6 Chapter Six
Are you being so lazy because you don't want to serve me?
Inside the Demon Realm, Wen Ruo used hand seals to open the layers of formations she had set up before stepping back, allowing Lu Yue to slowly walk in.
The ever-burning lamps illuminated the narrow, secluded path of the secret realm, until the sky brightened at the end. The Demon Realm was perpetually shrouded in darkness, its coldness resembling a bleak autumn rain. Here, however, life was vibrant, like springtime, with pear trees, their white and green foliage providing ample shade and carrying a faint, sweet fragrance.
A guqin sat on a stone table in the garden, covered with a thick layer of dust. Lu Yue realized that she hadn't heard the child play the guqin in a long time.
Stepping over the scattered pear blossoms on the blue bricks, the interior was unlike the ancient and quiet exterior. Inside, the floor was paved with gold bricks and there were white jade screens. A plain white gauze blocked out the bright sunlight, and the frail young man lying on the fox fur coat only revealed a section of his round and delicate chin. His beautiful soft lips whispered, "I don't want to drink the medicine."
The servants repeatedly urged, "Young master, how can you get better if you don't take the medicine?"
But he stubbornly pushed away the medicine bowl, his skin, which had never seen the sun for years, was as transparent as a cicada's wing. He asked softly, "Why hasn't His Majesty come yet?"
Lu Yue stopped in her tracks, her gloomy eyes devoid of the anxiety and warmth she had shown earlier. Too spoiled! When did she let this child become so unruly?
A hint of apology appeared on Wen Ruo's pale face as she chuckled and said, "Young Master is still young, it's normal for him to be immature. Your Majesty, please don't go in yet, I'll go in and comfort him."
Lu Yue said coldly, "Go."
Wen Ruo strolled into the hall, and the servants who were serving him quickly retreated upon seeing Elder Wen. With a smile in his eyes, he picked up the bowl full of Blood Demon Lotus and gently urged him to drink.
"Silly child, who in this world spoils you like Her Majesty does, giving you whatever you want immediately? Do you know how much she has done for you behind the scenes? Her Majesty is about to shed her skin again. On the surface, everyone in this Demon Realm respects and honors her, but behind the scenes, everyone wants to drag her down from her position as Demon Lord and try to take her place. If it weren't for you being her weakness, I would definitely be by her side to protect her. But I have to protect your safety."
The young master on the bed was filled with shame, his thin body curled up. He was extremely handsome, with exquisite features and a gentle, warm face like a piece of jade. His slightly lowered eyes always carried a hint of sorrow and vulnerability: "But His Majesty has not come to see me for a long time."
"You can't call her that, His Majesty will be unhappy. You should call her Mother."
"But I am just her adopted son."
"So what? His Majesty loves you the most."
Wen Ruo also knew that no matter how much the vixens outside fought, Lu Yue's heart was still set on the young master Yan Qing, whom she had hidden in the secret realm.
The boy on the bed sobbed softly, his slender waist hidden by his loose black hair, his profile delicate and beautiful. He was so frail that the fragile blue veins on the back of his hand were faintly visible when he raised it.
Yan Qing's moist eyes were slightly red, and his pale lips were tinged with blood from being bitten by his teeth: "Father, your son knows he was wrong."
"Sweetie, drink this soup."
Yan Qing picked up the jade bowl and drank it down in one gulp. The medicine was too strong, and she fell asleep again on the fox fur.
Looking at his peaceful sleeping face, Wen Ruo's tenderness vanished, replaced by deep contempt and mockery. A useless piece of trash who only drags the Venerable One down, why isn't he dead yet?
He looked at Yan Qing's fragile neck, which he could easily crush with a gentle squeeze of his hand.
Just as Wen Ruo raised her hand to touch him, she gently tucked the stray hairs hanging on her collarbone behind her ear.
Lu Yue appeared beside him and whispered, "Asleep?"
"I just went to sleep."
Wen Ruo stood up and offered his seat to Lu Yue. He disliked the way the Venerable One looked at Yan Qing; it was far too gentle. He valued Lu Yue's cold-bloodedness; sitting in such a high position, she shouldn't show any pity for any living being, not even the child she had watched grow up.
Lu Yue silently gazed at Yan Qing's sleeping profile, and then thought of that winter a hundred years ago.
Back then, she was just a lowly demon general. She received a mission from Demon Lord Chongli to kill an elder of a certain sect. She spent half a year lying in wait before finally completing the mission, but was eventually surrounded by righteous disciples.
Although she managed to escape in time, she collapsed in the vast snowfield due to her severe injuries. Her body was already frozen stiff, even revealing its true form. Thick layers of snow covered her body until the soft footsteps stopped in front of her.
"Oh dear, what are you doing here? The poor little guy must be freezing."
Lu Yue felt herself surrounded by warmth and softness, and only when she barely opened her eyes did she see those gentle eyes.
The woman, dressed in blue with a wooden hairpin, carried a bamboo-woven medicine basket on her back. She dared not move, but silently closed her eyes.
Lu Yue disliked humans; they were always tormented by emotions. She had no feelings; even the snake race could eat their own kind, inherently cold-blooded and ruthless. Perhaps her injuries were too severe, for the first time, her heart felt a strange, astringent pain.
On that cold winter day, the woman took care of her. She wrapped her in a warm quilt and fed her wild fruits and dried meat strips. Lu Yue didn't want to eat the stale food, but she forced herself to eat it anyway.
It seemed she had saved all the creatures in this area; every few days, a white deer would bring herbs to the small thatched hut in its yard. Occasionally, wolves would bring fresh mutton and fish. But most of these things ended up in her stomach; Lu Yue always loved to lean on the woman's shoulder and silently watch her treat the villagers down the mountain. Occasionally, she would even cleverly find the herbs that she had misplaced.
Winter passed quickly, and spring will melt the snow; it will be time for her to leave.
On a peaceful morning, Lu Yue silently departed. She even made a point of erasing her presence, lest the righteous and evil factions she had offended discover her existence.
Later, Lu Yue would catch a glimpse of her from afar while on missions, until he saw the woman find the man lying in the snow again in winter. The two eventually married, and a final, raging fire burned the thatched hut to almost nothing.
When she rushed in through the scorching flames, the woman was crying, her bloodshot eyes filled with hatred: "Kill him, help me kill that disgusting liar, I want him to suffer a terrible death."
Lu Yue could almost feel the woman's tears flowing onto her hands, burning hot. She didn't understand love or hate; she only wanted to stand unrestrained at the highest point, watching all things in the world submit to her feet.
Even though the world believed that Chongli could become a god, he still died at her hands.
This child, like his mother, is too kind and weak. If it weren't for her protection, who knows what would have happened to him.
Lu Yue's fingers traced the contours of the boy's face, slowly moving from his fair forehead to the corner of his moist lips, but always keeping a distance of an inch.
How much longer can she keep her cherished treasure hidden away?
Lu Yue knew this child was a burden to her, and she had even considered abandoning him and leaving. But in the end, she took him back and raised him. Why?
Lu Yue was puzzled by her unusual behavior and could not find a solution.
She stayed by Yan Qing's side for a long time this time, worried that something might happen to his frail body. She only left the secret realm when she saw that his face had regained its color, only to encounter Hu Mei, who had been waiting for her.
Lu Yue coldly asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Your Majesty, the injury of the one from Shangqing is still not healing." Hu Mei didn't understand the Venerable's thoughts. If it were her, she would have already taken the beauty into her mouth.
Lu Yue's eyes were cold and sharp: "The Blood Demon Lotus is delivered every day."
"Of course, this item is so precious that I've been keeping a close eye on it myself."
"Did he go to the hot springs?"
"Never been there."
Lu Yue let out a heavy sigh and headed toward the palace where Xue Ji was with a cold expression.
Hu Mei had never seen anyone so kind to the Venerable One in all these years, who immediately moved into her palace upon arrival. His cultivation was also quite good, at the Golden Core Heaven Realm, yet the Venerable One had yet to engage in sexual intercourse with him. Even the handsome snake-men were offered to her. It should be known that the pleasures of the snake-men were incomparable to ordinary men; it was practically like being served twins at once. It was truly a pity that the Venerable One hadn't experienced them.
However, His Majesty seems more concerned with that stubborn young man from Shangqing. To be honest, Hu Mei also likes that face, but his personality is too arrogant. She prefers men who can serve her rather than those who consider themselves superior and righteous.
Xue Ji's hidden injuries had not yet fully healed, but they were much better than when he arrived. When he sensed footsteps in the hall while he was meditating, his expression tightened, and he closed his eyes again.
What was bound to happen has finally happened.
Lu Yue noticed the array she had set up, and effortlessly broke it without any expression. She then saw Xue Ji meditating peacefully inside the room.
Why don't you go soak in a hot spring?
"In no mood."
"Are you being so lazy because you don't want to serve me?"
"I don't want to bathe with other people."
Xue Ji quickly averted his gaze after seeing Lu Yue's stunning beauty. He was by nature a clean freak and didn't want to touch anything that had been touched by others. In any case, nothing in Shangqing truly belonged to him; he was always the disciple who was ignored.
Even though there were very few array cultivators, he was still offered up by the sect. His senior sister had countless junior brothers, and his master also had many intelligent and sensible disciples. Xue Ji knew that no one in the world had ever truly cared about him, and even if he were left to fend for himself, no one would care.
"You're being insolent."
Hu Mei thought Xue Ji was slandering the Venerable One. She knew countless beauties in the Demon Realm awaited Lu Yue's favor. To be favored by the Venerable One was a blessing that countless demons would kill for. And here he was, making sarcastic remarks.
"Hu Mei".
"Your subordinate is here."
Hu Mei thought that the Venerable One was going to skin Xue Ji alive and was eager to make his move.
"Make him a private bath in one day."
"ah?"
Hu Mei thought she had misheard.
I don't like to repeat myself.
"Yes, I will prepare immediately."
Hu Mei gritted her teeth in anger. As soon as she stepped out of the palace, she saw Wu Yan standing there like a wooden statue. She immediately ordered, "His Majesty has instructed you to have half a day to dig a separate bath for Xue Ji in the hot spring."
Wu Yan nodded immediately, then coldly instructed his subordinates: "Dig a separate bathhouse within one hour."
The dozens of little demons should get to work quickly.
After leaving the matter to Wu Yan, Hu Mei stormed back to her boudoir and said angrily, "His Majesty really dotes on Xue Ji. He gives him things that others can't have so easily. He even dug a private bath for him. How pretentious!"
Aman chimed in, "Exactly! How dare a hostage be so rude? I heard His Majesty has been with the young master these past few days, but I've never seen him before."
"Don't even mention you, I've never seen him either. Only that old fellow Wen Ruo and our fox clan's number one beauty who was angered away have seen him."
"I heard that Your Excellency and that fox-woman are old acquaintances."
"It's been almost a hundred years since then, and he was thrown out of the Demon Realm just for trespassing into the forbidden area. That was the Venerable One's darling, he cherished her dearly. What is that white rabbit spirit compared to that? The Venerable One said that he can make a fuss as much as he wants, but he can't disturb the young master."
"This young master is truly mysterious."
"That's right. Even when the Venerable One was shedding his skin, Wen Ruo was by his side protecting him. The time for this year is almost here."
"Does Your Majesty not need any nourishment after shedding your skin?"
"Heh, what a fool. His Majesty consumed the previous Demon Lord Chongli, whose cultivation of several thousand years was a great tonic."
"Yeah?"
Aman's eyes flickered as Hu Mei lay on his strong waist, her soft fox tail covering his back.
Aman's eyes gleamed with boundless ambition. He knew that snakes were at their weakest when shedding their skin. If he could seize the opportunity to stay by the Venerable One's side, wouldn't his cultivation level soar?
Not to mention the snake race, all beings in the Demon Realm must submit to him.
Why is that white rabbit spirit more favored than me? Her waist is so slender, she's no match for me in bed. If His Majesty had tasted me, he wouldn't even glance at that white rabbit spirit.
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