The Demon Queen Insists on Marrying Me - Chapter 8

Lu Xiaoxiao pulled out the Meridian Compass, its needle steadily pointing toward the antique shelf.

“Hey, the Meridian Compass isn’t pointing at you,” she remarked.

Tantai Jing gripped the hundred-pound antique shelf with one hand and yanked it to the right. “This compass still has some spiritual energy,” she said. “If it points at me again, I’ll smash it.”

As the shelf shifted, Lu Xiaoxiao was hit by a wave of dampness and a nauseating stench. Covering their mouths and noses, the two approached and shone their light downward, revealing a narrow, claustrophobic underground passage.

Lu Xiaoxiao could only follow closely behind Tantai Jing, holding the candle. As the flickering light danced across the walls, she spotted an odd object in the corner. She called out, and Tantai Jing crouched down to examine it.

“How could there be a shoe here?” Lu Xiaoxiao wondered aloud. “The sole of this straw sandal is worn to shreds, two of the straw cords on the upper have snapped, and the toe area is bleached white—probably from being dragged forcefully.”

Tantai Jing’s vision far surpassed that of ordinary humans. The passage reeked of demonic aura and the stench of corpses, so she had long since noticed the sandal. Moreover, just beyond the shoe…

A sudden gust of wind swept through the darkness, extinguishing the candle. Lu Xiaoxiao shivered and whispered, “Tantai Jing…”

A warmth spread through her palm as the woman said, “I’ll guide you. I can see better than you even without the candle.”

Perhaps because she couldn’t see, time seemed to stretch endlessly. Lu Xiaoxiao felt they had been walking for ages before she finally spotted a faint green light ahead. As they drew closer, she realized it was Ghost Fire.

The tunnel opened into a spacious secret chamber. The walls were covered in star-like black marks, and the floor was piled high with tattered, filthy clothing. Some sleeves had been violently torn off.

Lu Xiaoxiao’s eyes widened. “This… is this a demon’s lair?”

Tantai Jing’s eyes flashed with disgust. “Exactly. The tattered clothes, matted hair, scattered bones, and bl00d splattered on the walls… This is a man-eating demon.”

Lu Xiaoxiao stood frozen. “There are at least a dozen skeletons here. How could so many people have vanished from the town without it being mentioned in the letter?”

Tantai Jing replied, “Perhaps because they were all beggars…” Even she had never witnessed such a gruesome scene.

“All demons like to…” Eat people? Lu Xiaoxiao’s question was cut short.

Tantai Jing turned to her urgently. “No! Mortals who eat grains and vegetables are the most impure beings. The demons I know don’t eat people. They cultivate diligently in secluded mountain caves. Demons who devour humans are either inherently cruel or have practiced dark arts.” Normally, Tantai Jing might have enjoyed teasing her, but after today’s events, she suddenly didn’t want Lu Xiaoxiao to associate her with such creatures.

Seeing her agitation, Lu Xiaoxiao quickly reassured her, “I understand. I was just curious. I’ve never met a good demon, but I know there are plenty of bad people in the world too.” Tantai Jing certainly didn’t qualify as a “good demon”—a good demon wouldn’t have cursed her with a Gu worm.

“Then can you guess what kind of demon did this?” Lu Xiaoxiao asked, dodging the Ghost Fire as she used her sword sheath to lift the bloodstained clothes from the ground, hoping to find more clues.

Tantai Jing pondered for a moment before replying, “It was an Aohun. Aohuns only eat living creatures and never touch carrion. Their diet is highly specialized—they crave human flesh and animals. Aohuns resemble oxen, with four horns on their heads and fur like a woven raincoat.”

Lu Wanbai and Mei Yuanhua navigated the winding streets from the inn until they finally reached the mouth of an alley. There, they discovered two young men guarding Zhu Zhen’s door.

Left with no choice, the pair circled around and scaled the wall. They flicked two pebbles, striking the guards in the neck. The men collapsed into the snow with a muffled thud.

A gaunt-faced man rushed out of the house, freezing in surprise at the sight of them.

Lu Wanbai cautiously asked, “Zhu Zhen?” She gestured to Mei Yuanhua and herself. “We’re from Jade Glow Palace.”

The man nodded eagerly. “Please, come in! Come in quickly. I’m Zhu Zhen. I’ve been waiting for you.”

Fearing the unconscious guards would freeze to death in the icy weather, Lu Wanbai and Zhu Zhen dragged them inside.

The house was sparsely furnished and worn, but clean and tidy. A brazier burned on the heated kang bed. A little girl, about three or four years old, played with a wooden horse, waving her arms and legs in delight. Seated on the kang, a woman with bloodshot eyes—likely from constant weeping—held needle and thread, mending something.

When she saw Lu Wanbai and Mei Yuanhua, the woman dropped her sewing. Tears streamed down her face as she knelt barefoot on the floor, reaching out to grasp Lu Wanbai’s hem. But noticing the fine quality of Lu Wanbai’s robes, she cautiously withdrew her hand.

“Benefactor, you’ve finally arrived! Please save my daughter. She’s only three years old. How am I supposed to live without her?”

The little girl, frightened by her mother’s sobbing and gasping on the ground, rushed forward and clung to her mother’s arm, wailing loudly.

The man, his face pale, turned aside and rubbed his eyes vigorously. He stepped forward to help his wife up. “Immortal Master, you’ve traveled far in this freezing weather. Let’s get you seated first. Go boil some water.”

Mei Yuanhua had already leaped back behind Lu Wanbai the moment the woman knelt, as if he couldn’t bear to be touched.

Lu Wanbai stepped forward with Zhu Zhen to help the woman and her child up, reassuring them, “Don’t worry. Now that we’re here, we’ll do everything we can to help.”

The woman thanked them emotionally, covering her face as she hurried out to boil water.

Zhu Zhen explained, “Please forgive my wife, Immortal Master. She’s been so worried about our daughter that she hasn’t slept a wink. She’s been anxiously awaiting your arrival, and her emotions are running high.”

Lu Wanbai replied, “Brother Zhu, please stop calling me ‘Immortal Master.’ My name is Lu Wanbai, and this is my senior brother, Mei Yuanhua. We’re just ordinary people who’ve learned some Daoist techniques.”

Zhu Zhen’s wife, Rong Yu, knew as little about the so-called “savior of Zhu Family Town” as her husband did—no more than what was written in the letter. Zhu Zhen repeated the letter’s contents, while their young daughter clung to Lu Wanbai’s leg, playing with the ink-black jade pendant hanging from her waist. The couple initially tried to stop her, but Lu Wanbai assured them it was fine, so they refrained from pulling her away, though they still watched anxiously, fearing Lu Wanbai might lose her temper and be unable to tolerate the three-year-old’s antics.

Lu Wanbai knew the family wasn’t wealthy, yet their room contained many exquisite little toys. The three-year-old girl, at the peak of her playful energy, wore impeccably clean clothes, suggesting the family truly cared for her. They had suffered this misfortune for no reason. If only that letter hadn’t reached Jade Glow Palace… Lu Wanbai dared not dwell on the thought.

After questioning Zhu Zhen and Rong Yu further, Lu Wanbai realized the two outside were likely about to wake up. She promised to ensure the safety of their daughter, Zhu Yujie.

As she prepared to leave, Lu Wanbai retrieved the jade pendant from Zhu Yujie’s hand and produced several talisman papers. “Little sister,” she said, “this pendant was left to me by my mother, so I can’t give it to you. But here are three defensive talismans that will protect you in times of danger…”

Afterward, Lu Wanbai and Mei Yuanhua visited the Boy Attendant’s home. By the time they returned to the inn, it was nearly the hour of Chou (1-3 AM). The other two, who had left earlier, were already waiting for them. When Lu Xiaoxiao and Mei Yuanhua revealed that the demon was an Aohun, Lu Wanbai’s face grew uncharacteristically grave.

Mei Yuanhua said worriedly, “To be safe, shouldn’t we send a message to the palace? Aohun aren’t ordinary demons. Can the four of us really handle it?”

Lu Wanbai didn’t understand why Tantai Jing was so fixated on becoming the Vice Hall Master of the Hall of Law Enforcement. But after seeing the young girls being offered as sacrifices at Zhu Zhen’s house earlier that day, she agreed that caution was warranted.

Tantai Jing frowned. “Absolutely not. If reinforcements arrive from the palace, this mission will be considered a failure.” She added firmly, “I will protect those two children. I guarantee it.”

In the end, Lu Xiaoxiao smoothed things over, and the group dispersed to their rooms.

On the way back, Lu Xiaoxiao stopped at Tantai Jing’s door. “What are our chances of success?” she asked.

Tantai Jing placed her hand on the door, meeting her gaze with unwavering resolve. “With both Lu Wanbai and me, we have a seventy percent chance. If I were alone, it would be one hundred percent.”

Seeing Lu Xiaoxiao’s questioning look, she lowered her voice. “To conceal my demonic aura, I’ve sealed seventy percent of my cultivation.”

“I understand. Tomorrow, I’ll find a way to distract the other two…”