Chapter 94: Meeting Again
After about an hour, Qiongqi returned. She landed gracefully, her expression seemingly quite satisfied, with a person dangling from her grasp.
The captive was wrapped in a black robe, hands bound, struggling fiercely before tumbling to the ground.
“Why have you captured me? Release me!” The person was a man with a hooked nose and disheveled, dirty hair. He raised his head to glare at Luo Jinxiao, cursing loudly.
“That was quick,” Luo Jinxiao muttered to herself. She stood up and walked over to the man, crouching down in front of him.
As Luo Jinxiao approached, the man suddenly felt a deep fear and fell silent.
“Where did you catch him?” Luo Jinxiao asked.
“At the foot of the mountain,” Qiongqi replied.
Luo Jinxiao nodded, then suddenly drew Wujue, pressing it against the man’s throat. She asked calmly, “Why were you lurking near the Wuhui Sect?”
The man kept his mouth shut, refusing to speak.
Luo Jinxiao twisted the sword slightly, the sharp blade instantly drawing a line of blood across his neck. Black demonic energy seeped from the wound. The man cried out in pain and hurriedly begged for mercy.
Luo Jinxiao stopped, and said lazily, “If you don’t want to die, answer honestly.”
“I… I was just following orders, hiding nearby to observe the movements of the Wuhui Sect. I didn’t kill anyone. I didn’t do anything wrong. Please don’t kill me.” The man desperately tried to shrink back, wanting to distance himself from Luo Jinxiao’s sword.
“Whose orders?”
The man’s shifty eyes darted around. Seeing no escape, he replied with a bitter face, “Orders from above. I’m just a newly formed lesser demon. Please let me go.”
Luo Jinxiao looked at him, her thoughts churning. She asked again, “Where is the entrance to the Demon Realm?”
“That… the entrance to the Demon Realm is heavily guarded. You won’t be able to get in.”
Tired of wasting words, Luo Jinxiao pressed the sword higher. The man began to squeal like a pig being slaughtered, “I’ll… I’ll take you there! Don’t kill me!”
Having obtained her answer, Luo Jinxiao sheathed Wujue and motioned for Qiongqi to tie him up again.
Lu Fanzhi, who was standing nearby, watched Luo Jinxiao with wide eyes. She edged closer and asked cautiously, “Are you going to enter the Demon Realm?”
Luo Jinxiao nodded, wiping the grime off her sword.
“The Demon Realm is very dangerous. How about I go with you?” Lu Fanzhi asked worriedly.
Luo Jinxiao shook her head. She planned to infiltrate the Demon Realm to see if Qu Weiyin was truly as the rumors described. It would be more convenient to go alone.
“I’ll leave tomorrow. You and Yan Ying can help take care of Luo Ning,” Luo Jinxiao said, putting away her sword.
“Why so suddenly? You just came back. And if you go to the Demon Realm, what if you see…” Lu Fanzhi trailed off abruptly.
Luo Jinxiao knew what she wanted to say but didn’t respond. She returned to the Sect Leader’s bamboo hut on her own.
“Where has your master been these past three years? Why does she seem to have changed so much?” Lu Fanzhi stared at Luo Jinxiao’s retreating figure and whispered to Qiongqi.
Inside the hut, all was peaceful. The Sect Leader sat quietly, watching Yan Ying feed medicine to Luo Ning.
Her gaze was filled with tenderness, as if she were looking through the years, seeing her past self.
“I don’t want to drink anymore.” Luo Ning’s small face was scrunched up in a grimace from the bitterness. She pushed Yan Ying’s hand away. “Why does it taste so strong?”
“It’s a great tonic soup. Look how weak you are, you need to nourish yourself,” Yan Ying said cheerfully.
Luo Jinxiao stood outside the door for a while, then walked over and sat down next to the Sect Leader.
“You’re back,” the Sect Leader said with a smile.
“Yes, I plan to leave tomorrow for the Demon Realm,” Luo Jinxiao said softly.
The Sect Leader’s long eyelashes lifted in surprise. “What are you going to the Demon Realm for? To find her?”
Luo Jinxiao didn’t speak, tacitly confirming her guess.
The Sect Leader hesitated, words on the tip of her tongue, but ultimately didn’t speak. She sighed softly, placing her cold fingers on Luo Jinxiao’s shoulder.
“I know she doesn’t remember me,” Luo Jinxiao said quietly. “But I still have to go and see, don’t I? What if…”
“Alright. But be careful. If you encounter danger, crush this.” The Sect Leader handed her a spirit stone.
“I know you’re a god now, your power certainly surpasses mine. But things can always change, and with Qu Weiyin… I imagine it would be difficult for you to raise a hand against her.”
“Thank you, Sect Leader.” Luo Jinxiao smiled.
The Sect Leader reached out, as if wanting to smooth Luo Jinxiao’s hair, but stopped midway.
After a moment, she withdrew her hand, pretending nothing had happened.
“We’ll be waiting for your return.”
Unsure how to interact with others now, Luo Jinxiao didn’t bid farewell to Luo Ning or her fellow disciples. That night, she left the Wuhui Sect with Qiongqi.
Following the captured demon’s directions, they traveled south, arriving at Luyang Province.
Compared to the bustling prosperity Luo Jinxiao had witnessed before, Luyang Province was now in chaos. The streets were sparsely populated, and despite being the height of summer, a desolate atmosphere prevailed. The wind kicked up dust and debris.
The common people were deeply affected by the turmoil. Ordinary women and children didn’t dare to go out. It was only thanks to the protection and aid of nearby sects that they managed to survive.
Only a few daring mortals occasionally passed by, hurrying along, afraid to linger too late.
Luo Jinxiao stood on the main street for a while, suddenly feeling how much had changed. The last time she came here, her heart was full of joy, eager to see Qu Weiyin. This time, though she was still looking for Qu Weiyin, her state of mind was entirely different.
She inquired with the demon and learned that the entrance to the demon realm only opened at night. So she decided to wait for a few hours, looking for an open shop to rest.
After walking almost the entire length of the street, she finally found a teahouse tucked away in a corner. It was also quite empty, with only a few people seated inside, all of whom were clearly cultivators.
It made sense. Who would dare leisurely sip tea at a time like this without knowing some form of magic?
Luo Jinxiao found a seat by the window, sipping her tea and listening to the hushed conversation at the next table.
“What should we do? We’ve been searching for two whole days, and we haven’t seen a trace of the Young Sect Leader, not even any of her attendants. Could they have really been captured by the demons?”
“It’s hard to say. I’ve already sent someone back to inform the Sect Leader. All we can do now is wait. What kind of place is the Demon Realm? If we go in, we’ll surely die. We can only hope that the Young Sect Leader is fortunate and nothing bad has happened.”
Young Sect Leader? Luo Jinxiao twirled her teacup. Could Tang Lan’er be that unlucky? Captured by demons once, and now possibly a second time?
But the people talking were dressed plainly, making it impossible to tell which sect they belonged to.
Luo Jinxiao suddenly stood up and walked over, tapping on their table.
The group looked up, startled by the sight of Luo Jinxiao in her white robes. They were momentarily stunned by her beauty, then seeing she was a woman, kindly advised, “Miss, Luyang Province isn’t safe these days. You’re not from around here, are you? You’d best go home soon, or at least find an inn. Don’t wander around outside.”
“Thank you.” Luo Jinxiao nodded. Then she asked, “The Young Sect Leader you were talking about, is that…”
“We are from the Baiyue Sect. Our Young Sect Leader is the renowned Tang Lan’er. A few days ago, she led a group to deliver relief supplies to Luyang Province. But then they disappeared. We’ve been searching for days, but there’s no sign of them.” The man spoke with a worried and helpless expression.
Luo Jinxiao withdrew her hand. As she suspected, it was Tang Lan’er.
It seemed she would have to find time to look for Tang Lan’er after entering the Demon Realm. Hopefully, she hadn’t been devoured by the demons.
The sky quickly darkened. The members of the Baiyue Sect packed their belongings and left before sunset, not forgetting to remind Luo Jinxiao to leave as well.
The teahouse owner, an elderly man, also began to close up shop. As he locked the door, he rubbed his back and said to Luo Jinxiao, “Child, hurry home. The sun is about to set. Once it does, demons will emerge. People often disappear just behind this street. Be careful!”
Luo Jinxiao thanked him politely. As soon as she left the teahouse, she turned and headed towards the back street he had mentioned.
After navigating through several winding alleys, the sun completely disappeared. The surroundings were gloomy, with occasional gusts of cold wind that sent shivers down her spine.
Luo Jinxiao stood alone in a corner, waiting silently.
It seemed the demon hadn’t lied to her. Soon, a swirling vortex of wind appeared in the middle of the street, like a pitch-black doorway. Countless demons poured out from within, instantly vanishing into the night sky, their destinations unknown.
Once the flow of demons ceased, Luo Jinxiao stepped into the vortex. The scene before her instantly flipped. She tumbled in mid-air, then landed steadily on barren desert ground.
The Demon Realm looked much the same as she remembered: a blood-red sky above a desolate landscape, with only a few withered yellow blades of grass lying limply on the ground.
Wide, deep chasms crisscrossed the terrain, the earth cracked and filled with sand. Occasionally, a bare, rocky hill would rise abruptly, forcing her to detour.
Luo Jinxiao headed towards the area with the strongest demonic energy. She hadn’t traveled far when a massive structure loomed into view, towering into the blood-red sky. It appeared to be a palace, but its walls were mottled and cracked, both imposing and ancient.
Luo Jinxiao’s heart skipped a beat. If she guessed correctly, this was where the Demon Lord resided.
Three long years. While she had been asleep, it must have been an agonizing time for Qu Weiyin.
She still remembered Qu Weiyin’s words about the monotonous and completely boring scenery of the Demon Realm.
She wondered what Qu Weiyin had become.
Suddenly, several armored demons approached. Luo Jinxiao instinctively hid behind a hill. An idea struck her, and she summoned a silver-white light to her palm, which she then passed over her face.
When she lowered her hand, her originally black eyes had turned brown, and her snowy skin had darkened considerably, making her appearance quite ordinary. Only her height remained the same.
Her divine power allowed her to flawlessly disguise herself as a demon.
The group of demons reached her and grabbed her arm, pulling her along.
“Who are you? Newly formed?” the leader demanded.
Luo Jinxiao feigned terror and nodded.
Another demon looked her up and down, whispering to the leader, “I think she’ll do. The Demon Lord’s standards are too high – doesn’t want ones that look like demons, doesn’t want ugly ones. This one has two eyes, one nose, and just one mouth. She’s passable.”
“Anyway, those sent in don’t last more than twenty days. Let’s just grab whoever we can to make up the numbers.”
The leader rotated his four eyes, finding merit in these words. He suddenly bared his teeth, “Consider yourself lucky. You get to serve the Demon Lord. Now hurry up and follow us!”
Before Luo Jinxiao could speak, everything went dark, and she found herself inside the demon palace with them.
She steadied herself after a few stumbling steps and silently surveyed the interior. It was vast, with echoing voices. She stood in what seemed to be an entrance hall, alongside several other young women.
“You, follow them and do whatever you’re told,” the armored demon shoved Luo Jinxiao roughly. “If you dare to run, expect the Demon Lord to snap your neck.”
Luo Jinxiao pretended to stumble forward. When she looked back, the demons were gone.
The great hall was vast and empty, but armored guards stood watch along the sides. Luo Jinxiao lined up behind the other girls, following them as they slowly walked deeper inside.
“Hey, were you captured too?” the girl at the end of the line turned and asked. Her hair was disheveled, her eyes pale, and the demonic energy around her weak, clearly indicating she had only recently transformed.
Luo Jinxiao nodded.
“You have to be careful. I heard the Demon Lord has a fiery temper and will banish anyone at the slightest displeasure. On the other hand, the Left King, Yu Gui, is said to be very gentle and kind. If I had the chance, I’d rather go to him.”
As the girl spoke, her eyes seemed to sparkle with admiration.
Luo Jinxiao rolled her eyes. The mere mention of Yu Gui’s name made her grind her teeth in hatred. The thought of him being by Qu Weiyin’s side for the past three years fueled her anger.
After a long walk, they finally entered a more elaborately decorated hall. Armored demons holding weapons stood around the perimeter, exuding an imposing presence. At the far end was a stone table with some fruits and a jug of wine.
“The Demon Lord is coming!” someone whispered. The girls instantly straightened their postures, standing respectfully in line.
Luo Jinxiao abruptly raised her head, looking towards the entrance.
A gold-embroidered shoe stepped gracefully into the room, followed by a long, flowing dress hem sliding over the threshold. Long sleeves fluttered like wind, revealing a slender waist and delicate hands hanging at her sides.
Someone rushed forward to take Qu Weiyin’s hand, respectfully guiding her into the hall. With each step, her skirt swayed, and the red bean chain adorning her forehead danced along.
Luo Jinxiao stared, completely forgetting to offer a proper greeting.
She forcefully suppressed the urgent, overwhelming urge to rush forward and embrace her.
Qu Weiyin hadn’t changed at all. She was still dressed in red, her every glance and gesture exuding charm. With just a slight tilt of her head, her phoenix eyes could captivate one’s soul.
She slowly walked to the stone table, gracefully turning her slender shoulders to sweep her robe behind her. Her gaze fell on Luo Jinxiao.
Luo Jinxiao stared back intently, not daring to look away.
Qu Weiyin observed her for a moment, then suddenly raised her hand. A sharp pain pierced Luo Jinxiao’s back, as if a thousand-pound cauldron had been placed upon her, forcing her to bow low.
Her heart ached. Qu Weiyin’s eyes were filled with indifference and detachment.
“Why are these newcomers so lacking in manners?” Qu Weiyin said calmly as she gracefully took her seat.
“Well, they’re here for you to choose from, Demon Lord. Those you dislike can simply be sent away,” a somewhat familiar female voice chimed in. Luo Jinxiao’s heart skipped a beat, and she raised her head again.
Standing beside Qu Weiyin was none other than her former disciple, Qing Yi.
Gone was her youthful innocence. Now, she was adorned in light, revealing garments, looking strikingly beautiful.
She’s still alive? Luo Jinxiao clenched her fists.
“Here, Demon Lord, have some tea. This is your favorite.” Qing Yi smiled, biting her lip, and lifted the teacup to Qu Weiyin’s lips.
Qu Weiyin instinctively recoiled. She glanced at Qing Yi with a hint of disgust in her eyes, but ultimately opened her mouth and took a sip.
Suddenly, a surge of fiery anger welled up in Luo Jinxiao’s heart. Just as Qu Weiyin took a sip, the teacup unexpectedly shattered into dust.
Fragments of porcelain, mixed with tea, spilled onto Qu Weiyin, soaking her robes.
Qu Weiyin paused, her long lashes blinking in surprise. She instinctively looked up, and Luo Jinxiao quickly averted her gaze.
It’s over. I couldn’t hold back.
