Chapter 86

If it weren’t for the knowledge that entering the city today would lead to many people secretly speculating about his and Liuyu’s true relationship, then at this moment, Mo Lin would have smashed the lion cake and the head of Jiufang Zhanghua in his hand into pieces.

But he couldn’t.

Just before entering the city, Liuyu, half-reclining under a thin blanket, propped her head up and said to him:

“Right now, in the city of Xian Du, Yu Jing, there must already be some sharp-eyed noble families who have noticed the intricate connections between you and the Ji Mo family. When we return to Yu Jing, it won’t be long before they figure out that Ji Mo Gui is actually Yin Shan Liuyu — but we still need to prolong this time as much as possible.”

The noble families of Xian Jia are not fools.

At least, the ones in charge of each family are not easy to deceive.

Once they realize that the Demon Lord is aligned with the Yin Shan family, and that such a powerful force has quietly risen behind them, no matter what past grievances they may have had, they will set aside their differences and join forces against them.

This is not the situation Liuyu wants to see.

Liuyu needs a Demon Lord who is ambitious enough and indifferent to beauty, to shield the Yin Shan family from the watchful eyes of these noble families, making them believe that Yin Shan Liuyu has become a puppet of Demon Lord Mo Lin.

Mo Lin is more than willing to be this shield.

— But this willingness does not include calmly watching the countless hostile glares directed at Liuyu after he says, “I don’t mind.”

Not only Mo Lin, even the twelve Guo Shen behind him can feel it.

When the young woman half-leans out from the car curtain pulled up by the morning sun, the last streak of twilight fades from the sky.

Yet, even as the light fades, when she steps into view, the final ray of sunlight seems to shine directly on her, making her appear like a bright jewel among the rubble, effortlessly capturing everyone’s attention.

She looks up at Mo Lin from a distance.

That glance is filled with a mix of sorrow, resentment, love, and hatred. The usually proud young woman has never shown such an expression before.

Mo Lin pauses.

His arms, crossed over his chest, suddenly loosen, and he almost instinctively steps toward Liuyu to explain to her.

… But then he realizes, she is just acting.

Liuyu averts her gaze and looks down at the pastry in Jiufang Zhanghua’s hand.

“Yu Jing has countless delicacies. This isn’t anything special. Since I haven’t worked in a while, there’s no need to force it.”

This wasn’t acting, but the truth.

She didn’t have the time to deal with his half-hearted gestures. As enemies, it should be a matter of life and death. If they were fated to die together, then so be it. What was he trying to do?

The blood-red sunset reflected in Jiufang Zhanghua’s eyes, and he slightly raised his head, staring at the young woman in front of him.

It had only been a year since they last met, but seeing her face-to-face again made Jiufang Zhanghua feel as if a lifetime had passed.

“… It’s foolish to try to carve a sword on a boat, but if you can find something valuable, it’s not impossible…”

“Commander Zhong!”

A sudden command broke the concentration of the observing Summer Hou Chi.

He turned and met the cold and obscure gaze of the Demon Lord.

It was as if a snake in an extreme rage had its eyes fixed on him, ready to strike and bite his throat at any moment.

A cold sweat ran down Summer Hou Chi’s spine.

“I’ve already sent someone to inquire, we’ll know soon. Please wait a moment, honored master—”

“That’s good,” the young man with green eyes gave a faint smile, but his gaze was as cold as a frozen lake, “There’s no rush. If it’s too much trouble, just tell me the surname. I’ll personally visit, that would be fine too.”

Even though he said this with a smile, his words were far from gentle.

Summer Hou Chi swallowed hard.

Just then, the officer, who had gone to convey the message, finally returned. None of the twelve noble families dared to oppose Demon Lord Mo Lin entering the city, and they could let him in now.

Mo Lin turned to look at the ghostly chariot and, with a cold voice, asked:

“How much longer are you going to stand there?”

Jiufang Zhanghua’s expression didn’t change much, but his eyes were as deep and cold as snow.

Before he could speak, a voice came from behind:

“I understand.”

The two of them, locked in a gaze from midair, both turned their heads at the same time.

Jiufang Zhanghua’s normally calm face finally showed a hint of shock when he saw Liuyu return to the chariot after hearing the command.

He quickly turned to look at Mo Lin.

Jiufang Zhanghua had thought that the command had come from Mo Lin, but to his surprise—this person had actually spoken to Liuyu in front of everyone!

The onlookers on Tian Shuo Street were also stunned.

“… Did I see that wrong?” someone murmured, “Yin Shan Liuyu really… really just went back like that? She didn’t even argue?”

Yan Wushu remained silent, watching the back of the figure dressed in black.

Even Zhongli Lingzhao’s eyes became unusually complicated at that moment.

Jiufang Shaogeng stared in disbelief at the figure disappearing behind the curtain of the chariot. If it weren’t for the situation, he would have barged in to question:

“You actually tolerated that?”

No, how could you tolerate that?

What gave you the right to act without hesitation in the past?

Jiufang Shaogeng’s gaze burned with anger, fixing on Mo Lin. He couldn’t understand why this person could make Yin Shan Liuyu obey him without question.

Even though Mo Lin had emerged from the Nine Hells, seizing three cities, his power was at its peak, and Liuyu had to temporarily avoid his strength, there was no way she would have acted so submissively unless…

He stared at Mo Lin’s face.

That face—

This Demon Lord was relying on that face—

Was Yin Shan Liuyu really such a shallow person?

Mo Lin had allied with the Zhongli family and killed Nan Gong Yao right in front of her. She looked at him with only resentment—did she really… really like him that much?

Jiufang Shaogeng couldn’t understand.

Not just him, but the others present were also shocked as they watched the Demon Lord in black approach Jiufang Zhanghua.

The young man in moon-white robes barely moved his lips.

“She’s your wife. How could you treat her like this—”

The expression on Mo Lin’s face, already as dark as a gathering storm, grew even colder and more oppressive as his path was blocked. His already unpleasant expression became even more forbidding, like the chill before a coming downpour.

“You know she is my wife.”

“It was you who brought her to me. How I treat her is none of your business.”

“Get out of the way.”

The oppressive aura that had enveloped Tian Shu Street suddenly tightened, pushing Mo Lin’s adversary, Jiu Fang Zhanghua, back several steps with a violent surge of energy. By the time Jiu Fang stood firm, Mo Lin, dressed in black robes with long, ink-dark hair, had already stepped inside, pulling back the curtain.

A cold, harsh voice echoed from inside:

“Shan Xiao.”

The Twelve Spirits quickly returned to their positions.

Inside the ghostly carriage, Yin Shan Qi withdrew his head, thinking for a moment before calling for a flute, which he began to spin between his fingers.

His niece and her husband’s performance surely needed accompaniment, didn’t it?

As the Guo Huo bird carriage began to move again, the mournful sound of the flute filled the air, carried on the light snowflakes that danced under the moonlit sky of Yujing, the immortal capital.

A delicate, pale hand extended from the window of the carriage, catching several falling snowflakes.

The young girl, who was hanging upside down from the roof of the carriage, looked down at the jade tablet in her hand, her purple butterfly bow swaying gently in the wind. After a moment, she raised her head and smiled at the ghostly attendants behind her.

“Master says, since the twelve major families of Yujing have given their approval for us Nine Underworld Demons to enter the city, we are now guests of Yujing. We may present ourselves in our true form without restraint.”

Xiahou Chi, leader of the Twelve Immortal Generals, twitched his eye.

“You’re barging in uninvited, and you call yourselves guests? Who dares refuse? Who can restrict you?”

Many people thought the same.

In the next moment, the pale moonlight and snow fell upon the slowly spreading scales and feathers—

The red spirit summoning banners reflected shadows of spirits and demons, and the wooden demon fox transformed, sprouting strange limbs and a tail.

The ghost flames burned like lanterns on both sides of the long street, lighting the path for the demons amidst the constant cries of the wounded soul birds.

The flute played a mournful tune, dispelling the eerie feeling of the night as it allowed the people of Yujing to view these otherworldly beings with a sense of calm.

Some scholars, holding waist fans made of goat hair, looked at the ghost birds under the flower-filled moon and falling snow. One of them noticed a line in the poetry book in front of him:

“Flying birds cry sadly through the forests, beast demons hesitate, tears burst from the springs.”

It was said that those unjustly killed would transform into the wounded soul birds, crying at the places where they had died.

Wandering between the worlds, they were neither human nor demon, just spirits.

Had they come to Yujing to make the entire city hear their mournful cries?

Snow covered the roofs of the Yin Shan family’s mansion.

Only a few steps away from the mansion’s gate, Liuyu, tightly held in Mo Lin’s embrace, could not break free. She listened as he buried his face in her most sensitive neck and emphasized once more:

“—That sentence wasn’t meant for you.”

The breath against her skin made her feel a bit ticklish. She nestled in the corner of the carriage, her attention already drifting toward the mansion.

“I’ve already said I know, I did it on purpose. Your acting is so poor that if I didn’t step in to play along, you wouldn’t be able to pull off the act of treating me like I’m beneath you.”

She turned back and smiled at him.

“I didn’t get to see their expressions. What did they look like? I’ve never lowered my head to anyone in Yujing. Were they scared? No, they must be jealous of you. After all, I have many enemies in Yujing. They must wish they could possess you and get revenge on me.”

The tendrils that wrapped around her tightened a bit more.

His dark, wet eyes stared at the smiling girl.

“I don’t want that kind of envy.”

“I want you to be admired by everyone, to always be an unreachable existence to them.”

Liuyu was just teasing him, but the demon holding her spoke with unusual seriousness.

He spoke as though it was the natural order of things.

Fine snow swirled, blowing in through the curtain, and landing on his somber yet handsome brow.

Liuyu’s thoughts stirred, and she slowly leaned closer, wanting to kiss the snow from his brow—

“Woof, woof, woof!”

Mo Lin was suddenly pushed away by the girl in his arms.

Stepping onto the thin layer of snow on the ground, they heard Liuyu’s excited voice from outside.

“It’s Da Huang!”

A brown, upright-eared watchdog wagged its tail excitedly and leaped into Liuyu’s arms. If not for Chao Yuan holding its collar from behind, its wet tongue would have already reached Liuyu’s face.

Liuyu didn’t mind. She lovingly rubbed Da Huang’s ears and head.

“Did you miss me? If you missed me, roll over. Good dog, our Da Huang is such a good boy.”

The dog, thrilled by the praise, jumped around so excitedly that it could barely catch its breath. However, when a dark robe approached, it suddenly quieted down.

The black, round eyes of the dog gazed upward, meeting the cold, assessing gaze.

Footsteps approached from the direction where the servants were standing with lanterns.

“—Who are you getting along with? You two just entered Yujing two hours ago, and now the entire city knows that the Demon Lord of the Nine Underworlds dares to call out to my Yin Shan family’s eldest daughter in the street. Such an impressive display!”

Several elders from the Yin Shan family spoke with thinly veiled anger, flanked by their clan members, marching toward the crowd.

The Twelve Spirits were still surveying the magnificent mansion of the Yin Shan family, and upon seeing these elders, who exuded an aura of immortality, they were momentarily impressed.

Not knowing the details, Tan Ning nodded heavily behind them.

This person was trampling on their Yin Shan family’s reputation—he was even worse than a god descended from the heavens!

Mo Lin met their cold gazes without explanation. He bowed his head with the respect of a younger generation.

“There is a reason for this. I hope the elders can allow me to enter and explain.”

The Fifth Uncle was so furious he was blowing air through his beard.

Tan Ning secretly hoped that the family elders would have the courage to drive this Demon Lord out of the Yin Shan family’s gates, just like the time he had come to deliver a betrothal gift.

“Come in.”

Fifth Uncle shot him a glance and, rubbing the jade bead in his palm, said:

“As for your demon ghost subordinates, the ghost attendants and servants, their quarters have been arranged, and someone will guide them. It’s still snowing outside, and you didn’t even bring an umbrella. You’re young but don’t know how to take care of yourself. Go get the umbrella for them.”

Tan Ning was stunned.

“Uncle, he dared to speak to Liu Yu like that, and you’re still giving him an umbrella?”

She moved closer to Fifth Uncle, smiling as she lowered her voice to question him:

“What about the dignity of our Yin Shan clan!?”

Fifth Uncle casually glanced at Tan Ning.

Dignity?

If it weren’t for Liu Yu personally sending him a message via the jade slip a few days ago, telling him everything Mo Lin had done to fulfill her plan, he wouldn’t have known that their young miss actually treated the mighty Lord of the Nine Underworlds, the demon ghost Mo Lin, as her subordinate, calling him to come and go, risking life and death.

The Nine Underworld demon ghost was practically being treated like a servant of the Yin Shan clan. He even worried that Mo Lin, sacrificing so much, was aiming for something bigger—what dignity were they still concerned about?

But, they couldn’t push things too far.

Mo Lin, who had taken the umbrella, relaxed slightly.

Even though he knew the umbrella wasn’t just for him, when he actually took it from the Yin Shan clan’s hands, it still gave him a strange feeling.

The scene of the clan elders throwing the betrothal gift at him, not allowing him to step into the Yin Shan clan’s doorstep, seemed like it had happened just yesterday.

But, in the blink of an eye—

“The banquet has already been prepared, your parents are waiting for you. You’ve had a rough journey today, so let’s eat with them first. Afterward, you can return to your quarters to rest. The inner rooms have already been cleaned, just like before you left…”

Fifth Uncle glanced at Mo Lin again.

“And we’ve made space for your husband. If it’s not too grand, your courtyard will fit just fine.”

The ghost girl peeking from behind quickly answered:

“It’s not big, not big! We don’t have many things. If it doesn’t fit, we can make it even smaller, right, Lord Mo?”

Mo Lin’s long lashes lowered, and as he held the umbrella for Liu Yu, he hid the expression in his eyes. He softly replied with a quiet “Mm.”

Liu Yu, still playing with Da Huang by the door, held the dog’s paw. As it struggled to pull back, she gently used its paw to touch the corner of Mo Lin’s clothes.

The young girl tilted her head and softly muttered to Da Huang:

“You’re a good little dog, and this is a good little dog too. The two little dogs need to get along well.”

“Come in.”

Fifth Uncle shot him a glance and, rubbing the jade bead in his palm, said:

“As for your demon ghost subordinates, the ghost attendants and servants, their quarters have been arranged, and someone will guide them. It’s still snowing outside, and you didn’t even bring an umbrella. You’re young but don’t know how to take care of yourself. Go get the umbrella for them.”

Tan Ning was stunned.

“Uncle, he dared to speak to Liuyu like that, and you’re still giving him an umbrella?”

She moved closer to Fifth Uncle, smiling as she lowered her voice to question him:

“What about the dignity of our Yin Shan clan!?”

Fifth Uncle casually glanced at Tan Ning.

Dignity?

If it weren’t for Liuyu personally sending him a message via the jade slip a few days ago, telling him everything Mo Lin had done to fulfill her plan, he wouldn’t have known that their young miss actually treated the mighty Lord of the Nine Underworlds, the demon ghost Mo Lin, as her subordinate, calling him to come and go, risking life and death.

The Nine Underworld demon ghost was practically being treated like a servant of the Yin Shan clan. He even worried that Mo Lin, sacrificing so much, was aiming for something bigger—what dignity were they still concerned about?

But, they couldn’t push things too far.

Mo Lin, who had taken the umbrella, relaxed slightly.

Even though he knew the umbrella wasn’t just for him, when he actually took it from the Yin Shan clan’s hands, it still gave him a strange feeling.

The scene of the clan elders throwing the betrothal gift at him, not allowing him to step into the Yin Shan clan’s doorstep, seemed like it had happened just yesterday.

But, in the blink of an eye—

“The banquet has already been prepared, your parents are waiting for you. You’ve had a rough journey today, so let’s eat with them first. Afterward, you can return to your quarters to rest. The inner rooms have already been cleaned, just like before you left…”

Fifth Uncle glanced at Mo Lin again.

“And we’ve made space for your husband. If it’s not too grand, your courtyard will fit just fine.”

The ghost girl peeking from behind quickly answered:

“It’s not big, not big! We don’t have many things. If it doesn’t fit, we can make it even smaller, right, Lord Mo?”

Mo Lin’s long lashes lowered, and as he held the umbrella for Liuyu, he hid the expression in his eyes. He softly replied with a quiet “Mm.”

Liuyu, still playing with Da Huang by the door, held the dog’s paw. As it struggled to pull back, she gently used its paw to touch the corner of Mo Lin’s clothes.

The young girl tilted her head and softly muttered to Da Huang:

“You’re a good little dog, and this is a good little dog too. The two little dogs need to get along well.”