Sheng Yuan-yao had no concept of the Demon Realm, but Lu Xing-zhou was prepared, knowing that the Demon Realm must be incredibly vast.

It even surpassed the proportion of the northern grasslands to Huaxia in his own world, perhaps even double.

It was easy to imagine, as many demon races had extremely large bodies, including Long Qing-huang whose true form was a giant dragon several dozen zhang long. Such a race could not possibly live in a small place.

And most demon races were prolific. With so many individuals and such large bodies, what size territory would be suitable?

Moreover, it was not barren. A barren land could not foster the temperament and grace of someone like Long Qing-huang.

The Gobi desert from before was a borderland between the two sides. Whether it became a border because it was barren, or barren because it was a border and no one cultivated it, was unknown. In any case, not the entire Demon Realm was like that.

The entire Demon Realm should have a great variety of geographies, and it must contain many ancient secret realms.

After several days of marching north, the army arrived at an extremely large city. The city stretched out of sight, with ospreys soaring above and dense spiritual energy. Sheng Yuan-yao thought they had reached the Demon Capital so quickly.

When she asked a demon soldier, he replied, “This is our border city, similar to your Juyao Pass. But we have more than one. This one is in the Lion Tribe’s territory.”

Sheng Yuan-yao was stunned. Such a large city, yet it was only a border city, and they had more than one such border city!

She had thought she was going to the countryside, but it turned out she was the country bumpkin entering the city?

Her sense of superiority from the rich and abundant Great Gan was almost shattered.

However, after entering the city, she realized that although the city’s grandeur was impressive, its civilization was relatively crude, lacking refinement and beauty. The utensils were quite simple, and there was no cultural atmosphere. As for the folk customs, she couldn’t tell, as the mighty army marched into the city, all the common folk hid away.

She could only see many un-transformed demons, with lion heads and tiger heads, peeking around street corners, and a pig head resting on a roadside chopping block, which made Sheng Yuan-yao want to ask the vendor to cut half of it.

But the vendor himself was a pig head, selling miscellaneous grain porridge.

Sheng Yuan-yao found it quite amusing.

By the way, how do lions, tigers, and pig heads get along…

It was conceivable that, in everyday life, the folk customs would likely be fierce, with lions and tigers rampant.

After settling into the city, Long Qing-huang began to reward and punish for the war. Long Zheng thought that if others weren’t rewarded, he was mistaken. A lot of official positions and money were handed out generously, showing that the Demon Court was very rich.

Afterward, armies from other tribes gradually left, and the Lion Tribe army also returned home. It was clear that these were not professional soldiers; they were common folk in peacetime and soldiers in wartime. Every demon was a potential elite.

Sheng Yuan-yao observed these things from a scout’s perspective, her thoughts a little heavy.

In theory, the Great Gan was also like this. So many immortal sects stood in various mountains and rivers, not just for show; they all had to provide strength to the imperial court. Even Lu Xing-zhou was now theoretically “a person from the Tianxing Sword Sect serving in the Ministry of Rites.” Holy Land disciples were also in various armies. Tu Yu-gui, stationed in Dongjiang Commandery, was one example, and Zhao Jia-yong, whom she knew well, also had a Holy Land background.

But the level of organization required for an emperor to wield a whip and unleash a global torrent was far from being achieved. In the northern border war, only Shen Tang participated from the sects… So many first and second-rank powerhouses were holed up in their own mountains, without any movement.

Although Gu Zhan-ting had his own plans and did not deliberately conscript strong individuals from various sects, Sheng Yuan-yao knew that even if he did, it would only happen occasionally during a war of national destiny, and it would be difficult to summon them normally.

But the demon race seemed to have a bit of this flavor. At Long Qing-huang’s command, various tribes gathered, and elites were sent out. This wasn’t some war of national destiny, was it?

“Don’t look so worried and downcast.” In the evening, resting in the city, Lu Xing-zhou brewed tea in the guest courtyard: “Look, the demon race doesn’t even have a Honglu Temple. We’re staying in an inn. Their civilization isn’t advanced enough.”

“…This is a Lion Tribe border city. What kind of Honglu Temple would it have? Isn’t she afraid Long Qing-huang would chop off his head?”

“I bet Long Qing-huang doesn’t have one either. Even if she does, it’s not like ours.”

“Why?”

“Because they don’t have diplomatic relations. And among the various tribes, there are already diplomatic relations.”

Sheng Yuan-yao paused, realizing what Lu Xing-zhou meant.

Every family has its own troubles. The demon race indeed wasn’t as glorious as it appeared on the surface; there were many internal problems, so there was no need to worry unnecessarily.

If they were truly that formidable, they wouldn’t have suffered a devastating defeat ten years ago.

“And did you notice… there are even temples here.” Lu Xing-zhou smiled as he spoke: “The Great Gan doesn’t have many temples, and they’re not very popular in the capital. There’s only a fake temple disguised by the demonic path in Menggui City. I never expected to see a temple in the Demon Realm. Isn’t that strange? It shows that the demon race also has spiritual needs and solace…”

Sheng Yuan-yao also found it very strange that the demon race actually had monks.

She couldn’t imagine what those lion-headed and tiger-headed beings would look like in kasayas reciting scriptures. Do they eat meat? How do they spread their teachings? Sheng Yuan-yao couldn’t even picture it.

“Forget it, we’ll talk about it when we reach the Demon Capital.” Sheng Yuan-yao grumbled, “How much further is it?”

“Probably more than half a month’s journey. No rush.”

“I’m not in a rush, actually.” Sheng Yuan-yao smiled. Being alone with Lu Xing-zhou like this, she was happy no matter where they went. Even Ah Nuo, that glowing lantern, wasn’t around, which was even more comfortable than being in her own city. “Speaking of which, where’s Ah Nuo?”

“Ah Nuo is with Long Qing-huang.”

“You trust Long Qing-huang that much?”

“…She’s very good to Ah Nuo. She scolds her as a little liar, but she still hugs her and rubs her face.” Lu Xing-zhou said, “I also want Ah Nuo to have more contact with Long Qing-huang. Long Qing-huang’s cultivation is the most suitable for Ah Nuo. Let’s see if she can get some benefits for Ah Nuo once they become familiar.”

Sheng Yuan-yao’s face was a little red. In the past, she was the one who loved hugging Ah Nuo and rubbing her face. Now, the cat that used to do backflips had been thrown over the wall and was being petted by someone else.

Come to think of it, she had believed the rumors about the Demon Emperor stealing men, and that the Demon Emperor deliberately lured Lu Xing-zhou on a mission with clearly malicious intent. She had accompanied him with the intention of disrupting whatever was going on between them. However, after several days of travel, she hadn’t seen any interaction between Long Qing-huang and Lu Xing-zhou. They hadn’t even exchanged a single word. Any communication with the envoy was relayed by an old goat, or sometimes by Ah Nuo.

Looking at it this way, something seemed off. Had she wronged him?

“Did you and Long Qing-huang have a fight?”

“No, I already told you what kind of person Long Qing-huang is. How could there be anything between us? You didn’t believe me then, do you believe me now?”

Sheng Yuan-yao sidled over like a sycophant to massage his shoulders. “Alright, alright, I guess I did wrong you.”

In a certain mansion, Long Qing-huang held Ah Nuo in one hand and was reviewing the reward and punishment documents with the other. But for some reason, her grip suddenly tightened, wrinkling the documents, and Ah Nuo’s expression twitched.

For the past few days, Long Qing-huang hadn’t said a word to Lu Xing-zhou, seemingly still sulking, but in reality, she was observing whether Ah Nuo had lied to her again.

What “female sworn brother”… The mother dragon said she had never heard of it and didn’t believe it.

However, after several days of observation, hmm… it seemed that besides occasionally intimate physical contact, such as Sheng Yuan-yao sometimes happily putting her hand on Lu Xing-zhou’s shoulder, or now massaging his shoulders, there really was nothing else.

Even with this shoulder massage, Lu Xing-zhou didn’t take the opportunity to act inappropriately. Listening to their conversation, it was always “brother, how so,” with no ambiguous dialogue. Discussions about the demon race accounted for half of it. This “brotherly relationship” seemed to be real.

She just didn’t know if it was a deliberate act. Long Qing-huang decided to continue observing, having been fooled too many times by these liars.

Actually, it wasn’t an act.

Lu Xing-zhou had always denied any “romantic entanglements” in front of Sheng Yuan-yao, fearing a beating, and it was even more impossible for them to conspire to act… it was just how they normally interacted. The previous kisses and hugs happened when Sheng Yuan-yao was overly excited. Their window paper hadn’t been pierced; on the surface, they were siblings. Without special circumstances, how could they mess around? Sheng Yuan-yao wasn’t that cheap, and Lu Xing-zhou wasn’t that lust-driven.

Besides, being in a foreign land, with the army accompanying them, and the enemy chieftain nearby, who would be in the mood for flirting?

However, not acting was even more terrifying. The naive mother dragon would eventually learn the power of “female sworn brothers.”

Even now, she was already angry but didn’t know how to vent it.

Massaging a man’s shoulders for no reason, is that what brothers do?

And then, while dissociating herself from him, he nonchalantly and naturally drank her leftover tea. What was this man doing? Was he truly fond of her or not?

But she couldn’t find a reason to vent. Currently, they really had no relationship… In the end, Ah Nuo, who hadn’t lied, bore the brunt of it all.

While the journey was long and Long Qing-huang was still resting in the Lion Tribe city, Gu Zhan-ting and others had already returned to the capital.

The air in the capital was quiet.

News of the army’s defeat, the demon race approaching Juyao Pass, and His Majesty sending an envoy for peace talks had already reached the capital.

Fortunately, though the army was defeated, casualties were very few. It was said that they were rescued by Shen Tang of the Tianxing Sword Sect, as well as Sheng Yuan-yao and Lu Xing-zhou, and retreated safely. Furthermore, the soldiers trapped in the border city were successfully ransomed by Lu Xing-zhou through negotiations.

This battle elevated Lu Xing-zhou’s prestige to unprecedented heights. He was no longer just a student of the Dan Academy. Under the propaganda of Guoguan and the widely circulated essays of a certain capital talent, the title “Peerless National Scholar” was almost solidified.

Shen Tang and Sheng Yuan-yao also gained immense prestige. The threshold of Sheng Qing-feng’s home was worn out by the family members of the soldiers who came to thank him. Old Sheng’s face was as radiant as a chrysanthemum, and he was joyful every day. When he sent his daughter to the army, he never imagined such a day would come.

As for his daughter going on a mission, though it was dangerous, Old Sheng always felt that as long as she was with Lu Xing-zhou, her safety shouldn’t be too concerning. If she returned safely, the success of the mission itself would be a merit, basically free. What he should be worried about, on the other hand, was whether to consider what his grandson’s name would be… Hmm, should he buy a house near the Imperial Academy?

The entire Pei family was also delighted. Their cousin, Pei Zhao, had been trapped with Zhao Jia-yong and others and was ransomed by Lu Xing-zhou. Although he wasn’t Pei Qing-yan’s son, he was a close nephew, the son of Pei Qing-yan’s younger brother. The Pei family’s next generation of male heirs was not flourishing, with Pei Yu and Pei Zhao being the only single male heirs in their respective branches. Lu Xing-zhou’s act of kindness made the entire Pei family extremely grateful, and even Pei Chu-yun felt vindicated.

You all disliked my ambiguity with him, didn’t you? Now, your cousin had to rely on my man to save his life.

However, before she could gloat much, Pei Qing-yan confined her.

“One thing at a time. We thank him, but you sneaking out in the middle of the night to fool around with him is another matter. You even wrote articles exaggerating about ‘Peerless National Scholar’ recently. If you’re not ashamed, we’re ashamed for you. Is that how you use your reputation as a talented woman? How many people do you want to know you’re in estrus?”

“I used a pen name, a pen name. No one knows it’s me.”

“What pen name? Your writing style is instantly recognizable to those who know. So you want your ‘Ah Nü’ pen name to be known to everyone? Utterly foolish. Go to the study and read for three days. You’re not allowed out until you’ve memorized these classics and histories!”

Compared to the joy of these families, several other families were naturally troubled.

For example, the acting State Preceptor, Su Yuan.

The Holy Master’s rebuke was furious: “I told you to assist Lu Xing-zhou, and this is how you assisted him! You handed him over to Long Qing-huang?!”

Su Yuan felt more wronged than a dog: “Lu Xing-zhou went north on his own, and he didn’t tell me when he left. How would I know! And it was Gu Zhan-ting who ordered him to go on a mission, and he didn’t refuse…”

“He didn’t tell you, so you didn’t know? What good are you then!”

“Holy Master, please calm down. With Young Master Lu’s intelligence, even if it’s a dragon’s pool or a tiger’s den, he will cross it as easily as flat ground.”

“Of course, I know he won’t be in serious trouble. What I’m afraid of is him crossing that dragon’s pool and entering that tiger’s den!”

Su Yuan: “?”

Is that what I think it means?

By the way, you could clearly talk to Lu Xing-zhou directly. What’s the point of coming to me instead of him? What can I stop?

Ye Ting-lan seemed to remember that she could scold Lu Xing-zhou, and quickly hung up the call, contacting Lu Xing-zhou directly: “Tell me your location, I’ll come save you.”

“No need.” Lu Xing-zhou replied gently: “I’m not in danger. There are some considerations for coming to the Demon Realm… I just miss you a bit.”

Ye Ting-lan’s accusatory heart instantly melted. “You… you, if things are not feasible, don’t force it.”

Lu Xing-zhou said, “Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. Look, I even brought Ah Nuo and Yuan-yao. If there was danger, would I do that?”

“Then, then you’re not allowed to have any involvement with Long Qing-huang.”

Lu Xing-zhou secretly thought that this would be difficult to obey. The reason there was no danger was precisely because there was involvement… He even used his charm and drank her leftover tea.

Ye Ting-lan also knew this would be difficult. She grumbled for a long time before finally, indignantly, dropping a line: “You rotten scoundrel.”

Another troubled family was the Prince Jin’s Residence.

After Gu Zhan-ting returned to the capital, he locked himself in the palace and refused to see anyone, but it was said that the impeachment memorials on his desk had piled up like a mountain.

The content of the impeachment memorials was largely similar, all saying one thing: on the day His Majesty was besieged, Prince Jin was visibly pleased and spread rumors in the capital, implying an intention to oversee the country. This was a great disrespect, and they hoped His Majesty would investigate.

There was also important corroborating evidence from Gu Shao-li.

Gu Zhan-ting was furious in the palace: “Chen Yu betrayed the country, leading to the difficulty of this battle. It was all this fool who leaked secrets. I was still thinking about how to cover for him in front of the generals! But it turns out to be so absurd. What use is it for me to raise this beast!”