The Demon Lord Is Carrying My Child - Chapter 1

When Cun ming arrived at the back mountain, he saw Ji Shutao standing beneath the waterfall practicing her swordplay. The cascading water drenching her robes went entirely unnoticed as she moved with the fluid grace of drifting clouds and flowing water. She performed several more sequences before finally coming to a halt and walking toward Cun ming.

She took the handkerchief he offered, carelessly wiping the water droplets from her face as she asked, “Second Senior Brother, why have you come here?”

“I went to your room to find you, but you weren’t there. I figured you might be here, so I came over.”

Ji Shutao stepped toward the edge of the nearby cliff. From this vantage point, one could see the entire panorama of Beichen Mountain.

“In the world of men, the fragrance of April has faded.” Only two days ago, the mountains were covered in a breathtaking sea of flowers as far as the eye could see. Yet, after last night’s relentless rain, all the blossoms had quietly withered away.

Ji Shutao withdrew her gaze and asked Cun ming, “Second Senior Brother, did you see my peach blossoms today?”

Unsure of her point, Cun ming answered vaguely, “I saw them.”

“I listened to the sound of rain all through the night. When I woke up this morning, there was nothing left of the peach blossoms in my courtyard. It’s as if they were deliberately telling me that spring has passed.”

“Then… did Junior Sister sleep well last night?” Cun ming asked, only to realize it was a redundant question. How could anyone rest peacefully while listening to the rain all night?

“I stepped into an abyss. When I woke up, the sky wasn’t even bright yet.”

Last year during the Qixi Festival, Ji Shutao had sneaked down the mountain alone and stayed away for several months. In February of this year, she was found severely wounded, having suffered a devastating blow. The assailant had been so arrogant as to dump her right at the gates of Beichen Mountain.

Ji Shutao’s life was saved, but she had lost all memory of those intervening months. Since then, she had been trapped in the same recurring nightmare, and it had been a long time since she had enjoyed a single night of sound sleep.

Yu Chu, the Master of Beichen Mountain and Ji Shutao’s teacher, had been paralyzed with lingering fear. He strictly forbade her from leaving the mountain for the time being, ordering her to stay and focus on recovering from her injuries.

If this had been the Ji Shutao of old, being told she couldn’t leave for half a day would have caused an uproar. The idea of being cooped up on the mountain for nearly two months would have been unthinkable. But the current Ji Shutao was gentle and tempered, showing no sign of her former spirit.

Everyone said the Junior Sister had undergone a change in personality a blessing in disguise. They claimed she was once reckless and playful, but now she could finally focus on her cultivation.

However, Cun ming felt that the current Junior Sister was unhappy. She was like a walking corpse, lacking even a shadow of the bright “little sun” she once was. Even when she smiled, it was a forced, hollow gesture.

“Junior Sister, are you… not happy at all?” Cun ming’s throat tightened. He had always been closest to her, simply because he was just as playful as she was. The two of them used to spend their days wandering the markets or sneaking to the back mountain to catch fish.

They had practically touched every stone on Beichen Mountain together. He couldn’t possibly miss how abnormal she was acting.

“Second Senior Brother, I am unhappy. And it’s worse than that I don’t know why I’m unhappy. In that lost memory of mine, there might be someone very important to me.”

In her nightmare, the forest was thick with fog, making it impossible to see anything. Ji Shutao could only feel the air growing viscous, as if something were sliding against her skin. Goosebumps erupted over her body; she felt disgusted and quickened her pace. She didn’t know how she had wandered into these woods or where she was going. She only knew she was searching for someone someone vital to her existence.

But every time she saw a glimmer of light, she would step into a bottomless abyss and wake up with a start. It would take fifteen minutes just to pull herself out of that state of heart pounding dread.

“You will remember,” Cun ming comforted her.

Ji Shutao gave a forced smile. “I hope so.”

Zhuang Yi, covered in blood, leaped through the window just as Ji Shutao was pulling herself out of yet another nightmare.

The moonlight cast Zhuang Yi’s shadow, but Ji Shutao couldn’t see her face. Knowing only that an intruder had entered her room, she snatched her sword from the wall and pointed it directly at the stranger, shouting sharply, “Who are you?”

There was no response. Instead, Zhuang Yi ran directly toward her. Startled, Ji Shutao dropped her sword in a panic; had she been a second slower, the blade would have pierced the stranger’s chest.

Ji Shutao said exasperatedly, “Don’t you know.”

But before she could finish, the intruder threw her arms around her in a desperate, bone crushing hug. The scent of blood instantly filled her nose. Ji Shutao instinctively frowned, yet she found herself unable to push the person away.

“Shutao, come home with me.”

Zhuang Yi’s voice was as thin as silk. The more strength she exerted, the heavier the bloodstains on her body became. Her words were spoken with lingering tenderness, but Ji Shutao merely tilted her head. She didn’t recognize this person at all.

“Who are you?”

Zhuang Yi’s clear eyes were filled with confusion. She asked, “Shutao, aren’t you happy to see me?”

After speaking, Zhuang Yi looked down at her clothes, which were almost entirely soaked in blood. Her tone actually held a hint of grievance. “Do you know how much effort I spent just to fight my way up Beichen Mountain?”

Seeing her in such a state, Ji Shutao felt a strange surge of compassion. She lowered her voice to warn her: “You are of the Demon Race. Flee, quickly!”

Zhuang Yi’s injuries were likely so severe that her demonic energy was leaking out completely. Even a mediocre practitioner like Ji Shutao could feel the massive waves of demonic aura pouring from her. If the highly skilled Master or the Senior Brothers came looking, this woman would surely die. Beichen Mountain prided itself on the duty of slaying demon-path monsters.

But Zhuang Yi heard none of it. Her mind was focused solely on bringing Ji Shutao home.

Ji Shutao was led toward the door in a daze, failing to realize she should resist. Outside, the noisy voices of people grew louder; her Senior Brothers were approaching.

Ji Shutao reached back and grabbed Zhuang Yi’s hand. The woman’s skin was ice-cold. She hadn’t noticed it through the sleeves earlier, but now the chill seemed to seep into her very heart. Ji Shutao was forced to let go. “Go, quickly!”

When Chen Li led the men into Ji Shutao’s courtyard, he scanned the area first. Seeing nothing unusual, he turned his gaze toward his Junior Sister, who looked as if she had just woken up.

“Junior Sister, did you see anyone just now?”

Ji Shutao rubbed her eyes which were not actually sleepy and asked with total confusion, “Senior Brother, what are you all doing so late? Has someone broken into Beichen Mountain?”

“Yes. The Demon Sovereign, Zhuang Yi, took advantage of the night to ambush the guards and break into the mountain.”

At the mention of the name “Zhuang Yi,” Ji Shutao’s heart skipped a beat. She clutched her chest, wondering where such a strange sensation had come from.

Chen Li looked at her with a hint of worry. “Junior Sister, are you alright? I was perhaps too impulsive. You should rest well.”

He had already used his spiritual intent to scan the area, and there was indeed no trace of Zhuang Yi’s aura here. Yet, a disciple had clearly seen her heading this way…

Regardless, his Junior Sister had been severely injured before. It was indeed a disturbance to bother her so late at night.

“Alright. Be careful, Senior Brother.”

Ji Shutao watched Chen Li and the others leave her sight before closing the door. She sat in the courtyard, seemingly admiring the moon, but her mind was quietly turning over the name Zhuang Yi.

In legend, the Demon Sovereign Zhuang Yi was cold-blooded and ruthless, famous throughout the world for her cruelty. Beichen Mountain was a renowned righteous sect famous for its peerless swordsmanship. Logically, it was impossible for Ji Shutao to have any connection with her.

Ji Shutao stroked her sleeve. Only after a moment did she notice that her snow-white inner garment had been stained by the blood of that person. Fortunately, she had hurriedly thrown on her outer robe, or she would have been exposed. She only noticed it now because her sleeve had slipped.

“Zhuang Yi,” Ji Shutao murmured. In truth, she hadn’t just smelled blood she had also caught a faint, exceptionally familiar fragrance.

At the foot of Beichen Mountain.

Just as dawn broke, someone walked into the Lingguang Inn.

The figure was wrapped from head to toe in a plain robe. Her face was deathly pale, yet the vivid red of her lips frequently drew attention. She looked like someone not to be trifled with, but since the shopkeeper kept his business at the foot of Beichen Mountain, he had the courage to receive all kinds of guests.

He put on a wide smile. “Guest, how may I serve you?”

Zhuang Yi tossed a gold ingot onto the counter. Her voice cut through the air like a freezing wind. “I want a carriage.”

The shopkeeper shuddered at the coldness of the voice but still joyfully pocketed the gold. “Certainly, guest. When do you require this carriage?”

“Tonight at midnight. Have it parked at the back door.”

“Rest assured, it will be arranged. Do you need anything else?”

Zhuang Yi paused, glancing sideways at the shopkeeper. “Do you have anything sweet here?”

“Yes, yes, yes! Our shop’s newest osmanthus cakes leave a fragrance in the mouth sweet but not greasy…”

Zhuang Yi interrupted his loud pitch. “Wrap some up.”

“Understood!”

Zhuang Yi walked to the door and then turned back. “I also want a bag of plums.”

“I will put everything in the carriage for you.”

“Much obliged.”

Zhuang Yi stepped outside. The small town at the foot of the mountain was bustling with people, full of life and noise. Standing in the crowd, Zhuang Yi remembered Ji Shutao’s words.

Back then, Shutao had said with a beaming smile while eating pastries: “The town at the foot of our mountain is so lively. They sell everything there. I must take you there to see it one day.”

Unfortunately, Ji Shutao had left and never returned, forgetting their entire past in the process.

Zhuang Yi tightened her grip on her sword. No matter what had happened, she would take Ji Shutao away.

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