Hua Yun, though surprised, understood clearly that the outer layers of the courtyard were heavily guarded. Ordinary demon women could only catch a glimpse from the outside, let alone reside within.
"Your background is fake, isn't it?" Hua Yun smiled faintly. All the tribute women were sharp-witted, and she was no exception.
If she were still kept in the dark at this point, it would be a truly terrifying level of foolishness.
Hearing this, Bai Ran's lips curved: "To say it's fake isn't entirely true, and to say it's real isn't entirely true either."
She had no parents since childhood, and Xiao Zi would even sacrifice her life for her.
"What is your relationship with the Demon Emperor? If you weren't his partner, why would he let you live in this easternmost courtyard?"
Relationship... Bai Ran pondered for a moment. She and Xiao Zi were neither master and subordinate, nor contractor and contracted.
Perhaps Xiao Zi was the person who understood Bai Ran the most in this world, a presence that was more than familial, yet not quite family.
Bai Ran chuckled softly: "Just a normal relationship."
Hua Yun smiled and said nothing. She knew Bai Ran didn't want to elaborate and didn't press further.
As Hua Yun and Bai Ran walked and talked, they passed through a long corridor filled with the scent of flowers and arrived at a house made of pure white, translucent crystal.
The roof of the crystal house was made of transparent gemstones. During the day, it allowed warm sunlight to filter in, and at night, one could gaze upon the myriad stars in the sky.
"By the way, that lion demon is not to be trifled with. You should avoid her."
Hua Yun's expression turned serious: "She tries to win over the tribute women, and if they refuse, she secretly forces them to swallow a poison pill."
Originally, there were fifteen tribute women. Five or six of them had already died at her hands.
As for the snake demon Hua Yun and the crane demon Lian Shuiyue, their families were ranked one tier higher than hers, so they could barely protect themselves.
It was the woman in the goose-yellow dress. Bai Ran frowned: "Does Deputy General Lu just let her run wild? Hasn't he intervened?"
Hua Yun sighed, a look of deep worry on her face: "It's quite laughable, Deputy General Lu and Lu Meng belong to the same clan."
With such familial ties, Deputy General Lu would naturally side with his own clan and protect Lu Meng.
Hearing this, Bai Ran's expression slightly tightened. So, Lu Meng had a somewhat strong background. No wonder she was so arrogant and overbearing in the palace.
"Lian Shuiyue and I are at odds with Lu Meng, and the other women have been won over by her, excluding the two of us."
The days in this palace truly felt like years.
Hua Yun's expression was sorrowful, tinged with a hint of pain: "Now that the Demon Emperor has returned, we have finally seen hope."
Bai Ran looked up and met Hua Yun's eyes: "Who is Lian Shuiyue? What is her temperament?"
"Lian Shuiyue is the eldest daughter of the Lian family. My Hua family is ranked second, and her Lian family is the top-ranking lineage."
Hua Yun paused and continued: "Lian Shuiyue was forced to come by her family; she wasn't willing."
"Furthermore, she has a calm and quiet disposition, so she's even less inclined to get involved in the palace's intrigues."
With her beauty, if she had been a bit more calculating and sought favor with Deputy General Lu, power and wealth would have been within her grasp.
Bai Ran nodded, recalling Lin Ze. If Lin Ze were in the demon realm, what would his status be?
"The exterminator of the demon clan, do you recall?"
Hua Yun's face changed drastically. She looked around nervously and lowered her voice:
"That exterminator is Deputy General Lu's greatest concern! Anyone who mentions him will be dealt with the same way! You mustn't speak of this name outside!"
It's that serious? Bai Ran raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised: "Why? Did he hinder Deputy General Lu from seizing power?"
Hua Yun shook her head, her face grim: "It's even more than that."
The exterminator of the demon clan had returned once before. Seeing that Deputy General Lu was in charge, he had gone on a rampage, killing and cursing.
He had called them out, saying that with no tiger in the mountains, the monkey becomes king, and that Deputy General Lu was utterly unworthy of the position.
The exterminator already had a notorious reputation and unmatched strength. Deputy General Lu was simply incapable of withstanding his fierce assault.
In the end, he had fled in disarray and only returned to the demon realm after hiding for a while.
"Every demon knows about this, but they can only keep it to themselves and not speak of it openly."
Therefore, anyone who mentioned the exterminator's name risked implicating the survival of their entire clan.
Bai Ran raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in her eyes. If Lin Ze were to return again, wouldn't it cause chaos throughout the entire demon realm?
Who would have thought that her current speculation would actually happen a few days later.
Hua Yun sighed heavily, her tone somber: "Now the entire demon realm is divided into the New Emperor faction and the Old Emperor faction."
The New Emperor faction is the camp led by Deputy General Lu, while the Old Emperor faction adheres to the Demon Emperor's reign.
"We, the tribute women, were brought here by Deputy General Lu to satisfy his personal desires."
Little did they know that they had only been in the palace for a short while before the Demon Emperor returned.
Bai Ran furrowed her brow, her expression somewhat solemn. The tribute women were selected by their families and specifically sent as tribute to Deputy General Lu.
This action sufficiently indicated that the top-ranking demon clans had already defected to the New Emperor faction.
To have won over so many major clans, Deputy General Lu truly had some capabilities.
Hua Yun pursed her lips and continued: "Although it's not easily noticeable on the surface, Lian Shuiyue and I actually have some contact."
Lian Shuiyue was understanding and had never clashed with Hua Yun. Most importantly, both of them stood with the Old Emperor faction.
"Although the families sent us with the hope that we could assist Deputy General Lu, she and I are secretly on the side of the Old Emperor faction."
Bai Ran's expression became stern, her eyes narrowing: "Are you two the only ones who support the Old Emperor faction?"
Hua Yun nodded: "The other women came willingly, hoping to gain fame and fortune."
It seemed that during Xiao Zi's absence from the demon realm over the years, Deputy General Lu had already seized more than half of the imperial power.
Bai Ran lowered her gaze. This would be a difficult battle for Xiao Zi.
...
At the very top of the Hundred Demon Banquet sat a man, legs crossed, propping up his chin with his hand.
His clear eyes, with a slight upward slant at the corners, combined with his alluring eye shape and pure gaze, created a scene of extreme beauty.
His lips were thin, pale as water, and his features were meticulously sculpted as if by a god.
His playful gaze was unfathomable, adding to his mystique.
"Look, who is this?"
Elders and patriarchs of the powerful demon clans were seated on either side. Xiao Zi stood in the very front, looking at the person on the main seat.
He let out a scoff, his smile filled with hostility: "Lu Ji, if the demon clan were to fall under your rule, it would be truly beyond salvation."
As soon as his words fell, several venomous gazes were cast from the sides.
"The former Demon Emperor abandoned the demon clan for over ten years. You probably don't have the right to say that!"
"Deputy General Lu has been diligently managing the mess you left behind for a long time. Now that you've returned, are you going to start by attacking him without distinguishing right from wrong?"