Chapter 105: Quarrel
Everyone felt an immense pressure bearing down on them, forcing them to retreat.
Qu Weiyin’s eyes snapped open, her red irises appearing lighter in the sunlight. She unconsciously tightened her grip on her sleeve.
Just as she had promised, Luo Jinxiao stood before her, facing the Six Realms for her sake.
The middle-aged man was caught in a dilemma. He had finally found Qu Weiyin and couldn’t let her escape, but the power emanating from Luo Jinxiao was strange and unpredictable, making him hesitant to attack.
“Think carefully! This demon is the enemy of the entire immortal realm. Soon, all the sects will arrive. Once the demon realm is breached, she won’t be able to hide anywhere,” he warned.
Luo Jinxiao had lost her patience. She had no time for his empty threats. With a flick of her sword, a tempest of wind and snow erupted around her, sending several cultivators flying.
Only a few masters at the Tribulation Transcendence stage managed to remain standing.
They exchanged glances and, with a desperate resolve, charged towards Luo Jinxiao. She responded with effortless grace. Wujue expanded in her hand, swirling and flashing like a translucent icicle in the sunlight.
The attackers surrounded Luo Jinxiao with a flurry of techniques, their spiritual weapons constantly circling her. Luo Jinxiao waved her sleeve, summoning frost from the midsummer air. The spiritual weapons lost their power one by one, falling to the ground.
Only one woman remained, attacking from a distance with a seven-stringed zither made of charred wood. Its power was weak, but it could disrupt one’s mental state.
Suddenly, a burst of flames erupted from behind Luo Jinxiao, incinerating the zither in an instant.
Qu Weiyin appeared at her side, no longer holding back. Together, they unleashed a torrent of ice and fire, red and white, engulfing half the mountain in a chaotic dance of destruction, leaving behind patches of scorched earth and plumes of black smoke.
Despite their numbers, the attackers quickly faltered, fleeing in panic from the onslaught of ice and fire.
“You will face retribution!” the middle-aged man roared, struggling to maintain his grip on his sword in the raging wind. “We will report this to the celestial authorities and gather all the sects to capture you, demon! Then, I doubt you’ll be able to resist!”
With that, he abruptly retreated, vanishing into thin air. The remaining cultivators, seeing their leader gone, lost their courage and fled in a flurry of curses.
Luo Jinxiao didn’t pursue them. She spat on the ground and landed gracefully on the fractured cliff, brushing the dust from her robes.
“Hypocrites,” she muttered, adjusting her clothes.
A pair of hands reached out, gently and carefully smoothing out her ruffled sleeves.
“Jinxiao, I…”
Luo Jinxiao raised an eyebrow, her gaze cold and unforgiving as she looked at Qu Weiyin. Qu Weiyin’s voice trailed off under her icy stare.
“You disappeared again. You always leave without a word,” Luo Jinxiao said in a low voice, pulling her hand away.
This was the first time she had ever lost her temper with Qu Weiyin. The more she spoke, the more her anger flared, and her words became less guarded.
“Qu Weiyin, what exactly am I to you? Why do you always make decisions alone? Whether it’s killing Qu Chengzhou or dealing with the Shengsi Sect, you always leave me behind.”
The coldness in her voice when she said Qu Weiyin’s full name felt like a hammer blow to Qu Weiyin’s heart, leaving it pounding and trembling.
Qu Weiyin pressed her lips together, fighting back the tears that welled up in her eyes.
“I always have to guess what you’re thinking. Can’t you turn around and consider my feelings? I’m not a child you need to keep shielding. Do you see me as an equal partner in love? Or am I just a plaything to you?”
“Luo Jinxiao!” Qu Weiyin suddenly shouted angrily. She stepped back slightly, her eyes moist and pink, standing out even more against her pale skin.
The frost left on the ground earlier melted, turning into damp mud as the warm wind blew.
She said nothing more, seemingly holding back tears. Then she abruptly averted her gaze, turned, and flew away on her sword.
Her red robes billowed in the wind, flickering like a candle flame, outlining her dejected yet graceful figure. She disappeared quickly into the distance.
Luo Jinxiao stood there fuming for a moment, muttering under her breath, “I won’t look for you anymore.”
She started down the mountain path, passing Qiongqi, who had been hiding and watching the chaos. She grabbed Qiongqi, and the two figures – one tall, one short – stumbled and disappeared into the forest.
A while later, they reappeared, rushing back the way they had come. Qiongqi, with its short legs, stumbled occasionally as Luo Jinxiao pulled it along.
“Hurry, hurry! We’ll lose her if we’re too slow!” Luo Jinxiao shouted.
Qu Weiyin, in her anger, had flown away with incredible speed. They could only follow the faint traces of her aura. Luo Jinxiao didn’t even have time to tell Tang Lan’er where they were going as she dragged Qiongqi over mountains and through valleys.
Fortunately, Qu Weiyin had nowhere else to go and was heading towards the demon realm. After a day and night of relentless pursuit, Luo Jinxiao finally arrived at the small cottage, guided by the lingering scent of Qu Weiyin’s presence. It was already the next day.
She wasn’t particularly tired, but Qiongqi couldn’t keep up with her speed while flying and nearly collapsed. It lay sprawled on the grass, gazing at Luo Jinxiao with a resentful expression.
“Serves you right,” Luo Jinxiao muttered.
She rolled her eyes. After flying for a day and a night, her anger had subsided, replaced by a mixture of helplessness and worry.
Inside the cottage, everything remained untouched, covered in a thick layer of dust, preserved as it had been on their wedding day.
Luo Jinxiao stood at the entrance, lost in thought. It felt like a fleeting dream, a mere three years, yet everything had changed. For Qu Weiyin, the changes must have been even more profound.
She shouldn’t have been angry with her.
Luo Jinxiao stepped inside and bent down to pick up a faded red veil covered in dust. She gently shook it, and amidst the swirling dust, she could faintly make out its original appearance.
She remembered Qu Weiyin’s gentle smile, her relaxed demeanor, dressed in red but in human form.
Qu Weiyin had already been struggling internally, and Luo Jinxiao had failed to control her temper. That last look Qu Weiyin gave before leaving – a mix of emotions, deeply hurt – now made Luo Jinxiao’s heart ache.
She sighed deeply.
“She’s not here. Try sniffing again,” Luo Jinxiao said to Qiongqi, stepping back outside.
Qiongqi stretched her neck and scurried around on her short legs, sniffing the air. She shook its head.
“Can’t find her?” Luo Jinxiao wondered. “Could she have entered the demon realm?”
This reminded her that she hadn’t inquired about the situation in the demon realm since waking up. After the massacre, the Demon Queen was gone. She didn’t know if a new leader had emerged.
Without hesitation, Luo Jinxiao closed her eyes and chanted a silent spell. Her eyes suddenly filled with divine power, and when she opened them, they shimmered like water, allowing her to clearly see the outline of the barrier.
Being a god did have its advantages.
Luo Jinxiao grabbed Qiongqi and stepped through the barrier.
The moment she entered, a barrage of large spirit stones rained down on her from all directions, exploding like firecrackers upon impact. Thanks to her quick reflexes, she swiftly ascended, dodging the blasts.
At the same time, a thick tentacle descended from above, coiling around her neck. Luo Jinxiao gasped, tucking her head into her arms just in time to avoid being strangled.
Before the smoke from the exploding spirit stones could clear, more tentacles lashed out, attacking relentlessly. Seeing no way to dodge, Luo Jinxiao drew Wujue and sliced through them.
Just as she breathed a sigh of relief, a dark green, poisonous liquid oozed from the severed tentacles. Luo Jinxiao cursed and summoned her divine power to shield herself.
Suddenly, a familiar voice shouted, “Stop!” The tone was laced with panic.
The tentacles immediately retreated, slithering back into the ground and ceasing their poisonous spray. Luo Jinxiao landed safely, and Qiongqi, which had been caught in the chaos, rolled onto the ground, transformed back into its animal form, and scurried into her pouch.
Luo Jinxiao looked up to see a figure in red standing nearby. The panic in her eyes hadn’t completely faded. She met Luo Jinxiao’s gaze, then turned and started to walk away.
“Junior Shishu!” Luo Jinxiao exclaimed, overjoyed. She was about to chase after her when someone grabbed her and started patting her down.
Luo Jinxiao quickly covered her chest and looked down in surprise.
“Xiu’er?” Her eyes widened. She looked up to see the Tree Demon standing nearby, smiling warmly.
“Why are you here?” Luo Jinxiao’s anxiety melted away, replaced by a smile. She took Xiu’er’s hand. “It’s been three years. Did you set up these traps?”
The Tree Demon approached gracefully, her long, dark green hair held in place by a wooden hairpin adorned with flowers. She glanced at Xiu’er before answering, “Yes. After the demon realm was ravaged, many young demons were left without guidance. Xiu’er and I stayed to help them. As a Tree Demon, I can absorb spiritual energy from the heavens and earth, so I was able to quickly restore this place.”
“She was so happy today because she thought you and Immortal Qu had died here,” the Tree Demon explained, gently stroking Xiu’er’s hair.
“The demon realm has always been a secluded paradise, so its inhabitants neglected their cultivation and couldn’t protect themselves. We created these traps as a makeshift defense,” the Tree Demon said, glancing back before winking at Luo Jinxiao with her emerald green eyes.
“Did you two… have a fight?”
Luo Jinxiao blushed and rubbed her head sheepishly.
“She just arrived not long ago. When I saw her, she was standing in front of that small cottage in the forest, lost in thought and looking very sad. So I invited her in.”
“Although I didn’t ask, I could guess. The only one who could make Immortal Qu this sad is you,” the Tree Demon said, gently nudging Luo Jinxiao forward. “It’s not easy for soulmates to find each other. Don’t hurt each other anymore.”
Luo Jinxiao offered a wry smile and a thank you before setting off in the direction Qu Weiyin had taken.
Summer in the demon realm was a riot of colors, with flowers blooming everywhere. Luo Jinxiao ran through a field of flowers, their thorns pricking her legs.
She hopped and skipped towards the center of the field. The wind blew, sending colorful petals swirling like waves.
From afar, she spotted a lone figure standing amidst the flowers, surrounded by white butterflies. The scenery was picturesque, and so was the person.
Luo Jinxiao dashed towards her, appearing before her in a flash and blocking her path.
“Heavens, you can really run,” she blurted out.
Qu Weiyin held a small, six-petaled flower in her hand and looked at her coldly.
“Junior Shishu…” Luo Jinxiao softened her tone, leaning against her affectionately.
“Get away from me,” Qu Weiyin said, her shoulders trembling. Her eyes were still red-rimmed. “Didn’t you say I didn’t love you? Why are you chasing after me?”
Despite her harsh words, her eyes betrayed her true feelings.
“If you don’t understand, fine, but how could you say such things about me? That I see you as a plaything? If that were true, why would I have waited for you for seven, eight years? I could go back and become the Demon Lord and have as many beautiful men and women as I desire.”
As she spoke, tears dripped onto the flower in her hand.
“You’re taking my devotion for granted,” Qu Weiyin muttered.
“I was wrong, I was wrong. I was just flustered and wasn’t thinking straight,” Luo Jinxiao said, scratching her head and moving closer. “I’m just afraid, afraid that you’ll always put yourself in danger without telling me.”
“I don’t want to lose you,” Luo Jinxiao said, biting her lip and squeezing out a few tears.
Seeing her teary eyes, Qu Weiyin instinctively reached out, then hesitated and scolded, “You’re afraid, and so am I. With my nature, what if I end up like in my past life and… what am I supposed to do then?”
“That’s why I didn’t fight back. I don’t want to kill. I’d rather be bullied for your sake, and here you are, going out of your way to anger me.”
Qu Weiyin’s voice softened as she gently wiped away Luo Jinxiao’s tears.
Seeing her relenting, Luo Jinxiao clutched her leg and cried out in pain.
Qu Weiyin was startled and quickly lifted Luo Jinxiao’s skirt to see what had happened. Her slender, fair legs were covered in scratches from the thorns.
Her voice became urgent as she gently soothed the wounds. “What happened? You’re a god, why didn’t you protect yourself?”
“I was in a hurry,” Luo Jinxiao pouted.
Qu Weiyin sighed and straightened up, her phoenix eyes fixed on Luo Jinxiao. Finally, she conceded.
“From now on, I’ll tell you everything and won’t act alone anymore. Is that alright?” she said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind Luo Jinxiao’s ear, just like she always did.
Luo Jinxiao beamed and nodded repeatedly. She threw her arms around Qu Weiyin, holding her tightly, and kissed her forehead.
Qu Weiyin instinctively tried to dodge, lost her balance, and they both tumbled to the ground. Luo Jinxiao reacted quickly, rolling in mid-air and using her back as a cushion, crushing a patch of thorns beneath her.
Qu Weiyin landed softly in her arms.
Luo Jinxiao’s eyes widened as she looked up at the sky. She gasped, wincing in pain, and cried out,
“Ouch! Junior Shishu!”
