CH 21

Humans and demons, since a long time ago, harboured an ocean’s worth of hatred for each other. When Fang Shilan met Mu Xiaoyun, it was the first time she left the rat race.

In the outskirts of Ganlin City, there was a mountain called Chushan where many demon races lived, one of which being the rat race. Fang Shilan had just become the elder of the rat race, and although her position had been elevated, she knew that she was nothing more than an obedient puppet. 

However, this was good, she was satisfied. To not have to deal with those crazies in her clan was already a heaven-sent blessing.

After coming to power, she had never done anything that would go against Yan Xuan’s wishes – except for meeting Mu Xiaoyun.

She had never seen anyone who would get lost in the territory of the demons. Fang Shilan felt that this man had some brain problems and if she ate him, she would become stupid too.

The man was locked up in the dungeon. Fang Shilan heard that he seemed to be the son of some city lord, and so she personally went to see him. After all, the rat race was a very tiny race, they didn’t have genius talent in cultivation like Yan Xuan, nor were they as intelligent as Fu Zhuo. 

They were like rats hiding in the darkness, living fearfully under the rule of the Demon Venerable. If the Demon Venerable was unhappy, then it was very possible for their entire race to be exterminated.

Thankfully, after Yan Xuan killed the previous Demon Venerable and ascended to the position, he spent his days lackadaisically. He was also fond of battle, and liked to pester Immortal Master Yi Ning for a fight. Thus, the rat race found themselves with a lot more free time.

The rat race needed to rely on the people in the nearby city to live. They needed the city’s food provisions, the city’s spirit stones and wealth, as well as the city’s live humans.

This was why Fang Shilan decided to personally make a deal with Mu Xiaoyun.

Unexpectedly, he was a city lord’s son, yet the first words out of his mouth were–

“Were you also kidnapped?”

After speaking, he even considerately shifted to the side to free up an empty space for Fang Shilan to sit down, his eyes glittering like he was overjoyed to have someone’s company.

Maybe he’s actually stupid, Fang Shilan thought. 

Perhaps because she was facing such a gaze, but Fang Shilan felt mischievousness sprouting within her.

She lifted a hand and dismissed her subordinates. Seeing the man’s eyes fill with shock, she smiled at him and said, “Now, you should know what I’m here for, right?”

The man was briefly dumbfounded, dazzled by her smile. He immediately fixed his posture, racking his brains before finally answering, “Could you be the daughter of a mountain bandit?”

Fang Shilan: … 

Did she look like a mountain bandit?

“I knew you weren’t. Hurry and come over here, were you also captured by them?” Mu Xiaoyun excitedly gestured for her to come over, piling up the softest straw in the cell for Fang Shilan to sit down on.

What was truly strange was that Fang Shilan actually walked inside, telling herself that she only wanted to see what this human was trying to pull.

The handsome man was polite, although he didn’t look very smart, he was surprisingly interesting. They chatted about everything from the unpredictable weather in Chushan to Ganlin City with its four seasons like spring. From what kinds of azaleas had bloomed that year, to the countless stars in the sky. 

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After a long time, he finally stopped walking, turning his head and yelling back at her, “Hey! Do you want to go back to Ganlin City with me?” 

He proposed marriage to Fang Shilan.

The rat living in the darkness finally saw the light for the first time.

She agreed.

Fang Shilan closed her eyes. She knew that even if Yan Xuan didn’t kill her, they couldn’t go back to how they were before. 

“Xiaoyun, I’m sorry.” She turned around and pierced her body on Yan Xuan’s saber.

Blood bubbled up from the wound. Yan Xuan was stunned, he hadn’t expected Fang Shilan to actively seek death.

Mu Xiaoyun’s eyes were red as he rushed forward, pushing aside Yan Xuan like he had gone mad with unforeseen strength. The saber was abruptly pulled out and Yan Xuan quietly scolded, fool.

Fang Shilan turned her face away, unwilling to let Mu Xiaoyun see her face that was covered in fur. Actually, she wasn’t beautiful, wasn’t gentle, and even more so wasn’t a sensible lady. 

“Shilan, why are you so stupid, Shilan…” Mu Xiaoyun hugged Fang Shilan tightly and sobbed bitterly. “I would still want you even if you were from the demonic race. Why are you so stupid!”

Yan Xuan stood to the side, locking gazes with Gan’er who had scampered over.

It seems like he was the villain of the story again. How irritating.

Fang Shilan gently raised her hand, stroked Mu Xiaoyun’s face, and said, reminiscing, “If only I could be like you.” 

To be a human like you, then we wouldn’t be separated by the world, and even more so wouldn’t have to risk so much just to have a child.

Yan Xuan understood the meaning behind her words, and couldn’t help but think of Yi Ning. After all, Yi Ning was walking the path to ascension, and even if he wasn’t a stumbling block on Yi Ning’s path, he would never become the person beside Yi Ning.

Thinking of this, Yan Xuan suddenly kicked Mu Xiaoyun away.

“Scram. If you continue shaking her, she’ll die within the hour without a doubt.” Yan Xuan said coldly, tugging on Fang Shilan’s collar and ordering, “Dispel the hex poison on those 17 women.” 

Mu Xiaoyun’s organs were shaken up by that kick, and it took a long time before he struggled up from the ground and crawled towards Fang Shilan, calling Fang Shilan’s name in pain.

“There is no hex poison… from the very beginning, there never was…” Fang Shilan spat out large mouthfuls of blood. Her tears mingled with the blood, and she could no longer taste it.

Yan Xuan raised his eyebrows, he didn’t expect Fang Shilan to have a conscience.

He lifted his saber and dug out Fang Shilan’s spiritual core, then pinched it to dust. It looked like this was her real body. 

“Venerable Lord… let Xiaoyun go…” Fang Shilan weakly grabbed Yan Xuan’s clothes. She had already repeated these words many times, for fear that Yan Xuan would kill Mu Xiaoyun along with her.

Behind him, Mu Xiaoyun screamed in pain, got up from the ground, grabbed Yan Xuan by the collar and punched him. However, Yan Xuan was unmoved, and reached out a hand to catch his fist.

“What? Are you going to blame me for you reaping the consequences of your actions?” Yan Xuan kicked him away, pinned him to the ground and said, “You couldn’t protect your wife, you didn’t even know what she wanted”

“I’ll kill you!” Mu Xiaoyun sobbed and thrashed around, wanting to strangle Yan Xuan’s throat, yet he couldn’t touch him at all. “Shilan!” 

The him now was like a child. A child that had been protected too well by Fang Shilan and didn’t know anything.

And suddenly one day, Fang Shilan left him, and these bloody realities were placed in front of him. In an instant, he couldn’t bear it.

From the moment Fang Shilan decided to get those 17 women to give birth in her place, she made the wrong play. After that, she continued to make a series of wrong plays, and even her state now was no one’s fault but her own.

Fang Shilan died. The lotus flower in the pool vanished into dust, and the huge palace was reduced to ashes. 

“I curse you! I curse that you will never be able to be with the one you love for the rest of your life!” Mu Xiaoyun glared at Yan Xuan, pouring every ounce of hatred into his glare.

However, Yan Xuan has seen this look too many times.

Yan Xuan raised the saber, saw his face from in the reflection, and said calmly, “As you wish.”

In any case, he never had any wishes. Everything he did was to get close to him. 

Mother told him before she died that he was born to be reviled by others, so he should never expect anyone to save him.

The only thing that could save him was the saber in his hand, and the blood on its blade.

Yi Ning sat behind the curtain, listening to these women talking back and forth about their past experiences, and was even occasionally pulled into the conversation.

He had always been reticent, but was helpless against the face of their enthusiasm. Yi Ning had never met women like this before, they were unlike the well-behaved female disciples of Minguang Sect, nor were they like the noble ladies he met when he was eliminating evil. 

It was as if just by sitting with them, he would become their friend. This thought made Yi Ning nervous for no reason, after all, he had no experience chatting with friends.

“I have never met a sincere man in my life. Sister Li, you’ve experienced a lot, have you ever seen a sincere man?”

“You’ve asked the right person. When I was in the brothel, an official’s son would send me something to eat every day, and it was all made by the imperial chef. I heard that the more a man likes you, the more he would want to shower you with gifts.”

Gifts… Yi Ning lifted his teacup and took a sip, the scene of Yan Xuan pulling out a pile of rare spiritual fruits and stuffing them in his hands mysteriously surfacing in his mind. 

That probably didn’t count.

“There’s more. That young master once broke one of my hairpins by accident and insisted on repaying me with a gold bracelet. I knew that he did it on purpose to earn my favour, so I refused it. The second time, he changed it to a golden hairpin. There were so many tricks up his sleeve!”

Last time, Yan Xuan ruined his sword tassel and forcibly pushed a treasure cup onto him as repayment… Yi Ning choked on his tea, attracting everyone’s gaze.

He steadied himself, then said slowly, “It’s hot.” 

Only then did the women continue their conversation.

The sound of talking and laughter travelled straight into the ears of Gong Xiuxian, who was sitting on the other side of the curtain. He deliberately waited here for Yi Ning to emerge on his own, yet he didn’t expect that Yi Ning would have such a merry conversation with these women. Obviously, in the past, he had never seen Yi Ning act so close to others before.

He didn’t like this feeling, the feeling that he was no longer the only person Yi Ning could confide in.

Beside him, Liu Rugeng looked worriedly at him, but didn’t dare to say anything. Recently, Gong Xiuxian’s temper had become stranger and stranger. Although he was as gentle and mannerly as always, yet his gaze didn’t seem to fall on him as much anymore. 

There was also the matter of their engagement. The words had already been said, but whenever Liu Rugeng carefully probed about the matter, he was always brushed aside by Gong Xiuxian.

After hesitating for a long time, Gong Xiuxian finally stood up, and the room instantly fell so silent, one could hear a pin drop.

Yi Ning didn’t raise his eyes, but he knew that Gong Xiuxian was looking at him.

“Shizun, the Sect Tournament is nearing, if you continue to hold a grudge, you’ll spoil the event, so follow me back.” Gong Xiuxian racked his brains to come up with such a good excuse. Yi Ning has always been responsible and would never abandon the sect without a care. 

Again with the grudge, like he had become a child overnight and was always angry at Gong Xiuxian.

“I have bonded with Yan Xuan and am no longer a person of Mingguang Sect.” Yi Ning purposefully enunciated the word “bonded”, his hand tightly clutching his sword’s hilt. If he tried to do anything by force, then even if he had to risk his life, he would stab him through.

Gong Xiuxian’s face was gloomy, he didn’t understand why Shizun said these untrue things to agitate him. “Shizun, you believe what that demonic cultivator says?. What reason does he have to form a bond with you? He may just want to get revenge on you. You have to follow me back!” After being sealed in the mountain for nine years, Gong Xiuxian didn’t believe that Yan Xuan didn’t hate Yi Ning.

“What reason do you need? I fell in love with Immortal Master Yi Ning at first sight.” Demonic fog bubbled up and a hand lightly landed on Yi Ning’s waist. 

Yi Ning was stunned, and before he could even react, he pulled into the other’s embrace. His voice sounded out lowly by his ear, comforting him. “It’s okay, I’m here.”