Chapter 10

A black game piece fell abruptly from the tip of the appendage.

With one piece placed, the entire board was disrupted.

The figure in the teahouse looked up, gazing through the curtain at the bright and radiant figure resembling a blooming peony.

She had just viciously slapped someone, yet her exquisite and regal face showed no hint of ferocity. She had slapped with such calmness, as if she believed that even when she struck someone, it was a favor, and the person had no reason to avoid it.

He couldn’t help but feel a subtle sigh in his heart.

Generations of nobility, endless cultivators, literary and martial excellence, unfading for a hundred years, this was the so-called celestial noble family.

In terms of talent, appearance, and aura, calling Yinshan Liuyu the most dazzling gem on the crown of the noble families was not an exaggeration.

Only such a naturally privileged child of heaven would dare to slap a son of the Jiufang family in the street.

Just now, the slap that had enraged Lanzu was overshadowed by Liuyu’s fiercer slap.

What was the saying?

Happiness is relative.

Compared to the slap Jiufang Xinglan received, Liuyu’s earlier slap seemed so gentle it could be ignored.

Moreover, it was more humiliating.

Among all the demons present, who had ever seen a noble son being slapped in front of them?

Lan Zhu watched the fluttering sleeves of the young girl, feeling his blood surge to his head, drowning out past shadows. His heartbeat thundered, and even his breathing quickened.

Satisfying!

The slap was truly satisfying!

“…You hit me?”

Supporting his aching head, Jiufang Xinglan slowly stood up with the help of his guards.

The slap across the air left his cheek numb, and the unprecedented sense of humiliation made his face burn.

He shook off his guard’s hand, not even bothering to dust off his clothes, his eyes fixed on Liuyu, his tone much colder than before.

“Sister Liuyu, what did I do wrong for you to humiliate me in front of these demons? Could it be—”

Glancing at the guhuoniao ghost chariot behind him, he curved his lips into a mocking smile:

“Recently, the Yinshan family’s business in Dongji Yanggu hasn’t been going well. Are you upset about that, Sister Liuyu? It’s not a big deal, just a few ignorant minor noble families stirring up trouble, misunderstanding Sister Liuyu’s intentions of sacrificing herself to marry into Jiuyou, causing public outrage. But with the head of the family present, this will surely be resolved quickly.”

Chao Yuan raised her eyebrows, her delicate face showing rare concern.

Chao Ming’s expression was even more unpleasant.

Who did Jiufang Xinglan think he was?

Previously, he was eager to lick the young lady’s shoes at Lingyong Academy, and now he had the nerve to openly threaten her.

When Mo Lin burned Wuse City, creating a sea of corpses and blood, these noble families who had once tortured demons were almost scared to death.

If it weren’t for their young lady taking the lead, willing to send herself as a hostage to Jiuyou to bring peace, Mo Lin would have first destroyed the Jiufang family’s home in Dongji Yanggu. How could he now dare to speak so boldly?

Liuyu, however, was not surprised.

In their previous life at Lingyong Academy, Jiufang Xinglan knew that Liuyu didn’t like her sister Yan Ning, so he secretly arranged for people to bully Yan Ning to earn Liuyu’s favor.

At that time, Liuyu had also smashed a piece of inkstone over his head, covering him in ink, yet he had only dared to pitifully apologize to Liuyu, begging for her forgiveness.

Later, news came from the Jiufang family that Jiufang Zhang Hua planned to marry Yan Ning in order to win over the old followers of the Yinshan clan.

This person immediately acted obsequiously in front of Yan Ning, persuading the younger generation of several prominent families everywhere, all in order to personally capture Liuyu and earn merit in front of Yan Ning.

Although Liuyu despised such people, their tendency to switch sides easily often provided early insight into the situation.

—Indeed, these immortal families of Dachao were already joining forces, preparing for the future conspiracy to destroy the Yinshan clan.

Thinking of this, Liuyu, who had been brushed off by Jiufang Xinglan, managed a smile.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to help me?”

Liuyu took a few steps forward and pretended to brush nonexistent dust off his shoulder, speaking in a gentle tone:

“Then go back and ask those uncles and elders of the Jiufang family when they plan to welcome me back to Yujing.”

Jiufang Xinglan was taken aback by her words:

“…Back to Yujing?”

“Just now, you asked me if I was wronged in Jiuyou.”

Liuyu blinked, feigning seriousness as she sighed:

“Of course I’m wronged. Didn’t you see the power of the demon lord? I’m like fish on a chopping board; how well do you think I could be doing? I even have to send intelligence to Dachao, suffering every day. If I don’t lash out at you today, I might be the one getting beaten when I return later.”

The twelve guardian deities couldn’t help but show a bit of shock at these words, glancing subconsciously in the direction of the ghost carriage.

What an insult!

Although the Lord had a bad temper, he would never hit a woman!

Moreover, ever since she arrived in Jiuyou, she had been granted anything she wanted; who would dare to touch a hair on her head?

Jiufang Xinglan’s expression was even more stunned.

Being hit? Yinshan Liuyu?

Could the demon lord really dare to lay a hand on the eldest daughter of the Yinshan clan???

His first reaction was that Yinshan Liuyu was lying.

However, looking up at the overwhelming force pressing down from the sky, he couldn’t help but shiver.

…It wasn’t entirely impossible.

Yinshan Liuyu was the daughter of Yinshan Ze and Nangong Jing.

The Colorless City in Xiandu Yujing was built by these two, and Mo Li’s hatred for Yinshan’s daughter was understandable.

Even if he didn’t actually hit her, there were countless ways to torment her in Jiuyou.

Looking at the girl’s strikingly beautiful face, even though Jiufang Xinglan had just been slapped by Liuyu, he couldn’t help but feel some pity for her.

Liuyu, noticing his softened expression and seemingly aware of what he was thinking, suddenly brightened and said:

“So, why don’t I go back to Yujing with you?”

Jiufang Xinglan was jolted awake and protested:

“How could that be!”

He stammered a bit, then softened his tone:

“Liuyu, I can’t make that decision. I sympathize with you, but… this is a serious matter, and there’s nothing I can do…”

Her eyes, clear as glass, glanced at the fallen Luzhu.

Liuyu said with regret:

“Is that so? I thought that your public display of hostility towards Luzhu was a signal that Dachao was ready to go to war with Jiuyou. If that’s the case, then I could leave with you today—”

“Of course not!”

Cold sweat broke out on Jiufang Xinglan’s back.

One of his missions was to help the Jade-faced Spider disrupt the situation in Jiuyou.

But the main objective was to find out if Yinshan Liuyu was too close to Mo Lin

The immortal families of Dachao had long wanted to eliminate the Yinshan clan’s influence and would never allow Yinshan to ally with Jiuyou.

—But they also couldn’t allow Yinshan Liuyu to divorce Mo Lin.

Without Yinshan Liuyu, who would pass intelligence from Jiuyou? Who would willingly marry the demon lord and monitor his movements?

If he actually caused this outcome, how would he explain it to his elders back home?

Jiufang Xinglan made a quick decision, stepping forward and kicking away the two people holding down Luzhu.

“They are mere servants, and Luzhu was acting on official business. You dogs dared to treat him so rudely—”

He personally went to help Luzhu up.

“I heard this happened because of someone close to Liuyu. Since it was for Liuyu, they died for a good cause. Luzhu, you don’t need to worry.”

The previously arrogant aristocratic youth now smiled warmly, as if he wasn’t the one who had just been abusing Luzhu.

Luzhu looked at the friendly and harmless face in a daze.

Standing aside, Liuyu couldn’t help but laugh at his quick change of attitude. She tilted her head and said:

“Is that all? Luzhu holds grudges. If he goes to the Lord and stirs things up—”

Jiufang Xinglan’s smile faltered slightly, a flash of anger and embarrassment crossing his face.

But in the end, he forced a smile and respectfully bowed:

“Of course, if I made a mistake, I, as his superior, will personally apologize to Luzhu.”

Just as he was about to straighten up, a finger gently pressed against his back, preventing him from rising.

Jiufang Xinglan suddenly realized.

She knew.

She knew his true purpose.

That slap earlier was her way of expressing her displeasure to Dachao, far across the demon ghost wall, through him.

Yes, that was exactly her character.

Born with a silver spoon, she had a huge temper. Now that she had willingly come to suffer in Jiuyou, how could she not cause a scene when the elders of Dachao still doubted her?

Understanding this, Jiufang Xinglan dared not act rashly.

He feared provoking this ancestor, making her abandon the mess in Jiuyou.

He could only maintain his bowing position, hands clasped, head lowered, allowing sweat to drip bit by bit onto the bluestone pavement.

Shifang Street was utterly silent.

Under the gaze of countless eyes, this young nobleman, once so high and mighty in their eyes, bowed his noble head and bent the proud backbone of his aristocratic lineage—

To a group of demons he once could whip and abuse at will.

Not far away, in the ghost chariot of the Gu Huo bird.

The ghostly maid outside the carriage watched this scene, unable to hold back a small exclamation, cradling her face:

“No wonder the Sovereign likes the Sovereign Consort, she’s so impressive, I like her too!”

As soon as she finished speaking, a slender finger in a dark glove reached out from within the carriage and flicked the maid’s forehead, not too hard but enough to reprimand.

The green-clad demon, with a distant and haunted gaze, watched the figure not far away.

In his mind, he kept replaying the moment before getting out of the carriage, when the young girl leaned in close, the jade tassel at her temple brushing against his lips, carrying a faintly cool fragrance.

Her breath warm, she whispered in his ear:

“Handling this matter with your status will only make things uncontrollable. I am more suited to step forward.”

“And also—”

“Are you as slow-witted as Shanshao? I wasn’t referring to Jiufang Xinglan when I said ‘our own people,’ silly.”