After Provoking the Mad Beautiful Deity - Chapter 4

Couldn’t resist upon seeing a beauty.

At the foot of Phoenix Mountain, countless cultivators roamed. After lingering in the mortal realm for a long time, Hongchen finally snatched a female Taoist priest and brought her back to the Demon Palace.

The Demon Physician had been waiting anxiously. At the sight of a drunken female Taoist, his eyes widened in shock. “Which immortal have you brought back this time?”

Hongchen tossed the female Taoist onto the floor, panting from exhaustion. “Just a female cultivator. Rather than being struck by lightning, wouldn’t it be better for her to become my cultivation partner? How wonderful.”

“That’s no ordinary female Taoist, she’s an immortal!” The Demon Physician stamped his foot in frustration, pointing at the woman’s spiritual core. “Test it yourself. She’s clearly an immortal.”

“An immortal? Then why is she dead drunk?” Hongchen had no intention of testing her. If the Demon Physician said she was an immortal, then so be it. She lazily eyed the drunkard. “This immortal isn’t bad-looking. Why don’t I just make do with her?”

Having made up her mind, she casually tossed the woman onto her large bed and lay down beside her. Dual cultivation, who didn’t know how to do that?

The Demon Physician stared in disbelief. “Demon Sovereign, what are you doing?”

“You mentioned dual cultivation. We’re lying together to cultivate,” Hongchen replied lazily, closing her eyes. Once a decision was made, there was no need to overthink it. Immortals and deities were all the same, why fuss over a mere difference in title?

“Dual cultivation?” The female Taoist on the bed suddenly opened her eyes, sat up, and flipped over. Her green robes fluttered elegantly, and the jade gourd at her waist levitated, emitting a soft green glow.

Hongchen watched the green light and reached out to grab it, only to be repelled the moment she touched it. The woman was quite beautiful, so she reached out to stroke her cheek. The Demon Physician cried out in alarm, “Demon Sovereign, Demon Sovereign! She’s drunk, don’t touch her!”

“Drunk? I’ll touch her anyway,” Hongchen declared proudly, stroking the woman’s smooth, soft cheek. She studied the woman’s face and popped a pill into her mouth. “Wake up, wake up.”

As she waited for the woman to awaken, the Demon Physician trembled with fear, muttering, “Demon Sovereign, why must you provoke an immortal? Don’t you know immortal women are fiercer than tigers?”

Hongchen nodded. “This sovereign can handle tigers.”

The Demon Physician: “…”

Hongchen’s attention shifted to the jade gourd at the woman’s waist, coveting it for herself. She stared at it for a long while until the woman slowly opened her eyes and met Hongchen’s gaze.

“Demon Sovereign?” Immortal Sanmeng rubbed her head as she sat up, scanning the hall with a dazed expression.

Hongchen tilted her head curiously. “You know me?”

Sanmeng froze, staring at the innocent-looking girl before her with clear, bright eyes. She immediately sat up, glanced at the bed beneath her, and covered her chest with her hands. “What have you done to me?”

“This sovereign captured you for dual cultivation. Lie down, and let’s cultivate together.” Hongchen’s eyes sparkled like stars, radiant and charming. As she reached out to touch the other’s face, her expression remained calm and detached, devoid of any excitement or emotion, as if dual cultivation were the most mundane activity.

Immortal Sanmeng scrambled to her feet, staring at the girl in disbelief. “You want to dual cultivate with me?”

Hongchen had been observing Sanmeng’s reaction all along. Seeing her surprise but no anger, she sat cross-legged and nodded with a smile.

“Immortal, Immortal! Our Demon Sovereign doesn’t understand what dual cultivation means. Please don’t be angry!” The Demon Physician stepped forward to explain, positioning himself between the two. Behind him, Hongchen pushed him aside, her bright eyes and delicate features making her look particularly innocent. “What’s wrong with that?”

“Do you know who I am?” Three Dreams Immortal pressed her forehead, wishing she could cover the girl’s mouth. “Do you have no sense of shame?”

Red Dust rested her chin on her hand, tilting her head as she looked at the other with confusion. “Which question should I answer first?”

Three Dreams stared intently at the girl before her, trying to discern something, but her eyes were as clear and innocent as a child’s. Suddenly trembling, she asked, “You don’t recognize me?”

“I don’t. The only two immortals I know who aren’t dead are Yanlai and the Crown Prince. You could be the third, since we’re supposed to dual cultivate.” Red Dust rambled on, counting them off before finally remembering to ask, “Who are you?”

“Three Dreams.”

“Three Dreams? Beautiful dreams and nightmares, what’s the third dream?”

“Dreams of one’s own heart’s desires that is the third dream.” Three Dreams looked at the girl and explained, “I am the creator of dreams. I know everything that happens in your dreams, and of course, I can also decide what you dream.”

Red Dust pondered this. Beautiful dreams were good, nightmares were bad, and dreams of one’s own heart’s desires that meant the third dream was neither good nor bad, depending entirely on one’s heart.

She then asked, “What is your true form?”

“Dreams,” Three Dreams replied.

After their conversation, the demon physician was trembling in fear and quietly explained to the Demon Lord, “Three Dreams Immortal walks the line between good and evil. Her spiritual power depends on the dreams of mortals. If their dreams are beautiful, her power increases greatly; if nightmares are abundant, her demonic energy surges.”

Red Dust seemed to understand but not entirely, asking candidly, “What if there are too many third dreams?”

The master and servant spoke without avoiding Three Dreams, who, upon hearing the question, replied, “Drunken stupor and dreamlike oblivion.”

“So you’re drunk?” Red Dust seemed to grasp it, yet not quite. Her mind was a bit muddled, and she looked at Three Dreams with disdain. “What nonsense. Get out of here, quickly.”

Three Dreams: “…”

Three Dreams Immortal was directly driven out of the demon palace, covered in demonic energy, and once again headed to Phoenix Mountain. As she descended from above, Yanlai immediately sent a flying message: “Study.”

Three Dreams brushed off the demonic energy clinging to her and landed outside the study, walking straight in. But she caught a whiff of demonic energy. Puzzled, she wondered Phoenix Mountain was overflowing with immortal energy; which demon would dare to provoke them here?

“Jiu Han is dead. I want to know the details of the battle.” Yanlai emerged from behind the desk, her steps light as she approached Three Dreams. Frowning, she asked, “Why do you reek of demonic energy?”

“I got drunk and was caught by Red Dust. She wanted to dual cultivate with me, so I ran away in fright. You have demonic energy here too?” Three Dreams feigned terror, patting her chest as if still shaken.

Yanlai’s lips twitched, and she swallowed the words she was about to say. Even the spiritual spring she had prepared for her guest was sent away. Calmly, she walked back behind the desk. “I want to know how Jiu Han was killed.”

“The Demon Lord killed him. I saw it. The Demon Lord went out to find his disciples. He wanted to kill her disciples, so they fought. One died, one was injured. The Demon Lord had ten disciples; four of them died.” Three Dreams followed Yanlai to the front of the desk. “I’ve seen the dreams of several people, they all match. There’s no mistake.”

Yanlai asked, “That little girl has disciples?”

“She has ten disciples. Jiuhan, a grown man, relied on his profound magical abilities to bully a female disciple, and the Demon Lord killed him. The Demon Lord was severely injured, and the Immortal Realm is preparing to attack the Demon Realm. The Demon Lord seems to be missing a soul not very bright, unable to even distinguish between dual cultivation and dual rest.” Sanmeng had no energy left to complain and sat down, eyeing Yanlai’s expression. “You still haven’t told me where the demonic energy here came from.”

Yanlai did not answer, lost in thought over Sanmeng’s words. Such a young girl with ten disciples?

The Demon Lord Hongchen didn’t seem like a demon who had lived for ten thousand years. Instead, she resembled a young demoness who had only lived a hundred years or so, ignorant of everything. If she had only lived a century, where did her profound cultivation come from?

The jade gourd rose into the air, refracting a beam of cyan light, and then revealed a scene: Demon Lord Hongchen surrounded by her demon kin, with Jiuhan standing by, sword in hand.

The jade gourd collected the three thousand dreams of people and displayed them. Sanmeng revealed the dreams of over a dozen individuals, all nearly identical. Yanlai kept her gaze fixed on the girl’s figure in the images her cultivation was profound, neither wholly righteous nor entirely evil.

“Who exactly is she?” Yanlai couldn’t help but ask. Severely injured, she had come to Phoenix Mountain seeking dual cultivation, and even in her weakened state, Yanlai had been unable to capture her.

If she hadn’t been injured, Yanlai didn’t dare imagine the outcome.

“Do you remember ten thousand years ago, when Demon Lord Hongyan stormed the Immortal Realm?” Sanmeng smiled faintly.

Ten thousand years ago, the Immortal Realm had countless cultivators, with those possessing profound spiritual power emerging one after another. War gods like Jiuhan were innumerable, and it was then that the mad Demon Lord Hongyan attacked the Immortal Realm.

After that battle, the ranks of the Immortals dwindled, leaving only Yanlai from the Phoenix Clan, who had always kept to herself. The Immortal and Demon Realms had been at a standstill for many years, with Hongyan’s whereabouts unknown. A few thousand years ago, Demon Lord Hongchen suddenly appeared, slaughtering countless immortals until recently, when she killed Jiuhan, enraging the Heavenly Emperor.

Yanlai fell silent, her eyelashes lowering, her already cold eyes growing even icier. “Is the Demon Lord’s throne inherited by bloodline?”

“The Demon Realm’s throne is won through martial prowess. From the dreams, Hongchen is no less formidable than her mother, Hongyan. By the way, how did you know they were mother and daughter?” Sanmeng suddenly realized she hadn’t mentioned their relationship.

“I’ve seen Hongchen, and I’ve seen Hongyan. They look alike, if not mother and daughter, could they be master and disciple?” Yanlai closed her eyes slightly, her tone indifferent.

Sanmeng was taken aback. “Hongchen doesn’t seem very clever. Compared to Hongyan, she should be easier to deal with.”

“Time for you to leave.” Yanlai opened her eyes and dismissed her guest.

Once again, Sanmeng was driven out. She summoned her jade gourd and stepped onto it, flying straight back to her own cave dwelling.

In the Demon Realm, the Demon Lord had over ten disciples, but only six remained now, gathered around Hongchen as they chatted.

Stolen immortal artifacts were brazenly displayed on the shelves, and a pilfered luminous pearl hung above Hongchen, its light casting sharp contours on her cheeks. Her eyes slanted upward slightly, her nose bridge was high, and her skin had a cool undertone. She rested her chin on her hand, listening to her disciples’ jokes.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her chest, and she vomited a mouthful of blood. The demon physician stepped forward to check her pulse. “You must not use your spiritual power. Why won’t you listen?”

“I saw a beauty and couldn’t help myself.” Hongchen wiped the corner of her mouth and calmly began meditating to regulate her breathing. Under the glow of the luminous pearl, her skin appeared almost translucent.

The disciples stood quietly by her side, exchanging glances with one another.

“Who is this beauty? Shall we capture them for you to be the Demon Consort?”

“It seems to be the Honored Yanlai from Phoenix Mountain. I’ve heard the flames on her body are exceptionally fierce and highly lethal ordinary water can’t suppress them in the slightest.”

“Shall we go and test it out?”

Hearing this, Hongchen spat out another mouthful of blood with a pfft, glaring furiously at her six little disciples. After blinking a few times, she fainted outright.

Wretched disciples, why mention Yanlai? You’ve caused this venerable one to suffer a qi deviation.

The demon physician was shocked. At that moment, the bracelet rose into the air, wrapped around the Demon Lord’s body, and flew swiftly away. Everyone hurriedly gave chase.

The Bodhi Bracelet was an artifact from the immortal realm, imbued with profound spiritual power. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t catch up. In the blink of an eye, they were left far behind.