Genius in the whole system: The useless young lady dominates the world

He pointed to a bundle of herbs on the stall that looked somewhat shriveled and had blackened leaves, deliberately imitating the bear demon's rude and direct tone: Blood-clotting grass is a common low-level healing herb in the demon realm, and there is a great demand for it.

The snake demon stall owner lazily raised his turbid triangular eyes, his cold vertical pupils glancing at the white tiger. He hissed, flicking his forked tongue, his voice hoarse and weak: "Fifty demon crystals a bundle, not a penny less. Take it or leave it."

"Fifty?"

The white tiger deliberately glared with eyes as wide as copper bells, and slammed his large, fan-like hand on the stall, making the bottles and jars rattle. "Why don't you rob it, you old bastard? This junk used to be worth at most ten demon crystals a bundle!" His irritable appearance was quite in line with the image of a simple-minded bear demon.

The snake demon stall owner was startled, but having set up his stall here for years, he was clearly used to all sorts of things. He flinched for a moment, then a numb and mocking glint flashed in his eyes as he shrieked, "Robbery? Heh, in this world, who isn't robbing? You think I want to sell it for such a high price? This Blood-Coagulating Grass is hard to harvest. Ten demon crystals used to be true, but what about now? Haven't you heard of the City Guard's 'Sky-Splitting Tax'? You have to pay taxes to enter and leave the town, you have to pay taxes to set up a stall, they even want to tax you for breathing. What doesn't go up in price these days? If I don't sell it at this price, I won't even be able to scrape together next month's taxes. If I get dragged to the mines by those wolf cubs, that would be worse than death. If you're so capable, go and yell at those Wolf Fang Guards in their black leather armor, and see if they'll skin you, you stupid bear, and make you into a carpet!"

The snake demon stall owner spoke quickly and urgently, filled with resentment, yet also with a deep sense of powerlessness. After he finished speaking, he retreated back into the corner and ignored the white tiger.

The white tiger's "anger" seemed to intensify, and the veins on his thick neck bulged out, but a hint of understanding flashed deep in his seemingly dull eyes.

He snorted heavily, but ultimately didn't retaliate. He just muttered "You win," then turned and left the stall with heavy steps. He had already obtained the information he wanted—the Sky-Splitting Tax had caused widespread resentment and suffering among the lower-level demon races.

"The Heaven-Splitting Tax... such harsh government is more ferocious than a tiger."

Youming (Cat Boy) watched and heard everything from the side. He muttered something in a low voice that only his companions could hear. In his eyes, which were disguised as ordinary cat eyes, a trace of disgust and coldness that did not match his youthful appearance flashed.

The group of seven continued deeper into the town. Everything they saw along the way confirmed what the snake demon stall owner had said: many shops were closed, and those that were open were mostly deserted.

In the corners of the streets, ragged, emaciated little demons could be seen huddled together, their eyes timid and hungry. When they saw the Wolf Fang Guard patrol passing by, they trembled with fear, wishing they could disappear into the ground. Occasionally, a few demons who were clearly from other tribes could be seen, bowing and scraping before the arrogant Wolf Fang Guards. Their fear and obedience, which came from the bottom of their bones, made Di Lin (the dog demon) clench his fists again in his sleeves.

This was completely different from the demon realm he remembered, which was sometimes rife with conflict but was generally full of vitality. Lie Tian's rule was like a thick haze, shrouding this land and leaving only oppression and fear.

Lu Lingxi Yao (the fox girl) casually glanced at the dilapidated scenery on both sides, her spiritual power like an invisible net, carefully capturing the fleeting thoughts and fragments of emotions that passed through the minds of the surrounding demons.

She dared not conduct a thorough investigation, after all, this was the demon realm, and no one knew whether there were any powerful spiritual experts hiding here. But these superficial emotions alone were enough for her to understand the current situation of the local residents.

"We're running out of food again... How are we going to pay next month's taxes..."

"My little one has been sick for days, and we can't afford medicine... Please, mountain god, protect him..."

"I heard that another batch of demons were captured at the Black Wind Mine in the north to mine, and none of them have returned alive..."

"Shh! Are you out of your mind? Keep your voice down, walls have ears. If those wolf cubs' minions hear you, you'll be in big trouble!"

"His Majesty the Heavenly Rift possesses unparalleled divine might… (Thinking to himself: Bah! You usurper! May you die a horrible death!)"

……

Despair, fear, hunger, anger, hatred... all sorts of negative emotions, like a viscous swamp, permeated every corner of the town, and Lu Lingxi's heart sank little by little as these emotions flowed in.

It seems that the actual situation in the demon realm is much worse than Feng Xiao described in the demon realm. Lie Tian's rule is built on the blood and tears of countless demons.

"Let's find a place to rest and hear more specific news," Lu Lingxi Yao gestured to Feng Xiao with her eyes.

Feng Xiao understood and led the group into a relatively secluded alley, eventually stopping in front of a tavern that looked fairly clean and had a slightly larger storefront. The tavern's sign was a charred wooden board with three large characters carved on it—"Drunken Dream Abyss".

Pushing open the creaking wooden door, a pungent smell wafted out, a mixture of sour ale, roasted meat, and sweat. The tavern was dimly lit, with only a few lamps lit by animal oil. A few tables of guests sat sparsely, mostly burly mercenaries or hunters of the demon race, wearing worn leather armor and bearing new or old scars. Rough weapons lay on the tables.

They spoke in hushed tones, spitting as they talked, occasionally bursting into rude laughter, but more often than not, they warily surveyed their surroundings and every newcomer, their eyes filled with suspicion and scrutiny.

The appearance of the seven immediately attracted the attention of everyone in the tavern. Those gazes swept over them with inquiry, vigilance, and even a hint of barely perceptible hostility.

Lu Lingxi and her group remained calm and collected, with Feng Xiao and Baihu (Xiong Han) leading the way, and found a relatively secluded corner against the wall to sit down.

This location offers a good view, allowing you to observe most of the tavern, while the wall behind you reduces the risk of being ambushed.

"Boss, a few glasses of the cheapest ale, and a few pounds of roast meat!" Feng Xiao shouted in a rough voice. He was now playing the role of a middle-aged fox demon mercenary leader who had traveled all over the country and seen the world, but was not wealthy.

A short, stout rabbit demon boss with a pair of furry ears came running over with a professional smile on his face. "Alright! Please wait a moment, gentlemen!" He quickly brought over several large glasses of foamy ale and a large plate of dark, spice-scented roasted meat.

Instead of rushing to find out more information, the group, like weary travelers, picked up their glasses, took a few sips of wine, and then began to tear at the grilled meat.