The High God Insists on Marrying Me - Chapter 2

Then again, perhaps the Grand Elder hadn’t missed the point. Vermilion Bird really was impossibly beautiful.

Gods were generally a good-looking bunch, but he left the rest far behind.

His form had the purity of flawless jade, his bearing all grace and distinction. One glance told you he was a god of the highest rank, raised among clouds and mist.

Especially those smiling, peach-blossom eyes. He needn’t do a thing. Just looking at you, he could make you believe he loved you to the depths of the sea—and would be very easy to tumble into bed.

That illusion was exactly what had bewitched me into…

Pah. I was getting distracted too.

The point was, I’d not only devoured this rare specimen whole, I’d nearly finished him off.

Exciting enough for you?

As it turned out, it was bloody exciting.

A hundred years later—today, in other words—the first thing Vermilion Bird did on emerging from seclusion was drag White Tiger to my Demon Realm to settle the score.

The two great gods stationed thousands of soldiers at our entrance, terrifying my subjects.

Only Wuhuan, our thoroughly unscrupulous, spectacle-loving Fifth Elder, seemed delighted by the heavenly troops outside.

Rubbing her hands together, she said, “Your Lordship, no war for over ten thousand years, and finally we’re getting one! For the gods’ spiritual veins, we must see this through. Crush the gods!”

She spoke with conviction. “I’ve always hated them. They only rule the Six Realms because they had the geographical advantage, yet they arrogantly assume they’re just that powerful. They never give any other race a friendly look.”

Well.

She wasn’t wrong in principle. But I suspected she wasn’t fully awake. Or she’d eaten too much illusion grass and was seeing things.

We were cutting military spending just to keep the demons alive. Forget a war with the gods. We’d struggle to beat the ghosts next door.

If the other races hadn’t wanted nothing to do with demons, I’d have married off every elder we had to rescue our economy.

Who had given her the confidence to fight the gods?

Wuhuan fell silent.

After a moment, she tried again. “But Your Lordship, their soldiers are on our doorstep. If we don’t fight, how can we hold our heads up in the Six Realms? How will you introduce yourself with any dignity? It’s humiliating!”

I looked at her. “Is dignity something important? When have I ever had any?”

Wuhuan fell silent again.

I answered my own question. “It isn’t. I haven’t, Huan.”

In my thousand years as a demon, I’d learned one thing: be shameless enough, and there’s no obstacle you can’t overcome.

A century ago, my cultivation had gone wrong. Heavenly lightning half killed me, an inner demon arose, and I nearly went on a killing spree. That inner demon also turned on me. I needed spiritual pills, urgently, to stay alive.

The Grand Elder happened to be in seclusion.

Unable to find anyone to help, I’d relied on shamelessness to swindle Vermilion Bird and survive.

There were consequences, admittedly. And those consequences were currently shouting at our entrance.

Consequence Number One, High God White Tiger, let out a roar. “Cang Jue, get out here! I promise I won’t beat you to death!”

Consequence Number Two, High God Vermilion Bird, gave a bird’s cry. “Demon Lord, I’m counting to three. Keep playing dead and don’t blame me for what happens!”

I scoffed inwardly. Did he think counting to three would work?

It did.

Because once he’d counted, Vermilion Bird actually attacked me.

The Demon Realm shook. A great crack split the barrier above my palace.

Then that figure in scarlet from a century ago appeared at my gates.

A hundred years in seclusion had restored some of his divine power. His complexion was much better than it had been back then.

Anger, however, lent him a murderous air. Those peach-blossom eyes swept over me, full of killing intent, and he all but ground out the words.

“Demon Lord. Is there anything you’d care to explain?”

I had no answer.