Great Wilderness Demon Lord

Three days later, following the old autumn custom, the Xiao family held a chrysanthemum appreciation banquet in the East Garden.

The chrysanthemums in the garden are in full bloom, with golden stamens and silver petals, purple clouds and jade fluff, weaving a brocade under the autumn sun.

Dozens of sandalwood tables and chairs were scattered among the flowers, and the guests were all young people from the prominent families of the capital.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and cheerful conversation, what appeared to be elegant and casual talk actually revolved around topics concerning the future landscape, such as cultivation progress, mineral vein shares, and family marriage alliances.

Xiao Yunlan, dressed in the cloud-patterned brocade robe prepared for him by Madam Liu, sat in the second seat.

His classmates were all illegitimate or second sons from other families, and their statuses were similar.

He sat quietly, listening to others talk about a newly acquired source of spiritual materials, or who had recently broken through to a minor realm—these were things that the illegitimate child who used to live in a secluded courtyard didn't even have the right to listen to.

After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere at the table gradually relaxed.

A young gentleman dressed in a scarlet brocade robe strolled over, carrying a wine cup, with a perfectly appropriate smile on his face.

This man is Li Sheng, the second son of the Minister of Rites. His family is at the height of its power and he is quite famous among the younger generation.

"Young Master Xiao, you're about to take up your post in Shuofeng Plain? That's a great place to go, to expand your territory, make great achievements, and make us mediocre people stuck in the capital envious."

The words sounded like a compliment, but there was a hidden barb in the tone.

The people at the table exchanged glances. Some lowered their heads to sip their wine, while others pretended to admire chrysanthemums, but in reality, they were all listening intently.

Xiao Yunlan put down his wine glass and looked up.

Without needing to activate his demonic thoughts, he could read the scrutiny beneath the thin smile in the other person's eyes—a condescending assessment, as if evaluating an object whose value had been unexpectedly acquired.

"Young Master Li flatters me," Xiao Yunlan said calmly. "Defending the border is simply my duty."

"Duty?" Li Sheng chuckled, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Yunlan's brocade robe. "Now that the Second Young Master Xiao is registered under the mistress's name, he is the legitimate second son of the Xiao family. For someone of such status to travel to such a harsh and cold place, the Xiao family is quite willing to do so."

He paused, feigning concern, "But that place, Shuofeng Plain... I heard last year an entire garrison of soldiers froze to death. Second Young Master, you must take good care of yourself on your journey."

This was said euphemistically, but the meaning was blunt: even if you gain official status, you'll just be a pawn sent to the frontier.

There was a moment of silence. Someone coughed deliberately, someone looked away, and no one spoke.

The silence conveyed a tacit understanding—in the eyes of these scions of noble families, Xiao Yunlan's "comeback" came too cleverly and too dangerously, more like a transaction than a true stroke of luck.

They wouldn't say it outright out of consideration for the Xiao family's reputation, but their inherent aloofness and subtle contempt were clearly revealed in this moment of silence.

Xiao Yunlan's expression remained unchanged; she simply watched Li Sheng quietly.

After a moment, he picked up his wine cup and said slowly, "Young Master Li has lived in the capital for a long time, growing up amidst luxury, so naturally you feel the harshness of the northern border. But the territory of Dayong must be guarded by someone; the spiritual veins of the wilderness must be explored by someone."

He raised his eyes, his gaze calm. "If everyone covets the prosperity of the capital, then who will defend the northern border?"

These words were spoken neither humbly nor arrogantly; there was no anger or self-defense, only a statement of fact.

Upon hearing this, the young men from military families looked at Xiao Yunlan with more seriousness in their eyes—regardless of their background, those who dared to go to the Northern Border were never cowards.

Li Sheng's expression stiffened slightly. He was about to speak again when an older gentleman at the next table stood up and pulled him back: "Brother Li, the chrysanthemums at Imperial Censor Wang's house are in bloom. Why don't you go take a look?"

The words had already led the person away, which was considered a way out.

The minor incident passed, and the banquet continued.

But Xiao Yunlan could sense that the gazes directed at him during the meal were much more complex: there was curiosity, scrutiny, a hint of disdain, and a little genuine approval.

This is where he is now—a "lucky one" who got the opportunity, and an "outsider" who needs to prove that he deserves it.

Halfway through the banquet, I overheard a conversation at the next table.

"...Last month, the Chen family found a spiritual spring on the western slope of the Great Wilderness. Although it is not large in scale, after reporting it, they immediately obtained the hereditary right to three hundred miles of land. Now, it can steadily seep out dozens of strands of pure spiritual energy every day. I heard that the Chen family's cultivators have made much faster progress in the past few months."

"Really? What's the quality of that spring?"

"It's said to be a small to medium-sized site, but it's in a secluded location with suitable terrain, and they've already started building camps for defense. The key isn't the current spiritual energy output, but that land—three hundred li of land under their control. If any mineral veins or spiritual materials are discovered in that area in the future, they'll all belong to the Chen family."

The spring is a sacred spring.

Xiao Yunlan silently recited these three words in his heart. Even if it's just a small spring, its significance is far from ordinary. If only one could be found in the Great Wilderness...

The moment this thought arose, eight silent halos of light resonated clearly from the depths of his dantian at the same time!

The valiant demon's burning fighting spirit, the cunning demon's cold deduction, the passionate demon's yearning for power, the murderous demon's chilling intent, the lustful demon's greed for resources, the plague demon's strange adaptation to harsh environments, the medicine demon's healing instincts, the cunning demon's calculating desires...

The originally divergent and mutually restraining ideas now subtly point in the same direction—to expand territory and establish a foundation.

Xiao Yunlan's fingers tightened slightly as she held the wine glass.

He suddenly realized: perhaps he didn't need to suppress these demonic thoughts forever. The true way to coexist lies in guidance.

Direct courage towards conquest, use wisdom for planning, transform passion into a force to unite people, and direct killing towards obstacles that must be eliminated...

The Great Wilderness, that unknown land where crisis and opportunity coexist, may be the only stage for him to control the eight demons within him and forge his own path.

After the banquet, Xiao Yunlan returned to Tingzhu Pavilion.

Under the lamplight, he spread out a map and notes, his gaze calm. Only ten days remained before departure.

-----------------

Three days before his departure, Lady Liu summoned Xiao Yunlan to her study.

The study is simply yet dignifiedly furnished, with three walls lined with floor-to-ceiling rosewood bookshelves. The shelves are not filled with books, but also display some antique objects.

A bronze jue (wine vessel) with a missing handle, several rusty ancient coins, a tattered map with charred edges...

These are just the tip of the iceberg of the Xiao family's accumulated wealth over generations.

Lady Liu sat upright behind a large desk, wearing a deep purple long dress embroidered with phoenix patterns, her hair tied up in a high bun, her expression more solemn than usual.

"Sit down." She pointed to the armchair opposite her.

Xiao Yunlan sat down as instructed.

Without much pleasantries, Madam Liu took a thin booklet sealed with wax from her drawer and pushed it in front of him. "This is the explicit support the Xiao family can offer you for your appointment to Shuofeng Plain. Read it first, then we'll discuss it."

Xiao Yunlan removed the sealing wax seal, unfolded the booklet, and saw rows of neat small regular script characters.

The document details all the overt support the Xiao family could provide: it states that the Xiao family assigned him twenty armored soldiers, all retired veterans from the inner guard, who had served on the northern border and seen bloodshed in their early years.

Attached to the list is a list of each person's hometown and expertise—who is skilled with swords and shields, who is proficient with bows and crossbows, and who has served as a scout—all clearly written down.

The family has already paid the resettlement allowance and the first month's salary for these people, but from now on, Xiao Yunlan will have to bear all the expenses, including their salary, pensions, and all daily expenses.

There was another steward surnamed Wu who had traveled to and from the northern border with the caravan several times. He was knowledgeable in general affairs and had some knowledge of the local languages.

In addition, it also refers to three families of artisans who accompanied them—one blacksmith, one carpenter, and one bricklayer—all of whom were willing to bring their families to settle in the frontier.

In terms of supplies, with a letter bearing the Xiao family seal, he could withdraw 100 shi of millet, 500 jin of cured meat, 10 shi of salt, 1,000 jin of iron, 100 bolts of high-quality linen, and a number of commonly used medicinal materials from the Zhenhuangguan official granary at one time.

Twenty pack horses and five carts were also provided for transportation.

In addition, there are five Vajra Talismans, five Swift Travel Talismans, and five Cleansing Clothes Talismans, as well as a gold note with a face value of one thousand taels, which can be exchanged at several large merchants in the Northern Territory, for emergencies.

There were three letters: one was addressed to the garrison commander of Zhenhuang Pass, a distant relative of Liu's family, in which he asked for some assistance; the other was addressed to Han Zhong, the deputy commander of the Northern Expeditionary Army, an old friend of Liu's, simply as a courtesy visit.

The final letter was addressed to the head of the Northern Xiao Clan Merchant Guild, which granted access to part of the guild's intelligence network and a limited amount of goods on credit.

Finally, there was a black iron ring with the Xiao clan emblem engraved on the inside.

The book clearly states that this item can prove his identity as a member of the Xiao family in the Northern Territory and may bring him some convenience, but its effectiveness is "not guaranteed".

At the end of the book was a line of vermilion annotation, the handwriting thin and sharp as a knife: "This is the family's customary provision of basic necessities for sons sent away to work in the countryside. The wilderness is treacherous; you are responsible for your own life and death, and you must fight for your own future. Remember this well."