THE WHITE MOONLIGHT ONLY HAS A HAPPY ENDING - CHAPTER 44

Life in the Demon Realm was pleasant, save for the recent addition of a certain "Demon Lord like an accessory" attached to her side.

She would head out to practice her sword in the mornings, and upon her return in the afternoon, she would rendezvous with the Demon Lord. Together, they would stroll through the streets of the Demon Realm, browsing the stalls and sampling the local delicacies.

The Demon Lord had developed a penchant for buying her piles of things. If she spared an item so much as a second glance, it would inevitably appear by her bedside in the Demon Palace that very night. Whether it was exquisite necklaces, jade pendants, or rare spiritual artifacts, this demon seemed intent on grabbing everything in sight to stuff into her hands. Fortunately, this was the Demon Realm and not the mortal world, so she could just barely manage to transport the haul back.

At night, she would visit the underground gambling den.

She no longer allowed him to practice the Mind-Clearing Manual through self-mutilation. Since he had developed a reflexive habit of circulating the technique to restrain himself the moment she called him "Yanyan," that brief window of time was enough to guarantee her safety.

However, the Great Demon clearly wanted to keep training. He remained uneasy; in his mind, he felt no pain, so what did a little suffering matter? If it ensured her safety, he would do it without hesitation.

Yet, he found it impossible to bypass her and head to the arena alone. Upon discovering his intentions, she had simply relocated her sword practice from the Myriad Demon Abyss to the underground gambling den. Each time the Great Demon passed by, he would see her figure standing firm upon the stone platform.

The Demon: "..."

Tsk, how clingy, he thought to himself.

Meanwhile, he couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from curving upward.

This devil simply found a perfect spot to watch, and even placed a large bet, betting on her to win every round.

Chao Jinsui lacked practical combat experience the most, but through these repeated battles, she began to reclaim the instincts of her previous life. The attacks of the demon race were sweeping and grand, nearly every move a killing blow. Their style was savage, fueled by their often Herculean strength.

Her Kunlun sword let out excited hums. Her form was like a supple blade of autumn grass, twisting through the air at impossible angles. Having fully integrated the first four layers of the Kunlun Sword Manual, her movements were ethereal, bordering on ghostly. Her strikes were fast, precise, and ruthless, she was like a white specter of death.

Gradually, the eccentric "White-Robed One" gained a reputation in the underground den. It was noted that this white-robed sword cultivator always arrived with the same male companion. Strangely, the man never entered the fray himself; he specialized in betting on her, earning enough to fill his coffers to the brim.

In the eyes of the other demons, what was this behavior if not "living off a woman"?

Demons despised "pretty boys" who lived off their mistresses, and they sneered at the sight of this handsome fellow enjoying his soft rice. Eventually, a few demons decided to find trouble with this "pretty boy."

The man looked up. "Hm?"

It was only then they realized the pretty boy bore a striking resemblance to their Lord. Especially when his phoenix eyes narrowed with that murderous glint, the likeness was uncanny.

The demons' hair stood on end, and they scattered like startled birds.

A rumor began to circulate among the masses: Their Lord... seems to have started a career as a pretty boy.

Suddenly, the looks they directed at the Demon Lord became strange and envious. They heard his "sugar mommy" could win over a thousand spirit stones in a single night! Where could one find such soft rice? They wanted some too!

Furthermore, the Lord's temperament had improved significantly since he started living off her. His mood was better, his frequency of shouting "idiot" had plummeted, and fewer demons were being kicked into the horizon. With the boss happy, the subordinates suffered less. Overnight, the wind shifted; the demons collectively decided that "living off a woman" had a miraculous effect on one's inner peace.

That night, she changed into a moon-white sleeping robe; she had recently discovered her wardrobe had been stuffed with dozens of them. She sat by the window, reading the intelligence reports from the cultivation world that the demon had given her.

Ever since she said she would "take responsibility," the demon seemed to have completely forgotten the "one month" condition. Now, he even sent her daily confidential information from the Demon Realm, treating her entirely as one of his own.

However, as she opened the scroll today, there was a stir outside the window. A small paper crane flapped its wings, appearing exhausted from a long journey, before collapsing limply into her palm. She stroked the crane gently and unfolded it to read.

Chao Zhaoyue had reached the Heaven-Gifted Prefecture two months ago. The reason for the long silence was that he had been unable to find their mother's grave. He had initially assumed it was due to the passage of time, after all, a century had passed, and the inscriptions on a headstone could easily have eroded.

But as Chao Zhaoyue followed the trail and turned the prefecture upside down, he found more than just a missing grave. There was no record of their mother ever existing.

Chao Jinsui was stunned. She suddenly recalled the scenes from her childhood when Chao Taichu would tell her about their mother.

When she was five, she noticed that other disciples in the sect had mothers; they had simply left them behind to seek the Dao. She ran to Chao Taichu to ask about her own.

Chao Taichu had been impatient, but after she pestered him for days, he finally spoke. Their mother’s surname was Xu, and her name was Puniang, meaning "Bodhi." She was the daughter of a wealthy merchant in the Heaven-Gifted Prefecture. By chance, she met Chao Taichu, who stayed in the prefecture for several years. She bore him two children: Chao Zhaoyue and Chao Jinsui.

At the time, Chao Taichu had said coldly: "If it weren't for giving birth to you, your mother wouldn't have died in labor. Never ask about this again!"

Young Jinsui had stood frozen. Though she didn't fully understand the world, she knew what "death" meant, and she knew what it meant to die because of her. She was heartbroken for a long time, hiding in the study to cry. When Chao Zhaoyue found her, he hoisted her onto his shoulders and took her to the market at the foot of the mountain.

He had held a book of ghost stories and told her, "Chao Taichu is lying to you. When people die, they become ghosts. Mother will become a ghost behind your back to protect you."

She had believed him, reading ghost stories every day and telling everyone, "My mother is right behind you, watching." She had terrified the people around her, while Chao Zhaoyue laughed heartily. Regardless of his mischievous streak, she truly hadn't cried in secret after that.

Chao Jinsui couldn't understand. What does it mean that there is no 'Xu Puniang'?

She continued reading. It was meant literally: there were no written records, no entries in any family tree. The Xu family had never had a daughter named Puniang.

Chao Zhaoyue also found it bizarre. They couldn't have just popped out of a rock; how could they be born without a mother? A-Pu was a mere mortal, a frail woman of the mundane world, what major affair could she have been involved in? To have her traces wiped so clean, Chao Zhaoyue could only think of one culprit: Chao Taichu.

But why? Their mother had been dead for a hundred years, leaving behind nothing but a withered grave. Why would Chao Taichu go to such lengths?

Countless doubts swirled in her mind. She checked the date of the letter, it was from over a month ago. Chao Zhaoyue noted that he planned to investigate Chao Taichu’s past movements.

She pondered for a moment, then wrote a reply detailing her recent circumstances and asking if he had found further clues. She energized the paper crane with her spiritual qi and sent it on its way.

However, the crane failed to find a direction. It circled in the air for a moment, appearing lost, and fell back into her palm.

Chao Jinsui was stunned. The siblings had used paper cranes to communicate since childhood, and this had never happened. As the crane was a specialized tracking artifact, there was only one explanation: The paper crane could no longer find Chao Zhaoyue.

She immediately pulled a lamp from her storage bag, Chao Zhaoyue’s Soul Lamp. Before leaving the Kunlun Sword Sect, he had packed both of their lamps. Currently, the flame was bright and steady. He wasn't dead, but how could he have vanished?

When the Great Demon pushed open the door, he found her staring blankly at a paper crane.

"Yanyan, Chao Zhaoyue is missing."

His first instinct was immediate: "I will send my demons to find him for you."

The girl shook her head, her pale fingers tightening around the crane. "No. The paper crane itself is a tracking artifact. If it can't find him, sending more people would be futile. I suspect there is an illusion or a hidden realm in the Heaven-Gifted Prefecture. Yanyan, I must go see for myself."

With her brother missing, she couldn't even sleep peacefully. And there was clearly a mystery surrounding their mother; Chao Zhaoyue must have uncovered something.

Yan Xueyi looked at her and turned to leave at once, his cloak billowing in the wind. "I will make the arrangements. We set out tonight."

"Yanyan, I..." She wanted to say he didn't have to do this.

He paused and smiled. "It's no trouble."

Let her go alone? the Great Demon thought. If something happens to her out there, wouldn't I become a widower? Her current situation in the human realm was precarious, and he wasn't about to let her run into the territory of those bastards. More importantly, what if she disappeared after the "one month" was up? If she tried to turn her back on him then, he would have to be an inseparable shadow!

Unaware of his complex internal monologue, she simply nodded. Before leaving, however, she made a trip to see Ran Yang.

"Ran Yang, please tell Hong Niang to keep an eye out for news of Ling Yun. If she returns, please ask her to look after her."

Hong Niang and Ling Yun were on good terms; she would surely help. She thought for a moment and added, "Ran Yang, if a sword cultivator named Wu Ya appears in the Demon Realm..."

She remembered Ling Yun mentioning that Wu Ya had also been exiled to the Demon Realm for helping her.

The eavesdropping Demon Lord pricked up his ears, casting a dark, sinister glance at Ran Yang, who immediately shuddered.

"Then send him out of the Demon Realm," she said. "Tell him never to return to the Kunlun Sword Sect. Any other sect will do."

Wu Ya was different from Ling Yun. She could accept Ling Yun and keep her close, but not Wu Ya. She was beginning to understand the feelings the demon had mentioned before. As such, this was the most she would do for him.

The Great Demon’s expression softened slightly. He retracted his chilling gaze and silently dissolved into black mist.

Ran Yang wiped the sweat from his brow. Fortunately, Miss Chao didn't say anything reckless, or that Wu Ya would have been finished.

Not long after, Ran Yang found Wu Ya among the spies captured in the Demon Realm. Wu Ya had expected certain death upon his exile, never imagining he would survive, let only be found by a Demon General. This general seemed more refined than the other brutish demons.

When he heard the message, Wu Ya froze. The youth suddenly felt a stinging heat in his eyes, an urge to weep. He licked his dry lips and asked, "Is Master... happy in the Demon Realm?"

So it's a disciple, Ran Yang thought, no wonder the Lord was so vigilant.

"She is," Ran Yang replied. "Sword practice by day, wine by night. Why wouldn't she be happy?" More importantly, there was a Demon Lord who would pluck the stars and moon for her, even if she didn't realize it yet.

The youth looked down. So after leaving Kunlun, Master is living well.

"I want to see her one more time," he said.

"Ah, your Master and our Lord left the Demon Realm some time ago on business."

Wu Ya was stunned, eventually lowering his head. So the man behind his Master was the Demon Lord. He couldn't help but wonder: If I had stood firmly by her side from the very beginning, would everything be different?

"Your Master said to send you back to the cultivation world," Ran Yang said. "Let’s go."

But the youth simply raised his hand, crudely wiped his eyes, and looked up. "I appreciate the rescue. I understand Master’s kindness. But I can walk out of the Demon Realm on my own."

One day, he would be able to help her and repay her grace. With those words, the young swordsman plunged headlong into the eternal night of the Demon Realm. His figure was bedraggled, but his back was ramrod straight.

Ran Yang squinted at his retreating form. Perhaps in time, this boy will become someone of note. But he is, after all, a step too late.

Chao Jinsui had a dream of the distant past. She stood outside the Taichu Hall and heard Chao Taichu’s disdainful voice: "Nothing but the child of a lowly mortal." Her hands clenched.

She dreamed of years ago when she and Chao Zhaoyue were still small. They had tried to run away from home to the Heaven-Gifted Prefecture. They wanted to find their mother, even just a grave. She wanted to burn incense for their mother with her brother.

They had been exhausted and starving. When she couldn't walk anymore, Chao Zhaoyue had carried her on his back. But just before they reached the prefecture, they were caught by Chao Taichu’s men. The two children were thrown into the Reflection Cliff and forced to meditate for half a month.

Huddled at the base of the cliff, she had asked him, "Have you seen Mother?"

"Mother was very beautiful," Zhaoyue had said. "She had big eyes, a lovely voice, and she would sing us to sleep."

"Chao Zhaoyue, you're lying," she’d replied. "You're only a little older than me; you couldn't possibly remember her either."

He had laughed. "You're getting harder to fool as you grow up."

They had huddled together through many dark nights at the bottom of that cliff. Back then, the thing Zhaoyue said most was: "Mother is watching over us from the heavens."

Reliving these memories, her sleep was fitful. It felt as though she were back in the darkness of the Reflection Cliff, counting stars with her brother to see which one was their mother.

"Mother!"

Her voice was weak, but the demon was a light sleeper and opened his eyes almost instantly. In the next moment, she threw her arms around him, murmuring, "Mother!"

The demon immediately felt disgruntled. Who is her mother? Is her mother this tall? Is her mother this solid? But her voice, like a somniloquy from a dream, made his heart soften.

Fine, he thought. If she wants me to be her mother, I'll be her mother.

When she woke up groggily on the soft couch, she felt the Great Demon beside her, rhythmically patting her back. As he did, he said lazily, "Mother is here."

His voice was deep and pleasant, carrying a strange, eerie tenderness. She froze, the immense loneliness of counting stars in her dream suddenly vanished. She couldn't help but burst into laughter.

He went rigid. "Hmph. I don't know who was calling for their mother in the middle of the night and insisting on hugging me."

However, she had been checking the soul lamp constantly and hadn't laughed in a long while. Seeing her smile now, he decided it wasn't so bad. She immediately grabbed his hand and leaned her head against him.

"Yanyan, thank you."

He stiffened, but the corners of his mouth shot upward. She thought that if he had a tail, it would be wagging furiously. The demon acted as though he couldn't stand it, patting her and saying, "Alright, alright, stop acting spoiled."

In truth, he was enjoying it immensely.

She fought back a smile. After spending time with him, she was beginning to learn his "tricks." For instance, she said, "Yanyan, I’m hungry. Go find some food while we rest a bit."

The Great Demon would click his tongue and complain, "What a hassle." Then he would immediately get up to do it, his lips curling into a smile.

He thrived on her needing him. If she acted helpless and required his aid, he would grumble while doing all the work, clearly pleased. Conversely, if she did everything herself and needed nothing, he would stare at her gloomily with a dark expression, huffing in annoyance.

Since discovering this, she had started entrusting him with many tasks. Though she was naturally independent, she was becoming quite adept at ordering him around. Compared to her previous life of solitary, endless worrying, this felt rather nice.

They had reached the outskirts of the Heaven-Gifted Prefecture; it was about half a day’s journey to the city. They had traveled through the starry nights without proper rest.

By the time Guang Ping had started a fire, the Great Demon had returned with a spiritual beast. He tossed it to Guang Ping and sat beside Chao Jinsui.

As Guang Ping set up the roasting rack, he remarked, "This monk observed the stars tonight. The Heaven-Gifted Prefecture seems to bear an omen of ill fortune."

"You're a monk," the demon retorted. "Why are you looking at the stars?"

Little Eye hissed in agreement: "Exactly, exactly!"

Guang Ping simply shook his head.

The Great Demon leaned against a tree, one leg propped up. He tossed a spiritual fruit to her. "Suisui, have you considered if this might be a trap?"

She had just broken ties with the humans, and immediately her brother vanished in the Heaven-Gifted Prefecture. It was as if she were being lured there.

She caught the fruit with one hand. "I have. But didn't I bring you along?"

The statement was arrogant, but it made the demon's smile broaden instantly. "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you."

Just as a smile touched her lips, she heard a movement nearby. Having reached the middle stage of the Nascent Soul realm, her senses were heightened; nothing within a hundred meters could escape her ears.

"Someone is coming!"

In the distance, a group of people was swaggering toward them, carrying a palanquin. The cultivator inside was named Xu Tiancheng, the seventh young master of the Xu family in the Heaven-Gifted Prefecture. With the birthday of Lord Nie Chun approaching, he was short on funds for a suitable gift and had decided to engage in some highway robbery.

The Heaven-Gifted Prefecture wasn't purely for mortals; it was a mix of mortals and cultivators. Catching a "fat sheep" or two could make one a fortune. He had several Foundation Establishment disciples under him who treated him like a god, calling him "Ancestor Tiancheng."

When he wanted water, people rushed to serve him. When he raised a hand, they fanned him. One lackey pointed: "Ancestor, look ahead!"

Ancestor Tiancheng squinted at the group. He appraised them: the man was stunningly beautiful, a pretty boy with no discernible cultivation; the woman looked cold and noble, likely a wealthy lady visiting the prefecture and the pretty boy’s benefactor. The only one who looked like a fighter was the bald monk, presumably a bodyguard.

Having assessed their combat power, Ancestor Tiancheng whispered to his subordinates: "You all should surround the monk. I’ll go for the weakest one, the pretty boy."

As the lackeys began to encircle them, the Ancestor struck. He moved with lightning speed, reaching out to grab the "weak" pretty boy!

He expected an easy win, but the pretty boy merely gave him a strange look, one filled with the disdain of someone who had never seen anything so stupid. The man didn't dodge. Before Tiancheng’s hand could touch him, the "pretty boy" seized his wrist.

Ancestor Tiancheng let out a squeal like a stuck pig.

Realizing he had kicked a steel plate, Tiancheng immediately tried to grab the noble lady instead! In the next second, a pale hand caught his wrist. With a light squeeze, he let out another agonizing scream.

After a "mixed doubles" beating from the pair, the "Ancestor" was kicked aside. Guang Ping had also tied the Foundation Establishment disciples together in a row. With one tug, they were all kneeling beside their Ancestor. If one were to put apples in their mouths, they would look like a line of roasted suckling pigs.

This "Ancestor Tiancheng" lacked skill, but he had plenty of ego. The Great Demon commandeered his luxurious palanquin, lounging on the fragrant cushions and handing a fruit platter to Chao Jinsui.

Faced with an even more ruthless bully, the "Ancestor" panicked and tried to drop a name: "I am on my way to celebrate Lord Nie Chun’s birthday! These are all gifts for him!"

The implication was clear: if they touched him, Nie Chun would come for them.

The Great Demon didn't even look at him. He took Chao Jinsui’s hand and carefully wiped the spot where she had touched the man, as if she had come into contact with something filthy. She allowed him to do so.

Seeing the pair acting all lovey-dovey and holding hands before him, Ancestor Tiancheng felt insulted. He shouted: "You may not know Nie Chun, but you must have heard of Nie Hai! He’s the boss of the Demon Realm!"

At this, the Great Demon finally turned his head. "Who did you say is the boss of the Demon Realm?"

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