Chapter Twenty-Four: The Banner of the Youth
The alliance with Qingcheng was far from enough. Jiuya's gaze fell upon those who, like her, felt oppressed under the old order and yearned for change—the frustrated young demon nobles, officials, and even talented but impoverished youths in the lower ranks of the Demon Palace. Most of them were exceptionally talented, but due to their background or their unwillingness to compromise their principles, they were excluded from the core power circle, their ambitions thwarted, and filled with dissatisfaction with the current stagnant, infighting-ridden state of affairs.
The key to connecting this group of people seems to lie with the youngest Ninth Elder—Xing Yuan. The fact that Qing Cheng was able to arrange a secret meeting through Xing Yuan's channels was itself a strong signal.
This time, Shang Jiuya did not choose a completely secretive approach. She needed an action that could better unite people's hearts and minds.
She once again sent a message to Qingcheng through that secret channel. This time, the message was wrapped in a technical discussion about "a new type of communication magic device that facilitates the exchange of ideas among young talents." However, the core intention was to ask Elder Xingyuan to organize a small-scale "skills exchange meeting" for the younger generation of the Demon Palace in his name. The location could be a relatively open courtyard on the outskirts of the Demon Palace, where she would "accidentally" pass by and perhaps "spontaneously" say a few words of encouragement.
By summoning the group in Xing Yuan's name, the true purpose of the meeting could be largely concealed.
To Shang Jiuya's surprise, Xing Yuan's response was unusually positive and swift. He seemed to have been waiting for such an opportunity. Soon, a small gathering, initiated by Ninth Elder Xing Yuan, aimed at "promoting the exchange of magical rune drawing and alchemy insights among young demon talents," was being prepared in the "Starlight Garden," a place on the west side of the Demon Palace where strangely glowing magical plants were planted. The invitations were sent discreetly and cleverly, and the recipients were mostly young men and women who were known for their talent but held low positions, or who were quite dissatisfied with their current situation.
On the day of the gathering, the sky was overcast, but the various luminous magical plants in Starlight Garden emitted a soft, hazy glow, creating a slightly dreamlike atmosphere that differed from the oppressive ambiance of the main hall of the Demon Palace. Twenty or thirty young demons had already arrived, most of them carrying curiosity about this rare gathering and a hint of barely perceptible anticipation.
Xing Yuan had actually arrived long ago, but he didn't rush to show himself. Instead, he hid in the shadow of a banyan tree in the garden, its branches and leaves shimmering with starlight. He wanted to see what this puppet demon lord wanted to do and what he was capable of doing. He had seen too many ambitious people, including Ao Li's domineering nature, Qi Mu's tyranny, and Guan Shanyue's insidious malice. They recruited people by promising them power and resources, repeating the old games of power struggles. He, too, held a cautious and observant attitude towards the demon lord's "whim."
Accompanied by Bai Yu and Li Yue, who was in a simple disguise, Shang Jiuya "accidentally" passed by Xinghui Garden as planned. Her appearance immediately attracted the attention of all the young demons present.
All eyes turned to her instantly, filled with surprise, doubt, and scrutiny. Shang Jiuya walked slowly into the garden, her gentle gaze sweeping over everyone.
"I was just taking a casual stroll when I inadvertently stumbled upon this gathering of talented individuals. I apologize for the intrusion. I am very pleased to hear that the Ninth Elder organized this exchange. Ultimately, the future of the Demon Realm depends on you young talents."
The young demons bowed respectfully, their expressions softening, their curiosity only growing stronger.
Shang Jiuya took a deep breath, walked to a slightly elevated platform in the garden, looked around at everyone, and began her long-prepared "impromptu" speech.
She uses modern societal awareness and public speaking skills to strike a chord with people:
"Gentlemen," the Demon Realm beneath our feet is ancient and powerful... but do you, like me, often feel that the Demon Palace is shrouded in an invisible aura of stagnation? As if everything is predetermined, everything is proceeding according to plan, even... endlessly spinning its wheels in internal strife?
These words were bold and outrageous, and the young demons held their breath, shocked yet strongly resonating with them.
Xing Yuan, hidden in the shadows, twitched his brow slightly. These words... didn't sound like something a power-hungry puppet would say.
“I see,” Shang Jiuya continued, “that talented people are prevented from advancing because of factionalism; that young ideas are stifled by outdated rules and practices; that precious resources are wasted on meaningless battles instead of being used to strengthen the Demon Realm and pave the way for the future!”
Her words quickened, “We possess the finest craftsmen, yet why can’t we build a magical ship that soars through the heavens? We possess the most profound knowledge of magical runes, yet why can’t we break the curse of the border wasteland? Our young blood is full of power and ideas, yet why can we only watch our elders fight over scraps within these winding palace walls?”
Each question struck like a heavy hammer, hitting the hearts of every young demon present. Their eyes changed, filled with excitement, agreement, and indignation!
Xing Yuan's breathing quickened slightly. These questions were also words that had been weighing on his mind for many years. He had tried to voice similar sentiments in the Elder Council, but he was always suppressed by You Chi's "steadiness," Gong Liang's "practicality," and Jiang Zheng's "ancient methods." This seemingly weak Demon Lord actually dared to so directly... tear away this veil of pretense.
"The Demon Realm should not be like this!" Shang Jiuya's voice was resolute. "The future of the Demon Realm should not be defined by the shadows of the past and petty gains. It should be shaped by new ideas, new power, and by each and every one of you here, with your talents, your courage, and your desire for a better future."
She softened her tone, full of anticipation: "I am well aware of my own weakness, but seeing you all today is like seeing a spark. Perhaps I cannot immediately grant you power and wealth, but here, in the name of the Demon Lord, I promise one thing: I will do my best to listen to your voices, value your talents, and provide protection and support to the best of my ability for all beneficial ideas and actions that can revitalize the Demon Realm."
“I hope,” she concluded, “that the spark of today can one day ignite a prairie fire. Not for the power of any one person, but for a stronger, more vibrant demon realm where every talented individual can fully unleash their potential!”
A moment of silence fell over the garden, followed by a thunderous applause. The young demons were flushed with excitement, their eyes gleaming.
Just then, Xing Yuan emerged from the shadows. His face showed just the right amount of surprise, as if he had just arrived, but his sharp eyes were fixed intently on Shang Jiuya.
"It seems I arrived a step too late and missed the best part?" Xing Yuan smiled as he walked into the arena, his voice easily dispelling the tense atmosphere that had momentarily arisen from his arrival. He first bowed respectfully to Shang Jiuya, saying, "Greetings, Your Excellency." Then he turned to the excited young people, "Gentlemen, it seems Your Excellency's words have inspired even more enthusiasm than the magic rune diagrams I prepared."
His words elicited good-natured laughter, further warming the atmosphere.
As the young people began to chat excitedly again, Xing Yuan casually strolled over to Shang Jiuya's side, his gaze still fixed ahead, but his voice was extremely low, only the two of them could hear:
"What Your Excellency said today is truly...unexpected."
Shang Jiuya turned her head and responded in a low voice, still maintaining a faint smile on her face: "Elder Xingyuan, you flatter me. I was just... saying some things that many people may be thinking but dare not say."
“Many people think this, but no one dares to say it in such a setting, from the Demon Lord’s mouth,” Xing Yuan said slowly. He paused for a moment. “Prince Ao Li only wants to subdue people by force, Prince Qi Mu only believes in killing and conquest, and Prince Guan Shanyue is skilled in scheming but only wants to seize power… They only see the power and benefits before them. But Your Majesty…” He glanced at him slightly, “What you see seems to be the Demon Realm itself, its… chronic problems and future.”
Shang Jiuya's heart skipped a beat, knowing that the crucial moment had arrived. She met Xing Yuan's gaze and said frankly, "If power cannot be used to eliminate long-standing problems and create a future, what difference is there between it and decoration? My power is meager, and I may not be able to achieve complete success in my lifetime, but if I can ignite a few sparks and attract more like-minded people, then I will not have failed in this position."
Xing Yuan fell silent, carefully observing Shang Jiuya's eyes, seemingly trying to discern how much of it reflected genuine ideals and how much was merely an act to win people over. After a long while, he finally spoke: "The spark of Xinghui Garden may... truly be different from other places. I look forward to seeing more... different scenes."
He was no longer just a messenger, but began to truly examine and gravitate towards this extraordinary demon lord.
The atmosphere of the gathering was completely ignited. The young demons stepped forward one after another to express their ideas and present their research results to Shang Jiuya and Xing Yuan. Xing Yuan also took the opportunity to talk with several young people he favored, but clearly, his attention was more focused on the seemingly weak but surprisingly eloquent Demon Lord.
That evening, the Purple Light Palace received more than one token of "surrender" and message of support from young demons. Furthermore, several young people working in the Demon Palace workshops, the Academy of Documents, and even among low-ranking guards, secretly conveyed their willingness to pledge allegiance through Bai Yu's channels.
Perhaps the biggest gain was the subtle change in Xing Yuan's attitude.
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