Soon, someone reacted and shouted, "You're a demoness, how dare you threaten us?"
"Exactly! Your father raised a demoness like you, and you still have the nerve to stand here?"
"Get out of Maoshan! Get out!"
Rotten vegetables and rotten eggs flew over again. Hua Qian Gu shielded her father with her body, taking several hits on her back.
She gritted her teeth and didn't dodge.
She couldn't dodge. Her father was behind her; if she dodged, these would hit him.
Just as she was preparing to endure it—
The sky suddenly darkened.
It wasn't dark clouds, but dense formations of Demon Soldiers flying from all directions, obscuring the sun and sky. They wore black armor, wielded halberds, had ferocious faces, and exuded a strong Demonic Energy.
The villagers were so terrified their legs went weak. Some screamed and fled in all directions, while others collapsed on the ground, trembling.
The Demon Soldiers landed around Hua Qian Gu, forming a tight protective circle around her and her father.
"Who gave you the courage?"
A low voice echoed from the sky, carrying an undeniable pressure.
Everyone looked up.
Sha Qian Mo descended slowly from the sky. Clad in white clothes and with white hair, his purple eyes were cold and sharp. His cloak fluttered behind him. He was also holding the glowing green egg in his embrace, a scene both bizarre and awe-inspiring.
He landed beside Hua Qian Gu, his gaze sweeping over the terrified villagers, whose faces were ashen, finally settling on the man who had been shouting the most aggressively.
"You, say that again." His voice was soft, but each word was like a knife.
The man's legs buckled, and he immediately knelt. "M-My lord, spare me..."
"I asked you, say it again." Sha Qian Mo took a step forward.
The man was so scared he wet himself, unable to speak clearly. "I, I..."
"Sha Qian Mo," Hua Qian Gu tugged his sleeve, "Don't hurt anyone."
Sha Qian Mo looked down at her, saw the stains of rotten vegetables and eggs on her back, and frowned deeply.
"They hurt you."
"No," Hua Qian Gu shook her head, "They just threw some things."
"Throwing things is not allowed either." Sha Qian Mo turned, facing the villagers, and raised his voice slightly. "Listen up, all of you."
The villagers all knelt in unison.
"Hua Qian Gu is someone I, Sha Qian Mo, protect." His voice wasn't loud, but everyone within a ten-mile radius could hear him clearly. "Anyone who dares to touch a single hair on her head is an enemy of the Demon and Monster Realms. You mortals, before you move against her, weigh your own lives first."
No one dared to speak.
The entire village was so quiet you could hear the wind.
Hua Qian Gu stood behind Sha Qian Mo, looking at his figure, a complex emotion welling up inside her.
In her previous life, she had never been protected like this.
In front of Bai Zi Hua, she was a disciple, expected to be sensible, obedient, and not cause him trouble. In front of Ni Mantian, she was a target, meant to be hit, to endure, and not to fight back.
But Sha Qian Mo was different.
He never asked her to be sensible, never told her to endure. If someone bullied her, he would fight back. If someone cursed her, he would retort. Simple, direct, and unreasonable.
"Sha Qian Mo," she said softly.
"Hmm?"
"Thank you."
Sha Qian Mo didn't turn around, but the corner of his mouth curved slightly.
Father Hua was quite shaken by the spectacle, shrinking behind Hua Qian Gu, afraid to look at Sha Qian Mo.
"Father, it's alright now," Hua Qian Gu turned and supported her father, "He's my friend."
"F-Friend?" Father Hua trembled as he glanced at Sha Qian Mo, then quickly lowered his head. "Xiao Gu, he, he seems to be that, that Demon Lord..."
"It's him," Hua Qian Gu nodded, "But he won't hurt us."
Father Hua swallowed, unsure whether to believe it or not.
Sha Qian Mo turned, glanced at Father Hua, unfastened a money pouch from his waist, and handed it over.
"Take it."
Father Hua dared not accept.
"Take it when I tell you to," Sha Qian Mo stuffed the money pouch into Father Hua's hand. "It's not safe here, you can't stay in Maoshan anymore. I'll send someone to take you to a safe place."
Father Hua opened the money pouch and took a look, nearly fainting—it was full of gold.
"Th-This is too much..."
"It's not much," Sha Qian Mo said calmly, "You are Hua Qian Gu's father, which makes you my elder. It's only right to show respect to elders."
Hua Qian Gu stood by, watching this scene, her eyes reddening again.
This fool.
In her previous life, he was just like this, treating her with complete sincerity, never asking if it was worthy.
"Father, listen to him," Hua Qian Gu said, supporting her father, "We can't stay in Maoshan. I'll take you to a safe place."
"Where?"
Hua Qian Gu looked at Sha Qian Mo.
Sha Qian Mo said, "In the Human Realm, there's a place called Qingcheng Mountain. At the foot of the mountain, there's a manor, which is my property. Many mortals live there, and no one dares to cause trouble. Your father can live there safely."
Hua Qian Gu nodded.
She turned and hugged her father, whispering in his ear, "Father, I'm sorry for implicating you."
Father Hua patted her back and sighed, "Silly girl, what are you talking about implicating? You're my daughter; if I don't protect you, who will?"
Hua Qian Gu buried her face in her father's shoulder, tears finally falling.
An hour later, a troop of Demon Soldiers escorted Father Hua away from Maoshan.
Hua Qian Gu stood at the Village Entrance, watching her father's figure disappear at the end of the mountain road, remaining still for a long time.
"Don't worry, nothing will happen," Sha Qian Mo stood beside her, still holding Tang Bao's Egg.
"I know," Hua Qian Gu sniffled, turned to look at him, "Thank you."
"You've already thanked me three times today."
"I still have to thank you."
Sha Qian Mo glanced at her and handed the egg back to her. "Your egg, it's about to hatch."
Hua Qian Gu took the egg. The green light on the shell was brighter than before, and cracks covered almost the entire surface.
"Soon," she pressed the egg to her face. "Tang Bao, come out quickly. In this life, many people are waiting for you."
The eggshell flickered.
Sha Qian Mo looked at her profile and suddenly said, "Hua Qian Gu, did you have a very difficult past life?"
Hua Qian Gu paused for a moment, then smiled.
"Very difficult," she said, "But in this life, it won't be."
Because in this life, I have you.
She added in her heart.
【End of Chapter·Comment Section: What was your favorite line from Sha Qian Mo?】
✦✦✦