After Marrying the Disabled Demon Lord as a Substitute, I Ran Away with His Child - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Bi Zhian truly desired to rescue her Little Junior Sister from that den of monsters.

Her gaze fell upon Xuan Mo. Currently, he appeared frail and consumed by illness; his face was deathly pale, devoid of color to the point of being translucent, revealing the faint blue veins at his temples. Yet, he was exceptionally handsome—his features were as deep and well-defined as a painting, with a nose and jawline that looked carved by the gods themselves.

And yet, this man sat immobile in a wheelchair. A reckless thought even sprouted in Bi Zhian’s mind: perhaps, under her care, he could recover and stand once more to look down upon the world.

However, the people of the Bixia Sect were unwilling to let her marry into a demonic sect and stepped forward to stop her. The Bixia Sect Leader barked, “The great affairs of this sect are not for you to decide with such wild talk!”

He was quite satisfied that his daughter was willing to step up and marry the Demon Sovereign. He was just about to discuss the details with Xuan Mo when the latter let out a cold laugh. “Do you think just anyone can marry into my Xuanyun Sect?”

Publicly rejected, Bi Zhian’s face paled, and she swayed as if about to collapse, a sight that drew pity from many.

Xuan Mo didn’t spare her a single glance. Instead, he asked Zuo Siqiu, “Perhaps you wish to leave the Xuanyun Sect and return to the Bixia Sect?”

Zuo Siqiu shook her head. “I do not. Since I have already married you, I am yours in life, and I shall be your ghost in death.”

Her words were so resolute that the crowd looked on in surprise. The Bixia Sect Leader’s expression turned particularly grim.

Zuo Siqiu didn’t care what he thought. The behavior of the Bixia Sect today had made her realize that returning would be like moving back home after graduation in her past life—living under her family’s thumb, marrying and having children as they saw fit, never truly being free. That was a life she feared and refused to accept. In her previous life, she had defied her family to struggle on her own; why would she compromise now that she had transmigrated into this book?

Furthermore, she felt a strange dissonance. When reading the book, she had identified with the heroine, thinking she was simply a “Mary Sue” who was too kind to see the truth. But now, standing on the opposite side, Zuo Siqiu felt the heroine was definitely problematic—like a “Grand Tea” flavored White Lotus blooming right in front of her.

Another reason was her knowledge of the plot: the heroine couldn’t marry the Demon Sovereign. Even if she tried again, something would inevitably interrupt the wedding. In the original story, the Bixia Sect Leader had orchestrated this engagement solely to refine a “God-Transcending Pill.” The pill required the union of his daughter’s “Pure Soul” and the Demon Sovereign’s “Extremely Evil Soul,” refined through horrific means. With that pill, the Sect Leader could safely ascend to immortality.

But the plot would never allow him to succeed, and his conspiracy would eventually be uncovered by the leads. Therefore, even if Zuo Siqiu left now, the Demon Sovereign and the heroine wouldn’t end up together. Returning to the Bixia Sect would only make her life miserable and offend the Xuanyun Sect. While staying in the demon sect had its risks, the actions of the Xuanyun members today gave her a sliver of a sense of security.

Driven by self-preservation, she chose to stay. She planned to drop hints to the leads later so they would uncover the Sect Leader’s plot sooner, accelerating the plot to ensure her own safety.

Her dramatic vow of being “his in life and his ghost in death” served two purposes: to state her stance and to continue building up Xuan Mo’s public persona. She had been away for forty-nine days; she had to take this chance to show off their “affection” in front of the sect members.

Her words made the Xuanyun disciples lift their heads with pride, while the Bixia disciples stared at their Little Junior Sister in shock. They never expected the timid girl they knew to speak such bold, “wanton” words. They couldn’t help but recall the rumors of the wedding night—the ambiguous sounds that had echoed through the sect all night long.

The Bixia Sect Leader’s face was dark, his eyes filled with a poisonous glint as if he wanted to strike Zuo Siqiu down where she stood.

Xuan Mo, unwilling to linger, said to the Sect Leader, “Now that the truth is out, I have no desire to change Daoist partners. Let the matter end here.”

The Sect Leader’s face twitched, his expression becoming predatory. “The person we originally agreed upon was not Zuo Siqiu. I ask the Sect Master to think twice.” His words were hissed through gritted teeth, carrying a clear note of threat.

Xuan Mo showed no fear. Having settled the matter and stated his position, he led his disciples away through the air.

Left behind in the ruins of Zuo Siqiu’s residence, the Bixia Sect Leader looked at his second disciple—the one who had ruined his plans—with pure hatred. He vented all his rage on the man, ordering him to be thrown into the Black Prison of the Bixia Sect. Then, with a sweep of his sleeves, he departed, casting a sharp, freezing look at his own daughter before turning away.

Bi Zhi’an trembled. Just before she could fall, Long Xiaotian supported her, worrying, “Third Junior Sister, don’t be too sad. This may be a blessing in disguise; who knows how that demon would have tortured you in that den?”

Bi Zhi’an wept. “Little Junior Sister must have been heartbroken to say such things. Second Senior Brother did it for my sake, yet he suffers in prison now. Big Senior Brother, it’s all because of me. How can I not be sad?”

She lowered her eyes, making a silent vow. She would rescue her Second Senior Brother from the prison, and she would pull her Little Junior Sister out of the demonic cage! She would not let others suffer because of her. Even if it meant facing her father’s wrath, she would not betray her heart.

…

The Xuanyun Sect members returned to their mountain shortly after. Everyone wanted to stay and show their concern for the Lady, especially since it was clear she had been mistreated at the Bixia Sect.

However, Yan Jiaojiao chased them all away like a flock of chicks. “The Sect Master and his Lady haven’t seen each other in forty-nine days! They are enjoying a reunion that’s ‘better than a new marriage.’ Why are you all hanging around? Do you really want to disturb their intimacy?” She waved them off, eventually giving the couple a wink before leaving Xuan Mo’s grotto herself.

Zuo Siqiu hadn’t expected to be left alone with the Demon Sovereign so soon after such a harrowing event. She looked at him solemnly, her voice much softer and sweeter than it had been at the Bixia Sect. “Thank you, Venerable One, for helping me today. Without you, I would have been wrongly accused and likely punished back there.”

Xuan Mo arched an eyebrow. Though he didn’t speak, Zuo Siqiu felt his gaze was saying: That’s it?

She paused, then took a small storage artifact—a pill bottle—from her pouch. It contained the four hundred spirit pills she had made for him. Previously, the thought of giving them away had pained her, but after his help today, she felt quite willing to offer them as a gesture of gratitude.

She felt a bit proud; the quality of these pills was excellent. Not a single failed pill in the batch, and the “Grade 1 Peach Qi-Replenishing Pill” she had sampled herself was even more fragrant than she remembered from the original host’s memories.

“These are all for you, Venerable One. You can eat them like candy when you’re bored.”

She expected him to be somewhat more satisfied, but Xuan Mo still found something to criticize: “Why are the Qi-Replenishing Pills only Grade 1 this time?”

Zuo Siqiu: “…”

Her hand holding the bottle trembled. Under his “rightfully demanding” gaze, she felt a wave of guilt. “But even if they were Grade 3, they wouldn’t replenish much Qi for someone of your level… they’re about the same as Grade 1 anyway… it’s mostly for the flavor…”

Xuan Mo gave a soft huff. The lid of the bottle popped open, and a pink pill hopped out, floating right in front of his nose. The peach scent was richer than before, yet not cloying—a light, sweet fruit fragrance. Moreover, the pill was surrounded by a faint ring of spiritual mist. Though it was Grade 1, it was of the highest “Top-Tier” quality, likely as effective as a mediocre Grade 2 pill.

Xuan Mo opened his mouth slightly, and the pill drifted in. Indeed, the sweet flavor was much more intense than the one he had tried before. Having tasted one, he “reluctantly” accepted the bottle.

Zuo Siqiu breathed a sigh of relief. Still, hearing him speak like that made her feel her gratitude hadn’t been expressed fully. Recalling Yan Jiaojiao’s parting words, her youthful face became serious and determined.

“Venerable One, we haven’t seen each other in forty-nine days. Protector Yan specifically left us time together. We should play this role to the fullest—let them know that after a long separation, the Sect Master is ‘as fierce as a tiger’.”

She felt a bit shy saying this, and her serious little face flushed slightly red.

Xuan Mo watched her for a long while before deciding to play along. “In that case, what ideas do you have this time?” He popped a hawthorn-flavored pill into his mouth; the sweet and sour taste made his mood notably better.

With her wealth of “theoretical knowledge,” Zuo Siqiu was now an expert in faking it. She used her softest voice to say the most scandalous things.

“I’ve already done the back pain and the hickeys, so those two tricks can’t be used for now.”

“Since this is a ‘reunion better than a new marriage,’ one night certainly won’t cut it. I suggest we go for three days and three nights straight to showcase your ‘heroic vigor’.”

“We also need to align our stories. If anyone asks, ‘seven times a night’ is the absolute minimum standard.”

“While in seclusion, I refined some ‘Hoarse-Voice Pills.’ If I take one, my voice will sound slightly raspy, as if I’ve screamed my throat raw.”

“And while refining, I discovered a herb that, when applied under the eyes, makes one look exhausted.”

“So, this time, our theme will be: ‘Screamed until the voice broke, stayed up until the eyes were dark’!”

Xuan Mo: “…”