The Demon Lord and I: Frenemies - chapter 49

Chapter 49

The gentle warmth lingered on her cheek. She stared at him in a daze, catching sight of the dust on his fingertips. Instinctively, she touched her own face, remaining silent for quite a while.

Fei Wanghuai noticed her flickering gaze. He rubbed the dust off his hand with his fingertip, suddenly realizing his action was out of place. Although they often engaged in childish scuffles, he rarely took the initiative to touch her skin. Just now, it was her messy and clingy behavior that had amused him into action.

He was annoyed by her reckless words and actions, yet he himself had overstepped the bounds.

Chu Zaishuang held her face, seeing that he had fallen silent, her brows knitted slightly, revealing a complicated expression.

Fei Wanghuai asked, “What kind of expression is that?”

She kept rubbing her cheek, lamenting, “I’m dirty.”

“…”

Fei Wanghuai watched as she rubbed her face red, unsure for a moment whether she disliked the dust or found him, who had wiped it away, dirty.

Chu Zaishuang kneaded her cheek, finally wiping away the warmth from his fingertips, yet she still felt half her face burning-perhaps from rubbing too hard.

At this point, the two stopped arguing about who was nervous. Perhaps their hearts were both in disarray, and there was no point in arguing further.

Chu Zaishuang rose from in front of the stone wall and asked, “Where did you break the Magic Array? How do we get out?”

Fei Wanghuai led her toward the pillar. He was already well-versed in the way in and out, but pretended, “There’s a Magic Array set in the mural on this stone pillar. I’ve been studying illusions lately, and on a whim, I tried it out-never expected to get pulled in. We should be able to use the pillar to get out.”

“Was this Magic Array set by an Elder?”

“Most likely. The Demon Qi here is too dense. They were probably afraid ordinary disciples would wander in and get into danger, so they deliberately set up an illusion.” Fei Wanghuai said, “It was only after I came in that I realized why this place was sealed.”

The surroundings were dim. Chu Zaishuang glanced around but saw no passage leading downward. “This place is a lot like the inside of the tower. Could there be stairs, leading up or down?”

“You want to look around?” Fei Wanghuai saw through her little scheme and reminded her, “The Demon Qi will interfere with an Immortal Cultivator’s senses. We can’t be sure if there’s danger below.”

Chu Zaishuang probed cautiously, “How about we just take a walk around this level?”

After all, she cultivated both immortal and demonic arts, and her senses were gradually recovering-she could sense danger.

Fei Wanghuai had no objections, nor did he find her request unreasonable. He simply accompanied her for a stroll. This persistent, inquisitive attitude was more like her usual self; it would be strange if she fell in here and asked nothing at all.

The two strolled leisurely around and indeed found an inconspicuous downward passage-the very place Fei Wanghuai had come up from earlier.

Fei Wanghuai walked ahead, Chu Zaishuang following closely behind. Going downstairs, they didn’t encounter the Meditation Slate and arrived at the next level without incident. The area was still shrouded in gray mist, making it impossible to see anything clearly. Unless they pressed close to the wall, even the ancient script on the stone walls was invisible; it was pitch black, not even a hand could be seen in front of one’s face.

“There’s another passage here; we could keep going down.” Chu Zaishuang felt a chill in the air and shivered inexplicably. She wondered, “What would we find if we kept going down?”

“No idea. Maybe just more walls of ancient script, not much different from here. What’s recorded here are demonic cultivation methods, useless to the disciples of the sect, so it’s probably been left idle.”

Fei Wanghuai had never been to the bottom either. He had no interest in the demonic cultivation methods on the walls. Once he left the island, he could browse these at will-there was even the Bone Elder who gave special lectures. There was really no need to go out of his way. This place mainly served as a hideout for him to leave the island, using the Demon Qi stored here to evade the notice of High-Level Cultivators, which saved him a lot of trouble.

The two stood at the edge of the passage, conversing, not knowing where their voices carried. There seemed to be faint echoes, indicating the underground space was vast.

Chu Zaishuang stared at the pitch-black stairs, feeling the place was eerie, as if someone was watching from the shadows. She even hallucinated hearing singing. She glanced at Fei Wanghuai, but he seemed unaffected-perhaps she was just being paranoid.

Fei Wanghuai saw her rubbing her arms and suggested, “Let’s go back up. The Demon Qi is too dense; you don’t seem to be able to take it.”

Chu Zaishuang nodded.

A moment later, the two returned to the inverted pillar. Fei Wanghuai tapped it casually with his Silver Fan, and brought her back to the Tongtian Tower.

Daylight shone brightly, the murals returned to normal, the Red Star River flowed, and everything felt like a fleeting dream-nothing outside had changed at all.

The Silver Fan tapped the mural twice. Fei Wanghuai restored the illusion, secretly observing her expression. He said, “I’ll mention it to an Elder another day, have them reinforce the Magic Array, so we don’t fall in again.”

Chu Zaishuang reached out to touch the mural, finding she could no longer pass through the pillar. Hearing this, she was stunned. “It still needs to be reinforced?”

“Otherwise, if someone else breaks in, wouldn’t it be dangerous?” Fei Wanghuai brought this up proactively, fearing she would ask the Sect Leader to reinforce it-in that case, he really wouldn’t be able to leave the island.

“I think it’s sturdy enough now. Ordinary people couldn’t possibly break the array, right?” Chu Zaishuang’s eyes darted. She stared at the Silver Fan in his hand, for once showing a bashful look, and humbly asked, “How did you get in? Could you teach me?”
Thinking about it now, she was probably able to be drawn in because Fei Wanghuai was still inside the formation; otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to enter by herself.

Fei Wanghuai noticed the light in her eyes and asked suspiciously, “What are you up to?”

“Nothing, I’m just curious about illusion techniques.”

“You can’t learn them.”

Hearing him reject her outright, Chu Zaishuang immediately furrowed her brow and retorted in displeasure, “You haven’t even taught me, so how do you know I can’t learn? Are you looking down on me because my cultivation is weak?”

Fei Wanghuai replied calmly, “I can break formations because I have Mei blood. Technically, I’m a Beast Cultivator. I have a natural advantage when it comes to illusion techniques-it’s not something I learned through cultivation, so I really can’t teach you.”

“Mei…” Chu Zaishuang was stunned that he revealed his background so directly. “You… just say it like that…”

Although she had known about it long ago, she had always remembered her father’s advice and never mentioned his identity, afraid he would feel uncomfortable. Unexpectedly, he brought it up on his own.

“There’s nothing to hide from you. Last time, when the Taohuo Wolf Beast Cultivator attacked at night, I thought you already knew, and guessed why he was after me.” Fei Wanghuai shot her a sidelong glance. “You’re not the type to care about these things. Would you actually mind if I have Spirit Beast blood?”

Her thinking was more open-minded than most could imagine-sometimes even more outrageous than his, who came from outside the island.

He really didn’t think she would be prejudiced against Beast Cultivators; she even brought Evil Cultivators back, as rebellious as could be.

Seeing him so composed, Chu Zaishuang instead relaxed and deliberately teased, “You never know, maybe I discriminate against your bloodline. Plenty of cultivators do!”

“Heh, if you discriminate against my bloodline, I’ll discriminate against your intelligence.”

“…You seem to already be doing that.”

Seeing his candor, Chu Zaishuang suddenly thought of something else. Taking advantage of his openness about his own background, she probed, “By the way, you once taught me a Golden Lightning Technique, but later when I climbed the tower, I couldn’t find it…”

She had always been curious why the Golden Lightning Technique could channel both Immortal Qi and Demon Qi, while other Qi Gathering techniques could only channel one.

Fei Wanghuai answered, “That was a technique created by my mother. She was a high-ranking member of the Charm Clan, not an ordinary cultivator, so it’s normal that it’s not recorded.”

Techniques created by High-Level Cultivators aren’t in the tower, just like the Wuwo Sword-someone has to personally pass them on.

“So that’s how it is.”

Chu Zaishuang’s suspicions were confirmed. After learning about Fei Wanghuai’s mixed heritage, she suspected the Golden Lightning Technique wasn’t created by a cultivator. Only Spirit Beasts disregard the distinction between immortal and demon, channeling only spiritual energy; the Charm Clan may be humanoid but are still, in the end, beasts.

But for Fei Wanghuai’s mother to have created a technique, her intelligence probably far surpassed that of ordinary cultivators-she might even have been one of the high-level Spirit Beasts worshipped as deities by mortals in the stories.

“So I can’t teach you illusion techniques, and you don’t have a Primordial Spirit Flower yet, so you definitely can’t break formations.”

Chu Zaishuang looked disappointed. “So I’ll never be able to go in again? I won’t get to see the ancient script on the tower walls?”

She still wanted to learn more about matters of demon cultivation. She’d finally found a treasure trove, only to be turned away at the door.

“Why do you want to go in?” Fei Wanghuai asked. “The sealed part is written in ancient demon script-it’s of no use to you.”

“Don’t you want to read it all?” Chu Zaishuang kept her expression calm, mimicking her usual tone, and replied with childlike innocence, “I didn’t know there was more before. I thought I’d already read the whole tower. Now, all of a sudden, there’s a new section-it just feels weird, like something’s unfinished.”

“No, I’m not as idle as you.”

Besides, he had already read it outside the island; there was no need to go through it again.

Hearing his indifferent reply, Chu Zaishuang couldn’t help but glare at him, as if annoyed by his lack of sensitivity.

That was just the way she was: once she started something, she had to see it through to the end, whether it was playing chess or climbing the tower-no exceptions.

Fei Wanghuai did not suspect anything, only becoming more certain that she did not know the truth and still trusted him completely. If she had any sense of danger, she wouldn’t think of coming back. The thick Demon Qi here could confuse a High-Level Cultivator’s senses; if he killed her here and immediately used Boundless Reach to teleport off the island, even the Sect Leader and his wife wouldn’t be able to find out right away.

But he had forgotten to do so just now.

He had been especially cautious when ascending the stairs to investigate, but when he saw it was her, most of his guard dropped. Then, after some inexplicable bickering, he ended up bringing her out with him.

However, upon careful thought, he felt the timing was off, and not making a move was actually the right decision. First, Boundless Reach couldn’t be used in quick succession-at least not today, so he couldn’t teleport off the island again, and would lose his escape route; second, the situation outside the island was turbulent, and his own power base was unstable-it would be better to stay on the island and build strength, rather than stir up trouble for now.

So not killing her this time wasn’t a missed opportunity-it just wasn’t the right moment yet.

Fei Wanghuai thought for a moment and said, “If you’re really that curious, I’ll take you inside again when I have time. But don’t mention it to anyone-there’s a reason the Elders sealed it up. It’s not good to just go running in there at will.”
Blocking is not as effective as guiding. Rather than letting her act blindly and destroy his outpost on the outer island, it would be better for him to take the lead in this matter. If he refused, given her outrageous way of thinking, she might find someone to break open the place and insist on barging in to read, which would only delay his grand plans further.

“No problem. Actually, my brother and I have snuck into plenty of places before. It shouldn’t be a big deal!”

Chu Zaishuang was waiting for this answer. He still didn’t know her cultivation level and always treated her affairs as child’s play. Letting him help her get in would save a lot of explanations. After all, he was used to her doing pointless things and was unlikely to think otherwise.

Both harbored their own secrets, but they hit it off instantly, agreeing to make this place their new secret base, replacing their former spot under the tree where they played chess.

Later, she would often recall this scene, unsure whether they were too clever or not clever enough. They nearly grasped each other’s many doubts, yet somehow let go, and did not reveal their true intentions that day, managing to coexist peacefully for many years to come.

*

The gentle breeze blew, seasons changed, and before they knew it, several years had passed.

In these years, apart from the widespread adoption of the Twin Spirit Heart Flower, there were no major changes on the Qionglian Twelve Islands, but many things happened outside the islands.

Three years ago, the Demon Cultivator Tu’erqia attacked Four-Symbols Jiuzhou. Although he was killed by a High-Level Cultivator, the incident sparked panic, and Demon Cultivators continued to lurk in the world.

Two years ago, traces of Demon Cultivators appeared in many places outside the islands. Four-Symbols Jiuzhou issued a call, hoping Immortal Cultivators would once again join forces to eradicate Demon Cultivator factions and prevent another great war, but few responded.

Last year, rebellion broke out along both banks of the Huai River. Four-Symbols Jiuzhou was betrayed from within, and many Demon Cultivators declared they would reclaim lost territory. The Immortal Cultivators had ignored agreements and slaughtered anti-war Demon Cultivator factions; now it was time to repay the blood debt.

This year, the Qionglian Twelve Islands are hosting the Grand Sect Competition, which will bring in a large number of cultivators from outside the islands to gather and exchange cultivation insights.

At Wangyue Marsh, the sun was shining and the colorful pools sparkled.

Inside the house, Chu Chenyue tossed a letter onto the table. Her appearance had not changed over the years, and she sighed, “The Grand Sect Competition is coming soon, but now is truly not a good time.”

The Grand Sect Competition is considered a major event in the Immortal Realm. Many High-Level Cultivators who usually hide deep in the mountains will appear, bringing their disciples to test their skills. Each competition sees the emergence of new techniques and many outstanding talents; Su Tingyun himself once rose to fame through it.

After the war, the Grand Sect Competition was hosted in turn by Four-Symbols Jiuzhou, Luoqiang Valley, and Qionglian Twelve Islands. This year, it happens to be held on the islands. During this period, the number of cultivators on the islands will surge, but with bloodshed raging outside, the competition may well stir up trouble.

“Sect Leader is worried that Demon Cultivators might take advantage of the situation?” Chu Bingxiao asked. “But most of them linger in Four-Symbols Jiuzhou. It would be difficult for them to reach Qionglian Twelve Islands.”

Chu Chenyue replied coldly, “With such turmoil outside the islands, it would almost be better if it were Demon Cultivators. The ones most likely to cause trouble aren’t Demon Cultivators, but other opportunists.”

Qin Huan asked, “Can the Grand Sect Competition be postponed? Does Four-Symbols Jiuzhou still have the capacity to send people?”

“They will only send young disciples, not High-Level Cultivators who can fight Demon Cultivators,” Chu Chenyue said. “If I really wanted to cancel it, I wouldn’t have to worry so much-I could just pretend not to understand. But we can’t simply close our doors.”

Qionglian Twelve Islands and Luoqiang Valley have always been reluctant to reorganize the anti-demon army, feigning ignorance in recent years. This is mainly because the Wangchuan River incident remains unresolved, and Four-Symbols Jiuzhou has yet to provide an explanation. The other two regions naturally refuse to be tricked into charging ahead.

But you can only avoid trouble for so long; eventually, the Grand Sect Competition will come around.

“Xiao’er, you are already late Five Leaves, just one step away from the Transformation Realm. This time, you will lead the team and take the sect disciples to participate in the competition.”

“Yes.”

“Qin Huan, discuss with the various peaks and arrange the welcoming banquet. Check with me again when it’s ready.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

With business finished, Chu Chenyue relaxed and chatted casually with the two: “By the way, what has Shuang’er been up to lately? I haven’t seen her in a long time.”

Qin Huan replied, “I ran into my junior sister and Hong Li at Thousand-Gold Peak not long ago. It looked like they were tinkering with some herbs again.”

Chu Bingxiao said, “Fei Wanghuai completed a mission with me, and as soon as we returned, he went to find her. They should have met by now.”

He was used to this; every time Fei Wanghuai returned to Lotus Peak Mountain, the first thing he did was seek out Chu Zaishuang.