When Mo Fan returned to Spring Pond Cave, Mr. Pig was standing at the cave entrance, leaning on a wooden stick, dozing off.
Mo Fan couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.
What a guy, able to sleep standing up—truly one of a kind!
He quietly approached Mr. Pig and shouted into his ear, “Pighead, the house has been robbed!”
“Ah… Oi! Let’s see which blasted dog dares…”
Mr. Pig jolted awake, immediately raising his stick, cursing loudly. But suddenly, his mouth gaped open, and he stared dumbfounded ahead.
At some point, a stunning beauty in a white dress, with skin like polished jade and a face like a fairy, had appeared before him.
Mr. Pig was instantly mesmerised.
When had he ever seen such an exquisite woman?
She seemed far more captivating than the demon maidens dancing at the Sunfire Festival.
“Dead pighead, snap out of it! Don’t embarrass me!”
Mo Fan rolled his eyes, though he wasn’t truly angry.
He knew full well the allure a beauty like Bai Yaoyao held for the bachelor demons of Black Wind Mountain.
Not to mention, if the Black Wind Demon King found out, he’d probably be the first to swoop down and snatch her away.
“Ah… M-Master, when did you get back?!”
Mr. Pig hurriedly bowed to Mo Fan.
“Just now. If you’re sleepy, go inside and rest.”
“N-No, I’m not sleepy!”
Mo Fan patted Mr. Pig’s shoulder, then glanced at the stick in his hand, asking, “Who gave you that stick?”
“It was Big Strength Brother. He said it’s the rule of our Ding Camp. Holding a weapon makes us look fiercer, so we won’t disgrace you in front of other demons,” Mr. Pig said with an honest grin.
Mo Fan was speechless. He hadn’t expected these lesser demons to carry on the fine traditions from the Scorpion Demon days. But how did a wooden stick make them look fierce?
This made him think it might be worth getting these demons some proper weapons later. That would truly make them fierce and boost their chances of survival in the trial six months from now.
With that thought, Mo Fan spat out an object—a crescent-shaped shovel nearly ten feet long, a trophy from his last venture outside Broken Temple Market.
“I think a wooden stick doesn’t suit the vibe of my underlings. This crescent shovel is yours now!”
“Thank you, Master, for the reward!!”
Mr. Pig was overjoyed, clutching the crescent shovel with delight.
Unlike other demons, as a common pig by nature, he had no decent demon weapon. Now that he finally had one, he was thrilled.
Watching Mr. Pig clumsily wield the crescent shovel, Mo Fan muttered to himself, “Should I get this guy a nine-toothed rake one day?”
He then briefly introduced Bai Yaoyao to Mr. Pig, instructing him to keep her presence a secret, not even mentioning a word to Big Strength or the other demons.
“Master, don’t worry, I get it! In human terms, this is called, uh, hiding a beauty in a golden house!”
“Heh heh… Master, you and Lady Bai can go about your business. I’ll guard the door, and no demon will get close, not even an inch!”
Mr. Pig said with a sly grin.
Hiding a beauty in a golden house?
Lady Bai?
Mo Fan’s face twitched. Bai Yaoyao’s cheeks also flushed slightly, thinking, “Why are the demons here so shameless with their words?”
“Get lost! Who needs you to guard the door?”
Mo Fan snapped irritably. Mr. Pig winked at him, making an “I understand” face, then scampered off with the crescent shovel.
“The demons of Black Wind Mountain aren’t like others, ahem… they’re a bit wilder, so don’t take it to heart,” Mo Fan said with a dry cough, leading Bai Yaoyao into the cave.
“You said you once reached the Demon King realm. Do you know anything about venom?”
Inside the cave, Mo Fan turned and looked at Bai Yaoyao.
She frowned slightly, unsure of his intent, and replied, “Though I’m a snake demon, my own venom isn’t strong, and I haven’t dealt much with poisons.”
“Perfect!”
Mo Fan’s eyes lit up. With a thought, a venomous pearl demon weapon flew into his palm.
“This bead is highly toxic. Swallow it. Only then will I trust you enough to keep you. Otherwise, no matter how useful you might be, I can’t afford to take the risk!”
Mo Fan’s expression turned icy as he faced the beauty demon for the first time.
Bai Yaoyao paused briefly, then raised her right hand. The venomous pearl flew into her palm.
She glanced at it briefly before swallowing it whole.
“Now you can rest easy, right?” she asked, looking at Mo Fan.
“Haha, of course!”
Mo Fan laughed heartily.
“Do you know why I bought you?” he asked.
“Because I was once a Demon King, I know a lot about demon cultivation, and even some human cultivation matters,” Bai Yaoyao replied.
“That’s one reason. There are two others: your beauty and your affinity with water,” Mo Fan said with a smile.
“Beauty?”
“You’re not so different from other demons after all!” Bai Yaoyao mocked.
“No, there’s a difference. Other demons might buy you to make you a bedmate, but I just want something pleasing to look at. Having a beautiful demon around lifts the mood, doesn’t it?”
Mo Fan grinned, then headed toward the back door, saying, “Follow me.”
Soon, he led Bai Yaoyao to the spring pond, his expression turning serious. “I brought you here because I’m about to deal with something that might take a long time. There’s a secret hidden in this pond, and I need your help.”
“A secret?”
Bai Yaoyao’s interest was piqued. Her eyes narrowed, and her demonic aura spread, probing beneath the water.
Moments later, she looked at Mo Fan in surprise. “The spiritual energy in this water is so dense. Is there something down there?”
Mo Fan nodded, then jumped into the pond, beckoning Bai Yaoyao with a finger.
She frowned slightly but followed him into the water.
Soon, Mo Fan led her to a protruding stone wall underwater, pointing at a bamboo basket on it before casually opening it.
The next moment, over a dozen translucent dragon loaches came into view.
Seeing them, Bai Yaoyao’s face showed astonishment. Her voice sounded in Mo Fan’s ear, “What kind of fish are these? Their spiritual energy is almost as potent as a low-grade yellow-tier elixir!”
Mo Fan glanced at her, then pointed at his mouth, closed the basket, and swam back up.
Out of the pond, he looked at her curiously. “Was that a transmission technique you just used?”
“Yes, it’s a minor human technique called ‘Transmission Art.’ If you want to learn it, I can teach you,” Bai Yaoyao nodded.
“Great!”
Mo Fan’s face lit up with unconcealed joy, then he thought of something else. “Do you have any techniques for concealing one’s aura?
Something that can mask our demonic energy, so others can’t tell our true nature at a glance.”
“There’s a secret technique called ‘Aura Concealment Art.’ If you want to learn, I can teach you that too!”
