Chapter 35: The Stone
The wolf pack quickly surrounded them. The alpha wolf lunged, its jaws snapping at the male lead’s neck. He raised his sword, blocking the attack, but another wolf sank its teeth into his leg.
Even a bite from an ordinary wolf was dangerous. These were spirit wolves, their bites venomous, their strength far surpassing that of their mundane counterparts.
And the rest of the pack was closing in.
The male lead, having spent most of his time recovering from his injuries in the Demon Realm, hadn’t had much time to cultivate. His progress was even slower than in his previous life. He had barely reached the Qi Gathering stage. If it weren’t for his subordinates, he would have been easily defeated by a single cat.
But even his subordinates were no match for the overwhelming number of wolves. He abandoned his sword, punching the wolf that had attached itself to his leg, then activated a teleportation talisman, vanishing in a flash of light.
Before disappearing, he glared at the cat and dog, his voice laced with venom. “I’ll be back!”
Bai Jingxue, watching the pathetic male lead utter the classic villainous line, felt a headache forming.
This despicable creature was no match for the true antagonist of this story. He was more like a cockroach, persistent and repulsive.
Suddenly, the world spun, and Bai Jingxue felt something heavy land on her, pinning her to the ground. She looked up to see Lü Qingyan’s face, her eyes filled with tears. “I knew you were hiding something from me,” she cried.
Bai Jingxue, feeling a pang of guilt, averted her gaze. “It was just a coincidence,” she said, trying to sound nonchalant.
Lü Qingyan knew the cat’s stubborn nature. Pressing the issue would only result in a sulking cat.
She abandoned the topic, sniffing Bai Jingxue’s fur, only relaxing when she confirmed there was no scent of blood.
Bai Jingxue, her cheeks warming under the dog’s scrutiny, was grateful that her fur hid her blush. She would have burrowed into the ground if her face had been visible.
“Could you get off me?” she asked, her voice strained. “You’re a bit heavy.”
Lü Qingyan obediently moved back, sitting on her haunches as she waited for Bai Jingxue to stand.
Bai Jingxue shook her head and body, dislodging the leaves and twigs that had clung to her fur. She raised a paw to groom herself, then paused, her appetite vanishing as she saw the mud caked on her paw.
She felt grimy, longing for a bath.
Snapping out of her thoughts, she noticed the pack of wolves sitting behind Lü Qingyan, their postures mirroring the dog’s.
Where had they come from?
Lü Qingyan wagged her tail, her head held high. “My sense of smell is excellent,” she said proudly. “I sensed trouble and called for reinforcements.”
She explained what had happened.
She had been running when she had realized something was wrong. Despite the mud on her nose, she could still smell the male lead’s scent. She had been about to turn back, but then she had caught the scent of wolves.
She had teleported to their den and had successfully recruited their assistance.
Bai Jingxue sighed. This dog’s ability to make friends was truly remarkable.
The alpha wolf, seeing them chatting, nudged Lü Qingyan’s head with his paw.
His voice was deep and guttural, but they seemed to understand each other perfectly.
“You promised to show us a fire-breathing cat,” he said. “Is this the one?”
Lü Qingyan’s ears drooped. She glanced at Bai Jingxue, then, as if on cue, Bai Jingxue unleashed a burst of fire, her eyes narrowed.
The wolves howled in approval.
The villagers, hearing the wolves howling more frequently than usual, quickly secured their doors and windows, fearing an attack.
“Amazing! That little demon is only at the Qi Gathering stage!”
“Wow, she can actually breathe fire!”
“Hahaha, look at her face! It’s hilarious!”
Seeing that Bai Jingxue was about to lose her temper, Lü Qingyan swallowed nervously and stepped in front of the cat, shielding her. She then teleported onto a tree branch, as if to demonstrate her own abilities.
The wolves howled even louder.
The villagers, huddled inside their homes, trembled, hammering their doors and windows shut.
The impromptu animal show continued until nightfall. The wolves, satisfied, returned to their den, leaving Lü Qingyan exhausted.
She lay on her back, her paws in the air, gazing at the moon. Bai Jingxue’s face suddenly appeared in her field of vision. She tried to make a peace sign with her paws, but she realized it was impossible.
Old habits died hard. She chuckled. “Are you still mad at me?”
Bai Jingxue settled beside her, her voice neutral. “No.”
Compared to the potential loss of life, this was nothing. And Lü Qingyan had shared the burden, making it less embarrassing.
Lü Qingyan sighed contentedly. “That’s good,” she said. “I’m not afraid of anything, except for you being mad at me.”
Bai Jingxue closed her eyes, wondering why she was lying here, her belly exposed to the freezing night air.
“What if I was angry?” she asked, her voice soft. “What would you do?”
Lü Qingyan rolled onto her side, her tail thumping against the ground. “You would ignore me!”
Bai Jingxue was speechless.
It had been the same in their past life. The rebellious student, defying her teacher’s anger, had followed her, refusing to be left behind.
It had been a cold day. Bai Jingxue had sought solace in the frigid air, her anger cooling, replaced by a sense of regret. She had been too harsh.
Lü Qingyan had always been willing to listen, to try to improve. She hadn’t intentionally ignored the assigned work. She had simply forgotten.
It had started to snow, the wind whipping the snowflakes against their faces. Bai Jingxue had pulled her hat lower, covering her ears, adjusting her scarf.
She had sighed, her breath forming a cloud in the cold air, illuminated by the streetlights.
She had looked down at her snow boots, muttering, “Time to go back.”
Then, she had seen Lü Qingyan, huddled behind a streetlight, her figure illuminated by the pale yellow glow.
Lü Qingyan had emerged from the shadows. “Jingxue,” she had said.
She had uttered Bai Jingxue’s name so casually, as if they were close friends, when in reality, they had only been paired together for a temporary project.
Seeing the redness on Lü Qingyan’s cheeks, the way she shivered in the cold, Bai Jingxue had felt a pang of guilt. “I wasn’t going to leave,” she said. “Don’t worry.”
Lü Qingyan had rushed over, taking her hand, her voice gruff but laced with concern. “I was worried about you.”
She had rummaged through her pockets, then produced a pair of pink fingerless gloves, a cute cartoon rabbit embroidered on the back of each hand.
“I brought an extra pair,” she had said. “Put these on. I heard you get chilblains in the winter.”
Bai Jingxue had stared at the overly cutesy gloves, her suspicions aroused. Lü Qingyan was already wearing a matching pair. This extra pair seemed deliberate.
She suddenly felt petty. She accepted the gloves, then, noticing the bareness of Lü Qingyan’s neck, removed her own scarf and wrapped it around Lü Qingyan.
She held Lü Qingyan’s hand, preventing her from removing the scarf, a small smile curving her lips. “Lü Qingyan.”
Lü Qingyan, mesmerized by that smile, blinked. “Yeah?”
“Let’s go back.”
The memory, both distant and vivid, felt like a phantom limb, a lingering sensation of something lost.
She hadn’t realized back then that the notorious slacker’s sudden academic transformation had been motivated by a crush.
It was almost comical.
Bai Jingxue, now a black cat, raised a paw, remembering those gloves. She had later learned that Lü Qingyan had made them herself.
Lü Qingyan, her energy restored, stood up, wagging her tail. “Jingxue, we should go,” she said.
Bai Jingxue followed, her pace leisurely, a sigh escaping her lips as she watched the dog’s cheerful demeanor.
While some were happy, others were filled with dread. The members of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion were terrified, but they were also lucky. If they had encountered the Demon Lord alone, death would have been a merciful release. But with the Sword Saint present, they might at least receive a stay of execution.
Luo Nianshang ignored their pleas for mercy, binding and silencing them with a flick of her wrist.
The Demon Lord watched her, a fan materializing in her hand. She waved it languidly, her voice laced with sarcasm. “You seem quite skilled at this, Immortal One,” she said. “Perhaps you were a bandit in your past life. I bow to your expertise.”
Luo Nianshang ignored her.
The Demon Lord, frustrated by her indifference, snapped the fan in half. “We should just execute them here and be done with it,” she said, her voice laced with annoyance.
Luo Nianshang finally reacted, remembering the Demon Palace’s left envoy she had slain.
The Demon Palace had appointed a new left envoy almost immediately, its efficiency impressive.
If such an event had occurred at the Ejian Sect, the position would have remained vacant for a considerable amount of time, a series of tests and evaluations required before a suitable candidate could be selected.
The process would have taken at least a year, if not longer.
Of course, for cultivators, a year was considered a relatively short period.
“I heard you appointed a new left envoy,” she said, her voice laced with curiosity. “Don’t you need time to carefully consider such an important decision?”
The Demon Lord chuckled, stifling a yawn. She idly twirled a ribbon from her robe between her fingers. “Are you trying to uncover the secrets of my palace, Venerable One?”
Luo Nianshang was speechless.
The Demon Lord released the ribbon, her expression seductive. Anyone with a weaker will would have been mesmerized. Unfortunately for her, Luo Nianshang was a stone.
She was immune to the Demon Lord’s charms. “Your ribbon is coming undone,” she said dryly.
The Demon Lord gritted her teeth, cursing Luo Nianshang’s obliviousness. “Where are you looking, Venerable One?” she asked, her voice laced with amusement.
Luo Nianshang promptly closed her eyes.
The Demon Lord stared at her for a moment, then sighed, deciding to spare her teeth.
She shifted her position, resting her chin on her hand as she gazed at Luo Nianshang’s face, a smile curving her lips. “I’ll tell you a secret,” she said. “I choose my subordinates based on their appearance. If the previous left envoy hadn’t been so beautiful, I wouldn’t have kept her around for so long.”
Her tone shifted, becoming more suggestive. “If you do fall to demonic influence, as they predict, with your beauty, I wouldn’t mind relinquishing my position as Demon Lord to you.”
Luo Nianshang opened her eyes. “That will never happen,” she said flatly.
Seeing that it was getting late, the Demon Lord stood up, preparing to leave. “I certainly hope you maintain your clear, untainted heart, Venerable One,” she said, her voice laced with amusement.
Once she was a safe distance away, her smile vanished. She opened her palm, revealing a jade slip resting there.
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