Chapter 43: Hehehe
With the selection of her new disciples complete, Luo Nianshang, instead of rushing to meet them, retreated to her chamber, lost in thought.
She rubbed her right cheek, her eyes flashing with annoyance.
Not long ago, the Demon Lord had sought her out, requesting her assistance.
The Demon Lord’s request had been simple: she wanted Luo Nianshang to help her stage a fight. As the Sword Saint, Luo Nianshang was the only one capable of inflicting a serious injury upon her.
Luo Nianshang, though unaccustomed to such deceptions, had seen the logic in the Demon Lord’s plan.
The Demon Realm under Qiu Yingxi’s rule was far more peaceful than it had been under her predecessors. Prolonging Qiu Yingxi’s reign would benefit the righteous realm.
However, unrest was brewing in the Demon Realm, and the Demon Lord wanted to fan the flames, to lure out those who plotted against her from the shadows, then crush them.
But as long as she remained in power, those who sought to usurp her throne wouldn’t dare to act openly. That was why she had proposed this staged fight with the Sword Saint, hoping to create the illusion of weakness, of vulnerability.
Only then would her enemies feel confident enough to reveal themselves.
Luo Nianshang, impressed by the Demon Lord’s cunning, had asked, “Why are you telling me this?”
The Demon Lord had simply smiled. “Is there a problem with that?”
Luo Nianshang had been speechless. They were on opposing sides, yet they now shared a common goal.
She needed someone like Qiu Yingxi as the Demon Lord to maintain peace between the righteous and demon realms, to prevent another large-scale conflict.
And the Demon Lord needed the Sword Saint’s help to stabilize the Demon Realm and solidify her rule.
Luo Nianshang had no reason to refuse, but she still couldn’t fully comprehend the Demon Lord’s motives.
Qiu Yingxi differed from her predecessors in one crucial aspect: ambition.
The previous Demon Lords, upon ascending to power, had become consumed by their desire for conquest. They had coveted the righteous realm, their ambitions ultimately leading to their downfall.
But Qiu Yingxi hadn’t shown any such desires. That was why Luo Nianshang had hesitated to strike her down.
She stared at the Demon Lord’s smiling face, remembering the absurdity of those two dream encounters, her cheeks warming with embarrassment. “I’m not good at acting,” she admitted.
The Demon Lord, leaning back, her posture relaxed, chuckled. “I can tell,” she said. “But I have a solution.”
Before Luo Nianshang could ask what she had in mind, she felt a warmth against her cheek.
She stared at the Demon Lord, who was beaming triumphantly, her emotions cycling through confusion, shock, and then, finally, rage. She had played her role perfectly.
She suddenly realized that the cat and dog hadn’t returned. Concerned, she closed her eyes, sensing the bells she had given them. When she opened her eyes, her expression was troubled.
She sighed. “Oh well.”
***
Meanwhile, Bai Jingxue’s fear of water reached new heights. She had drowned in her past life, and now, she had fallen into a well. She had tried to use her newfound strength to carry Lü Qingyan out, but the water in the well was thick and viscous, hindering her movements.
She had resigned herself to her fate, but as she sank, her body passed through a shimmering membrane, as if a giant bubble had burst, and she plummeted into darkness.
She landed on soft grass, Lü Qingyan beside her. The sensation of air filling her lungs was a welcome relief.
She gasped, shaking the water from her fur.
Seeing that Lü Qingyan was still unconscious, she nudged her with her paw.
“Qingyan, Qingyan!”
She called out over a dozen times, but there was no response.
Bai Jingxue thought back to her past life, remembering how she had dealt with Lü Qingyan’s tendency to oversleep.
It had been simple. Lü Qingyan was incredibly ticklish. Whenever she refused to get out of bed, Bai Jingxue would tickle her armpits until she surrendered.
Lü Qingyan had eventually started wrapping herself in the blankets, hoping to shield herself from Bai Jingxue’s tickling attacks. But they shared a bed, and if Lü Qingyan hogged the blankets, Bai Jingxue would freeze.
After Bai Jingxue had caught a cold, Lü Qingyan had never wrapped herself in the blankets again.
Remembering this, Bai Jingxue couldn’t help but chuckle.
She looked down at her paws, then at the dog, lying on her back, her paws in the air. A mischievous smile curved her lips.
But her plan backfired. She couldn’t extend her claws, and Lü Qingyan’s thick fur made it difficult to tickle her effectively.
She sighed, giving up. The scenery here was quite pleasant. She might as well take a nap.
She yawned, resting her head on Lü Qingyan’s belly.
She felt a wave of drowsiness wash over her. She yawned again, then drifted off to sleep…
A young woman, a basket strapped to her back, picked a dandelion, blowing on it, watching as the seeds scattered in the wind. She tossed aside the stem, a smile curving her lips.
Her basket was filled with medicinal herbs. She adjusted the straps, making it more comfortable to carry, then wiped the sweat from her brow with her sleeve.
She continued on her journey home, her path leading her to the sleeping cat and dog.
She crouched down, her gaze fixed on the two creatures, then gently poked Bai Jingxue’s cheek, her voice soft. “So cute,” she murmured.
Unbeknownst to them, they were placed in the woman’s basket and carried away.
Lü Qingyan was the first to wake up. She smelled the pungent aroma of medicinal herbs, then felt a warmth against her belly.
She opened her eyes to see Bai Jingxue’s head resting on her.
She perked up her ears, then froze, not wanting to disturb the cat.
But her movements had been too abrupt. Bai Jingxue slowly opened her eyes.
Bai Jingxue’s face burned, and she silently thanked her fur for concealing her blush.
“You’re awake?” a gentle voice said. “Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?”
Bai Jingxue looked up, her gaze widening as she saw the woman standing before them. Once again, she marveled at the abundance of beautiful women in the cultivation world.
This woman resembled a dewdrop, her presence refreshing and calming.
Judging by the simple furnishings and the scent of herbs clinging to her clothes, Bai Jingxue guessed she was a healer.
But they had fallen into a well. Why would there be a healer in a well? She was expecting a vengeful spirit.
Bai Jingxue leaped out of the basket, her gaze sweeping over the room.
“Yue Lian, I’m coming to help!” a voice called out.
Yue Lian, presumably the woman’s name, hurried out of the room.
“Grandpa, I told you I could handle it myself,” she said. “I’m strong. A little work won’t kill me.”
An old man, his hair white, his pants rolled up to his knees, entered the room. He frowned at the cat and dog. “You’re picking up strays again?” he grumbled.
The girl giggled. “I promise, this is the last time, Grandpa,” she said. “Please let me keep them.”
Lü Qingyan, finally realizing something was wrong, panicked. “What’s going on?” she asked, her voice filled with confusion. “Weren’t we at the Ejian Sect? Where are we?”
Bai Jingxue, staring at the clueless dog, thought, “2G internet speed strikes again.”
“We’re in a well,” she said dryly.
Lü Qingyan stared at her, assuming she was joking. Why would there be people in a well?
Bai Jingxue sighed, not bothering to explain. She tried to contact Luo Nianshang through the bell, but although it glowed, there was no response.
Those bells were always unreliable when she needed them most.
She couldn’t rely on others. She had to figure this out herself.
She circulated her spiritual energy, relieved to discover that it was functioning normally.
The girl returned, carrying two bowls of porridge. Calling it “porridge,” however, was generous. It was mostly water.
“Here you go,” she said, her voice kind. “Don’t be shy.”
The cat and dog exchanged a look of disgust.
“This family seems to be struggling,” Lü Qingyan whispered.
Bai Jingxue glanced at her. “There’s a saying,” she said.
Lü Qingyan tilted her head. “What saying?”
Bai Jingxue’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “A dog doesn’t despise a poor home.”
Lü Qingyan blinked. “But I’m the Demon Lord’s dog,” she said.
Bai Jingxue chuckled. The dog still remembered her allegiance to the Demon Lord. She hid her amusement.
Yue Lian left, returning to her task of preparing medicinal herbs.
Bai Jingxue had no interest in the watery porridge. They had fallen from a well, so she leaped onto the roof of the dilapidated house.
She looked up at the sky, but it was clear and blue, devoid of any unusual activity.
Where were they?
***
Luo Nianshang stared at the reflection in her water mirror, the cat’s confused face clearly visible. She shifted her perspective, and Yue Lian’s smiling face appeared.
She sighed, then dispelled the spell.
She tried to divine their location, but fate was shrouded in mist, its secrets hidden from her.
Meanwhile, news of the Demon Lord’s injury at the hands of the Sword Saint spread throughout the Demon Realm. Initially, everyone had simply observed, waiting to see how the situation would unfold.
Some, feigning concern, had requested an audience with the Demon Lord, but they had all been turned away by the new left envoy.
Then, a few days later, someone had claimed to have seen the Demon Lord’s life lamp flickering, its flame weak and unstable. The Demon Lord’s bedchamber was heavily guarded, no visitors allowed.
Rumors spread, fueled by those who sought to exploit the situation. They claimed the Demon Lord was on her deathbed.
The left envoy dutifully reported these rumors to the Demon Lord.
“Your Excellency, Lin’an, Fu Yue, and six other nearby cities have been secretly communicating,” she said. “There’s also unrest in the north and west. The east remains stable.”
The Demon Lord, idly tossing a spirit fruit in the air, chuckled. “More fish than I expected.”
The left envoy, her loyalty unwavering, seethed with anger towards those who dared to challenge her lord.
“What are your next steps, Your Excellency?”
The Demon Lord caught the fruit, wiping it with her sleeve before taking a bite. The sweet juice improved her mood.
She frowned, as if deep in thought. “My next steps?”
The left envoy sat up straighter, eager to hear her lord’s brilliant plan.
“What should I do next?”
The left envoy’s anticipation grew. She didn’t want to miss a single detail of the Demon Lord’s wise decision.
But the Demon Lord wasn’t thinking about the Demon Realm. She was thinking about Luo Nianshang.
She rested her chin on her hand, her smile dreamy, as if she were a lovestruck maiden. “Hehehe.”
The left envoy was baffled. What did “hehehe” even mean?
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