After His Demise, the Demon Lord's Doted Canary Finally Sees the Light - Chapter 71

“I…” Jiufang Cangze stammered, unable to come up with a coherent reason.

The four corners of the room had embers burning in them. Qiu Fuxue was wearing thin undergarments and wasn’t even covered by a blanket. Little Sootball was splayed out on the bed, playing with the strands of black hair that had fallen onto his shoulder.

In the end, his desperate need for warmth won out over his vague sense of pride. Jiufang Cangze pursed his lips, his voice growing softer and softer. “My… my room is too cold. Your room is warm…”

Qiu Fuxue knew every one of his scars and naturally understood why he was here.

But he decided he wasn’t going to let the demon lord get what he wanted so easily.

“Shengyan, a mere mortal, isn’t complaining about the cold. How can you, a demon lord who has survived a mountain of daggers and a sea of fire, be so sensitive to it?”

“That guy’s skin is as thick as an elephant’s!” Jiufang Cangze’s lips twitched. He didn’t know where Shengyan  got all his energy from. He was running around all day long.

As for him, due to the previous punishment of kneeling, he could only just barely walk without hindrance.

After teasing him enough, he didn’t actually intend to drive him away. Qiu Fuxue carefully placed the sleeping wolf cub on a soft cushion and sat up straight.

He looked at Jiufang Cangze’s face and suddenly smiled. “The scar on your head is almost healed. What are you going to tell Shengyan when the demonic marks show?”

The latter heard this and raised a hand to touch his forehead. Sure enough, the thick scab was gone. He must have accidentally rubbed it off while bathing.

“I don’t need to explain. If he has a problem with my identity, he can become my enemy later.”

“Jiufang Cangze.” Qiu Fuxue’s expression changed slightly. “Is a relationship that cheap to you?”

He opened his mouth to explain, but the other man pressed on. “Then why did you risk your life to save me in the Moonlight Wall?”

“Because…”

He couldn’t quite explain why. He just felt it would be a shame for a brilliant white lotus to perish in the barren Moonlight Wall.

And at that time, he wasn’t even sure if he would survive.

He had taken a gamble, and fortunately, he had won.

Qiu Fuxue saw his silence and lowered his eyelashes. “You were dragged into the Moonlight Wall because of me. In that moment, did you ever think about what would happen to the subordinates who were waiting for you outside?”

“I did.” Jiufang Cangze sighed softly. “But they were too far away from me. You were right in front of my eyes.”

“Fool…”

Qiu Fuxue used to be very innocent. If the Jiufang Cangze he met at the beginning was like this, he might have really been fooled.

But he could never forget the torment and humiliation that were carved into the depths of his heart.

He couldn’t forgive or let go.

The last question Jiufang Cangze had asked him in the Moonlight Wall was one he couldn’t answer.

His long eyelashes trembled. He slowly closed his eyes and, when he opened them, only restraint and clarity remained.

Jiufang Cangze caught the shift in his emotions and said with a bitter smile, “A-Xue, I’m not asking for much.”

Even if he wasn’t asking for much, he still cared deeply about whether he was betrothed to someone else.

The window was open to allow them to enjoy the falling snow outside. Qiu Fuxue turned his head. “Last night, A-Yun captured a group of demonic spies who were trying to infiltrate the Thousand Thoughts Sect. Ye Chu  must know that you’re here now.”

Jiufang Cangze took advantage of his distraction to move closer. “He must regret not keeping me locked up.”

The latter gave him a sideways glance. “Because he never expected me to save a useless cripple.”

Jiufang Cangze didn’t say anything. He hesitated, staring at the beauty mark near his eye for a long time, and then he asked cautiously, “A-Xue, what you said to Shengyan… was it true?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Just…” Jiufang Cangze cleared his throat and said awkwardly, “About him becoming your disciple.”

“I think I did say something like that.” Qiu Fuxue tilted his head in thought. “What? Do you want to be my disciple too?”

Jiufang Cangze’s eyes immediately lit up with hope. “Can I?”

“No.”

His hopes were dashed.

Qiu Fuxue sneered. “Shengyan was forced on me by Lanzhi. You have no power or background. How do you expect to compete with him?”

In all his life, it was the first time Jiufang Cangze had ever heard someone say that he had no power or background!

“Isn’t this kind of thing based on merit? Besides, the Thousand Thoughts Sect hates favoritism!”

“Are you the Sect Leader or am I?” Qiu Fuxue said with a cold face. “It’s not your place to say how the Thousand Thoughts Sect should be run!”

His righteous words were choked back. Just then, Little Sootball woke up and crawled out of its nest with its four little legs.

The little creature seemed to be very interested in the string of red beads on its master’s wrist. It kept pawing at it and occasionally nudged it with its head.

Qiu Fuxue was tickled by it. He pulled his hand away and, seeing the string of red beads, suddenly thought of another use for them.

Then, with a flash of white light, Jiufang Cangze disappeared from beside him, and a beautiful golden cage appeared in the room.

“…”

He hadn’t used this thing in over a year. He was a little rusty.

Jiufang Cangze held onto the bars with both hands, his expression full of speechlessness. “A-Xue…”

Qiu Fuxue looked away, picked up Little Sootball, and swayed it. “Don’t blame me. It did it.”

“Aowao—!”

The person trapped in the cage grumbled. Just then, a sudden shout came from outside the door.

“Sect Leader Qiu! Look what I brought! Freshly made sugar cakes…”

Before he could be stopped, Shengyan pushed the door open. He was suddenly confronted with a magnificent golden cage.

“CRASH!”

The sugar cakes in his hands fell all over the floor.

The sky was quietly snowing, and a roar of anger broke the silence.

“CHUWANG—! I can’t believe you would do something like this—! What happened to fair competition—?!”

Three days had passed. Qiu Fuxue went to Xue Linwu to get the painting as promised.

But along the way, Shengyan continued to complain about Jiufang Cangze’s improper behavior.

“Chuanze! I thought of you as my brother, and you would do something like this!”

“I always thought you were a devoted lover. I never expected you to be a womanizer! Have you forgotten about that best little flower?!”

“You can’t throw away your honor and dignity just to compete with me for the position of disciple! It’s wrong to cling to power, brother!”

Jiufang Cangze covered his ears, his face blank. There was no way to explain this. The more he explained, the more confusing it would get.

The culprit was completely uninvolved. If he were to ask, the answer would be that a demon lord seduced him.

Light snow was falling from the sky. When they arrived, Xue Linwu was not painting in the courtyard. The girl named Cai’er came out with the painting and gave it to them.

Cai’er said rudely, “My master is not feeling well. It is inconvenient for him to see you.”

Qiu Fuxue ignored her. He opened the painting and looked at it. It was a very good likeness. Even Jiufang Cangze couldn’t help but admire it.

He touched his chin and said quietly, “If that’s the case, will the spiritual energy in the Moonlight Wall also be completely drained?”

Qiu Fuxue shook his head. He closed the painting and acted as if he wasn’t going to leave. “This painting is very much to my liking. I must thank Painter Xue in person.”

Cai’er clenched her fists, and her expression turned very ugly. “Don’t be greedy!”