Chapter 41: I Am Truly a Genius!

"You little fox..."

Wang Quanzui was fuming, about to retort, but Yang Qingyuan raised a hand to cut her off.

"Qingyuan, this little vixen is being completely ungrateful. It’s like casting pearls before swine!"

"Alright, alright, calm down. Don't take it to heart. Given the current relations between humans and demons, it's only natural she doesn't trust us."

Yang Qingyuan soothed Wang Quanzui, then turned his gaze back to Tushan Yaya. "If you don't believe us, Miss Yaya, why not just accompany us to Huangfeng City and see for yourself?"

Seeing that Yang Qingyuan was not only unbothered but had unexpectedly invited her to join them in Huangfeng City, Tushan Yaya’s brain momentarily struggled to process the situation.

What does he mean? Is he trying to trick me into going to Huangfeng City? Is this stinking Taoist planning to lure me there and have his cronies capture me? Hmph! Do they really think I’m that easy to fool?

Just as Tushan Yaya was about to refuse, Wang Quanzui deliberately mimicked her posture and tone with mocking precision.

"So what if you found out? You can come to my Tushan territory, but I can't go to your human territory? Someone was bragging quite loudly a moment ago without even blinking, but now that the lie is soaring through the clouds, are you scared?"

Watching Wang Quanzui’s teasing expression, whatever shred of reason Tushan Yaya had left was thrown to the winds.

"Who are you laughing at?! I’ll go! What’s there to be afraid of? In all of Tushan, who doesn't know that my word is law?"

And so, goaded by Wang Quanzui’s provocation, Tushan Yaya finally agreed to head to Huangfeng City with them.

In truth, Yang Qingyuan had not wanted to bring her along. Tushan Yaya was a demon, and if her identity were exposed, things would get complicated. If word got out, those with ulterior motives might use it against him, accusing him of colluding with demons. Yes, Yang Qingyuan was thinking specifically of the Xiao family! Xiao Tiansheng had been unable to find any dirt on him for ten years; he must be bursting with frustration. If he found out about this, he would surely sink his teeth into the matter and never let go.

But now that Wang Quanzui had backed Tushan Yaya into a corner, there was no turning back.

"Miss Yaya, you may come with us, but you must agree to three conditions."

"What do you mean?" Tushan Yaya frowned.

"If you cannot comply, you may return to Tushan right now."

Tushan Yaya hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"Fine, I agree! Three conditions it is!"

"First, you must not use your powers. Second, once we enter Huangfeng City, you must not stray more than ten paces from me. Third, hide your demon aura and your ears—don't let anyone discover you are a demon. Can you manage that?"

"It's a deal!"

"It's a deal."

After sealing the agreement, Yang Qingyuan sighed, pulled a mask from his robes, and donned it. This unusual action caught Wang Quanzui’s attention.

"Hey, why did you suddenly put on a mask?"

"I have to. If her identity is exposed, we’ll be branded as demon-sympathizers for real." Yang Qingyuan sighed helplessly. He had originally intended to use the influence of the Yang and Wang Quan families to force the City Lord of Huangfeng to tell the truth. But with Tushan Yaya in tow, their true identities could not be revealed.

"Your mask..." Tushan Yaya stared at the mask, falling into a rare silence. It had to be said, the stinking Taoist looked quite good in it. Actually, wearing masks like this was a pretty good idea! If I wore one when I went out in the future, even if I caused trouble, I wouldn't drag my sister into it! I really am a genius!

"What? Do you have an opinion on his mask?"

"Hmph! It's ugly!"

"What did you say?!!"

...

A short while later, inside the City Lord’s mansion in Huangfeng City.

Unlike the desolation of the city itself, the mansion was protected by a defensive array. No matter how fierce the sandstorms raged outside, not a grain could penetrate the grounds. The people inside were quite different from the dust-covered commoners outside; even the servants were dressed in fine, vibrant silks. Though it sat within the same city, this place was like a paradise, a stark contrast to the world outside.

High above, wearing his mask and suppressing his aura, Yang Qingyuan silently observed the scene below.

"Truly, 'behind the vermilion gates, wine and meat rot, while on the road lie the bones of the frozen.' No wonder the City Lord ignores the situation at Huangfeng Ridge and refuses to report it to the Taoist Alliance—he’s been hiding in this array enjoying a life of luxury."

"Look at the singing and dancing in there. I bet these people don't care at all if the innocent civilians outside live or die!" Wang Quanzui gritted her teeth. Had Yang Qingyuan not held her back, she would have cleaved the place in two with her sword.

"Is it strange? Isn't this just the typical nature of you humans?"

For once, Wang Quanzui did not argue back, as the scene before her left her with no room for rebuttal.

"Qingyuan, what should we do next?"

"What to do?" A cold glint flashed in Yang Qingyuan’s eyes. He let out a cold snort, and the next instant, a bolt of lightning as thick as a water barrel descended from the sky, slamming into the defensive array of the mansion.

Boom!

The sheer force of the strike shattered the barrier instantly.

"You really just attacked?" Tushan Yaya looked up at him in surprise, muttering under her breath.

"Who goes there?!! How dare you attack my City Lord’s mansion!!!"

With the barrier destroyed, the servants inside erupted into chaos. Simultaneously, three luxuriously dressed middle-aged Taoists flew out on their swords to confront them.

"Who are you? Why attack our mansion without cause?"

"The Masked Ones," Yang Qingyuan replied indifferently.

"The Masked Ones?" The leader exchanged glances with his two companions. Suddenly, one of them seemed to recall something.

"City Lord, I heard that a group of masked people has recently appeared all over the Taoist Alliance’s territories. They go around righting wrongs and are all incredibly powerful. Could it be them?"