2 Chapter Two
◎Your eyes are beautiful◎
Darkness had fallen, and the cold night was bathed in a deep, blood-red light. Unlike the brutal battles of the daytime, the red light was now dazzling and vibrant, filling the sky with an eerie and terrifying aura.
The disciples of Shangqing silently escorted the unfortunate soul who was about to be offered to the Demon Lord. Xueji was also a prominent figure in the Dao, and regardless of whether she returned alive after this incident, she was destined to be forgotten by the world. This was a great disgrace to Shangqing.
Originally, sending Xueji to the Demon Realm would have been sufficient, but Master Erkong simply couldn't swallow this insult. After all, such an action was no different from sending someone away in marriage in the mortal world. Fortunately, Xueji was an array cultivator; if she were a rare sword cultivator, he certainly wouldn't have released her so easily.
But array cultivators are simply inferior to sword cultivators, who are far more precious.
Even though everyone outside was laughing at Shangqing, he still made a grand show of having his disciples bring a bridal sedan chair from the mortal realm to send Xueji off. Perhaps for the sake of face, he forced himself to act as if it were a proper marriage to the Demon Lord. He was practically making a scene of jubilation with drums and gongs.
The bamboo forest swayed, and the group silently stepped through the bamboo shadows to arrive at the territory of Demon Lord Lu Yue.
The Demon Realm, with its unrestrained ways, had no idea about the complicated rules of the mortal world. Hu Mei, seeing the bright red sedan chair from afar, found it novel and raised an eyebrow at the Right Protector, saying, "I've long heard that the Shangqing Sect is pedantic and conservative. They make such a fuss over sending a beauty begging for mercy, and put on such a pointless show."
The Right Protector slowly reminded him, "This is a bridal sedan chair used for weddings in the human world."
"Marry? He's not worthy of it."
Hu Mei's face turned cold. Even the most beautiful woman in the fox clan didn't have such an honor. Why should he, a mere human sent by Shangqing to suffer, be entitled to the etiquette of a principal wife? But then he thought that perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if he could anger that old man Wen Ruo.
"Shangqing is really boring."
Just as she was pondering this, the person arrived beside her, still looking sickly and frail, a thick, dark cloak wrapped around his thin shoulders. But Hu Mei knew he was no ordinary person; no one knew how long Wen Ruo had lived. He had existed since the birth of the Demon Realm. He had assisted successive Demon Lords, always appearing as their chief steward.
It's a pity about that fair skin; if she were stronger, she wouldn't be venting her anger on the Demon Lord's harem all day.
"The Shangqing court certainly has a lot of tricks up its sleeve."
Wen Ruo's smile was faint, but Hu Mei knew it was a sign of his anger. She was also curious: how could the most beautiful woman in the fox clan be ousted by this old man?
Hu Mei tentatively said, "This snow-cleared color is indeed a rare and beautiful one. Even I, as a member of the fox clan, feel ashamed in comparison."
"Left Protector, you are joking. The beauty of the fox clan is outstanding, far surpassing that of the people of Shangqing. Besides, if you were known for your beauty, why would you be serving as the Left Protector here?"
Hu Mei knew the other party was being sarcastic and insulting, so she retorted without hesitation: "Your Majesty is tired of the old men in our Demon Realm, so it's no wonder you've taken a fancy to these young and fresh ones. Although they may lack the charm of our fox clan, they are certainly fresh and interesting."
"Is the Left Protector still young, or is he just a child at heart? The Demon Lord is so noble, how could he be seduced by mere appearances? He is not a vulgar and boring mortal, nor a little demon who is lustful at first sight. The Left Protector arrived late, so he did not know that there were women serving His Majesty in the Demon Realm before. When I first met you, I thought that you were born into the fox clan to have such an opportunity, what a pity."
Wen Ruofeng smiled calmly, unconcerned about being secretly called old by this ugly fox. He met Lu Yue before she was even born.
Who in the world understands Lu Yue better than him, and has been with her the longest?
Hu Mei trembled with rage, her nine tails bristling. Hadn't anyone secretly plotted to kill this old bastard after he'd lived for tens of thousands of years? Her beauty was exceptional even among the fox clan; if the Venerable One truly had a penchant for polished mirrors, why wouldn't he be pleased? She wouldn't have had to endure years of hardship to finally climb to the position of Left Protector.
This was the most prestigious position besides the Demon Lord, but she was unaware of Wen Ruo's existence. He always stood to the left of the Venerable One, completely shielding himself; one might mistake him for the Left Protector. When she left the Fox Clan, she endured countless scornful looks; outsiders mocked the Fox Clan for relying solely on their seductive arts. Yet, she earned the position of Left Protector through sheer skill.
Seeing the bridal sedan chair ahead, she was about to go and hand it over when Wen Ruo beat her to it.
"His Majesty ordered me to take people back, so there's no need for you to trouble yourself."
"I have managed the Demon Realm for many years, and I have been in charge of all matters, big and small. Not to mention that he is coming here to serve Your Majesty, so of course I have to train him properly."
Hu Mei didn't understand what the old man was thinking. It was because he was quite old and the Venerable One had never favored him, so he harbored resentment. But with his frail body, his bones would fall apart after just two such ordeals.
No matter who presented the beauties, they all had to pass through his hands, but not all of them wanted to serve the Venerable One. Some who refused were skinned alive by Wen Ruo and disciplined until they were completely obedient before being sent to his bedchamber. She thought of Xue Ji, whom she had seen today; judging from her aloof and arrogant nature, she would surely be tortured to death.
Wen Ruo certainly wasn't going to hold back; he didn't like that face, it was too conspicuous.
Inside the sedan chair, Xue Ji listened to the commotion outside and gripped the dagger tightly in his bosom. This was given to him by his senior brother before he left, who said that if he was unwilling to submit to that dissolute demon lord, he should prove his innocence by dying, and at worst, he could frame her.
But he was unwilling; having not yet seen his master one last time, he was naturally unwilling to die so easily.
Hu Mei was unwilling to hand the person over to Wen Ruo easily, and just as they were at an impasse, a thick fog appeared in front of everyone.
Lu Yue, growing impatient, was momentarily dazed when she saw the exquisitely crafted bridal sedan chair before her. She recalled witnessing a mortal wedding when she was still a demon general; the scene was quite lively. Concealing her aura, she silently watched the newlyweds enter their bridal chamber amidst the sounds of firecrackers, nestled among the congratulatory crowd.
Oh, and there's the wedding wine. She took a sip, but it was too bitter and spicy, making Lu Yue choke and her eyes water. The taste was really mediocre, but she still swallowed it all.
Recalling the past, she raised her eyes slightly: "How interesting. Should we send them to the bridal chamber next?"
"Your Excellency, this is merely a tribute sent by the Shangqing to sue for peace. How can you make such a joke? It is truly unbecoming of your status."
Furthermore, untrained newcomers are reckless and stupid, and have no idea how to serve others. Just like the currently favored Young Master Bai, who seduced the young Lu Yue when he wasn't paying attention.
Wen Ruo hated nothing more than things slipping out of his control. This thing sent by Shangqing looked arrogant and proud, and was far from willing to lower himself to serve him wholeheartedly. Naturally, he would help Lu Yue crush this person's pride and train him to be as loyal, obedient, and sensible as a dog.
"Why not? Our Demon Realm hasn't had such a lively atmosphere in a long time."
Looking at the beauty in the sedan chair, Lu Yue couldn't wait any longer and took the sedan chair away in front of everyone.
Seeing the bridal sedan chair disappear on the spot, both sides looked grim.
Master Erkong blushed and his veins bulged. He cursed inwardly that the demon Luyue was indeed a lecherous scoundrel who had so eagerly taken the person and the bridal sedan chair away in full view of everyone. It was a pity that the young child had suffered such a fate. But it was not in vain that Shangqing had nurtured him; this was a way of repaying their kindness.
Wen Ruo's complexion worsened, her usually refined and elegant face suddenly turning ashen.
Lu Yue has always been a good child who listens to him. When did she become so impatient? She must have been led astray by someone. But it doesn't matter. He will secretly deal with those ignorant fools.
Tonight is destined to be a sleepless night; some are waiting to see the show, while others are forced to endure loneliness and desolation.
Lu Yue hurriedly led the person to her palace. She recalled the weddings she had seen before, and now it was time to lift the veil to complete the ceremony.
She casually lifted the sedan curtain, picked up a jade pen from the table, and quickly stepped into the sedan.
Lu Yue lifted the red veil extremely slowly. The first thing that caught the eye was her delicate chin, followed by her tightly pursed red lips and her pretty, delicate nose. When her eyes were revealed, she paused, and as she slowly lifted the veil, Lu Yue's deep eyes shone slightly.
Seeing those captivating eyes and brows, she was immediately tempted to bring him back.
"Your eyes are beautiful."
Xue Ji felt nauseous and stared blankly into the void without even glancing up at her. Lu Yue's ruthlessness and viciousness had been legendary in the Daoist world for a thousand years. Even though he was only a hundred years old, he had heard elders speak of her evil deeds many times.
Lu Yue wasn't annoyed that the beauty in the sedan chair didn't look up at her; even without makeup, her face was still stunning. She couldn't help but want to touch those eyes—they were truly beautiful.
"Xueji, this name suits you very well."
Her master had once said the same thing to her, and Xueji couldn't help but look up at the infamous Demon Lord in the Dao.
Her long, dark sleeves trailed on the ground, and her hair was bound by a silver crown. Even with a gentle smile, she couldn't hide the chilling and murderous aura emanating from her. Like a blood-drinking weapon, she was unapproachable.
Hmph, she's just after his good looks, why bother with this pretense?
He turned his head and said coldly, "Kill me or torture me, it's up to you."
If anyone else dared to speak so arrogantly to Lu Yue, they would have been dead long ago, but looking at this face, she was willing to indulge them.
She bent down and smiled, "I only want your heart, how could I bear to kill you?"
Xueji was also stopped by several of her fellow disciples at Shangqing and listened to them express their affection for her. But she had never heard such frivolous words before.
He replied indifferently, "Absolutely impossible."
"I'm not that greedy, I only need half."
Seeing his eyes redden with anger, Lu Yue felt much better and didn't linger. There were still many days ahead; she was patient and would wait for the day he agreed.
Xue Ji took a breath and stepped stiffly out of the sedan chair. He tore off the unsightly red clothes from his body and only then loosened his grip on the dagger. He set up several arrays before daring to rest in peace.
He had heard that Lu Yue was fond of extravagance, but the simple and elegant residence here suited his taste.
Xue Ji sat cross-legged, having guarded Shangqing for seven days and seven nights. He was sent to the Demon Realm without rest, and his injuries, left untreated for too long, were no longer effectively treated with elixirs. He could only slowly recuperate using his cultivation, but it was estimated that it would take half a year to recover to his previous state.
She thought she couldn't escape being humiliated by Lu Yue, but she never expected that what was more hateful than the defilement of her body was the humiliation of being verbally harassed by her.
As rumored, Lu Yue was indeed disgusting.
He would never give her his heart.
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