Chapter 116: The Goddess and the Kingdom
The deity known as the evil god was revered in this kingdom as the Flower Goddess. Every festival, every celebration, seemed to be connected to her.
Shrines dedicated to the Flower Goddess dotted the landscape. Bai Jingxue and Lü Qingyan had also been busy. They had arrived at the largest Flower Goddess temple, located on a mountaintop not far from Lindu.
Pilgrims thronged the path leading to the summit, their faces filled with a devout reverence, their movements slow and deliberate.
Taking the main path would take too long. Bai Jingxue and Lü Qingyan, as demons, their physical abilities enhanced, chose a different route.
Bai Jingxue, her sword slicing through the thorny bushes blocking their path, the mountainside steep and treacherous, planted her sword firmly in the ground, then turned, extending a hand to Lü Qingyan.
Lü Qingyan grasped her hand, and they climbed, finally reaching a level clearing. Through the trees, they saw a majestic temple, its roof adorned with intricate carvings.
A sea of flowers, identical to the one in the Land of Fallen Gods, surrounded the temple, a narrow path leading through it, towards the temple gate.
The pilgrims, their movements slow and reverent, walked along the path, their silence unusual for such a large crowd.
Bai Jingxue’s breath hitched, and she closed her eyes, then opened them, her vision enhanced. She could still perceive the world’s underlying structure. Beside the statue of the flower-holding goddess, she saw a faint, shimmering shadow.
The shadow mirrored the statue’s form. It seemed to sense her gaze, its eyes fluttering open, meeting hers, a gentle smile curving its lips.
Before Bai Jingxue could react, the ethereal figure materialized before her.
She took a step back, her sword rising, its tip aimed at the shadowy figure.
But a physical weapon couldn’t harm a spirit. The blade passed harmlessly through the shadow’s throat.
The evil god smiled. “You can’t kill me,” she said, her voice soft.
She had Er Ya’s face, but her expression, cold and calculating, was one Er Ya had never worn.
Bai Jingxue lowered her sword, her gaze fixed on the evil god, her voice cold. “We’ll see about that.”
Their exchange was a silent one, their words unheard by Lü Qingyan, who, seeing Bai Jingxue seemingly talking to thin air, her brow furrowed with worry, tugged Bai Jingxue’s sleeve. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
Bai Jingxue, her gaze still fixed on the evil god, said, “The evil god is here.”
Lü Qingyan’s eyes widened, and she looked around, but she didn’t see anyone.
The evil god, amused by the dog’s frantic search, chuckled. “You’re so cute,” she said. “Why are you so determined to oppose me?”
Bai Jingxue scoffed. “Oppose you?” she asked, her voice laced with a bitter amusement. “You were the one who tried to kill us.”
The Black River incident, the right envoy’s descent into madness… they had both been targeted.
The evil god shrugged. “That’s true,” she admitted. “But if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have had to resort to such drastic measures. I wouldn’t have been trapped for so long. I have every right to hate you.”
She glanced at her own temple, her expression a mix of sadness and resentment. “Are you trying to save the world?” she asked. “Or do you simply believe Luo Nianshang would be a better god than me?”
Bai Jingxue noticed that the evil god’s demeanor was unusually calm, her emotions controlled, which made her even more terrifying.
“I’m simply trying to save the people of this world,” Bai Jingxue said, her voice firm. “There’s so much beauty here. They deserve better than this. And yes, I believe Luo Nianshang would be a better god than you.”
There was another reason she hadn’t mentioned. She had the power to change this world, to create a happy ending for herself and Lü Qingyan.
But Lü Qingyan was right there. She couldn’t say that.
The evil god, seeing her unwavering resolve, chuckled, her voice laced with a mocking amusement. “How naive,” she said. “You’re always thinking of others. You don’t even love yourself. How can you possibly love someone else?”
Bai Jingxue, startled, her heart pounding, quickly masked her emotions. Seeing that the evil god had no intention of attacking, she said, her voice calm, “I have a question for you.”
The evil god, her interest piqued, her gaze fixed on Bai Jingxue, said, “Ask away, little kitten.”
Bai Jingxue took a deep breath, her eyes meeting the evil god’s. “Why do you want to destroy this world?”
Meanwhile, under the starlit sky of the Demon Realm, the Demon Lord, sitting in Bai Cheng’s bedchamber, her gaze drawn to a statue of the evil god displayed prominently in a corner, walked over to examine it.
Unlike the previous statues, this one’s features were clear, its face a perfect replica of Er Ya’s.
“Be careful, Princess.”
The Demon Lord, startled by Luo Nianshang’s voice, turned, her voice sharp. “Why are you so quiet?”
Luo Nianshang, unfazed, replied, “Years of training.”
The Demon Lord, exasperated by her serious tone, waved a hand dismissively. “I know, I know,” she said.
She then sat down on the bed.
This Second Princess seemed to have a strange obsession with the color yellow. Her clothes, shoes, bedding, curtains… everything was yellow, its brightness almost blinding.
The Demon Lord found it unsettling. She preferred red. Even her disguises were usually red. Now, because of Luo Nianshang, she was forced to wear this… this monstrosity.
And she had to maintain this persona. She had to visit Bai Zhao tomorrow. She shuddered.
She glared at Luo Nianshang.
Thanks to the Demon Lord’s protection, Luo Nianshang didn’t have to follow the usual customs.
But the Demon Lord couldn’t bear the thought of Luo Nianshang being subjected to those pointless rituals.
Luo Nianshang, assuming she had frightened the princess, saw her sitting on the bed, sulking, and she felt a pang of guilt.
But that statue was dangerous. She suspected it was absorbing the spiritual energy of the area, which was why Cang Xi was so barren.
She wanted to warn the princess, but in this kingdom, where the evil god was worshipped as a benevolent deity, such words could be considered blasphemy. She could be imprisoned.
Although she doubted any prison could hold her.
She decided to try to appease the princess first.
She stood there for a long time, her mind blank, then the Demon Lord, annoyed by her silence, her stillness, but also secretly pleased, since any action from Luo Nianshang, in this context, would feel like a betrayal, a violation of her own identity as Bai Cheng, said, “What?”
The Demon Lord was experiencing a strange, out-of-body sensation, as if she were being cheated on by herself.
Her previous disguises hadn’t felt this way. But Bai Cheng was a real person, with a real identity. If she used this identity to seduce Luo Nianshang, and Luo Nianshang actually fell for it, it would be complicated.
And her other disguises, except for Yao Yue, had been fictional. The real Yao Yue had been given a new name and relocated to a distant city, far from the Ejian Sect. The risks had been minimal.
She decided to use this identity to… well, to take advantage of Luo Nianshang.
But what should she do?
As she pondered this, a knock on the door interrupted her thoughts, followed by a woman’s gentle voice.
“Little Sister, are you asleep?”
It was the First Princess.
The Demon Lord was about to refuse, but the lights were on, and she had dismissed all her servants. She frantically gestured to Luo Nianshang, hoping she would understand and send the First Princess away.
But Luo Nianshang, after observing her strange gestures for a moment, her brow furrowing in thought, as if she had finally deciphered their meaning, walked over to the door and opened it, her gaze fixed on the woman standing there. “The princess isn’t asleep,” she said. “Please enter.”
The Demon Lord wanted to scream, but the First Princess had already entered the room. She had no choice but to continue her performance.
“What brings you here so late, Elder Sister?” she asked, her voice casual.
The First Princess settled onto a chair, glancing at Luo Nianshang, a strange glint in her eyes, then she said, her voice laced with a playful tease, “I came to apologize for my behavior earlier, but it seems I’ve interrupted something.”
Her meaning was clear. The Demon Lord knew what she was implying.
She got out of bed, settling down at the table, pouring herself a cup of tea. “You’re mistaken, Elder Sister,” she said, her voice smooth. “She’s just my personal guard.”
The First Princess didn’t believe her. She knew her sister well. Someone this beautiful couldn’t possibly be a mere guard.
She suppressed a sneer, deciding not to argue.
She stared at her sister, a strange sense of unease settling over her. They looked identical, yet something was different.
The previous Bai Cheng, though she had never been particularly kind, had at least acknowledged her elder sister’s presence. But this one… it wasn’t disdain. It was indifference, as if nothing in this room, nothing in this world, truly mattered to her.
She suppressed her anxiety, her voice filled with a false remorse. “I apologize for what happened earlier, Little Sister,” she said. “I would never do such a thing.”
The Demon Lord wanted to grab her by the collar and throw her out.
To avoid further conversation, she closed her eyes, suppressing her impatience, then said, her voice cold, “I know, Elder Sister. You wouldn’t dare to assassinate me. I was simply… overreacting.”
Her performance was flawless, her demeanor identical to the Bai Cheng the First Princess knew.
The First Princess, staring at her, her gaze lingering on her face, finally nodded, seemingly moved by her words. “I’m glad you understand, Little Sister,” she said. “But that guard was clearly disloyal. This new… companion is a good choice.”
Luo Nianshang, her name mentioned, glanced up at them, then quickly looked away. She wasn’t interested in their petty squabbles.
The First Princess, however, her anger simmering at this blatant disrespect, not only from the princess but also from a mere guard, forced a smile, her voice curious. “May I know your guard’s name?” she asked. “And where is she from?”
The Demon Lord, her patience exhausted, her annoyance growing, using Bai Cheng’s usual arrogance as a shield, said, “That’s none of your concern, Elder Sister. It’s late. You should return to your own residence.”
The First Princess’s fists clenched, but she maintained her smile, her voice gentle. “As you wish, Little Sister,” she said, then she turned and left.
She was gone, but she had clearly taken an interest in Luo Nianshang. The Demon Lord was worried. She had to warn Luo Nianshang.
She sighed, then said, “Luo Nian-“
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