Extra 4
Perhaps scarred by her previous experiences with impulsive disciple recruitment, Luo Nianshang no longer accepted disciples based on intuition. So, the Demon Lord, donning yet another disguise, was forced to start at the bottom, as an outer sect disciple.
But this suited her just fine. She could be near Luo Nianshang without the risk of being discovered.
She had been curious about how Luo Nianshang would search for her. Now, having observed Luo Nianshang’s methods, she understood. Luo Nianshang had issued a search warrant, but it specifically mentioned the Demon Lord’s skill in disguise.
Searching based on appearance was useless. The search parameters were broad: a beautiful woman in red, skilled in poisons, a demon cultivator.
The reward was substantial, so some opportunistic individuals had attempted to deceive Luo Nianshang, capturing random women who vaguely fit the description, hoping to claim the reward. The search was progressing slowly.
The Demon Lord, having swiftly completed her daily tasks with a flick of her wrist, retrieved a spirit fruit from her sleeve, polishing it before taking a bite.
Its sweet, crisp flavor made her eyes close contentedly. She then found a secluded spot to slack off.
The other disciples, their heads bowed, their focus on their work, wouldn’t notice her. And the trees provided ample cover.
She finished the fruit, tossing the core aside. It nearly hit Lü Qingyan, who sighed, then looked up at the Demon Lord, perched comfortably on a tree branch. Remembering the gift Jingxue had prepared for the Demon Lord, her initial annoyance faded, replaced by a quiet amusement.
The Demon Lord, seeing Lü Qingyan, tossed her a similar fruit. “Try this,” she said. “It’s sweet.”
Lü Qingyan caught the fruit, its size resembling a large apple, though it wasn’t actually a cherry, despite its appearance. She was tempted to eat it immediately, then she paused, cutting it in half and storing one half away.
She wasn’t being stingy. This fruit wasn’t native to the righteous realm. It grew in the borderlands between the Demon Realm and the demon realm.
The Demon Lord, her brow furrowing, couldn’t help but ask, “Why are you doing that? It’s just a fruit.”
Lü Qingyan, having finished her half, tossed the core into a nearby basket, her smile wide and innocent. “Jingxue hasn’t tried this before,” she said. “I’m saving it for her.”
The Demon Lord’s good mood instantly evaporated, replaced by a surge of jealousy. She regretted asking. “Oh, really?” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Lü Qingyan, knowing she was about to launch into a tirade, quickly changed the subject. “How long are you planning to stay here?” she asked.
The sun was high in the sky, its heat intense, despite the shade provided by the trees.
The Demon Lord jumped down from the tree, settling down by the doorway, her voice a nonchalant hum. “Who knows?” she said. “Maybe a few years. Or a few decades. Or a few centuries.”
Lü Qingyan was speechless. “Seriously?” she thought. “What a coward.”
Sensing Lü Qingyan’s disapproval, the Demon Lord bristled. “You’re not me,” she snapped. “You don’t understand.”
Lü Qingyan retreated, maintaining a safe distance, then she stared at the Demon Lord, her gaze filled with judgment.
The Demon Lord was about to retort when she felt a sudden chill, and she instantly switched back to her disguise’s meek and submissive persona.
A moment later, Luo Nianshang appeared. She had come looking for Lü Qingyan, but she was also intrigued by this new disciple.
Lü Qingyan’s world usually revolved around Bai Jingxue. It was unusual for her to seek out an ordinary disciple.
Luo Nianshang’s gaze lingered on the Demon Lord, her eyes narrowing, her suspicion growing. She was about to say “Still,” to test her theory, when Bai Jingxue arrived, her expression one of feigned urgency.
“Venerable One,” she said, “a secret realm has appeared in the newly formed lands. It’s expanding rapidly, consuming everything in its path.”
Luo Nianshang’s attention immediately shifted to this new crisis, her worry evident. She asked for the secret realm’s location, then vanished.
The Demon Lord, a seasoned actress, sensed something was amiss. She looked at Bai Jingxue, whose expression had returned to its usual calmness, her previous panic gone.
She grabbed Bai Jingxue’s collar, her voice sharp. “Why did you lie to her?”
Her concern had betrayed her. Bai Jingxue, seeing her anger, but also knowing that she hadn’t meant any harm, said calmly, “I’m simply creating an opportunity for her.”
The Demon Lord, realizing she had overreacted, released Bai Jingxue, taking a step back.
“Sorry,” she muttered.
Bai Jingxue didn’t mind. She smoothed her clothes, her voice calm and even. “Why so worried?” she asked, her lips curving into a small smile.
The Demon Lord’s heart skipped a beat, but she quickly recovered, her voice defiant. “I’m not worried about her.”
Bai Jingxue, ignoring her denial, continued, “With the world’s rules restored, the Sword Saint should be able to break through her current bottleneck. I’m simply giving her a chance to ascend.”
Which meant Luo Nianshang would ascend to godhood. And after ascension…
She would have to leave.
Her own cultivation, not achieved through traditional methods, was weaker, more unstable, than Luo Nianshang’s.
She wouldn’t survive the heavenly tribulation.
The Demon Lord’s heart sank, but she maintained her facade of indifference. “Good,” she said. “Then there won’t be anyone stronger than me in this world. Once she ascends, I’ll…”
Bai Jingxue didn’t need to hear the rest. She had delivered her message.
She knew the Demon Lord would be worried about Luo Nianshang and would probably want to spend time with her before her ascension.
She smiled, her mood lifting, humming a cheerful tune as she walked away. The Demon Lord glared at her retreating figure.
Then, she frowned, muttering to herself, “Why does she seem so happy?”
She glanced towards the direction Luo Nianshang had gone, then, unable to resist, she changed her appearance and followed.
The world had expanded, but the newly formed lands were still barren, their life force weak.
Luo Nianshang, having crossed the border between the righteous and demon realms, reached the location of the secret realm.
This secret realm was different. Its entrance was in the sky, an inverted portal.
As Bai Jingxue had said, the circular opening was expanding, consuming everything around it.
Luo Nianshang, her cultivation high, her methods direct, flew into the portal without hesitation.
The Demon Lord, arriving a moment later, seeing Luo Nianshang’s reckless action, mentally cursed her for being an idiot.
But she followed, her own hesitation brief.
Meanwhile, at the Ejian Sect, Bai Jingxue and Lü Qingyan were enjoying some spirit fruits and reading She Yuwei’s latest story.
She Yuwei, sitting nervously in the Sword Saint’s courtyard, her gaze darting around, her fear of Luo Nianshang’s sudden return evident, jumped at every sound.
Bai Jingxue, noticing the dark circles under her eyes, asked gently, “Did you stay up late?”
She Yuwei shook her head, her cheeks flushing slightly. “I had… nightmares,” she mumbled.
Lü Qingyan, retrieving a small pouch from her spatial ring, pressed it into She Yuwei’s hand. “This will help you sleep,” she said. “Don’t be polite.”
These two were always incredibly generous. She Yuwei’s eyes lit up. She accepted the pouch, her voice filled with gratitude. “Thank you, Elder Lü,” she said.
Lü Qingyan, cringing at the formal title, she hadn’t gotten used to it yet, and wanting to befriend She Yuwei, said, “Just call me Qingyan.”
Bai Jingxue, watching their interaction, amused by Lü Qingyan’s bluntness and She Yuwei’s awkwardness, suddenly became interested in She Yuwei’s nightmares.
There was something far more effective than a sleep aid pouch.
She rummaged through her spatial ring, retrieving a small, gourd-shaped bottle, which she offered to She Yuwei.
“Place this by your bed,” she said. “It absorbs dreams. It’s better than that pouch.”
She Yuwei, overwhelmed by their generosity, hesitated. “How many spirit stones?” she asked.
Bai Jingxue smiled. “It’s a gift,” she said.
This artifact didn’t just absorb dreams. It also manifested their contents. Satisfying her curiosity was worth more than any amount of spirit stones.
But it was a rather personal gift. Her upbringing, her ingrained sense of morality, made her explain its function to She Yuwei.
She Yuwei’s expression turned somber. “They’re not… pleasant dreams,” she said quietly.
Bai Jingxue, seeing her discomfort, changed the subject. “You’re not a cultivator,” she said. “Have you considered… other options?”
She Yuwei shook her head. She had never thought about what she wanted to do with her life.
But now, she was afraid.
If she died, the evil god’s consciousness, residing within her mind, would be lost.
Where would it go?
She had hoped to use her ability to change the story, but her power had been fading, weakened by her previous attempts, by changing the evil god’s fate.
And this world wasn’t like her original world.
She was becoming ordinary, like the people she had written about, the ordinary lives they had longed for.
She looked at Bai Jingxue and Lü Qingyan, her voice quiet. “I’m not sure,” she said. “But I want to visit the Land of Fallen Gods.”
Bai Jingxue, her helpful nature resurfacing, offered her assistance. “Do you want me to take you there?”
She Yuwei was about to refuse, then she realized how far it was. She would never reach it on her own.
She accepted Bai Jingxue’s offer.
They arrived at the Land of Fallen Gods, its once vibrant sea of flowers now a field of white blossoms, its unsettling aura gone, replaced by a peaceful stillness.
A gentle breeze carried the faint scent of flowers.
She Yuwei plucked a blossom, its five petals round and delicate.
The evil god had been the fifth generation.
She placed the flower on the ground, then clasped her hands together, her eyes closing, her lips moving in a silent prayer, the words she had learned in that small temple echoing in her mind.
The prayer drifted away on the wind, the cycle of suffering finally broken.
Someone was praying for her now.
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