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CHAPTER 39: Daily Life of Cohabitation in the Demon Realm (Part I)
As a Spirit Beast with a voracious appetite, Little Eyes had consumed many things in its life. However, the taste of the Heaven-Mending Stone was truly nothing to write home about. The moment it was swallowed, Little Eyes felt as though its soul had flown right out of its physical shell, yet remained stubbornly wedged in its throat, unable to be gulped down, yet impossible to spit out.
Fortunately, the Great Demon picked the creature up and shook it like a stray noodle. Little Eyes saw stars dancing before its vision until finally, with a loud bleh, it vomited the stone out.
Little Eyes began to wail piteously.
The Great Demon looked at it with pure disdain. "Shut up."
Little Eyes only howled louder.
As the Demon Lord, having a natal spiritual beast that did nothing but hang its bloody mouth open to beg for food, and then shrieked like a banshee the moment it ate something foul, was more than just a loss of face. The crying made his temples throb with irritation.
As Little Eyes geared up for another round of sobbing, the Great Demon reached out, pinched the creature’s mouth shut, and tied it into a literal knot.
The place was finally silent.
In the aftermath, Little Eyes felt its delicate spirit had suffered a traumatic blow. It scurried off to find the sword cultivator for comfort.
Seeing that the Heaven-Mending Stone had tasted so foul it moved the creature to tears, Chao Jinsui felt a flicker of maternal compensation. She rummaged through her storage bag and produced some dried spiritual beast meat to feed the little Jiao.
Little Eyes munched away in a state of pure bliss, hissing out its grievances against its master all the while.
This earned a cold snort from the Demon outside the carriage.
The scene bore a striking resemblance to a bratty child receiving a beating from his father, only to run to his mother for consolation, while the father stood by, mocking them both because of a disagreement in parenting styles.
Yan Xueyi remarked, "If you spoil it like this, it will do nothing but cry whenever it hits a snag. How will it ever amount to anything?"
What use did the spirit beast have for "amounting to something"? Was he actually expecting it to transform into a dragon?
Chao Jinsui replied calmly, "Do not harbor unrealistic expectations for it."
Yan Xueyi poked Little Eyes, his voice dripping with contempt. "Only by enduring the bitterest of hardships can one become the Spirit Beast among Beasts."
The resemblance to a bickering couple was becoming uncanny.
By now, they had departed from Taixuan City and were well on their way to the Demon Realm.
Originally, Taixuan Wuji had intended to silence them forever. He had cleared the area and set up a boundary specifically so that Chao Jinsui would vanish without a trace. His hope was that the citizens of Taixuan City would wake up without ever realizing a great battle had occurred.
Despite such meticulous preparations, who could have guessed that the one to vanish into thin air would be himself?
When their Sect-Guarding Stone Beast exploded, it tore Taixuan Wuji into bloody shreds. Doubtless, when the people of the city woke, they would simply assume they had experienced a collective hallucination.
Before reaching the Demon Realm, Chao Jinsui decided to have a word with Ling Yun.
"Ling Yun, now that you know who they truly are, are you still willing to remain by my side?"
When Ling Yun first discovered that Hong Niang and the others were of the Demon Race, she had indeed been shocked. However, she possessed a blind faith in her Young Sect Master and didn't feel that anything was truly amiss. Moreover, after spending these days together, Ling Yun realized that even these demons were far kinder than the likes of Chao Xiaotu or the hypocrites of the Kunlun Sword Sect.
Ling Yun nodded vigorously. "Of course I am!"
Chao Jinsui smiled. "Since that is the case, I have a task I must entrust to you. Are you willing to go?"
Ling Yun’s eyes lit up. She owed the Young Sect Master her life, and since her cultivation was low, she had been desperate for a way to help. Hearing that there was a request, she agreed immediately.
"Do you remember the Valley of Five Poisons?"
Chao Jinsui truly did not have many close, intimate friends. However, having served as the Young Sect Master for many years, she had adhered to the spirit of casting a wide net; consequently, many people owed her favors.
The Master of the Valley of Five Poisons was one of them.
She currently wished to know the whereabouts of the remaining Heaven-Mending Stones but lacked the manpower to investigate. The Valley Master was exceptionally well-informed and, more importantly, reliable.
However, since the incident with Taixuan Wuji had just occurred, it would be difficult for people not to link it to her. The news would likely spread through the cultivation world soon. If she went in person, it would only bring trouble to the Valley Master.
Thus, she penned a letter and tasked Ling Yun with visiting the Valley of Five Poisons on her behalf.
Ling Yun accepted the mission gladly.
Once the girl had departed, the Great Demon let out a mocking laugh.
"What is this? Is the Demon Realm such a dragon’s pool or a tiger’s den that you don't even dare let your subordinates enter?"
Since she had agreed to return to the Demon Palace with him, he had initially been overjoyed. But soon after, the demon began to find the situation suspicious. She was a woman of firm convictions, yet this time, she had not only accepted the help of demons but was willing to follow him into their realm.
She had been so straightforward about it that he couldn't help but wonder if she was plotting something.
This time, however, the demon was wrong.
To gain new leads on the Heaven-Mending Stones, she had to wait for word from the Valley of Five Poisons. In the meantime, she truly did need a quiet, stable place to stay where she could cultivate and contemplate her next move.
She closed her book and looked at him. "Is there a place to practice the sword manual in the Demon Palace?"
The Demon replied, "There is."
She asked, "Will I have to watch you kill people every day?"
The Demon snapped, "I am not a madman!"
Chao Jinsui nodded. "Then that will do."
She was remarkably adaptable.
Seeing that he was about to say more, she beckoned him over with a flick of her finger.
As the suspicious Great Demon leaned in, she suddenly reached out and grasped his demon horn.
Since she was a child, she had a habit of touching something while reading or memorizing heart sutras. Sometimes it was a wooden fish, other times a tabby cat or a small dog. The better the texture, the more focused she became. But now, she had discovered the thing with the best tactile feel of all, the horns of a demon.
In an instant, wooden fish, cats, and dogs all seemed utterly dull in comparison.
He was prepared to flare up in anger immediately.
Were the horns of a Demon Lord something one could simply pet?
But then she leaned a bit closer to him. His hair felt incredible, as smooth as a ribbon of black silk. The gesture was remarkably like smoothing down a creature's fur. The effect was instantaneous. As she began to "smooth his hair," his dark, sullen expression began to clear like clouds parting for the sun, and he let out a soft huff.
The Great Demon thought to himself: How clingy.
Feeling that the position wasn't so terrible after all, the demon simply lay his head down in her lap, lazily refusing to get up.
She enjoyed the rare moment of tranquility, sighing softly in her heart.
In truth, he was right. She had nowhere else to go. Now that things had quieted down, she realized that while the world was vast, there wasn't a single place where she truly belonged.
In the past, her actions were always governed by principle, seeking only to be upright and beyond reproach. But she no longer thought that way.
Given that the process of obtaining the first two Heaven-Mending Stones had been so convoluted, it would be impossible to proceed from here without drawing criticism.
After all, as long as she obtained the stones and restored the Heavenly Dao to its proper course, everything could be reversed.
She didn't care how others viewed her or what they thought. To try and draw a line between herself and the demons now would be nothing but blatant hypocrisy.
As long as she understood one thing, what she was doing and why she was doing it, that was enough. If she was doing what she believed to be right, then so be it.
Come to think of it, she truly had never been to the Demon Capital.
What was the city of the Demon Race, the place where this little demon lived, actually like?
Fengdu was a magnificent and imposing capital.
As the masses of demons returned in a grand procession, the Demon Lord gave his command, and they immediately scattered to call upon friends and drink their fill.
Unlike the refined aesthetic of human cities with their quaint bridges and flowing water, the Demon Capital was rugged and raw. It was a city seemingly built from the haphazard stacking of giant boulders. The streets were hung with countless lanterns emitting eerie glows, reds, purples, and blues that, from a distance, gave the impression of the underworld itself.
The sight of various grotesque demons moving through the streets amidst a constant din of shouting and revelry was not unlike a parade of a hundred ghosts.
The Great Demon said to her, "I am taking you home."
In the past, he would never have referred to the Demon Palace as "home." But now, because of her presence, he suddenly felt the urge to call it that.
These words were a rare moment of tenderness for the Demon Lord, yet given the surroundings, it sounded more like he was saying, I am taking you to hell.
Anyone with a weaker heart would have turned and bolted.
She surveyed the ghostly landscape without so much as a blink, thinking: Aside from being a bit dark and gloomy, it is much better than I imagined.
She walked in beside him with perfect composure.
The guards at the Demon Palace were few; generally, demon generals took turns standing watch.
Aside from official business, the sprawling palace was inhabited only by the Demon Lord and Little Eyes, with the addition of Ran Yang, the steward responsible for feeding the creature.
Ran Yang was unlike other demons. His sole passion was culinary arts. After being recruited by the Demon Lord, he enthusiastically became the palace manager and head chef.
Unfortunately, the Demon Lord didn't eat. No matter how exquisite the delicacies, they held no interest for him.
Ran Yang’s culinary talents were entirely wasted on Little Eyes, who, year after year, had been fed into a severely overweight, gluttonous serpent.
In the eyes of Steward Ran Yang, Yan Xueyi was a very strange demon and an even stranger master.
Once, there was a high-level demon as powerful as him named Nie Hai, who enjoyed decapitating people for sport. It was said Nie Hai’s home was built upon a mountain of skulls.
Of course, Nie Hai’s head was eventually hung in front of the Demon Palace as a public warning.
Usually, the more powerful a demon was, the more cruel they became. It seemed to be a trait of debauchery and madness etched into their very bloodline.
But Yan Xueyi was never like that.
Perhaps because he was the reincarnation of the Demon God, he could not perceive pain, nor did he feel much emotion.
Years ago, after he killed Nie Hai, he established the new Demon Capital upon the ruins. Demons joined his ranks one by one, and those who opposed him were systematically put to the sword.
Ran Yang had joined during that time as well.
But slowly, Ran Yang realized that the Demon Lord didn't seem particularly interested in any of it.
Little Eyes often felt the same way while living in the vast, empty palace.
During their pre-meal chats, Little Eyes and Ran Yang would often discuss the Demon Lord.
He didn't care for pleasure. His appearance seemed solely for the purpose of building a new capital and pursuing greater power.
To that end, he would devour other high-level demons and gather subordinates to strengthen his army.
Yet, he neither sought luxury nor seemed to have any hobbies.
It was as if from the moment he was born, though no one gave him a name, he opened his eyes and simply knew he was called "Yan Xueyi."
He was neither like a human nor quite like a demon.
Normally, demons came from humble, rugged origins and tended to be boastful or live like nouveau riche once they attained power. But the Demon Lord wasn't like that. His palace was empty, save for him, a Jiao snake, and a cook.
One couldn't even call it simple, it was as if he were merely a transient visitor in this world.
It was perpetually silent.
Save for the times Little Eyes liked to roll around outside the halls, shaking the very earth.
Little Eyes would try to break the silence, attempting to act like the cherished pet of a Sovereign.
Each time, the Demon Lord would offer a single evaluation: "Stupid snake."
Just as he often praised his beloved generals: "Stupid things!"
When a powerful demon possessed terrifying strength and charisma yet seemed interested in nothing, even the most lawless demons would feel a sense of dread.
Demons didn't fear madmen; they feared a Lord who seemed to care for nothing. Because when such a demon truly went mad, it would bring the heavens and earth crashing down.
But today, the Demon Lord had brought back a human.
The Demon Lord was a man of violent temper and a poisonous tongue, yet in her presence, he was like a ferocious beast that had tucked away its claws.
Before this person, he became both "demon" and "man."
However, Ran Yang noticed the atmosphere growing increasingly tense.
Because the human woman had remained silent for a long time, the air around the Demon Lord had turned cold.
Ran Yang thought to himself—Of course. No human would like a godforsaken place like the Demon Realm.
Here, there was only eternal night. Even at noon, one needed lanterns or luminous pearls to see. Looking around, there was nothing but darkness. The demonic qi was overwhelming; no spiritual herbs could survive here. There was only a desolate, crimson wilderness, devoid of any scenery worth mentioning.
To any human, this was a hellhole.
But it was the only place the Demon Lord could call "home."
The Demon Lord remained silent for a long time. Just as Ran Yang held his breath, he heard the demon speak in a stiff voice:
"If you do not like it, we can go to the Wuxiang Valley in Guang Ping instead."
This was the greatest concession the demon could make.
But then, he heard the human speak: "Yanyan, where do I sleep?"
Ran Yang suddenly felt that his cooking skills might finally have a purpose. He transformed into a cloud of black mist and quietly vanished.
The palace was massive, but its emptiness was staggering. There was only one high throne, and the rooms were cavernously bare.
The Great Demon loathed trouble. Usually, he just slept or held court on the throne, or else he cultivated in the underground palace.
Consequently, the Demon Palace didn't even have a bed.
The Great Demon apparently only just realized this. His expression turned peculiar. "You were silent because of this?"
While the palace was large enough that you could kick a demon from the east end to the west end and he wouldn't hit a wall for five minutes, there weren't even curtains. Standing by the window, the wind whistled through.
Standing there felt like being bathed in a ghostly draft.
Chao Jinsui glanced at him.
Just as the demon couldn't understand why she ignored the eternal night and the harsh environment, she couldn't understand why a dignified Demon Lord lived in a house so empty the walls were bare and the windows leaked wind.
She spoke succinctly: "Go buy Evernight Candles."
"I need a bed, bookshelves, a tea table, and a desk."
She frowned, surveying the room for a moment, then scribbled a long list for him.
He stared at the list in silence, looking from her calm profile to the paper.
She raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you going?"
She was issuing orders in his own territory, commanding him to handle such trivial chores.
Any one of these things should have sent the Demon Lord into a rage. Instead, he simply gave her a strange look and asked slowly, "Is that all?"
The demon seemed to be implying she could ask for more.
She thought about it and said seriously, "Right, and windows."
He gave her a few more suspicious looks, then summoned Ran Yang back at lightning speed and shoved the list into his hands.
In the beginning, Ran Yang had indeed wanted to build a magnificent palace, but the Demon Lord had looked at the plans and said, "Too much trouble."
And so, he had simplified the complex, and then simplified the simple into nothingness. It was decided that a bleak, ghostly atmosphere suited the image of the Demon Palace better anyway.
Finally, after several decades, the Demon Palace had windows.
As he looked at the windows that no longer let in the draft, the demon finally realized something: she truly intended to stay here.
It wasn't a pretense, nor was she merely humoring or placating him.
Ever since the little demon had rescued her from the Myriad Demon Abyss, he had dreamed of bringing her back openly, keeping her in his palace, somewhere he could always see her.
It was like a single drop of sweetness; while struggling through the dark years, he had clung to that sweetness to endure.
And now, the dream seemed to have come true.
He hadn't even had to pay a devastating price.
He followed behind her and Ran Yang like a ghost, watching from a distance as if observing a fragile dream that might shatter at any moment.
She chose a room with a good orientation and lit many Evernight Candles. She even produced a luminous pearl, making the room as bright as day.
Ran Yang brought in rows of tall bookshelves. She arranged the scrolls she had found in the forbidden grounds of the Kunlun Sword Sect, which she hadn't yet had time to study.
The silk on the couch, the soft pillows, and several tea sets were all brought out from her storage bag.
There was even an incense burner.
The Demon Palace was naturally damp due to its vast emptiness, feeling gloomy and freezing. But as the incense slowly dispelled the chill, a sense of warmth and coziness began to emerge. It truly looked like a place where a person lived.
He watched her greedily as she moved through every corner of the palace, hardly blinking.
He was like a tall, silent specter.
It wasn't until Mo Xie came to whisper a reminder that there was a meeting to attend that he finally snapped out of it. He pressed a hand to his forehead and began to laugh, a sound that made Mo Xie’s skin crawl.
While sitting on the throne listening to the demons argue below, the demon had previously felt that a single throne was enough for his palace. But now, he suddenly felt a bit foolish sitting up there.
If he had to sit alone on this throne all night, the thought filled him with a suffocating sense of loneliness.
Thus, as soon as the meeting ended, he hurried to her door and made himself at home.
The room had become incredibly comfortable and warm. He stood before her couch like a great black ghost that had stumbled into the wrong place. He asked, "Am I dreaming?"
Muttering to himself, he suddenly reached out and pinched her cheek.
Feeling the real texture beneath his fingers, warm and alive, he knew he wasn't dreaming.
She opened her eyes, truly unable to fathom why, if he suspected he was dreaming, he had to pinch her.
In the next second, he suddenly pulled her into a hug. The demon’s large frame almost entirely enveloped her. He rested his forehead against her hair and laughed aloud.
His long hair shook with the force of his laughter.
It was as if some emotion that had been suppressed to the extreme was finally being unburdened.
He called her name: "Suisui."
She opened her eyes helplessly. "I am here."
She didn't know what had gotten into the demon this time, but since there was nothing to do, they leaned against each other quietly for a long while.
Since the demon had begun to push his luck, she had gradually grown accustomed to his proximity. It seemed like a natural thing, as natural as a large dog catching a tabby cat's head in its mouth.
Though this demon’s mental state was often unstable, enough to terrify anyone else with his unpredictability, she not only adapted well but had mastered a way to handle him.
Despite his violent temper, as long as one mastered the technique of "smoothing his fur," he didn't seem so dangerous or uncontrollable.
Their interaction was becoming more harmonious, almost making one forget the years of enmity. Both were able to find a sense of security in the other.
This time, she thought it was the same as usual.
He laughed and leaned against her shoulder like a spoiled big dog.
But suddenly, she felt a flicker of something different, a primal instinct of caution that stirred just before danger arrived.
Her body gradually tensed. She looked up and met his dark, phoenix-like eyes. They looked like they were burning with black flames, staring at her with a gaze that was both obsessive and greedy.
The moment she tried to move, her wrists were pinned, held fast as if by branding irons.
Only now did she abruptly remember that this "spoiled dog" leaning against her possessed the fangs of a savage beast and terrifying lethality. She could not let her guard down entirely just because he had shown submission or weakness once or twice.
His breath was scalding as he lowered his head, his lips coming incredibly close to hers.
"Suisui."
The heat of his breath sent a shiver down her spine.
"You want me to be your dog?"
Cold sweat broke out across her back instantly.
She had to admit, she had indeed grown careless. She had truly begun to view this demon as a naughty, oversized canine, thinking that as long as she smoothed his fur, she could keep him in check.
The intuition that had saved her life countless times in life-or-death situations kicked in. Her alertness as a cultivator made her immediately begin to circulate her Dantian.
The Kunlun Sword appeared, blocking his path.
He suddenly tilted his head and let out a soft laugh.
"That wouldn't be so bad."
He reached out and pushed aside the cold Kunlun Sword that stood between them.
His phoenix eyes were dark and full of greed, locking onto her. The intense emotion within them was like molten lava, so hot that a single glance felt as though it could melt her.
The look was savage and blazing, surging with the most primitive desires of longing and plunder.
His Adam’s apple bobbed, a signal of sorts.
In the next instant, his slender hand threaded through her black hair, violently closing the distance between them. His thin, scalding lips crashed against her soft ones.
His hand even remained gripped around the Kunlun Sword, completely indifferent to the blade cutting his palm and the blood that began to flow.
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