Chapter 39:

Anyway, Yan Zhi still followed the Dragon King’s orders to open the blind boxes—no, smash the golden eggs.

“Wait a second.”

Ao Fugui, who had been eavesdropping from behind, couldn’t hold back any longer and jumped out, demanding an explanation from the Dragon King. Pointing at the rows of golden eggs beside Yan Zhi, his voice trembled, “Was I… something you got from opening a blind box?”

Ignoring the question of why Ao Fugui was even there, the Dragon King answered his son’s doubt with great enthusiasm, “Of course you’re my own flesh and blood.”

Ao Fugui pointed at the irritating younger siblings, “Am I more important, or are they?”

The classic father-son drama ensued. Suppressing his annoyance, the Dragon King placated him, “Of course you’re more important.”

Ao Fugui sighed in relief and threw a tantrum, “Then, Dad, can you throw them all away?”

Older siblings were fine—they doted on him as the youngest. But if another younger sibling came along, where would that leave him?

The Dragon King fell silent for a long time. Ao Fugui started whining again, “Dad~”

The Dragon King’s hand beneath his robe transformed into a dragon claw, and he grabbed Ao Fugui and hurled him away. “Damn it, get lost!”

After dealing with Ao Fugui, the Dragon King turned back calmly, “Continue.”

Yan Zhi, “…”

So, why exactly was she the East Sea’s prime minister again?

After ten consecutive failed draws, the Dragon King couldn’t take it anymore and snatched the small golden hammer from Yan Zhi’s hands. “Let me do it.”

Then, forty consecutive failures.

The Dragon King collapsed on the spot. Before passing out, he muttered, “I already washed my face…”

With the sudden crisis, the East Sea was caught unprepared. Yan Zhi had no choice but to shoulder the responsibility alone, running around to keep things in order. To prevent subordinates from taking advantage of the chaos, she racked her brains and eventually sought Xue Ying’s help.

“The ruler is young, and the kingdom is unstable. With His Majesty bedridden and the crown prince too young, I’d like to ask you, Daoist, to help safeguard the peace of the East Sea.”

Xue Ying didn’t agree immediately. “Prime Minister, it’s not that I don’t want to help, but I’m a disciple of the Tai Xuan Sect. If you invite me, people might suspect you of disloyalty.”

Her main mission was to capture the Demoness. Now that the Demoness had walked right into the trap, she only needed to wait for Cen Wuwang and the others to arrive and escort the Demoness back to Tai Chu Sect. Everything would be settled.

The Demon Realm had lost three of its Dukes, and the Five-Colored Divine Feather was in the hands of the Dragon Clan. Without it, no one could break the barrier between the Demon and Mortal Realms, so there was no immediate danger. The rest could be left to Cang Wu and the others.

Besides, though the East Sea was within the Daoist realm, it had always coexisted peacefully with cultivators. For her to defend the Dragon Clan’s territory felt a bit like a dog chasing mice—meddling in others’ business.

Yan Zhi let out a self-deprecating laugh. “My merits and faults are not for others to judge.”

Seeing Xue Ying hesitate, she changed tactics. “Five million.”

Xue Ying wavered. “Well…”

“Ten million!”

Xue Ying, “I’ll do it! By the way, can you transfer the breakup fee from earlier first?”

Xue Ying had already made up her mind. Cen Wuwang alone was worth two people. She could escort the Demoness back without a hitch. If necessary, she could even make the trip herself—just cover the travel expenses.

Ten million! Two ten millions made twenty million. She’d never have to work for Tai Chu Sect again in her life.

Yan Zhi didn’t answer immediately. The awkward silence stretched until Xue Ying, stroking her veil, had a sudden pang of conscience. “For acquaintances, I can give a 5% discount.”

“…Are all sword cultivators like this?”

Money-grubbing, ready to lie flat at the drop of a hat—where was the unyielding backbone they were known for?

Xue Ying dodged the question. “Most of them.”

Most were like this.

The Tai Xuan Sect even had a side business as bodyguards. These days, everyone was just trying to make a living.

The two hit it off. Yan Zhi called for someone to arrange a new room for Xue Ying. Before leaving, the Demoness in the neighboring cell stopped Xue Ying. She seemed to realize she’d been tricked and dropped her previous act, looking at Xue Ying with a neutral expression.

Xue Ying stared back. After a moment, the Demoness asked, “Where’s my five million?”

Why did this disciple of the Sword Immortal get to take ten million and then another ten million, while she was destined for prison? The Dragon Clan was biased—she wanted to file a complaint!

Xue Ying wasn’t the one paying, so she turned to Yan Zhi, the real moneybags. Yan Zhi flicked open her folding fan. Since the Demoness was essentially free labor, she was generous. “You can have the money, but on one condition—you have to make the crown prince give up on you.”

Yan Zhi’s biggest headache right now was Ao Fugui’s one-sided crush. Honestly, the Demoness wasn’t particularly interested in Ao Fugui either, but the kid was head over heels. It wasn’t just Yan Zhi who was annoyed—the Demoness was too.

The Demoness didn’t mind. For five million, she agreed without hesitation. “Deal.”

With that settled, Yan Zhi went to fetch Ao Fugui. Compared to the Dragon King, who had collapsed after forty failed draws, Ao Fugui wasn’t doing much better. He was sulking inside a giant clam, only his tail tip visible outside. Several dragon princesses were trying to cheer him up, summoning a crowd of beauties to keep him company—tall, short, plump, slim, with legs or without, big-chested or flat-chested. Xue Ying even spotted a sea serpent, its barrel-thick body coiled around a pillar, topped with a beautiful woman’s head cooing,

“Stop staring at me like that~”

The scene was downright horrifying.

Xue Ying, “…”

Time to slay some demons!

At first, Ao Fugui ignored Yan Zhi. But when she mentioned the Demoness, he immediately perked up, half-emerging from the clam with a pout. “Dad doesn’t love me anymore. How am I supposed to support the woman I love? What’s the point of going? I can’t help her.”

Yan Zhi: Wow, you’re really comfortable mooching off your parents, huh?

Yan Zhi said, “Consider it a farewell to your impulsive youth, so you won’t have regrets later. When you’re burdened with the responsibilities of the Dragon Clan in the future, you can look back and smile.”

A dragon princess nearby burst into tears. “My youth ended ages ago.”

Ao Fugui, “But I’m only seven…”

Yan Zhi nodded sympathetically. “Time spares no one.”

Ao Fugui, “I just weaned.”

The dragon princess, “My crush is bald now.”

Ao Fugui, “…”

Under Yan Zhi and the dragon princess’s coaxing, Ao Fugui reluctantly crawled out of his shell and followed Yan Zhi to see the Demoness.

Their reunion was separated by prison bars. Despite his troubles, Ao Fugui perked up at the sight of the Demoness. “Don’t worry. Even if you’re sent to Tai Chu Sect, I’ll visit you often.”

The Demoness thought for a moment, then pulled out a line from a romance novel she’d read at Duke Ming’s place. Tearfully, she said, “Brother Ao, I don’t want to go to the Demon-Suppressing Tower. I’m so scared.”

Ao Fugui grabbed her hand, his sense of responsibility surging. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll stay with you.”

Behind him, Yan Zhi’s face darkened. She held up a sign demanding the Demoness switch personas.

So the Demoness yanked her hand back and switched to a vain, heartless femme fatale. “Tch, empty words. If I’d known you were such a loser, I wouldn’t have bothered with you.”

Ao Fugui was earnest. “I can change. Tell me what you don’t like, and I’ll fix it.”

Failing to provoke him, the Demoness obediently switched lines again. “I’m not interested in you. Only in money.”

Ao Fugui understood completely. “I get it. In this world, money makes the mare go. Life is hard for women—more money means more security.”

The Demoness was at a loss for words. Frustrated, she kept glancing at Yan Zhi. If she couldn’t shake Ao Fugui off, her five million was gone.

After several failed scripts, Yan Zhi was out of ideas. Xue Ying stepped in. “Let me.”

She grabbed Yan Zhi’s signboard, scribbled a few words, and held it up for the Demoness.

The Demoness stiffened at the script. Meeting Ao Fugui’s deep, soulful gaze, she forced out, “Can you introduce me to the Dragon King instead? He’s richer than you… and closer to death.”

Ao Fugui’s heart shattered. Tears streamed down his face as he sobbed, “Okay… Stepmom.”

The Demoness, “…”

Now that she had the five million, the Demoness was emboldened. After sweeping up the pieces of a broken young heart, she approached Xue Ying and handed over the freshly acquired money.

The Demoness, “I want you to ask Cang Wu something for me.”

As she spoke, she thought of her struggling kin, the barren lands of the Demon Realm, and the blood-red rivers that brought not fertility but death.

Long ago, during the great upheaval of the four realms, three clans entered the Demon Realm to suppress the miasma. Now, everything had changed. Trapped by hardship, they had no choice but to expand outward. Without the Five-Colored Divine Feather, she couldn’t break the barrier between the Demon and Mortal Realms. The Demoness didn’t know whether to feel relief or despair.

Relief, because the barrier’s existence prevented a full-scale war. The miasma of the Demon Realm could still be suppressed by the three clans, but for the beings of the other three realms, exposure meant death or severe harm. Breaking the barrier would instantly pit the three clans against the rest, leading to endless conflict.

Despair, because all three Dukes had fallen!

As a warrior of the Demon Realm, the Demoness hoped for a compromise to ease tensions.

Cang Wu was the perfect mediator. As one of the ancient survivors, he understood the Demon Realm’s plight. If he was willing to step in, that would be ideal.

The Demoness took a long moment to gather her thoughts. When she finally looked up, she exhaled slowly and spoke deliberately, “Ask him if he remembers what happened in the Demon Realm back then.”

The words were cryptic, like a riddle. The Demoness’s eyes were red-rimmed. Xue Ying cautiously ventured, “Is this about Daming Lake?”

The Demoness thought Xue Ying hadn’t heard clearly and repeated herself, her tone pleading and humble, “Disciple of the Sword Immortal, this is the first time I’ve ever begged you. Please, you must deliver this message.”

Behind them, Yan Zhi gasped, her mind spinning with a thousand dramatic scenarios. After leaving the prison, she gossiped with Xue Ying, “They say the old are shameless, but I never thought Cang Wu would be the type to abandon a woman after seducing her. And now she’s come knocking.”

Yan Zhi wanted to bring up the Sword Immortal Yu Hengzi, who had supposedly killed his wife to prove his Dao and was friends with Cang Wu—birds of a feather. But since Xue Ying was Yu Hengzi’s disciple, she held back. Still, her gossipy heart couldn’t resist probing, “I heard your master has a daughter?”

Xue Ying knew about this. But with her master’s body currently hijacked by Shen Jin, she couldn’t explain in detail and kept it brief. “Yeah, the Demoness in there.”

Yan Zhi was stunned, her fan slipping from her grasp. “But she’s looking for Cang Wu…”

Xue Ying was equally puzzled. “Yeah, weird. Wasn’t it Master who went to the Demon Realm? Did Cang Wu go too?”

She planned to ask Cen Wuwang for details later, but Yan Zhi’s imagination was already running wild.

The swordsman and the healer had set foot in that land for the first time. At different times, they met the same woman. For love, former friends drew blades against each other. The swordsman won the duel, but the healer won her heart. That night, drunk, the swordsman barged into her chamber…