The Demon Lord and I: Frenemies - Chapter 20

Before losing consciousness, Fei Wanghuai heard her calling for help and immediately became alert. No one knew how many abilities a Nine Leaves cultivator possessed; it was best not to risk secret techniques, but he was gravely injured and powerless, unable to hide even if he wanted to.

His vision grew increasingly blurry, darkness clouding his sight.

Chu Zaishuang felt a sudden weight on her shoulder and noticed Fei Wanghuai’s eyes tightly shut. She quickly reached out to check for breath under his nose, and only after sensing a faint exhale did she breathe a little easier.

Su Tingyun did not travel by sword, but instead used a direct teleportation at the Transformation Realm. Driven by his urgent desire to save his son, he arrived faster than anyone else. The Qionglian Twelve Islands were covered in his arrays; unless there was some special circumstance, there was nowhere he could not reach.

As he looked up, he saw Chu Zaishuang and those beside her. He strode over quickly, his robes billowing in the strong wind. Time had left no marks on his face; profound spiritual energy made his figure upright and imposing. A cold sword without a scabbard and a uniquely patterned waist token were basically the only items on him.

The sword without a scabbard was named “Youwo,” and the peculiar waist token was the Tingyun Luoyue Token, the token of the Lotus Flower Sect Leader.

Su Tingyun anxiously asked, “Shuang’er, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. Quickly, check on my brother-and him!” Chu Zaishuang supported Fei Wanghuai, hastily reporting the situation, afraid of delaying treatment for the other two.

In the forest, all the Spirit Beasts had been crushed by the Transformation Realm’s power. The howling winds faded, and the surroundings quieted down.

Not far away, Chu Bingxiao lay on the ground. He sensed his father’s spiritual energy. Though unable to get up, he managed to speak in a hoarse voice, “It’s nothing, I’m fine.”

“Indeed, it’s nothing-just severely injured and bleeding, several bones trampled and broken, spiritual energy backlash from using the Blood Arrow Technique. None of that is a big deal, right?”

Su Tingyun crouched down and cast a Healing Technique to tend to his son’s wounds, sighing helplessly, “You’re just like your mother. Even if the sky falls, you say it’s nothing. If I didn’t know you’ve always been like this, I’d suspect your face was injured, since you still show no expression.”

As the Vice Sect Leader of the Lotus Flower Sect, Su Tingyun had seen countless disciples of the Immortal Sect, yet his own children still gave him headaches.

His son, Chu Bingxiao, was exceptionally talented but taciturn. He appeared steady and reliable, yet often risked himself, unexpectedly challenging those above his level, delving into all kinds of Spirit Beast lairs. Even after falling from a thousand-foot cliff, he could dust himself off and say, “It’s nothing.” He had always been indifferent-not out of coldness, but more like insensitivity. He looked expressionless, but was actually just dull to feeling.

His daughter, Chu Zaishuang, disliked cultivation but was eloquent and argumentative. She would lie on the ground for no reason, or dash down the mountain. As a child, she read widely in the library, loved to pick out loopholes in ancient texts, and pestered her elders with “why” questions, always able to stump others with her meticulous logic. Fortunately, in recent years, she became curious about mortals, preferring to study chess and miscellaneous books, and temporarily forgot about other matters.

In short, neither child was worry-free. If he had to compare, his daughter was a bit more sensible, mainly because she was too lazy to go out adventuring.

After treatment, Chu Bingxiao tried to get up, but Su Tingyun pressed him back down with a palm.

“Rest for a while. Must you break your spine before you’ll stay put?”

“It’s nothing.”

“…” Su Tingyun said, “I’ll have Yue’er forge you a new sword. We’ll call it ‘It’s Nothing.'”

His son couldn’t stay lying down, his daughter lay around all day-neither was normal.

Su Tingyun stood up and walked over to Chu Zaishuang, then looked at the young man beside her. “Alright, let’s check on this one.”

Chu Zaishuang carefully helped Fei Wanghuai up so her father could examine the wound on his back.

His head was slightly bowed, resting on her shoulder. His long black lashes drooped, making him look as if he were peacefully asleep. His face was pale from weakness, only his earlobes stained with blood from the fight, like a stroke of cinnabar on white paper.

The Cloud Water Robe was torn open, revealing three hideous, terrifying wounds oozing black-red tainted blood, filled with the dying resentment of the Wind Howl Giant Beast. On the youth’s supple, graceful shoulders and back, the wounds looked especially dreadful.

She hadn’t seen clearly before, but now found the sight shocking.

Su Tingyun raised his hand, about to cast a spell on the wounds, but suddenly frowned. He examined carefully, his expression growing grave, and for a long while, he did not act.

“What’s wrong?” Chu Zaishuang asked anxiously. “Surely he’s not beyond saving?”

She was used to her brother’s “It’s nothing,” but hadn’t expected Fei Wanghuai to be so fragile, even making a Nine Leaves father show a troubled face.

“No, he can be saved, but I can’t save him.” After speaking, Su Tingyun met his daughter’s almond eyes and realized his words were off, quickly explaining, “Of course, it’s not that I refuse to help, but that I truly can’t-I dare not take the risk.”

Chu Zaishuang was puzzled.

Su Tingyun said, “Shuang’er, look closely. The wounds are already healing. He has Mei blood; when on the brink of death, his soul falls into slumber, using dreams to complete the healing.”

Looking down, she saw strands of blue light flickering in the torn flesh-unlike the wounds of an ordinary person. The blood was slowly clotting, and glowing spiritual energy faded at the wound’s edge, like pale blue sparks drifting away.

Fei Wanghuai was now asleep, his expression peaceful, brows gradually relaxing, as if the pain was easing.

“Moreover, it seems he just advanced. He’d been stuck for a while, but now he’s cleared the blockage and released all the pent-up power,” Su Tingyun remarked with emotion. “Truly gifted-apart from Xiao’er, I’ve never seen someone this age reach Four Leaves Mid Stage.”

“So we just leave the wounds open like this?” Chu Zaishuang was confused. “Shouldn’t we treat them?”

“Strictly speaking, Mei should count as Spirit Beasts, but they’re also skilled in illusions, hiding many secrets unknown to ordinary people. If I use a Healing Technique and abruptly break his dream, it might backfire.”
The cultivation of Spirit Beasts is somewhat different from that of humans; there is no distinction between immortals or demons-both rely on spiritual energy. Su Tingyun was worried that casting spells would disturb Fei Wanghuai’s recovery and only end up causing trouble.

Chu Bingxiao couldn’t stay lying down; he had already sat up and asked, “Father, do you mean we should go to Dragon Tiger Peak and find a beast doctor for Wanghuai?”

Su Tingyun hesitated. “Well, that might not be proper. He’s only half Charm Clan by blood-by any account, he should be considered human.”

“Why should he be considered human?” Chu Zaishuang asked, puzzled. “If he’s half human and half Charm Clan, then should we use the treatment for cultivators, or for Spirit Beasts?”

Pressed for an answer, Su Tingyun touched his nose awkwardly. “That… I don’t really know either…”

Chu Zaishuang’s bright apricot eyes dulled. She was deeply disappointed and said plaintively, “Aren’t you a Nine Leaves cultivator, Father? How can you not know?”

Chu Bingxiao, on the other hand, seemed never to have had any expectations, speaking even more bluntly: “Father, why did you come instead of Mother?”

Faced with his children’s questions, Su Tingyun felt thoroughly stung and flustered, defending himself, “It’s mainly that there are too few records about the Charm Clan. Every field has its own expertise. I don’t understand it well, either.”

Fortunately, Chu Bingxiao remained calm. Seeing his sister so worried, he comforted her, “The Medicine Elder should be coming soon. When he arrives, he can apply herbal poultices.”

“Yes, so Shuang’er, don’t worry. Don’t scare yourself by being too anxious,” Su Tingyun echoed. “Your friend will be fine.”

Chu Zaishuang was taken aback. “My friend?”

Su Tingyun was curious. “Isn’t he?”

She looked at Fei Wanghuai and, after a long silence, finally nodded, “Yes, he really is the first friend I made at the Lecture Hall.”

A chance encounter, a mysterious closeness, an inexplicable turning back.

She still did not understand much of his behavior, but at this moment, she had to admit that perhaps they really were friends.

*

Parting like rain, a dream of Nanke.

Once again, the sky was full of flames, the endless sound of water, the Wangchuan River still surged violently, but this time Fei Wanghuai was not swept away-instead, he fought with all his strength to reach the shore, running back along the Huai River.

Thick smoke, sharp arrows, broken banners-none could block his way. He ran on heedlessly, feeling lighter as if a great burden had lifted, all to reach the person he had once left behind.

In this moment, reason no longer mattered. Cultivating as an immortal requires uprightness and peace; to cultivate as a demon is to follow one’s heart.

Letting go of all distractions, his consciousness cleared.

At the end of the road was a field of white light, faintly outlining a girl’s figure, and her familiar robes.

The light was so bright it made his eyes water.

When the dazzling light faded, Fei Wanghuai slowly opened his eyes, and what greeted him was the youthful sleeping face of a girl. Her hair was a mess, her head slightly lowered, a red scratch on her cheek, and her right palm wrapped in layers of white silk as she dozed by the bedside.

Because of severe injuries to his back, Fei Wanghuai was lying prone on the bed, feeling the coolness of the applied medicine on his wounds. Chu Zaishuang was keeping vigil at the foot of the bed, sleeping with her arms on the bed’s edge, her head bobbing now and then like a little chick pecking grain.

The sky gradually brightened, sunlight filtered through the window lattice, landing just on the two of them.

This was a room in the Lotus Flower Sect, not a prison cell-his identity had not been exposed. He breathed a small sigh of relief. Relying on his Charm Clan bloodline to conceal the demonic aura within, then using secret techniques to transform it into spiritual energy-few can do this, and it is little known.

The prone position was uncomfortable. Fei Wanghuai shifted slightly, inadvertently waking the person next to him. He thought she slept deeply, but her reaction was swift.

“You’re awake?” Chu Zaishuang rubbed her eyes and stood up drowsily. “I’ll go call someone.”

Not long after, cultivators from Thousand-Gold Peak came to change his medicine and ask about his condition. Thousand-Gold Peak, managed by the Medicine Elder, mainly recruits Alchemists, teaches healing techniques, and refines various pills.

Fei Wanghuai answered simply, not wanting to reveal too much.

After the medicine was changed, the Alchemists left, leaving only Chu Zaishuang and Fei Wanghuai in the room.

While stirring the steaming decoction, she explained, “You slept for a long time-several days, actually. My brother and Li Jingjie came to see you yesterday, asking when you would wake up.”

As expected, Chu Bingxiao couldn’t rest. Not long after using techniques to set his bones, he was already out of bed and asking about the new disciples. Lu Hewei and others were more seriously injured, but Li Jingjie and the others withdrew in time and were not badly hurt.

Su Hongli stayed with the townsfolk and was unharmed, now helping with the aftermath. The final lesson at the Lecture Hall had ended in disaster, and the town was attacked by Wind Howl Beasts. Many Lotus Flower Sect disciples remained in town to at least clear the surrounding ruins.

Fei Wanghuai was the last to wake, having slept several days straight.

Su Tingyun instructed his children not to reveal anything about the Charm Clan, lest Fei Wanghuai find himself in a difficult situation within the sect-some cultivators still hold prejudice against those of mixed blood.

Li Jingjie, not knowing the truth, naturally felt suspicious and came often to visit, worried that his companion wouldn’t wake.

“It’s time for your medicine.” Chu Zaishuang scooped a spoonful of the decoction, puffed her cheeks and blew on it, then brought it to his lips, her eyes shining as she stretched the sound, “Ah-”

Fei Wanghuai lowered his eyes to the medicine, then looked up to find her staring at him expectantly. He raised his eyebrows and said, “I’m not used to you being like this.”

Since he woke up, Chu Zaishuang had become unusually considerate, fussing over him with concern, behaving so obediently it seemed out of character. One moment she softly asked if he wanted water and brought the cup to his side, the next she thoughtfully opened the window for fresh air, busier than ever before.

In the past, even if he poked her a few times, she wouldn’t budge. If he didn’t seek her out, she’d disappear without a trace.
Now, for the first time, she was circling around him. Instead of feeling flattered, he felt a chill down his spine, suspecting there was poison in the medicine.

When children are quiet, they’re usually up to something. Whenever she pretended to be obedient, it was never for anything good-she was definitely scheming something, secretly brewing trouble, and he had no idea what she was planning next.

“What do you mean, are you hinting that I can annoy you now?” Chu Zaishuang held the medicine spoon, saw his suspicious face, and nodded knowingly. “So you have this kind of strange kink? Fine, since you brought it up, I can satisfy you.”

It seemed he really wasn’t human. Being nice to him was useless; you had to irritate him instead.

Fei Wanghuai: “…”

He had to admit, her tone instantly became just the right amount of infuriating.

He forced a smile, stopping her, “Better wait, the wound might split if I get too mad.”

Chu Zaishuang looked at the scars on his back and fell silent for a long moment before finally asking, “Why did you save me?”

“Didn’t I already say? There’s no reason.”

“You said it was a waste of life, yet you came back yourself.”

“That’s because you’re useless, but I’m not.”

Chu Zaishuang heard the sarcasm in his voice and replied slowly, “I’m a rotten person, there’s no need for this. If something happens to you, I’d have to take responsibility for you, and that would be really awkward.”

She could risk her life for her brother, but didn’t think she was worth it herself. At the time, he really had scared her.

People want to live freely, with a clear conscience in all things. Once you owe someone genuine feelings, things get complicated, and the more you try to repay, the less clear it becomes.

“Heh.” He was amused by her words, looking up, “Then go ahead and take responsibility. How do you plan to do that?”

Fei Wanghuai, no matter how annoyed he was in the past, usually kept silent and ignored her nonsense, always maintaining some dignity. Now, for some reason, he felt at ease and even responded with interest, actually engaging in the back-and-forth.

Chu Zaishuang saw him acting out of character and, for some reason, sensed an ambiguous undertone in his words, suddenly becoming bashful.

She thought to herself that maybe it was his Charm Clan identity making her imagine things, seeing emotions that weren’t there. She quickly dismissed the strange notion and replied dryly, “That’s not good. If I really take responsibility for you, wouldn’t that be repaying kindness with revenge? That’s just heartless.”

“You don’t even have a Dao heart, how could you have a conscience?”

“Actually, I don’t, but I still have to pretend.” Chu Zaishuang feigned a delicate gesture, “Hearing you say that, my heart’s gone cold, so now I have a conscience.”

“…”

Fei Wanghuai often admired how her nonsense never ran dry. Why he saved her no longer mattered; now, gaining her trust and learning more of her secrets and trump cards was the real priority in his plan.

The frustrating thing was, whether she trusted him or not, she was the same-always evasive, never making promises, still a slippery little fish darting away.

She really must be heartless.

Fei Wanghuai glanced at the medicine bowl in her hand, thought for a moment, and said calmly, “Keep blowing the medicine.”

Chu Zaishuang was confused, “Why?”

“Besides asking why, can you do anything else?” He smiled, “Why am I like this now, who do you think is responsible?”

Chu Zaishuang exclaimed, “But you can’t order me around, that’s just exploiting your good deed!”

“You’re right, exploiting my good deed.” Fei Wanghuai nodded, unbothered, “Keep blowing the medicine.”

Chu Zaishuang felt indignant. She could take care of someone willingly, but wouldn’t accept being bossed around. She shot him a secret glare, seeming angry but not daring to speak up, and continued blowing on the medicine spoon, bringing it to his lips.

Fei Wanghuai pressed his lips together. Before he even touched the spoon, he complained, “It’s hot, blow it more.”

Chu Zaishuang wasn’t having it. She still held the spoon near his lips, not pulling it away, and said softly, “I’m not very good at blowing. Why don’t you show me how, teach me?”

Fei Wanghuai gave her a sidelong glance and drank the medicine in one gulp, “Bitter.”

She was prepared and handed him a candied fruit, “Eat this, it’ll take away the bitterness.”

He didn’t like sweets and turned his head away, “Too sweet.”

Chu Zaishuang wasn’t annoyed by his pickiness. She simply popped the candied fruit into her own mouth and said good-naturedly, “Oh well, I’ll sacrifice myself and eat it for you. Now you owe me one, remember to repay the favor.”

“???”

Great.

He should’ve let her fall to her death, or be killed by the Wind Howl Giant Beast. He’d never seen such a brazen beneficiary of kindness.

“There’s nothing to do, let’s chat.”

Fei Wanghuai pondered for a moment, deciding to stop the childish bickering and approach from another angle. She suffered from Soul Separation Syndrome and lacked a Dao heart, but there must be a reason for her illness-maybe he could find out more through casual conversation.

Chu Zaishuang readily agreed, and before he could ask anything, she threw out a topic herself: “When you were asleep just now, you called for your mother.”

When he was unconscious, he would sometimes call out “Mother Empress,” even shed a tear, stubbornly clutching her sleeve, which was why she ended up stuck by his bedside.

Fei Wanghuai was stunned, momentarily speechless.

“But your mother wasn’t there, so I answered instead.” She blinked, innocent as ever, “It’s fine, no need to thank me. After all, that makes me your elder now.”

“…”

Fei Wanghuai pointed at the door, expressionless, “Get out.”

He’d given up on exploiting his good deed-if she didn’t make him die of anger in this sickbed, that would be enough.

“No, I want to repay the favor.”

“No, you’re getting revenge.”