After Marrying the Disabled Demon Lord as a Substitute, I Ran Away with His Child - Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The members of the Bixia Sect lost significant face at the Black Shop, even becoming the targets of secret ridicule from many other cultivators. However, they dared not retaliate, for Zuo Siqiu was now the Madam of the Xuanyun Sect.

Although they were alchemists—a profession highly respected in the cultivation world—their current cultivation levels and status were no match for the wife of the Demonic Cult Leader. They had no choice but to swallow their resentment.

Before Yan Jiaojiao left, she cast a final backward glance at them that rooted them to the spot, unable to move for a long time. They knew they had been punished with a toxic numbing agent, yet they were powerless to counteract it.

Bystanders sighed nearby, “Of all the people to provoke, why did you have to pick the Xuanyun Sect?”

“You’re lucky Yan Jiaojiao wasn’t truly enraged today, or your lives would have ended right here!”

The Shopkeeper of the Black Shop, wanting to continue his business and not wanting these people to further annoy the Madam, invited Zuo Siqiu into the VIP room in the backyard.

Zuo Siqiu still had another matter on her mind: revealing the true intentions of the Bixia Sect Master to the male and female leads. However, she had to be subtle; after all, the original owner of her body was a socially anxious junior sister who did nothing but refine pills and had almost no social life.

After purchasing the materials she needed, she asked the Shopkeeper to invite Bi Zhian inside.

The Shopkeeper and Yan Jiaojiao exchanged a look. Yan Jiaojiao nodded and smiled at Zuo Siqiu, “Since you want to meet your Third Senior Sister, I’ll wait outside. I’ll take the ‘Husband’ (the rooster) with me so he doesn’t interrupt your conversation.”

Zuo Siqiu was moved by Yan Jiaojiao’s trust. She felt she had nothing to hide; in fact, telling Yan Jiaojiao might even help expose the Sect Master’s true face faster. She said to Yan Jiaojiao, “I just want to ask my Senior Sister why her father was so insistent on marrying her off to the Lord.”

Yan Jiaojiao nodded. “It is indeed strange. Even the Lord was unusual—he suddenly told us he was bringing back a Dao companion, catching the sect off guard. We almost didn’t have time to prepare the wedding properly.”

With that, she walked out of the guest room carrying the large rooster. Yan Jiaojiao felt a flicker of doubt at Zuo Siqiu’s words, but she quickly dismissed it. Many people in their sect acted erratically and whimsically; it wasn’t impossible for the Leader to marry on a whim.

To her, the rooster in her arms was more important. She secretly pulled out an Intelligence-Opening Spirit Pill she had just bought and fed it to the bird. Though the rooster hadn’t developed true sapience yet, it knew a good thing when it saw it and swallowed the pill instantly.

Yan Jiaojiao began muttering into the rooster’s ear: “You must understand, the sole belief of everyone and every spirit pet in the Xuanyun Sect is the happiness of the Leader and the Madam. As the witness to their marriage, you must carry this heavy responsibility.”

While Yan Jiaojiao talked to the chicken, Bi Zhian entered the VIP room. Upon seeing Zuo Siqiu, her eyes immediately filled with tears.

Zuo Siqiu struck first. “Don’t cry, Senior Sister. I invited you here because I wanted to ask you something.”

Bi Zhian suppressed her grief. “What does Junior Sister wish to ask?”

Zuo Siqiu: “Do you know why the Sect Master insisted on you marrying into the Xuanyun Sect?”

Bi Zhian frowned. “It must have been due to pressure from the Xuanyun Sect. After all, they are a demonic cult.”

Zuo Siqiu pressed further: “But on that day, the Demon Sovereign said he didn’t require you to marry him as long as I remained. Yet, the Sect Master still hoped you would wed the Sovereign. I ask this not to drive a wedge between you and your father, but because I am truly confused.”

Bi Zhian had initially thought Zuo Siqiu was trying to stir trouble, but seeing her so candid, she began to realize the situation was indeed suspicious. “Thank you for the reminder, Junior Sister. I will keep this in mind and investigate the reasons later.”

The meeting was brief, but Zuo Siqiu knew her questions had planted the necessary seeds. She only hoped the male and female leads would be sharp enough to uncover the Sect Master’s schemes soon.

…

Before they left, the Shopkeeper brought out more secret treasures. “I know the Madam is from the Bixia Sect, so I reserved these high-quality materials for you.”

Originally intended for Bi Zhian, these treasures now naturally went to the sect’s own Madam, who was also an alchemist. Zuo Siqiu was astonished—these were the materials for refining a Peak-Grade Golden Core Pill, essential for ensuring success when transitioning from the Foundation Building stage to the Golden Core stage.

She happily accepted them and asked for the price. The Shopkeeper smiled. “These are charged to the Leader’s account. The entire shop belongs to the Leader; I simply balance the expenditures.”

Zuo Siqiu was delighted. It turned out the Shopkeeper wasn’t just making things up earlier—Xuan Mo really was paying for her! Feeling a bit shy about it, she decided she would refine some higher-grade “Sugar Bean Pills” for him next time.

…

Upon returning to the Xuanyun Sect, Zuo Siqiu immediately went to Xuan Mo’s cave dwelling to express her gratitude. However, her joy was quickly doused by a bucket of cold water.

Xuan Mo: “Who said these were gifts? I am merely letting you run a tab. One day, you must pay me back in full.”

Zuo Siqiu: “???”

So this man had suddenly become her creditor? She knew there was no such thing as a free lunch!

Xuan Mo then held out his hand. “The spirit pills from last time are gone.”

Zuo Siqiu: “I gave you four hundred!”

Xuan Mo: “They were only first-grade; I could eat four hundred in one sitting.”

He implied that making them last this long was already being frugal. Zuo Siqiu’s face puffed up with anger! At this rate, how could she ever keep up with his consumption?

Fortunately, Xuan Mo added, “I won’t set a deadline for the spirit stones. If there’s anything you want, just put it on my tab at the Black Shop. However, when you refine pills, you must think of me first.” His gaze drifted to the rooster in the courtyard. “At the very least, I cannot rank behind a chicken.”

Zuo Siqiu: “???” Are you really jealous of a chicken?

Whether the rooster felt Xuan Mo’s hostility or Yan Jiaojiao’s brainwashing had worked, when the moon rose, the bird occupied the daybed and refused to let Zuo Siqiu sleep there. Every time she even touched the edge of the bed, the rooster would peck her arm.

She stood up and tried to reason with it. “What is wrong with you? I brought you back and saved your life, and now you won’t even let me sleep on the bed? Do you expect me to sleep on the floor? Since when does the owner sleep on the floor while the pet takes the bed?”

But the rooster, lacking sapience, only clucked and refused to budge. Finally, Zuo Siqiu grabbed her pillow and turned to Xuan Mo, who was lying on the main bed.

Xuan Mo said coldly, “No.”

Zuo Siqiu pointed to the footstool by his bed, her tone humble. “Can I sleep on this footstool then? I really can’t sleep on the floor; the cold will ruin my health!”

Xuan Mo sneered. “How can a cultivator fear the cold? Besides, there is no ‘chill’ in my dwelling.”

Zuo Siqiu edged closer. “Regardless, I can’t sleep on the floor.”

Xuan Mo countered, “And what cultivator sleeps every day? Everyone spends the night meditating.”

Zuo Siqiu was indeed different from other cultivators. Before transmigrating, she was an ordinary human, and sleeping was her favorite activity. Even now, she wants to sleep all day. She quickly invented an excuse: “I cultivate while I refine pills; it’s much faster than regular meditation!”

Finally, Xuan Mo let out a cold snort and stopped talking. Taking this as silent consent, Zuo Siqiu lay down on the footstool. However, the footstool was uncomfortable. Xuan Mo’s bed, on the other hand, was a peak-grade artifact that emitted spiritual qi to nourish the sleeper.

In her daze, Zuo Siqiu unconsciously crawled onto the bed. Before long, she gravitated toward the heat source next to her. She rested her cheek on Xuan Mo’s shoulder, her hand around his waist, and her leg draped over his. She had never slept better.

Xuan Mo, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them. His gaze was deep and unreadable. After a moment, he let out a long breath and used his spiritual pressure to push her away. With a thud, she tumbled back onto the daybed.

Yet, even that didn’t wake her. A moment later, she crawled back up and repeated the same actions. If Xuan Mo hadn’t been using his divine sense to observe her, he would have suspected she was faking sleep to trick him.

The next morning, Zuo Siqiu woke up to see a flawless, pale complexion and a peerlessly handsome profile. She froze for a second, then stiffened, wanting to sneak away before he woke up.

But the man beside her hadn’t been sleeping at all. Sensing her movement, he kept his eyes closed and let out a cold, murderous snort.

Zuo Siqiu scrambled off the bed, stammering, “I’m sorry! I… I’m a restless sleeper!”

She dashed over to the daybed, grabbed the rooster, and bolted out the door.