The Demon Emperor's Throne (4)

The man who claimed to be her cousin had a palpable look of excitement when he looked at her.

Could it be that she had met an acquaintance of Senior Sister Bai Yueguang from the original text?

Lin Qianshuang looked at the cheerful and chubby person in front of her, feeling a bit speechless.

If she were truly acting as a secret agent within the Demon Realm, wouldn’t his reckless revelation of her identity and purpose place both of them in jeopardy?

Was this cousin genuinely here to jest? His boldness was excessive.

Zheng Mingxia was delighted to see Lin Qianshuang. He had resigned himself to death, but fate had unexpectedly brought him to his cousin, who seemed to be working as a secret agent in the Demon Realm.

Their previous relationship within the Penglai Immortal Sect had been friendly. Following instructions from the Lin family head, Lin Qianshuang had often provided assistance. It was inconceivable that she would stand by while he suffered in the Demon Realm. Moreover, she appeared to have a unique connection with a high-ranking demon cultivator. The fact that Ruan Qianmei, the Demon Emperor’s favored concubine, had ordered her death specifically indicated that Lin Qianshuang held a position of some importance within the Demon Palace. With her help, perhaps he could devise a plan to escape from the Realm.

Zheng Mingxia was calculating in his heart, thinking about how to have a good chat with his cousin and communicate their feelings. Before he could utter the words brimming in his stomach, Xia, who had just put down the bowls, pulled him inside.

When his thick legs crossed the threshold, he tripped and fell to the ground, and Zheng Mingxia rolled to the bed like a round ball.

A soft, gentle chuckle came from the bed.

Zheng Mingxia dragged his bulky body to get up and saw his cousin looking at him with a strange expression. The beautiful woman in white, who had just been half undressed, was already dressed neatly and sitting up by the bed. Her beautiful face was gentle and supple, but her eyes carried a bloodthirsty and cold taste that did not match her temperament, as if she was about to break him apart.

Although that beautiful face was pleasing to the eye, her gaze was as ferocious as a wild beast’s, leaving no room for imagination. His entire body instinctively sensed danger, as if he were entangled by a cold, venomous snake. Even his soul trembled and shivered under the extremely cold gaze.

Bai Wan picked up the soup bowl that Xia had placed on the table and handed it to Lin Qianshuang.

Her gaze swept over Zheng Mingxia, whose legs were trembling with fear, and she said, “Shuangshuang, do you recognize this human cultivator?”

Lin Qianshuang glanced at Zheng Mingxia. This so-called righteous human cultivator had fawned over Ruan Qianmei to save his own life and had even used the magic suppression array to severely damage her vitality. He seemed to lack intelligence, so it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Thinking of this, Lin Qianshuang shook her head and said sharply, “I don’t know him.”

“Since Shuangshuang doesn’t recognize him,”

“Bai Wan couldn’t be bothered to spare Zheng Mingxia a second glance and instructed Xia, “Go outside and find some men to mince this man into meat sauce as fertilizer for the Demon Emperor’s pet.”

Zheng Mingxia couldn’t fathom why his cousin didn’t recognize him. Faced with imminent danger, he frantically reached out to grab Lin Qianshuang’s hand, like a drowning man clutching at a lifeline, and exclaimed, “Cousin! Your engagement to the Liang family has been broken off. Now that Lady Xiao Lanle and Liang Jingxuan are together, their marriage is paramount. Didn’t you always favor him? You’ve done so much for him. Are you willing to give up?”

Lin Qianshuang’s serene countenance wavered slightly. The name Liang Jingxuan seemed to stir her deeply. Zheng Mingxia’s mention of it caused her body to stiffen involuntarily, and her expression briefly contorted in a mix of emotions.

Sensing Lin Qianshuang’s reaction, Zheng Mingxia’s hopes reignited. “Cousin,” he pleaded, “you hold great sway in the Demon Palace now. Had I known the female demon cultivator intended to kill you, I would never have activated that formation. It was all a misunderstanding, a mistake. Junior Brother Liang and Uncle Lin are both searching for you, believing you’re still alive. If you release me, I’ll immediately convey the news of your survival! Uncle Lin will be overjoyed to know you’re still alive.”

Bai Wan detected the subtle shifts in Lin Qianshuang’s expression. It was apparent that this Zheng Mingxia might indeed know Lin Qianshuang, and that Lin Qianshuang had her reasons for not acknowledging him.

The intense heat radiating from her body dissipated instantly, and Bai Wan regained her composure in a moment.

She had never heard Lin Qianshuang talk about herself before, and the ugly fat man in front of her clearly knew more than she did.

Bai Wan turned her head and glanced at Lin Qianshuang’s profile. She longed to inquire about Liang Jingxuan’s identity, but upon witnessing the turmoil in Lin Qianshuang’s eyes, she discerned that this was not the most appropriate time to ask this question.

“How many secrets do you have?” Bai Wan mused inwardly. “What motives brought you to the Demon Realm?”

Her gaze upon Lin Qianshuang grew increasingly somber, as a sense of distance and unfamiliarity crept between them.

A sudden surge of agitation coursed through Bai Wan’s heart. The sensation of losing control left her feeling deeply uneasy.

Narrowing her eyes, Bai Wan’s gaze flickered with a subtle glimmer. She ran her tongue across her lower lip, savoring the lingering sweetness of a stolen kiss.

She wanted to know everything about her, her past, all her secrets.

Zheng Mingxia cast a fearful glance at Bai Wan. After being cast aside, he once more clutched at Lin Qianshuang’s sleeve and implored, “Cousin, I beseech you to spare me. Our bond of childhood companionship should not be forgotten.”

“Shuangshuang, you are familiar with that man, so I might as well leave it to you. However, I specially prepared this bowl of medicine for you. You must drink it.”

Lin Qianshuang heeded Bai Wan’s whispered urging and imbibed the medicinal broth. The solidified magic core within her body bore several additional engraved lines, a testament to the faint advancement in her cultivation. However, a faint scent of blood lingered after the ingestion, inducing a wave of nausea.

A suspicion arose within her, and she returned the empty bowl to Bai Wan, her expression tinged with displeasure. “What was in this broth?”

“This medicinal broth is crafted from the pulverized demon fetus and magic core of Ruan Qianmei. Its consumption will compensate for a century’s worth of cultivation in the Demon Realm.”

Bai Wan recalled Ruan Qianmei and snorted. She draped an arm over Lin Qianshuang’s shoulder, saying, “Ruan Qianmei harmed you, so naturally, I wouldn’t let her off the hook. After I extracted her magic core, I imprisoned her soul within her body. For the dozen or so Cauldrons she experimented on but failed to kill, I poured down a temporary rejuvenating elixir and an aphrodisiac core. It was enough to keep them alive and well enough to torture and exact revenge on Ruan Qianmei before she died. When I left, that scream was the most agonizing sound I’ve ever heard.”

Lin Qianshuang listened to Bai Wan’s account and imagined the mosaic of bloody images that were too graphic for television. She felt a wave of discomfort.

Bai Wan’s heart was truly merciless when she was ruthless, which made her a little fearful.

Although her methods were extreme, she had only done this to seek justice for her.

Lin Qianshuang’s gaze shifted to Bai Wan, and her expression softened involuntarily. The sentence “She harmed you, so naturally, I wouldn’t let her off the hook.” stirred something within her.

Even in the mundane world, she had never encountered such a loyal companion.

“Thank you, Xiaowan.”

Bai Wan looked at Lin Qianshuang’s gentle smile, her ears turning slightly red. Her throat felt dry, and her heart pounded faster. Shuangshuang’s smile was truly captivating.

“Senior Brother Xia, I must trouble you to escort this human cultivator out of the Demon Realm.”

Lin Qianshuang left the Yanbo Hall and watched as Xia and Zheng Mingxia departed from the Jiuchong Demon Palace.

During his brief stay in the Jiuchong Demon Palace, Zheng Mingxia had lived in constant fear, witnessing the cruelty and terror of the demonic cultivators. His legs were weak, and he walked with a light step. Turning his head, he glanced at Lin Qianshuang’s increasingly distant figure. He felt a twinge of sympathy for his cousin’s predicament, wondering who held her captive and prevented her from leaving.

As soon as he left the Demon Realm and returned to the human realm, he hurried to Penglai Immortal Sect to visit Fairy Jinghua.

“Senior Brother Zheng, did you truly witness Senior Sister Lin within the Jiuchong Demon Palace with your own eyes?”

Liang Jingxuan had just concluded his swordsmanship practice and was invigorated, wiping away his sweat. He glanced at Zheng Mingxia, who had rushed in panting, and set aside his wooden sword, his expression a mixture of belief and skepticism.

“I would not mistake her. I was captured by the demonic cultivators. If not for my cousin’s assistance, I would not have returned alive.”

Zheng Mingxia approached Liang Jingxuan, gripping his shoulder and speaking anxiously, “Junior Brother Liang, you must rescue your cousin. Had she not saved you from being trapped within the formation, she would not have become ensnared within the Demon Realm, unable to escape. As the Sect Leader’s most esteemed disciple, you must possess a means to enter the Jiuchong Demon Palace and save her!”

It turned out that the senior sister was trapped in the Jiuchong Demon Palace.

Jiuchong Demon Palace, this is the residence of the Demon Emperor, the Lord of the Demon Cultivation Realm.

To save Senior Sister Lin, it seems that a careful plan must be formulated.

He is the Son of Destiny, and the Heavenly Dao protects him. He is not afraid of this small Demon Realm.

Liang Jingxuan recalled a certain occasion when he had peeped at Senior Sister Lin as she bathed, and his heart stirred with anticipation. Heroes save damsels in distress, and the damsels should always express some gratitude. He wondered if his senior sister would instantly fall for him after he rescued her.

“Host, Capricorn women¹ are rational and calm in relationships. To put it simply, they are reserved but passionate. It’s impossible for them to take the initiative. The possibility of your fantasy coming true is zero.”

“Liang Jingxuan’s inner thoughts were seen through by the ‘Son of Destiny’ system, which made him a bit annoyed. He said, ‘Why do you have to babble on about everything? I asked you to pull up some information and you’re still dilly-dallying. Didn’t you say Senior Sister Lin was dead? How is she alive now? There are so many beautiful girls in this world, I can play around with them casually, but as you know, my feelings for Senior Sister are different. Among all the people I’ve been involved with in the Penglai Immortal Sect, she is the most suitable for me, and the one I like the most.’”

“Specific information about the target character Lin Qianshuang cannot be accessed. This system deduces that the target person has been shielded for some reason. The difficulty for the host to add her to the harem is the highest level, 5s. The specific method needs to be figured out by the host himself.”

The difficulty of 5s is much higher than Xiao Lanle.

His vision is indeed good, Senior Sister Lin is so unique.

For her to be alive, it might be the highest reward the Heavenly Dao had given him.

Liang Jingxuan felt his blood boiling with excitement, but he didn’t dare show too much emotion on his face. He said to Zheng Mingxia, “Senior Brother Zheng, I am not a heartless and unrighteous person. I will definitely try every possible way to save Senior Sister Lin and bring her out of the Demon Palace.”

“What are you discussing?”

Xiao Lanle frowned slightly as she looked at the obese Zheng Mingxia, a hint of disgust flashing in her eyes. The moment she saw Liang Jingxuan, her face flushed with shyness, and she walked over and linked her arm with his, saying, “Senior Brother, didn’t you say we would go to my father, the Sect Leader, today to talk about our marriage? Why haven’t we left yet?”

“Senior Sister Xiao, we’d better postpone that matter until later.”

Seeing the disappointed expression on Xiao Lanle’s face, Liang Jingxuan hugged her and said, “The head of the Liang family ostracizes me, and my status in the entire cultivation world is like that of an ant. It’s too easy for others to manipulate me. You are the daughter of the head of the Penglai Immortal Sect. If I want to marry you, now is not the right time. When I achieve a career, I will offer a generous dowry and marry you in good name.”

Xiao Lanle listened to Liang Jingxuan’s words with a sweet smile on her lips.

Liang Jingxuan glanced at Xiao Lanle’s happy smile and couldn’t help but think about it. It was really comforting, but unfortunately it was too reserved. He had originally planned to find an opportunity to take her first night and make her his in the future. In the future, she would completely belong to him, but rescuing Senior Sister Lin was the most important thing in front of him.

Senior Sister Lin, will she be thinking about him now?

Above the Yanbo Hall, the black clouds of tribulation covered the sky, while the heavenly thunder was so dense in the black clouds that it emitted a dark purple flash.

Lin Qianshuang gazed at the sky with unease. Her cultivation had advanced too rapidly after absorbing Ruan Qianmei’s centuries-old cultivation. The expansion of the magic core within her was nearing the point of giving birth.

In just over ten days, she had germinated and flourished, relying on spiritual cores to cultivate. Her swift cultivation speed had inevitably drawn the scrutiny of the Heavenly Way.

Such an unorthodox cultivation method was bound to clash with the heavens and the earth. The gradually accumulating thunderclouds in the sky hinted at the formidable nature of the impending thunder tribulation.²

“Such a dense thundercloud will unleash at least five full-fledged heavenly thunderbolts. Enduring them directly will undoubtedly lead to annihilation.”

Bai Wan regarded the overcast sky without a hint of fear. She clasped Lin Qianshuang’s hand and said, “Come with me. I once stumbled upon a concealed cave within Fengluo Peak, where Yanbo Hall resides. It houses numerous magical artifacts that may assist you in evading four of the heavenly thunderbolts. As for the fifth, we shall find a way.”