The Demon Lord and I: Frenemies - chapter 47

Chapter 47

Inside the Tongtian Tower, the atmosphere was solemn and quiet. The upper floors were sparsely populated, and at a glance, seemed utterly empty.

Chu Zaishuang ascended the spiral staircase, absorbing the tower’s spiritual energy as she searched for Fei Wanghuai’s figure. “He doesn’t seem to be in the tower. Didn’t they say he comes here often?”

Xiao Shi: [Maybe he’s on the two-hundredth floor?]

“Let’s go up a bit more and see.” Chu Zaishuang said, “I really didn’t expect that after running all the way to Lone Star Mountain to find him, I’d still come up empty-handed.”

During Chu Zaishuang’s illness, Fei Wanghuai and others often visited her, so naturally, she reported her recovery as soon as she was out. Li Jingjie had been busy with tasks lately, and suggested the four of them gather in a couple of days, asking Chu Zaishuang to notify Fei Wanghuai as well.

She agreed readily, thinking it would be easy to meet Fei Wanghuai. Unexpectedly, she couldn’t find him anywhere, and with the agreed date approaching, she had no choice but to go to Lone Star Mountain to look for him. Who would have thought that Lone Star Mountain, though slightly busier than Tingyun Lake, was still deserted, and no one knew his whereabouts.

She used to hear others say she was close to him, and didn’t think much of it. Now, she realized that they did indeed communicate the most.

If she couldn’t find him, no one could.

The two-hundredth floor hall was still empty, with no sign of the youth in the Cloud Water Robe.

Chu Zaishuang paced around the map, waiting in vain for anyone to appear, and finally fell into confusion. “He really isn’t here.”

[Could he be on a mission? Out of the sect?]

“Impossible, I even asked specifically. Lone Star Mountain rarely has sect missions.” She said, bewildered. “What’s going on? How did we used to keep in touch?”

Clearly, he was always circling around her, but when she actually wanted to find him, he mysteriously vanished.

[You two never kept in touch before. He’d come looking for you, and then you’d just run into each other.]

Chu Zaishuang thought carefully and realized that was true. She always went with the flow, never following any set rules, nor did she have any intention of maintaining relationships. As a child, she played with her brother, was taken away by Aunt Sun in Mortal Dust Marsh, and later was dragged to the Lecture Hall by Fei Wanghuai-all of it she accepted passively, simply letting herself be carried along.

She could go, or not go; if they insisted on bringing her, she’d just follow.

Even her friendship with Su Hongli began because the other girl approached her first, and only then did they naturally become close. Although Su Hongli was shy and reserved, speaking less and listening more, she was still the one who took the first step.

Fei Wanghuai appeared gentle but was actually more assertive, always keeping an eye on her. Now, he didn’t even bother to pretend to be gentle, insisting on knowing everything about her. His absence for several days was indeed unusual.

Xiao Shi clicked its tongue: [Not proactive, not rejecting, not responsible. You thought you had the upper hand, always being the one pursued, but who knew that the one who makes the move actually gains the advantage. Now the game feels tough, doesn’t it?]

“…”

Chu Zaishuang: “What kind of advantage is that? Isn’t it just keeping an eye on me when he’s free? If it comes to it, I’ll make him report what he’s doing too-whether he’s secretly cultivating, where he’s sneaking off to lately, or if he’s playing in the dirt somewhere.”

That was Fei Wanghuai’s usual approach. He wasn’t interested in her Spiritual Herb cultivation, but insisted on hearing what she was busy with, then mocked her for being childish, saying she was causing trouble for the Alchemists.

“Thinking about it, why am I even looking for him? I’m not like him, not a masochist.” Chu Zaishuang scratched her head, suddenly enlightened. “Since he hasn’t shown up lately, I can just do whatever I want.”

Xiao Shi was puzzled: [So what do you want to do? Go back to Mortal Dust Marsh for roast duck?]

“Of course not. Since he’s not around, I’ll do the thing he hates most.”

[What does he hate most?]

Chu Zaishuang clapped her hands: “Secretly cultivating, of course! The more he dislikes something, the more I want to do it. That’s what makes it fun!”

Xiao Shi: [???]

Xiao Shi: [Would you really go this far just to annoy him?]

Chu Zaishuang climbed to the top of the tower and, finding no one, simply sat down to Qi Gathering cultivation. The sooner she advanced her cultivation, the sooner she could hide herself, in case her abnormal Dao Heart was exposed.

This was her first time cultivating since her illness, but fortunately, her Sea of Consciousness had returned to normal. Back on Qiandu Island, she had wielded dual swords, instantly depleting her spiritual energy, and dared not use that move recklessly again.

While bedridden, Chu Zaishuang took the opportunity to discuss the Wuwo Sword with her father, Su Tingyun, when he visited, asking whether both hands could wield swords.

Su Tingyun didn’t know she had formed dual swords. After hearing her question, he smiled warmly, “Shuang’er is indeed clever. You can have dual swords, but your foundation isn’t solid, so I didn’t teach you. I thought I’d wait until your cultivation was higher before passing on dual sword techniques.”

Chu Zaishuang: “Because it consumes a lot of spiritual energy, you didn’t teach me dual swords for now?”

After all, she nearly collapsed from exhaustion after using it once.

“Not only that, but your Dao Heart is unstable, so I was worried you wouldn’t grasp it well.” Su Tingyun said, “I’ve mentioned before, the Wuwo Sword is transcendence, the Youwo Sword is engagement with the world. These are two different philosophies. Dual swords mean holding both, but for most cultivators, they only cultivate one intent, and it’s hard to accept another.”
“Only what they firmly believe is right in this world; anyone whose thoughts differ from theirs shouldn’t exist. That’s why not everyone can master the Wuwo Sword, freely shifting between ‘Youwo’ and ‘Wuwo’. It’s never an easy thing-many High-Level Cultivators can’t do it, and the more advanced one’s cultivation, the harder it is to change their ingrained views.”

Su Tingyun saw his daughter’s half-understanding expression and couldn’t help but rub her head gently, saying, “Shuang’er, I’ve always known you’re different. Since childhood, you liked mingling with the crowd in Mortal Dust Marsh, unlike other children from the Immortal Sect. Your temperament is much more tolerant and gentle, perhaps able to handle differing ideas, and you may have the aptitude to practice dual swords.”

Facing her father’s kindly face, Chu Zaishuang thought that perhaps it wasn’t her tolerance and gentleness, but rather that her Dao Heart was inherently different, forcing her to accept two completely opposite philosophies.

Setting aside her father’s boastful teaching style and his usual stream-of-consciousness lessons, she managed to glean some information: to use dual swords, one must be able to focus on two things at once. Others have only one Dao Heart, so naturally it’s hard for them to comprehend; her Dao Heart is a Yin-Yang Taiji Sphere, which is undoubtedly an advantage.

The only problem was that the other half of her Dao Heart was too weak to wield the sword formed in her right hand. If her father was right, and dual swords require different philosophies, then she might have to cultivate demonic arts to use dual swords.

As this thought sprouted in her mind, Chu Zaishuang suddenly felt a chill down her back. She shivered and hurriedly brushed away the absurd idea.

How could she cultivate demonic arts?

Besides, no matter how powerful her parents were, they were Immortal Cultivators and wouldn’t teach her any demonic techniques, nor did she have anywhere to learn them.

Su Tingyun said he only used dual swords after reaching the Transformation Realm.

Chu Zaishuang had once formed a sword on Qiandu Island, which must be related to her unusual Dao Heart. For now, using a single sword was reasonable, and she shouldn’t rush things.

Her eager curiosity was doused with cold water; she had wanted to verify her thoughts about dual swords, but now felt it was nothing short of a fantasy.

Suddenly unable to calm her mind for Qi Gathering, Chu Zaishuang got up and walked toward the lower levels of the tower, passing the one hundred seventy-fifth floor.

The cylindrical mural was as intense and captivating as ever, easily seizing her attention. During tower climbing competitions, every time she passed this spot with Fei Wanghuai, she pretended not to care and left without looking, afraid someone would notice her abnormality. Now, she finally dared to examine it closely.

In the painting, a tiny figure stood atop a jade disc, draped in dazzling golden light, looking truly magnificent. She reached out to touch the shattered mountains and rivers; in the past, she thought it depicted the collapse of heaven and earth, but now she understood it better-it was islands constantly disintegrating, everything fading into nothingness.

Chu Zaishuang stared at the figure in the painting for a long time and complained, “Why is this painting so sloppy?”

[Xiao Shi: What’s wrong?]

“I can’t even see the person’s expression. I don’t know if they’re joyful or sorrowful.” She leaned closer to the mural, scrutinizing it. “Could they be laughing? That sounds like a ghost story.”

[Xiao Shi: Cultivators shouldn’t always read mortal storybooks.]

Chu Zaishuang looked at the painted figure and suddenly slapped the mural twice, as if trying to wake the person up, to stop them from doing something inexplicable and world-destroying.

Her first few slaps landed on the mural, making a crisp sound, but suddenly, without knowing why, her fingers slipped through the cylindrical wall, as if swallowed by the pillar itself.

Chu Zaishuang: “?”

Xiao Shi: “[?]”

Xiao Shi: “[…Did you make it mad? Did it bite your finger off?]”

“But it doesn’t hurt?”

As soon as she finished speaking, Chu Zaishuang felt a tremendous force yank her inward, not knowing where she would be dragged.

*

In the desert, the Bone Dragon soared into the sky carrying several people, shaking off countless sword-riding Immortal Cultivators and flying toward the endless Gobi.

Sand grains struck his black robe, and Fei Wanghuai had to pull his collar tight. He glanced at the Immortal Cultivators in relentless pursuit behind him, not expecting this journey to take several days-far longer than he’d planned. He and Bone Elder had originally planned to meet with the Chana tribe, but unexpectedly ran into the Four-Symbols Jiuzhou’s cultivators, finally breaking through the siege after a night of fighting.

He had lingered outside the island for too long and didn’t know what was happening with the cylindrical pillar inside the tower, or whether it had been discovered.

The foreign Female Cultivator with wheat-colored skin wore silver ornaments and a curved blade at her waist. Her curly hair was whipped up by the wind as she stood atop the Bone Dragon, laughing wildly. “Bone Elder, you really have some skills, actually managing to break through!”

Bone Elder gripped his bone staff, controlling the massive Bone Dragon beneath him, and said irritably, “Chana, if you hadn’t insisted on meeting His Highness, we wouldn’t be in this dangerous situation.”

Chana glanced at the black-robed youth hiding his face, lifted her chin, and shouted, “If you want to be our king, what’s the point of hiding in the back? Still, you’re all impressive-even I couldn’t find out where he was.”

Fei Wanghuai’s hiding place was a secret; not only could Four-Symbols Jiuzhou not find him, even Chana and her people didn’t know. If she hadn’t forced him to show himself, refusing to agree to an alliance otherwise, they probably still wouldn’t have met him in person.
With Boundless Reach at his waist and high-ranking Charm Clan blood, he was indeed the son of the former Demon Venerable.

Yet after his identity was confirmed, he stayed silent from beginning to end, like a puppet manipulated by Bone Elder, which made her feel no awe toward him at all.

There were two groups of Demon Cultivators on the Bone Dragon-Bone Elder and his people on one side, and Chana’s subordinates on the other. The wind whipped fiercely against their faces, the Bone Dragon flying so fast it seemed intent on throwing the Demon Cultivators off. Especially after they escaped pursuit from the Immortal Cultivators, they collided head-on with a flock of Feather-Rending Beasts, black as crows.

A Male Cultivator standing at the edge was of average ability and was quickly attacked by the beasts. A savage Feather-Rending Beast dove down, bit into his neck, and lifted him off the ground, about to carry him away as prey!

Fei Wanghuai stood at Bone Elder’s side, right in the center of the Bone Dragon, naturally out of danger. Seeing this, he instinctively raised his fan, unleashing a ghostly blue soul fire that shot down the Feather-Rending Beast!

Chana was watching with great interest, waiting for the Male Cultivator to be torn apart. At this, she only sighed with regret, “Oh, the useless fellow survived again.”

The bird-like Spirit Beast let out a mournful cry. Only then did the Male Cultivator land awkwardly. Ignoring the mocking glances around him, he scrambled inward, looking in disbelief at the black-robed youth who had intervened. “Th-thank you… Your Highness…”

He had just thought he was doomed, never expecting the son of the Demon Venerable to help him!

Bone Elder was just as surprised. “Your Highness?”

Facing everyone’s stunned gazes, Fei Wanghuai abruptly realized-this wasn’t the island, and mutual help wasn’t necessary. He’d grown used to cooperating with Chu Zaishuang and the others, and had intervened out of habit, not switching mindsets in time.

Most Demon Cultivators believe in survival of the fittest. Even in alliances, they never truly trust each other. If the Male Cultivator died, he had only himself to blame-no one else.

But being snatched by a Feather-Rending Beast was exactly the kind of blunder she might make, which made him act subconsciously-an unnecessary move that only complicated things.

This was a major misstep, detrimental to establishing his authority.

As expected, Chana gripped the curved blade at her waist and walked over with interest, smiling brightly. “I really didn’t expect the son of the former Demon Venerable to be such a soft-hearted soul. You don’t look like someone cut out for great responsibility.”

She used the sheath to lift the edge of his black robe, trying to see his face clearly. “This isn’t child’s play. That sort of behavior is nauseating, like an Immortal Cultivator, not something a Demon Cultivator should do.”

Fei Wanghuai listened to her ridicule and her attempt to lift his robe, then calmly said, “Bone Elder.”

Blood splattered!

A sharp bone staff stabbed straight into Chana’s waist, piercing her mercilessly!

Chana choked out a mouthful of blood, stabbed in the back by Bone Elder. She cried, “Hey, hey, isn’t this a bit much? I just wanted to see what he looked like…”

Bone Elder said, “Chana, you should show His Highness some respect.”

“Respect? Why should I respect him?” Even seriously wounded, Chana wasn’t flustered and laughed. “If he wants to command me, shouldn’t he show some backbone first?”

Chana’s strength was less than Bone Elder’s, but she was still exceptional among Demon Cultivators and was sure the son of the Demon Venerable wouldn’t kill her.

Bone Elder’s expression grew stern. Seeing she was emboldened, he felt at a loss. If His Highness’s authority faltered, there would be endless trouble ahead.

Fei Wanghuai was silent for a moment. Beneath his black robe, he looked up and said, “Indeed, I should show some backbone.”

Hearing what she took as a retreat, Chana grew even more dismissive. “Right? If you were a bit more polite, maybe I’d be in a better mood…”

“Bone Elder, kill her.”

The words stunned all the Demon Cultivators-even Bone Elder was momentarily frozen.

Chana’s smile stiffened. “You must be joking. If Tu’erqia dies, you’ll have hardly any High-Level Cultivators left…”

“Kill her.”

Hearing the order repeated, Bone Elder no longer hesitated and tried to strike a killing blow, only to be blocked by Chana’s curved blade!

She barely clung to life, crying out in shock, “Are you crazy? You just saved me, and now you want to-”

“So what if I saved you? So what if I kill you? I used to be just like you, caring only about cultivation levels.” Fei Wanghuai gave a light laugh. “But lately, playing chess with someone has given me new insights. If the strong always defeat the weak, there’s no challenge-only by using the weak to overturn the strong does the game get interesting.”

Wasn’t that just her style? She would sacrifice good moves without hesitation, but always managed to conjure a crooked counterattack and catch people off guard.

Perhaps, they had long since picked up each other’s habits, their ways of acting gradually growing more alike, unconsciously influencing one another.

He said coldly, “Strength isn’t the only shortcut to breaking through. Your level of power means nothing to me; only those who can be put to use are worthy of being my chess pieces.”