He Yuzhu returns in Siheyuan

Chapter 783 The Fox Demon's True Purpose

The three entered the reserved private room. The waiter quietly poured hot tea and carefully drew the heavy curtains to shut out the noise from the outside world before bowing and leaving. The room instantly fell silent, with only the clear ticking of the wall clock, striking the floor and touching the hearts of the guests.

He Yuzhu picked up his teacup, his fingertips brushing against the warm rim, the rising steam blurring his features. He looked up at the fox demon Xiao Shuai across from him, his gaze calm, and asked directly, "I wonder what important matter you have that you specifically invited me here for? Please speak frankly, there's no need to beat around the bush."

Xiao Shuai glanced at Elder Qingyi beside him, a hint of hesitation in his eyes. His fingertips unconsciously traced the rim of his teacup as he murmured, "This..."

He Yuzhu noticed his concerns and smiled, "It's alright. This is Elder Qingyi, who is also my master. He is no outsider. Please feel free to speak your mind without any reservations."

Xiao Shuai finally breathed a sigh of relief, straightened his back, and said in a serious tone: "To be honest, our demon race has been investigating the truth behind the 'Battle of the Sealed Mountain' a hundred years ago. It seems that there are some unknown secrets hidden in the alliance between the human race and the demon race back then. The ancient books of our race record it vaguely. We still want to find out what really happened. I wonder if Sect Master He can enlighten us?"

He Yuzhu put down his teacup and tapped his fingertip lightly on the table: "This matter is too far-reaching, concerning the very foundations of both races, so I cannot discuss it with you. If we are to talk about it, we must do so in person with your demon race's ancestor."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Shuai's eyes flashed with urgency, and he leaned forward: "In that case, please, Sect Master He, come with us to the Holy Land of the Demon Clan. Our Ancestor has been waiting for an explanation."

He Yuzhu shook his head, a faint smile playing on his lips: "No rush. My current situation is special, and I'm constantly being watched. If I leave with you now, I'm afraid it will backfire on me—not just on me, but also on your demon race."

Xiao Shuai frowned, his tone tinged with displeasure: "When will Sect Leader He be available? We can't keep putting it off, can we?"

"At most one year," He Yuzhu said confidently. "After one year, I will personally pay you a visit."

Xiao Shuai's face darkened further. He was about to say something more when He Yuzhu interrupted him: "Xiao Li is still recuperating with me. Aren't you worried about her?" He paused, his tone becoming serious. "Besides, if I go with you now, my whereabouts will inevitably be exposed. Those human forces that are watching me will definitely seize the opportunity to cause trouble once they discover that I am meeting with the demon race in secret. They will then label me as 'treasonous and colluding with demons.' Not only will I be in danger, but your demon race will also be dragged into it. If it really comes to a fight to the death, the demon race will be severely weakened, and may even face the danger of extinction."

Xiao Shuai fell silent. He knew He Yuzhu was right; the radicals among the human race had always seen the demon race as a thorn in their side and were eager to find an excuse to start a war. He took a deep breath and nodded: "Alright, I trust you this time. I'll go back and report to the ancestor right away."

He Yuzhu smiled and added, "Tell the ancestor about the demonic traces that appeared last time. He should understand what I mean. Some scores need to be settled after the external threats are eliminated."

A glint flashed in Xiao Shuai's eyes, and his fox-like vertical pupils narrowed slightly as he instantly grasped the crux of the matter—the reappearance of the demon race had stirred up undercurrents throughout the three realms. If the human and demon races remained entangled in old grudges and continued their infighting, it would only allow the demon race to reap the benefits, leaving no one unscathed. He abruptly stood up, bowed respectfully to Elder Qingyi and He Yuzhu, and said solemnly, "I understand. The survival of both the human and demon races is ultimately more important than momentary anger. Farewell."

Before he finished speaking, a faint blue halo enveloped him, and his figure transformed into a swift blue shadow, skimming across the ground and silently passing through the wooden window of the private room, disappearing into the thick night. Only a very faint scent of fox odor remained in the air, as if it had been blown away by the wind.

Silence fell once more in the private room, with only the candlelight flickering gently in the breeze. Elder Qingyi stroked his white beard, his gaze fixed on He Yuzhu, and slowly spoke: "You had Xiaoshuai deliver a message to the demon race, proposing a temporary truce to jointly resist the demons. This move was far too risky. The demon race has been suppressed beside the Demon Locking Tower for a hundred years; their resentment runs too deep. They might not believe it."

He Yuzhu picked up his teacup, the warm steam blurring his features. He gazed out the window at the deepening twilight, the distant mountains shrouded in darkness like lurking beasts. “Danger is where opportunity lies,” he murmured, his fingertips gently tracing the rim of the cup. “If we only seek stability, it will be too late to join forces once the demons have truly gained power.”

As they were talking, He Yuzhu got up to leave. Elder Qingyi quickly said, "Sect Master, I will handle the miscellaneous matters here. I will take the eldest brother and the others back to the mountain gate to recuperate. The brothers were seriously injured in the battle with the demon race." He paused, then added, "Let the fourth brother stay to protect you; things are not peaceful outside."

He Yuzhu nodded: "Okay. Be careful on your journey, and when you get back, have the medic take good care of the wounded."

Elder Qingyi agreed and turned to leave hastily with several disciples. He Yuzhu stood there, watching the direction they disappeared in, his brows furrowed. He knew in his heart that the demon race would never give up so easily—they had been confined to that small world for too long, and their yearning for freedom had long become an obsession. This truce proposal was merely a temporary measure.

When he returned to the small courtyard where he was temporarily staying, Ma Xiuxiu was sitting under the lamp mending clothes. Seeing him return, she quickly got up to greet him: "Brother Zhuzi, is something wrong? You don't look well."

He Yuzhu smiled and reached out to brush the loose thread off her shoulder: "It's nothing. I just met an old friend who's been having some trouble lately." He took Ma Xiuxiu's hand. "We've been out here long enough. It's time to go back to the mountain gate."

Ma Xiuxiu's eyes immediately lit up with a smile, and she nodded: "Great! I've been wanting to go back for a long time. I wonder if the children are studying hard with their teacher at home, and if they're being naughty and making the teacher angry again."

Meanwhile, Qingying darted through the forest and soon landed in front of a hidden cave. The snake demon was coiled on a stone platform, flicking its tongue. Seeing Xiaoshuai return, it immediately transformed into human form and asked anxiously, "How did it go? Did you see He Yuzhu? Is he willing to come back to the demon clan with us?"

Xiao Shuai shook his head: "I saw him, but I didn't let him come along."

The snake demon panicked: "Then our mission is unfinished! What if the king finds out..."

"Don't worry." Xiao Shuai interrupted him, a sly glint in his eyes. "I have a way to explain this to the King. Don't worry about this matter, let's go back first." He had already made up his mind—He Yuzhu's proposal for a truce was enough for the King to weigh the pros and cons and might not blame him.