Chapter 8 : Jiang Shiqiu

The man was very tall, dressed in a crimson brocade robe, and strode forward. The scarlet hem of his robe lifted in a sweeping, fierce arc in midair. With each step, an overwhelming aura pressed forward, making it instinctively difficult for anyone to look directly at him.

The demon hunter in the room were tense with tension, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads. In no time, their clothes were drenched with cold sweat, soaked as if they had been pulled from the water.

Even when they were previously restrained by red sleeves from all directions, they had not felt such a level of despair.

They felt fear instinctively, but they didn’t know what they were afraid of. There was also an indescribable and inexplicable timidity in their fear, and they almost wanted to surrender.

Then, the newcomer suddenly broke into a smile and called out into the room, “Wife.”

Wife?

All the thoughts of tension, despair, fear, timidity and surrender suddenly receded like a tide, and the heaviness that made it almost suffocating in my heart disappeared.

With all negative emotions gone, they finally got a clear look at the newcomer.

He was an extraordinarily handsome man, his face so stunningly beautiful it seemed like a divine creation from the goddess Nuwa, surpassing any human imagination of beauty.

However, this stunning and unparalleled beauty was not that of a banished immortal who had descended to the mortal world. Instead, she exuded an indescribable weirdness. The flamboyant scarlet brocade clothes stimulated everyone’s eyes like blood, and their eyes suddenly began to hurt.

However, no one closed their eyes.

They looked on in confusion, wondering who he was calling “wife.” Who among them could possibly be his wife?

The crowd, sluggishly following his gaze, turned their attention to Ji Yu and Chen Qingzhe, who were standing in the center of the hall.

Due to the earlier events, both siblings were dressed as brides, in bridal attire.

Chen Qingzhe was still young, at an age where distinguishing between male and female was challenging. In the bridal attire, he looked more like a girl, with only a slightly flat chest.

Standing together, the siblings, who already resembled each other to some extent, looked even more alike, almost like twin sisters.

Perhaps influenced by the earlier wedding, when they saw him call “wife” in their direction, some people even misinterpreted, thinking he might be referring to Chen Qingzhe.

Chen Qingzhe’s face turned instantly pale, and he exploded with rage, “Who are you calling? Who is your wife?!!”

Recalling how he had nearly been forced to marry a dead man earlier, he could not tolerate a non-human male calling him “wife.”

The man gave him a fleeting glance.

This sight made Chen Qingzhe’s breath stop, his face turned pale, and his body seemed to be crushed by something terrible. He trembled violently, staggered back a few steps, and a trace of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

When he retreated, only Ji Yu remained standing there.

Seeing this scene, the demon hunter were puzzled and alarmed.

Who exactly is this person? Such terrifying power Chen Qingzhe’s reaction suggested he had suffered severe injury.

Ji Yu also looked at him. Although she didn’t recognize him, she felt a severe pounding in her chest.

The familiar palpitations and pain almost made her stagger.

Some memories sealed within the dream leaked a hint, and in her daze, she seemed to see herself dressed in bridal attire, being assisted into a wedding sedan by a horrifying old witch of the corpse demon level…

While she was in this trance, the man had already walked up to her.

His lips curled into a smile, and his pitch-black eyes, devoid of any light, were intently focused on her.

His voice was gentle and affectionate, “Wife, have you missed me?”

Ji Yu: “…Who are you?”

Who is your wife?

The man chuckled softly, reaching out to smooth the stray hairs at her temples, his expression growing even more tender.

The man chuckled softly, reaching out to smooth the stray hairs at her temples, his expression growing even more tender.

Ji Yu was unaccustomed to such close interactions with others, but she couldn’t control her body. The pounding in her chest made her instinctively want to move closer to him, but her rational mind firmly restrained her.

Caught between instinct and reason, her face turned nearly transparent with pale color. Her fingers, hidden beneath her sleeves, gripped the golden beads on the red string tightly.

“My dear, my name is Jiang Shiqiu,” the man said gently, “Don’t forget it again, I’d be heartbroken.”

“Jiang Shiqiu?”

Ji Yu looked at him in confusion. Although the name was unfamiliar, hearing it made her chest burn intensely, as if someone had repeatedly branded “Jiang Shiqiu” onto her heart. Just hearing the name caused an uncontrollable reaction.

At this moment, a voice interrupted.

“Jiang Shiqiu? You are the Commander of the Demon Division in the Imperial City?” Chen Qingfeng asked in surprise, “Why are you here?”

With his words, some memories seemed to resurface, and the people present showed expressions of sudden realization.

In a world plagued by demons and monsters, only the demon hunter could drive them away and protect human peace.

There were many demon slayer factions, with the major ones being the four great families of Xu, Ji, Chen, and Pei in the mortal world, and the Demon Hunter Alliance. The imperial court also had the Demon Division, with the Imperial City’s Demon Division being the most powerful.

The name “Jiang Shiqiu” instantly conveyed the image of a powerful demon slayer to everyone present.

Looking at Jiang Shiqiu now, he was dressed in the scarlet ceremonial robe, tied with a white jade belt, which was indeed the official attire of the Commander of the Demon Division.

“Ah, so it’s Lord Jiang.” The crowd greeted him respectfully.

The distinction between the demon hunter of the imperial court and those from the civilian world was quite pronounced, with many underlying conflicts and mutual suspicion. However, on the surface, the Demon Division of the imperial court oversaw all demon hunter and could mobilize them from various places, holding a supervisory role. Therefore, everyone had to show some respect.

Ji Yu observed everyone’s reactions and felt an indescribable sense of strangeness.

Jiang Shiqiu is the Commander of the Imperial City’s Demon Division?

She remembered that the Commander should be Jiang Chaoshang. Where did this Jiang Shiqiu come from? But seeing everyone present, there was not the slightest doubt, not even from Hongxiao, whom Ji Yu knew very well. Hongxiao’s previously tense body visibly relaxed.

Not just Hongxiao, everyone was convinced and had complete trust in Jiang Shiqiu’s identity.

Ji Yu’s gaze deepened. She did not think anyone would hide such information from her, nor could she believe she was so busy that she forgot even the name of the Imperial City’s Demon Division’s Commander. Even if there was a new Commander, it was something everyone should know.

Jiang Shiqiu…

Before Ji Yu could think more clearly, someone suddenly said, “Oh right, Lord Jiang, you and Miss Ji…”

Everyone recalled that Jiang Shiqiu had called Ji Yu “my dear” earlier.

Jiang Shiqiu’s dark eyes remained fixed on Ji Yu, his smile growing even more tender and affectionate. He said softly, “I’m married to Ji Y. Ji Yu is my wife.”

The person appeared dazed. Then nodded, “…Ah,Yes, yes, A while ago, Lord Jiang indeed married Miss Ji. We even attended your wedding banquet.”

Others’ expressions also shifted from doubt to certainty.

Ji Yu watched the scene, feeling an overwhelming chill. Her face turned pale to near transparency, her body trembling slightly, and the pain in her chest was more intense than ever.

Was it another case of being bewitched? Or perhaps an even more terrifying form of demonic manipulation, one that could alter memories and perceptions?

Most of the demon hunter present were elite disciples trained by various factions and were highly skilled. Yet, judging by their expressions, they did not doubt Jiang Shiqiu’s words in the slightest.

In their perception, Jiang Shiqiu was both the Commander of the Imperial City’s Demon Division and her husband, Ji Yu’s spouse, whom she had recently married.

At that moment, a hand gently rested on her slender shoulder.

“Ji Yu, are you feeling unwell?”

Ji Yu looked at the owner of the hand. His skin was a cool white, not overly pale, and even had warmth to it much warmer than her own body temperature, and he seemed more human than she felt.

He gazed down at her, his eyes fixed with an intensity that made her heart race.

The weakness and severe pain made Ji Yu’s responses sluggish. As he reached out to hold her, she murmured, “I… I’m fine.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hongxiao’s worried expression, but she did not approach as she usually would.

Ji Yu felt a certainty in her heart that, to Hongxiao, Jiang Shiqiu was her husband and a reliable person. With Jiang Shiqiu here, she felt reassured.

This realization made her heart sink further.

The intense emotions stirred within her further weakened her already frail body. Ji Yu swallowed the metallic taste rising in her throat and coughed a few times.

She had grown accustomed to the constant, relentless pain in her body. The more pain she felt, the more awake she became.

Her heightened awareness made her acutely aware of the strangeness of the man before her, Jiang Shiqiu. But she couldn’t distinguish whether he was human or demon, friend or foe. Moreover, all the demon hunter present, except for her, were under some kind of illusion, their consciousness obscured.

“Darling, are you feeling very uncomfortable?” Jiang Shiqiu’s smile faded, replaced by a look of concern.

Ji Yu lowered her gaze, unsure of what to say. Her body was as stiff as stone, and the pain was rampant inside her, making it difficult even to lift a finger, let alone confront an entity capable of obscuring the consciousness of all celestial demon hunter present.

Seeing her silence, he didn’t mind. Suddenly, he extended his arm and picked her up. Her breathing hitched slightly. She did not struggle and quietly leaned into his embrace. Perhaps this compliant demeanor pleased him. She heard the man’s soft laugh a pleasing, low, and tender sound full of affection.

Ji Yu was at her breaking point, her consciousness on the brink of collapse due to the pervasive, intense pain within her. In her final moments of awareness, she heard the man say to the demon hunter, “Ji Yu is feeling unwell. I’ll take her to rest first…”

Ji Yu closed her eyes weakly, allowing her consciousness to sink into the endless darkness. A sigh of resignation formed in her heart, wondering if she would be fortunate enough to awaken this time.