THE WHITE MOONLIGHT ONLY HAS A HAPPY ENDING - CHAPTER 46

In the broad light of day, or rather, under the watchful eyes of the bustling crowds,Chao Jinsui refused to kiss him.

The Great Demon let out an immediate, cold snort, giving her a dark, ominous look.

She thought to herself: If this demon had a ledger, he’d be marking a tally against my name right now.

They walked through the night of Heavenly Gift Manor. The streets were adorned with various lanterns and masks, and the air was thick with the calls of street vendors and the bustle of the crowd. It felt far more grounded in the "mortal world" than the clinical atmosphere of the cultivation realm.

Yan Xueyi pulled her along. The further they went, the rowdier it became. In fact, it was a little too lively.

There were beautiful girls winking and waving red sleeves, chirping, "Master, come play~!" There were also young men in green robes lifting curtains to greet passersby, stomping their feet in feigned daintiness. Red lanterns hung everywhere.

Chao Jinsui finally realized, albeit late, that they were in the middle of a red-light district.

Why did he bring me here? she wondered.

Young Sect Leader Chao had seen couples from the Kunlun Sword Sect rolling in the bamboo groves under the moon; she had seen the markets at the base of Kunlun filled with young disciples who neglected their swords practice to whisper sweet nothings. But she had never seen a couple walk hand-in-hand into a brothel.

Her gaze became suspicious and strange as she looked first at the demon, then at the surrounding "Flower Street."

The demon ignored her look and pulled her into a clothing shop.

"Guang Ping sent word," he noted. "That beast is in a brothel."

Sensing something was off, he turned and caught her bizarre expression. He immediately smirked. "What did you think I brought you here for? To broaden your horizons?"

She quickly looked away, pretending she hadn't just been judging him.

He looked her up and down, letting out a scoff. "On second thought, you really should broaden your horizons. You've grown up this much and never seen people performing the act of union, have you?"

His look clearly said: You uncultured little sprout.

"I have," she retorted immediately.

The demon arched an eyebrow. "Seen who?"

"The two of us," she said.

"..."

The demon thought: That doesn't count. Her mind was a mess back then; how could she possibly remember what happened?

But he didn't argue with the uncultured sprout. He grabbed two sets of clothes that looked decent and tossed them to her. Her current outfit,the pristine white robes of a sword cultivator,was far too serious and out of place for someone visiting Flower Street.

When she finished changing, she saw that the demon had changed as well. He had styled himself exactly like the Xu family's seventh son, Xu Tiancheng, wearing luxurious silk robes and holding a folding fan. On the real Xu Tiancheng, this outfit screamed "lazy fop with weak kidneys," but on this demon,tall, slender, and with those narrow phoenix eyes,it looked exceptionally noble.

He looked her over. Now that she didn't look so "proper," he pulled her out of the shop.

Logically, a man as handsome as the Great Demon should have been the center of attention. However, the real star turned out to be the "beauty" beside him. Heavenly Gift Manor saw many female cultivators and noble ladies visiting its pleasure houses. Perhaps the reputation of the male hosts here was simply that good, but the number of women was so high that the number of "young masters" for hire far exceeded the number of "flower girls."

The "beauty" had an aura that was cold and transcendent yet exquisitely beautiful. Every movement was effortless and unrestrained. Along the way, several young male hosts winked at her.

The demon’s face darkened instantly. He was beautiful, yes, but when his phoenix eyes narrowed, his aura became terrifying. The girls retreated three feet immediately. He scanned every host who dared wink at the sword cultivator with a look that suggested they were already dead.

Soon, a "no-man's-land" of silence formed around them.

"Weren't you going to broaden my horizons?" Chao Jinsui asked.

The demon flipped his stance instantly, flatly denying it. "What horizons? Is seeing me not enough of an experience for you?"

He glared at her as if he would swallow her whole if she dared to disagree.

This entire street of brothels was part of the Changming Sect’s industry, the property of the three "vile beast" brothers. Many of the girls and hosts here were actually demons. After escaping the Demon Realm, the brothers had tried to develop their power among humans. However, their habits of burning, killing, and looting didn't work well in the mortal world and tended to invite extermination campaigns. So, they took a different path.

They began to quietly take over the entertainment industries of the cultivation world.

Other demons followed their lords to become generals and eat well; those following the Nie brothers had only one career path: being a "duck" (male prostitute). Fortunately, demons had very little moral fiber or restraint. Once they realized that being a host meant good pay and plenty of spirit stones, they all fell into depravity quite happily. Plus, demons were naturally talented, well-built, and taller than humans, leading to many repeat customers.

However, when the Demon Lord stepped into the brothel and saw his former subjects,some dancing in midriff-baring tops, others playing the pipa with golden bells tied to their ankles,his face turned incredibly sour.

He knew the Nie brothers were doing something for a living, but he never imagined they were pimping out the demon race. No wonder Guang Ping had been so vague in his report, telling him he "had to see it for himself."

"Worthless things!" the Demon Lord hissed.

Little Eye poked its head out. Who called me?

Earlier that day, Chao Jinsui had been furious at her "maternal family" for being a bunch of gluttons. The demon hadn't understood why she was so upset then. Now that he saw demons working as hosts, he finally got it.

"I’m going to kick every single one of them back into the Myriad Demon Abyss!" he snarled.

Chao Jinsui held onto the fuming demon, trying to calm him down. The brothel was packed, the seats full. Below the stage, the audience was mesmerized, throwing handfuls of spirit stones and shouting for more. It was a true den of vice, gold, and noise.

She said, somewhat wickedly, "Look on the bright side. If business is this good, isn't it a form of validation for the demon race?"

The Demon Lord thought about it, and got even angrier!

He kicked a demon who, wearing nothing but a pair of loincloths, tried to come over and pour wine. The demon was sent flying. This commotion immediately drew the attention of the demons maintaining order.

Yan Xueyi clapped his hands. The crisp sound broke the rhythm of the music. Countless demons instinctively looked toward the source, and the ambient noise seemed to vanish. Then, his claps sent waves of black energy rippling through the room, striking the hearts of everyone present. Their gazes gradually turned vacant. The noise resumed, the music played on, but they no longer saw the intruders.

"Fixed," he said.

Chao Jinsui had noticed that the music here caused mental instability over time. However, that level of soul-snaring technique was child's play to the Demon Lord. It seemed the Nie brothers weren't exactly honest businessmen.

Nie Chun, whose birthday was approaching and who was being flattered by the Xu family, was on the second floor.

The Great Demon pulled her upstairs. The people below remained in a daze, seemingly blind to them. Even the demons guarding the second floor didn't lift a finger.

The Demon Lord's expression was dark, especially as they approached Nie Chun’s door. He was suddenly worried: What if the Nie brothers have 'gone under' as hosts too? The sons of his former rival, reduced to being ducks... Part of him felt the shame of the race, while another part was internally conflicted.

Chao Jinsui was struggling to hold back her laughter. She realized that while the Great Demon frequently kicked his subordinates, he cared deeply about the image of the demon race. They could be monstrous or strange, but they had to be fierce. Being a host was a disgrace he could not tolerate.

He glared at her, then kicked open the door to the adjacent room. The demons inside, waiting to serve Lord Nie Chun, didn't even have time to scream before they were dealt with.

With a wave of his hand, the wall became transparent, revealing the scene in Nie Chun’s room next door.

Fortunately, while the Nie brothers made their subordinates work the floor, they kept their dignity as leaders. Nie Chun wasn't here to serve; he was here to be served.

He loved frequenting pleasure houses. Among the three brothers, he was the one who spent three hundred days a year in a brothel. But he didn't like demon women; he only liked human beauties. Thus, the house kept many human women for him. He was currently rolling around with two of them, laughing and kissing them.

The scene was unsightly. The Demon Lord, well-acquainted with demon morality, wasn't surprised. He even took a look at the "beast." The man had lived too well among humans; his figure was soft and out of shape.

He took another look. Tsk. Really small.

Little Eye hissed, "Master, do you think he's only a customer because he's too small to be a host?"

"Makes sense," the Demon Lord replied.

When he noticed Chao Jinsui trying to look out of curiosity, he immediately covered her eyes. "There’s nothing worth seeing on that beast."

He forced her head around and pressed it into his chest. She tried to pull back, to no avail.

Fine, she thought.

Soon, there was movement in the next room.

"My lord," the first beauty said, "the water mirror is ringing. It seems Sect Leader Chao is looking for you!"

Nie Chun was busy with the second beauty. The mirror kept ringing. As the son of the former Demon Lord, he and his brothers had collaborated with Chao Taichu for a long time. But unlike the Xu family, Chao Taichu had to ask them for favors. He didn't show the slightest bit of respect, taking his time before finally opening the connection.

Chao Taichu was clearly angry but suppressed it, knowing the nature of demons. But when he looked through the mirror and saw Nie Chun wasn't wearing clothes,and the mirror was pointed directly at a certain "bird",his face turned green.

This sight was a massive psychological blow to the Sect Leader of a righteous path. He took a deep breath and forced himself to speak. "What is the status of the Illusory Realm of Water and Clouds?"

Besides the brothel business, the Changming Sect occupied Mount Changming. Over the last century, they had become the local tyrants. Naturally, the nearby Illusory Realm was in their hands.

"Sect Leader Chao, don't you know?" Nie Chun asked. "That realm won't last much longer!"

They began to discuss the realm. Chao Jinsui listened and pieced it together.

The Illusory Realm of Water and Clouds was a secret realm that appeared near Heavenly Gift Manor. Its last appearance was a hundred years ago. Over the last decade or so, it had reappeared. Usually, when such realms opened, treasures were found. They don't last forever; after a few openings, they vanish. But this one had only opened twice.

Logically, it shouldn't disappear so soon, but something had gone wrong inside. The realm was slowly collapsing. Once it fell, everything inside would vanish with it. Because of this, the Nie brothers used it as a trash disposal site.

Whenever they had someone they needed to "deal with," they simply tossed them into the realm. It was efficient and saved them the trouble of a formal execution.

"In half a month at most, the realm will close completely," Nie Chun said. "Then, Sect Leader Chao, you can sleep soundly."

Chao Taichu hesitated. "Half a month? Still too long. I feel that 'long nights bring bad dreams.' No, I will arrive at Heavenly Gift Manor tomorrow and close it forcibly! I will inform your eldest brother; just be ready to cooperate."

Nie Chun had two brothers: Nie Shui and Nie Sheng. Nie Shui’s cultivation far exceeded the others, and he was the Sect Leader, though Nie Chun handled most of the dealings with Chao Taichu. With their help, closing the realm wouldn't be difficult.

"Old man," Nie Chun said, sounding surprised. "You'd better think this through. Have you forgotten? Your son is still inside."

Chao Taichu spoke coldly. "That rebellious son! Who told him to go investigating his mother’s business? No one knew a thing until he started digging. If he dies in the Illusory Realm, it is simply his fate!"

Nie Chun shrugged. "Since you're closing it tomorrow, I’ll take the chance tonight to toss in the rest of the 'waste products.'"

At the word "waste," Chao Taichu frowned and warned, "Don't take it too far. I can cover for you, but if the outside world is alerted, don't expect me to protect you."

In the adjacent room, the black-haired girl bit her lip, her expression turning ice-cold. She knew there were arrays that could forcibly close a secret realm. But Chao Zhaoyue was inside!

Of course, Chao Taichu didn't care about his son's life. He only cared about his own peace of mind. Had he ever once thought of his children?

The demon beside her caught her clenched hand. Before he could speak, Guang Ping jumped in from outside. He had been investigating the Changming Sect’s power.

Guang Ping took a gulp of tea. "My lord, I've found out how the Changming Sect grew so large."

"Speak," the Demon Lord commanded.

"By having children."

"?" both Chao Jinsui and the demon asked.

The Nie brothers and their subordinates worked as hosts; naturally, there were "by-products." In a place like this, children were common. Children born to demons were half-demons, or mixed-bloods. Usually, such children were a burden.

But the Changming Sect welcomed them. When the brothers had fled the Demon Realm, they hadn't brought many followers. To build an army, they needed numbers. Waiting for their own subordinates to reproduce was too slow.

So, they took in every child born of their dalliances with humans. These half-demons grew quickly. In a decade or so, they became usable "ducks," who then produced more ducks. Thus, their numbers swelled until they became the local masters of the area.

Chao Jinsui understood immediately. "Then the 'waste products' Nie Chun mentioned..."

The Great Demon’s face went black. "The 'substandard' half-demons."

The quality of half-demons varied. Many had almost no detectable demonic energy. Would the Changming Sect raise these "defective" units? Of course not. But letting them go would cause trouble.

So, they had a solution: toss them into the Illusory Realm of Water and Clouds. With Chao Taichu helping to cover it up, the birth and disappearance of so many half-demons never caught the attention of the cultivation world.

Chao Jinsui sneered. "I see. No wonder Chao Taichu and the Changming Sect are in bed together."

It was mutual benefit. Both sides held the other's secrets and helped hide them. Truly, they were birds of a feather.

Next door, Nie Chun closed the mirror. He called out, and a man who looked like a butler entered, bowing respectfully.

"Dispose of that batch of trash tonight," Nie Chun ordered. "Toss them all into the Illusory Realm. Keep the noise down!"

He spoke of "trash" so naturally that one might forget he was talking about living children. "Tell my eldest brother not to delay things."

The butler hurried off. Chao Jinsui thought for a moment. "Since they are heading to the realm tonight, why don't we sneak in with them?"

Heavenly Gift Manor was too large, and the Changming Sect was well-organized. They couldn't waste the night searching blindly. With Chao Taichu closing the realm tomorrow, they had to find the entrance now. It was the most direct path.

Yan Xueyi nodded. "You and Guang Ping follow them. I will be right behind you."

Chao Jinsui glanced at Nie Chun’s room and guessed what the demon was about to do. Seeing Guang Ping following the butler, she slowed her pace, intending to wait for him.

The moment she stepped out, the demon kicked the door open. Nie Chun turned, only to be sent flying across the room, crashing into the center of a barrier. It was a heavy, physical blow. Because Nie Chun spent his life in vice, he was the weakest of the brothers. Though a high-level demon, his strength couldn't even match Hong Niang’s. He spat out a mouthful of blood.

His eyes widened in terror as he recognized the youth. The memory of his father’s head being severed flooded back. "Yan... Yan Xue,"

Before he could finish, another kick sent him flying from one side of the room to the other.

"For shaming the demon race," the Demon Lord sneered. "For being such a piece of filth!"

Another kick.

"For colluding with Chao Taichu!"

Closing the Illusory Realm? Bored with the Demon Realm, so you came to play among humans, did you? You really thought you were someone special?

He kicked him back to the other side.

Don't kick anymore, Nie Chun thought desperately. I'm going to die!

The Demon Lord's nose wrinkled at the scent of lust in the room. Suddenly, a strange smile touched his lips. Doesn't this dog like being a duck?

He kicked Nie Chun unconscious.

A moment later, Chao Jinsui,who had lingered,saw three vacant-eyed, burly demon men enter Nie Chun’s room. Strange sounds began to drift out. Then, the demon emerged, a faint smile on his lips.

"..."

The butler-like man walked toward the back courtyard. Everyone he passed bowed to him, showing his status. Leaving the brightly lit front, the only light came from the butler’s lantern.

Finally, he stopped before a massive warehouse with doors two meters high. The doors creaked open.

"Get ready," the manager told the demons inside. "We’re sending them off tonight!"

The demons mumbled their compliance. The doors were shut as they went to get the carts ready to transport the "defective goods."

Silence returned to the warehouse. Several figures appeared in the shadows.

These "defective goods" were actually very young half-demons. The oldest were six or seven; the youngest were still in swaddling clothes. They were all locked in cages, like kittens or puppies in a pet market. They were huddled in the corners. Some looked up when they heard movement, but they didn't seem to care about the strangers. Their faces were numb.

Chao Jinsui’s footsteps faltered. The scene was devastating. These were the children being sent to be "disposed of" tonight. Once the realm was closed tomorrow, they would all die.

Was Chao Taichu insane? she thought. To collaborate with such beasts? To hide this?

A wordless rage boiled within her. But she quickly snapped out of it, realizing something was wrong. It was too quiet beside her.

She suddenly remembered the first time she met the little demon. This was too similar. The same cages, the same look of hopelessness,just like the children here.

She turned and saw the youth. Demonic energy was swarming around him. His beautiful phoenix eyes were hollow, a bottomless black. The scene was a mirror of his own past.

The scarred little demon in a cold cage, huddling to hide his demon marks, listening to the curses from outside... He had hated the world with a frozen fury, wanting to kill everyone outside the bars.

His state was wrong. That hatred and bloodlust were buried in his blood. Demons were naturally prone to madness; once that hatred was triggered, their energy would riot, drowning them in despair and slaughter.

She caught his hand. "Yan-yan?"

The youth looked down at her. His eyes were like thick night, empty and dark.

"Yan-yan," she said, her voice small but carrying the weight of a mountain. "I will get you out of the cage."

"A thousand times, ten thousand times,I will always let you out."

He listened in silence. She ignored the surging demonic aura and pulled his hand, leading him forward. She unsheathed the Kunlun Sword. In the dark, the blade shimmered with a sharp, clear light.

With a flick of her wrist, she moved with the grace of a leaping sparrow, landing atop the cages. Wherever she passed, her sword fell. With a chorus of metallic clangs, the locks fell away.

It wasn't enough.

The "sparrow" continued to leap, as if trying to sever every barrier in the world. A melody of falling chains rang through the night. Finally, she stopped, her black hair fluttering in the wind. She turned back to the silent youth and smiled.

"Yan-yan, look."

"The cages are all open."

Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/