jdhmnovel Chapter 34: The Reforms Are Initially Underway, but Their Aftershocks Have Not Yet Subsided
Chapter 34: The Reforms Are Initially Underway, but Their Aftershocks Have Not Yet Subsided
There was no one at the entrance of the main hall; only the night wind howled past.
Dai Yao frowned slightly. Was it just her imagination? But the feeling of being watched was so real.
"Yaoyao, what's wrong?" Miao Wan asked with concern.
Dai Yao shook her head. "It's nothing, I'm probably just too tired lately." She suppressed her doubts and began to deal with the various matters following the changes.
However, things did not go as smoothly as Dai Yao had expected.
Within the Demon Palace, an undercurrent is stirring.
"Have you heard? The new palace master is completely clueless about management; the Demon Palace is doomed sooner or later!"
"That's right! When Lord Lingfeng was around, we never suffered this kind of humiliation!"
"Change? Change my ass! I think change is going to destroy us!"
Similar rumors and gossip quietly spread throughout the Demon Palace.
The members of the Demon Palace, who had initially supported the change, began to feel uneasy.
"These guys are like persistent ghosts!" Blood Shadow slammed his fist on the table, furious.
"Palace Master, we can't let them continue like this!" Zi Yan said anxiously.
Dai Yao, however, remained unusually calm. "What's the panic? Let them run wild for a few days. I want to see what tricks they can pull." A cold smile curled at the corner of her lips, and a cunning glint flashed in her eyes.
At the same time, although Lingfeng Demon outwardly submitted, he did not give up his resistance in secret.
Some of his close associates began to deliberately make things difficult for the reformists in their daily affairs.
"Lord Leng Xing, this is the resource allocation list for this month. Please take a look." A subordinate of Ling Fengmo handed a document to Leng Xing in a sarcastic tone.
Leng Xing took the document and frowned immediately.
The resource allocation on the list is completely inconsistent with the new regulations, and many important resources have been allocated to Lingfengmo's old subordinates.
"What do you mean by this?" Leng Xing asked coldly.
"What do you mean? Lord Leng Xing, you're the strategist of the reform faction, can't you even understand such a small matter?" The subordinate said with a mocking expression. "This was personally approved by Lord Ling Fengmo!"
"Insolence!" Leng Xing slammed his fist on the table and roared, "Lingfeng Demon is no longer the ruler of the Demon Palace, his orders are invalid!"
"Oh, Lord Leng Xing, are you planning a rebellion?" The subordinate showed no fear whatsoever, instead becoming even more arrogant. "Don't forget, this is still the Demon Palace, not your reformist faction's private domain!"
Similar conflicts continued to unfold within the Demon Palace. Tensions were high, and a full-blown clash was imminent.
As Dai Yao sat on the palace master's throne, listening to her subordinates' reports, her face grew increasingly gloomy.
"Palace Master, we can't wait any longer! We must take action!" Blood Shadow said anxiously.
Dai Yao slowly stood up, a cold glint flashing in her eyes. "Since they want to play, then I'll play along!" She walked to the window, gazing at the distant sky, and murmured to herself, "The show is just beginning..." She suddenly turned around and said to Leng Xing, "Go, summon Ling Fengmo to me!" Her tone carried an undeniable air of authority.
Lingfeng Demon slowly entered the main hall, his face showing a hint of reluctance, and even a touch of schadenfreude, as if he was waiting to see Dai Yao make a fool of herself.
He bowed perfunctorily and asked, "What are your orders, Palace Master?" His tone was full of sarcasm.
Dai Yao wasn't annoyed. Instead, she smiled and invited him to sit down. "Lord Lingfeng Demon, don't stand. Come, please sit down." She slowly brewed a cup of tea and pushed it in front of Lingfeng Demon. "The Demon Palace has been very busy lately. Thank you for your hard work."
Lingfeng Demon responded with a forced smile, but inwardly he sneered: Tired? I bet you're overwhelmed! These brats are hard to manage, let's see what you're going to do!
Dai Yao seemed oblivious to the mockery in his eyes and continued, "I've heard that some discordant voices have been circulating in the Demon Palace lately..." She paused, her gaze fixed intently on Lingfeng Demon, "What are your thoughts on this, Lord Lingfeng Demon?"
Lingfeng Mo felt a chill run down his spine, but remained outwardly calm. "Palace Master is too kind. I have been living a secluded life for a long time and am not very familiar with what is happening outside." He picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and tried to conceal his inner turmoil.
Dai Yao chuckled, "Really? It seems Lord Lingfeng Demon isn't very well-informed." She clapped her hands, and Zi Yan and Leng Xing walked in, carrying a thick stack of documents.
“These are all pieces of evidence we’ve collected recently.” Dai Yao pointed to the documents, her tone icy. “They clearly record who is spreading rumors, who is inciting public opinion, and who is secretly obstructing change!”
Lingfeng's expression changed drastically, and he almost dropped the teacup in his hand.
He never expected that Dai Yao had so much evidence!
Dai Yao gave him no chance to catch his breath and continued, "Lord Lingfeng, considering your past contributions to the Demon Palace, I will give you a chance. Confess and you will be treated leniently; resist and you will be punished severely."
Lingfeng's face turned pale and then red, and finally, he sighed dejectedly, "I...I confess..."
Just as he was about to reveal everything, Dai Yao abruptly changed the subject, "However, I don't like listening to nonsense." She stood up, walked to Ling Fengmo, and looked down at him, "What I want is the real mastermind!"
Lingfengmo paused for a moment, then his eyes flickered, as if he was hesitating about something.
Dai Yao didn't urge him, but just stood there quietly, her powerful aura making it almost impossible for Ling Fengmo to breathe.
Finally, Lingfengmo gritted his teeth, as if making a difficult decision, "It's...it's Huanyue..."
Dai Yao showed no surprise whatsoever, simply nodding slightly. "Very well, take me to see her."
In a secluded corner of the Demon Palace, Dai Yao found Huan Yue.
When Huan Yue saw Dai Yao appear, a look of shock appeared on her face, and she blurted out, "How could you..."
The battle takes place on an ancient magic circle in the Demon Palace. During the battle, the magic circle is activated, emitting colorful light. The light from the spells used in the battle intertwines, creating a dazzling visual effect.
Before Huan Yue's expression of astonishment could fully unfold, it transformed into a sharp killing intent.
With a flick of her slender hand, several beams of cold light shot towards Dai Yao like a torrential downpour. Dai Yao moved with lightning speed, her figure like a ghost, the cold lights grazing her clothes and creating a sharp whistling sound. A disdainful smile played on her lips; the attack, seemingly fierce, was full of flaws in her eyes. A flash, almost like teleportation, easily dodged the attack, and at the same time, instantly appeared behind Huan Yue, lightly tapping Huan Yue's back with her finger, teasingly saying, "Your speed still needs some work."
Enraged, Huan Yue unleashed a powerful attack. A black shadow detached from her body and shot towards Dai Yao like an arrow. This shadow was sinister and eerie, exuding a suffocating sense of oppression.
Dai Yao remained calm, rapidly forming hand seals. A golden light gathered in her palms as she chanted incantations. The light instantly transformed into a massive shield. The black shadow crashed into the shield, producing a deafening roar, yet it couldn't penetrate it even slightly. Dai Yao then unleashed a glittering golden talisman, which transformed into a beam of golden light, firmly trapping the black shadow. With a "bang," the shadow exploded into a cloud of black mist, vanishing without a trace.
Huan Yue was shocked to see this. This was her trump card! How could it be so easily countered?
Dai Yao clapped her hands, looking calm: "That's it? I thought it was some amazing move, but it was just a feint!"
Instead of pressing her advantage, she walked up to Huan Yue and said earnestly, "I know you were just following orders, but now your mission has failed. Rather than going down a dark path, you should turn to the light. If you are willing to contribute to the reform of the Demon Palace, I can forgive and forget."
Huan Yue was stunned; she hadn't expected Dai Yao to be so magnanimous.
After hesitating for a moment, she finally chose to surrender.
This result drew cheers from the onlookers, who looked at Dai Yao with admiration.
Lingfeng Mo watched in horror, secretly relieved that he had surrendered in time.
Dai Yao smiled slightly, as if everything was under her control.
"The Palace Master is wise!" Zi Yan and Leng Xing exclaimed in unison.
Dai Yao waved her hand: "Don't worry about the basics, there are more important tasks waiting for us."
Blood Shadow walked to Dai Yao's side and whispered, "Palace Master, although we've resolved the problem of Illusion Moon, but..." He paused, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes, "I have a feeling that things aren't as simple as they seem..."
Blood Shadow's words were like a pebble, creating ripples in Dai Yao's calm heart.
“I know,” Dai Yao sighed softly, rubbing her temples as her head began to ache. “This is just the beginning!” She knew that reforms were never easy, and these old fogies were unlikely to give in so easily.
"Palace Master, what do we do next?" Zi Yan rubbed his hands together, looking eager to try.
"Of course, we should strike while the iron is hot and press our advantage!" He grinned, revealing two shiny little tiger teeth.
“Zi Yan is right,” Leng Xing pushed up his glasses, a glint of light flashing in the lenses. “We must consolidate the achievements of the reforms as soon as possible and establish a new order. At the same time, we must also be prepared to deal with all kinds of emergencies.”
Dai Yao nodded in agreement.
She looked around and saw the little monsters who had been watching still excitedly discussing the battle they had just fought, their faces beaming with anticipation for the future.
"Do you see them?" Dai Yao said, pointing to the little monsters. "They are our hope for change, and we cannot let them down."
"The Palace Master is right!" everyone responded in unison.
Over the next few days, Dai Yao and the core members of the reformist faction were extremely busy.
Developing new rules and regulations, reassuring people, and handling various emergencies... Although it was tiring, Dai Yao felt incredibly fulfilled.
She knew that she was changing the fate of the Demon Palace, and also the fate of these little monsters.
Just when everything seemed to be going in the right direction, something unexpected happened.
Miao Wan ran over anxiously, panting, and said, "Dai Yao...something bad has happened...something has occurred..."
"What's wrong? Tell me slowly." Dai Yao quickly helped Miao Wan up and patted her back to help her catch her breath.
“The forbidden area of the Demon Palace…it seems…it seems something…has escaped…” Miao Wan said haltingly, her face deathly pale.
Dai Yao's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition welled up inside her.
The forbidden area of the Demon Palace—that's the most mysterious place in the Demon Palace, where many powerful demons are sealed away… Could it be…?
"Let's go! Let's go take a look!" Dai Yao made a quick decision and led everyone to rush towards the forbidden area.
Meanwhile, deep within the Demon Palace, in a dark corner, a pair of scarlet eyes slowly opened… “Hehehe… Finally… free…” A sinister and terrifying voice echoed in the darkness…
When Dai Yao and the others arrived at the forbidden area, the scene before them shocked them.
At the entrance to the forbidden area, a huge crack appeared, from which a powerful stream of demonic energy surged forth, turning everything around into black.
"What...what exactly is going on?" Zi Yan asked in horror.
Dai Yao did not answer; she stared intently at the crack, her expression grave.
She sensed a powerful force slowly awakening from the crack...
Just then, a dark figure flashed through the crack...
"What is that?" Blood Shadow asked warily.
Before Dai Yao could answer, she heard a familiar voice coming from behind her...
"Long time no see, Dai Yao..."
Dai Yao turned around abruptly and saw a man dressed in a black robe with a strange smile on his face standing there...
Lingfengmo slowly raised his right hand, the black token in his hand radiating a chilling light. His face wore an almost manic expression, his eyes gleaming with triumph. The surrounding demonic energy seemed summoned by the token, frantically converging on him, his black robes billowing wildly in the surging energy. The demon palace trembled violently, the demonic crystal chandeliers on the walls swayed precariously, emitting blinding light. Amidst this chaos, Lingfengmo's voice, like a demon's whisper, rang out: "Dai Yao, the game is over..."
Dai Yao's heart sank, a chill running from her feet to the top of her head... She suddenly realized that she might... have fallen into a trap...
Lingfeng Demon slowly raised his right hand, and a black token appeared in his hand...
"Where did you get this token?!" Dai Yao's face turned extremely ugly.
Lingfeng Demon did not answer, but simply raised the token high and muttered incantations...
As he chanted the incantation, the black token emitted an eerie light...
Suddenly, the entire demon palace began to tremble violently...
"No! He's going to..." Dai Yao's expression changed drastically. She was about to stop Ling Fengmo when she found herself unable to move...
Lingfeng Mo looked at Dai Yao and revealed a victorious smile...
"Dai Yao, the game is over..."
P.S. [The next chapter was posted by mistake, sorry!]