Queen of Ten Thousand Demons Insists on Marrying Me - Chapter 33

Two months after returning to Yaoxia Palace.

Days passed one by one. The position of Deputy Head of the Enforcement Hall was out of the question for Dantai Jing; it was said to have gone to a Core Formation stage male disciple named Xie Hu. However, Dantai Jing did not seem overly saddened. She immediately turned her attention to investigating the demons secretly lurking in Yaoxia Palace.

Lu Wanbai continued her daily cultivation. At some point, she had gotten involved with Wan Qingyi and was occasionally called upon by the young lady to accompany her shopping, which she also used as an opportunity to inquire about Lu Mingyu.

Lu Xiaoxiao, on the other hand, resumed her beloved life of drawing talismans. Her skills improved day by day, and she was now capable of drawing high-grade Five Thunder Talismans. Even Wan Xuan’er was repeatedly astonished, praising the Lu family for producing a talisman genius. However, the praise didn’t last long, as she was only able to draw one high-grade Five Thunder Talisman before her talent seemed to run out.

On this day, Lu Xiaoxiao happily returned to her courtyard with five thousand spirit stones exchanged from the Treasure Pavilion, only to see Wan Qingyi and Lu Wanbai waiting for her at the courtyard gate. It turned out the two had come to invite her to Wan Xuan’er’s Mid-Autumn Festival banquet.

Lu Xiaoxiao asked: “What about Dantai Jing? Will she be there too?”

Wan Qingyi shook her head: “No, it’s just a family dinner for us. The disciples all have leave to return home for the festival. Hasn’t Dantai Jing gone home yet?”

Dantai Jing certainly hadn’t gone home. She had come yesterday to give her the antidote, and besides, Gouwu Mountain was too far away to return to. However, if she asked her to attend Aunt Wan’s Mid-Autumn banquet, Dantai Jing would probably be furious, considering Aunt Wan had locked up her godmother somewhere.

Speaking of Dantai Jing’s godmother, Lu Xiaoxiao remembered: perhaps she could seize this opportunity to ask Aunt Wan for information.

After agreeing to Wan Qingyi, Lu Xiaoxiao turned and left the courtyard, making a trip to the Treasure Pavilion. After all, one had to bring gifts to a banquet.

After the back and forth, time was just about right. Lu Xiaoxiao carried two bottles of fruit wine made from spiritual fruits to Wan Xuan’er’s Tiande Hall.

It was exactly as Wan Qingyi had said. The banquet only included Wan Xuan’er, her daughter, Lu Wanbai, and herself. Even the highly respected, unattached elders in the palace were not present. Lu Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but feel touched. Regardless of anything else, Wan Xuan’er was genuinely kind to her and Lu Wanbai. Not only were they not bound by the disciples’ rules, but they were also given ample food and resources.

If Lu Wanbai hadn’t strongly refused, only requesting a place to stay, Lu Xiaoxiao might have already fallen into decadence.

After three rounds of drinks, Lu Xiaoxiao herself felt a bit dizzy. The goods from the Treasure Pavilion were expensive, but they were certainly genuine.

She looked at Lu Wanbai and Wan Qingyi, who were also drunk, and then at Wan Xuan’er, whose face was only slightly flushed.

Lu Xiaoxiao finally spoke: “Aunt Wan, I heard that a Tribulation-stage Nine-Tailed Fox is locked in the Demon Locking Tower. It’s been locked up for over a hundred years. Is it dead by now?”

Wan Qingyi slurred: “I don’t know. It’s probably dead after all these years, right, Mother?”

Lu Xiaoxiao’s throat tightened, but she maintained a drunken appearance, afraid Wan Xuan’er would notice anything amiss.

Wan Xuan’er was uncharacteristically happy today. Although she was clearly drunk, she hadn’t used her spiritual power to expel the alcohol.

She stared intently at the wine cup in her hand and said a sentence of ambiguous meaning: “If only she were dead already.”

Lu Xiaoxiao boldly asked another question: “Then why didn’t I see her when I was in the Demon Locking Tower? Oh, right, Dantai Jing and I encountered a demon named Yan Sihong in there. Thankfully, with my Morning Yuan Sword, Dantai Jing and I managed to kill her together.”

Alcohol gave the cowardly courage. She was not afraid of being exposed by Wan Xuan’er for trying to trick her, but rather afraid that if she suddenly mentioned Wan Xuan’er’s former lover, the latter might angrily strike her down while drunk.

A trace of clarity returned to Wan Xuan’er’s eyes: “Strange! How did you and Dantai Jing manage to get to that level of the Demon Locking Tower? I clearly closed the passages between the two sides.”

After a while, she muttered: “Perhaps my emotions were affected when I heard the news that your mother was still alive, causing the boundary within the Demon Locking Tower to become unstable. Fortunately, both of you are alright. However, that Yan Sihong is not so easy to kill, haha.”

“Haha, is that so? But I definitely didn’t see a Nine-Tailed Fox after searching almost every corner in there.”

Wan Xuan’er looked strange and sighed: “That fellow is truly cunning. Just to be safe, I was afraid you might be lured by her if you went inside, so I removed her spiritual power and locked her elsewhere when you entered. It turns out the Demon Locking Tower did have problems.”

So that was it!

Wan Qingyi suddenly uttered an “Ehh?” “Mother, could the masked woman tied up with the Demon Binding Rope, the one who was next to you when we went to Qingzhou City, have been that Nine-Tailed Fox?”

Wan Xuan’er said no more. She merely smiled, picked up her wine cup, and returned to her room. Lu Xiaoxiao also felt that the trip was a success. She pulled Lu Wanbai’s arm and helped her back to her room.

After settling Lu Wanbai, Lu Xiaoxiao left the courtyard, bent over, leaning on the doorframe, and panting heavily.

“Such low alcohol tolerance, yet I drank so much. I’m exhausted.” Even cultivators couldn’t escape the social burdens of drinking.

After catching her breath, she stood up, took out a hugely expensive anti-intoxication pill from her pocket, swallowed it, and walked toward Dantai Jing’s courtyard. She wondered how Dantai Jing was spending the Mid-Autumn Festival alone.

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the silver-plate moon hung high in the deep blue sky. The clear moonlight, like fine silver gauze, gently covered the quiet earth. Lu Xiaoxiao stepped onto the stone path, softly and clearly illuminated by the moonlight. Her shadow was stretched long beneath the moon, intertwined with the sparse tree shadows behind her.

As she got closer, she could gradually see the familiar small courtyard ahead. A faint light shone from the window, but then she saw a figure emerge from the courtyard, glance left and right, and then quickly leave in the distance.

The figure was tall and slender, appearing to be a young man. It seemed Dantai Jing didn’t just have her as a friend; someone else was also accompanying her for the festival.

Lu Xiaoxiao hid in the shadows. After watching the person walk far away, she slowly entered Dantai Jing’s courtyard.

The person in the courtyard stood with her hands behind her back beneath the osmanthus tree, lost in thought while gazing at the moon.

“Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, Dantai Jing.” Lu Xiaoxiao held up the fruit wine, shaking it at her to signal.

Dantai Jing turned around: “Mid-Autumn Festival, when the person and the moon are whole and complete. I am alone; how can I be happy?”

“Nonsense. I just saw someone leave your courtyard. Why didn’t you mention making a new friend? Besides, I’m here to spend the festival with you, aren’t I? Fine wine, a beautiful night, and me, a beautiful woman, for company. Aren’t you satisfied?”

Dantai Jing was startled: “What new friend?” Then she suddenly raised an eyebrow with realization: “What? Are you jealous?”

“How could I be? You have few friends here in Yaoxia Palace, so it’s good that more people keep you company.” She said, pulling Dantai Jing to sit down.

Dantai Jing lowered her eyes: “Oh, didn’t you go to spend the festival with Wan Xuan’er and the others today? Why are you here looking for me?”

Lu Xiaoxiao poured a cup of wine and handed it over: “This banquet allowed me to find out some incredible news. It turns out Fu Zhao, your godmother, really is in the Demon Locking Tower. It’s just that when we went in last time, Aunt Wan was afraid of accidents and moved her outside. It seems they even went to Qingzhou City together.”

“Is that true?” Dantai Jing asked excitedly. She had finally gotten some news about her godmother after so long.

Lu Xiaoxiao beamed: “Absolutely true! I exchanged this news by consuming several anti-intoxication pills and getting several of them drunk. It’s only a pity that we were only focused on pursuing that mysterious Lu Mingyu back then and didn’t manage to let you see her.”

Hearing this, Dantai Jing snatched the cup from Lu Xiaoxiao’s hand and set it down heavily.

“Then why are you still drinking? No more drinking allowed. Small sips are enjoyable, but too much harms the body.”

Lu Xiaoxiao rubbed her nose, took the cup back, and said: “It’s the festival, isn’t it? The atmosphere is right for a drink with you.”

“Still not allowed!” Dantai Jing placed one hand over the mouth of the cup, blocking Lu Xiaoxiao from pouring the wine.

“Alright, alright, I’ll listen to you. So, what’s our next step?”

“Do you remember Yan Sihong? I suspect the person undercover in Yaoxia Palace is related to Yan Sihong’s brother, Yan Gengshen. Perhaps Yan Gengshen wanted to save his sister and also sent someone undercover in Yaoxia Palace.”

“I remember, the snake demon with the umbrella that the two of us killed in the Demon Locking Tower.”

“Exactly. My other discovery is that Xi Xiaoshuang leaves Yaoxia Palace and goes down the mountain once a month, on the first day of the lunar month. The pattern is too abnormal. She usually leaves in the daytime and returns at night, regardless of the weather.”

Lu Xiaoxiao widened her eyes: “No way. She’s the new Head of the Enforcement Hall.”

Dantai Jing wanted to say that Lu Xiaoxiao didn’t understand Gengshen Demon Venerable’s methods, but then she remembered she was also using the Gu to coerce Lu Xiaoxiao, so she swallowed her words.

Seeing her fall silent, Lu Xiaoxiao thought Dantai Jing was angry that she was doubting her, so she added: “I don’t disbelieve you, I’m just a little shocked. I’ll go with you next month on the first day of the month to check it out.”

“Mm, I didn’t think you didn’t trust me.”

Lu Xiaoxiao continued: “When I was eating with Aunt Wan today, I mentioned that the two of us killed Yan Sihong. Aunt Wan seemed somewhat skeptical. If this matter were to leak out, it might affect Yan Gengshen’s efforts to save his sister. Would he just give up on the rescue?”

Dantai Jing said lightly: “Wan Xuan’er won’t say anything. If this matter spreads, it will only attract unnecessary enemies to you.”

The two chatted for a long time before Dantai Jing finally spoke: “It’s very late. You should go back and rest. You drank so much wine tonight, your face is flushed.”

Lu Xiaoxiao looked up at the moon. It was indeed quite late. She stood up to say goodbye and walked toward the courtyard entrance, but then turned back.

She took out a white jade inkstone from her embrace and handed it to Dantai Jing: “I almost forgot. This is your Mid-Autumn gift. Be careful, the top part moves.”

Dantai Jing took the white jade inkstone and saw two small tiger-shaped beasts on the top, gazing at a small figure holding a base in the middle. Engraved clearly on the base was a seal. Dantai Jing picked up the seal and saw the four small characters “engraved on it.

“Thank you~ I love it very much.” Dantai Jing felt moved, her heart filled with softness. No one had ever given her such a thoughtful gift.

Lu Xiaoxiao scratched her head: “You’re welcome. I’m glad you like it. I saw you reading every day, and you have lots of writing tools in your bed-chamber, so I thought you might like it and just bought it casually.”

Dantai Jing’s beautiful eyes focused on the tiny wounds on Lu Xiaoxiao’s hands, clearly left from practicing the carving.

“Did you also carve the characters on the seal casually?”

“Yes, yes! I’m going back now. See you another day.” Lu Xiaoxiao waved as she backed away, nearly tripping at one point. After steadying herself, she ran back awkwardly.

Because of this inkstone, Lu Xiaoxiao was now back in debt, owing the unscrupulous merchant at the Treasure Pavilion dozens of mid-grade Five Thunder Talismans.

A white jade inkstone actually cost that much.

However, seeing how much Dantai Jing seemed to like it, she felt it didn’t matter. After all, drawing talismans was now second nature to her.