Queen of Ten Thousand Demons Insists on Marrying Me - Chapter 35

Tantai Jing whipped the demon’s ankle, walked to the loquat tree in the courtyard, and hung him upside down.

“Tell me, what is your name?” She did not stop her hand movement, extending her index finger to trace a mark in the air on the demon’s wrist.

“Stop the nonsense! I won’t say a damn thing!” This demon was surprisingly stubborn, which Tantai Jing had not anticipated. She remained silent, yet seven or eight more wounds appeared on the demon’s body.

Blood slowly flowed onto the ground, making a ceaseless “drip, drip” sound.

“Hey! Stop cutting! If you keep going, all the blood I just drank will drain out. I heard from your companion just now that you’re a demon too. Although I can’t smell any demonic aura on you, you must have some way of hiding it.”

Tantai Jing merely ignored him, continuing to add new wounds to his body.

“Wait! I’m from Black Wind Cliff! Do you know the consequences of one demon daring to harm a demon from our Black Wind Cliff?!”

Tantai Jing stopped her hand movement. The blood pooled on the ground was now flowing like a stream, no longer dripping.

“Hmph! You’re scared now, aren’t you? Why don’t you kill that Yaoxia Palace disciple outside, and I’ll introduce you to Black Wind Cliff? Demon Venerable Gengshen has already broken through to the Great Ascension stage and will surely become the King of Ten Thousand Demons one day. Others can’t even find a way to get in.”

The demon saw Tantai Jing stop and thought she was intimidated by the great name of Demon Venerable Gengshen. But then he saw two ladybugs suddenly appear on Tantai Jing’s hand, and his heart was instantly seized with terror.

“You… are you that one from Mount Gouwu?”

The seven-spot ladybugs flapped their wings, flew unsteadily to the demon’s body, and burrowed in through the wounds on his wrist.

“Wait! My name is Huang Xiuzhu, and I don’t know much! I was just helping to contact Xi Xiaoshuang and pass on a message.”

A great demon had emerged from Mount Gouwu a hundred years ago, whose name was little known to the outside world. Rumor had it that she possessed high cultivation at a young age and specialized in Gu Poison arts, commanding various mutated insects. The most terrifying aspect was that when controlled by the Gu, the victim’s spiritual meridians would itch unbearably, followed by agonizing full-body pain that made them wish for death, until the Gu drained all their blood. Some even claimed that even after death from blood loss, the Gu remaining in the body could still be commanded by her.

These were rumors Huang Xiuzhu had heard in Black Wind Cliff. After all, which of them, the Demon Clan, used Gu Poison?

Tantai Jing: “How much better it would have been to speak sooner. You wouldn’t have had to endure so much pain. Confess everything you did in Fuxian Town, point by point.”

Huang Xiuzhu was already beginning to feel his entire body itch. Wherever the Gu passed, it gnawed. Now, the two Gu were traveling along his meridians toward his demon core.

“Fine, fine, fine! Can you please stop those ladybugs? I’ll confess right now.” Huang Xiuzhu asked, his body twisting as he hung upside down from the tree. But Tantai Jing fell silent again, causing him immense distress.

“Or perhaps, once I’ve confessed, you can just give me a quick death…”

“In this Fuxian Town, I only meet Xi Xiaoshuang once a month, then deliver her letters to the City Lord’s residence in Dongchang City. I know nothing else.” Huang Xiuzhu finished speaking, his body contorted. The blood on the ground was already turning black, showing that the Gu not only gnawed at his meridians but was also poisonous.

“How long has Xi Xiaoshuang been betraying Yaoxia Palace?”

Huang Xiuzhu: “Three months… wait, maybe four months. I don’t remember clearly. Anyway, she sent me here just after she became the head of the Enforcement Hall.”

“What is Yan Gengshen’s intention in sending spies to Yaoxia Palace?”

Huang Xiuzhu’s face was contorted with pain: “I don’t know… I don’t know… Everyone says it’s to rescue his sister, Yan Si Hong, who’s locked in the Demon Lock Tower. But it’s been so long, who knows if she’s still alive.”

“If the Demon Lock Tower is like a fortress of copper walls and iron barriers, what method will Yan Gengshen use to get inside and rescue his sister?”

“I’ll tell you if you promise to let me go. Otherwise, I won’t say anything, even if you torture me to death.”

Tantai Jing uttered a sound of surprise, seeming unconvinced.

Huang Xiuzhu: “With my status, I naturally wouldn’t know. This is something I overheard inadvertently the last time I went to Dongchang City.”

Tantai Jing couldn’t be bothered with any more nonsense. Before, she was simply in a bad mood and wanted to torment him.

A red light flashed in her eyes. She used the Glamour spell passed down from Bai Wu, and when she spoke again, Huang Xiuzhu’s eyes were already vacant.

“What method is Yan Gengshen preparing to use to get inside and rescue his sister?”

Huang Xiuzhu said intermittently: “Demon Venerable Gengshen… sent many people into the Dead Soul Abyss. They found a clue from Fu Zhao’s parents… It turns out the Wan family’s cultivation method in Yaoxia Palace is flawed. Every sixty years… their spiritual power is completely dispersed for one day. On that day, the connection between the Demon Lock Tower and her will weaken. Demon Venerable Gengshen plans to attack Yaoxia Palace on that day and break open… the Demon Lock Tower.”

Tantai Jing stuttered, surprised to hear such a secret from a mere underling: “When? Which day is it?”

Huang Xiuzhu: “I don’t know.”

Tantai Jing was slightly disappointed, but she had still obtained extremely crucial information this time.

“What is the relationship between the City Lord of Dongchang City and Yan Gengshen?”

Huang Xiuzhu: “I don’t know, but Yan Gengshen seems to be marrying Dong Wenbin’s sister on the fifteenth of next month.”

At this point, Tantai Jing understood. It turned out the City Lord of Dongchang City had already defected to Yan Gengshen, though the reason was unknown. But she had to make a trip to Dongchang City. Perhaps she could use Yan Gengshen or cooperate with him to break open the Demon Lock Tower.

When Tantai Jing left the room, Lu Xiaoxiao was standing at the main entrance, peering left and right into the courtyard. After coming out, a barrier had been placed on the courtyard by Tantai Jing, and no matter how long she stretched her neck, she could neither hear nor see a thing.

Lu Xiaoxiao took small steps forward to greet her: “You’re out.” After saying it, she regretted it a little, thinking how incredibly foolish she was to say ‘You’re out’ when she had already seen the person.

“Don’t go in. It smells of blood.” Tantai Jing dropped the sentence and went to knock on the door of the neighboring courtyard.

An elderly couple came out. Tantai Jing gave the couple fifty taels of silver and instructed them to properly settle the young couple in the neighboring courtyard. They could keep any remaining silver after the funeral. The old couple turned pale from the face to the neck when they heard someone next door had died, but upon hearing that Tantai Jing gave them fifty taels to arrange the funeral, they were so delighted they almost fainted again.

Seeing the elderly couple accept the silver, Tantai Jing proceeded to walk toward the exit of the town. Lu Xiaoxiao, knowing she was in the wrong, quietly followed behind her.

Since leaving the courtyard, Tantai Jing had only said one sentence to Lu Xiaoxiao and hadn’t acknowledged her again.

Seeing that they were about to exit the town, Lu Xiaoxiao finally found an opportunity.

“Let me take you on my sword, Tantai Jing.”

Tantai Jing coldly replied, “No need.”

Then, Lu Xiaoxiao watched as Tantai Jing took a spiritual skiff from her storage ring and stepped onto it without hesitation.

Truthfully, she was stunned for a moment. If she had such a great thing all along, why didn’t she take it out sooner?

As soon as Tantai Jing stepped onto the spiritual skiff, Lu Xiaoxiao also placed one foot on it.

However, before that foot could firmly land, the skiff and the person shot into the air, and Lu Xiaoxiao was almost tripped by Tantai Jing’s sudden departure.

Watching the spiritual skiff ascend and speed away before her eyes, Lu Xiaoxiao wanted to slap herself twice. It was all because her mouth had been too quick.

By the time she flew back to Yaoxia Palace, traveling by starlight and moonlight, she found that the lamp in Tantai Jing’s room had already been extinguished. She had to admit, that spiritual skiff was truly effective, if a bit pricey.

The next morning, Lu Xiaoxiao woke up unusually early, thinking of going to Tantai Jing to apologize.

As soon as she went out, she heard the ringing of the Yaoxia Palace bell. Generally, when this great bell rang, it meant there was a significant announcement. The matter of apologizing had to be postponed for now, and she went with Lu Wanbai to the Immortal Ascension Platform.

The crowds had already converged below the Immortal Ascension Platform like a tide, densely filling the entire area, with small groups whispering amongst themselves.

Wan Xuan’er stood on the Immortal Ascension Platform and announced: “Recently, this Palace Master received secret intelligence, stating that a demon spy had infiltrated the palace. This news chills me to the bone and fills my heart with worry. After searching day and night, we finally found a trace of the spy and have executed them. However, this matter is not over. This Palace Master knows well that the Demon Clan will not let it rest and will surely seek another opportunity to infiltrate the palace. Therefore, this Palace Master must remain vigilant at all times to ensure the demons have no chance to succeed.”

These words stirred up a wave among the crowd below, like a stone dropped into a lake, creating layers of ripples. The Immortal Ascension Platform instantly became a clamorous uproar.

“Silence!” A deep, powerful voice pierced through the commotion on the Immortal Ascension Platform, like a sudden thunderclap, plunging the entire space into momentary silence.

A middle-aged man in luxurious robes with a solemn face stood near Wan Xuan’er. His eyes, sharp as an eagle’s, scanned the crowd below, revealing an unquestionable authority. This was Ban Cheng, one of the four protectors of Yaoxia Palace.

Ban Cheng: “Therefore, for the safety of all disciples within the palace, every disciple must undergo an examination today.”

As his words fell, several people in black clothing walked out from both sides of the high platform. They held long swords and moved swiftly, quickly dispersing into the crowd, forming solid lines of defense.

Lu Xiaoxiao watched the well-trained individuals, feeling a wave of panic. She stood on her tiptoes and looked outward, but she could not find Tantai Jing anywhere.

“Senior Sister, who is this Ban Cheng? Why did Auntie Wan not let the Enforcement Hall handle this, but instead this elder?”

Lu Wanbai’s expression was grave. She also wanted to see if there were any demon spies among the crowd. Her aversion to the Demon Clan was no less than to the Devil Clan.

She answered Lu Xiaoxiao absently: “Ban Cheng has been one of the four protectors of Yaoxia Palace since the time of the previous Palace Master. You could say he watched Palace Master Wan grow up. If there’s anyone in the palace Palace Master Wan trusts the most, it’s probably him.”

“Quick! Catch her!” A shout of anger suddenly erupted in the crowd.

Lu Xiaoxiao anxiously looked over. It turned out a female disciple was attempting to defy the order, violently shoving away the guards who tried to stop her, intending to escape in the confusion.

Though the guards were caught off guard by her sudden attack, they quickly reacted, swiftly adjusting their formation to surround the female disciple.

Wielding her long sword, the female disciple fought desperately, managing to wound three guards and tear open a gap, escaping in Lu Xiaoxiao’s direction.

Lu Wanbai’s expression was cold as she drew her long sword: “This person concealed her strength. She appears to be Foundation Establishment, but is actually late Golden Core.”

Lu Xiaoxiao didn’t care about the female disciple. She only feared that Tantai Jing had also heard the bell and was trapped on the Immortal Ascension Platform. That Ban Cheng was so old, he must be a Great Ascension stage cultivator.

Just as Lu Wanbai and a few other disciples raised their swords to help, the woman, in her despair, showed a look of determination and madness in her eyes. She quickly formed a seal, muttering incantations. A strange and powerful aura began to permeate around her.

As her spell continuously accelerated, her cultivation suddenly soared at that moment, like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, directly crossing a major realm to the early Tribulation Crossing stage!

This transformation stunned everyone present. They had never seen such a bizarre secret art that could raise a person’s cultivation to this level in such a short time. The woman’s eyes turned blood-red, and the demonic aura surrounding her intensified. She seemed to have transformed into a demon beast about to break free, charging toward Lu Xiaoxiao with her sword.

Lu Xiaoxiao cursed inwardly: What does this have to do with me? I didn’t participate!

She wanted to dodge but found her body seemed to be fixed in place. The female disciple had somehow used a secret art to root her to the spot.

Lu Xiaoxiao’s body instantly tensed up, her breathing stopped. She felt time pass incredibly slowly, even clearly seeing the sword in the female disciple’s hand reflecting white light in the sunlight. Just as the sword tip was an inch away, Lu Xiaoxiao subconsciously closed her eyes.

In that instant, she clearly heard the sound of a sharp sword piercing a body—

Immediately after, a chilling smell of blood permeated the air. Her face was suddenly splashed with tiny drops of liquid, cold and moist; it was blood splattered from a nearby source.

Lu Xiaoxiao was startled and immediately realized the injured person was not herself.

The surrounding noise gradually coalesced into a blurry background, but she still keenly caught the sound of people’s panicked shouts and hurried footsteps.

She violently opened her eyes, not seeing the demon who had infiltrated Yaoxia Palace, but Ban Cheng, who had just been standing at the top of the Immortal Ascension Platform. He slowly withdrew the sword from his hand, and fresh blood dripped from the sword tip.

“Little friend, you still need to practice diligently. Do not disappoint the Chaos Origin Sword.” After speaking, he turned and led the guards to begin a new round of inspection.

Only then did Lu Xiaoxiao see the Chaos Origin Sword standing upright in front of her. Even without Ban Cheng, the Chaos Origin Sword could likely have blocked that strike for her.

The female disciple, who died with her eyes open, lay on the ground staring at Lu Xiaoxiao’s boots. The fresh blood on the ground had already flowed to the sole of her shoe, scaring Lu Xiaoxiao into retreating a step.

Now, the most important thing was to find Tantai Jing first and take her away.

After personally experiencing Ban Cheng’s strength—the speed with which he traversed space and the sword technique that killed with one strike—she knew that even two Tantai Jings would not be enough to fight him.

Thinking of this, Lu Xiaoxiao turned and pushed her way through the crowd…