6 Chapter 6

Han Yue's lands were vast and fertile. In addition, in their southern part there was a source, teeming with dark energy.

A few decades ago, an entire settlement of lower demons was destroyed on that very spot. The blood from their gutted bodies, flowing down the rocky shore to the water, infected her with distorted qi, and where it soaked into the soil, poisonous plants appeared that could harm even immortals.

Surrounded by sharp rocks on one side and thorny bushes on the other, the spring was practically inaccessible, but if some skillful demon could overcome the poisonous steam that spread like a coating to the Sleepy Forest, he would have a real treasure in his hands.

Having discarded all attempts to get his hands on the black mirror, Tan Lan De carefully thought out a further strategy to destroy the Demon of water and seize its territories: under the control of Tan Lan De were all the Craft demons [1], but their strength was not enough to cope with the Winged demons that Shi Yu personally entrusted to Han Yue. Tan Lan De could have asked for help from one of the Summoners[2], but pride simply didn't allow him to owe a demon of a lower rank than himself[3].

Hearing from one of the servants about Aoi suddenly appearing in the human world, Tan Lan De recalled the scrolls of Zhao Li, which mentioned a special class of demons conjuring on blood. He had never met anyone who fit this description before, but the late Lord was sure that there could be a caster demon in the lower world whose magic is based on blood and its essence.

– Neither God or demon can change the essence of blood, – Tan Lan De reasoned, wiping his hands on the skin of a newly skinned deer. – But the scarlet immortal must be able to control it: after all, he was born from blood.

From that day on, Craft demons began to appear regularly in the mortal world. Their presence was almost imperceptible, only in the air there was a trace of magic left by the talismans of movement and loop traps reacting to movement. The abducted people were instantly transported by demons to the domain of Tan Lan De, where they were guarded by two-headed dogs with yellow eyes.

Time passed, and the ranks of the captives were gradually replenished: in less than a week, more than six hundred mortals turned out to be "guests" at Tan Lan De, but none of the ten demons sent by him to search for Aoi ever returned.

Ten days later, Tan Lan De ordered thirty demons to ascend to the middle world and find out what had happened to their predecessors, but the second group suffered the fate of the first: the Artisans disappeared as if they had never existed.

After learning that all the messengers had disappeared without a trace in the mortal world, Tan Lan De became indescribably furious. Giving free rein to his emotions, he began to destroy the Sleepy Forest, slowly approaching the border separating his domain from Han Yue's lands.

The suffocating smoke from the dead trees engulfed in flames soon spread to several hundred li[4], forming a thick veil through which it was impossible to see even the outline of his own body, and Tan Lan De still didn't want to stop.

In the evening, when most of the forest was burned to the ground, the ringing of a silver bell was heard.

– Sir, – someone said politely. – That's enough. If you continue to rampage, Han Yue will not forgive you.

– Who? – the demon growled. – Who dared to contradict me? Tell me your name, so that I know what to write on your stone[5].

– Zhi Yan, sir, – the bell rang again. – I understand your anger, sir, but you won't get anywhere with it.

– And what do you propose to do, white snake? – Tan Lan De asked, – My people are missing; the whereabouts of the scarlet immortal is still unknown; Han Yue, with the support of Lord Shi Yu, is increasing military power every day, and I can't even prevent it.

– I will support you, – the snake queen coughed. – I have a subordinate who could facilitate your meeting with the scarlet immortal, but you must immediately stop destroying my forest.

[1] Craft demons (Artisans) – demons who using amulets and talismans. Practically don't use internal energy, or use it very rarely. Rank: lowest.

[2] Summoners – demons, capable of resurrecting already dead demonic monsters for a while. Rank: Medium.

[3] Elemental demons belong to the highest rank, so Tan Lan De does not want to turn to those whom he surpasses in status.

[4] Li – is a Chinese measure of length. According to some data, ≈ ½ km, according to others - ≈ 1/3km.

[5] This refers to the tombstone.