“Chapter 46: Intoxicated”

Chapter 46: The Upper Hand

It was eerily quiet. After Wen Ying asked his question, the only sound that could be heard was the melodic music in the background. Beros looked at him with his terrifying red eyes, the reflection of the white devil within them.

Wen Ying tactically picked up his wine glass and took a small sip. He was bewitched, all because of this damned ambiance. He glanced at Beros from the corner of his eye, expecting the man to reject him outright as rumored online. However, Beros remained silent for a long time.

"I'm slightly intrigued," Beros crossed his arms and leaned back on his chair, "but only a little."

Wen Ying's eyelids twitched. This familiar, irritating opening line made him feel like his blood pressure was about to spike.

"Phileas did have a point. I'm only interested in equally powerful demons," Beros said nonchalantly, "You're not strong enough, but you're the first demon to spark a bit of interest in me. I'll give you some time."

Wen Ying crushed the wine glass in his hand. The sound of shattering glass startled Beros, causing the music to stop as well. The musician was frightened, but after a moment, they resumed playing.

Why in the world would there be a demon who was his type in appearance and physique, yet gave him high blood pressure with his personality? Veins popped out on Wen Ying's forehead as he struggled to maintain his composure.

Why would such a straight man enter a couples' restaurant?

The golden liquid mixed with the broken glass shards as it dripped down, some of it sliding along Wen Ying's fair skin. The light illuminated the droplets, making them glisten as they fell with a steady pitter-patter.

The atmosphere in the Lovers' Restaurant subdued Belos's aggression, allowing Wen Ying to bravely confront him. As he wiped his hands with a napkin nonchalantly, he said, "You've misunderstood something."

A hint of confusion flickered across Belos's face. For some reason, he felt... uneasy? He hadn't experienced this even when facing formidable magic beasts, that ominous feeling of a sudden flutter in his eyelids.

"Not you giving me time," Wen Ying said, his tone suddenly sharp, "but me giving you time. I don't play these games with underage children."

With that, Wen Ying stood up and walked elegantly along the long table to where Belos, with a dazed expression, was sitting. Looking down at him, he placed his hand on Belos's cheek, his thumb stroking the corner of his eye. His voice held a hint of pity as he said, "How unfortunate that you haven't reached adulthood yet."

Turning to leave for the door, Wen Ying left Belos in a stunned state.

The musician's tune mingled with his personal emotions, shifting in tone. His hands trembled slightly, for what he had just heard tonight was explosive. If he sold it to the Big Robe Entertainment News, he would instantly receive a large sum of money. However, he dared not.

The serving demons outside exchanged conflicted glances. "Should we still deliver the dishes?"

The demonic aura behind the screen suddenly intensified. The demon inside was clearly in a terrible mood, casting a low-pressure atmosphere that stirred up a miniature storm. A series of clattering sounds echoed as objects fell to the ground.

The serving demons shivered in fear. Belos had always had a bad temper, so how could that white demon have the audacity to speak to Belos like that? Was he courting death?

Wen Ying was in high spirits after his confrontation with Belos. He had long wanted to speak up to Belos like that, and today he finally mustered the courage to do so. As for whether Belos would kill him tomorrow... wherever Feng Luo was, that was where he would be. If he couldn't fight, he could always run. Today, Felios's unexpected defense had given Wen Ying a bit of confidence.

Wen Ying returned home in high spirits, diligently applying nourishing liquid to the White Egg once more. He whispered to it, "Hurry up and hatch, so you can help me teach Berros a lesson."

The next day, on his way to school, Wen Ying's attention was at full alert, doubled even, as he passed through the capital city. Fights were strictly prohibited within the academy grounds, and Berros wouldn't dare to act recklessly there.

The journey went smoothly, and Muershi happened to arrive at the academy just as Wen Ying did. Seeing the latter's secretive behavior, he approached and asked, "What are you up to?"

Wen Ying began, "I…" but then stopped himself mid-sentence. If Muershi, with his loose lips, were to spread the story, and Berros found out that everyone knew about last night's incident, he would surely be in deep trouble.

"Nothing," Wen Ying replied simply.

Muershi said with great interest, "That doesn't sound like nothing. Let me guess, last night, you invited Perseus to dine at the royal capital's restaurant, didn't you?"

Wen Ying walked while replying, "Yes."

Muershi chuckled teasingly, "You haven't seen today's entertainment news, have you?"

He took out his phone and tapped on it a few times before holding it out for Wen Ying. Wen Ying took the phone and saw a picture taken from an angle. It captured Perseus entering the Hutton Restaurant, and his hand holding the phone was slightly trembling.

"Another one, your victory over Phileas is also on the spotlight," Muershi continued, "Thanks to you, I don't even need to stir up trouble lately to have something interesting to watch."

Wen Ying walked on in silence.

Muershi quickened his pace to catch up, asking again, "Now everyone online is speculating who Beros was meeting. I think some of the more familiar demons might guess it was you. So, how did things go last night?"

Last night, he had brazenly mocked Beros for being underage and unworthy of playing adult love games with him. Wen Ying felt as if a dark cloud had descended upon him. Despite Muershi's chattering, he didn't say another word.

Arriving early, most of the demons in his class were still absent. However, the person Wen Ying was concerned about was already there, leaning against the classroom door with his arms crossed, like a guardian deity.

Class One's backdoor was closer to the stairs. Whether entering from the front or the back, one would have to pass by this door when coming up the stairs. As such, most demons from Class One typically entered through the backdoor.

Noticing that Beros had already seen him, Wen Ying forced a smile. "Good morning."

Feeling that things were taking an interesting turn, Muershi slipped past Beros with agility and took his seat, turning around to watch the drama unfold.

Undoubtedly, even without exerting his aura, Beros's expressionless demeanor was intimidating, akin to a bloodthirsty beast staring at its prey, ready to pounce at any moment. The gloominess in his brows was particularly prominent when his face was devoid of emotion.

His tall, muscular build exuded a sense of pressure just from his height, and the folded wings on his back added to his menacing presence.

Wen Ying clasped his hands together, adopting a sincere attitude. "I'm sorry, I was wrong."

Boros snorted coldly, his tone laced with sarcasm, "You're right, it was my mistake."

Wen Ying: "???" Was Boros driven mad by him?

Boros seemed to have a complicated expression, then he glanced down condescendingly, "Since you brought up time, let's wait until I come of age. On the day of my maturity, if you can survive under my command, you'll be my other half."

Wen Ying: "Actually..."

"Or do you want it now?" Boros' words were like sharp blades, eerie and frightening. The magic around him was ready to burst forth, causing his slightly curly shoulder-length hair to flutter with the flow of magic.

Wen Ying promptly responded, "When you come of age!"

Wen Ying felt that he could never think like a demon with his human upbringing. He walked dazedly to his seat, and the gossiping demons around him immediately started chattering.

Li Jie: "A miracle."

Scarlet: "How did you manage to make Boros like you?"

Muershi: "But why wait until he comes of age? Was Boros going to Blackton last night because of you?"

Later, Essence listened to their conversation with curiosity and asked, "What interesting things are you talking about?"

Muershi eagerly explained to him, and Essence understood, saying, "I knew you could do it." It was the first time his charm had worked on Beros, and he saw Wen Ying in his illusion.

The corner of Wen Ying's mouth twitched. "Devil, would you express your affection by mentioning fighting and killing?"

Essence cupped his face and sighed. "A love that leads to death together is also quite nice~ The excitement of hormones isn't limited to bed activities; it can also arise from intense battles."

Wen Ying: "..." Damn, he wasn't of the same species as these devils.

"However, you're actually an adult?" Essence's gaze held a deeper meaning. "I thought everyone in our class except Wu Fei was still underage."

Wen Ying said calmly, "Is there a need to be so surprised?"

Li Jie nodded. "I don't sense the vibe of an adult devil from you."

Scarlet covered her mouth and chuckled. "Don't forget that this guy has memory issues and doesn't remember many things. He doesn't even know what it means to become an adult at a hundred years old."

Muershi supported his chin and said, "Beros might have wanted to beat you up harder when he became an adult."

Unable to contain himself, Wen Ying threw Muershi's book at his face and stomped on Scarlet's body.

When class began and the demons assembled, Wen Ying sensed many of them casting glances at him, intentionally or unintentionally. However, Phelous' seat remained empty.

After class, Wen Ying rushed to the school clinic and inquired about Phelous' whereabouts. The school doctor pointed him towards a room.

The door was closed, so he knocked a few times. A low, hoarse voice responded, "Come in."

Discovering that the doorknob turned freely, indicating that the door was unlocked, Wen Ying pushed it open and entered. Behind the screen, Phelous lay in bed. As Wen Ying approached, he noticed the merman's tail protruding from under the covers and curling around the side of the bed.

The butterfly-winged merman sat up, and Wen Ying said, "I think I might have been too rough yesterday. I'm sorry." Why did he keep apologizing lately?

Phelous wore a nonchalant expression. "No need to apologize. Is that why you came?"

Wen Ying nodded. Phelous' aloof demeanor made it difficult for him to find a topic to discuss.

Phelous glanced at Wen Ying and then forcefully plucked a scale from his own collarbone. Blood instantly trickled down his bone, causing Wen Ying to wince in empathy. However, Phelous seemed unconcerned as he handed the bloody scale to Wen Ying. "Here, this is what you wanted."

Staring at the blood-covered scale, Wen Ying hesitated, his hand hovering in mid-air.

Phileas frowned. "Too little?" He raised his hand again, as if ready to pluck more scales until Wen Ying was satisfied.

Wen Ying quickly stepped forward and held his hand. "I meant, it hurts me to see you in pain, let alone having blood on my hands."

Phileas paused, his gaze shifting to the tissues nearby. He slowly took out a few sheets to clean the blood off the scales. From his spatial bracelet, Wen Ying retrieved a healing card and used it to treat the injury on Phileas' collarbone.

The roasted fish from yesterday seemed lively once more, but likely due to incomplete recovery of his bodily functions, the school doctor had forbidden him from attending classes that morning.

Phileas frowned. "This minor injury is nothing, and this little bit of pain is negligible. You're too—mmph!"

Wen Ying's temple throbbed violently, instinctively grabbing the pillow to press Phileas down. The other party's hand clung to Wen Ying's arm, struggling to remove the pillow from his face.

"Are you looking for death?" Phileas was pressed back onto the bed by the pillow. He quickly removed it from his face, his expression darkening.

Wen Ying had endured these demons for a long time. Each of them treated pain as nothing and wanted him to endure it together. Death in silence or madness in silence – Wen Ying looked at the cold Phileas and slowly revealed a smile. He looked kindly at the man he had pressed back onto the bed. Phileas' long blue hair was disheveled, his upper body naked under the covers, with many scales covering his pale, icy skin.

One scale wouldn't be enough for Aruda.

Wen Ying took out a vial of magic potion from his spatial bracelet and poured it into Phileas' mouth before he could react.

"Cough...cough!" Phileas was stronger than Wen Ying, so he pushed the other away and grabbed his own throat. "What did you feed me?!"

Wen Ying curved his eyes and took out the stick given to him by the old devil in the arena. After pressing the mechanism, a white rope shot out from it. He followed the rope with his right hand and said sinisterly, "Since you're not afraid of pain, I'll pull out more."

Phileas discovered, to his horror, that his strength was draining away. His strong fish tail gradually lost its power to flap. Wen Ying jumped onto the bed, bound Phileas' hands with the whip in a few moves, and started plucking his scales. He chose whichever scale caught his fancy.

The accumulation of numerous small pains was unbearable. Cold sweat started to appear on Phileas' forehead.

After peeling off one-fourth of Phileas' scales, Wen Ying plucked another from his fish tail. This tail had a gradient blue color, looking very dreamy. It was like he was ruthlessly destroying a beautiful flower as he plucked the scales. Wen Ying didn't show any mercy at all. He found that Phileas' fish tail seemed to be more sensitive, causing him more pain. As he pulled, Phileas groaned in pain from his throat.

When he was done, Wen Ying got off Phileas. Despite doing something immoral, he didn't feel any guilt at all. Instead, he felt refreshed. Looking back at Phileas who was lying on the bed, drenched in sweat, he muttered to himself, "Being a devil indeed requires being twisted."

Feeling like he had unlocked some strange switch, Wen Ying thanked Phileas before leaving with a light heart.

Phileas lay on the bed, hugging his pillow. The sheets were stained red with his blood. Clenching his teeth, he cursed Wen Ying in his heart. Just a mere Devil Mirror! He was so infuriated!

When Wen Ying came out, he ran into Levimo. The latter had been there for an unknown period and had been standing at the door for a while. Looking at Wen Ying, he had a look of having his worldview shattered.

Wen Ying's hand was covered in blood. He said, "Sorry, I got a little carried away."

Levimo's lips moved, but he found himself at a loss for words. After Wen Ying nodded at him, he turned and left with the bloodstained scales in hand.

Levimo watched Wen Ying's departing figure, which was entirely different from when they first met. He couldn't pinpoint when the change occurred, but the pristine purity that once made demons uneasy was now replaced by an aura that no demon would mistake for angelic.

"He must have been deeply affected by something…" Levimo muttered to himself.

On his way back to the dormitory, all the demons looked at Wen Ying in astonishment as he carried the bloody scales.

Once in his dorm, Wen Ying carefully washed the scales before stowing them away in his spatial bracelet. He climbed into bed and felt that this afternoon nap was the most comfortable one he had ever taken.

Now, he desired to grow stronger so that he could treat Beros as he did Phileos. They were both demons; there was no need for restraint. It would be suffocating to remain normal. After liberating his thoughts, he felt that the entire demonic realm had come alive.

In the afternoon, the physical examinations took place. There was nothing extraordinary about the demonic assessments, which included weight, height, skeletal development, and magical power tests. The bone development examination revealed that Wen Ying had reached adulthood, much to the astonishment of many demons. Amongst the multitude of underage ones, two fully grown adults had somehow slipped through the cracks.

Wu Fei was equally astonished – he was not alone!

What astonished the multitude of demons the most was the magic power assessment. Wen Ying's magic power ranked first! A Mirror Demon, this was a Mirror Demon, and his magical strength surpassed many powerful demon offspring, nearly making all the demons' eyes pop out in surprise.

Why Mirror Demons are classified as Lesser Devils is naturally due to the fact that an adult Mirror Demon possesses less magic power than an Upper Devil does in its youth.

There was an even more astonishing fact: Wen Ying, the Demon Mirror, ranked last in strength among the entire class. Even the girls from the Ghost-faced Puppet and Witch Fairy clans surpassed him.

Wen Ying fell silent, staring at the strength ranking and questioning his own power deeply. This didn't make sense. How could he be first in magic power but last in strength? He couldn't even match the strength of the girls?

Phileas pulled the corners of his mouth into a mocking smile. "I sensed it at noon. Your strength is pitifully weak, I could easily break free." He was referring to when Wen Ying had covered his face with a pillow.

Wen Ying turned to look at him. The places where Phileas had been plucked of his scales still throbbed with pain from that noon.

"That doesn't stop me from pulling out your scales."

The demons from other classes who overheard this were once again shocked. How powerful and proud Phileas was, yet his scales had been removed by Wen Ying?

The little girl from the Ghost-faced Puppet clan was delicate and petite, like a doll. Perched on her shoulder was another puppet, a smaller version of herself.

The Ghost-faced Puppet approached, and the puppet on her shoulder spoke up, "Can you spare one of Phileas's scales for me?"

"What do you want it for?"

"His scales are very sturdy, perfect for making puppets," the Ghost-faced Puppet explained. "I can help you create a wooden doll that looks just like you."

Wen Ying promptly took out a scale. "Deal."

Phelous' icy blue eyes were practically spewing flames. All grace, elegance, and composure had vanished, replaced only by the urge to explode in anger.

The puppet raised its hand and embraced the scale Wen Ying had given it. Finding the scene rather peculiar, Wen Ying asked, "Does your puppet have its own consciousness?"

The puppet with the ghostly mask shook its head. It didn't open its mouth, and all its words came from the doll. "It's me."

How mystical demons were!

The puppet was indeed extraordinary. This petite ghost-faced puppet girl seemed to be only about 1.6 meters tall, appearing delicate and weak. Yet, Wen Ying found himself unable to match her strength, leaving him questioning his demonic life.

For the following few days, no demon dared to challenge Wen Ying. The weaker ones were too afraid, while the stronger ones hesitated, fearing they might end up as humiliated as Phelous. Until more information about Wen Ying was revealed, he enjoyed a leisurely time. However, even without any challenges, Wen Ying still visited the arena daily, sitting in the spectator seats for hours on end, rain or shine.

Those who could guess Wen Ying's intentions believed this Demon Mirror was shameless. For him, the arena was a vast repository of materials. Even if those vying for rankings knew his motives, they couldn't hold back too much.

All demons would label this act shameless, but there was something even more shameless: This Demon Mirror started selling cards!