Chapter 52: Scissors

Feng Luo slammed his hand on the table to gather everyone's attention back and glanced at his phone. "I'm not finished yet. What I just mentioned were the rules for live combat exercises. There are also other regulations. This time, you're allowed to bring one enchanted weapon into the arena, but it can't be too overpowered to disrupt balance. That's all for now. Any questions?"

Muershi raised his hand. "Teacher Feng Luo, regarding attacking your teammates, how would that count as a violation? Would kicking my teammate not count?"

Feng Luo frowned, looking at Muershi with an expression as if he was dealing with a problematic child. "It would definitely require causing some injury."

Muershi put his hand down with a grin, deep in thought. Wen Ying observed her deskmate, sensing that he was up to something mischievous. Aruda had bet with other demons that she could make it into the top three. Wen Ying twirled her eyes and leaned over, whispering, "If we're on the same team, how about I join your plan?"

Muershi was surprised and whispered back, "Not bad talent. My plan requires two demons to execute it."

Scarlet watched the two demons leaning their heads together, whispering, and felt compelled to give a friendly reminder. "Wen Ying, he's a Diabolical Bird."

Essence casually draped his hand on Scarlet's shoulder. "Wen Ying looks like a Diabolical Bird to me too."

Scarlet was stunned, his eyes drooping as he shifted his gaze away, feeling unlucky. With Essence's comment, Scarlet felt like there were two Diabolical Birds sitting in front of him. Wen Ying seemed like everything but a Mirror Demon.

"Misunderstood," Muershi said with a look of 'you don't get it'. "In such large-scale team competitions, it'd be a disservice to the event if we didn't add some excitement."

Scarlet rolled his eyes. "It'd be great if you don't get killed."

Feng Luo answered a few students' questions in succession and then scanned the group. "No more questions? Alright, I'm leaving then." As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around and left swiftly, as if something were chasing him.

Wu Fei's hand was halfway up, but as Feng Luo's figure disappeared from his sight within seconds, the corner of his mouth twitched. Feng Luo was running faster than when they rushed to the cafeteria after class back in college.

"Lilith, do you have a question?"

A demonic voice sounded right behind her, drawing closer.

"I've already familiarized myself with the rules of this combat exercise, little brother. What would you like to know?" The blond demon appeared beside Wu Fei in the blink of an eye, bending down. When Wu Fei heard the voice, he turned his head and found himself staring into a pair of dark, bottomless eyes. They felt as sharp as blades, extremely aggressive, causing him to hold his breath and lean back slightly.

Lan Jiaying curled his lips and straightened up, looking down at his half-brother who had been in the Demon Realm for almost a month. Weak in temperament and devoid of leadership qualities, Wu Fei was completely unremarkable, inferior even to some of the offspring of other major demons.

Wu Fei's mind was filled with "save me, save me, I want to go home." This brother's gaze swept over him from head to toe, making him feel utterly insignificant under that overpowering stare.

While Wu Fei could previously understand why those demons regarded him as a potential threat since he was also a son of the Devil King, after meeting the legendary First Prince, he found it hard to believe their actions.

Were they out of their minds? This blond demon was so outstanding, while he himself was so mediocre. The contrast was too stark. Why would they still consider him a rival?

As a fellow enthusiast, Wen Ying could instantly discern what Wu Fei was thinking - that these demons must have some screws loose in their heads. He agreed wholeheartedly; this bunch of demons had seriously twisted minds and bizarre ways of thinking.

"I don't have any questions," Wu Fei stated.

Lan Jiaying raised an eyebrow. "What a shame, I was looking forward to acting out the role of a loving and respectful younger brother."

Wu Fei chuckled inwardly.

Levimo lifted his gaze to look at Lan Jiaying, his indifferent expression now tinged with aggression. "Allow me to remind you, you've been absent for almost a month and missed several in-class quizzes. Your current ranking is dead last in the class."

Lilith corrected him, "Not just the class, but the entire grade." With a sarcastic tone, she placed her hand against her lips as if to hide a smile that was already evident on her face, but it only served to draw more attention to it, as if she were intentionally trying to conceal her amusement.

The smile on Lan Jiaying's face faded, and the swirling demonic aura around him shifted, becoming somewhat oppressive.

Wu Fei felt a twinge of despair. How had they ended up provoking each other?

Phaeros tore his gaze away from his book and spoke coldly, "Fights aren't allowed here. If you want to battle, do it in the ranking matches."

Levimo replied slowly, "He seems to be ranked last in those too."

Lan Jiaying's smile vanished entirely as he fixated on Phileas. Suddenly, he chuckled again, but this time, it was laced with sarcasm. "Don't take it so seriously. I don't want to be lectured by a demon who lost to a Mirror Demon."

Phileas didn't get angry. Instead, he cast his gaze across the classroom at Wen Ying, who was enjoying the spectacle. Wen Ying's heart skipped a beat as Phileas said, "Why don't you try it yourself?"

When Wen Ying had forcefully plucked Phileas' scales, the latter had been furious. As his anger subsided and reason returned, he recalled and analyzed the situation. Wen Ying had plucked the feathers from an Extreme Evil Bird and then his own scales. This behavior resembled the terrifying rumors about Aruda in his youth. Now, Phileas hoped that Lan Jiaying would encounter some misfortune too.

Following Phileas' line of sight, Lan Jiaying looked towards the striking white demon.

The white bat wings seemed to have an exquisite luster, much like how humans might compliment someone's complexion. Gazing at Wen Ying, Lan Jiaying smiled. "Lord Aruda has taken good care of you. You seem well-nourished."

Wen Ying responded instinctively, "Your hair conditioner is quite effective."

Lan Jiaying's smile became more genuine. "You have good taste."

Essence whispered softly, "He's very proud of his hair. He's a male demon, after all."

As if on instinct, Wen Ying added, "There must be quite a bit of magic hidden in that hair, considering he's the son of a Devil King."

Upon overhearing this, the surrounding demons looked horrified and promptly distanced themselves from Wen Ying. Confused, Wen Ying regained his senses and asked, "What's wrong with all of you?"

Muershi's expression was hard to read; his casual smile seemed forced. "Nothing much." It was just a conditioned response to his childhood trauma. Wen Ying was increasingly resembling Aruda. It seemed there would be more victims after him and Phileas.

Lan Jiaying threw up his hands in disappointment. "Sigh, I didn't expect that your influence in this school would be less than that of a magic mirror demon. It's fine for other demons, but as the son of our Father King, you're bringing shame upon us Black Dragons. I'm heartbroken, brother."

Wen Ying leaned back as he recognized the familiar preamble. "Essence, how strong is the First Prince? Has he reached adulthood?" The latter was crucial. If he had, Wen Ying would avoid him; if not...

Essence promptly replied, "Beros was stronger before, but I'm not sure about now since he's in seclusion. And don't worry, he hasn't reached adulthood yet." His tone was full of encouragement to hurry up.

Muershi approached with mischief sparkling in his purple eyes. While a refined scholar-like genius exuded elegance, his mischievous demeanor made him a rogue.

"He's overly arrogant. Based on that, he's easier to deal with than Beros. Don't be fooled by Beros' usual condescending attitude; in battle, he almost never leaves any weaknesses. When Lan Jiaying gets arrogant, he's full of vulnerabilities."

If he wasn't an adult and still arrogant in combat, that simplified things. Wen Ying wore a similar sly expression as Muershi.

Wu Fei didn't hold much admiration for his biological father. Ever since encountering the Demon King for the first time in the human world, where he worked a 996 schedule and left the office close to midnight, the Demon King, disguised as a human, approached him and asked if he wanted to become a Demon King.

At that time, Wu Fei answered, "Of course, the first thing I'd do as a Demon King is bankrupt the boss of this company." Then, he was taken to the demon world, and... well, it was a complicated story.

"Since I've come out of seclusion, I won't allow a low-ranking demon to remain above you. Relax, brother, I'll help you regain your dignity," Lan Jiaying assured, patting Wu Fei's shoulder. Bright flames seemed to ignite in his dark eyes.

Lan Jiaying's tone was not sharp but instead deep and graceful, like a cello's soothing melody, effortlessly commanding the respect of other demons. He was incredibly self-assured, with an unwavering inner strength that made his innate pride shine, setting him apart from the ordinary believer.

His golden tresses truly gleamed, as did his attire. Only someone with Lan Jiaying's features and demeanor could carry off such opulence without appearing nouveau riche.

Wu Fei forced a smile, inwardly scoffing. If your followers didn't constantly cause trouble for me after school, I might actually believe you. He sighed inwardly, wondering when this torment would end - it was even more unbearable than a 996 work schedule at a company.

"Beros raised his gaze, his tone sharp. "To those who know, you're a black dragon. To those who don't, you sound like a trumpet blaring everywhere." His low, arrogant voice somehow conveyed sarcasm, as if he were mocking both Wu Fei and Lan Jiaying.

Lan Jiaying narrowed his eyes slightly, casting a glance at Wen Ying. "If you can't appreciate life, don't you think you're rather vulgar? Besides, I can't say I agree with your taste."

A pulse throbbed in Wen Ying's temple. Originally leaning towards Muershi with his hand supporting his chin in a relaxed pose, he straightened at Lan Jiaying's words, fixing his gaze on Beros.

Beros noticed the intensity and hostility in Wen Ying's stare, wondering why he was being looked at when he hadn't said anything. Though Wen Ying's gaze wasn't one to be taken seriously, it felt inexplicably heavy, weighing on Beros' heart. It seemed that something terrible would happen if he didn't respond to Lan Jiaying.

"My taste is certainly better than yours," Beros said, his heartbeat quickening slightly. Relieved when the scrutiny shifted away, his racing heart returned to normal.

Damn it, Beros cursed inwardly.

"Your Highness, do you know that every demon who's compared themselves to you before has met with disaster?" Muershi chimed in, enjoying the spectacle.

"Ha ha ha," Lan Jiaying laughed as if he had heard a joke, brushing back his hair from his forehead to reveal his sharp, piercing gaze. "I won't fail."

Wu Fei and Wen Ying were equally astonished. Did the Realm of Devils have no taboo against making boastful claims?

Wu Shaluo chimed in, "Indeed, His Highness's strength is genuine. I've never seen His Highness fail!"

The other devils who had chosen Lan Jiaying also spoke up, amplifying his aura.

Wen Ying sighed, reassured that the situation was under control. The layers of this boastful claim would surely backfire on Lan Jiaying. Tonight, he would work overtime to replicate the Purple Devil Eye's innate spell and show Lan Jiaying what failure truly meant. He recalled that there was a large pair of scissors made of rock steel in the Aruda Garden.

Although Lan Jiaying wanted to oust Wen Ying from the rankings immediately, most of the devils in the class had witnessed Wen Ying's malevolent nature as a Mirror Devil. For the sake of stability during the practical exercise, they advised Lan Jiaying to wait until after the exercise to challenge Wen Ying, allowing the Mirror Devil his moment of arrogance.

Upon emerging from seclusion, Lan Jiaying promptly gathered information about events at the Lucifer Demon Academy before and after its opening. Heeding his followers' advice, not out of fear but to face Beros in optimal condition during the practical exercise, Lan Jiaying hoped that he and Beros would be on opposing sides. This way, they could determine superiority and crush the rumors that he was inferior to Beros. As the heir to the throne of the Devil King, Lan Jiaying always demanded excellence from himself, aspiring to stand atop the pyramid, overlooking all.

The next teacher arrived for class, and the students, still absorbed in thoughts of the impending practical exercise, required several taps on the desk to regain their focus.

After class, Wen Ying left, and the enchantress fairy came over again. Beros found her annoying and waved her away. "Scram."

"Don't be so scary," Koroy said. "The guy I recommended for that creamy shaved ice date invited Purple Magic Eye out."

Beros pushed her aside impatiently with his foot.

Koroy met Essence's curved eyebrows, shrugged, and she had done her best. Honestly, if it weren't for the crystal ball revealing some of Beros' fate, she would have thought he was destined to be alone, and having a partner must be a divine arrangement.

"Why are you helping him so much?" Essence sat up and looked at Koroy. Her smiling, pink eyes seemed friendly at first glance, but on closer inspection, they were utterly enigmatic.

Koroy replied matter-of-factly, "To curry favor by clinging to his coattails."

Essence averted her gaze. "That's why I hate secretive races the most."

For the past few days, Wen Ying had been working overtime to draw cards. Finally, he was ready, and it was time for the practical exercise. With the large obsidian scissors gifted by Aruda for cutting through tough magical plants, Wen Ying flew towards Misty North Mountain.

The factions were drawn in the morning on a mobile app. Compared to the laggy app used by human schools, the Lucifer Demon Academy's app was smooth sailing.

He drew green, while the opposing faction was blue. Green required gathering in the south, and since directionally challenged Wen Ying had scouted out Misty North Mountain beforehand, everything went smoothly today.

At the entrance to the northern foggy mountain's southern slope, a large green flag was placed. Wen Ying flew over, but there were no demons gathered here. The biggest green flag was at the foot of the mountain path, with smaller guiding flags planted at intervals along the way. As Wen Ying flew in, he soon spotted the demons.

The so-called headquarters was a flat rock surface in the mountains with an oval-shaped boulder on it. A note attached to the stone read "Base". The corner of Wen Ying's mouth twitched; this must be the stone they were supposed to protect.

Scanning his surroundings, he saw Beros sitting calmly on a protruding rock. His eyes curved into a smile. Excellent, he didn't have to worry about Beros taking revenge for personal reasons.

Looking at the white demon's bright smile, Beros grumbled inwardly, wondering why he was so happy to see him.

Wen Ying deliberately checked if Muershi was around and finally found him hiding on a small slope. He let out a sigh of relief and went down to whisper with Muershi about their previous agreement.

Muershi shared his plan to trap the demons with Wen Ying. Wen Ying blinked. "Why didn't I think of that? We'll split the score cards 50-50."

Muershi shook his head. "I'll take a bit more since I'll be the one taking hits."

"Alright, I'll take 40% and you 60%."

The two demons quickly agreed and, looking northward, both wore enigmatic, cunning expressions.

When the time came, Wen Ying, feeling like a thief, made a conscious effort to memorize the demons present. There were roughly five hundred on each side, a large number, so Wen Ying could only remember the more important ones. Wu Shaluo and Lan Jiaying were on the opposing team.

At the Lucifer Demon Academy, apart from Class 1 which only had thirty students, all other classes comprised forty pupils each. There were fifteen such regular classes in total, alongside five specialized classes, also with a quota of forty students per class. These specialized classes were accessible through sponsorship fees, and there were also intermittent monthly courses with equally exorbitant tuition. Functioning as supplementary instruction, the combined student body approximately numbered one thousand.