Chapter 36: Why Has That Demon Lord Come?

Princess Hongyu knew little about cultivation, but having grown up under the control of that Demon Lord, she had witnessed no small number of demonic arts.

Over these years, how many people had vanished without cause within the Imperial Palace? To others, it seemed they were neither seen alive nor found dead; in Princess Hongyu's eyes, it was skinning and tendon-pulling, leaving not even a bone behind.

Thinking of this, Princess Hongyu felt a wave of nausea rise, nearly vomiting.

She had considered many possibilities, but never in a million years did she expect that the Qinghe Sword Sect was also among the demonic sects.

Lan Shi, unable to believe it, hurriedly said, "Miss, isn't it said that the Qinghe Sword Sect is a righteous and famous sect?"

It was she who had helped investigate the Qinghe Sword Sect; to lure the cultivators of the Qinghe Sword Sect, Princess Hongyu had spent countless efforts.

The key was not merely spreading the news, but how to spread the news without arousing suspicion from the old Demon Lord beside her.

Only after the old Demon Lord, his lifespan nearly exhausted, had entered total seclusion did Princess Hongyu find the chance to smuggle out intelligence; by the time Jiang Shiyue discovered it, had Princess Hongyu not been the old Demon Lord's vessel for soul usurpation, she would have been dead long ago.

Although Jiang Shiyue suspected there might be something fishy about this matter, he dared not disturb his master in seclusion. Both Jiang Shiyue and Princess Hongyu knew clearly that this old Demon Lord was unpredictable in his moods; even if you acted for his own good, as long as you angered him, the consequence would be worse than death.

After all, demonic cultivators were too busy betraying their masters and destroying their ancestors; how could they possibly act as filial disciples, risking punishment to offer a warning?

Jiang Shiyue would not; he would rather use this matter to kill people and practice his arts, taking full advantage, than to be a good disciple.

It was just that after all calculations, this point was missed; the cultivators they had so laboriously lured turned out to be another Demon Lord.

Only demonic cultivators would take away corpses, because whether flesh or bone, both were excellent materials, usable for cultivating various vicious arts and refining cruel, bloody magical treasures.

Seeing the tension on Princess Hongyu's face, Lan Shi could not help but comfort her, saying, "Miss, I don't think that young man looks like a Demon Lord."

Princess Hongyu sighed, patting Lan Shi's head and saying, "Good and evil cannot be seen from appearance; look at that Jiang Shiyue, isn't he handsome?"

Lan Shi recalled the two people in her memory, then said, "Far from it; that young man is ten times, no, a hundred times more handsome than this little Demon Lord."

Princess Hongyu's face showed surprise.

Although that Jiang Shiyue was no good person, he had used various secret arts to alter his appearance, indeed making him a rare and handsome man. To be ten or a hundred times more handsome than him, how exaggerated would that be?

Not good, could it be he has been bewitched!

Princess Hongyu knew that demonic cultivators possessed arts to bewitch the heart; she had seen Jiang Shiyue use it. This art was extremely cruel, forcibly twisting the brain, often causing the victim to bleed from all seven orifices.

A slight mishap meant immediate death; even with good luck, one would suffer great damage to one's vital energy, but once bewitched, one would obey every word, completely losing one's own thoughts.

The martial artists under Jiang Shiyue's command had been gathered this way, each willing to die for him.

At this moment, Princess Hongyu felt her heart grow half cold; she truly feared Lan Shi had been bewitched by that Demon Lord, becoming someone else's puppet forever, which would be truly worse than life.

Princess Hongyu thought for a moment, then said to Lan Shi, "I order you: find that hiding Demon Lord and kill him!"

"Ah?!" Although surprised, Lan Shi hurriedly said, "As you command, Miss, I... I will do my best."

Although she did not know why, Lan Shi obeyed the Miss's command without hesitation; yet for a mere mortal to kill a cultivator would not be so easy.

Hearing Lan Shi say this, Princess Hongyu breathed a little easier; it seemed he had not been bewitched.

Princess Hongyu warned, "Little Stone, from now on, when meeting cultivators, never be rash; preserving yourself is the most important."

"Ah, Miss, didn't you just order me to kill that cultivator?"

"Foolish girl, I was only joking. You don't even know where he is; if a cultivator wishes to hide, how could a mortal..."

As Princess Hongyu was speaking, she suddenly thought of one point: if he truly was a Demon Lord, why leave that message challenging Jiang Shiyue to a duel?

Princess Hongyu did not believe those who practiced the demonic Dao would keep their word; this challenge seven days hence must be a trick.

"If the cultivator of the Qinghe Sword Sect truly is a Demon Lord, killing Jiang Shiyue's people and taking the bodies away makes sense; yet this challenge letter must be a deception. But why would he deceive Jiang Shiyue? Is he preparing to flee, or setting a trap to harm others?"

In Princess Hongyu's eyes, Demon Lords only harm others to benefit themselves; they would never truly stand up for the innocent and fight another cultivator to the death; they must gain some benefit before engaging in magical combat.

Then what benefit does this Demon Lord seek?

"If I could know what is in his heart, perhaps I could set the tiger against the wolf."

Princess Hongyu pondered for a long time, until the moon reached the zenith and the wick turned to ash, until Lan Shi was nearly asleep, before she woke the little girl, whispering a few instructions in her ear.

Lan Shi nodded repeatedly, saying to the Miss, "Miss, rest assured, I will not fail your trust."

Princess Hongyu, however, said, "Preserving yourself comes first; this is merely my speculation; success or failure depends on heaven's will. If you truly find him, leave a letter; there is no need to meet that cultivator alone again."

Lan Shi nodded, saying, "Please rest assured, Miss; I will go attend to it now."

Just as Lan Shi was about to rise, the Miss grabbed her hand.

"There is no need to rush; since that person has set a seven-day appointment, he must be delaying time. If you rush now, you might find nothing. Rest well tonight, and go after you have slept."

Lan Shi immediately smiled, saying to Princess Hongyu, "Then tonight, shall it be like when we were children?"

Princess Hongyu smiled slightly, patting Lan Shi's head and humming softly.

The melody was as gentle as moonlight; the little girl lay beside the Miss and soon fell into dreams.

Once Lan Shi was fast asleep, Princess Hongyu looked at the small figure curled into a ball and could not help but whisper, "Little Stone, remember always: preserving yourself is first; do not take risks, do not be careless, rest well, eat well. Time is short; you must live, live on for us."

Her eyes reddened, crystal tears swirling in them, and just as they were about to fall, she suddenly felt the light before her dim.

Startled, Princess Hongyu raised her head and looked toward the windowsill.

At some unknown time, a person had appeared by the window, like a clear breeze, so faint that not a single sound was made.

His body blocked half the moonlight, yet it seemed to gild him with a layer of silver radiance.

When their eyes met, Princess Hongyu felt her heart skip a beat; the moonlight cast his shadow into her eyes, down to the very depths of her heart.

Princess Hongyu had read many books, yet could find no suitable words to describe the stunning beauty of this moment; truly, such a handsome man existed in the world; a celestial being descending to the mortal realm would likely look like this.

Without the newcomer introducing himself, Princess Hongyu guessed his identity.

What Lan Shi said was not off by a hair; in this world, there truly existed men a hundred times more handsome than that Jiang Shiyue.

Yet, after the stunning beauty came endless terror.

Why has the Demon Lord of the Qinghe Sword Sect come? What exactly does he want?