After Provoking the Mad Beautiful Deity - Chapter 57

The Wilderness was a vast, boundless land where the horizon was nowhere to be seen. Strange beasts lurked everywhere, making it a place of constant peril.

Xuan Ze had grown up in the Wilderness and was very familiar with the area. He led Yanlai to various places to search, as he knew the appearance of the strange beasts. Having fought them before, he was adept at tracking them.

The group soon discovered traces in front of a cave dwelling. Yanlai performed a spell to set up a barrier and then pushed the Qilin and Xuan Ze outside of it.

The wind howled fiercely, and Yanlai quickly vanished from sight. Xuan Ze panicked. “High God, this is a matter for my Wilderness. How can I let you face such danger alone?”

The Qilin remained calm and advised him, “You are merely a minor Immortal Lord with weak cultivation. Going in there would either be a death sentence or a burden to the High God. It is better to wait out here. Use your head; the High God has sacrificed much for your Wilderness. Do not follow your elders in slandering her.”

In truth, the High God simply did not want the Wilderness to join the Nine Heavens.

Xuan Ze’s eyes reddened with emotion. The Qilin pulled him down to sit in a squatting position.

The inside of the cave was pitch black, and the two outside could see nothing. Xuan Ze was worried and sighed repeatedly.

As time passed amid his sighs, Xuan Ze remembered someone and asked the Qilin, “Did Yan Chen not come along?”

Yan Chen? The Qilin was confused for a moment, but after thinking it through, she realized he was referring to the Demon Lord.

“She did not come.”

“How has she been lately?” The light in Xuan Ze’s eyes shifted, filling with a trace of tender affection.

The Qilin sensed something was wrong. This boy liked the Demon Lord! Did the High God know?

The High God would surely strangle this boy if she knew. The Qilin offered a kind warning, “Do not pine for her; she is doing very well. You should worry about your own Wilderness instead.”

Each generation was worse than the last.

Xuan Ze fell silent. He understood the Qilin’s meaning; the Wilderness could barely protect itself now, and he was no match for Yan Chen.

While the two were lost in their thoughts, red light radiated from within the cave. Yanlai was using her spells to control the strange beast.

The beast was already injured. Attacked while trying to recuperate, it found Yanlai’s moves swift and fierce. It could not withstand her and soon grew weak.

Yanlai did not kill it. She cast a spell to trap it and then called Xuan Ze from outside. “Come and see for yourself. Besides my fire techniques and your father’s earth techniques, what other elemental traces are on its body?”

Xuan Ze stepped forward cautiously. The beast lay on the ground, listless and dejected. He stepped up to perform an inspection while Yanlai kept a close watch to ensure it did not break free from the restraint and cause harm.

For the beast to enter the barrier, someone must have guided it. In all likelihood, someone had wounded it and lured it inside.

Everything had seemed so logical: a beast harming people was not an unusual occurrence. No one would have suspected that it was a premeditated plot.

Xuan Ze could not find any clues and felt deeply ashamed. Yanlai saw his embarrassment and decided to bring the beast back to the mourning hall to let the elders investigate for themselves.

Yanlai bound the beast with an Immortal-Binding Rope, and the Qilin slowly dragged the creature out.

Because of the beast’s presence, they could not fly and were forced to return on foot.

Along the way, yellow sand blew in their faces. The Qilin swallowed several mouthfuls of grit and began to curse. Xuan Ze felt incredibly guilty.

Suddenly, a red flower sprouted from the yellow sand. The Qilin’s eyes widened, and Yanlai smiled silently.

Xuan Ze was confused and checked the surroundings alertly. He saw one flower turn into two, two into four, and four into sixteen.

In an instant, the yellow sand was replaced by a sea of brilliant, eye-catching flowers.

Petals took flight and lunged toward the beast. Xuan Ze was startled and was about to attack when the Qilin grabbed his arms. “Do not interfere; this is helping us.”

Thousands of flowers transformed into a cage, slowly lifting the heavy beast. The Qilin took to the air and shouted to the stunned Xuan Ze, “Let us go!”

Yanlai pushed Xuan Ze onto the Qilin’s back while she stayed behind. “Qilin, protect the Clan Leader.”

“Understood! High God, you must come quickly,” the Qilin replied, carrying Xuan Ze as she flew toward the beast in the sky.

At that moment, a figure flew over, stepping upon the red flowers. She tilted her head at Yanlai. “You ran so far; it was quite a chore to find you.”

Yanlai chuckled. “But you found me anyway.”

“Why are you meddling in the affairs of the Wilderness?” Hongchen grumbled. She beckoned to Yanlai, who took her hand and unfurled her wings.

The wings shielded them both as Yanlai held Hongchen by the waist. “Withdraw your flowers. Your body has not recovered yet.”

Hongchen grunted twice but obediently withdrew her haste technique. She leaned against Yanlai and took a comfortable breath.

The two followed the Qilin back to the mourning hall. Since it was inappropriate for Hongchen to enter, she stayed outside. Yanlai said to her, “I will be back in a moment. Do not cause trouble.”

Hongchen turned her back and ignored her, her silhouette radiating dissatisfaction.

Yanlai laughed helplessly and walked quickly into the mourning hall.

The beast was placed in the center of the hall, and the elders gathered to examine its wounds. The Qilin squatted to the side in silence.

When Yanlai entered, the elders bowed to her. “Thank you, High God, for your assistance.”

“It was already injured; capturing it was merely a simple task. This beast is rare; if trained well, it could serve as a mount. The remaining matters are your internal affairs, and it is not convenient for me to interfere. If you need anything, you may find me at Phoenix Mountain; I will do my best to help.”

“We will never forget your kindness, High God,” Xuan Ze said with sincere gratitude.

Yanlai accepted his bow and glanced at the elders. Fearing they might lack clarity, she offered a kind reminder: “I found traces of the Ice Crystal technique on the beast.”

It was a trace of water-based elemental power.

With that, she led the Qilin away. She had said enough; if they remained indifferent after this, the Wilderness clan deserved to submit to the Heavenly Emperor.

The elders looked at one another in surprise. One of them stepped forward to stop Yanlai.

“High God, we are ignorant. We hope you can clear our doubts.”

“The evidence is right before you. What else do you want me to do?”

“Your arrival today suggests you know who the culprit is. We hope you can enlighten us.”

Yanlai was helpless. “There is no proof, so how can I speak recklessly? The marks on the beast only prove it was attacked by someone practicing water techniques. There are many such practitioners in the world.”

“Even so, we hope the High God will rescue the Wilderness.” Xuan Ze bowed respectfully. The evidence was clear; his father’s death was not an accident. He declared, “The Wilderness is willing to follow the High God’s lead.”

The Qilin put her hands on her hips, unable to stand the hypocrisy of these “righteous” people. Just moments ago, they were accusing her of sowing discord, and now they were begging for help.

Their behavior was hideous. The Qilin said, “The High God only wanted to tell you that the old Clan Leader’s death was not an accident. She is not trying to take advantage of you. Besides, those who can break your barrier are not ordinary people. You simply have no confidence in seeking revenge yourselves, so you come to beg us for help, right?”

Xuan Ze was ashamed. He looked at the Qilin and said to Yanlai, “High God, please lend a hand for the sake of my late father.”

Yanlai sighed and walked to the beast, pointing to a wound. “To attack it required a single, precise strike. You have fought beasts for years and should know what level of cultivation is needed for such a feat. In this world, there are very few water practitioners with that kind of power. Think for yourselves; there is no need for me to say more. Investigate what these people were doing when your father was dying. Check them one by one, and you will eventually find something. Phoenix Mountain has left the Immortal Race, so you must investigate the Immortals yourselves. I can ask the Demon Lord to investigate the Demon Realm. Check both sides simultaneously.”

“Thank you, High God,” Xuan Ze was immensely grateful.

Yanlai led the Qilin out of the hall. At the entrance, Hongchen was talking to a small demon beast. The little beast had just taken human form and was a rabbit spirit.

The two were sitting cross-legged facing each other. The rabbit was gnawing on a carrot while Hongchen held a jar of wine. Yanlai approached just in time to hear the rabbit spirit speak.

“You look so beautiful. What is your true form?”

“I am a human,” Hongchen said, her eyes darting around as she lied effortlessly.

Yanlai remembered that Hongchen had lied to her during their first meeting as well.

The rabbit was shocked. “You are human!” It reached out to touch Hongchen’s ears and pinch her cheeks, its eyes full of envy.

Yanlai stepped forward and brushed the rabbit’s paws away. “It is time to go back.”

Hongchen scrambled up and waved to the rabbit. “I am going home.”

“Will you come back to play next time?” the rabbit asked wistfully.

Hongchen nodded. “Yes, I will come back next time.”

Yanlai grabbed the Demon Lord’s hand to prevent her from running back to give the rabbit a hug.

They dawdled as they left the Wilderness, eventually sitting on the Qilin’s back.

Yanlai looked at Hongchen: “You are a Demon Lord; why do you lie to everyone?”

Hongchen looked perfectly innocent. “Lying is better than killing. That little rabbit was so cute. Let us raise a rabbit when we get back.”

Yanlai corrected her attitude. “That is not the point. What else did you say to her?”

“I forgot. It was just idle talk; who could remember?” Hongchen said dismissively.

Yanlai massaged her forehead. A majestic Demon Lord, worshipped by ten thousand demons, yet she lied wherever she went.

“What is the difference between a human and a medicinal herb?”

“Humans cannot be eaten, but herbs can. What if I told them I was a fine medicine and they wanted to eat me? What would I do then?” Hongchen said huffily.

Yanlai sighed, unable to argue further.

“If you had known I was a medicinal herb when you first met me, would you not have thought about refining me to boost your cultivation?” Hongchen argued righteously. “You Immortals are thick-skinned and shameless. You would do anything for the sake of power.”

“I am different from them,” Yanlai explained.

“You are different, but others would still want to eat me.”

“Then why did you lie to me?”

Hongchen’s eyes widened. “A Demon Lord steps out and tells people she is a Demon Lord and a medicinal herb? That person would have to be mentally ill!”

As she spoke, they entered the Demon Realm.

Yanlai’s heart was unsettled by her twisted logic. After crossing the border, she remembered she had one more task: to return to Phoenix Mountain and retrieve Liuguang.

“I am going back to Phoenix Mountain. Do you want to go?”

“Do you dare return? If I were the Heavenly Emperor, I would have heavily guarded the mountain. You would be walking right into a trap.”

Yanlai sneered. “What is there to fear? I will go alone. You return to the Demon Palace first.”

“Would I let you storm Phoenix Mountain alone?” Hongchen huffed.

Yanlai changed her mind again. “Let us return to the Demon Palace first.”

Hongchen was confused. “Why aren’t you going now?”

“Wait until your injuries have healed a bit more.”

“Do you want to engage in dual cultivation again tonight?” Hongchen flared up.

Yanlai smiled faintly and said nothing.

Upon reaching the Demon Palace, they returned to the main hall. The Young Lords saw them return and prepared to report. Hongchen pointed at Yanlai. “Ask her. Your Master is sleepy.”

Yan Guang handed a document to Yanlai. “Shiniang, please take a look.”

“What is it specifically?” Yanlai did not take it; instead, she gripped Hongchen’s hand to prevent her from running away from work.

Hongchen took a step and was pulled back. Yan Guang pretended not to see the movement beneath their sleeves and reported honestly: “The Heavenly Soldiers have set up camp. Three times a day, they shout for us to return High Immortal Sanmeng to them. I have settled her within the palace. There is one more thing: Sanmeng’s spiritual power is surging, and she seems unable to control it.”

Hongchen was no longer sleepy. She said, “The border is managed by the Dark Night King. Unless he asks for help, act as if nothing is happening. Order the Demon Physician to go to Sanmeng. He knows what to do.”

Sanmeng’s power was surging because of the dreams of evil desires. It could be stabilized with medicine; there was no need to worry.

She thought of the Moon Goddess and asked Yanlai, “Should we send a letter to the Moon Goddess to let her know everything is safe?”

“I have already sent a letter; it is fine for now. Anything else?” Yanlai asked Yan Guang.

Under the gaze of both her Master and Shiniang, Yan Guang felt the pressure was too much. She could not hold out and said, “Nothing major.”

“You may leave.” Yanlai dismissed Yan Guang and pulled Hongchen back to their chambers.

Hongchen suddenly felt wide awake and wanted to call Yan Guang back for a few words, but by the time the words reached her lips, Yan Guang was already gone.

Returning to the bedroom, Yanlai used a cleansing spell to clean her clothes and changed into fresh robes.

Hongchen also changed her clothes and curled up on the bed. “Aren’t you going to bathe? Did you bathe last night?”

“No, I am about to. What are you trying to say?” Yanlai did not understand the hint.

Hongchen waved her hand with a smile. “Go bathe. I am going to sleep.”

“Fine. I hope you are awake when I return. I checked your injuries last night.”

“Stop right there. Do not push your luck,” Hongchen interrupted. “I think you are being a bit excessive. Here.” She pointed to a red mark on her neck.

Yanlai did not look at her; she knew exactly what she had done. The purpose of dual cultivation was to heal her, but Hongchen was the one who insisted on clinging to her.

Yanlai was no saint. How could she be without desire? Naturally, there had been some noises.

Yanlai defended herself, “It is only one spot.”

Hongchen was blunt. “How many more spots do you want?”

Yanlai was too embarrassed to speak and turned to leave.

Hongchen pouted and lay on the bed in frustration. Yanlai had changed; she was no longer the Yanlai who blushed at the slightest thing.

She had changed. Hongchen suddenly sat up and touched her eyes. Where was the white silk?

Lately, the Heart-Clearing Curse had not appeared. Could it be that it was lifted?

Hongchen was startled. Indeed, Yanlai had changed; she had changed secretly behind her back.

Hongchen sneered and lay down comfortably. It seemed the Immortals were sanctimonious after all; their entire lineage was not as straightforward as the Demons.

With a sneer toward the Immortals, Hongchen fell asleep.

During her nap, she dreamed of someone dressed in black robes standing on a treetop.

She stood beneath the tree, looking up. She tried to fly up to the branch, but no matter how she channeled her spiritual power, it was like a stone sinking into the sea. Her body was empty, without a trace of power.

The figure in black leaped down. She looked up, and the person pulled back her hood, revealing a gentle face.

“Hongyan, do you want to fly?” the woman asked as she squatted down, her hands gently stroking Hongchen’s cheeks.

“Who are you?” She took a few steps back, avoiding her warily.

The woman’s hands missed their mark, and her expression shifted slightly, but she soon smiled again. “I am a friend of High Immortal Yanlai. You may call me Auntie.”

She did not move. The woman took her hand, and in an instant, they flew into the air. Their feet left the ground, and beneath their soles, they felt soft flower petals.

“So many flowers,” she said in surprise.

The woman took her through the clouds and mist, looking down at Phoenix Mountain. She saw her Junior Brothers and Sisters practicing their swordplay, and she saw Yanlai talking to the Protector.

She pointed at Yanlai. “Master! Master! That is my Master!”

“Is Yanlai good to you?”

“Yes, Master is very good to me. She does not mind that I am slow.”

“You are not slow. You have simply lost your arrogance.”

They flew past the peak of Phoenix Mountain and landed in a marketplace. The woman held her hand as they entered a tavern. She looked around, and the woman patted her head. “Eat your fill, and I will teach you the haste technique. If you cannot win a fight, you can run.”

As she stepped over the threshold, the woman suddenly leaned down to pick her up, walked up the stairs, and entered an elegant room.

She smelled the scent of medicine, the fragrance of fresh green herbs, which was refreshing to the soul.

“Hongyan, you may eat whatever you like here.” The woman’s voice was gentle, and her eyes were full of doting affection. She was surprised.

The woman was very gentle, even gentler than Yanlai. She was mesmerized.

Her smile was so beautiful, and her scent was so pleasant.

An unfamiliar face, yet such a kind attitude. She became immersed, looking at that face. Suddenly, it dawned on her, and she whispered, “Mother.”

The woman’s figure suddenly vanished. She reached out in a panic to grab her, but her hands caught only air. The elegant room turned into a void, and the world turned into a white mist.

“Hongchen… Hongchen… Hongchen…” A series of whispers called out, the voice so familiar.

She suddenly opened her eyes to find Yanlai before her.

Hongchen scrambled up and looked left and right. This was her Demon Palace, the place where she had lived for ten thousand years.

“I dreamed of her. For the first time in ten thousand years, I dreamed of her. Is she… is she coming back?”