The Ice-Fire Pearl’s immunity to water and fire was, of course, not permanent. Even when carefully preserved, it had a limited lifespan. Once the energy within it was exhausted, its effects would naturally fade.
Different grades of Ice-Fire Pearls varied greatly. For example, Scarlet-Gold Fish with a golden ridge along their backs produced pearls that lasted the longest—at least three years—making them true treasures. When not in use and stored in jade boxes, their longevity could be extended even further.
Jin Yang flicked the tip of her knife.
Two cold flashes crossed the air. A large, fatty slice of fish—its skin golden and crisp—was cleanly cut from the belly of the largest Scarlet-Gold Fish before them. She handed it to Fa Hua.
“For you.”
Fa Hua did not stand on ceremony. He accepted the knife and ate heartily.
The fish meat was firm and springy. With the first bite, rich, savory juices flooded his mouth, the fragrance rising straight to his nose. When his teeth broke through the skin, it crackled sharply, whetting his appetite even further.
There was no need for seasoning. This simple roast was the most delicious food Fa Hua had ever eaten. There was no fishy taste, no gaminess, only a faint, subtle sweetness that lingered on the palate.
As the meat settled in his stomach, a gentle warmth spread through his limbs and bones, nourishing his body from within.
If not for the fact that most of the Capricorn warriors had been injured in the earlier battle, Jin Yang would never have allowed everyone to eat the Scarlet-Gold Fish together. Had it been taken back to the city, it could have fetched an excellent price. By any standard, it was a prized delicacy.
“Jin Yang, I helped plenty too! Why did you give him the first piece?” Lan Ge complained, his face full of grievance.
Jin Yang glanced at him calmly.
“He is more capable than you. Our Capricorn clan respects the capable.”
“What? How is he more capable than me? I’m pretty good too!” Lan Ge’s competitive streak flared at once.
Jin Yang let out a soft chuckle. She produced another knife, sliced off a piece of fish, and handed it to him.
“You’re right. You’re not bad either.”
Lan Ge’s anger vanished instantly. He took the fish with a grin and devoured it even more messily than Fa Hua, finishing it in just a few bites.
The delicious Scarlet-Gold Fish allowed the Capricorn warriors to forget their pain. Jin Yang herself ate very little, though her gaze occasionally lingered on Fa Hua’s calm, composed face.
“Hey, don’t tell me you’ve fallen for him?” Lan Ge laughed mischievously. “Can your demon clans even like humans?”
Jin Yang looked at him without the slightest hint of shyness.
“Marrying in is possible. It may affect bloodline purification, though.”
“Did you hear that?” Lan Ge nudged Fa Hua.
Fa Hua glanced at him briefly, thinking only one word: Childish.
If you’ve got the guts, say that to Jin Yang and see if she flips out Lan Ge shot back in his mind.
Jin Yang looked straight at Fa Hua, her eyes intent.
“Are all of your people in the Law Domain like this? You’re a natural-born commander.”
“Our Wisdom City specializes in this,” Fa Hua replied evenly. The Eye of Wisdom was a unique ability granted by the Wisdom Codex; no other Codex possessed it.
“You mean the ability that lets you communicate with all of our warriors?” Jin Yang asked.
“Yes,” Fa Hua nodded.
She considered for a moment. “Then how many people can you command at once?”
“At present, at most three thousand,” Fa Hua said. “For perfect control, within one thousand.”
Jin Yang’s eyes lit up.
“Why have you come to the Demon Domain? Have you considered staying?”
“We are heading to the Ancestral Court to pay our respects,” Fa Hua replied. “We won’t stay.”
The refusal was direct. Jin Yang felt a twinge of regret, but she nodded.
“If one day you wish to remain in the Demon Domain, the doors of the Capricorn clan will always be open to you. I’ll grant you the post of commander of a thousand, to lead our finest warriors.”
“You trust him that much?” Lan Ge asked, a hint of jealousy in his voice.
“An outstanding commander,” Jin Yang said seriously, “can minimize casualties and allow warriors to unleash their full strength on the battlefield.”
Lan Ge snorted, though he couldn’t deny it. Today’s battle had shown him Fa Hua in an entirely new light. Only now did he truly understand why the Law Domain—despite having a lower average in individual strength than the Blue Domain—could still stand shoulder to shoulder with it.
Before long, it was time for them to part.
After the meal, Fa Hua and Lan Ge bid Jin Yang farewell and continued deeper into the Tiansheng Mountain Range.
They left not only with the friendship of the Capricorn clan, but also with Jin Yang’s tangible assistance.
Because the Capricorn clan’s base lay near the Tiansheng Mountain Range, they knew the area intimately. They gifted Fa Hua and Lan Ge a detailed map marking demon beast territories. Along with it came a small jade box containing thirty Ice-Fire Pearls—nearly one-third of the clan’s total gains from this expedition.
Jin Yang explained that Ice-Fire Pearls were hard currency in the Demon Domain. Both great empires accepted them readily, and as long as they remained in jade boxes, their quality would not deteriorate.
“I think Jin Yang might actually like you,” Lan Ge said as they flew between mountain peaks. “Liking someone soft-spoken who snaps at people all the time—her taste is questionable.”
Fa Hua didn’t even look at him.
“Her favor doesn’t mean liking. And are you jealous, or just competitive?”
“Tch. Jealous of what?” Lan Ge scoffed. “Her taste is the problem.”
“She has good taste,” Fa Hua replied lightly.
**
The Capricorn Clan
Jin Yang led her warriors home, her thoughts returning again and again to the battle.
The Capricorn clan had always been warlike. Their warriors were renowned throughout the Demon Domain—disciplined, united, and capable of explosive strength when fighting for Order.
“Humans… are they really this exceptional?” she murmured inwardly. “If the Capricorn clan could obtain a human commander, perhaps we could become even stronger.”
Her eyes brightened.
What she had not told Fa Hua and Lan Ge was that this expedition to hunt Scarlet-Gold Fish had also been a test—a trial to truly claim the title of Great Jin Yang, marking her as one of the future inheritors of the Capricorn clan.
The Capricorn clan was divided into ten major branches, each holding one right of succession. This mission had been her test to secure her own branch’s claim.
Though the Capricorn clan was not large, it still commanded nearly one hundred thousand warriors. United, brave, and ferocious, they were a force even the Eight Great Demon Clans did not dare provoke lightly.
“No,” Jin Yang decided. “When I return, I must report to my father. If an opportunity arises, I’ll go to the Human Law Domain. This may be our greatest chance to rise.”
For a long time, one question had weighed on her heart: Why couldn’t the Capricorn clan become one of the Eight Great Demon Clans?
**
One Month Later
“It seems the Ruby Queen still has a conscience,” Lan Ge said cheerfully as they hurried onward. “We didn’t save her for nothing.”
The Demon Domain was vast and richly endowed. Every region offered new scenery, which suited Lan Ge’s lively temperament perfectly.
If Fa Hua hadn’t been so focused on reaching the Ancestral Court, Lan Ge would have stopped to explore more than once.
“How much farther?” Lan Ge asked.
“Three to five days,” Fa Hua replied.
In recent days, even before reaching the Ancestral Court, they could sense a vast aura radiating from its direction—causing their hearts to race, their ears to ring, and their eyes to heat, as though the qi and blood within them were being stirred.
The Ancestral Court—the seat of the Demon Domain’s highest authority—was clearly a place beyond imagination.
“Do you think we’ll meet the Ruby Queen again?” Lan Ge asked suddenly.
Fa Hua glanced at him.
“You’re looking forward to it?”
Lan Ge shook his head vigorously.
“Of course not. She probably recognized our clothes and guessed we saved her. That’s why she didn’t chase us.”
“You’re assuming,” Fa Hua replied calmly. “She’s a Devouring Ant, not human. Who knows whether she thinks as we do? And we took her heart. That was her chance to advance to Twelfth-Rank. You felt it too. The Peerless Pearl must have done something to her. That’s likely why she couldn’t pursue us.”
Lan Ge’s eyes widened.
“You mean… the Backstabbing Pearl actually helped us? Cut off her chance of chasing us?”