Among the demons, behind Red Eyes, Big Head, clad in red battle armour, stood frozen, his gaze fixed intently.
Perhaps sensing Big Head’s stare, Fang Ru also looked at him.
Their eyes met, each with different emotions.
“He seems to be crying?” Fang Ru said, puzzled, looking at Big Head.
“You’re mistaken. It’s probably sand in his eyes,” Mo Fan replied, winking at her before turning to Big Head. He noticed the demon had wrapped his head in black cloth, leaving only his large eyes visible, which looked somewhat comical.
Mo Fan could understand this.
Though Big Head’s cultivation wasn’t weak, he couldn’t fully transform into a spiritual form, his head remaining that of a fish.
To avoid scaring Fang Ru, Big Head had wrapped his head in cloth.
“Do demons get sand in their eyes too?” Fang Ru asked, confused.
“Occasionally,” Mo Fan answered.
“He looks so strange. Why does he wrap his head in cloth?”
“Maybe he’s just ugly.”
“Uglier than you?”
Mo Fan’s face twitched, forcing a smile before addressing the demons, “Let me introduce her.”
“This is the great scholar I sought out, named Fang Ru. You can call her Teacher Fang from now on!”
Mo Fan spoke slowly, introducing Fang Ru to the demons.
The demons shouted in unison, “Greetings, Teacher Fang!”
It was Fang Ru’s first time being addressed as a teacher by so many demons. She grew nervous, her heart filled with some fear and unease.
“Damn it! Why shout so loudly? People might think you’re about to feast!” Mo Fan scolded the demons, seeing Fang Ru startled.
“Exactly. You lot are usually crude, but Teacher Fang is an ordinary human woman, gentle by nature. How can she handle your shouting?” Big Head grumbled but quickly shut his mouth, noticing the demons glaring at him unkindly.
Next, Mo Fan briefly introduced Black Wind Mountain’s key figures to help Fang Ru get acquainted.
After the introductions, Mo Fan declared loudly, “From now on, I announce the establishment of the Demon Academy! Fang Ru will serve as its head, equal in status to the commanders, responsible for educating Black Wind Mountain’s demons!”
“Big Head!” Mo Fan called, looking at Big Head behind Red Eyes, who promptly responded, “Here!”
“From now on, Teacher Fang’s safety is your responsibility!” Mo Fan said with a smile. “Are you willing?”
Big Head was stunned, then excitedly replied, “I’m willing!”
Mo Fan shook his head and sent a private message, warning, “You’re the biggest danger to her. If you don’t want Fang Ru back in a wheelchair or worse, keep your distance. Sometimes, liking someone isn’t about possession. Protecting them is also a form of care.”
Big Head’s excitement dimmed considerably, but he nodded.
“By the way, during this trip, I promised Teacher Fang I’d rescue her students. Yao Yao, find a place on Black Wind Mountain for those children to live,” Mo Fan said.
The demons were stunned. Human children?
White Yao Yao was also surprised, caught off guard. Glancing at the demons’ varied expressions, she smiled at Mo Fan, “Alright, leave it to me. But this is a demon mountain. I wonder what the commanders will think about human children living here.”
Her words reminded Mo Fan, and he turned to the demons. “Listen well. From today, anyone who disrespects Teacher Fang or those human children will have their hide stripped by me and be thrown to the kitchen camp for a feast! Especially your underlings, keep them in check! Understood?”
Mo Fan spoke sternly, looking seriously at the demons.
He wasn’t worried about these familiar brothers causing trouble, as they knew his temper. They might bicker playfully, but they knew their limits.
However, the lesser demons were different. Some, only recently transformed, might struggle to tame their beastly instincts and crave human flesh, which could cause trouble.
“Rest assured, Great King! Though Teacher Fang is a human woman, she’s here to educate our demons. For that alone, I, Red Eyes, respect her! If anyone schemes behind her back, my enforcement hall won’t spare them!” Red Eyes declared, pounding his chest.
“No need to worry, Great King. We may eat humans, but we know what’s proper! Even rabbits don’t eat the grass by their burrows, let alone our own demons. Anyone who acts out, I, Wolf Fierce, will crush their head!” Wolf Fierce grinned, his rugged face and plain words making him seem unrefined. Fang Ru instinctively leaned closer to Mo Fan.
“Second General’s wrong. Who says rabbits don’t eat nearby grass? I’ve noticed Red Eyes’ cave entrance grass has been nibbled bare lately!” Chirp chuckled.
“Not sure if it was Red Eyes who ate it! But I hear he’s been sneaking into his cave a lot lately. Wonder what treasure he’s hiding!” Er Ha joined in, teasing Red Eyes and turning to Da Li with a grin. “Da Li, you live with him. Know why?”
“Don’t talk nonsense. He’s gone solo, not living with me anymore!” Da Li scoffed, then said to Red Eyes earnestly, “Red Eyes, keep it down. We’re neighbours, but these dirt caves aren’t soundproof! And change your chant. Stop ending at one-two-three. Push harder, aim for five!”
“Hahaha!” The demons roared with laughter.
Even White Yao Yao’s face twitched, while Fang Ru and Black Robe remained confused.
“Pah! You’re just jealous!” Red Eyes, flushed from the teasing, cursed loudly.
“Red Eyes, we’re not jealous of your three-chant routine!” The demons laughed harder.
Amid the uproar, Mo Fan rubbed his temples, exasperated. He hadn’t expected them to be so chatty, turning everything into crude jokes.
“Enough, that’s it for now! By the way, I visited a market during my trip and got some trinkets to share.” Mo Fan spat out communication talismans, distributing them to the commanders and explaining their use.
Though limited by distance and somewhat rudimentary, they were sufficient for messaging on Black Wind Mountain.
As Mo Fan prepared to dismiss the demons, White Yao Yao suddenly spoke, “By the way, while you were gone, when I used the Demon-Shaking Drum to gather demons, a human cultivator showed up on his own. You might want to meet him.”
A human cultivator? Mo Fan was taken aback.
