Category: I Am the Female Lead’s Cat

Chapter 111: A Promise Fulfilled

Luo Nianshang jumped into the well, passing through the watery curtain. She found Fang Xin sitting on her own grave.

She had been visiting frequently lately. This place had become her sanctuary, a place where she could finally share her burdens, although a thousand years of solitude had transformed her into a quiet, introverted individual.

But Master Fang Xin was different from the one in her memories. Although time could distort memories, she still remembered Fang Xin’s perpetually grumpy expression.

Fang Xin, seeing her beloved disciple, her face lighting up, her voice cheerful, said, “My dear disciple, what delicious treats have you brought me today?”

Luo Nianshang, seeing the eager anticipation in her master’s eyes, opened the food box, carefully arranging the dishes before Fang Xin’s grave.

She then placed an incense burner before the grave, lighting three sticks of incense.

The food was still warm, its aroma mingling with the incense smoke. Fang Xin inhaled deeply, her eyes sparkling. “Delicious,” she said. “Is this made by that Fu Yuan girl again?”

Luo Nianshang was still getting used to this talkative version of her master, but seeing Fang Xin happy made her happy too.

She nodded. “Fu Yuan is an excellent cook.”

Fang Xin nodded in agreement, then, remembering Fang Yue Lian’s cooking, she chuckled. “Your Master Yue Lian was also a good cook,” she said. “But she loved those medicinal dishes. You used to get nosebleeds after eating them.”

If Fang Xin hadn’t mentioned it, Luo Nianshang would have forgotten that embarrassing detail. Thankfully, they were alone.

But the mention of Master Yue Lian brought back a painful memory: the image of her leaping from the cliff.

Her increased cultivation had allowed her to control her dreams, to suppress those painful memories that had once plagued her sleep.

But she wasn’t the only one trapped in a dream. Master Yue Lian was still lost in her own memories, her heart unable to let go.

Luo Nianshang wanted to help her, but the dream had lasted too long. It had become something far more complex.

She had been holding onto this question for a long time. Seeing that Fang Xin was in a good mood, she finally asked, “Master, why did you avoid me before?”

Fang Xin, having finished her meal, floated closer to Luo Nianshang, her gaze lingering on her face, its features so similar to Zhu Er’s. “It wasn’t that I didn’t want to see you,” she said, her voice laced with a hint of sadness. “I simply couldn’t risk being discovered. I had to hide.”

Luo Nianshang’s brow furrowed. “Hide?”

She was the strongest cultivator in the world. Hearing that her master had been avoiding her, her heart filled with a cold anger, she asked, “Who was threatening you? I’ll deal with them.”

Fang Xin, staring at her beloved disciple, her expression fierce, her aura intimidating, felt a pang of unease. They hadn’t seen each other in a long time. Luo Nianshang had still been a child when Fang Xin had died.

Her memories were of a small, quiet child, clutching her sword, her lips pursed, seeking comfort in Fang Xin’s arms.

Time was a cruel sculptor. Luo Nianshang was no longer that soft, vulnerable child.

But this wasn’t something Luo Nianshang could handle, not yet. Fang Xin returned to her grave, settling down, her voice laced with a hint of fear. “It wasn’t a person,” she said. “There’s something wrong with the Heavenly Dao of this world. To save me, you would have to defy fate itself.”

She sighed, staring into Luo Nianshang’s eyes. “I avoided you because I was afraid of being discovered,” she said. “But lately, the Heavenly Dao has been weakening, its grip loosening. That’s why I called out to you.”

Luo Nianshang was confused. “The Heavenly Dao?”

Fang Xin nodded. “Perhaps a new god has appeared,” she said.

This was a lot to process, but Luo Nianshang immediately thought of the statue that had caused so much chaos in the Demon Realm. Perhaps it was connected.

She seized upon the key word. “A god?” she asked.

“Yes,” Fang Xin said. “Before you were born, the evil god made a deal with the Xuan Tian Sect. She used an external force to end her own life, separating her soul, her body, her divinity, and her power. That’s why the world has been at peace for so long.”

“Those fragments were scattered randomly, but the evil god’s destiny always seemed to settle upon unworthy individuals. It was as if the Heavenly Dao was resisting her influence. But lately, something has changed.”

She didn’t understand it, but it had granted her more freedom. She could finally speak freely.

Luo Nianshang thought back to Bai Jingxue’s explanation. It seemed her master and Bai Jingxue were talking about the same thing.

Fang Xin, seeing Luo Nianshang lost in thought, added, “There’s both good and evil in humans. And it seems this world has two sides as well. The souls of the dead are being taken to another world. I almost ended up there, but I escaped.”

She conjured an illusory hourglass, its sand flowing from the top chamber to the bottom. Once the top chamber was empty, she flipped it over.

“Souls are like grains of sand,” she said. “They simply flow from one space to another. But the sand in the bottom chamber doesn’t move. It’s stagnant.”

But that was all she knew. She sighed. “That resurrection method you mentioned,” she said. “I’ve been thinking about it. Perhaps it involves retrieving a soul from that other world.”

She paused, her voice filled with wonder. “It might be one of the evil god’s abilities.”

Luo Nianshang understood. The world had started to unravel when the Demon Lord had transferred her destiny to her. That was why the statues had appeared.

But the statue had been able to split into multiple fragments. There were probably more of them out there. This wasn’t over.

Just thinking about it gave her a headache. She felt a surge of pressure, the weight of the world settling on her shoulders.

Fang Xin, seeing her beloved disciple’s troubled expression, her heart aching, but also filled with pride, wished Yue Lian could see this.

But they had discussed enough serious matters. She smiled, her voice teasing. “My dear disciple, do you have a partner?” she asked. “Bring her to me sometime. I want to meet her.”

The abrupt shift in topic caught Luo Nianshang off guard. The word “partner” made her think of the Demon Lord.

But she couldn’t understand the Demon Lord’s feelings, nor could she understand her own.

She thought about it for a long time, then said, her voice hesitant, “I’m not sure.”

She hadn’t denied it. Fang Xin’s eyes lit up. She circled Luo Nianshang, noticing that her disciple’s ears were slightly pink.

“You like her, but she doesn’t like you?” Fang Xin asked, her voice filled with a mischievous glee.

Luo Nianshang wasn’t sure, but after some consideration, she nodded.

Fang Xin was stunned. With Luo Nianshang’s power and status, who wouldn’t like her? Perhaps she was simply too quiet and introverted, her personality unappealing?

She instantly transformed into a worried mother hen. Her dear disciple was perfect, except for her inability to communicate.

Luo Nianshang, however, was lost in her own thoughts. Did she like the Demon Lord? And did the Demon Lord like her?

These questions were too subjective. She couldn’t find the right answers. She preferred slaying demons. It was much simpler.

Fang Xin, seeing Luo Nianshang’s increasingly troubled expression, afraid of offering bad advice, since she herself was a cautionary tale, suddenly thought of someone who could help.

Relieved, she returned to her grave, settling down. “Why don’t you ask Bai Jingxue?” she suggested. “Or Lü Qingyan? They might have an answer.”

It was a good idea. Those two were inseparable, yet they refused to acknowledge their relationship. But anyone could see they were in love.

Luo Nianshang filed away this suggestion, then she gathered the food box and the incense burner, standing before Fang Xin’s grave. “I’ll be going now, Master,” she said.

Fang Xin felt a pang of reluctance, but she knew Luo Nianshang was busy. She suppressed her loneliness, waving a hand dismissively. “Go,” she said. “But if you do find a partner, bring her to me sometime. I want to meet her.”

“I will,” Luo Nianshang said.

She then flew through the watery curtain.

She Yuwei, who had been drawing water from the well, startled by Luo Nianshang’s sudden appearance, dropped the bucket, its contents splashing across the ground.

Luo Nianshang, glancing at her pale face, her heart filled with a strange mix of emotions, remembered that this was the disciple who had written those stories, the stories she had read, the stories she had inadvertently acted out with the Demon Lord.

But it wasn’t She Yuwei’s fault. Luo Nianshang knew her own weakness was to blame.

Seeing She Yuwei’s terrified expression, she said, her voice calm, “Focus on your cultivation.”

She Yuwei nodded vigorously, her expression filled with a feigned sincerity. “Don’t worry, Ancestor,” she said. “I’ve reformed.”

Her performance was so exaggerated that Luo Nianshang didn’t believe a word of it, but she couldn’t say anything.

She simply nodded and left.

She Yuwei, watching her go, her fear subsiding, couldn’t help but mutter under her breath, “Hmph, you cold-hearted monster. Just wait. I’ll write you into my next story.”

She picked up the bucket, her mind racing as she imagined the punishments she would inflict upon the fictional Sword Saint, then she paused, her hand freezing.

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “Someone like her shouldn’t be slandered.”

Bai Jingxue, in her cat form, perched on a nearby tree, having overheard She Yuwei’s mutterings, couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for Luo Nianshang. But it seemed She Yuwei had a conscience.

But Luo Nianshang could meet with Fang Xin now?

She was curious. She waited for She Yuwei to leave, then leaped down from the tree, landing gracefully beside the well.

She stared at her reflection in the water, then, without hesitation, she jumped.

To her surprise, she found Fang Xin waiting for her.

Fang Xin, seeing the cat, smiled. “It’s quite lively today,” she said.

Bai Jingxue transformed into her human form, staring at Fang Xin, her voice filled with a mix of emotions. “Long time no see,” she said.

“Long time no see,” Fang Xin replied.

Bai Jingxue, glancing at the incense ashes on the ground, asked, “Did the Sword Saint come here?”

Fang Xin, finding the title “Sword Saint” a bit awkward, nodded, then, after mentally calculating their relationship, she said, “Actually, she should be calling you ‘Auntie’ and Lü Qingyan ‘Second Auntie’.”

“Please don’t,” Bai Jingxue said quickly. “This is fine.”

Fang Xin, seeing her resistance, didn’t press the issue, but she was curious about Luo Nianshang’s partner. And now, she had someone she could ask.

“Who’s Luo Nianshang’s partner?” she asked, her voice eager. “What’s her name? What’s her cultivation level? What does she look like? Can she cook?”

Bai Jingxue, bombarded with questions, was stunned. She didn’t know Luo Nianshang had a partner. “Wait,” she said. “The Sword Saint doesn’t have a partner.”

Fang Xin, her excitement vanishing, her shoulders slumping, said, “You don’t know?”

Her disappointment made Bai Jingxue feel a pang of guilt.

Fang Xin had been trapped in this well for so long. She deserved to hear some interesting gossip. And masters always cared about their disciples’ romantic entanglements.

Bai Jingxue thought for a moment, then decided to tell her about the Demon Lord’s antics.

But she didn’t want to portray the Demon Lord in a negative light. She chose her words carefully.

“The Demon Lord… she’s a bit… playful,” she said. “She likes to tease people. But she wouldn’t actually do anything… inappropriate.”

Fang Xin listened intently, her curiosity piqued. She was intrigued by this Demon Lord. She had a feeling that this was the person Luo Nianshang was interested in.

“You said her name is Qiu Yingxi?” she asked. “How tall is she? Can she cook? She seems rather assertive. She’s not what I expected.”

Bai Jingxue held her hand slightly above her shoulder. “About this tall,” she said. “As for cooking… well…”

Only a true warrior could stomach the Demon Lord’s cooking. And Luo Nianshang was the only warrior she knew.

Fang Xin, understanding her hesitation, didn’t pry. It wasn’t her own partner, and cultivators didn’t need to eat anyway. It was Luo Nianshang’s choice.

Then she remembered something, slapping her forehead. “I forgot,” she said. “Luo Nianshang lost her sense of taste. So cooking doesn’t really matter.”

Bai Jingxue’s eyes widened. “She lost her sense of taste?”

Fang Xin, her chin resting on her hand, nodded. “Yes,” she said. “When she was young, her senior sister poisoned her. She has a unique constitution, so she recovered quickly, but she lost her sense of taste.”

Bai Jingxue was stunned. She hadn’t known this.

Fang Xin sighed. “Children are so naive,” she said. “She believed her senior sister’s lies, that it was an accident. But then, that same senior sister pushed her off a cliff.”

“She became a recluse after that.”

Her words echoed through the well, their sadness making Bai Jingxue’s heart ache, but she knew Luo Nianshang didn’t need pity. She simply sighed.

“But she’s happy now,” Fang Xin continued, her voice regaining its usual cheerfulness. “She has so many people around her. And I can tell you and Lü Qingyan truly care for her. That’s good.”

Bai Jingxue didn’t think she had done anything special. “She deserves a happy ending,” she said.

Fang Xin didn’t argue. She agreed. She simply smiled at Bai Jingxue.

She sensed Bai Jingxue’s anxiety, but she didn’t know how to comfort her. She had so little information.

“You’re a good person too,” she said, her voice gentle. “You deserve a happy ending too.”

“Don’t overthink things,” she continued. “Remember to relax. That’s my advice from a thousand years in the future.”

Bai Jingxue understood. “Thank you, Master,” she said.

“By the way,” Fang Xin added, her voice suddenly casual, “can you cook? Bring me some food next time.”

Bai Jingxue’s heartfelt gratitude instantly vanished.

Chapter 110: A Quiet Observation

She Yuwei, watching the cat and dog perched on her desk, wanted to cry.

Life had been difficult lately. First, her biggest client, Ying, had returned to the Dragon Palace. Then, Bai Jingxue and Lü Qingyan, those two menaces, had started visiting her regularly.

The Ejian Sect elders had finally stopped paying attention to her, but now, thanks to those two, the sect leader was watching her again.

She couldn’t complain, so she simply said, her voice filled with a weary resignation, “I can’t write with you two staring at me.”

Bai Jingxue, in her cat form, licked her paw, then settled down on the desk, letting out a soft meow.

She Yuwei, staring at the cat’s large, round eyes, her annoyance fading, her heart softening, realized she had fallen for the cat’s trick. She tossed her brush aside, leaning back in her chair, her voice laced with a hint of defeat. “Whatever,” she said. “The Ejian Sect is cracking down on these stories anyway. Even if I wrote one, I would be the only one reading it.”

Lü Qingyan, using her paw, nudged She Yuwei’s manuscript, a single drop of ink staining the page.

She Yuwei, her heart aching at the sight of the ruined page, picked up the dog, then gently placed her back on the floor.

She gathered her manuscript, storing it away, locking her desk drawer. She finally relaxed.

Bai Jingxue, seeing her anxiety, decided to stop teasing her. She transformed back into her human form, settling down at the round table in the room.

Lü Qingyan, seeing this, her tail wagging, rushed over, leaping onto Bai Jingxue’s lap.

Bai Jingxue stroked her ear, and Lü Qingyan tilted her head, her eyes closing contentedly.

She Yuwei, watching them, her fingers itching, longed to write.

But she couldn’t. How could she write fanfiction about them while they were right here?

She settled at the table, her head resting on her arms, her voice muffled. “Cat Master, what do you want?”

Bai Jingxue, her fingers playing with Lü Qingyan’s ears, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically, noticed that Lü Qingyan had placed her paws on Bai Jingxue’s hand, her eyes pleading.

She stopped, petting Lü Qingyan’s head gently, then turned to She Yuwei, her lips curving into a small smile. “I came to see if you have any new stories,” she said.

She Yuwei’s eyes lit up, and she quickly poured Bai Jingxue a cup of tea, her smile wide and fawning. “What kind of story would you like, Cat Master?” she asked. “I can write anything.”

Bai Jingxue hadn’t expected a custom order. She chuckled. She might have considered it before, but after that resurrection incident, she had realized that the more powerful the ability, the greater the price.

She didn’t care about the price herself, but she worried about the unseen consequences, the potential harm to She Yuwei.

She shook her head. “It’s alright,” she said. “Just write whatever you want.”

Simply predicting the future, without attempting to change it, shouldn’t be a problem.

She thought about it for a moment, then, remembering She Yuwei’s previous story about the whale demon, she asked, “Is the ending happy or sad?”

She Yuwei discreetly moved away from Bai Jingxue. She was still afraid of being smacked on the head.

Once she had established a safe distance, she frowned, her voice hesitant. “I can’t say for sure,” she said. “It’s… complicated.”

Bai Jingxue, watching Lü Qingyan, who was rolling around on her lap, her movements restless, picked her up, holding her close. Lü Qingyan finally settled down.

So it wasn’t a clear happy or sad ending. It was something in between. Perhaps an open ending.

Bai Jingxue, deciding she could live with that, retrieved a bag of spirit stones from her spatial ring.

She Yuwei’s eyes, gleaming brighter than the spirit stones, made Bai Jingxue chuckle. “You’re earning so many spirit stones,” she said. “Aren’t you wasting them by not using them for cultivation?”

She placed the bag on the table.

She Yuwei didn’t bother counting them. This bag contained more spirit stones than she could earn from twenty rank D missions. And this was just a deposit.

She didn’t agree with Bai Jingxue’s assessment. She stored the spirit stones away, then said, “I’m not ambitious. I was lucky to even get into the Ejian Sect. I just want a peaceful life.”

She glanced at Bai Jingxue, her voice laced with envy. “Unlike you, Cat Master. You’re incredibly lucky.”

To those who didn’t know the truth, Bai Jingxue and Lü Qingyan did seem incredibly lucky, having been taken in by the Sword Saint before even starting their cultivation journey.

The Sword Saint was a legend, a symbol of power in this world with only ten thousand years of recorded history.

While others struggled to acquire resources and techniques, Bai Jingxue and Lü Qingyan simply had to ask.

Bai Jingxue didn’t argue. Her life in this world had been easy, except for those times when she had been forced to fight opponents far stronger than her or when she had been dragged into strange illusions.

She Yuwei, seeing her silence, assuming she had offended her, quickly apologized. “I didn’t mean anything by it,” she said. “Everyone has their own fate.”

Her voice lowered, her tone somber. “In my past life,” she said, “my country was invaded. Life was cheap. Innocent people were killed, their heads taken as trophies. My parents were among them.”

Her voice was calm, but her words sent a chill down Bai Jingxue’s spine.

In the original story, She Yuwei had simply been a plot device. Her backstory had never been explored.

And she was ordinary. The male lead hadn’t been interested in her. He hadn’t bothered to ask.

The atmosphere grew heavy, and Bai Jingxue poured She Yuwei a cup of tea.

She Yuwei was surprised. Even among cultivators, there was a hierarchy. Bai Jingxue was an elder, a powerful Nascent Soul cultivator. It was unthinkable for her to serve tea to a low-level outer sect disciple.

Bai Jingxue and Lü Qingyan were different from the arrogant cultivators she had encountered.

They were far too kind.

She accepted the tea, its warmth spreading through her palm, then, regretting her depressing story, she said, “I apologize for burdening you with my troubles, Cat Master.”

Bai Jingxue shook her head. “No, I understand,” she said.

She Yuwei paused, assuming it was simply a polite gesture. Bai Jingxue had been born at the peak of this world. She couldn’t possibly understand the struggles of ordinary people.

But even if it was just politeness, it made She Yuwei feel respected.

She decided not to continue her story. She set aside the tea, her mood lifting, her smile returning. “This one might take a while,” she said. “It’ll be a long story.”

Bai Jingxue wasn’t in a hurry.

Lü Qingyan, nestled in her arms, had become unusually quiet. Bai Jingxue looked down to see that she had fallen asleep. She gently squeezed the dog’s paw pad, enjoying its soft, fluffy texture.

Lü Qingyan stirred in her sleep, and Bai Jingxue, afraid of waking her, stopped.

Sleeping upright wasn’t comfortable. Bai Jingxue shifted, adjusting her position, and Lü Qingyan, her sleep disturbed, let out a soft whimper.

Bai Jingxue chuckled. She had noticed Lü Qingyan’s unusual sleeping habits. She would always start out sleeping upright, then she would somehow end up horizontal, sometimes even falling off the bed.

But if Lü Qingyan moved too much before Bai Jingxue had fallen asleep, Bai Jingxue would wake up and cover her with a blanket.

She Yuwei, watching them, found the scene rather endearing.

“She must be having a good dream,” she said, her voice soft. “She’s still smiling.”

Bai Jingxue thought for a moment, then she had a theory.

If she was right, then Lü Qingyan was probably dreaming about food.

She didn’t want to disturb them any longer. She stood up, Lü Qingyan still in her arms. “We’ll be going now,” she said.

She Yuwei was about to see them off, but Bai Jingxue had already vanished.

She Yuwei, staring at the empty room, stretched, then picked up the tea Bai Jingxue had poured for her, taking a sip.

She immediately spat it out, coughing violently, then, once she had recovered, she muttered, “Elegance is clearly not my forte.”

Her thoughts drifted to the past, her mood darkening. She didn’t have to worry about spirit stones anymore, so she closed the door, preparing to take a nap.

But she couldn’t sleep. She sat up, her frustration growing.

She sighed, her gaze falling upon the sword hanging on the wall.

The Ejian Sect specialized in sword cultivation. Every disciple received an ordinary iron sword upon entering the sect. But She Yuwei had never unsheathed hers.

Her senior sister, who had brought her to the Ejian Sect, had been a kind and righteous woman, her heart filled with a desire to join the inner sect. She Yuwei, inspired by her, had also dreamed of becoming a powerful cultivator.

On the day She Yuwei had received her sword, her senior sister had taken her on a mission.

It had been a simple mission, just eliminating a Qi Gathering demon. It should have been easy for her senior sister.

But they had been unlucky. The demon, through a fortunate encounter, had broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

Her senior sister’s dreams had been shattered in an instant, her death so sudden that she hadn’t even had a chance to say goodbye.

She Yuwei, covered in blood, her luck, as always, a strange mix of good and bad, had watched as the demon, its mind seemingly clouded, had suddenly killed itself.

She had gathered her senior sister’s remains, her tears flowing freely, then she had hung her own sword, still sheathed, on the wall, a silent memorial.

She stared at the sword, then her thoughts drifted to the recurring dream that had been plaguing her lately: a dream where she held a sword, its tip pressed against someone’s throat, a single movement away from drawing blood.

She couldn’t see the person’s face, but she knew that her own hands, in the dream, had been trembling with fear.

Her heart pounding, she stared at her own hands, their skin pale and delicate, then she clenched them into fists.

“I’m so weak,” she muttered. “Who am I even trying to kill?”

“It’s just a dream,” she said, her voice a whisper.

Chapter 109: A Promise Kept

Luo Nianshang wasn’t a stranger to the Demon Lord’s teasing. Ever since their first encounter in that illusion, the Demon Lord had been relentlessly flirting with her.

Before that, Luo Nianshang had never experienced such attention. In her youth, her talent and her strength had made her a target, ostracized by her peers. As she had grown stronger, she had retreated from the world, avoiding crowds, her interactions with others minimal.

She had initially viewed the Demon Lord’s advances as mere provocations, her heart filled with a mixture of embarrassment and anger, but now, she found herself strangely unfazed.

But did the Demon Lord really intend to kiss her here? In front of everyone?

She glanced around discreetly. Bai Jingxue and her companions were watching from the rooftop, their expressions unreadable. The Demon Palace’s servants, guards, and officials were staring at them, their faces a mixture of shock and disbelief.

Luo Nianshang, subjected to their scrutiny, her social anxiety intensifying, felt her chest constricting, her breath catching in her throat.

The Demon Lord, standing close enough to feel the warmth radiating from Luo Nianshang’s body, her gaze fixed on Luo Nianshang’s face, her lips curving into a small smile as she observed the subtle shifts in Luo Nianshang’s expression, felt a thrill of satisfaction. If she continued, who knew what might happen?

But a sudden wave of apprehension washed over her. She remembered their encounter at the spirit spring. She had gone too far then. Provoking Luo Nianshang wasn’t a good idea.

She casually tossed the statue into the air, then, as it tried to escape, she snatched it back, her movements swift and effortless. Such a dangerous object seemed like a mere toy in her hands.

She smiled, tossing the statue to Luo Nianshang, her voice light. “Having second thoughts, Venerable One?” she asked. “Don’t worry, it was just a joke.”

Luo Nianshang caught the statue, surprised to find that it had become docile in her hands, though its eyes still glared at her, their gaze filled with a venomous hatred.

She didn’t indulge it. She cast a sealing spell, and a white light enveloped the statue, its expression softening, its eyes closing, as if it had fallen asleep. Then, a layer of ice slowly encased it.

She tore a rift in space, placing the frozen statue inside, then the rift closed.

The Demon Palace had suffered the most damage, and the Demon Lord had captured the source of the chaos. Luo Nianshang had no reason to claim the statue.

She turned to the Demon Lord, her red robes as vibrant as her smile, her voice soft. “Thank you,” she said.

The Demon Lord noticed that the usual hostility in Luo Nianshang’s eyes had diminished, and she felt a surge of warmth.

Her frustration at being forced to leave the Ejian Sect faded, and she winked at Luo Nianshang, her voice playful. “Do I get a reward, Venerable One?”

Luo Nianshang paused, then asked, “What do you want?”

The Demon Lord hadn’t expected her to agree. She was delighted, but she couldn’t think of anything she wanted.

There was no need to claim her reward now. She could wait.

She pretended to consider this for a moment, then smiled. “I’m not sure yet,” she said. “Perhaps you could owe me one.”

Seeing that Luo Nianshang was about to speak, she quickly added, “Don’t worry, it won’t be anything unreasonable.”

Luo Nianshang, her prepared response stolen, simply nodded.

The Demon Lord found her cluelessness endearing. She wanted to pinch Luo Nianshang’s cheeks, but their opposing stances made such intimacy inappropriate. It wouldn’t affect her, as the Demon Lord, but those righteous cultivators were a bunch of gossips. It would damage Luo Nianshang’s reputation.

Ants weren’t a threat individually, but their numbers could be overwhelming.

She hadn’t realized how much she cared about Luo Nianshang’s image. She returned to the Demon Palace, noticing Bai Jingxue and the left envoy, their jaws slack, their eyes wide with shock. She realized she had gone too far.

She coughed, and the left envoy, snapping out of her daze, stood up, her expression serious.

She approached the Demon Lord, her gaze fixed on Luo Nianshang, who was still standing outside the formation. “If you’re interested in the Sword Saint, Your Excellency,” she said, “we can start preparing now.”

The Demon Lord, tilting her head, her brow furrowed, asked, “Huh?”

The left envoy’s expression turned fierce. “She might be strong,” she said, “but she’s not invincible. I will obtain anything you desire, Your Excellency, even if it costs me my life.”

Bai Jingxue, listening to her bold declaration, her mind reeling, her body trembling, pinched her earlobe. She wondered if she had stumbled into another illusion.

The left envoy, realizing what she had just said, her face paling, wanted to slap herself. She had been too focused on the statue, too shocked by the Demon Lord’s actions.

Her brain hadn’t been functioning properly. Now, she had just made things incredibly awkward for the Demon Lord. The Sword Saint was still there. She dropped to one knee, her head bowed. “I apologize for my transgression, Your Excellency,” she said, her voice filled with a desperate remorse.

The Demon Lord wanted to know what was going on inside that girl’s head.

But she didn’t punish her. She discreetly observed Luo Nianshang’s reaction, but to her disappointment, Luo Nianshang seemed unfazed.

She gritted her teeth, forcing a smile. “I apologize for my subordinate’s behavior, Venerable One,” she said.

Luo Nianshang’s expression remained unchanged, as if the left envoy’s words hadn’t even registered. “It’s alright,” she said calmly.

The conversation ended. Luo Nianshang, her fists unclenching, turned to Bai Jingxue and Lü Qingyan. “Let’s go,” she said.

Bai Jingxue stood up, then, seeing that Lü Qingyan was still sitting there, she reached out a hand. “Come on, Qingyan,” she said.

Lü Qingyan, her mood still elevated, took Bai Jingxue’s hand, her tail wagging happily. The Demon Lord, watching them, her heart twisting, felt a surge of resentment.

She knew they were soul borrowers, special beings from another world, but she had been the one who had found Lü Qingyan. She was technically Lü Qingyan’s owner.

But now, the little dog had completely switched her allegiance to the Ejian Sect.

Luo Nianshang, observing the Demon Lord’s gaze, fixed on Lü Qingyan, realized something. Lü Qingyan had been the Demon Lord’s pet.

Lü Qingyan had grown up at the Ejian Sect, transforming there, and everyone had forgotten her origins.

She turned to Lü Qingyan, her voice gentle. “Mao Mao, shouldn’t you say goodbye to the Demon Lord?”

Lü Qingyan, startled, hadn’t heard that nickname in a while. She turned to the Demon Lord, waving. “Goodbye, Your Excellency, Left Envoy,” she said. “I’m going back to the Ejian Sect.”

The Demon Lord, staring at her, her expression a mixture of annoyance and disappointment, waved a hand dismissively. “Yeah, yeah, go,” she said.

Lü Qingyan, sensing her displeasure, her tail drooping, turned to Bai Jingxue, her brow furrowed with confusion. “What’s wrong with her?”

Bai Jingxue smiled, then turned to the Demon Lord. “Come visit us sometime, Your Excellency,” she said.

It was a ridiculous suggestion. If the Demon Lord set foot in the Ejian Sect, she would be met with a barrage of attacks.

The Demon Lord, though she scoffed outwardly, her mind racing, realized this was a good idea.

Visiting her little dog was a perfect excuse to visit the Ejian Sect.

But then she realized it was too obvious. It would arouse suspicion.

She would use a disguise. Once she had dealt with the aftermath of this incident, she would return to the Ejian Sect, replacing one of her body doubles.

She waved them away, her voice laced with a feigned annoyance. “Go,” she said. “You traitorous little mutt.”

Lü Qingyan, finally understanding the source of her displeasure, grinned, her voice cheerful. “Come visit us at the Ejian Sect, Your Excellency!”

The Demon Lord, her cheeks burning, couldn’t handle this overly familiar tone. “Just go,” she said.

Luo Nianshang led them away.

The Demon Lord, turning to see several demon cultivators peeking from doorways and windows, her face hardening, said, “Get back to work.”

They quickly dispersed, leaving only the left envoy and the unconscious right envoy.

The Demon Lord examined the right envoy, relieved to discover that her soul was only slightly damaged.

She stared at them, then decided she needed to improve their abilities. She couldn’t handle every crisis personally. The Demon Realm was vast. If she was constantly dealing with such matters, she wouldn’t have time to visit the Ejian Sect.

Both the left and right envoys simultaneously felt a shiver run down their spines.

They didn’t know yet, but their lives were about to become far more difficult.

Bai Jingxue and the others, however, were relieved.

Luo Nianshang, perhaps because of the urgency of the situation, had used her spatial ability to transport them back to the Ejian Sect.

They arrived in He Rong’s room, and Luo Nianshang immediately retrieved the sealed statue, then she sent everyone out.

Fu Yuan paced anxiously outside the room, and Ning Kemin, approaching her, her voice soothing, said, “Don’t worry. The Sword Saint will handle it.”

Bai Jingxue also placed a comforting hand on Fu Yuan’s shoulder. “Trust her,” she said.

Fu Yuan, suppressing her anxiety, knew that the Sword Saint was powerful, but she couldn’t help but worry about He Rong.

She seemed exhausted.

Bai Jingxue led her to a stone bench in the courtyard. “Sit down and rest,” she said, pouring her a cup of tea.

Fu Yuan didn’t touch the tea. She simply stared at the closed door, her gaze unfocused.

Waiting was agonizing. Bai Jingxue, watching her, couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

Everyone else seemed to have a relatively happy ending, but Fu Yuan’s life was filled with struggles.

She thought of Fu Yuan’s constitution, her destiny as a cauldron, then she shook her head, dismissing the thought. She was worrying too much.

They waited for a long time. Lü Qingyan eventually fell asleep, her head resting on the table. The sun set, the moon rose, then the sun rose again, and finally, the door opened.

Luo Nianshang emerged, He Rong rushing out from behind her, throwing her arms around Fu Yuan. “Mother, I’m okay now,” she said.

Fu Yuan, her hands checking He Rong’s body, her relief so intense that tears streamed down her face, said, “I’m so glad you’re back.”

Then she noticed something. “Did you grow taller?” she asked, her voice filled with surprise.

He Rong chuckled. “Yes,” she said. “I’m as tall as you now.”

Luo Nianshang, her hand holding the statue, which had reverted to its original, small size, didn’t approach them.

She hadn’t used any force, but the statue in her hand crumbled into dust, falling to the ground.

Laughter filled the courtyard, but Luo Nianshang, accustomed to solitude, uncomfortable with such displays of emotion, quietly left, heading down the mountain.

She paused at the well where Bai Jingxue and Lü Qingyan had fallen, and she heard Master Fang Xin’s voice.

Chapter 108: A Desperate Plea

The moment they landed at the Ejian Sect, the Ning sisters took He Rong to Luo Nianshang.

He Rong lay on her bed, her eyes open but unfocused, her mouth slightly ajar.

Fu Yuan, clutching He Rong’s hand, her eyes filled with anxiety, looked up as Luo Nianshang entered the room, a flicker of hope in her gaze.

Fighting back tears, her voice choked with emotion, she pleaded, “Ancestor, please save her.”

Luo Nianshang approached He Rong, circulating her spiritual energy through the girl’s body. Her expression grew increasingly grim.

She withdrew her hand, her voice grave. “Her soul is incomplete.”

Fu Yuan’s face paled, and she swayed slightly, then, her voice filled with a desperate hope, she repeated her plea. “Ancestor, please save her.”

Luo Nianshang, seeing Fu Yuan’s despair, her heart softening, said gently, “Calm yourself.”

She then turned to the Ning sisters, demanding an explanation.

Hearing about the attack on the Demon Palace, that Lü Qingyan and Bai Jingxue hadn’t returned, Luo Nianshang’s eyes narrowed.

She reinforced the seal on He Rong, then turned to leave, heading towards the Demon Palace.

Her movements were so swift that the Ning sisters, their voices filled with alarm, called out, “Ancestor, where are you going?”

Luo Nianshang glanced back at them, her voice calm. “To the Demon Palace,” she said. “To retrieve the missing soul fragment.”

Then, she vanished.

The Ning sisters exchanged a look, then Ning Kexin, hearing Fu Yuan’s soft sobs, approached her, settling down opposite her. She placed a comforting hand on Fu Yuan’s shoulder. “Don’t worry,” she said. “The Ancestor will handle it.”

Fu Yuan, her eyes filled with tears, nodded, her grip tightening on He Rong’s hand.

Jwan Jwan, who had been perched on Fu Yuan’s head, flew onto her shoulder, gently wiping away her tears with a wing.

Fu Yuan’s tears finally overflowed, spilling down her cheeks.

A single drop landed on the floor.

Rain began to fall, the water droplets sliding down the glazed tiles of the Demon Palace’s roof, collecting in small puddles.

The left envoy was soaked through, but she had no time to worry about herself. She was desperately trying to maintain the Demon Palace’s protective formation, but it was a losing battle. She could only slow down the inevitable.

The formation was strong, but this entity wasn’t human or demon. It was something… else.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, a surge of energy flowing into her, and she turned to see Lü Qingyan, then Bai Jingxue also placed a hand on her shoulder, their combined power strengthening the formation.

Seeing their faces, the left envoy felt a pang of guilt. She had invited them here, and now, they were facing this danger.

The Ning sisters had wanted to take them back to the Ejian Sect, but Lü Qingyan had insisted on staying.

Bai Jingxue wouldn’t have risked her life for a stranger. She had stayed for Lü Qingyan.

The left envoy smiled, a bitter smile.

She was happy that Lü Qingyan’s love wasn’t unrequited, but she also felt like she had become a burden to the little dog.

She took a deep breath, then sent a message through the Demon Palace’s communication network, her voice echoing through the halls. “The Demon Palace is under attack!” she shouted. “All demon cultivators, defend the formation!”

The demon cultivators, abandoning their tasks, rushed towards the formation, their combined power strengthening it.

The pressure on Bai Jingxue and the others lessened, and the shadows’ corrosive power weakened.

The rain, falling onto the shadows, was absorbed, leaving no trace. The world within the formation was vibrant, filled with life, while the world outside was a desolate wasteland.

Bai Jingxue closed her eyes, then opened them, her vision enhanced. She saw the right envoy, her body floating within the sea of shadows, her mind seemingly blank.

The shadows were filled with bones, some still partially intact.

“The right envoy is still alive,” she said, her voice filled with surprise. “Someone is holding her.”

The left envoy, hearing those words, her heart soaring, then her voice filled with a furious desperation, she shouted, “Lin Fuying, you lazy good-for-nothing! If you’re still alive, then wake up and fix this mess! If you don’t, I’ll resign! You’ll be buried in paperwork!”

The right envoy, her body drifting through the shadows, her brow furrowing, as if she were trapped in a nightmare, mumbled, “No, I don’t want to. I don’t want to.”

Die Ying, her arms wrapped around the right envoy, protecting her, smiled weakly, then her mind faltered, the insidious voice whispering in her ear, its words poisonous.

Her head throbbed, and she clutched her hair, her body trembling, then she bit her tongue, the pain momentarily clearing her mind.

Her face was pale, her body weakened. She hadn’t expected the statue to be this powerful, its influence even affecting her.

But it was too late for regrets. The shadows were devouring everything in their path. She had to stay awake, to protect the right envoy until the Demon Lord arrived.

The left envoy, seeing that the shadows showed no sign of retreating, her anxiety growing, cursed under her breath. “Idiot!”

Bai Jingxue’s expression was also grim. She and Lü Qingyan were at the Nascent Soul stage, a level of power that had once seemed invincible, but they were unlucky. They always seemed to encounter opponents far beyond their capabilities.

She felt her spiritual energy draining. She retrieved a bottle of Revitalizing Pills from her spatial ring, swallowing a few, then offered the bottle to Lü Qingyan.

Her energy replenished, she gritted her teeth, continuing to channel her spiritual energy into the left envoy.

The left envoy, feeling the surge of power, her heart filled with gratitude, knew that this was a matter for the Demon Palace. Bai Jingxue, a demon under the Sword Saint’s protection, had no obligation to help.

But she had not only helped, but she had also risked her life. She didn’t know how to express her gratitude.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Bai Jingxue knew the words were meant for her. “I’m doing this for Qingyan,” she said.

The left envoy smiled. “You truly love her.”

Lü Qingyan, unable to resist, her voice filled with a joyful pride, said, “Of course! Jingxue loves me more than anyone in the world!”

Bai Jingxue was about to argue, then she stopped, her silence a tacit agreement.

The rain continued to fall, blurring her vision, its coldness seeping into her bones.

Her consciousness wavered, and she shook her head, her jaw clenched, forcing herself to stay awake.

She opened her eyes to see a figure in red approaching, its familiarity a beacon of hope.

The Demon Lord, her expression grim, seeing the extent of the damage, drew her sword, flying towards the sea of shadows.

Sensing the presence of a powerful being, the shadows surged upwards, transforming into chains, their movements swift and aggressive.

The Demon Lord scoffed, channeling her spiritual energy into her sword, its silver blade igniting, its flames a vibrant red. She swung her sword, the flames and the sword energy colliding with the shadowy chains.

The chains shattered, and the flames, their momentum unchecked, plunged into the sea of shadows, but they weren’t extinguished. They ignited the shadows, their flames spreading rapidly.

The sea of shadows receded, the flames diminishing, the ground below finally revealed.

Bai Jingxue, her body weakened, collapsed onto the rooftop, staring at the Demon Lord, who had effortlessly resolved a crisis they had been unable to handle.

Lü Qingyan, seeing her shock, her heart sinking, knowing that Jingxue had been struggling with her own perceived weakness, now faced with this stark difference in power, worried that Jingxue would lose confidence.

She, also exhausted, her body aching, scooted closer to Bai Jingxue, her hand reaching out, her voice soft. “Jingxue?”

Bai Jingxue, still stunned, her gaze distant, thought for a moment, then she turned to Lü Qingyan, her voice filled with disbelief. “Qingyan,” she said.

Lü Qingyan’s heart skipped a beat. “I’m here,” she said quickly.

Bai Jingxue, watching as the Demon Lord effortlessly lifted the unconscious right envoy from the shadows, then captured the fleeing statue, her confusion growing, her voice strained, said, “If the Demon Lord is this powerful, how did the male lead even manage to… you know… and succeed?!”

Lü Qingyan, who had been mentally preparing countless comforting phrases, realized she had misjudged the situation. “Yeah,” she said, her voice echoing Bai Jingxue’s disbelief.

But this was easier to handle than her previous worries. She quickly joined in, her voice laced with a hint of amusement. “That original story was just trashy fiction anyway.”

The left envoy, overhearing their conversation, its words strange and unfamiliar, but seemingly related to the Demon Lord, her legs still trembling, approached them. “What are you talking about?” she asked.

Some things were best left unsaid. Bai Jingxue, not wanting to cause trouble, said vaguely, “We were just discussing the Demon Lord’s incredible power.”

As a devoted follower of the Demon Lord, these words pleased the left envoy. And Bai Jingxue had risked her life to help her maintain the formation. Her impression of Bai Jingxue had improved considerably.

She felt obligated to reciprocate. “The Sword Saint is also quite extraordinary,” she said.

Bai Jingxue found this strange. The Demon Palace and the Ejian Sect were supposed to be enemies.

She had a god’s-eye view of the story, so she had a favorable impression of both the Demon Lord and the Sword Saint, but the people in this world didn’t have that advantage.

She chuckled awkwardly. “The Demon Lord is indeed powerful,” she said.

While they engaged in this awkward exchange of compliments, the Demon Lord, the unconscious right envoy in one arm, the struggling statue in the other, had flown onto the roof.

She tossed the right envoy aside, then held the statue up, its face contorted in a furious snarl.

She was still angry. She had been too efficient in eliminating her rivals, creating a power vacuum in the Demon Realm.

But there was an advantage to that. It meant less trouble.

And since she had been a relatively peaceful ruler, the righteous realm hadn’t bothered her.

She had assumed she could finally relax, but she hadn’t anticipated this strange, unpredictable threat.

She tightened her grip, her smile cruel, and the statue’s expression shifted from anger to fear.

Small cracks appeared on its surface, and it reached out, its tiny hands pushing against the Demon Lord’s fingers, trying to pry them open, but it was useless.

It panicked, turning to Bai Jingxue, its voice a desperate plea. “Sister Jingxue, it’s me, Er Ya! Help me!”

Bai Jingxue and Lü Qingyan, hearing that familiar voice, their eyes widening, were stunned.

But Bai Jingxue, her senses sharp, noticed the statue’s lips curving into a cruel smile, then quickly relaxing.

Her face hardened. “You’re not Er Ya,” she said, her voice cold. “You’re the evil god.”

The Demon Lord, hearing those words, scoffed, her gaze fixed on the statue, her grip tightening. “You? A god?” she said, her voice laced with disdain. “There’s only one god, and that’s…”

A ripple in space behind her made her turn, her eyes widening in surprise as she recognized the newcomer.

Luo Nianshang stepped out of the rift, her gaze lingering on the Demon Lord for a moment, then her expression returning to its usual calmness.

The left envoy, her reaction swift, stepped in front of the Demon Lord, her gaze fixed on Luo Nianshang, her body tense.

Luo Nianshang, standing just outside the Demon Palace’s protective formation, pointed at the statue. “May I have that?” she asked, her voice calm.

The left envoy’s fur bristled. She assumed this strange statue was Luo Nianshang’s doing. She was about to protest when the Demon Lord spoke.

“Sure,” she said.

The left envoy stared at her, her jaw slack, then her shock intensified as the Demon Lord flew towards Luo Nianshang, landing gracefully before her. She held up the statue, her smile playful. “Give me a kiss,” she said, “and it’s yours.”

Silence fell, then the left envoy and Bai Jingxue simultaneously exploded with rage.

Only Lü Qingyan was smiling.

Chapter 107: Trapped

Bai Jingxue and the others were trapped. They had tried to leave, but the moment they stepped outside the Demon Palace’s protective formation, they were bound by shadowy chains.

They had even tried escaping in different directions, but the chains seemed to possess a sort of sentience, always targeting Bai Jingxue and Lü Qingyan first, then He Rong and Fu Yuan. Jwan Jwan and the left envoy, however, faced the least resistance.

Bai Jingxue, watching the Demon Palace’s formation flicker, its light dimming, wondered if this was Er Ya’s doing. But this place was dangerous. Er Ya shouldn’t be risking her life.

Lü Qingyan, frustrated, tried to teleport, but the moment she escaped the formation, the chains would appear, their movements swift and precise, their grip inescapable, forcing her to abandon her attempt.

Their situation was dire, then it became even worse. The statues in Bai Jingxue’s spatial ring had merged, forming a single, larger statue.

Then, the spatial ring shattered, and the statue emerged, hovering before them.

Its features were clear now, resembling Er Ya, but Er Ya had never smiled like this, her expression cold and predatory, like a hunter admiring its trapped prey.

Bai Jingxue, without hesitation, unleashed her flames, but a vine suddenly wrapped around her neck, silencing her, its grip tightening.

Lü Qingyan, watching in horror as He Rong attacked Bai Jingxue, her voice filled with a mixture of shock and anger, shouted, “He Rong, what are you doing?!”

But He Rong simply looked up at her, then her face mirrored the statue’s cruel smile.

Fu Yuan, sensing the danger, her reaction swift, drew her sword, severing the vine.

The moment the vine was severed, He Rong’s eyes rolled back, and she collapsed. Fu Yuan quickly caught her.

But to her horror, He Rong’s spiritual energy was rapidly fading. She panicked, rummaging through her spatial ring, retrieving every pill she could find, but even those couldn’t stop the drain.

She channeled her own spiritual energy into He Rong, but it wasn’t enough. He Rong’s energy was fading too quickly.

Bai Jingxue, her hand clutching her throat, stumbled, then Lü Qingyan caught her, supporting her.

The space around them distorted, and Bai Jingxue, assuming another enemy had arrived, stepped in front of Lü Qingyan, shielding her.

A rift appeared, and two women in Ejian Sect robes emerged. They were identical, clearly twins.

Judging by the number of swords embroidered on their robes, they were two of the Ejian Sect’s ten elders.

Bai Jingxue, seeing that they weren’t enemies, relaxed slightly. “Did the Sword Saint send you?” she asked.

The twins exchanged a glance, then shook their heads. “No,” they said in unison. “We’ve been with you all along.”

He Rong had been under Luo Nianshang’s protection. After the whale demon’s resurrection, Luo Nianshang had assigned these two elders to guard He Rong.

That was why she hadn’t been worried when she had received Bai Jingxue’s message.

The twins were identical, their clothes, their hairstyles, their features… the only difference was the color of their sword tassels: one yellow, the other blue. The one with the yellow tassel was the elder sister, Ning Kexin. The one with the blue tassel was the younger sister, Ning Kemin.

Ning Kexin took He Rong from Fu Yuan, then, after a brief examination, she cast a sealing spell.

A red light flickered on He Rong’s forehead, then the drain on her spiritual energy stopped.

The statue, seeing this, its expression turning furious, flew towards Ning Kexin, but Ning Kemin intercepted it, swatting it away with her sword.

The statue, its anger intensifying, its gaze fixed on He Rong, then it flew towards the edge of the formation, disappearing into the shadows below.

The shadows churned, their darkness deepening, their corrosive power intensifying, the formation weakening.

The left envoy, her gaze fixed on the Ning sisters, her heart sinking, felt a surge of frustration. She and the right envoy were the most powerful individuals in the Demon Palace, yet she couldn’t even sense these twins’ cultivation levels.

She felt like she had failed the Demon Lord. She had boasted about being able to handle anything, but now, she was helpless, her power inferior to even Luo Nianshang’s subordinates.

Ning Kexin, holding He Rong, sensing the left envoy’s hostility, glanced at her, then said, her voice laced with amusement, “Princess Ying has good taste.”

The left envoy’s face hardened. Why did everyone keep saying that?

“Are all the Ejian Sect disciples this obsessed with gossip?” she asked, her voice cold.

Ning Kemin, seeing her sister being insulted, unleashed a wave of pressure, and the left envoy felt a crushing weight on her shoulders.

But this was the Demon Palace. She wouldn’t be humiliated on her own territory. She gritted her teeth, resisting the pressure.

Lü Qingyan, seeing her struggle, rushed forward, her voice pleading. “Elder Ning, please forgive her,” she said. “She’s just shy.”

The pressure vanished.

The left envoy, her body drenched in sweat, her heart pounding, felt a surge of resentment.

The Ning sisters would be delighted to see the Demon Palace destroyed. They had simply been restrained by their fear of the Demon Lord. Now, it seemed, was their chance.

The Demon Realm had been weakened by the Sword Saint’s repeated attacks. Aside from the Demon Lord herself, there were no powerful demon cultivators left.

But they couldn’t act yet. The Sword Saint hadn’t intervened, which meant she had a reason for preserving the Demon Palace. Attacking now might disrupt her plans.

They decided to take Bai Jingxue and the others back to the Ejian Sect. As for the demon cultivators… they would leave their fates to the heavens.

Meanwhile, at the Ejian Sect, Luo Nianshang, watching Yao Yue chasing Cai Lian around the courtyard, her pipa now a weapon, her expression a mixture of confusion and annoyance, wondered if she was hallucinating.

They had been getting along so well. What had happened?

She was annoyed. She grabbed them both, stopping their fight, her voice sharp. “What is the meaning of this?”

Cai Lian couldn’t speak, but Yao Yue, her voice filled with a childish indignation, said, “Little Sister is a bully! We were playing a game, and she cheated!”

Cai Lian, though her crime had been exposed, simply grinned, her expression smug.

Luo Nianshang, her curiosity piqued, once she was sure they wouldn’t start fighting again, released them, then asked, “What game?”

Yao Yue’s anger hadn’t completely subsided, but seeing Luo Nianshang’s interest, she calmed herself, setting aside her pipa, her voice regaining its usual calmness. “Follow me, Master,” she said.

Luo Nianshang, carrying Cai Lian, followed Yao Yue to Hong Ying’s room.

Several cards, their patterns, numbers, and colors all different, were arranged on the small round table in the center of the room.

Hong Ying sat at the table, her expression sullen. They had been playing a game, but everyone had run away.

Luo Nianshang and Hong Ying exchanged a look, then Hong Ying, her smile sweet, said, “Master, you’re back.”

Luo Nianshang nodded, suddenly feeling a pang of guilt. She had been neglecting her eldest disciple since taking on more disciples.

She decided to spend some time with Hong Ying. She entered the room, searching for a topic of conversation.

This new game seemed like a good starting point. She settled down at the table, Cai Lian still in her arms. “What is this?” she asked.

Hong Ying, accustomed to her freedom, had forgotten her usual persona, but being polite was always a good idea.

She smiled, her voice sickeningly sweet. “Sister Qingyan taught us this game,” she said. “Would you like to try it, Master?”

Luo Nianshang, though she wasn’t interested in games, didn’t want to appear too rigid. It would create distance between her and her disciples.

She nodded.

Cai Lian had also wanted to play, but after her cheating incident, she had been banned. She could only watch.

Hong Ying explained the rules, which were simple enough. They were no challenge for Luo Nianshang, who had lived for millennia.

She nodded, indicating that she understood.

Hong Ying and Yao Yue exchanged a look. They decided to impress this newbie.

But after several rounds, they hadn’t won a single game.

Luo Nianshang’s luck was incredible. And she seemed to be able to memorize the cards.

Hong Ying and Yao Yue, their foreheads beading with sweat, had assumed they could easily defeat a beginner, but they had been soundly defeated.

This was humiliating. As the Demon Lord’s body doubles, their personalities mirrored hers. They were just as competitive.

A voice in their minds whispered, “You have to win, even just once.”

Hong Ying wiped the sweat from her brow, then exchanged a look with Yao Yue. They both knew what the other was thinking.

Yao Yue discreetly pulled a card from her sleeve, about to add it to her hand, when Cai Lian, who had been watching intently, her sense of injustice flaring, tugged Luo Nianshang’s sleeve, pointing at Yao Yue.

Yao Yue, caught red-handed, chuckled nervously, then slipped the card back into her sleeve, her gaze downcast.

But Yao Yue’s actions had diverted Luo Nianshang’s attention, and Hong Ying, seizing the opportunity, also pulled a card from her sleeve.

Cai Lian, seeing this, her eyes widening in disbelief, realized that she wasn’t the only cheater. None of them were playing fair.

She tugged Luo Nianshang’s sleeve again, pointing at Hong Ying.

Hong Ying, gritting her teeth, also slipped the card back into her sleeve.

Luo Nianshang set down her cards, the atmosphere in the room instantly turning cold.

She didn’t move, but her voice was no longer gentle. “Show me what you’re hiding,” she said.

Hong Ying and Yao Yue exchanged a look, then revealed the cards they had hidden in their sleeves.

Cai Lian wanted to laugh, but she couldn’t speak.

But she was too smug. As she trembled with suppressed laughter, the cards she had hidden in her own sleeve slipped out, falling to the floor.

The sound was faint, but Luo Nianshang heard it.

She turned, her gaze falling upon the cards, and she was silent for a long time.

She rubbed her temples, a headache forming. She felt like she had failed as a master.

What was happening? Why did all her disciples become like this?

Had the feng shui of this place changed?

She needed a moment to herself. She left the room, pausing at the door to Xiao Xia and Fu Ren’s room.

Then she felt even worse.

Those two were genuinely stupid.

Chapter 106: Into the Palace

Somehow, what started as a simple mission had led them straight into the Demon Palace.

The Left Envoy led the way, while Bai Jingxue, transformed into her cat form, nestled comfortably in Lü Qingyan’s arms.

She might not have been as socially awkward as the Sword Saint, but she still disliked being the center of attention. Transforming into a cat solved that problem.

Except for Lü Qingyan’s persistent attempts to pet her, everything was perfect. As Bai Jingxue drifted off, she felt Lü Qingyan’s hand reaching for her head, and she quickly swatted it away, her eyes narrowed in warning.

Lü Qingyan withdrew her “weapon.” She had noticed that Jingxue, in her cat form, was more easily annoyed, her paws quick to deliver a swift punishment. Having not been to the Demon Palace in a while, Lü Qingyan no longer felt the same revulsion for this place. She was surprisingly cheerful.

She carefully examined the walls and pillars, noticing that the damage she had caused had been repaired. There was no trace of her previous rampage.

Bai Jingxue, however, wasn’t curious. She had only been to the Demon Palace once, and her movements had been restricted. She only remembered a single room. This place was unfamiliar to her.

She yawned, nestled in Lü Qingyan’s arms, then languidly licked her paw. When she looked up again, they had arrived at the left envoy’s room.

The Hall of Government was next door. The right envoy, buried in paperwork, hearing the sound of a door opening, her eyes bloodshot, rushed out, then flung open the left envoy’s door, her voice a furious roar. “Mo Li, get out here!”

But the moment she opened the door, she froze, her gaze sweeping over the room’s occupants. She was met with a sea of curious stares.

Demons were one thing, but why was there a righteous cultivator here?

Fu Yuan, feeling the weight of the right envoy’s gaze, shifted uncomfortably, a wave of pressure washing over her.

This trip had been an eye-opening experience. They had encountered so many powerful individuals that even Nascent Soul cultivators seemed ordinary.

The left envoy calmly prepared tea for everyone, then turned to the right envoy, her voice laced with a hint of amusement. “The Demon Palace doesn’t belong solely to me, Right Envoy,” she said. “You should also shoulder some responsibility.”

The right envoy, afraid of being subjected to another lecture, knowing their philosophies clashed, their arguments always pointless, simply waved a hand dismissively, then entered the room, settling onto a chair opposite Lü Qingyan. She stared at Lü Qingyan, her eyes widening in recognition. “Aren’t you the Demon Lord’s little dog?” she asked, her voice filled with surprise.

Although it was true, Lü Qingyan hated being called someone’s “dog.” It felt demeaning.

She didn’t recognize the right envoy. Perhaps because the right envoy was so lazy. She hadn’t even intervened when Lü Qingyan had been rampaging through the palace.

The left envoy chuckled. “So you do pay attention to things,” she said. “But her name is Lü Qingyan now.”

The right envoy ignored her, her gaze still fixed on Lü Qingyan. She seemed to have a natural aversion to the left envoy. She missed the previous left envoy, who hadn’t been so sarcastic.

But that fool had gone to the Ejian Sect, seeking a fight, and had been turned into ice shards.

She shuddered. “Restoring the Demon Realm’s glory,” she thought. “With that monster guarding the righteous realm, it’s just a pipe dream.”

She tossed a spatial ring to the left envoy. “Here,” she said. “I can’t make any decisions. Have you contacted the Demon Lord?”

The left envoy, storing the ring away, shook her head, her voice laced with a weary frustration. “Not yet,” she said. “I’ll try again later.”

There were too many outsiders present. There were things she couldn’t discuss openly. She had worked so hard, and now, she simply wanted to escape the Hall of Government.

She stood up gracefully and vanished from the room.

She left the Demon Palace, seeking a quiet place to rest, but she found Ying pacing anxiously at the entrance.

Gossip was always entertaining. She had inadvertently sabotaged Ying’s romantic pursuit, but that was because she hadn’t known the full story. Now, understanding that Ying was truly in love, she felt obligated to play matchmaker.

She abandoned her plan to take a nap, approaching Ying. “What are you doing here, Princess?” she asked.

Ying looked up, her brow furrowed, her voice laced with surprise. “Are you talking to me?”

“Yes,” the right envoy said, her smile playful. “Are you here to see Left Envoy Mo? I can take you to her.”

She was feigning kindness, her true intention to watch the drama unfold, but her plan was too obvious.

Ying shook her head. “She told me to wait here,” she said.

The right envoy was surprised. This dragon was different from the others she had encountered. Any other dragon, their gaze filled with disdain, would have said, “How dare you address me so casually, you insignificant human.”

This dragon was surprisingly humble.

Perhaps she had been in the Demon Realm for too long, her understanding of the outside world outdated.

She shook her head, finding Ying’s obedience rather boring. She yawned, preparing to leave.

As they passed each other, Ying suddenly caught a whiff of an unusual scent. “Wait,” she said.

The right envoy paused, her brow furrowed. “What is it?”

But the scent had vanished. Ying was confused. Perhaps she had imagined it.

Seeing that Ying hadn’t responded, the right envoy chuckled. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going.”

Ying didn’t try to stop her, but as she looked down, she noticed that the right envoy’s shadow seemed unusually dark.

“Your attack method is quite unique,” she said.

Their previous encounter had revealed the left and right envoys’ fighting styles.

The left envoy was a master of mind control, her specialty manipulating emotions, while the right envoy’s weapon was her shadow, capable of devouring anything it touched.

Everyone enjoyed compliments. The right envoy’s impression of Ying improved. “You managed to fight both of us at once,” she said. “You’re clearly stronger than me.”

Ying didn’t respond. She had always been aware of her own strength, but the competition within the Dragon Palace was fierce. Displaying too much power would only make her a target.

On land, however, she had no such concerns. She could freely use her abilities.

The right envoy, pleased by the compliment, her mood lifting, her demonic nature lowering her moral standards, decided to offer some advice to this lovesick dragon. “With your power,” she said, “you could become the Dragon King one day. Then, perhaps, the left envoy will be yours.”

She had meant that Ying, as the Dragon King, could force the Demon Palace to hand over Mo Li, but Ying seemed to have misunderstood.

Ying assumed that Mo Li was attracted to power and status. She thought for a moment, then nodded, her voice filled with gratitude. “Thank you for your advice,” she said. “I’ll return to the Dragon Palace after informing the Sword Saint.”

Having been twice humiliated by Mo Li, the right envoy had decided to set a trap for her. It seemed her plan had worked.

Ying, without another word, transformed into her dragon form and flew away.

Watching her disappear into the sky, the right envoy, turning to her shadow, couldn’t help but chuckle. “This is going to be fun,” she said.

Die Ying’s voice, soft and ethereal, echoed from within the shadow. “If the left envoy is truly taken away,” she said, “won’t you have to handle all the Demon Palace’s affairs?”

The right envoy’s amusement vanished as she realized her mistake.

But Ying was already gone. It was too late to stop her.

“Why didn’t you warn me?!” she exclaimed, her voice filled with a frustrated anger.

Die Ying’s voice was even softer now. “I was sleeping,” she said.

Hearing the hoarseness in Die Ying’s voice, the right envoy believed her.

It was too late for regrets. She needed to find a replacement for Mo Li, or she would lose her leisurely lifestyle.

But becoming the Dragon King wasn’t easy. There was no need to worry about that yet.

She calmed herself, then, noticing that Die Ying had been sleeping a lot lately, she asked, her voice laced with concern, “Are you feeling unwell? You don’t have to force yourself to help me.”

“No,” Die Ying replied.

The right envoy felt a pang of unease. Die Ying was usually more talkative, her words often laced with playful teasing. Now, she was unusually quiet.

Perhaps she was simply tired from helping with the paperwork.

“Get some rest,” the right envoy said.

Die Ying didn’t respond.

Assuming she had fallen asleep, the right envoy found a comfortable spot to rest.

She lay on a hammock strung between two trees, covering her eyes with leaves, her mind drifting towards sleep.

But her shadow deepened, its color turning a rich, inky black. It no longer resembled her form. It flowed like water, spreading across the ground.

A rabbit hopped into view, its gaze fixed on the strange shadow, then two hands emerged from the darkness, grabbing it, pulling it down.

Bai Jingxue, sipping her tea in the Demon Palace, felt a sudden surge of unease.

She jumped to her feet, rushing out of the room, then took to the sky, her gaze scanning the horizon. She then flew towards the right envoy’s usual resting spot.

The others, sensing something was wrong, followed.

When they caught up to Bai Jingxue, they were stunned by what they saw.

A sea of darkness had engulfed the area surrounding the Demon Palace, its tendrils reaching towards the palace itself, its protective formation flickering, its power waning.

The left envoy’s face paled. She searched for the right envoy, finally spotting her, her body sinking into the darkness.

She flew towards her, intending to rescue her, but the moment she left the protection of the Demon Palace’s formation, the shadows transformed into chains, reaching for her.

She channeled her spiritual energy, creating a protective barrier, but it shattered instantly. She had no choice but to retreat.

Bai Jingxue unleashed her flames, but they had no effect. They still possessed a purifying power, but it was weak, almost insignificant.

The Demon Palace’s formation was fading, its light dimming. The left envoy’s anxiety intensified.

She tried to use her mind control technique to awaken the right envoy, but it was futile.

The right envoy had been consumed by her own shadow.

This was beyond their capabilities. She retrieved the pearl, contacting the Demon Lord.

Thankfully, this time, the Demon Lord responded.

At the Ejian Sect, the Demon Lord, listening to the left envoy’s frantic report, her heart sinking, knew she had to return.

She couldn’t abandon the Demon Realm. She would have to leave a body double to maintain her Yao Yue identity.

She rubbed her temples, then, with a sigh, she created a body double of Yao Yue.

She was reluctant to leave Luo Nianshang, but she had no choice.

Chapter 105: Lost and Found

The mission was a failure. They couldn’t hand over the statues. Luo Nianshang didn’t care about the failed mission, but she felt bad for Fu Yuan.

Stars were rarely visible in the Demon Realm. Thanks to the left envoy, they didn’t have to conceal their identities. The city lords even treated them with respect.

Despite its gloomy atmosphere, the Demon Realm’s nights were far more lively than those of the righteous realm. Human desires and malice were on full display, unrestrained and unashamed.

Bai Jingxue, uncomfortable with the open display of hedonism, took Lü Qingyan and left the city.

The statues had been retrieved from the Black River. No more mortals would be drawn to its waters. Every time she tried to do something, it seemed the world no longer needed her intervention.

The crowds bustled around her, their laughter and their shouts a stark contrast to the silence within her heart. She felt lost, disconnected.

The night sky above was a heavy blanket of darkness, devoid of stars. She stood on the branch of a withered tree, her gaze fixed on the empty void.

She stroked Lü Qingyan’s ear, the dog’s soft purrs a comforting sound.

She smiled, her heart softening.

She found a sturdy branch and settled down, Lü Qingyan nestled in her lap. The dog, delighted, rolled around, and Bai Jingxue, chuckling, gently squeezed her ear.

Lü Qingyan, enjoying Bai Jingxue’s affection, glanced at the Black River in the distance, her thoughts drifting to the past.

A river, a bridge, two girls standing on the bridge, bathed in the warm glow of the streetlights, the occasional car rushing past, the silence returning after the rumble of its engine had faded…

Bai Jingxue had always disliked crowds. Lü Qingyan had never imagined she would accept someone as loud and boisterous as Lü Qingyan.

But society had frowned upon introversion. She had pretended to be someone else, forcing a smile, playing the role of a cheerful extrovert, a clown entertaining the masses.

Even she had found her performance ridiculous, a clumsy imitation. The gazes of others had been a cage, trapping her.

Whenever she had felt lost and overwhelmed, she had sought refuge on that bridge, staring at the rushing water, hoping the wind would carry away her troubles.

This scene was so similar, except that now, Bai Jingxue had brought Lü Qingyan with her.

Having spent so much time together, Lü Qingyan understood what Bai Jingxue was thinking.

She transformed into her human form, settling beside Bai Jingxue.

The wind, as if sensing their shared melancholy, lifted their hair, the black and white strands intertwining, a silent promise of their eternal bond.

Bai Jingxue, feeling the weight in her lap vanish, a sense of loss settling in her heart, clasped her hands together, her gaze fixed on the sky, hiding her emotions.

Lü Qingyan leaned back, her hands clasped behind her head. She knew Bai Jingxue needed silence. All she could offer was her presence.

The sky, devoid of moon and stars, was a vast expanse of darkness, its depths unsettling. After a long silence, Bai Jingxue finally spoke, her voice soft. “Do you have any wishes, Qingyan?”

Lü Qingyan turned to her, Bai Jingxue’s eyes, hidden beneath her lashes, dark and unreadable, their depths concealing a multitude of emotions.

Lü Qingyan stretched, her voice light and carefree. “Of course,” she said. “I wish to be with you forever.”

Bai Jingxue wasn’t embarrassed by her directness. They were alone. But Lü Qingyan’s love was a heavy burden.

She had never been truly loved. She didn’t know how to handle this intensity, this unwavering devotion. And the more she tried to reciprocate, the more she seemed to hurt Lü Qingyan.

And that hurt made her feel guilty, her guilt pushing her away.

“Why am I like this?” she wondered.

She chuckled, a self-deprecating sound, then sighed. “Qingyan, I don’t understand.”

Lü Qingyan, hearing the sadness in her voice, her own voice softening, asked, “Don’t understand what?”

Bai Jingxue opened her palm, staring at it, then slowly closed her hand, her voice laced with a quiet despair. “I don’t understand why I’m here.”

In her past life, she had studied diligently, hoping to change her fate. She had worked tirelessly, wanting to escape her family, to become worthy of Lü Qingyan’s love.

She had spent her life chasing after something, her heart filled with a yearning she couldn’t name. Although her family was still alive, she had stopped expecting anything from them. She had faced the world alone, weathering the storms, enduring the judgment of others, until she had become the reliable, responsible adult everyone expected her to be.

But now, in this new life, she felt lost, her purpose unclear. She had wanted to kill the male lead, but someone else had done it for her. She had wanted to solve the problem with the statues, but that had also been resolved.

She couldn’t find her value, and that lack of purpose filled her with a sense of panic.

She suddenly felt incredibly tired. She closed her eyes, her voice a weary whisper. “Can I borrow your shoulder?”

Lü Qingyan, normally delighted by such a request, couldn’t bring herself to be happy. She gently pulled Bai Jingxue down, her lap now supporting Bai Jingxue’s head.

Bai Jingxue, startled by the unexpected tenderness, felt tears stinging her eyes. She quickly covered her face with her hands.

Lü Qingyan, her usual boisterousness gone, her voice soft, understanding that tears, for Bai Jingxue, were a sign of vulnerability, deliberately avoided looking at Bai Jingxue’s face.

“Do you really need a purpose?” she asked, her voice gentle, the warmth in her tone dispelling the chill of the night. “You’ve been through so much. Just rest.”

She knew Bai Jingxue had to figure this out on her own. She wouldn’t offer any advice, only a promise. “No matter what,” she said, “I’ll always be here for you.”

Before Bai Jingxue could respond, she continued, her voice laced with a gentle amusement, “You haven’t changed at all. You might not say it, but I know you think you’re not good enough for me. That’s why you always push yourself so hard. You worked so many part-time jobs just to buy me that birthday present.”

Her voice softened, her heart aching. “You think I’m clueless, that I don’t understand anything,” she whispered. “But Jingxue, I might be clueless about other things, but I understand you better than anyone. But you never understood me.”

“All I want is for you to be with me.”

She longed for a response, but Bai Jingxue remained silent.

“Jingxue?” she whispered, her voice laced with concern.

She gently pulled Bai Jingxue’s hands away from her face, then realized that Bai Jingxue had fallen asleep.

She snorted, her voice a soft complaint. “Always using sleep as an escape. Especially during important moments.”

She pinched Bai Jingxue’s cheek, then, seeing her peaceful expression, her anger fading, she simply poked it gently.

The scene was so familiar, a memory from their past life. She stared at the river, its surface calm and still, a sense of peace settling within her heart.

This was the life she wanted: a life free from worries, a life where someone else handled the burdens, a life where Bai Jingxue didn’t have to be so strong.

She sometimes feared that this life was just a dream, a dream that would eventually end, and they would be back in that world of pain and disappointment.

A shooting star streaked across the dark sky, and she clasped her hands together, her wish a silent prayer: “May Jingxue’s life be filled with happiness.”

The shooting star vanished, then another one appeared, and another, and another.

Following their trajectory, she saw Luo Nianshang, hovering in the air above the Ejian Sect’s highest peak, her sword gleaming in the moonlight. She was gathering stones, tossing them into the air.

The ordinary stones, encased in ice, their surfaces gleaming, created trails of white light as they soared through the night sky.

The Demon Lord, disguised as Yao Yue, her pipa clutched in her arms, stared at the artificial meteor shower, her heart filled with a strange mix of emotions.

She had simply mentioned making a wish on a shooting star, and Luo Nianshang had actually created a meteor shower for her.

She was still lost in her thoughts when Luo Nianshang landed gracefully before her. She didn’t speak, but her gaze held a hint of expectation.

The Demon Lord couldn’t refuse. She placed the pipa across her lap, then clasped her hands together, her wish a silent prayer.

She finished her prayer, then, seeing that Luo Nianshang was about to leave, she quickly grabbed her sleeve. “Master, will you stay and talk with me?” she asked, her voice soft.

Luo Nianshang settled beside her.

The Demon Lord’s heart soared. All her disguises seemed to be effective, but her true form always brought complications.

She remembered the red patterns that had appeared on Luo Nianshang’s face, and the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion’s prophecy. Although she was a demon cultivator, she didn’t want Luo Nianshang to fall to demonic influence.

If she had followed the typical demon cultivator approach, she would have either forced Luo Nianshang into a relationship or dragged her down into the darkness.

If the moon was no longer pure and untainted, then they would be equals.

But she didn’t want that. Luo Nianshang had been her childhood sanctuary, the deity who had given her hope, the courage to survive. She wanted Luo Nianshang to remain on her pedestal.

She masked her true feelings, her voice laced with a feigned sadness. “The path of cultivation is so difficult,” she said. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to maintain a pure heart. Do you ever struggle with your own inner demons, Master?”

Luo Nianshang, staring at the troubled young woman, her thoughts drifting to the past, nodded. “Yes,” she said.

The Demon Lord’s eyes widened, her voice filled with a feigned surprise. “You too, Master?”

Luo Nianshang nodded again. “The world isn’t black and white,” she said, her gaze distant. “Sometimes, it’s hard to distinguish right from wrong. I dedicated my life to eradicating demon cultivators, but once, I betrayed my own principles.”

The Demon Lord assumed this was the source of her inner turmoil. “Betrayed your principles?” she asked, her voice eager.

Luo Nianshang hummed in acknowledgment, her gaze fixed on the horizon, her voice distant. “I was traveling through the Demon Realm in disguise,” she said. “I saved a group of medicine children. But only one survived.”

The Demon Lord’s heart pounded. That story sounded familiar. She had believed she would die in that dark, desolate prison, her only escape death itself.

But perhaps the heavens had taken pity on her. One day, a woman in white had appeared, tearing apart the bars of her cage with her bare hands.

She had been scooped into the woman’s arms, the stench of poison replaced by a faint, cool fragrance.

Her mind had cleared slightly, but her vision had been blurry. She had instinctively struggled, her hand accidentally pulling at the woman’s collar.

She had glimpsed a red mole on the woman’s neck, then darkness had claimed her again.

When she had woken up, the woman, her face ordinary, had been sitting beside her bed. “Do you want to live?” she had asked. “Embrace the darkness.”

Qiu Yingxi had shaken her head. “I don’t want to become like them,” she had whispered.

The woman had been silent for a long time, then she had said, “You can retain your heart, even in darkness.”

She had left a jade slip, then, pausing at the doorway, she had turned back, her voice soft. “Life and death are your choices,” she had said. “But you’ve endured so much, yet your heart remains kind. I believe in you.”

Qiu Yingxi, seeing that she was about to leave, had called out, “What if I fail?”

The woman had paused, but she hadn’t turned back. She had vanished, her voice echoing in the room. “Then I will end your life.”

The Demon Lord, snapping out of her memories, looked up at Luo Nianshang, whose neck was hidden by her collar.

She had recognized Luo Nianshang during their first encounter in the illusion, but even now, she wasn’t sure if she had lived up to Luo Nianshang’s expectations.

But Luo Nianshang was right here. She couldn’t bring herself to ask.

Chapter 104: An Empty City

As they journeyed deeper into the Demon Realm, Bai Jingxue and her companions arrived at a town divided by the Black River.

Due to their unusual circumstances, Bai Jingxue had initially intended to avoid this demon cultivator settlement, but she spotted Ying standing at the city gate.

Beside Ying stood a woman in a black jacket and red skirt. Bai Jingxue couldn’t discern her cultivation level, but she sensed a demonic aura emanating from her.

Lü Qingyan, seeing that Bai Jingxue had stopped, peered over her shoulder, then, spotting Ying, she was about to wave when she noticed the left envoy standing beside her.

Her hand froze, her heart filled with a strange mix of emotions.

She had read the Seven Girlfriends book, but she hadn’t expected the demon cultivator to be the left envoy.

She didn’t approach them, but the left envoy had already noticed them.

For some reason, Ying hadn’t returned the mask, so the left envoy was forced to reveal her true face. The Demon Lord’s criteria for choosing her subordinates had indeed been based on appearance, but through a strange twist of fate, she had chosen the most capable candidate.

Bai Jingxue, seeing the woman approaching, her heart pounding, her body tensing, prepared for a confrontation. Lü Qingyan, sensing her anxiety, took her hand, her voice gentle. “Don’t worry, Jingxue,” she said.

Bai Jingxue had already guessed the woman’s identity. Ying had gone to the Demon Realm to find the left envoy. And now, this woman was standing beside Ying. It wasn’t difficult to connect the dots.

The left envoy reached them, her voice smooth and polite. “I’ve long admired your reputation, Fairy Bai,” she said. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I am Mo Li, the Demon Lord’s left envoy. Would you honor me with your friendship?”

Bai Jingxue, unaccustomed to such flattery, her cheeks flushing slightly, smiled politely. “The pleasure is all mine, Left Envoy,” she said. “I’ve also heard many tales of your accomplishments.”

She was being polite, but she felt a surge of embarrassment. She hadn’t done anything remarkable in this world. Why was she so famous?

She wanted to ask what kind of “tales” the left envoy had heard.

The left envoy, however, seemed genuinely interested. She glanced at Lü Qingyan, assuming the dog had been gossiping about her.

“Oh?” she asked, her voice laced with a hint of amusement. “What have you heard about me, Fairy Bai?”

Bai Jingxue was speechless. She had simply been making polite conversation. She hadn’t been paying attention to the left envoy’s accomplishments. She only knew that the left envoy handled most of the Demon Lord’s responsibilities.

If she had to mention an “accomplishment,” it would be “Congratulations on becoming the dragon’s one true love out of seven potential girlfriends.”

But she couldn’t say that. She glanced at Ying, who was approaching, then said, her voice light, “Your story with Ying, for example.”

The left envoy’s smile vanished.

She had worked so hard, her efforts unnoticed, only to become the subject of gossip.

It was bad enough that the rumors had spread throughout the Demon Realm, but now, they had reached the righteous realm as well. This was a disaster.

And Ying was a dragon. The rumors might even reach the妖界. She would be infamous throughout the Three Realms.

Ying, her hair tied back, her usual colorful attire replaced by a simple black outfit, its sleeves and back adorned with silver dragon embroidery, approached them. She and the left envoy looked like they were wearing matching outfits.

Ying, clearly surprised to see them, greeted them cheerfully. “Little Cat Demon, what are you doing here?”

“We’re on a mission,” Bai Jingxue replied, her voice noncommittal.

The left envoy discreetly moved away from Ying, her gaze fixed on Bai Jingxue and her companions.

Bai Jingxue, feeling the weight of her gaze, her skin tingling, asked, “Why are you staring at me, Left Envoy?”

The left envoy’s eyes suddenly lit up, her voice serious. “What do you think of the Demon Palace?” she asked.

Bai Jingxue, taking a small step back, her impression of the Demon Palace based solely on the descriptions in the original story, but assuming those descriptions were accurate, said, “It’s a wonderful place.”

The left envoy wasn’t satisfied with that answer. In her mind, the Demon Palace was the best place in the world. But she wouldn’t reveal her true feelings.

She suppressed her emotions, her voice serious. “Would you consider joining the Demon Palace?” she asked. “I can offer you anything you desire.”

Bai Jingxue’s expression hardened. She hadn’t expected the left envoy to try to recruit her.

Fu Yuan, who had been silent until now, her patience finally snapping, interjected, her voice cold. “Don’t be ridiculous, demon!” she said. “You can’t just poach our guest elder!”

But the left envoy wasn’t offended. She turned to Fu Yuan, her gaze lingering on her, her eyes gleaming with an even greater intensity. “If the elder isn’t interested, then perhaps this fairy would consider joining us,” she said, her voice sincere. “Your constitution is extraordinary. It’s a waste to stay at that boring Ejian Sect.”

Fu Yuan, surprised, then her anger flaring, seeing that the left envoy was serious, coldly refused.

Lü Qingyan, seeing the left envoy’s persistence, stepped forward, interrupting her. “Teacher, they’re not interested,” she said.

The left envoy had taught Lü Qingyan during their time at the Demon Palace. Calling her “Teacher” was appropriate.

The left envoy, glancing at their faces, their expressions clearly indicating their displeasure, reluctantly abandoned her attempt at recruitment.

She didn’t seem to mind their rejection. She pointed at the city behind them, its gates closed. “You’re here to investigate the creature in the Black River, correct?” she asked. “This city is empty.”

She led them inside, and Bai Jingxue, staring at the deserted streets, finally understood.

A cold wind blew, snapping the flags hanging from the city walls, startling them.

The left envoy had already explored the city.

She led them to the riverbank, then said, “Rise!”

A small statue emerged from the river.

This statue was different from the others they had collected. The flowers in its goddess’s arms were now colored, and the goddess, her expression no longer serene, was smiling, her gaze fixed on them, as if she were looking directly at them.

The left envoy handed the statue to Bai Jingxue. “The riverbed is filled with fresh corpses,” she said. “This city has become its sustenance. Perhaps this statue is the creature you’re looking for.”

Bai Jingxue accepted the statue, staring at its eyes, which seemed to be staring back at her.

A chill ran down her spine, and she quickly looked away, hiding her unease. “May I keep this?” she asked.

The left envoy nodded. “Of course.”

Bai Jingxue thanked her, then stored the statue away, her anxiety intensifying as she saw the other statues in her spatial ring.

After discovering the empty city, the left envoy had immediately contacted the right envoy, who had ordered the evacuation of all demon cultivators living near the Black River. She had also dispatched her most powerful subordinates to retrieve the statues from the river.

But during their search, they had made a more disturbing discovery. The further upstream they went, the more powerful and malevolent the statues became. The most powerful statue had even managed to animate the bones littering the riverbed, creating a grotesque, moving skeleton.

This was a serious matter. The right envoy had instructed the left envoy to inform the Demon Lord.

She sat at her desk, staring at the pile of statues, her head throbbing.

A woman in a black dress emerged from her shadow, her gaze fixed on the statues, her expression unreadable.

The right envoy turned to her, her voice sharp. “Die Ying, what are you doing here?”

Die Ying, settling beside her, picked up one of the statues, her smile playful. “I came to see your troubled expression,” she said.

The right envoy knew she was being teased. She wouldn’t allow herself to be provoked.

She snatched the statue from Die Ying’s hand, staring at its eyes, her voice laced with a hint of disgust. “They’re creepy,” she said. “Do you see anything unusual about them?”

Die Ying shook her head, chuckling. “If you can’t see anything, then I doubt I can.”

The right envoy ignored her, carefully examining the statues, but she couldn’t find anything unusual. She struck one of them with the edge of her hand.

The statue remained undamaged.

As she withdrew her hand, she noticed that the statue’s expression had changed. It was now glaring at her, its eyes filled with a cold fury.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Her unease intensified. She separated the statues, carefully sealing each one individually.

Only then did she relax slightly.

Remembering the mortals’ claims of being guided by a deity, she shook her head, her voice laced with a hint of disgust. “Even cultivators believe in gods,” she muttered. “And even demon cultivators.”

Die Ying, seeing her expression, asked, “Don’t you believe in them?”

The right envoy scoffed. “If there really were gods,” she said, “would we, as sinful demon cultivators, be allowed to live so freely?”

Die Ying smiled, her eyes filled with a gentle warmth. “You’re saying the opposite of what you truly believe,” she said. “But I do believe in gods.”

The right envoy was surprised. “You too?” she asked, her voice laced with disbelief.

Die Ying simply smiled.

The right envoy, annoyed by her enigmatic behavior, turned away, sighing. She missed the Demon Lord.

The Demon Lord might be irresponsible, but as long as she was around, everything seemed manageable. She didn’t have to think. She simply had to fulfill her duties as the right envoy.

“Where are you, Your Excellency?” she whispered.

Meanwhile, at the Ejian Sect, the Demon Lord shivered, then looked up at Luo Nianshang, who was sitting on the roof, lost in thought. She wanted to join her, but she was currently disguised as a mortal.

“Master,” she called out, her voice soft.

Luo Nianshang, hearing her voice, looked down, then descended gracefully, her white robes billowing in the wind, her beauty ethereal under the moonlight.

She landed before the Demon Lord, her demeanor less stiff than usual. Perhaps having more disciples had made her more comfortable around others.

She smiled, a small, almost imperceptible smile, but her usual coldness had softened.

“Why aren’t you asleep?” she asked.

The Demon Lord’s heart pounded, and she lowered her head, her gaze fixed on the pipa in her arms. “My heart is troubled,” she said.

Luo Nianshang, having investigated Yao Yue’s past, assumed she was simply saddened by her tragic history.

She wasn’t good at comforting others, but she said, “Don’t worry. I won’t abandon you.”

The Demon Lord looked up at her, her heart twisting. Those words had been intended for Yao Yue, but she couldn’t help but feel a surge of hope, a selfish desire to believe they were meant for her.

“Luo Nianshang, you’re so kind to everyone,” she thought. “How can I not be jealous?”

“But that’s who you are,” she continued, her inner conflict intensifying. “You deserve to be loved.”

“So please,” she pleaded silently, “forgive my selfishness, my possessiveness.”

Chapter 103: All of Them

The Demon Lord was furious. This body double was a pain, a constant thorn in her side. If it weren’t for Luo Nianshang’s presence, she would have smashed the pipa over Cai Lian’s head.

Luo Nianshang patted Cai Lian’s back, but she didn’t leave. Instead, she tossed a bag of gold to the madam, who was watching from the side.

“This one is mine now,” she said, her voice cold and authoritative, silencing the noisy patrons.

They turned to stare at the woman standing before the stage, a child in her arms. A woman in a brothel was an unusual sight, especially one accompanied by a child.

They should have stood out.

But that no longer mattered. Those who had been eyeing them with lustful gazes suddenly found themselves unable to speak or move.

They stared at Luo Nianshang and Cai Lian, their eyes wide with terror, realizing they were the source of this strange paralysis.

The madam, opening the bag, her eyes gleaming at the sight of the gold, a wide smile spreading across her face, approached Luo Nianshang, her voice filled with a sycophantic cheerfulness.

“It is Yao Yue’s great fortune to be favored by such a distinguished guest,” she said, her smile so wide that the powder on her face threatened to crack. “But this girl is a bit stubborn. Perhaps I could find you a more agreeable companion?”

The Demon Lord’s hopes, which had momentarily soared, plummeted. “I’m willing to serve you, miss,” she said quickly, her gaze fixed on Luo Nianshang. “Please take me with you.”

Luo Nianshang nodded, then turned to the madam. “Do you have any other girls?” she asked.

A loud twang echoed through the room, and they all turned to see Yao Yue, her expression apologetic. “My hand slipped,” she said.

Cai Lian, watching Yao Yue’s barely suppressed fury, her heart filled with a malicious glee, wanted to laugh, but she couldn’t speak. Otherwise, her laughter would have been louder than the pipa string’s twang.

The Demon Lord, ignoring Cai Lian’s amusement, was still reeling from Luo Nianshang’s words.

What did she mean by “other girls”? How many girls did she want?

Her jealousy intensified, her heart twisting with a bitter resentment. She couldn’t believe the righteous and uptight Luo Nianshang was actually soliciting prostitutes.

The madam, however, seemed to share her assumption. She glanced at Luo Nianshang, her smile suggestive. “What kind of girl are you looking for, miss?” she asked, her voice a low purr. “We have all types: seductive, innocent, even talented and refined.”

“I’ll take them all,” Luo Nianshang said calmly.

Even Cai Lian was shocked. She stared at Luo Nianshang, her previous image of the Sword Saint shattering.

Perhaps she wasn’t cold and righteous. Perhaps she was simply repressed and… unusual?

“Well, that’s not bad,” Cai Lian thought. “She and that annoying, arrogant Demon Lord are a good match.”

Even the madam, who had seen it all, was stunned. This seemingly innocent young woman was clearly a connoisseur of pleasure.

But Luo Nianshang’s next words shocked her even further. “Bring out all the girls,” she said, her voice still calm and even.

The madam, her mind reeling, suddenly realized that this wasn’t an ordinary customer. She bowed even lower, her smile even wider, her voice filled with a sycophantic eagerness.

“Yes, miss,” she said, then she turned, waving her handkerchief. “Bring out all the girls!”

Luo Nianshang felt a burning gaze on her back and turned to see the woman on stage staring at her, her eyes filled with a mixture of anger and disbelief.

But the expression vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Luo Nianshang, at her level of cultivation, didn’t care about the opinions of mortals. She dismissed it.

The Demon Lord, seeing Luo Nianshang’s indifferent expression, wanted to rip the strings from her pipa, but she restrained herself.

This was humiliating. Since becoming the Demon Lord, she had always done as she pleased. But for Luo Nianshang, she had repeatedly compromised, her pride wounded.

But this was different. If the deity she had worshipped as a child was this… depraved, how could she face it?

The girls soon gathered on the first floor.

The Demon Lord’s heart sank. She felt foolish, but she still couldn’t believe that the woman who had promised to take responsibility for her was this… unrestrained.

Luo Nianshang, sensing something, turned towards the Demon Lord, her gaze softening as she saw the despair and loneliness in the Demon Lord’s eyes.

She was trying to appear strong, her smile strained, her gaze unwavering, as if she were waiting for an answer, a confirmation of her worst fears.

Luo Nianshang’s heart ached, and she felt a strange tightness in her chest, her breath catching in her throat. She didn’t understand these emotions. She glanced at the Demon Lord, her brow furrowed with confusion.

Then she turned away, approaching the nearest girl.

The Demon Lord, watching her, her heart sinking, her shoulders slumping, felt a surge of despair. She lowered her head, hiding her tears, a self-deprecating laugh escaping her lips.

She was the Demon Lord. She wanted to fight Luo Nianshang, to unleash her fury, but she restrained herself. She still couldn’t believe it.

Luo Nianshang, oblivious to the Demon Lord’s turmoil, turned to the girl before her, her voice gentle. “Do you want to leave this place?”

The girl, stunned, then her eyes widening with hope, dropped to her knees, her head bowed. “Please, miss, take me with you,” she pleaded.

Luo Nianshang, realizing this would take too long, turned to the other girls, her voice carrying through the room. “If you want to leave, step forward.”

The Demon Lord, watching her, suddenly realized something was wrong. She stopped, her gaze fixed on Luo Nianshang’s back.

Half the girls stepped forward, their movements eager, their eyes filled with hope. The madam, however, panicked. She understood the difference between a single transaction and a steady stream of income.

But this woman was clearly wealthy and powerful. She couldn’t afford to offend her. She forced a smile, her voice a whiny plea. “If you take them all, miss, I’ll have to close down,” she said.

She then tried a different tactic. “And most of these girls have been abandoned,” she said. “At least here, they have a place to live, a way to earn a living. If they leave, they’ll have nowhere to go.”

The girls who had hesitated, their fears echoing the madam’s words, looked at each other, their uncertainty growing. What would they do if they left?

Luo Nianshang understood their concerns. Most of these girls didn’t possess the potential for cultivation. She couldn’t take them to the Ejian Sect. And she couldn’t constantly intervene in the mortal realm. Abandoning them seemed cruel.

But she had a solution. She retrieved several bags of gold from her sleeve, her voice calm. “I’ll buy the entire building,” she said.

The madam, staring at the mountain of gold, more than she could ever earn in her lifetime, was speechless. She didn’t even question how Luo Nianshang had managed to carry so much gold.

After confirming its authenticity, she rushed upstairs, returning with the deeds and other documents.

Luo Nianshang accepted them, then questioned the girls about their skills. Discovering that most of them were skilled weavers, she thought for a moment, then said, “This place will be renamed the Brocade House.”

She smiled. “If you find a better opportunity, you may leave.”

It was evening when they left. Luo Nianshang glanced back at the brothel, its sign removed, then turned, preparing to leave.

But footsteps behind her made her pause. She turned to see the woman who had been playing the pipa.

Remembering the woman’s gaze, she approached her, her voice gentle. “Do we know each other?” she asked.

The Demon Lord shook her head, her emotions a jumbled mess.

Her past experiences had convinced her that humanity was inherently evil, so she had assumed Luo Nianshang would also succumb to her desires.

But she had been wrong. It was her own trust that had been misplaced. She, Qiu Yingxi, was the flawed one.

She felt a surge of guilt, but also a sense of relief.

She had chosen the right person to love. And perhaps, after all she had endured, she simply wanted to believe in the existence of someone like Luo Nianshang.

Luo Nianshang, seeing the tears in the woman’s eyes, her heart aching, couldn’t bear to see her cry. She offered her a handkerchief, her voice soft. “Don’t cry.”

Those two simple words made the Demon Lord’s heart pound. She touched her cheek, surprised to find it wet. She was so easily moved to tears. It was pathetic.

She took the handkerchief, wiping her eyes, then offered it back to Luo Nianshang.

The white fabric was stained with tears. Luo Nianshang stared at it, a strange feeling of connection washing over her.

She looked at the woman, remembering her defiant gaze, her unwavering spirit, and she felt a surge of admiration.

She conjured a bell, offering it to the woman, her smile gentle, its warmth melting the Demon Lord’s defenses.

“Will you come with me?” she asked.

The Demon Lord, staring at her, her heart pounding, nodded.

Then she realized she had made a mistake. She had only wanted to use this disguise to keep an eye on Luo Nianshang, to lure her away from the brothel. She hadn’t intended to become her disciple.

And what was with this disciple bell?!

She was about to refuse when Luo Nianshang’s smile widened, her voice soft. “I feel a connection between us,” she said. “Perhaps it’s fate.”

“A connection,” “fate”…

Those two words were enough to silence the Demon Lord’s protests. “It’s just another disguise,” she thought. “I’m the Demon Lord. I can handle this.”

She accepted the bell, her voice filled with feigned gratitude. “Thank you, Master,” she said.

Luo Nianshang, finding her rather quick-witted, her smile widening, turned to Cai Lian. “This is your little sister,” she said. “Her name is Cai Lian.”

“Oh, right,” the Demon Lord thought. “I forgot about her.”

Cai Lian grinned, her eyes gleaming with a malicious glee, waiting for the Demon Lord’s reaction.

The Demon Lord glared at her, but under Luo Nianshang’s expectant gaze, she forced a smile. “Little Sister,” she said.

Luo Nianshang, pleased by this display of sisterly affection, but remembering that Cai Lian was still young and her cultivation low, said, “It’s getting late. We should go back.”

She turned to leave, then added, “Follow me.”

After taking a few steps, she realized she hadn’t asked for the woman’s name. She didn’t turn back. “My name is Luo Nianshang,” she said. “What’s yours?”

The Demon Lord’s grip tightened on the pipa. “Yao Yue,” she said.

Luo Nianshang glanced up at the moon, its light illuminating the night sky. “That’s a beautiful name,” she said.

“Thank you, Master.”

The name might have been beautiful, but the Demon Lord’s head throbbed. She had another name to remember.

She sighed silently, hoping this would be her last disguise.

Chapter 102: The Rescue

They continued their journey upstream. As Bai Jingxue had suspected, every section of the Black River had groups of mortals being drawn to its waters. She had become so efficient at this task that she no longer had to enter the river. She simply located the statue and pulled it out.

She retrieved another statue, its goddess cradling a bouquet of flowers, and stared at it, her silence heavy.

Lü Qingyan, with her cheerful personality, and Fu Yuan, with her gentle nature, were well-suited for comforting the rescued mortals.

They couldn’t possibly take all these people with them. The Demon Realm was dangerous, and these mortals, their cultivation levels low, needed protection.

Fu Yuan was bandaging a woman’s blistered feet.

Many of the victims had traveled a long distance on foot, their shoes worn through, but they had been under the statue’s control, their minds blank, their bodies driven by an irresistible force. They had continued walking even after their feet had started bleeding.

The slight sting of the antiseptic made the woman’s brow furrow. She moaned, her eyes fluttering open.

“You’re awake,” Fu Yuan said, her voice gentle.

She quickly finished bandaging the woman’s feet, then crouched beside her, her smile warm. “How are you feeling?”

The woman, disoriented, then embarrassed by her own confusion, looked away, shaking her head. She then realized she was lying on the ground and tried to sit up.

But her long journey had weakened her. If it hadn’t been for the statue’s life-sustaining energy, she would have starved to death along the way.

A hand gently supported her back, helping her lean against a tree trunk. She took a few deep breaths, her mind slowly clearing.

Seeing that the person helping her was the kind cultivator, she thanked her, her voice weak. “Thank you, Immortal,” she said. “May I know your name?”

Fu Yuan, rarely encountering a victim who was this lucid, decided to postpone tending to the other injured mortals. She gently removed a leaf that had stuck to the woman’s hair, her voice still gentle. “I’m Fu Yuan, an inner disciple of the Ejian Sect,” she said. “What happened? Why did you come here?”

The woman was surprised. This kind and gentle cultivator was from the Ejian Sect? They weren’t supposed to be this approachable.

She coughed, her expression troubled.

She gathered her thoughts, then spoke, her voice soft. “It was a dream,” she said. “Someone told me that destiny had shifted, that if I followed her instructions, my wish would be granted.”

This was their first real lead. Fu Yuan, her voice eager, asked, “What instructions? Do you remember what this person looked like?”

The woman nodded, then hesitated, her brow furrowing, her voice filled with regret. “I don’t remember,” she said. “But she was tall, like a mountain. I couldn’t see her face. She was holding a bouquet of flowers.”

Bai Jingxue, who had been listening, grabbed Lü Qingyan’s hand, pulling her away from the others.

Seeing Bai Jingxue’s serious expression, Lü Qingyan’s heart pounded. “What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice anxious.

Bai Jingxue retrieved the statues from her spatial ring. They floated between them, bobbing gently in the breeze.

She stared at the statues, their goddesses cradling bouquets of flowers, her voice grim. “I think Er Ya is back,” she said.

Lü Qingyan couldn’t believe her ears. She knew Er Ya was an evil god, but she had never seen her divine form. Now, hearing Bai Jingxue’s words, she understood.

There were five statues, their appearances identical.

She wasn’t sure if she should be happy or sad. She was glad Er Ya was back, but it seemed her divine influence was still affecting the world.

Or perhaps it wasn’t Er Ya who had returned, but the evil god.

Their initial mission had been to investigate the disappearances along the Black River, but they had stumbled upon something far more sinister. Or perhaps the two were connected.

Bai Jingxue stored the statues away, then sighed. Her bad luck hadn’t vanished. She always seemed to encounter problems she couldn’t handle.

She had stumbled into a secret realm and had witnessed the death of a god. Now, she had accepted a simple mission, only to find herself entangled in another divine matter.

Weren’t these the kind of things that only happened to protagonists? She should probably consult Luo Nianshang.

But complaining wouldn’t solve anything. She retrieved the bell, sending a message to Luo Nianshang.

Luo Nianshang, having descended the mountain with Cai Lian, had transformed, hoping to entertain the child with the sights and sounds of the mortal realm.

She had just bought Cai Lian a rice cake, carefully breaking it into smaller pieces, when she received Bai Jingxue’s message.

Cai Lian, however, unlike her previous self, pushed the rice cake away, her expression filled with disdain, then she closed her eyes, refusing to speak.

Luo Nianshang, staring at the rejected rice cake, her heart sinking, felt a cold sweat forming on her brow.

What had she done wrong? She had only neglected Cai Lian for a few days. Could a few days truly change someone so drastically?

Lost in her thoughts, she heard Bai Jingxue’s voice in her mind.

After listening to Bai Jingxue’s report, she remained calm, her voice even. “It’s alright,” she said. “Continue your investigation.”

The Ejian Sect had many talented disciples. She didn’t have to handle everything personally.

She noticed a toy stall and, carrying Cai Lian, she walked over, picking up a small pinwheel. “Do you like this?” she asked.

Cai Lian glanced at the pinwheel, its craftsmanship shoddy, its design unappealing, then closed her eyes again, her disdain evident.

Luo Nianshang tried several other toys: a cloth tiger, a small doll, but Cai Lian remained unimpressed.

Her attempt at bribery had failed. She sighed, then continued walking, her voice gentle. “If you see anything you like, tell me.”

Cai Lian reluctantly opened her eyes. Her behavior had been terrible, earning her a mental scolding from her original self.

But she wasn’t going to give up. She had been unable to speak for days. She was feeling rebellious.

She knew how to manipulate her original self. She had a brilliant idea.

She smiled, her voice sweet. “I want to go there,” she said, pointing towards a particular street.

Luo Nianshang, hearing her sweet voice, couldn’t refuse. She started walking, then she paused, realizing something was wrong. She expanded her divine sense, and her face hardened. That entire street was filled with brothels.

She couldn’t expose Cai Lian to such things. She turned around, her voice stiff. “That place isn’t fun,” she said. “Let’s go somewhere else.”

The Demon Lord, who had been secretly observing them, her anger boiling over, mentally cursed Cai Lian.

But the more she cursed, the more determined Cai Lian became. She intensified her efforts, her voice a whiny plea, her eyes filling with tears.

Luo Nianshang panicked. She decided she would simply cast a concealment spell, hiding the true nature of that street from Cai Lian. She relented, walking towards the brothels.

Seeing that Cai Lian’s plan had worked, the Demon Lord nearly lost control, her demonic aura threatening to erupt.

She took a shortcut, arriving at the largest brothel. She leaped onto the roof, then slipped through an open window.

A beautiful woman sat in the room, her arms wrapped around a pipa, her tears flowing freely. The Demon Lord swiftly knocked her unconscious, then hid her under the bed.

Then, worried that someone might find her, she carried the unconscious woman to a different location. She wouldn’t harm her. She would simply wait for her to wake up.

She then returned to the room, settling onto the bed, the pipa in her arms.

But she had chosen a terrible disguise. She had barely sat down when the door opened.

The madam, her face heavily powdered, grabbed her hand, pulling her along. “Come on, Yao Yue,” she said, her voice sharp. “It’s almost time for your performance. Don’t even think about running away. If you perform well tonight, perhaps a wealthy patron will take you home. If you don’t, well, you know what happens.”

The Demon Lord hadn’t bothered to read the woman’s memories. She was confused.

She stopped, and the madam, unable to move her, turned, her hand raised, about to slap her, then she paused, her gaze meeting the Demon Lord’s.

The Demon Lord’s eyes, usually filled with a cold indifference, now held a strange, hypnotic power. The madam’s body swayed, and she collapsed to the floor, her eyes unfocused.

The Demon Lord stared down at her, her voice cold. “Who am I?” she asked. “How did I get here? And what am I about to do?”

The madam, clearly under the Demon Lord’s control, her voice flat, said, “You are Yao Yue. Your father sold you here to pay off his gambling debts. You are about to perform.”

The Demon Lord asked a few more questions, understanding the reason for the woman’s tears.

But the world was filled with suffering. She wasn’t interested in hearing another sob story.

She released the spell, and the madam, her mind clearing, her confusion growing, was about to unleash her anger when she met the Demon Lord’s gaze and quickly subsided.

“Strange,” she muttered, then led the Demon Lord downstairs, towards the stage.

Ignoring the lecherous gazes of the patrons, the Demon Lord spotted Luo Nianshang and Cai Lian.

If she hadn’t been maintaining her disguise, she would have taught her body double a lesson.

But not now.

Cai Lian, pointing at the Demon Lord on stage, her voice filled with a childish curiosity, asked, “What’s that sister doing?”

Luo Nianshang had cast a spell, blocking out the vulgar comments of the patrons. She glanced at the woman on stage, surprised to find her staring back at her.

Her gaze seemed familiar, but she didn’t recognize her.

The vulgarity of the surroundings made her uncomfortable. She held Cai Lian tighter, her voice gentle. “She’s playing the pipa.”

But the Demon Lord couldn’t play the pipa. She didn’t care. She casually plucked the strings, producing a series of ear-splitting sounds.

As she raised her hand, her sleeve slipped down, revealing a self-inflicted wound on her wrist.

The crowd gasped.

“That’s what they call a talented woman? Hilarious!”

“I heard she’s the daughter of a wealthy merchant. Look at her now. Well, she might not be talented, but she’s pretty.”

“Didn’t she try to starve herself to death? She’s still rebelling.”

“Another beating for her, then.”

The crowd’s mockery didn’t faze the Demon Lord. She simply stared at Luo Nianshang, her gaze unwavering.

She knew that a fool like Luo Nianshang wouldn’t be able to resist saving her.

As expected, Luo Nianshang raised her hand, and the Demon Lord’s heart soared.

But then Cai Lian, rubbing her eyes, her voice a sleepy whine, said, “Master, I’m tired. Let’s go home.”

The Demon Lord stared at her, her jaw slack. “What?!”