Chapter 362 - 357: Aura of a Fallen Saint

Du Youqian maintained a polite smile as he watched the two Hajimi, one large and one small. He really wanted to reach out and give them a pet—their fur must feel amazing—but that would be far too rude.

Especially the large one, who was Tier Three, just like him.

Though he was at the Tier Three Middle Stage while she was only at the Tier Three Early Stage, they were equals in status.

If he suddenly reached out to stroke her neck, it would escalate into a serious diplomatic incident.

’What a pity.’

Just then, he noticed that the Split-Ear Sand Fox Demon King’s large, expressive eyes held a trace of wariness and fear.

Du Youqian was a little puzzled.

’What bad deed of mine did she discover?’

While inwardly reflecting, Du Youqian began to converse with the two Hajimi.

Not with words, of course. They didn’t speak the same language, and there was no translator to be found.

But that was no obstacle for a Cultivator. They exchanged ideas using their Divine Sense. While perhaps not always perfectly precise, the emotions that accompanied the information helped the other party understand.

The fact that the two Hajimi were willing to bring their clan... ahem, their fellow foxes, to negotiate showed that they were interested in an alliance with the Zouma Gang.

And Du Youqian had never been a petty man. Besides, the Zouma Gang was just a tool to him.

He just wanted to use the Zouma Gang to make money. As for what would become of it in a hundred years, after he reincarnated, he couldn’t care less.

So, Du Youqian generously agreed to the conditions the Hajimi proposed.

Thus, amidst these smooth negotiations, the two sides quickly reached a consensus on many points.

The alliance between the Zouma Gang and the Split-Ear Sand Fox clan was all but confirmed.

What made Du Youqian even happier was that the large Hajimi promised to introduce him to several other races she was on friendly terms with. She would do her best to facilitate cooperation between those races and the Zouma Gang.

Though they were all small clans overseen by only a Tier Three Demon King, for an organization of the Zouma Gang’s current size, they were the perfect partners.

The Zouma Gang wouldn’t have been able to associate with a race that actually had a Tier Four Shapeshifting Demon King, anyway. They were simply out of its league.

To put it bluntly, a Tier Four Shapeshifting Demon King could sneeze and wipe half of the Zouma Gang off the map.

Du Youqian was extremely satisfied with the Hajimi’s astuteness. Once the negotiations concluded for the day, he held a banquet in their honor.

Seeing the two Hajimi holding wine cups with their little paws and delightedly lapping at the wine, Du Youqian felt that even his heart, long as still as an ancient well, was melting from the cuteness.

The only thing was, the large Hajimi kept stealing glances at him. But whenever he looked her way, she would jump as if she were a student caught whispering in class, quickly ducking her head and averting her eyes.

It left Du Youqian completely baffled.

After this happened a few more times, Du Youqian finally asked directly, "Friend Sha You, why do you seem so afraid of me?"

The large Hajimi stiffened, then put on a poor act of nonchalance. "I’m not. There’s nothing of the sort."

Du Youqian didn’t feel it was appropriate to press the matter.

Fortunately, other than being a little scared of him, the two Hajimi didn’t cause any other trouble.

The little Hajimi just ended up drinking a bit too much, its tongue lolling out and its face flushed as it rolled around inside the tent, drawing peals of laughter. A few of the bolder Maids pretended to help it up, using the opportunity to give its fur a few good, firm strokes.

’I wish I could take their place.’

’I can sense from the Maids’ thoughts that the fur feels absolutely amazing!’

~~~~~~~~~~~

「That night.」

Xiao Sha Jiang finally sobered up and began chatting excitedly with her mother, Sha You.

She had endless things to say about the day’s events: the human food that looked interesting but was difficult to eat, the fine wine she couldn’t wait to drink again, and the fragrant, soft, fair-skinned Human Race females.

"Sha Jiang, do you like it here?" Sha You asked after her daughter had finished.

"Mhm, I like it a lot!"

"Then why don’t you stay here?"

Sha Jiang was stunned. "Mama, you don’t want me anymore?"

"You’re almost an adult Sand Fox now. It will be good for you to live away from our people for a while and learn new things. If you want to unlock the potential of your bloodline and become a new Demon King one day, then the right kind of training is essential," Sha You explained.

"But I don’t want to leave you, Mama," Sha Jiang said, her voice filled with anxiety.

"Be good. You’re about to reach Tier Two; Mama believes you can survive on your own. Besides, I feel very at ease entrusting you to this man."

At this, Sha Jiang recalled her mother’s strange behavior during the day. "Mama, you seem really scared of that man."

"I am," Sha You admitted frankly to her daughter. "He has killed a Great Saint."

Sha Jiang shivered in fright, her eyes darting around as if she wanted to find a sand dune to burrow into.

"How is that possible! A Great Saint is so mighty! He’s just a Mortal! A Tier Three Mortal!"

In the heart of every member of the Demon Race, a Great Saint was as majestic as a God.

It didn’t matter which clan the Great Saint belonged to.

Even a Great Saint from a clan that was a sworn enemy was considered a pillar of the Ten Thousand Races—a hero leading the fight against the tyranny of the Human Race.

Sha You said gravely, "Our clan is the best at identifying auras. Mama would not be mistaken. He carries the aura of a fallen Saint; he must have been involved in the death of a Great Saint. The only strange thing is, I haven’t heard of any Great Saint falling in the last three thousand years... And you’re right, he is a Tier Three Mortal, but don’t forget what I’ve taught you. The Human Race can..."

"Reincarnate!" Sha Jiang finished for her. "Mama, do you think this Mortal is the reincarnation of someone great?"

"It’s very likely," Sha You did not deny. "Besides the aura of a fallen Saint, I also sensed a vast, orthodox, and solemn aura about him. In one of his past lives, he was likely an Immortal God officially recognized by the Ancient Celestial Court! Do you remember what I taught you? What was the minimum requirement to be recognized by the Ancient Celestial Court?"

"I remember, I remember!"

Sha Jiang raised a small paw as if to show off what she knew. "The absolute minimum was a True Monarch—and that’s a True Monarch from ancient times! You had to be a great figure of at least Tier Seven to be called a True Monarch! It’s not like now, where even Tier Five and Tier Six cultivators can call themselves True Monarchs."

Sha You nodded. "If a great figure like that hasn’t had his power sealed, then as his Cultivation improves, it’s highly likely he will awaken memories of his past lives and perhaps even return to his Peak. Even if he can’t return to his Peak and only advances to Tier Five or Tier Six, we stand to gain immense benefits by aligning with him early. Do you understand now, Sha Jiang? I hope you’ll stay by this man’s side and become good friends with him."

Sha Jiang nodded emphatically, her bright, expressive eyes filled with determination. "I’ll do my best to become good friends with him!"

Sha You affectionately licked her daughter’s fur. "You don’t have to try so hard. Just be yourself."