Jiang Ning carried the unconscious Yun Qi to the back mountains of the Mu Village and stopped in front of a desolated inn. There is no one living in it but on a rotted bench sat an incredibly handsome young man. His long black flowed down his broad shoulders. The entire aura surrounding him was extremely cold and no animals around the mountains dared approach. His eyes were closed as he sat crossed-legged on the bench. His black robes with white accents fit his toned body perfectly, showing a hint of his hands under his huge sleeves. His skin was pale and had white trails covering his arms and legs. The white jagged trails form a beautiful crown on his forehead as though he was wearing a crystal crown on his head, giving him a very bewitching appearance.
Jiang Ning came before this man and kneeled the same way he did to the Lady. "This humble servant greets the Lord."
The man slowly opened his eyes to reveal a pair of pure black eyes. The man stared at Jiang Ning first before glancing at the unconscious man beside him. Sensing his gaze, Jiang Ning explained everything respectfully without leaving a single detail out. The man pursed his lips when he heard about the Lady's appearance but did not say anything. After Jiang Ning finished explaining, he waited.
"Do not neglect your duties," the man said in a low, quiet voice before he stood up.
"This servant understands," Jiang Ning answered and stood up as well. Picking Yun Qi in bridal style, he stood behind his Lord and waited patiently as he always did.
"It's time to pay her a visit," the man's eyelashes shimmered under the sunlight before both of them vanished into the thin air.
[In the Demon Lord's Palace]
Xuan Yi sat lazily at her throne as she explained to the water ghost and Chen Xiu what happened during her trip. It has been less than a few hours since she left the Mu Village and she was a little tired from the drama recently. Qing Li's case can be considered as easy but Yun Le's case was not. Chen Xiu widened his eyes as he listened to the Lady narrate the story in a deadpanned voice. Snapping his fan closed, he frowned.
"The Yin Demon Clan plans to revolt? Do they even have the capability?" Chen Xiu rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Young Master Yun is safe, thank goodness. This humble servant thanks your Highness for your help," the water ghost bent her knees to kneel again but Xuan Yi glared at her to stop.
"Stop kneeling, my carpet can't stand it." Xuan Yi grumbled. The water ghost let out a sheepish smile at that. It's not like she could control the water dripping from her. She is a water ghost for god sake.
"Last thing, the person who pushed you into the water is not Yun Le." Xuan Yi had investigated this matter and confirmed her suspicions.
"Not the young miss?" The water ghost could not understand. She clearly saw that it was young miss Yun Le who pushed her down into the river that rainy day. The currents were raging in that river and nobody has ever survived once they were thrown in.
"Yun Le is not someone capable of murder. She had been mind-controlled to commit the act. If she were to be judged, those actions would be pardoned because she was an unwilling party." Xuan Yi told her before rising from her throne.
"Now that this is settled, go to the halls and enter the process of judgment." Xuan Yi waved the water ghost away before pinched the bridge of her nose.
Now that this matter is settled, she has to think of how to deal with an even more tedious matter.
The Yin Demon Clan.
Xuan Yi remembers the leader of the Yin Demon Clan. She is an arrogant and prideful woman who thinks that everyone is beneath her. Although her clan members seem to be convinced that she is going to be the future of the head of the Vampire Clan, Xuan Yi knows that it is not going to happen. She has met with the head of the Vampire clan a few times and she knows he detests women like her. Unless someone is powerful enough to force him to marry that woman, it is not likely that the head of the Yin Demon Clan will marry into the main branch as the head wife.
There is also another problem. Although she pretended not to notice, she had felt his presence. It was very faint and quite a distance from where she was standing in Yun Le's courtyard. She would have missed it if she had not heightened her senses after seeing that there are Yin Demons involved in Yun Le's case. She did not probe but seeing Jiang Ning in person, she is even more sure of her guess.
"Why is he even there?" Xuan Yi fiddled with her nails as she pondered. She did not notice that Chen Xiu did not leave with the water ghost and was standing near her, eyeing her every move.
"No, I have to settle this one step at a time." Xuan Yi shook her head as she muttered. The first step would be the Yin Demons. She might need to visit the Vampire Clan first. If she were to directly destroy one of the branch families without giving any warning to the main family, it would be not giving them any face. Either way, Xuan Yi is confident that the head of the main family would punish them well enough.
Feeling satisfied with her decision, she walked down from her throne and towards the exit, ignoring the earth god who is still standing at his spot pitifully. He had waited for her for so long only to be ignored when she comes back? He is very unwilling. He took big strides and stood in front of the Lady, blocking her path and stared straight in her eyes, forcing her to stop in her tracks.
Finally acknowledging his presence, Xuan Yi looked up into the earth god's jade green eyes. Xuan Yi had wanted to ignore him until he leaves by himself but who knows why the earth god insists on getting into her way.
"I don't think it is befitting of a gentleman to obstruct a lady's path like this, Lord Chen Xiu." Xuan Yi gave him a cold smile as she stepped to the side only to be blocked by Chen Xiu's slender body as he steps to the side as well.
"And I do not think it is befitting of a lady to ignore a man who waited a few months for your return, my Lady." Chen Xiu did not back down and replied with a gentle smile of his own.
Puffing her cheeks, Xuan Yi threw down her pretense and glared at the earth god. "Get out of my way, this Lady has matters to attend to."
"Are you going to confront the Yin Demons?" Chen Xiu did not move from his spot and asked instead.
"That has nothing to do with you, Lord Chen Xiu. This is a matter of the undead realm, please show yourself out." Xuan Yi snorted and stepped to the side again, quickly stamping off.
Chen Xiu grabbed her hand just as she stomped past him and tugged her back. Xuan Yi did not expect the pristine and proper earth god to pull her back into his embrace. She could not process for a moment and did not resist, hence allowing Chen Xiu to embrace her easily.
"It's dangerous. Do not go," Chen Xiu whispered. His lips just beside her ears and Xuan Yi could not help but feel a little uncomfortable. Just as she gathers strength in her arms and wanted to push the earth god away, she was suddenly yanked away from his embrace.
Xuan Yi was disorientated and she tried to gather her bearings. Chen Xiu felt an overwhelming pressure onto his body and he looked up to see someone dressed in full black at the entrance of the audience room. He widened his eyes at the sight of the person before falling onto his knees and paying respects.
"Chen Xiu greets your Highness," Chen Xiu's voice was ringing in Xuan Yi's ears as she tried to process what she had just heard. It cannot be blamed on her as she had just transversed from the realm of the living to the undead realm so she is still a little out of it.
She felt a burning stare at the top of her head and she slowly looked up to meet the man's cold black eyes. Blinking a few times, her eyes were then attracted to the silverly crown on his forehead and she furrowed her brows.
Jerking her arm from his grip, she straightened herself before giving him a slight bow.
"Xuan Yi greets your Highness, Immortal of the Night, Lord Ye."
Lord Ye nodded at Xuan Yi before he turned his eyes back at the kneeling Chen Xiu. Chen Xiu felt the pressure on his body increased ten-fold and he slightly grunted. He was not sure how did he offend Lord Ye but given his status, even if he were to behead him without reason, he would still be in the right. This is the second prince of heaven, who dares to defy him?
"This Lord was not aware that you are familiar with the Lady," Lord Ye's low voice verberated throughout the audience hall, making Chen Xiu shiver a little in fright.
"We have been friends for quite a while," Chen Xiu answered while gritting his teeth as he tried his best to not collapse under the pressure.
"Please do not sprout lies, Lord Chen Xiu. This Lady does not recall being friends with you," Xuan Yi snorted as she rolled her eyes. He is just a weird stalker that she could not shake off. Since when were they friends? After Lord Ye leaves, she will slowly dismember his body for hugging her.
Hearing Xuan Yi's retort, nobody noticed the small smile on Lord Ye's lips before it returned to its normal frost.
"My apologies for intruding without an invitation, my Lady. I have a gift that I feel is befitting of the situation and so I came," at his words, Jiang Ning came forward with a box. Xuan Yi gave him the same smile she gave to Yin Ze back in the burning house, "fancy seeing you again."
Jiang Ning gave her a helpless smile and prayed in his heart that when the Lady comes for his head, his master would protect him. Xuan Yi stepped forward to receive the box but Jiang Ning stopped her with a shake of his head.
He placed the box in front of her and opened it before standing back. Xuan Yi looked at the contents of the box and a cold smile slipped onto her face. Truly a gift befitting of the situation.
The box holds a decapitated head. Xuan Yi bent down and took a good look at the person's face before standing up. "Xuan Yi thank Lord Ye. Lord Ye has saved this Lady the trouble," Xuan Yi grinned as though she received some precious gem or jewelry and not a dead person's head. It seems like the Yin Demons will have to elect a new leader now that the previous has been beheaded by Lord Ye.
"If Lady Xuan Yi likes this gift, I can bring more." Lord Ye answered, his voice monotonously. Jiang Ning rolled his eyes. Does his Lord fancy the Lady or something? Why do his words sound like he will slaughter anyone who gives the Lady a hard time just like how the Yin Demons did?