Yan Lang looked at the sickly beauty lying on the ground, her face pale and stained with blood, and a subtly lecherous expression appeared on his face.
“My cultivation has just reached a bottleneck. Since the heavens themselves have sent a Water Spiritual Root cultivator to me, conquering the Demon Clan must be just around the corner. Lin Xun, the lone king will reward you handsomely.”
Lin Xun cupped his hands in a salute and departed as if granted a reprieve.
Yan Lang released the beautiful fox demoness and crouched down to look at the listless woman on the floor. Beautiful, yes, but far too dirty at the moment.
“Give the order. Have her cleaned up and sent to the lone king’s bedchamber.”
The fox demoness shot a venomous glare at the red-robed young woman curled up silently on the ground, then she too left the castle.
She was the princess sent by the Fox Clan for a marriage alliance a hundred years ago. She had enjoyed his favor without fail ever since and had even borne Yan Lang a daughter, Yan Sheng, who was currently the one and only Demon Princess.
Damn that human! To think she could be so beautiful. No, she had to go back and consult the elders. The Demon Clan Queen could only be from their Fox Demon Clan.
Ning Jinyu was taken by the Wolf Clan’s servant girls to the bedchamber, where she was thoroughly tidied up and changed into the attire of the Wolf Demon Clan women—a fine Rabbit Fur Snow Gauze Skirt.
The long, snow-white, sheer gauze sleeves revealed her slender, jade-like hands. The skirt was cinched at the waist with a sash made of soft, beautiful rabbit fur. The top had a round collar, inlaid layer upon layer with jewels, looking opulent and exquisite. There was a cutout at the collarbone. The hem of the skirt was short in the front and long in the back, revealing her long legs and creating a train-like effect that was exceptionally beautiful.
The servant girls braided Ning Jinyu’s hair into several small plaits, making her look beautiful and aloof, yet with an ineffable hint of obedience, truly like a rabbit spirit.
She had originally found getting her period quite annoying, but now Ning Jinyu felt a sense of relief. Thank goodness it was that time of the month, otherwise she would have been used as a Cauldron by this so-called Demon King.
Because of the series of things she had done, the current Demon Lord was not Song Qingyan, and he hadn’t even brought the Demon Clan under his command yet.
How unpredictable the world was.
Since Ning Jinyu was a Water Spiritual Root, Yan Lang, upon learning that they could not engage in intercourse, did not mistreat her. He ordered the servant girls to take meticulous care of her, and she was followed by a number of guards to prevent her from escaping.
So much had happened in one day. Ning Jinyu didn’t want to bother with anything and slept soundly for a night in the Wolf Clan Castle.
In her dreams, the Abyssal Dragon she often dreamt of had taken on Song Qingyan’s appearance, and they had become enemies…
“Miss, please eat a little more.”
Ning Jinyu stared blankly at the table full of meat dishes. When she came back to her senses, she had some pastries and tea to fill her stomach.
“Do you know where the other female cultivators who were captured with me yesterday are now?”
The servant girls stood to the side and said in a gentle voice, “Miss, they have been imprisoned in the Wolf Clan Prison by the Wolf Clan warriors and are awaiting execution.”
“…” I see.
Ning Jinyu could barely fend for herself right now; she had no energy to meddle in others’ affairs.
She had to think of a way to escape the Demon Clan, or else she would face the same fate as before.
She thought of the beautiful woman from yesterday who had looked at her with disdain.
“Excuse me, who was that lady who was with the Demon King yesterday?”
The servant girls considered that although she was human, she was beautiful and a Water Spiritual Root, whose dual cultivation could enhance one’s cultivation. It was only a matter of time before she became one of the Demon King’s consorts.
“That was the Queen, the eldest princess of the Fox Clan, Hu Yunqing.”
No wonder she was so stunningly beautiful. So she was a fox demoness.
Ning Jinyu propped up her chin with an affected air, looking at the servant girls with a rather melancholic expression. “The Demon King told you to watch me closely, but he didn’t say to restrict my freedom. So, could you take me to see the Queen? I just hope to get on good terms with Her Majesty the Queen in advance.”
“…This…” The servant girls looked at each other, feeling quite troubled.
Ning Jinyu’s small face was like jade, her eyes misty and utterly charming, and her voice was coquettish. “Pretty servant sisters, please? Besides, seeing the Queen won’t delay anything.”
“Alright then. But the Queen returned to the Fox Clan yesterday for a visit.”
“…”
Alas, what was she to do?
“I want to go see those few human cultivators. They’re locked up in the Wolf Clan Prison. I won’t be able to do anything.”
The servant girls nodded. “If Miss Ning wishes to go, you may.”
The security of the Wolf Clan Prison had always been handled by warriors personally appointed by the Demon King Yan Lang, and there had never been any trouble.
If a quick look could make this new little beauty a bit happier and convince her to willingly follow the Demon King, then when the Demon King was pleased, they would likely benefit as well.
On the other side.
After the people from the Sword Sect discovered that Cui Xian and the others were missing, they rushed back to the Sect at top speed. Seeing that the girls hadn’t returned, they then searched all over Huangshan.
Su Qingyue had obtained the Floating Life Memory. To comprehend it, she had returned to the Sword Sect and entered seclusion, leaving Zuo Yixuan and the other two to lead the search.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t calm her mind at all and was unable to leave the Sect. Her memory rewound to the time before they went to the Stone Pillar Dragon Gate.
She saw a black dragon tear through the void and emerge, appearing in the world with an aura of hostility and immense pressure.
The Earth Dragon on the stone pillars instantly crumbled and collapsed.
They knew they had arrived too late. But just as the three of them were suppressed by the spiritual pressure, unable to exert any strength, the black dragon unexpectedly swooped down from the sky and transformed into a human.
It was none other than that Fellow Daoist Song who had been following Ning Jinyu.
She only remembered him striding towards them, his face grim. “Why is it you? Where’s Jin Yu?”
Su Qingyue looked at his handsome, cold brows and his black pupils that glinted with golden light. Her heart stirred slightly as she said, “We just saw Fellow Daoist Ning on the road. She ran off with her eyes all red.”
Song Qingyan gave a soft “mm” and was about to walk past them.
Su Qingyue suddenly grabbed the corner of his robe and said with a soft smile, “Fellow Daoist Song, did you get the Floating Life Memory?”
Song Qingyan looked back at her face. When she smiled, she resembled Ning Jinyu even more, but for some reason, he just felt that Ning Jinyu was prettier.
He pulled his sleeve back and said indifferently, “That broken fan? I just threw it in the ruins.”
After he spoke, he channeled his cyan-blue spiritual energy and sent a jolt towards the shattered remnants of the buildings in the ruins. A corner of the ancient jade fan was suddenly revealed, and it flew towards Song Qingyan.
He handed the fan to Su Qingyue, his words concise and shocking. “A thank you gift.”
With that, he vanished from the spot in a flash.
Su Qingyue understood. He was thanking her for taking Ning Jinyu with her in the forest, and for telling him her whereabouts just now. Were these small things worth a Divine Artifact?
She tightened her grip on it, then relaxed, placing the Floating Life Memory into her personal Storage Bag. She held her Light Wind Sword and walked back with the other two.
“He’s actually a dragon! Weren’t the Ancient Dragon Clan supposed to have gone extinct long ago?”
Luo Chuan only dared to exclaim after he had left.
As for Zuo Yixuan, he had been watching Su Qingyue the entire time without a word. He had a feeling that she seemed unusually concerned about this seemingly irrelevant man.
Later, they discovered the disappearance of Cui Xian and the others. Su Qingyue returned to the Sect with the Divine Artifact, while Zuo Yixuan and Luo Chuan went to search for the missing people.
…
“Elders, you must judge this for me! How long have I been married to him, and now he wants to marry a human woman!”
Hu Yunqing swayed her hips, dressed in the finest Cloud Brocade, and sat on a chaise lounge, dabbing at her tears with affected grace.
The three great elders were advanced in age. They sat on square stools below, stroking their beards, shaking their heads, and sighing. What did old fellows like them know about matters of the heart? There was also a young and beautiful elder sitting in front, her features as picturesque as a painting.
Shangguan Qinghuan propped her leg on the low table in front of her, looking quite leisurely. “I say, Your Majesty the Queen, it’s just one human woman. What’s worth worrying about? You summoned the four of us great elders back for this. Speaking of which, the Wolf Demon King has been married to you for a hundred years and hasn’t taken a single consort, has he? How troublesome.”