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Chapter 227: So I’m the Protagonist After All (23)

Sui Yihuan recalled the plate of green rice balls from the fishing village six months ago. Her gaze drifted for a moment, and her voice wavered slightly as she replied, “Delicious.”

That’s what she said.

But Su Mingxiu had already seen the real answer in her expression. Back then, with Su Mingxiu by her side every day, she rarely had time alone. It was already difficult enough to convince the demons to trust her and cooperate with such a plan. During such a tense time, how could she have the time to sit down and leisurely enjoy food?

So she wasn’t annoyed, but simply touched her spatial bag and, as if by magic, took out another plate of green rice balls.

Because they were stored in a time-frozen space, the green rice balls still looked like they had just been taken out of the steamer, emitting heat and a unique aroma of seafood and mugwort leaves.

Sui Yihuan blinked. This time, before she could speak, she understood what Su Mingxiu meant. Resignedly, she took one, brought it to her pale lips, and took a bite—

A rich aroma burst on her tongue, the flowing juice even slightly hot, making the corners of her eyes redden for a moment.

But it wasn’t because the food was too hot, but because the taste… was exactly the same as she remembered.

She chewed much slower, as if savoring something. When she came back to her senses, she had already finished the green rice ball in her hand, but she had regained her composure.

The black-clad Venerable already knew the answer. Her voice was soft, like a breeze in the mountains, easily missed if one wasn’t paying attention, “You went to Qiangshan Sect.”

Qiangshan Sect, more than the sect that raised her, was like the home that nurtured her. It held all her relatives, even though there were few friends who accompanied her growth, but it was all the warmth of her first half of life.

“There were some things I originally planned to do when we went back together. But those tragic scenes exposed under the sunlight… I couldn’t bear to see your relatives waiting for you under the scorching sun, so I took the liberty of collecting their belongings… Fortunately, your Sui family ancestral hall was not affected, so I also made spirit tablets for them.”

“If you don’t like what I did, you can go there yourself—”

“No need.” Sui Yihuan responded quickly. A deep pain flashed through her crimson eyes when the matter was first mentioned, but she quickly suppressed those emotions.

Her voice was too cold and hard. After a moment, she realized that her attitude might be misunderstood by Su Mingxiu, so she reluctantly adjusted her tone and said again, “No need, you did very well.”

There was nothing she could change.

After all, that was the original sin she still couldn’t face.

“I investigated the traces in the sect during that half year, trying to restore some of the truth… Perhaps you shouldn’t think of yourself as so unbearable. Before some tragedies happen, you’ve already fought against them thousands of times, it’s just that the enemy was too evil… But that’s not your fault.” Su Mingxiu rarely used such a gentle tone to comfort someone, so it inevitably sounded a little awkward.

But the listener already understood what she wanted to express. However, as always, she came to a different conclusion, “I know.”

Sui Yihuan had already learned the whole truth about Qiangshan Sect from the Heavenly Demon. Even this blood curse that could control others was an ability she had personally taken from the Heavenly Demon. How could she not understand?

Back then, the Heavenly Demon, at the cost of her body, had luckily passed through the formation separating the Demon Abyss and the nine continents. She happened to find an unlucky disciple of Qiangshan Sect to possess, and then returned to the sect. Seeing her as a child, she felt that she had good talent and was very suitable to be transformed into a human demon. So she spent a lot of time carving a formation underground at Qiangshan Sect—

Starting from the age of four, Sui Yihuan was affected by this formation every night. The blood energy contained in the formations was all the negative energy collected by the Heavenly Demon, amplified by the demon bloodline. No mortal could resist it.

Even later, when Sui Yihuan was controlled and carried out the mission to destroy Qiangshan Sect, she resisted again and again, leaving traces of resistance on every wall and every brick in the courtyard…

But what was the use?

She thought, could this forgive her sins? Could this make her pretend that she hadn’t done those unforgivable things of killing her father and mother?

No.

She would never be able to forgive herself, and she would never forgive herself.

She had gazed into the Demon Abyss for too long, and she would eventually become a part of this dark world. She had long since realized this.

So she wouldn’t suffer for too long for the sins she couldn’t atone for, because soon, everything would be over.

Su Mingxiu looked at her for a long time, then raised her hand and pulled her into her arms, “Why do you always want to bear everything alone? What do I have to do to change this bad habit of yours… How can I make you understand that no matter what path you choose, whether it’s atonement or going to hell, I can accompany you.”

This time, Sui Yihuan didn’t push her away, but just said calmly, “We are not the same kind of people. You don’t have to do this for me.”

She always felt this way.

Su Mingxiu was clean and pure, like the moon. The bright moon could illuminate the mortal world, could briefly rest in the flower fields at night, and could overlook the mountains and rivers of the nine continents… But it shouldn’t come to this Demon Abyss, because this was a place abandoned even by sunlight.

Sui Yihuan’s sins, intertwined with the Demon Abyss, were too many. She could never return to the sunlight, so she shouldn’t yearn to embrace these pure and clean existences.

“Originally, we really weren’t—”

Su Mingxiu thought of her previous life, the previous life where she knew nothing. Because she had never looked at this person for too long, she couldn’t see that fiery heart at all, only focusing on fighting against her predetermined fate.

But now she knew that when she walked through the swamp, there was a reflection accompanying her in the mud. Even in the end, that shadow, who had never spoken her heart to her, had given everything for her life, not even leaving behind the chance to turn into bubbles under the sunlight.

“But there was a fool who, time and time again, tied me with her red string. Now I’m tightly bound by her, and I can no longer see any other path except the one she wants to take.”

The last time she came to this Black Stone Dock, Su Mingxiu really felt that she wasn’t familiar with this Demon Lord. And she was very puzzled, not knowing why the other person would keep her here, but in a strange protective manner. Later, when she asked, the other person’s casual words were similar to this time, “You look a lot like an old friend of mine.”

At that time, Su Mingxiu was thinking, what was this?

A mortal emperor and a caged canary?

Later, her plan was destined to leave Black Stone Dock, so Su Mingxiu chose a day when the other person was very weak, broke free from Sui Yihuan’s control, injured her, and told her not to have such cowardly dreams before leaving.

What did Sui Yihuan from the previous life say? This pale person clutched her chest, clearly vomiting blood, but the smile on her lips was strange and enchanting, with a regret that Su Mingxiu at that time couldn’t understand, “If only I could really have such a dream.”

If she were really a mortal emperor, holding the power of life and death, able to keep the person she liked by her side openly, how wonderful would that be?

Unfortunately, she could only disappear without a trace in the depths of this Demon Abyss, unable to see a single ray of golden sunlight before her death.

And Su Mingxiu, after all, had to return to that bright and beautiful world.

“What are you talking about?” Sui Yihuan guiltily withdrew the blood threads she had used to control her, “Who tied you with a red string?”

Su Mingxiu didn’t answer.

She just sighed softly, pulled Sui Yihuan into her arms again, not allowing her to struggle anymore, “Just lie down with me for a while, and I’ll tell you what was planted inside me.”

These words finally made the person, who had felt deceived for a long time and was about to leave the bed regardless of everything, willingly stay.

Su Mingxiu touched her fingertips and felt that her body temperature was too low and too cold, so she put her hand inside her clothes and took the initiative to warm her hands.

“You!”

Sui Yihuan’s cheeks suddenly reddened. She wanted to pull her hand out, but didn’t dare to. In the end, she could only glare at the person who had closed her eyes and let out a low growl.

“Shh.” Su Mingxiu reached out her other hand and pressed it against her lips, not letting her speak, “I’m sleepy, I want to sleep.”

Don’t lie to me.

Sui Yihuan thought that with her ability to change her cultivation at will, it would be strange if she really needed sleep like a low-level cultivator.

But thinking that there was still something unknown in Su Mingxiu’s body, she could only half-heartedly accompany her to rest.

There was no distinction between day and night in the Demon Abyss. All time was judged by the sound of the demon stone clock striking at the top of the tower.

When the tower made its sixth sound, Su Mingxiu opened her eyes, looked at the person who hadn’t slept all night and whose attention was all on her, and couldn’t help but smile, “Your eyes, why do they look so much like a rabbit’s? Could it be that you haven’t slept for too many nights and they’re bloodshot from staying up?”

Sui Yihuan ignored her teasing and said stubbornly, “You said you would tell me the answer.”

“Why are you so persistent?” Su Mingxiu’s smile widened. She leaned closer and kissed her by the eye, then continued to talk to herself, “But it’s good to be persistent, loyal, a little foolish. Once you like someone, you won’t change.”

“Uh…” Just as the Demon Lord couldn’t stand it anymore and was about to retort, Su Mingxiu unhurriedly pulled away a little, “No rush. I’ve been in the Demon Abyss for so long, and I haven’t seen any scenery, I don’t even know what the specialties are. Aren’t you going to do your duty as a host and take me out for a stroll?”

Sui Yihuan had taken her out in her previous life, because she was afraid that she would be bored and depressed staying in the room for too long. But at that time, Su Mingxiu’s mind wasn’t on it, so naturally she wasn’t interested in appreciating the unique demonic culture of the Demon Abyss.

It was different now—

She took the initiative to request a shopping trip.

But Sui Yihuan, who had been teased by her repeatedly, was angry. The coldness in her tone was palpable, “Su Mingxiu! Do you really think I can’t do anything to you?”

“Don’t be angry.” Seeing her impatience, Su Mingxiu missed the proud little phoenix from the Hundred Flower Sect who would stand up for her and blush easily with a little teasing.

Of course, the current Demon Lord was also very good. Anyway, it was the person she liked, so anything was fine—the green-clothed cultivator leaned closer, touched the cold-faced Demon Lord’s cheek with the tip of her nose, and said with a smile, “You’re hiding so many things from me, and I only have this one. Of course, I have to use this important bargaining chip repeatedly. I swear, I’ll tell you the answer after we come back from shopping, okay?”

Sui Yihuan warned her pointedly, “Last time.”

Since the Demon Lord planned to take someone out, she naturally made all the arrangements subconsciously. Even though her face was darker than the freshly dug demon stone mine when she was making the plans, but after taking Su Mingxiu out, she took her to the most prosperous and lively places in Black Stone City.

And there were groups of demonesses and demon servants around them, as if afraid that the occasion was not grand enough and Su Mingxiu would be bullied in some corner.

Seeing the low-level demons walking by bowing their heads and avoiding them, and the City Lord of Black Stone City coming over with a smiling face to welcome them, the demonic beast meat served was of the highest quality, various spices smuggled from the nine continents were sprinkled lavishly, and the selected spiritual plants were fresh and free of any toxins.

Su Mingxiu accepted everything, stuffed them into her spatial bag, didn’t respond to the City Lord’s inquisitive gaze, and wasn’t ashamed of her packing behavior at all. She turned to Sui Yihuan and said, “I’ve finished shopping here, I want to go somewhere else.”

“Where do you want to go?”

The Demon Lord didn’t care about the gossiping and inquisitive gazes of her subordinates, but just seriously asked the cultivator beside her, whose clothing style and aura were different from the demons.

Since she didn’t plan to follow the path of her previous life, Su Mingxiu could only rely on her fragmented memories, leading the group around in circles, towards the outskirts of Black Stone City.

After wandering around for most of the afternoon, Sui Yihuan, after finally confirming her destination, asked with a strange expression, “You want to go to the slums where the low-level demons live?”

“Yes.”

Su Mingxiu glanced at the endless guards behind her and asked her to dismiss them.

Sui Yihuan’s expression changed again and again, but she still dismissed them. Then she followed Su Mingxiu on the somewhat bumpy road in front of them, her gaze fixed on her clean boots, “The road here hasn’t been repaired yet, what are you doing here?”

Although it was a slum, there were traces of recent repairs on the low-rise houses, and there was no garbage on the road. Only by going to the poorest part of a city could one see its bottom line.

In her previous life, Su Mingxiu was blinded. Only by walking this road again in this life could she feel that Sui Yihuan from the past… had wanted her acknowledgment.

It’s just that she missed it.

Su Mingxiu thought for a moment, cast a simple illusion spell to hide their appearances and clothes, and walked on this bumpy road for a long time.

Until the low-level demons in the slums sensed that the important figures had left, and the children looked around curiously.

She simply sat down in the middle of the road, took out an ordinary cloth from her spatial bag and spread it on the ground, and then took out all the food she had packed from the City Lord. The tempting aroma instantly filled the long street. The demons, who were always hungry, had never experienced such torture, and every household poked their heads out.

Finally, a small, dark child with goat horns on his head couldn’t bear the hunger anymore and stumbled towards her, “You… are you buying demons? I’m very cheap, I can just eat a small piece of meat… you can also use me for alchemy.”

In their understanding, it seemed that only by sacrificing their lives and souls could they deserve to eat such a mouthful of meat before they died. Spiritual plants were even more precious, and they didn’t even dare to look at the glistening light.

Su Mingxiu looked at the child for a long time, cut a small piece of meat and gave him a small bowl of soup. “You must be very hungry. You can’t eat too much, so just have a little something to fill your stomach. Come back later, and I’ll give you more.”

The little demon was overjoyed. Even though this small amount wasn’t enough to fill his stomach, he ate it all, licking the bowl clean.

The other demon children around him saw that he hadn’t died after a long time and seemed to realize that this wasn’t some important figure testing poison, but a real transaction. So they also swarmed out of their houses.

Each of them tried their best to sell themselves.

Su Mingxiu patiently had them line up and then gave each of them a bowl of soup and meat, distributing a lot of food according to the growth of the different demons, roughly comparing them to human children.

When they were all looking at her expectantly, waiting for her instructions, she smiled and waved her hand, “Alright, the food is all gone. You can all go home now. If I have time next time, I’ll come again.”

The little demons who were ready to be taken away: “?!”

What did she mean? Was this some new delayed-action poison experiment?

Sui Yihuan saw that their expressions were not quite right, so she explained for Su Mingxiu and casually demonstrated her power, proving that if she really wanted to do anything to them, she would have done it long ago.

The children in the slums finally understood that there really was free food in the Demon Abyss.

When Su Mingxiu stepped out of this dark place, she seemed to be able to feel the eager gazes of the little demons behind her, and her mood suddenly improved.

“Why did you want to come here?”

Sui Yihuan, who had been patiently and quietly accompanying her for a long time, finally asked this question.

“Because someone once wanted me to see it.” Su Mingxiu remembered that in her previous life, she was so impatient that she bumped into a little demon on the road, and that child was also among them today.

At that time, it was the aroma of the mortal food on her that attracted him. Sui Yihuan was afraid that she would hurt the little demon, so she raised her hand and wanted to pull him away.

But later, Su Mingxiu left the food behind. Facing the Demon Lord’s gaze, she casually explained, “I quite like little ones, you don’t have to be so wary of me.”

Sui Yihuan’s gaze was very strange at that time.

But after experiencing a certain “goddaughter” scenario, Su Mingxiu was very sure of the impact her words had on the other person.

However, the person who wanted to compensate her with a child probably wouldn’t have thought that the mother-daughter relationship she compensated her with would eventually change, right?

Thinking of this, she smiled a little exaggeratedly, successfully making the lord beside her unable to look away, “What are you smiling about?”

“Smiling at you—”

“You’re truly the biggest fool in the nine continents.” How could there be such a person in the nine continents? She hadn’t received much in the first half of her life, but she repaid the kindness she received to this world to the greatest extent. No, it wasn’t just to the nine continents, to the Demon Abyss, but also to her. Even being smashed to pieces wasn’t enough to describe this person’s devotion.

The world kissed her with pain, but she repaid it with a song.

“Are you scolding me?” Sui Yihuan had heard her call her a “fool” many times. This time, she decided not to tolerate it anymore. She opened her palm, about to reveal those red threads and make Su Mingxiu rephrase her words.

But at the end of the long street, in the part of the slums that couldn’t be illuminated by the weak light of the black stone lamps, the green-clothed cultivator leaned over in the darkness, embraced the other person, and transmitted warmth to her.

“I’m not scolding you, I’m scolding the Heavenly Dao.”

“It’s truly blind, it doesn’t know how to choose a savior at all.” Su Mingxiu was thinking, how selfish she was, she could never dedicate her life to any force, and was destined to live alone.

But Sui Yihuan was different. This was a person who, no matter what her situation, even if she fell into the abyss, would use her last bit of strength to push the person who fell in with her out before turning into bones.

Su Mingxiu couldn’t find anyone better than her. She even felt that the luckiest thing in her two lifetimes was receiving this person’s love.

“Are you trying to distract me again and not tell me the answer?”

Sui Yihuan didn’t understand what she meant. She let her hold her and asked stubbornly.

“Sui Yihuan, I love you. I want to live in a world with you.”

The Demon Lord, being held: “!”

She thought, this woman was too hateful, she was so good at changing the subject.

She couldn’t say those pressing questions, couldn’t make those forcing actions, she could only be held by the other person like a piece of wood.

Hearing that gentle voice, more effective than any gu in the nine continents, tempting her by her ear, “Let me walk the rest of the road with you, okay?”