The Demon Lord Relied on His Imagination to Get Together with the Protagonist. - Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Shi Zhihua: “…”

At the very moment Tong Siqing fell over, the composure and aloofness she had so painstakingly faked completely dissipated.

Shi Zhihua subconsciously moved to protect her, no longer caring about their little spat.

“Be careful.”

Tong Siqing was clumsy. She could trip over the person in front of her just by walking. She didn’t know why she was so unguarded around Zhihua. In the past, with her high-level spells and balance, she would never have stumbled while walking.

“Sorry.” Tong Siqing raised her hand to steady her head. She only regained her balance by leaning on Zhihua, finally waking up completely. Only then did she look around.

This was the Scarlet Sky Realm.

The Scarlet Sky Realm was known for its pleasant scenery and refined culture. Looking around, there were basically no perilous mountains or deep, narrow valleys. The terrain was flat, with tall, luxurious buildings rising from the ground.

Passersby were all dressed sumptuously, adorned with gold and silver.

This small area gathered the wealthy and noble people of the Three Realms.

In legends, the Scarlet Sky Realm was a famously desirable place. Those uninterested in conflict could come here to lie flat and enjoy famous sights and delicacies. Beautiful women and talented individuals also gathered here…

Tong Siqing, unusually, did not show any admiration but slightly frowned, seemingly not liking the place.

Shi Zhihua naturally noticed her attitude.

All along the way, Tong Siqing had been interested in the most ordinary things, so who would have thought that upon arriving at the bustling Scarlet Sky Realm, she would appear uninterested?

Is this place not good?

“You don’t like it here?” Shi Zhihua asked her. “The Scarlet Sky Realm is quite famous within the Three Realms, a melting pot of celebrities and literary figures…”

Tong Siqing shook her head: “It’s not that I don’t like it, I just feel a bit uncomfortable.”

It wasn’t physical discomfort, but an inner sense of repression. She looked up at the sky. It was clear and bright here, with nearby streets bustling and carriages crowded. Although beautiful, something felt fundamentally wrong.

“Maybe it’s because I’ve stayed in Xianning for so long that I’m not used to the hustle and bustle here,” Tong Siqing thought as she followed Shi Zhihua towards the restaurant.

Although the Xianning Sect advocated ancient simplicity, the palaces and towers they built were still very stylish. Tong Siqing had stayed in Xianning for so long; it could be said she lived in grand, beautiful buildings and had seen magnificent, carved walls. It was the place everyone in the world most wanted to see. Having grown up there, how could she lack worldly knowledge? If anything, she rarely saw the liveliness and human atmosphere of the outside world.

As for the towers and pavilions before her eyes…

Tong Siqing only felt that the prosperity had reached a point of decadent luxury, like a flower that was initially beautiful but had bloomed to the point of decay. Although it smelled fragrant, one couldn’t look too closely. If one looked carefully, they would see the degradation and wretchedness within.

She didn’t like this feeling.

And her reason naturally couldn’t convince Shi Zhihua, because the Palace of Decadence and Lust in the Demon Realm was much livelier than the Scarlet Sky Realm, yet Tong Siqing had not shown such a strange expression then.

“If you feel uncomfortable, we can go back as soon as possible.”

Shi Zhihua was too lazy to pretend anymore. She hadn’t come here to find the illusion mirror anyway. Her original intention was to bring Tong Siqing out to have fun. If the other person didn’t like this place, she could immediately return to the Palace of Decadence and Lust.

Tong Siqing shook her head: “It’s no bother.”

Upon entering the restaurant, Tong Siqing’s discomfort became even more pronounced.

They chose a high-level private room, which was convenient for looking down and also isolated from the hustle and bustle.

The high location meant the price was extremely expensive, but the Demon Lord might not have brought anything else, but she certainly had money. The entire financial power of the Demon Realm was controlled by her, so she could easily outbid the wealthy of the Scarlet Sky Realm.

There was only one best room, and Qing Lin immediately reserved it for the Venerable Lord without a second thought.

However, after they had settled down, the owner suddenly came to drive them away.

Qing Lin raised her long whip, about to teach him a lesson: “You black-hearted owner, we have already paid. Why are you driving us to another place?”

The owner was full of smiles: “How can you say ‘driving away’? How about this, our establishment won’t charge you a single coin today, and you don’t need to pay the bill… as long as you yield this room.”

“It seems a guest of noble status is coming here,” Shi Zhihua said without expression, grasping her wine cup. “In the Scarlet Sky Realm, status and position are usually ignored, and only wealth is considered. What kind of person is so brazen as to dare to provoke us here?”

Tong Siqing, sitting beside her, looked back at the owner upon hearing this: “Doesn’t everything follow the rule of first come, first served?”

The owner chuckled apologetically: “We really cannot afford to offend the person coming today.”

The rule of the Scarlet Sky Realm was—money is power. Even if the King of Heaven came without money, they wouldn’t receive much preferential treatment.

“The Mortal Realm’s Imperial Family,” Shi Zhihua suddenly displayed a fake smile. “It seems it can only be someone from the Human World.”

Among the Three Realms, only the Imperial Family of the Mortal Realm could perform the act of sacrificing the world to nurture one person.

Behind the scarlet gates, wine and meat go to waste; out on the road, people freeze to death. It was a common occurrence.

“Then let’s meet them,” Shi Zhihua said. “It just so happens I have some old scores to settle.”

Qing Lin thought to herself, I wonder which unlucky person ran into the Venerable Lord today. It was said that the Venerable Lord held grudges. The past grievances between the Imperial Family and the Demon Realm were finally going to be repaid today.

This room certainly won’t be yielded.

Shi Zhihua ordered Qing Lin to tie up the owner, then leisurely poured herself a drink, waiting for the enemy to arrive.

Seeing the atmosphere turn awkward, Tong Siqing quietly asked Su Rong: “When did the Venerable Lord form a grudge with the Human World?”

Her voice was not loud, but inside the room, what noise could escape the Demon Lord?

Su Rong naturally didn’t dare to answer, only shaking her head to signal her not to ask.

“Our Venerable Lord is so powerful, is she still afraid of their Human Race?”

Tong Siqing was genuinely curious. After all, her Heavenly Father had said that those people in the Mortal Realm were very fragile, with weak vitality. A slight bump or minor illness could kill them.

Although Tong Siqing hadn’t specifically investigated, her Heavenly Father’s description was very apt—he said those people were like the small flowers and grasses in front of the Father Cloud Palace. A slight touch from the Demon or Immortal Races could kill them. Although the Mortal Realm had many people, they also died quickly. In case of war, they would fall down in large swaths.

Her Heavenly Father also said that as Immortals, their primary duty was to protect all fragile life.

According to her Heavenly Father, the Human Race could not contend with the other two realms. So, how did those Imperial Family members provoke Zhihua?

No, the question should be rephrased—how did those people manage to survive until now, having formed a grudge with the Demon Realm?

Tong Siqing’s unintentional question just now coincidentally pleased Shi Zhihua.

“I am naturally not afraid of anyone,” Shi Zhihua looked up, her eyes tinged with a smile. “Are you worried about me?”

“But when I was in the Xianning Sect, I heard everyone say that the Human Race is mostly very fragile,” Tong Siqing asked. “How dare they provoke our Demon Realm?”

Shi Zhihua fell silent, the trace of a smile in her eyes vanishing.

Su Rong: !!!

Siqing, why are you bringing up an embarrassing topic!

“Don’t say anything more,” Su Rong quickly gave Tong Siqing a look. “I’ll tell you later.”

Suddenly, a clamor erupted in the restaurant. Someone with a very grand entourage had arrived.

Shi Zhihua lifted the curtain, looked down, and then commanded: “Su Rong, take her outside for a walk.”

Su Rong accepted the order: “Yes, Venerable Lord.”

Tong Siqing didn’t understand why they had to leave when someone arrived. She pulled Shi Zhihua’s sleeve and asked: “Venerable Lord, can I stay?”

Shi Zhihua looked at her, pulled out the flowing serpent gold hairpin from her hair, and gave it to her: “It might get a little messy here soon. I’m afraid you’ll be scared.”

Is it because the scene will be too bloody?

Tong Siqing said: “Then I definitely can’t leave! What if they are really powerful and hurt the Venerable Lord?”

This was genuine concern. Tong Siqing felt anxious. In her impression, the Human Race was extremely weak, and her Zhihua was invincible. If the two sides clashed, Zhihua was certain to win.

However… she noticed that Zhihua seemed to treat the Human World enemies with a degree of seriousness.

Why is that?

Tong Siqing couldn’t figure it out.

“Venerable Lord, please be careful too.” Su Rong was also full of worry. She glanced at Qing Lin, handed the protective magic artifact the Celestial Venerable had given her to Qing Lin, and instructed her: “Protect our Venerable Lord well. You must also be careful of the Imperial Family’s sinister schemes.”

Qing Lin nodded: “Leave it to me. You two go first.”

Tong Siqing was even more perplexed—How important are the people coming that they are so wary of them?

As she left, Tong Siqing split a wisp of her divine consciousness and left it beside Zhihua.

Splitting divine consciousness was a technique generally only achievable by cultivators with extremely high cultivation. Although Tong Siqing was young, as the head of the Nine Sages, her cultivation had reached its peak. Splitting off a wisp of divine consciousness was effortless.

This wisp of divine consciousness could even withstand a single blow from a Mahayana-stage powerful being.

If danger struck, she could sense it immediately and then protect Zhihua… or kill her opponent.

Tong Siqing had never actively killed anyone. Her killing intent had been dormant for many years. This was the first time she had such a thought.

She didn’t know why she was so uncharacteristic, but the thought of someone harming Zhihua made her feel extremely sad and angry.

Zhihua absolutely must not be harmed, otherwise, I will severely scold people and fiercely teach those bad people a lesson!

Su Rong led her away, but they didn’t go far, only avoiding the scene slightly.

A few more traces of anger appeared in Tong Siqing’s clear eyes. She suppressed her emotions and asked Su Rong: “What is the cultivation level of that Imperial Family member, that Zhihua and Qing Lin need to deal with him together?”

“Just ordinary royalty from the Mortal Realm,” Su Rong replied dispiritedly. “With our Venerable Lord’s cultivation, there are very few people in the world who can oppose her, but…”

But the royalty has always lived in the imperial city, nurtured by the dragon pulse, so they are protected by a deep aura of the dragon and tiger.

Most demons and devils in the world fear this kind of aura. It has nothing to do with cultivation; that innate restraint makes it difficult for them to cause any substantial harm to the Imperial Family. Therefore, in the Demon Realm, the more powerful the demon, the more annoyed they are by the Imperial Family. If they unfortunately encounter royalty in the Mortal Realm, they might even be humiliated by those royals.

“Is this true for all demons?” Tong Siqing was a bit skeptical because she had never heard her Heavenly Father mention this, and she hadn’t discovered such things when she peeked at the heavenly secrets.

When she asked, Su Rong also felt a bit unsure.

Su Rong: “Perhaps… In any case, during my time in the Demon Realm, I noticed that apart from me, the Demon Lord’s most capable subordinates are all suppressed by the Imperial Family.”

Tong Siqing was troubled: “What should we do about this?”

Inside the restaurant, the royal member who had ostentatiously come to pick a fight had already arrived before the Demon Lord.

“It’s been many years, and the Demon Lord remains as straightforward and narrow-minded as ever,” Third Prince Ye Chouliang was pushed into the room. Although he was in a wooden wheelchair, his arrogance was still palpable. “I wonder how Your Venerable Lord has been all these years?”

Shi Zhihua couldn’t be bothered with him and just drank her tea.

“Thanks to Your Venerable Lord, this Prince’s legs are completely crippled. Ten years have passed, and I have longed every day to see you again…” Ye Chouliang looked up, his eyes filled with malice. “To see you, and then kill you!”

Shi Zhihua put down her cup: “You have quite the nerve, little human. How arrogant. What? You dare not challenge me in the Demon Realm, only daring to make petty moves in the dark. Now you’ve finally waited until I left the Demon Realm, and even half-crippled, you rush to bring humiliation upon yourself.”

Ye Chouliang gripped the armrests of the wooden chair tightly, his emotions agitated: “If it weren’t for you back then, this Prince could have securely taken the Crown Prince position! It was you! You ruined me, making me a cripple, forced to hide in the Scarlet Sky Realm and cling to life.”

Qing Lin commented from the side: “If the person is incompetent, they blame the uneven road. Clearly, you blocked our Demon Lord’s path. If you didn’t have your royal status, you would have long turned into a dry bone, and the grass on your grave would be taller than your children.”

“Fortunately, the Heavenly Dao favors me, the designated Human Emperor,” Ye Chouliang trembled with excitement. He widened his eyes, looking at the Demon Lord with a gaze that was almost insane. “Even if you are the Demon Lord, one of the top powers in the world, so what? You are still helpless and at a loss in front of me.”

Yes.

What he said was the very thing that most troubled Shi Zhihua.

For over a hundred years, although her cultivation had reached its peak, there were still many things she couldn’t do. For example, certain celestial artifacts that didn’t belong to her, and also certain calamities and obstacles. Only when facing people and events could she feel that powerlessness and sense of fate, that the “Heavens meant for me to perish.”

She had done her best, yet she still couldn’t resist that preordained reality.

It was like a powerful, invisible barrier. When she wanted to look up and question the heavens, her outstretched hand would touch her limit.

There was something that had always suppressed her, making it difficult for her to break free.

Like a puppet on strings, she was forced to find joy amidst suffering.

“But killing you is still more than enough,” a hint of killing intent appeared in Shi Zhihua’s smile. She flicked her sleeve, summoning a blood-red spinning blade, sending the blade directly toward Ye Chouliang’s face. “So what if I suffer a backlash? I don’t care at all.”

Ye Chouliang smiled chillingly: “No, you dare not. You are worried that if you kill me, you will also die.”

As the Demon Lord, to be an eyesore to a mere human, even Qing Lin felt extremely annoyed, but she had to admit that what the other person said was true.

The Venerable Lord’s actions were indeed restricted. She couldn’t easily kill these royals.

The natural law dictated that demons and devils could not disrupt the order of the Mortal Realm. Therefore, the more capable the great demon, the stronger the backlash they would suffer.

Last time the Venerable Lord injured Ye Chouliang’s legs, she suffered thirty-six heavenly lightning tribulations, and it took quite some time for her to recover.

If she were to truly kill this person now…

Qing Lin genuinely couldn’t guarantee that the Venerable Lord wouldn’t perish along with him.

“Venerable Lord! Let your subordinate end him personally.” Qing Lin couldn’t bear to watch the Venerable Lord get hurt. She thought that since her cultivation was not as high as the Demon Lord’s, the backlash she suffered might be smaller. So, she proactively cast a spell, took the spinning blade, and channeled her demonic energy to take Ye Chouliang’s life.

When Su Rong left earlier, she had already instructed the restaurant staff to clear out.

Those watching the show, seeing that the situation was bad, also fled one after another, leaving behind an empty restaurant and the mutually hostile enemies.

As Tong Siqing watched the crowds gradually flee, a sentence suddenly surfaced in her mind.

“The will of Heaven cannot be defied. If one is a villain, they are destined to return to the dust. If one harms the Imperial Family, they will not die a peaceful death—”

This feeling was very familiar. Tong Siqing remembered that when she awakened her personal consciousness, the same warning had surfaced in her mind.

The facts proved that this warning was indeed true.

I must not let this happen!

Before the situation could escalate, Tong Siqing disregarded everything else and immediately used the spell of spatial shift, rushing toward the restaurant.

Inside the restaurant, Shi Zhihua’s eyes had turned completely scarlet. Just now, Qing Lin’s maneuver with the blade couldn’t harm Ye Chouliang, and she almost lost control of the spinning blade, nearly injuring one of their own. The feeling of powerlessness and frustration made her extremely agitated.

After failing several strikes, Shi Zhihua simply allowed herself to become fully demonized, adopting a never-ending stance, intent on defying the heavens to kill Ye Chouliang.

Ye Chouliang, relying solely on his status, was very calm, leaning back in his wooden chair, speaking arrogantly: “I don’t even need to move a finger, yet you can’t even harm a single strand of my hair.”

Despite his arrogant words, he kept retreating, worried that Shi Zhihua might use some other means to injure him.

Shi Zhihua’s scarlet eyes coldly stared at him: “Is that so?”

Ye Chouliang: “Do you dare to kill me? Can you kill me? Are you not afraid of death?”

The Demon Lord’s actions proved—she dared.

The people Ye Chouliang brought were not royalty, but they were cultivators with decent cultivation. Those cultivators were sliced down like melons. The Demon Lord didn’t even need to raise her hand to kill an ordinary person. If Ye Chouliang hadn’t relied on his bloodline and status, he would have died ten thousand times over already.

He had brought thirty-seven cultivators. In less than half an incense stick’s time—or rather, the moment the Demon Lord showed her killing intent—that entire group was gone.

Even the person pushing his wheelchair was turned into a pile of dry bones.

Ye Chouliang realized the situation was wrong. He continued to speak while retreating, intending to leave quickly.

But unfortunately, he was too late.

Just as he was about to go downstairs, a slender figure appeared out of nowhere.

“Get lost!”

For the first time in her life, Tong Siqing cursed so forcefully. She raised her foot and stomped on Ye Chouliang’s wheelchair, then angrily kicked it hard, sending him and the wheelchair tumbling backward.

The restaurant’s high platform had nearly a thousand wooden steps.

Ye Chouliang rolled down the stairs, propelled by the wheelchair. The noise was immense. Every bone hit the steps and the railing. His flesh and bones were hit again by the wheelchair. Back and forth, his hair scattered completely. Like a madwoman, he lost all composure and just kept falling and falling, successfully rolling all the way to the bottom.

With a “crack,” the wheelchair broke into pieces.

Ye Chouliang spat out a mouthful of blood, fell backward, and was utterly terrified.

Support The Demon Lord Relied on His Imagination to Get Together with the Protagonist.