The Demon Lord Is Carrying My Child - Chapter 42

Demon Realm, Yinlan Palace.

Yinlan Palace was the place where successive Demon Sovereigns resided and discussed official matters. Rumor had it that the first Demon Sovereign had a beloved whose name contained the character “Lan.” Due to their opposing identities and various other reasons, although they loved each other, they were never able to be together. After they were separated by death, the first Demon Sovereign ordered the construction of this Yinlan Palace, meaning that his affection for her would never see the light of day, yet she would always remain in his heart.

There was likely another layer of hope the wish that love could transcend status.

Because of this, the Demon Realm produced many “seeds of passion”; regardless of status or position, all they ever wanted was one lifetime, one world, and one pair of people.

Official business was conducted in the front hall of Yinlan Palace, while the rear hall served as the Demon Sovereign’s sleeping quarters. There were countless side halls to the east and west; Ziyue and Qianfeng lived in these side halls.

Ziyue had been waiting at the entrance of Yinlan Palace early on. Seeing Qianfeng approaching while carrying Zhuang Yi, she hurried forward to meet them. Walking side by side with Qianfeng, she said, “I have already instructed Shannai to wait inside.”

Qianfeng nodded. “I had the Sovereign’s Consort lead the people from Beichen Mountain and Cangyou Pavilion through the secret passage. Go and meet them.”

Although Zhuang Yi was the Demon Sovereign, she often inevitably walked on thin ice amidst the struggles between the two factions. Therefore, Zhuang Yi had installed a secret passage in the mountain behind Yinlan Palace. This path was extremely private, known only to Ziyue, Qianfeng, Shu Tao, and Zhuang Yi herself.

“They are numerous; I fear that even using the secret passage, news might leak,” Ziyue said.

Ziyue’s concern was not without reason. After all, a grand group of over twenty people was indeed too conspicuous. Although the servants in Yinlan Palace were handpicked by Zhuang Yi and Qianfeng, there were still many eyes and ears, making it difficult to prevent rumors from spreading.

“Then let those old fogies come find me,” Qianfeng said impatiently. “Arrange for them to stay in the side halls. Use the Frost Chains to lock up everyone from Cangyou Pavilion.”

“Yes, Master.” Ziyue headed toward the secret passage.

When Qianfeng carried Zhuang Yi to the door of the sleeping quarters, she said to the two young maids waiting by the door, “You may both withdraw. Clear everyone out from the sleeping quarters area.”

“Yes, Elder Qianfeng.” The two bowed slightly and left one after the other.

Qianfeng pushed the door open and saw Shannai organizing a medicine chest; he must have heard her voice just now.

As Qianfeng placed Zhuang Yi on the bed, Shannai remarked, “The Sovereign is finally willing to return.”

“If she hadn’t come back now, her life would be gone,” Qianfeng said crossly, making room for Shannai.

“When the Sovereign left, I prepared plenty of fetal-soothing medicine for her. How did it get so serious that she lost all her demonic energy?”

“Who knows if she ate them bottle by bottle,” Qianfeng replied. Seeing Shannai’s expression turn grim—Shannai was usually one to joke and smile she asked with a frown, “Is it very serious?”

“The child is fine, but the Sovereign is trapped in a nightmare.” Zhuang Yi was such a formidable person, capable of holding the position of Demon Sovereign at such a young age; how could she be ensnared by a nightmare to the point of being unable to wake up? Shannai felt this matter was of no small consequence. He asked solemnly, “What did the Sovereign do before she fainted? Was it very dangerous?”

Qianfeng recounted the situation at the time exactly as it happened, leaving out not even the smallest detail.

“Was she counter-attacked and haunted by those vengeful spirits?” she asked.

Shannai, however, said pensively, “How does the Sovereign know how to break the Town-Suppressing Talisman?”

Moreover, according to what Qianfeng said, the Sovereign had likely recited several Rebirth Mantras. The Sovereign should not know such things.

“I don’t know.”

“Once the Town-Suppressing Talisman is broken, those spirits can return to the Underworld to be reincarnated. To them, the Sovereign is a benefactor; there is no possibility of her being haunted by a backlash.”

Qianfeng pondered for a moment and offered an uncertain deduction: “Could it be that the Sovereign has some past we don’t know about? A past related to incantations that wasn’t very pleasant? Because she forcibly broke the Town-Suppressing Talisman, those past memories came rushing back, and since the Sovereign couldn’t withstand it for a moment, she became trapped by those shadows of the past?”

Shannai thought for a while and nodded in agreement. “If that’s the case, we must find out about those past events as soon as possible. Otherwise…” Shannai and Qianfeng looked at the unconscious Zhuang Yi simultaneously, their eyes filled with deep worry.

“Is there no other way?”

“There is, but it is highly likely to cost two lives.”

Generally speaking, the simplest way to break a nightmare is for someone close to the person to call out from the outside to bring their mind back to reality. The second way is to trace the source and find the root cause; that way, one can apply the right remedy. The third method is rarely used by anyone: it involves using a secret technique to let another person enter the trapped person’s nightmare to bring them back.

This method easily leads to both people being trapped in the nightmare, which would result in both of them dying. Zhuang Yi’s current situation leaned toward the severe side; the first method was already unusable, and the last method was too dangerous. They could only take the middle ground and choose the second method.

“So, I only intend to use the third method as a last resort. For now, let’s work hard to find the source.”

“How much time do we have?”

“Five days.”

Qianfeng’s heart skipped a beat. Five days was far too short. “And during these days of waiting?”

Shannai walked to the table and rummaged through his medicine chest. Indeed, he had brought them. He returned to the bedside with two items.

“This booklet has the Spirit-Soothing Incantation written on it, and this is Clear-Heart Incense. I hope they are useful.” Shannai wasn’t certain; Zhuang Yi’s nightmare was coming on with great force, and he wasn’t sure if these ordinary methods would work for her. “Also, the fewer people who know about the Sovereign being unconscious, the better. It’s best if Yinlan Palace is filled only with our own people.”

“Hmm?” Qianfeng looked at him, puzzled. “You noticed something?”

Shannai slung his medicine chest over his shoulder and said meaningfully, “Some people’s hearts do not stay clean forever.”

Qianfeng’s face darkened severely. Even Ziyue, who was bringing Ji Shutao over, was startled by her. “Master, what’s wrong?”

Qianfeng glanced at the two of them, and her expression softened slightly. “Ziyue, take some people and thoroughly investigate Yinlan Palace again. Deal with anyone who has ulterior motives. Additionally, bring Zhi Wu and Zhi Ming here.”

Ever since Zhuang Yi broke the Town-Suppressing Talisman, suspicion had taken root in Qianfeng’s heart. All the world’s incantations belonged to Cangyou Pavilion; having just spoken with Shannai, Qianfeng was even more firm in her thoughts. Zhi Ming was a clever person, and while Zhi Wu wasn’t clever, he was willing to risk his life to save Zhi Ming. Anyone with eyes could see they were closely connected. If she used Zhi Wu’s life to threaten Zhi Ming, she wouldn’t have to worry about Zhi Ming not talking.

“Yes, Master.”

Ji Shutao rushed to the bedside in a panic, grabbed Zhuang Yi’s hand, and turned to ask Qianfeng: “Is she okay?”

“Shannai said she met with a nightmare. If we can’t find the source, she might not be able to come out.” Qianfeng pressed her temples, feeling a headache.

“Nightmare,” Ji Shutao murmured to herself. “How could she suddenly have a nightmare?”

“I don’t know. She usually sleeps with you. Were there any times she acted abnormally?”

Ji Shutao thought carefully and shook her head.

When Zhuang Yi first started sleeping with her, she would often get up secretly in the middle of the night because she was uncomfortable either to drink water or to walk around for a bit. She was afraid of waking Ji Shutao, but Ji Shutao actually knew about all of it.

In those days, Ji Shutao would curse the person who abandoned Zhuang Yi and her child every night. Although the child and the wife weren’t hers, Zhuang Yi was very good to her. Based on that kindness, she had even specifically asked a doctor how to make a pregnant woman sleep better.

Later, she discovered that the “heartless person” was herself, so she naturally became even more caring. These days, the little one in Zhuang Yi’s belly had settled down, and with her by her side, Zhuang Yi slept much more soundly than before, often sleeping until broad daylight.

Abnormal times, abnormal times… Ji Shutao repeated the phrase twice and suddenly remembered that night on Wuming Mountain.

“That night, everyone fell into illusions to varying degrees. Zhuang Yi’s was the most severe; she kept calling for me to save her. I had to shout many times before I pulled her out of the illusion.”

“Also,” Ji Shutao added, “I’ve always felt one thing was particularly strange.”

“What?”

“The Demon Realm doesn’t practice incantations, yet Zhuang Yi not only knew the solution to the Trap Hexagram, but she could also tell at a glance that the talisman that day was a Town-Suppressing Talisman. She said she saw it in a book. Although Zhuang Yi is well-read, but…”

Ji Shutao didn’t finish, but Qianfeng already understood. Even if she had seen it in a book, being able to identify it was impressive enough, let alone remembering the method to break it.

Qianfeng shared her deduction with Ji Shutao. Ji Shutao asked a world-shaking question: “Do you suspect that Zhuang Yi once went to Cangyou Pavilion, or was even a disciple of Cangyou Pavilion???”

Even Qianfeng was startled by Ji Shutao’s line of thinking, but upon careful consideration, it didn’t seem entirely baseless.

Zhuang Yi indeed hadn’t always stayed in the Demon Realm. There was a blank period in between, and to this day, Qianfeng didn’t know what Zhuang Yi had experienced during that gap. Zhuang Yi also claimed she couldn’t remember.

Just as Qianfeng and Ji Shutao were about to speak further, Ziyue arrived to report that she had brought Zhi Wu and Zhi Ming to a secluded side hall.

Ziyue was Ziyue always meticulous. That side hall wasn’t far from the sleeping quarters, and the three of them arrived quickly.

Zhi Ming was devastated because Zhi Wu had walked into the trap of his own accord; he had been listless and looked much haggard.

Zhi Wu probably also knew he had committed a great error, as his spirits were low.

“Zhi Ming, do the incantations of your Cangyou Pavilion ever get passed to outsiders?” Qianfeng planned to ask bit by bit.

Zhi Ming gave her a very cold look; his attitude was already very clear.

Qianfeng wasn’t annoyed. She simply smiled and kicked Zhi Wu to the ground, pressing her foot onto his back. Zhi Wu was under the control of the Frost Chains, and since Qianfeng’s strength was not light, he naturally couldn’t get up, his face turning red from the struggle.

The Frost Chains were unique to the Demon Race, forged from thousand-year frost iron. Not only were the connections flawless, but the person locked by them would also feel waves of cold air entering their body it was truly a miserable experience.

“What do you want to do?” Zhi Ming finally spoke.

“Can’t you see what I want to do?” Qianfeng casually pulled out a short blade from her person and held it against Zhi Wu’s neck. “My patience is limited. I will count down from three. If you don’t tell me, I will kill him.”

“One.”

“Kill him if you want. I don’t want a useless piece of trash who fails more than he succeeds.”

“Two.”

“Can you be a bit quicker about it?”

“Three.”

“They are not passed to outsiders!” Zhi Ming shouted.

“Very good.” Qianfeng withdrew the short blade with satisfaction, while Zhi Ming looked at her with lingering fear.

“Now I ask: does your Cangyou Pavilion kidnap people for trials?”

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