Chapter 72: Entering the Demon Realm

Once again standing at the entrance of the space-time rift connecting the human and demon realms, I looked at the dilapidated stone gate covered in moss and let out a long, heavy sigh, overwhelmed with emotion.

The surroundings were still a desolate wasteland, with only weeds swaying gently in the wind...

Usan still wore an icy expression, looking as if everyone owed him millions. Kaan Tung followed him dejectedly, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Long time no see, Rose," I said to the empty air with a smile.

"Your Majesty." A woman wearing a black cloak leaped down from the stone gate. Her golden curls cascaded from beneath the hood, exuding a demonic charm.

She bowed, then turned around, slightly pouting her full lips. She winked playfully, her long lashes like two thick little fans fluttering against the heart. Her autumn-water eyes were increasingly soul-stirring as she spoke, "Lord Archon, I thought you were having such a good time in the human world that you’d forgotten to come back."

Alastor stepped forward with a smile. Rose stood on her tiptoes, clinging to his shoulders, and offered her ruby-red lips.

Watching Alastor and Rose kiss with such intense, inseparable passion, my mouth twitched slightly. This scene felt far too familiar.

"What are you two getting all mushy for!" Little Mountain was a simple man who didn't care about romance or poetic moments. He shouted and grabbed them, pulling the two—who were stuck together like Siamese twins—apart. "What exactly happened in the Demon Realm?"

"A woman entered the Queen's castle and proclaimed herself the new Queen," Rose said solemnly. "I sent a distress signal to the Elf King, Orlando."

A power struggle? A coup?

"From which tribe?" Alastor asked, frowning slightly.

"I don't know. She keeps a pack of strange monsters and has killed many demons who refused to submit to her." Rose looked at me. "Your Majesty, most of the demon tribes have already surrendered to her."

"I think I know who she is." I frowned, recalling the day Hino Umaba tried to seize my body.

"Who is it?" Everyone looked at me with faces full of curiosity and a hint of gossip.

"The 265th Director of the Inquisition, Hino Umaba. She took over the position at sixteen and is a gifted Exorcist."

"What? She’s an Exorcist?" Rose was startled. "Then why is she posing as the Queen of the Demon Realm? Or does she have some conspiracy to subvert the realm?"

"I'm not sure about a conspiracy, but she is no longer human." I remembered seeing her with Albus in the Great Hall of the Inquisition. "She released the ancient monsters sealed beneath the Inquisition and entered into a master-servant contract with them. She offered her physical body to the demons as food; now, she is merely a vengeful spirit."

Yang Weisheng let out a huff.

I quickly looked at the Great Demon King, wondering what insight he had.

"I happen to be hungry," Yang Weisheng spoke tonelessly.

Oh?! Filling his stomach with those monsters? As expected of the big boss—so arrogant!

While we were discussing this, a sudden foul wind swept past, kicking up dust in the distance. A blood-red monster spotted us and lunged forward with bared claws and overbearing aggression.

I noticed this monster was different from the ones I’d seen before. It was like comparing a standard version to an upgraded one; this blood-red creature was clearly not going to be easy to deal with.

Little Mountain couldn't restrain himself and was the first to strike. Seeing that he was more than a match for the creature, I was happy to stay on the sidelines and relax. The monster was clearly no match for the Giant Leader and was beaten until it was howling and scurrying in all directions.

The sky suddenly changed color as massive blood-colored clouds gathered. I looked up and was horrified—those weren't clouds; they were all "upgraded" monsters!

There were at least a thousand of them!

Now we were going to be busy.

Alastor and Orlando put away their spectator expressions and joined the fray. Usan gave the submissive Kaan Tung a fierce glare before pulling her behind him for protection.

Kaan Tung lowered her head and obediently hid behind him, but her bright black eyes peered at the large hand holding her, and she giggled secretly, her gaze full of sweetness.

Caught in the chaos, I could no longer stand by. Seeing Yang Weisheng still standing there with a calm, indifferent expression, I couldn't help but shout, "Boss, aren't you hungry? There’s so much food here! Hurry up and eat!"

Yang Weisheng gave me a brief look and spoke with extreme elegance, "How can I eat looking like this?"

My mouth twitched. "Then transform already!"

"No one has made me angry yet," Yang Weisheng said very calmly.

I had almost forgotten—this guy only transforms when he's angry. Taking out the nearest monster with one hand, I gritted my teeth. Malice rose from my gut; I turned and swung a punch at Yang Weisheng. He easily dodged it, and I stumbled, nearly slipping.

"Your skills are too poor," Yang Weisheng said tonelessly, offering a critique of my attack.

Aargh!

This guy is absolutely infuriating!

Gritting my teeth, I lunged at him, prepared to take him down first.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty! Calm down!" Orlando flew over to comfort me, as I had lost my mind to rage.

"We’re getting a divorce! Divorce!" I screamed.

"Eh?" Orlando blinked, his tiny wings wobbling as he nearly fell out of the sky.

Divorce?

"Didn't he say I was his wife! I can't live like this anymore, divorce!" I continued to shout.

Yang Weisheng's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What does 'divorce' mean?"

"Divorce means from now on we are finished! You go your way, and I'll go mine!"

"I don't allow it," Yang Weisheng's voice turned icy.

"I insist!" I gnashed my teeth.

Everyone else nearly fainted.

"Don't make me angry," Yang Weisheng looked at me gloomily.

Angry? I was delighted. So it was that simple to make him mad? I wasted so much effort earlier.

His short, messy black hair began to grow inch by inch until it trailed on the ground. His height and physique gradually changed...

The youth who was about my height a moment ago grew a size larger in the blink of an eye!

The magnificent adult version of the beautiful youth—the Great Demon King Samael—had arrived!

But... his target was me...

Aargh!

I began to scramble away as if my tail were on fire. "Wrong target! Wrong target!"

Samael let out a cold snort. Black gas erupted from his palms, growing larger and larger until it covered the entire sky above us, engulfing the monsters in a black fog.

By the time the black haze dissipated, all the monsters had disappeared. It was more effective than insecticide.

"Are they sealed?" I blinked, asking blankly. The Great Demon King truly lived up to his name; his efficiency was staggering.

"Eaten." The big boss gave me a cold sideways glance, still brooding over what just happened.

"Why?" I blinked, putting my spirit of persistent questioning to good use.

"If they are sealed, they can appear again. It’s better to eat them and be done with it." The big boss was cold to the core.

I shuddered and decided never to offend him again. Who knows, one day he might say, "Since you can't awaken as Lilith, I might as well eat you so you’ll belong to me forever..."

Just thinking about him swallowing me mouthful by mouthful with a sinister smile made me twitch.

"What are you thinking about?" The big boss suddenly curled his lips slightly.

"Nothing, nothing, nothing..." I shook my head repeatedly and turned to run away quickly. "We'd better hurry and see what's happening at the castle!"

The group stopped in front of a massive castle that looked like a piece of medieval architecture.

The green vines on the walls had all withered. Over those withered vines, another strange substance had grown—bright red vines that looked like venomous snakes, still wriggling gently. Those writhing vines completely blocked the path to the castle.

I let out a shriek and leaped up, sitting on Little Mountain's shoulder.

"What... stupid thing are you doing now?" Samael looked up and glared at me coldly.

"Now?" Have I done many stupid things?

"Snakes, snakes, snakes..." I pointed trembling fingers at the wriggling things.

"Those are Demon Vines, plants from Hell," Samael said, looking down on me as usual.

Sitting on Little Mountain's shoulder, I refused to come down even if it meant my death. Looking at those writhing red vines made my skin crawl. There really are too many twisted things in the Demon Realm.

Plants from Hell... The one inside the castle is definitely Hino Umaba!

"It is my honor to serve Her Majesty!" Little Mountain strode forward with a look of pride, leading the way.

I patted his shoulder with a face full of emotion. Truly a good comrade.