Was that kid playing with poop?
Ren Kurogane's eyes shifted slightly. The child's words had revealed quite a bit of information.
If the kid hadn't lacked those distinctive cockroach-like antennae on his head, Ren Kurogane would have suspected that he'd stumbled across Dongfang Yuechu's family by accident.
Yaya, however, wasn't thinking that far ahead. She walked into the small village, looking around curiously.
"This place is so run-down!"
"Yeah. It's just a small village, so it's normal for it to be poor."
"Then why is the house near the village entrance so nice?"
"You don't understand. That's called having a good image!" Ren Kurogane grinned. "Think about it. If that house near the entrance weren't so nice, would we have come in?"
Yaya narrowed her eyes, then nodded.
"Yeah!"
THUD!
Ren Kurogane fell flat on his face!
Yaya gave him a mischievous grin.
While the two were fooling around, a family of three watched them from hiding.
If Ren Kurogane had seen them, he would have recognized them immediately. They were precisely the family he'd been looking for: Dongfang Yuechu's family.
"Mom, are those two demons?" young Yuechu asked curiously.
"Quiet! We'll be in trouble if we attract their attention." Dongfang Qinlan was on high alert, her heart practically in her throat.
Why would two Demon Kings come to a place like this?
Since they were demons, they certainly weren't Jin Renfeng's subordinates. Besides, Qinlan doubted that even Jin Renfeng could get two Demon Kings to work for him.
Standing beside them was a short-haired man, Dongfang Yuechu's father. He didn't have a name, so for convenience, let's call him Yuechu's father.
All three were extremely nervous, silently praying that the two demons wouldn't come their way.
Unfortunately, their hopes were soon shattered.
Under the desperate gazes of the family, Ren Kurogane and Yaya walked straight toward them.
"Hey! You three…"
Ren Kurogane had been wearing a lazy expression, but the moment he saw the family, his face turned serious. He stared at them in shock.
Two stray locks of hair sticking up on the head. A red mark between the eyebrows.
Wasn't that the Dongfang family's distinctive mark?
And the child…
That little cockroach!
There was no mistake. This was Dongfang Yuechu's family, the very people who survived by selling roasted sweet potatoes!
If a traitor within the Dongfang family hadn't ambushed them, Dongfang Qinlan would have been preparing to cultivate a thousand acres of farmland and become a wealthy landowner in the area.
Without hesitation, Ren Kurogane grabbed Yaya and retreated thirty meters in an instant!
"Careful! They're members of the Dongfang family! Their Demon-Slaying Divine Flame isn't something we can handle!"
"What?"
Yaya's expression immediately turned serious.
She might have been a little airheaded, but she knew about the Dongfang family's reputation. Excitement quickly appeared in her eyes.
Although the Dongfang family had existed for only a few decades before its influence collapsed, Dongfang Gumu had once been comparable to Wangquan Shouchuo.
Wangquan Shouchuo was the second genius in the Wangquan family to understand the proper way to wield the Wangquan Sword. He was also the one who officially ushered in a golden age of cultivation!
If Wangquan Baye's generation hadn't been wiped out, humanity would now have an overwhelming advantage over demons.
Dongfang Qinlan, Dongfang Gumu's second daughter, was also incredibly powerful. Her strength was no less than that of a Demon King.
Her Reverse Fire Curse was the natural enemy of all fire-based cultivators!
Of course, neither Ren Kurogane nor Yaya used fire, so they didn't need to worry about the Reverse Fire Curse.
But they were demons!
And they had every reason to fear the Demon-Slaying Divine Flame, Pure Yang Flame!
Ren Kurogane immediately began considering retreat.
"Everyone, I'm just passing through. We mean no offense, so we'll take our leave now!"
With that, he prepared to make a quick getaway.
Unexpectedly, Yaya suddenly grabbed him by the arm.
He turned to look at her and found her wearing an extremely excited expression.
"Sister Yaya, don't tell me you're…"
Before Ren Kurogane could finish speaking, Yaya's actions confirmed his suspicions.
"Hey, fire-wielding woman! Let's fight! We'll see whether your fire is stronger or my ice is stronger!"
Yaya shouted arrogantly.
Ren Kurogane didn't even need to speak. He already knew what she was thinking.
She was probably going to drag him straight back to Tushan to cultivate again.
But this was their first stop! They'd barely left home, and now she wanted to turn around and run just because they'd encountered a member of the Dongfang family?
Wouldn't that be utterly humiliating for a Demon King?
Had this happened a few years earlier, Dongfang Qinlan would undoubtedly have accepted Yaya's challenge without hesitation and started fighting immediately.
But so much had changed since the disaster that befell her family. The once arrogant and domineering Dongfang Qinlan was gone.
The woman standing here now believed in one thing above all else: endure and keep a low profile.
So, instead of responding to Yaya's provocation, Qinlan smiled politely.
"Your Excellency, the Demon King, must be joking! We're just an ordinary family of three. How could we possibly be a match for a Demon King? Haha…"
Seeing Dongfang Qinlan back down, Yaya immediately became unhappy. She was about to speak again when Ren Kurogane clamped a hand over her mouth.
He smiled at Qinlan.
"Exactly, exactly! We're just ordinary people passing through…"
After watching the two demons disappear from sight, Dongfang Qinlan finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She turned to her husband.
"Yuechu's father! Get our things ready. We're moving immediately!"
"Understood!"
Although Yuechu's father wasn't particularly powerful, he was a cultivator and understood his wife's predicament. He nodded without hesitation.
"You take Yuechu and leave first. I'll grab a few things and catch up with you."
Just as the family of three prepared to flee, Ren Kurogane and Yaya suddenly returned.
Ren Kurogane had just thought of something rather interesting.
"You three!"
Seeing Ren Kurogane reappear, Qinlan's heart leaped into her throat. She immediately assumed a defensive stance.
The first encounter might have been a coincidence, but there was no way they'd returned without a reason!
Ren Kurogane lifted Yaya up and grinned.
"Allow me to introduce you to someone. This is Tushan's Second-in-Command! After learning about your circumstances, she felt deeply sympathetic and would like to invite you to live in Tushan. As long as you pay the required price, you'll receive permanent residency!"
"Tushan?"
Qinlan was tempted.
Tushan had a fairly good reputation in the world. After all, most powerful demons with a name and standing had sought Tushan's help to renew their fated relationships.
Moreover, Tushan didn't invade other territories. It simply protected its own land.
After hesitating briefly, Qinlan asked, "Um, what exactly is the price you're talking about?"
"Don't worry. It won't cost you your lives!" Ren Kurogane explained with a smile.
To demonstrate his sincerity, he even reined in his demonic aura.
Qinlan exchanged a glance with Yuechu's father, then nodded slightly.
"Fine! I'll trust Tushan this once!"
She looked at Ren Kurogane with a resolute expression.
Regardless of what happened, the family would have to move after today. If they could settle in Tushan without suffering any losses, they'd never have to worry about their safety again.
Tushan's leader is a Demon Emperor. Forget a nobody like Jin Renfeng—even Wangquan Baye, that despicable coward who takes advantage of people when they're down, might not be a match for a Demon Emperor.
After thinking it through, Qinlan decided that the offer was reasonably trustworthy.
The only real question was whether Honghong could be relied upon.
Still, looking at Yaya's apparently wise face, Qinlan figured Honghong probably wasn't much different.
Ren Kurogane was delighted when Qinlan agreed!
Once the family entered Tushan, even Dongfang Bu, the current head of the Dongfang family, wouldn't be a match for Honghong.
As for the little bastard who had ambushed Dongfang Bu, Ren Kurogane actually hoped he'd show up.
If Dongfang Dianliang dared to come, Ren Kurogane would finally have the heart's blood he needed to temper the Absolute Edge Claws!
And once Dongfang Dianliang was dead, Ren Kurogane wouldn't have to pay to treat him either. That would save him a considerable sum of money.
Ren Kurogane summoned a gust of demonic wind, lifted everyone into the air, and flew back to Tushan.
After they left, Honghong emerged from the shadows, deep in thought.
"Why bring those troublesome members of the Dongfang family back to Tushan? Is he planning something? Or is there something special about them?"
Remembering that Ren Kurogane came from the future, Honghong immediately began filling in the blanks herself.
That family of three must have great significance for the future. Otherwise, Ren Kurogane wouldn't have gone to such lengths to bring them here!
A flash of red light appeared, and Honghong returned to Tushan ahead of Ren Kurogane.
To protect the Qinlan family's privacy, Ren Kurogane used wind to conceal their figures, preventing outsiders from seeing them.
They continued all the way to the Tree of Acknowledgement. Only when they arrived beneath it did the wind surrounding the three members of the family dissipate, revealing their figures.
Honghong had been waiting beneath the tree for some time.
Seeing Dongfang Yuechu's family, she pretended to be displeased.
"Little Tiger, do you think you have the authority to bring people into Tushan without permission?"
Ren Kurogane had already prepared his response.
He dashed over to Honghong and whispered, "See that little boy?"
"Mm."
"That's the genius who will change the course of the entire world in the future! It's thanks to his help that you'll be able to achieve your dream of peaceful coexistence between humans and demons!"
A look of understanding flashed through Honghong's eyes.
She'd known Ren Kurogane wouldn't bring strangers into Tushan out of simple kindness. Their identities really were extraordinary!
Meeting Ren Kurogane's expectant golden eyes, Honghong smiled.
Just as he thought everything was settled, Honghong spoke calmly.
"Their daily expenses will be deducted from your account."
"What?"
Ren Kurogane was stunned.
Since when had he even had an account?
It was true that he'd originally been promised a salary, but ever since Rongrong told him he'd have to work in Tushan for seventy thousand days, he'd never seen a single payment.
Of course, he hadn't seen any salary before that either…
But back then, at least he had something to look forward to. Now, he had absolutely nothing!
Seeing Ren Kurogane's expression, Honghong suddenly remembered that she'd never actually paid him.
She felt a little awkward.
"Well, since you'll be Tushan's long-term laborer for the next seventy thousand days or so, you won't receive a salary until you've repaid your debt. The three of them can stay on credit, but the expenses will be recorded under your name."
Before Ren Kurogane could ask why, Honghong explained, "Because you're the one who brought them here!"
All right…
Ren Kurogane had nothing to say.
It looked like his days of working for free had just been extended again.
Still, he'd never planned to leave Tushan in the first place, so a little extra time didn't really matter to him.
After Honghong approved the arrangement, Ren Kurogane took the family to see Rongrong.
If they wanted to find jobs in Tushan, they needed the financial minister, Rongrong, to make the arrangements.
A few minutes later, Ren Kurogane silently swallowed.
Sister Yaya! You're so disloyal! How could you just leave me here?!
That's right. Yaya hadn't come with him to see Rongrong. Instead, she'd stayed with Honghong, clinging to her big sister and demanding affection.
So now, Ren Kurogane was standing alone in front of Rongrong.
Facing Tushan's Third-in-Command, he could only think one thing.
I'm doomed!
Rongrong's smile grew even wider after she learned why he'd come.
"So, you want to support these three ordinary humans? That's certainly possible. However, you don't have any money yourself, and your daily necessities are already covered by your work, so…"
Rongrong paused to think before continuing.
"Therefore, for every day the three of them live here, you'll have to work for Tushan for an additional three days!"
She'd expected Ren Kurogane to bargain.
The terms were so harsh that she'd already prepared herself for a lengthy negotiation.
Instead, Ren Kurogane immediately agreed.
"Sure! No problem at all!"
Rongrong stared at him in astonishment, her eyes widening.
She stammered, "You… aren't you even going to argue?"
"Huh? Am I allowed to argue?"
Ren Kurogane looked at her in confusion.
Knowing Rongrong as he did, he figured that even if he tried bargaining, he'd only be wasting his breath.
Seeing that he didn't appear to be joking, Rongrong broke into a smile.
"All right, then it's settled. I'll personally keep track of your account from now on."
"Hehe! Thank you, Third-in-Command!"
After thanking Rongrong, Ren Kurogane turned toward the family standing behind him.
"Come on! From now on, you're all my underlings!"
Qinlan and the other two were still dumbfounded.
They'd never imagined that a Demon King could be so thoroughly controlled by the little girl standing before them.
But after remembering how obediently Ren Kurogane behaved around Yaya, they found it easier to accept.
Ren Kurogane brought them to a nearby mountain.
Looking at the completely bare summit, the family of three felt confused.
Yuechu's father asked, "Lord Demon King, isn't there a place for us to live here?"
Ren Kurogane pointed at the empty land.
"This entire area belongs to me. Just pick a spot and build a house. Oh, and if you want to farm or raise livestock, you'd better let Rongrong know first. Otherwise, she'll definitely use the opportunity to squeeze more out of me!"
Qinlan hurriedly nodded.
"Don't worry, Lord Demon King! We understand!"
What happened next left the entire family speechless.
Ren Kurogane moved a large stone aside on the mountainside. Behind it, they could see a few basic household items.
For the past few years, Ren Kurogane had been cultivating in a cave. Since he had no money, he couldn't afford to build himself a proper house, so he'd resorted to this arrangement.
The following day, Ren Kurogane watched Dongfang Qinlan building a house in the distance and nodded approvingly.
"What a lively young person!"
Beside him, Yaya stared at him with dead-fish eyes.
"A young person? You're the youngest one here! Strictly speaking, you're only three and a half years old…"
Suddenly, Yaya broke into a wicked grin.
"You little three-and-a-half-year-old brat! You're the same age as that little cockroach over there~"
She looked at Dongfang Yuechu, who was playing with mud in the distance, and burst out laughing.
Ren Kurogane wasn't about to take that lying down.
He immediately pounced on Yaya.
The two began wrestling and fooling around.
Watching them play around while building the house, Qinlan and Yuechu's father exchanged glances and smiled.
Several days later, Ren Kurogane was playing cricket fighting with Yaya when a voice suddenly sounded in his ear.
"Come to the Tree of Acknowledgement."
Ren Kurogane stood up and smiled at Yaya.
"Rongrong's looking for me. Let's continue playing when I get back!"
Yaya gave him an OK sign.
"Go ahead. Come back soon. I'll keep an eye on the crickets."
But the next moment, Yaya's body stiffened as Honghong's voice sounded in her ear.
"Come to the Tree of Acknowledgement."