The Villainous Demon Lord’s Handbook for Success: Rebirth - Chapter 31

Feng Ge’s expression shifted drastically, and she immediately bowed her head in respect. “Greetings, Deity Chu Ling.”

Ning Fuyi swallowed the words that were about to leave her mouth, blinked, and turned around.

It really was Chu Qingqiu. She had already changed into a dress that resembled a traditional ink wash painting. It was mostly white, blended with cascading layers of elegant black. As the wind blew against her hem, she looked like an ethereal vision from a dream. The white bone staff hung behind her slender waist, accentuating her delicate figure.

She was clearly no longer intoxicated. Her eyes swept over Feng Ge completely devoid of emotion, causing a sudden silence to fall upon the small group.

Feng Ge had no idea what she had done wrong, but under that intense gaze, she broke out into a cold sweat and could not help but lower her head even more.

“Come here,” Chu Qingqiu said. Without offering Ning Fuyi a single glance, she turned and walked away from the noisy crowd.

While Ning Fuyi was still dazed, Liu Wenzhu beside her gave her a sudden shove, nearly pushing her off the white jade platform. “The Deity is calling you, hurry up!”

Borrowing the momentum of that push, she staggered forward to follow behind Chu Qingqiu. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, she accompanied her to the edge of a cliff where rolling clouds and mist surged below.

From time to time, the gazes of other disciples drifted toward them, prompting quiet whispers among themselves.

“Having low cultivation really has its perks. Even if you cannot ride a flying sword, you still get to ride the Deity’s spiritual beast,” someone remarked with a click of their tongue, sighing with envy. “Unlike us, who have to fly over by ourselves.”

“How could you ever match her good fortune? Although she lacks natural talent, she happens to be the daughter of our former sect master. Strictly speaking, she is practically a young sect master. Furthermore, what was the relationship between the former sect master and the Deity? Those who understand will naturally understand,” another person sneered.

“Wait, that is not right. Do the rumors not say that Deity Chu Ling never spares her a second glance?”

“What nonsense are you spouting!” Hong Ying’s coarse voice boomed, causing the disciples to fall silent instantly. Although Hong Ying’s gaze toward Ning Fuyi was not particularly friendly either, he still fulfilled his duties as the managing disciple and thoroughly reprimanded them.

Aided by the southeasterly wind, Ning Fuyi caught every single word of their conversation.

“If you care about such remarks, you should go find容锦,” Chu Qingqiu, who was standing in the wind, suddenly spoke. Large swaths of clouds and mist drifted past her feet, dampening her hemline.

The little white tiger leapt out from the Yinian prayer beads on her wrist, instantly transforming into its original form. With fierce eyes, a white forehead, a mouth as deep as an abyss, and a tail that resembled a heavenly steel whip hanging powerfully beneath its body, it looked magnificent.

Bailin suddenly opened its massive jaws, letting out a roar that echoed through the mountains and startled the disciples into scrambling backward.

“The Deity must be joking,” Ning Fuyi said. She was not frightened by Bailin at all. Instead, curving her beautiful eyes, she leapt up in front of everyone and casually jumped onto Bailin’s back.

This action filled the other disciples with even greater envy and resentment, causing complaints to rise from all sides. Seeing this scene, Ning Fuyi simply leaned back into Bailin’s thick fur, crossed her legs, and lay down comfortably to deliberately infuriate them.

Upon seeing this, Chu Qingqiu concealed the flicker of light in her eyes. Her body transformed into a flurry of flying feathers, and in the next instant, she stood firmly upon Bailin’s spine. With another roar from the tiger, Bailin’s massive body soared into the sky, vanishing behind the distant mountains.

Ning Fuyi was nearly thrown off by the sudden acceleration. Daring not remain lying down, she hurriedly grabbed Bailin’s fur with both hands and flipped herself up into a seated position. The wind blew her hair wildly across her face. Cursing under her breath, Ning Fuyi quickly brushed her hair away, only to have her own sleeves plaster over her face.

Just as she was in the midst of this clumsy struggle, her body felt as though it had been wrapped in a warm, thin membrane. The raging gale stopped instantly around her, and her wildly flying long hair slowly settled down.

Ning Fuyi let out a sigh of relief, released the hands she had been gripping tightly with, untangled her hair, and casually tied it up with a hairpin.

When she looked up, Chu Qingqiu was standing steadily in place, without even a single fold of her skirt displaced. Ning Fuyi coughed lightly and rubbed her face.

“Where is your sect uniform?” Chu Qingqiu asked.

“It is uncomfortable to wear, so I did not put it on,” Ning Fuyi lied. She struggled to her feet and stood steady. By now, Bailin had already flown a hundred miles, and the landscape below had completely transformed. A massive river she had never seen before rushed across the plains, surging powerfully into the distance.

Chu Qingqiu offered a soft grunt of assent, her expression unreadable.

“The Deity could easily have ordered someone else to do it, so why did you do it yourself?” Ning Fuyi could not help but ask anyway.

“容锦’s tongue is no longer necessary,” Chu Qingqiu said, her gaze directed straight toward the sea of clouds before them. “This Deity has stated before that I will fulfill my promise to Ning Changfeng.”

“Did her last words include a request for you to make clothes for me in addition to teaching me?” Ning Fuyi raised an eyebrow.

Chu Qingqiu’s red lips twitched slightly, leaving her speechless for a moment.

Having already guessed that she would not get a straight answer out of Chu Qingqiu, Ning Fuyi waved her sleeves and said, “Forget it, forget it. A promise is a promise, so thank you.”

Chu Qingqiu did not speak, and Ning Fuyi did not say anything further either, focusing entirely on watching the changing scenery beneath them. After an unknown amount of time had passed, a sudden wave of energy erupted across Bailin’s back. Thanks to the immortal spell Chu Qingqiu had cast on her, Ning Fuyi was not blown away by the blast.

Chu Qingqiu seemed entirely accustomed to this kind of grand entrance, merely raising her sleeve to block the wind.

A tall figure appeared between the two of them. Wearing the blue-green sect uniform, Qiu Yi landed steadily on her feet while pulling back the curved daggers she had been standing on. Just as she was about to pay her respects to Chu Qingqiu, she suddenly turned around and said in shock, “Ning Fuyi? Why are you here?!”

“Why? Did you raise Bailin yourself?” Ning Fuyi shot back, leaning backward once more and resting her hands behind her head, looking thoroughly relaxed.

“You! Master, she…” Qiu Yi was so enraged that her hair practically stood on end. However, Chu Qingqiu merely gave her a cool glance, and her flared temper instantly subsided.

“Reporting to Master,” she said, daring not make a scene any longer and whispering with suppressed resentment, “the elders and disciples have all set out. Traveling by flying sword takes a long time, and it will take two days to reach Mount Zhaoyao. Shall we wait for them, or head there ahead of time?”

“Let us slow down. Since I currently hold the title of sect master, arriving too early would not look good,” Chu Qingqiu said, and the speed of Bailin beneath their feet began to decelerate.

“Yes, Master.” Qiu Yi glanced at Chu Qingqiu, then looked over at Ning Fuyi, who was squinting and smiling at her. Unable to contain her anger, she marched over to Ning Fuyi’s side and sat down heavily right next to her, attempting to shove her to the edge.

Ning Fuyi was much more slender than she was and knew she could not win a physical collision. She nimbly stood up just as Qiu Yi exerted too much force, causing Qiu Yi to cry out in surprise as she plunged headfirst into Bailin’s fur.

Ning Fuyi clicked her tongue twice at the sight, walked calmly to the other side of her, and sat down leisurely once more.

Qiu Yi possessed a volatile temper by nature, and being provoked like this only fueled her rage. She pulled her head out of the fur, ready to start an argument, but she immediately fell silent when Chu Qingqiu let out a light cough.

“My master is only helping you because she pities you, so do not get too ahead of yourself,” she muttered under her breath, harboring a stomach full of grievances.

Ning Fuyi shook her head dismissively, too lazy to argue with Qiu Yi any further. Basking in the warm sunlight, she lay down, pulled a handkerchief from her storage pouch to cover her face, and drifted off to sleep.

Bailin flew incredibly smoothly. It was only after a long time had passed that Ning Fuyi woke up, lifting the handkerchief with bleary eyes.

The warm wind blew softly. Beside her, Qiu Yi had also fallen asleep, curling into a ball with her arm as a pillow. Meanwhile, Chu Qingqiu stood some distance away from them, holding the white bone staff as a mournful melody trickled from it.

Hearing it filled the ears with an inexplicable sadness.

Ning Fuyi did not understand musical theory, nor did she know what tune was being played. She only felt that the flute melody sounded like a quiet sob, so after listening for a short while, she stopped paying attention. She reached into her pouch to pull out a hard piece of flatbread wrapped in oil paper and began to chew on it dryly.

Qiu Yi had long achieved the stage of inedia and had no need for meals, and Chu Qingqiu required them even less, so Ning Fuyi had never expected the two of them to stop and rest for her sake.

Fortunately, she had been thorough in her planning and had taken a few white flour flatbreads from the dining hall before leaving. Although they did not taste good, they kept her from starving.

However, she had brought too little water. As Ning Fuyi chewed forcefully, she felt her jaw begin to ache.

While she was locked in a fierce struggle with the dry flatbread, she suddenly noticed that Bailin beneath her was slowing down even further, appearing to gradually descend. The mountains, rivers, and towns below grew larger, and soon, the towering city gates came into clear view.

By this time, Qiu Yi had also been startled awake. She opened her eyes to look down and quickly stood up. “Master, what are we doing?”

“There is a town below that happens to be on our way, so we will head down to rest,” Chu Qingqiu said, putting away her white bone staff.

“But,” Qiu Yi was somewhat perplexed, “this distance is nothing to Bailin, so why bother?”

“Bailin can travel ten thousand miles in a single day, and it will take less than a day to reach Mount Zhaoyao. Even if we slow down, it will still take a day. Rather than flying around the sky waiting for them when we arrive, it is better to find a place to rest,” Chu Qingqiu explained.

“I see.” Qiu Yi wore an expression of sudden realization. “This disciple was overly talkative.”

Ning Fuyi caught every word of their conversation from the side. She stared intently at Chu Qingqiu, intuitively sensing that when the other party spoke those words, her gaze was not entirely firm.

Nevertheless, this turn of events was by no means a bad thing for her. Ning Fuyi rubbed her aching jaw and happily tossed the flatbread, which now bore a few bite marks, back into her pouch.

Beneath them lay the mortal realm, and by the looks of it, it was a prosperous place. There would be plenty of delicious things to eat, which was infinitely better than sitting in the wind and gnawing on dry flatbread.

Naturally, Bailin did not dare to land directly inside the city, so it transformed back into a white tiger midair and slid into the Yinian prayer beads. Dropping abruptly, Ning Fuyi was just about to shout when someone grabbed her by the collar, leaving her suspended in midair as they descended.

The sensation of having her neck choked by her collar was unpleasant, so Ning Fuyi quickly wrapped her arms around the waist of the person beside her. Before she could even marvel at how remarkably slender that waist was, her hand received a sharp smack, forcing her to pull away as her skin turned bright red.

Chu Qingqiu let go in the very next instant, causing Ning Fuyi to drop sharply.

Fortunately, she was quick-witted enough to summon her immortal energy beneath her feet, landing safely instead of falling flat on her back.

Once she stood firm, Chu Qingqiu finally drifted down slowly, her toes resting lightly upon the blades of grass. Without sparing her a single glance, she brushed her sleeves and walked away, leaving Ning Fuyi to mutter a quiet curse in place.

“What a typical deity temper. It is not as if a single touch would kill you,” she muttered helplessly, rubbing her reddened neck before moving her legs to keep up.

The city before them was indeed a major central hub. Even before entering, there were clear signs of heavy traffic, consisting mostly of merchant carriages and travelers passing through. For a hundred miles outside the gates, the area bustled like the city center itself. A wide river flowed directly through the city, and entry required crossing a bridge. Both above and below the bridge were densely crowded; people bustled across the top, while awning boats traversed the waters underneath.

The three of them emerged from a quiet, secluded spot and quickly blended into the passing crowds of citizens.

Fortunately, this city was wealthy, and most pedestrians wore beautiful silk garments. Even those who were not from rich families wore high-quality fabrics, so the trio did not stand out too much due to their clothing.

However, inconspicuous clothing did not mean they failed to attract attention. Three women traveling together, all possessing exceptionally striking looks, naturally gathered many glances along the way.

Ning Fuyi and Qiu Yi were manageable, but Chu Qingqiu was the primary focus. Her ink wash dress was already outstanding, and combined with her cascading black hair, graceful bearing, and a face that would be difficult to find even among immortals, it was impossible for her not to turn heads among mortals.

As they walked deeper into the city, the interior fully lived up to the prosperity showcased outside. The streets were crisscrossed and teeming with voices. However, wherever Chu Qingqiu walked, people gathered in even larger numbers. Consequently, before they had even covered half a street, they found themselves completely blocked.

“What are you looking at! Move along!” Qiu Yi barked thoroughly annoyed. She furrowed her brows and assumed a fierce, intimidating expression, which finally forced the nearby onlookers to step aside, barely clearing a path for them.

“Master, the customs here are incredibly bold. To think they would dare to surround and gawk at a woman in broad daylight like this. It is entirely different from our Cangyun,” Qiu Yi grumbled, before shouting loudly once more, “Stop looking, move away!”

Although Chu Qingqiu had witnessed all manner of things, she rarely traveled within the mortal realm, and she had certainly never encountered a place with such aggressive customs. Furthermore, being in the mortal realm meant she could not easily employ her immortal energy, causing her to become flustered and forced to dodge whenever people drew too close.

A rare hint of furious embarrassment surfaced within those usually cold, detached eyes.

In contrast, Ning Fuyi walked behind them with her hands on her hips, thoroughly enjoying the sight of Chu Qingqiu looking so constrained.

“Master, that building looks like a teahouse. Why do we not head inside and sit for a while? Looking at the current state of things, I am afraid we will not be able to take another step if we keep going,” Qiu Yi said with a grimace.

People were swarming toward them from all directions, consisting mostly of young men who were excitedly whispering to one another while crowding forward like a surging tide.

“It is as if these people have never seen a woman in their entire lives!” Qiu Yi was thoroughly enraged, but since she could not actually use force against mortals, she could only clear the path ahead, pulling Chu Qingqiu into the teahouse to escape the crowd.

Gazing at the two of them looking as though they were fleeing for their lives, Ning Fuyi nearly burst into laughter. She used her shoulders to squeeze past the crowd and followed them inside.

“Make way, make way,” she urged under her breath, trailing behind the waiter with great difficulty as they were led into a private room.

Chu Qingqiu had already taken a seat, her embarrassment and anger yet to dissipate. Seeing Ning Fuyi enter while visibly stifling a laugh, the fury in her heart intensified.

“Sit down already,” she said coldly, slamming her teacup onto the table so forcefully that some of the tea splashed out.

Ning Fuyi immediately adopted a solemn expression, holding back her laughter as she sat down. Just then, someone opened the door and walked in, nearly tripping over themselves from the sheer fury of Chu Qingqiu’s sudden shout.

“Get out!” Chu Qingqiu commanded through gritted teeth.

The person clutched the doorframe for a long time before finally revealing a timid face, offering a nervous smile as he spoke carefully, “Young lady, I am merely the waiter of this teahouse, here to deliver the menu for your orders. I am not one of those onlookers from outside.”

Ning Fuyi nearly lost her composure again, and this time even Qiu Yi turned her back, covering her mouth to pretend nothing had happened.

Chu Qingqiu’s pale face darkened completely. She let out a heavy breath and waved her hand to signal for him to enter.

Only then did the waiter bow his head, place the menu on the table, and keep his gaze lowered, daring not look further.

“Take a look,” Chu Qingqiu said, tossing the menu in front of Ning Fuyi.

Ning Fuyi did not stand on ceremony either, picking it up and reading off a few dish names. Once the waiter retrieved the menu, Chu Qingqiu pulled a piece of spirit crystal from her sleeve, preparing to hand it over, but Ning Fuyi’s hand shot out to press down on it.

Their hands inadvertently brushed against each other. Chu Qingqiu’s hand was warm, while Ning Fuyi’s was somewhat cool, causing both of them to pause. Chu Qingqiu instantly retracted her hand.

“Thank you.” Ning Fuyi fished a few taels of silver from her pouch, placed them into the waiter’s hand, and asked with a smile, “We are just passing through on a journey. May I ask what this city is called, and why it is so crowded?”

She used the word crowded to sum up the chaos that had just occurred.

Receiving the silver naturally made the waiter beam with joy, and he placed his hands over his stomach respectfully. “This is Dongyang City. It features abundant mountains, beautiful waters, and connects directly to the grand canal. It has always been wealthy, and the local customs are very open. There are many young men and women here, and they possess a daily habit of tossing fresh flowers at those who catch their eye. Therefore, when word quickly spread that a young lady of such exquisite beauty had arrived, everyone rushed over.

You do not need to worry, young lady. Although Dongyang City has open customs, the citizens are law-abiding and will not cause you any harm.”

“Understood, you may leave,” Ning Fuyi said.

Once the waiter withdrew, Ning Fuyi smiled again and remarked, “One can tell at a glance that the Deity spends all her years cultivating and pays no heed to the affairs of the world. This is the mortal realm, where one spends silver rather than spirit crystals.”

Chu Qingqiu offered a soft grunt of acknowledgment and put away the spirit crystal.

The food was served quickly, and Ning Fuyi, who had been starving throughout the journey, began to eat heartily. Meanwhile, Chu Qingqiu and Qiu Yi merely sipped tea from the side. Chu Qingqiu was fine, but Qiu Yi quickly grew bored. She stood up to look out the window for a moment before making a cautious request, “Master, I see that the exterior is incredibly lively, much like Cangyun. I would like to…”

“Go ahead,” Chu Qingqiu interjected with a nod before she could even finish her sentence.

“Thank you, Master!” Qiu Yi beamed with delight and quickly strode out the door.

Ning Fuyi swallowed a mouthful of hot white porridge, lifted her eyes to watch Qiu Yi’s departing figure, and asked, “Deity, what kind of place is Cangyun?”

“Qiu Yi’s hometown,” Chu Qingqiu answered without any concealment.

Ning Fuyi had heard of the place in the past; it was a small kingdom located near the Western Wasteland.

So it turned out that Qiu Yi was not the descendant of an immortal, but had come from the mortal realm. Ning Fuyi understood, yet she did not ask further.

Once she had eaten and drank her fill, she set down her bowls and utensils. Looking up, she noticed that Chu Qingqiu had closed her eyes to meditate at some unknown point, and since Qiu Yi had not yet returned, she stood up as well.

“Where are you going?” Chu Qingqiu asked, opening her eyes.

“To buy some food and water to bring along. Otherwise, when we resume our journey later, I will have to starve again,” Ning Fuyi replied, completely unwilling to eat those awful white flour flatbreads again.

Seeing that Chu Qingqiu raised no objections, she pushed open the door and walked out.

Thus, Chu Qingqiu was left alone in the room. She meditated for another half hour, but neither of them returned. The sun had already passed its zenith, and the hour of noon was drawing to a close.

They truly cause nothing but worry. Chu Qingqiu stood up with a tense expression. Closing her eyes, she used her divine sense to scan the area, discovering that neither of them was nearby. Clutching her white bone staff, she walked out of the teahouse with her hands behind her back, preparing to look for them.

To her surprise, the moment she stepped out of the teahouse, the surrounding crowd swarmed toward her like a roaring tide. Chu Qingqiu was deeply startled. She wanted to use her immortal energy to block them but could not, and in an instant, she was completely enveloped by the crowd.

The scent of sweat and cosmetics blended together, making her head spin. People continuously shouted things at her, and some bolder individuals even thrust fresh flowers and scented pouches into her hands. Words proved useless and force was forbidden, leaving her angry and deeply uncomfortable as she continuously dodged.

“Step aside!” she barked with furrowed brows. Just as she avoided one person, another crowd surged from her side, leaving her with nowhere to hide.

In the midst of her irritation, a figure suddenly emerged from behind her. Pushing the onlookers away, the person smoothly placed an object over her head, causing her vision to be instantly obscured by white silk.

The hand securing the bamboo hat rested upon the crown of her head, conveying a soft, gentle touch. Chu Qingqiu’s dodging footsteps came to a complete halt.

“I was only gone for a short while, yet the Deity is already this popular again?” Ning Fuyi appeared before her, using one hand to steady her bamboo hat while the other gently parted the veil, speaking with a smile.

However, that smile quickly stiffened slightly. This was because she seemed to see a sudden, swift flush of crimson surface upon the face of the usually stoic and unsmiling Chu Qingqiu.

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