Great Wilderness Demon Lord

When Xiao Yunlan woke up again, he found himself lying on a soft but unfamiliar bed.

Sunlight streamed in through the exquisitely carved wooden windows, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow on the blue brick floor inside the room.

He tried to move his fingers, and a feeling of weakness spread throughout his body. However, compared to the excruciating pain on the altar that felt like his internal organs were being torn apart, the pain at this moment was much milder, more like the exhaustion after recovering from a serious illness.

He lay there quietly, spending a long time sorting through the chaotic, overlapping fragments of memory in his mind.

Xiao Lan, an ordinary office worker in the 21st century, died suddenly in a taxi on her way home late at night due to overwork.

The body in question is now inhabited by Xiao Yunlan, the illegitimate son of the Xiao family, a top-tier aristocratic family in the Dayong Dynasty.

Images flashed by: a quiet side courtyard, the servants' seemingly indifferent disdainful glances, the eternally calm and unwavering face of the mistress, Madam Liu, and the deal that changed everything—using herself as bait to lure out the cult in exchange for a chance to turn her life around.

The last memory is of the altar: the dark red glowing runes, the pungent smell of spices and blood, the clash of the eight violent wills within him, and Liu's vague words, "Take him back"...

So, did the transaction succeed or fail? What is his current situation?

Just as his thoughts were in turmoil, the door was gently pushed open.

A young maid wearing a light green vest walked in carrying a black lacquered tray with a white porcelain medicine bowl on it.

She looked up and saw Xiao Lan with his eyes open. She was startled at first, then her face lit up with joy. She hurriedly put down the tray, turned around and ran out, her voice brimming with excitement: "The Second Young Master is awake! Quickly go and inform the Mistress!"

The room returned to silence, with only the faint chirping of birds and the movement of sunlight outside the window remaining.

Xiao Lan—no, from this moment on, he must fully accept this identity—Xiao Yunlan, slowly and trying to prop himself up.

His muscles protested with soreness, and his bones felt like they were rusted, but he still managed to sit up against the headboard.

This simple movement left him slightly out of breath.

Not long after, steady footsteps sounded outside the door. Liu entered alone.

Today she changed into a more casual outfit: a long satin jacket in a light purple color with lotus patterns, over which she wore a matching half-sleeved garment. Her hair was simply adorned with a jade hairpin, giving her a more composed and dignified air than the formal attire of a matriarch of the household.

She sat down on the round stool by the bed, her gaze falling on Xiao Yunlan's face with scrutiny and a calm assessment.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, her tone as indifferent as if she were asking about the weather.

"Still alive." Xiao Yunlan's voice was dry and hoarse, as if his throat had been rubbed with sandpaper.

"It's good that you're alive." Madam Liu nodded slightly, gesturing for the maid who followed her in to bring the medicine. "Drink the medicine first. You've been unconscious for three days."

Xiao Yunlan took the warm bowl of medicine. The thick, dark liquid emitted a bitter smell, but he drank it all in one gulp without changing his expression. In his previous life, he had drunk plenty of even more bitter stimulants to cope with the high-intensity work.

After watching him finish his medicine, Madam Liu remained silent for a moment before speaking again: "The plan has basically succeeded. The imperial court and the Xiao family worked together to wipe out several important strongholds of the Four Heavenly Venerables Sect in the capital and killed two of their protectors. Although a few key figures escaped in the chaos, this battle has severely weakened them."

Xiao Yunlan nodded, waiting for her to continue. This outcome was expected; since the Xiao family and the imperial court had taken action, they naturally wouldn't leave empty-handed.

"Master Xuancheng of the Imperial Observatory has already conducted a preliminary examination of your condition." Liu's gaze seemed to penetrate his body. "The Eight Formations for Binding Demons... the situation is more complicated than expected. But now that you have awakened, it means that the most dangerous moment has passed."

For the next month, you need to rest well and adjust to the changes in your body. We can discuss other matters in detail after you are able to get out of bed and walk.

She didn't mention adoption, appointment, or any specific promises, but only gave the most basic arrangements: "This Tingzhu Pavilion will be your residence from now on. All servants and expenses will be provided according to the allowance for the second son of the household. Focus on getting well first."

After saying this, she got up and left, leaving Xiao Yunlan alone leaning against the headboard, processing the brief information.

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

Two days later, Xiao Yunlan was able to get out of bed and walk slowly around the room. His control over his body was gradually recovering, but the feeling of fullness with eight "foreign objects" lingering near his dantian remained, constantly reminding him of his abnormality.

That afternoon, Madam Liu came to Tingzhu Pavilion again, this time followed by a maid carrying a tray.

Xiao Yunlan sat in a chair in the outer room to greet her. Liu Shi sat down opposite him, and a maid placed a tray on the table before silently leaving. On the tray were a scroll of documents tied with a brocade ribbon, a thick booklet, and a few miscellaneous items.

"You look better." Madam Liu glanced at him, then cut to the chase without further pleasantries, "Today I'd like to discuss the follow-up matters with you."

She picked up the scroll, untied the brocade ribbon, and unfolded it. The paper was sturdy, with subtle patterns printed along the edges. The text was written in a neat, official script, and at the bottom was a bright red seal of the Ministry of War, next to which was a line of smaller characters and a private seal.

"Pioneer Colonel, a sixth-rank military officer." Liu's finger traced the official title on the document, her tone calm, as if stating something perfectly ordinary. "This position is located on the edge of the Northern Wilderness. According to the national policy of the 'Pioneer Order,' the person in charge is responsible for opening up new land, exploring spiritual veins, and establishing strongholds. Although it is not an important position, it is still a respectable one."

She put down the appointment document and picked up the thick booklet, the cover of which bore the three large characters "Reclamation Order".

Turning to the inner pages reveals a dense array of terms and conditions.

"The Great Yong Dynasty has been established for over three hundred years," Liu's voice remained calm. "The spiritual veins and mineral deposits in the Central Plains are becoming increasingly scarce, and cultivation resources are becoming more and more difficult to obtain. The late emperor and the five great families have decided on this policy to encourage the expansion into the Great Wilderness."

Those who gain anything are entitled, according to the law, to merit, hereditary rights, and a share of the spiritual resources.

She pushed the booklet in front of Xiao Yunlan, her gaze falling on his face with an almost indifferent frankness: "For you, this is an opportunity. If you stay in the capital, the Xiao family will not mistreat you, but your cultivation resources, future prospects, and power will always be second only to the eldest son—even if you are now registered under my name, rules are rules."

Go to the wilderness, and you will be responsible for your own life and death, but if you achieve anything, it will be the foundation you have earned yourself.

Xiao Yunlan listened in silence. There was no coercion in Liu's words, only a calm analysis of the pros and cons, and even a hint of indifference that she was "at her own discretion."

"Why were you ultimately chosen?" he asked. "Just because of that deal?"

Liu met his gaze, her eyes devoid of any emotion: "A deal is a deal; the Xiao family never owes anyone anything. You want a noble birth, the Xiao family will give you that; you want a promising future, the position of Captain Tuoxin will suffice. As for why this particular position—"

She paused, her tone becoming even more subdued, "The matter of sealing the eight demons within you is ultimately a hidden danger. In the capital, under the watchful eyes of all parties, it's hard to guarantee that unforeseen events won't occur."

The vast wilderness is high and far, with fewer rules and constraints, which might be a better place for you. Of course, this is just a suggestion. If you want to stay, the Xiao family won't kick you out.

This was said so casually, as if it were merely stating an objective fact.

But Xiao Yunlan understood the implication: the Xiao family had long been established in the Great Wilderness, so whether he went or not made little difference to the Xiao family.

The placement of this piece is merely icing on the cake; success is good, but failure is not a big deal.

After she finished speaking, she pointed out the remaining items on the tray one by one: a thin booklet with yellowed pages called "The Secret of Nourishing Qi", a simple map drawn on tanned leather, a handwritten notebook with worn edges, and a warm blue jade talisman.

"The 'Qi Cultivation Manual' is the foundation of cultivation and requires diligent and unremitting practice. The map and notes are fragmented materials collected by the family in its early years, which may be of some help. This jade talisman is a specially made communication talisman. Every once in a while, if the family has important information, it will transmit it to you one-way through this talisman. The Great Wilderness is far away, and ordinary means of communication are ineffective."

Her tone remained calm throughout, offering no instructions or expectations, simply fulfilling the follow-up to a transaction.

"You have a month to prepare." Madam Liu rose, her dress trailing on the ground, without pausing for a moment. "During this time, familiarize yourself with the cultivation techniques, recuperate, and prepare your travel gear. A month later, head to the desolate pass of the Northern Border Town to report for your new post. The Xiao family's merchant guild there will have someone to meet you."

She said nothing more, turned and left, her steps calm and without a trace of lingering affection, as if she had simply completed a pre-arranged task.

The door closed gently, and the Listening Bamboo Pavilion returned to silence.

Xiao Yunlan sat alone at the table, his gaze sweeping over the objects that would determine his future fate. The Ministry of War's seal on the appointment document was bright red and glaring, the "Reclamation Order" booklet was thick and heavy, and a few odds and ends gleamed with an old luster in the afternoon light.

There was no coercion, no emotional appeal, just a calm, almost ruthless transaction and a nonchalant prospect for the future.

He slowly picked up the cyan jade talisman; it was warm to the touch, and seemed to shimmer with a faint light within. The Northern Border Xiao Clan Merchant Guild—it turned out the Xiao family's reach in the Great Wilderness had already extended for many years.

His appointment was merely adding another piece to a already laid-out chessboard in the wilderness.

The sunlight outside the window gradually slanted westward, casting long shadows on the blue brick floor. Xiao Yunlan put away all his belongings, his gaze gradually calming.

Whether it's a chess piece or a transaction.

At least this is the path he chose himself.