Queen of Ten Thousand Demons Insists on Marrying Me - Chapter 6

The Yao Xia Palace is predominantly populated by female disciples, each with a pleasant appearance. Lu Xiaoxiao, leveraging her good communication skills, quickly befriended them by addressing them as “Sister” and “Junior Sister.” Within a few days, she managed to gather some information about the Demon-Locking Pagoda—in addition to general gossip and domestic affairs.

Currently, the strongest great demon imprisoned inside the Demon-Locking Pagoda is a Nine-Tailed Fox Demon. Its physical form resembles a fox, its cry sounds like a baby, and it possesses nine tails. When it transforms into human form, its appearance is breathtakingly beautiful. However, it is a cannibal, and its methods of killing are exceptionally cruel.

Lu Xiaoxiao felt that the demon Tan Taijing intended to rescue was probably not this one, as her previous guess suggested a male demon.

Furthermore, not everyone is qualified to enter the Demon-Locking Pagoda. Currently, besides the Yao Xia Palace Mistress, Wan Xuan’er, and the three Elders, only the Head of the Enforcement Hall, the Deputy Head, and eighteen other disciples are authorized to rotate in and out for watch duty. This is the reason Tan Taijing is so determined to join the Enforcement Hall.

On this day, Lu Xiaoxiao was practicing sword techniques with Lu Wanbai when they suddenly heard three bell chimes.

The two followed the sound to an open training ground. In the center of the area stood a woman in her thirties, dressed in the unified black uniform of the Enforcement Hall, with dark cloud patterns printed on her cuffs. This was the newly appointed Head of the Enforcement Hall, Xi Xiaoshuang.

After everyone had assembled, Xi Xiaoshuang formally announced the selection method for the Deputy Head of the Enforcement Hall. Lu Xiaoxiao generally grasped the main rules, which were two-fold.

First, candidates nominate themselves to the Head and compete in an arena challenge. The top three contestants will proceed to the next round.

Second, based on the time it takes the top three to complete the selection, three tasks of the same difficulty level will be chosen from the Yao Xia Palace mission board. The candidates will randomly draw their respective tasks. Each candidate must select three assistants from within the Yao Xia Palace to jointly complete the mission. The best candidate will ultimately be selected through a vote based on the mission completion status, and the assistants will also be allowed to join the Enforcement Hall alongside the selected candidate.

As the crowd dispersed, Lu Xiaoxiao caught sight of Tan Taijing’s back. Just as she was about to chase after her to ask if she could be excused from the subsequent task, her view was blocked by an inconsiderate person.

Lu Xiaoxiao: “You are that Mei-something-Yuan, right?”

Mei Yuanhua’s face stiffened: “My name is Mei Yuanhua, Miss Xiaoxiao. I wanted to ask about the last time… did Junior Sister Jing give you any reply regarding that matter?”

Lu Xiaoxiao thought for a moment and slapped her forehead: “She said the jade hairpin was nice.”

Mei Yuanhua’s previously dead heart revived. It seemed Junior Sister Jing still liked gifts after all. Taking advantage of his dazed state, Lu Xiaoxiao quickly pulled Lu Wanbai and slipped away.

On the way back, Lu Xiaoxiao asked Lu Wanbai: “Senior Sister Wanbai, do you know what a Gold Coin Gu is? Is there any cure if someone is afflicted with this kind of Gu?”

Lu Wanbai’s expression turned serious: “The Gold Coin Gu is such a wicked thing. I’ve only read a little about it in books. It is said that those afflicted with this Gu die extremely painful deaths, and no one except the caster can cure it. Why are you suddenly asking about this?”

Lu Xiaoxiao’s last bit of hope was shattered. She furiously kicked a stone on the path and replied, “I also read about it in a book. Just casually asking.”

Thinking of what just happened, Lu Wanbai hesitated for a long time but couldn’t help asking, “What was going on with that Mei Yuanhua just now? Why did he ask you to help deliver a gift to Fellow Daoist Tan Tai?”

Lu Xiaoxiao waved her hand dismissively: “I was deceiving him. Tan Taijing would never accept gifts from others.”

Lu Wanbai wore an expression that said, I knew it. Junior Sister Xiaoxiao must really like Tan Taijing. She’s even learned how to lie when she’s jealous.

This reminded Lu Xiaoxiao of the matter. She immediately pulled Lu Wanbai to a secluded place and sold the jade hairpin for two thousand spirit stones. After purchasing some medicinal pills for healing and a book on talismans, only five hundred were left. She then immediately split two hundred spirit stones of the ‘stolen goods’ with the now-penniless Lu Wanbai, demanding that she keep the secret.

For the next few days, Lu Xiaoxiao buried herself in the book Elementary Talisman Arts for Beginners, utterly absorbed in drawing talismans. To her surprise, she was able to imitate and draw a few respectable talismans. Instead of practicing other talismans, she focused solely on the Five Thunder Talisman, which had the highest difficulty and damage output. Out of a hundred Five Thunder Talismans, perhaps one would successfully take shape; the rest would simply turn into a puff of black smoke the moment she poured spiritual power into them. Looking at the talisman in her hand, with its red characters flowing like golden light, filled her with an indescribable sense of accomplishment. By the time she had successfully produced five Low-Grade Five Thunder Talismans, the three hundred spirit stones Lu Xiaoxiao held were completely spent.

“A genius! I truly am a genius! A Low-Grade Five Thunder Talisman sells for fifty spirit stones each, and a Mid-Grade Five Thunder Talisman for two thousand spirit stones. A piece of paper used for drawing talismans costs one spirit stone each. I’m going to be rich, I’m going to be rich! Hahahaha!”

Lu Xiaoxiao looked at the willow tree in the courtyard, held a Low-Grade Five Thunder Talisman, and stood in the middle of the courtyard. She channeled her spiritual power into the talisman and threw it toward the willow tree. She mumbled, “Mother of Lightning, Duke of Thunder, quickly bestow your divine power, break this for me!” Following this, a peal of thunder echoed in the sky, and a bolt of lightning swiftly struck toward the willow tree. With a boom, the willow tree stood perfectly intact. Lu Xiaoxiao’s heart sank. This piece of junk can sell for fifty spirit stones? They must be scamming people. Two more breaths passed, and a branch as thick as a finger fell to the ground. A gust of wind blew it, and it rolled twice toward Lu Xiaoxiao.

“…”

Lu Wanbai and Tan Taijing, who were at the door, had intended to inform Lu Xiaoxiao that Tan Taijing had won the arena challenge and to invite her to join them on the mission down the mountain in three days. Now, they both hesitated on how to broach the topic. Lu Wanbai felt somewhat embarrassed—Junior Sister Xiaoxiao was losing face in front of Fellow Daoist Tan Tai again, and she blamed herself for insisting on bringing Fellow Daoist Tan Tai along.

Tan Taijing’s thoughts were not dissimilar to Lu Wanbai’s. Is it too late to choose a different person for the mission? Then, thinking of Lu Wanbai’s strength, which was worth three people, and her own popularity in Yao Xia Palace, she silently closed her mouth, stifling the urge to mock.

Clap! Clap! Clap! Lu Wanbai clapped her hands and walked up to Lu Xiaoxiao. “This is already very good! You’ve only read the book for a few days, and you can already draw a Five Thunder Talisman! The talisman itself is quite difficult. When you can draw a Mid-Grade Talisman, I’m afraid even I won’t be able to defeat you!”

The flame in Lu Xiaoxiao’s heart was reignited slightly: “Really, Senior Sister?”

Tan Taijing still couldn’t control her mouth in front of Lu Wanbai: “Yes, really. Someone with a bit of talent takes five or six years to learn a Mid-Grade Talisman, and someone without talent takes fifty or sixty years. Plus, with the one-in-a-hundred success rate, you’ll be able to learn it soon enough. Of course, even if you do learn it, you’d have to throw one out unexpectedly to hurt Lu Wanbai at all. For a frontal attack, you’d need to throw out at least five or six simultaneously. Keep up the good work, genius!”

Lu Xiaoxiao knew that nothing good would ever come out of Tan Taijing’s mouth. She gritted her teeth and replied, “Maybe I’m the kind with exceptional talent?”

Seeing the tense atmosphere, Lu Wanbai quickly walked between them, laughing lightly: “That’s right! Hundreds of years ago, there was indeed a Talisman Master with exceptional talent who managed to draw a Mid-Grade Talisman in just one month!”

Tan Taijing stood to the side, casually scanning Lu Xiaoxiao up and down, her eyes seeming to say, You? Not even in your next life.

Lu Xiaoxiao felt uncomfortable under her gaze. She folded her arms across her chest and hid behind Lu Wanbai, asking, “Senior Sister, why did you two come over?”

Lu Wanbai explained Tan Taijing’s victory and the invitation for them to participate in the mission down the mountain in three days. Lu Xiaoxiao wouldn’t dare refuse, as the time to take the antidote was only half a month away. She immediately agreed, putting on a performance of willingness to go through fire and water for her sister.

And so, Lu Xiaoxiao took the remaining four Five Thunder Talismans to the Yao Xia Palace’s Many Treasures Pavilion and sold them for four hundred eighty spirit stones. As the name suggests, the Many Treasures Pavilion was a general store, a black market that bought and sold everything. While they sold a Five Thunder Talisman for fifty spirit stones, they only bought one back for thirty, a full forty percent markdown. Added to the money she had left, she had a total of nine hundred eighty spirit stones. She then bought four hundred eighty blank talisman papers. For the next three days, she continued practicing the Five Thunder Talisman day and night.

The good news was that the success rate of the Five Thunder Talisman ultimately increased to one in ten. On the last day, she went to the Many Treasures Pavilion early in the morning, sold all of them, and added a few hundred spirit stones to exchange for one Mid-Grade Five Thunder Talisman.

As she neared Tan Taijing’s courtyard door, huh? Why were that Mei-something-Yuan and Lu Wanbai standing there together?

“Long time no see, Brother Mei. Are you here to give Sister Jing a gift again today? I can give it to her for you,” Lu Xiaoxiao said, secretly hoping he was sending something valuable this time. However, she saw the man stiffen his neck and completely ignore her.

Lu Wanbai tugged at Lu Xiaoxiao’s sleeve and gave her a look. Lu Xiaoxiao blinked twice in return. She thought: Was I found out this quickly? Why did Tan Taijing invite this guy to do the mission with us?

Lu Xiaoxiao was about to try to argue with Mei Yuanhua when she felt Lu Wanbai tug her sleeve again. Tan Taijing had come out.

Tan Taijing said blandly, “Since everyone is here, let’s depart.”

At this point, Lu Wanbai suddenly and inexplicably said, “I practiced late last night. Junior Sister Xiaoxiao’s sword-flight ability is a bit weak, so I would like to trouble Fellow Daoist Tan Tai to fly the sword and carry Junior Sister Xiaoxiao.”

Mei Yuanhua’s face darkened, and he wanted to say something, but before he could open his mouth, he heard Tan Taijing flash a gentle smile and agree. Lu Xiaoxiao noticed that it seemed Tan Taijing was always quite the actress whenever Senior Sister Lu Wanbai was around.

Lu Xiaoxiao stood on Tan Taijing’s flying sword. Aside from the initial slight wobble during liftoff, the rest of the flight was relatively stable.

Never having flown on a sword before, she was both excited and scared. Looking at the rapidly passing scenery beneath the mountain, she couldn’t help but grab Tan Taijing’s arm.

Tan Taijing coldly and quietly said, “Let go!”

Lu Xiaoxiao tightened her grip: “I’m scared. I have a fear of heights.”

Tan Taijing saw that her expression was genuinely tense and not faked, so she did not pressure her further.

Tan Taijing watched Lu Wanbai and Mei Yuanhua fly past her at lightning speed on their swords. She recalled two days ago when she was discussing the mission with Lu Wanbai and saw Mei Yuanhua guarding her door. Mei Yuanhua stammered out his desire to join her in this mission and become a member of the Enforcement Hall. As she was worried about finding the last person, she agreed.

When that person suddenly started talking about the jade hairpin, Lu Wanbai interrupted him, apologized to Mei Yuanhua on Lu Xiaoxiao’s behalf, and then said a string of inexplicable things.

Thinking of this, Tan Taijing tilted her head and said to the person behind her: “I heard Lu Wanbai say you like me.”

Lu Xiaoxiao stumbled, nearly falling off the flying sword, but quickly stabilized herself. She was about to say, Are you dreaming? but then suddenly thought, Maybe Tan Taijing will treat me better if she thinks I like her?

Tan Taijing had initially thought the suggestion was preposterous and intended to mock her, but she waited for a long time only to hear a reply from behind: “There is some truth to that.”

Now it was Tan Taijing’s turn to be uncomfortable. The entire sword wobbled before she stabilized it: “You? You… what do you like about me? Do you like the fact that I afflicted you with a Gu?”

Lu Xiaoxiao couldn’t quite figure out her thoughts, so she chose to tell a bit of the truth: “You saved my life, and you’re quite pretty.” Yes, Demoness, if you hadn’t tried to kill me and given me a Gu, I would actually like you a little.

Tan Taijing was speechless. She quietly took two steps forward, then touched her face, thinking to herself: Does this face truly possess such charm?

Lu Xiaoxiao found it amusing to see her flustered. She then spoke with heartfelt sincerity: “I know that the paths of humans and demons diverge, and you won’t fall in love with me. However, my liking you is my own business. Please don’t deprive me of the right to like you.”

The sword body gave another violent wobble. After stabilizing, the speed was three times faster than before as it shot forward.