Chapter 335

Chapter 335: Does Qi Yan Suspect Her Identity?

Shi Mu’s next words proved Shen Sang Ruo’s guess: “Qi Yan Young Master, your grand visit catches us unprepared, but that is our Devil King’s throne. Please rise.”

People from Shadowmist Ravine always called him Qi Yan Young Master. It was the only title he allowed. Call him anything else and he would turn against you.

On one side stood the hard won ally, Qi Yan. On the other side stood their Devil Lord, back from ten thousand years ago. Both were people they could not afford to offend.

No one expected Qi Yan to steal the Devil Lord’s throne and sit there so boldly. It put the Devil Cultivators in a tight spot. Shen Sang Ruo stood for the Radical Faction’s pride, and even if Qi Yan could not be offended, Shi Mu had to be firm. He could not let the Lord lose face the moment she returned.

Qi Yan glanced at the throne and said with a look of sudden understanding: “Oh, really?” But he still did not move.

Seeing this, Wan Quan spoke too. With Shen Sang Ruo present, his voice sounded much bolder: “We prepared a private palace and a throne for you, Qi Yan Young Master. Please move to Qilin Hall.”

Qi Yan did not answer. Leaning against the throne, he said instead: “I heard your Devil Lord has revived, so I came to take a look for you.”

His gaze swept over everyone, then fixed on Shen Sang Ruo as he warned: “Do not be fooled by outsiders and treat some unclear person as your Devil Lord.”

News of the Devil Lord’s return had spread inside the Radical Faction. They had ordered everyone not to talk, but as one of the Five Divine Beasts, Qi Yan had his ways to learn. His eyes kept roaming over Shen Sang Ruo, as if he had already seen through her disguise.

Shen Sang Ruo’s eyes moved slightly. [So he came to target me.] From the moment she saw him, she felt the ill will in his eyes. As Ling Hu Min said, his temper was hard to guess. She had only just entered the Radical Faction’s lands and already ran into Qi Yan, falling into a tense and risky scene because of him. That part she had not expected.

Dodder Flower Sprite fumed in confusion: “Is there something wrong with him? Isn’t he on the Radical Faction’s side? Why doubt your identity? What does he get out of that?”

Shen Sang Ruo thought for a moment and answered calmly: “Maybe he just wants to.” He did things because he felt like it. No reason needed. As for his so called cooperation with the Radical Faction, it was clear he was the one in control. If he did not want it, he could end it any time. [That is actually good for me and for the Conservative Faction. Their ties are not that tight, so there is a good chance to break them.]

Dodder Flower Sprite grew anxious: “What will you do now? He is one of the Five Divine Beasts. Maybe he really can tell you are not Ya Lan.”

“Watch and see what he wants,” Shen Sang Ruo said, still steady. For now she stood on the same side as the Radical Faction. Since they believed she was the Devil Lord, they would block Qi Yan for her. Besides, if Qi Yan really wanted to test her, with his power and status he would not waste so many words first. Little Black huffed inside her, full of pride. It was Ya Lan, after all, and no test would catch it. So she had no fear.

After Qi Yan spoke, all the Devil Cultivators looked at Shen Sang Ruo in panic, afraid she would explode. Seeing no change on her face, they became even more nervous, like this was the calm before a storm.

Shi Mu knew the real Ya Lan’s temper and thought he would never tolerate such words. What was this about an unclear person? He cursed Qi Yan in his heart. If Qi Yan were not a Qilin, he would never work with him.

He raised his voice: “This is our Devil Lord. How could you know better than a follower like me? You have never met the Lord. How will you verify anything?”

Back when Ya Lan was at his peak, Qi Yan had not even appeared yet. Shi Mu’s face turned cold as he said, “Qi Yan Young Master, we respect you as the Divine Beast Qilin, but our Radical Faction’s internal affairs do not need your hand.”

Qi Yan let out a short, cold laugh, the corners of his lips lifting in a chill smile: “I am putting my hand in.”

It was clear he would not stop until he got what he wanted.

Shi Mu and Wan Quan had no idea what wind took Qi Yan today. His temper had always been bad, but he could be reasoned with. He had never acted like this, picking a fight with their Devil Lord.

“A Devil Lord who fell ten thousand years ago and suddenly returns today. Interesting,” Qi Yan said, still watching the silent Shen Sang Ruo with high interest.

Shi Mu spoke fast: “Our Lord is skilled in the Soul Method. Even a sliver of soul can return. This body is only a temporary vessel. In a few years, the Lord will Reforge the Flesh.”

Wan Quan added quickly: “We cannot compromise. How could we let others test our Lord just because they want to?”

The other Devil Cultivators echoed them one after another.

Shen Sang Ruo had not expected Ya Lan to hold such a high place in the Radical Faction, high enough that they would give up working with Qi Yan. If forced to choose between Qi Yan and the Devil Lord, they would choose the Devil Lord. It was not only because Ya Lan was powerful and had once led the Devil Cultivators to attack the Cultivation World. It was also because he had used the Soul Method to control countless Devil Cultivators. That mark on the soul passed down through generations and was carved into every Radical Faction cultivator’s bones. That was why their loyalty ran so deep. Even without Qi Yan’s help, they believed that, with the Lord, they could still take the Conservative Faction.

Qi Yan sneered: “Cooperation? I never called it cooperation. You begged me to help you.”

He was ready to keep arguing with the Devil Cultivators when he suddenly noticed that, no matter how he poked and provoked, Shen Sang Ruo had not said a single word. Her patience was impressive. He had come to stir trouble for the Radical Faction and make himself happy, yet now he was the one feeling blocked.

He tugged at a smile and finally spoke straight to her: “Lord, have you watched the show enough? Are you not going to say something?”