He Yuzhu returns in Siheyuan

Chapter 815 A Show of Force for Wang Ran

The old fox narrowed his eyes, pretending to ponder. His amber eyes darted around for a while before he shook his head, his tone feigning sincerity: "To be honest, I really don't know where the Dragon Clan is. If I did know, even if there were no benefits, I would definitely tell you, sir, for the sake of our fox clan's safety."

It sighed, as if in a great dilemma: "After all, the dragon race is powerful, and the lingering influence of their great war with the human race is still present. We, the imprisoned demon race, can't even avoid them, how dare we get involved with them? Isn't that playing with the lives of our entire race?"

It knew perfectly well that the matter of the dragons was far too complicated. The enmity between humans and dragons ran deep, and if it let slip anything, not only would it be silenced by the dragons, but the entire fox clan might be considered an accomplice by humans and suffer annihilation. Rather than take the risk, it was better to play dumb. After all, the humans couldn't produce any evidence, and they couldn't really wipe out all of them—they still needed the fox clan to guard the barrier of this valley.

The old fox lowered his eyelids, concealing the scheming in his eyes, leaving only an innocent and helpless expression, as if he truly knew nothing about the dragon clan's whereabouts.

Wang Ran's face instantly darkened, as if covered with frost, a hint of undisguised impatience flashing in his eyes. The demon race had been holed up in this desolate mountain for years, barely able to hold onto any decent territory, yet they dared to put on such a leisurely air in front of him? If he didn't teach them a lesson, they'd truly become arrogant and forget who was in charge now.

He looked up at the old fox in front of him—the man was dressed in a gray robe, his face was covered in wrinkles, but his eyes were surprisingly bright, and he was looking at him with a half-smile. Wang Ran's tone was firm and unyielding, like steel needles tempered with ice: "I don't have time to waste with you. Tell whoever is in charge here to come out and speak."

The old fox slowly stroked his silver beard, which was as white as snow and each hair was distinct. He had a faint smile on his face and spoke in a tone that was neither humble nor arrogant, just enough to match Wang Ran's imposing manner: "I am the current leader of the demon race, known as Qingxuan. If you have anything to say, please feel free to speak to me directly."

Wang Ran snorted coldly, his breath filled with obvious disdain, and cut to the chase: "I want to go into your demon territory and take a look. Everyone knows that the dragon race has been acting suspiciously lately, and they might be hiding here. I'm bringing people over to investigate; is that too much to ask?"

The old fox's smile faded slightly, and a barely perceptible hint of anger flickered in his eyes. Back in the day, the demon race was a respected group in the human realm, ruling over vast forests. When had they ever been so disrespected by humans? Now, they dared to allow humans to lead a large army into the sacred land. If word got out, where would the demon race's face be?

"My lord, this is probably not appropriate." The old fox's voice deepened, like a pebble thrown into a lake, rippling outwards with seriousness. "This is the territory where the demon race has lived for generations, protected by a barrier set up by our ancestors. It is against the rules for humans to trespass. If we set this precedent, then any Tom, Dick, or Harry will dare to come and run wild. What dignity will our demon race have left?"

Wang Ran's temper flared completely, like a powder keg exploding on a spark. A mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips: "Rules? Do the demon race even have the right to talk to me about rules now?" As the leader of the human cultivators, he commanded thousands of troops, and every cultivator under his command was highly skilled. To truly crush this demon territory would be a matter of snapping his fingers. "What exactly do you want? Are you really going to protect the dragon race, deliberately causing trouble, wanting to taste the power of my human race's magical artifacts?"

“You are mistaken.” The old fox suddenly straightened his back, his originally hunched figure appearing somewhat tall, with a faint blue demonic aura surging around him like swirling smoke. “Although the demon race is no longer as prosperous as it once was, it will not tolerate outsiders trampling on it like this! The matter of territory concerns the foundation of the race, and there is absolutely no room for negotiation!”

Wang Ran abruptly waved his hand, as if brushing away something in his way. The cultivators behind him instantly gripped their magical artifacts—longswords were drawn half an inch from their sheaths, emitting a sharp "whoosh"; talismans glowed faintly in their palms, their spiritual energy causing the air to tremble slightly. A fight seemed imminent, the tense atmosphere almost freezing. The demons on the demon race's side were not to be outdone, each baring their teeth: the wolf demons revealed their sharp claws, the fox demons' tails stood upright like fluffy brooms behind them, their eyes flashing with ferocity, ready to pounce and tear at any moment.

The old fox knew that starting a war at this moment would be disadvantageous for the demon race—the enemy outnumbered them and, if a real battle broke out, the demon race would likely suffer heavy losses. He suppressed his anger, as if trying to calm boiling water, and softened his tone: "Fine, seeing how insistent you are, I can make an exception. But I have one condition—only you can go in alone."

He was calculating in his mind: he was certain that Wang Ran wouldn't dare to venture out alone. After all, the demon territory was riddled with restrictions and countless hidden traps. If a fight broke out, Wang Ran would be no match for so many opponents, and he would surely be killed.

Unexpectedly, Wang Ran listened without hesitation, as if he had expected him to say so. He turned to the cultivators behind him and ordered, "You all wait outside. No one is allowed to move without my order." He paused and added, his voice as cold as ice, "If I don't come out in an hour, don't hesitate, attack directly and flatten this place."

The cultivators behind him responded in unison, "Yes!" Their voices were so loud that the leaves on the surrounding trees rustled.

Wang Ran then looked at the old fox, raised an eyebrow and said, "Now you should be satisfied, right? I'll go in alone and accompany you to 'see' whether your demon territory has anything that's not clean."

The old fox was taken aback, clearly not expecting Wang Ran to be so decisive. He wondered to himself: Could this man have some hidden tricks up his sleeve? But the words had already been spoken, so there was no way to take them back. He could only bite the bullet and say, "Since you have the courage, then come with me."

After saying that, the old fox turned and left. His steps seemed slow, but each one was firm and carried an undeniable aura. He wanted to see what gave Wang Ran the confidence to venture alone into the heart of the demon realm—was he truly capable, or just putting on an act?

The two arrived at the edge of the demon territory, one after the other. A pale blue barrier unfolded before them like flowing water, its surface shimmering with tiny lights and faintly exuding a powerful restrictive force, even blocking out the air. The old fox raised his hand and gently pressed it against the barrier. A ripple appeared where his palm touched the barrier, and the barrier slowly opened up like the receding tide, creating a gap just wide enough for one person to pass through.