Transmigrated into the Early-Deceased Alpha Fiancée of the Female Lead - Chapter 24

Zhu Changxuan stared blankly at the black-scaled fish.

A few moments later, she stood up and decided it would be best to just pretend she hadn’t seen or heard anything.

She turned back to Han Xuejin. “Let’s go.”

Han Xuejin gave her a long look. “Alright.”

Just then, the black-scaled fish suddenly leapt out of the lake.

A flash of golden light rippled through the air.

The creature landed on shore—and transformed dramatically.

From where the fish tail had been, a pair of pale human-like legs, about twenty centimeters long, had grown. Though unfortunately, they were sparsely covered in leg hair, which ruined the overall aesthetic.

Its fishy body had also sprouted two small hands, about ten centimeters in length, which—though white and smooth—also had some hair on them.

From the top of its round fish head now flowed long, silky black hair that reached down to its legs. Standing upright, the creature was about forty centimeters tall.

Zhu Changxuan was stunned. What… what is this thing?

Han Xuejin kept her usual aloof and composed expression, but even she was confused. What in the world was this strange creature?

The scene fell into an awkward silence.

The black-scaled fish tilted its head, used its little hands to smooth its hair, then blinked its large round eyes at Zhu Changxuan. It gave her a slightly exaggerated wink.

“Didn’t you say you were leaving? Well, go on then! Why are you just standing there?”

Zhu Changxuan’s brain raced. When did she ever say that to this weird fish?

She forced a stiff smile. “I wasn’t talking to you. You should go back into the lake.”

The fish stared at her in disbelief, then suddenly threw itself onto the ground, rolling and wailing like a distraught auntie.

“You’re abandoning me! Heartless! I’m already your pet, and you told me to come with you. Now you want me gone? I’m not that kind of fish, you know! Waaaaah!”

Its loud, screechy voice gave Zhu Changxuan a headache.

“Stop that! What do you mean, ‘my pet’? Don’t say weird things.”

The fish quickly stood up and ran to her side, grabbing onto her pant leg. Zhu Changxuan instinctively tried to back away, but the creature latched on tightly.

Han Xuejin’s brows furrowed. Her hand moved to draw Qianpo from its sheath.

But… she hesitated. This thing was just too weird. She didn’t want to stain her sword. Sensing no real threat, she slowly sheathed it again.

Zhu Changxuan looked down in alarm. She didn’t know whether to push it away or just endure it. She certainly didn’t want to touch it with her hands.

“Hey… can you let go of me first?”

“No!” the fish said stubbornly. “You heartless woman, trying to pretend nothing happened?”

Zhu Changxuan was speechless. “What even is this situation? What are you trying to do?”

The fish huffed, sulking. “You gave me that koi fish earlier, and it had your blood on it. That means we’ve formed a contract! I’m the one and only Glorious Fish in this world. Bonding with me is a blessing even eight hundred years of cultivation couldn’t earn. Hmph!”

Han Xuejin’s cold demeanor finally cracked. Her eyes widened in disbelief.

Glorious Fish?

She had read about them in ancient texts—legendary spirit beasts that had long gone extinct.

If you offered them food covered in your blood and they accepted it, a spiritual bond would be formed. Once bonded, they would take on the form most beloved by their master and emerge from the water.

They were said to channel the energy of the heavens and earth, assisting cultivators in reaching the Grand Ascension stage and surviving tribulations.

Yes, the texts claimed their main purpose was to help Grand Ascension cultivators. For anyone below that level, they were basically useless.

But hardly anyone could ever reach that realm.

Even so, their rarity and heritage made them priceless.

Han Xuejin never expected a Glorious Fish to still exist—let alone be hiding in the Demon Realm. And this… transformation… Was this really the form Changxuan most wanted?

No. She had to stay calm. She couldn’t let herself be disgusted.

She glanced again at the fish… It was definitely strange. Very strange.

She suddenly remembered something Changxuan had once said to Suisheng about how she loved “ugly-cute” things.

So she really meant it?

Wait—could it be—maybe Changxuan actually preferred how she looked when she still had that birthmark on her face?

After all, Changxuan had never once shown dislike when she still had it. Her tastes really were… special.

Han Xuejin pressed her lips together and fell into silence.

Zhu Changxuan was still confused. “Glorious Fish?”

What even is that? I don’t remember anything like this from the novel.

Suddenly, a memory surfaced in her mind. A record about the Glorious Fish.

So that’s what it is.

She raised her hand to look at her finger.

Earlier, when she caught that koi, its fin had accidentally pricked her skin. A little blood had come out. She hadn’t thought much of it at the time.

But it must have stained the koi slightly, and this thing ate it. Just her luck.

Still… wasn’t the Glorious Fish supposed to turn into the appearance its owner liked the most?

Do I… like this?

Zhu Changxuan looked at the fish with a complicated expression. “Actually, that blood was from an accident. I didn’t mean to…”

“I don’t care!” the Glorious Fish shouted. “Now you’re trying to deny everything? You’re heartless!”

Tears dripped onto Zhu Changxuan’s pants. She stared at the fish, stunned.

“Alright, alright. Stop crying.” She sighed. “You’re a rare spirit beast, after all. Keeping you can’t hurt.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” the fish said stubbornly. “You promise?”

“I promise.”

“Fine.”

Zhu Changxuan looked over at Han Xuejin, embarrassed. “Xuejin… I guess I have a spirit pet now. Haha…”

Han Xuejin nodded. “I see.”

Zhu Changxuan could feel the awkward silence growing. Does Xuejin think it’s ugly too?

She turned back to the fish. “Do you have a name?”

The fish puffed up proudly. “Of course. I’m called Yu Meiren.”

Zhu Changxuan blinked. “What?”

Han Xuejin also fell silent.

“Call me Meiren. Just Meiren,” the fish insisted.

Zhu Changxuan struggled to find a response. “Alright… let’s go.”

Yu Meiren cheerfully followed Zhu Changxuan and Han Xuejin as they walked away.

Along the way, the passing demon soldiers stared wide-eyed at the strange creature trailing behind them. A fish that had grown arms, legs, and even hair?

Yu Meiren felt the stares. She tugged nervously at Zhu Changxuan’s sleeve.

“Are those demon soldiers staring at me? Ah, what should I do?”

Zhu Changxuan quickly got used to Yu Meiren’s unusual appearance. The more she looked at her, the more interesting she found her. At first, she had just been startled.

With a smile, Zhu Changxuan joked with Yu Meiren.

“It’s probably because you look so unique now. That’s why everyone keeps staring at you.”

Yu Meiren felt a sudden wave of pride upon hearing this.

“R Really? I didn’t think I changed that much. But I have to admit, it’s much easier to move around on land like this.”

Standing nearby, Han Xuejin listened silently. Her eyes flicked back and forth between Zhu Changxuan and Yu Meiren as she once again questioned Zhu Changxuan’s taste.

Suddenly, a voice came from behind. Demon Lord Han Ying appeared beside them in a flash. His tone was firm and commanding.

“Xuejin, your wedding is coming soon. You should move to another residence for now.”

Trying to save face, Han Ying had come all the way here and mustered his courage to speak with them.

Just as he finished speaking, his eyes were drawn to the strange creature standing beside Zhu Changxuan. His expression turned blank for a moment as he wondered what exactly he was looking at.

Han Xuejin nodded and asked, “Alright. Where should I go?”

Han Ying blinked in confusion for a moment before snapping back to reality. He then ordered someone to guide her to the new place.

The two shared a reluctant farewell.

After Han Xuejin left, Han Ying looked again at the odd creature. His brow furrowed slightly as he asked, “What is that?”

Realizing the Demon Lord was speaking, Yu Meiren quickly hid behind Zhu Changxuan. As a fish spirit who had always kept a low profile and wandered across realms, she had secretly entered the Demon Realm centuries ago and had lived in obscurity ever since. She naturally knew who the Demon Lord was.

Zhu Changxuan smiled and replied, “This is my newly adopted spirit pet. It’s called a Radiant Fish.”

Han Ying had heard of the ancient Radiant Fish before, but he had never seen one himself. He never expected one to still exist. However, its current appearance was rather strange.

Han Ying thought to himself that Zhu Changxuan’s taste was truly odd. It seemed like her sense of beauty only worked when it came to his daughter.

He cleared his throat and said, “Alright. Get some rest. There’s no need to train right now. Just focus on preparing for the wedding.”

Zhu Changxuan responded politely, “Understood. Thank you, Senior.”

Han Ying glanced at the strange fish one last time before turning to leave. He made a mental note to tell Ayue later that Zhu Changxuan’s spirit pet looked even weirder than their daughter’s.

Over the next few days, Zhu Changxuan waited anxiously, filled with both nervousness and excitement. At last, the wedding day arrived.

Her parents had managed to settle affairs at their sect and had just arrived in the Demon Realm. They were already seated in the Southern Hall.

The wedding was held as a formal union in which Zhu Changxuan was marrying into the Demon Realm. Han Xuejin had already gone ahead to the hall.

Zhu Changxuan didn’t care about the details. It didn’t matter whether she was the one marrying in or not. All she wanted was to marry Xuejin.

Two maids presented her with an ornate red wedding robe. The outfit was so intricate that Zhu Changxuan had to let the maids help her put it on.

Once she was dressed, the maids quietly admired her beauty. Perhaps their young lady had fallen for this alpha’s appearance and insisted on the marriage for that reason.

As the maids prepared to escort her to the hall, two demon soldiers suddenly appeared.

One of them stepped forward and said, “Young Master, the Demon Lord sent us to escort you.”

He then turned to the two maids and added, “Your services are no longer needed. You may leave.”

The maids looked confused. They had been told to help the Young Master dress and bring her to the hall. Why had the instructions changed?

Zhu Changxuan did not question them and nodded.

The maids did not dwell on it and left.

Zhu Changxuan did not ask Yu Meiren to follow her and told her to stay in the room.

Yu Meiren was more than happy to stay and enjoy a nap.

Zhu Changxuan had only ever moved between her room and the bamboo grove during her time in the Demon Realm. She had no idea how to get to the Southern Hall.

However, she began to notice that the path the two soldiers were taking seemed more and more remote. It felt like they were leaving the Demon Realm altogether.

She stopped and asked, “Is this really the way to the Southern Hall?”

The two soldiers exchanged glances. It was clear they could no longer keep up the lie.

One of them suddenly released a cloud of powder into the air.

Zhu Changxuan quickly held her breath, but a trace of the powder still entered her lungs. Her head began to spin, and she collapsed to the ground.

This was the Ten Thousand Slumber Powder. Any cultivator below the Core Formation level would lose consciousness for an entire day with just a whiff. Only those at the Nascent Soul stage or higher could resist it.

The two demon soldiers had already taken the antidote in advance and were unaffected.

One of them said urgently, “We need to move quickly before someone comes after us.”

“Agreed.”

One of them lifted Zhu Changxuan and they both flew off on their swords, escaping the Demon Realm through a secret tunnel.

After a long journey, they arrived at a hidden location.

There stood Bi Ci along with a male alpha. Next to him were two figures completely covered in black cloth from head to toe.

The soldiers tossed Zhu Changxuan to the ground and knelt on one knee.

“Lord Bi Ci, we have brought her,” one of them reported.

Bi Ci nodded with satisfaction. “Well done.”

The male alpha standing next to her was Lian Li, the one who had previously used zombies in battle.

Bi Ci had met Lian Li by chance a few months ago. Seeing his mastery of zombie techniques, she pretended to offer help. She provided him with demon soldiers to use in his experiments.

Her real plan was to steal his secrets and then eliminate him so she could use the technique herself.

Unexpectedly, Han Xuejin and Zhu Changxuan had offended Lian Li. He had demanded that they bring Zhu Changxuan to him.

Suddenly, Zhu Changxuan, who had been lying unconscious, began to stir. She pushed herself up and regained consciousness.

The soldiers were stunned. How could she wake up so soon?

Meanwhile, in the Southern Hall, Han Ying was enjoying a long-awaited conversation with Zhu Shijing and Chen Tao, who had just arrived. It had been years since they had seen one another.

Zhu Shijing and Chen Tao were surprised to learn that Han Ying, whom they had only known as a powerful figure in the Demon Realm, was in fact the Demon Lord himself. And now, they were soon to become family.

As more time passed, they began to grow anxious about Zhu Changxuan’s absence.

They asked Han Ying, who also began to feel something was wrong. He sent someone to check on her.

In the hall, Han Xuejin stood silently in her bright red wedding robe, the bridal veil covering her face. She began to feel more and more uneasy.

The messenger returned and reported, “Demon Lord, the Young Master is missing. Her spirit pet said she was taken away by two demon soldiers.”

Han Ying’s expression darkened. He immediately summoned the two handmaidens who had helped dress Zhu Changxuan earlier.

Once they arrived, the maids explained everything they had seen.

Han Ying was furious.

Hua Yue stepped in to calm him. “Right now, the most important thing is to find Changxuan as soon as possible.”

Zhu Shijing and Chen Tao looked at each other, both filled with worry.

After hearing the reports, Han Xuejin tore off her red veil, summoned her sword, and flew into the sky.

Han Xuejin, with her makeup carefully applied, was stunningly beautiful. Her features were flawless and breathtaking. But at this moment, her lips were tightly pressed together, and her entire presence radiated a chilling aura.

The others also began searching anxiously.

Zhu Changxuan had just regained consciousness. Struggling, she slowly pushed herself upright.

Soon, she recognized two familiar faces. It was Bi Ci and Lian Li.

“You two!”

Lian Li saw Zhu Changxuan awake and gave a twisted smile. His voice was filled with arrogance.

“You made me lose so many of my zombies last time. Today, I’ll turn you into one of them. Let’s see you laugh then.”

Zhu Changxuan’s heart sank. She never expected Bi Ci to be working with someone as despicable as Lian Li.

Lian Li gave the command.

“Kill her. I want the body intact so I can refine it.”

Bi Ci immediately responded with obedience.

“Yes, Lord Lian.”

She then ordered two demon soldiers forward.

They followed without hesitation.

Zhu Changxuan quickly summoned Mo Ting to block their attacks.

Despite both demon soldiers being at the same cultivation stage as Zhu Changxuan, the Foundation Establishment stage, they could not overpower her even when fighting together.

That was because Zhu Changxuan’s spiritual energy, though masked, had far surpassed that level. Her power was deep and overwhelming. The soldiers stood no chance and were eventually forced back by her sword energy.

Bi Ci’s expression turned dark with frustration.

“Useless fools.”

Drawing her sword, she charged toward Zhu Changxuan herself.

Each of her strikes was vicious and deadly. Zhu Changxuan struggled to parry them, using all her strength just to stay on her feet.

Bi Ci was a cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage. Even though Zhu Changxuan’s spiritual energy was strong, she was still no match.

One of Bi Ci’s strikes tore through Zhu Changxuan’s arm. She gritted her teeth and endured the pain.

She was still too weak.

A brief thought crossed her mind. Should she use the magic wand?

But before she could decide, Bi Ci’s next attack came crashing down. It was faster, heavier, and gave her no time to react.

Their swords clashed again. Bi Ci pushed with force, and Zhu Changxuan was thrown backward. She slammed into a large tree behind her and coughed up blood. She barely managed to stay upright, using her sword as support.

The blood soaked into her bright red wedding robes but blended in, making it hard to notice.

Zhu Changxuan gasped for breath. Her hand trembled as she gripped her sword, and her legs were beginning to give out.

Her vision blurred. The pain in her chest was nearly enough to make her pass out.

But she couldn’t collapse. Han Xuejin was still waiting for her.

Was this how she would die? On the day of her wedding?

It was supposed to be a joyful occasion. Was the heavens playing a cruel joke?

If she died now, what would happen to Han Xuejin? What about the people who cared for her?

She felt a surge of guilt. This was all because she was too weak.

Bi Ci gave her a mocking look, feigning sympathy.

“What a pity, Zhu Changxuan. If you want someone to blame, blame yourself for offending Lord Lian. I’ll be generous and let you die quickly.”

She regretted not getting the chance to enjoy the moment longer, but killing Zhu Changxuan herself gave her some twisted satisfaction.

With that, Bi Ci lunged forward and drove her sword into Zhu Changxuan’s chest.

Zhu Changxuan used the last of her strength to try and block it, but she couldn’t stop it. The blade pierced her body, and blood poured down, staining her wedding robes.

Bi Ci pulled the sword out quickly and stepped back to avoid being splattered. She casually flicked the blood off her blade and looked down coldly at Zhu Changxuan, who had fallen to the ground without moving.

Lian Li sneered, his voice filled with malice as he stepped forward to examine the body. He planned to cast a spell on the corpse before taking it away.

But to his shock, Zhu Changxuan slowly pushed herself up again. She stood, the bleeding already stopped.

Her expression was calm, her gaze cold. She didn’t look wounded at all. In fact, she seemed like a completely different person.

Something about her was unsettling.

Lian Li’s anger flared.

“You idiot. Can’t you even kill someone properly?”

Bi Ci panicked and quickly apologized.

“I’m sorry, Lord Lian. I clearly…”

Lian Li cut her off sharply.

“Shut up and kill her now.”

Bi Ci gritted her teeth and lowered her gaze.

“Yes.”

Deep down, she cursed Lian Li with hatred. One day, she would kill him herself.

She stepped forward again, this time pouring all her strength into the attack. Her sword came down with fierce intent.

Zhu Changxuan raised Mo Ting with a single hand and effortlessly blocked it.

Bi Ci’s eyes widened in disbelief. Even when she added force in secret, she couldn’t push Zhu Changxuan back at all.

How was this possible?

Zhu Changxuan gave a slight push and sent Bi Ci flying.

Bi Ci barely managed to steady herself. What had changed? Zhu Changxuan’s strength had suddenly grown overwhelming. Just moments ago, she had been on the verge of collapse.

Looking at her now, Bi Ci could feel a sense of fear rising within her.

Lian Li narrowed his eyes as he stared at Zhu Changxuan. Something was very wrong.

Zhu Changxuan spoke slowly, her voice cold and devoid of emotion.

“What a shame, because I’m the one who will take your lives.”