Chapter 28: Conscience

Chapter 28: Conscience

If it weren’t for the abundance of demons surrounding them, Wen Ying would have called Beros “Daddy” – everyone in the human world schools loved that, so surely it would be the same in the demon realm?

He looked at Neros expectantly, but the latter’s response was like a rusty machine spring, jerking his neck around stiffly.

Wen Ying sucked in a breath at the sight of Beros’s expression. His tail instinctively released Beros's and he took three steps back, feeling bewildered and terrified. Beros’ face was the darkest and most menacing he had ever seen. The tail that he had let go snapped against the ground, creating a dent, causing Wen Ying to retreat another three steps.

Surveying the area, he realized belatedly that the silence around them seemed to stem from his own actions. However, he couldn’t understand what he had done wrong. Wasn’t it just asking Beros not to choose him for the challenge? Was that… illegal in the demon realm?

Feng Luo, having waited too long for an answer from Beros, coughed and asked again, “Beros, don’t waste time.” He glanced at Wen Ying out of the corner of his eye.

Typical of Aruda's favorite junior, huh...

Hupo subconsciously touched his ears. Touching someone's ears was considered flirting, while wrapping your tail around another's was sexual harassment. Poor guy, his brain must have been damaged by Aruda to the point that he'd forgotten such basic knowledge.

Scarlet almost burst into laughter. Beros was genuinely enraged. This demon mirror was going to be bedridden for at least a month, giving Scarlet a whole month without seeing Wen Ying.

The Extreme Evil Bird was stunned. Was this new prankster brother of his really that fierce? He had just discussed mating criteria with him at noon, and now he was taking action in the afternoon? No wonder he found this guy interesting and wanted to cause trouble together. Impressive, but at least Scarlet didn’t have the guts to do that. Hellhounds had terrible tempers, and in their rage, they could easily send a demon straight to Satan. When Beros was unhappy, he’d wreak havoc on the Eternal Forest’s magical beasts, leaving a trail of blood.

Essence was also astonished by Wen Ying’s action, which was even more daring than that of a succubus. They wouldn’t directly entangle their tails either. No wonder he was interested in him. Essence lifted his hand and pressed his lips unconsciously. So, he liked this kind of behavior. But he was indeed brave. Beros was known as an emotional insulator in the Demon Realm, only interested in enhancing his strength.

Levimo seriously considered whether he should help Wen Ying reduce some punishment, after all, he had saved him before.

The demonic fairy Koroy stood among the demons, holding a crystal ball up to Beros as if it were a telescope. With one eye closed and the other open, she peered through the ball for a moment, revealing a spectator-like expression.

If there was anyone who shared similar feelings with Wen Ying at the scene, it would be the Second Prince Wu Fei. Blinking his bewildered eyes, he stood amidst the demons. He could sense the heightened emotions around him, of various types, many of them anger. After a moment of frozen time, screams erupted.

”Ahhhh! How dare you do that to Lord Beros ! I’ll slay you, mere Demon Mirror!”

"To think a toad would fancy swan meat!"

"Ahhhhhh! I don't even dare to dream about it, how could you?!"

"Sob... sob..."

Wu Fei nudged Lilith with his elbow and whispered, "What's wrong with them?"

Wen Ying also wanted to ask. He strode forward two large steps and approached the malevolent bird, his voice trembling. “What happened to Beros ? What’s going on with them?”

The malevolent bird patted Wen Ying on the shoulder and sighed, "Even though you'll be beaten half to death soon, I support you."

Wen Ying: "???" Hearing 'half to death', he cautiously glanced at Beros, who looked like an enraged dog about to pounce, his sharp fangs barely concealed. Beros had restrained his initial emotional display, making him appear even more terrifying. Dark magic swirled around him, creating a silent bubble amidst the surrounding screams and curses, an eerie silence that was suffocating.

Wen Ying trembled as he turned to the malevolent bird, asking hesitantly, "Did I do something wrong just now? You know, my brain isn't the sharpest..."

The malevolent bird winked and said, "If you mean hooking your tail directly onto Beros's, then yes, you could say your brain wasn't functioning properly. That's quite a risky move, as evident by Beros's current anger. I really didn't expect you to like him so much."

Wen Ying froze for a moment. Just as he was about to deny it, he suddenly realized that in the Realm of Demons, hooking tails was a sign of affection or desire. He felt as if struck by lightning and murmured, "Would you believe me if I said I didn't know?"

Pointing at Beros, the malevolent bird explained, "My belief doesn't matter. You have to ask Beros if he believes you." With that, the bird retreated into the crowd of demons, not wanting to get caught up in the chaos. Beros's punches hurt, and he had no intention of getting hit unnecessarily.

Having heard Lilith's explanation, Wu Fei silently thanked Wen Ying. Apparently, hooking one's tail to another demon's meant expressing affection or desire. Grateful for this crucial piece of information, Wu Fei also offered a moment of silent mourning for the seemingly mentally challenged demon mirror.

The demons were in an uproar, deeply angered by Wen Ying's action. Some even contemplated violence. Feng Luo released his own magic, hovering above the students and damping the overheated excitement of those with bloodshot eyes.

Feng Luo, suspended in mid-air by his magic, was also curious about what would happen next. He paid extra attention to Wen Ying, knowing that he needed to prevent Beros from killing him. No murders were allowed within the academy's walls.

Feng Luo's brows knitted slightly. Beros still hadn't told him who he was challenging. Instead, he urged again, "Beros."

Beros looked up and uttered a name, "Essence."

Essence: "???"

He widened his eyes in disbelief as he pointed at himself, "Beros, you're challenging me?"

Beros' pride made him disdain picking on weaker opponents amidst the chaos, which was why his ranking in Class One was in the middle, leaving many demons as potential choices.

Everyone was stunned by Beros' choice, wondering if they had heard incorrectly.

"Who did Lord Beros say he was challenging just now?"

"Didn't Lord Beros just mention Lord Essence?"

"You heard that too, right?"

They exchanged glances, confused.

"Could it be that Lord Beros made a mistake?"

Wen Ying had initially thought he was doomed. To him, Beros's voice sounded like a divine melody, even his glaring red eyes appeared beautiful with their intense aura.

The Evil Bird: "???" This wasn't how things were supposed to unfold.

On Feng Luo's usually expressionless face, a look of utmost astonishment emerged. He gave Wen Ying a few more glances. Did Beros like this kind? But Beros was notorious for treating weak demons as insignificant ants, ignoring them as if they didn't exist. It didn't make sense.

Having escaped death, Wen Ying almost rushed over to hug Beros's thigh in gratitude for sparing his life. Considering the misunderstanding that had just occurred, he feared that lunging at Beros now would only deepen the confusion. So, he promptly pressed his palms together and spoke with a sugary-sweet voice.

"Thank you, Daddy!"

Surely, Beros would understand now. Earlier, he only meant to say 'Daddy, don't hit me', not 'handsome guy, let's date'.

"This Demon Mirror is too shameless, trying to make Lord Beros responsible for his livelihood!"

"How can he still have any dignity left!"

"I can't control my anger! Don't hold me back, I'm going to beat him up!"

Wen Ying's smile froze on his face, and his breath hitched at the demons' words. A sense of despair washed over him. Were fathers not popular in the Demon Realm? Did the gap between humans and demons have to be so vast?

Beros didn't respond, merely smashing another dent into the ground with his tail.

Feng Luo said, "Remember to pay for the floor repairs at the finance office after school. Alright, Beros, Essence, it's time for your first ranking match."

He spoke casually, but Essence's face clouded over. Beros was still fuming, and he would undoubtedly take out his anger on him during the fight. This bastard was immune to their succubus clan's natural charm, so there was no hope of him going easy on him.

Essence sighed tragically, eliciting pity from many demons. They dared not scold Beros, so they vented their anger on Wen Ying, cursing him even more fiercely.

Wen Ying didn't care. As long as he kept his life, he was content. Taking a few steps back, he joined the group from Class One and deliberately approached Second Prince Wu Fei, who was also lacking in common knowledge.

Beros ignored Wen Ying and stepped onto the stage directly. Essence gazed at Wen Ying with a sorrowful expression, his pink eyes alluring yet pitiful, as if he had much to say but couldn't find the words. Despite those eyes belonging to a tall male demon towering over Wen Ying, they still conveyed a vulnerability that tugged at one's heartstrings.

Truly a "large" beauty. Essence silently complained to Wen Ying, who felt a twinge of guilt. However, touching his chest, Wen Ying averted his gaze.

From what he knew, demons were tough creatures with thick skin. Native demons were resilient and had magic. As long as it wasn't a fatal injury or a poison with lasting effects, a brutal beating wouldn't kill them or leave any long-term consequences.

He would find an opportunity in the future to do something for Essence to soothe his conscience.

Despite the many suspicions about Beros' state of mind, it was Essence who stepped onto the arena for the first ranking match. Essence sighed without much hope, "The one who invited you for a life-affirming activity by tugging your tail wasn't me. Don't treat me like a punching bag."

Beros merely warmed up his limbs, his crimson eyes tinged with a deep crimson hue, while the surrounding black demonic aura swirled relentlessly.

Wait, what did "tug your tail and invite you for a life-affirming activity" mean? Wen Ying's body stiffened as an inner voice told him that in the demon realm, tugging tails didn't just signify a simple expression of affection.

Wen Ying swallowed hard, not daring to delve deeper into the implications.

Feng Luo announced, "Begin."

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"Whoosh!"

"Clang!"

Wen Ying watched for a while, and the violent commotion on the field only intensified the ache in his conscience. He winced, it looked so painful.

"Bang!"

Wen Ying's eyelids twitched. That claw was damn sharp; Essence's bone was exposed.

The skin and flesh of demons were different from fragile humans. An ordinary kitchen knife would only leave a shallow cut on their arm with great force, illustrating the sharpness of Beros' black claws.

Essence didn't even blink, trading injury for injury. However, he was clearly at a disadvantage in terms of strength. Their injuries were unequal, and Essence constantly tried to create distance to cast magic, but Beros kept closing in, forcing him to use only ordinary spells that he could cast instantly, with little effect.

Watching their battle, Wen Ying felt the raw savagery of the demon race for the first time. Like beasts, they fought fiercely, unafraid of pain, as if born warriors.

"Tsk." Essence unleashed true fire, his brows furrowed, suppressing the innate allure in his features. The sexy beauty tore away his disguise as a predator, his bloodied flesh and cold, empty gaze making him resemble a ferocious beast incited by rage.

The other one was also a raging beast, his black nails still dripping blood. He seemed to be in better condition than Essence. After all, incubi weren't a suitable fighting race. Although this generation's young incubus, Essence, had surpassed traditional incubi, significantly increasing his combat strength physically, the young hellhounds of this generation were equally gifted.

Wen Ying watched in awe. Such intensity would have sent an ordinary person to the hospital, yet they were still fiercely battling.

The cheering demons offstage filled the air with their voices, echoing through the sky, as if the entire arena was about to be lifted by the sound. It was an incredibly intense scene.

Standing beside, Wu Fei also trembled slightly. Noticing a demon nearby who wasn't nonchalant or overly excited like the others, but instead appeared human-like, Wu Fei suddenly felt a sense of camaraderie.

"Do you also think their fight is too intense?" Wu Fei whispered, seeking confirmation.

Wen Ying wholeheartedly agreed, "Bones are showing; it's too gruesome."

Wu Fei felt like he had found a kindred spirit and almost wanted to hug him. Heaven knew how torturous his days had been in the Demon Realm, mentally speaking.

Wen Ying smiled at him, "Next time, when you're free, come over to my place as a guest. You can try my great-grandmother's specialty, roasted man-eating flower."

The warmth in Wu Fei's heart was immediately extinguished by the cold water poured down from above. He barely managed to maintain his composure as the second prince and replied calmly, "Sure, I'll drop by when I'm free." No way would he go! A man-eating flower? Who eats that?! What kind of brave soul would dare to consume such a terrifying thing!

Wen Ying thought to himself: How could I let you notice that I'm different from the native demons? Wu Fei grew up in the Human Realm, so there might be some suspicion. If probed further, my time spent in the Human Realm would surely come to light.

Demons ate humans, after all! Even hybrids weren't spared!

While chatting with Wu Fei, Wen Ying didn't pay attention to the battle on the stage. Suddenly, the demons watching the fight gasped collectively, and the noise was loud enough to catch Wen Ying's attention. He turned his head back in confusion and saw Essence on the stage... After a closer look, Wen Ying sucked in a sharp breath.

His conscience indeed shouldn't have hurt! Essence had transformed into his appearance!!

It was as if the string named reason in Beros snapped. Indeed, Wen Ying noticed Beros’s veins bulging even more prominently in his hands, which seemed to have swollen slightly, resembling claws more than human fingers. Beros’s legs displayed an explosive power as he rushed to Essence’s face in a split second, fiercely clawing at it.

Wen Ying felt a subtle ache on his face. He raised his right hand to touch it, and upon looking again, he saw Beros ruthlessly aiming at “his” head with his sharp black nails, snipping off some hair. The chopped-off strands, once silver-white, turned pink as they danced in the air. Instantly, Wen Ying felt a chill on his scalp.

The surrounding demons cheered, even those who supported Essence and loved him. At this moment, they genuinely admired Beros’ move.

Wrapping his arms around himself, Wen Ying rubbed them. What was Essence up to? He clearly knew that Beros would be even harsher on him.

Essence, sensing Beros’ more vicious strikes, was also confused. He had cast his innate talent, Illusory Spell of Derived Magic, without much hope. Normally, this spell was ineffective against Beros, for he couldn’t discern Beros’ preferences. However, today was different. A vague figure appeared in the illusion.

Only the target could see the illusion, but Essence didn't mind letting everyone witness it. After all, Wen Ying was ninety-nine percent responsible for his beating!

To his surprise, Beros hit even harder when he transformed into Wen Ying’s appearance.

Essence dodged clumsily, cursing both Beros and Wen Ying in his heart. In that illusion, Beros had indeed seen the Demon of the Magic Mirror. Was this the way he expressed his affection – by hitting harder? What a freak! Essence was almost driven mad. He dispelled the illusion, returning to his original form, and raised his hands to surrender. “I surrender, I surrender.”

In Beros’ bloodshot eyes, Essence noticed a hint of regret, which nearly made him spit out blood after taking a deep breath.

Truly, there was nothing the world hadn't seen. Looking at Wen Ying below the stage, Essence saw malice in the pink-eyed demon's bloodied face. Poor thing, although Perses didn't beat him now, judging from how he struck harder with affection, the Demon of the Magic Mirror would probably have a hard time in the future.

Satisfied, he lay down on the stretcher sent by the school infirmary. With leisure, he struck a seductive pose and flirtatiously winked at the surrounding demons, eliciting more screams.

"Lord Essence, ohhhhh—"

Wen Ying: "..." If Essence was in so much pain, why did he still have the energy to seduce a demon?

Beros descended on his own, refusing to go to the infirmary. Despite his wounds, he sat directly on the spectator bench beside the arena, his blood-red eyes piercing through the crowd of demons, fixated on Wen Ying.

There was no affection in his gaze, only raw, predatory darkness that sought to devour its prey.

Feng Luo, having failed to achieve his goal in the first round, pondered for a moment before pointing at the restless Evil Bird. "Muershi, who will you challenge in the second round?"

Muershi approached Wen Ying with a cheerful grin, patting his shoulder and saying, "I want to challenge the first place."

Wen Ying turned in surprise, "You're challenging me?"

"Yes, yes," Muershi leaned his face close, suggestively, "I won't change my mind just because you rubbed against my tail~" His voice rose at the end, his deep tone winding and melodious, as if whispering tender feelings to his beloved.

Beros remained expressionless, his thick tail smashing the chair behind him with a loud "crack."

Hearing the commotion, Muershi fearlessly wrapped his arms around Wen Ying's neck, "Come on, let's go."

Wen Ying nodded, his face devoid of fear. He flexed his fingers and said, "Sure, let's go."

This reaction didn't sit right with the Malevolent Bird, whose mischievous nature sensed something amiss.

The battle was a foregone conclusion. The surrounding demons didn't react as fiercely as they did during the first round, but their jeers persisted.

As soon as Feng Luo called for the start, Wen Ying conjured his Mirror clones, effortlessly summoning four of them to surround the Malevolent Bird from all directions, each at a safe distance from Muershi. Standing beside one of the mirrors, Wen Ying rested his hand on it, his posture relaxed yet taunting as he casually beckoned with his finger.