After Marrying the Disabled Demon Lord as a Substitute, I Ran Away with His Child - Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Zuo Siqiu could bet her life that Xuan Mo had overheard every word she and Yan Jiaojiao said at the grotto entrance.

Evidence? Since that day, Yan Jiaojiao had been inexplicably swamped with sect duties, vanishing for days at a time. When they finally managed to meet, Yan Jiaojiao was squatting on the ground, tongue lolling out like a tired dog. “It’s not even a holiday, so why is there suddenly so much work? I suspect the Sect Master is hazing me.”

Zuo Siqiu figured that since Yan Jiaojiao was her best friend in the Xuanyun Sect, she should offer a tip. “It might be because you called the peach pills ‘girly’ last time… and the Venerable One heard you.”

Yan Jiaojiao snapped to attention, her cheeks flushing a deep pink. Her voice trembled with the excitement of a hardcore “shipper.” “I said your pills were girly and the Sovereign got angry on your behalf? He pampers you way too much!”

Zuo Siqiu covered her face. This woman was a lost cause. “Those pills were just leftovers from the batch I made for him.”

“I’m out!” Yan Jiaojiao vanished like a gust of wind, though she left a parting message: “Once I’m free, I’ll take you to the Xuanyun shops to consign your pills.”

…

Back in Xuan Mo’s room, Zuo Siqiu saw a spirit pill hovering in front of him, bobbing up and down as if he were juggling it with invisible hands. His eyes were downcast, his aura thick with a murderous chill, and his pale lips were pressed into a hard line.

Threatening. The Sovereign was clearly in a foul mood.

Having somewhat figured out his temperament, Zuo Siqiu knew the drill: soften her stance, explain, and apologize. She trotted over and squatted in front of his wheelchair, forcing herself into his line of sight.

She looked up, her voice soft and pleading. “Venerable One, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have put both types of pills in one bottle. The scent rubbed off and Protector Yan noticed.”

“Please don’t be angry anymore. If you get sick from rage, we’ll all be heartbroken.”

“Besides, you’ve already punished Protector Yan. She definitely knows her mistake. I’ll make her apologize to you when she’s done.”

Xuan Mo raised his eyes, meeting hers. Zuo Siqiu’s eyes were like her soul—soft, clean, and shimmering like pools of water. Her cheeks, white with a rosy tint, looked like soft, sweet pastries.

The bobbing pill hung in the air for a second before drifting into Xuan Mo’s mouth. The sour-sweet lemon fragrance made his throat move involuntarily.

After a moment, he spoke coldly. “You want to consign pills at the Xuanyun shops?”

Zuo Siqiu knew the storm had passed. This man really does respond better to softness, she thought. But at the mention of money, her heart felt heavy. “I’m desperately short on funds. I’m only at the Foundation Establishment stage. To level up, I need to keep refining; to refine, I need materials; for materials, I need spirit stones; and to get stones, I have to sell pills.”

Xuan Mo asked, “Is Bi Zhian’s dowry not enough? Did we not bring back the betrothal gifts?”

Zuo Siqiu sighed. “The dowry is only for emergencies. As for the betrothal gifts, those were given to the Bixia Sect. I didn’t dare take them back—besides, I was unconscious when I married you.”

Xuan Mo nodded and fell silent.

Zuo Siqiu felt a sudden surge of crisis. They were legally husband and wife. Xuan Mo was a disabled man in a wheelchair; logically, the burden of supporting the family fell on her. Given his high cultivation level, the pills and resources he needed would drain her dowry in no time. But she owed her life and her safety to the Xuanyun Sect. Even if she couldn’t “provide” for him yet, she had to keep him stocked with “candy.”

She felt a rush of responsibility. “Don’t worry! No matter how poor we get, I won’t let you run out of candy!” She then made a grand promise: “Once I save enough, I’ll refine fruit-flavored pills that are actually useful for your cultivation level!”

A flash of confusion crossed Xuan Mo’s eyes, followed by a calm nod of acceptance.

…

Two days later, Yan Jiaojiao was finally free. Carrying the weight of the family’s livelihood on her shoulders, Zuo Siqiu followed her to the Xuanyun Sect’s largest commercial hub.

They entered Feixian City, a bustling metropolis shrouded in light mist. It was the largest commercial center in the cultivation world, filled with shops from every major sect and clan.

The most famous shop in the city was called “The Black Shop.” Despite the ominous name, it was actually quite reputable. In the original novel, the leads often found rare treasures there. Readers had always speculated that the owner must be incredibly wealthy and resourceful. Later in the story, the villain—Xuan Mo—blew the place up during a war, much to the readers’ annoyance.

Now, Zuo Siqiu was sitting in the VIP lounge of The Black Shop, being served rare spirit fruits and tea.

The manager hurried in and bowed deeply to both of them. “Protector Yan, My Lady. What brings you here today? Does the Sovereign require something? I shall have it delivered immediately.”

Zuo Siqiu: “…”

So The Black Shop belongs to the Xuanyun Sect? Xuan Mo blew up his own store? He’s a billionaire, and I felt sorry for him and wanted to “support” him?

Yan Jiaojiao told the manager, “The Lady wants to consign some pills. These aren’t your average pills—they’re fruit-flavored. The strongest, most masculine cultivators will surely love them.”

Zuo Siqiu: “???” Manager: “???”

The manager coughed. “My Lady, there was no need for you to come in person. Just a word, and we would have collected them from your door. We can even provide an advance payment… er, advance… actually, perhaps not.”

The manager’s words were a mess. Yan Jiaojiao slammed her hand on the table. “This is the Lady! She should get the highest… er, highest… er, let’s just follow the shop’s standard rules.”

Yan Jiaojiao rubbed her forehead. Why did the Sect Master suddenly send a mental transmission? What kind of roleplay is he doing with his wife that involves stripping her of her VIP privileges?

Zuo Siqiu didn’t mind. She knew that for a business to thrive, you couldn’t rely on the back door. “Let’s do everything by the book,” she said, handing over her pills. “These are my refinements. Please list them for consignment. Once they sell, deduct the commission and use the rest to buy me a list of alchemy materials. I’ll come back to collect them later.”

The manager took the bottles with trembling hands. How cruel is the Sect Master? he thought. I heard they are intimate every night until dawn, and the Lady is so devoted, yet he treats her so strictly! Her heart is truly misplaced!

While grumbling internally, he opened a bottle. As the fresh peach scent wafted out, his eyes widened. “This scent is truly wonderful.”

He examined the pills. “Though they are only Grade 1 Qi-Replenishing Pills, the quality is top-tier. With such a sweet fragrance, we can set the price higher.” He checked the others; while they lacked special flavors, they were all of superior quality. “Once these sell, I expect many people will want to place custom orders.”

Zuo Siqiu’s eyes lit up. A steady income!

She used her remaining stones to buy materials and, with two full storage pouches hanging from her waist, she happily returned to the sect with Yan Jiaojiao.

…

Shortly after she left, the manager placed the pills on the counter. A cultivator soon approached, sniffing the air. “Are you selling spirit peaches today?”

The manager launched into a passionate sales pitch for the “Lady’s Pills.” “These aren’t peaches; they’re pills! Spirit peaches were incorporated into the refinement without damaging the original efficacy. To add a material to a standard recipe and maintain such quality is incredibly rare. Look at the sheen—these are top-tier Grade 1 pills, a must-have for any battle.”

Generally, pills have no taste, and alchemists don’t bother with flavors since cultivators have long since transcended worldly cravings. However, this customer suddenly felt a very worldly desire to buy them. Being of low cultivation, Grade 1 pills were perfect for him. He bought five on the spot.

Word spread quickly. Within hours, most of Feixian City knew that The Black Shop had a new batch of delicious, high-quality pills. Even after the stock ran out, people flocked to place pre-orders for specific flavors.

Naturally, the gossip started.

“Who do you think made these?” “It must be someone from the Bixia Sect. They’re the top alchemy sect, after all.” “It’s probably Bi Zhian. I heard she’s a genius who succeeds in seven or eight out of ten refinements.” “Makes sense. Only someone as pure and noble as her could refine such ‘clean’ and fragrant pills.”