Chapter 43: Misunderstanding

Images of Wen Ying’s self-research on the various demonic tribes flashed through his mind like a rapid carousel. After the incident where he had playfully tugged on Beros' tail, resulting in a major catastrophe, he had proactively studied up on demonic common knowledge.

But demonic common knowledge was not like the varying norms of each nation in the human world; it differed between each tribe. Some things were universal, such as using one's tail to hook another demon's tail, which was a direct invitation for intimate activities regardless of the tribe.

Wen Ying felt that Beros must have an incredible temper not to have killed him.

Recalling what he knew about the butterfly-winged merfolk, Wen Ying quickly scanned through the information he had gathered.

Merfolk often cleaned their fish tails, and praising the beauty of their tails brought them more joy than complimenting any other part of their body. Adding words that emphasized strength made them even happier, as they preferred others to describe their tails as both beautiful and powerful.

It was highly disrespectful to touch a merfolk's tail with one's hand, and even more so to touch the scales that grew on their skin. Those were sensitive areas.

However, those scales would shed and regrow periodically during their youth, becoming harder each time.

So, what was wrong with wanting their scales? Wen Ying felt like crying in frustration. Why did the demonic realm have so many different tribes, each with their own peculiar rules that not only varied but were also abundant and sometimes contradictory?

He had already studied up on so much common knowledge!

Phelous was furious, his face flushed with anger. His expression seemed to wish he could slice Wen Ying into a thousand pieces.

"I, a mere Mirror Demon, dare to mock me? Your ambition is nothing but a delusion!" Phelous's voice was as deep as a devil's, and terrifying demonic aura swirled around him. The beauty of the Butterfly Wing Mermaid was tainted by his demonic nature, and his cold, blue eyes held an unfeeling desire for slaughter.

Sometimes, the more you rush to explain something, the less clear it becomes. Wen Ying was anxious to clarify, yet found himself unable to utter a single word.

In the demon world, Phelous, the Butterfly Wing Mermaid, was equally popular. His handsome appearance and immense power were highly sought after by other demons. The dazzling, dreamlike appearance of the Butterfly Wing Mermaids, combined with their contrasting strength, drove demons into a frenzy.

Wen Ying felt as if many burning gazes were piercing him, as if they were claiming their territory and wanted to tear him apart.

There was one gaze in particular, seemingly from a pair of blood-red eyes, that sent a chill down Wen Ying's spine.

Muershi had somehow appeared, wrapping his arm around Wen Ying's neck and taunting, "The scales on a Butterfly Pool Mermaid's collarbone are only given to demons they like. Your words have offended quite a few more now."

The moment Muershi spoke, Wen Ying regained his ability to speak. It was a familiar feeling. He pushed Muershi away and looked at Phelous, whose hair, wild with rage, floated around him. "I don't know what those scales mean. My great-grandmother wants a scale with high magical content."

Wen Ying's voice was calm and steady, without any hint of guilt. He met Phelous's malevolent gaze head-on. "I was severely ill before and have forgotten many things. I didn't mean anything by it; I just want a scale with high magical content."

Phelous's fluttering hair fell back into place as he stared intently at Wen Ying, his gaze sharp and astonished to find that this low-ranking demon was not affected by his intimidation, which was rather unbelievable.

Lower Demons are called as such due to their innate racial limitations, which restrict the potential of their kind. Their submission to Upper Demons is ingrained in their bloodline. The worship of bloodlines among demons stems from this very reason.

Lower Demons instinctively yield to the overpowering aura of an Upper Demon, but this Mirror Demon before him showed no reaction. Phileas realized belatedly that during his fit of rage, his supreme bloodline's aura must have been unleashed wildly. Not only did Wen Ying not kneel or retreat, he didn't even exhibit the slightest hint of fear.

A puzzled look crept onto the merman's exquisite, yet cold face. The abnormal behavior made it difficult for him to discern whether Wen Ying was telling the truth. Could there really be a demon who was unaware of such common knowledge? If he truly lacked this basic understanding, then according to what he said, previously when he used his tail to hook Lord Berros's tail...

"This guy thinks we're easy to fool, doesn't he? Saying he has no clue about it."

"But wasn't there a rumor going around that this guy's brain doesn't work properly? Who was it that told me...?"

"I think I've heard something similar too."

"Regardless of your intentions, the bet stands," Phileas declared. "See you at the arena tomorrow." With that, he turned and left without any hesitation.

With the matter settled, the surrounding demons dispersed in twos and threes, still engrossed in the topic. In the history of the Realm of Devils, there had never been a demon who claimed ignorance of common knowledge. Everyone engaged in heated discussions about the incident.

Wen Ying overheard one demon saying, "I think his mind must be damaged."

"I don't see anything wrong with him. He's definitely playing tricks on Lord Phileas!"

"Wen Ying, if you had any sense, would you dare to hook Lord Beros' tail directly? I can hardly believe he's still alive. I think it's because Lord Beros knows he lacks common sense and that's why he hasn't killed him."

Wen Ying stood there expressionless.

Muershi patted his shoulder, winking and trying hard not to laugh. "After today, your reputation for having a problematic brain will be sealed."

Looking at him, Wen Ying's gaze remained calm. Muershi sighed in amazement. "I thought I was quite the troublemaker, but I've been outdone by you."

Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder. The familiar aura almost made Wen Ying jump. He stiffened, then looked up with a forced smile. "Beros."

At this moment, Beros' expression was anything but friendly – or rather, he had never appeared friendly. Now, he seemed even more hostile, like a knife unsheathed from its scabbard, exuding aggression.

Staring at the smiling Mirror Demon, Beros noticed the anxiety in his silver eyes. After a moment of silence, he asked, "That day, when you said you didn't understand what it meant to hook my tail, were you telling the truth?"

Muershi perked up, pricking his ears and widening his eyes to catch every detail.

A... a trap question! The entire demon in Wen Ying froze. The hand on his shoulder pressed harder, to the point where he could hear the sound of his bones creaking. Beros' expression was deadly serious, so much so that it was unbelievable and sent chills down Wen Ying's spine.

After a while, Wen Ying whispered softly, "I'm sorry, but I truly didn't know."

He truly didn't know, and even now, there were still things he was unaware of. Wen Ying's answer brought him a sense of relief, as long as Berros understood it was a misunderstanding, everything would be fine. But at the same time, he felt a tinge of disappointment. After all, this was a demonic being that had forcefully entered everyone's lives, leaving an unforgettable impression.

Wen Ying thought to himself how humans were indeed contradictory creatures. When the misunderstanding couldn't be resolved, he had desperately wanted to clear it up. Now that it could be resolved, he felt it shouldn't be. What a strange feeling. Even Wen Ying despised himself for it. He lifted his gaze back to Berros, only to freeze in place.

He had never seen Berros with such a terrifying expression before. This feeling was akin to an ant staring at an elephant's foot about to crush down; every blood vessel in his body seemed to freeze.

In those blood-red eyes, he saw a roaring three-headed hound, its blazing flames scorching his skin.

Just as he was on the verge of suffocation, something opened a door. The unknown behind the door made his frozen blood flow once more, no longer crushed by the oppressive aura.

"Ber-Berros?" Wen Ying managed to squeeze out a voice from his throat, his hand instinctively touching his chest in surprise. What had just happened? His magical power had suddenly skyrocketed, and the surrounding magic aura frantically rushed towards Wen Ying, making him the epicenter of a vortex.

The demons around them sensed the unusual flow of magical energy. Berros, overwhelmed with disbelief and anger, observed Wen Ying closely. "What's wrong with you?"

Muershi put away his playful demeanor, adopting a serious expression.

Wen Ying took a step back, unsure why his body was suddenly absorbing a large amount of magical energy. He felt no discomfort, but rather, as if he had found his element.

Feng Luo and Lai Yehua, along with several other powerful-looking demon teachers, hurried over. They looked at Wen Ying with solemn expressions.

Wen Ying couldn't help but want to sigh in pleasure, but seeing the solemn expressions of the demons, he cautiously asked, "What's wrong?"

"Feng Luo, how do you feel?" Feng Luo took Wen Ying's hand, examining his condition.

Wen Ying answered honestly, "Pretty comfortable."

Feng Luo was secretly alarmed. How could this be? With such a massive influx of demonic energy, this Demon Mirror's body shouldn't have been able to withstand it without bursting. And... hmm? This guy was already an adult?

Lai Yehua took Wen Ying's other hand from the side and also probed, his expression growing even more profound.

Seeing their tense demeanor as if he would die at any moment, Wen Ying felt a bit scared. He ventured, "Teacher, is there something seriously wrong with me?"

The influx of demonic energy had eased up somewhat; it wasn't as exaggerated as before.

Feng Luo released his grip, but Lai Yehua didn't. He lifted Wen Ying's hand, making him look at him, and sternly demanded, "Where were you born?"

Wen Ying was mentally cursing. Why did Lai Yehua suddenly ask this?

Feng Luo clasped Lai Yehua's hand that held Wen Ying's, conveying a subtle threat. "This is a student under my care."

The two demons faced off for a moment. Lai Yehua released Wen Ying's hand, and Wen Ying quickly darted behind Feng Luo, clutching at his clothes as he peered out from behind him.

Feng Luo: "..."

"I had a fever before. I don't remember much about what happened before I met Aruda," Wen Ying explained.

Aruda? Lai Yehua's tense demeanor suddenly relaxed. If it was Aruda, it wouldn't be impossible for the Mirror Demon to surpass its racial limitations. How could he have forgotten about Aruda?

Feng Luo said, "Enough. The academy will conduct physical checkups in a few days. We'll know if there's anything wrong with your body then."

Lai Yehua's gaze was fixated on Wen Ying, standing behind Feng Luo. Rationality told him that there was no such thing as a Divine Stone in the Demon Realm, let alone one under Aruda's care. Yet, his intuition hinted at an unsettling presence.

"He doesn't react to my presence," Lai Yehua subdued his radiant aura, regaining his composure. "It seems Aruda is up to another astonishing experiment."

Wen Ying was once again befuddled, confronted with yet another aspect of demonic realm etiquette that eluded his understanding. His mind teetered on the brink of overwhelm, and in a hushed tone, he queried Feng Luo, "Teacher, what does he mean?"

Feng Luo glanced sideways, speaking calmly, "It seems your mind really isn't functioning well."

Wen Ying: "..." As a mature educator, why would one delve into campus gossip?

The other demons, both familiar and unfamiliar to Wen Ying, exchanged a few words with Feng Luo and Lai Yehua before departing.

The unexpected incident passed quickly, and the corridor returned to its usual tranquility. Having recovered from the shock, Wen Ying felt calm enough to casually ask Beros, "Is there anything you don't want to eat tomorrow evening?"

Originally, he had planned to treat Beros for dinner on the weekend as gratitude for using his Flaming Card, but Beros was occupied with work and experiments to sell cards, leaving no time for a social gathering. So, Wen Ying suggested Tuesday instead.

Not Monday because Monday afternoon was Feng Luo's class, and Wen Ying might end up in the school infirmary.

Beros's emotions had been on a rollercoaster. Initially, he was surprised that Wen Ying had asked Phileas for his scales on his collarbone. In the end, it turned out to be a misunderstanding.

Misunderstanding? The Demon Mirror didn't like him. Beros felt a heavy weight in his chest, inexplicably irritable and furious. For a fleeting moment, he genuinely wanted to tear Wen Ying apart.

But it was only a fleeting moment. Reason soon took hold, for tearing him apart would mean losing him forever.

So why did it hurt so much if the Demon Mirror didn't like him? Beros curled his hands slightly, suppressing his pent-up emotions, eager for an outlet.

Muershi, who had been observing the scene, noticed Beros's gaze shift towards him. His crimson eyes slowly turned, and his curiosity froze. With swift feet, he slunk away like greased lightning.

"No," Beros replied.

Boros passed by Wen Ying with a cold demeanor.

Wen Ying was exhausted. He glanced at Wu Fei, who was cautiously stepping out of the classroom, and resignedly thought about revealing himself as a human from the Human Realm. That way, any misunderstandings regarding common knowledge could be explained away.

Wu Fei found Wen Ying's gaze inexplicable.

"Never mind," Wen Ying muttered before heading to the cafeteria for lunch.

Wu Fei: "???" It seemed like there really was something wrong with the Mirror Devil's brain.

Gossip about the wager match spread rapidly, especially since one of the main characters was the recently famous Mirror Devil. Demons who had witnessed the event recounted it vividly to others, further spreading the notion that Wen Ying had some kind of mental issue.

As for Wen Ying himself, after his classes ended in the afternoon, he spent his time lying in the school infirmary, browsing the internet all night to learn as much as he could about the demonic realm's common knowledge. Losing the match the next day wouldn't matter as much as long as he didn't remain ignorant about these fundamentals! It would truly be disastrous if he remained clueless!