Chapter 129: A Lead

"The sir, that's Old Hong, my superior," the demon said promptly. "Not really a superior, just a team leader of sorts. He's responsible for collecting the life force we demons gather on the outskirts and delivering it."

The demon rubbed its hands together. "Old Hong isn't much of an exorcist, nor is he particularly tough. A few punches from you should get him to spill what he knows."

Wen Ying: "..."

He flew over. Old Hong appeared blind and deaf, but when Wen Ying approached, his gaze suddenly swept over. His eyes were sharp, not at all foggy.

Upon seeing Wen Ying, Old Hong was clearly taken aback. All he could see was a mass of black mist approaching, and the aura made his hairs stand on end. After a moment of stunned silence, he was about to make a run for it. But as the demon emerged from behind Wen Ying, Old Hong paused in his escape attempt.

"Fox Demon, who's this?" Teacher Hong asked cautiously.

Diao Mei? Hearing this name, Wen Ying glanced curiously at the petite, male-voiced low-level demon. Why was someone like that called 'Mei'?

Diao Mei spoke calmly, "Old Hong, you have a chance to earn some merit right now."

No sooner had Diao Mei finished his opening remarks than Old Hong took off running. The demon's mouth dropped open.

Wen Ying raised his hand, and the black magical fog, formed from his magic, swelled, blocking the path of Old Hong who was attempting to escape. Old Hong hastily hit the brakes, nearly crashing into the eerie mist.

Old Hong suddenly turned around, flashing a ingratiating smile as he walked back enthusiastically. "Diao Mei, why didn't you introduce me to this formidable demon? Your power just blew me away!"

Diao Mei curled its lips. This old man was sly; he had clearly been trying to make a run for it earlier. It pretended to be fierce, flying over and proudly placing its hands on its hips. "Allow me to introduce, this is my new boss..."

Wen Ying slapped Diao Mei aside, landing in front of Old Hong. "Who's your superior?"

Old Hong's eyes darted around. "I'm not too clear about that. I'm just a middleman. What do you, Lord Demon, wish to know? Perhaps an old, useless fellow like me could assist you with something."

Despite being pushed away by Wen Ying, Diao Mei wasn't angry. It happily returned and scolded, "My Lord, he's lying. This Old Hong was still talking to me about his superior's grand birthday celebration not long ago."

For a moment, Old Hong couldn't hide the murderous glint in his eyes. He gritted his back teeth. This traitorous Diao Mei, why did it have to betray him and drag him into this mess? All he wanted was peace and quiet. As for this powerful demon that suddenly appeared, he had no idea where they came from.

Regardless of their origin, it was clear that they weren't here with good intentions.

"Let's not put it that way," Old Hong argued. "I did grumble a bit, but I truly don't know the identity of that fellow. All I know is that he's one of the shareholders of the Demon Mobile Game, and officially, he has nothing to do with exorcists."

"The shareholder of the Demon Mobile Game?" Hearing a familiar term, Wen Ying felt as if a dimensional barrier had shattered.

"Yes," the old man Hong replied earnestly, his confusion genuine. "The person in charge of handing over to me was called Lin Wenpu. Although he made some attempts to conceal his identity when we interacted, they weren't thorough. I discreetly investigated and quickly uncovered his background. The crucial point is that his identity has no apparent connection to an exorcist. I investigated further secretly, but couldn't find any ties between him and the exorcists. To outsiders, he seemed like an ordinary person."

Wen Ying furrowed his brows. The Devil mobile game's depiction of devils felt authentic, not like a fabrication but rather a description. Even before he became a devil, he sensed that the various backgrounds within the game were realistic.

After becoming a devil, he discovered that the devil races in the game matched almost perfectly. The abilities, weaknesses, and attack methods of each race as described in the game aligned entirely with the Devil Realm.

Upon seeing the exorcists at the memorial exhibition, Wen Ying confirmed that the game had involved an exorcist, and it was likely created by one. But now, Old Man Hong said that the shareholder who dealt with him had no apparent connection to the exorcists, and he couldn't find any link either.

"Mr. Devil, I've also found out that the Devil mobile game company initially belonged to Lin Wenpu. All the shares were his, but later, he sold many of them, retaining only a portion. After that, the Devil mobile game started gaining popularity," the old man shared.

Seeing the black fog remain silent for a long time, he nervously asked, "Mr. Devil, since I've told you about the person I dealt with, can I leave now?"

Wen Ying snapped out of his thoughts but didn't answer immediately. Instead, he closed his eyes, recalling Aruda's innate magic. He drew a "Twisted Snake" on the spot.

The card transformed into a mist of light, and a series of serpentine vines burst forth from its position, hurtling straight towards Old Man Hong.

Old Man Hong nearly stopped breathing. The menacing snake vines had rushed over at such a terrifying speed that he barely had time to react. Their overwhelming presence crushed him.

Strangely, the twisted snake vines didn't inflict severe damage. They merely grazed him before dissipating into mist.

They vanished, and Old Hong stumbled and sat down, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead as he thought he had just narrowly escaped death.

Wen Ying flew in front of him and said, "If you reveal what happened tonight, don't even think about getting the antidote."

Old Hong looked at the spot where he felt the scrape. It was only a scratch, but it burned fiercely. Upon closer inspection, the wound was an abnormal green! His vision darkened, and he cursed inwardly. This devil was also a master of poison.

Old Hong forced a smile. "Don't worry, Mr. Devil. I definitely won't say anything. I just want to live my peaceful life."

Diao Mei, seeing this, suddenly realized that its treatment wasn't too bad. This devil hadn't poisoned it.

Old Hong rolled his eyes and said, "I won't say anything, but there are others who know, like Diao Mei. It has a big mouth. What do you think?"

Wen Ying remembered something and looked at Diao Mei.

Diao Mei: "..." Old Hong, you son of a bitch.

Wen Ying had also poisoned Diao Mei with Aruda's venom. At times like these, he missed his spatial magic tools. Aruda had given him all sorts of poisonous potions and antidotes. If he had them with him, he wouldn't have to replicate spells to create toxins on the spot, which would be less conspicuous.

Having temporarily investigated for the night, Wen Ying returned to ponder the information he had gained.

Diao Mei wished to accompany Wen Ying back, but Wen Ying sent it back to Yang Shize, insisting on seeing Yang Rixi fare better than Yang Shize. With teary eyes, Diao Mei vowed to fulfill its mission and subtly reminded Wen Ying not to forget about it and to remember to administer the antidote.

After dismissing Diao Mei, Wen Ying flew back to Yang Rixi's room, where Yang Rixi was already asleep. Wen Ying opened Yang Rixi's laptop and searched for Lin Wenpu.

The information that came up was quite standard.

Lin Wenpu was an entrepreneur who had built his fortune from scratch, founding the Devil Company (the company behind the popular Devil Mobile Game). Just as the company was on the brink of bankruptcy, it received an investment, leading to a rapid and unstoppable growth spurt.

Wen Ying felt that there was a discrepancy between the story of Lin Wenpu that Old Hong had shared tonight and the information he had gathered at the memorial exhibition previously.

Despite the abundance of exorcists present during the memorial exhibition, they didn't seem to be trying to conceal themselves. At that time, Wen Ying had assumed that the exhibition was a trap set by the exorcists. The same went for this mobile game, but today, one of its shareholders, Lin Wenpu, was forcefully distancing themselves from any ties with the exorcists. It all reeked of conspiracy.

As Wen Ying racked his brains, peculiar occurrences began to unfold in certain parts of the city.

A cotton doll with black hair and black eyes was eerily flying on its own, followed closely by several individuals.

Wu Fei was cursing his luck inwardly. What kind of terrible fortune did he have? He hadn't managed to attract any talented ordinary folks but instead caught the attention of an exorcist. Back then, he and the exorcist had locked eyes, and for some reason, his body suddenly gained the ability to fly. He immediately took off running.

Please stop chasing me!!!

"Phew... Damn, that demon up ahead sure can run."

"Is it a Rabbit Demon?"

In a luxurious apartment by the street, a young man in a bathrobe stood by the massive floor-to-ceiling window, with a palm-sized doll perched on his shoulder. They both watched the chase of cat and mouse unfolding below.

In an upscale residential area, a male student sat at his desk, glaring at his homework with a twisted expression before snapping his pen in half.

At a late-night barbecue stall, a composed young girl casually kicked a burly troublemaker away, stunning everyone around her.

In a nightclub with soothing melodies, a young man with chiseled features leaned against the bar, whispering playfully into the ear of a boy beside him. Invisible vitality flowed from the boy to the man, who absorbed it with evident satisfaction, a hint of pink flickering in his contented gaze.

...

When Yang Rixi woke up the next day, he found the demon doll sleeping on top of his laptop, its silver-white hair catching his attention.

Actually, he had always been curious about why demons had silver-white hair. Moreover, this particular demon, despite the eerie feeling it evoked, had a somewhat sanctified appearance. If one overlooked its demonic bat wings, tail, and horn, the creature could almost pass as a benevolent being.

Wen Ying looked up to see Yang Rixi sitting on the bed, staring at him blankly. Wen Ying sat up and said, "I took care of that Succubus around Yang Shize last night. You should be able to live peacefully from now on."

Waking up to such wonderful news, Yang Rixi felt that the sunlight outside was even brighter, and his lingering gloom vanished. He threw off the covers and rushed over in a few strides, eager to embrace Wen Ying. However, upon realizing Wen Ying's petite frame, he hesitated and stopped in front of the desk, eyeing him uncertainly.

Wen Ying noticed his half-open arms and said, "I have a partner."

Yang Rixi: "?" His mouth hung agape in astonishment.

Wen Ying stroked his chin. "You've reminded me. I should look for him when I get the chance." With only a month left, he needed to figure out how to locate Bellerophon aside from what happened last night.

Speaking of which, with Bellerophon's menacing aura, would it be possible to find a human willing to contract with him? Would anyone not be frightened away? Wen Ying fell into deep thought.

Yang Rixi snapped back to reality and asked curiously, "What's your partner like?"

Wen Ying shot him a glance. "A dog." A demon lurking in the trash can sneezed.

Yang Rixi: "???" Even more shocked, he stumbled downstairs.

The previous night, Wen Ying had used his computer to search for information on the demon mobile game. While he had previously focused on updates and characters, last night he turned his attention to the company itself, uncovering many new details.

From a video, Wen Ying traced Lin Wenpu's home. Coincidentally, the background of the neighborhood looked familiar – it was the very one he currently resided in. As for the exact building and unit number, he would need to investigate further.

Yang Rixi descended the stairs to receive some promising news. His father spoke with a conflicted expression, revealing that some witnesses had seen them argue, while others claimed Yang Rixi didn't seem to intentionally push Yang Shize into the water; it appeared to be an accident.

This was more than enough. At that event, they were not the main focus, so people naturally wouldn't pay too much attention. Under the moonlit garden, even with lights, human vision would still be influenced by the darkness. These accounts began to shake his father's conviction.

"Shize is not a bad person at heart. It's better to clear the air if there's any conflict between you two," Yang Zhenxing said. "After all, both of you are my children, and I don't wish for your relationship to become too strained."

Yang Rixi nodded readily. "Alright."

Yang Zhenxing was taken aback. He hadn't expected Yang Rixi to accept this without protest or a cold shoulder. His heart softened toward the child who had been mistakenly taken away. They owed him, after all.

Recalling Yang Rixi's earlier behavior, he now realized it was their fault. Had the switch not occurred, Yang Rixi would likely have received the same praise as Yang Shize does now.

Yang Rixi mused that Feng Luo, the demon around Yang Shize, had been dealt with, but the habits Yang Shize had developed wouldn't disappear overnight. He'd heard rumors that Yang Shize had close relationships with several peers from the same social class. The whispers suggested these connections weren't simply friendly but rather ambiguous, hinting at flirtatious behavior.

Yang Rixi eagerly awaited Yang Shize's downfall without the demon's influence. The sight would undoubtedly bring him immense joy. As he entertained this thought, Yang Rixi's face flushed with anticipation, radiating happiness.

He even found himself wanting to kiss Wen Ying.

Upstairs, Wen Ying didn't share the same sentiment. He felt a heightened sense of hunger within this body. Feng Luo hadn't mentioned that the clone puppet would feel hunger or that it could transform from a stuffed doll into a jointed one.

Yang Rixi opened the door and entered. Wen Ying caught a whiff of a sweet scent emanating from him. Yang Rixi smelled like a cake oozing with sugary aroma, causing Wen Ying's gaze to involuntarily turn cold, like that of a ruthless predator.

Yang Rixi inexplicably felt a chill. "What's wrong?"

Wen Ying snapped back to reality and flew in front of Yang Rixi. After circling around him, he said, "Can I borrow your body for a while now?"

Yang Rixi, who had let his guard down around Wen Ying, suddenly felt a shiver run down his spine, recalling the fear he had felt when they first met. He hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Okay, how long do you need it for?"

"Just a while. I want to conduct a small experiment. Don't worry, it won't have much impact on your body."

As Wen Ying spoke, he flew to Yang Rixi's forehead and pressed his own against it, closing his eyes. His consciousness swirled and shifted, and when he opened his eyes again, "Wen Ying" lifted his hand, swiftly catching the puppet body that was falling.

Sure enough, the nagging hunger he had been experiencing vanished. Now possessing Yang Rixi's body, Wen Ying looked at the puppet shell in his hands and finally understood why the first task of the final exam was to possess a human body.

After forming a contract with Yang Rixi, although the puppet body could move freely and he could use magic without hindrance, the consumption of magic power was accompanied by a sense of hunger. The stronger the hunger, the weaker the puppet body's mobility became. Most troublesome of all, even just maintaining the basic movements of this puppet body without using magic required magic power.

With time passing, this puppet body would soon become immobile.

The amount of magic power within Yang Rixi's body was pitifully small, and even after Wen Ying tried hard for a while, he could only gather a bit of it.

Those capable of forming contracts with them were all endowed with the gift of exorcism. When Wen Ying possessed Yang Rixi's body, this latent talent awoke. Wen Ying recalled setting up a spell to conceal any disturbances in the room before sitting cross-legged to cultivate.

For every bit of Yang Rixi's own cultivation increased, Wen Ying could draw upon a corresponding increment in power when possessing him. The exact ratio was unclear, but the principle remained the same.

When Yang Rixi regained consciousness, he saw Wen Ying hovering before him with a serious expression. "From now on, forget about Yang Shize. Let me teach you magic."

Yang Rixi: "????"

"No, wait," Yang Rixi struggled to wrap his mind around this. "I can learn magic?" He spoke tentatively, afraid that Wen Ying might retract his statement.

It was magic – real magic!

Wen Ying replied, "Of course, your ability to form a contract with me indicates that you possess this gift. From today onwards, focus on your training with me seriously."

Wen Ying's cultivation speed while possessing Yang Rixi was not as fast as when Yang Rixi cultivated on his own.

Now aware that his puppet body couldn't replenish its magical energy, Wen Ying began conserving his magic, refraining from unnecessary actions and simply sitting quietly.

Yang Shize was discharged from the hospital on the third day and returned home. However, his previously smooth-sailing life as a beloved figure suddenly hit a rough patch. His attempts to feign disdain for Yang Rixi and manipulate public opinion against him failed to elicit the same blind obedience he was used to. People no longer echoed his sentiments or reacted strongly to his ambiguous comments.

He noticed that Yang Zhenxing and Cai Yiyi were no longer entirely submissive to him. Free from the influence of the succubus's magic, they had regained their original intelligence and emotional acuity, no longer blindly following Yang Shize's lead or accepting his every word as truth. His attempts to portray himself as weak and vulnerable also fell flat. Even when he declared that "Yang Rixi should have my position back" or "I should move out," neither Yang Zhenxing nor Cai Yiyi would emotionally overreact or lash out at Yang Rixi for supposed private conversations.

Realizing that the succubus's spell had worn off, Yang Shize angrily smashed things in his own house, furious that the demon had disappeared without a trace or any prior notice.

With Yang Zhenxing and Cai Yiyi no longer in his pocket, and their loyalty fading, he needed to maintain his image among the other elite youngsters. Huo Jue became his prime target for manipulation!

Just then, Yang Rixi's younger brother, Yang Shiming, who had been traveling, returned home. Although he too had been freed from the magic, his habits formed under its influence hadn't immediately changed, given his lack of recent interaction with Yang Shize.

Upon his return, he had somehow learned about Yang Shize's mishap and the fact that his recently found elder brother had slandered Yang Shize. Fueled with rage, he stormed straight into Yang Rixi's room.

Lately, Yang Rixi had been engrossed in magic studies, rarely stepping out of his room except for meals. The sudden slam of the door interrupted his concentration, causing him to turn his head in annoyance. Ah, it was his younger brother.

Didn't he already dispel the succubus spell? Yang Rixi hadn't encountered anyone under the spell's influence recently, so he felt unfamiliar with Yang Shiming's current state, being used as a pawn by Yang Shize.

Yang Shiming burst in, grabbing Yang Rixi's collar. Before he could utter a word, he felt an immense pain in his wrist holding onto Yang Rixi's shirt, only to find himself thrown to the ground the next second, utterly bewildered.

"Wen Ying" sent a telepathic message to Yang Rixi's mind, "The succubus spell on your brother has been lifted. If he's still rushing to Yang Shize's defense, there might be some cognitive issues."

"You dare hit me?" Yang Shiming couldn't believe it. "Not once in my life have my parents even laid a finger on me!"

Wen Ying seized the opportunity to egg him on. "A brother with a dimwit brain just needs a good beating."

Recently, Yang Rixi had been practicing based on Wen Ying's teachings, so he instinctively followed Wen Ying's advice and gave Yang Shiming a sound beating.

Only after throwing a punch did he realize maybe he shouldn't be doing this. But with Yang Shiming's loud protests and the anger he'd been bottling up towards him lately, Yang Rixi didn't hold back.

Having awakened his magical talent, his strength had greatly increased, so pummeling the pampered Yang Shiming was no problem at all.

Yang Shiming, a tall and wealthy young noble, found himself completely unable to retaliate against Yang Rixi's blows. It was no longer an issue of pride but one of disbelief.

— Yang Rixi was actually such a formidable fighter?

The commotion in the room drew the attention of Uncle Lin, the butler. Upon seeing the scene, he was shocked. "Young Masters Shiming and Rixi, how could you...?"

He had meant to ask how they could be fighting, but upon closer inspection, Yang Shiming was bruised and swollen while Yang Rixi was unscathed. He hesitated, even entertaining the absurd thought: Could it be that Yang Shiming had done something to provoke Yang Rixi, who then felt guilty and allowed himself to be beaten as compensation?

With the butler's arrival, Yang Rixi reluctantly stopped. His body, invigorated from his practice, still had plenty of energy left even after beating up Yang Shiming.

Uncle Lin hurriedly helped Yang Shiming to his feet. Yang Shiming wanted to complain, but after considering the situation, he felt it would be embarrassing to do so. Facing Uncle Lin's concerned gaze, he endured the pain and said, "We didn't fight. I let him hit me. I was rude to him earlier, so I let him hit me back."

Uncle Lin was somewhat relieved that Yang Shiming had not succumbed to Diao Mei's enchantment. His thoughts had returned to normal, and he hoped that the young masters in the house could live in harmony. However, he looked at Yang Shiming disapprovingly and said, "But you shouldn't hurt yourself like that either."

As he spoke, he helped the limping Yang Shiming down for treatment, also reporting the incident to Yang Zhenxing and Cai Yiyi. They were both surprised, well aware of Yang Shiming's arrogant and domineering personality. It was unbelievable that he would willingly let Yang Rixi hit him. Still, with Yang Shiming himself confirming the story, they had no choice but to believe it.

Frustrated, Yang Shize once again smashed things in his room. Even Yang Shiming hadn't managed to strike a blow against Yang Rixi.

"Ya-ang, R-ix-i, Xi-e-e!"

He refused to accept this. Yang Shize composed himself, regained his composure, and sought out Huo Jue.

Huo Jue opened the door to welcome him in. Yang Shize, eager to achieve his goal, failed to notice that something was off with Huo Jue's expression. Although he was smiling, it didn't reach his eyes, revealing an icy demeanor.

Just a few days ago, he thought he liked Yang Shize. Then, he encountered a demon and made a wish that Yang Shize would fall in love with him.

The demon assured him that it was no problem at all. After signing the contract, however, the deceitful demon informed him that he was under the influence of a low-level demon's enchantment spell. The demon had conveniently removed it for free.

Once the enchantment was lifted, Huo Jue suddenly realized that he did not like Yang Shize! But the wish he had made could not be undone.

Huo Jue was furious, and now he had utterly no affection left for Yang Shize.

If he couldn't take revenge on that wicked demon, couldn't he at least retaliate against Yang Shize?