27 Chapter Twenty-Seven
I think I should see you, brother.
A Yao clenched his fists, staring fiercely at Xue Ji's face, trying to see if he was disguised. But it was obvious that the face was naturally his, and he sat coldly and handsomely beside Lu Yue.
Seeing his ashen face, the Southern Palace Master assumed that his former lover was angered by his new love, so he mocked, "Hey, no matter what, Your Majesty is still Your Majesty. She has many beauties around her. You have been favored by her before, so why are you angry?"
"Get out, you don't even deserve to be favored."
Ayao stood up coldly and returned to Chunhu before the banquet was over. Hengji thought her brother had been wronged again and said helplessly, "You should stay away from the Demon Realm. Every time you go, you get hurt."
Ignoring her elder sister's mockery, Ayao asked urgently, "Do you know that the beauty Luyue brought from Shangqing looks exactly like Yan Qing!"
"I know. I thought Lu Yue wanted to enjoy the twins and that she was very lucky, but I didn't expect her to want to give Yan Qing to me. However, I guess that child is not meant to be with me. He is thinking about Lu Yue and I am not willing to steal him away."
Heng Ji sighed, marveling at Yan Qing's eccentric nature coupled with his beauty. If it weren't for Lu Yue's protection, he would have been devoured long ago. The Demon Realm revered the strong, devoid of any semblance of order. How could Lu Yue, so cold-hearted and callous, raise such a pure and kind child? What were her true feelings for Yan Qing?
"Didn't you realize something was wrong? Yan Qing is a demon, but Xue Ji is a cultivator from Shangqing. How could they be twins? Even if his mother is human, he must have demon blood in him."
"What does this have to do with me? You should ask Lu Yue instead."
Heng Ji was used to a leisurely life and always remained neutral in her actions. She didn't ask Lu Yue unless he spoke up. Actually, she had some guesses about Lu Yue's thoughts, but she didn't understand why he was going to such lengths, or who Yan Qing's birth mother was, or why Xue Ji was in Shangqing, especially as a human. Why was there no trace of half-demon blood in him?
It's important to know that many demons also have children with humans, and these children are considered outsiders. Although their lifespan is longer than that of mortals, their cultivation level is far inferior to that of other pure-blooded demons.
Therefore, they always hid carefully in the mortal world, fearing that they might give themselves away.
Since Xue Ji is a half-demon, the fact that he has been able to stay in Shangqing for so many years without any problems suggests that the person who performed the blood transfusion for him must be an extraordinary figure.
That must be related to his mother as well.
"No matter what, this is too absurd. Lu Yue clearly said that she only has maternal feelings for Yan Qing's child, but now she is being gentle and considerate to his brother, and even personally feeding him medicine and celebrating his birthday. If Yan Qing sees this, what will he think?"
"What does it matter to you what that child thinks?" Hengji didn't understand why her younger brother cared about Yanqing's thoughts.
“No matter what, I’m practically his father.” A Yao watched him grow up in the Demon Realm. Although he hated that the child had such inappropriate thoughts about Lu Yue, he still forgave him.
“You treat him like a son, but he treats you like an enemy,” Hengji shook her head regretfully. “You should keep a close eye on Xueji now.”
He's probably still basking in Lu Yue's favor, completely unaware that he's nothing more than a pitiful scapegoat. It's true that the more aloof a man is, the more uncontrollable he becomes once he falls in love. Just like the former Demon Lord Chong Li.
The banquet in the Demon Realm continued, and Xue Ji still found it hard to bear the foul air emanating from the demons, but seeing Lu Yue sipping wine beside him, he chose to endure it. Looking at the beauties dancing below, his cool brows furrowed. Xue Ji didn't appreciate the Demon Realm's music and dance; it was far too licentious, and the clothing was utterly inappropriate.
It's important to know that at Shangqing banquets, it's common for music cultivators to play the zither, summoning cranes to dance, emphasizing elegance and refinement. Alternatively, two sword cultivators might be invited to play chess.
He could only patiently enjoy the dance and music. Several beautiful women moved gracefully, their thin gauze dresses swaying with their slender waists. He had heard many rumors about Lu Yue back in Shangqing; it was said that she had no dietary restrictions, regardless of gender. Although it was just a rumor, Xue Ji felt it wasn't an exaggeration to apply to Lu Yue. He watched Lu Yue cautiously, fearing that she might have almost taken a beauty into her harem like last time.
As he gazed at Lu Yue, another gaze was also fixed intently on him. It swept across Xue Ji's features inch by inch, before finally stiffening and slowly departing, wrapped tightly in a black robe.
He walked hurriedly, his mind filled with that face, and stumbled around the Demon Realm in a daze. He wasn't watching where he was going and accidentally bumped into the Lord of the Southern Domain.
The other party was, after all, a powerful demon lord. He was already furious because of the Demon Realm. After being knocked down, he kicked Yan Qing away and cursed, "Are you blind?"
"How could you..."
The man stopped speaking as the black robe on Yan Qing's body slipped off, revealing her true face. Only then did the Southern Domain Palace Master see her clearly: her features were exquisitely beautiful, like a work of fine jade, flawless. "How did that aloof beauty on the high platform become such a docile child? Wait, he's clearly a demon!"
As the Southern Domain Palace Master pondered what was happening, a cold blade pierced his chest. He couldn't struggle and collapsed to the ground. Lu Yue, stepping on his corpse, swiftly sheathed her blade and coldly looked at Yan Qing on the ground: "Why did you come out?"
Yan Qing didn't speak coldly. Lu Yue assumed he was in great pain, so she got up and helped him up.
Yan Qing lowered his eyes and let the Venerable One brush the dust off his body. He lowered his eyes and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, I saw that the person next to you looks just like me."
Lu Yue remained calm and said in a low voice, "You should call him brother. You were originally twins, but Xue Ji was stranded in the mortal world due to an accident. I only recently found him."
"Have you met my mother?"
"I've met you. No matter what, I am your mother now."
"Is that so?" Yan Qing's smile was awkward. His elder brother seemed healthier and more favored by the Venerable One. Unlike himself, who was useless and a waste, just as his father had said. To the powerful Venerable One, he would only be a burden.
Yan Qing couldn't muster any resentment, and forced a smile as she praised, "Brother is so lucky."
"You should go back."
Lu Yue stared indifferently at Yan Qing; his smile was more unsightly than his crying. She refused to say anything more and instructed Wen Ruo to dispose of the Southern Region Palace Master's body.
Wen Ruo hadn't expected the Southern Domain Palace Master to be such a fool; he had such a good opportunity, yet he hadn't used Yan Qing to threaten or kill him. On the way back with Yan Qing, she carefully observed his handsome features.
His father was once Wen Ruo's most favored Demon Lord, aspiring to become the strongest ruler. Unfortunately, he couldn't guard his heart and spent his days indulging in love. He was no longer worthy of being the monarch Wen Ruo was willing to serve. In Wen Ruo's eyes, Lu Yue was perfect, only regrettably seduced by Chong Li's child.
He had no idea how much effort His Majesty had put into him.
Lu Yue didn't return to the banquet. She started to feel bored and, in a daze, she came to A Yao's residence. He had already returned to the Demon Realm and was waiting for her there.
"You've come." Ayao held his Luyue in his arms. Her soft tail wrapped around her cold body, and he whispered, "Did you already know that Xueji was in Shangqing?"
"I was the one who sent that child there."
"You brought him back because of Yan Qing, didn't you?"
Lu Yue remained silent, of course, for Yan Qing's sake. His body was being sustained by the Blood Demon Lotus, but even so, he wouldn't live for more than a few years.
She needed a new heart to survive, so she went to great lengths to snatch Xueji away. Actually, she could have killed Xueji outright, but Yanqing's health was poor. If that hadn't worked, she would have needed to replace her heart again. Therefore, she needed to keep Xueji by her side and help her recover.
From the first moment he saw the child, Lu Yue, he felt a special connection. Perhaps it was because his mother was Wei Mengqiu, or perhaps it was because he was different from other snakes. He wasn't cold-hearted or selfish; he even carefully cared for a little bird that had wandered into the Demon Realm, fearing that his father would find out and banish the bird.
He was gentle, kind, pitiful, and obedient. Completely like a tender human, unlike the heartless and ruthless snake race. Lu Yue watched him secretly. Perhaps without realizing it, she had already taken him into her heart. She didn't understand what this feeling was; she only knew she wanted this child to live, to live forever, to stay by her side.
The Demon Lord cannot have any weaknesses, and she didn't want to expose hers. Therefore, she deliberately ignored Yan Qing, wanting only for him to live. She knew that only the birthday person could eat longevity noodles. But today was also Yan Qing's birthday, so she prepared noodles for the entire Demon Realm, though Yan Qing probably didn't know that.
“His mother must have been a very good person to have given birth to a child like Yan Qing.” A Yao lovingly stroked Lu Yue’s hair.
“You know too much.” Lu Yue closed her eyes and lay in his arms.
Ayao knew that Luyue's feelings for Yanqing weren't romantic. Perhaps it was like a human keeping a cute pet, a cat or a dog. How could she bear to abandon years of affection?
He thought to himself: I will always be by your side.
Lu Yue stroked A Yao's tail; it was still as warm as before.
Seeing her familiar little gestures, A Yao's beautiful eyes softened, and she asked cautiously, "Did you get together with me back then because I saved you?"
"Um."
"If I hadn't saved you back then, would you still like me?"
Yes, you are very beautiful.
This wasn't the answer A Yao wanted. He hoped Lu Yue would tell him, "Because you're different from other demons." But he dared not say anything more. If Lu Yue knew that he wasn't the one who saved her back then, the feelings they had painstakingly built would crumble.
Back in the hall, Xue Ji was filled with anticipation. If sacrificing himself for the peace of his sect was the right thing to do, he wouldn't be a sinner. He changed out of the Shangqing Daoist robe he was wearing and chose a plain-colored thin gauze, making it look like he wasn't dressed at all. He thought Lu Yue would probably like this, but as he was carefully examining him, he suddenly realized something was wrong.
"Who are you?"
Xue Ji noticed someone had intruded, even though it was impossible for any demons to enter other than Wen Ruo and Lu Yue. He looked disgusted, assuming it was one of Lu Yue's beauties coming to provoke him.
"I think I should meet you."
Xue Ji remained calm until a dark shadow slowly appeared in front of him.
After struggling for a long time, Yan Qing still felt that she should see Xue Ji, and slowly put down her long robe.
When Xue Ji saw a face that looked exactly like his, she thought she was hallucinating, until Yan Qing bit her lip and said tremblingly, "His Majesty said you are my brother, so I wanted to come and see you."
Although the Venerable One hadn't revealed who his mother was, Yan Qing was still very happy about his brother's existence and how much the Venerable One liked him. He wished he could have even a tiny bit of favoritism in return.
Xue Ji's face turned deathly pale. He staggered back a few steps and collapsed to the ground. Beside him lay the sword that Lu Yue had given him.
No, this sword was originally made for Yan Qing.
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