Visiting YanLi in her own home was a surprisingly pleasant experience.
At first, Hua Cheng hadn't wanted to waste too much time on pleasantries, especially not with ZiXuan. However, the other demon proved to be much more insightful than Hua Cheng had given him credit for. At first glance, Hua Cheng really hadn't thought much of him other than being reminded of a peacock.
He gladly admitted to having been premature in that assessment though. While YanLi had insisted on making tea for everyone, something none of them needed, but all of them liked anyway, ZiXuan had been left to entertain Hua Cheng as his guest, and told him all sorts of things he needed to know about the demonic hierarchy.
"I have to say I'm surprised nobody tried anything on you yet. I expected to see you beheaded the moment we left your house", ZiXuan told him conversationally.
"I guess they simply can't be bothered", Hua Cheng smirked, and leaned against the backrest, crossing his arms. "Though I've been considering paying a visit to the Inner City. Would you enlighten me on how to enter it?"
"Entering it would be a suicide mission for you. And for me as well, since I'm considered a traitor to the High Class now. YanLi would be sad if the son of her best friend were to die, so I won't tell you", ZiXuan said decisively.
"I'm not dumb enough to enter without shifting into a different skin first. There's no need to be concerned about my well-being", Hua Cheng argued. After all, he was a king, and he didn't take too kindly to being told no.
"This is where you're already making the first mistake. Everyone in the Inner City knows everyone. You'd be identified as an infiltrator the moment you step foot in there, no matter which face you're wearing."
That was certainly an interesting piece of information. But it didn't pose a problem.
"Well, there are plenty of these higher ranks stumbling all over Edge Town. What if I just abduct one of them, and shift into whoever I'm gonna kill?", Hua Cheng asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.
"You're mighty confident in your skills to think you could kill one of them just like that. But even then, the demons from the Inner City would still know more about him than you do. For example, where he lives, who his relatives are, how he behaves and speaks, and all these little details that you won't even remember to perform while wearing his skin."
"You underestimate my acting abilities", Hua Cheng smirked, still at ease with his plan. "If they truly are so conscious of every single habit that every single inhabitant has, then I'll just pick and choose some of them to monitor, and analyse their behaviourism properly and thoroughly before I take over their life. But really, the demons in the Inner City must be deathly afraid of something if their security is that tight", Hua Cheng scoffed.
Hearing this, ZiXuan's expression morphed into that of disdain.
"No, they are not afraid. They are just adamant about keeping to themselves. They regard everyone who isn't a pure-blooded demon as nothing more than lowlives and scum to be used and trampled on. They respect nothing but themselves and if you dare to express a different opinion in any way, shape or form, you'll be ostracised, or if their pride is especially wounded, hunted until you're dead. I'm lucky that nobody cared enough about my opinions and actions to pursue me, but it was different in the case of your father, for example", ZiXuan said, though he obviously wasn't thrilled about the course their conversation had taken.
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The King's Mate - Part 2: Yaoshi
Fanfiction--- Arc 2/3 --- Hua Cheng had just left Guishi behind and was on the journey back home to his palace in Banyue. He'd already been excited to finally see his gege and their two children again, after having been separated for a few weeks because of hi...
