Great Demon - Chapter 72 Part 2

Changying reached for her wrist and then lifted her head to glare toward the sky. Though her expression remained cold, her golden eyes were chillingly ruthless, filled with unspoken fury.

She couldn’t understand why the Heavenly Dao was so merciless—bringing Zhuyou back through reincarnation, only to attempt to erase her again.

To impose guilt, one needs only an accusation.

Zhuyou felt a sudden coolness on her wrist when Changying grasped it. It was only then that she became aware of the intense heat radiating from her own body. The ground beneath her was scorching, the windblown sand was blisteringly hot—so much so that she could barely stand.

Following Changying’s gaze, she looked upward and only now realized how dark the sky had become. But if the sky was so dim, why was the desert still unbearably hot? The dunes beneath her feet trembled slightly, as though something was stirring beneath the surface.

A faint, scraping noise reached her ears. Listening carefully, she realized—it was fire.

Changying withdrew her gaze and said coldly, “Come with me.”

Zhuyou’s mind was still clouded; she neither nodded nor shook her head. But when Changying pulled her along, she followed without resistance.

Seeing Zhuyou about to be taken away, Hanzhu finally gathered her strength to speak. “Where are you taking Mistress?”

“I would never harm her,” Changying replied, her voice icy. “You should leave this place as soon as possible—the farther, the better—lest you be caught in the aftermath.”

Hanzhu was momentarily stunned but quickly withdrew her spell. Since the heavenly radiance was already shrouded by dark clouds, there was no longer any need to maintain a barrier over her head.

Changying led Zhuyou far away, across the boundless desert, past lakes. Only when the dark clouds above began to disperse, the thunder ceased, and the celestial light once again shone through did she stop.

The tremors beneath their feet had stilled, and the underground fire seemed to have slunk back into hiding. The surroundings were eerily quiet, as if nothing had ever happened.

She had thought the cessation of the heavenly thunder and underground fire was because she had stayed close to Zhuyou. But when she turned back, she saw that Zhuyou’s eyes had regained their clarity, and the dazed look from before had completely disappeared.

Unintentionally, Changying had brought Zhuyou close to the edge of a sandy city. In the distance, the city gates stood wide open, with mortals coming and going in a steady stream.

Unknowingly, they had wandered closer to a remote desert city. In the distance, the city gates stood wide open, bustling with mortals coming and going.

The wrist held in her grip twitched slightly. Changying’s tense shoulders eased a little as she finally spoke. “You nearly suffered a heavenly tribulation just now.”

Zhuyou lowered her gaze to their clasped hands and shook her arm slightly. “I’m still far from breaking through. How could a heavenly tribulation come out of nowhere? And why would it vanish before striking?”

Perhaps because her mind had been consumed by those chaotic visions, her limbs felt weak and devoid of strength.

Changying simply interlocked her fingers with Zhuyou’s and replied, “Maybe the Heavenly Dao made a mistake.” But deep down, she knew—it was because Zhuyou had suddenly awakened.

When their palms pressed together, Changying’s heart pounded wildly again. She had no idea why it was becoming harder and harder to understand.

Zhuyou glanced back. “Where’s Hanzhu?”

At her question, Changying’s fingers tightened slightly around Zhuyou’s hand. She let out a soft scoff and said coolly, “I told her to leave quickly. I don’t know where she is now.”

Zhuyou gave a slight nod and used magic to transform her silver hair into black. Only then did she follow Changying into the desert city.

Both of them were clad in black. One exuded an icy detachment, while the other, though seemingly soft and innocent, was as radiant as the moon in the sky. The mortals around them couldn’t help but stop and stare, whispering among themselves, wondering where the two had come from.

No one could have imagined that Zhuyou had been in a distant water town just moments ago, or that Changying had been deep beneath the sea.

The murmuring of the mortals was endless. Zhuyou listened until her ears nearly ached. Yet her mind remained occupied with the visions she had seen. She suddenly asked, “That day, inside the Turbid Mirror, was the ancient devil I saw truly from your memories?”

Changying remained silent. She had already deceived Zhuyou once and had no intention of lying to her again. But she couldn’t get past the hurdle in her heart.

Should she really let Zhuyou know the truth?

She met Zhuyou’s gaze and, after a long pause, finally spoke. “Stay with me here for three days. After that, I will tell you everything.”

Zhuyou gave a faint smirk and tilted her head to the side, eyeing her skeptically. “What kind of trick are you trying to play?”

“You know I don’t like playing tricks.” Changying’s voice was steady. After a brief pause, she lightly brushed her thumb over the back of Zhuyou’s hand, as if in reassurance. Then she added, “In three days, you’ll understand.”

Zhuyou immediately tried to pull her hand away and remarked meaningfully, “So you’ve really grown up. You even dare to get handsy now.”

Changying, however, looked genuinely puzzled. “I wasn’t getting handsy.”

“Then why are you rubbing against my hand like this?” Zhuyou narrowed her eyes slightly, scrutinizing her. The innocent look in her gaze instantly sharpened.

Changying, however, remained calm as she explained, “A hundred years ago, when you coaxed me to sleep, didn’t you stroke my back like this too?”

Zhuyou was momentarily at a loss for words. She frowned and asked, “How can a back and a hand be the same?”

Changying’s expression remained composed, and with a quiet honesty, she countered, “Aren’t they both… just a shell?”

Zhuyou was speechless. She truly had no way to refute her. 

No wonder Changying’s heart was so clear. How could it not be, with such a mindset?

Though this remote place was battered by strong winds and sand, it was not impoverished. Perhaps due to its trade with foreign lands, the market was filled with vendors selling all sorts of strange trinkets. Men and women alike covered their faces with veils to keep the sand from getting into their noses.

Since Zhuyou had already agreed, she would not leave quietly. Besides, even if she wanted to, there was nowhere to go. She was already being watched by the Nine’ Heavens Divine Venerable—how could she still dream of escape?

Changying took her hand and led her to an inn, settling them into a guest room. As soon as she closed the door, her slender, fair fingers gave a small flick, and a neatly arranged brocade quilt on the bed instantly lifted at one corner.

Zhuyou found it inexplicable. She flicked her fingers, dispelling the spell on her hair, and in an instant, her dark locks turned white.

A moment later, she heard Changying say calmly, “Sleep.”

Zhuyou turned back to glare at her. The street vendors outside were still calling out their wares, and the sun was high in the sky. And yet, this dragon was telling her to sleep?

This scene was all too familiar. Wasn’t it exactly how she had once forced the dragon—then just a young girl—to sleep a hundred years ago?

She had truly brought this upon herself. Times had changed, and now, she was the one being coaxed to sleep.

Standing still, she thought to herself that Changying must have been driven mad by the solitude of the Heavenly Realm. She looked fine, but how could her mind be so lacking?

Changying’s five fingers were still resting on the back of her hand—long and slender, smooth as jade. They were nothing like her cold, indifferent dragon eyes. Instead, they were warm and gentle.

“Even for mortals, it’s not the right time to sleep,” Zhuyou couldn’t help but say.

Changying pulled her toward the bed. Lowering herself, she sat at the edge and said plainly, “A hundred years ago, you didn’t sleep with me. That’s why you ended up shorter than me.”

Zhuyou laughed. “You don’t actually expect me to grow to your height, do you?”

Changying didn’t respond, which was as good as an admission.

Zhuyou didn’t lie down, but since Changying was holding her hand, she had to lean forward slightly. Her long silver hair swayed in front of her. Speaking slowly, she said, “If that’s the case, do you also plan to get me a Nine Heavens’ Divine Venerable title, so I can stand as your equal?” She stared into Changying’s motionless, indifferent golden eyes, expecting to see even the slightest flicker of anger—but there was none.

A devil saying she wanted to become a Nine Heavens’ Divine Venerable—shouldn’t that have been enough to enrage the gods?

And yet, Changying’s eyes remained utterly calm. Lifting her golden gaze, she thought to herself that she did, in fact, have that intention. But out loud, she simply said, “Right now, you already stand as my equal.”

Zhuyou’s expression turned complicated. As if possessed, she actually sat down.

The moment she did, an overwhelming drowsiness washed over her. She shouldn’t have been this exhausted, yet in an instant, even keeping her eyelids open became a struggle.

This was just like what Changying had experienced a hundred years ago.

Back then, what had she done?

At the time, she had placed a restriction on the room, hidden the Crystal of Law underground by herself, and planned to slip away unnoticed to the Devil Realm—only for Changying to have followed right behind her.

But now, what was Changying planning?

She hadn’t yet figured it out before her head sank into the soft pillow. She felt a hand resting lightly at her waist.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t fight off the sleepiness. Changying’s cultivation level was simply too high.

Sitting at the bedside, Changying obediently withdrew her hand and pulled the quilt up to Zhuyou’s chin. Feeling that Zhuyou’s body was far too thin, her sharp jawline far too pointed, she pulled the quilt up even further—until it covered her lips.

She rose and left the inn. The moment she stepped out of the room, the entire area—every person, every object—froze in place. Even the wind came to a halt.

Silence fell all around, turning the place into a city of the dead.

With just a wave of her hand, multicolored mystic light gathered from the air and condensed into the form of a person—it was none other than Immortal Zhiying.

Immortal Zhiying bowed low. “What does the Divine Venerable command?”

“I want to take in the East Sea Crown Prince, Mangfeng, and his wife under my command,” Changying said indifferently.

Immortal Zhiying did not understand the reasoning behind this.

Changying continued, “Go report to the Heavenly Emperor that I have received news of the Turbid Mirror. In three days, have him send people here. At that time, bring Mangfeng and Jingyi to see me.”

Immortal Zhiying did not know which devil had taken possession of the Turbid Mirror, nor why the Heavenly Emperor needed to send more people. But she dared not question it and immediately replied, “This humble immortal will report to the Heavenly Emperor at once.”

Changying nodded and waved her away.

The immortal, clad in rainbow-colored robes, dissolved once more into mystic light and vanished in an instant.

With a single blink from Changying, the frozen mortals around her resumed their movements, entirely unaware that anything had happened.

She turned and reentered the room. Just as she sat down by the window, a slender finger pressed against her wrist.

Zhuyou held her wrist with a single finger, her gaze clear and sharp. “Who did you just go see?”