Chapter 75: Craftiness

Chapter 75: Heart's Eye

Muershi teased, "This isn't like you, Beros. Why such a reaction? Are you scared?"

All the demons around them looked on with interest. It was unheard of that Beros would be afraid, and even more so of Wen Ying.

Beros' face darkened, and his intimidating aura made some weaker demons quickly avert their gazes. It was too terrifying.

"Beros." He said to Muershi, realizing his overreaction.

There was no helping it. Whenever he saw Wen Ying, Beros couldn't help but recall what had happened in the hotel. If Wen Ying were to smile again, it would only increase his terror.

In the short term, Beros couldn't shake off the psychological shadow Wen Ying had cast upon him. Even though he was much better now and wouldn't be suppressed by Wen Ying as he was in the hotel, or even if Wen Ying went crazy, he just couldn't forget that feeling of fear.

Observing Beros' expression, Wen Ying couldn't help it. The guy didn't speak human language, so he had to read his emotions from his face. He spoke with a strange tone, "Aren't you almost fully recovered? Why are you nervous?"

Beros didn't respond, only glaring at him with a gloomy gaze, telling him to get lost.

"What an unpredictable fellow." Seeing that Beros seemed to be in good spirits and thus physically fine, Wen Ying returned to his seat.

Essence rose to his feet and leaned over, draping an arm around Wen Ying's shoulder. He whispered suggestively, "Something going on?"

"Stop being so nosy."

"I've had years of experience, and I can tell you two have had some interaction," Essence lifted his pink-nailed index finger, gently tracing Wen Ying's chin, "What did you do to Beros?"

Wen Ying glanced at the brooding Beros and whispered back, "Why does it always have to be me doing something? Do I look like someone who could do anything to him?"

Essence chuckled softly, "You look like someone who could just fall asleep with Beros."

Wen Ying's lips twitched, "You should clean out the trash in your head." He checked himself in the mirror; he appeared weak and innocent.

Even that night in the hotel, he had only slept innocently with Beros, without even a kiss... Why did it feel like he missed out on something? Wen Ying suddenly felt regret.

Today's lesson on the human world was about exorcists. Wen Ying took diligent notes.

Exorcists also utilized magic, but differently from demons. Their cultivation of magic was more challenging, while demons had natural advantages in both magical power and physical strength.

There were far more humans than demons, and among such a large population, some would inevitably possess exceptional talents. These outstanding individuals posed a significant threat to the demons as they grew stronger.

In the present human world, exorcists had also established schools that remained hidden from ordinary people's knowledge.

During this class, the demonic teacher was lecturing on Demon Summoning. After some preliminary remarks, they delved into the main topic.

Upon hearing the demonic teacher mention humans summoning demons, Wen Ying paused in his note-taking, slightly stunned.

"You should all be aware that humans can summon demons from the demon realm to the human world using secret incantations. However, due to the barrier between realms, most humans can only summon low-ranking demons. But there are also exceptional humans with the talent to summon high-ranking demons."

"Remember, these exceptionally talented exorcists are our primary foes. If you have the fortune to be summoned, observe whether they've matured or not. If they haven't, make sure to immediately suppress them and sign a servant contract, extinguishing the danger at its bud!"

The demonic teacher's voice was firm and powerful.

Wen Ying: "..." Was that even possible?

Wen Ying rolled his eyes. As a low-ranking demon, he might have a higher chance of being summoned.

He raised his hand, and the demonic teacher asked, "Wen Ying, do you have a question?"

"If one is summoned, would they stay in the human world for an extended period or quickly return to the demon realm?"

The demonic teacher said, "Based on the spells and power levels they use, some are one-time and temporary, allowing demons to stay for only a few hours or even just minutes."

"Long-term summoning comes in two types: repeatedly summoning the same demon or allowing a demon to remain in the human realm for an extended period."

"The likelihood of you being summoned by an exorcist is very slim," the demonic teacher continued. "According to statistics from the past few decades, exorcists can only contact low-ranking demons through their spells."

"Some spells are compulsory summonings, while others allow the demon to choose whether to respond."

Wu Fei suddenly raised his hand. "Teacher, how powerful are those low-ranking demons who get summoned?"

"How powerful can a low-ranking demon be..." The demonic teacher paused, then fell silent as he, along with the rest of the class, turned to look at Wen Ying in unison.

Wen Ying asked, "Why are you all looking at me like that?"

The demonic teacher's expression was complicated, as if he were searching through his mind for answers. After a moment, he said, "There is no record of a situation like Wen Ying's."

In other words, he had no idea how likely it was for Wen Ying to be summoned, because there had never been a low-ranking demon in the Demon Realm that could overpower a high-ranking demon like Wen Ying.

Wu Fei felt a tinge of disappointment. He had been hoping that if Wen Ying could be summoned to the human world, he could scare the skin off his miserly boss.

Wen Ying seemed lost in thought. Being summoned by an exorcist sounded like a decent way to return to the human world. If he was lucky enough to find one who could summon him consistently, he'd be able to visit his family.

The offline fifth-anniversary celebration of the Demon Summoning mobile game seemed to be approaching. Previously, he had seen many limited-edition souvenirs advertised by the official, and he had wanted them badly. Now, his desire for them had intensified.

Initially, the most appealing aspect of the exhibition for Wen Ying was the hyper-realistic cosplay. However, he no longer felt that way. With real demons walking around him and himself being one, it was far more authentic than any fake costumes.

Noticing that Wen Ying might be summoned, the demon teacher deliberately stepped down from the platform and approached him, saying, "Remember, if you encounter a compulsory summoning, after arriving in the human world, check if the summoner has fully developed wings. If not, immediately overpower them and sign a slave contract!"

Wen Ying replied, "…Okay."

Demons were taught this way, so the exorcist school must have countermeasures as well. At that time, it would probably come down to who reacted faster or was more skilled in combat.

It all seemed rather amusing, considering how sacred the act of summoning was supposed to be.

Muershi whispered, "Your demonic potion would definitely overwhelm everyone there."

"But human bodies are too fragile. What if something happens?"

Muershi's reminder prompted Wen Ying to prepare a suitable demonic potion for use on humans, just in case. He would need to adjust the dosage, as he was well aware of humanity's vulnerability.

Essence sighed wistfully, "I wish I could be summoned by an exorcist just once."

Scarlet asked, "Why?"

"It seems like the Human Realm is quite interesting, and most humans are weak, posing no threat. I'd love to play around there. I've never played with a human before; I wonder if it's different from playing with demons."

Wen Ying heard their conversation and lowered his eyelids, hiding his contemplation.

Essence had never been to the Human Realm. Why hadn't he gone? Muershi's subordinates had demons who could travel to the Human Realm for imports. As the legitimate heir of an upper-class demon family, Essence must have had the means to visit.

Nonchalantly leaning back, Wen Ying whispered, "If you want to go, why not just go directly? Why wait for an exorcist's summon?"

Essence held his chin, his rosy eyes shimmering with hidden meaning as he chuckled softly, "Your knowledge needs expanding."

Wen Ying's heart skipped a beat. He pretended to be curious and casual, turning his head and asking, "What else don't I know? There are so many things imported from the Human Realm in the demon world, and even human chefs. It doesn't make sense that you can't go to the Human Realm, right?"

"Perhaps you misunderstand something. The demons bringing in goods from the Human Realm aren't from the demon world," Essence tapped the table lightly. "As far as we know, even low-ranking demons cannot cross the barrier."

Wen Ying was stunned, urgently questioning, "Then how did the Demon King bring Wu Fei over? How did those Human Realm items end up in the capital? Didn't Feng Luo personally go to the Human Realm to find a suitable teacher?"

Essence abruptly fell silent, causing Wen Ying's heart to sink with a bad premonition. The surroundings were eerily quiet. He stiffly turned his head and, as expected, saw their demonic teacher standing right behind him. The teacher looked down at him and spoke slowly, "Wen Ying, do you have any doubts about the lesson I just taught?"

Essence explained, "He asked me if demons can proactively go to the Human Realm. If not, how did the human realm products in our store come about."

Wen Ying nodded several times, maintaining a docile expression.

The demonic teacher stared at Wen Ying for a while before slowly returning to the lectern. Wen Ying heard him mutter softly, "Truly a complete idiot when it comes to common knowledge."

Wen Ying's lips twitched.

Well, it was still better than being punished.

"Muyu, it's rare that even you got caught by the teacher," Muershi teased quietly. "You're really interested in the Human Realm, huh."

Scarlet added, "Even Feng Luo managed to avoid detection, yet you didn't notice this teacher."

Wen Ying whispered, "I was just curious, wasn't I?"

With an itch in his mind that wouldn't go away, Wen Ying couldn't sit still. Finally, when the class ended, he quickly turned around and grabbed Essence's wrist. "Essence, tell me quickly, why is that?"

Essence propped his chin in hand, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he drawled, "You're not usually this impatient. You don't seem to be this eager about anything else."

Wen Ying wanted to roll his eyes, but he needed Essence's help. The other demons around them would likely prolong the matter if they saw this exchange.

From his spatial bracelet, Wen Ying pulled out a vial of potion. Essence raised an eyebrow. "A bribe for me to speak?"

"Not quite. It's a toxic potion," Wen Ying replied with a gentle smile. "It'll cause blisters to grow all over a demon's skin. Quite unsightly, wouldn't you say? Want to give it a try?"

Essence: "…Fine, I'll talk."

Slightly disgruntled, Essence spoke weakly, "The answer to your first question is that goods from the Human Realm can enter the Demon Realm. Although there's a barrier between the two realms, it only stops demons from entering the Human Realm. We can communicate with Mid-level Demons born from human emotions and desires in the Human Realm and ask them to...uh, proxy shop for us? Our job is to find weak spots in the barrier so that things from the Human Realm can pass through."

"It's up to the Mid-level Demons in the Human Realm to do their part. As long as they push the goods through the weak spots, that's enough."

"There are also some humans who proactively seek business with us."

"Right, some demons are lucky too. Their summoning spells, which they cast into the Human Realm, happen to be picked up by exorcists, allowing them to be summoned temporarily. It's a win-win situation, but this method only works for Low-level Demons, and it still depends on luck."

"A very famous example happened ten years ago. A Low-level Demon managed to get a piece of paper with a summoning spell into the Human Realm, and it was picked up by a powerful exorcist. The demon was summoned over and forced to sign a slave contract."

Wen Ying: "..." It was more than he had expected.

"I have another question. How did the Demon King bring Wu Fei over?" Essence paused, "Although there's no official way for demons to enter the human realm except through exorcist summoning, ancient families might possess hidden methods. Each family has their own unique ways, but they're rarely used due to the high costs."

"The barrier only restricts demons, not humans. Since Wu Fei is half-human, it would've been easier for him to pass through."

"Feng Luo probably used a secret route as well. But even with such routes, their true forms can't enter the human realm. Their immense power would be rejected. They usually possess a human or create a proxy. These methods are closely guarded secrets among families."

"Ask Aruda when you return. Her methods are peculiar; she might have a hidden way to enter the human realm."

With that, Essence indicated for Wen Ying to collect the vials of demon potions on the table.

Wen Ying was left in a daze. The Demon Realm never ceased to surprise him. Just when he thought he knew enough, new information emerged. He put away the potions, needing time to process all this new knowledge.

Turning around, he propped his chin in his hand, deep in thought.

How did his great-grandfather enter the human realm back then? Was it through a teleportation scroll? But who's magic did he replicate to create it?

"Oh, by the way, the barrier between our worlds has actually been weakening lately," Essence tapped Wen Ying's back. "The lucky few might discover areas where the barrier is weak enough for demons to pass through. The extremist factions have been searching for these spots."

Muershi made a suggestive comment, "Speaking of the Extreme Party searching for a passage, I recall a rumor about Aruda's two lower-rank demon friends when he was young. One of them had a teleportation-type innate magic, right?"

Wen Ying glanced sharply at him. The other lower-rank demon should be his great-grandfather.

"Why are you looking at me so fiercely all of a sudden?" Muershi held up his hands in a half-hearted surrender. "Scary."

Wen Ying reined in his overly aggressive gaze and said casually, "Are you not going to play along anymore?"

Scarlet and Li Jie, who were listening to their conversation, looked confused. What did they mean?

Muershi blinked, very puzzled. "Play along with what?"

Looking at him, Wen Ying nonchalantly straightened his body and leaned back on the chair, his posture relaxed.

"What happened to that demon with the teleportation ability?"

Muershi reached out to Wen Ying. "I went through a lot to get this intel. You can't just have it for free, right?"

Wen Ying looked at him and grinned. "If you don't tell me, I'll tell Feng Luo and Lai Yehua that it was all your idea."

Essence, intrigued, asked, "What's what?"

The other three demons felt that they could understand each word individually, but when combined, they made no sense. Scarlet couldn't help but ask, "What on earth are you talking about?"

Beside them, Boreas perked up his ears, equally curious to know just what it was about Wen Ying's close association with Muershi that was so distasteful. He was convinced that Muershi had thoroughly corrupted him. Boreas could still vividly recall their first encounter, when Wen Ying was truly an embodiment of harmony between appearance and essence—exactly as he seemed on the surface, so he was within.

Muershi's lips downturned in a pout: "Are you truly not the utmost detestable bird? So very unpleasant."

Scarlet was confused about what was happening, but he could tell Muershi was flustered. Seizing the opportunity, he promptly said with delight, "You finally know how it feels to be toyed with, just like you do to those demons, huhahaha."

Muershi gazed at him with a profound look in his eyes, and Scarlet's smile turned wary. This guy was vengeful, so Scarlet needed to be cautious lately, lest he incurred Muershi's retaliation.

"I don't engage in unprofitable transactions. Let me give you some free information as a trial."

Suddenly, Muershi leaned forward, his head close to Wen Ying's, and whispered in his ear, "Many factions are investigating your background."

Wen Ying remained calm. "What kind of free information is this? I would have known even without you telling me."

Putting aside everything else, with Aruda's position in the Demon Realm, it was only natural that other demons would investigate his origins. Unfortunately for them, he had emerged out of nowhere, leaving no traces for them to uncover.

Arudha revealed that she had interfered during his initial examination, ensuring that no other demons discovered Wen Ying's hybrid status, tampering with the results of his blood test.

Muershi frowned in distress, then said after a moment of contemplation, "Fine, I'll tell you for free this time. In the future, if you have something important, you should also tell me for free."

Wen Ying was surprised. "What are you saying? Aren't we good friends? Of course, I would tell you anything important." It was best to issue empty promises.

It seemed as though Muershi silently scoffed in her mind. Her brows drooped, and her gaze lost some of its previous vitality.

Just as Muershi was about to speak, Wu Fei suddenly approached. Muershi fell silent, and Wen Ying turned to look at Wu Fei. "Wu Fei?"

Wu Fei hesitated. "Um, Wen Ying, can I ask a favor of you?"

Wen Ying nodded. "Sure, go ahead."

"You know I used to live in the human world, right?" Wu Fei spoke with some embarrassment.

Wen Ying nodded, offering a gentle, attentive expression.

Seeing Wen Ying's receptive demeanor, Wu Fei finally continued, "Actually, I want you to help me intimidate a human. If you're ever summoned by an exorcist to the human world, I'm not asking you to necessarily help me, but if there's an opportunity, if you're summoned and there's a chance, I'd like you to scare him for me."

Wu Fei handed a piece of paper to Wen Ying nervously. Wen Ying looked down and saw that it was a note with an address, a name, and some basic information about the person.

Wen Ying lifted his gaze.

Wu Fei said, "He's my boss in the human world. He has a terrible personality and often deducts our salaries for trivial reasons. He makes us work from dawn till dusk without overtime pay. If you have the chance, I'd like you to help me out. I'll compensate you!"

Seeing Wu Fei's serious and nervous expression, Wen Ying chuckled and teased him, "What kind of compensation will you give me?"

Wu Fei had already thought this through and replied promptly, "A promise. I'll help you with anything, big or small."

In reality, Wu Fei was still somewhat nervous. Initially, he planned to offer money as payment, but he felt that it lacked sincerity, so he came up with this idea.

"Sure," Wen Ying agreed readily, "I actually have a favor I need your help with right now."

Muershi glanced at Wen Ying, surprise flickering in his eyes. Why was Wen Ying being so kind to Wu Fei? He probably wanted Wu Fei's authorization, but for such matters, all Wen Ying needed was a reasonable excuse to appease Lan Jiaying, and Wu Fei would surely agree. There was no need to expend a favor on this.

Hearing Muershi's resentful remark, " Favoritism." How could Wen Ying be so nice to that foolish Wu Fei?

Wen Ying turned his head and said, "I just have more affection for you."

Muershi chuckled. "Doesn't that mean Second Prince is naive?"

Wu Fei: "…"

"Wen Ying," said Wen Ying, ignoring him, "grant me the authorization. I want to make your magic cards."

"Eh? Eh!" Wu Fei's eyes widened. "Will my cards even sell?!" Something like a celebrity souvenir, there was no way it would have any sales.

"You underestimate yourself," Wen Ying was confident. "There will definitely be sales." He didn't believe that the extremists wouldn't want to kill Wu Fei and wouldn't buy them.

Wu Fei felt a little embarrassed. "I don't mind, but I'm afraid you'll lose money."

"Tsk tsk," Muershi shook his head. "He's worried about you losing money." There was no need to be wary of Wu Fei. Would Wen Ying, the devil, do something at a loss? Definitely not.

After successfully obtaining Wu Fei's authorization, Wen Ying turned his attention back to Muershi after he left. "Let's continue our previous conversation?"

As he spoke, the class bell rang.

Muershi shrugged innocently. "Let's talk after school."

Wen Ying drooped his eyelids, he hadn't disliked the sound of the school bell this much in a long time since leaving the human world. He was eagerly waiting for the end of classes.

Finally, after enduring the painful class hours, school was over. Wen Ying pulled Muershi out eagerly.

Perseus: "…" He stared gloomily at the back door they left through, feeling very displeased.

Essence spoke up loudly, "Their personalities seem to match well."

The demon fairy Koroy had somehow appeared and perched on the corner of Essence's desk, seemingly engaged in conversation with her.

"Yeah, I often see them together during holidays. I wonder what they're up to."

"Oh, I think I saw them at that famous couple's café a few days ago. I don't know what they were talking about, but they looked quite happy."

Perseus abruptly stood up, silencing the two demons. They turned to look at him, and Perseus gave them a blank stare before turning and leaving.

"Such a scary atmosphere," Koroy covered her mouth, a mischievous glint flashing in her eyes. "But seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if they one day announced they were dating."

Essence chuckled and propped her chin up. "That's impossible. Muershi isn't Wen Ying's type. But I do think Wen Ying enjoys teasing Lan Jiaying, maybe he even likes her."

Passing by casually, Lan Jiaying asks with a raised eyebrow, "?"

Wu Shaluo, filled with fury, attempts to rush forward but is stopped by Lan Jiaying. With a cold and detached expression, Lan Jiaying says calmly, "Ignore him."

"W..." Wu Shaluo clenches his fists.

Essence turns his head slightly, giving Wu Shaluo a meaningful smile. The interpretation of the smile varies depending on one's emotions. To Wu Shaluo, it feels like a provocation.

Lan Jiaying doesn't show any anger; instead, the corners of his lips lift slightly. "Only the insecure would try to boost their confidence through such means." As long as they ignore the provocations, they won't lose their composure!

Essence raises an eyebrow. It seems Wen Ying has taught Lan Jiaying even better how to put on a facade.

Confidently and elegantly, Lan Jiaying strides away, convinced in his heart that Wen Ying could never like him. If Wen Ying were interested, he'd be able to write his name backwards.

Hmph, fancying Perseus? That uncultured and barbaric demon wouldn't give Wen Ying the time of day. He waits patiently for the spectacle, ready to pour salt on Wen Ying's wounds.