The Demon Lord and I: Frenemies - chapter 32

Chapter 32

Chu Bingxiao caught sight of his younger sister lost in thought and comforted her, “No need to worry too much. Go wherever you wish-Father and Mother will handle these matters.”

“Mm, mainly my cultivation is low, so worrying won’t help.” Chu Zaishuang feigned ease, her fingers tightening before suddenly recalling something. She opened her hand to reveal a ring and asked in confusion, “By the way, Brother, what is this? Senior Sister Qin Huan slipped it to me.”

Earlier, Qin Huan had pinched her cheek and, taking the opportunity, slipped her this silver ring. Its purpose was unknown.

Chu Bingxiao took the ring, examined it carefully, and realized, “This is a Mustard Seed Ring for storage. It’s larger than the Storage Bags in the sect and can also conceal one’s cultivation aura.”

“Conceal cultivation aura?”

“That’s right. She probably heard from Mother that your cultivation isn’t high and was worried you’d be targeted by others. The higher one’s cultivation, the sharper the senses-not only can you see through others’ levels, you can even hide your own cultivation.” Chu Bingxiao said, “I recently advanced to Four Leaves Late Stage and have started to sense it. I was just about to ask-Shuang’er, did you advance?”

Chu Zaishuang stammered, “Yes, I’ve been practicing Qi Gathering lately…”

Chu Bingxiao suspected nothing and nodded, “That’s good. Father’s Wuwo Sword doesn’t require a Dao Heart, just enough spiritual energy, so it suits you. But don’t feel pressured-if you ever find sword practice dull, you can always come to Wangyue Marsh to find Mother.”

“…I’ll stick with Father for now.”

“If you need anything, you can tell me. Strictly speaking, the Wuwo Sword isn’t suited for pairing with spells or magical tools-it values utmost simplicity and purity. But if you’re interested, I’ll help you put together a set; no need to search everywhere yourself.”

Chu Zaishuang sighed deeply, “Brother, you’re overthinking it. My cultivation isn’t high-even the best equipment would be wasted on me.”

Spells and magical tools require coordination, ideally balancing offense and defense for perfect complementarity. Rarity doesn’t always mean suitability. Chu Bingxiao worried his sister didn’t understand real combat and would just pile on magical tools, so he offered to help.

“It’s fine to play around. Anyway, if you’re missing anything, remember to tell me.”

Hearing this, Chu Zaishuang knew her brother still saw her as a child-it felt just like receiving toys in childhood.

Chu Bingxiao was always busy, often sent out on missions. Upon hearing his sister had returned to the Tongtian Tower, he rushed over, but soon had to attend to official matters.

Chu Zaishuang bid her brother farewell, put on the silver ring that concealed her cultivation, and guessed she could use it to hide herself until reaching the Transformation Realm. Qin Huan thought Chu Zaishuang hadn’t reached Three Leaves Mid Stage and worried other disciples would gossip, so she gave her the Mustard Seed Ring-unintentionally helping her hide in reverse.

Staring at the silver ring on her hand, Chu Zaishuang sighed, “Once the bow is drawn, there’s no turning back. The days of lying flat are over.”

[Do we have to cultivate?]

“That’s right. To earn the next day of lying flat, I first need to hide my cultivation.” Chu Zaishuang said, “High-Level Cultivators can conceal their own level. The Mustard Seed Ring could be lost or damaged-ultimately, relying on oneself is safest.”

Sometimes, ignorance and inaction are a kind of happiness; knowing but doing nothing is a kind of misfortune.

Whatever you do, do it to the utmost. Perhaps fate is unpredictable-she had recovered lost memories and could no longer naively play the fool. She had to gather strength before the unknown blizzard arrived.

She hoped the storm would never come, but hope alone is useless. All she could do was reinforce the walls and beams before the gale.

*

At Wangyue Marsh, when the sunlight faded, one could look up through layers of dark, dense leaves and see the pure moon hanging in the sky. Pebbles of all sizes were piled by the pool; the moon above was like a jade plate, the moon in the water a phantom. Clear water reflected pink-purple spiritual energy, and when the breeze passed, the ripples shimmered brilliantly.

Beneath the eaves, two Female Cultivators gazed up at the moon, as if waiting for someone.

Amidst the rustling, Chu Bingxiao appeared in the night. He looked at the cool, loose-haired Female Cultivator before him and Qin Huan standing to the side, and called, “Sect Leader.”

In public, he only called “Sect Leader”; in private, “Mother”-a rule Chu Bingxiao set for himself. Cautious and self-disciplined, he always upheld the sect’s rules, treating them as his own guiding principles, never overstepping.

All the sect disciples sighed-perhaps even the Sect Leader might break the rules, but for the strict and self-disciplined Senior Brother Chu, such a thing would never happen. That’s just the kind of person he was.

Only with his sister did he always call her “Shuang’er,” never changing in public or private.

“Xiao’er, you’re back?”

The cool Female Cultivator wore the Sect Leader’s robe, her long black hair loose, the robe draped over her shoulders. She looked less stern than in daylight, instead showing a touch of leisure and ease after a busy day. She turned, revealing a beautiful face with gentle features, though her expressions were few, carrying a lofty, chilling beauty.

This was Chu Chenyue, Sect Leader of the Lotus Flower Sect, now at Eight Leaves Late Stage, overseeing Lotus Peak Mountain.

“I heard from Qin Huan that Shuang’er climbed to the top of the tower, and you two went to fetch her. I thought she was playful and long since lost interest in the Tongtian Tower, having forgotten all about climbing it.”

“Yes, we only climbed halfway before. She recently met new disciples and climbed with them.”

Chu Bingxiao walked to the brilliant stone pool, standing with Chu Chenyue and Qin Huan.

“She’s made new friends?” Chu Chenyue mused briefly, “That’s good. Mortals face birth, aging, sickness, and death. I used to worry she’d always stay in Mortal Dust Marsh and be sad when parting with those she knew. She’s a nostalgic and lonely child-she seems carefree, but is actually precocious, far less sociable than you.”

Qin Huan frowned deeply, glancing at the expressionless Chu Bingxiao and hesitated, “Sect Leader, I think your daughter is much livelier than him. How could she be less sociable?”

“Xiao’er is cold outside but warm inside-he seems quiet, but is actually very capable.” She sighed, “You don’t know how mischievous he used to be. When he first learned Qi Gathering, he’d squat in the Training Ground, insisting on pulling other cultivators into sparring, always initiating conversation, never shy, and wouldn’t let anyone leave without a match.”
Chu Bingxiao’s brow twitched when his mother mentioned embarrassing childhood stories, and he quickly stopped her, “Sect Leader.”

Qin Huan said, “Isn’t that just being thick-skinned?”

“Shuang’er isn’t like that. She never initiates conversation, but if you ask her a couple of questions, she’ll chatter on endlessly, as if she’s been holding it in for ages, and you can’t even get a word in,” Chu Chenyue recalled. “But if you don’t ask first, she’ll never speak up on her own. She’d rather spend an entire afternoon reading alone than talk to anyone else.”

Qin Huan asked in confusion, “Why is that?”

“I used to wonder too, so I asked her directly. Later, I realized she’s probably afraid of disturbing others. She’s a kind child, always worried about troubling people. If she speaks up, maybe the other person doesn’t want to listen. But as long as someone’s willing to ask, she’ll answer everything, holding nothing back.”

“Of course, the premise is that the person genuinely wants to listen and understand her. Only then does she dare to connect with people,” Chu Chenyue said helplessly. “When she was little, Xiao’er always took her along to play. I heard that when she was at Mortal Dust Marsh, she was picked up by someone and muddled her way into following them home.”

Chu Zaishuang was wandering around Mortal Dust Marsh when Aunt Sun mistook her for a little beggar, which is how she started apprenticing at the roast duck shop.

Qin Huan was quite surprised, “So that’s how it was. But I saw my little sister chatting and laughing with those disciples during the day.”

“Maybe her temperament changed over the past two years at Mortal Dust Marsh, or perhaps she really does get along well with those disciples,” Chu Chenyue said, pulling a letter from her robes. “Alright, enough idle talk. Time to discuss business.”

Chu Bingxiao and Qin Huan immediately composed themselves, listening intently to the Sect Leader’s instructions.

“I called you here today because I want you to go to Qiandu Island and help me investigate some matters,” Chu Chenyue said. “But you’ll need a reason to visit Qiandu Island. Think of a good excuse soon, so your trip doesn’t draw too much attention.”

Qiandu Island is usually closed to outsiders, and visiting requires the Island Lord’s permission. Sending a High-Level Cultivator directly would be too blunt, so Chu Chenyue could only send disciples who hadn’t reached the Transformation Realm to sneak around for clues after landing.

Chu Bingxiao asked, “Sect Leader suspects the recent events are related to Qiandu Island?”

“Last time, Shuang’er found a Ringing Bell Ring, which was the relic of Li Qin, an Alchemist from our sect. The islands where Beast Cultivators have caused trouble are full of Spiritual Herbs, and Lu Hengzhou has always wanted to turn Mortal Dust Marsh into a Herb Field. Anyone would think there’s something suspicious going on,” Chu Chenyue explained. “But the Lu Family has controlled the Heart-Clearing Pill for a long time, and it’s not time to tear off all pretenses yet. You two should go and see if there’s anything unusual.”

“Lu Hengzhou would never allow Transformation Realm cultivators onto the island. Neither I nor the other Elders are suitable to show up. You two should come up with a reason, and I’ll contact Lu Hengzhou. Disciples with lower cultivation might just be allowed in.”

All the factions are maneuvering beneath the surface, but for now, they’re still maintaining appearances and won’t completely close the island to outsiders.

“Understood.”

Chu Chenyue handed them a letter, which contained a thin slip for writing their reason for visiting. Once they filled it out, the Island Lord and Sect Leader would approve it, and they could use the token to enter Qiandu Island.

Qin Huan frowned at the slip, “That’s all well and good, but we have nothing to do with Spiritual Herbs. What reason do we have to go to Qiandu Island?”

Chu Bingxiao suggested, “Find an Alchemist from Thousand-Gold Peak and say we want to pick Spiritual Herbs?”

“What kind of Alchemist would go to Qiandu Island?” Qin Huan retorted. “Island Lord Lu isn’t easy to fool. Haven’t you seen how he guards the Medicine Elder like a thief? Only a top-tier Alchemist would have the clout to go pick his Spiritual Herbs. That’s just making trouble for no reason.”

The excuse had to be inconspicuous, but also force Lu Hengzhou to let them in. For now, they couldn’t think of anything suitable.

*

At Thousand-Gold Peak, in front of a secluded Herb Field, Chu Zaishuang and Su Hongli had arranged to meet.

The two had recently been climbing Tongtian Tower and hadn’t checked on the Twin Spirit Heart Flower for a while. Now, they carefully moved the pot, letting the seedlings bask in the sun. The tender green sprouts soaked up the warm sunlight, with more than a dozen thriving in the soil.

Chu Zaishuang asked curiously, “Will all these seedlings bloom?”

“Yes, but when that happens, we’ll need to find a place to transplant them. I don’t dare leave them at Thousand-Gold Peak, afraid someone might secretly pick them,” Su Hongli said with a frown. “Every time I climb the tower, I have to put them in my Storage Bag, which slows their growth.”

There are many people at Thousand-Gold Peak, and most are Alchemists, so disputes sometimes occur. Su Hongli had heard of tragic cases where spiritual plants were pinched off, so she was extra cautious, afraid of making a mistake.

“You could move them to Tingyun Lake. There are very few disciples there, or rather, almost none,” Chu Zaishuang suggested. “I can ask my father to set up a formation to protect them. The only downside is it’s a bit far, so you’d have to come over to tend them.”

“That’s fine. Many of my senior brothers and sisters have Herb Fields outside, and most don’t plant Spiritual Herbs at Thousand-Gold Peak,” Su Hongli said, rummaging through her Storage Bag. “By the way, the first two seedlings have also bloomed. I’ve collected all the stamens. Later, we can study them and see if we can come up with a new pill recipe.”

“I’ve been selling Heart-Clearing Pills at my stall recently and have come up with a lot of new ideas. But as you said before, I can’t get all the ingredients. Some Spiritual Herbs are low-grade, but they’re impossible to find. I have no idea where to look.”

Su Hongli had been asked for pill recipes in front of the tower last time, which made her realize how complicated things were. Having the recipe isn’t the hardest part-the key is having a huge supply of Spiritual Herbs so Alchemists can mix pills whenever needed. Without materials, it’s all just talk on paper.

She’d thought the herbs she’d gathered from her stall were enough, but compared to the materials needed for new recipes, it was still far from sufficient.

The rarer the Spiritual Herb, the more likely it grows in remote places. No wonder so many Alchemists are powerful fighters-without some real skills, they’d never be able to dig up Spiritual Herbs.

“Of course. Why do you think Lu Hewei acts so arrogant? It’s all because his ancestors had Herb Fields, and someone dug them up for him ages ago,” Chu Zaishuang sighed. “Alchemists burn through Jade Lotus Seeds faster than anyone. I read in a book once that someone spent a fortune on a single Spiritual Herb.”
Su Hongli sighed, “Looks like I’ll have to wait until my cultivation is higher before I can match the pill formulas. Right now, there’s no way to enter the Minor Paradise. I’ve seen so many Spiritual Herbs in books, but I don’t even know what they look like in reality.”

“It’s fine. If it really doesn’t work, we can ask my brother to help us get some Spiritual Herbs,” Chu Zaishuang pondered. “Using Elixirs for cultivation is much faster. We can repay him with Elixirs later, or just return the Spiritual Herbs directly.”

“You mean Senior Brother Chu?”

“Yes, but you’ll need to make a list, preferably with illustrations.” Chu Zaishuang extended her finger, and a green butterfly landed on her fingertip. “He often goes on missions, but he doesn’t know much about Spiritual Herbs and rarely remembers to collect them. Let’s arrange to meet him in person.”

“Alright.”

*

At Wangyue Marsh, the dazzlingly colorful stone pools were mesmerizing, like scattered jewels among the lush forest. Above the dense woods, white-robed disciples occasionally returned on their swords, flying swiftly toward the eaves at the forest’s center.

The meeting place was at the edge of the woods. Su Hongli followed Chu Zaishuang there, her gaze fixed on the brilliant scenery. She murmured, “This place is completely different from Thousand-Gold Peak.”

Chu Zaishuang replied, “Next time, you can visit Tingyun Lake. The mist there is especially thick, and it’s different from anywhere else.”

A moment later, Chu Bingxiao emerged from the forest and greeted the two of them. After hearing their request, he agreed readily, “Sure, you just want Spiritual Herbs, right?”

Su Hongli stood behind Chu Zaishuang and quietly slipped a thin piece of paper into her friend’s hand.

Chu Zaishuang took the paper and handed it to her brother, saying frankly, “Yes. If you don’t recognize any of these Spiritual Herbs, you can look at the illustrations on here.”

“No problem.” Chu Bingxiao, however, didn’t take it. “Just come with me.”

“Huh? Our cultivation isn’t high enough.” Chu Zaishuang was stunned. “Brother, my dear brother, you can’t be like our father and think everyone can just go out and fight at will.”

He couldn’t just take a batch of new disciples and assume everyone was like Fei Wanghuai, with Four Leaves Initial Stage being as common as dogs and Four Leaves Mid Stage everywhere.

Chu Bingxiao handed over a letter from his robe, speaking calmly, “No need to go out and fight. Everything you need is on Qiandu Island. Just come up with a reason, and I’ll accompany you onto the island. You can pick whatever you want.”

Chu Zaishuang stared at the familiar envelope, hesitating slightly. “This looks like a letter from the Sect Leader. Shouldn’t you be the one to write it?”

“My imagination isn’t vivid enough. I really can’t come up with a reason,” Chu Bingxiao hinted. “You learned swordsmanship from Father, so you should have more ideas.”

“…Because swordsmanship is all about wild imagination, right?”

Not long after, Qin Huan also arrived after hearing the news. She enthusiastically pinched Chu Zaishuang’s cheek and ruffled Su Hongli’s hair, leaving both junior sisters in disarray before exclaiming happily, “So it’s just the junior sisters coming along this time? That’s great!”

“They’re going to the island to pick Spiritual Herbs, so they can help cover for us,” Chu Bingxiao said. “The only problem is, what reason should we use to go to the island? It needs to be inconspicuous so the Island Lord won’t refuse.”

Su Hongli looked troubled. “The Island Lord is Lu Hewei’s father, right? Then I probably can’t go to Qiandu Island…”

She’d had many unpleasant encounters with Lu Hewei before. Any other Alchemist could go to the island, but she would definitely be turned away.

“That’s right, Lu Hewei is still on the island. I almost forgot about him!” Chu Zaishuang clapped her hands, her eyes lighting up. “Isn’t he my childhood friend from a prestigious family? He even claimed to treat me as one of his own. I haven’t visited him since he was seriously injured!”

Back then, Lu Hewei had tried to sow discord, saying many insincere things to make Chu Zaishuang stay away from Fei Wanghuai, claiming he was the one who truly cared for her. It was said that after being gravely injured in the small town and losing face, he hastily took a master and hid away on Qiandu Island, never even seeing Chu Bingxiao, who had saved him.

Su Hongli: “?”

[Your deskmate has been out of bed for months, and you only now remember the other guy-isn’t that a bit fake?] Xiao Shi complained. [It’s just that he’s still alive. If it were someone else, with how slow you are to visit the sick, they’d probably be in the ground by now.]

Chu Bingxiao said, “I thought you never liked him. You never wanted to talk to him before.”

“That was when I was a child. I didn’t know any better then,” Chu Zaishuang replied obediently. “After Hong Li and I left the Lecture Hall, I often recalled many fond memories with our classmates-especially after the Wind Howl Giant Beast incident, when we all fought side by side. The little frictions from before don’t matter anymore. I want to turn hostility into friendship, check on his recovery-it all sounds reasonable, doesn’t it?”

Su Hongli muttered, “But I don’t think those memories were very pleasant.”

Chu Zaishuang said, “It’s fine. Even if the memories weren’t pleasant, once you’ve picked Spiritual Herbs from his family, they can become pleasant. As long as the Spiritual Herbs are good enough, pain can be overwritten.”

“???”

Qin Huan ground ink and picked up a brush, hesitating. “So we’re using visiting the Island Lord’s son as an excuse to go to the island? It sounds a bit far-fetched, but since we’re all classmates, it might work.”

“It’s not just classmates. We almost got engaged. He even went to my parents about it.”

“Mother refused right away, saying she’d consider your wishes and wouldn’t decide for you,” Chu Bingxiao said.

Because Chu Zaishuang’s cultivation wasn’t high, Lu Hengzhou had once considered having her marry his son to strengthen both families’ influence. But Chu Chenyue and Su Tingyun both disagreed, brushing it off by saying they’d talk about it when the children grew up, that such things should happen naturally and not be forced-in truth, a tactful refusal.

“Exactly. They said they’d consider my wishes, so they need to show some sincerity.” Chu Zaishuang said righteously, “I have to see how much money his family has, whether it’s enough for me to eat, drink, play, and squander away before I consider the matter!”

“…”