Those players squatting in the trees were hard to say, but the dancing girl was actually quite smart. At first, she seemed nervous, but she quickly got into her role, even dancing better than the NPCs. Some players had accepted world quests with a role-playing element where system-provided items let them temporarily switch faces with NPCs.

However, these players seemed to be sneaking glances at him. Xie Shuangxue observed them for a while and soon noticed some strange movements of their hands. He recognized these gestures from observing Qiao Zhihui before—they were the typical motions of livestreamers adjusting the camera angle by swiping their fingers.

Why were so many streamers suddenly here? Were they all this committed now?

Yet, amid this bustling scene, Xie Shuangxue was the only one paying attention to these oddities. None of the Yun family noticed, their focus entirely on him.

Yun Pannan initially seemed disappointed that Ling Luo and Chen Xin hadn’t attended, but he soon noticed that Xie Shuangxue wasn’t entirely alone; he had a small, white hawk with him.

At first, it was hard to recognize because the hawk was only the size of a sparrow, hopping up and down on Xie Shuangxue’s shoulder, chirping and munching on seeds from his palm. But after observing more closely, Yun Pannan realized this hawk looked exactly like the one Xie Shuangxue had ridden here—a creature whose outstretched wings had once blotted out the sun. It was hard to reconcile that image with this little bird.

Curious, Yun Pannan asked about it, and Xie Shuangxue answered openly.

“It’s something Senior Brother Ling Luo raised. Its size can change, and since I don’t have Feather Clan wings, he gifted it to me.”

Yun Pannan’s interest was piqued.

This wasn’t any ordinary beast; it was a creature that the Feather Clan had raised with great care. And the fact that it was given to Xie Shuangxue without a second thought likely meant this young man was even more valued than he’d initially imagined.

Taking the conversation further, Xie Shuangxue continued, “The Feather Clan has always treated me well. Besides this hawk, my sword is a gift from Her Highness. When I arrived, I asked Manager Yun if he knew the whereabouts of the Evil Sword, hoping I could repair this blade so as not to disappoint her. Unfortunately…”

He emphasized the words “Evil Sword” as he spoke, casting a subtle glance at everyone’s reactions.

Most of the younger people present were Yun Pannan’s children, likely too young to know anything. However, the expressions of two individuals briefly froze, though they remained silent. One was Yun Pannan’s eldest son, Yun Jia, a proud young man whom others around him seemed to look up to, eagerly vying for his favor. The other was Yun Qiang.

As Xie Shuangxue had learned, Yun Qiang’s mother had a lower status, and although she was capable, she was still ostracized among the Yun family’s many siblings. Her seat, set slightly apart, hinted at her marginalized position.

This Yun family banquet had started off awkwardly without Ling Luo and Chen Xin, but surprisingly, the young Xie Shuangxue handled himself with ease, showing no signs of stage fright. He was, after all, a representative of the Feather Clan—a handsome young man, amiable and always smiling. Everyone knew that Yun Pannan was keen to win the Feather Clan’s support, so soon enough, Xie Shuangxue found himself engaged in conversations with the Yun family youths around him.

A few glasses later, even Yun Jia’s attitude softened, and he regarded Xie Shuangxue with more respect.

But Yun Qiang remained quiet, as if she were used to staying out of the spotlight and didn’t care to speak with strangers.

Yet, despite her low profile, someone at the table couldn’t resist picking on her.

Midway through the banquet, a boy about Xie Shuangxue’s age suddenly piped up, “Second Sister, I have a small request. How about we switch seats? I’d like to chat more with Shuangxue.”

His tone was playful, but the content of his words carried a hint of malice.

“I noticed you haven’t said much. I’m worried this banquet might be interfering with your business negotiations. Please, don’t be mad.”

Xie Shuangxue turned to look at him.

This was Yun Jia’s younger brother, Yun Mu. Xie Shuangxue hadn’t paid much attention to him earlier, but his tone now had a distinctly familiar green-tea quality.

Yun Qiang, who had been quietly minding her own business, was caught off guard by this sudden provocation. She was about to stand up when something seemed to snag her foot. She stumbled, and the table shook, causing a wine cup to slide off and shatter on the floor.

The scene was unsightly, and before Yun Qiang could explain, Yun Mu jumped in with a remark. “Sister Qiang, what’s the point of this? You can have a bad temper at home, smashing cups and bowls, and we won’t mind. But with a guest here, you should at least be polite to the young master of the Xie family. I just hope our guest won’t hold it against the Yun family.”

Quick to catch on, Yun Jia’s face darkened, following Yun Mu’s lead.

“It’s not the first time I’ve seen you act arrogantly just because you have some skills,” Yun Jia said, looking stern.

Yun Qiang looked up briefly, and Xie Shuangxue noticed the weariness in her eyes. She was clearly used to being the scapegoat here, and no matter what she said, she’d be in the wrong. Yun Pannan, sitting at the head of the table, frowned, appearing genuinely dissatisfied with her attitude.

But just then, Xie Shuangxue spoke up.

“How could it be her fault? I’m younger, so I should be the one to offer her a toast first. It’s my fault for being new and inattentive; she’s done nothing wrong,” Xie Shuangxue said, smiling at Yun Qiang. “I’d like to toast to her and apologize. I hope she won’t hold a grudge.”

He raised his glass, prompting Yun Qiang to naturally sit back down. As she did, Xie Shuangxue discreetly handed her a new cup of wine, replacing the broken one.

Yun Mu, unwilling to let it go, muttered, “Oh, Shuangxue, don’t be mad. My sister has always been like this, and you’re really going out of your way to tolerate her.”

Xie Shuangxue maintained his gentle smile. “Why say that? I don’t have siblings myself, so I don’t even get the chance to be this tolerant. Honestly, I’m a bit envious. If I were in your shoes, I’d never let such a wonderful sister be unhappy.”

After that, no one dared to add another word, for fear of seeming tactless.

Yun Mu, rendered speechless, exchanged a look with Yun Jia but held his tongue. Yun Qiang, however, was surprised by Xie Shuangxue’s gesture and cast him a few more curious glances.

The banquet was far from over, and Xie Shuangxue knew that there was still the matter of the Evil Sword, Yun Ruowei, and the imprisoned Demons in the City Lord’s Mansion.

After changing his clothes in the hunting tent, he sensed the faint presence of demonic energy approaching him. Frowning, he looked back and saw people dragging several cages forward. To his surprise, the cages held children—Demon children of varying ages, some filled with hate but most of them fearful and trembling.

Xie Shuangxue instantly understood. These were the children Ling Xuan had mentioned.

Why were they here?

Someone quickly came over to explain.

“Demon folk are slippery and entertaining. Don’t worry, Young Master Xie, they can’t hurt you. They’re just here to liven up the hunt,” Yun Jia said, sitting atop his tall horse with a smug expression. “I heard about the trouble in Penglai City. Although the truth has yet to come out, it’s clear that those vile Demons are to blame. Take this chance to let off some steam.”

Others chimed in, “As descendants of the Divine Clan, we at Lu Yun Tower are natural enemies of the Demon Clan. We won’t let them establish a foothold here, so the Feather Clan need not worry.”

So this whole setup was to demonstrate their loyalty to the Feather Clan.

Xie Shuangxue immediately realized what this “hunt” was really about.

These Demon children were the prey.

No wonder Ling Xuan had found it odd when he mentioned that captured Demons would usually be taken out of the city for execution. Yet these ones were brought into the City Lord’s Mansion and never seen again.

Although he reminded himself that this was just a game, witnessing this within the harshly polarized setting of Gods and Demons still made his heart sink.

“I see,” Xie Shuangxue said, a hint of interest flashing across his face. “Let me have a look.”

No matter what thoughts stirred within him, his face remained impassive.

He knew anger was useless, and even if he refused to participate, these children wouldn’t be spared. If anything, letting them run free as prey was their only chance of survival.

He’d already planned with Ling Xuan before attending the banquet, just in case.

The refuge was ready to act at any moment, but they had been unable to locate the prisoners. With guards posted at every corner of the City Lord’s Mansion, a jailbreak was near impossible. Now was their chance.

Approaching the cages, Xie Shuangxue looked at the children, who glared at him with defiant eyes. The oldest among them, perhaps just over ten years old, stood protectively in front of the younger ones, brimming with hatred, even baring his teeth.

In the next instant, Xie Shuangxue grabbed his chin.

The boy winced, yet continued to glare, biting his lip until it bled rather than lowering his gaze. Xie Shuangxue looked at him, scoffed, and then pushed his head aside. Slowly, he tapped a few children on the head, as if inspecting lowly goods, and shook his sleeves as if they were too filthy for him.

“Interesting,” he said, glancing around. “Shall we begin?”

Mounting his horse, he glanced at the white hawk perched on his shoulder and spoke softly to it.

“I dusted those children with a special powder just now,” he murmured to the hawk. “The one you sniffed before—remember it? Fly to Ling Xuan and lead him here; they’ll know what to do. Got it?”

This was his real purpose for bringing the hawk.

The white hawk lowered its head as if listening carefully, then responded with a sharp, “Chirp.”

At that moment, the cages opened, and the thirty or so Demon children scattered into the forest. Following the rules, the hunters wouldn’t pursue immediately, giving the prey a brief head start. No one noticed the white hawk flying off, carrying the scent of the powder on its talons.

Once inside the forest, Xie Shuangxue feigned interest in hunting, though his real goal was different. The powder’s scent was faint but detectable; he could roughly tell the children’s path and subtly diverted others away.

He also kept an eye on one person.

Yun Qiang seemed distracted, so he maneuvered to encounter her in the woods. She hesitated briefly upon seeing him but didn’t avoid him, though her demeanor was far from friendly.

Xie Shuangxue maintained a friendly facade.

He had caught two rabbits and handed one to her.

“This is for you,” he said. “Since we’re hunting, I noticed you hadn’t bagged anything yet. I didn’t want anyone to make things difficult for you later.”

At first, she didn’t take it, watching him for a moment before saying, “There’s no need. I don’t accept gifts for nothing.”

“Consider it an apology,” Xie Shuangxue replied. “I saw what happened at the banquet. If I hadn’t been there, they wouldn’t have used me as an excuse to make things hard for you.”

His gaze was clear, yet seemed to convey a deeper understanding.

After a moment’s consideration, Yun Qiang accepted one of the rabbits. Just as he turned to leave, she suddenly asked, “Are you looking for the Evil Sword?”

Xie Shuangxue nodded.

“Don’t bother,” Yun Qiang said, sighing. “The Evil Sword is gone.”

As she turned to leave, her voice carried back to him. “Your sword likely can’t be repaired, and there’s nothing I can do about it either.”

She was indeed difficult to sway, not the type to be easily pushed. However, thanks to those two rabbits, he’d gained a chance to interact with her again, which would make getting information about the auction house easier.

He was about to go find Yun Jia, whose reaction at the banquet hinted that he, too, knew something. But just then, he sensed someone approaching from behind.

Reacting quickly, he dodged to the side and turned to see the oldest child from the cage lunging at him with a sharp stone.

So he hadn’t been rescued by Ling Xuan’s people yet?

Upon closer inspection, he noticed the child was injured, blood scent masking the powder’s smell. The Yun family would likely find him soon with their hunting dogs.

Indeed, Xie Shuangxue soon heard approaching footsteps all around him, blocking all possible escape routes.

So, this was a last-ditch effort, a desperate attack.

Without further thought, Xie Shuangxue restrained the child and hid him among the bushes.

“Stay put!” he ordered sternly. “Don’t move!”

The Demon boy, stunned and unsure of his intentions, stared at him.

Xie Shuangxue scanned the area and recognized the person closing in—Yun Mu. The angle of approach meant Yun Mu hadn’t seen him yet, but he would soon enough.

Grabbing a nearby stone, Xie Shuangxue made a well-aimed throw, one of his best tricks. Yun Mu, oblivious, felt something scratch his arm, leaving a bloody mark.

Yun Mu hadn’t looked Xie Shuangxue’s way because, simultaneously, an arrow flew, shot by Yun Qiang, who had returned, hitting a snake on the ground.

Furious, Yun Mu shouted, “You did that on purpose! Yun Qiang, how dare you attack me!”

“I didn’t,” Yun Qiang replied calmly. “I was helping you. If you’d taken one more step, that snake would’ve bitten you. If you’re truly injured, it would only cause everyone trouble.”

Unheeding, Yun Mu glared at Yun Qiang. Shortly after, Yun Jia and Yun Pannan arrived, drawn by the commotion.

Fortunately, their focus shifted. Relieved, Xie Shuangxue handed his medicine and bandages to the boy, adding another dusting of powder.

“Run that way,” he said. “Someone will come for you.”

The boy stared deeply at him, then turned and left without a word.

Meanwhile, Yun Mu continued his complaints, manipulating the situation as he always did.

“Father, don’t blame Second Sister. Maybe she didn’t mean it; she was just angry from the banquet earlier, and I wasn’t hurt too badly anyway.”

Yun Qiang, silent for a long while, finally tried to explain, her face full of resignation. “I wasn’t trying to harm him. I was only—”

It was clear that this kind of targeting was not new for her. Perhaps her position made her the object of envy.

Yun Jia seized the opportunity to speak up, “If it wasn’t you, who was it? How can you be trusted with Yun family affairs? I think—”

But before he could finish, a new voice chimed in.

“It was me,” Xie Shuangxue said, emerging from behind a tree. “I did it.”

Seeing him appear, Yun Mu’s face fell.