyard: “Has the room been tidied?”

Fengyang glanced at the house: “Xiao Rou is organizing it—this place hasn’t been lived in for a long time.”

“It’s true it’s been long—after our demon clan attacked Jiuzhou last year, all the humans fled. Come to my place first—I’ll brew you some tea.”

“Human tea?”

Ye Han nodded: “A flower tea made from jasmine—uniquely fragrant.”

Fengyang nodded softly, slipped on her shoes, and followed her brother to the neighboring courtyard.

Yunzhou had just finished raining; the sky was not bright. Ye Han poured hot water into the teacup; as the color deepened, a floral fragrance gradually spread.

Smelling it, Fengyang was surprised, her beautiful vertical pupils flickering.

“Even petals can be roasted into tea—didn’t expect that, did you? Now do you still wonder why I’ve always insisted on returning to Jiuzhou?”

“But the soldiers who died on the battlefield won’t be able to drink it,” Fengyang murmured softly.

“But their descendants will—this is the meaning.” Ye Han lifted the teacup and handed it to Fengyang.

War kills people and drains resources—that was why Fengyang had always opposed it.

Yet seeing Jiuzhou, compared to the barren snowlands, how could she not wish her people to live here?

Seeing her silence, Ye Han couldn’t help smiling, then brought out various human tea snacks he had collected, introducing each one to her.

At that moment, the servant who had announced Fengyang’s return entered the courtyard again, followed by a soldier stationed at the border.

The soldier handed over a letter, then hurried away.

Fengyang had just finished her tea; seeing this, she turned to look at the letter in her brother’s hand.

“The Fang family of Zhongzhou?”

“A clan backed by the human immortal sect Tian Shu Academy—they’ve come to purchase spirit stones from our demon clan.”

As Ye Han spoke, he pulled a wooden chest from behind him and placed it on the desk, opening it.

Fengyang extended her jade-like hand and removed each letter one by one—she found they all came from noble families across Jiuzhou, even from the Five Immortal Sects, some dated back to the time of war.

“We invaded Jiuzhou, yet the humans still want to trade with us?” Fengyang was astonished.

“That’s the humans’ baseness.”

Ye Han marked a check on the Fang family’s letter and placed it on the desk: “When I fully conquered Yunzhou, I sent word to the humans offering to sell them spirit stones. They cursed me loudly—but few knew that same night, I received countless purchase requests, even from human immortal sects.”

“Yunzhou previously produced nothing, but our demon masses have entered, needing food and goods.”

“They probably assumed that under the holy artifact’s awe, we demons and the barbarians wouldn’t march south, and since they needed spirit stones for cultivation and seeking immortality, this trade had been going on secretly for a long time.”

“After entering Jiuzhou, we must guard against the barbarians who came with us—after all, one cannot allow others to sleep soundly beside one’s bed. Trading with the humans nearby lets us judge the timing better and avoids being attacked from both front and rear—it’s a wise choice.”

Ye Han poured tea for Fengyang: “We only lack food temporarily, but the humans will always lack spirit stones—so our demon clan will always stay one step ahead of the barbarians, and we can control and divide the humans.”

The entire Yunzhou, plus half the northern border, is large enough for our demon people to live on.

Reproduction and population growth, however, require time.

Under these circumstances, we are in no hurry to continue the war or expand new territories—we must root ourselves in Yunzhou.

Releasing historical records proving our demon clan once lived in Jiuzhou, secretly trading with the humans—all are tactics.

Even in Ye Han’s planning, it’s not impossible that future demon descendants might one day seek the Dao in human immortal sects.

Humans have terrible memories; soon enough, everyone will believe Yunzhou was always our demon territory.

This is a struggle between clans, spanning countless generations.

This time, every step our demon clan takes must be cautious, lest we again become mere tools for others, as we did a thousand years ago.

Yet beyond all this, there was one more crucial matter they could not confirm.

Thinking of this, Ye Han could not help raising his eyes to the night sky.

The will of heaven—where would it fall?

BOOM!!!!

As he pondered, a powerful pressure suddenly surged from north to south, shaking the buildings and rattling the tiles.

The brother and sister immediately narrowed their eyes, stepping outside to gaze northwest.

Far in the sky, a thick, dense cloud clung unbroken, boundless and profound, its overwhelming aura stirring dust storms and howling winds across the northern border.

Like our demon clan, the barbarians also chose this early spring season to migrate their people.

And this pressure meant the barbarian emperor himself had arrived.