WBICDPH Chapter 111

Chapter 111: Divided Opinions

Internal conflict within the demon race grew more and more frequent.

Xiao Lanyue was heading out to battle every few days, returning each time exhausted. Once, she came back especially badly injured—covered in blood—and lay unconscious on her bed for many days.

During that time, Xiao Lanqi had just entered adolescence. His body had begun to grow rapidly, the baby fat disappearing from his cheeks, leaving behind a lean, handsome young man. He had gained the ability to protect himself and was formally recognized as the Young Sovereign of Mingzhu Heaven. With Xiao Lancheng’s guidance, he had even selected his own personal guards.

That day, he had just returned from a fight with Chu Tingxue at Misty Rain Mountain. As soon as he entered the palace, he ran into Xiao Lancheng, who was hurrying out.

“Brother?”

Xiao Lanqi raised an eyebrow slightly.
“What happened? Why are you in such a rush?”

“The Sovereign has been injured badly.”

“What—”

Xiao Lanqi’s heart tightened. He immediately moved to head into the inner chambers to check on her, but Xiao Lancheng raised a hand to stop him.

“A’Qi, her condition is very serious. She may need the inner core of a Black Flood Dragon. Could you do your brother a favor?”

Xiao Lancheng was a Hundred-Faced Heartbinding Fiend, with little combat ability, so he couldn’t retrieve the Black Flood Dragon’s core himself.

“Brother, what are you saying? A Black Flood Dragon, right? Take care of—take care of the Sovereign. I’ll be back in a day.”

With that, Xiao Lanqi turned and left. Before going, he raised a hand and let out a sharp whistle. A figure in burnt-yellow rushed toward him from the distance, and together they departed Mingzhu Heaven.

The one he had summoned was a striking young woman with dazzling features. She was one of the guards he had selected, a reserve member of the Twelve Guards of Mingzhu.

She wore a burnt-yellow dress, her beauty carrying a captivating, almost bewitching charm. A small mole at the corner of her eye only added to her allure.

Although Xiao Lanqi didn’t particularly like her personality, she was sensible, never unreliable when it came to serious matters, and exceptionally strong. Whenever he left Mingzhu Heaven—except when going to Misty Rain Mountain to see Chu Tingxue—he would usually bring her along. This time was no different.

The Black Flood Dragon they were after lived in a valley near the Mist Pavilion. While it was considered a high-level demon beast, it was hardly a challenge in Xiao Lanqi’s eyes.

The two of them made quick work of it, slaying the creature in no time. After obtaining its inner core, they immediately headed back without delay.

On the way, they happened to pass by a small town. The place was bustling with people, lively and full of activity.

Xiao Lanqi watched the humans for a moment, slightly lost in thought. After a while, he suddenly spoke:

“Luoshao?”

“Hm?”

The girl responded lazily, “What is it?”

“Nothing. I just wanted to ask—what do you think humans are like as a race?”

“Humans?” Luoshao yawned. “Doesn’t the young lord hate humans? Why the sudden interest?”

“What’s it to you? I asked, so just answer.”

Xiao Lanqi crossed his arms.

“Alright.” Luoshao was already used to his temper. She nodded and said, “Humans… they’re troublesome. They’re very emotional, which makes them hard to deal with. If you get involved, it might be fun at first, but when you try to walk away, they’ll cling to you like glue. One of my friends once got involved with a young Taoist priest. When she got bored, she just left—but he couldn’t move on. He cried himself sick over her, nearly fell into demonic cultivation, and in the end, he lost control during training and died from it.”

Xiao Lanqi frowned, completely baffled. “Why?”

“How would I know? Probably because of this so-called ‘love.’” Luoshao shrugged indifferently.

“Do you even understand what love is?”

“Of course not. I’m not human—I’m a heavenly demon.”

“But aren’t your kind—those succubi types—supposed to understand emotions? Otherwise, how do you toy with people?”

The moment she heard “succubi,” Luoshao exploded. “What nonsense are you talking about? We’ve known each other for years and you still can’t remember what I am? I’m a Fanghua Mei, a Fanghua Mei! Young lord, don’t lump me together with those lowly creatures, alright? How would you feel if I called you a green-eyed mutt?”

“Fine, fine, I was wrong. Stop yelling, you’re hurting my ears.” Xiao Lanqi admitted it, though he still muttered under his breath, “Isn’t that just a higher-level succubus?”

Unfortunately, Luoshao still heard him. “Of course not! Those inferior species feed on yang energy and essence, but we, Fanghua Mei—what we want is love.”

“Then why say you don’t understand love?”

“What does wanting love have to do with understanding it?”

Luoshao curved her lips into a dazzling smile, alluring and breathtaking. “Only by being cold enough can you pass through countless lovers without getting attached. If I understood love, I’d end up stuck on just one person—and then I’d be controlled by them instead.”

“Why?” Xiao Lanqi genuinely couldn’t understand.

“I say, young lord, why do you have so many ‘whys’ today? Are you curious about love or something? Here—why don’t you try loving me? Then you’ll know what it is.”

As she spoke, she reached out as if to drape an arm over his shoulder, but Xiao Lanqi sidestepped her.

“No.”

He pressed his lips together and said nothing more, carrying the still-warm demon core of the Ink Flood Dragon as he sped back to Mingzhutian.

Why had he suddenly asked those questions?

Because recently, he had met a strange human.

His brother had said humans were weak—but that human was strong, so strong that he could knock him flat with nothing but a tree branch.

Among heavenly demons, strength and hierarchy meant everything. When conflicts escalated into duels, the loser either accepted death or, if they survived, endured humiliation. The first time Xiao Lanqi lost to Chu Tingxue, he lay on the ground feeling as though his heart had died. Yet Chu Tingxue neither killed nor mocked him. He simply tossed aside his branch, walked away, and smilingly told him he’d wait for his next challenge.

Every time after that, Xiao Lanqi would storm up Yanyu Mountain full of killing intent, only to be soundly defeated again. And every time, Chu Tingxue never made things difficult for him. On the contrary, after their matches, he would even introduce them to all sorts of strange new games.

His brother had said humans were weak, dangerous, cunning, and cruel.

But the human Xiao Lanqi met wasn’t like that—at least, Chu Tingxue wasn’t.

His brother had also said love was a burden, a shackle that brought misfortune to demons.

Now that he had seen what humans were like… what about love?

Xiao Lanqi found himself deeply conflicted.

He was a heavenly demon, and everyone around him was one too. They all scorned emotions. No one could tell him what love truly looked like—not even the Fanghua Mei, who were said to be masters of manipulating hearts.

After he brought back the Ink Flood Dragon’s core, he handed it directly to Xiao Lancheng.

Standing at the entrance to the inner hall, Xiao Lanqi looked at his unconscious mother lying on the bed, but he didn’t dare approach.

He watched as her injuries slowly healed under the power of the core, watched his brother tend to her, and only left once she regained consciousness.

He was conflicted—so conflicted.

He wanted to see his mother, to talk to her. But the thought of having to put on that cold, distant front made him irritated, so he stayed away. He wanted someone to talk to, but for some reason, he didn’t want to discuss humans with his brother, so he kept it all bottled up.

With no outlet, he poured everything into his training. He trained harder and harder, and once he improved, he rushed off to Yanyu Mountain to challenge Chu Tingxue again.

Damn it—humans were the worst!

Why were they so strong? Why could he never win? It forced him to keep going back, again and again, to face that infuriating human.

And that guy Chu Tingxue was always shoving wine at him and dragging him into all kinds of ridiculous activities! How stupid! If only he could beat him—just once—then he’d never have to deal with humans again!

In a foul mood, Xiao Lanqi fought with even greater ferocity, forcing Chu Tingxue to take him seriously.

Unfortunately, he still lost.

By half a move.

“Hey, little demon, what’s on your mind? Why are you fighting so fiercely?”

After narrowly winning, Chu Tingxue sheathed his sword and collapsed into a lounge chair by the Dripping Spring, completely lacking any decorum.

“What’s it to you?!” Xiao Lanqi snapped.

He rolled his eyes at the wine Chu Tingxue handed him and was about to say more when a clear female voice rang out from nearby:

“Tingxue!”

At the sound, Chu Tingxue immediately sat up straight.

He looked over and saw a girl in peach-pink robes approaching with a boy dressed in black.

The girl, seeing him, lifted her skirts and ran over. “I knew you’d be here! Seriously, what’s so interesting about this place? Watching water drip down, one drop at a time—it’s slow and boring! You might as well come with A-Yu and me to watch the new disciples’ entrance trials.”

Her bright eyes sparkled as she looked at him, her demeanor lively like a blooming flower. In contrast, the boy beside her was quiet and brooding, silently sizing up Xiao Lanqi.

“I’m not going,” Chu Tingxue said. “If I go, Liu Xun will definitely ask me for wine again. She drinks way too much—I barely make enough for myself. Add her in, and I won’t have a single drop left!”

He slung an arm over the boy’s shoulder and grinned. “So, A-Yu, any promising new martial cultivators this year?”

“No,” the boy replied coldly.

“Your standards are too high. There’s clearly one decent girl.”

The girl smiled, then paused as her gaze fell on Xiao Lanqi. “Tingxue, and this is…?”

“Oh, right—I forgot to introduce him.” Chu Tingxue scratched his head sheepishly. “This is… uh, a friend’s younger brother. Bad temper. Came here to fight me. And this—this is my cultivation partner, Jiantao. You’ve met this one—my junior brother, Zhe Yu.”

“Oh.”

Xiao Lanqi had no interest in meeting other humans, but hearing the term “cultivation partner,” he raised an eyebrow in surprise.

After a brief discussion, Jiantao and Zhe Yu left.

Once they were gone, Chu Tingxue flopped back into his chair, drinking again. Xiao Lanqi glanced at him and asked directly:

“What’s a cultivation partner?”

“Huh?” Chu Tingxue blinked, then explained, “It’s someone you cultivate alongside—a partner.”

“Like someone you have children with?”

Xiao Lanqi tilted his head.

“Pfft—” Chu Tingxue nearly choked on his wine.

Wiping his mouth, he sat up awkwardly. “Having children… isn’t necessary. But yeah, it’s kind of what you’re thinking.”

“Oh. So she’s the one you found during your mating season? Then she should be about as strong as you, right? Next time, bring her—I’ll spar with her.”

“Mating season?” Chu Tingxue looked confused. “What are you talking about? Don’t bully her—she can’t take even a couple of your moves.”

“You chose such a weak woman as your partner?” Xiao Lanqi frowned. “Mating season is when you find a suitable partner, have a child, raise it for a bit, then go your separate ways. Next season, you find a new partner and repeat. That’s how it works.”

“…Is that how your demon race does things?” Chu Tingxue tried to process it.

“Yeah.”

“…I have to say, that sounds kind of scummy.”

Chu Tingxue chuckled helplessly and patted his shoulder. “Humans don’t have anything like a mating season.”

“Then how do you find a suitable partner?”

“You look for a kindred soul. It has nothing to do with strength or status.”

He continued, smiling softly, “Did you notice Jiantao earlier? When she smiles, isn’t she beautiful? The first time I saw her smile, I was captivated. I like the curve of her lips, her voice, her eyes—everything about her. She’s an excellent healer, kind and gentle, though she has a bit of a temper sometimes. I really love her. To be honest, I’m planning to propose soon. We’re both from the mortal world, so I want to hold a proper wedding—lively and grand. I want her in the most beautiful bridal dress, carried in a sedan chair, marrying me as my wife.”

His cheeks flushed red from the wine—and even redder as he spoke, a smile he couldn’t suppress lingering on his lips.

Xiao Lanqi, however, couldn’t understand him at all.

“You love her?”

“Yeah.”

After thinking of Luoshao’s words, Xiao Lanqi asked seriously, “Then if she gets bored and abandons you, will you cry yourself to pieces and fall into demonic cultivation?”

“…?”

Chu Tingxue’s smile froze.

“And then lose control during training and explode to death?”

“I say, little demon, do you hate me or something? Can’t you wish me well for once?”

Chu Tingxue sighed, poking his temple. “We’re not playing around—we’re serious about this. She won’t abandon me. I love her, and she loves me. We’ve chosen each other for life.”

“You love her? She loves you? For life?”

Xiao Lanqi frowned. “So… you’re going to tie yourself to one tree?”

Chu Tingxue laughed helplessly. “That’s not how it works. Meeting someone, getting to know them, falling in love, and staying together for life—that’s a beautiful thing.”

“I don’t understand love. We heavenly demons don’t have that concept.”

Xiao Lanqi downed the wine Chu Tingxue gave him in one gulp, wincing at the burn. “Humans really like to glorify ‘love.’ It’s a burden, a shackle. It brings misfortune and turns the strong into the weak. Only humans would willingly drink poison and enjoy it. It’s stupid.”

“Hey, who told you all that? You don’t understand anything!” Chu Tingxue protested. “You say love turns the strong into the weak—do I look weak to you? Haven’t you lost to me countless times?”

He ruffled Xiao Lanqi’s hair and grinned. “Love isn’t a burden. It’s not a shackle, and it doesn’t bring misfortune. Because of love, I have something I want to protect. I have faith and a firm Dao heart. So—”

He smiled brightly.

“Love only makes me stronger.”