Marry First, Love Later With The White Cat Princess - Chapter 49

The two of them looked at each other for a moment, then fell silent for another moment before Liu Fenyun finally smiled and said, “Alright, I’ll go.”

Truthfully, she had forgotten about this matter… but when she received Qi Ran’s secret letter half a month ago, she had already planned to go take a look. She was mentally prepared at least somewhat.

And then Qi Ran simply grabbed her and took off.

At the instant they lifted into the air, Liu Fenyun instinctively let out an “Ah”, but before the sound escaped, Qi Ran cast a silencing spell on her.

She never expected Qi Ran to take such a direct approach. Liu Fenyun had no choice but to let her take her away and silently pray that her cat wouldn’t find out, otherwise the corruption value would definitely skyrocket.

Qi Ran was wearing the Holy Maiden Hall’s white fire patterned devotee robe. As she soared through the air, the hem of her clothing billowed sharply. Afraid she would draw too much attention by flying openly over the city, Liu Fenyun quickly cast an illusion to hide them.

Looking down, she realized Qi Ran was following the same route they had taken to the hunting grounds in spring. She froze.

Could it be… Qi Ran was taking her to see that ancient lotus pond the one from the Handan Hall?

After leaving the city, Qi Ran tossed her upward, then transformed into her beast form, catching Liu Fenyun securely on her back. She even conjured two ropes of demonic energy for Liu Fenyun to hold onto so she wouldn’t fall.

Seeing that Qi Ran intended to dive toward Handan Hall, Liu Fenyun hurriedly activated her riding skill, tightened her grip, and felt everything blur as the scenery rushed backward. With a single dive, Qi Ran brought her straight into the hall.

Outside of the spring hunt, few people passed through this area especially Handan Hall. After Liu Fenyun reported a great demon residing here, the sovereign no longer dared to let anyone enter, merely stationing guards outside.

With Liu Fenyun’s illusion concealing them, no one around the hall noticed their arrival. They landed smoothly and headed straight for the lotus pond.

It was midsummer. The pond was filled with blooming pink lotuses, with only a few buds left unopened, all swaying gently in the wind.

Seeing the familiar lotus blossoms, Liu Fenyun exhaled in relief only to tense up again immediately. She warned Qi Ran, “A great demon lives here. During the spring moon, the prince and I saw this entire pond blossom at once”

“There is no great demon living here.” Qi Ran cut her off. “My lord, you’ve already formed your demon core. You can sense for yourself.”

Half doubtful, Liu Fenyun extended her senses. Indeed, within the entire hall, the only demonic aura belonged to Qi Ran.

“I’ve heard about the spring moon blooming as well.” Qi Ran approached the pond. “My lord, you might not know this pond is an ancient relic. The lotuses here are all sentient spirits. When their cultivation is sufficient, they can take human form.”

Liu Fenyun blinked and instructed her system to examine the flowers.

As soon as her spiritual probe touched one blossom, a soft female voice whispered:

“The Divine One has returned again.”

Then another voice sighed, “It seems the Divine One still hasn’t recovered her memories!”

A third, very quiet voice added, “Divine One… long time no see.”

Startled, Liu Fenyun asked Qi Ran, “Did you hear anything just now? Was it the lotus spirits talking?”

Qi Ran looked shocked. “My lord, you can hear them?! What did they say?”

So Qi Ran couldn’t hear them.

Liu Fenyun couldn’t repeat the actual words, nor could she hide that she did hear something, so she smiled lightly. “They’re greeting us. They said ‘long time no see’.”

At her words, the lotus spirits spoke again:

“Oh? The Divine One can hear us this time?!”

“We didn’t say ‘long time no see’ though.”

“I…..I said that… ahh, Divine One heard me, I’m so happy!”

While the spirits chattered, Qi Ran looked even more intrigued. “You truly are extraordinary. These spirits’ cultivation is too low normally even great demons can’t hear them.”

She paused, lowered her voice, and scanned the surroundings cautiously. “In Kongmeng City my hometown there is a sacred hibiscus field from ancient times. When I accompanied my master there, she would often pause to talk.”

“You mean… talk to flower spirits?”

“Yes.” Qi Ran nodded. “But neither I nor my senior sisters could hear them. My master once said that aside from wood aspected demons, only those with extremely high cultivation can communicate with such beings.”

“I asked what level was necessary. My master just pointed at the heavens and smiled.”

Seeing Liu Fenyun remain calm, she continued, “My master is someone of the divine realm. Since the blood of the Medical Diviner has the same properties… you too must be divine.”

She bowed respectfully and waited silently for Liu Fenyun’s reaction.

Liu Fenyun asked after a moment, “Is your master still in Kongmeng City?”

“She was when I left,” Qi Ran recalled. “But she loves traveling. Hard to say now.”

Seeing Liu Fenyun’s slight frown, she added reassuringly, “My master is not you. Though she knows medicine, she is the Time-keeper God, and you smell different. I wouldn’t mistake the two of you. Besides…”

Liu Fenyun, who had just let go of the suspicion, tensed again. “Besides?”

“Besides, my master already has a dao partner the lord of Kongmeng City, the most infamous tyrant of the demon realm. If she had descended to the mortal world and lost her memories, the city lord would’ve marched an army of a hundred thousand to retrieve her.”

Qi Ran sobered and asked, “So, what does the Divine One plan to do now?”

Liu Fenyun answered honestly, “I haven’t recovered my memories or cultivation yet, so I have no plan for now. Let’s wait until after the summer festival. Then I’ll find a way to enter the demon realm and meet your master.”

For some reason, the moment Qi Ran mentioned her master was the Time keeper God, Liu Fenyun felt an inexplicable closeness and so agreed without hesitation.

Qi Ran neither nodded nor refused. Instead, her crimson eyes shifted toward something behind Liu Fenyun.

Seeing Qi Ran’s expression turn complicated, Liu Fenyun felt a chill climb up her spine and quickly turned around.

Lianyi stood on the roof tiles, silent and sudden. Behind her came a chorus of shocked cries from the guards outside.

She had arrived without a sound not even Qi Ran had noticed.

Meeting the cat’s eyes, Liu Fenyun stared desperately at the affection corruption panel as the system notifications chimed one after another.

“Lianyi’s corruption value has risen to 30.”

“Lianyi’s corruption value has risen to 60.”

“Lianyi’s corruption value has risen to 90.”

“Lianyi’s corruption value”

Before the system finished, a gust of wind tore past her. A huge white cat landed beside her, sweeping her away with one powerful swing of its tail.

Liu Fenyun barely managed to channel demonic energy into her legs, narrowly avoiding being knocked into the lotus pond.

Looking up, she saw the white cat already locked in combat with Qi Ran. She had never seen Lianyi this vicious teeth and claws aimed straight at lethal points.

Qi Ran didn’t transform. Calmly blocking every attack, she dodged aside, grabbed Lianyi by the scruff, and growled into her ear:

“The sooner you accept reality, the better. The Divine One won’t stay in this world for long.”

“I won’t let you deceive A-Yun!” Lianyi’s fur bristled, her fangs and claws sharpening under demonic power. She lunged again and again like a wild beast.

“Tsk, I only stated the truth never deceived her!” Qi Ran snapped back, temper flaring, though she still avoided Lianyi’s vitals for Liu Fenyun’s sake.

Liu Fenyun stood helplessly on the side. She tried to command Lianyi through their blood bond, but with corruption already maxed at 100, the command only slowed Lianyi slightly not enough to stop her from attacking… though she couldn’t truly hurt Qi Ran.

She couldn’t physically intervene either she’d just get slapped into a wall.

So she begged the system, “Is there any way to lower corruption right now?!”

The system sounded helpless. “No… unless Master wants to knock Lianyi out with sleep medicine?”

Liu Fenyun: …
Do I look suicidal enough to drug the cat in this state?

The lotus spirits, stunned by the spectacle, finally called out:

“Divine One! Divine One! Please use your power to help us release our fragrance we’ll create an illusion to trap her!”

Liu Fenyun immediately remembered the green ghost lotus’s illusory scent. She rushed to the pond. “What do I need to do?”

“Just one drop of blood into the water!” the lotus spirits cried. “Only ONE! Not more!”

Liu Fenyun cut her finger and let one drop fall.

Instantly, a rich floral fragrance spread, filling the courtyard, then the entire hall.

Outside, guards were split into two groups some remained to guard, others ran to call for reinforcements. Smelling the lotus scent, those remaining paused. “Why is today’s lotus fragrance so strong…?”

Before they could think further, they slipped into the illusion.

Xian Liflower and Ruanju arrived, out of breath. Seeing unconscious guards everywhere and smelling the heavy lotus scent, Ruanju stammered, “What happened inside…?”

The moment Xian Liflower inhaled, her expression changed drastically. She yanked Ruanju backward. “It’s an illusion array. Don’t get close we wait here.”

“But Lianyi and Lord Liu are inside!” Ruanju nearly cried.

“We can’t do anything! We don’t know illusion arts!” Xian Liflower was even more anxious.

After much panicked thinking, they finally decided to find Luo Binglun for a demon-hunter who could break illusions.

Inside the illusion, Lianyi fell instantly.

The nightmare from half a month ago resurfaced. Surrounded by drifting mist, Lianyi felt as if drenched in ice water. Her earlier rage dissolved into pure hurt.

She had merely overslept, only to wake and hear Ruanju babbling in panic that Liu Fenyun had been taken by Qi Ran. When she chased here, she heard Qi Ran babbling nonsense about A-Yun being a heavenly deity and A-Yun actually believing it, even agreeing to go to the demon realm.

Why didn’t A-Yun tell her?
Why had she never heard of this?
Why could Qi Ran so casually take A-Yun away?
Why hadn’t A-Yun discussed anything with her?

At the peak of her grievance, killing intent quietly bloomed.

Living beings… always leave in the end.

Only dead things can stay forever.

Dark mist enveloped her. Illusions reflected her desires she had barely formed the thought when the scene shifted.

She was back in the dark chamber where she once imprisoned Liu Fenyun.

Blue flames flickered. Liu Fenyun knelt on the ground, bound tightly by chains, looking up at her with pleading eyes.

“Your Highness, spare me!”
“I won’t leave you again, Your Highness!”
“Your Highness… Your Highness…”

The title she hated most echoed endlessly.

Lianyi clenched her fists and walked toward her.

“I told you before, I despise betrayal the most.” Her voice was cold. “Even if it’s A-Yun, betrayal will not be forgiven.”

Killing intent pushed relentlessly at her mind. A short dagger appeared in her hand.

But standing over Liu Fenyun, she couldn’t bring herself to strike.

This was her beloved A-Yun. A-Yun had only been deceived. Not deserving of death.

Yet the killing intent had already become poison inside her. Unable to kill, pain spread instead so intense she collapsed, blood spilling around her.

It was her own blood the price of refusing to kill her beloved.

Curling in agony, she muttered Liu Fenyun’s name over and over, trembling as she finally turned the dagger toward herself.

How could she harm the one she loved, even out of jealousy and fear?

Her hands pressed harder but just before the blade pierced her throat, a hand snatched it away.

Liu Fenyun had spent a long time navigating the illusion before finding her and arrived just in time to stop her.

“I’m taking you out, Yiyi.” She tossed the dagger aside, gave her terrified illusion-self a glance, and lifted Lianyi into her arms, walking away without looking back.

Lianyi leaned weakly against her. The pain did not ease. She whispered “A-Yun…” and tried to touch her face but her hands were mangled and bloody.

“Put me down!” Realizing her condition, she panicked, her voice breaking. “I’m… I’m filthy… covered in blood… I even thought about killing you…”

“All I saw was you trying to hurt yourself.” Liu Fenyun held her tighter, kissing her blood-stained forehead. “It was my fault. I left too suddenly without telling you. And before that, I hid things from you. I didn’t tell you about my meeting with Qi Ran because I was afraid you’d overthink.”

She apologized calmly, listing all the wrongs she had done.

Their blood dyed both their clothes red. Fighting the overwhelming pain, Lianyi rasped, “I know… you won’t leave me… next time… tell me… everything…”

Torn apart by pain, she slipped into scattered memories.

Someone once held her and said they’d be leaving for a while, telling her to behave.

One day, that person disappeared without any farewell.

She searched everywhere, finally going to the forbidden land others had warned her about.

Thunder exploded. Something inside her mind shattered, dissolving along with that person’s face.

When silence returned, she remembered nothing.

…

Holding the unconscious white cat in her arms, Luo Binglun spoke coldly, “All the guards outside are unconscious. Just what exactly were you two doing?”

Liu Fenyun exchanged a glance with Qi Ran, then calmly recited the excuse they’d prepared.

“Qi Ran and I were subduing an evil demon. It created an illusion that caught everyone inside its range.”

She rubbed the cat in her arms. “Her Highness too she was caught.”

“And where is this evil demon?” Yu Qingyue approached, dissolving the illusion.

“It ran,” the two said in unison.

Yu Qingyue’s hawk-like eyes narrowed. “You’d better be telling the truth.”

“Really! Do you need evidence?” Qi Ran rolled up her sleeve. “Look, I’m even injured.”

Luo Binglun pointed at the cat. “Catch demons all you like but why was the holy maiden present?”

Qi Ran opened her mouth, but Liu Fenyun jumped in. “It happened too fast. I didn’t have time to explain to Her Highness. She thought Qi Ran and I had gone off somewhere alone!”

“…Yes, yes! The holy maiden adores the Medical Diviner this is all a misunderstanding!” Qi Ran played along instantly.

Yu Qingyue turned her cold gaze to Xian Liflower and Ruanju.

The two cats nodded frantically. Ruanju even added, “Exactly! If Qi Ran hadn’t whisked Lord Liu away without warning, we wouldn’t have told Her Highness anything!”

Yu Qingyue glared at Qi Ran, who only grinned, fully accepting blame.

They had no choice Liu Fenyun’s divine identity could not be revealed.

Luo Binglun stayed to handle the aftermath. Yu Qingyue escorted the others back to the Holy Maiden Hall without a word, then flew off.

Once she left, Ruanju apologized to Qi Ran, blaming herself for telling Lianyi.

Qi Ran didn’t mind, rubbing the fat orange cat’s head and inviting her out for cold noodles. Ruanju followed gladly.

Xian Liflower, still worried, trailed Liu Fenyun to her room. “If you really can’t convince Her Highness, just tell me. I’ll testify for you.”

Liu Fenyun thanked her and closed the door, carrying the large white cat to the bed.

By creating the illusion, she and the lotus spirits had uncovered bits of Lianyi’s missing past.

She saw Lianyi small and snow white running everywhere searching for her, then stepping into a still pool.

Thunder roared. Blue lightning poured down, striking her tiny body.

Her screams echoed endlessly, stabbing into Liu Fenyun’s heart.

After the lightning ceased, blue sparks still clung to her. She fell into the water… and never resurfaced.

Liu Fenyun’s heart ached. Among the mythic texts she had read, many spoke of the Thunder Pool the passage between realms. Mortals ascending must withstand the Thunder Pool’s baptism; divine beings descending must pass through it as well.

She didn’t know whether Lianyi had leapt in trying to find her… or stumbled into it by accident.

A soft whimper came from her arms. Lianyi opened her eyes, still trembling with fear.

“A-Yun…” She nudged into her chest. Feeling the cold air around them, she asked, startled, “We… came back?”

Liu Fenyun stroked her ears. She almost spoke the truth but remembering the scenes she’d seen, she changed her words.

“You had another nightmare.”

Let it remain a nightmare, for now.

The cat in her arms was quiet for a while, then murmured, “Mm… I dreamed something terrible. You were a heavenly deity… and you didn’t want me anymore… you were planning to return to the heavens alone.”

So she was worried about that.

Liu Fenyun lowered her head and kissed the tip of her ear. “You’re my precious one. Why would I ever abandon you?”

Lianyi froze, then muttered, “A-Yun… you’re so bad. You’ve learned how to sweet-talk me to death.”

Smiling, Liu Fenyun stroked her fur and nervously opened the affection panel.

To her shock…
The corruption value, once at 100, had dropped back to zero.
But affection had fallen to 90 proof that Lianyi’s trust had been shaken.

No matter how much Lianyi loved her, leaving without warning and being taken away by Qi Ran had hurt her deeply.

Fortunately, the decrease wasn’t too severe. Lianyi, shaken by the illusion, didn’t press further. She lay in Liu Fenyun’s arms, staring blankly at her tail.

When Liu Fenyun gently moved the tail aside, Lianyi immediately slapped it back over with her paw covering it along with her hand.

After a long silence, Liu Fenyun spoke first. “I want to practice dancing today… I forgot some of the ritual steps.”

Lianyi stared at her, then said, “I slept wrong last night. My whole body aches. I can’t teach you.”

Of course Liu Fenyun knew it wasn’t from sleeping but from the fierce fight with Qi Ran.

“Then let me massage you?” she suggested immediately.

Lianyi didn’t speak just transformed back into human form, lay flat on the bed, pulled her snow-white hair free, and waited for her.

Liu Fenyun exhaled softly, gathered demonic energy into her palms, and slowly began to massage along her meridians.