IVYSCP - Chapter 102

Chapter 102

Ling Qingyue was not feeling at all well. After she finished speaking with Qiu Feng, she leaned half her body against Pei Yin, the demonic-marked side of her face pressed to Pei Yin's shoulder.

Pei Yin lowered her eyes to the fine sweat on her forehead and asked softly, "Are you all right?"

But the one who answered was not Ling Qingyue. It was Qiu Feng, across from them. "You can try to accept it. Demonic Qi is everywhere in the Great Wilderness. Some agitation is normal."

Not normal. Absolutely not normal.

Ling Qingyue lifted her eyes and looked at her, catching the flash of amusement that flickered through her gaze.

If the Demonic Qi of the Great Wilderness were causing her demonic markings to surge and her energy to go chaotic, it would have happened the moment she entered. But this had started when she saw Qiu Feng. Beyond the searing heat spreading across half her body where the demonic markings had emerged, there was also a faint, stabbing pain in her heart.

That she ended up like this was absolutely tied to Qiu Feng.

Earlier, she and Pei Yin had speculated that she had been resurrected with the Seven-Aperture Exquisite as her heart. Did Qiu Feng have some connection to this Seven-Aperture Exquisite?

The skiff reached the far shore of the Corruption Pool. Qiu Feng released the bindings on the several demonic cultivators and led the group behind her into a forest of Wangyou trees. Wangyou trees did not feed on the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. They could survive throughout the Great Wilderness and were seen everywhere, but a continuous Wangyou forest like the one before them looked as if someone had purposely transplanted these trees here.

Wangyou trees took ten years to bloom, ten years to bear fruit, and ten years to wither. Their grayish-white flowers were not particularly beautiful among the bright spiritual plants, carrying a sense of lonely decay.

"These Wangyou trees have already gone through two cycles of blooming and shedding leaves here. This is the third time they are blooming," Qiu Feng said, somewhat inexplicably.

A thought stirred in Ling Qingyue's mind.

Three bloomings, two sheddings. That was seventy years. It matched the time since Qiu Feng and Yu Liuli had come to the Great Wilderness. Perhaps even longer.

Although Ling Qingyue had passed through life and death, a hundred years of time for these people was no more than the blink of an eye to her. She had died, and when she opened her eyes again she was already resurrected. Her resurrection had spanned a century, and she did not know how many schemes and manipulations lay hidden within it.

Ling Qingyue sighed softly.

As they walked through the forest, a dark figure suddenly flashed to Qiu Feng's side and whispered something to her. Qiu Feng's expression shifted slightly. She cast a glance at the group behind her, gave a few instructions, and then left in haste.

The demonic cultivator who had just arrived stepped forward and bowed. "The Demon Lord is occupied. I will guide our guests to their lodging at the Demon Palace."

With Qiu Feng gone, Ling Qingyue felt the stabbing pain in her heart lessen. But the demonic markings that had begun spreading from her heart did not vanish. This time the exposure was thorough. The markings had even climbed onto her left hand and the side of her wrist.

Ling Qingyue raised her right hand and pressed it to her heart, confirming that the uncontrollable greed she had just felt was truly directed only at Qiu Feng.

Pei Yin had been watching her expression the entire time. Noticing her face gradually ease and that the hand in her palm was no longer burning hot, she guessed she was doing somewhat better.

Pei Yin's lashes lowered halfway, her thoughts unreadable.

They passed through the Wangyou forest, and Ling Qingyue made out the distant city gate, half-hidden in dense fog. Within the thick white mist, several ghostly blue flames darted back and forth, as if patrolling.

The demonic cultivator leading the way ahead brought back three lanterns and handed out two of them.

Pei Yin and Yu Ting each took one.

"The fog barrier outside the Demon Palace has an illusory effect. Carrying this lantern will disperse the fog. Beyond the fog barrier, there are other dangerous places surrounding the Demon Palace. Guests, please stay close and do not wander."

With that, the demonic cultivator lifted her lantern and walked on ahead.

The frame was made of wood, with six lantern corners above, from which hung moon-white tassels. The outer layer was wrapped in a specially made white gauze, inscribed with some kind of restraint formation. The flame within jumped and danced restlessly.

Looking at the lantern in Pei Yin's hand, Ling Qingyue suddenly reached out to touch it. Her finger brushed the lantern wall, and her fingertip passed straight through that layer of white gauze. The flame inside eagerly licked at her finger, as if it could not wait.

Ling Qingyue hastily withdrew her hand. This flame was formed from Qiu Feng's demonic aura.

In that instant of contact, Ling Qingyue seemed to sense a familiar devouring desire from it.

Even this tiny spark had just wanted to swallow her whole.

Ling Qingyue could not help thinking of Qiu Feng. If she herself felt a devouring urge toward Qiu Feng that was difficult to control, what about Qiu Feng? Could she feel the same way about her?

"Did it burn you?" Pei Yin caught her fingertip and, without thinking, brought it to her lips and blew gently.

The fingertip rested lightly against those soft lips, feeling the warm breath brush past. Ling Qingyue looked up. That hand was still covered in eerie, ferocious demonic markings, yet Pei Yin held it in her own as if it were a precious treasure, blowing on it with the utmost care.

I really want to kiss her.

The thought surfaced in Ling Qingyue's mind.

Earlier, when she had felt unwell, Pei Xi had very astutely jumped into Xue Zizai's arms to stay there.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that the others were all walking ahead. Ling Qingyue hesitated no longer. She took a step forward, cupped Pei Yin's face, and, rising slightly on her toes, kissed her.

The moment softness met softness, Pei Yin froze for a second. After she realized what was happening, she gently returned the kiss twice.

Having kissed to her heart's full satisfaction, Ling Qingyue's ears were a little red. Pei Yin was still staring at her with burning intensity.

Ling Qingyue offered no explanation. She coughed lightly twice, took her hand, and quickened her pace. "Let's hurry. They're getting far ahead."

The demonic cultivator who had come later led them all the way to Wuding City. The Demon Palace was inside Wuding City.

From the city gate of Wuding City to the Demon Palace, Ling Qingyue realized that most of the inhabitants here were actually members of the Demon Race. The moment they entered the city gate, countless gazes fell on her, full of scrutiny and assessment, and a greed that was impossible to ignore. But wary because they were people brought in by the Demon Lord, they could only hold back.

The Demon Race had always honored strength above all. Only a demon of overwhelming power could become their sovereign.

Like the human race, the Demon Race also disliked the existence of half-demons and half-humans. Just what level had Qiu Feng's strength reached, to make the many demons in this city submit and acknowledge her as their ruler?

Curious, Ling Qingyue asked the silent demonic cultivator leading the way, "How did your Demon Lord become the Demon Lord? Did she beat all these demons into submission?"

The demonic cultivator glanced sideways at her. "You could say so."

Ling Qingyue sensed there was more. "You could say so?"

The demonic cultivator said, "You're asking about the Demon Lord. I shouldn't really be telling you anything, but some matters are common knowledge throughout the Great Wilderness. You would find out if you asked anyone else. I've only been in the Great Wilderness a few decades myself. Some things I've only heard. Back then, the Demon Lord did indeed defeat most of the major demon leaders, but what made those demon leaders follow her was another matter. This Demon Lord is the descendant of the previous Demon Lord."

"The previous Demon Lord?" Ling Qingyue said, astonished. "You mean the Formless Demon Lord?"

The demonic cultivator nodded. "The sovereign of the Demon Race has always been the one with the greatest strength. And the Formless Demon Lord, among all the Demon Lords throughout history, was the one whom the Demon Race submitted to and followed most willingly. That's why many among the Demon Race believe that the Formless Demon Lord's descendant will surely be just like the Formless Demon Lord and lead them out of the Great Wilderness. For that reason, Wuding City also has the largest demon population of the three demon cities."

This was probably something only people inside the Great Wilderness knew. If word spread outside that the Formless Demon Lord still had a descendant left, the Hundred Immortal Sects would likely do everything in their power to eliminate Qiu Feng. They would never let her return to the demon lair.

Ling Qingyue was lost in thought.

She did not know why she suddenly remembered what the Little Medical Immortal had said back then.

What could cause demonization in a person was not only the blood of a Blood Demon, but also the blood of the Formless Demon Lord.

Was it possible that this body she had been resurrected in... was also a descendant of the Formless Demon Lord?

At that thought, Ling Qingyue's feelings immediately grew complicated.

The demonic cultivator led them to a guest hall in the Demon Palace. The hall was large enough for the four of them to stay in, and refreshments had been thoughtfully prepared inside.

Ling Qingyue spotted one of the pastries at a glance. It was the kind Yu Liuli liked.

She picked one up and tasted a small bite. It only looked similar. The flavor was worlds apart.

That was to be expected. There were few spiritual things to be found in the Great Wilderness. Finding ingredients to make something like this was already quite an achievement.

Now that they had reached the Demon Palace, Ling Qingyue wanted to go see Yu Liuli. Since Qiu Feng knew she had recognized her, as her close friend, now that she had come to the Great Wilderness, she ought to pay her a visit.

After Pei Yin saw through her thoughts, she transmitted her voice. "Go. I'll accompany you."

Guards had been posted at the guest hall, but they could not stop Ling Qingyue and Pei Yin.

Pei Yin cast a formation to conceal their forms, and they searched through the various halls of the Demon Palace.

Not long after, in the midst of halls swirling with dark, oppressive Demonic Qi, they found a small, warm, brightly lit courtyard. It was not as large as the other halls, but it was obvious how much the master of this palace treasured it. The little courtyard looked like a paradise hidden within the Great Wilderness. Flowers and spiritual plants grew exceptionally vivid and bright. Rows of grape trellises lined the walls, and beneath one grape trellis hung a swing.

A woman sat on the swing, the tip of her foot lightly touching the ground to sway gently. One hand held a book, while the other curled a finger, using spiritual energy to pluck grapes from the nearby trellis to eat.

So carefree.

Seeing this, Ling Qingyue could not hold back a soft laugh.

The woman, who moments ago had been completely at ease, suddenly turned her head toward the empty air, her brow furrowing. "Who's there?"

Two figures slowly materialized in midair. One had half a face of demonic aspect, the other half elegant and refined. The other was cool and aloof, her entire bearing imposing.

Both were unfamiliar. Yu Liuli was certain she had never seen them before.

Yu Liuli set down her book, rose to her feet, and looked up at them. "Who are you?"

Ling Qingyue wanted to enter the courtyard, but when she reached it, she discovered a restriction had been placed around this small yard.

Through the barrier of the restriction, Ling Qingyue looked at Yu Liuli, who was different from how she remembered her. Her eyes could not help but sting.

Over these past months, she had met quite a few people from her past. Their experiences and actions had all made Ling Qingyue wish this were nothing but a dream. Only Pei Yin, Pei Yin was like a beam of light in this nightmare, staying by her side and illuminating her.

And now, this dream had brought something she felt was good. When she learned Yu Liuli had been banished to the Great Wilderness, Ling Qingyue's heart had truly gone cold for a long time. She had been so afraid, afraid Yu Liuli could not survive the Great Wilderness. But now, seeing her with her own eyes, Yu Liuli was well. She seemed even better than before. The sorrow between her brows had eased. When she was alone, she no longer just sat quietly. She would read, eat, and enjoy herself.

"Liuli." Ling Qingyue called to her, her eyes reddening as she smiled at her. "Are you well?"

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