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Chapter 5: A Gift Given

The commotion disrupted Luo Nianshang’s meditation. Listening to the panicked cries of her disciples, she emerged from her chamber and cast a cold gaze at the two uninvited guests at the foot of the mountain.

The disciples of Ejian Peak, who had been bracing themselves for an attack, relaxed slightly upon seeing their ancestor. Their grip on their weapons loosened.

However, decorum dictated that they remain silent in their ancestor’s presence. The indignant shouts and cries of alarm died down, leaving only the excited barks of a certain oblivious dog.

Bai Jingxue padded over to Luo Nianshang’s side. Her feline senses were incredibly acute. She could see both the tangible and intangible, her vision extending far beyond the limits of ordinary sight.

She saw the Demon Lord’s disheveled appearance and couldn’t reconcile it with the image from the novel.

The Demon Lord of the novel was ruthless and alluring, always maintaining an air of haughty indifference, even in the face of adversity. She had cared little for the lives of others, including her own. She was, for lack of a better word, unhinged.

But the Demon Lord standing before her now seemed devoid of her usual arrogance. Her face was contorted in frustration, her knuckles white as she gripped the dog leash. And then, Bai Jingxue noticed it. The Demon Lord was missing a shoe.

She had to bite back a laugh. The Demon Lord was notoriously petty. What if she interpreted Bai Jingxue’s amusement as mockery?

And how on earth had Lü Qingyan managed to drag the Demon Lord all the way here?

Bai Jingxue edged closer to Luo Nianshang, hiding behind her and covering her ears with her paws. She had no desire to hear whatever Lü Qingyan was barking about.

The standoff between the Demon Lord and the disciples of Ejian Sect stretched on, the air thick with tension.

Finally, the Demon Lord made a move. With an elegant gesture, she smoothed back her wind-blown hair, tucking the stray strands behind her ears.

Then, with a swift motion, she knocked the source of the commotion unconscious and cradled the limp dog in her arms.

Each movement sent a ripple of apprehension through the ranks of the Ejian Sect disciples. Some even broke out in a cold sweat.

The current Demon Lord might have been relatively subdued, but her rise to power had been just as brutal as Luo Nianshang’s legendary demon-slaying campaigns.

After the second campaign, the Demon Realm had descended into chaos, various factions vying for power. Demons, being notoriously difficult to eradicate, had continued to plague the realm. The righteous sects, content with reclaiming the most valuable territories, had chosen not to intervene.

They had assumed this power struggle would continue indefinitely. Then, the current Demon Lord had emerged, cutting a bloody path through the Demon Realm. She had captured the leaders of thirty-five demon factions and, on the highest peak of the Demon Realm, had erected a cauldron, where she had refined them alive, leaving no trace of their souls or bones.

The torment had lasted for a month, the screams of the damned echoing throughout the land.

Luo Nianshang might have been a swift and merciful executioner, but the Demon Lord turned death into an art form.

Fear warred with righteousness within the hearts of the disciples. They swallowed their fear, reminding themselves that their ancestor was there to protect them. Chests puffed out, they stood their ground.

The Demon Lord saw their apprehension, a flicker of amusement crossing her eyes. She looked up at Luo Nianshang, her expression unreadable.

The amusement faded, replaced by a charming smile. “Such a unique way to greet a guest,” she purred.

Then, feigning familiarity, she addressed Luo Nianshang directly. “We meet again, Venerable One. It seems fate has brought us together once more.”

Before Luo Nianshang could respond, the disciples erupted in a chorus of indignant shouts.

“As if we’d be fated to cross paths with a demon like you!”

“The audacity! Our Ancestor is a paragon of virtue! You wouldn’t recognize righteousness if it slapped you across your wicked face!”

“Oh no! Our Ancestor has been tainted!”

Bai Jingxue, who had been enjoying the drama, flinched at that last comment. She glanced at the disciple who had spoken, his face pale, his expression one of utter devastation, as if his entire world had just crumbled.

She couldn’t help but wonder how Luo Nianshang would react.

To her surprise, the female lead’s expression remained unchanged. However, Bai Jingxue noticed her gaze flicker downwards, as if inspecting her own attire.

A look of bewilderment crossed her face.

As the commotion escalated, the unconscious dog in the Demon Lord’s arms stirred. The moment its eyes fluttered open, the Demon Lord swiftly knocked it out again.

Lü Qingyan slumped back into blissful unconsciousness.

Bai Jingxue extended a paw, then thought better of it, retreating behind Luo Nianshang once more.

Their past was just that: the past. Rekindling their relationship now seemed pointless, especially given their current circumstances. They weren’t even the same species anymore.

The Demon Lord’s gaze swept over the crowd, her patience wearing thin. She had endured enough for one day. First, the humiliating paralysis, then the dog’s escape, followed by the unexpected display of spatial magic that had landed her here.

She knew who to blame for this mess. The mark in her sea of consciousness, a miniature replica of Luo Nianshang’s sword, was a constant reminder. If Luo Nianshang hadn’t tampered with her poison pearl, she wouldn’t be in this situation.

A wicked thought took root in her mind. She would kill one of Luo Nianshang’s precious disciples right before her eyes. It would be the perfect revenge.

“Luo Nianshang, oh, Luo Nianshang,” she thought, her smile turning predatory. “You claim to care for all living things. Let’s see you utter those hypocritical words when you can’t even protect those closest to you.”

The anticipation of the chaos to come made her smile widen. She licked her lips, her tongue darting out like a viper tasting the air.

Ignoring the cacophony, Luo Nianshang’s gaze settled on the Demon Lord’s bare foot.

She didn’t believe for a second that the Demon Lord had come here intentionally to provoke a conflict. A hunch began to form. This was probably just an elaborate dog-walking route.

To think that the fearsome Demon Lord was such a devoted pet owner, willing to travel such a distance to appease her furry companion. Perhaps there was hope for her yet.

“Silence!” she commanded, her voice cutting through the noise like a whip.

Silence descended upon the Ejian Sect. Heads bowed, the disciples knelt in unison.

“We apologize for our disrespect, Ancestor! Please punish us!”

Luo Nianshang ignored them. She leaped from the peak and landed gracefully before the Demon Lord. Bai Jingxue, who had been batting at the female lead’s wind-blown robes, let out a startled meow as her claws snagged on the fabric and she was carried along.

Luo Nianshang, noticing her predicament, scooped her up and settled her on her shoulder.

The Demon Lord tensed, expecting an attack. But Luo Nianshang merely studied her for a moment, then, to the Demon Lord’s astonishment, produced a pair of shoes.

“It’s not wise to walk around barefoot,” she said simply.

Unlike the Demon Lord, Luo Nianshang was a creature of habit. Her attire, from her shoes and robes to her hair ornaments, was always the same. The shoes she offered were identical to the ones on her own feet.

The Demon Lord stared at the shoes, their pristine whiteness offensive to her eyes.

“How utterly hypocritical,” she thought.

Maintaining her smile, she made no move to accept the gift. Instead, she lifted her foot and, right before Luo Nianshang’s eyes, removed the remaining shoe and tossed it aside.

“Age seems to have addled your mind, Venerable One,” she said, her voice laced with mockery.

Luo Nianshang, in all her years, had never offered a genuine gift, only to have it so blatantly rejected. Her expression flickered, a hint of hurt flashing in her eyes.

But she was nothing if not persistent. Gifts, once offered, were not meant to be retracted. She bent down and placed the shoes at the Demon Lord’s feet.

The Demon Lord’s eyes widened, the anger draining from her face, replaced by bewilderment.

She hated this feeling, this sense of not being in control. Her smile vanished as she transformed into a red mist and disappeared.

Luo Nianshang made no move to stop her. The shoes she had offered vanished along with their intended recipient.

Closing her eyes, Luo Nianshang, too, transformed into a wisp of icy mist and returned to her chamber.

Alone once more, she shed her stoicism, her gaze distant as she sat on the futon, lost in thought.

Bai Jingxue, meanwhile, was coming to terms with the fact that some feline instincts were just too strong to resist. She was currently obsessed with batting at yarn balls. Mid-bat, however, she was scooped up into the air.

Her head was subjected to a barrage of affectionate rubs. She was starting to worry about premature balding.

She braced herself for the inevitable outpouring of emotion. As expected, the female lead launched into a monologue.

“My clothes aren’t dirty,” she muttered. “Why would he say I’m unclean?”

Bai Jingxue couldn’t believe her ears. The female lead’s obliviousness was almost comical. For the first time in her life, she understood the concept of a generation gap.

“Well,” she thought, “I’m just a cat. My only responsibility is to be adorable.”

She let out a meow, which only earned her more head scratches.

Unable to take it anymore, she turned and chomped down on the nearest available target.

Her tooth popped out.

Staring at the tiny tooth lying on the floor, Bai Jingxue’s eyes welled up. “Luo Nianshang!” she wailed. “You monster!”

Her cries were so pitiful that Luo Nianshang relented. Gently tilting the cat’s chin up, she popped the tooth back into place.

Once the cat had calmed down, Luo Nianshang resumed her musings.

“Do you think the Demon Lord can be redeemed?” she wondered aloud.

Bai Jingxue was skeptical. The Demon Lord of the novel had been deeply cynical, her worldview shaped by the horrors she had endured.

But the Demon Lord did seem rather attached to her belongings. Lü Qingyan was probably safe. Still, the fact that her ex-girlfriend had risked so much to see her left Bai Jingxue with a strange feeling in her chest.

Back in the Demon Palace, the Demon Lord was tempted to toss the dog aside, but the sight of a few bloodstains on its paws made her relent. She gently placed Lü Qingyan on her bed.

She was still convinced that the dog had run off to find Luo Nianshang. “Such terrible taste,” she muttered. “Obsessed with such a hypocrite.”

She picked up the shoes Luo Nianshang had given her, examining them for a moment before tossing them carelessly into a corner.

Exhaustion tugged at her. She sank onto her bed, her mind adrift. Ever since she had achieved her revenge, she had been plagued by a strange emptiness. She had no idea what to do with herself.

The sound of hurried footsteps broke through her thoughts. A moment later, a demon cultivator knelt before her. “Your Excellency!” he exclaimed. “The Qiankun Secret Realm has appeared!”

The Demon Lord snapped out of her stupor. “Assemble all elite disciples below the Nascent Soul realm,” she commanded, her voice sharp. “We will claim this secret realm for ourselves!”

“Yes, Your Excellency!”

Lü Qingyan, startled awake, vaguely registered the words “Qiankun Secret Realm.” She bolted upright, her eyes wide.

Seeing that the Demon Lord was preparing to leave, she whined and shook her head vigorously.

The Demon Lord, misinterpreting her actions, assumed she was planning another escape attempt. With a flick of her wrist, she cast a sleeping spell.

As darkness closed in, a single line from the novel flashed through Lü Qingyan’s mind:

“The Qiankun Secret Realm. A death trap for those not chosen by fate.”

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!”

Chapter 3: A Reunion

The Demon Palace and Ejian Sect were separated by a vast distance, but such trivialities meant little to Luo Nianshang.

The relationship between the two realms was akin to fire and water, so this visit was kept strictly confidential.

Bai Jingxue nestled deep within the female lead’s sleeve, reluctant to emerge. She didn’t want to face Lü Qingyan, yet she couldn’t help but worry. She decided to steal a glance at her ex-girlfriend’s situation.

They flew over a seemingly endless expanse of withered forest until they reached a majestic palace, encircled by a river of blood. The Demon Realm wasn’t entirely composed of such gloomy landscapes, but this particular location, situated at the highest peak, offered a commanding view of the entire demon realm.

Luo Nianshang paused at the edge of the blood river, her thoughts a jumbled mess.

Peeking out from within the sleeve, Bai Jingxue began to recall the events of the novel.

A month after the female lead’s memory loss, the male lead would get involved with the Demon Lord. Consumed by jealousy, the female lead would confront the Demon Lord, sword in hand, only to be outsmarted by the male lead once again. The result? An unsavory scene involving all three of them in bed.

Bai Jingxue raised a paw to her forehead, wondering why she had ever subjected herself to such a novel.

Then, a memory surfaced. Lü Qingyan’s voice, laced with disgust and indignation, echoed in her mind. “I should have known better than to trust those recommendations. This is torture!”

Bai Jingxue, pushing her rimless glasses up her nose, replied nonchalantly, “Must you be so dramatic? You’re acting so immature.”

Those words had set Lü Qingyan off. “Oh, I’m immature, am I?” she retorted, glaring. “Fine, then you finish reading this trash and tell me how mature you feel!”

The memory faded, leaving Bai Jingxue with a feeling of weary resignation. She cursed her own competitive nature, which had forced her to endure that soul-crushing novel.

Composing herself, she peeked out at the barriers surrounding the Demon Palace. What she saw made her heart skip a beat. The barriers were so dense they completely obscured the palace from view.

No wonder the female lead in the novel had been at a loss. Even now, Luo Nianshang’s expression was a mixture of frustration and uncertainty.

Suddenly, Luo Nianshang crouched down and lifted the cat from her sleeve, placing her on the ground. Then, she began to talk, her usually stoic face etched with worry, her brow furrowed.

Unfortunately, Bai Jingxue was a cat. She couldn’t offer words of comfort or advice.

The Demon Lord was actually quite approachable. The poison pearl could be used to contact her directly. They could easily arrange a discreet meeting, eliminating the need to break through these barriers.

But such thoughts were useless. The only sound Bai Jingxue could produce was a series of pathetic meows.

Acknowledging her limitations, she rubbed her head against the female lead’s leg in a gesture of comfort.

Luo Nianshang, soothed by the soft fur, seemed to relax slightly. Perhaps because she knew the cat couldn’t understand her, she began to confide her worries.

The blood river before them was too thick to reflect their images. Looking at the layers upon layers of barriers, she sighed deeply.

Bai Jingxue turned to follow her gaze. The person she cared about most in her past life was right there, beyond those barriers.

She wondered if Lü Qingyan was eating well, if she was sleeping soundly.

As these thoughts swirled in her mind, a wave of sadness washed over her, and she let out a soft sigh, echoing the female lead’s despondency.

Luo Nianshang paused, then resumed her one-sided conversation, pouring out her heart to a cat.

“The barriers are getting stronger,” she murmured. “There weren’t nearly as many the last two times I came here.”

Bai Jingxue looked up at her, her expression unreadable.

“The current Demon Lord is not to be underestimated,” Luo Nianshang continued. “Her barriers are far more formidable than the previous two. Perhaps I should have spared their lives.”

Bai Jingxue’s ears twitched. She blinked slowly, her tail giving a single, hesitant wag.

What did she mean by “spared their lives?” Had she killed the previous two Demon Lords?

“Meow?” she questioned softly.

This time, Luo Nianshang seemed to understand. She began to explain, her voice calm and even, but her words were shocking.

She spoke of single-handedly storming eighty-four demon cities, cleaving the Demon Palace in two, and ultimately beheading the then-Demon Lord, scattering their soul.

The Demon Realm had fallen into disarray. Wounded, she had gone into seclusion. Upon emerging, she discovered that the Demon Realm had regrouped under a new Demon Lord who had been ruthlessly expanding her territory, destroying sects and slaughtering cultivators.

Once again, Luo Nianshang had taken up her sword, sweeping through the Demon Realm, invading the Demon Palace, and shattering the new Demon Lord’s soul. But the battle had taken its toll, planting a seed of darkness within her heart, forcing her back into seclusion.

When she finally emerged, she was met with an even more powerful Demon Lord. However, this one was surprisingly diplomatic. Despite minor skirmishes, the two realms had maintained a relatively peaceful coexistence.

Luo Nianshang’s frustration was palpable. “I don’t know how to deal with this… subtlety,” she admitted.

Bai Jingxue listened intently. She understood the source of Luo Nianshang’s frustration. The deaths of the previous two Demon Lords had cost the Demon Realm a third of its territory. The current Demon Lord, however, fought with honor, giving Luo Nianshang no justification to unleash her full power. And their cultivation levels were too close for comfort.

Looking at the troubled Luo Nianshang, Bai Jingxue realized that the female lead was accustomed to shouldering burdens alone. It had never occurred to her to seek assistance from other cultivators.

She also couldn’t help but think that the novel was utterly ridiculous. How could someone as formidable as Luo Nianshang transform into the lovesick fool portrayed in the book?

Licking her paw in bewilderment, Bai Jingxue was speechless.

Before she could dwell on it further, she was scooped back into Luo Nianshang’s sleeve.

Peeking out cautiously, she saw a figure emerge from the heavily guarded Demon Palace.

The newcomer was a vision of elegance. She wore a long, flowing gown that accentuated her graceful figure. Her eyes sparkled with intelligence, and a veil concealed the lower half of her face, revealing only a hint of a playful smile.

She was undeniably beautiful, but something about her felt off to Bai Jingxue.

Her high collar covered her neck, and her hands, she noticed, were covered by gloves. Her attire was surprisingly conservative.

Then it hit Bai Jingxue. This was why she seemed so different.

If even Bai Jingxue had noticed, then Luo Nianshang, a veteran of countless battles against the Demon Lord, would have picked up on it immediately.

She seemed about to comment but then hesitated, ultimately deciding against questioning the Demon Lord’s sudden change in style.

Personally, Luo Nianshang found the revealing attire favored by demons distasteful. The Demon Lord’s current outfit was far more agreeable.

However, her momentary surprise didn’t escape the Demon Lord’s notice. She had sensed the approach of the poison pearl and had come to greet them, her heart still heavy with resentment.

The wound on her chest ached, and the strange mark in her sea of consciousness remained a mystery.

But there was nothing she could do. Luo Nianshang was not someone she could afford to antagonize.

With a sigh, she plastered a charming smile on her face and greeted them warmly, “Venerable Luo, you should have sent word of your arrival. I would have prepared a proper welcome.”

“There’s no need for such formalities,” Luo Nianshang replied politely. “I came to apologize for the events of the other day. I was too hasty in my judgment.”

Their exchange was surprisingly civil, giving Bai Jingxue a strange sense of unreality. In the original story, their encounters were always filled with either thinly veiled barbs or outright hostility.

She decided it was pointless to dwell on the original plot and retreated further into the safety of the sleeve.

Due to their sensitive positions, they chose a secluded corner for their discussion.

Luo Nianshang’s gaze fell upon a strange, clothed creature huddled in the corner. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was a dog… a completely shaved dog.

Startled by their entrance, the dog looked up, its large eyes filled with misery.

But upon recognizing Luo Nianshang, its demeanor changed instantly. It wagged its hairless tail and let out a series of excited whimpers. Luo Nianshang, however, couldn’t bring herself to pet the poor, bald creature.

Only Bai Jingxue understood what the dog was trying to convey. She was now certain that this was her ex-girlfriend, Lü Qingyan, but she wasn’t quite ready to acknowledge it.

A dog’s sense of smell was incredibly acute. Lü Qingyan knew Bai Jingxue was there.

“Jingxue! Come out here and see me!” she barked.

Unable to ignore her any longer, Bai Jingxue poked her head out of the sleeve. “Lü Qingyan? What happened to you?”

Lü Qingyan’s tail stopped wagging. “The Demon Lord is allergic to dog fur,” she said dejectedly. “She shaved it all off.”

Bai Jingxue suppressed a twitch of her whiskers and sighed. At least the Demon Lord hadn’t decided to turn her into dog stew. That was surprisingly kind.

Sensing a connection between the cat and the dog, Luo Nianshang suggested they play together. Once she confirmed that the dog wasn’t going to attack, she turned her attention back to the Demon Lord.

In a corner of the room sat two guqin, traditional stringed instruments. The cat and the dog settled beneath one of the instruments.

Bai Jingxue remained quiet, her demeanor as reserved as it had been in her past life. Lü Qingyan, on the other hand, was a whirlwind of energy, circling Bai Jingxue incessantly.

Her cheerful voice filled the air. “Jingxue, you wouldn’t believe it! The day those red bumps appeared on the Demon Lord, I thought I was going to be dog stew! I would never have seen you again!”

Bai Jingxue twitched an ear and shot her a sideways glance. The sight of her hairless body was almost too much to bear. She closed her eyes.

Oblivious to her own appearance, Lü Qingyan, in her excitement, suddenly grabbed Bai Jingxue by the scruff of her neck and leaped onto the guqin platform.

Gently depositing Bai Jingxue onto the platform, she leaped onto the opposite platform.

“Jingxue, watch this! I’ll play you a song!” she declared, her voice filled with pride.

The words were so familiar, so reminiscent of their time together. In their past life, Lü Qingyan would often try to cheer her up with a song.

She had been playing the guqin since childhood. Her music had a way of soothing even the most troubled soul.

Thankfully, the design of the guqin hadn’t changed in this world. Lü Qingyan placed her paws on the strings and paused dramatically.

Bai Jingxue hid a smile. She couldn’t wait to see how she planned to play the instrument with her paws.

The realization dawned on Lü Qingyan a moment later. Her face fell, and she began to swipe at the strings in frustration, creating a cacophony of discordant sounds.

The Demon Lord and Luo Nianshang, in the midst of their polite conversation, turned towards the source of the noise.

Lü Qingyan, consumed by her musical failure, remained oblivious to the Demon Lord’s increasingly dangerous expression.

Finally, she realized she was being watched. But instead of cowering, her frustration seemed to fuel her boldness. She barked at the Demon Lord, her voice sharp.

“What are you looking at? Haven’t you ever seen two birds enjoying a melody together?”

Unfortunately, the Demon Lord only heard a string of angry barks.

Sensing that dog stew was back on the menu, Luo Nianshang quickly produced the poison pearl, hoping to distract the Demon Lord.

“Here is your pearl,” she said calmly. “It sustained some damage when that thief used it to block my attack. I’ve done my best to repair it.”

She pushed the box containing the pearl towards the Demon Lord.

The Demon Lord stared at her impassive face for a moment before accepting the pearl. “Why don’t you stay for a few days, Venerable Luo?” she suggested, a sly smile playing on her lips.

Chapter 2: Longing

Upon waking, Bai Jingxue noticed tiny, luminous white dots within her field of vision. In some areas, the dots were so dense they formed a shimmering mist.

She watched as the dots eagerly surged into her body, bringing a pleasant sensation throughout her limbs. Bai Jingxue had a hunch about what they were.

This was most likely spiritual energy. Suppressing her surprise, she stretched lazily and sauntered towards the door.

Naturally, the female lead’s secluded cultivation chamber was heavily warded. The novel had mentioned it. What surprised Bai Jingxue was her ability to see these normally invisible barriers.

Every puzzle had a solution. Bai Jingxue was insatiably curious about the unknown, and she could now clearly perceive the flow of spiritual energy.

After observing for a while, she took a running leap, effortlessly bypassing the barriers and slipping out of the chamber.

Glancing back at the singed patch of fur on her back, Bai Jingxue shuddered. One wrong move, and she would have been sliced to ribbons.

Licking the singed fur, she carefully concealed herself in the undergrowth, listening to the approaching footsteps.

A man dressed in plain clothes cautiously approached the chamber. It was the male lead.

This world truly favored him. Even after being captured, he still managed to sneak back here.

Bai Jingxue discreetly watched his movements. He crept closer to the chamber and, with a pained expression, retrieved the poison pearl hidden in his eye.

The pearl was exquisitely beautiful, yet it emitted a foul, putrid odor that spread outwards. Upon contact with the protective barriers, it reacted violently, as if oil had been poured into a hot pan.

As the barriers dissolved, the male lead entered the chamber.

Bai Jingxue caught a whiff of an unusual scent. Her pupils constricted as she detected a layer of resentment clinging to the male lead.

The novel did mention this. After his rebirth, the male lead’s greatest asset was a powerful demonic cultivator residing in his right eye. Unlike the typical wise old mentor figure, this one sought only to possess the male lead’s body.

Of course, later on, the male lead would turn the tables and absorb the demonic cultivator’s power.

“Hah,” she thought, “just a couple of dogs biting each other.”

But as soon as the thought crossed her mind, Bai Jingxue was reminded of a certain white dog with a furiously wagging tail.

Pushing aside distractions, she silently approached the chamber.

Finally, the male lead’s voice reached her ears.

“Old demon, are you sure this drug will work?”

Another voice, old and gruff, replied with a hint of annoyance, “Hmph, this is a sacred aphrodisiac from the Hundred Beauties Sect. Do you think I would lie to you?”

The male lead stared at the pink pill in his hand, doubt clouding his face. After all, his target was the esteemed Sword Saint of the Ejian Sect.

Luo Nianshang of the Ejian Sect, whose swordsmanship could make even ghosts weep. It was a phrase even a three-year-old child could recite.

If it weren’t for her exceptional beauty, he wouldn’t have dared to take such a risk.

With gritted teeth, he crushed the pill in his hand. The powder mixed with the spiritual energy in the air, and the male lead vanished into a spatial rift created by the demonic cultivator.

Bai Jingxue stared at the now agitated spiritual energy, disgust welling up within her.

As she pondered how to save the female lead, she suddenly found herself lifted off the ground.

Luo Nianshang cradled the black cat in her arms, carefully examining her. Only when she confirmed that only a patch of fur had been singed did she relax.

Bai Jingxue struggled in her grasp, pointing a paw towards the chamber and meowing urgently.

“Don’t go in there! It’s been drugged!” she cried out in her mind.

Unfortunately, the female lead couldn’t understand her frantic meows. But when she followed the cat’s paw, she noticed the damaged barriers around her chamber.

She had lived for thousands of years. Such a blatant intrusion immediately aroused suspicion. Activating her spiritual vision, she scanned the area. What she saw shocked her to her core.

After taking the man to the sect’s disciplinary hall for interrogation, she descended the mountain to purchase supplies for her cat from a nearby town. But upon her return, she discovered that the man had vanished.

And the air was thick with the lingering scent of poison.

Luo Nianshang was furious. She finally understood the truth behind the Demon Lord’s words. “Despicable thief! How dare you commit such a heinous act!” she spat.

Bai Jingxue sensed her rage and swished her tail in confusion.

The female lead seemed to realize something was amiss, but then she reconsidered. The broken barriers were obvious. Only a fool wouldn’t be suspicious.

Bai Jingxue began to question her own assumptions. She had subconsciously believed that this world would favor the male lead, that other characters would remain oblivious as they were in the novel.

But it seemed she was wrong. This world operated on logic and reason. It was the male lead who was behaving erratically.

Bai Jingxue’s eyes widened with realization. If that were true, then perhaps the tragic events of the novel could be averted. But she couldn’t jump to conclusions just yet.

She flicked her tail, frustrated. As a cat, there was little she could do but observe and wait.

Luo Nianshang unleashed her spiritual pressure and divine sense. The wind on the mountaintop ceased instantly. The world seemed to grind to a halt. Only Bai Jingxue, protected by Luo Nianshang’s power, remained unaffected.

Despite this, the deathly silence sent chills down her spine. This was the true extent of the female lead’s power.

Suddenly, a rift tore open in the space beside the chamber, revealing the cowering figure of the male lead. His handsome face was pale with terror.

Luo Nianshang had found him. And she saw the shimmering poison pearl clutched tightly in his hand.

The truth was out. With a flick of her wrist, she summoned her sword from thin air. Her movements were a blur, and the next moment, a flash of light cleaved through the space where the male lead stood, splitting it in two.

Protected by the demonic cultivator’s power, the male lead narrowly escaped death. However, the sinister demonic energy that enveloped him revealed his final trump card.

Luo Nianshang, in her long life, recognized the signature of this demonic energy. Shock gave way to fury. Without hesitation, she struck again.

Snow began to fall under the clear, sunny sky. The encroaching frost froze everything in its path, including the spatial rift where the male lead hid.

Bai Jingxue, believing the male lead was done for, began to celebrate prematurely, her tail swishing excitedly.

But in a last-ditch effort to survive, the male lead flung the poison pearl at the incoming attack and, with the demonic cultivator’s help, vanished without a trace.

The pearl collided with the sword light. The light dissipated, and the pearl clattered to the ground, its brilliance slightly dimmed.

Bai Jingxue’s face, despite being covered in black fur, paled. The pearl was linked to the Demon Lord’s life force!

In the original story, the Demon Lord only became part of the harem because the male lead possessed this very pearl.

Luo Nianshang sheathed her sword and picked up the pearl, her expression grim. Not only had the culprit escaped right under her nose, but the presence of that demonic energy spelled trouble.

She stared at the pearl in her hand for a moment, then muttered to herself, “This object is far too dangerous. It would be best to destroy it.”

Bai Jingxue’s fur stood on end. She began to struggle in Luo Nianshang’s grasp, meowing frantically.

Her attention caught, Luo Nianshang stroked the cat’s head soothingly.

The soft fur calmed her racing heart, preventing her from acting rashly. But after careful consideration, she decided to place a series of restrictions on the pearl.

Currently, the conflict between the righteous and demonic sects was relatively subdued. The current Demon Lord wasn’t one to stir up trouble unnecessarily. Pushing her too far would only lead to more bloodshed.

She had wrongly accused the Demon Lord and should apologize and offer reparations. But the thought left her with a strange feeling.

Luo Nianshang wasn’t one to dwell on things. She quickly pushed aside her reservations.

Putting the pearl away, she began to deal with the aftermath.

Seeing the pearl safely stored, Bai Jingxue finally relaxed.

***

Meanwhile, in the heart of the opulent demon palace, the Demon Lord, deep in meditation, suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Her rosy complexion turned deathly pale.

Lü Qingyan, startled awake by the metallic scent, rushed to the Demon Lord’s side, her tail wagging with concern.

The Demon Lord wiped the blood from her lips, her expression dark. With the poison pearl separated from her, her body was becoming increasingly mortal, her cultivation slowly dissipating.

But she couldn’t reveal how much she cared. It would only confirm the pearl’s importance.

A sword wound materialized on her chest, the blood freezing where it touched her skin.

The culprit behind this injury was obvious. However, it wasn’t the most concerning issue. The Demon Lord sensed a foreign presence in her sea of consciousness: a mark shaped like a miniature sword.

She glared at the mark, her teeth grinding in frustration. But there was nothing she could do.

“Woof! Woof! Woof!”

Lü Qingyan, sensing the Demon Lord’s injury, rested her paw on her leg. Within moments, the wound began to heal.

Lü Qingyan, eager for praise, was suddenly scooped up into the air.

“What exactly are you?” the Demon Lord demanded.

“Woof! Woof! Woof!”

The Demon Lord stared at her for a moment before setting her down. This dog was surprisingly intelligent. It was a shame she couldn’t understand dog language.

Still, she needed a distraction. “Well done,” she said with a small smile. “What reward would you like?”

Lü Qingyan’s tail wagged excitedly. This was what she had been waiting for. As soon as her paws touched the ground, she used a stool to jump onto the desk and promptly dipped her paw into the inkwell.

She then jumped down and used her ink-stained paw to scrawl characters on the floor. The message was barely legible: “Find black cat.”

The Demon Lord frowned at the strange symbols. After a moment of thought, she asked, “What does this mean?”

Lü Qingyan was stunned. This was the communication method she had devised over the past few days. It seemed to be less effective than she had hoped. Frustrated, she spun in circles, whining and whimpering.

This was unbelievable. Never in a million years had she imagined that the Demon Lord would be illiterate!

The Demon Lord chuckled at the dog’s expressive face. Exhausted, she decided to let it go and closed her eyes to rest.

***

Meanwhile, in the grand hall of the Ejian Sect, Luo Nianshang sat alone, poring over ancient texts. Bai Jingxue watched her from a nearby perch.

As she watched, a headache began to form. The characters in this world were entirely different from those of her previous life, far more complex and intricate.

Giving up on her attempt to decipher them, she began to bat at her tail.

Whenever Luo Nianshang looked up from her studies, her gaze would soften as she patted the cat’s head. Then, with renewed focus, she would return to her books.

Gradually, Bai Jingxue realized that the female lead wasn’t as cold and unapproachable as the novel portrayed her to be. It was only when they were alone that she allowed her gentle side to show.

Even her tail lost its appeal. Watching Luo Nianshang’s focused expression, she was reminded of someone else whose handwriting had been atrocious.

She wondered how her ex-girlfriend was doing.

That idiot never took care of herself. It was always something to worry about.

Bai Jingxue lowered her ears. She told herself she couldn’t interfere in this life.

Silence descended upon the hall, broken only by the rustling of parchment.

Chapter 1: The Cat and the Dog

The moonlight was cold and desolate, the stench of blood heavy and nauseating. Looking down, corpses were piled upon corpses, the ground beneath them a sticky, blood-soaked mess.

A woman in white robes descended gracefully onto the rooftop, a black cat emerging from her arms.

Bai Jingxue had nearly suffocated in the arms of the anxious female lead. One moment she was driving her car, the next she was plunged into a lake. When she regained consciousness, she found herself reborn as a cat… in a novel.

She couldn’t help but sigh, her ears drooping in resignation. Being reborn as a cat was bad enough, but being picked up by the female lead of this particular novel? That was a whole other story.

Logically, being with the female lead should be a good start, but this book was your typical “overpowered male lead with a harem” story. Every female character who appeared ended up as a trophy for the male lead.

The female lead, Luo Nianshang, was an ancient being who had lived for thousands of years. Her swordsmanship was unmatched in the Three Realms, yet she was drugged and manipulated by the male lead, eventually becoming a love-struck fool, lost in nightly trysts.

Bai Jingxue was already sick of reading descriptions like “skin as smooth as congealed fat.”

Shaking her head, she silently observed the situation. The corpses on the ground were gruesome, their eyes bulging, their necks seemingly broken by their own hands.

One look and she understood. This was the scene from Chapter 3 of the novel.

After being reborn, the male lead steals a poisonous pearl from the Demon Lord. Pursued by the Demon Lord’s forces, he escapes to Jianghua Village at the foot of the Ejian Sect. There, he unleashes the poison from the pearl, massacring the villagers to lure out the female lead and trigger a battle between her and the Demon Lord.

The Demon Lord retreats, wounded, and the male lead seizes the opportunity to drug the weakened female lead.

As expected, a red mist drifted through the moonlight. When it cleared, a voluptuous woman dressed in revealing attire stood there, greeting the female lead with a playful smile.

“Long time no see, Venerable Luo.”

Luo Nianshang stared at her nemesis, the sight of the corpses filling her with rage. This kind of death could only be caused by the Demon Lord’s poison.

This demonic woman had used this very poison to slaughter an entire village when she was just a child. And now she had done it again. Truly a wicked soul.

Luo Nianshang trembled with anger, and Bai Jingxue, sensing her fury, couldn’t help but shake her head.

She knew what Luo Nianshang was thinking. After all, this was a harem novel. Since the Demon Lord was a woman, she was destined to become part of the male lead’s collection.

The female lead was powerful and aloof, so the Demon Lord had to be her opposite: seductive and fiery.

It was a shame, really. Both the female lead and the Demon Lord were stunningly beautiful, yet they would end up fighting over a scumbag.

Thinking of this, Bai Jingxue closed her eyes, unwilling to subject herself to this predictable plot.

Luo Nianshang unsheathed her sword, Hanmian, and roared, “You wicked witch!”

The Demon Lord, Qiu Yingxi, twirled a strand of hair around her finger and raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. “Don’t think for a second that I address you as ‘Venerable’ out of fear, old nun.”

With that, she drew her own weapon, a flexible sword, and the air crackled with tension.

Suddenly, a bark shattered the tense atmosphere, followed by a man’s scream.

The sound was piercing, and Bai Jingxue opened her eyes to see a small dog struggling to drag a man by his collar towards the Demon Lord.

The moment the Demon Lord laid eyes on the man, she lunged, her sword poised to strike. “Little rat,” she said, a cruel smile on her face, “are you going to surrender the pearl, or do I have to take it from your cold, dead hands?”

The Demon Lord had bent down, so the little white dog, in a burst of agility, leaped onto her head. It stood there, chest puffed out, looking incredibly pleased with itself.

Luo Nianshang, seeing the Demon Lord about to attack a mortal, interjected coldly, “How dare you harm an innocent!”

Qiu Yingxi was used to such accusations and couldn’t be bothered to explain herself. However, Luo Nianshang was powerful, and to avoid unnecessary conflict, she forced herself to be patient.

Turning to face Luo Nianshang under the moonlight, Qiu Yingxi hid the flicker of longing in her eyes and stood up, kicking the unconscious man. “This has nothing to do with me. This man stole my poison pearl and fled here. Are you going to protect a thief, Venerable Luo?”

She tilted her head, exposing her elegant neck to the moonlight. The spot where the pearl usually rested was empty.

Luo Nianshang looked away. She couldn’t sense any spiritual energy from the man. It was hard to imagine a mere mortal stealing from the Demon Lord.

But the Demon Lord had no reason to lie.

Their strength was evenly matched. A fight would be pointless. Calming herself, Luo Nianshang sheathed her sword and, with a flick of her wrist, made the unconscious man disappear.

Before the Demon Lord could protest, Luo Nianshang explained, “I will take him into custody and investigate. If he is indeed guilty, I will personally bring him to you for punishment.”

The Demon Lord snorted but didn’t argue further. The matter seemed settled.

But Bai Jingxue was utterly bewildered.

This wasn’t right. Why were these characters suddenly acting rationally? And where did the dog come from? Why would the Demon Lord own a dog? She was sure she had read the novel on a legitimate website!

Bai Jingxue racked her brain, trying to make sense of the situation. Finally, she looked up at the little white dog.

Their eyes met, and both cat and dog shuddered simultaneously. It felt as if a jolt of electricity had passed between them.

The pain made Bai Jingxue curse, “Damn it!”

“Jingxue?”

The voice, so similar to her ex-girlfriend’s, sent a shiver down Bai Jingxue’s spine.

She looked up to see the little white dog on the Demon Lord’s head, its tail wagging furiously. Then, to her horror, the dog spoke.

“Jingxue! It’s me, Qingyan!”

Bai Jingxue’s eyes widened in disbelief. Her ex-girlfriend had transmigrated into the same novel? And she wasn’t even human!

The night was already chilly, and the wind generated by the wagging tail sent a chill down the Demon Lord’s neck. She grabbed the dog by the scruff of its neck and threatened with a strained smile, “One more sound out of you, and I’ll turn you into dog stew.”

Unfortunately for the Demon Lord, she was unaware that the little dog in her grasp had a God’s-eye view of the situation and knew she was all bark and no bite. In front of the dog, her menacing aura crumbled.

The dog’s tail spun faster, its whole body wriggling as it tried to break free and reunite with its beloved.

Exasperated, the Demon Lord resorted to magic, rendering the restless dog unconscious.

With the dog silenced, an eerie quiet descended upon them. It was only then that the Demon Lord remembered the other person present. She casually tossed the unconscious dog into her spatial ring and flashed a seductive smile at the stunned Luo Nianshang. “Then I shall eagerly await your good news, Venerable One.”

With a gust of wind, the Demon Lord transformed into a red mist and vanished.

Luo Nianshang stared at the spot where the Demon Lord had been standing and couldn’t help but raise the black cat in her arms to eye level. With no one else around, the icy facade melted away, revealing a somewhat clueless expression.

“Little White, do you think she was telling the truth?”

Bai Jingxue, distracted from her ex-girlfriend’s shocking appearance, stared at the troubled expression on the female lead’s face. She hadn’t planned on getting involved in the story, but seeing the uncertainty in the female lead’s eyes, she nodded slightly.

Luo Nianshang hadn’t expected a response to her musings. She was surprised, and it only strengthened her belief that she and this little cat shared a special connection.

She tucked the cat back into her arms, holding it a little tighter as if afraid it would get cold.

Bai Jingxue stubbornly pushed her head out, only to be met with the sight of the corpses below.

The sun would rise again, but these people would never feel its warmth.

When she had read the novel, their deaths were just a passing mention. Now, seeing the aftermath of the tragedy firsthand, Bai Jingxue couldn’t help but sigh.

Luo Nianshang suddenly put her down and gently stroked her head. “Wait here for me.”

Her voice was surprisingly gentle, its strange power soothing the heaviness in Bai Jingxue’s heart.

Bai Jingxue watched as the female lead leaped down and stood amidst the corpses. Taking out a jade-green bell, she rang it softly, her expression filled with compassion.

Moonlight shattered into specks of light, raining down on the bodies. Slowly, the eyes of the dead closed, and translucent figures began to rise from the corpses.

Their resentment dissipated as they gathered around Luo Nianshang, their expressions a mixture of supplication and gratitude.

Bai Jingxue watched from the rooftop. The poison from the pearl damaged the soul, making it difficult to extract useful information. If only they could speak, the male lead’s guilt could be easily confirmed.

When the last trace of resentment had been purified, Luo Nianshang opened her eyes. The first rays of dawn fell upon her shoulders, making her look like a goddess bathed in golden light.

One by one, the souls disappeared. Bai Jingxue, watching Luo Nianshang standing amidst the fading souls, couldn’t describe what she was feeling.

Initially, her mind, tainted by the novel, could only remember the steamy scenes, leading to a biased view of the female lead. But now, seeing her like this, she realized that the male lead’s initial impression of her was accurate. She was indeed someone who should not be defiled.

Bai Jingxue lowered her head, her mind a jumble of thoughts.

Then, she was scooped back into the female lead’s arms.

Soaring through the air on a sword was a magical experience. The moon seemed close enough to touch. Bai Jingxue stretched out a paw as if to test this theory but then thought better of it and drew back.

When they were alone, Luo Nianshang tended to talk to herself, her voice as monotonous as a monk chanting scriptures.

Bai Jingxue covered her ears with her paws, but it did little to block out the sound.

“Since when did that witch start keeping pets?”

“I’ll have to have the disciples deal with the bodies. Such a tragedy.”

“Little White, when will I find someone who can share this burden with me?”

Accompanied by this incessant chatter, Bai Jingxue was taken to the female lead’s cave dwelling.

The interior was spartan, furnished with only a single futon.

Bai Jingxue was placed on this solitary cushion and watched as the female lead left the cave.

Curling into a ball, she flicked her black tail back and forth.

Loneliness had a way of amplifying regrets. Memories of past mistakes flooded her mind.

She was taken back to the day she broke up with her girlfriend. She remembered the resolute way she had walked away, unable to face Lü Qingyan’s expression but hearing the anguish in her voice.

“Why?”

The echo of that question made Bai Jingxue open her eyes. She lowered her ears and closed her eyes again.

Meanwhile, the Demon Lord had returned to her palace. Dismissing her attendants, she tossed the unconscious dog aside and collapsed onto her bed.

Demons were known for their hedonism and love of luxury, and the Demon Lord was no exception. Yet, amidst the opulent furnishings, a single, worn-out picture frame stood out.

Opening her tired eyes, Qiu Yingxi stared at the image of the goddess in the frame and scoffed. “Such hypocrisy. Disgusting.”

A whimper interrupted her thoughts. She turned to see the little white dog she had picked up, sleeping restlessly.

Its short legs twitched, as if it were having a nightmare. Tears even welled up in its eyes.

Qiu Yingxi watched in silence for a moment before raising her hand and drawing a soothing rune in the air.

Instantly, the little dog settled down, its whimpers fading as it finally slept peacefully.