The Demon Queen Insists on Marrying Me - Chapter 83

Within the Abyssal Necropolis…

The distant Spatial Rift churned restlessly, as if on the verge of another eruption. Yet Tantai Jing clung to Lu Xiaoxiao’s lifeless body, deaf to all warnings.

Fu Zhao watched Tantai Jing’s inconsolable grief and urged, “No matter what, we must leave this place now. The Spatial Rift could erupt again at any moment. And if we stay here any longer… Xiaoxiao’s… body will begin to… decompose.”

The woman he loved most had died before his eyes, sacrificing herself to save him…

Seeing his beloved daughter in such agony, every tear Tantai Jing shed flooded Fu Zhao’s heart. Her voice choked with emotion, and she bit back the rest of her words, afraid to voice them.

When Tantai Jing’s gaze finally flickered at the mention of decomposition, Wan Xuan’er swiftly stepped forward, her voice gentle. “The Jade Glow Palace has an ice coffin that can preserve Xiaoxiao’s body for a thousand years.”

Tantai Jing remained silent for a moment before responding softly, “Alright.”

She carefully lifted Lu Xiaoxiao into her arms, her movements as gentle as if handling a fragile treasure. Lu Xiaoxiao’s body was already cold, her face as pale as paper, yet in Tantai Jing’s embrace, she seemed merely asleep. Tantai Jing’s fingers lightly brushed Lu Xiaoxiao’s cheek, her fingertips trembling slightly, her eyes concealing an indescribable pain and reluctance.

Seeing this, the surrounding people finally breathed a collective sigh of relief. Fu Zhao and Wan Xuan’er exchanged glances, their eyes reflecting a shared sense of relief. They had feared Tantai Jing might act rashly in her grief, doing something irreversible.

Tantai Jing gently slashed the Chaoyuan Sword through the air, and a pitch-black Spatial Rift materialized. Without hesitation, she stepped into the rift with Lu Xiaoxiao in her arms, her figure vanishing from sight in an instant.

The others followed her into the rift as soon as she departed.

Lu Wanbai stood outside Jade Glow Palace, pacing anxiously back and forth, her brow furrowed and her eyes filled with worry. She never imagined that Lu Xiaoxiao and Palace Master Wan would secretly leave to rescue Tantai Jing without telling her.

A few days earlier, she had suddenly discovered Lu Xiaoxiao’s room empty one morning. A hastily scribbled note lay on the table: “Senior Sister, don’t worry. We’ll be back soon.” Today, Lu Wanbai felt a sudden surge of unease, as if something terrible was about to happen.

Restless, she gripped her teacup so tightly it nearly shattered. Finally, unable to bear the suspense any longer, she rushed to the palace gates to wait for their return.

Outside the gates, a biting wind whipped through the air, causing her sleeves to flutter violently. Lu Wanbai stood on the stone steps, her gaze fixed on the distant mountain path, silently praying, “Please, you must be safe…”

Wan Qingyi, seeing her distress, felt a pang of sympathy. She stood beside Lu Wanbai and gently reassured her, “Don’t worry, they’ll be fine.” Little did she know, Wan Qingyi was twisting her own sleeves so tightly they were on the verge of tearing.

“They’re back! Isn’t that Demon Sovereign Tantai?” Bai Shitiao exclaimed excitedly, pointing to the familiar figure in the distance.

“Someone seems injured,” Wan Qingyi observed, spotting Tantai Jing’s silhouette from afar. She and Lu Wanbai hurried forward to greet them. As they approached, they saw that Tantai Jing was carrying Lu Xiaoxiao in her arms. The girl’s face was pale, her arm dangling limply like a withered leaf, devoid of life.

Lu Wanbai took two steps forward, her hand trembling as she reached out to touch Lu Xiaoxiao’s cheek. But just as her fingers were about to make contact, she abruptly withdrew her hand, as if afraid to confront the cold reality. She looked up at Tantai Jing, her voice hoarse and trembling, “No… it can’t be. Is Xiaoxiao just unconscious? She’s just tired, right?”

She forced a strained smile, but her eyes were filled with desperate pleading.

Tantai Jing merely gazed at her in silence, a single tear sliding silently down her cheek. Her long lashes drooped, veiling the light in her eyes. She shook her head, the motion gentle yet striking Lu Wanbai’s heart like a heavy hammer.

Lu Wanbai staggered backward, as if struck by lightning. She shook her head, muttering, “How could this be… how could this be? Xiaoxiao was always so clever… how could she… She promised she’d be right back…”

Her voice trailed off into a silent sob, and the world began to spin around her. Wan Qingyi, quick as lightning, caught her and pulled her into a tight embrace.

“Wanbai! Wanbai!” Wan Qingyi called out anxiously, but Lu Wanbai had already lost consciousness.

Everything seemed to freeze, leaving only the whisper of the wind in their ears. Tantai Jing remained rooted to the spot, still cradling Lu Xiaoxiao, her eyes hollow with despair. Wan Qingyi held the unconscious Lu Wanbai, her heart heavy with grief. Wan Xuan’er, Fu Zhao, and the others stood silently behind them. Wan Xuan’er’s eyes were rimmed with red, her fingers clenched tightly around her sleeves as she struggled to suppress her emotions. Fu Zhao lowered his head, his brow furrowed deeply, as if lost in thought, yet unable to speak.

In the distance, the setting sun slowly sank behind the mountains, painting the horizon with bl00d-red clouds. The last rays of twilight spilled across the eaves of Jade Glow Palace, the golden light tinged with a desolate hue.

A gentle breeze rustled through the bamboo grove outside the palace walls, sending a few fallen leaves swirling into the air before they drifted back to earth.

After a long silence, Wan Qingyi finally lifted her head to look at Tantai Jing, her voice low and hoarse. “Take her inside first. It’s too windy here.”

Tantai Jing didn’t reply, only nodded slightly. She cradled Lu Xiaoxiao in her arms and slowly walked toward Jade Glow Palace, her steps heavy and deliberate. Wan Qingyi supported Lu Wanbai, following closely behind. Wan Xuan’er, Fu Zhao, and the others trailed silently, no one speaking, their footsteps echoing through the empty palace corridors.

As the gates of Jade Glow Palace closed, the last sliver of sunlight vanished below the horizon, and night quietly descended.

In Wan Xuan’er’s room, the candlelight flickered gently, casting its glow on Fu Zhao’s gaunt face. An overwhelming sorrow and heaviness seemed to radiate from her in the shifting light. “Xiao Jing’er refuses to come out. He only instructed someone to deliver a millennium ice coffin inside and hasn’t allowed anyone else to enter since.”

Wan Xuan’er’s heart ached with a profound sense of loss, as if a piece of it had been violently torn away. The path of cultivation was inherently treacherous, fraught with countless dangers and the ever-present specter of death. She had witnessed too many fall along the way, their lives extinguished in pursuit of the Dao, and had long since grown numb to the inevitability of mortality. Yet she had never imagined Lu Xiaoxiao would be among them.

At least not while I still lived, she thought bitterly.

Fu Zhao sat beside her, her eyes dark and unfathomable like a bottomless frozen pool. “She died because of me… I must find a way to bring her back.”

“Even if it means trading my life for hers, I won’t hesitate.”

Wan Xuan’er frowned slightly. “What’s the point of one life replacing another? Xiao Jing’er would never want you to do this.”

Fu Zhao abruptly rose and strode toward the door, the night’s shadows enveloping her. She murmured, “Then I won’t let him know.”

Inside the Jade Glow Palace, Tantai Jing’s room was quiet and desolate. At its center stood a crystal-clear ice bed, its frigid aura permeating the air. Even on the hottest summer days, the bed radiated a chilling coolness.

Two young women lay side by side on the ice bed, perfectly still. One lay flat on her back, her hands folded across her chest, her face serene and peaceful. Her long, ink-black hair cascaded across the ice, blending seamlessly with its crystalline surface. Her long lashes cast faint shadows in the candlelight, as if they might flutter open at any moment.

The other woman lay on her side, her body slightly curled, her eyes never leaving the figure beside her.

“Chaoyuan…” Tantai Jing’s voice was low and hoarse, barely audible. “Where did Lu Xiaoxiao go? You said she wasn’t from this world, that you summoned her here. Then you must have a way to bring her back to me, right?”

The Chaoyuan Sword, leaning against Lu Xiaoxiao, now lay dim and lifeless, as if all its spiritual energy had been drained. The blade trembled slightly, emitting a low, mournful hum, like a sigh. Its voice, deep and weary, carried a sense of helpless resignation: “I’ve tried… but it’s impossible. Last time, Lu Xiaoxiao’s Primordial Spirit had just been extinguished, and her physical body remained intact. But now, while her body appears undamaged on the surface, its interior is utterly ravaged. So… sigh…”

The sword’s voice faded to a near-silent sigh. Its light dimmed completely, as if even it had succumbed to despair.

“Moreover…” the Chaoyuan Sword paused, its voice tinged with uncertainty, “we don’t even know if her Primordial Spirit still exists.”

These words struck Tantai Jing’s heart like a sharp blade. Her body trembled slightly, and the light in her eyes vanished completely. A single tear slid silently down her cheek, landing on the icy bed and freezing instantly.

She lowered her head, gazing at Lu Xiaoxiao’s serene face. Her fingers gently brushed across her cheek, the tips registering the bone-chilling cold. Her voice broke, filled with immeasurable grief and reluctance: “Xiaoxiao… you promised me you’d never leave me, not even if I searched to the ends of the earth and the depths of hell… How could you break your promise?”

Her tears fell drop by drop, striking the icy bed with soft plink sounds. Her fingers gripped Lu Xiaoxiao’s hand tightly, as if she could pull her back from the cold abyss.

The Chaoyuan Sword rested silently beside Lu Xiaoxiao, its blade trembling slightly, as if offering silent comfort to Tantai Jing. The room was deathly still, save for the flickering candlelight that cast shifting shadows across their faces.

Tantai Jing’s vision blurred with tears. She lowered her head and gently kissed Lu Xiaoxiao’s forehead, her voice barely audible: “Wherever you are, I will find you…”

Just as the Chaoyuan Sword, fearing she might do something drastic, was about to offer words of comfort, a soft knock came from the door, followed by Fu Zhao’s gentle voice: “Xiao Jing’er, open the door. I need to talk to you.”

Tantai Jing stiffened slightly, lifting her head to look toward the door. A complex expression flickered in her eyes—she didn’t want to be disturbed, yet she couldn’t ignore Fu Zhao’s voice.

After a moment of silence, she slowly rose, walked to the door, and gently pulled it open.

Fu Zhao stood outside the door, her expression grave. Her gaze swept past Tantai Jing to settle on Lu Xiaoxiao lying on the ice bed. A flicker of pain crossed her eyes, but she quickly masked it. Turning back to Tantai Jing, she spoke in a low, gentle voice, “Xiao Jing’er, I know you’re hurting right now, but I’ve remembered something that might… help Xiaoxiao.”

Tantai Jing’s eyes lit up slightly, like a faint light in the darkness. Her voice was hoarse with urgency. “What is it?”

Fu Zhao replied solemnly, “I once obtained a rare opportunity—a secret method called ‘Primordial Spirit Return.’ Perhaps… it offers a glimmer of hope.”

“No matter how difficult, I must try. Can you show me this method?” Tantai Jing’s gaze locked onto Fu Zhao, her eyes brimming with desperation and anticipation.

Fu Zhao shook her head gently, her expression complex, tinged with helplessness. “This method isn’t recorded in any texts. It was transmitted directly into my Sea of Consciousness. Moreover, the secret is bound by a restriction—it cannot be revealed to another person.” She paused, meeting Tantai Jing’s gaze directly. “If you trust me, let me summon her Primordial Spirit back.”

A flicker of unease crossed Tantai Jing’s face, but she nodded. “Then I’ll leave it to you, Godmother.”