"Good, you handled this exceptionally well.
What about the other areas? Are they mostly under control as well? Has there been no spread?"
After confirming her own territory was safe, Ding Yun naturally began to inquire about the state of the entire Demon Realm. It wasn't that she was particularly concerned about the world.
The primary reason was that if the virus wasn't contained elsewhere, it would hinder her own expansion.
Upon hearing Ding Yun's question, Blood River Demon Emperor's expression immediately drooped, and he said with a sigh:
"You might be a bit disappointed.
How to put it... for now, our region is an anomaly. More accurately, only our area has controlled the virus's spread. We even had to set up numerous defensive barriers at all border areas to prevent other demons from entering.
I must say, your previous efforts in compiling registries and household records, although seemingly troublesome and restrictive, proved quite effective in dealing with this sudden crisis. One might even think you foresaw this event and made preparations specifically for it.
Furthermore, if you hadn't granted me access to the resource library and allowed me to draw upon its resources in emergencies, providing ample means to treat infected demons, then our territory's demons might not have been so compliant.
From what I've gathered, the main reason other Demon Emperors and Demon Lords failed to control the situation is their ignorance of which areas within their territories have demons, which do not, and even their total demon population, including hidden ones.
Their countermeasures involved eliminating all infected demons to halt the virus's spread. While this was effective initially, news of it caused immense panic among the infected, their families, and anyone who had contact with them.
Countless demons fled and hid. The Demon Realm is vast, and many of the virus's carriers exhibit no obvious symptoms. Some strains even have incubation periods. Even with Demon Emperors and Lords personally conducting screenings, it was difficult to identify all infected individuals.
Consequently, the Demon Realm is in quite a chaotic state. I've heard the Immortal Realm isn't faring much better. Many large families not yet infected have, with the assistance of their Demon Lords or Demon Ancestors, retreated to subordinate smaller worlds. Some Demon Emperors have even created their own minor realms, relocating their entire sects or families. They likely won't return until the external situation stabilizes.
The Demon Realm is now both chaotic and experiencing a population decline. I've heard that some with no powerful background and a timid disposition have even severed their own cultivation to flee to the mortal realm below for temporary refuge. Oh, and it seems some accidentally brought the virus to the mortal realm, leading to the complete annihilation of entire mortal worlds. In short, it's a mess.
Since you've been in seclusion, I dared not act on my own initiative. Therefore, I neither expanded our territory nor accepted any fleeing demons, merely resorting to a closed-door policy and guarding the safety of our current domain."
"It matters not. Defending what we have is also an accomplishment, especially amidst such external chaos. I truly wonder which fool specifically orchestrated the introduction of the virus that ravaged the Immortal Realm. They must be insane. Do they truly believe that we, the Plague Demon Lords and their ilk, are capable of handling what the immortals couldn't? They think far too highly of themselves.
By the way, you mentioned that it was fortunate you had access to the resource library and managed to save many lives using its resources. Have you developed a cure, or what exactly happened?"
Ding Yun complained with a roll of her eyes before quickly pressing for details.
"Well, it can't exactly be called a cure. For this, I beg your forgiveness. I used up more than half of the elixirs and medicinal pills from the resource library to help most infected demons endure and survive. Many infected demons don't die immediately, but rather suffer from bloodline riots, bloodline mutations, severe soul injuries, or even disharmony between their souls and bodies, leading to conflict. Some even exhibit symptoms of qi deviation. However, with sufficiently potent elixirs and pills, their conditions could be stabilized, allowing them to survive.
But as you know, the Demon Realm is not conducive to the growth of many herbs, and the number of alchemists here is small. Pills are scarce. Many demons even heal by consuming the vital energy of other demons. Therefore, the supply of elixirs and pills is genuinely insufficient. Most demons cannot afford them. Based on my treatment experience over this period, if we immediately administer the corresponding medicinal pills when an infected person's body shows problems or symptoms, and repeat this treatment several times, it seems to resolve the issue. Most infected individuals can be cured this way.
However, for a minority of infected individuals, the effect was poor, or they died suddenly before the pills could be administered. But overall, the recovery rate can reach over ninety percent. The cost, however, is quite high. The elixirs and pills needed to save one Golden Demon realm cultivator are worth enough to train three or four Golden Demon cultivators. This isn't even the most uneconomical part; in fact, it's the most advantageous. Saving a Human Demon requires the same value of elixirs and pills as training three or four Golden Demon cultivators – it's a net loss. If you hadn't sent me a message while in seclusion, instructing me to save all demons at all costs, I truly wouldn't have dared to proceed like this."
At this point, Blood River Demon Emperor felt a pang of guilt and anxiety. Although he had Ding Yun's permission to use those elixirs, saving those low to mid-tier infected demons was a truly unprofitable venture. The resources spent saving these demons were enough to train two more Demon Emperors, while these saved demons combined were not enough to be defeated by a single Demon Emperor's casual blow. This was why he specifically emphasized receiving Ding Yun's permission at the end, to preemptively shield himself from blame should Ding Yun regret her decision. Fortunately, Ding Yun had acquired those resources with relative ease, so she was indifferent. Her expression remained unchanged as she said:
"You needn't worry. I won't feel pained over such a small amount of resources. Consider it an investment in gaining loyalty. After this event, the loyalty of the demons within my domain should have significantly increased, right?"
"It should have. At least, the private conversations are filled with praise. Many even call you 'Demon Buddha' and 'Female Bodhisattva.' While the titles sound strange, their reverence for you is genuine. Those with local household registration are particularly proud, feeling they have truly aligned themselves with the right person."
Seeing Ding Yun's expression and attitude remain unchanged, Blood River Demon Emperor finally breathed a sigh of relief, completely at ease.