Queen of Ten Thousand Demons Insists on Marrying Me - Chapter 21

This was a notably elegant wooden house. The main door was wide open, and there was no bolt to be seen, suggesting that no one else would likely come to this secret realm. The main house faced south and contained three rooms. In the courtyard grew a date tree, as well as some melons, fruits, and vegetables.

Lu Xiaoxiao pushed open the door, walked into the vegetable patch, picked a cucumber, wiped it on her clothes, and handed it to Dantai Jing. She then called toward the house: “Is anyone home~”

Dantai Jing pushed Lu Xiaoxiao’s hand away in distaste: “You’re only asking now, after we’ve already walked in.”

Lu Xiaoxiao giggled twice: “I guessed no one was here. The cucumbers have grown so big, they haven’t been picked for at least four or five days.”

The room on the east side was a wing room, covered with a layer of dust, indicating that the owner rarely had guests and didn’t enjoy cleaning much. The room on the west was the kitchen, fully equipped, suggesting they could have a proper meal tonight.

The main bedroom was bright and clean. It was fully furnished with a Zitan (red sandalwood) canopy bed, a Huanghuali (yellow rosewood) standing desk, and all the tools for calligraphy, painting, and music—a true testament to the owner being a person of refined taste who appreciated life.

“Who do you think lives here? The conditions are quite good. It seems like someone living here in seclusion,” Lu Xiaoxiao asked indistinctly, taking a bite of the cucumber.

Dantai Jing stood in front of the standing desk, seemingly lost in thought while looking at a scroll of calligraphy and painting. Seeing that she wasn’t responding, Lu Xiaoxiao walked around the desk toward her.

“Huh! Isn’t this Aunt Wan?” A portrait lay on the standing desk.

Lu Xiaoxiao paused and glanced at it, seeing that the person in the painting resembled Wan Xuan’er by seventy percent. As for the remaining thirty percent, she felt it lay in the expression. The person in the painting was clearly much more youthful than the current Wan Xuan’er. The Wan Xuan’er she knew always maintained a dignified and imposing, yet elegant, demeanor.

“Looks like the person living here is Aunt Wan’s little lover.”

Dantai Jing glared fiercely at her: “Stop talking nonsense!”

Lu Xiaoxiao, unsure why this person’s temper flared up again, still replied: “Look, the painting is of Aunt Wan, and she’s depicted as she was when she was young. Look at that shy expression on her face. Besides a lover, who else would have ever seen Aunt Wan look like this?” As she spoke, she gestured vaguely toward the painting.

Lu Xiaoxiao was not wrong. No matter how much Dantai Jing did not want to admit it, she knew Lu Xiaoxiao’s analysis was somewhat reasonable.

But… why was the character ‘Fu‘ (扶) from Fu Zhao’s name written in the bottom right corner of the painting? Could it be true, as Yan Sihong had said…?

“So your godmother really had a thing with Aunt Wan? Scandalous! Taboo! They must have realized that they couldn’t be open about it, so they devised a secret plan and kept a mistress hidden! ”

Dantai Jing punched the pig head beside her, threatening: “Stop spouting nonsense here and go play outside by yourself!” She truly didn’t know what kind of blasphemous things this person would say if she kept talking, defiling her ears.

Lu Xiaoxiao hissed and rubbed her head, complaining: “I’m making a bold hypothesis! Didn’t you see that there were two pillows on the bed?”

This time, Dantai Jing couldn’t hold back. If the two of them really had something going on, wouldn’t she be the clown? She had been an undercover agent for so many years just to rescue her godmother, only to find that her godmother was sleeping in the same bed as the owner of the Demon Locking Tower.

She stiffened and walked to the canopy bed, her hands trembling as she drew back the curtain.

“Lu!”

“Xiao!”

“Xiao!”

“You want to die! How dare you lie to me!”

But the culprit was already nowhere to be seen.

Lu Xiaoxiao exited the courtyard and walked toward the seaside, thinking that since they were near the ocean, they should eat from the sea and prepare some seafood for dinner.

She actually didn’t want to make Dantai Jing angry. Dantai Jing had been so kind to her in the fourth layer of the Demon Locking Tower, even sacrificing herself to save her. Yet, as soon as they came out, she reverted to being violent and easily angered.

She now reasonably suspected that Dantai Jing’s previously pitiful appearance was all an act—a honey trap and a self-sacrificing scheme—to willingly make her join forces to kill Yan Sihong.

Inside the room, Dantai Jing returned to the desk and started searching, finding that, aside from a few landscape paintings and calligraphies, everything else was portraits of Wan Xuan’er.

The difference was that, apart from the one on the desk, the others were hidden very deep, pressed underneath the landscape paintings.

It was obvious that the one on the desk had been left there because the owner had suddenly been called away and hadn’t had time to put it away.

She sat at the desk, propping her head with her hand, deep in thought for a long time. She still couldn’t figure out how the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon King of Gouwu Mountain could have an emotional entanglement with the famously renowned Palace Mistress of Yaoxia Palace.

Looking at those portraits, it was clear that they were imbued with deep emotion. If they loved each other so deeply, why was she imprisoned in the Demon Locking Tower?

And since she was imprisoned in the Demon Locking Tower, how could she be living in a secluded wooden house like this, only to suddenly disappear again?

She even wondered what Lu Xiaoxiao would think.

A scene suddenly popped into her head: Lu Xiaoxiao with one hand on her hip and one finger pointing: “That must be because Aunt Wan loved your godmother but couldn’t have her, so she imprisoned her! Though your godmother is a demon, she understood the principle that humans and demons cannot be together, and she absolutely couldn’t let the Tower Master of the Demon Locking Tower become deeply entangled. She had to bury her love deep in her heart, preventing Aunt Wan from realizing it. After a hundred years, Aunt Wan finally decided to learn from the painful experience and killed your godmother. Finally, she discovered that your godmother left behind her portrait, which filled her with sorrow and regret, leading her to leave this wooden house as a memorial, a tomb for their love.”

Dantai Jing vigorously shook her head, finally managing to shake the ridiculous image out of her mind.

She muttered to herself: “I can’t possibly ask Wan Xuan’er about this. It looks like I need to find a chance to go back to Gouwu Mountain.”

Just as her thoughts became a little clearer, she suddenly smelled a fragrance. Following the scent, she walked into the kitchen.

Dantai Jing: “Didn’t you say you can’t cook?”

Lu Xiaoxiao: “I’m not very good at it, no. I just caught some seafood. It’s great to have magical powers; I just grab whatever I see with an empty-handed spell. These are freshly steamed. Come, try some.”

As she spoke, she took a shrimp from the plate, peeled it, dipped it in some sauce, and fed it into Dantai Jing’s mouth.

Dantai Jing’s eyes lit up, and she praised: “Not bad at all. I think you have a talent for this. You can learn more later.”

Lu Xiaoxiao shook her hands because they were hot: “You don’t understand. The more capable one is, the more work they do. This way, when I find a partner in the future, if everyone craves food, I won’t have to be the one to cook. You should be grateful; you’re the first person to taste my cooking.”

“I want another one.”

Lu Xiaoxiao knew Dantai Jing’s hands were inconvenient, so she moved the table to the courtyard and fed her one shrimp after another. After feeding her, she changed the medicine on Dantai Jing’s hand.

The sun slowly set, and the afterglow hit the sea surface. Looking up, her eyes were scorched by the fiery clouds in the sky.

“Don’t you think the scenery on this layer is quite beautiful? Along with the first layer we entered, it’s so suitable for a couple’s date. Your godmother must have been quite comfortable here. Does your Gouwu Mountain have scenery this beautiful?”

Dantai Jing thought to herself: Why does she always bring up what she shouldn’t? Under such beautiful scenery, she is asking for a beating.

“Our Gouwu Mountain is much more beautiful than this. There are towering ancient trees in the mountains, and clear, cold pools. The summit of Gouwu Mountain is covered in wild grass and fresh flowers. Watching the sunrise and sunset from the peak is far more beautiful than this. Especially at night, the moon hangs in the branches, seemingly within reach.”

“I don’t believe it’s as beautiful as you say.”

“If you don’t believe me, come and see for yourself.”

After eating her fill, Lu Xiaoxiao cleared the dishes and restored the table to its original state.

Lu Xiaoxiao: “How are the two of us sleeping tonight?”

Dantai Jing looked at the room on the east side: “Go and tidy up that room.”

Since the owner wasn’t home, it wasn’t right to occupy their room. Lu Xiaoxiao obediently turned and went into the east room. She toiled and cleaned for half an hour before coming out with a bucket and a mop.

Dantai Jing, passing her, said flatly: “Well done. You can use the Jingchen Jue (Dust Cleansing Spell) next time.” She left the petrified Lu Xiaoxiao to enter the room.

Lu Xiaoxiao followed her in and questioned: “Why didn’t you tell me earlier!”

Dantai Jing said calmly: “You didn’t ask me.”

Lu Xiaoxiao pouted and sat on the bed: “How are the two of us going to sleep tonight? There’s only one bed. Why don’t we sleep foot-to-foot tonight and talk deep into the night?”

Dantai Jing opened the cabinet beside the bed: “There are blankets and quilts inside. You can sleep on the floor.”

“This bed is so big; it’s a waste for you to sleep in it alone.” Having finally earned a chance to sleep in a bed, she had to fight for it.

“No.”

Lu Xiaoxiao pretended not to hear, shamelessly lay down on the bed, closed her eyes, and remained motionless.

“Three.”

“Two…”

“One!”

Lu Xiaoxiao still stubbornly lay on the bed, not moving.

Dantai Jing held Gui Chen and whipped it toward the bed. Gui Chen wrapped around Lu Xiaoxiao several times and tossed her onto the ground.

Dantai Jing put away Gui Chen, smiled, walked to the bedside, took off her shoes, neatly placed them, and slowly drew the bed curtain.

Lu Xiaoxiao could only pull a long face, spread her bedding on the floor, kicked off her boots, and lay down.

Just like that, the two were enveloped in the deep darkness, silent.

“Dantai Jing, are you asleep? It’s really nice that you weren’t teleported away today.”

Dantai Jing lay on the bed, using the faint candlelight from outside to look at the phoenix patterns on the canopy bed.

After a moment, she replied: “Maybe the fifth layer corresponds to demons in the Mahayana Stage.”

“Then let’s just live here for the rest of the time. We’ll leave once forty-nine days are up.”

Dantai Jing softly asked: “Where do you think my godmother went?”

“I think she only left recently. Maybe Aunt Wan moved her to a different place for confinement, or perhaps she found a way to escape on her own.”

Dantai Jing lay on her side, resting on her arm: “Really?”

Lu Xiaoxiao turned over and looked at the figure behind the curtain, saying: “Really. When we get out, I’ll continue to help you look for her, and we’ll bring Lu Wanbai along. The three of us will definitely find her. Three mediocre people can surpass a wise man, after all.”

“Mm… Thank you. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have followed me into such a dangerous place.”

Lu Xiaoxiao shivered all over. Hearing the word “thank you” from Dantai Jing felt a bit strange. However, she still offered comfort. After all, she hadn’t died, and Dantai Jing herself had suffered serious injuries and hadn’t found the person she was looking for.

“It’s nothing. Actually… it’s quite exciting. It feels like upgrading and fighting monsters. If I hadn’t entered the Demon Locking Tower, who knows when I would have reached the Golden Core stage? I can even brag to Lu Wanbai about this when we get out.” She continued: “Do you think us killing Yan Sihong counts as punishing evil and promoting good? Did we do a great deed?”

“Mm! Of course it counts. Yan Sihong killed many people and demons.”

“Hehe, it’s getting late. Go to sleep quickly.”

Lu Xiaoxiao watched the figure behind the curtain turn over and lie flat. Before long, even breathing sounds could be heard.

The bright moonlight streamed in through the window. The gentle breeze rustled, tree shadows danced, and points of starlight reflected in Lu Xiaoxiao’s eyes.

In her previous life, she spent her days going back and forth between school and work. Since coming to this world, she felt that everything was full of excitement. Now, she felt it wasn’t so bad after all. Since she had already died once, any life she lived was a gain, and besides, this world was so interesting.

She then turned her head to look at the person sleeping beside her.

Even more, there was such an interesting person here.

Their relationship was somewhat strange. She was clearly a captive, threatened by a hex, who had only survived by bragging about her abilities. Yet, so far, she hadn’t truly played a significant role.

In truth, when she heard about Dantai Jing’s pitiful background and after being saved by her several times, she had already considered her a friend. She just didn’t know if Dantai Jing considered her a friend as well.

Lu Xiaoxiao’s mind wandered with random thoughts until drowsiness swept over her, and she fell into a deep sleep.