Inside a woodshed in a secluded corner of the backyard.
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon sat on the ground, while Running Ox crouched by the door.
Tiger Cuihua crouched right in the center, not daring to even breathe loudly.
"What's the deal with this deer?"
"It's a long story..."
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon said coldly, "Then make it short."
Tiger Cuihua swallowed hard and organized her thoughts.
"This deer is named Jade Dust, the Demon Emperor of Wangchuan Valley in the Yu Mountain Great Range..."
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
Tiger Cuihua recounted everything that happened in the Yu Mountain Great Range in full detail.
From first meeting Jade Dust in Region City, to the death of Heavenly Bamboo in Wangchuan Valley, then to Wang Canglan being beaten to death, the punch that repelled the Pure Yang The Main Seat Clone, and finally the events at Qingwu Mountain.
Every single detail, one by one.
When she reached the exciting parts, Tiger Cuihua unconsciously started gesticulating, her tiger claws waving in the air as if she wanted to recreate the scene exactly as it was.
The more Old Scarlet Flood Dragon listened, the darker his expression became.
The more Running Ox listened, the stiffer his expression grew.
After Tiger Cuihua finally finished, the woodshed remained silent for a long while.
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon was the first to break the silence: "You've all seen how things are."
Running Ox nodded silently.
Tiger Cuihua also nodded, her tiger face filled with confusion... She didn't actually know what she was supposed to have seen, but that didn't stop her from nodding along.
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon glanced at Tiger Cuihua but said nothing more, continuing, "That Deer Demon has a cultivation at the Late Stage of Ascending the Tower, is smooth-handed, and has a silver tongue. He even brought a greeting gift the moment he arrived... What do you think Your Highness means by bringing him back?"
Running Ox muttered, "Adding another errand boy?"
"..."
Stupid thing.
If only it were really that simple...
But Old Scarlet Flood Dragon still patiently explained, "How many demons are by Your Highness's side now?"
"Counting that deer..."
Running Ox counted on his fingers, "Four."
"Four."
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon repeated the number, his tone carrying an indescribable gravity.
"At first, it was just me by Your Highness's side. Later, there was you, Running Ox... then this tiger was added. And now, there's another deer."
He paused.
"Do you see a pattern?"
Running Ox shook his head blankly.
Tiger Cuihua also shook her head blankly.
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon glared at the two demons, frustrated by their lack of insight.
"There are more and more of us!"
"Today it's a deer, tomorrow it might be a wolf, and the day after that, a snake... Every time Your Highness goes out, he picks one up... If this trend continues, in a few years, this courtyard will probably turn into a demon's den!"
"When that time comes, what will we be?"
"..."
A brief silence fell over the woodshed.
Running Ox seemed to finally catch the drift, a thoughtful look appearing on his rugged ox face.
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon continued, "You've seen that Deer Demon. He gives gifts upon meeting and calls him Your Highness immediately. His manners are more impeccable than the three of ours combined... Someone like that would be a top talent in any household."
"But what about us?"
He looked around at the two demons and then at Running Ox: "I won't even mention you."
"..."
Running Ox's face turned red.
"As for you."
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon glanced at Tiger Cuihua, "besides nitpicking over words every day, what help have you been to Your Highness?"
Tiger Cuihua shrunk her neck aggrievedly.
Actually, she had helped quite a bit...
But seeing Old Scarlet Flood Dragon's expression, she didn't dare say it.
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon let out a long sigh.
"Even being a dog is so competitive nowadays..."
He lowered his voice, his tone becoming solemn: "Therefore, I propose that the three of us form an Alliance starting today."
Running Ox was startled: "What kind of Alliance?"
"An internal Alliance." A sharp light flickered in Old Scarlet Flood Dragon's vertical pupils. "No matter how many newcomers Your Highness brings back in the future, the three of us are the veterans."
"In terms of seniority, we don't fear anyone. But if we fight individually and have our positions eroded one by one by those newcomers, in the end..."
He didn't finish his sentence.
But the meaning was clear.
Running Ox was silent for a moment before muttering, "That makes sense... but what do we do specifically?"
"It's simple." Old Scarlet Flood Dragon held up three claws. "First, information sharing—whatever that deer does or says, we inform each other. Second, mutual promotion—speak well of each other in front of Your Highness. Third..."
He paused.
"Third, absolutely no infighting."
"If an outsider wants to move up, they have to get past us first."
The three demons looked at each other.
Each extended their palm.
*Slap.*
Three hands of different shapes met in the center of the woodshed.
"It's settled then."
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon nodded with satisfaction, about to explain a few more details.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded at the woodshed door.
The three demons were all startled and quickly dispersed.
Soon.
Jade Dust the Demon Emperor pushed open the woodshed door, a kind smile on his half-collapsed deer face.
"What are you three..."
"Nothing," Old Scarlet Flood Dragon said without looking up.
"Just chatting," Running Ox added gruffly.
Jade Dust the Demon Emperor nodded and didn't ask further, only pondering for a moment.
He had just taken a walk around the estate under the pretext of learning his way around.
Besides those three demons... there wasn't a fourth trace of Demonic Qi.
Even more bizarrely, this city was filled with people of the Human Race coming and going.
There wasn't even the breath of a single demon!
It wasn't that he was inexperienced.
But for a demon from the Yu Mountain Great Range, this sight was truly too strange.
Finally, he couldn't help but speak up: "There is something I would like to ask you all to clarify..."
"Hmm?"
Hearing the inquiry, the three demons all looked at Jade Dust the Demon Emperor.
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon kept a straight face and said neutrally, "Ask."
"I take the liberty of asking... the Demon... Your Highness, what exactly is his identity here?"
"..."
Upon hearing this.
Old Scarlet Flood Dragon frowned and looked at Tiger Cuihua.
"He doesn't know?"
"Uh... he probably doesn't,"
Tiger Cuihua said awkwardly after a moment's thought.
Seeing the demons' strange expressions and thinking there might be some concerns, Jade Dust the Demon Emperor quickly added, "I am by no means prying into Your Highness's secrets. It's just that... since we are following His Highness, we should know some background so we can better share his burdens."
As he spoke, a knowing smile appeared on his deer face.
"Actually, I've mostly guessed it."
"With Your Highness's skills, yet willing to hide in a capital of the Human Race, he must be planning something big."
"This city... is of no small scale and is quite prosperous. With Your Highness's cultivation and methods, taking this place would be as easy as flipping a palm. The reason he hasn't acted yet is likely because he wants to manage this place well... but suffers from a lack of demons to use."
At this point, he raised his hand and made a clenching gesture with his fingers.
Jade Dust the Demon Emperor began to sigh with emotion to himself.
"But now that Your Highness has me, Jade Dust, this matter is even more certain... Although I am untalented, I am at least at Denglou Perfection. At Your Highness's command, I can..."