“You young people always take those romantic stories in novels as truth – what ‘one lifetime, one pair,’ what ‘only teaching people to promise life and death together’ – it’s all made-up nonsense. We demon clan are born to be fickle and love novelty while tiring of the old.” Her expression became worried again: “When I sent you to the human world back then, I wasn’t afraid of anything else except that you’d learn that set of mortal women’s ways – always wanting unwavering loyalty and deep devotion. In the end, you get nothing but carry a burden of moral expectations on your back. Isn’t that exhausting?”

Zanxing dryly responded with an “Oh.”

“Anyway, just remember – those vows of eternal love, just listen and let it pass. If others show you kindness because of feelings, then repay that kindness, but never owe emotional debts. You’re a dignified Demon Realm princess – to be devoted to a sect disciple would make the entire Demon Realm laugh at you and disgrace me, your mother.”

Zanxing perfunctorily responded with a few “mm-hmms” and “ah-ahs.” Seeing Bujiang getting more enthusiastic in her speech, she felt a headache coming on and stood up, saying: “I’m a bit tired, I’ll go back to my room to rest for a while. This singing and dancing is very good – Mother, please enjoy it slowly.” She hurriedly left holding Mimi.

Bujiang watched Zanxing’s fleeing figure and sighed in frustration.

The blue-robed scholar beside her leaned forward and gently said, “Young Highness seems to like that person from Taiyan Sect.”

“Isn’t that right?” Bujiang rubbed her temples with a headache: “Two years now. I thought she’d be better after emerging from cultivation, but it seems to have gotten worse. She could like anyone, but she just has to like a sect disciple and care so much about him. Disappointing.”

“Young Highness is still young, and having lived in the human world for many years, it’s natural that she doesn’t like it here, having just arrived at Heishi City.”

Bujiang lowered her eyes: “Extreme intelligence brings harm, deep feelings shorten life. If she’s just playing around and having a romance with a cultivator, that would be fine. But I’m afraid she’s truly sincere. You know as well – humans and demons walk different paths. How easy it is for heaven to separate a pair of lovers. The deeper she’s trapped now, the more painful it will be when she has to break free. It would be better to treat it as casual play from the beginning – that would be better for both.”

Xiao Shuang thought for a moment: “From Young Highness’s description, that sect cultivator is young and handsome, and has helped her many times in critical moments. It’s quite normal for Young Highness to develop feelings of admiration for him. However, if emotional wounds are hard to heal, they’re always healed by time and new love. Time has passed gradually now, but no new love has arrived. Why not select a few talented men from the Demon Realm for Young Highness to distract her attention?”

Bujiang was startled, looked at Xiao Shuang, and after a while, said thoughtfully: “What you say makes sense. Since Zanxing came to Heishi City, she’s been in closed-door cultivation and hasn’t truly interacted with people. Have the Mei Demon select a few people and send them to her palace. Wait,” Bujiang thought of something else and added: “Select more, make the choices abundant.”

Xiao Shuang: “Yes, Your Highness.”

……

The rain in Heishi City began falling again.

Spring had arrived, and the continuous spring rain was endless. Unlike the spring nights of Gufeng Mountain, many black locust trees grew in Heishi City’s mountainous terrain. The locust branches and leaves were jagged, looking like menacing demons under the night sky – no softness, only eerie beauty.

Thinking of Gufeng Mountain, Zanxing’s gaze showed some melancholy.

She pulled out the Evening Star Hairpin from her hair and held it in her hands, examining it carefully against the azure oil lamp.

During the Ten Thousand Kill Formation, the primordial soul on the Evening Star Hairpin had already been shattered by divine fire. Later, when she escaped from Gui Yansheng’s hands and fell into the Extreme Ice Abyss, the Evening Star Hairpin had somehow broken into two pieces.

After coming to the Demon Realm, she used magic to mend the Evening Star Hairpin, but it only appeared restored on the surface. Once Heavenly Soul Wood is broken, it can no longer nurture primordial souls.

It was only then that Zanxing learned the material used for this hairpin was the precious and rare Heavenly Soul Wood from the three realms.

She remembered Bujiang’s words: “Where Heavenly Soul Wood exists, there must be Silver Rhinos guarding it. Silver Rhinos are fierce – ordinary cultivators who encounter them have nine deaths and one life. That friend of yours was quite generous to you.”

Zanxing didn’t know how Gu Baiying had obtained this piece of Heavenly Soul Wood, but the process must not have been easy. She didn’t know when he had started preparing, perhaps from Hong Su’s words, “The first day of the sixth month is my young miss’s birthday,” or perhaps even earlier. When she said to Gu Baiying, “This hairpin is really beautiful, it must be worth quite a few spirit stones at Huajin Tower,” she hadn’t noticed the wounds on his hands and body. He had transformed his primordial soul into evening stars adorning the silver hairpin’s head, essentially offering up a thread of fate.

Zanxing took a deep breath.

Two years had passed – she wondered what Gufeng Mountain looked like now. How were Gu Baiying and Hong Su? Since Gui Yansheng had seized the Xiaoyuan Pearl, he had never appeared again. The human world was now calm and peaceful, but Zanxing always had a vague feeling that the storm buried beneath the tranquility hadn’t disappeared. It was waiting for an opportunity, waiting for a perfect chance to catch everyone off guard once again.

Xiao Shuang’s voice sounded outside: “Young Highness.”

Zanxing snapped back to attention and said, “Come in.”

The real Double-headed Asura was much gentler than the one in the Xumi Jiezi Map. Perhaps because he had always lived in the human world while alive, his aesthetics were no different from mortals. So in this Demon Realm that constantly gave people visual shocks, Xiao Shuang was like a refreshing stream. He always wore blue robes and a scholarly cap, refined and elegant. Others who saw him wouldn’t think he was from the demon clan at all, but would think he was a handsome scholar from the human world.

“Young Highness, these are new additions to your palace.”

Zanxing turned around, her gaze immediately freezing. After a long while, she finally spoke: “What does this mean?”

Behind Xiao Shuang followed a group of oddly dressed people, all looking at her earnestly, some even throwing her flirtatious glances.

Xiao Shuang smiled: “Her Highness asked this subordinate to add a few people to your palace. Do you find these people pleasing to the eye?”

Zanxing was silent for a moment, then asked: “When you say ‘add a few people,’ do you mean what I think you mean?”

Before Zanxing could answer, someone from the group stepped forward voluntarily. The leader was a man with beauty so stunning it was hard to distinguish male from female, wearing red robes and holding an azure oil lamp, speaking softly to Zanxing: “This humble one is Chui Deng Gui.”

A yellow-robed, heroic-looking man beside him, not to be outdone, immediately pushed forward and said in a rough voice: “This humble one is Lan Jiangjun.”

His voice was a bit loud, startling a pale, blue-robed youth beside him. This youth coughed several times and spoke somewhat weakly: “Young Highness, this humble one is Bing Mo… cough cough cough.”

Zanxing: “……”

There was also the wine-reeking Jiu Mo, the completely soaked Shui Jun… and finally even a beautiful and gentle purple-robed woman, Shu Nü, holding a jade comb and combing her floor-length hair. When she saw Zanxing looking over, she smiled with her lips pursed, showing endless gentleness and shyness.

Zanxing looked expressionlessly for a long while. Including Xiao Shuang, they formed a perfect red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple – a complete rainbow. She asked: “With so many people, can my Chaos Hall manage them all?”

“Young Highness, please be at ease. Chaos Hall can certainly support a few people. Her Highness also saw that Chaos Hall is usually cold and quiet – having more people makes it livelier.” Xiao Shuang smiled slightly: “These few were all selected according to Young Highness’s preferences. If Young Highness has other preferences, please tell this subordinate, and this subordinate will select and send them to you.”

Zanxing was about to refuse when the pale youth called Bing Mo had already knelt first, hugging Zanxing’s leg and pleading: “Young Highness, please let us stay. Cough cough cough, being able to serve you is our good fortune.”

He coughed earth-shakingly. Zanxing worried that if he continued coughing like this, he might die, so she said helplessly: “Get up first before we talk.”

“Young Highness is focused on the great path. These few people are only responsible for your food, clothing, and daily life. Why not try it first? If there’s anything unsatisfactory, it’s not too late to change people.” Xiao Shuang provided timely comfort.

Change people again? Zanxing glanced at Xiao Shuang. The blue-robed scholar still maintained his polite and respectful appearance. Zanxing knew this person was Bujiang’s most trusted subordinate. Usually, he seemed easy to talk to, but he was quite persistent about things Bujiang had decided.

She looked again at the six people in the hall who were looking at her earnestly. Though they were dressed rather oddly, compared to some demon clan members who would press bloody handprints on their clothes at the drop of a hat, they were already much better.

Forget it. If she didn’t accept them, Bujiang would send people sooner or later anyway. Better to accept them first. Besides, this Chaos Hall was eerie and cold – living here alone was rather unsettling, so having more people for company would be good.

Thinking this, Zanxing said: “Alright then. Since that’s the case, you can stay here for now.”

The six people were overjoyed and immediately knelt to express gratitude: “Thank you for Young Highness’s grace.”

……

Yaoming Hall was right next to Chaos Hall.

Compared to Chaos Hall, Yaoming Hall was much more exquisite. The hall was luxuriously decorated with gold, silver, and soft reds, like a human palace.

Xiao Shuang walked in and said to the beauty looking in a mirror on the high seat: “Your Highness, the people have been sent over.”

“Oh?” Bujiang raised her eyelids, her expression somewhat surprised: “She accepted them so easily? I thought it would take considerable effort.”

“Young Highness has a gentle nature and never makes things difficult for others.”

Bujiang sighed: “I’m just afraid she’s too gentle and will be bullied.”

“Your Highness, please be at ease. The six people sent to Chaos Hall are all simple-minded with no ulterior motives. They should get along very well with Young Highness.” Xiao Shuang said.

Bujiang waved her hand: “Forget getting along well-as long as she stops thinking about that young martial uncle all day long. Besides,” her eyes became somber, “who knows how many more days we can enjoy such peaceful times.”

Gui Yansheng still had no whereabouts. Though they all hoped that the madman had died from qi deviation while trying to subdue the Xiaoyuan Pearl, everyone knew the possibility was small. Gui Yansheng wanted to control the Demon Realm, and Zanxing was the obstacle in his path. Once that madman appeared again, a battle in the Demon Realm would be inevitable.

Even if Zanxing wanted to hide, she couldn’t keep hiding if she wanted to reclaim the Xiaoyuan Pearl.

Just as she was thinking, the Luocha Bird at the door suddenly opened its mouth and cried loudly, its harsh voice particularly piercing in the hall.

A black secret message appeared in mid-air.

Bujiang’s gaze paused slightly as she sat up. The black letter flew into her hands and burned in the air, revealing lines of glowing text as it burned.

After a moment, Bujiang’s expression became serious.

“Your Highness, has something happened?” Xiao Shuang asked carefully.

Bujiang lowered her eyes: “We have news of Gui Yansheng’s whereabouts.”