Marry First, Love Later With The White Cat Princess - Chapter 63

After dragging Qi Ran to a nearby cave, Luo Binglun tossed her to Liu Fenyun, asking her to do something to incapacitate the leopard.

Yu Qingyue stood beside her with drooping wings, lowering her head like a child who had done something wrong.

In truth, Luo Binglun had been quite angry when she first sensed Yu Qingyue’s presence returning. However, seeing her look so aggrieved now, her heart softened. She reached out to stroke Yu Qingyue’s hair and said, “Thank you.”

Yu Qingyue, who had prepared herself for a lecture, trembled. When she looked up, her eyes were filled with disbelief.

“You… you don’t blame me?” she asked blankly.

“I would only blame you for coming if you had been hurt,” Luo Binglun said, guiding her to sit down. “Since you aren’t hurt… then I will take this as a gesture of kindness.”

Luo Binglun wondered if Qingyue would remember any of this once the love-gu poison was cured. For now, she didn’t need to think that far ahead, she just needed to focus on comforting this “younger” version of Yu Qingyue.

Yu Qingyue dazed for a moment, then sat up straight with a solemn expression. “Thank you… Sister, how should I address you?”

“My name is Luo Binglun,” Luo Binglun replied with a warm smile, though she felt a bit guilty for taking advantage of the situation to let Qingyue call her “Sister.”

“Mhm, thank you, Sister Luo.” Yu Qingyue smiled back. She chanted an incantation to retract her wings, then shuffled behind Luo Binglun to touch her teal-colored wings. She gasped in wonder. “Sister Luo, you’re actually a Green Yuan? I heard from my Master that Green Yuans haven’t appeared in the Human Realm for many years. Are you also from the Demon Realm?”

To the “younger” Yu Qingyue, the spiritual energy here was vastly different from the Demon Realm, so this must be the “Human Realm” her Master and the City Lord often spoke of.

Luo Binglun shook her head. “I was originally a human. I turned into this form due to an accident.” She paused. “I still don’t quite know how to control this demon body and its aura.”

Yu Qingyue thought for a bit. “If by ‘controlling the body’ you mean tucking the wings away, I can teach you.”

She taught her on the spot, sharing the incantation and guiding Luo Binglun through a few tries. Seeing how quickly Luo Binglun learned, she couldn’t help but praise her: “You’re so amazing! If you came back with me, my Master would definitely love you! She likes demons who are quick learners like you!”

Luo Binglun couldn’t recall if Yu Qingyue had ever mentioned her parents, but in her mind, a female Master was equivalent to a mother. Hearing this, her thoughts drifted, her face flushed, and her heart raced as she gave a low murmur of agreement.

Liu Fenyun and Lian Yi discussed what to do with Qi Ran. They decided a Master Servant Bond was the best shackle for the leopard. Since neither of them could bond with her and Yu Qingyue was Qi Ran’s senior sister, the task fell to Luo Binglun.

Luo Binglun didn’t object to forming a temporary bond. She condensed a bead of blood, wrapped it in a blood contract seal, placed it in a soft capsule provided by Liu Fenyun, and pried open the black leopard’s mouth to feed it to her.

“A temporary Master Servant Bond only lasts seven days,” Luo Binglun reminded them. “Within seven days, we must cure Qingyue’s love-gu.”

Liu Fenyun nodded. “As long as we enter the city and I have the herbs and a quiet room, brewing the antidote won’t be a problem.”

Yu Qingyue kept staring at Qi Ran. As the three rose to leave, she asked, “Can’t we take A-Ran with us?”

“A-Ran” was simply her usual nickname for Qi Ran, but it made Luo Binglun feel incredibly uncomfortable. She shook her head firmly. “No. She is an enemy now, she will only bring trouble.”

“But if A-Ran stays here alone, bad people outside might kill her,” Yu Qingyue argued. “Besides, Sister Luo has already set the bond. While it’s active, she can’t do anything against Sister Luo’s wishes.”

Seeing Luo Binglun’s awkward expression, Lian Yi teased: “Oh my, it’s always safer to keep a ‘love rival’ right by your side~”

Yu Qingyue looked confused. “What love rival? Who?”

Luo Binglun instinctively wanted to snap “Shut up,” but fearing it would leave a bad impression on Yu Qingyue, she gritted her teeth and relented. “Fine. I’ll bring her along.”

She drained Qi Ran’s demonic energy, causing her to shrink into a black leopard cub. She then used wood and metal talismans to create a cage, put Qi Ran inside, and walked out with a dark expression, carrying the cage.

Yu Qingyue sensed that Sister Luo seemed angry again, but she couldn’t figure out why. She followed quietly, keeping a distance of three steps.

Noticing she wasn’t catching up, Luo Binglun grew anxious and stopped to wait for her. But when Luo Binglun stopped, Yu Qingyue stopped too.

“…A-Qing, is there something else you need to do?” Luo Binglun finally turned to ask.

Yu Qingyue shook her head.

“Then keep up.” Luo Binglun reached out her hand.

Yu Qingyue shook her head again and asked cautiously, “Is Sister Luo angry with me?”

Luo Binglun: “…”

What could she even be angry about? She was just a bit jealous that her beloved cared about her most hated demon. This little Qingyue was far too perceptive.

“I am not angry with you.” Luo Binglun grabbed her hand. “We need to go, or those thugs will surround us again.”

Yu Qingyue blinked, carefully scanning Luo Binglun’s eyes and expression. She didn’t believe her. Sister Luo was clearly still upset.

Phoenix Perch City

Half an hour later, the group reached the gates of Phoenix Perch City, having temporarily shaken off their pursuers. Luo Binglun presented her identity plaque from the Candle Blaze Kingdom, stating they were sent by the Great Priest to visit an old friend. The guards welcomed them politely and escorted them onto a carriage headed for the inner city.

This was Lian Yi’s first time in Phoenix Perch City. Sitting in the carriage, she pulled back the curtain and looked around. She saw many demons walking the streets and running stalls. Some looked entirely human, while others retained demonic features. Humans in the city laughed and chatted with them freely, unlike in Candle Blaze, where demons had to hide just to breathe.

Envious, she tugged Liu Fenyun’s sleeve and whispered, “Can we move here in the future?”

Liu Fenyun smiled. “Don’t be in such a hurry to settle down. What if you want to travel the world later?”

Lian Yi blinked. “But right now, my whole heart wants to live here.”

Luo Binglun, who had been silent, suddenly spoke: “This place sits atop the largest ancient ruins in the Human Realm. Though it is a small nation, it is a cultivation paradise for both demons and humans.”

Liu Fenyun tested the waters: “Does Priest Luo mean… the real estate is expensive?”

Luo Binglun smiled, essentially confirming it.

Lian Yi wasn’t having it. “Do I look like a demon who lacks money?!” She hadn’t been lazy over the years; her salary was substantial, and she had her own secret stash.

“While Phoenix Perch allows demons to live here, their housing needs are different,” Luo Binglun explained calmly. “It’s not that the land is more expensive, but the furniture is specialized. It must accommodate both demon and human forms. Some demons need holes carved into chairs or beds for tails they don’t want to retract. Thus, settling here requires not just land, but a lot of custom-made furniture.”

Yu Qingyue nodded beside her like a little chick pecking at grain.

“I feel like Priest Luo is low-key calling me poor…” Lian Yi grumbled. “Fine, I wasn’t planning on settling down for another couple of years anyway.”

The carriage ride was smooth, but Qi Ran’s cage was hanging from a hook. The swaying soon woke her up. Qi Ran opened her eyes to find the lighting dim and her subordinates gone. Instead, the scent of Liu Fenyun’s group was overpowering.

Suppressing her nausea, she swiped a claw at the vines of the cage. However, her claws hadn’t grown back yet. The swipe did nothing but cause her a sharp pain that made her yelp and retreat to the bottom of the cage, hissing in agony.

The noise silenced the carriage. Luo Binglun took the cage down. Feeling the overwhelming pressure Luo Binglun radiated, Qi Ran trembled with rage. “You shameless human! You forced a blood bond on me while I was unconscious!”

“Actually, the bond was my idea,” Liu Fenyun explained. “It’s only a seven day temporary bond. If you behave, no one will mistreat you.”

Qi Ran spitefully scratched the floor of the cage and sneered, “I don’t have the antidote for the love-gu. Don’t get your hopes up.”

Liu Fenyun remained calm. “That’s fine. I can make it myself. We only brought you along so we wouldn’t have to deal with more pursuers.”

The sound of claws scratching metal echoed through the carriage. Lian Yi, unable to stand the noise, covered her ears. “Can you make her be quiet?”

Luo Binglun couldn’t stand it either. With a thought, she silenced the noise and put the demon into a deep sleep, intending to wake her only when needed.

By the time they arrived, it was late. They would have to wait until morning to see the “old friend.”

At the inner city relay station, a female official arranged their rooms. Lian Yi and Liu Fenyun stayed together, while Luo Binglun and Yu Qingyue shared a room. Qi Ran was locked in an alcove in Luo Binglun’s room. Yu Qingyue found a fasting pill to feed her, saving them the trouble of feeding her meals.

Luo Binglun needed to merge the demon core she had obtained. After a quick dinner, she closed the door, asked Yu Qingyue to guard her, and began her meditation.

Yu Qingyue started off obediently, but as the night deepened, sleepiness took over. Her eyes fluttered, her head nodded, and eventually, she collapsed onto the bed and fell fast asleep.

Two hours later, Luo Binglun finally finished merging the core with her body. She exhaled and opened her eyes.

The morning light was just beginning to touch the person sitting with her back to her on the edge of the bed. Thinking Yu Qingyue had stayed up all night for her, Luo Binglun felt a wave of guilt. She reached out to apologize. “A-Qing, you…”

Her hand was suddenly grabbed. With a sharp tug from Yu Qingyue, Luo Binglun lost her balance and tumbled directly into Yu Qingyue’s lap.

Luo Binglun gasped. She looked up to see Yu Qingyue looking down at her, a mysterious smile on her face.

“Why so affectionate all of a sudden?” Yu Qingyue murmured. “If an outsider saw this, they might think something happened between us.”