After My Death, the Female Lead Breaks the Heartless Path - Chapter 42

After watching the vehicle depart, Yin Ruolan turned around as the two little ones leaped into her arms. “It’s time to set off,” she said, glancing at the empty hall and the solitary throne above it.

There was a time when she hadn’t particularly liked this position. The Demon Sovereign wasn’t as majestic as others imagined; more often than not, it was fraught with challenges and even filth. To protect this seat, she had to resort to any means necessary.

The once upright and honorable goddess had long since fallen, and this throne was proof of that. But now, it seemed to carry another layer of meaning:

This thorny throne also existed to protect.

“Liu Ruichu, you, Xiao Bai, and Bai Yi stay here to prevent anyone from scheming behind our backs,” Yin Ruolan said, picking up a long spear. She carefully wiped it down, pressed something, and then turned to Liu Ruichu.

Liu Ruichu was momentarily taken aback before nodding in understanding and bowing slightly. “Understood. I will guard this place until you and the Sovereign Consort return.”

Yin Ruolan hummed in acknowledgment and handed her the spear. “Take this.”

Liu Ruichu hesitated for a moment before accepting it. She instinctively weighed it in her hands and asked with a puzzled look, “Sovereign, this is…”

Yin Ruolan didn’t answer immediately but instead asked, “How does it feel?”

Liu Ruichu swung it a couple of times and couldn’t help but praise, “An excellent spear!”

“This was forged by Xiao Qiu at my request. I heard you were most skilled with a spear but never found a good one. Xiao Qiu crafted this specifically based on your usual combat habits. I’ll feel more at ease if you carry it.”

With that, Yin Ruolan turned and left. She didn’t go to the army but sought out her personal guard those who were loyal only to her.

Liu Ruichu looked at the new weapon in her hand, then in the direction Yin Ruolan had departed, and tightened her grip on the spear.

Before leaving, Xu Jingqiu had left behind enough new weapons for an entire army. Since many were unfamiliar with them, Yin Ruolan selected the easiest close-combat weapons to master and distributed them. A covert team set out, heading straight for the city’s border, where the unrest had begun.

The demons, already influenced by [Mad Calamity], had reached the peak of their bloodlust, fighting recklessly without regard for anything. The city guards, however, had to consider the civilians, leaving them somewhat restrained and repeatedly at a disadvantage.

With a single slash, a demon cleaved the city guard blocking its path in two. Blood stained its vision, deepening its bloodthirsty desire. Eager to kill, it spotted the child hiding behind the corpse.

Ah, this person had been protecting the child and couldn’t dodge in time. But what did it matter now? It only worked to the demon’s advantage.

Raising its sword high, the demon swung it down. The nearby guards tried to rush over to shield the child but were held back by other demons. They could only watch in despair as the blade descended; some even closed their eyes, unable to bear the sight.

But the expected bloody scene did not occur someone had blocked the attack.

Yin Ruolan shielded the child with one hand, pushing them toward the rear guards, while simultaneously deflecting the demon’s sword and striking back with a lethal counterblow. With a sharp wave of her hand, she commanded, “Advance! End this battle swiftly!”

Armed with new weapons, the army quickly quelled the rebellion. Not only did they swiftly sweep through the battlefield, but they also detained anyone attempting to send messages, ensuring that news of the collapsing front lines would not reach the enemy.

Surprisingly, it all seemed far less challenging than she had anticipated. In her initial calculations, suppressing the demon rebellion was expected to face significant resistance. After all, she had long grown accustomed to such reactions: rejection, disdain, and disgust, all because she was human, not a demon.

Demons, by nature, would naturally side with their own kind. It was only through her overwhelming strength that she could suppress any dissenting voices.

Yet now, it appeared otherwise. The ones isolated and helpless were the demons, not her. By her side stood many demons who had willingly taken up arms, fighting alongside her.

They had seen for themselves who brought destruction and who stood as their protector. She was the Demon Sovereign, the guardian of this realm. Not all demons craved war; most simply sought a place to call home.

“Half of you, go comfort the civilians and assess the casualties and losses. The other half, follow me. I’ve received intelligence that the rebel forces have gathered in one location. We will strike directly.”

As Yin Ruolan prepared to lead her troops forward, the hem of her robe was tugged. She glanced down and saw a young demon child, the very one she had rescued earlier.

The child released her robe upon meeting her gaze, nervously clutching their own clothes, eyes darting nervously. In a timid voice, they stammered, “Th-thank you, Your Majesty.”

Yin Ruolan paused, instinctively looking back at the crowd behind her. There stood many rescued innocent civilians, all gazing at her with gratitude in their eyes.

A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched the lips of the usually stoic woman. “As long as you are safe, that is what matters. Go and register yourselves. This time, I—we will quell the demon rebellion and ensure that every demon with a heart of goodwill has a place to belong.”

Inside the largest tent at the demon rebels’ headquarters, Cui Ce stood before a sand table, loudly expounding on the life they would lead after their victorious rebellion.

“Tch, if you ask me, Chen Shang was far too timid. We should have done this long ago,” Cui Ce declared, slamming his wine cup onto the table. His face flushed with intoxication and indignation, he roared, “What capabilities does a mere human possess? She only rose to power thanks to the appointment of the former Demon Sovereign! How long have we lived like this? The demon realm is a place where the strong prey on the weak. Rules? Power is the only true authority. Who is she to change everything at a whim?”

After his outburst, Cui Ce let out a hearty laugh, downed another gulp of wine, and wiped his mouth with a bold sweep. “If it were me, I’d do even better! Conquer the mortal realm and the celestial isles entirely! Battle is what we demons are meant for!”

Everyone present shared Cui Ce’s sentiments, and without exception, they echoed his words. Among them, someone raised a question: “Then why did we have to wait for that old man’s orders to act? Surely he isn’t more powerful than us, is he?”

Hearing this, Cui Ce suddenly flew into a rage. He slammed his palm on the table so hard that it cracked. “Bah! It’s all because that old man is withholding our resources, saying we must wait until that other human and that Tianzhi? are both absent before we can act. If it were up to me, I’d just kill them all, take their heads straight to the Demon Lord, and force her to step down.”

“Oh? And then?” A cold voice sounded from behind Cui Ce, but he paid it no mind, still lost in his grand plans.

“And then? Of course, we’d unite the demon realm and march against the cultivation world. Who’s there?!” Cui Ce finally snapped back to reality and instinctively threw a punch behind him, only for it to be caught effortlessly.

Yin Ruolan looked at him with disgust. With just a slight increase in pressure, she made Cui Ce cry out in pain. She couldn’t help but wonder why someone so weak could be so arrogant likely a result of her previous tolerance.

“You mentioned Chen Shang’s name earlier, didn’t you?” Yin Ruolan applied more force, forcing Cui Ce to his knees. “Come with me. I have many questions for you. Don’t even think about dying. I’m not unfamiliar with soul-searching techniques. If you die, it would only make things easier for me.”

Cui Ce bit his lower lip and suddenly shouted toward the outside, “Guards! They’ve broken in. Huh?”

The room was now filled with people he didn’t recognize, all holding unfamiliar weapons. His own men lay motionless on the ground, without a single sound of struggle having been heard.

Chen Shang had deceived him! How could this Demon Lord be weak?

Cui Ce lowered his head and remained silent. Yin Ruolan snorted coldly, immediately casting a silencing spell and binding him with restraints. After a moment’s thought, she also stuffed a piece of cloth she found nearby into his mouth before ordering her subordinates to take him away.

Though she already knew who was behind this, she still had to follow the proper procedures to maintain order. This time, it wasn’t just about dealing with the troublemakers, it was about cleansing the demon realm of its long-standing corruption.

This was the former Demon Lord’s final wish: to rejuvenate the demon realm when the time was right.

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