Queen of Ten Thousand Demons Insists on Marrying Me - Chapter 55

Inside Dongchang City, the central square was bustling, gathering thousands of people in a dense crowd, creating a spectacular scene.

Among these people, there were many disciples from major Immortal Sects, wearing various sect uniforms and looking vibrant; there were also many solitary rogue cultivators, carrying long swords or holding magical treasures; and various types of Demon Clan members were mixed in, appearing in different forms.

In the center of the square, six magnificent stages were meticulously set up, arranged in an orderly fashion to serve as exclusive venues for the Golden Core and Nascent Soul stage cultivators’ competitions. These stages were built from solid Golden Bamboo Stone and surrounded by protective barriers to ensure that energy fluctuations during the matches would not harm innocent bystanders.

The entire venue was vast and grand, with open space large enough to accommodate tens of thousands of people watching the matches simultaneously.

As some of the more powerful cultivators in the cultivation world, the matches between Golden Core and Nascent Soul stage cultivators were undoubtedly the most compelling focus.

The surrounding viewing stands were already packed with cultivators who had traveled far to see the event and common people watching the excitement. The spectators whispered amongst themselves, discussing the events.

Even cultivators who weren’t participating were willing to spend five precious spirit stones as an entry fee, just to witness this grand event of the cultivation world with their own eyes.

As the sun gradually rose higher, the atmosphere in the square grew increasingly fervent.

Lu Xiaoxiao and her companions, meanwhile, set up a simple stall around the perimeter of the venue.

This stall was hastily built from a few slightly crude wooden frames, simply draped with a circle of faded cloth curtains that swayed gently in the wind, giving it a rather casual appearance.

If it weren’t for the eight large, albeit crookedly written and unpolished, yet still conspicuous characters proclaiming “Xuantian Sword Sect Recruiting Disciples” scrawled in ink on the white cloth, an onlooker might genuinely mistake it for a stall selling wontons or other small snacks.

Lu Xiaoxiao stood in front of the recruitment stall, resting her chin on her hands, bored. Her gaze occasionally swept over the bustling crowd as she secretly muttered, “Isn’t this a bit too simple?”

Chu Jiawen, standing nearby, also looked helpless. She gently shook her head, saying with a mix of jest and seriousness, “Are you girls fortune-tellers or recruiters?”

Hearing this, Lu Xiaoxiao looked even more distressed.

She circled the simple stall, looking this way and that. Although she knew in her heart that the stall was indeed too crude and didn’t suit the Xuantian Sword Sect’s reputation, she couldn’t think of how to modify it to make it look more appropriate for their sect’s character.

“Never mind, let’s just leave it like this. But Senior Sister, why is your handwriting so ugly too?” Lu Xiaoxiao slumped onto a wooden stool.

Lu Wanbai sat down beside her, looking embarrassed: “Back then, I only cared about practicing the sword and couldn’t settle down to practice calligraphy.”

Lu Xiaoxiao’s gaze then shifted to Mo Siliu.

Mo Siliu waved her hand: “Before coming to the Xuantian Sword Sect, my family was very poor and had no money for me to practice calligraphy.”

Three uncultured people.

Seeing cultivators coming and going in front of them, not even sparing the three of them a glance. Lu Xiaoxiao sat blankly for a while, then picked up a brush, swept it with a flourish, and wrote “Selling High-Quality Spirit Talismans,” hanging it to the side.

Taking advantage of the lull, she threw a stack of blank talismans onto the table, pulled out a book on talismans, and began drawing, comparing her work to the book. Since breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage, Lu Xiaoxiao’s understanding of talismans had deepened.

Talismans like the Five Thunder Talisman, Gale Escape Talisman, Mind Calming and Eye Brightening Talisman, Blazing Incineration Talisman, and Ice Armor Protection Talisman were quickly drawn, and soon a circle of them was laid out on the table.

Before long, a cultivator in tight-fitting clothes and a stern face hurried toward the stall.

“What grades are these talismans?”

Lu Xiaoxiao stopped her brush, smiled at the cultivator, and replied: “Mostly mid-grade, and I’m still drawing the high-grade ones. However, while the grade is important, the talisman’s attributes and purpose are the key.”

“May I ask what attributes you need? Are they offensive, defensive, or auxiliary? When battling an enemy, a suitable talisman can often take the opponent by surprise and allow you to seize the initiative.”

Listening to Lu Xiaoxiao’s introduction, the cultivator’s eyes gradually grew fervent: “You actually have high-grade talismans here? How many? Give them all to me!”

She’s open for business!!!

“Currently, there are only three: two Five Thunder Talismans and one Gale Escape Talisman. One… five thousand spirit stones…” Lu Xiaoxiao said a little uncertainly.

After all, this was her first time drawing a high-grade talisman since reaching the Nascent Soul stage. She didn’t know the market price and worried that pricing it too high might scare people away.

“Such cheap high-grade spirit talismans? Although the Gale Talisman is useless, I’ll take them all. Here are fifteen mid-grade spirit stones.” The cultivator threw the spirit stones to Lu Xiaoxiao, hurriedly grabbed the talismans, and vanished into the crowd.

Mo Siliu picked up the spirit stones on the table, clutching a handful and giggling foolishly.

“Sister Xiaoxiao, you’re so amazing! You earned fifteen spirit stones so quickly.”

Chu Jiawen, who had witnessed the scene, shook her head: “Even charity doesn’t run like this. A high-grade talisman should cost at least eight thousand spirit stones, not to mention you’re selling them at a competition venue; you should be raising the price.”

“But I didn’t expect you could draw high-grade talismans. Talisman masters require high levels of talent, mental power, and cultivation.”

She paused, then continued: “It looks like you don’t have enough manpower. How about I join you and help you sell talismans? Otherwise, if someone inquires about joining the sect later, you’ll definitely be too busy to handle it.”

Lu Xiaoxiao looked at the clueless Lu Wanbai and the petite Mo Siliu, who barely reached her shoulder. Thinking about how they might have to participate in the Grand Competition later, and if both their times clashed, they would indeed need one more person to look after Mo Siliu.

She nodded and said: “That would be helpful, thank you. I’ll give you a share of the talismans sold, let’s say one-tenth.”

Lu Xiaoxiao thought that Chu Jiawen was the daughter of the Xuantian City Lord and couldn’t stay away forever; befriending her was a good idea regardless.

At this moment, the previously boisterous venue suddenly fell silent. Three people slowly approached the high platform.

Lu Xiaoxiao looked up and saw that the three people were none other than Tantai Jing, Yan Sihong, and Dong Qinglan.

Tantai Jing was wearing a black dress today, covered in exquisite and delicate gold patterns. Paired with her flowing silver hair, she looked extraordinarily noble.

Tantai Jing’s eyes swept over the crowd, lingering on Lu Xiaoxiao for a moment before looking at Chu Jiawen beside her. Lu Xiaoxiao stood up, smiled, and waved at her. Tantai Jing nodded slightly in response before sitting down in the main seat.

Too many people were participating in the Sun-Moon Grand Competition. Lu Xiaoxiao glanced at her registration token—number 588—and estimated it would be several days before it was her turn.

Soon after, with the Chief Steward’s command, all six spacious competition venues in the field were fully activated, and fierce sparring instantly ignited the atmosphere of the entire hall.

A high combat stage was set up in the center of each venue, tightly surrounded by circles of spectators who stood or sat, excitedly discussing the situation on the field.

Lu Xiaoxiao’s business also started to pick up. Lu Xiaoxiao drew talismans enthusiastically, Chu Jiawen introduced the talismans until her mouth was dry, and Mo Siliu gleefully packed spirit stones into the storage bag. The three were happily busy.

Tantai Jing, who had been sent by Fu Zhao to manage the venue, swept her gaze over Lu Xiaoxiao’s stall for perhaps the hundredth time. Seeing Chu Jiawen grinding ink for Lu Xiaoxiao while hawking talismans, the unnamed fire in her heart burned hotter and hotter. Finally, ignoring Yan Sihong’s attempts to stop her, she descended the high platform.

“Who is that person? She’s so beautiful, yet how have I never heard of her before?” A young woman in splendid attire in the crowd stared at Tantai Jing, curiously asking the person next to her.

“Since she can sit next to Dong Qinglan, she must be someone from the City Lord’s Residence,” speculated another seemingly well-informed bystander.

“Not so, not so.” At this moment, an elder shook her head, denying the previous speculation. “This person has silver hair, a bewitching appearance, a graceful figure, and every movement reveals a charm that does not belong to the mortal world. I think she must be from the Demon Clan.” Her voice was soft, but her tone carried undeniable conviction.

Tantai Jing approached elegantly. People along her path were drawn by her appearance and unfathomable cultivation. Wherever she passed, the clamor ceased entirely.

However, Tantai Jing seemed exceptionally composed in the face of various glances and discussions, walking straight toward the shabby stall where Lu Xiaoxiao was.

Lu Xiaoxiao was concentrating on drawing talismans, completely unaware of the onlookers’ gaze.

Chu Jiawen smiled at Tantai Jing and said, “Does this fellow Daoist require a talisman? Would you like me to introduce them?”

However, Tantai Jing completely ignored her words, merely glancing at her before shifting her gaze back to Lu Xiaoxiao.

Chu Jiawen had sold many talismans throughout the morning and, seeing the woman before her, knew she was definitely a major client. She still persisted, saying, “This is our Talisman Master, and also the current Sect Master of the Xuantian Sword Sect. Perhaps you are interested in joining the Xuantian Sword Sect? I can introduce it to you.”

Lu Wanbai, standing nearby, seemed to sense Chu Jiawen’s awkwardness and stepped forward, asking, “Might I ask, fellow Daoist, what is your request?”

Hearing Lu Wanbai speak, Lu Xiaoxiao finally realized something was amiss, put down her brush, and looked up.

“Tantai Jing? Why did you come down?” Seeing the person, Lu Xiaoxiao quickly walked around the stall to greet her, took her hand, and led her to her own seat.

“What? You don’t want me to come over?” Tantai Jing looked up at her, seemingly displeased by her question.

Lu Xiaoxiao held her hand, bent over, and said flatteringly, “No, no, how could that be? I’m overjoyed that you would condescend to come and keep me company.”

“Are you thirsty? Hungry? Tired? You must have been sitting up there for a long time. Should I buy you some food or brew you a pot of tea?”

Lu Xiaoxiao’s attentiveness managed to suppress three parts of her jealousy.

Tantai Jing pulled Lu Xiaoxiao’s hand, inviting her to sit together: “I’m not thirsty, hungry, or tired. I just wanted to come and see you.”

The two sat together, exchanging glances that revealed their lingering affection.

“Wait! Tantai Jing doesn’t look like this!” Lu Wanbai’s large face squeezed between the two of them. She carefully scrutinized Tantai Jing and excitedly asked Lu Xiaoxiao.

The sweet atmosphere between the two was suddenly interrupted. Lu Xiaoxiao pushed away the large face in front of her, her eyes still fixed on Tantai Jing: “She was disguised before; this is her original appearance.”

Lu Wanbai realized the truth, grabbed Lu Xiaoxiao’s collar, pulled her away, and said to Tantai Jing: “Hurry up and undo the Love Gu on Xiaoxiao! Otherwise, don’t blame me for being rude!”

Lu Xiaoxiao quickly dragged Lu Wanbai to a corner: “Are you crazy??? Tantai Jing is a Mahayana stage cultivator! Who’s going to be rude to whom? Besides, I’ve already talked to her about the Love Gu. She loves me so much she can’t let go; she won’t undo it for me in this lifetime.”

Lu Wanbai was thunderstruck: “Then what are we going to do?”

I was just waiting for you to ask me that!

“There’s no other way. So, I advise you not to provoke her, or she’ll torment me with the Love Gu. I say we just yield for now. She saved the person anyway, and she won’t break into the Demon Locking Tower again. Now she just likes me too much and wants me to stay with her.”

Lu Wanbai’s eyes widened: “This… this is unacceptable.”

What a headache!!!

Lu Xiaoxiao said helplessly: “How about we wait for Senior Sister to break through to the Integration stage first, and then help me seek justice? For now, don’t provoke her, or both of us will suffer.”

“Is there really no other way?”

“There really is no other way! You wouldn’t want to infuriate her, have her kill you, and then torment me with the Love Gu!”

Lu Wanbai’s eyes turned red: “I have failed Master, her honored elder, by not taking good care of you.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Actually, I’m not suffering much right now; she’s quite good to me.” Lu Xiaoxiao patted her shoulder, pulling her arm to walk back.

Lu Wanbai stood firm: “You go back by yourself. I don’t want to face her right now.”

“Then go out and find a restaurant for me, buy some food and drinks, make sure they’re expensive.”

Seeing Lu Wanbai’s confused expression, Lu Xiaoxiao continued: “We need to understand the situation now. You go buy some food to appease her. If she’s happy, she’ll naturally treat me better.”

Lu Wanbai was both angry and frustrated, but ultimately conceded with a sigh: “Alright then. You are truly suffering, Xiaoxiao. It’s all because your Senior Sister is so useless.”

I’m not suffering at all, Senior Sister.

In fact, I’m quite enjoying it.

“It’s nothing, Senior Sister. Let’s not talk about it; this is nothing.”

Hearing Lu Xiaoxiao comforting her and seeing how sensible she was at such a young age, Lu Wanbai felt even more miserable: “Then I’ll go right away and be back soon.”

Watching Lu Wanbai’s retreating figure, Lu Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but let a smile curl on her lips.

“Pfft—Oh, right, Senior Sister, please buy a cushion or something for me, too. That stool is too hard; she won’t be comfortable sitting on it.” Lu Xiaoxiao couldn’t hold back a laugh and loudly instructed Lu Wanbai.

Lu Wanbai’s figure wavered, and she nearly stumbled, hurrying out of the venue.

Watching Lu Wanbai hurriedly leave, no longer making things difficult for herself, Lu Xiaoxiao’s face was plastered with the look of someone who had done something naughty and couldn’t contain her laughter.

Tantai Jing couldn’t help but ask, “What did you tell your Senior Sister? How did you manage to drive her away?”

Lu Xiaoxiao buried her head in Tantai Jing’s arms, her body trembling uncontrollably as she struggled to hold back her laughter. Tantai Jing first patted her back, but seeing her non-stop laughter, she inexplicably started laughing herself.

After a long while, Lu Xiaoxiao finally stopped trembling, straightened up, and chuckled: “I told her… hahaha, I told her you would never let me go in this lifetime and would never remove the Love Gu. Unless she can reach the Integration stage before you, she has no choice but to swallow her pride and behave well with me, listening to you.”

Tantai Jing was speechless, having never expected Lu Xiaoxiao to come up with such a scheme to deal with her Senior Sister: “Is this how you ruin my reputation?”

Lu Xiaoxiao put her arms around her and gently comforted her: “Don’t be angry! This was the simplest and most direct method I could think of. Arguing rationally with that little stubborn girl might not work, and trying to appeal to her emotions might not be understood.”

Being embraced by her in public, Tantai Jing’s usually cool and detached face suddenly flushed red: “With so many people watching, this is highly improper.”

Despite saying this, she didn’t push Lu Xiaoxiao away. Her eyes, however, subtly darted a glance toward Chu Jiawen, hinting at an assertion of ownership.

Lu Xiaoxiao glanced around and saw that many people were indeed watching them.

“I saw they were all staring at you. This just tells them to drop any improper thoughts.” Still, she honestly withdrew her arms, shook out her sleeves, and clasped Tantai Jing’s hand beneath the table, their fingers interlaced.

“You actually dared to call Senior Sister Wanbai a little stubborn girl, Sister Xiaoxiao. I’m going to tell her later.” Mo Siliu’s voice rang out beside them.

“Hey, hey, hey! When did you get here? How much of that did you hear?” Lu Xiaoxiao jumped in fright at the sudden voice. She turned to see Mo Siliu standing behind them, continuously scrutinizing Tantai Jing.

Mo Siliu’s bright eyes shifted back and forth between the two of them: “Just when she was hugging you. Who is this older sister? She’s so beautiful.”

Damn it! Does that mean she heard everything!!!

Tantai Jing removed a jade bracelet from her own wrist, took Mo Siliu’s hand, and put it on her. The bracelet’s circumference automatically adjusted to fit Mo Siliu’s wrist.

“My name is Tantai Jing, and I am your Senior Sister Xiaoxiao’s Dao Companion. It’s just that your Senior Sister Wanbai doesn’t approve of us being together, so your Senior Sister Xiaoxiao had to resort to this trick to fool her. You won’t blame us, will you?” Tantai Jing said gently to Mo Siliu.

Mo Siliu rubbed the jade bracelet on her wrist, overjoyed: “You’re so pretty! Why doesn’t Senior Sister Wanbai approve?”

Tantai Jing’s eyes dimmed slightly: “Because I am a half-demon.”

Lu Xiaoxiao, afraid that Mo Siliu might be corrupted by the Xuantian Sword Sect’s old-fashioned ideas, quickly winked at her, urging her to be careful what she said.

Mo Siliu was stunned. She remembered that the Xuantian Sword Sect had been destroyed by the Demon and Devil Clans. Those who hadn’t fully transformed often had human bodies and beast heads, and being so young, she was naturally afraid.

But, noticing Lu Xiaoxiao’s look, she politely asked first: “I’ve only heard of the Demon Clan. What is a half-demon?”

Lu Xiaoxiao quickly answered: “A half-demon is a child born from the union of a human and a demon. They are both human and demon.”

Mo Siliu looked at Tantai Jing, then at the beast-headed, human-bodied demons in the crowd, and decided that since Tantai Jing was so beautiful, she must be different from those demons.

She nodded: “I won’t tell Senior Sister Wanbai. Thank you for the bracelet, Sister Jing. Is it very valuable?”

Tantai Jing pointed a finger at the talismans on the table and replied: “Your Senior Sister Xiaoxiao and that woman would probably have to sell talismans here for half a year to buy this bracelet.”

Mo Siliu was shocked by the price Tantai Jing mentioned: “Then I can’t accept it. It’s too valuable.”

Chu Jiawen, hearing this, pointed a finger at herself.

“???”

Lu Xiaoxiao held Mo Siliu’s hand, carefully examining the exquisite jade bracelet on her wrist, and then touched the tiger tooth at the end of her own hair: “The jade bracelet you gave her is actually that expensive?”

However, Tantai Jing seemed not to notice her emotions, only pulling Mo Siliu closer to ask about her well-being, assuring her that she should keep the gift.

Amidst the laughter of the three chatting, Lu Wanbai walked toward them, carrying a stack of extremely delicate cushions in her arms.

Behind her, several attendants followed closely, carrying or lifting a full load of various foods, exquisite teas, and several carved chairs, a dazzling display, some of which even the worldly Tantai Jing could not name.

Upon seeing this, Lu Xiaoxiao’s eyes sparkled with surprise. She quickly stepped forward, helping to take a few light items while praising her: “Senior Sister is truly thoughtful.”

In the span of a single cup of tea, the previously crude and disorganized “shabby stall” was completely transformed.

Various delicacies and tea sets were scattered around, centered on Tantai Jing, making it look more like a pastry stall.

In any case, it certainly didn’t look like a sect recruitment drive.

“Come on, everyone, be quick! Put this fruit platter here, close to Tantai Jing. Put that white porcelain tea set there; the sunlight is perfect, and the tea aroma will complement it beautifully.” Lu Xiaoxiao directed calmly.

After everything was arranged, Lu Xiaoxiao thoughtfully handed a cup of tea to Tantai Jing: “It smells quite good. Would you like to try it?”

Feeling everyone’s eyes slowly gather on her and the cup in her hand, Tantai Jing’s face couldn’t help but flush faintly. She lowered her head slightly, her voice tinged with shyness: “I can serve myself.”

Lu Wanbai, who had arranged all of this, sat across from the two of them, her face displaying an ineffably complicated expression. It was as if she had suddenly lost all her strength, looking utterly desolate.