Queen of Ten Thousand Demons Insists on Marrying Me - Chapter 84

Lu Xiaoxiao stayed up all night, pulling an all-nighter. The blue light from the computer screen made her eyes ache. She searched through all kinds of ancient texts, forums, and even some bizarre metaphysical websites, but information about “time travel” was scarce.

What she found were attempts to take her life…

Just as the sun peeked out and the sky turned a fish-belly white, she finally couldn’t hold on any longer and collapsed onto the bed, drifting into a daze. However, before she could truly fall asleep, an urgent knocking on the door woke her up again.

“Xiaoxiao! Xiaoxiao! Open the door!” Zhang Yuqing’s voice came from outside, carrying her usual vibrant energy.

Lu Xiaoxiao irritably buried her head in the pillow, trying to pretend she didn’t hear. But Zhang Yuqing clearly didn’t plan to let her off. The knocking grew louder, accompanied by her loud voice: “Don’t pretend to be asleep! I know you’re home! Open up!”

Lu Xiaoxiao sighed helplessly, struggled to climb out of bed, and dragged her heavy feet to open the door. Outside, Zhang Yuqing was wearing a chic camel coat, holding a bag of breakfast, her smile as bright as a little sun.

“I don’t want to go…” Lu Xiaoxiao rubbed her eyes, her voice heavy with sleepiness.

“Oh, stop stalling! I’ve already made an appointment with my cousin, you can’t stand me up!” Zhang Yuqing pulled her arm without question, dragging her toward the door.

Lu Xiaoxiao tried to resist, but having been up all night, she had little strength and could only let Zhang Yuqing push her into the car. She huddled into her jacket, shrinking into the passenger seat, her eyelids so heavy they were practically glued together.

Zhang Yuqing started the car while rambling on to comfort her: “It’s fine, really. Lots of people have psychological issues these days. Maybe a little medication will fix it. My cousin is very gentle and experienced, so you don’t need to be afraid.”

Lu Xiaoxiao yawned and silently rolled her eyes. If she still had her magic, she would definitely seal Zhang Yuqing’s mouth, rather than being stuck listening to her nagging. She mumbled a few perfunctory “Mhms,” closed her eyes, and quickly fell asleep again.

The car drove steadily along the morning streets. Sunlight streamed through the window onto Lu Xiaoxiao’s face, highlighting her exhausted sleeping face. Zhang Yuqing glanced at her, shaking her head resignedly, and muttered quietly, “How did this girl get so tired…”

Meanwhile, on an open patch of ground inside the Yáoxiá Palace, Fú Zhāo stood alone in the center. She raised a sharp dagger and decisively cut a deep wound into her palm. Blood instantly welled up, dripping onto the ground along her fingertips.

As soon as the drops of blood hit the ground, they followed the runes already carved there, slowly spreading from the inside out, like winding streams of blood, gradually filling the entire array.

Tantai Jing watched Fú Zhāo standing in the center of the strange array, with the startling fresh blood spreading along the crevices. She felt increasingly uneasy and turned to Wan Xuānr, asking, “Palace Master Wan, is this method truly harmless to Godmother’s body?”

Wan Xuānr replied indifferently, “How could it be harmless? Otherwise, she wouldn’t need to go into seclusion immediately after summoning Xiaoxiao. After a pause, she added, “But she has a plan, so don’t worry too much.”

Tantai Jing nodded upon hearing this. She looked back at the center of the field, her brow slightly furrowed, and murmured, “If this secret technique could be passed to me, I would never let Godmother do this for me.”

Wan Xuānr turned to look at the scene, her eyes filled with deep reluctance. Her fingers tightly clenched her sleeve, knuckles turning white from the force. Seeing Fú Zhāo’s pale face and slightly trembling body, her heart felt fiercely gripped by something.

Endless regret surged in her heart. If I had known this would happen, I would never have kept Fú Zhāo trapped in the Demon Locking Tower in the first place. Or… I should have brought her back earlier after she left the Demon Locking Tower, and she wouldn’t have to suffer this pain now. At this moment, she desperately wanted to rush forward and pull Fú Zhāo back. But remembering Fú Zhāo’s instructions to her last night, she forcefully stopped herself.

Last night, Fú Zhāo had asked to meet her under the moonlight.

The moonlight spilled into the courtyard of the Yáoxiá Palace like water, casting a silver-white glow. The two stood beneath a sweet olive tree, the shadows dappling. A gentle breeze carried a faint floral scent.

“Xuānr, tomorrow I will retrieve Xiaoxiao’s spiritual essence.”

Wan Xuānr’s brow furrowed, a hint of anxiety flashing in her eyes: “I don’t agree. Perhaps there are other ways to save Xiaoxiao. You don’t have to do this.”

Fú Zhāo shook her head, her gaze drifting toward the distant night sky. A faint, self-deprecating smile touched her lips: “The dead cannot be brought back to life—that is the law of heaven and earth. To obtain this secret technique to defy fate… is it good fortune, or is it destiny? Why else would it fall to me?”

She paused, her voice gradually lowering: “In any case, I am getting old. I’ve long grown tired of and weary of all things in this world…”

“…What about me? Are you tired of me too?”

Wan Xuānr walked up to Fú Zhāo, staring into her eyes, which were clouded with a pain mirroring Fú Zhāo’s own.

Fú Zhāo only glanced at her. Seemingly burned by Wan Xuānr’s gaze, she hurriedly averted her eyes toward the sweet olive tree beside them. Her throat moved, and she managed to squeeze out a low, hoarse voice, mixed with utter helplessness: “You and I are fundamentally from different paths—a human and a demon. That’s what you always used to say. Our two races have been enemies for a hundred years, and you are now the leader of the human race. Perhaps… we were simply never meant to be.”

Hearing this, ten thousand thunderbolts seemed to strike Wan Xuānr’s ears. She quickly took a step forward, grabbed Fú Zhāo’s collar, and fiercely locked eyes with her, demanding: “I’m only asking you: Are you tired of me too?”

Fú Zhāo kept her eyes downcast, her voice almost inaudible: “Not even an ice bed or a jade coffin can keep Xiaoxiao’s body preserved exactly as it was when she was alive. If we don’t find a way to summon her spiritual essence back soon, even if she revives, she will be nothing more than a cripple.”

Wan Xuānr’s eyes shook. Something felt violently ripped apart in her heart. Since she was young, she had been the Young Palace Master, and the only two times she had been selfish in her life were for Fú Zhāo.

She couldn’t believe she had to endure the pain of potentially losing her again.

Her voice trembled, the tension in her hands eased, and her tone carried a hint of pleading: “Don’t use that secret art to save Xiaoxiao, alright? Once this turmoil passes, I will announce to the world that I will be your Dao companion. Who cares what the human and demon races think! The person I was before couldn’t resist, but things are different now. I am an Integration Stage cultivator and a Palace Master. No one can stop me.”

Seeing Fú Zhāo shedding silent tears without answering, Wan Xuānr, who was already weeping, added, “If you dislike the gossip, we’ll leave and fly away together, just as we promised when we were young. It’s four hundred years late, but it’s still not too late, is it?”

Fú Zhāo’s tears slid down silently. She pulled away from Wan Xuānr’s grip, turned to wipe her tears, her voice low and firm: “Stop talking. Lu Xiaoxiao died saving me. Even if I survive, having this matter weighing on my heart would eventually lead to internal cultivation deviation. It’s better to fulfill their destiny.”

Wan Xuānr relentlessly pursued: “But if you let Tantai Jing know the truth, how will she ever be able to live with herself? Knowing that her Godmother died to save her Dao companion—will she be able to live freely?”

Fú Zhāo was silent for a moment, then whispered, “That’s why I need you to help me keep it a secret. After it’s done, I want you to take me away immediately. I’ve already told her that after the ritual, I need to go into seclusion to attempt a breakthrough, and I won’t emerge until I reach the Integration Stage.”

Wan Xuānr gave a bitter laugh, her eyes full of helplessness and pain: “Very few in this world can break through to the Integration Stage. Why would she believe you?”

Fú Zhāo spread her palm. A dark, black bead appeared before them, emitting a faint, eerie light.

Wan Xuānr looked at the demon core in her palm and asked, “This… is this Yan Gengshen’s demon core?”

“That’s right.”

Wan Xuānr stumbled back, her body swaying, her voice trembling and hoarse: “I can’t believe you thought it through so thoroughly. Truly, ‘a mother’s love plans deeply for her child.'” Her tone was laced with intense sarcasm, as if every word carried a sharp barb, stabbing directly into Fú Zhāo’s heart.

Fú Zhāo opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to explain something, but Wan Xuānr had already turned around, her back to her. Her shoulders trembled slightly, and her voice was cold and resolute: “If you die, I will absolutely tell Tantai Jing everything, completely. When that happens, you will fail completely, and all your sacrifice will become meaningless.”

With that, she did not linger, striding quickly away, her steps slightly faltering.

Fú Zhāo stood rooted, watching Wan Xuānr’s receding figure. The pain in her eyes finally broke free, turning into hot tears that streamed down her face, unconcealed. She knew that despite Wan Xuānr’s words, she would still cover for her.

The wind blew softly, carrying a faint floral scent, but it couldn’t mask the sorrow that permeated the air.

“Xuānr, I’m sorry… but this is the only thing I can do.”

In a psychological clinic in the city center, Zhang Yuqing pulled Lu Xiaoxiao into the elevator, heading straight for the seventh-floor reception desk.

“What did you say? Already have an appointment? It will take another hour to finish?”

Zhang Yuqing stood at the front desk and apologized to Lu Xiaoxiao: “Ai, sorry, we have to wait a bit. It seems someone cut the line and bumped us. My cousin is really unreliable; it’s not like I’m not paying her.”

She then pulled Lu Xiaoxiao to a nearby sofa: “It’s fine. You didn’t sleep well anyway. Rest a bit more. I’ll wake you up when it’s your turn.”

Lu Xiaoxiao knew she meant well and didn’t have the heart to blame her: “It’s fine. I’ll go to the restroom first.”

Standing in front of the restroom mirror, Lu Xiaoxiao sighed at the dark circles under her eyes. She reached out to rub her aching temples, a wave of frustration washing over her. She wondered how Tantai Jing and the others were looking for her, and why the Cháoyuán Sword hadn’t summoned her back yet.

Leaving the restroom, she really didn’t want to go back and listen to Zhang Yuqing continue to nag about her being “mentally ill.” Those words were wearing out her ears. She glanced at the elevator nearby and, on a whim, stepped inside and pressed the button for the top floor.

The elevator slowly ascended. Lu Xiaoxiao leaned against the cold metal wall, closing her eyes, trying to calm herself down.

With a soft ding, the elevator doors opened, and a refreshing breeze immediately greeted her, instantly making her feel much more awake. Looking at the gently swaying green plants on the rooftop, Lu Xiaoxiao took a deep breath, feeling the stuffiness in her chest being blown away by the wind. She couldn’t help but squint her eyes comfortably. She then walked slowly to the railing, leaning her hands on the ledge, gazing at the city view in the distance.

She was enjoying this moment of peace when she suddenly heard a low sobbing sound behind her. Lu Xiaoxiao was startled. She turned around and saw a woman in business attire sitting on the rooftop, holding a can of beer, her shoulders slightly trembling—clearly crying.

Lu Xiaoxiao felt a little awkward. Fearing she was intruding on someone’s private moment, she quietly backed away, planning to slip out unnoticed. But just then, she accidentally kicked an empty beer bottle, which made a sharp clang. The woman suddenly looked up, tears still staining her face, her eyes showing a hint of panic.

Lu Xiaoxiao quickly waved her hand and smiled awkwardly: “Sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

The woman quickly wiped away her tears, stood up, and forced a smile: “It’s fine. I’m the one who bothered you.” With that, she answered a phone call that suddenly rang. After saying a few words in a low voice, she hurriedly left the rooftop, her back looking somewhat dejected.

Lu Xiaoxiao watched her retreating figure, feeling a pang of sympathy. It seemed this woman was also being tormented by work to the point where she had to hide on the rooftop to secretly drink and vent. She sighed and turned to look at an unopened can of beer still standing on the ledge. Afraid it might be blown over by the wind and hit someone below, she climbed the ladder to retrieve it.

Once up, she truly realized how expansive the view from this building was. She looked down at the beer can in her hand, hesitated for a moment, then opened the tab. Well, drinking one beer shouldn’t delay my psychological consultation.

The cool liquid slid down her throat, carrying a slight bitterness, but it brought her a strange sense of relaxation. She leaned against the railing, watching the river that ran through the city in the distance, its surface sparkling under the sun.

However, she didn’t know that downstairs, the woman’s long presence on the rooftop had already attracted the attention of passersby. Someone, worried about her emotional instability and the possibility of extreme behavior, had called the police. Before long, the blare of fire trucks and police sirens grew nearer, sounding urgent.

Hearing the noise, Lu Xiaoxiao looked down in confusion. She saw a crowd had gathered below. Firefighters were quickly unfolding an air cushion, and a police officer was shouting through a megaphone toward the rooftop: “Madam on the roof, please calm down! Whatever problem you have, we can help you solve it. Please don’t do anything rash!”

Lu Xiaoxiao was stunned, then realized they must have misunderstood. She quickly held up the beer can in her hand and shouted down: “I’m fine! I just came up here for some air and a drink!”

But her voice was carried away by the wind, and the people below couldn’t hear her clearly. Seeing this, she couldn’t help but feel a little exasperated. She hadn’t expected that simply wanting a quiet place to relax would cause such a commotion.

She quickly put the beer can aside, raised her hands to show she was alright, and shouted loudly: “I’m really fine! Don’t come up!”

Just then, Zhang Yuqing ran onto the rooftop, panting. Seeing Lu Xiaoxiao standing by the railing, she turned deathly pale: “Xiaoxiao! Don’t do anything rash! We can talk about whatever it is!”

Lu Xiaoxiao reluctantly turned around and shouted to Zhang Yuqing: “I’m really fine! I just came up to see the view and have a drink!”

Zhang Yuqing finally breathed a sigh of relief and patted her chest: “You scared me to death! Now hurry and come down! My cousin is finished, and it’s your turn now.”

Lu Xiaoxiao quickly replied, “Okay, okay, okay.” As she spoke, she leaned against the railing to stand up. However, the railing was clearly old and weak. Lu Xiaoxiao had been sitting for too long, and her sudden movement caused a wave of dizziness.

The moment she tried to steady herself, the railing suddenly let out a sharp crack.

Her entire body instantly lost its balance. Following the sudden force, she violently tumbled backward…

“Shit!” Lu Xiaoxiao only managed to let out a gasp before her body fell uncontrollably downward.

“Ah—” Zhang Yuqing, seeing Lu Xiaoxiao’s vanishing figure and the broken railing, and the beer can Lu Xiaoxiao didn’t forget to toss back just as she fell, covered her mouth and screamed.