FFSC_30

Chapter 30: The New Demon Emperor — Something's Not Quite Right

East of the Demon Realm, ten thousand li of vast sea, a strange peak suspended above the dark blue sea, is a floating island.

The island spans half the sea area, occupying a huge expanse. The sky on the island's east side is golden and brilliant, like a stretch of golden shallow sea—that is a giant golden tree growing on the island, its branches and leaves towering, all as if condensed gold, clusters upon clusters of branches and wood, bearing three golden fruits.

【Grew quite fast】

Chen Moqing heard Cang Shun's voice, slightly tinged with a smile.

【When it was planted before, it was still a small sapling】

He looked at the not-very-big little fluffy ball on his shoulder: "The Nirvana Tree in the Vermilion Bird Demon King's territory, so it was planted by His Majesty the Demon Emperor?"

Cang Shun sneered: 【His territory? After I was born, this was a small sapling I dug out from the Primordial Ruins. This place is where sea and sky meet, water spurs wood to grow, and there are two spiritual power formation eyes; water element and wood element, most suitable for the Nirvana Tree to grow, so I planted it here】

【As a result that Vermilion Bird brat saw it and got red-eyed with envy, without a word moved his nest over, I haven't settled accounts with him yet】

The little snow-white beast ground its claws, seemingly secretly planning to find a chance to give that bird a beating.

Chen Moqing wordlessly cupped up this little fluffy ball, shook it.

The little fluffy ball raised its little head: "?"

"Seeing if I can shake out any more heavenly treasures," Chen Moqing said, tone teasing: "Who told His Majesty the Demon Emperor to be so wealthy."

Cang Shun snorted, waved a paw: 【I said, everything in the cave abode is yours】

Chen Moqing: "Why?"

Cang Shun said as if it were a matter of course: 【If it's not yours, could it be someone else's?】

Chen Moqing said nothing.

Cang Shun also said nothing.

"……"

Person and demon once again fell into some kind of strange silence, not knowing why.

After a while, Cang Shun quietly turned its head, secretly glancing at the young human, just in time to meet his gaze.

"…………"

The Demon Emperor silently moved its gaze away again, as if nothing had happened.

Beneath the golden brilliant Nirvana Tree, three bird demons were on watch duty. Chen Moqing and Cang Shun, in concealed state, quietly drew near, and heard them whispering among themselves.

"Finally bore the third Nirvana Fruit, always coming in pairs of two, the Demon King always gets angry every time he comes to look."

"Last time Xiao Hong and Xiao Lu went together, they both got scolded by him, good thing there are three of us."

"Sigh, when will the Demon King's dao companion come back…"

"Say less! This is the kind that gets your feathers plucked!"

The next moment, thunder fell from the sky, the golden sea of wood surged in waves, the three bird demons fell to the ground one after another—not injured, fallen into a deep sleep.

Cang Shun raised a paw, three Nirvana Fruits fell directly from the branch tips, flying before him.

【Eat one yourself, keep the remaining two on hand, in case of unexpected need】

Chen Moqing raised his hand, on his palm, a golden round fruit spun around, wrapped in a layer of rich spiritual energy.

The little snow-white beast nudged at his face, signaling him to eat it quickly, so Chen Moqing took a light bite.

It melted upon entering his mouth, the rest of the fruit directly turned into a stream of clear sweet juice that surged into his throat, sinking into his spiritual sea along with an extremely thick and heavy aura of the Dao.

In that instant, golden flame blazed brilliantly between his brows, dyeing his inky dark eyes with radiant color. His frost-white long hair rose up, the ink-dyed white hair once again turning to black.

Cang Shun wagged its tail.

Restored.

The deficiency from the lost essence blood had been fully replenished, and from now on the dao path was also a clear road ahead.

The remaining two fruits were also stuffed into this person's embrace.

Chen Moqing looked at the little fluffy ball that was only slightly bigger than the fruit: "Doesn't Your Majesty the Demon Emperor eat one yourself?"

【No use to me】Cang Shun said: 【and besides I hate fruit】

Chen Moqing thought to himself, that's right, this little white sugar cake usually only likes to eat fish besides osmanthus cake, unwilling to eat anything vegetarian at all.

Seems like it's gotten a bit heavier again recently.

"Who's stealing this king's fruit!"

A furious shout shook the entire island.

Cang Shun stepped forward in front of Chen Moqing, shielding him behind itself.

Wild wind swept past, the golden Nirvana Tree rustled, a pair of wings, red as flowing fire, spread open, blotting out the sky. Beneath the wings, a youth in red robes had a face like fine jade, his expression full of anger.

——The Vermilion Bird Demon King, whose might resounded throughout the Demon Realm, turned out in appearance to be a flamboyant youth of sixteen or seventeen.

"The Nirvana Tree has borne fruit for a thousand years, and this king, using every means, couldn't pick even half a fruit, yet you, little thief, actually took them all!"

The Vermilion Bird caught sight, from the corner of his eye, of the young demon behind that snow-white spirit leopard, his gaze fixed, his voice rising by three parts: "And you've even brought along a paramour!"

Chen Moqing: "?"

Cang Shun: "……"

【You've crouched here for several thousand years, and don't know that the Nirvana Tree has spirit, and chooses its own master?】

The Vermilion Bird only heard a low, unfamiliar male voice ring out in his mind, as if able to pierce straight through his spiritual sea, and grew even more enraged: "Bullshit! You're not even worthy to be the master of the Nirvana Tree!"

His face was fine and handsome, yet his mouth spat filth, cursing and scolding as he struck down with one palm.

Countless crimson feathers flew up, transforming into an extremely sharp long arrow that pierced straight down!

Chen Moqing stood still without moving, his eyes reflecting that snow-white figure blocking in front of him, its posture tall and upright, its bearing fierce and cold, its dominating pressure sweeping wildly across, directly shattering the Vermilion Bird's arrow, crimson feathers scattering and falling across the sky.

The little fluffy ball had turned into a dignified and domineering fluffy ball.

The Vermilion Bird raised a hand, the crimson feathers transforming again into a long bow, the bow and arrow aimed directly at that snow-white spirit leopard, his voice deep: "Who exactly are you?"

Cang Shun said nothing, casually tossed out a piece of jade, upon which was carved a special pattern.

The Vermilion Bird caught the piece of jade, examined it carefully, and the anger throughout his body gradually receded, his tone turning normal: "Let's go to this king's cave abode and talk."

That token Cang Shun had shown to Chen Moqing before, was the token of a reclusive great clan of the Demon Realm, one that usually stayed away from worldly affairs, only emerging when the Demon Realm faced calamity, having dealt with Cang Shun a thousand years ago—this time when they came to the Demon Realm, it was this clan's identity they had borrowed.

The Vermilion Bird happened to lower his head, and beneath the Nirvana Tree, the three bird demons were sleeping soundly.

He slapped these three birds awake with one strike: "Still sleeping! All you know is sleeping! One day when this king's own cave abode gets stolen from too, will you three also just sleep, sleep, sleep!"

The three bird demons startled awake just in time to hear this furious scolding, and shrank into a ball, listless and dispirited, not daring to make a sound.

Chen Moqing caught the little snow-white beast that bounced into his arms, transmitting a voice to him in secret: "This Vermilion Bird Demon King, seems to be quite a man of temperament after all."

"?"

Cang Shun immediately raised its head.

【What's good about him! You're not allowed to praise him!】

Chen Moqing scratched the little snow-white beast's chin, said indifferently: "Indeed not as dashing and spirited as Your Majesty the Demon Emperor."

The little snow-white beast was satisfied, shook its fluffy fur in his arms.

After the Vermilion Bird finished scolding those three bird demons, he caught sight of this scene again, and was immediately angry once more: "Carrying on so intimately in broad daylight, the young generation of the Demon Realm really gets worse with each generation!"

Chen Moqing: "……"

Cang Shun: 【How has the Demon Realm become so pedantic these days!】

Righteously and confidently hugged Chen Moqing's hand.

The Vermilion Bird's cave abode was carved from jade stone, with pavilions and towers, exquisite and elegant.

Chen Moqing walked through it, hearing the little snow-white beast in his arms muttering.

【Going round and round】

【Not transparent at all】

Then it stared unblinkingly at Chen Moqing.

Chen Moqing pinched that fluffy paw, again transmitting a voice in secret: "Still, the decor of the Demon Emperor's cave abode is more grand, with the air of great simplicity in every corner."

Cang Shun wagged its tail, tone slightly lifting: 【If you like it, you can decorate it yourself again when we go back, make it however you want】

Chen Moqing smiled slightly, said nothing.

"I've put up with you two long enough!" the Vermilion Bird's voice came from ahead, "Must you be so clingy and lovey-dovey!"

Chen Moqing said casually: "The Demon King is mistaken, he and I are cousins."

Cang Shun: "……"

The Vermilion Bird turned back, expression resentful: "Does this king need to give you two his blessing too? When your clan holds the wedding feast, will the whole family not even need to split into two tables!"

Cang Shun met his gaze, didn't speak aloud, the voice transmitted directly into his spiritual sea.

【Heard your dao companion ran off with someone】

The Vermilion Bird cursed up a storm.

...

No matter what, the three of them still sat down in the guest hall. The Vermilion Bird waved his hand with a cold expression, and a teapot floated out on its own, pouring them two cups of tea that had gone completely cold.

Chen Moqing took out a jade slip, getting straight to the point: "Please take a look, Demon King."

Within the jade slip, Qingluan Prefecture, the Desolate Ruins Secret Realm, could be seen at a glance.

The Vermilion Bird's spiritual sense swept over it, fell silent for a good while, then sneered: "Seems this king has stayed away from the world too long, and some filthy thing couldn't hold itself back any longer!"

Cang Shun raised an eyebrow slightly.

He had heard from the young human beside him that over the past thousand years or so, many demon kings had withdrawn from the world, rarely showing themselves—demon kings like the Vermilion Bird, the White Tiger, the Crimson Flood Dragon all stayed within their own territories, no longer venturing out. The Sacred Sparrow clan had gone into seclusion outright, their whereabouts hard to find.

Five thousand years ago, the Demon Realm had flourished, great demons emerging one after another, nothing like the current state of things.

"The Sacred Sparrow Zhu Ming, who fell in the Desolate Ruins Secret Realm, is a child of the Sacred Sparrow Demon King." Chen Moqing lifted the tea cup, his slender fingers resting against the jade porcelain, "She's been missing for many years, and the Sacred Sparrow clan has shown no movement at all. We wish to go investigate, does the Demon King have a method?"

The Vermilion Bird tapped the tabletop, after a few breaths of thought spoke: "Simple, convene the Ten Thousand Demons Assembly, all those above the rank of demon king must attend. If the Sacred Sparrow still doesn't come, then you all, as this king's envoys, will go 'invite' him to come."

Chen Moqing: "The Ten Thousand Demons Assembly hasn't been convened in a thousand years, a suitable reason is needed."

The Vermilion Bird gave a "heh heh": "Even simpler, proclaim to the Demon Realm—we are going to select a new Demon Emperor from among the demon kings!"

Cang Shun: "……"

The Vermilion Bird shook out the hem of his robe: "It's been five thousand years since the Demon Realm has had a new Demon Emperor. Perhaps, I could take the position myself."

Cang Shun's voice rang out directly in his head: 【You? Your dao companion ran off for three thousand years and you still haven't gotten them back?】

The Vermilion Bird slammed the table to pieces with one strike: "This king has put up with you long enough! You haven't stopped cursing me, not once!"

Then glared furiously at Chen Moqing again: "Why aren't you controlling him!"

Chen Moqing calmly held the little snow-white beast in his arms, patted it a couple times.

Indicating that he had, in fact, dealt with it.

The Vermilion Bird: "……"

"Get out of my house!"

...

A thousand-zhang cliff stood facing the sea, wild wind whipping up huge waves that crashed against the cliff face. A figure clad in dark robes sat upright atop the high cliff, black hair brushing past an upright waist, like a bamboo breaking through rock on a sheer cliff edge.

Chen Moqing sensed the spiritual energy filling this place, looked at the little snow-white beast between his knees: "Can he be trusted?"

【Even though he has no brains, at least he'd act for the sake of the Demon Realm】Cang Shun said flatly: 【Of course, that was a thousand years ago】

The seas change and the mulberry fields turn to dust, people's hearts are easily swayed.

Still, even if this one step went wrong, it didn't matter, he wasn't alone with no one to rely on either.

Cang Shun raised its head, glanced at the young human beside it.

Black hair like satin, a high-tied ponytail hanging down, sharp and keen.

The little snow-white beast raised a paw, stirred at that strand of black hair.

Letting the little fluffy ball between his knees paw at him, Chen Moqing closed his eyes to cultivate, slowly absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth—after a few breaths, he suddenly opened his eyes.

Cang Shun, not understanding why, raised its head, saw this young human's expression was slightly off, then closed its eyes again, lightly pressed a hand to his chest.

Cang Shun immediately sat up: 【Uncomfortable? Did that bird poison you??】

Chen Moqing lowered two slender fingers, lightly pressed against that fluffy little head, after a moment of silence spoke: "Has Your Majesty the Demon Emperor eaten a Nirvana Fruit before?"

Cang Shun stared intently at his face: 【Never】

Chen Moqing slightly raised his eyelids, his eyes inky and deep, slightly dimmed of light: "… Seems to have some other effect."

He hadn't noticed it before, but the moment he circulated his spiritual power just now, he felt something was wrong.

Eyelashes like crow feathers lowered slightly, Chen Moqing tried to sit and calm his mind, but it was as if he had fallen into a volcano, an inexplicable heat churning wildly within his body without restraint. His brows and eyes remained calm, but his breathing had already grown slightly hurried.

Cang Shun touched his fingers.

Hot!

Floated up again, touched his forehead.

Also very hot!

Cang Shun's eyes immediately sank, its claws tightening slightly: 【The Nirvana Fruit… makes cultivators sick?】

Chen Moqing was quiet for a few seconds, watching the Demon Emperor who had started pawing at his robes, undoing his collar, closed his eyes slightly, said in a low voice:

"I'm afraid so."

Previous | TOC | Next