Chapter 4

Chapter 4

He was heavily intoxicated, yet his chest was burning hot.

“Choulu,” he whispered her name into my ear over and over. “You are so beautiful.”

A sharp pang hit my heart. I turned my head away, and two tears escaped.

He tenderly kissed them away.

He was comforting me, yet hurting me all the same.

“Cangyu… I love you,” I whispered, my hand trembling as I reached out to touch his face.

“Choulu, I love you too.” He caught my hand and kissed it delicately.

“Why is your cultivation so low?”

He sensed how weak my spiritual energy was. Before I could offer an explanation, he forcefully transferred half of his cultivation to me.

The kinder and more tender he was, the harder I cried.

Why wasn’t I Choulu? Why did I have to be a lowly Peach Blossom Demon from West of Weak Water? Why did I love him when he didn’t love me?

No one could answer me. Outside, the stars twinkled, and even the wind was silent.

He held me carefully as he drifted off to sleep.

This tenderness was never meant for me. I was like a thief hiding in the shadows, stealing a moment of affection born of a mistake, my heart filled with unease.

He didn’t owe me anything. On the contrary, I owed him a bag of demon cores, and now, I owed him half his cultivation.

I couldn’t even resent him. Who told me to fall in love with him?

Of all the thousands of grievances in the world, none can outweigh a heart that is simply willing.

Cangyu’s palace was always shrouded in night. This was his domain; as long as he willed it, the sun would never shine here.

I don’t know how much time passed. I hadn’t slept at all, using the starlight to trace the lines of his sleeping face.

When he slept, he looked just like he did when we first met. His features lacked the coldness and loneliness they held when he was awake.

I wanted to reach out and touch him, but I was afraid the beautiful dream would end too soon.

The moment the thought crossed my mind, Cangyu’s long lashes fluttered as if he were about to wake.

I hurriedly turned my back to him, terrified that he would see my face.

He was dazed for a moment, then he pulled me into an embrace from behind, resting his forehead against my back.

His hot breath sent a shiver down my spine. His voice was hoarse, thick with guilt.

“I’m sorry… I tried to forget you… If you are willing, I will enter a betrothal with you.”

My heart soared with joy. Had he recognized me? Did he know I was the Peach Blossom Demon and not Choulu?

I was just about to turn around and tell him with a smile that it was okay, that I accepted-

Then I heard him say:

“Choulu, I will explain everything to Immortal Sihun.”

I froze. My heart felt as though it had fallen into an abyss of ice.

“Is that alright, Choulu?”

Instead of answering, I stood up without a word and gathered my dress from the floor.

“Choulu?” Panicking, he grabbed my hand and pulled me back into his arms.

I looked up, and in his startled eyes, I saw my own reflection-a face drenched in tears.

“You are…”

Right. Five hundred years had passed. He likely didn’t remember me at all.

My heart ached as if a piece of it had been carved out.

“I am…”

At the very least, I wanted him to remember my name.

Before I could finish, Choulu burst into the room.

“Cangyu, are you al-”

Seeing our disheveled state, Choulu froze. Her face flushed crimson, and she began to tremble with rage.

“Cangyu! You keep saying you love me, but what kind of filth are you doing behind my back?”

“Is this… a Peach Blossom Demon? You’re not even picky enough to turn down a low-life demoness?”

“Cangyu, you really… you’ve disappointed me too much.”

Furious, Choulu turned and stormed out. Sihun, who had arrived a step late, leaned against the doorway. He looked me up and down with a frivolous gaze and teased:
“Little Peach Blossom, you certainly move fast.”

I froze.

Behind me, Cangyu’s face was cold. The Leyao, a sword that had hunted countless demons, was now pointed directly at me.

“Why is it you?”

“I…”

I wanted to say that we had met before. Had he forgotten?

“You disguised yourself as Choulu to scheme against me like this. What do you stand to gain?”

I remained silent. I knew that anything I said right now would be wrong.

Ignoring the gazes of Cangyu and Sihun, I did my best to play the part of a frivolous demoness. I slowly put on my bodice, tied the laces, and picked up my clothes from the floor, dressing myself with deliberate composure.

I must have succeeded; even the flippant Sihun turned his head away, the base of his ears flushed red.

This Moon-white Flowing Immortal Dress didn’t suit me. I wasn’t a high and mighty, cold Fairy, and there was no one to cherish or love me.

I was just a low-life Peach Blossom Demon. I should be wearing the flamboyant red of a seductive wench.

Perhaps his heart softened, or perhaps he hesitated.

“I will take responsibility…”

I flashed a shallow, flirtatious smile.

“Thank you for your primordial yang, Immortal. It allowed this demoness to touch the threshold of becoming an immortal.”

“You were quite gentle, Immortal, but one night is enough to grow bored. Why talk of responsibility?”

My heart had gone numb with pain. I didn’t know what expression Cangyu was wearing behind me.

Sihun’s playful facade gradually faded, replaced by a complex look as he watched me.

Cangyu might think I had malicious intent and had framed him. He might think I was a calculating creature who would do anything to become an immortal, even climbing into his bed. He might think that demons were simply low-class and shameless.

Any of those were fine. Let him think that.

Just… don’t think of me as a devoted Little Demon.

After all, the burden of sleeping with a heartless, shameless demoness is far lighter than sleeping with a devoted, innocent Little Demon.

I would never admit to liking him. That would be far too embarrassing for a demoness.

Cangyu performed a Sword Art, and his long sword landed heavily behind me. The aftershock made my chest tremble.

He didn’t hurt me, nor did he lash out with harsh words.

He was merely expressing his powerless fury.

He was such a gentleman that he wouldn’t kill me out of shame or anger.

Just like back then, when he realized I had nothing to do with the Demon Tide and spared my life.

He always managed to make my heart flutter, yet his heart never fluttered for me.

How lucky Choulu must be to have his heart. Last night, in his drunken state, he mistook me for her. Thinking Choulu’s cultivation was still shallow, he had disregarded his status as a Divine Lord and forcibly transferred his cultivation to me.

Half of his cultivation had ignited the dormant demon core within me, allowing me to reach the Path of Immortality.

And so, I became the only half-demon half-god anomaly in the Ninth Heaven.

The Heavenly Empress despised a demon who used such tactics, so she sent Sihun to perform my enfeoffment as immortal instead.

As I stood beneath the Divine Tree of the Ninth Heaven to receive my title, the assembly of immortals looked on with unreadable expressions-some with disdain, some with mockery, and some with a curious, lingering interest.

“What a lucky demoness.”

“To use such underhanded means to climb her way into the Ninth Heaven.”

“Even Cangyu, the War God, had his day of being schemed against by a demon.”

Sihun’s magical artifact, the Soul Mirror, reflected a barefoot demoness with honey-colored eyes and long Rumo hair flowing loosely. She wore a dress of vibrant red, as bold as fire.

I smiled, and she smiled back.

Frivolous and beautiful.

On my ankles were the Golden Bell anklets Sihun had given me. The tiny bells let out a crisp, clear sound with every step I took, disturbing the peace of those who heard them.