After Provoking the Mad Beautiful Deity - Chapter 36

“You truly are beautiful.”

Liuguang (Flowing Light) was but a legend; among the Immortals, most demon artifacts were considered forbidden arts. Few knew its true purpose. How to use it and what must be sacrificed remained a complete mystery.

 

Sanmeng waited for Yanlai’s response. Yanlai raised a hand to rub her brow, looking utterly exhausted. “I do not know how to answer you. I will go to the stone chamber first to seek out Liuguang.”

 

“I wish to see it as well.” Sanmeng breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Yanlai did not refuse, there was still hope.

 

Liuguang was kept in a stone chamber. The two headed there together, opened the barrier, and entered. The stone door rumbled shut behind them.

 

The artifact sat upon a stone pedestal. To the eye, it was small, lacking light or luster; it looked as ordinary as a common stone by the roadside. Sanmeng walked over and circled it a few times. “This is the thing?”

 

“I have no memory of it.” Yanlai remained completely in the dark. The artifact had stayed within Phoenix Mountain, unknown to almost everyone in the Heavens. It was only after Sanmeng mentioned it that she had taken notice.

 

They stared at the artifact for a long time. Sanmeng attempted to summon it with her spiritual power.

 

Yanlai remarked, “Artifacts recognize their masters. It likely will not listen to you.”

 

Sanmeng did not believe her and tried to pour her spiritual energy into it. However, her energy was like a stone dropping into the ocean, yielding no response. Soon, the artifact began to reverse the flow, absorbing her spiritual power instead.

 

It threatened to spiral out of control.

 

Yanlai, shocked, cast a spell to sever the connection for Sanmeng. Sanmeng was left shaken. “It absorbs spiritual power. How terrifying.”

 

Taking advantage of this test, Yanlai slightly turned her wrist, cutting her fingertip to let a drop of blood fall onto the artifact. Even after consuming the blood, it remained unresponsive. The two shared a look, and Sanmeng tried to nourish it with her blood as well.

 

Still, there was no reply.

 

Sanmeng lost her patience. “Neither blood nor spiritual power works. How do we open it?”

 

“Neither of us is its master, so naturally, it ignores us. You see, Liuguang is of no use to us.” Yanlai said. Not everyone could summon the artifact; what remained baffling was why it had recognized Hongyan as its master in the first place.

 

Sanmeng was deeply disappointed. She found it both novel and unbelievable. “How did Hongyan summon it then?”

 

Yanlai did not say.

 

They researched in the stone chamber for a while longer, but still to no avail. Sanmeng left the room in frustration. Yanlai followed after a brief delay to reinforce the protective arrays.

 

Sanmeng returned to her quarters first, while Yanlai walked slowly back to her own sleeping chamber. Hongchen had woken up from a nap and was sitting cross-legged on the bed. She shot Yanlai a glance. “Look at that worried face of yours. Tsk tsk. I’ve been thinking, you must have run into some trouble.”

 

“You are clever,” Yanlai replied dismissively.

 

Hongchen was displeased. She crossed her arms, her cheeks puffing out. “Are we still Dao companions?”

 

Yanlai said, “No.”

 

Hongchen grumbled and lay down, turning her back. Yanlai walked over slowly. “What are you angry about?”

 

“I’m angry that you’re hiding things from me.” Hongchen huffed, quickly sitting back up. She stared at Yanlai’s flawless face and arched an eyebrow. “You don’t have me in your heart.”

 

Yanlai found her amusing. Why did the girl suddenly decide that she was unloved? The divide between Immortals and Demons was vast, yet Hongchen seemed to have no sense of it.

 

Yanlai sat down, her gaze lingering. “Indeed, I do not.”

 

Hongchen flared up in rage, but Yanlai cut her off. “Are you going back to the Demon Realm then?”

 

“No! If you tell me to go back, I should just go? I have a reputation to maintain!”

 

“Oh. Then you aren’t going back.”

 

“I… I’m going back!” Provoked, Hongchen fell right into Yanlai’s trap again.

 

Seeing her defeated, Yanlai smiled comfortably. Hongchen stood with hands on hips, glaring, then shamelessly poked her own cheek. “Hurry up. I’m angry.”

 

Yanlai gave a faint smile. Her slender neck arched slightly as she leaned in with fluid grace and pressed a kiss to Hongchen’s cheek.

 

Hongchen was stunned. she touched the side of her face. “Since when did you become so obedient?”

 

“Is it not good to listen to you?” Yanlai replied softly.

 

Hongchen was profoundly confused, as if she had stepped into a thick fog. “I feel like you’re setting a trap for me.”

 

“I am not. I am very kind,” Yanlai defended herself.

 

Hongchen said, “Why are you using my lines?”

 

Yanlai gave a thin smile. “I intend to open the gates and recruit disciples. What do you think?”

 

“Did something trigger this?” Hongchen could hear the hidden meaning in her words. Something was definitely up. She pressed with forced patience, “Do you want to expand the power of Phoenix Mountain?”

 

The strength of a single person was too small. For such a massive sect, having a few more High Goddesses and High Immortals would show its true might. Once, Phoenix Mountain had thousands of disciples and a grand presence; now, it was desolate, with Yanlai fighting a lonely battle.

 

Yanlai shook her head and said seriously, “I will open the gates, but I will only accept those who have recently ascended to the Immortal stage. Furthermore, I will only take goddesses, no gods.”

 

“Fine. I’ll have the Demon Healers bring some pills as a welcoming gift,” Hongchen said happily. “Recruiting is a good thing. But why the sudden change?”

 

“The big picture.”

 

Hearing those grand, formal words, Hongchen burst out laughing. “You haven’t taken a disciple in ten thousand years. Suddenly you care about the ‘big picture’? Don’t you think it’s a bit late?”

 

Yanlai’s expression grew meaningful. “It is indeed late.” Late by ten thousand years; she didn’t know if there was still time.

 

Hongchen mocked her directly. “Having disciples isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Think about it. Ten thousand years ago, Phoenix Mountain was majestic and had thousands of followers. In the end, didn’t they all end up dead and buried?”

 

Yanlai: “…”

 

Hongchen tilted her head and teased, “It’s the truth. Think about it slowly. Instead of wasting time on disciples, you’d be better off increasing your own strength and breaking into the High Goddess realm. Besides, what do you need disciples for? I have many demon soldiers. Do you want them?”

 

“Immortals and Demons are different. I don’t want yours,” Yanlai refused.

 

Hongchen was about to explode again, but Yanlai beat her to the punch. “Are you going back to the Demon Realm again?”

 

Hongchen: “…”

 

So angry! So angry!

 

Hongchen suppressed her rage, glared coldly at her, and then laughed. She stood up and pointed at Yanlai. “If it weren’t for this face of yours, I wouldn’t even deign to set foot on Phoenix Mountain.”

 

“You covet my beauty,” Yanlai said with amusement.

 

Hongchen huffed and admitted it shamelessly. “So what if I do? Being coveted by this Lord is your good fortune.”

 

“It is indeed my good fortune,” Yanlai answered in her calmest voice. “To be liked by the Demon Lord is Yanlai’s blessing.”

 

Hongchen blinked and rubbed her ears. “Did a donkey kick you in the head just now?”

 

“No.”

 

“Did you get your head caught in a door?”

 

“No.”

 

“Then how are you saying such sweet things?”

 

“Because the Demon Lord is beautiful.”

 

Hongchen felt exceptionally satisfied. As she leaned in close, Yanlai lowered her eyes. “Let’s do Dual Cultivation.”

 

“I have matters to command the attendants with, and I must also go to the Ninth Heaven. Do you wish to go to the Ninth Heaven?” Yanlai moved aside to dodge her, her expression returning to its usual frostiness. When she spoke of the Ninth Heaven, her voice was as flat and emotionless as a wooden plank.

Hongchen was sensible for once. “You go ahead. I’ll wait for you to come back, and then we can go to the Ninth Heaven together.”

Yanlai glanced at her. Hongchen was grinning so widely her eyes were mere slits, and seeing this, Yanlai departed with a sense of peace.

Phoenix Mountain had not seen a guest or accepted a disciple in ten thousand years. Opening its gates now to recruit across the realms would undoubtedly cause a sensation in all four worlds.

The Ninth Heaven was shrouded in celestial mist. Yanlai entered the Hall of Profound Heaven to explain the murder of the Medical Immortal, while Hongchen sat on the steps outside the hall. Celestial maidens stood nearby, waiting to be summoned.

After sitting for a while, Hongchen used her superior gift of gab to wedge herself into the middle of the maidens’ circle. They were discussing who was the most beautiful goddess in the Ninth Heaven.

After listening for a moment, Hongchen interjected, “Is High Goddess Yanlai not beautiful?”

“High Goddess Yanlai? She’s tens of thousands of years old. How could she be as beautiful as the little goddesses who are only a few thousand years old?” a young maiden mocked.

Hongchen was surprised. “Then who is the best looking?”

“Imperial Princess Cheng’an, of course! She’s only a thousand years old and is absolutely stunning,” the maidens said with longing expressions.

“A thousand years? That’s far too young. Green fruit doesn’t taste good.” Hongchen waved her hand, acting like a sage. “You don’t realize how beautiful High Goddess Yanlai is. Mature charm is like a ripe red fruit; why eat a green one?”

The maidens looked at each other as Hongchen continued, “If High Goddess Yanlai weren’t beautiful, how could she have been chosen as the Crown Princess? She has both beauty and wisdom. Such a woman is truly perfect.”

“But Princess Cheng’an really is beautiful. You just haven’t seen her. Oh, look, she’s coming!”

Someone spoke, and Hongchen followed their gaze. A young goddess came running with small steps, appearing like a gentle breeze blowing through a hundred flowers, intoxicating all who saw her.

Hongchen stared blankly at Princess Cheng’an and rubbed her eyes. The princess walked up to her. “Are you from Phoenix Mountain?”

Her tone was delicate, her voice like a silver bell. Cheng’an had a small heart-shaped face, willow-leaf brows, and peach-blossom eyes. She squinted slightly as she looked at Hongchen.

Hongchen stood up. “Where is the beauty? Her eyes are so small they’re practically slits. Look, no gap at all. High Goddess Yanlai’s eyes are much larger.”

The maidens: “…”

Hearing this, Cheng’an instinctively touched her eyes. “Your eyes aren’t that big either!”

The four eyes of the two women met in a brief standoff. A breeze fluttered, and Yanlai arrived with ethereal grace. Cheng’an squinted at her and called out, “Sister-in-law!”

“Who are you calling sister-in-law? Don’t shout nonsense!” Hongchen stood with hands on hips, glare fierce. She instinctively blocked Yanlai and pointed a finger at Cheng’an. “She is not your sister-in-law. Watch your words!”

Princess Cheng’an was fuming, her small face puffing out. “You are truly ill-mannered! I am an Imperial Princess of the Immortal Clan. Shouldn’t you bow when you see me?”

“Princess? I am…” Before Hongchen could finish, her “Master” covered her mouth and pressed her into her embrace. Fearing the girl would explode, Yanlai reminded Cheng’an, “She is right. The Prince and I are not yet married. You may call me by my name.”

“You…” Cheng’an stomped her foot, feeling that Yanlai was being unreasonable and biased toward her disciple. “Sister-in-law! Sister-in-law! I’m going to call you sister-in-law anyway!”

Hongchen was enraged. What a brat, trying to take advantage of Yanlai.

Princess Cheng’an had only just met Yanlai and wanted to establish a connection for future convenience. The tension was palpable, and after another word of disagreement, Hongchen moved to fight. Yanlai couldn’t hold her back, and the two began to scuffle.

Strangely, Hongchen used no spiritual power, relying solely on mortal martial arts. Even so, she pinned Cheng’an down so thoroughly the princess couldn’t move.

Hongchen, still furious, pinched Cheng’an’s neck. “Call her ‘High Goddess.’ If you say ‘Sister-in-law’ again, I’ll strangle you!”

“I’ll say it! Sister-in-law! Big sister-in-law!”

Hongchen raised her hand and slapped Cheng’an’s cheek. A red handprint immediately appeared on the porcelain skin. Cheng’an shot a glance at Yanlai. “Sister-in-law, your disciple is bullying me!”

Yanlai gazed at the horizon with her hands behind her back, appearing as if she hadn’t heard a single thing. She even took a quiet step to the side so no one would notice her presence.

Cheng’an burst into tears, and Hongchen roared, “Shut up! Apologize and I’ll let you go!”

“I won’t! I’m telling my mother!” Cheng’an sobbed while pinned to the ground.

The maidens had long since fled, leaving only the three of them. Cheng’an refused to yield, and Hongchen continued to throw punches. Below the steps, the wails were piteous. Hongchen cursed, “Where is the beauty? Your eyes are tiny! Compared to my Master, you have nothing! Apologize now, or I’ll drag you back to Phoenix Mountain to keep hitting you!”

Hongchen was acting out, but she strictly used physical force, not magic. Cheng’an cried for a long time, but seeing that Yanlai wouldn’t save her and no one else was coming, she finally broke.

“I… I was wrong. High Goddess! I won’t call you that anymore!”

Cheng’an couldn’t hold out any longer and apologized with a hoarse voice, looking piteous with her tear-streaked face. Satisfied, Hongchen let her go. “If you say it again, I’ll hit you again.”

Princess Cheng’an scrambled up to run, but hit an invisible barrier and was bounced back hard. It wasn’t that no one was coming to save her; it was that someone had set a barrier, isolating them from the world.

Cheng’an cried even louder. Hongchen looked around in surprise before fixing her gaze on Yanlai, praising her, “You have a real talent for doing bad things.”

“Why did you hit her?” Yanlai didn’t quite understand Hongchen’s childish behavior.

Hongchen sighed. “They said that thing was prettier than you. I couldn’t stand it, and then she came to provoke me, so I had to teach her a lesson.”

“Provoke you?” Yanlai was still confused.

“She called you ‘Sister-in-law.’ Isn’t that a provocation?” Hongchen said righteously.

Yanlai looked at her and shook her head helplessly. “How do you have the nerve to say that? There was nothing wrong with her calling me that; you were the one being unreasonable.”

“If anyone says it again, I’ll hit them too!” Hongchen shook her fist.

Just as she spoke, another woman approached and looked at Yanlai. “Sister-in-law.”

Hongchen’s suppressed anger flared up again. She raised her fist to fight, but the woman stopped three paces away. Yanlai looked at the woman with a gaze that said: I don’t know you, don’t call me that, my disciple is going to get angry.

The woman bowed. “Deshun greets Sister-in-law.”

It was Princess Deshun, who had married into the East Sea.

Hongchen wanted to punch her, but then she saw the woman’s prominent baby bump. She stopped instantly, her gaze becoming plaintive and dissatisfied as she looked at Yanlai.

Princess Deshun was pregnant; she couldn’t be hit!

Yanlai found it funny and instinctively patted Hongchen’s head while saying to the Princess, “My business is done. I am returning to Phoenix Mountain.”

“Sister-in-law, I heard you are opening the mountain to take disciples?” Princess Deshun asked anxiously.

Hongchen continued to stare at her unwillingly. “Who do you want to recommend? Rest assured, whoever you recommend, we won’t take them.”

The Princess was embarrassed and looked at Yanlai helplessly. Yanlai smiled. “My disciple is unruly; please forgive her. Whom does the Princess wish to recommend?”

“My younger sister, Cheng’an. She’s only a thousand years old and her cultivation is shallow. Do you think…” Deshun said boldly.

Hongchen let out a cold laugh. “That one won’t do. She’s too stupid; she would ruin High Goddess Yanlai’s reputation.”

“This… have you two met?” Deshun frowned, sensing a deep prejudice from the young girl.

Yanlai refused directly. “Princess Cheng’an and my disciple just finished ‘sparring’.”

Deshun was disappointed and wanted to say more, but Hongchen pulled Yanlai away. Hongchen took the chance to “slander” the Immortals. “You Immortals are always forming cliques. Turning a sister-in-law into a disciple? How do you even come up with that?”

Yanlai kindly reminded her, “You are a rebellious disciple coveting her own Master.”

Hongchen stopped and stared at her. “Are you unhappy about it?”

“I wouldn’t dare be unhappy; the Demon Lord is very powerful,” Yanlai teased, feigning fear.

Hongchen chuckled. “I think you’ve gone a bit crazy.”

Yanlai glanced at her, let go of her hand, and walked away. Hongchen followed closely. They encountered several female celestials along the way. Yanlai rarely visited the Ninth Heaven, and now that she was here to clear her name, the celestials couldn’t help but look at her with pity.

They met a goddess in a purple silk dress. She stopped when she saw Hongchen and looked her over. Yanlai instinctively stepped in front of the girl.

Last time, this was the goddess who had flirted with Hongchen when she was transformed into Sanmeng.

“I am the Moon Goddess,” the deity said, bowing to Yanlai, though her eyes remained fixed on Hongchen.

Hongchen looked back at her. The Moon Goddess was beautiful and dignified, her purple robes elegant and her aura full of mystery. Hongchen grew shy under her gaze and praised her with a smile, “Moon Goddess, you truly are beautiful.”

“Your mouth is quite sweet. I smell a very familiar scent on you,” the Moon Goddess mused. While a goddess’s age cannot be judged by her looks, the childishness in Hongchen’s eyes could not be hidden.

Yanlai looked displeased. “Moon Goddess, why are you staring at my disciple?”