The Demon Lord Is Carrying My Child - Chapter 3

While Ji Shutao followed Zhuang Yi and slept peacefully, Beichen Mountain was sleepless, with lights burning bright everywhere.

Upon hearing the disciples return to report that they still had not found a trace of Ji Shutao, Yu Chu’s palm wind grew fierce. He shattered the two main doors in the center of the Great Hall; the rest of the doors suffered collateral damage and were currently swaying precariously.

The disciples had never seen such a terrifying display before. They all knelt down in fear and trepidation. “Master, please appease your anger.”

Chen Li and Cun Ming arrived late. Seeing the situation, they understood three-tenths of it immediately. Chen Li walked to the lower side of Yu Chu and cupped his hands: “Master, your disciple believes that searching blindly like this yields no benefit. We should first analyze why Zhuang Yi took Junior Sister, or rather, where she would definitely take her.”

Chen Li’s words were not without reason. Instead of running around like headless flies, it was better to sit down calmly and find the true root of the matter.

However, Yu Chu’s eyes remained wide with rage. He slapped the armrest beside him. “What a crowning humiliation! My Beichen Mountain claims to possess the world’s finest swordsmanship, but look at us now! That Demon Sovereign, Zhuang Yi, actually treats our Beichen Mountain like her own back garden coming and going as she pleases. Now she has even taken Shutao. If the world finds out, the prestige of my Beichen Mountain will be utterly destroyed.”

After speaking, he seemed to age many years in an instant, sinking directly into his chair. Cun Ming and Chen Li were both startled and moved to support him.

Yu Chu waved his hand. “Tell the others to come back. We must discuss this properly.”

The first person to discover Ji Shutao was missing was Cun Ming.

Cun Ming had woken up during the night and caught a faint, almost imperceptible trace of demonic energy. Recalling Zhuang Yi’s ascent of the mountain the previous day, he immediately became alert. He tracked that subtle demonic energy all the way to Ji Shutao’s courtyard.

The Junior Sister’s courtyard was pitch black. By the moonlight, Cun Ming saw a few books scattered on the ground. He called out several times, but there was no response.

So, he entered the courtyard and searched every corner. He was left with only one fact: Ji Shutao was gone.

Everyone immediately began the search. They scoured the entirety of Beichen Mountain, including the town at the foot of the mountain, but found nothing.

Finally, they found a small lead at the Lingguang Inn.

The owner looked at the portraits of Zhuang Yi and Ji Shutao they were holding. He recalled a woman who looked like Zhuang Yi asking for a carriage yesterday.

The woman had specifically instructed that no stable hands follow the carriage. The owner had taken a secret peek; she was holding someone in her arms at the time.

“It was as if she was holding some precious treasure. The person in her arms did look a bit like the one in the second portrait.”

How the owner had seen clearly in the dead of night was no longer within their scope of consideration. This inn was located at the foot of Beichen Mountain; if the owner lied to the people of Beichen Mountain, it would be no different from seeking his own death. The only information left in their minds was that Ji Shutao had indeed been taken by Zhuang Yi.

The short tempered Fifth Senior Brother, Gan Yang, nearly tore the shop apart. He was being pulled away while shouting curses: “What kind of broken shop is this? You watched someone get kidnapped and did nothing? I fucking!”

After they left, the owner wiped the sweat from his face. The people of Beichen Mountain truly had violent tempers.

It was roughly at daybreak when all ten of Yu Chu’s personal disciples arrived at the Great Hall.

Gan Yang’s face was still cold. He had been sent flying by a palm strike from Zhuang Yi the night before last. Now that his Junior Sister was missing, he was extremely displeased with the current situation.

The always steady Eldest Senior Brother stood up. “As it stands now, the Demon Sovereign Zhuang Yi’s ascent of the mountain the other night was likely just to scout the situation. She was targeting Junior Sister from the very beginning. We need to figure out one question: Why did she take Junior Sister?”

Although Beichen Mountain and the Demon Race had always been in opposition, these disciples had no contact with Zhuang Yi other than the fight the night before last let alone the Junior Sister, who had the weakest cultivation.

Although the Junior Sister was mischievous, she knew what she should and shouldn’t provoke.

Would Zhuang Yi go through the trouble of ascending Beichen Mountain just to take away a disciple with low cultivation?

“Risking her life just to scout? Who knows what a crazy woman like that wants to do?” Gan Yang snorted coldly.

“I’m thinking,” Cun Ming deduced, “Junior Sister is missing several months of her memory. Could it be that during those months, she had some sort of involvement with Zhuang Yi?”

“That makes sense,” Chen Li turned to look at Yu Chu. “Master, why don’t we split into two groups? One group will continue to pursue Zhuang Yi, and the other will investigate the incident where Junior Sister was attacked some time ago.”

Yu Chu pondered for a moment, a flicker of emotion passing through his eyes that Chen Li could not decipher. “Let’s continue the pursuit of Zhuang Yi. After all, we’ve been investigating Shutao’s attack for two months with no leads at all. The priority now is to figure out where Zhuang Yi is taking Shutao. Do not waste time on the attack incident.”

Cun Ming stood up. He first bowed respectfully to Yu Chu before speaking: “Master, I believe that is the root of everything. If we don’t investigate it clearly, even if we find Junior Sister, it will only be a temporary fix. Therefore, I am willing to investigate the cause alone. It won’t waste time, and we can learn the truth of the matter.”

Cun Ming’s explanation was so thorough that Yu Chu could not find an excuse to refuse him in the short term. Coupled with the fact that once this disciple set his mind on something, no one could pull him back, Yu Chu could only nod helplessly. “Be extra careful.”

“Yes, Master.”

“I believe Zhuang Yi will take Junior Sister toward the southeast. After all, the southeast is the stronghold of the Demon Race. We must race against her now. Otherwise, once they enter the Demon Realm, rescuing Junior Sister will be harder than climbing to heaven,” said the Third Senior Brother, Tu Jing.

In Beichen Mountain, Chen Li was steady, Cun Ming was free-spirited, and Gan Yang was impetuous. Tu Jing, on the other hand, always sought stability. Seeking stability wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but whether it was good or bad when everything was played safe remained to be seen.

But based on the current situation, Zhuang Yi taking Ji Shutao toward the southeast was indeed the most secure route. After all, once in the Demon Realm, Beichen Mountain would be powerless.

“Very well. Chen Li, take the others and pursue along the southeast direction. Additionally, send word to gather the righteous sects of the world to Beichen Mountain for a meeting. We must guard against such actions from the Demon Sovereign Zhuang Yi.”

“Yes, Master.”

While Beichen Mountain was in a frantic mess, the “dead or alive” Ji Shutao was actually leaning comfortably against the carriage, eating osmanthus cake.

This osmanthus cake was truly sweet but not greasy, lingering with a faint fragrance of osmanthus. One could tell at a bite that it was of high quality.

She ate with great joy and even asked Zhuang Yi, who was silently looking outside: “Zhuang Yi, do you want some osmanthus cake?”

“No.”

Ji Shutao curled her lip. So cold.

Just as Zhuang Yi prepared to go out and drive the carriage, Ji Shutao the person who had just called her cold grabbed her again.

“You, sit down.”

Zhuang Yi stopped abruptly and looked back at her. “What is it?”

“I’ll drive the carriage.”

Zhuang Yi didn’t suspect that Ji Shutao would drive the carriage elsewhere. She handed the reins directly to her and sat down in her original spot.

Ji Shutao, holding the reins: “Just like that?”

Zhuang Yi nodded and then closed her eyes to rest.

The kidnapped person driving the carriage for the kidnapper. Heh, how strange.

As Ji Shutao drove, she used the gaps when the carriage curtain was blown up by the wind to steal glances at Zhuang Yi.

She saw that although Zhuang Yi was asleep, she wasn’t resting peacefully; her brows were knitted tightly.

Ji Shutao intentionally slowed the carriage and sighed to herself: “Being a Demon Sovereign is truly hard work.”

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