Today, Black Wind Mountain was exceptionally lively. Lanterns and coloured banners hung everywhere, and almost all the little demons on the mountain had rushed to the summit to help with the preparations.
Every now and then, one or two human children could be spotted amongst the crowd of demons.
These human children, in groups of three or five, were playing and laughing with demons that had only transformed once or twice, showing not the slightest fear.
Not far from the children, a woman dressed in a cyan scholar’s robe was watching them intently, her gaze never relaxing for a moment.
Her skin was slightly tanned, her long hair coiled atop her head and fastened with a thin beast-bone pin she had picked up somewhere. If not for the faintly noticeable curve of her chest and her slender figure that no man could imitate, she would have looked exactly like a real male scholar.
“Miss Fang, there is truly no need for such worry. I have already warned everyone. If any of them dares to snack on these children, I will skin them alive and turn them into banquet dishes, one by one!”
Beside her, a fish-headed demon clad in dark-red armour spoke in a gentle voice, trying to sound reassuring despite his imposing appearance.
“Commander Bighead, I have told you many times. I am now the teacher responsible for civilising the demons of Black Wind Mountain, so you should address me as Mr Fang, not Miss Fang. Calling me ‘miss’ makes me feel disrespected!”
Fang Ru frowned slightly, put on a serious face, and corrected him. Then she continued gravely, “Although I do not believe these demons would harm the children, I still dare not lower my guard. After all…”
She did not finish the sentence.
Bighead sighed inwardly. He understood perfectly well.
Fang Ru was human, and no matter how harmless the mountain full of demons appeared, they were still demons. Just as he could never change the fact that he himself was a demon.
“Mr Fang’s love for children is something we demons cannot comprehend.”
From the other side, a white-clothed figure shrouded in faint black mist chuckled softly and said, “Humans have ethics and morality. Unlike us demons, who retain a trace of warmth only shortly after birth, the rest of our lives are filled with nothing but ferocity.
When hunger strikes hard enough, even parents and siblings become food!
Humans are different. With teachers like you to guide them from childhood, they learn ethics, morality, propriety, justice, integrity, and honour.
In our King’s words, this is called passing on the spark of civilisation and establishing order!”
“Your concern is understandable, yet I share our King’s hope that one day, Mr Fang, you will succeed in civilising us demons so that we too may possess the same order as humans.”
A glimmer of longing flashed in the white-clothed figure’s eyes, as if he truly yearned for that day to arrive soon.
“Mr White, may I ask why your King wishes for the demon race to be civilised? Why does he want us demons to have order?” Fang Ru looked at him, a trace of unease in her eyes.
“I am not the King, so I cannot know his exact thoughts. However, in my view, it must be so that our demon race can become stronger and no longer suffer oppression from other races!” White replied with a faint smile.
“If the demon race becomes strong, will you still wage war against us humans?” Fang Ru pressed.
White’s gaze flickered, yet he smiled and answered, “Mr Fang worries too much. Though we are demons, we do not delight in slaughter. Otherwise, our King would never have brought you all back to Black Wind Mountain.
The original purpose of establishing demon order was never war, but peace!
You have been on Black Wind Mountain for some time now. Have you ever seen any demon here eat a human?
Have you seen any demon disrespect you?
Have you seen any demon on Black Wind Mountain behave as viciously as those you encountered in Southern Border?”
Three questions in succession left Fang Ru stunned and speechless, because none of those things had ever happened.
To her, the demons of Black Wind Mountain felt like a clear stream amidst their kind, lotus flowers rising unsullied from the mud.
“Since none of that has occurred, why remain so wary of us? Why equate us with the vicious demons of the outside world?”
“Humans can be good or evil, so naturally demons can be the same. As a teacher, you surely understand reason better than a demon like me.
You say Bighead disrespects you by using the wrong title, but have you ever truly respected us demons?”
White spoke eloquently, and his final question silenced Fang Ru completely.
“White, that is enough. Mr Fang is only concerned for the children’s safety. It is not as serious as you make it sound.”
Seeing the tension, the fish demon Bighead quickly stepped between the human and the ghost, then added with mild displeasure, “Also, could you rein in some of that ghostly aura? Even I feel uncomfortable, let alone Mr Fang. Be careful not to harm her!”
“Hm?!”
White’s eyes instantly turned icy, making Bighead shiver. The fish demon hurriedly added, “Mr Fang is an honoured guest personally invited by our King. If you injure her, how will we explain it to him?”
Only then did the coldness on White’s face ease slightly. He said calmly, “Vice-Commander Bighead, humans and demons are different. You stand too close to Mr Fang. It will do her no good. In future, simply perform your duty as guard. Unless necessary, keep your distance.”
With that, White drifted away.
Bighead let out a sigh of relief and turned to Fang Ru. “That fellow is always so creepy. Don’t take it to heart.”
“I understand.”
Fang Ru nodded, glanced once at White’s retreating back, then looked away.
When Mo Fan reached the mountaintop, he found bright red lanterns hanging everywhere, red cloth laid along the mountain paths, and both sides of the paths adorned with vivid flower petals.
“Good grief, they have really gone all out. Anyone who didn’t know better would think this King was getting married!”
Looking down at the scene, Mo Fan felt both amused and exasperated.
“The King has arrived!”
Someone among the demons shouted, and in an instant every little demon on the mountain craned their necks to look at Mo Fan.
“My children, you have worked hard!”
“Once the ceremony ends, this King shall reward you handsomely!”
Mo Fan glanced at the busy little demons on the mountain, then at the hundreds of banquet tables set out on the martial training square, and nodded inwardly with approval.
These little demons usually seemed unreliable, but at critical moments they were quite capable. Look how well they had done!
Just as he thought this, Bai Tian Tian’s voice sounded beside his ear. “Well? Does it meet your eye?”
“You told them to do all this?”
Mo Fan turned to Bai Tian Tian, gave her a thumbs-up, and grinned. “Impressive!”
“Look over there!”
Bai Tian Tian pointed towards the cave dwelling. Mo Fan followed her gaze and saw a pathway made entirely of flower petals. At the end stood more refined tables already laden with fine wine, delicious food, and of course plenty of spirit fruits.
At the very end of the path was a large tiger-skin chair, positioned noticeably higher than the other tables. Clearly the seat of honour prepared for Mo Fan.
On either side behind the chair stood numerous large banners, black backgrounds bearing two bold blood-red human characters: Black Wind!
Higher up the mountain, even more war banners fluttered vigorously in the wind, creating an atmosphere of grandeur.
“You have put real thought into this!”
Even Mo Fan could not help praising it inwardly. This was far better than those ridiculous toad banners his previous underlings had made.
Only today did he finally feel a bit like a proper Demon King!
“This is, after all, the very first Demon King Grand Ceremony of Black Wind Mountain. Who knows how many demon kings will come to offer congratulations? We cannot appear too shabby and embarrass you, Your Toadness.” Bai Tian Tian smiled.
“Well said. After this banquet, this King shall reward you greatly!”
Mo Fan chuckled, then gave Bai Tian Tian a mysterious smile.
That smile instantly wiped the grin from Bai Tian Tian’s face. She asked instinctively, “What kind of reward?”
“Heh! You will find out when the time comes!”
“…”
