<<Previous Chapter Index Next Chapter>>
Translator: Fate
Translation Checker: Silavin
In the grand palace, beautiful women from the Demon Race danced amongst the swirling mist. Their elegant movements looked light and ethereal, resembling that of a flying bird. The relaxing scent of tea wafted in the void.
This was a tea room where a green-clothed woman was sitting cross-legged on the floor. Her legs looked slender beneath her robes, and she was extremely gorgeous with her lightly powdered face and fine features. Her skin was smooth and soft while her hair was thick. Even the loose robes couldn’t hide her tall, slender figure. A laid-back young man was sitting in front of her with a bright smile on his face. Many of the dancers peeked over at them in envy and admiration.
“This is the tea I’ve just brewed. What do you think, Young Master Changge?” Jun Yao looked shy, a look worlds away from the generous yet haughty expression she used with everyone else. Had anyone familiar with her been present such as Jun Fan, their jaws would drop from the disbelief they felt.
Gu Changge picked up his white jade teacup and took a sip before praising involuntarily, “You are truly talented. This is the first time I’ve experienced tea like this. It’s bitter and astringent with a hint of sweetness. I can even feel the myriad types of ingredients, the spectrum of emotion, and the like after some careful deliberation. It is a truly special drink.”
Jun Yao looked delighted at the praise and looked shyer than before. “You flatter me, Young Master Changge. I’m happy that you like it.”
Her fingers pinched at the hem of her dress, showing that she wasn’t as assured as she appeared to be. She had prepared for the appointment for three days without stopping, and even put more thought into dressing up. Her makeup looked different compared to her usual style and made her look fine and pretty yet elegant.
“I like it, naturally. I didn’t expect my trip to the Demonic World would allow me to experience Lady Jun Yao’s talent in tea-making. It has satisfied me greatly.” Gu Changge smiled. “I was confused when I heard that you have an unsurpassed talent in tea-making, but our meeting today has convinced me so.”
“You flatter me too much, Young Master Changge. It was because I have been researching such things from my childhood and besides, this isn’t really something I can show to the public.” Jun Yao waved her hand quickly. “There are masters who are much better than me at brewing tea.”
Gu Changge shook his head at her. “Why are you being so humble? Everything can be made into a Dao; the Dao of tea, Dao of art, Dao of chess… all of them are Daos, so why can’t it be shown in public? Since the Dao of tea exists, there will be a place for you.”
She felt like he was too confident in her with his praise and felt embarrassed about it, yet her delight overrode that. She usually would disregard the flattery from other young prodigies, yet she was pleased because of some praise from him.
They continued to talk for a while before Gu Changge seemed to remember something and found an excuse to leave.
“If you want, I will brew tea and wait for your arrival. You can always come when you have the time.”
Jun Yao was reluctant to let him leave, but she knew it was already unimaginable for someone of her status to sit with him over tea. How could she hope for more? However, she somehow found the courage to make the suggestion, blushing at how daring she had been. She could even hear her heart beating loudly.
Gu Changge looked taken aback by her words but then smiled after some thought. “Thank you in advance then, Lady Jun Yao.”
He then left the place and slowly disappeared.
“Be careful, Young Master Changge.” Jun Yao felt like she couldn’t even speak properly anymore as her voice shook and stuttered. She had never imagined that she could be acquainted with Gu Changge and even sit down to talk with him like that.
The whole thing felt unreal and her heart continued racing even after he left, as she had thought he would refuse her request and shoot down any hope she had. She never really expected him to say that.
[Did he actually agree or refuse?] She frowned, confused and happy, yet concerned at the same time. She was afraid this whole thing would end up being a figment of her imagination. However, he did visit her over the next few days to discuss the art of tea-making and she couldn’t possibly deny him.
She was so delighted that it almost felt like she had a chance with him. He behaved like a gentleman with his charming manners and was easy going without showing any condescension despite his status. This further cemented the perfect mental image she had of him and if her father and younger brother Jun Fan hadn’t gone with the army attacking the Life Forbidden Area, she would have willingly shared the happy news with them.
[Jun Yao’s Fortuity differs from that of the other Jun Family members. Jun Fan is probably more concerned about this adoptive sister of his.] Gu Changge naturally did not have any of such romantic motives towards Jun Yao and merely wanted to use her to manipulate Jun Fan.
Prodigal damsels like her were haughty and had high opinions of themselves, considered by normal society to be a gift from heaven and were brilliant. They wouldn’t even look at normal young prodigies as they already had their criteria for a partner, so it was easy to make them chase after him as long as he satisfied their romantic imaginations and desires.
Jun Yao’s Fortuity was much higher than Qing Zhu’s, which Gu Changge assumed was because of her relationship with Jun Fan. Even the Quelling Chaos King, Jun Fan’s father in this life, did not have that much Fortuity, which spoke multitudes about Jun Fan’s relationship with his father and Jun Yao.
The Demon World slowly quieted down during the days after that. Empress Yao Xi was even sterner towards her trusted advisors after the assassination attempt, even changing those court officials at the top. While this had caused some great commotion, the noise eventually died away. The Major Clans of the Demon World also behaved cautiously to prevent Empress Yao Xi from deciding to eliminate them.
So far, Gu Changge’s influence had made these Clans behave even more reverently towards her.
“You seem to be avoiding me lately.”
Empress Yao Xi suddenly heard Gu Changge’s voice while going through her letters. He had shown up in the imperial palace without her noticing while looking interested, not making any vibrations as if he had suddenly appeared from thin air. She wouldn’t have realised he was there if he hadn’t spoken.
“Greetings, Young Master Changge.” Qing Mei and Qing Lan immediately bowed in greeting and bent their heads tactfully and obediently.
“I was too busy. Have I been ignoring you?” Empress Yao Xi cast a surprised glance at him before regaining her calm and returning to her letters.
“Your Majesty is of course busy with the daily running of the Demon World. If you don’t visit me, then I have to come to see you.” Gu Changge smiled, waving a hand to dismiss Qing Mei, Qing Lan, and the others.
She was discomfited by his stare. Even though the two of them already had intimate relations, she felt uncomfortable and unhappy remembering that he had done everything deliberately without any true feelings for her. That was why she had been avoiding him purposefully, yet she hadn’t expected him to actively seek her out.
“What do you want?” Empress Yao Xi asked, still bent over her letters.
Gu Changge looked down at her pale swan-like neck before smiling and putting his arms around her. “I’m here to help you resolve some problems, you know.”
“Problems?” Her entire body became rigid before she reigned herself in and asked knowingly.
“Of course,” Gu Changge said.
“Can you confirm Jun Fan is Jun Bufan?” She turned to glare at his smiling face before relaxing into his body. She had been suspecting this for a while but couldn’t find any evidence and she had the feeling Gu Changge knew something which he hadn’t told her. Despite that, her expression was unusually calm.
“What’s the use of confirming that? You are the Empress here, aren’t you?” he replied with a laugh. “You should learn to think for yourself instead of asking me for everything.”
Empress Yao Xi shook her head. “Why would I ask you if I knew? What did you say again? You won’t care about me anymore once you tricked me into bed?”
“Hey, it was consensual. How can that be called trickery?” he denied the claim. “The problem will be resolved soon and you will know what to do then.”
She nodded at that and did not ask any more questions. Over the next few days, he would occasionally go to the imperial palace to inform her about several things. Empress Yao Xi still felt disturbed after discovering his true purpose. Yet, in this enormous Demon World, he was the closest to her. Thus, she did not show her dissatisfaction and did not refuse anything he asked from her either. Besides, she wanted to know what he planned to do and what influence Jun Bufan and Jun Ruoxi would have on him.
…
*Rumble! There was a loud rumble as the army marched, which made the world shake and beasts growl or flee in fear. This was a thick and enormous forest surrounded by thick fog, with swirling coloured clouds expelled in several areas. Ancient gnarly trees blocked out the view of the world like they were mountains; spiritual herbs, medicinal fruits, and giant waterfalls were aplenty. The thick underbrush seemed to harbour powerful energy.
No one would have believed this was a Life Forbidden Area within the Demon World if they hadn’t seen it for themselves. Everyone who had accidentally trespassed in the past six thousand years had disappeared without a trace yet from the exterior, it looked like the holy land of an Immortal Sect.
“The area in front of us is the Life Forbidden Area. Everyone, camp here and do not move recklessly.”
The Demon World Army had arrived, exuding a bloodthirsty aura.
The Quelling Chaos King appeared on the peak of a nearby mountain and looked into the distance before giving the order. He wore bronze armour and held a large battleaxe. His eyes were shimmering with light. Runes interweaved within his gaze, revealing his extremely powerful might.
“Father, are we really going to clear out this place?” Jun Fan frowned towards the Life Forbidden Area from beside the Quelling Chaos King, feeling helpless and unwilling. This was where his true sister, Jun Ruoxi, lived in seclusion. He had never come here even after being reincarnated since he didn’t want to trouble her by involving her in his revenge. However, he didn’t have any choice now as even he had been sent to clear out the place and thus couldn’t do anything about it.
“That’s a useless question. Empress Yao Xi personally gave the order and Jun Bufan, the mastermind behind the plot to assassinate her, may be hiding out here. If we get him, we don’t have to worry about the power and status our family will have.” The Quelling Chaos King glanced at him meaningfully. His greedy gaze was fixed on the ancient forest before him as if he could see a bright future there.
Jun Fan fell silent at that. He had already thought of many ways to stop this but they were no use at all. It was impossible to prevent Gu Changge’s wish from happening with his current strength, as he didn’t believe Empress Yao Xi could do something like this. Gu Changge definitely had used her name for his true purpose, which was forcing him to appear. Jun Fan could see through Gu Changge’s motive for doing this but he was currently more preoccupied with how to rescue Jun Ruoxi so she wouldn’t get caught.
[Six thousand years ago, my sister was already on the verge of entering the Sacred King Realm. After all those years, she may still be in the Sacred King Realm even if her talent is inferior to mine. It will be problematic if she wants to escape this safely.]
Jun Fan frowned. His sister was already in the Sacred Realm before he was born, so it was impossible that she hadn’t progressed. She was much more important than his adoptive father and thus one of the most important people in his life besides Jun Yao. It was truly a coincidence that both of them were his older sisters.
“Father, I’ll take a look around to scout the area. If anything strange happens, send me a message.” Jun Fan planned to leave the army for a while and entered the Life Forbidden Area from another direction so he could find Jun Ruoxi before the Quelling Chaos King did.
The Quelling Chaos King didn’t suspect anything and nodded. “Do you need a squad accompanying you?”
“It’s fine. It’s more convenient doing this alone.” Jun Fan refused the offer and left in the other direction by transforming into a divine rainbow without waiting for his father’s permission. The Quelling Chaos King did not concern himself with Jun Fan any longer and began ordering his men to set up camp while sending more scouts to survey the area.
After leaving the group, Jun Fan transformed into a divine rainbow and headed into the depths of the mountain range. The area had been classified as a Life Forbidden Area, yet there weren’t many protective arrays. It was easy to enter as long as one paid attention to the energy vibrations in the air.
*Buzz!* However, when he was on his way there, a light ripple went through the void and caused a strange vibration to spread towards him.
“Who?” Jun Fan noticed this immediately and was taken aback. He cautiously paused his movements and drew his weapon, a pure white sword which glittered sharply.
“It’s been a long time. Is this how you treat an old friend?” A vibration appeared in the void before a figure emerged from it. Her features were coldly attractive and somewhat seductive.
“You are Lian’er.” He was stunned to see her at first, but his eyes then widened in disbelief as he became emotional.
“It’s been a long time. I can’t believe you’re here. How did you find me?” He asked as soon as he calmed down and looked at her distant expression. He didn’t expect to see a familiar face after six thousand years, but Bai Lian’er’s looks had changed a lot. If he hadn’t been extremely close to her, he wouldn’t have recognised her. Was this really the soft young girl who used to follow him everywhere? He had mixed feelings about that, but he was more curious how she had found him and how she had known his real identity.
“I’ve finally met an old friend after six thousand years, but you look like this now. Jun Bufan, you haven’t really changed after all these years.” Bai Lian’er looked cool and distant.
He frowned after hearing her reply, sensing something wrong with her attitude as her behaviour was as cold as stone. When he realised the reason, he couldn’t help a bitter smile. He knew that some of his past actions had hurt her, as he had ignored her advice, choosing to believe Yao Xi and verbally abusing Bai Lian’er. He still felt guilty about her, who had been like his younger sister.
“Everything is in the past now, and nothing cannot be overcome. How did you know who I am and how did you find me, Lian’er?” Jun Fan let out a bitter laugh before remembering himself and enquired seriously.
She merely laughed coldly before replying calmly, “I came to see you for a reason. As for how I managed to find you, you have to find that out yourself. Assassinating Yao Xi in plain sight? Do you think everyone is as dumb as she is?”
He looked slightly stricken, not used to her mocking tone. However, he knew what she was saying. She had already knew of his true identity back when he attempted to assassinate Empress Yao Xi.
“So you have been hiding near the Quelling Chaos King’s Manor all this time and finally saw an opportunity to show up alone?” he couldn’t help but ask, having deduced what was going on yet curious about why she came to see him.
“It seems you aren’t that dumb.” Bai Lian’er laughed coldly once more before continuing, “I need you to help me save my father.”
“Your father?” Jun Fan was astounded. He already knew that her father, Bai Kun, had been captured by Gu Changge, but how could he win against Gu Changge with his current abilities? He couldn’t save Bai Kun or even go against Gu Changge’s will. Everything was meaningless unless he toppled Empress Yao Xi’s rule and took the Demon World.
At that thought, his expression shifted slightly. He was conflicted about the situation; Bai Lian’er was his childhood best friend and Bai Kun had watched him grow up, so Jun Fan couldn’t just abandon him to his fate. However, he couldn’t do anything now, much less leave the Demon World to rescue Bai Kun in the Upper Realm. This put him in a very difficult position.
“Don’t be so hasty in refusing. You may not be able to win against him, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be in the future.” Bai Lian’er immediately realised what he was thinking after seeing his face. “Your father asked mine to give you something when the time is right, but my father got captured by Gu Changge. So, he gave it to me instead, telling me to find you in the Demon World and hand it over.”
Jun Fan was slightly shaken as he recalled the words of the Solar Demon Overlord. ‘Someone would look for you and give you something’.Thus, he did not doubt her words.
“No problem. Lian’er, it’s fine. Your issues are mine too and I can’t abandon Uncle Bai Kun to his fate.” Jun Fan exhaled in relief and made her a promise. He knew that if he refused her request, she would never give it to him.
Bai Lian’er nodded with some satisfaction and withdrew a brocade bag from her sleeve. It looked ordinary, devoid of any patterns or embroidery and made from a common material. It was the one which Gu Changge had given to her; she had tried to open it during the journey but discovered it still contained that terrifying energy. Had she tried to force it open, the brocade bag would have been destroyed and injured her.
“This is…” Jun Fan was shaken and felt a strong urge as if there was something within which belonged only to him. It was such a powerful feeling that his expression shifted for a moment before becoming delighted.
“Thank you, Lian’er. You have gone through so much danger to give this to me, and I don’t know how I can repay you.” Jun Fan smiled at her, about to take the bag from her. However, she laughed coldly and returned it to her sleeve instead of handing it over.
“Lian’er, what do you mean by this?” His expression froze slightly as he hadn’t expected the usually obedient Bai Lian’er to turn out this way after six thousand years.
“I want you to swear on your Dao Heart that you will save my father from Gu Changge, or I won’t give this bag to you.” Something flashed across her eyes as she remembered Gu Changge’s instructions. She pitied Jun Fan somewhat as he was being played so well yet did not realise anything.
Gu Changge had already known Jun Fan’s true identity yet Jun Fan didn’t know about it, and still clung onto the hope that he would emerge the victor eventually. .
Jun Fan frowned. It was clear Bai Lian’er did not trust him. However, this caused the last of his doubts to disappear and he swore on his Dao Heart. Only then did she nod with satisfaction and hand the brocade bag to him. He did not open it in front of her but chose to store it carefully. She did not care about that, since he was no longer the naive youth of six thousand years ago. He was much more calculative now, trusting her words but not her person.
“What are your plans now?” Jun Fan couldn’t help but ask, having noticed that she had a strong aura that meant she was at least in the Sacred King Realm. He needed to find a way to recruit and utilise such a powerful individual.
“I have no other plans but wait for you to save my father,” she answered coolly.
Poor Yao Xi, it actually pains me to see her sad… That’s one of the few characters I really like