The Demon Lord and I: Frenemies - chapter 45

Chapter 45

Endless Chaos, endless void-only the Yellow Gourd carried the two of them, slowly drifting forward. With no point of reference, they could not tell how far they had traveled, nor where they were headed.

Chu Zaishuang asked, “Are we just returning to the island like this?”

All around, there was no place to set foot, let alone the Qionglian Twelve Islands.

“This is a temporary world I constructed. To return to the island, we need to rely on an array; otherwise, we can only drift outside,” Yao Wensheng stood atop the Yellow Gourd, glancing around hesitantly. “I thought someone would come to fetch us, but it seems I’ll have to set up the array myself.”

“Someone to fetch us?”

“Yes. Although you can’t see the main island, we’re already close. There are special arrays set up inside and outside the island. Any outsider cultivator can only enter or exit through the main island; otherwise, they’re considered an enemy and the Island Lords may kill them on sight… Our current position should be detectable by the Island Lord.”

Just then, a beam of white light swept away the Chaos, flowing like a river of stars through the dark night, surging toward the two atop the Yellow Gourd.

Yao Wensheng said, “Here they come.”

In the silence, Chu Zaishuang stared at the blazing beam-pure, flawless, flowing freely. The white light was like a bridge built from afar, or the open arms of parents, suddenly embracing the two on the Yellow Gourd.

After the dazzling light faded, gray-white turned vivid. Su Tingyun appeared within the radiance, with the mist-shrouded, lush Qionglian Twelve Islands behind him.

“Father!” Chu Zaishuang called out.

Su Tingyun was now soaring on his sword, having just pulled the Yellow Gourd in from outside the island. Standing amidst drifting clouds, he reproached, “Old Yao, you’re still carrying Shuang’er-can’t you set up the array yourself? Must I always do it for you?”

“Setting up arrays consumes too much spiritual energy. Not everyone is as vigorous as you,” Yao Wensheng glanced at Chu Zaishuang. “Let’s return to the sect first; we have important matters to attend to later.”

The three finally landed on Lotus Peak Mountain, coming to a steady stop within Thousand-Gold Peak.

Chu Zaishuang jumped off the Yellow Gourd. She looked around at the familiar scenery, suddenly remembering something. “Right, I need to tell Hong Li. She was with me at the time…”

“I’ll speak to Hong Li, but there’s something more important,” Yao Wensheng frowned, extending a finger to tap her forehead. “Shuang’er, I’m afraid you’re about to suffer a bit.”

Chu Zaishuang looked puzzled, then suddenly felt the spiritual energy within her dissipate. The agony of her Sea of Consciousness collapsing surged up instantly, making her choke and nearly collapse to the ground.

Su Tingyun hurriedly steadied her, alarmed at her pale face. “What’s happening!?”

“Her spiritual energy is depleted. She used medicine recklessly, and her Soul Separation Syndrome has relapsed. She’ll need a period of recuperation,” Yao Wensheng said. “Take her inside. It’s just as well-I can’t show myself in the sect for a while, so I have time to treat her.”

Su Tingyun immediately led Chu Zaishuang inside.

*

The thick scent of medicine, muddled consciousness, and hazy dreams-fever threatened to scorch her body dry, evaporating her Sea of Consciousness. Countless fragmented memories flickered in her mind: ancient texts from Tongtian Tower, little figures on vivid murals, the crumbling Qiandu Island, and the boundless, mist-like loneliness.

She last experienced this when she first met Xiao Shi.

She had unraveled the secrets of the murals but was helpless, frightened and uneasy in her illness, sensing a difficult fate ahead.

Her emotions boiled like water, but at a certain moment, everything calmed, and a strange voice echoed in her Sea of Consciousness.

[Are you sad? Why are you sad?]

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I’m different from everyone else.”

[Is being different a bad thing?]

“I don’t know if it’s good or bad, but if I’m the only one in the world like this, isn’t it too…”

Too what?

Any words felt pale at that moment; as a child, she didn’t know how to describe it.

But above the collapsing Qiandu Island, after witnessing endless void, she suddenly understood the feelings she had during her childhood fevers-this sensation was called endless loneliness.

“I can’t really explain it, but I don’t want to be the only one. I don’t want to be the only one who’s different.”

[Then how about this: give me your sadness. From now on, you and I will be the same, so you won’t be the only one who’s different.]

“Give it to you?”

[Yes, leave the sadness to me, and everything else to you. We’re the same, and we’ll always be together!]

“But I still don’t know your name?”

[I’m the Shi’e Beast. If that’s too much of a mouthful, you can call me Xiao Shi.]

Shi’e, Shi’e.

Was it a beast that brought misfortune, or an auspicious creature that resolved calamities? Even she wasn’t sure.

But she had to admit, Xiao Shi’s presence made her feel better. Simple, brash, and loud, it didn’t care about sadness, shared her secrets, devoured her pain, and became her irreplaceable friend.

Thanks to it, she remained cheerful and lively. Even when she occasionally felt down, she could quickly recover, never missing a beat.

*

During Chu Zaishuang’s relapse, many things happened in the Lotus Flower Sect.

Overnight, Qiandu Island fell apart. The cultivators on the island were defeated in the rebellion, and before long, it would become scattered Minor Paradises across the Qionglian Twelve Islands. The truth about the Evil Cultivator case came to light, Medicine Elder’s reputation was restored, but some Alchemists vanished completely from Thousand-Gold Peak. No one expected the power shift to happen so quickly-everything ended in just a few days.
For High-Level Cultivators, this was not a hasty response; preparations had long been made in secret. For ordinary disciples, however, the matter seemed sudden, but the change of Island Lord did not affect most people, and the waves of discussion naturally subsided.

Fei Wanghuai, upon learning of this, truly admired the Sect Leader of the Lotus Flower Sect-when he acts, it is decisive and deadly, yet it does not affect the foolish disciples or mortals below, and the stability of the Qionglian Twelve Islands is maintained. If not for the disappearance of Qiandu Island, perhaps no one would have noticed any difference between today and yesterday.

The torrential rain washed everything clean, and heaven and earth returned to clarity.

Su Hongli led the way ahead, followed by Fei Wanghuai and Li Jingjie, heading toward the small courtyard where Chu Zaishuang resided.

“I only saw her a couple of days ago, and even then it was just following Master into the house, but Shuang’er was not awake at the time,” Su Hongli said worriedly. “It’s said that her old illness has relapsed, and her high fever hasn’t subsided.”

Fei Wanghuai: “Soul Separation Syndrome?”

Su Hongli nodded.

Li Jingjie sighed, “If she wakes up, she’ll be shocked too, won’t she? Such a huge Qiandu Island is just gone. The things I’ve heard lately are too bizarre-I didn’t even know an island could disappear!”

The three arrived at the small courtyard and happened to meet Chu Bingxiao.

Chu Bingxiao wore snow-white robes, a long sword at his waist, and nothing else. Seeing who had come, he said calmly, “You’ve come for nothing; Shuang’er has not yet awakened, and her fever still hasn’t broken.”

Fei Wanghuai frowned, “Senior Brother Chu, it’s been some days-her fever still hasn’t gone down?”

Chu Bingxiao nodded, “Yes. When she was young, the fever lasted even longer, on and off for several months. I didn’t expect it to relapse.”

Li Jingjie: “What exactly is Soul Separation Syndrome? Even Medicine Elder can’t cure it?”

Su Hongli: “The causes of Soul Separation among cultivators differ. If the source of the illness is unknown, it’s actually very hard to cure…”

Fei Wanghuai pondered for a moment and asked, “What happened before she fell ill back then?”

“I’ve been trying to recall that day for years. I remember her cultivation was progressing slowly, so I injected spiritual energy into her Sea of Consciousness to investigate. Unexpectedly, she developed a high fever that night…” Chu Bingxiao shook his head. “After the fever broke, she said there was a friend called ‘Xiao Shi’ in her Sea of Consciousness, who would chat and play chess with her from time to time. From then on, she developed Soul Separation Syndrome.”

Fei Wanghuai asked suspiciously, “A friend named ‘Xiao Shi’?”

Chu Bingxiao: “Yes, but neither my parents nor I could see it, and probing her Sea of Consciousness with spiritual energy revealed nothing.”

Li Jingjie: “I’ve never heard her mention it before!”

Su Hongli: “Me neither.”

Chu Bingxiao: “Since she entered the Lecture Hall, she rarely talked to me about ‘Xiao Shi’-she mentioned it more when she was younger, so I didn’t expect the Soul Separation Syndrome to relapse this time.”

Fei Wanghuai: “Did she ever say what kind of being ‘Xiao Shi’ was?”

“Apparently not a person. She said it was a beast that could speak human language, with a capricious temperament, sometimes irritable. According to Shuang’er, its words and actions were always…” Chu Bingxiao paused, “reckless.”

Fei Wanghuai was taken aback, “Isn’t that just her? Sounds exactly the same.”

Li Jingjie widened his eyes, scanning Fei Wanghuai up and down in surprise, “Wait, hold on-why do you say that’s Chu Zaishuang? You think she’s related to those traits!?”

What had happened between the two for Fei Wanghuai to think Chu Zaishuang’s words and actions were reckless!

Su Hongli: “Shuang’er has the heart of a child-she’s not like that at all.”

“Heh.”

Fei Wanghuai thought to himself that only children are truly bold. Remembering her secret stash of erotic books, he found it hard to say anything.

Chu Bingxiao: “Indeed, perhaps I didn’t describe it clearly. Shuang’er is still different from the ‘Xiao Shi’ she spoke of.”

Since even Senior Brother Chu said so, Fei Wanghuai didn’t argue further. After all, she did act obedient in front of others, but was especially unruly toward him, always provoking him for no reason, seemingly just to see him lose his temper. Helplessly, he always fell for it, knowing she wanted to see him change expression, yet still unable to control his temper.

Logically, now that he had set aside his dream-induced misgivings and was observing her more objectively, he should be calmer-just as he was with Li Jingjie or Su Hongli, never overly emotional, always courteous and polite. This was the attitude an Immortal Cultivator should maintain: neither eccentric nor conspicuous, never in conflict with others.

Yet, when facing her, he was always easily provoked, impulse overwhelming reason.

It was just like playing chess-once his mindset collapsed, his forces fell apart, and it became a contest of who could break the other’s spirit first.

In the courtyard, the plum branches bore only green leaves. The four chatted outside for a long time, but still did not wait for Chu Zaishuang to awaken.

Chu Bingxiao: “You should head back first. When Shuang’er is better, you can come visit again.”

All was quiet, the surroundings serene. The three did not linger, and took their leave of Senior Brother Chu.

*

Half-awake and half-dreaming, the high fever gradually faded, her body cooling, and the Yin-Yang Taiji Sphere that had been circulating during her illness finally stilled.

Chu Zaishuang’s consciousness began to clear. She struggled to move her fingers, feeling her thoughts and body out of sync-everything she did was half a beat slow. Yet she caught a faint, familiar sweet scent.
“Xiao Shi…”

[It smells like Osmanthus Bun!]

The joyful voice in her Sea of Consciousness was still present, and most of her anxiety faded. The next moment, she drowsily opened her eyes and heard a clear male voice by her ear.

“I’m starting to suspect you’re just pretending to sleep. Otherwise, how come you open your eyes the moment I take it out?”

Fei Wanghuai had been visiting her lately. He casually set the paper bag aside, went out to greet the Alchemists, and then returned to the room, sitting on the chair beside her bed.

Chu Zaishuang turned her face, her cheek pressed against the soft mattress, but her gaze was fixed intently on the paper bag at the head of the bed: “Osmanthus Bun.”

Fei Wanghuai remained unmoved: “Mortal food is harmful and useless to cultivators. Wait until they confirm it’s safe, then we’ll see if you can eat it.”

“Cultivation is defying the heavens. I can handle it.”

“No cultivator would defy the heavens for a bag of buns.”

Not long after, an Alchemist entered to deliver medicine. Chu Zaishuang frowned and tasted it, confirming it was a tonic decoction. Only then did she gulp it down. Her body, after recuperation, could finally absorb spiritual energy, and her Sea of Consciousness, damaged by the potent medicine, gradually healed in the fever, no longer dry and depleted.

After finishing the medicine, she turned her head again: “Osmanthus Bun.”

Fei Wanghuai picked up the paper bag, opened it unhurriedly, and seeing her stare fixedly, casually took out a bun.

The dough was white and soft, the familiar neat pattern, steam rising gently, and a thin piece of paper stuck underneath to keep hands clean while eating.

Chu Zaishuang blinked her bright autumn eyes, waiting for him to hand it over. Unexpectedly, he lowered his head slightly and took a bite of the Osmanthus Bun first.

Fei Wanghuai sensed her resentment, swallowed elegantly, and glanced at her: “What’s with that look? Wasn’t it me who brought them?”

She felt rather discouraged, but swallowed her frustration: “Fine, you can have the first one today. I won’t save it for last.”

Anyway, he didn’t like sweets; at most he’d eat one, and the rest would be hers.

Surprisingly, Fei Wanghuai ate a second, then a third and fourth, showing no sign of stopping.

His face remained calm as he sat by her bed eating, not even asking her opinion.

Chu Zaishuang was baffled: “Friend, my good friend, isn’t it bad to eat alone? I’m sitting right here, and you don’t even ask me?”

Fei Wanghuai smiled: “You slept for so long, I’m not used to you being awake.”

“?”

She reached for the paper bag, wanting to take an Osmanthus Bun: “Then let me help you get used to it.”

But Fei Wanghuai was faster, snatching the paper bag back. He clicked his tongue: “You only show a fighting spirit when it comes to grabbing food. Otherwise, you’re just a lazy sloth lying around.”

She was always indifferent to fame and fortune, content to collapse like mud on the ground. Only when grabbing buns did she show a hint of obsession.

Chu Zaishuang lamented: “I fight for so few things in life. I just want two buns. Can’t you give me that?”

“No.” Fei Wanghuai glanced at the paper bag and ate another bun. “Not this bag.”

With his actions, the paper bag slowly deflated, soon to be emptied.

Chu Zaishuang didn’t know when she’d offended him. Clearly, he’d never fought her for food before, but today he wouldn’t leave her a single one. A strange frustration and grievance welled up from hunger. Maybe human nature is greedy-she’d never demanded he give her any, but once she got used to it, having it taken away was upsetting.

Especially after growing closer, being excluded felt even worse. It was no longer just about food, but a sense of distance between them.

“The last one.” Fei Wanghuai saw her brimming with resentment. He pinched the Osmanthus Bun to tease her, planning to eat it in one bite and watch her completely break down before pulling out another bag.

Chu Zaishuang stared at the bun, pursed her lips, and warned: “There’s still room for our relationship to recover.”

“Do we even have a relationship?”

With that, he calmly opened his mouth to eat the Osmanthus Bun.

Hearing this, Chu Zaishuang finally couldn’t take it anymore. She suddenly jumped up from the bed, grabbed his wrist, and, using his hand, bit into the bun, snatching it away in one swift motion-her food-stealing skills were truly seamless!

Fei Wanghuai could have held on, but feeling the warmth and dampness at his fingertips, he withdrew his hand as if shocked by electricity. He looked down at his fingers, then glanced at her rosy lips, his raised right hand frozen in midair, a blush of anger coloring his ears: “You…”

She was utterly shameless-this was the second time she’d bitten him!

Chu Zaishuang ignored his expression, savoring the bun carefully, but suddenly sensed something was off. She lowered her head to inspect the bun and asked suspiciously: “This doesn’t taste like Aunt Sun’s filling?”