Great Demon - Chapter 93 Part 1

Zhuyou was momentarily at a loss for words, choked silent by this dragon. After a long pause, she finally asked, “Since you’ve returned to the Nine Heavens, have you discovered anything else?”

“I haven’t had the chance to meet Xuanqing yet. I had just arrived at the Heavenly Palace when I saw the Observatory Pavilion on fire. The firmament barrier was damaged, and Divine Sun flames had fallen. This incident is suspicious. Unfortunately, whoever orchestrated it was exceedingly cautious—I couldn’t find a single clue.” Changying’s calm voice brushed against her ear.

“The Observatory Pavilion caught fire?” Zhuyou let out a scoff. Calling this suspicious was an understatement—it was downright bizarre. Fires in the Mortal Realm were one thing, but for a place that managed the life lamps of mortals to burn in the Nine Heavens? That was nothing short of absurd.

Changying continued, “Fortunately, the Fate Keeper didn’t leave the Book of Life at the observation platform. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to locate where Hua Lingjun is in the Mortal Realm right now.”

“It seems that something truly extraordinary must have happened in the Turbid Mirror two hundred years ago. Otherwise, why would someone be in such a hurry to cover up the traces of this banished immortal?” Zhuyou’s five fingers, resting against the ice, suddenly curled.

Changying was silent for a long moment before finally saying, “If that’s the case, then the unspeakable secret within the mirror is known only to Hua Lingjun. Otherwise, how could any other immortal be left alive?”

“But Hua Lingjun has already entered the cycle of reincarnation and bathed in the Reincarnation Pool. How could he possibly remember his past life?” Zhuyou frowned.

The moment she finished speaking, a wisp of cool, gentle spiritual energy pried open her clenched fingers, lightly brushing against her palm.

The sensation made her throat tighten abruptly, and her wrist trembled slightly.

Changying traced words onto her palm. Reincarnation Pool.

One could enter the Reincarnation Pool twice—once to forget everything, and once more to remember it all.

Zhuyou let out a breath of disbelief. “Other than that, is there any other way?”

Changying’s voice was soft in her ear. “No other way.”

“I fear Hua Lingjun’s fate is not yet meant to end, yet someone is already trying to harm him.” Zhuyou felt a pulse of tension at her temple. “For an immortal, devil, or demon, interfering with a mortal’s fate is all too easy.”

“The case of Hua Lingjun violating the celestial laws was personally judged by Xuanqing. In truth, he was protecting him.” Changying’s voice was steady.

“How do you know?” Zhuyou turned her head but could not see Changying’s expression. Only the faint breath against her ear remained, deliberate or not.

Changying said, “After leaving the Observatory Pavilion, I went to see Xuanqing. He was indeed hiding something.” She paused slightly. “But he didn’t reveal much.”

“Is it that he cannot speak of it, or that he does not dare?” Zhuyou scoffed.

“What do you think would have to happen to the Heavenly Emperor for the entire Nine Heavens to be thrown into chaos?” Changying murmured.

Zhuyou’s breath hitched. “Falling into devilhood.”

“Exactly,” Changying said.

If the Three Realms were to learn of this, it wouldn’t just shake the Nine Heavens—even the long-secluded Demon Clan would stir. The Devil Clan coveted the Nine Heavens, longing to seize control of all Three Realms. And was the Demon Clan any different?

“Then… has he already begun his descent into devilhood?” Zhuyou’s gaze darkened.

“Perhaps not yet, but the seed has been planted.” Changying paused briefly, then suddenly said, “I must go.”

Before Zhuyou could respond, the breath at her ear dissipated in an instant.

Changying had truly left.

Zhuyou’s mind was heavy with thoughts, her furrowed brows remaining tightly knit. If things were as Changying claimed, then the Nine Heavens wasn’t just caught in a scheme—it had already become the battlefield.

The surroundings were silent, lantern lights shimmering against the ice.

She clenched her fingers tightly, unable to fathom what method Changying intended to use to make Hua Lingjun enter the Reincarnation Pool again. She couldn’t possibly take a mere mortal to the heavens—how could a mortal body withstand the celestial radiance of Divine Sun? Even if Hua Lingjun had once been an immortal, in this life, he was nothing more than an ordinary human!

Forget it. Changying knew what she was doing. She wouldn’t let Hua Lingjun perish in the Nine Heavens.

Besides, this was Hua Lingjun’s final life. If he cultivated sincerely afterward, he might still ascend to immortality. In this sense, dying now was both an end and a new beginning.

Zhuyou lay back on the ice, thinking about what she would do if the tiger demon appeared in Shangxi City in two days.

Shangxi City was eerily quiet. When she had arrived earlier, it had been bustling with noise—drinkers, brothel-goers, gamblers squandering their wealth. Everywhere she looked, demons filled the city.

Now, not a single trace of a demon could be seen. They had clearly been frightened. But demons and devils were never ones to stay idle. It wouldn’t be long before word of Guanshang’s return spread among the devils, and then chaos would once again descend upon the Mortal Realm.

She wasn’t in a hurry. Guanshang had yet to show himself, which meant his cultivation had not fully recovered, and his injuries were still unhealed.

Zhuyou turned onto her side and lay still, most of her silver hair pressed beneath her head. Her curled fingers unconsciously clenched into her palm. That lingering, tingling itch hadn’t faded. She had no idea where this dragon had learned such a thing—actually writing in her palm.

She pressed her hand against her chest, then let out a soft scoff.

That dragon was certainly a quick learner. If this went on any longer, she truly wouldn’t be able to withstand it.

***

The next day, the tiger demon had yet to return. If he followed his usual pattern, then in one more day, he would arrive in the city right on time.

Zhuyou sat on the ice, resting her chin on her hand, gazing idly at the crisscrossing streets. She remained motionless for half the day.

The demons and devils had been afraid of her at first, but seeing that she neither moved nor acted, they grew bold enough to sneak glances at the frozen buildings.

On the rooftop of a pavilion, they caught sight of the Vermillion Phoenix.

The Vermillion Phoenix’s face was expressionless, lounging lazily against the rooftop in an utterly relaxed posture, like the soft glow of moonlight—gentle and serene, with not a trace of intimidation.

The words Zhuyou had spoken earlier were firmly remembered by the demons. Seeing that she was not as temperamental as rumors suggested—that she neither cooked demons and devils in a pot nor dried them into jerky—they finally dared to step out of their dwellings. Cautiously, they made their way to the places they usually sought entertainment.

At first, only a dozen or so demons emerged. But when the others saw that those who stepped forward had not provoked this mistress’ wrath, they too crept out from the shadows, hesitantly returning to their amusements.

Zhuyou sat high above, easily taking in all their movements. She said nothing, merely finding it vaguely amusing. In the Nine Heavens, where would she ever witness such an interesting scene of demons and devils?

Still, she couldn’t help but feel for Changying. That dragon was not fond of speaking, and in the Nine Heavens, surely no one dared to converse with her. Who knew how stifled she must have been?

The tiger demon had yet to appear, but an old acquaintance did.

While part of Zhuyou’s consciousness was observing the demons gambling in the betting house, her physical form suddenly heard someone calling her. It was Huoshu.

The voice was soft. Huoshu wanted to wake her but was also afraid of disturbing her, causing her tone to waver slightly.

Huoshu stood under the eaves, the hairpin in her hair swaying incessantly. She struggled to keep her voice down but was visibly anxious. “Your Grace!”

“What is it?” Zhuyou opened her eyes, her gaze complex as she looked at Huoshu. The moment she saw her, she thought of the painting Changying had once studied. And the moment she recalled that painting, her mind inevitably drifted to the things Changying had done to her.

Her lips pressed together as she abruptly withdrew her gaze, coughing lightly as if to cover her thoughts.

Only then did Huoshu say, “Your Grace, there’s a new face in the city.”

“Tell me in detail,” Zhuyou said, her expression turning serious.

Huoshu glanced around, measuring the distance between herself and the eaves. It seemed troublesome.

Zhuyou curled a finger. “Come up.”

Huoshu let out a relieved breath and leaped onto the rooftop. She dared not get too close to the Vermillion Phoenix, so she lowered her voice and said, “Your Grace, half a moment ago, a demon entered the city gates and went straight to Wu Buzhi’s residence. She even left offerings of tea and wine at the door, but Wu Buzhi has long disappeared.”

“A woman?” Zhuyou frowned.

Huoshu nodded and continued, “Though her face is unfamiliar, she seems to know exactly where Wu Buzhi lived. She’s even well-versed in the etiquette required to meet him. When she found his doors shut, perhaps realizing something had gone wrong, she broke in. But after searching the place, she left empty-handed.”

The more Zhuyou listened, the stranger it sounded. “Did she take anything from the house?”

“No, she didn’t,” Huoshu replied quickly.

“Where is she now?” Zhuyou mused. This demon likely wasn’t under Guanshang’s command—otherwise, why would she have needed to search for Wu Buzhi? Unless she had come from the Demon Realm. She paused briefly before asking, “You say she’s a demon. What kind of demon?”

“She’s wandering aimlessly through the western market, flitting about like a headless fly. She’s even asking around about Your Grace,” Huoshu chuckled. “But the demons in the city are too scared to say a word.” Unfolding her paper fan, she fanned her heavily made-up face while recalling, “She seems to be a peafowl demon. Her cultivation level isn’t high, and her abilities are quite ordinary.”

“Bring her to me,” Zhuyou said with a sigh of relief.

Huoshu lowered her voice. “Shall I capture her or lure her in?”

Zhuyou gave her a steady look and said flatly, “She is my handmaiden.”

Huoshu was stunned, hastily folding her fan. With some alarm, she said, “I’ll go invite her at once.”

Sure enough, in the western market, a peafowl demon in a green dress was wandering aimlessly. Every time she saw a demon, she would ask if they had seen the Vermillion Phoenix in the city.

But it seemed that was the only question she knew how to ask.

The demons found her behavior odd and ignored her. However, she appeared to have lost her sense of direction, for after circling around, she ended up right back in front of them. Once again, she asked, “Have you seen the Vermillion Phoenix in the city?”

The demons were at a loss—nodding felt wrong, shaking their heads felt wrong, so they simply remained silent.

They scrutinized the unfamiliar face and found her increasingly peculiar. It was as if this peafowl demon had lost her hun soul and po soul, leaving her dazed and out of touch.