Chapter 69: Forming a Team

Chapter 69: Forming a Team

Wen Ying chuckled, eyeing Beros up and down. The gaze made Beros feel uneasy, prompting him to ask, "What's with that look? It's rather disgusting."

Wen Ying harrumphed, his tone laced with teasing humor, "Were you just trying to help me?"

Three months! Over three months! Wen Ying screamed inwardly. Finally, he witnessed what seemed like genuine assistance from Beros, and it made Wen Ying feel that it had been no easy feat.

The previous times were all misunderstandings, but this time, it clearly was not.

Boros crossed his arms and said coldly, "Don't misunderstand, I don't like him either."

Wen Ying's eyes curved. "I'll take it as such then."

The breath was stuck in Boros' chest, going neither up nor down. Seeing Wen Ying's expression, he was annoyed to death. What was the meaning of that smile? He had always disliked that guy.

Thinking of this, Boros continued, "That guy is from the Mandrake clan, one of the main branches. Now that the Mandrake demons have declined significantly, they've set their sights on Aluda. I've seen him a few times when I went to visit Aluda. He's rather disgusting."

Wen Ying temporarily held back his teasing. Hearing Boros' informative words, he narrowed his eyes slightly. "Tell me more about it?"

Wen Ying's expression was no longer as unsettling to him, so Belos took the initiative to change the subject, saying, "Alright then."

This incident happened several hundred years ago when the Mandrake demons were still very powerful, with high-ranking demons in their clan.

In the Mandrake clan, males were vines while females were flowers – it had always been this way. If an abnormality was born, they would be incredibly weak and considered a disgrace by the clan, usually left unattended.

It was rumored that this started when Aruda, who was already an adult, befriended a few lower-ranking demons. Belos had only heard bits and pieces of the story, so he couldn't be too certain.

Aruda, who was already a disgrace to the family, became close friends with lower-ranking demons and often interacted with them. This made the Mandrake clan unhappy, leading to a decision that forced Aruda to choose: either sever ties with the lower-ranking demons or be expelled from the clan.

"It seems she chose the latter," Wen Ying said. "But wait, you said she was weak? Great-Grandmother is incredibly powerful."

Belos' gaze shifted to Aruda, who was not far away. His eyes darkened slightly. "No demon knows exactly how she transformed from weakness to strength. People speculate that it might have been due to some dark magic or demonic potion."

Looking at Wen Ying, Belos assessed him. "You should know, right? Ordinary Mirror Demons aren't usually that strong."

Wen Ying was taken aback, hesitantly replying, "I don't really know the specifics. All I know is what you saw that day, and you even helped me clean up..."

Belos' voice deepened, his tone serious and somewhat urgent. "No! Think back carefully. Even before that, you were already worlds apart from a typical Mirror Demon."

Boros suddenly realized that he might find a breakthrough through Wen Ying. He might obtain the key to Aruda's power. The desire for strength stirred within him, and his red eyes shimmered with excitement, glowing brightly.

Wen Ying glanced sideways at Boros's hand on his shoulder. His gaze wandered, avoiding Boros's face, as he reacted to the latter's sudden fervor.

He himself was unaware of this, but Wen Ying had an inexplicable and terrifying suspicion in his heart.

His unreliable great-grandfather had mentioned to Aruda when they first met, "He was born in the Human Realm." Upon hearing those words, Aruda's expression had changed.

He was different from other Demon Mirrors, perhaps not because he consumed the magical potions added to Aruda's food every day, but because he was born in the Human Realm.

It wasn't due to being a hybrid; hybrids were remarkable. Why would the demons in the Demon Realm mock Wu Fei's bloodline?

Wu Fei was also born in the Human Realm, yet he was still looked down upon. This indicated that birth in the Human Realm was unrelated to the issue.

After deducing these facts, Wen Ying concluded that the Demon Mirror race was special because they were born in the Human Realm. His heart sank as he felt like he had uncovered something he shouldn't have known.

Boros leaned closer, and Wen Ying could feel his breath. Raising his gaze, he met Boros's excited and expectant red eyes, resembling those of a fierce beast that had caught sight of its prey, growing more agitated and perilous.

Wen Ying pushed Boros's face away. He was too confused to focus, his eyes darting around. With no intention of engaging Boros, he dismissed him casually, "Don't rush me, I'm thinking."

Boros: "..." This guy was increasingly disregarding him. If any other demon dared to speak to him in such a tone, he would have already turned hostile.

Boros patiently waited as he saw Wen Ying's solemn expression while he was lost in thought. He couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"

His unreliable great-grandfather hadn't told him anything, leaving Wen Ying in a panic. Looking at Aruda, he really wanted to go and ask what was going on. He was different from the Mirror Demon, very different. His great-grandfather even said that he could revive the Mirror Clan.

Wen Ying grabbed Boros's arm uncontrollably. Boros froze as he heard Wen Ying say, "Boros, I'm a little scared..."

Boros frowned. Could it be that Aruda's potion was truly as sinister and terrifying as the legends said? He subconsciously reached out to pat Wen Ying's head, but Little Bai blocked him. Boros had never been a demon who would suppress himself, especially when the other party was weak. He simply waved his hand to send Little Bai down before patting Wen Ying's head.

"Chirp!" Little Bai bared its teeth at Boros before jumping onto Wen Ying's shoulder. It didn't attack Boros, for it sensed that something was off with Wen Ying. Thus, it temporarily ignored this bad guy and stood on its hind legs to rub against Wen Ying's face.

"What's wrong?" Boros lowered his voice, reminding himself that he was doing this to find a way to become stronger. Reluctantly, he approached this white demon, gently stroking his head in a comforting manner.

He definitely couldn't tell about this matter. Wen Ying kept glancing at Aruda. Confused, Boros whispered into his ear, "Is Aruda not allowing you to talk about it?"

Of course, he couldn't let the kind Aruda be misunderstood. Wen Ying immediately replied, "No, it's something else."

Boros's brows furrowed. He hated people who only spoke half of their thoughts the most. He narrowed his eyes, revealing the hostility from countless battles, "Don't beat around the bush, just say it."

Wen Ying pushed Pelos's face away with his hand, ignoring the demon's hostility as he absentmindedly said, "You could only scare me at first."

He needed to figure this out on his own. Ignoring Pelos, Wen Ying released his grip on the demon's arm and walked aside to continue pondering.

Pelos: "???" He widened his eyes. It was Wen Ying who had grabbed his arm in fear, yet now it was Wen Ying who denied any such thing. He was astonished that there were such unpredictable demons as Magic Mirror Demons.

Wasn't this called being moody?

Almost losing his patience, Pelos refrained from lashing out. He was furious but couldn't act on it with Aruda still around. All he could do was leave with a sullen expression, vowing not to bother with Wen Ying again.

After much thought, Wen Ying still couldn't make sense of what had happened. His attention returned to the present as he scanned the unfamiliar demons surrounding him. Wait, there was one he recognized - Scarlet Crow, Wu Shaluo.

Today, Wu Shaluo still looked like a human, his feathers meticulously groomed. The devilish creature was chatting with Lai Yehua. Lai Yehua's once solemn and dignified image had been shattered by the sacrificial dance, and whenever Wen Ying saw him now, all he could think about was that exotic, western-style ritual attire and dance, making it hard for him to look the angel directly in the eye.

Just as he was considering eavesdropping on their conversation, Aruda's voice rang out from ahead, "Little Ying, come here."

Turning his head, Wen Ying saw Aruda calling him from the front, surrounded by many high-ranking demons. The scene reminded Wen Ying of relatives at New Year gatherings, each of them staring at him, eager to pry into his life.

Gathering his courage, Wen Ying approached. Aruda introduced, "Little Ying, this is His Majesty, the Demon King."

"My Lord Devil," Wen Ying said. Up close, the Devil Lord appeared quite serious before he spoke; his youth belied the depth of experience that shone in his eyes. They were not the eyes of someone young and inexperienced.

The Devil Lord's first words were anything but serious. He grinned and asked, "Little Ying? Did Beros give you a gift today?"

"..."

"Lord Devil," Witch Yi coughed softly.

The Devil Lord spoke cheerfully to Lennach, "I thought Lennach would be curious, so I asked on his behalf. I'm very considerate towards my subordinates."

Lennach was indeed curious, but he couldn't bring himself to ask a junior. With the Devil Lord's prompting, he reluctantly agreed, "...Yes."

Aruda rolled his eyes and said, "Little Ying, there's no need to be nervous."

Wen Ying fell silent for a moment. Under the watchful gaze of the seven aunts and eight uncles of the demonic realm, he extended his tail forward and flicked its tip. "This is a resizing spatial magic tool in the shape of a ring."

Lennach gasped. "He wants you to wear it on your tail?!"

"Not exactly," Wen Ying replied calmly. "It suits my tail better."

Lennach felt suspicious. "Why?"

Wen Ying actually had a reason, one that he thought of only after putting on the tail ring. "It's more suitable for surprise magical attacks. I can store the replicated cards in the spatial magic tool in my tail. If an enemy is behind me, I can suddenly pull out the magic card and slap it onto their face."

"..." Lennach was speechless. He suspected that this magic mirror demon didn't really like his son; it was just his son who was infatuated.

The Demon King laughed heartily, "Hahaha, as expected of the magic mirror demon that Aruda likes. You're truly a promising young one. You've found such a great use for Beros' gift."

The female demon with blue-purple wings stepped forward and asked curiously, "There's something I'm curious about. Do you have any of our Wicked Bird bloodline?"

Wen Ying shook his head. "I'm not aware of that either."

"The one you're referring to is Muershi's mother, Yan Yujing, the leader of the Extremly Wicked Bird Clan," the Demon King said. "Your performance on North Mist Mountain was unforgettable, turning my plans into a game of who's the spy."

The Demon King's voice was filled with resentment, and Wen Ying felt a little scared. He awkwardly replied, "…It was a situation beyond my control."

"That wasn't due to circumstances," the Mermaid King Cangyuan commented. "If it were an actual war, you all might have caused quite a commotion."

Wen Ying smiled awkwardly, sizing up the mermaid who had spoken. His fish tail was thicker and longer than Phileus's, and it was covered in abundant water attribute magic power. His voice carried a sense of maturity and vicissitudes of life, and he looked older than Lai Yehua. Compared to the Demon King, this mermaid exuded more of the dignity of a ruler.

The Demon King suddenly pushed Lan Jiaying and Wu Fei, who were standing behind him, together with one hand on each of their shoulders, forcing them into an awkward embrace. In contrast to the Demon King's radiant smile, Lan Jiaying and Wu Fei wore expressions as if they had just eaten something vile, while the latter was terrified that Lan Jiaying might retaliate against him.

The Demon King placed an arm around each of his sons' shoulders and asked Wen Ying with a grin, "For the midterm exams, which of my sons would you like to be paired with?"

The three young demons were taken aback. The two ill-at-ease demons turned to look at the Demon King.

Lennach scratched the back of his head. "Lord Demon King, shouldn't he be paired with Belos?" Was Lord Demon King breaking up demonic partnerships?

The Demon King tilted his head, his smile carrying a deeper meaning. "What difference does it make?" He observed Wen Ying's displeasure, yet reluctance to speak out after his initial shock, causing the corners of his lips to curve even more. His revenge was served, disrupting this little fellow's carefully planned monthly exam.

"Big brother," Anna sighed helplessly. Her big brother had a strong vengeful streak, just like a child, and enjoyed mischief.

The Demon King prompted, "Little Ying, who will you choose?"

Lan Jiaying averted his gaze, indicating that Wen Ying should not choose him. Wu Fei, on the other hand, didn't have any particular preference. It made no difference to him whether Wen Ying picked him or not. However, if Wen Ying chose him, Levimo and Lilith could form a team, allowing for better coordination.

Seeing Lan Jiaying's cold, dismissive expression, Wen Ying's rebellious spirit flared. Pointing at Lan Jiaying, he declared, "I've been playing ranked matches frequently with the First Prince lately, so I'm quite familiar with his style. Therefore, I think it would be more suitable to team up with the First Prince."

Lan Jiaying jerked his head abruptly, and Wen Ying worried if the movement might snap his neck. With wide, astonished eyes, Lan Jiaying stared at him, as if questioning, "Are you insane?"

The Demon King nodded. "Mm, then it's settled. Lan Jiaying, you'll do well on the mid-term exams, right?"

Lan Jiaying, who had just been in disbelief, immediately pledged solemnly, "I will not disappoint your expectations!"

Wu Fei: "…"

Wen Ying: "…" There was no saving this daddy's boy; his heart was set on the Demon King.

Lennach tried to negotiate a better deal for his son, suggesting, "Your Excellency the Demon King, dealing with the extremists is indeed risky. How about grouping three demons together?"

The Demon King nodded and pushed Wu Fei forward. "Good idea, the three of you will be just right."

Lennach: "…"

Wu Fei: "…" Help.

Feeling Lan Jiaying's terrifying glare that seemed to pierce through him, Wu Fei's hair stood on end.

Lan Jiaying grumbled in dissatisfaction, "Father, I can handle it alone. There's no need for Wu Fei, and actually, Wen Ying isn't necessary either."

Wen Ying thought to himself: Hmph.

Wu Fei steeled himself and said, "Well, Father, might this combination... be, you know, prone to causing chaos that our enemies could exploit?" He couldn't even imagine the scene of him and Lan Jiaying fighting side by side amidst internal turmoil.

The Demon King looked at him in surprise. "That's all the more reason to foster your team spirit."

Lennach: Son, I've done my best.

Aside from the relatively straightforward Lennach, the other demons who heard this arrangement were filled with speculation. Was the Demon King hinting at which faction they should align themselves with?

Aldra's smile remained, but her constant amusement made it hard for others to read her thoughts. She neither supported nor opposed the plan, only addressing Wen Ying, "I didn't expect you to be leaving on a long journey so soon. I'm really worried about you."

"...Is it very far?"

The Demon King replied, "Just a few magic array transfers away."

Wen Ying: "..."

Aldra complained, "But the location is quite distant. The extremist faction within the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan has been causing trouble nonstop recently, and we lack the manpower to deal with them. That's why I'm sending you two for training. If there weren't too many troublemakers over there, I wouldn't have agreed to this midterm assessment method."

Wen Ying inquired, "Grandmama, you have the authority to decide?"

Yan Yujing chuckled. " Didn't you know? Lady Aruda is a board member of the Lucifer Demon Academy and wields significant decision-making power."

Wen Ying: "..." My apologies for the misunderstanding.

Lan Jiaying found himself reluctantly paired with the two classmates he least wanted to be with, a situation that felt like a bolt from the blue. While the Devil King maintained a facade of decorum in his presence, the moment he was gone, Lan Jiaying made it clear, "Even though I agreed to be in your group, don't think you can give me orders."

He declared arrogantly, "There, I'll be in charge."

Wu Fei looked at Wen Ying, who indeed disapproved and said, "In the ranking matches, you were behind me."

Lan Jiaying scoffed, towering over Wen Ying as he looked down at him condescendingly, "That's because ranking matches aren't life or death duels. Leaving the arena counts as losing. In a real fight, you wouldn't stand a chance against me."

Lan Jiaying's voice was deep, abandoning his usual elegant tone, filled with menace. The aura of his magic power was unleashed, causing his golden hair to float as his entire demonic presence exuded aggression. At least, Wu Fei felt a shiver run through him upon hearing that low voice.

Wen Ying replied coolly, "If you don't mind being second to someone from another group, you can try. Anyway, I don't care about rankings."

"Lan Jiaying was almost driven to madness by this devilish mirror, his face contorting. He found himself unable to maintain his composure whenever he encountered Wen Ying.

"Hmph." Lan Jiaying had no intention of further engaging Wen Ying and left with a flourish.

Lilith and Levimo approached, and Wu Fei shared the incident with them. Both seemed deep in thought.

"Does His Majesty the Demon Lord mean... a warning?"

Wu Fei was puzzled. "A warning? About what?"

Levimo turned to Wen Ying. "I'm afraid we'll have to trouble you for assistance."

Seeing Levimo's tension, Wen Ying tilted his head and glanced at Wu Fei. "Have you ever considered this: Wu Fei possesses immense magical power. He was able to help protect you both from that rampaging high-level magic beast within the Eternal Forest. There's no need to worry about him."

They fell silent abruptly, and Wen Ying asked, confused, "Is there a problem?"

Wu Fei explained awkwardly, "That burst of survival instinct was spontaneous. I haven't been able to replicate it since."

Wen Ying suddenly slapped his shoulder, startling Wu Fei. Glancing sideways, he saw the corners of the lips beneath the white demon mask lift. The demonic voice whispered in his ear, "Isn't it just a matter of survival instinct? I'll help you with that."

Wu Fei responded, "...Don't do that, it scares me."

Wen Ying straightened his posture and clapped his hands, addressing the fox siblings, "Rest assured, leave him to me."

Spending more time with Muershi had cultivated a wicked streak in Wen Ying's heart. Smiling, he spoke to them with a slightly darkened gaze. Now that he thought about it, the Devil King's seemingly retaliatory act was actually convenient for his observation.

Born in the human world and possessing half human blood like himself, Wen Ying decided to study the disparity between Wu Fei and Lan Jiaying. Perhaps he could discover something new about why he was different from other Mirror Demons.

If Wu Fei wasn't interested in fighting? The devil inside Wen Ying grinned. He would make Wu Fei stand up.

Wu Fei felt a chill rise from his feet to the crown of his head, leaving him with an eerie sensation.

Wasn't this white devil supposed to be kind? Wu Fei suddenly wasn't so sure anymore.

The banquet ended around midnight. During this long period, most of the time was spent on communication, a gathering of the upper-class demons in the Realm of Devils to exchange information annually. Wen Ying even spotted some demons engaging in matchmaking. From afar, he overheard snippets of their conversation, indicating that both parties seemed satisfied and planned to spend some time together to see how things went.

When Wen Ying saw Boreas again, a layer of gloom surrounded him. He didn't dare approach at that moment. Boreas could be quite terrifying when genuinely angry. Spotting the similarly unhappy Muershi, he approached the latter after some thought.

"What's wrong with you? Weren't you happy just now? Why do you look down now?" Wen Ying asked.

Muershi looked at him and said in a melancholic tone, "The Devil King has a strong vindictive streak."

Wen Ying thought about being forcibly grouped with Lan Jiaying by the Demon King. Catching a glimpse of the gloomy Beros, an idea popped into his mind. "Could it be that the Demon King paired you with…" He looked at Beros.

Muershi nodded gravely, then added, "It would have been tolerable if it was just him."

Curious, Wen Ying asked, "Who's the other one?"

"Phelous."

"That doesn't sound problematic?"

Muershi sighed. "They only care about fighting and believe in strength above all else. Moreover, Phelous is a devoted fan of Beros. Whatever Beros says, he'll follow. I can already picture the scene when the time comes."

"And… I have some history with both of them. I've tricked them a few times before…" Muershi let out a long sigh. "In short, I'll be constrained during the midterm exam, unable to soar freely as I did when collaborating with you on Mount Beifeng."

It seemed that Beros' gloominess stemmed from being teamed up with Muershi, the mischievous demon who loved unconventional means.

Wen Ying said, "At least it's better than being with Lan Jiaying. It's a headache. Doesn't the Demon King fear that we'll fall to infighting and be taken down by the extremist faction?"

Muershi looked at him in surprise. "That kind of thing usually doesn't happen. The extremist faction thrives on sowing discord and brainwashing. The troublesome leaders are dealt with by specialized demons. We're only summoned to search for their members among the demon crowds. With their limited power, they pose little threat to our lives."

Wen Ying could only scratch his cheek. "Is that so?"

Muershi leaned in closer. "You really lack common sense."

Wen Ying calmly swatted his face away. "It's not like you just met me."

Muershi chuckled, noticing the platinum ring on Wen Ying's tail. He said suggestively, "A gift from Beros?"

"Mind your own business."

Wen Ying pondered for a moment before suddenly smiling, a hint of cunning flickering in his eyes. "Muershi, didn't His Majesty the Devil say we couldn't collaborate between teams?"

Muershi was taken aback for a few seconds before wearing a similar smile as Wen Ying. He spoke with a profound meaning, "He indeed didn't mention that."

The Devil sneezed.

Beros was annoyed. Looking at the two demons chatting and laughing in the distance, the air pressure around him dropped even lower. His brows furrowed, his expression darkening. He disliked teaming up, especially with a demon who mixed truth and lies.

If those two demons could switch teams... Beros was startled by this thought, uncertain. Had he been too concerned about Wen Ying lately? If another demon had treated him this way, he would have already taken action. Yet, he was somehow forcing himself to endure it.

He would have to revisit the "Love Guide" as mentioned by the enchantress fairy.