39 Chapter Thirty-Nine
◎Lu Yue, you actually shed tears◎
When Lu Yue regained consciousness, it was too late. She could only wipe her mouth, suppress her shame, and feign composure as she got up and left. This illusion was truly something else; it could dig out the deepest parts of a person's heart. Fortunately, it was just an illusion after all; apart from her and Xue Ji, everything inside was merely a false illusion.
Not long after she left, the person on the bed got up and neatly gathered their wide-open robe. Wen Ruo lowered her eyes, recalling the look of rapt attention on the Venerable One's face, and a deep smile appeared on her lips.
He stood up and brought out a white porcelain bowl from the square table, filled with sweet milk. With a flick of his wrist, it vanished without a trace. Wen Ruo's lips curved into a smile, and her light-colored eyes shone with an unusual brightness.
He knew that His Majesty would gradually accept the different version of him, and when the time was right, he would become her most trusted subordinate again, continuing to accompany her in the Demon Realm, just like before.
But something seems off about this illusion; there are far too many other people besides him.
Lu Yue wandered aimlessly, searching for Xue Ji, who was hiding among the trees. Although the outside was still covered in snow, it suddenly started to rain, the misty rain soaking the entire palace. She walked through the rain-soaked cobblestones towards the secluded palace. The further she walked, the quieter it became; a few faint meows could be heard in the distance.
It sounded particularly strange amidst the sound of rain.
Lu Yue followed the sound and turned to see a man sheltering from the rain under the eaves. He was soaking wet, his thin gauze robe clinging to his shoulder blades. He was holding a kitten in his arms, which looked to be less than a month old, a tiny bundle.
The man's beautiful neck was exposed, his slightly damp hair hung down in front of him, and his rosy lips trembled from the cold.
You like cats?
"I just felt sorry for it; it would die soon without its mother feeding it."
"If it can't survive, then it's destined to die. I can grow up even without a mother."
"Me too, but the kitten is so pitiful. Let's find its mother and return it to its mother."
Looking at Xue Ji's profile, Lu Yue felt a pang of sadness in her heart. It was as if she had forgotten something. Looking at him, she felt as if she had returned to herself in the dense forest, helpless and alone, forced to cower in fear in a damp, dark cave when faced with a ferocious, large beast.
Perhaps it is for this reason that she craves absolute power, but the fact that she has not yet obtained the body of a dragon has made her loathe the long wait.
Lu Yue grabbed the man and coldly reminded him, "Xue Ji, this is an illusion. You should go back."
The man looked panicked and knelt on the ground softly, saying, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I am Yan Qing."
"Yan Qing?"
The man's eyes were lowered. Xue Ji had never shown this gentle side before. He was always stubborn, always silent even when he wanted something, which was indeed a very unlikable trait.
Lu Yue suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head. It seemed that Xue Ji had also fallen under the illusion. But why did he want to become his younger brother? He just looked like a useless piece of trash.
"Come with me, I'll take you out."
"No, Your Majesty," Yan Qing hurriedly dodged, "The Empress said that someone of my lowly status is not allowed to approach Your Majesty, otherwise..."
"Otherwise what?"
Yan Qing lowered his eyes and remained silent. Lu Yue noticed the bruises on his arm and her lips twitched slightly.
What one sees in a hallucination is what one thinks. Does Xueji like being beaten? What a bizarre fetish.
Lu Yue had no time to waste here, so she grabbed his arm and pulled him outside: "Come on, let's go see your so-called empress."
She pulled Xueji along, and he followed closely behind. When the palace servants saw her, they all dispersed and she went directly into a magnificent room.
Upon seeing the Empress's stunning face, Lu Yue couldn't help but smile; it was none other than A Yao. She wore a vibrant peony robe, exuding an air of elegance and nobility, and was accompanied by several adorable young children.
"Your Majesty, what brings you here?" A Yao's gaze fell on that feigned innocent face and his expression instantly changed. He said sarcastically, "How could a palace servant of such lowly status appear by Your Majesty's side? Get rid of him!"
Yan Qing timidly hid behind His Majesty and said softly, "Please forgive me, Your Majesty, but you are the only one in His Majesty's heart."
He knelt on the ground, knowing full well that His Majesty loved only the Empress, and that even though there were countless beauties in the harem, none of them could live long without his affections.
Lu Yue didn't understand the current situation. To wake Xue Ji up, she should just go along with his wishes. She looked at the Empress coldly and said, "Now I'm deposing you, and he'll become the Empress."
"What nonsense is Your Majesty talking about?"
A Yao's eyes darkened, and he kicked Yan Qing in the stomach.
That damned child not only dragged Lu Yue down, but also tried to outdo him in the illusion.
Lu Yue grabbed A Yao and flung him away, casually glancing at the person on the ground and saying, "Now that you're the empress, you should wake up. Xue Ji, this is an illusion, don't pretend to be stupid here."
"Snow clears, an illusion? Lu Yue, you are real."
Ayao stood up and hugged her waist frantically, pressing his body tightly against hers. He trembled as he smelled that familiar scent; she was indeed real.
With red eyes, he lay on her, tears of joy streaming down his face: "I thought you were dead."
How did you get here?
"I heard that useless Hu Mei sent you to Shangqing, so I came to find you."
Ayao held Luyue tightly, unwilling to let go, fearing that this too was an illusion. But in his illusion, how could Luyue possibly abandon him?
"Then you go first, I'm taking Xueji with me."
"Xueji? He is Yan Qing."
"Who is Yan Qing?"
Seeing Lu Yue's confused expression, A Yao finally understood that it was a good thing that she had forgotten Yan Qing.
"It's nothing. Only the two of us here are real; everything else is an illusion."
"Yeah?"
Lu Yue finally understood; Yan Qing was also an illusion. Where did Xue Ji go?
"Lu Yue, come back to Chunhu with me. I believe that with my elder sister's support, you will definitely be able to return to the position of Demon Lord." A Yao's eyes were filled with infatuation. No one missed Lu Yue more than him. For the past five hundred years, he had wanted to die for her every moment.
Unfortunately, Yan Qing took advantage of the situation, but Lu Yue has now forgotten what feelings she had for that child.
"So this is your illusion."
Looking at Xue Ji lying on the ground, Lu Yue felt that he must also be real.
"Lu Yue, let's leave." A Yao wanted to lead her away as if he were intoxicated, but the person beside him was only looking at Yan Qing on the ground.
Who exactly is he? Is he real or an illusion?
A Yao looked annoyed and was about to dispel his anger when crimson blood flowed down her delicate face. Yan Qing looked at the two intimately close people with a calm expression, like puppets being manipulated.
Lu Yue suddenly remembered, and she stuffed the fragmented images into the alarm clock. She knelt down and gently hugged him.
She remembered.
Yan Qing.
That poor child, so weak, was killed by her own hands.
She is still alive, but he is dead forever.
She refused to look directly into her own heart, fearing that this child would become her weakness. A wet tear slid from the corner of her eye and fell into Yan Qing's heart.
This was the first time Lu Yue had felt such pain; her heart felt as if it had been ripped apart. She gently pressed her cheek against his and sighed softly in his ear, "It's my fault. I've always had you in my heart, but you were too weak. The longevity noodles were prepared for you, but they broke your heart, Yan Qing."
Even though she didn't understand what those feelings were, Yan Qing was still someone she couldn't let go of.
The person in his arms remained expressionless, simply curled up coldly in Lu Yue's embrace.
"Lu Yue, you're actually crying."
Ayao stared in disbelief at the tears streaming down his face. Could the cold and ruthless snake race really cry? But why not for himself?
A sudden burst of golden light shattered the illusion, and a fierce wind tore away the facade, revealing the primal reality at the bottom of the cliff. Red flowers bloomed wildly, their fragrance numbing the senses, which is why those who fell fell into the trap. Beneath their feet lay piles of white bones; even illusions, though false, could cause some to succumb.
Black horns slowly emerged, a symbol unique to dragons.
The turbulent Demon Realm sensed an unusual power. Just as the Ten Palace Masters were vying for the position of Demon Lord, an even more powerful demon was born.
At this moment, Hu Mei knew she couldn't put up a fight, so she insisted on holding onto the Demon Lord's position. A faint blue light coalesced into a human form before her.
Qunqing spoke coldly and sarcastically, "Under your leadership, the Demon Realm is truly declining day by day."
“That’s all Wen Ruo’s fault. He should have been assisting me. If it weren’t for him spending time with Lu Yue, the Ten Directions Palace Master would definitely have regarded me as the Demon Lord.”
Hu Mei's face was contorted with resentment, her eyes filled with bitterness. Because of her pure fox origins, she had always been looked down upon. The demons believed she could only bewitch people with her appearance, and she was met with countless taunts and ridicule when she first entered the Demon Realm. Yet, she had become the Right Protector, second only to the Demon Lord, and had even risen to the highest position. Why should the Ten Directions Palace Master be dissatisfied with her?
"The difference between you and Lu Yue is not in strength, but in Wen Ruo's choice."
The azure light gradually dissipated, eventually leading to the place where the Blood Demon Lotus had once flourished. A solitary black figure stood there, seemingly searching for something.
"The phrase 'breaking through the mindset' is difficult to comprehend. Chongli, who loves victory and is skilled in battle, saw through it after losing a match. I never imagined that you would see through it because of a single tear. Heaven truly favors you. Under your leadership, the Demon Realm will last for thousands of years."
Qunqing originally disliked Luyue because Wenruo, a dog belonging to the Demon Realm, chose to betray them instead of assisting the new Demon Lord and staying with her old master.
Hu Mei could also sit in this position, but the change in Wen Ruo's situation prevented her from bringing the Ten Directions Palace Master under her command.
Besides ability, the position of Demon Lord also requires boundless ambition. Just like Lu Yue back then, a mere demon general dared to have the idea of killing Chong Li. Hu Mei also had ambition, daring to take action while Lu Yue was engrossed in love.
Unfortunately, Wen Ruo, the dog who should have been treated equally, did not pledge allegiance to his new master.
Lu Yue remained calm. She had not found Yan Qing's remains and said in a low voice, "Did you see everything all along?"
"Yes, but no. Heaven has always favored you, and you will still get everything you want."
The Demon Realm, which had been in chaos for five hundred years, finally calmed down. Countless demons came to this place where the Blood Demon Lotus once bloomed to pay homage to the new Demon Lord.
The group of young men knelt on the ground, solemnly pledging their loyalty.
"Qunqing, the seventh lord of the Demon Realm, pays respects to the new master."
The Ten Directions Palace Masters never expected that the new demon was actually Lu Yue, who had even acquired the body of a dragon. Their mutual slaughter during this period seemed particularly ridiculous, yet they still willingly knelt before her.
The continuous stream of sounds echoed throughout the entire Demon Realm.
"Your subordinate pays respects to the new master."
Wen Ruo watched everything with satisfaction from a distance. The master of the Demon Realm had finally returned, and only Lu Yue was worthy of his continued loyalty.
Everything returns to its original state.
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