“Explain more clearly!” Gu Ting was both anxious and in pain, his wrists beginning to tremble.

That disciple panted for a long while before finally organizing his thoughts: “Wasn’t it reported some days ago that most of the Darkness of Zhuyin in the Sea of Bitter Regret had disappeared? It turns out Xuan Yi was the one who did it. Right now, Master is negotiating with the commanding generals—surely they should at least ask clearly about the reasons before going to exterminate her, right? But the Zhuyin Clan’s reputation has never been good, and after going to the lower realm, Xuan Yi neglected her proper duties. I’m afraid the situation is dire. Zhuxuan Dijun has already sent the Houyi arrows to the lower realm, apparently saying those things can pierce through the Zhuyin Clan’s dragon scales—they’re really going to exterminate Xuan Yi?! Won’t Zhongshan Dijun and Xiaolong Jun let this go? Are we going to have to fight with the entire Zhuyin Clan family?!”

This family was far more troublesome than any demon king. Just the Darkness of Zhuyin and blizzards alone could take down a large swath. Not being proper celestial deities and running off to become demons—why? Could there be another Gonggong Dajun? Add in Zhongshan Dijun and Xiaolong Jun—if those two also became angry and fell into demonhood, it would be as terrifying as three Gonggong Dajuns.

Yan Xia said urgently, “How could Little Junior Sister willingly debase herself to become a demon? Something must have been misunderstood!”

From her limited understanding of Xuan Yi, she knew this little princess’s pride and laziness. Abandoning the leisurely life of Wangshu to run off and become a demon king—that probably wasn’t her style.

Gu Ting drew in a breath and suddenly had a thought: “What about Fucang?!”

That disciple shook his head: “Haven’t heard anything about Junior Apprentice-Brother Fucang, but apparently when dealing with Bashe Dajun earlier, there were rumors his Sword Qi Transforming into Dragon hit Xuan Yi. In my opinion, with the Huaxu Clan’s style, he must be going to righteously eliminate his own kin!”

Righteously eliminate his own kin, my ass! Even they as disciples couldn’t do such a thing, let alone Fucang? If something happened to Xuan Yi, wouldn’t Fucang go mad? She had him so infatuated he’d lost two of his three souls. With his capabilities, eight or nine chances out of ten he’d really do something to oppose the battle generals. That would be truly terrible.

Gu Ting tried to support himself on the bed to get down. He had to go to the lower realm. He had to figure out what was happening. Although he half-jokingly called Xuan Yi “Little Demon,” he never expected she would actually become a demon one day. There must be a reason behind this.

But his injuries were after all too severe. The turbid qi had not yet been completely expelled and couldn’t be healed with rejuvenation techniques. With this effort, he broke into a cold sweat again. Yan Xia hurriedly supported him, stamping her feet repeatedly: “Don’t move! We don’t even know where they are!”

Tai Yao also held him down, his expression grave: “Recover from your injuries properly. Wait until the turbid qi is expelled before acting. Leave this matter to me first.”

Gu Ting said in a trembling voice, “Tell… tell Master… to stall them no matter what… this turbid qi will still take several days to expel…”

Tai Yao patted his shoulder to comfort him, then turned to ask the disciple, “What’s the situation with Zhi Xi being imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison?”

That disciple still shook his head: “Really not clear on that. They say she knew but didn’t report, intending to harbor her.”

Tai Yao pondered for a moment, looking toward Yan Xia: “I should be able to enter the Heavenly Prison. I’ll go find Zhi Xi to ask about the situation. You go find Master and ask him to stall them no matter what—to clarify the situation before letting the battle generals act.”

“All right!” Yan Xia turned and rushed out.

*

Xuan Yi slept for a very long time this time, and very deeply. Since realizing something was wrong with her body, this was the first time she hadn’t briefly awakened.

The pain of her dragon scales constantly falling that had been tormenting her all along had at some point stopped appearing. A clean aura had been surrounding her the whole time. This scent made her feel both reassured and comfortable.

She turned over. It seemed the wounds on her abdomen and back no longer hurt either. She slowly opened her eyes but was nearly blinded by the brilliant golden light filling her vision. She hurriedly covered her head and face with her sleeve. The next moment, as if sensing she had awakened, a flash of wind sounded by her ear and her body fell into a pair of arms.

“You slept for half a month in lower realm time.” Fucang supported her, lifting her sleeve to lower his head and carefully examine her complexion. Her face finally was no longer as pale as if about to dissolve. Her lip color had also returned to its former tender pink.

Xuan Yi lowered her sleeve, but who knew the sun of the lower realm, which had always been hazy to her, would again shine so painfully in her eyes. Strange—had becoming a demon made even her eyes fragile? She uncomfortably narrowed her eyes. The waterfall-like branches and leaves above immediately spread out, completely blocking all the sunlight.

“How do you feel?” Fucang asked in a low voice.

Who knew this beauty-loving princess would first use pitch-black Zhuyin White Snow to create a mirror, looking at herself from all angles—up, down, left, right, front, and back—while complaining softly, “Aiya, I’ve become ugly.”

…She was clearly exactly the same as before, even her skittish behavior was the same.

Fucang didn’t know whether he was relieved, wanted to laugh, or was venting the fragile unease he had pressed deepest down these past days. He opened his arms and hugged her tightly, pressing his face into her fluffy hair. Even her breath hadn’t changed—cool and sweet, a scent that belonged only to the Dragon Princess.

Thank goodness she was all right.

She went soft in his arms as if boneless. After a while, she said softly again, “My bones are about to shatter.”

All her dragon scales had fallen off. There was no longer anything to protect her body. Even with regenerative divine power, what should hurt would still hurt. If he wanted to discipline her in the future, he’d really hit the mark every time.

Fucang relaxed his grip, lowered his head to kiss her hair, pressed his palm against her icy cheek, and gently rubbed with his fingertips. Then he suddenly tapped lightly on the top of her head. Sure enough, she hissed in pain.

“From now on, just stay inside the wooden sword.” There was a trace of cold, grim intent in his voice. “Won’t let you out again.”

Xuan Yi’s focus immediately went askew: “Wooden sword? Not Chun Jun?”

Only then did she notice he had two swords hanging at his waist—one was Chun Jun, and there was also a very ordinary wooden sword that looked remarkably like the one he had used to teach her swordsmanship back in Yuhua Hall.

Fucang’s voice was still very indifferent: “The wooden sword cage is sufficient.”

Xuan Yi laughed with a “chi” sound, her voice sweet and soft: “Looking down on Zhuyin Dajun like this.”

Zhuyin Dajun? Fucang didn’t know whether to feel sorrowful or amused. He touched her head and said lightly, “Mudfish Dajun, rather.”

She curled up in front of him, raising her hand to dust off the fallen leaves on his shoulder. He had sat here motionless for half a month in lower realm time—he’d accumulated dust.

Fucang’s hand suddenly passed through her layered outer robes and battle armor, touching the place where the wound on her back had been. The skin he touched was already as smooth as before. By the looks of it, the wound had healed thanks to that regenerative divine power. He then reached around to her front to touch the wound on her abdomen. The result was that it tickled her into laughing and squirming, one hand pressing against his forehead and pushing hard.

He grasped that hand and kissed it at the lips, then slowly kissed along her wrist all the way to her elbow. Suddenly he opened his mouth and bit down on the inside of her elbow, licking, sucking, and nibbling. This time he finally managed to leave a mark.

In the same place the Seventh Prince had once bitten.

Xuan Yi lowered her head and giggled: “You like biting people so much—do you want to eat this dajun?”

If only he truly could swallow her down and hide her in his belly. Whether she was a mudfish, a demon king, the Zhuyin Clan princess, or anything else—it would all be fine. Just as long as she didn’t leave him, didn’t leave.

“Senior Apprentice-Brother Fucang,” she called to him softly and gently, “since you’ve put me inside the wooden sword, why not hurry and take me wherever you want to go?”

Fucang closed his eyes and hugged her slender body tightly again. Right now, being here was fine. Just letting him hold her like this was fine.

She must be able to understand his heart. Only she could. So the next moment, her arms actively encircled his neck, her face pressed against his heart, giving him true tenderness.