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Chapter Eighty-One: Eve of Action

The Demon-Suppressing Sect, as a large and influential organization, must operate under very careful rules, especially when it has developed to its current level without being accepted by the secular world.

Just like hunting, no prey willingly lets itself be captured and slaughtered. Demons, being intelligent beings on par with humans, could naturally sense danger in advance and try various methods to resist the enslavement of the Demon-Suppressing Sect.

Thus, the situation with Little Mole is definitely not the first of its kind.

Since there have been precedents, the Demon-Suppressing Sect is sure to have precautions in place. In fact, Miss Vilyric had long guessed there might be someone lurking in the shadows, and the reason she specifically led Little Mole here, aside from what was previously mentioned, was to more conveniently and clearly pinpoint the position of the pursuer.

After all, while she might not be able to distinguish who among them belongs to the Demon-Suppressing Sect, a normal person wouldn’t take a stroll into an uninhabited forest in the dead of night.

As the hood was lifted, the figure entirely wrapped in a black cloak, blending seamlessly with the night, finally revealed itself to Vilyric and Little Mole.

This demon, caught by the throat and unable to move, and who had been secretly watching Little Mole, turned out to be a Mouse Spirit.

However, this Mouse Spirit clearly had much deeper abilities than the previous one. Although it was similarly short, its anthropomorphism was much higher. Aside from a few slightly suspicious mouse whiskers at the corners of its mouth, it hardly showed any signs of its original form.

While it was still some distance from being a fully human-like great demon, judging by the level of a practitioner, it might have already reached the peak level, synonymous with Earth-level or above in the vernacular of another continent.

Compared to a little demon like Little Mole, who was still a bit shy of level 20, the difference in power was practically overwhelming.

Sending such a strong one to follow a little demon shows a fair amount of caution on their part; however, since it’s a mouse demon…

“Little Mole, take a good look. Do you recognize it?”

As she spoke, a ball of light materialized in Vilyric’s palm, illuminating the pursuer’s appearance in the dim forest.

“This…”

Staring at the mouse demon caught by the throat, convulsing like a dehydrated fish and unable to speak, Little Mole’s already pale face drained even further of color.

“He… he is one of our Ground Mouse Gang’s officers, named Elder Tian San. He’s a field mouse spirit, ranking in the top five in strength within the gang and has quite a bit of prestige.”

“But, but Elder Tian San hardly has any dealings with that human. When the Digger King planned to take us to Yangyuan County, he even was the one who opposed the most.”

“How could Elder Tian San also… I was still considering asking him for help…”

Miss Vilyric shrugged her shoulders.

“This is what you call one playing the red card and the other playing the white card. Your thought process implies that their actions have some meaning. It seems the Ground Mouse Gang is being devoured more severely than you realized.”

Seeing Miss Vilyric lost in thought, Little Mole appeared somewhat bewildered, as if she had lost her sense of direction.

“Fairy, what should we do now…?”

“Don’t worry, it’s a small problem. Leave this matter to us.”

……

Time flowed by, and in the blink of an eye, it was the next day.

“Doo doo doo.”

With a very light knocking sound, as if afraid to disturb the people in the room, Vilyric opened the door from the inside.

The Priestess looked over the young girl in front of her, who stood just over a meter tall with short black-gray hair, smiled, and patted her freshly changed clean skirt, nodding slightly.

Little Mole was not purely a little loli; while she was short, it was somewhat due to the characteristics of mouse demons. If we talk about looks, she actually seemed more mature than Eudora, who was a bit taller than her, giving off a sort of vibe reminiscent of small dwarfs in stories.

“Good morning! You seem to be adapting quite fast. Have you stayed at an inn in a human town before?”

“Good morning, Fairy…”

After patting the girl’s shoulder from a height, the Priestess corrected her again.

“I told you not to call me Fairy. Didn’t I just remind you about this last night?”

Instinctively covering her lips, the little demon, after thoroughly cleaning and simply dressing up, displayed a delicate face that momentarily flashed with panic before hurriedly changing her words.

“Miss Vilyric, um… I rarely venture into human living areas, so I’m a bit unaccustomed to the soft beds humans use. But if I have to sleep, it wouldn’t be impossible. I’ve indeed had a few experiences before…”

“Oh really? So where do you usually sleep?”

Feeling a bit embarrassed, she scratched her head, smiling awkwardly.

“Haha… in burrows, or piles of hay and such. I prefer to squeeze into places that cover my body completely when resting; it gives me a sense of security.”

“I see.”

No wonder when I saw her last time, she was half-hidden in the bushes, with only her behind sticking out.

Nodding, Vilyric didn’t delve deeper into this embarrassing topic for the demon. She led Little Mole, who had temporarily joined them, down the stairs to the lobby on the first floor of the [Welcoming Residence].

The culture and popular decorations of the Ancient Spirit Realm seem much more classical and practical compared to another continent. Due to the absence of magic and a series of magical derivatives, lighting usually relies on simple and quick candles. Walking here always makes Vilyric feel as if she’s in the ancient society of the Blue Star.

Just like now.

However, in reality, a true little demon was right next to the Priestess, something that could never occur on the Blue Star.

Thinking of this, Vilyric couldn’t help but feel particularly strange.

Although it was only morning, the inn’s lobby was bustling. The guests at [Welcoming Residence] were preparing to set out, or those coming in and out were eating breakfast, creating a continuous stream of people. Among them were individuals carrying various spirit pets, and even humanoid demons strolling by themselves.

In this place called Cangyun Town, humans and demons seemed to coexist harmoniously.

Bright sunshine streamed through the windows and the main door into the lobby, blending the rising steam from freshly baked buns with the laughter of guests, the loud calls of the waitstaff, and the sounds of porcelain clinking together—all mixed into a lively yet not noisy scene.

Always the early risers, Ling Feng and Murong Yun were already waiting, and accompanied by Little Mole, Vilyric boldly approached the table they occupied, taking the reserved seats.

Naturally, two spots were saved.

“Come, you sit too.”

“Miss… Vilyric, I dare not as a little demon.”

“Just sit when I tell you to sit. Why all the fuss? Do you believe I’ll lose my temper?”

“Wuw… I-I comply…”

Seeing Little Mole sitting beside her as if her bottom was on fire, Vilyric couldn’t help but be surprised.

This little one is too stiff. What exactly is she afraid of? Clearly, I laid everything out clearly last night, right?

As if reading the Priestess’s mind, Ling Feng, sitting opposite, elegantly swallowed her porridge and smiled.

“Vilyric, the demon world is quite pure. They naturally equate strength with status. Just think about it; if a common citizen were to sit at the same table with the reigning Holy Monarch, most people would instinctively feel quite apprehensive, wouldn’t they?”

“This isn’t something that can be completely solved just by saying ‘no worries, you’re not guilty.’”

“Why do you sound so experienced…?”

Without delving deeper into that topic, Miss Vilyric casually signaled to a passing staff member for two bowls of spring noodles. While waiting, she got straight to the point.

“So, what’s the situation?”

The situation she referred to naturally pointed to Elder Tian San, who was caught last night when she met Little Mole.

The Priestess was not adept at interrogation. Since Ling Feng and the others were here, it was better to leave such troublesome matters to those who were clearly more experienced. After all, Miss Vilyric couldn’t bear the burden of every single ordeal.

Moreover, this Elder Tian San was clearly different from the Black Python demon they encountered last time in the Tidal Deep Valley. While both had close ties with the Demon-Suppressing Sect, unlike the latter, he hadn’t been stripped of his consciousness and turned into a pure combat puppet; he evidently retained his original intellect.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been sent out to execute a complex task like surveillance that requires flexibility.