Queen of Ten Thousand Demons Insists on Marrying Me - Chapter 80

As Lu Xiaoxiao and Tantai Jing continued to flee deeper into the Dead Spirit Abyss, the surrounding spatial rifts gradually increased, resembling hideous giant mouths ready to swallow everything at any moment.

The two had narrowly avoided Yan Gengshen’s fatal strike and swiftly ducked behind a protruding rock wall. Lu Xiaoxiao leaned against the cold stone, her chest heaving violently.

She slightly turned her head, her gaze sweeping towards the pitch-black cliff bottom in the distance, where dots of starlight shimmered in the darkness, like stars in the night sky. However, those were not actual stars but countless dense spatial rifts. An uninformed person might mistake it for a brilliant starry night, but behind the seemingly dazzling stars lay infinite danger.

“Damn it!” Lu Xiaoxiao gritted her teeth and cursed under her breath, a trace of regret flashing in her eyes. “I should have taken the right path at the last fork. Now look, the front is entirely spatial rifts—there’s no path forward.”

Her voice carried a mix of anxiety and frustration. Tantai Jing stood beside her, her expression solemn, her eyes fixed on the front, seemingly contemplating an escape plan.

Just then, Yan Gengshen’s chilling voice drifted from behind them, carrying a hint of mockery and taunt: “Run! Why stop running? You were so capable of escaping just a moment ago!”

Hearing this, a flicker of anger crossed Lu Xiaoxiao’s eyes. She spun around sharply and sneered, “I was just pondering where to dig your grave. You just couldn’t wait.” Her body, however, honestly retreated slowly backward on her sword.

Her gaze darted between Yan Gengshen and the spatial rifts ahead. Suddenly, she felt a faint summons coming from a very distant direction.

Yan Gengshen slowly approached, a half-smile on his face, relaxed like a cat playing with a mouse. His eyes scrutinized Lu Xiaoxiao and Tantai Jing, finally settling on Tantai Jing’s face. He said flatly, “A stubborn mouth can’t save your lives. Since there’s nowhere to run, surrender obediently.”

Lu Xiaoxiao’s eyes flashed with determination upon hearing this: “Surrender? Dream on! I’d rather jump into a spatial rift than fall into your hands!”

Before her words faded, she abruptly pulled Tantai Jing’s hand and shouted, “Go!”

Lu Xiaoxiao then carried Tantai Jing and flew toward that faint summons. Thousands of spatial rifts were scattered ahead like stars. The two held their breath, nerves taut, and swiftly weaved through them, trying to shake off Yan Gengshen’s pursuit.

Just as Lu Xiaoxiao was about to charge into the myriad of spatial rifts ahead, a dragon’s roar suddenly echoed from the front.

Lu Xiaoxiao’s steps instantly halted, her pupils contracting sharply. She saw a dazzling golden light suddenly erupt from the originally pitch-black cliff bottom. Immediately afterward, a massive yellow dragon soared skyward from the depths of the abyss. The dragon’s body coiled and twisted, its scales shimmering with a metallic luster in the light.

The spatial rifts, which had been suspended in the air and hadn’t moved for ten thousand years, were affected by the immense energy fluctuations caused by the dragon’s emergence. They began to violently oscillate, then scattered wildly like leaves swept by a gale, rapidly spreading in all directions.

The previously stable spatial structure was instantly shattered. Rifts crisscrossed, forming a massive spiderweb that enveloped the entire cliff bottom.

Lu Xiaoxiao was utterly stunned by the sudden scene. She froze in place, as if under a powerful immobilization spell.

Her mind was blank; she even forgot to breathe. It wasn’t until Tantai Jing violently shoved her twice and shouted, “Don’t just stare! Run!” that she awoke as if from a dream, hurriedly channeling her spiritual power and flying away on her sword.

The two quickly changed direction and sped back the way they came. Lu Xiaoxiao’s heart hammered like a drum. The wind screamed in her ears, and the spatial rifts behind them continued to spread, like a massive net of death, threatening to engulf them at any moment.

As they zipped past, they passed Yan Gengshen, who was also stunned by the sight. He stood rooted, his face pale, clearly shaken by the sudden turn of events.

Seeing this, Lu Xiaoxiao shouted loudly while flying on her sword, “I told you I was here to dig your grave! It’s here now! How is it? Are you satisfied with this grand gift?”

Yan Gengshen’s face instantly turned livid, his eyes burning with fury. But at the moment, he had no time to heed Lu Xiaoxiao’s taunts. He quickly channeled his spiritual power and fled toward a safe direction.

Lu Xiaoxiao and Tantai Jing ran with all their might. However, the energy fluctuations caused by the giant dragon behind them swept toward them like a monstrous wave, moving with unimaginable speed. Even though Lu Xiaoxiao had pushed her spiritual power to the limit, she still couldn’t escape the terrifying force.

Seeing Yan Gengshen’s figure long gone from sight, Lu Xiaoxiao inwardly cursed. Before she could think further, the vast power from behind had already caught up.

“Boom—”

With a loud crash, the two were knocked down by the wave-like energy fluctuations. Their bodies, like kites with cut strings, tumbled forward for dozens of yards.

Lu Xiaoxiao felt the world spin, the wind roared in her ears, and her vision was blurred.

Her body heavily impacted the ground and tumbled a few more times before finally coming to a stop. Her bones felt shattered, and pain instantly spread throughout her body.

“Tantai Jing—” Lu Xiaoxiao suppressed the pain, propped herself up, and anxiously called out Tantai Jing’s name.

However, just as she managed to lift herself up, a white figure suddenly lunged from the side, colliding directly with her chest. Lu Xiaoxiao was caught off guard, the impact nearly knocking the breath out of her. Her body fell backward again, hitting the ground heavily.

“Cough, cough… Y-You are so ruthless! Attempted murder of your own spouse…” Lu Xiaoxiao covered her chest, coughed a few times, a look of pain on her face. She looked down and realized that the one who had knocked her down was a white cub—a tiger. Its furry body was perched on her, its four paws seeming misplaced, looking both embarrassed and helpless.

“Tantai Jing?” Lu Xiaoxiao was stunned for a moment, then realized that this cub was Tantai Jing in her transformed state. She couldn’t help but smile wryly. She reached out and rubbed the cub’s head, her voice carrying a mix of helplessness and indulgence, “You rascal! You didn’t even tell me you were transforming into a tiger. You almost knocked me dead.”

The cub seemed to understand her complaint. Its furry head pressed against her, lightly rubbing her cheek, and then its tongue darted out to lick her chin, as if apologizing.

Lu Xiaoxiao felt tickled by the licking and couldn’t help but laugh and dodge, “Stop licking! Stop licking! You’ll lick my skin off.”

Laughing, she propped herself up, ready to stand, when her peripheral vision suddenly caught a blinding light. She instinctively turned her head and gasped. A temporal rift was embedded beside her, less than an inch from her body.

Lu Xiaoxiao’s heart sank. She instantly understood why Tantai Jing had suddenly tackled her. She quickly hugged the cub and rolled a few times to the side, avoiding the dangerous rift. Only after confirming they were safe did she breathe a sigh of relief. She looked down at the cub in her arms, a mix of gratitude and tenderness in her eyes.

“So you did that to save me…” Lu Xiaoxiao whispered, her voice filled with emotion.

“Seeing you in danger just now, I forcibly broke through the restriction Yan Gengshen placed on me, but I still need some time to fully recover.”

Tantai Jing’s voice was clear and pleasant. Lu Xiaoxiao couldn’t quite reconcile Tantai Jing with this cub yet.

The cub raised its head, its round eyes looking at her. A low whimper sounded in its throat, as if responding to her words. Lu Xiaoxiao smiled. She held the cub tightly in her embrace and whispered, “Alright, we need to hurry and leave here. There’s no time to lose. I need to take you to Aunt Wan right away.”

Fortunately, the fluctuations caused by the dragon’s emergence were not entirely without benefit. The ground was now covered with embedded spatial rifts, making the surface clearly visible. Lu Xiaoxiao, holding Tantai Jing, stood at a fork in the road and realized this was the same path that had led them to a dead end earlier. She immediately turned her sword tip and flew straight down that path.

After flying on her sword for another half shíchén (hour), Lu Xiaoxiao finally spotted a massive array on a wide, open ground.

“This must be where Aunt Wan set up the array,” Lu Xiaoxiao murmured to herself, a hint of joy and anticipation in her eyes. She had finally reached her destination, and the tension in her heart eased considerably.

Perhaps because they were close to a safe zone, Lu Xiaoxiao’s mood became much lighter. She looked down at the cub in her arms and couldn’t help but reach out and rub its head. The cub’s fur was soft and smooth, feeling wonderfully tactile. Lu Xiaoxiao kept rubbing, then playfully flipped the cub over, belly-up, and gently kneaded its soft stomach.

“So soft~ So cute~ My baby,” Lu Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but exclaim, a satisfied smile on her face.

Just as she was enjoying herself, Lu Xiaoxiao felt a sudden pain in her hand. Looking down, she saw that the cub, Tantai Jing’s transformed self, had bitten her hand.

Though not a strong bite, the sharp little tiger teeth made her involuntarily hiss. At the same time, Tantai Jing’s shy voice, mixed with urgency and helplessness, echoed in her mind: “There are so many people ahead! What are you doing~ Hurry and put me down!”

Lu Xiaoxiao froze for a moment, then looked up. Sure enough, over a dozen people stood not far away, busy around the array. They wore uniform clothing, clearly Aunt Wan’s subordinates. Those people seemed to have noticed Lu Xiaoxiao’s arrival and were looking over at her.

Lu Xiaoxiao instantly felt embarrassed, a blush rising to her face. She quickly let go and gently placed the cub on the ground. The cub landed, swiftly shook its fur, then shimmered, returning to her human form.

Tantai Jing stood beside her, a faint blush still on her face. Her gaze was somewhat evasive, clearly feeling awkward about what had just happened.

“Why are you so late? There was a sudden spatial rift storm just now. I thought…” Fú Zhāo anxiously walked over and embraced Tantai Jing, examining her from head to toe.

Before she could finish, Wan Xuānr interrupted: “Don’t say such unlucky things. It’s good that you’ve arrived, it’s good that you’ve arrived. There’s no time to lose. Hurry and get little Jing’er into the Demon Locking Tower.”

Lu Xiaoxiao scratched her head and said, “It was pitch dark in here. I couldn’t see anything. I might have accidentally taken the wrong path while dodging Yan Gengshen. Fortunately, I felt Aunt Wan’s summons at the critical moment.” She then took something from her bosom and placed it in Tantai Jing’s hand. “The rest is up to you. Hurry into the Demon Locking Tower and take the Integration Pill. Aunt Wan and I will guard everything outside.”

Tantai Jing’s eyes shimmered with tears: “This… how can I do this?”

Lu Xiaoxiao saw that Wan Xuānr had already summoned the Demon Locking Tower, which stood behind them. Her heart clenched, knowing time was short. She took Tantai Jing’s hand and quickly walked toward the Demon Locking Tower.

“Say no more. We don’t know when Yan Gengshen will catch up, and the Dead Spirit Abyss is full of dangers. The sooner you break through, the better chance we have.”

However, Tantai Jing’s steps suddenly halted. Her voice was low, with a slight tremor, reaching Lu Xiaoxiao’s ears: “I… I’m scared…”

Lu Xiaoxiao’s heart softened. She gently held Tantai Jing’s shoulders, lowered her head slightly, and her gaze fell upon Tantai Jing’s faintly trembling lips. Without the slightest hesitation, she leaned forward and kissed her. The kiss carried a scorching warmth, as if seeking to melt away all fear and unease in that moment.

After a long while, Lu Xiaoxiao slowly released her, resting her forehead against Tantai Jing’s and whispering, “Don’t worry. We will definitely survive until you come out. Sister and the others are still waiting for wedding candy.”

Her tone was light and firm, carrying a hint of jest but also an unshakeable confidence. Tantai Jing looked into her bright eyes, and much of the fear in her heart seemed to be dispersed. She nodded lightly and whispered, “Okay, I will definitely break through as soon as possible, and then… come back to you.”

Lu Xiaoxiao smiled, rubbed her hair, and then let go, gently urging her toward the Demon Locking Tower: “Hurry now. Time waits for no one.”

Tantai Jing took a deep breath, turned, and walked toward the Demon Locking Tower.

In front of the towering Demon Locking Tower, her back looked particularly slender.

A gust of wind rose, lifting Tantai Jing’s flowing silver hair, instantly pulling Lu Xiaoxiao’s thoughts back to the snowy night they first arrived in Zhūjiā Town.

In that snowy, silent deep night, Tantai Jing’s figure was enveloped by the massive moon hanging in the sky. The goose-feather snow froze the air and the distance between them.

Time had passed, and the distance between them had narrowed with its flow. Tantai Jing’s figure had also become increasingly resolute over time. Lu Xiaoxiao had seen her back countless times and believed that Tantai Jing would soon turn around, rushing toward her as she always did.

But perhaps the wind was too strong this time, forcing her to blink. Like pressing a camera shutter, she imprinted Tantai Jing’s receding figure into her heart. What came out of her eyes were scorching tears.

One last time… One last time…

Not until she watched Tantai Jing’s figure disappear into the tower did Lu Xiaoxiao gently wipe her eyes. She turned and walked resolutely toward Fú Zhāo and the others.

Seeing this scene, Fú Zhāo nudged Wan Xuānr’s shoulder and commented, “The girl is too grown up to stay home; her eyes haven’t left Lu Xiaoxiao for a second. Alas!”

Wan Xuānr stepped forward, her gaze sweeping over everyone present. With a grave expression, she announced loudly, “Thank you for your hard work, Elders. Next, we need to jointly activate the Shading the Sky and Shielding the Sun array. As long as we hold out for three days, the situation will take a turn for the better.”

Her voice was clear and strong, carrying an unquestionable authority. As soon as she finished speaking, the Elders nodded in unison, each taking their designated position in the array and beginning to channel their spiritual power.

Lu Xiaoxiao stood aside, her eyes fixed on the changes in the array. She saw the runes on the ground gradually light up, and streaks of light ascended from the runes, intertwining like countless spiritual snakes in the air. As the Elders poured in their spiritual power, the array’s light grew brighter, finally forming a giant light barrier that enveloped the entire area.

Outside the light barrier, the darkness of the Dead Spirit Abyss was completely blocked out, as if even heaven and earth were shielded by this array. Lu Xiaoxiao felt a powerful energy fluctuation emanating from the array and couldn’t help but marvel inwardly: “As expected of an array personally set up by Aunt Wan, it is truly extraordinary.”

Wan Xuānr stood at the center of the array, forming seals with her hands, her expression focused and solemn. After a moment, she slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze swept over the crowd, and she said in a deep voice, “The array is complete. For the next three days, we must fully maintain the array’s operation and absolutely prevent the outside world from sensing our existence.”

The Elders responded in unison: “Yes, Palace Master!”

Lu Xiaoxiao walked up and asked softly, “Aunt Wan, can this array really fool Yan Gengshen?”

“The Shading the Sky and Shielding the Sun array is an ancient secret technique. It can not only conceal our aura but also distort space. But whether it can deceive an Integration Stage cultivator…”