Chapter 96: Worth It
With the new Demon Lord in power, the Demon Realm was experiencing a rare period of peace. As a result, the right envoy, Lin Fuying, had far less work to do, which was exactly what she wanted.
Unlike that fool, the left envoy, she wasn’t going to overwork herself.
The sun was shining, a rare occurrence in the Demon Realm. She lay on the roof of her bedchamber, enjoying the warmth.
A demon hawk suddenly landed on her forehead, its feathers shimmering. It transformed into a wisp of black smoke, entering her mind.
She instantly sat up, her eyes flying open, her expression turning grim. She vanished in a flash of light, reappearing in the Hall of Government. The desk, usually piled high with documents, was empty.
“Damn it!” she cursed.
She stormed out of the hall, checking the adjoining room, which was Mo Li’s bedchamber. It was spartan, its furnishings minimal, the room meticulously clean.
Mo Li, for convenience, had moved her bedchamber to a room adjacent to the Hall of Government, although she rarely used it. She never slept.
Lin Fuying expanded her divine sense, searching the entire Demon Palace, then, her search fruitless, she slumped onto Mo Li’s chair, her expression resigned, as she began to process the mountain of documents.
A servant girl, passing by, seeing Lin Fuying sitting there, her eyes widening in surprise, nearly spilled the Revitalizing Soup she was carrying.
She steadied herself, kneeling before Lin Fuying, her voice trembling slightly. “Would you like some Revitalizing Soup, Right Envoy?”
Lin Fuying, waving a hand dismissively, said, “No, you may leave.”
“Yes, Right Envoy.”
The servant girl, her footsteps hurried, closed the door behind her.
The hall was plunged into darkness, but Lin Fuying, with a thought, ignited the lamps.
Dozens of candles flickered to life on the bronze and gold lampstands, illuminating her face, her expression still grim. She had only read one document, and she was already annoyed.
The flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows on the walls, her own shadow mimicking her restless movements. She finally tossed the document aside, her voice filled with a frustrated anger. “She didn’t even tell me she was leaving! I can’t handle this mess!”
“What?” a voice said, amusement lacing its tone. “This little thing is making you angry?”
The voice seemed to be coming from her shadow. She ignored it, closing her eyes, refusing to face reality.
Her shadow suddenly rippled, rising, taking on a human form. A moment later, a woman, her features becoming visible, stepped out of the shadow.
She wore a black dress, its sheer fabric clinging to her curves, revealing glimpses of her tanned skin. A pearl anklet adorned her right ankle. Her long black hair cascaded down her back, reaching the floor.
She walked towards Lin Fuying with a graceful stride, her lips curving into a playful smile.
She picked up a strand of Lin Fuying’s hair, twirling it around her finger. “Tell me what happened,” she said, her voice soft. “Maybe I can help.”
Lin Fuying swatted her hand away, her voice sharp. “Get away from me! Who are you to meddle in my affairs?!”
The woman, ignoring Lin Fuying’s hostility, simply chuckled, then, to Lin Fuying’s further annoyance, she licked her hand.
“You’re so beautiful when you’re angry,” she said, her voice a low purr.
Lin Fuying sighed, defeated. She resumed her work, her brow furrowing as she struggled to decipher the complex reports.
The woman, watching her, her amusement growing, finally intervened. She took the brush from Lin Fuying’s hand, her voice gentle. “Let me handle this,” she said. “You go rest.”
Lin Fuying, who had been about to snap at her, suddenly changed her mind. She relinquished her seat, and the woman settled down, her movements graceful.
Lin Fuying watched as the woman worked, her gaze sharp, her movements precise, her assessments accurate. She relaxed.
But sitting there doing nothing was boring. “I didn’t know you were capable of this,” she said, her voice laced with a hint of sarcasm.
The woman, without looking up, ignoring her tone, said, her voice a playful tease, “I have many talents. Would you like to experience them?”
Lin Fuying’s face darkened. She shouldn’t have spoken. She closed her eyes, blocking out all external stimuli, focusing on her cultivation.
Silence fell. The woman, setting down her brush, stared at Lin Fuying, her eyes gleaming with a strange light. She retrieved a small statue from her spatial ring.
It was a goddess, her arms cradling a bouquet of flowers, her expression serene, her gaze filled with compassion.
She brushed away the dust, placing the statue on the desk, then clasped her hands together, her head bowed in a silent prayer.
When she opened her eyes, she noticed that the statue’s features seemed clearer, more defined. She leaned closer, confirming her observation.
Had the deity answered her prayers? Her previous attempts had been met with silence.
“Ugh,” Lin Fuying groaned, her voice laced with frustration.
The woman, startled, quickly put the statue away.
Lin Fuying, her eyes opening, seeing that the woman was diligently working, felt a pang of guilt. She picked up a document, her frustration growing as she read through the reports.
She mentally cursed Mo Li.
Mo Li, meanwhile, sneezed violently. This minor inconvenience didn’t slow her down, but she was unaccustomed to such restrictive clothing. She felt suffocated.
But thanks to her teleportation talisman, she reached the foot of the Ejian Sect’s mountain in a single day.
As the leading sect of the righteous realm, the Ejian Sect’s protective formation was formidable. She found a secluded spot, retrieving the pearl the Demon Lord had given her. She tried to contact her.
The Demon Lord, however, was being forced to cultivate by Luo Nianshang. She had severed their connection, wary of Luo Nianshang’s presence.
Mo Li, staring at the silent pearl, her heart filled with a desperate rage, thought, “That hypocritical Luo Nianshang must have imprisoned her!”
She wasn’t wearing her mask. She had hidden it in her sleeve.
She lifted her head, her beautiful face etched with a determined resolve. “I swear,” she said, her voice firm, “even if it costs me my life, I will rescue the Demon Lord.”
“What are you doing here?”
The voice, sudden and unexpected, startled her, her heart pounding. She turned to see a woman with horns and pink hair.
She instantly recognized her as Ying.
An idea formed in her mind. Perhaps she could use this dragon to sneak into the Ejian Sect.
She collapsed, her body slumping to the ground.
Ying, startled, quickly scooped her up, about to rush towards the Ejian Sect, when something tugged on her pant leg. She looked down to see the fox.
But this wasn’t the time for games. “I’ll play with you later,” she said.
The fox, releasing her grip, barked twice, its meaning clear.
“You can’t bring strangers into the Ejian Sect,” it said. “Use the pills in your spatial ring.”
Ying, realizing the fox was right, gently laid the unconscious woman on the ground, then rummaged through her spatial ring.
Luo Nianshang had always been generous with her pills and artifacts, but she had never bothered to label them. Ying searched for a while, her brow furrowed in frustration.
“Revitalizing Pill, pink bottle,” she muttered. “Found it!”
She retrieved two pink bottles. She couldn’t remember which one contained the Revitalizing Pills and which one contained the Transformation Elixirs, but consuming the Transformation Elixir wouldn’t harm a human, so she poured out one pill from each bottle, forcing them into the woman’s mouth.
Mo Li hadn’t resisted. Consuming a Revitalizing Pill wouldn’t hurt her. But the moment the pills entered her stomach, she felt a wave of heat coursing through her body.
She couldn’t pretend anymore. She hadn’t expected Luo Nianshang’s companion to resort to such a despicable tactic.
This was an aphrodisiac!
She opened her eyes, her body bolting upright, her hand grabbing Ying’s collar, her voice filled with a furious disbelief. “You drugged me!”
Ying, staring at her flushed face, was confused. Was she a demon? Was that why she was reacting this way?
She leaned closer, sniffing the woman’s neck, then muttered, “But there’s no demonic aura.”
She was bewildered, but Mo Li was suffering. Her body was incredibly sensitive, and Ying’s breath against her neck was making her shiver.
Whoever had refined this drug, its potency was far greater than any ordinary aphrodisiac. The more she tried to suppress it, the stronger it became.
A metallic taste filled her mouth.
She wiped the blood from her lips. She had to do something, or she would lose control.
Her eyes darkened, and she made a decision.
Ying, seeing the blood, her concern growing, reached out to check Mo Li’s pulse, but Mo Li grabbed her wrist, pulling her down. Ying landed on top of her.
Meanwhile, back at the Ejian Sect, Luo Nianshang, oblivious to the events unfolding below, had left the mansion. The Demon Lord, seizing the opportunity, contacted her left envoy.
This time, it took a while for Mo Li to respond, and her voice sounded strange.
“Your Excellency, are you alright?”
The Demon Lord had been enjoying herself. She had been using her child identity to her advantage, earning Luo Nianshang’s favor. She had even managed to convince Luo Nianshang to let her sleep in the room next to hers.
She was in a good mood and decided to check on her subordinate. “I’m fine,” she said. “Why is your voice so hoarse?”
Mo Li’s voice seemed to be filled with a mixture of relief and anxiety. “I’m fine, Your Excellency,” she said. “Are you at the Ejian Sect? Do you need assistance?”
The Demon Lord had no intention of letting anyone interfere with her plans. “No,” she said. “Just focus on managing the Demon Realm.”
Mo Li, clutching the pearl, her emotions complex, felt a wave of relief. It seemed the Demon Lord wasn’t being held captive. But she had also come all this way for nothing.
“Who are you talking to?”
She quickly stored the pearl away, surprised that Ying had broken through her spell so quickly. She lunged, her hand aiming for Ying’s neck.
Ying, however, easily intercepted her attack, her voice filled with a horrified disbelief. “You were going to kill me after using me!” she exclaimed. “How cruel!”
Mo Li, struggling to break free from Ying’s grasp, her voice a low growl, said, “Let go of me!”
Seeing her anger, Ying decided to negotiate. “I’ll let you go,” she said, “but you can’t attack me.”
Mo Li nodded.
Ying released her, but Mo Li instantly attacked again.
Ying sighed. She had no choice. She retrieved a rope from her spatial ring, binding Mo Li’s hands.
She stared at Mo Li, her brow furrowed with confusion. “Didn’t you ask me to save you?” she asked.
Mo Li, her eyes blazing with fury, wanted to bite Ying. “You lecherous dragon!” she hissed. “You drugged me!”
Ying was even more confused. She held up the two bottles. “These are Revitalizing Pills and Transformation Elixirs,” she said. “They’re perfectly safe. The Sword Saint made them.”
Mo Li’s eyes widened, then her face paled.
A terrifying thought had just occurred to her. Could it be that Luo Nianshang had taken an interest in her lord?
Meanwhile, back at the Ejian Sect, the Demon Lord, hearing Ying’s voice through their secret communication channel, was confused. Had Mo Li come here?
But Ying had left early this morning. Perhaps Ying had gone to the Demon Realm and encountered Mo Li.
She couldn’t figure it out, but she decided to ignore it for now. If the situation became dangerous, the pearl would alert her, and she would rescue Mo Li.
The pearl was silent. Mo Li was safe.
She left her room, heading towards the courtyard. She saw Luo Nianshang plucking flowers from a tree, the white petals falling onto her black hair, enhancing her ethereal beauty.
The Demon Lord stared at her, mesmerized.
Luo Nianshang, brushing a petal from her hair, noticed the little girl staring at her. She walked over, scooping the girl into her arms. “Why are you standing here?” she asked, her voice soft.
A petal drifted down from Luo Nianshang’s hair, and the Demon Lord reached out, catching it, then she looked up at Luo Nianshang, her smile bright. “You’re so beautiful, Master,” she said.
Children were always honest. Luo Nianshang’s lips curved into a small smile. “You too.”
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