The White Deer's Cry - Chapter 1

Everyone knew I was the disgrace of the demon realm.

Several hundred years ago, I had happened upon Yuhua, the Celestial Emperor. He saved my life, and I fell hopelessly in love with him.

For his sake, I had left my own people behind and followed him to the celestial realm.

My true form was a milu deer spirit. After years of cultivation, I had finally grown a pair of demonic antlers I was tremendously proud of. Eating them could prolong a person’s life.

With the emperor doting on me, everyone treated me with the utmost respect.

Until, one day, he brought a woman back from the mortal world.

She had soft, limpid eyes and a sweet, pliant disposition. She fell ill almost as soon as she arrived.

Apparently, her mortal body couldn’t withstand the celestial realm’s abundance of spiritual energy. It might very well kill her.

After that, Yuhua rarely visited me.

I once saw him leaning beside her bed with my own eyes, telling her, “My darling, you are the only one I love.”

He looked as though he would gladly die for her.

I left the palace feeling thoroughly disgusted.

After thinking it over, I decided to leave.

On the day of my departure, Yuhua blocked the doorway.

“Lu Bai, Yinyin has a mortal body. She cannot bear the immortal bones within her. She needs nourishment from demonic creatures to balance their power.”

It took me a long time to understand what he meant.

He wanted my antlers.

For that, he was willing to lower himself enough to come and ask before I descended the Celestial Steps.

“You said you would repay me for saving your life. Yinyin is my life. Repaying her is the same as repaying me.”

Well. The same as repaying him.

The garden of irises he’d planted for me had already been uprooted and replaced with laurels, all to suit Yinyin’s tastes.

Yuhua met my eyes without a hint of shame, as if gratitude were the only thing that had ever existed between us.

I was silent for a long time. Then I summoned my demonic power and, enduring the terrible pain, cut off a piece of antler and tossed it to him.

“This is nowhere near enough. Lu Bai, come back with me.”

He had placed a barrier before the Celestial Steps. I couldn’t get out.

In the end, I became an ingredient in Yinyin’s medicine.

Locked inside my palace, I had my antlers cut off day after day, then endured the pain of growing them back.

I might have gone on putting up with it. I owed him, after all.

Then, a few days ago, Yinyin came to visit.

It was my first proper look at the much-talked-about Lady Yinyin.

She wasn’t particularly pretty. Even the little maid who waited on me was better-looking.

The celestial realm had lent her just enough radiance to make her passably attractive.

She called it a visit. In reality, she was showing off, one hand resting on her swollen belly.

“I’m carrying His Majesty’s child. The baby has a mortal body, so you’ll need to grow those antlers faster from now on.”

Meaning: there are two of us eating them now. Pick up the pace.

A little rude, if you asked me.

How long was I supposed to keep repaying this debt?

Just as I was about to lose my temper, Yuhua stormed in, his eyes cold and fierce, as though I might do something to the love of his life.

Tears misted Yinyin’s eyes. She looked like a delicate little flower someone had frightened.

“I was so worried about our child that I couldn’t help coming to beg Sister Lu Bai for help… Please don’t blame her, Your Majesty…”

Blame me? For what?

Breathing?

Once Yuhua had assured himself that she was unharmed, his expression grew complicated.

For a moment, he seemed about to speak up for me. In the end, he said nothing.

This time, I finally snapped. I grabbed a battered length of whip and charged into the celestial palace.

No one, I suppose, had imagined that meek, obedient Lu Bai could make a public scene like a complete shrew—right in the middle of court.

With what pitifully little power I had, I forced my way in, pointed at Yuhua before his assembled ministers and generals, and let him have it.

“She’s your life, and so is the baby. What about your grandchildren? Your great-grandchildren? Are you planning to bring the whole family over to chew on me?”

The celestial realm prided itself on its righteousness. With his dignity torn to shreds in public, Yuhua could hardly argue.

The celestial officials already resented his infatuation with a mortal woman. They liked a demonic creature living in their midst even less.

That very night, they threw me out.