Chapter 4: Night Raid
Miles away from the Ejian Sect, a head broke the surface of a tranquil lake, disturbing the reflection of the moon. The air grew thick with the metallic scent of blood, rousing the nocturnal predators lurking at the water’s edge.
Had Bai Jingxue been there, she would have recognized the man instantly. It was the male lead.
The lake was frigid, but he dared not go ashore. The demonic energy shielding him had dwindled to a faint flicker. Without any cultivation, he would become nothing more than a midnight snack for the beasts.
He slammed his fists against the water in frustration, sending a spray of droplets into the air.
His face, contorted in rage, was more terrifying than any beast lurking in the shadows.
A figure materialized behind him, eventually taking the form of an old man. However, the strain of forcibly tearing through space to save the male lead had taken its toll on the demonic cultivator. He wouldn’t be of much help for a while.
His intentions towards the male lead had never been pure, but seeing him now, consumed by such foolish ambition, he couldn’t help but sneer. “Ouyang Ba,” he said, his voice dripping with disdain, “you, a mere ant, dare to covet the heart of a goddess? Such audacity is almost admirable.”
In true trashy novel fashion, the male lead’s name was as on-the-nose as his personality.
Ouyang Ba was a distant relative of the prestigious Ouyang Clan. Even if his lineage hadn’t been tainted by his illegitimate birth, he would have still been an outcast, his personality twisted and malicious.
In his previous life, he had relied on deceit and manipulation to become an outer disciple of the Ejian Sect. His charisma and silver tongue had charmed many a female cultivator into showering him with resources meant for cultivation.
During the large-scale conflict between the righteous and demonic sects, he had feigned being left behind, only to return after the battle to scavenge from the corpses.
It was then that he learned of the Demon Lord’s poison pearl and its ability to enhance one’s constitution. Driven by greed, he betrayed the Ejian Sect and defected to the Demon Realm, only to be killed by the Demon Lord for attempting to steal the pearl.
Reborn into the world, he used his knowledge to seek out the sealed demonic cultivator. With the cultivator’s help, he had successfully stolen the poison pearl.
His victory had come too easily, inflating his ego to dangerous levels.
Seeing him lost in his delusions, the demonic cultivator snorted and warned, “I suggest you abandon your foolish infatuation. That girl is nothing like the previous Demon Lord. She is not to be trifled with.”
There was a hint of apprehension in his voice, a flicker of fear that belied his arrogant demeanor.
But Ouyang Ba was too far gone to heed his warning. The image of Luo Nianshang, ethereal in her white robes, filled his mind, fueling his obsession.
Heaven had granted him a second chance. Surely, it meant he was destined for greatness. His previous failure was merely a setback.
His eyes gleamed with cunning. He had an idea.
The wind brushed against Bai Jingxue’s face as she feigned sleep within the safety of Luo Nianshang’s sleeve.
The Demon Lord’s invitation had been nothing more than a formality. As the esteemed ancestor of the Ejian Sect, Luo Nianshang couldn’t afford to be seen associating with the Demon Lord. There had been no attempt to persuade her to stay, though the little white dog had voiced its displeasure quite vocally.
Lost in her thoughts, Bai Jingxue was startled by the female lead’s gentle voice. “Don’t worry, I’m not fond of dogs.”
Her words were baffling, but Bai Jingxue’s sharp mind quickly pieced it together.
“Meow?” she responded, tilting her head.
Did the female lead seriously believe that the dog’s frantic barking was a sign of affection towards her?
She was tempted to set the record straight, but it was a futile endeavor. The female lead wouldn’t understand.
At that moment, Bai Jingxue’s desire to regain her human form reached its peak.
The clouds around them seemed to be moving slower. She peeked out, only to be met with a flurry of head scratches before being tucked back into the sleeve.
Luo Nianshang had deliberately slowed their pace. She had no pressing matters to attend to back at the sect. There were no imminent threats that required her intervention.
She didn’t want the wind to chill the cat, and she also wanted to savor the scenery.
Gazing down at the peaceful villages below, she couldn’t help but linger.
Bai Jingxue looked up at her, struck by the melancholic expression on her face. She could almost see the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Even a goddess had her burdens. And these burdens were not meant to be shared with mortals. So she confided in a cat.
“I don’t think the current Demon Lord is like the others,” she murmured. “She… doesn’t seem inherently cruel.”
Bai Jingxue emerged from the sleeve and settled in Luo Nianshang’s arms.
She looked up at the female lead’s chin, then back down at the villages below.
Luo Nianshang seemed lost in thought, her words a mix of questions directed at herself and the silent cat. “When,” she wondered aloud, “will someone stronger than me emerge to take on this responsibility?”
Bai Jingxue had no answers for her. In the original story, the world became nothing more than a playground for the male lead’s conquests. No one had the time or energy to worry about such matters.
Lost in her somber musings, Luo Nianshang decided to test the restrictions she had placed on the Demon Lord’s poison pearl. Closing her eyes, she began to chant a series of incantations.
Meanwhile, within the Demon Palace, Lü Qingyan was howling at the moon. However, she only dared to let out a couple of barks before falling silent under the Demon Lord’s amused gaze. Eventually, her howls were reduced to whimpers as she retreated to a corner, her body trembling.
“Are you done making a ruckus?” the Demon Lord purred.
She rose from her bed and sauntered towards Lü Qingyan.
Looking down at the cowering dog, she crouched and posed the question that had been plaguing her. “Why are you all so enamored with Luo Nianshang?”
The trembling ceased. Lü Qingyan’s mind raced. Finally, she tilted her head in confusion.
Unaware of the dog’s bewilderment, the Demon Lord continued, her voice a mixture of sadness and mockery. “Listen closely,” she warned. “You will forget about her. Understand?”
Lü Qingyan rolled her eyes. She had zero interest in the female lead. Her heart belonged to Bai Jingxue, and Bai Jingxue alone.
Mistaking the dog’s eye roll for defiance, the Demon Lord’s expression hardened. She was about to teach the mutt a lesson when the pearl around her neck began to glow. Her hand, raised to strike, froze mid-air.
Lü Qingyan sensed the shift in the Demon Lord’s demeanor. She didn’t know what was happening, but it was her chance to escape and find her beloved.
She bolted, darting around the frozen Demon Lord and out of the room. The demon guards, recognizing the Demon Lord’s pet, didn’t interfere.
The moment she was free from the confines of the palace, Lü Qingyan took a deep breath, the cool night air filling her small body with a sense of exhilaration.
Looking up at the moon, she imagined Bai Jingxue’s face staring back at her. With a joyous bark, she vanished into the night.
Bai Jingxue’s ears twitched. She had a bad feeling about this. Her intuition had always been sharp, a valuable asset in her past life.
She perched on the female lead’s shoulder, watching as she continued her incantations. Knowing the volatile personalities of demons, Bai Jingxue suspected the Demon Lord was about to blow her top.
She didn’t want to get involved, but she couldn’t help but think that even with the altered timeline, the female lead and the Demon Lord were destined to clash.
After what felt like an eternity, Luo Nianshang stopped chanting. Her lips curved into a satisfied smile.
“The restrictions held,” she murmured.
Bai Jingxue shook her head, speechless.
The wind picked up, and the clouds began to race past them.
Bai Jingxue watched as the villages below disappeared from view. The moon faded, and the first rays of dawn painted the mountains and rivers in hues of gold and rose.
The female lead’s voice, filled with conviction, reached her ears. “For the sake of all living things.”
Bai Jingxue closed her eyes. Protecting the innocent was Luo Nianshang’s driving force, a noble goal that had been corrupted by the events of the original story.
A flicker of uncertainty crossed her mind. What was her purpose? Why was she here?
In her past life, she wouldn’t have hesitated to answer. But now, she was lost.
By the time she surfaced from her thoughts, the main peak of the Ejian Sect, shrouded in mist, loomed before them.
Instead of returning to her temporary dwelling, Luo Nianshang headed straight for the sect’s disciplinary hall. She inspected the cell where the male lead had been held captive and retrieved a faint trace of demonic energy.
Then, without a word, she made her way to the main hall, where the sect leader resided.
“Greetings, Ancestor!”
“We pay our respects, Ancestor!”
Disciples lined the path, bowing low as she passed. Bai Jingxue noticed the slight tremor in the female lead’s shoulders.
Unlike her usual talkative self, Luo Nianshang remained silent, her face an impassive mask as she entered the grand hall.
The sect leader, a man with an imposing presence, greeted her with a respectful bow. “Greetings, Ancestor.”
Luo Nianshang didn’t waste time on pleasantries. Taking her place on the central dais, she placed the trace of demonic energy, the information she had gathered from the ancient texts, and the sketch of the male lead on the table.
“Issue a warrant for his arrest,” she commanded, her voice cold and resolute. “He is to be considered a threat to the sect and dealt with accordingly.”
With that, Luo Nianshang vanished.
Bai Jingxue blinked, and the next moment, she found herself back in the familiar, dreary confines of a stone chamber. Gone were the elegant furnishings of the grand hall.
This wasn’t the same chamber she had woken up in, but it was identical in its spartan simplicity, furnished with only a single futon.
As she surveyed her surroundings, her gaze fell upon a beautifully crafted miniature house nestled in a corner. If she wasn’t mistaken, it was a cat bed.
And before it lay a mountain of colorful yarn balls, the only splash of vibrancy in the otherwise austere chamber.
A sudden urge to play overcame her. She leaped down from the futon and batted at a green yarn ball, watching as it rolled across the floor.
Her mind was weary, but her body craved movement. She chased after the ball, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten.
Luo Nianshang watched the cat play, a small smile gracing her lips. She had been so focused on cultivation and her duties as protector of the realm that she hadn’t given much thought to worldly comforts. She had been worried that she had chosen poorly.
She adjusted the restrictions on the chamber entrance, allowing the cat free access.
Satisfied, she settled onto the futon, closed her eyes, and resumed her meditation.
Exhausted from her play session, Bai Jingxue curled up in her new bed. But as she drifted towards sleep, she couldn’t shake off the feeling of something approaching.
Her heart pounded in her chest. Sleep eluded her. But when she opened her eyes, there was nothing there, save for the meditating Luo Nianshang.
She paced the chamber, her anxiety growing with each passing moment. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she slipped out of the chamber and into the night.
They were at the peak of the mountain. Bai Jingxue shivered, the cool night air sending a tremor through her small body. She stretched, her claws digging into the stone.
And that’s when she heard it. The faint, but unmistakable sound of frantic barking. And then, a voice, carried by the wind, a voice she knew all too well.
“Jingxue! I’m coming for you!”
“Let go! It’s no use!”
Bai Jingxue looked down towards the foot of the mountain and saw Lü Qingyan, dragging a bewildered-looking Demon Lord behind her.
As if guided by fate, Lü Qingyan looked up, her gaze meeting Bai Jingxue’s across the vast expanse of night.
Suddenly, the Ejian Sect was bathed in blinding light. Alarms blared, rousing the disciples from their sleep.
“The Demon Lord is attacking!”
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