After Provoking the Mad Beautiful Deity - Chapter 10

Phoenix for Ningzhu.

Faced with Hongchen’s unreasonable stubbornness, Yanlai had no other choice. “Meditate and regulate your breathing. I’ll give you some spiritual power.”

Hongchen blinked but didn’t move. Yanlai had agreed too quickly, which made her suspicious.

The two locked eyes for a moment. Hongchen reached out and gently brushed aside the stray strands of hair at Yanlai’s temple, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “The exalted deity agreed far too readily.”

Hongchen might seem foolish, but she wasn’t truly naive. It was just that she cared little about most things, dismissing them with disdain, which set her apart from others who nitpicked over every detail.

“Spiritual power is naturally far more important to me than purity,” Yanlai remained unmoved. “Did you think everyone is like you, constantly talking about dual cultivation?”

At these words, Hongchen’s gaze deepened. “Does the celestial realm even have any shame left? Your Celestial Emperor fathers children every year, treating his daughters as less than human. What face do any of you have left to speak of?”

Yanlai flushed with embarrassment, struggling to explain. “The Celestial Emperor’s actions are his alone and have nothing to do with others. Besides, Phoenix Mountain exists beyond the celestial realm.”

“I see. The celestial realm has no shame, but Phoenix Mountain does. Understood. Now give me your spiritual power.” Hongchen summed it up with utmost seriousness, a stark contrast to the icy aura surrounding her.

Yanlai was left speechless. Was that what she meant?

Hongchen settled into meditation, and Yanlai said no more. One extra word could lead them miles off track, with no hope of return.

At the border between the celestial and demon realms, countless celestial soldiers and numerous cultivators gathered, pressing forward like a dark cloud blotting out the light. The air was thick with the stench of death.

The demon realm’s guards immediately sent out a signal for reinforcements. Yanguang arrived in an instant, but the sight of the endless celestial troops left him frozen in panic.

Soon, others arrived one after another. Some sneered at the celestial realm’s all-out assault, while others wore expressions of terror.

Many cultivators stood on the ground, observing from a distance, using magical artifacts to protect themselves from the impending conflict.

Before long, the celestial soldiers and generals launched an attack on the demon guards. Yanguang led his troops forward, and the two armies clashed, the flames of war spreading for miles.

Sanmeng, hearing the commotion, rushed to the scene, scanning the crowd for a familiar face. Unable to find the person she sought, she took advantage of the demon guards’ distraction and slipped into the demon realm.

The demon realm’s rear was undefended. Following her memory, she made her way forward and soon spotted the demon palace in the distance. As she prepared to advance, a figure descended from the sky Xiao Shi, riding a celestial flute, blocking her path.

Recognizing the celestial artifact, Sanmeng was taken aback. Xiao Shi had originally intended to join the battle, but the sudden appearance of a celestial realm intruder startled her. Without a second thought, she charged forward to engage.

“Hold on. I’m here to find someone, not to fight today.” Sanmeng rubbed her temples in frustration. Noting her opponent’s aggressive stance but lack of spiritual power, she relaxed and smiled. “Perfect timing. I’ll capture you and trade you to your demon lord for our phoenix.”

“What did you say?” Xiao Shi only half-understood. Seeing her opponent forming hand seals to attack, she didn’t dare hold back and channeled her own spiritual power.

Their skirmish was brief. Sanmeng’s cultivation far surpassed Xiao Shi’s, and she swiftly captured her, stuffing her into a bag and leaving behind a message: Phoenix for Ningzhu.

Spiritual power flowed through Hongchen like a warm spring, cleansing her damaged meridians and slowly spreading throughout her body. A stream of energy enveloped her heart, cradling it gently.

Hongchen relaxed completely, entrusting herself to Yanlai. Seizing the opportunity, Yanlai probed her essence, hoping to unravel the unsolved mysteries. Yet, she discovered that Hongchen’s cultivation was unlike any she had ever encountered.

Her meridians were suppressed, preventing her current cultivation from advancing. If the restrictions were lifted. Yanlai drew a sharp breath, how utterly insane.

Yanlai hurriedly withdrew her hand and sighed, “Just who are you?”

Who in heaven or on earth possessed such formidable cultivation? Not only was she missing a soul and spirit, but she also carried restrictions on her body. It was unclear whether the restrictions came first or the loss of her soul.

Hongchen remained unconscious, and Yanlai’s heart sank into an abyss. The celestial race would soon face a powerful adversary.

Gazing at that familiar face, she was reminded of the former Demon Venerable, Hongyan, whose immense spiritual power allowed her to contend with several high-level deities. Did Hongchen, following her mother, possess such formidable abilities?

There was also a rumor that Hongyan, before her death, had transferred all her spiritual power to her daughter.

Just then, Hongchen slowly awoke, her eyes wide open. She first touched her chest, then formed a hand seal to test her spiritual power, her entire being brimming with joy. She laughed delightedly, “You’re actually this powerful? If we dual cultivate, wouldn’t our strength surpass everyone else’s?”

Yanlai let out a cold laugh. Even without dual cultivation, she could already stand above all the immortals.

She didn’t respond. Hongchen raised a hand to adjust her hair bun, and suddenly, the bracelet on her wrist trembled. Both of them focused their attention on it. Hongchen frowned, “There are celestial beings in the Demon Palace.”

Instinctively, she reached out to investigate, but a beam of light shot into the hall. The two swiftly dodged, and beneath the light, a message was left: “A phoenix in exchange for Ningzhu.”

Yanlai exclaimed in surprise, “Sanmeng.”

Hongchen let out an indifferent “Oh.” “That woman? She kidnapped my Xiao Shi to trade for you? Bullying the weak, how shameless. Fine then, let Xiao Shi go.”

Hearing this, Yanlai nearly stumbled to the ground and shot Hongchen a deep, meaningful glance. Hongchen, lost in thought for a moment, sat down on the edge of the bed, her gaze distant.

There were still things she didn’t understand, so she wouldn’t recklessly attempt a rescue. Sanmeng was a peculiar celestial being, born from dreams. Whether she was good or evil depended entirely on mortals. Therefore, one had to be especially cautious when dealing with her.

Noticing her troubled expression, Yanlai cautiously asked, “Are you afraid to confront Sanmeng?”

“How did Sanmeng come to be?” Hongchen rarely asked questions. “She can access our dreams. If there are more beautiful dreams, she leans toward goodness. But if nightmares accumulate, the evil within her can take control. So, what is her weakness? And what about the third dream, the dream of the past? It signifies that a person’s experiences contain both beauty and hardship. If the third dream turns into a nightmare, then she becomes evil. The one who captured Xiao Shi is she good or evil?”

“I don’t know much about her. Do you know whether she’s good or evil?”

“You’re not as foolish as you seem,” Yanlai sighed. “During the Great War ten thousand years ago, she sided with Demon Venerable Hongyan. At that time, the Demon Venerable controlled her using nightmares. Later, after Hongyan disappeared, the beautiful dreams of the mortal world awakened her, and she became what she is now.”

Hongchen suddenly understood. “So, she can be either good or evil. How do we deal with her? Control the dreams of mortals?”

“You can control the dreams of mortals?” Yanlai was inwardly astonished but kept her expression neutral, her gaze as calm as water.

Hongchen nodded. “I can give it a try.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a surge of dark energy rushed toward them Yanguang was sending a distress signal.

Hongchen paid it little mind, waving her hand to dissipate the dark energy. She turned to Yanlai and said, “I’ll be right back. Wait for me.”

“I’ll go with you,” Yanlai said, sensing something amiss. “You’re injured and shouldn’t use your spiritual power. Let me go in your place consider it repayment for the medicine you gave me.”

“No need, you should keep owing me. You exist beyond both realms, so it’s best not to get involved in conflicts.” Hongchen declined her goodwill with a wave of her hand. “I like having you indebted to me. If all debts were settled, how could we remain cultivation partners? Besides, you’ve already repaid the medicine I gave you with your spiritual energy, so you don’t owe me anything. Matters of the demon realm should be handled by the Demon Lord.”

The Hongchen at this moment was devoid of her usual innocence. She summoned a black robe embroidered with vast wings across the chest, which shimmered brilliantly under the glow of the night pearls.

The girl changed into the black robe, her expression turning solemn, her eyes calm as still water, while an aura of killing intent solidified around her. Her smile held a certain beauty, yet that beauty carried a hint of toxicity like a vibrant red flower blooming under the sunlight, gradually tainted with a dark venom, radiant yet untouchable.

Hongchen curled the corner of her lips, her skin so pale it seemed almost translucent. She gestured for Yanlai to rest on her bed, her crimson lips full as she said, “Wait for me to return. It’s nothing serious.”

The great war between immortals and demons, how could it be nothing serious? A sense of fear gripped her, emotions uncontrollably surging. She worried whether the girl would return safely.

The girl departed, flying out of the palace and vanishing without a trace. Left alone, Yanlai gazed at the childlike decorations filling the hall and walked to the dressing table. The vanity case was filled with beautiful accessories, mostly red, with some black ones, the black exuding grandeur and stability, the red bewitching to the bone, all perfectly suited for the girl.

She could sense the girl’s presence, yet her heart raced uncontrollably. In that moment, she felt she should follow, even if only to observe without intervening.

Once her mind was made up, she instantly teleported after her.

By the time Hongchen arrived, Yanguang was desperately defending the demon realm’s border. Hongchen landed beside her, patting her shoulder, and said, “Go home and seek treatment from the demon physicians.”

“Master, you’ve come.” Yanguang spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed into Hongchen’s embrace. Only now that her master had arrived did she dare to let go.

Hongchen frowned, gently stroking the younger girl’s face before handing her over to a subordinate. She then soared into the sky, her black robe reflecting layers of crimson light. Yet she smiled, declaring, “When it comes to fighting, I’ve never lost.”

She charged toward the immortal formation, leaving a trail of red blossoms in her wake, her entire body enveloped in flowers as she swiftly plunged into the heart of the battle.