“I came to find you, of course it’s to continue the cooperation we started!” Jing Yanxin’s lips curved in a half-smile, just like when they first met. Some demons truly have thick skins! Even after everything, he could say such words without batting an eye, which amused Ye Yu.
“Cooperate, huh? Fine—show your true body and come meet me face to face,” Ye Yu said with a laugh.
“I think it’s better this way for now,” Jing Yanxin replied. “I’m afraid I’d end up like Niu Shixiao, so this state suits me. And stop thinking only of killing me. A win-win cooperation is better, right? Maybe I can give you what you want, and you can give me a hand in return.”
Ye Yu sneered. “Go on, then—what is it I want?”
The phantom of Jing Yanxin drifted two steps closer. “For example, who killed Ye Ji Zui, and the whereabouts of Nangong Jingtang!”
At these words, Ye Yu’s eyes flickered. He stepped forward, hand shooting out to seize the phantom—only to grasp at empty air. “Damn you!” He clenched his fist, voice low. “Spill what you know!”
“There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” Jing Yanxin laughed. “We must cooperate to share the benefits.”
“The Manniu Clan’s Ring of Life is with the Horn-Eagle Clan’s chief, Chen Mingzi. Bring it back and hand it over to me, and I’ll tell you the truth you seek.”
Ye Yu said nothing, his gaze icy. After a moment, Jing Yanxin could not contain himself and spread his hands. “All right, all right. To show my sincerity, I’ll first tell you who killed Ye Ji Zui. Once you deliver the Ring of Life, I’ll tell you where Nangong Jingtang is.”
Ye Yu nodded.
“The demons who participated in killing Ye Ji Zui numbered five. Chen Mingzi was one of them.”
With that, the phantom dissolved into nothing as if it had never existed.
Ye Yu’s expression shifted several times. The culprit was Chen Mingzi? Impossible. Curious as he was, Ye Yu did not dwell on it. He needed proof—better to seek the answer himself.
That very night, Ye Yu returned to Chaos Demon City. The city had changed greatly: its broken walls stood repaired, and the city lord’s mansion bore a new banner. From the emblem, the Horn-Eagle Clan had become the new rulers.
Inside the city lord’s hall, Chen Mingzi sat in high command, studying a bamboo scroll. A breeze drifted through—and Ye Yu’s figure appeared.
Seeing him, Chen Mingzi lowered the scroll and asked quietly, “Have you discovered Lord Nangong’s whereabouts?”
Ye Yu did not answer, instead speaking slowly: “I met Jing Yanxin. He told me that five demons killed Ye Ji Zui—and that you are one of them. True or false?”
Chen Mingzi’s expression remained calm. After a pause he nodded. “Indeed, I was one of those who ambushed Ye Ji Zui.”
He sighed. “I never expected such ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ matters to be known even by a mere ant like Jing Yanxin. It’s imperfect.”
Ye Yu asked softly, “Why did you do it?”
Chen Mingzi looked up as if recalling. “Why? I don’t know. Overall, Ye Ji Zui was a good city lord and helped me before. In both sentiment and reason, I should not have acted against him. But as chief of the Horn-Eagle Clan, I could not stand by while my people died. For their sake, I had to act.”
Pain flickered in his eyes. “When Nangong Xiao rebelled, many traitors were in Chaos Demon City. The Horn-Eagle Clan was their greatest supporter—nearly eighty percent of my clan wanted to hand the city over. But I did not wish to be city lord. They contacted Nangong Xiao in secret, planning to stage the rebellion, then eliminate Nangong Xiao afterward and elevate our chief, making us the city’s greatest clan.”
“The plan was good, but it failed. Afterwards, when Ye Ji Zui hunted down the traitors, suspicion fell on the Horn-Eagle Clan. In the demon realm, traitors are executed on the spot. My people came weeping to me. As angry as I was, I could not bring myself to slaughter eight-tenths of my clan. Advised by the other city clans, I compromised—joined the other four clan chiefs in ambushing Ye Ji Zui.”
Having heard the full account, Ye Yu shook his head. He had never imagined such motives. Suppressing his anger, he said, “Who were the other four killers? Tell me!”
Chen Mingzi waved him off. “No need to trouble yourself—they’re all dead. Two clan chiefs were slain during the ambush; the other two I eliminated myself these past days. I couldn’t stand their presence.”
“Even I feel disgusted by my actions. You know what? I hate you. You taught my clan’s young demons to spout that rubbish—‘justice, justice’—like a blade piercing the soul. I don’t know about justice, but I know that killing the old city lord was ingratitude!”
Tears glistened in Chen Mingzi’s eyes. “But a killer must pay with his life—that cannot change, and mere tears cannot atone! Ye Ji Zui’s death must be avenged!”
Ye Yu stepped forward, fingertips flicking. A purple talisman appeared in his hand. Chen Mingzi felt the overwhelming intent to kill but made no defense. Instead he looked to the sky and murmured, “At last, I can be free.”
Perhaps his heart had already accepted death. Ye Yu swiftly slew Chen Mingzi, then used the Soul-Refining Technique to search his memories.
