Chapter 71: “I Sincerely Wish to Marry You.”
The wedding palanquin, carried by thirty-six people, slowly landed before the main hall.
Mu Tao took Li Yu’s hand and, gazing at her face, led her away from the flower-adorned path.
The usually cold and imposing Demon Lord’s palace was brightly lit by warm, human-realm candles.
The flickering candlelight made the blue in Li Yu’s eyes seem hazy and indistinct.
Like an illusion, Mu Tao felt that Li Yu’s eyes weren’t as vacant and unfocused as before.
But as she tried to look closer, Li Yu lowered her gaze.
Mu Tao opened her mouth as if to say something, then hesitated, and led Li Yu into the hall, towards the towering throne, under the watchful eyes of the assembled demons.
Flowers and red candles lined the long stone steps leading to the throne.
Many young demon children, their hands forming clumsy seals, scattered sparkling lights throughout the hall.
The children’s blessings, pure and simple, were a tradition in Demon Realm weddings, wishing the newlyweds a long and happy life together.
They reached the throne and turned to look down at the demons below.
Looking at their various expressions, Mu Tao tightened her grip on Li Yu’s hand.
“Master,” she said softly, looking up at Li Yu, a flicker of anxiety in her eyes.
Mu Tao forced a smile. “Master,” she whispered, “You are…willing to be with me…forever, right?”
“Mm,” Li Yu nodded, a glint of light seemingly flickering in her eyes.
Mu Tao was momentarily entranced, then she realized it was just the reflection of the countless candles and sparkling lights, not a true spark within those blue eyes.
They had no elders to bow to, nor did they wish to bow to the uncaring heavens.
So, they turned to each other and bowed three times, a sacred vow.
From this day forward, the god who protected the human realm would rule the Demon Realm alongside her.
“Master, I won’t let anyone mistreat you again.” Mu Tao smiled faintly, gently caressing Li Yu’s face, her expression a mix of complex emotions and a possessive devotion. “The human realm’s immortal sects might scorn you, but the demons here won’t dare.”
Her eyes hardened. “If anyone dares to disrespect you, I will make sure they never speak again.”
Her soft voice, amplified by spiritual power, reached every ear in the hall.
The demons exchanged glances, silent.
Li Yu blinked, her gaze fixed on Mu Tao.
After a moment of silence, Mu Tao swept Li Yu into her arms. Li Yu instinctively wrapped her arms around Mu Tao’s neck, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.
Her long sleeves draped over Mu Tao, the soft red fabric wrinkling in her grasp.
Carrying Li Yu, Mu Tao swiftly moved past the crowd and reached the entrance of the hall.
The ornaments in Li Yu’s hair swayed, the glass beads on her belt chiming softly.
Her long, fishtail train trailed behind her, a symbol of their entangled fates.
Without hesitation, Mu Tao carried Li Yu out of the black stone hall, following the warm glow of the candles, towards their wedding chamber.
The demons turned, confused, watching them leave.
Their new Demon Lord, after the ceremony, had simply left with her bride.
She didn’t stay to entertain the guests, leaving everything to Xiang Hanyu.
Today, she only wanted to be with her master.
The wedding chamber was decorated in human-realm style.
Soft red silk draped from the ceiling, hanging in gentle folds.
Candles flickered on the desk, the tea table, the carved wooden table laden with fruits, pastries, and wine, even by the bedside and in the corners of the room.
Lanterns of various sizes hung from the ceiling, illuminating the room, no trace of the usual green spiritual fire.
The flickering candlelight, reflecting off the gold and jade ornaments in Li Yu’s hair, made Mu Tao restless.
She gently placed Li Yu on the bed.
The bed curtains were a soft, alluring red. Li Yu’s long train spread around her like scattered flower petals, a pool of vibrant color.
And her master, within this sea of red, was the most captivating sight.
Even sitting motionless on the bed, she drew Mu Tao’s gaze.
Mu Tao’s heart pounded in her chest.
She felt restless, unable to calm down.
She gazed into Li Yu’s eyes, unsure whether the light she saw within them was from the candles, or from…something else.
A long silence, as if time itself had stopped.
They just stared at each other, neither speaking.
The more Mu Tao looked into those blue eyes, the more a burning sensation tightened her throat.
She knew, she was experiencing another delusion, a sudden, irrational belief that her master had awakened.
But how could that be? If her master was truly awake, she wouldn’t have participated in the ceremony, wouldn’t be sitting here so obediently, like a jade statue, silently returning her gaze.
The candlelight suddenly seemed too bright,
Creating an illusion of awareness in those vacant eyes.
Mu Tao frowned and, with a wave of her hand, extinguished most of the candles.
The room darkened, only a few flickering flames remaining in the corners.
Their long shadows danced on the walls.
Mu Tao could no longer see the faint light in Li Yu’s eyes.
She breathed a sigh of relief and sat down beside Li Yu.
Li Yu’s gaze, fixed on Mu Tao, hadn’t wavered.
But she didn’t speak, as if waiting for her “master’s” next command.
Mu Tao took Li Yu’s hands in hers, placed them on her lap, and whispered, “Master, for a long, long time, I’ve been dreaming of this moment, holding your hands, hearing you say…that you’re willing to be with me forever.”
“How long…how long have I dreamt of this?” Mu Tao looked at their shadows on the wall, her thoughts drifting.
She stared at their intertwined shadows, as if the candlelight, passing through that puppet-like body, could reveal the person she truly craved.
After a long silence, a tearful smile appeared on her face, and she asked softly, “Master, do you remember…the year you brought me back to Chaoxi Pond?”
“That year, I couldn’t even transform, my cultivation so weak I couldn’t even speak.” Mu Tao said. “Perhaps because I was…different, the other spirits and disciples on the mountain didn’t like me.”
“I was always bullied. You happened to be passing by one day and saw them mistreating me, so you brought me back to Chaoxi Pond.” A warm smile appeared in her eyes. “That day, you told me…from now on, I would be your only disciple.”
Mu Tao paused. “After saying that, you left—and I would just…stare at your retreating figure, day after day, year after year. You never seemed to notice me, yet I was your only disciple.”
“And for some reason…a thought took root in my heart.” Mu Tao placed her hand over her heart. “It grew stronger, deeper, intertwining with every part of me.”
Her eyes reddened, her fingers pressing against her chest, as if wanting to carve out that thought and show it to Li Yu.
“I couldn’t help but feel that…Master should care about me, that this distance…wasn’t how it should be between us… I wanted…to be closer to you.”
She said she had longed for this, waited for this, for over two hundred years…
And now, she finally had it.
She looked at Li Yu, waiting for a response.
But Li Yu just lowered her gaze, staring at the flickering candlelight in the corner, lost in thought.
Mu Tao, slightly displeased, gently took Li Yu’s hand and kissed her fingers,
Then the back of her hand, her wrist—finally leaving a faint red mark on the Harmony Bell tied with a red string.
“Master, Master…” her voice trembled, a plea in it. “Just…pity me, and promise me…you’ll never leave, okay?”
She saw Li Yu’s lips part slightly, but no words came out.
This silence, like a heavy stone tied to her heart, dragged her down.
The stone sank into the ocean, her heart sinking along with it into the cold, dark depths.
Suddenly, Li Yu responded.
“I won’t leave.”
Her voice was soft, like a whisper in a dream.
A flicker of joy in Mu Tao’s eyes quickly faded.
—Just a puppet controlled by a spell.
What was there to be happy about?
Mu Tao lowered her gaze, frowning, her thoughts a tangled mess.
She seemed to steel herself, her hand reaching out to gently pull at Li Yu’s robe, sliding it off her shoulder, revealing the crimson inner garment.
The thin fabric, like a veil, revealed the pale skin of Li Yu’s shoulder and arm.
Mu Tao hesitated for a moment, then slid the garment further down, exposing Li Yu’s shoulders and arms.
Li Yu looked at her, her brow furrowed slightly, making no other move.
Ignoring the look, Mu Tao reached for the jade-studded belt, her fingers impatiently fumbling with the clasp, then pulled it off, tossing it aside.
The belt landed on the floor, the glass beads chiming softly.
She reached for the long skirt, then paused, meeting Li Yu’s blue eyes.
A sudden wave of anxiety washed over her.
She took a deep breath and gently pushed Li Yu against the bedpost, a hint of anger in her eyes.
Her master shouldn’t look at her like that.
Even panic, disgust, or fear were better than that bottomless sadness in her puppet-like eyes.
Why… Why was it like this…?
Was being with her…truly that unbearable for her master?
A tear rolled down her cheek, the warmth quickly turning cold.
Mu Tao’s breathing deepened as she struggled to calm her racing heart.
“Are you…afraid of me, Master?” she whispered, but received no answer.
Li Yu raised her hand and gently caressed Mu Tao’s tear-stained face.
Her cool fingers brushed against the corner of her eye.
Mu Tao couldn’t hold back any longer and pulled Li Yu into a tight embrace.
She buried her face in the crook of Li Yu’s neck, inhaling her scent, a fragrance that never used to be there, the scent of cosmetics, applied only for their wedding day.
This scent, this change, was because of her; she should possess it completely.
Her eyes turned crimson, and she removed the last of Li Yu’s clothes, leaving only a thin, peach-colored undergarment.
She pulled the ornaments from Li Yu’s hair, scattering them.
She pushed Li Yu onto the bed, holding her tightly, feeling the rise and fall of her chest against hers,
The rhythm of their breaths, their heartbeats.
She held Li Yu’s hands, kissing her forehead, her eyes, the bridge of her nose, her lips,
Every inch of her skin.
The silver bells on her wrist chimed softly.
The warm candlelight cast their shadows on the wall, intertwined.
Her movements gradually slowed, each kiss lingering.
She wanted to stop, but every time she tried to pull away, Li Yu’s hand would gently touch the back of her neck, as if unwilling to let her go.
Perhaps she had lost her mind to have such a delusion.
After a long time,
The crimson in Mu Tao’s eyes faded.
The person in her arms, exhausted, disheveled, her body covered in bruises, looked incredibly vulnerable.
Several pearls, scattered on the pillow, glistened in the dim candlelight.
Mu Tao’s heart pounded, and she froze, unsure what to do.
She stared for a long moment, then, her hands trembling, pulled the blanket over Li Yu, carefully covering her like a precious treasure.
As she tucked the blanket around her, she met Li Yu’s gaze.
Each second of eye contact was like a thorn twisting in her heart.
She must have gone mad.
She had done the most foolish, the most despicable thing…
Her master would never forgive her.
After tonight, there was no turning back.
Mu Tao curled up, her head buried in her knees, unable to stop crying.
Like that day six months ago, lost in the darkness, without even a flicker of light to guide her.
She deserved this.
She wasn’t inherently good.
Born with a Demon Bone, wasn’t she inherently evil?
When everyone treated her badly, she hadn’t been indifferent, she hadn’t wanted to endure it forever.
She had wanted to kill them all.
She had torn apart beautiful flowers, imagining them as the people who hated her, who lived better lives than her.
She had clawed at small, weak creatures, imagining them as those who hurt her, wanting to tear them apart.
She wasn’t obedient, wasn’t well-behaved.
She had simply been…trying to survive by pleasing others.
Her sense of right and wrong, good and evil, was all learned, all imitation, just trying to guess and appease others, nothing truly her own.
Qingxuan Revered One was wrong to bring her to Mount Chao Yao, and her master was also wrong to take her in.
She was a monster, a calamity.
If her master had killed her two hundred years ago, or hadn’t saved her six months ago, things wouldn’t have come to this.
How could she undo the spell now? How could she face her master when she woke up?
How would her master look at her?
—With resentment? Or hatred?
A despair deeper than the ocean consumed her.
Her hands clenched tightly, as if trying to hold onto something, yet her palms were empty.
A cool hand gently patted her head.
She looked up, her vision blurred with tears, and met those familiar blue eyes.
“Don’t cry,” Li Yu said softly. “You were the one who…forced me, why are you crying?”
“…”
“I’ve never met anyone as difficult to please as you.” Li Yu pinched her tear-stained cheek. “You don’t believe me when I’m conscious, and you don’t like what I say when I’m not.”
The pinch made Mu Tao’s eyes widen in pain, she wanted to say something, but her sobs choked the words.
Li Yu: “I only lied to you once; are you going to hold it against me forever?”
Mu Tao: “M…Master?”
The candlelight was dim; she couldn’t see her master’s expression clearly through her tears.
Her master…was awake…
When?
Just now? Or earlier?
No, her master wasn’t awake; if she was, she wouldn’t be acting like this.
She had imprisoned her master, controlled her mind, treated her like a plaything—she was guilty of unforgivable sins.
Her master would hate her, forever.
Her already curled-up body trembled.
Like falling into a bottomless abyss, a coldness that almost froze her blood.
Li Yu: “I truly don’t know what to do with you.”
Mu Tao: “…”
Li Yu sat up, pulling the blanket around her, and took Mu Tao’s hand.
She smiled, a bitter smile.
She truly didn’t know what to do with Mu Tao.
The words she wanted to say wouldn’t come out, the things she wanted to explain couldn’t be explained.
A single lie, and it was as if she had been sentenced to death, with no chance of reprieve.
During those two weeks under the spell, she had seen the deep-seated insecurity and possessiveness in Mu Tao’s eyes.
Even with the power to control everything, the girl still felt unworthy.
She believed she had been abandoned by the world.
The more desperately she tried to hold on, the more she feared losing everything.
Li Yu knew that as long as these misunderstandings remained, she couldn’t ease Mu Tao’s anxiety.
When she regained consciousness, she had considered escaping, fighting back, even trying to reason with the girl.
But after much thought, she chose to follow Mu Tao’s wishes.
Some things couldn’t be explained, some knots couldn’t be untied.
If she feared the curse, this misunderstanding between them would remain like a thorn, a constant source of pain.
Only by resolving this could they discuss the future.
The curse, the Heavenly Demon,
The hidden plot the system insisted on, perhaps it was the path she had been trying to avoid.
Since it was unavoidable, she would face it.
Li Yu touched the silver bells and looked into Mu Tao’s eyes. “I never took it off,” she said softly. “What more do I have to do to prove I never intended to leave?”
Why…why would a puppet controlled by a spell say such things…?
Li Yu sighed and frowned slightly. “You, with your measly few centuries of cultivation, were afraid of the Heavenly Demon’s power harming me, so you didn’t even dare to use your full strength—How long did you think you could control me?”
Such a weak little Demon Lord, not even comparable to Weisheng Xuanzhu, even Xiang Hanyu was more ruthless.
Seeing Mu Tao’s stunned silence, Li Yu flicked her forehead again.
Her master was awake…
Her master…was truly awake!
And she wasn’t afraid…wasn’t angry…
Mu Tao snapped back to reality, a surge of joy overwhelming her.
But the joy was fleeting, replaced by panic, confusion, and guilt.
“Master, Master…I, I was wrong…” she grabbed Li Yu’s hands, her voice choked with tears. “I was truly wrong, Master, punish me however you want…just please, don’t leave me…”
Li Yu pulled her hands away.
Mu Tao’s heart sank.
She…couldn’t keep her?
“I’m hungry. As punishment…get off the bed…” Li Yu sniffled and pouted. “…and cook for me.”
Mu Tao stared at her, speechless, as if she couldn’t believe her ears.
Li Yu poked her forehead. “I can’t even punish you anymore, can I?”
Mu Tao hiccuped, tears streaming down her face.
After a moment, she scrambled off the bed, ready to obey.
But before she could even reach the door, Li Yu called out,
“Come back.”
Mu Tao froze, then rushed back, kneeling by the bedside, looking up at Li Yu with tear-filled eyes.
Li Yu gestured towards the table with the wedding wine. “I just realized there’s food there, you don’t have to cook.”
Mu Tao: “…”
With a flick of her wrist, Li Yu changed her clothes, kicked off her red embroidered shoes, and, barefoot, her hair now free from its elaborate updo, walked to the table and picked up a pastry.
She finally understood why fewer and fewer people in her world wanted to get married.
Weddings were so troublesome!
She had been hungry for a while!
“…Master?” Mu Tao followed her, her eyes filled with caution.
Li Yu continued eating,
Two pastries, then a peeled orange.
It wasn’t enough to fill her empty stomach, but it helped.
She turned to look at Mu Tao, her makeup still vibrant, yet her expression gloomy, and sighed deeply.
The sigh made Mu Tao straighten up.
Li Yu: “You want to marry me?”
Mu Tao: “…”
Li Yu: “You skipped a step.”
Mu Tao: “…?”
Li Yu poured some wedding wine into two cups, turned to Mu Tao, and said, “Before consummating the marriage, we drink the nuptial cup, understand?”
Mu Tao stared at her blankly, clearly not understanding.
Li Yu took her hand and made her drink the wine with her, their arms intertwined.
So bitter…
Li Yu frowned, put down her cup, turned to Mu Tao, and said seriously, “Mu Tao, listen carefully. I’m only saying this once.”
“My feelings for you are not just those of a master and disciple.” She raised her hand and gently wiped away Mu Tao’s tears. “I sincerely wish to marry you.”
Li Yu then playfully, yet firmly, tugged at Mu Tao’s red ear.
Hearing Mu Tao’s wince, she glared at her.
“If you don’t believe me…”
“…then pretend I never drank this wine with you.”
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