Ch 11: The Malevolent Monster Just Wants To Farm

Qinghuan had been lazily resting in his original form, coiled up in his cave, when the sudden arrival of the scent made him lift his head abruptly, his red forked tongue flickering in and out.

He had never smelled anything like this before. It was hard to describe—extremely fragrant, yet not the natural scent of flowers, fruits, or trees. It felt like it had hooks, perfectly snagging the hunger deep within him.

He was hungry.

Qinghuan didn’t hesitate, transforming into his human form as his instincts for finding food kicked in, guiding him toward the source of the scent.

It didn’t take long for him to find the location.

But when he arrived, Qinghuan hesitated.

He sensed the presence of other demons ahead, and it was a mixed crowd—roughly estimating, there were dozens of them gathered there.

Could it be that these demons had discovered something extraordinary?

He instinctively wanted to take a look but then felt a strange urge telling him it might be better to turn around and leave.

However, just then, the aroma intensified, exploding all around him, enveloping his entire being.

Saliva involuntarily pooled in his mouth.

Qinghuan: …Forget it, I might as well go.

He quietly concealed his presence and moved toward where the demonic energies were concentrated.

From a distance, he heard the sounds of lively chatter, saw the rising flames, and smelled the even stronger, irresistible aroma.

Qinghuan paused briefly; he didn’t like fire.

But it was only a brief pause before he continued forward, finding a tall tree to climb up and observe from a distance.

The scene in the valley clearing was entirely in his view.

Dozens of demons sat in small groups, each around a fire. On the fires, strange sticks held the source of that wondrous scent.

Qinghuan’s sharp eyes recognized the items on the sticks: there were mountain pheasants, goats, fish—ordinary creatures that could be found around the area.

These things, when roasted over a fire, could smell this good?

He pondered this to himself.

The next moment, he suddenly felt all the hairs on his body stand on end.

Startled, Qinghuan instinctively looked in that direction, only to see a young man dressed in an ordinary dark robe, sitting among the demons, looking in his direction with a faint, knowing smile.

This young man had been quietly sitting there the whole time, without any strong demonic aura. When Qinghuan had been observing earlier, he hadn’t even noticed him.

But now, this man had noticed him and triggered an instinctive sense of danger in Qinghuan.

The most terrifying thing was that even now, Qinghuan couldn’t discern anything about this young man’s origins.

Since when had White Tiger Ridge harbored such a terrifying demon?

A thought flashed through Qinghuan’s mind: No, he might not have just arrived…

He suddenly realized—he had never seen the humanoid form of that White Bone King before.

Qinghuan immediately wanted to leave.

But in the next moment, a voice, calm and slightly amused, echoed gently in his ear: “A guest is a guest. Why not come and enjoy the food with us?”

Though the man was far away, his words sounded as if they were whispered right next to Qinghuan’s ear.

At the same time, a heavy pressure bore down on him, making it impossible for him to even turn around and escape.

Gritting his teeth, Qinghuan slowly walked toward the source of the voice, step by step, struggling under the weight of the pressure.

Soon, one of the demons noticed him, and there was a brief stir among them. However, they quickly calmed down—after all, their lord was present.

Qinghuan felt a mix of frustration and a sense of humiliation, but as he got closer to the barbecue area, these emotions gradually turned into curiosity and a desire for the delicious food.

His gaze was irresistibly drawn to the skewers over the fire, where the scent was coming from.

The meat, which he had eaten countless times in its raw form, was now roasted over the fire, taking on an enticingly dark color. The sizzling fat produced a tantalizing aroma that filled his nostrils with its rich, dominant scent.

Jiang Lin watched with amusement as Qinghuan tried to maintain an air of indifference, acting as if he were above it all, while clearly struggling to resist the temptation. Jiang Lin found it hilarious.

It seemed like Qinghuan thought he was doing a good job of hiding his true feelings.

These demons were really quite amusing.

Deciding not to call him out, Jiang Lin beckoned the cat demon over and gave her some instructions.

The cat demon was a bit surprised but trusted Jiang Lin completely. She stood up and approached Qinghuan.

“The lord says that a guest is a guest, and he asked me to host you,” the cat demon said nervously to Qinghuan.

This snake demon was well-known in White Tiger Ridge and didn’t have the best temper. Several of her friends had suffered at his hands.

The only comforting thing was that the snake demon was a homebody—he spent most of his time sleeping, and even when he was awake, he usually stayed in his cave resting.

Qinghuan frowned. “What do you mean?”

He glanced over at Jiang Lin, who simply smiled at him without any intention of speaking.

This left Qinghuan with a belly full of questions.

But soon, those questions no longer seemed important.

The cat demon skillfully set up the grill, lit the fire, and brought over a dish of seasonings.

Qinghuan watched the scene unfold with curiosity.

He didn’t like fire, as snakes are creatures that prefer cold and damp environments. The bright and warm sensation made him feel slightly uncomfortable.

But it was something he could endure.

He watched the cat demon’s actions intently, his sharp sense of smell telling him that the contents of the small dish in her hands were the source of the captivating aroma.

“What is that?” he asked, his voice slightly raspy.

The cat demon, startled, quickly glanced at Qinghuan before answering, “This is called seasoning. The lord gave it to us, and it’s said to contain several spices that make food taste particularly delicious.”

Qinghuan pressed further, “Where did it come from?”

The cat demon was confused. “Huh?”

She had never thought about that before.

After thinking for a moment and still not understanding, she replied, “Well, the lord brought it out. The lord is amazing; he even knows how to build beautiful houses, so it’s not strange that he has these things.”

Qinghuan: …

He wanted to ask what a house was, but the cat demon cut a slice of the cooked meat, placed it on a stone plate, and handed it to him. “You can eat it now. Try it with this wooden fork.”

As the steaming meat was presented before him, Qinghuan swallowed any further questions. He took the plate, awkwardly speared a piece of meat with the wooden fork, and placed it in his mouth.

!

His eyes flashed briefly with excitement, and he quickly took another bite.

The small plate of meat was soon empty, and Qinghuan licked his lips, his gaze lingering hungrily on the large leg of meat before him.

But the cat demon stood up and said, “Now you have to roast it yourself.”

Qinghuan: ?

Having never done such a bothersome task himself, Qinghuan narrowed his eyes. “You’re not going to roast it for me?”

The pressure from his presence made the cat demon a bit fearful, but when she glanced at Jiang Lin sitting not far away, she felt reassured and confident:

“The lord said that everyone should do their own work. Even the lord is grilling his own meat.”

Besides, she hadn’t finished her own food yet.

She was just as eager to eat, too!

xxx

Thandar: ahhhh who else loves the little cat like me? ❤️❤️❤️❤️