Great Demon - Chapter 99

Huoshu cautiously looked up, studying Zhuyou’s expression, and then added, “Among the three hundred people in this manor, not a single one knows where that Qiao Fengsheng has gone.”

Hanzhu returned with a pounding heart and immediately overheard Huoshu’s words. She paused for a moment and asked, “No one knows?”

“I don’t have the ability to delve into their consciousness. I only used a minor spell to make them reveal Qiao Fengsheng’s whereabouts, but not a single person could provide an answer. It’s truly strange,” Huoshu explained.

Zhuyou chuckled lightly and glanced at Changying’s hand hanging by her side. “It’s not that strange. He might have left on a sudden impulse, though he probably didn’t intend to leave initially.”

And this “impulse” was undoubtedly due to the sudden arrival of the devil at Qiaomu Manor.

Changying twirled her fingers, the wisp of wind that had been between them had long since drifted away to who knows where.

Zhuyou’s eyes darkened. “His lifespan is still long. If someone truly wanted him to die early, they should have followed the method of death recorded in the Book of Fate. Do you know how he died?”

Changying naturally remembered. Back at the Observatory Pavilion, the Fate Keeper had summoned the characters from the Book of Fate, each character as large as a human face, glowing brightly in the sky, making it impossible to misread.

“He…” She frowned slightly. “Perished in a mountain collapse.”

“A mountain collapse,” Zhuyou murmured as she crouched down, her palm hovering above the muddy ground. A strand of spiritual energy drifted from her hand and suddenly burrowed into the earth, not stirring a single grain of dust.

Changying looked down, as if she could see through the soil to the spiritual energy that had penetrated several inches deep. Her gaze slowly shifted into the distance.

Huoshu didn’t dare move, fearing she might disturb the fragile, smoke-like strand of spiritual energy.

After a while, Zhuyou stood up and shook her head. “Within the past seven days, there hasn’t been any seismic activity within a hundred miles. A mountain collapse shouldn’t have happened without cause.”

Changying pondered for a moment, her pitch-black eyes suddenly turning into vertical slits. “You all go ahead. I’ll go find a local earth god’s temple.”

Zhuyou understood and nodded slightly.

However, Changying didn’t leave immediately. Instead, she gazed at Zhuyou with deep, profound eyes, as if trying to turn her gaze into an abyss that could pull Zhuyou in.

It had indeed been a while since they last met. Previously, they had only seen each other through spiritual projections. Today was the first time they were meeting in the flesh.

Zhuyou felt as if she could see the reluctance buried deep within Changying’s golden eyes, a chaotic mix of emotions like a vast ocean threatening to drown her. She abruptly lowered her gaze and said, “Weren’t you going to find the earth god’s temple? Are your legs attached to my body that you need to wait for my permission?”

Changying shook her head and suddenly turned around. “I’ll be back soon.”

Hanzhu caught a glimpse of the dragon’s gaze and couldn’t help but feel that this dragon was even more devilish than an actual devil. It had been the same a hundred years ago, and it was still the same now.

The black-haired, black-robed dragon suddenly transformed into a wisp of green smoke that soared into the sky, winding and fading into the distance like a flying dragon.

Only after the dragon had left did the previously silent Hanzhu let out a sigh of relief and whispered, “Mistress, where should we go now?”

Zhuyou looked at Huoshu, her furrowed brows still not relaxed. “Did you find out who Qiao Fengsheng usually spent time with?”

“There’s a family surnamed Su in the city who often invited the Fifth Young Master of the manor to play.” Huoshu paused, then added, “But the Su family hasn’t visited the manor in a long time.”

“A long time?” Zhuyou said meaningfully.

Huoshu was puzzled. “Even the gatekeepers haven’t seen this Young Master Su for several days.”

Zhuyou chuckled lightly. “Let’s go to the Su residence and take a look, though we might not find any clues. Speaking of which, at Qiao Fengsheng’s age, it’s about time for him to marry and start a family. He might have secretly gone to meet a lover.”

Hanzhu coughed lightly, feeling as if she had lived two hundred years in vain. By the time mortals were marrying and having children, she still hadn’t even learned to take human form.

Huoshu glanced up at the sky. “If we leave like this, what if she comes back…”

“She won’t lose track of me,” Zhuyou said as she turned and walked away.

Hanzhu felt a strange unease in her heart and muttered under her breath, “Did she tie a rope around you or something?”

Though she spoke softly, Zhuyou still heard her. Zhuyou thought to herself, it wasn’t entirely untrue.

Back then, that thin red cord had been tightly tied around her wrist, but later it ended up wrapped around Changying’s ankle.

That day in Jianxiang Pavilion, if Changying hadn’t bent her knee, causing her long skirt to ride up a bit, Zhuyou might not have noticed the red cord tied around Changying’s ankle. The long cord had been wrapped several times around her ankle, almost as if it were weaving a flower.

Her skin was pale, and the red cord was vibrant, like a cluster of phoenix flames wrapped around her.

Upon hearing this, Huoshu felt something was off. “Are you sure they’re not enemies? Tying a cord and all.”

Hanzhu immediately elbowed the chatterbox and whispered, “Stop talking.”

Huoshu quickly unfolded her paper fan and covered her mouth, as if doing so would render her speechless.

Zhuyou gave Hanzhu a meaningful look and walked along the main road toward the city, saying slowly, “With her abilities, finding me is no trouble at all. The first few times, it was she who found me.”

Hanzhu suddenly lowered her head, her eyes darkening. She thought to herself, indeed, it was no trouble. She hadn’t wanted to dwell on it, but the words the devil had spoken earlier, which had shaken her, now felt like needles pricking her heart, over and over.

“Tired from walking?” Huoshu noticed her discomfort and added, “I already carried you once before. You haven’t repaid me yet.”

“Then I’ll carry you,” Hanzhu wiped the corner of her eye and steadied herself.

Huoshu quickly waved her hand. “I’m too old for such antics. I’m afraid you’ll break my brittle bones.”

***

In the human world, there are deities everywhere, with earth gods being the most common. Their temples often receive offerings and worship from mortals.

Changying made her way up the mountain, following the scent of incense until she found a temple. As soon as she stepped inside, the birds in the vicinity fluttered away, frightened by her overwhelming presence.

A man dressed in coarse linen emerged from the ground. Sensing the terrifying aura of the divine being before him, with dragon energy misting around her, he immediately recognized her as the one from the Nine Heavens. He respectfully clasped his hands and said, “Divine Venerable.”

Changying glanced at him indifferently and asked, “Has there been any seismic activity recently?”

The earth god, though not handsome, had a reliable and steady appearance. He flipped his palm, and an ancient booklet appeared in his hand. After flipping through a few pages, he paused and said, “Reporting to Your Divinity, there will be an earthquake in the third year, during the Wuzi month.”

“Three years from now?” Changying frowned. “What if it’s just a mountain collapse without an earthquake?”

The earth god flipped through the booklet again and said, “There was one the day before yesterday, but it wasn’t recorded in the book. It wasn’t a calamity destined for the human world but was inadvertently caused by mortals. This book of events comes from the Observatory Pavilion, passed down by the Fate Keeper, and all its contents are derived from his divinations.”

“The day before yesterday?” Changying suddenly looked up, her black eyes turning golden.

The earth god lowered his head, looking at the thin booklet in his hand, and said slowly, “At the hour of Hai, the day before yesterday, there was a sudden mountain collapse at Tiger Roar Ridge, caused by a flood. Tracing its root, this humble deity dares to speculate that it was due to the mortal emperor’s dwindling fortune. He is burdened with sins, and his dynasty is on the verge of collapse, much earlier than destined.”

Changying’s eyes darkened. She had no intention of concerning herself with the mortal emperor, but she found it strange that his fate had changed so abruptly at this time.

“Will there be more mountain collapses in the coming days?” she asked coldly.

“Within this month, there will be no other mountain collapses in this humble deity’s jurisdiction,” the earth god replied steadily.

Changying nodded and asked, “How do I get to Tiger Roar Ridge?”

The earth god immediately pulled out a map drawn on animal hide from his sleeve. “Your Divinity, please take a look.”

Changying took the map and quickly located Tiger Roar Ridge on it. She folded the map neatly and stored it in her spatial pouch. Then, with a wave of her hand, a half-person-tall incense stick suddenly appeared in her grasp. She flicked it like a sword into the incense burner in front of the temple. The smoke from the incense rose in a curling, winding pattern, resembling a white dragon.

Seeing this, the earth god knelt on the ground and slowly prostrated himself. “Thank you, Your Divinity, for this offering.” The blessings from this… were likely more than he could accumulate in a hundred years.

Changying left abruptly and arrived in front of Qiaomu Manor, only to find that Zhuyou had already taken the two demons and gone far away.

Zhuyou hadn’t deliberately concealed her aura; in fact, she had flaunted it, as if she wanted to announce to everyone that the Vermillion Phoenix had been here. 

Her current status was peculiar. Though she appeared to be aligned with the Devil Lord, no one could say for sure. Moreover, the Nine Heavens had not issued any orders to retrieve her, so the local deities of the Mortal Realm could only mind their own business and stick to their duties.

Changying furrowed her brows and sent her divine consciousness back to the Nine Heavens, arriving at the Observatory Pavilion.

The Fate Keeper was still divining, working to compile the Book of Fate for the Mortal Realm a hundred years from now, so he could deliver it to the local deities as soon as possible. As he shook his bell, he suddenly felt a gust of wind whistle past his ear.

He turned sharply but saw no one. With all the strange occurrences lately, he couldn’t help but overthink. He barked, “Who’s there, playing tricks?”

“Me.” 

A wisp of smoke suddenly coalesced into a human form, though it wasn’t a physical body—just a shadow.

The Fate Keeper quickly bowed his head. “Divine Venerable.”

“Have you found Hua Lingjun’s life lamp?” Changying asked coldly.

The Fate Keeper raised his arm, and a lamp appeared in his hand. The flame inside burned brightly, showing no sign of weakness. He said, “Your Divinity, the life lamp is here.

“The oil paper of this lamp has already turned to ash. I searched for a long time before finding it. Fortunately, it wasn’t buried too deep.”

Changying nodded. Seeing that the life flame showed no signs of extinguishing, she relaxed slightly and said, “Keep a close eye on this life flame. If it weakens, notify me immediately.”

“How should I notify you?” The Fate Keeper was puzzled. How could he possibly track down the Divine Venerable?

As soon as he finished speaking, the shadowy figure before him suddenly dimmed and condensed into a golden pearl, floating in mid-air.

The Fate Keeper hid Hua Lingjun’s life flame and hurriedly reached out to catch the pearl. He was immediately struck by its icy coldness and nearly dropped it.

Ignoring the chill emanating from the pearl, he clutched it tightly and said, “I heard that the Immovable Buddha has invited the Heavenly Emperor to discuss how to deal with the Devil Lord.”

“The Immovable Buddha?” Changying’s expression turned frosty. “Who else is there?”

“All four Dharma Kings are present,” the Fate Keeper said in a low voice.

“It seems they’ve already made up their minds,” Changying said, glancing again at the life flame. “Unfortunately, they won’t be able to capture Guanshang anytime soon. He has too many escape routes.”

The Fate Keeper’s pupils constricted. “If even the Nine Heavens can’t subdue him, then the Three Realms…”

“There are some things Xuanqing cannot say openly. Once I find Hua Lingjun’s reincarnation, I will speak of them myself,” Changying said. Her divine consciousness departed, and her physical body in the Mortal Realm suddenly opened its eyes. She exhaled a wisp of dragon breath, which followed Zhuyou’s aura, while she herself turned and headed toward Tiger Roar Ridge.

***

Near the Su residence, Huoshu was about to stop a mortal to ask for directions when Zhuyou raised her arm to stop her.

In the distance, a child of about seven or eight years old walked by, carrying a basket on her back. She had two braids and a thin, frail frame—a little girl.

Hanzhu was momentarily stunned. Seeing Zhuyou twist her wrist, she quickly pressed down on Huoshu’s shoulder, pulling her into hiding.

The little girl was walking slowly, especially with the basket full of firewood on her back. Her shoulders trembled, and her forehead was covered in sweat, but she clenched her teeth and didn’t make a sound.

She kept her head down, watching the gravel on the ground as she walked step by step. Suddenly, she noticed a pair of black embroidered shoes in front of her. The shoes seemed to be embroidered with phoenix patterns—something ordinary people wouldn’t dare wear, let alone with such exquisite craftsmanship.

Girls from ordinary families were already learning needlework at her age, so she knew a thing or two about it. She stopped in her tracks and suddenly looked up, as if she had stumbled into a fairyland. She stared wide-eyed, unable to look away.

Mortals often said that celestial beings were as radiant as the autumn moon, and this was exactly what they meant.

The little girl was mesmerized, as if her heart had been stolen. After a long pause, she took a step back, like a startled lamb.

Zhuyou looked down at her and felt that the child bore some resemblance to Changying in her youth. However, Changying had already been as cold as ice back then, her face devoid of any expression. She couldn’t possibly have looked like this girl, with her wide, dark eyes filled with both awe and fear.

The little girl didn’t speak. She glanced around, saw no one else, and timidly raised her eyes again.

“Have you heard of the Su residence?” Zhuyou asked.

The little girl nodded. “My mother works there, washing clothes. I’m gathering firewood for the kitchen.”

“You’re gathering firewood all by yourself?” Zhuyou frowned.

The little girl nodded again. Though still cautious, she was obedient and well-behaved.

“Tell me where the Su residence is, and I’ll carry these things for you,” Zhuyou said, looking down at her.

The little girl tightened the straps of her basket and slowly shook her head.

“What if I told you I’m a celestial being from the heavens? Would you believe me?” Zhuyou asked leisurely.

The little girl wasn’t startled, but Hanzhu, who was hiding nearby, widened her eyes and stared at her mistress, as if she had forgotten to breathe.

Huoshu noticed and patted her shoulder. “Snap out of it.”

Hanzhu lowered her eyes, her gaze trembling, and remained silent for a long while.

“What’s wrong?” Huoshu asked, noticing her distracted state.

Hanzhu shook her head, looking as if she had wilted. The words Zhuyou had just spoken echoed in her ears, and she felt a lump forming in her throat, her eyes and nose tingling with unshed tears.

Previously, Zhuyou had harbored deep resentment toward the gods and immortals. Yet now, she could casually joke about being a celestial being herself. Hanzhu felt a pang of bitterness, as if she had truly been left behind. Her mistress had awakened her spiritual form, and indeed, she was no longer the same as before. Hanzhu realized she had been deceiving herself.

The little girl stared wide-eyed and asked timidly, “Are you really a celestial being?”

Zhuyou looked down at her, feeling more and more that the child resembled Changying. Unfortunately, the resemblance was only in appearance, lacking any of Changying’s spirit.

If it had been Changying as a child, she would have coldly glared at the person blocking her path, perhaps with a hint of confusion, but never with fear.

“If you believe it, then I am,” Zhuyou said, her lips curling into a faint, ambiguous smile.

The little girl finally loosened her grip on the basket straps and, after a moment of thought, set the basket down. “Th-then I…”

“Just tell me, which way is the Su residence?” Zhuyou raised an eyebrow.

The little girl pointed into the distance. “Follow this mountain path. When you reach the first fork, take the higher road. After passing a training ground, you’ll see the city gates. The Su residence is inside the city.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she noticed the basket by her feet had vanished. She looked down in shock, only to find it gone. When she glanced up again, the fairy-like beauty had also disappeared.

The little girl turned around, scanning the area, then took off running toward the city along the path she had just described. It seemed she truly believed she had seen a celestial being.

Zhuyou moved swiftly, covering a hundred feet with each step, followed closely by Hanzhu and Huoshu, who were still struggling to keep up with her speed.

The two demons hurried after her, afraid they might lose sight of her in the blink of an eye.

Though Hanzhu felt uneasy in her heart, she would never turn and run. After all, she had gone through so much to find her mistress.

Following the path the little girl had described, they soon reached a fork in the road. One path led upward, while the other descended. Taking the higher path, they quickly came across an empty training ground. Beyond it, they soon saw the city walls.

No soldiers stood guard atop the walls, and only four guards were stationed at the wide-open city gates.

Zhuyou didn’t bother with the main entrance. She effortlessly passed through the towering city walls and stepped into the city.

This was Changming City. Qiaomu Manor wasn’t in the city at all—it was in the outskirts.

The city was bustling with people, mostly merchants, suggesting it was market day.

Zhuyou also concealed her form, passing directly through the mortals. As she did, she read their spiritual threads, easily discerning the direction of the Su residence.

After winding through the alleys, they arrived at the entrance of the Su residence.

The Su residence was indeed grand, rivaling Qiaomu Manor in scale. The estate alone occupied nearly half the city.

Zhuyou passed through the gate, and the guards only felt a gust of wind brush past them, seeing no one.

Hanzhu and Huoshu followed closely behind, but instead of immediately searching for someone, Zhuyou made her way to the kitchen.

The kitchen was located in a remote part of the estate, near a pen of chickens and ducks. The area reeked and was filthy.

Hanzhu’s heart tightened. “Mistress, let’s not go in there.”

Zhuyou had no intention of getting covered in filth. She retrieved the basket from her spatial pouch and placed it outside the chicken pen.

“I’m quite kind, actually bringing her things all the way here,” Zhuyou said with a hint of sarcasm.

Hanzhu quickly chimed in, “Mistress is truly compassionate. That mortal girl is fortunate.”

Zhuyou nodded slightly, glanced into the pen, then turned away, saying calmly, “Let’s go find the young master of the Su family.”

“Finding a mere mortal is as easy as blowing dust for you, Mistress,” Hanzhu said as she followed.

“You’re quite relaxed,” Zhuyou remarked abruptly.

Hanzhu swallowed hard and quickly added, “What’s as easy as blowing dust for you, Mistress, might be as hard as blowing wood for me…”

Huoshu, who had been following silently, was suddenly impressed by the peafowl demon. She really has some skills—no wonder Her Grace keeps her close. Even after living for centuries, Huoshu didn’t have the talent for flattery.

Just as Zhuyou was about to pass through the wall in front of her, she realized Changying had been gone for a while. She had deliberately left her aura behind, hoping the dragon would catch up quickly.

But the dragon seemed to have gone missing. Surely she hadn’t decided to stay at the earth god’s temple.

Her eyes darkened. Could something have delayed her? Or had there been news about Hua Lingjun?

“Mistress?” Hanzhu asked, puzzled.

Zhuyou turned back. “You two go find the Young Master Su. I’ll go look for Changying.”

Hanzhu’s eyes widened as her mistress vanished. She thought to herself, That dragon is truly cunning—she must have deliberately lured Mistress away.