Queen of Ten Thousand Demons Insists on Marrying Me - Chapter 63

Sweat and tears, mixed together from the scorching fire, dripped down Lu Xiaoxiao’s cheeks onto the ground.

The five fingers pressing into the ground gradually curled up, digging deep into the soil stained with fresh blood.

Lu Xiaoxiao slowly raised her head, looking in disbelief at the person she thought she knew best.

“You actually want me to die?”

Tantai Jing still looked at her with an indifferent expression: “That’s right, only with your death can I feel relief and peace of mind. Did you truly think you could live on after causing the deaths of all your relatives and friends, and all the guests who came to offer their blessings?”

“Shouldn’t you die?”

Tantai Jing’s words echoed relentlessly in Lu Xiaoxiao’s mind, until she began to repeat them herself.

“Shouldn’t you die?”

Yes, she shouldn’t have been alive in this world; she wasn’t the original Lu Xiaoxiao of this world. She had merely occupied Lu Xiaoxiao’s body, enjoying the luxury of family affection, love, and friendship that didn’t belong to her.

Lu Xiaoxiao took the Chaoyuan Sword that Tantai Jing handed over and stood up unsteadily. She turned around to look at the Xuantian Sword Sect being consumed by the blazing fire, seeing her deceased Senior Sister, Aunt Wan, Wan Qingyi, and Mo Siliu. Her gaze finally rested on Tantai Jing, who was nestled beside Luo Mu.

The dull pain in her heart seemed to grant her a sliver of clarity.

“Tantai Jing, didn’t you like me even a little bit? Did you never have a trace of sincerity toward me? Even as a friend…”

Tantai Jing pushed Luo Mu away, took two steps forward, seemingly urging her to die quickly: “No! Not a single trace!”

Lu Xiaoxiao’s heart felt as though someone had tightly squeezed it, then crushed it in one go, leaving it bleeding profusely.

She smiled and closed her eyes, her mind flashing through every moment she had spent with Tantai Jing, like a revolving lantern. The last image was Tantai Jing and Luo Mu intertwined at the dressing table, with a pair of tear-filled eyes looking over Luo Mu’s shoulder at her.

The Chaoyuan Sword in her hand was swiftly and decisively raised, held horizontally against her slender neck. The distance between the sword’s edge and her skin seemed to be only a single strand of hair, and the icy touch caused tiny goosebumps to rise on her skin.

The sword tip trembled slightly. Lu Xiaoxiao hardened her resolve, and was about to slash ruthlessly across her pale neck without hesitation.

Suddenly, the Chaoyuan Sword in her hand stopped. She opened her eyes to see that it was Tantai Jing who had gripped the blade, preventing her from committing suicide.

Spots of blood streamed down Tantai Jing’s fingertips. Lu Xiaoxiao felt a pang of heartache and involuntarily released the tightly held sword hilt. She didn’t understand why Tantai Jing would stop her from killing herself, given that she didn’t care for her and had even urged her to die.

Seeing her release the grip, Tantai Jing tossed the Chaoyuan Sword aside and reached out to pull Lu Xiaoxiao behind her.

She raised her head, her eyes burning with a fierce flame, and looked at the other Tantai Jing before them, saying: “Yan Sihong, you are truly shameless. How can a person who is hundreds of years old still play these illusionary tests with a junior? Since you have already obtained the Golden Light Mirror, to still want Lu Xiaoxiao’s life is far too greedy!”

Lu Xiaoxiao felt a constant stream of clarity flowing from the hand Tantai Jing held. Her previously muddled mind gradually cleared, and she finally recalled what had happened in the mine.

The Tantai Jing standing opposite them first morphed back into Yan Sihong’s original appearance. Her eyes shifted from astonishment to composure. The familiar bone umbrella in her hand was propped over her head, and she twirled a strand of hair with her index finger, saying: “I just saw that she was interesting, so I changed into your appearance to play with her for a while.”

“Since you dared to provoke my person, I hope you are prepared to be torn into ten thousand pieces,” Tantai Jing’s words were cold enough to pierce the bone marrow.

The Dust-Returning Whip in her hand struck out towards Yan Sihong like lightning, moving at an incredible speed. Each swing was accompanied by the whooshing sound of wind and a clearly discernible sense of hatred.

The whip seemed to be more than just a weapon; it was the physical manifestation of the fury in her heart. Even a powerhouse like Yan Sihong, if struck carelessly, would likely suffer a severe injury and a major loss of vital energy.

Facing this overwhelming and impenetrable assault, Yan Sihong showed not a trace of panic or fear. She retreated lightly, each step perfectly avoiding the edge of the Dust-Returning Whip, while using the bone umbrella tightly held in her hand to parry Tantai Jing’s storm-like attack.

A faint, flowing glow seemed to surround the bone umbrella, and every collision with the Dust-Returning Whip emitted a clear, prolonged sound.

“Hmph, it’s nothing more than a wisp of the original body’s projection here, yet you dare to be so arrogant and tyrannical?” Yan Sihong’s voice held a mix of disdain and contempt, clearly not taking Tantai Jing’s anger seriously.

Lu Xiaoxiao now knew she was in an illusion. She picked up the Chaoyuan Sword, closely following the wisp of Tantai Jing’s spirit, and charged straight at Yan Sihong.

Meanwhile, Tantai Jing’s true body and Wan Xuan’er’s group arrived at the mine at this moment.

Bai Shitao saw a group of people from the Yaoxia Palace approaching in the distance. Knowing the close relationship between Lu Xiaoxiao and the Yaoxia Palace, she quickly flew over on her sword to meet them, bowing to Wan Xuan’er: “I am Bai Shitao, a disciple of the Xuantian Sword Sect. Greetings, Palace Master Wan.”

She paused, seeing Tantai Jing’s figure in the crowd, and, unsure of how to address her, also performed a salute toward the empty space.

Wan Xuan’er smiled and replied: “We heard that Xiaoxiao was here, so we brought the people from Yaoxia Palace over. I hope we are not disturbing you.”

Although Wan Xuan’er said she might be disturbing them, Bai Shitao understood that two Mahayana stage cultivators had just arrived. Her Xuantian Sword Sect was almost entirely composed of small Golden Core stage disciples, and now, in the treacherous Lancang Demon Territory, they had gained assurance.

Moreover, one was the Palace Master of the Yaoxia Palace, and the other was a Mahayana stage Demon Cultivator. Neither of them would care for the meager spirit stones in this mine. Needless to say, they were here to protect the Sect Master.

Bai Shitao smiled, leading the guests inward with light and graceful steps, and continuously said: “No trouble at all, no trouble at all. It is a tremendous honor for our Sect that Palace Master Wan could personally come. If the Sect Master were to know, she would be overjoyed. You must be tired from your journey. Please, Palace Master Wan, come inside quickly to rest, have some hot tea, and refresh yourselves.”

Her voice was gentle and warm, like a mild spring breeze, making people feel comfortable. As Bai Shitao spoke, she stepped aside and made a gesture of invitation, guiding Wan Xuan’er and Tantai Jing’s group toward the Sect’s location.

“The Sect Master went personally into the mine a few days ago for cultivation matters and hasn’t come out yet. But please rest assured, Palace Master Wan, I will immediately send someone to notify her. I believe the Sect Master will come out as quickly as possible once she knows you have arrived.” Bai Shitao instructed a nearby disciple while speaking, telling her to rush to the mine to inform the Sect Master.

The disciple nodded in agreement, turned, and sprinted toward the mine entrance, her figure vanishing in the trees.

Tantai Jing, who was following the group, suddenly felt a wave of anxiety. The tiger tooth she had given Lu Xiaoxiao contained a wisp of her Tribulation-Crossing stage spirit, intended to protect her in times of crisis.

She now sensed that the wisp of spirit was somewhat restless. She quickly stopped Bai Shitao’s attempt to lead the group to rest and asked: “How long has Xiaoxiao been in the mine? Did she leave any message?”

Seeing the change in her expression, Bai Shitao also became anxious. After carefully recalling the events of that day, she realized it was indeed a bit strange and truthfully recounted: “That day, I was going to find the Sect Master for advice, but before I could enter the tent, the Sect Master told me to quickly get out of the way. After I flashed aside, I saw the Chaoyuan Sword and the Sect Master emerge one after the other and swiftly rush into the mine. If I think carefully, the Sect Master truly didn’t leave any instructions that day.”

Tantai Jing’s chest suddenly felt a dull, sharp pain, and a sickly sweetness rushed up her throat, which she forcibly suppressed. This was the physical pain of her original spirit suffering a heavy blow.

She thought to herself: This is bad. Xiaoxiao might be in danger.

She urgently asked: “Which direction is the mine in?”

Bai Shitao, though confused, pointed out the direction and watched the rushed departure of Tantai Jing’s figure. She couldn’t help but feel a touch of envy: “Tsk, tsk, tsk… The Sect Master and Demon Lord Tantai have such a good relationship. She couldn’t wait even for this short time, even though someone has already been sent to find her.”

Wan Xuan’er, whose brows had been slightly furrowed, smoothed them out upon hearing Bai Shitao’s comment and followed Bai Shitao into the tent.

Tantai Jing followed the direction Bai Shitao had pointed and entered the mine. She stretched out her palm, and a ladybug floated from her fingertip. The ladybug looked as though it had been asleep for a long time, wobbling slightly when it first flew up, but after a moment of adjustment, it began to fly rapidly into the depths of the cave.

This insect, named the Thousand-Mile Bug, was used by Tantai Jing for locating objects and people. Since Lu Xiaoxiao carried Tantai Jing’s scent, the Thousand-Mile Bug could recognize the scent and find Lu Xiaoxiao’s location.

The Thousand-Mile Bug flew extremely fast. Tantai Jing followed it, and before long, they reached the platform where the mine tunnels converged, the place where Lu Xiaoxiao had vanished.

After shattering the barrier with a single whip crack, Tantai Jing stepped inside and discovered a delicate mirror lying flat on a table made of cold jade. Upon closer inspection, the scene in the mirror was Lu Xiaoxiao and a projection of herself, jointly attacking Yan Sihong.

However, the wisp of her own spirit, which had been split off during the Tribulation-Crossing stage, had long since exhausted its spiritual power and appeared weak. Given Yan Sihong’s numerous spiritual treasures, she was not someone that the current Nascent Soul stage Lu Xiaoxiao could contend with.

Seeing Lu Xiaoxiao being struck by Yan Sihong and sent flying backward, spitting blood, Tantai Jing was extremely anxious. The illusionary trial within the Golden Light Mirror had clearly been won by Yan Sihong. At this point, even if Tantai Jing wanted to go in and help, she couldn’t.

After a moment of contemplation, Tantai Jing retreated two steps, and the Dust-Returning Fire light ignited in her hand.

She intended to shatter the Golden Light Mirror with a single strike of her whip.

Although the Dust-Returning Whip was not an ancient divine artifact like the Chaoyuan Sword or the Demon-Locking Tower, its offensive power was not to be underestimated. Shattering the Golden Light Mirror in three strikes would be more than enough.

Just as Tantai Jing flipped her wrist and the Dust-Returning Whip was about to strike the Golden Light Mirror, the image on the mirror shifted to show the two characters for “Spare my life.”

Tantai Jing’s movement halted. She hadn’t expected a Golden Light Mirror that traps people in illusions could develop spiritual intelligence in this Demon Territory. She held the whip aloft: “Quickly release the person dressed in red inside, and I will spare your life.”

The image on the Golden Light Mirror flickered wildly, showing Lu Xiaoxiao one moment, Tantai Jing’s spirit the next, and then Yan Sihong. Next, various characters began to appear, as if it were contemplating. Finally, the two characters for “Acknowledge master” remained on the mirror surface.

The Dust-Returning Whip suddenly struck the air, and a deafening blast erupted, as if even space itself was being torn apart by the force.

“Trying to deceive me?” Tantai Jing’s eyes held icy coldness. “Yan Sihong can already manipulate you, which means you were ready to acknowledge her as your master long ago!”

The characters for “Acknowledge master” on the Golden Light Mirror trembled. The screen continuously flashed the six characters: “Spare my life,” “Drip blood,” and “Acknowledge master.”

Tantai Jing stood aside, her gaze fixed on the constantly changing images, silently pondering. Yan Sihong probably hadn’t finished acknowledging the mirror as her master before rushing to kill Lu Xiaoxiao.

Thinking this, she no longer hesitated.

She decisively extended her right hand and lightly drew her fingertip across her palm. A faint yet deep red line instantly appeared, like a blooming red plum blossom, remarkably vivid against her pale skin.

The moment the first drop of warm blood touched the Golden Light Mirror, it quickly connected with Tantai Jing’s bloodline, establishing an invisible bridge between the two.

Then, with a thought, she summoned Lu Xiaoxiao out.

At the moment of acknowledging the new master, Yan Sihong in the mirror also sensed that something was wrong. Just as Lu Xiaoxiao emerged, she tightly grabbed her ankle, causing them both to appear in this space.

Seeing Lu Xiaoxiao suddenly appear in this space, Tantai Jing instinctively grabbed her arm and, with a strong tug, pulled Lu Xiaoxiao deep into her embrace.

She anxiously and carefully examined Lu Xiaoxiao, her gaze sweeping over her entire body, afraid of missing any potential injuries. At the same time, a warm and gentle spiritual power surged from Tantai Jing’s palm, slowly flowing through Lu Xiaoxiao’s meridians and beginning a meticulous examination of her body.

However, unlike previous instances where the spiritual power flowed smoothly into Lu Xiaoxiao’s body without obstruction, this time Tantai Jing clearly sensed a faint resistance.

This resistance did not last long; it quickly accepted Tantai Jing’s spiritual power and merged with it.

This change caused Tantai Jing’s brows to furrow slightly, and her gaze toward Lu Xiaoxiao held a mix of heartache and worry. Lu Xiaoxiao’s cultivation level was still low; she must have suffered considerable torment inside, causing her to resist even her own spiritual power examination.

And Yan Sihong, almost as soon as she stepped into this space, unhesitatingly brought out a transmission talisman. With a flash of her figure, she seemed to merge into the void and vanished without a trace.

A flicker of anger crossed Tantai Jing’s eyes, but she knew this was not the time to pursue. Her most urgent task was to safely get Lu Xiaoxiao out of here.

Perhaps because of the Golden Light Mirror acknowledging its master, the previously stable mine began to shake violently. Rocks on the ceiling occasionally made a cracking sound, accompanied by falling debris, and the entire space was filled with a sense of oppression and urgency.

“Tantai Jing… is that you?” Lu Xiaoxiao’s voice was as thin as silk, her eyes still clouded with the deep pain and confusion brought on by the illusion.

Tantai Jing’s heart clenched. She hugged Lu Xiaoxiao even tighter and quickly flew back the way they had come.

“It’s me. Don’t be afraid. I’ll take you out now.”

No sooner had Tantai Jing carried Lu Xiaoxiao out of the mine than the entrance behind them collapsed with a roar.

Seeing Lu Xiaoxiao unconscious in Tantai Jing’s arms, Bai Shitao quickly led the two back to Lu Xiaoxiao’s tent.

“What happened to the Sect Master? Is she injured?” Bai Shitao was filled with anxiety.

Tantai Jing replied as she walked into the tent with Lu Xiaoxiao in her arms: “She encountered Yan Sihong inside and sustained minor injuries. She needs to rest, no need to alarm everyone.”

Bai Shitao understood her meaning—she didn’t want people to disturb her while she healed Lu Xiaoxiao. She obediently retreated. After all, this was the instruction of the future Sect Master’s Dao Companion; who would dare to disobey?

Inside the tent, Tantai Jing looked at Lu Xiaoxiao with heartache. Tantai Jing had noticed her unusual state when they first emerged, and had already given her an Anointing Pill.

Now, Lu Xiaoxiao’s face was slightly pale, her brows lightly furrowed, seemingly still immersed in the danger and fear from before, unable to completely detach.

Gently smoothing her tightly knitted brow, Tantai Jing took out the Golden Light Mirror to investigate what had happened to Lu Xiaoxiao in the illusion. As the scenes in the Golden Light Mirror flowed, Tantai Jing’s expression gradually darkened.

She saw how Lu Xiaoxiao got lost in the illusion, and how she struggled in fear and despair.

Those scenes were like sharp blades, cutting through her heart repeatedly. And when she saw that Yan Sihong had actually used illusion magic to transform into her image, guiding Lu Xiaoxiao towards the abyss of self-slaughter, Tantai Jing’s anger reached its peak.

Her hands, clutching the Golden Light Mirror, clenched into fists, and the mirror in her hands also began to tremble slightly.

Anger and helplessness intertwined, making it impossible for Tantai Jing to watch any further. She swung her arm abruptly, throwing the Golden Light Mirror violently away. The mirror drew a golden arc in the tent and finally hit the ground with a “bang.”

She lay down fully clothed beside Lu Xiaoxiao, tenderly pressing her forehead against her lover’s, holding her tightly in her arms, and continuously stroking the wisps of hair on her forehead…