Queen of Ten Thousand Demons Insists on Marrying Me - Chapter 41

Looking at the flickering red light outside the door, the two frowned deeply.

Lu Xiaoxiao picked up the Chaoyuan Sword, gathered all her spiritual power, and swung it at the door. The Chaoyuan Sword unleashed a fierce sword qi that whistled toward the side room’s door. However, the sword qi hit the door as if it were hitting cotton; the door remained perfectly intact. Lu Xiaoxiao exhaled and swung the sword dozens more times, but the door still didn’t budge.

She could only slowly withdraw the Chaoyuan Sword.

“Haha… this barrier seems a bit too strong, huh.” Lu Xiaoxiao gave a dry laugh. She had wanted to show off her strength and at least do something for Tantai Jing.

“It’s alright. It’s likely a barrier set up jointly by several Tribulation Crossing stage formation masters. It’s normal that you couldn’t break it,” Tantai Jing comforted her.

“The barrier wasn’t here when I entered. They probably intend to burn us alive in here,” Tantai Jing said, clenching her fists.

The smoke intensified, and Lu Xiaoxiao felt tears welling up from the fumes.

“Cough, cough,” Lu Xiaoxiao tore off a piece of clothing, poured tea on it, and handed it to Tantai Jing: “Quick, cover your mouth and nose so the smoke doesn’t choke you.”

Tantai Jing took the damp cloth and covered her mouth and nose like Lu Xiaoxiao: “Will this work?”

“It will. It can block dust particles from entering your mouth and nose.”

“But, can’t we just hold our breath?” Tantai Jing asked strangely.

“Uh, I forgot again. Never mind, how do we get out?”

I’m such an idiot. I’ve been here for so long and still forget this is a cultivation world.

Tantai Jing took out the Guichen whip, concentrated her mind and spiritual energy, gathered it on the whip, and lashed out at the wall and windows.

The Guichen whip gleamed with a dazzling light, like a flood dragon soaring into the sky. The whip shadow flashed like lightning, tearing through the air, creating sharp whistling sounds, as if even the air was being split in two.

Dozens of strikes later, each one electric and dense like pouring rain, the barrier finally gave way under the fierce assault. With a loud “crunch,” the wall directly in front of them, along with the door and windows, collapsed with a crash, sending fragments flying everywhere.

Lu Xiaoxiao stared blankly at the wall that had been completely immovable moments before and began to clap: “So… so powerful.” Then, feeling frustrated with the Chaoyuan Sword, she glared at it twice.

The instant the wall collapsed, before Lu Xiaoxiao could react, Tantai Jing grabbed her shoulders and flew out into the dense smoke.

The scenery on both sides rapidly blurred behind them. Lu Xiaoxiao looked down at the City Lord’s Mansion and saw only a handful of servants sparsely extinguishing the fire outside the burning room. She remarked coldly: “Dong Qinglan probably hired those people to put on a show.”

Tantai Jing frowned slightly: “I thought she wouldn’t kill you, but would take the opportunity to let you go. That way, she could shift the blame onto you and the Yaoxia Palace, regardless of what Yan Gengshen wants. I didn’t expect her to be so vicious as to seek a death with no witnesses.”

Hearing this, Lu Xiaoxiao felt a deep sense of fear. If Tantai Jing hadn’t come to see her tonight, things probably would have gone exactly as Dong Qinglan wished.

Thinking of this, she turned to look at Tantai Jing. The firelight below shone on Tantai Jing’s face, coating her originally fair and delicate features with a warm hue. A light breeze blew, and Tantai Jing’s hair kept brushing against Lu Xiaoxiao’s face and neck, making her heart itch. She really wanted to reach out and tuck the stray strands away from her forehead.

As the two swiftly crossed the sky above the City Lord’s Mansion, a clamor immediately erupted below.

“Look, someone flew out of the room.”

“Quickly report to the City Lord! Lu Xiaoxiao has escaped!” a formation master in a white robe shouted urgently.

The people outside the room stopped their act instantly. Some rushed to report to Dong Qinglan, while the rest flew toward the direction the two had left.

However, Lu Xiaoxiao didn’t see what happened next, as the two had already flown out of the City Lord’s Mansion. With Tantai Jing leading her, those formation masters didn’t even know which direction they were headed.

“Where are we going now?”

Lu Xiaoxiao knew returning to the inn to find Ban Cheng was useless, but she didn’t know what to do next.

Tantai Jing frowned slightly: “We’ll find a place and wait for Yan Gengshen.”

Lu Xiaoxiao was stunned: “Yan Gengshen? Do you have a plan?”

After flying for another two kekezhōng (about 30 minutes), the two landed at a house in the outer district of Dongchang City. Tantai Jing used a spell to knock out the occupants, then took Lu Xiaoxiao into a side room. They decided to make do here for the night.

As soon as Lu Xiaoxiao entered the house, she found a teapot from somewhere, returned to the room with two cups, and poured a cup of tea for Tantai Jing to relieve the fatigue of the long night.

“The tea leaves are poor quality. I’d better boil some water for you.” Lu Xiaoxiao took a sip of the tea and found it bitter and acrid, much worse than the tea in Tantai Jing’s room. She reached to take the teacup from Tantai Jing’s table.

Tantai Jing stopped her, smiling softly: “It’s alright. We’re on the run; we can’t be so particular.”

She continued: “Actually, I haven’t fully decided on a course of action yet. I had already planned to bring you out tonight. I saw Huang Xiuzhu today, and before I left, I instructed him to tell Yan Gengshen that Dong Qinglan killed Dong Shuo. Dong Qinglan is extremely ambitious. If Yan Gengshen doesn’t get what he wants, he certainly won’t let Dong Qinglan off lightly. We’ll just wait here to watch the tigers fight and keep a close eye on the City Lord’s Mansion.”

Lu Xiaoxiao nodded in agreement: “I also think Dong Qinglan killed Dong Shuo. Her behavior was too strange. It’s a pity we weren’t more cautious then.”

“Indeed. I wish I hadn’t let you go that day.”

“It’s alright, it’s all in the past, and I’m fine now. If we have to blame someone, blame Elder Ban. Thank you for saving my life again.”

Hearing Lu Xiaoxiao say thank you, Tantai Jing felt a little shy: “We’ll find another inn tomorrow. Let’s make do here today. The only thing is, this room only has one bed.”

Seeing the single, lonely small bed, Lu Xiaoxiao suddenly recalled the kiss Tantai Jing had given her earlier that day. Her face flushed, and she awkwardly spoke: “I’m fine with it. If… you can accept it, then it’s fine.”

Perhaps due to sheer exhaustion, Tantai Jing quickly took off her outer robe and lay down to rest.

Looks like I overthought it… There’s nothing strange about good friends sleeping in the same bed.

Lu Xiaoxiao shook her head, then slowly, still wearing her inner clothes, she got onto the bed.

There was only one blanket on the bed. Lu Xiaoxiao lay completely stiff, daring not to move, terrified of accidentally touching Tantai Jing beside her.

After a long while, just as Lu Xiaoxiao was about to drift off to sleep, she suddenly felt the person next to her move. That person shifted closer to her, and an arm lightly draped over her waist.

No wonder I always woke up hugging Tantai Jing. It turns out she was the one who crawled into my arms every time, not me moving closer because I was cold in the middle of the night. Hmm, it’s fine, it’s fine.

Just as she was thinking this, she heard the person next to her quietly ask near her ear: “Don’t you feel cold today?”

Lu Xiaoxiao flinched from the tickling breath near her ear and stammered: “Ah? Cold, yes, a little cold. How did you know I was cold?”

Tantai Jing was silent for a moment, then hesitated before speaking: “Before… every night after falling asleep, you hug me very tightly and mumble in your dreams that you’re cold.”

Oh my god… So I was the one who initiated it, and Tantai Jing knew all along!

Lu Xiaoxiao felt her face heating up, probably turning quite red. She was only thankful that it was dark. With the cover of night, Tantai Jing couldn’t see the blush on her face. That way, at least her last shred of self-respect could be maintained.

The person lying next to her chuckled softly: “Why are you blushing? It’s happened so many times. Are you shy now?”

Heavens, how could I forget she’s a demon! A demon’s night vision must be excellent. Day and night are probably no different to her!

“I… I wasn’t like this before. I wasn’t afraid of the cold before. Then, at some point, it suddenly changed. I’m really sorry.” Lu Xiaoxiao stammered, reaching to pull the blanket over her head to cover her already flushed face.

The person next to her suddenly asked seriously: “Since when? Since leaving the Demon Locking Tower?”

“I think so.” Lu Xiaoxiao thought about it. She did start sleeping while hugging Tantai Jing after leaving the Demon Locking Tower.

Tantai Jing thought: I forgot that Lu Xiaoxiao’s constitution is different from mine. When she entered the Demon Locking Tower, her cultivation wasn’t even at the Golden Core stage. I hope she didn’t contract an illness after being exposed to the Ice-Cold Bone-Refining Rain.

Then she moved closer, wrapping Lu Xiaoxiao up tighter: “Is this better?”

Lu Xiaoxiao couldn’t possibly know this was Tantai Jing’s consideration. Right now, she felt that Tantai Jing had ripped off her last layer of modesty, and her mind was about to explode. She instinctively wanted to pull away.

Tantai Jing felt the movement of the person in her arms and suddenly felt a little heartache. But fearing the cold night air would make Lu Xiaoxiao sick again, she tightened her grip.

Lu Xiaoxiao felt that struggling was useless, so she allowed Tantai Jing to hold her tightly.

“Your body is always so warm. It’s much better… Thank you…”

The two cuddled together. Lu Xiaoxiao slowly sank into the warmth beside her, enveloped in a faint scent of sandalwood. Sleepiness gradually overcame her.

The next day, the two tidied the room before the homeowners woke up, left ten silver taels, and departed.

Standing on the street in the early morning, their nostrils were filled with the cool, moist scent of grass and trees.

Lu Xiaoxiao stretched languidly: “Do you have anything for disguise? Should we disguise ourselves and go back into the inner city to scout?”

Tantai Jing: “I actually have a disguise mask. Once you put it on, you can change your appearance at will. Because of the unique material, even a Mahayana stage cultivator would find it difficult to distinguish. I originally prepared it for when I was going to enter the Yaoxia Palace, but I didn’t need it after getting the Nǐnyǐn Zhū (Concealment Pearl).”

Lu Xiaoxiao clapped her hands: “Great! In that case, let’s go back and watch the excitement at the City Lord’s Mansion.”

Tantai Jing also thought this was a good idea. She took out the mask and gave it to Lu Xiaoxiao, who put it on and transformed into a girl with an ordinary appearance.

“How is it? Does it look alright?” Lu Xiaoxiao spun around and asked Tantai Jing.

Tantai Jing looked at her with a smile in her eyes: “Not as beautiful as your original appearance.”

“We’re going back undercover. The more ordinary the appearance, the better. The more eye-catching we are, the easier it is to be noticed. You should change your appearance too.”

Tantai Jing thought this made sense. She even felt that her current illusionary appearance was a bit too noticeable. Fortunately, no one in the Yaoxia Palace had discovered it.

Thus, the two changed their faces and returned to the city before noon. They booked a superior room directly opposite the inn where the Yaoxia Palace group was staying. The view from here was perfect for watching people come and go from the opposite inn.

Lu Xiaoxiao stood by the window, opening a slight gap to watch the pedestrians and carriages passing below.

After watching for a while, she noticed nothing unusual.

Bored, she rubbed her finger over the mask. She couldn’t feel anything attached to her face. Curious, she asked Tantai Jing: “This mask is so form-fitting; it feels like I’m not wearing anything. You said the material is special. What kind of material is it? It’s not a human skin mask or something, is it?”

After not hearing a response for a long time, Lu Xiaoxiao’s expression froze. Her body stiffened, and she slowly turned around: “It’s not really a human skin mask, is it…”

The person sitting on the couch let out a burst of laughter: “How could it be? It’s made from the skin of a spirit beast called the Xūhú (Illusory Fox). This spirit beast was best at transformation spells when alive.”

Lu Xiaoxiao patted her chest: “You scared me to death! When you didn’t answer, I thought it was really made of human skin.” Then she reacted, pounced on Tantai Jing, and began tickling her while saying: “Got you! How dare you scare me!”

Tantai Jing was sitting on the edge of the soft couch, leisurely playing with a string of warm jade pendants, completely unprepared for the imminent “sneak attack.”

Lu Xiaoxiao’s hands had already circled around her waist and began to gently tickle her.

Caught off guard, Tantai Jing’s body involuntarily curled up, trying to evade the sudden “attack,” but the smile on her face deepened, and her eyes sparkled with affection and helplessness.

“Stop… hahaha… I… I was wrong, please forgive me.” Tantai Jing let out broken, continuous sounds, begging for mercy, tears unconsciously welling up in her eyes.

Unfortunately, the troublemaker was not one to pity the fairer sex. Her fingers continued to wander around Tantai Jing’s waist, refusing to let go.

Tantai Jing was truly too ticklish. She had no choice but to use a little force to push the person on top of her away. Using that momentum, she flipped over, pinning Lu Xiaoxiao down on the soft couch. Their positions instantly reversed.

She held the other person’s wrists, her grip moderate—gentle but enough to stop the movement.

After the playful scuffle, there was a sudden pause. Tantai Jing breathed lightly. A smile still lingered on her lips, and her eyes were filled with tenderness.

Lu Xiaoxiao felt Tantai Jing’s warm breath on her face, and her eyes began to flicker slightly.

“Clang! Clang! Clang!” A knock sounded from outside the door, interrupting Lu Xiaoxiao’s thoughts.

The waiter’s voice rang out from outside the door: “Misses, forgive the interruption. The bathwater you ordered is ready. Please open the door.”

Hearing the waiter, Tantai Jing smiled at Lu Xiaoxiao: “You’re lucky.”

Tantai Jing flipped off the couch, leaving Lu Xiaoxiao alone, still dazed on the sofa.

She quickly smoothed out her clothes, restored her usual dignified demeanor, and opened the door.

Outside, the waiter stood respectfully. Behind him, two attendants carefully carried two exquisite wooden tubs, steam rising hotly from within.

“Thank you, little waiter,” Tantai Jing thanked the waiter with a smile, then turned to the person on the bed: “Don’t just sit there. You haven’t properly cleaned up for the last two days. Come and soak in a bath to relax. I’ll keep watch.”

After tidying up, Lu Xiaoxiao walked over to Tantai Jing, who was resting by the window, and peeked toward the City Lord’s Mansion: “Do you think Yan Gengshen will come today?”

“He should,” Tantai Jing said, then suddenly looked toward the end of the street outside the City Lord’s Mansion.

“He’s here.”

Speak of the devil.

Lu Xiaoxiao looked up and saw a man in black luxurious clothes with refined features walking toward the City Lord’s Mansion.

“That’s Yan Gengshen? He looks quite young. I thought he’d be an old man.”

Yan Gengshen entered the City Lord’s Mansion and left an hour later. From a distance, his expression looked much gloomier than when he went in.

Tantai Jing: “That’s enough. Let’s go downstairs and find something to eat.”

“Didn’t you want to meet Yan Gengshen? Why aren’t you going to see him?” Lu Xiaoxiao asked suspiciously.

“The time is not yet right.”

Dongchang City was very lively at night; after all, its night market was famous far and wide.

The two had been busy with their mission in the past few days and hadn’t had a chance to explore properly. Finally free, Lu Xiaoxiao lingered at various stalls.

She eventually settled on an exquisite sugar figure, molded in the shape of a beautiful woman. Lu Xiaoxiao thought its delicate appearance bore some resemblance to Tantai Jing, so she was about to buy it to give to her.

Just then, she heard a familiar voice behind her.

“Lu Wanbai, can you walk a little slower? I’m tired, and I want to eat something before going back.”

Lu Xiaoxiao and Tantai Jing exchanged a smile: It was Wan Qingyi!

Then they heard Lu Wanbai’s voice: “We don’t know where Xiaoxiao is, if she’s in danger, or if she’s hurt. I don’t have the leisure to eat with you. Go eat by yourself. I need to search outside the city again.”

Wan Qingyi stamped her foot in frustration: “All you talk about is Lu Xiaoxiao, Lu Xiaoxiao! Maybe she’s just off somewhere cozying up with Tantai Jing. What are you so worried about when they’re together?” She then chased after Lu Wanbai’s retreating figure.

Lu Xiaoxiao felt a little guilty, thinking: We are not cozying up anywhere. We spent the whole afternoon staking out! We just got free time to grab a bite.

Tantai Jing: “Maybe we should tell Senior Sister. It would stop her from worrying about you.”

“Forget it. Knowing would only make her worry more. Let’s just resolve this quickly so we can have peace once and for all.”

Early the next morning, sunlight filtered through the thin window paper and spilled into Lu Xiaoxiao’s room. She gently pulled her arm out from under Tantai Jing, stretched lazily, yawned, and habitually walked to the window to open it.

A few elderly men and women downstairs were chattering excitedly and curiously, seemingly discussing some hot topic.

Faintly, she thought she heard the words “Princess Youlan.” She immediately leaned against the window, straining her neck to hear clearly what the people downstairs were saying.

After about half an hour, she hurriedly turned around to wake up Tantai Jing, who was still asleep.

It was strange. Before, in the Demon Locking Tower, Tantai Jing would always wake up at Mao Shi (5-7 AM) and roust her to practice cultivation. Why had she become so lazy recently? Even Lu Xiaoxiao was up, and Tantai Jing was still sleeping, although she looked incredibly cute.

She walked to the bedside and gently nudged the sleeping person.

“Wake up quickly! I think I heard some incredible news. It seems Dong Qinglan is getting married, and they’re saying it’s to a live-in son-in-law. I guess it must be Yan Gengshen. Isn’t that weird?”

Tantai Jing’s mind instantly cleared upon hearing Lu Xiaoxiao mention Dong Qinglan getting married.

“How do you know that?” The two of them were together all day, and she didn’t know where Lu Xiaoxiao got such unreliable news.

“Uh… the old people downstairs said it. I just opened the window and overheard them chatting.”

Tantai Jing was taken aback and asked: “Is the news accurate?”

“I don’t know…”

Having no choice, the two used eating breakfast as an excuse to go downstairs and inquire further. The news that Dong Qinglan was getting married was actually true, and it had spread throughout Dongchang City overnight. Furthermore, the date was even earlier than the originally planned mid-next month—it was set for seven days later.

No one could explain why the date was so rushed.

Some said Dong Qinglan killed her brother for her husband, duped by that suddenly appearing young man, just to install that live-in son-in-law into the Dongchang City Lord’s Mansion.

Others said Dong Qinglan was extremely lustful and frivolous. Just a few days ago, she brought a woman back for her brother to kill, and now, only two days later, she was marrying a man.

Even more ridiculous rumors claimed that demons had entered the City Lord’s Mansion, and Dong Shuo’s tragic death was related to the evil spirits. Dong Qinglan was now afraid the Dong family would have no heir, so she was abandoning mourning rituals and rushing to find someone for a “joyful antidote,” and was even bringing in a master from Pudu Temple to perform rituals for forty-nine days.

The two circled around and finally returned to the inn, exchanging glances.

Lu Xiaoxiao: “What kind of play is this? Did Dong Qinglan suddenly fall for that young man, Yan Gengshen, yesterday and decide she wants to marry him again?”

Tantai Jing considered herself quite intelligent but was stumped by Lu Xiaoxiao’s question: “I’m not quite sure this time either.”

“We were waiting to watch the tigers fight, and now they’ve fought their way into the marriage bed,” Lu Xiaoxiao said listlessly, resting her head on the table and scratching her hair.

Tantai Jing found Lu Xiaoxiao’s worried expression rather amusing. She asked playfully: “Then what do you suggest we do next?”

“Let’s go and offer a wedding gift. Since they want to get married, let’s crash the party and ruin it. Otherwise, the opportunity to cooperate with Yan Gengshen won’t fall to you,” Lu Xiaoxiao’s eyes lit up, and she snapped her fingers.