Looking at the extremely fawning demeanor of the green snake spirit before him, Jin Lin smiled faintly, “Quite perceptive, aren’t you?”
“Thank you for the praise, Senior Brother!” the green snake spirit immediately seized the opportunity to ingratiate itself.
Jin Lin turned his head to glance at Yun Qingxue, who was seated between him and Mo Changxing, and asked with a smile, “What do you think, Junior Sister?”
Yun Qingxue gave the green snake spirit a cold look and replied indifferently, “Not impressed.”
“Did you hear that? My Junior Sister says you’re not up to par. You may leave. Next!” Jin Lin turned back and immediately revoked the green snake spirit’s qualification to become a disciple.
The fawning expression on the green snake spirit’s face froze, and it glared at Yun Qingxue with displeasure. “Miss, what have I done to offend you? Why accept that female bear demon but reject me? I can do everything she can, and even—”
The green snake spirit deliberately paused mid-sentence and shot Yun Qingxue an extremely suggestive glance.
“Disgusting and shameless!”
“Outrageous!”
Jin Lin and Mo Changxing’s expressions darkened simultaneously, and they struck at the same moment.
The green snake spirit didn’t even have time to react before its final expression was frozen in that flirtatious pose. A gust of wind blew, and its body instantly turned to ashes.
“K-k-killing! They killed someone!” The crowd waiting in line to become disciples immediately erupted into chaos.
“Silence!” Mo Changxing’s authoritative voice rang out, accompanied by an overwhelming pressure.
At the same time, Jin Lin released the commanding aura of a Dragon King who had long ruled over the aquatic realm. The combined oppressive presence of the two powerhouses instantly subdued the panicked crowd, leaving them too terrified to move.
Though no one dared to act recklessly, their eyes were now filled with wariness. Each of them resembled a tightly strung bowstring—one more disturbance, and they might snap into aggression.
The only one who remained completely unfazed was the newly accepted bear demon, Cuihua. Having just been admitted into Luoyun Mountain, she immediately felt like a part of the sect.
“Insiders don’t turn on insiders,” she firmly believed, so she was certain her senior siblings wouldn’t harm her. In fact, if the other unregistered demons rioted, she would help the three of them suppress the unrest.
Having chosen her side, she remained calm.
“What, are you all here to challenge us instead of seeking discipleship?” Mo Changxing’s icy gaze swept over the crowd.
“You—how can you just kill someone like that?” one demon bravely questioned under the immense pressure.
“Exactly! You don’t even treat us demons as equals!” Once one spoke up, others quickly followed, voicing their discontent.
“You *aren’t* humans. Why should we treat a bunch of demons as humans? Honestly, I don’t even know what to say!” Jin Lin remarked lazily amid the tension.
The demons:
“…He has a point. Damn it, we can’t even argue!”
“You—you kill at will, treating us like we’re not even demons!” one demon hastily corrected its earlier phrasing.
“You *are* demons. If I don’t treat you as demons, what else should I treat you as?”
The demons:
Why does it feel like we’re speechless again?
“Since you have complaints, I’ll reiterate the rules of Luoyun Mountain. Listen carefully!” Mo Changxing’s cold voice cut through the air.
The growing aura of dominance radiating from him made the demons increasingly uneasy.
“Luoyun Mountain is a place of purity and righteousness. We do not accept those without manners, nor those with impure intentions!
“Those we reject inevitably possess flaws that Luoyun Mountain cannot tolerate. If you are refused, reflect on yourselves! Do not linger and waste everyone’s time! And do not attempt to sneak in through underhanded means!
“If anyone dares to scheme, don’t blame us for being merciless—the green snake spirit’s fate awaits you!”
“In short, no matter how you behaved while cultivating outside, if you want to become disciples here, behave yourselves! Discard all your unsavory habits! That way, everyone benefits!” Jin Lin added with a smile, though his oppressive aura remained undiminished.
“We bear no ill will toward any of you. But if you find our actions unjust—if you sympathize with the green snake spirit or those earlier expelled by my senior brothers—then our paths diverge.
“We won’t force you. Anyone who wishes to leave may do so freely!” Yun Qingxue finished, smiling as she glanced at Mo Changxing and Jin Lin. The two promptly withdrew their auras.
The demons felt the weight lift from their bodies.
The trio resumed their seats, and Yun Qingxue’s serene gaze swept over the crowd. “From now on, those who still wish to become disciples, line up again in the previous order. If anyone no longer wishes to stay, leave at once!”
The crowd quieted, and not a single demon left. None of them cared about the three who had been expelled—their earlier unrest stemmed purely from fear of suffering the same fate.
Now that they understood they’d be safe as long as they didn’t cause trouble, they obediently fell back in line. Staying would be ideal, but if rejected, they could leave peacefully without issue.
With this realization, everyone calmed down.
“Are there any other bear demons?” Yun Qingxue asked the lined-up crowd once order was restored.
Though puzzled, no one dared to question her. Three burly men stepped forward from the long line.
“My true form is a bear,” the three replied nervously, standing to the side.
“Come here,” Yun Qingxue commanded, and the three bear demons obediently approached.
At a glance, Yun Qingxue could tell two of them hadn’t fully mastered transformation—though they had human forms, their bear ears were still blatantly visible.
The third had fully taken human form and was far more handsome than Cuihua and the other two.
Yet Yun Qingxue frowned at him.
“You, leave!” She pointed at the fully transformed bear demon, then turned to the other two. “You two may stay.”
The expelled bear demon scowled but, recalling the green snake spirit’s fate, didn’t dare protest. He turned and flew down the mountain.
“Senior Sister, I’m Xiong Da, and this is my younger brother Xiong Er. We’re blood brothers!” The two remaining bear demons, overjoyed, introduced themselves without waiting to be asked.
Xiong Da, Xiong Er—the names made Yun Qingxue chuckle.
She pointed toward Cuihua behind her. “Stand beside Cuihua.”
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