【Chu Huang & Di Mian】
In ancient times, before the divine-demon war began, everything was peaceful and serene.
The Phoenix Clan dwelled in the southern Divine Realm of Phoenix Trees.
Those of true phoenix divine blood had floral markings between their brows and eyes as clear as tranquil waters.
While combing her daughter’s hair, Chu Huang’s mother told her, “In a few years, when the young prince of the Kirin Divine Clan comes of age, you will have to marry into their clan.”
Chu Huang had no desire for such an alliance—she disliked the Kirin Clan, whom she considered simple-minded and brawny.
The Kirin were overbearing and crude. Moreover, Chu Huang had met their young prince. Though she had already blossomed into an elegant maiden, the prince in his Kirin form was like a little puppy, always trying to nuzzle into her embrace. For a long time, she was haunted by the image of that four-legged little creature.
Chu Huang could hardly imagine what her life would be like married to that milk-drinking child.
She had refused the marriage many times, but the Phoenix Clan always dismissed her objections. To Chu Huang, life among the Phoenix Clan was like stagnant water—each generation of princesses diligently continuing their bloodline, devoid of emotion.
She couldn’t understand: was such a rigid existence truly meaningful for gods?
The Phoenix Clan lived in seclusion, with a barrier at the boundary stone forbidding any clansmen from leaving.
@Infinite good stories, all in Jinjiang Literature City
Chu Huang first encountered Mian when he lay collapsed at the boundary stone of the Divine Realm of Phoenix Trees.
The man had sharp, finely chiseled brows and an imposing, handsome demeanor.
Yet, what caught her eye first was not his appearance, but the secret delight she felt: “Perfect! Now I have a way out.”
Chu Huang formed hand seals, conjuring ropes to drag him inside.
The process was arduous, and the man’s handsome face scraped repeatedly against the ground.
“Don’t blame me, don’t blame me—I had no choice.”
Facedown, where she couldn’t see, a vein throbbed violently on his forehead.
Upon closer inspection, Chu Huang realized he was also of divine race, yet he was unusually thin and frail. It was rare to see such a gaunt child among the gods. His body was covered in whip marks, and a terrifying palm print marred his chest.
Her initial thought of using his blood to break the barrier faded. Frowning, she studied him for a long moment before sighing, “So pitiful… Fine, consider it my bad luck—I owe you one.”
He was too severely injured, his divine aura nearly extinguished.
Chu Huang tended to him meticulously for a year—so long that she almost regarded him as a potted plant she was nurturing, one that might never bloom.
Finally, one morning, the man awoke. @Infinite good stories, all in Jinjiang Literature City
As usual, Chu Huang entered the room, only to unexpectedly meet a pair of eyes fixed on her.
In stark contrast to his overall demeanor, the man had beautiful peach-blossom eyes, their corners slightly upturned, exuding a flirtatious charm.
Leaning against the bed, he curved his lips into a smile, his slightly hoarse voice utterly captivating: “I recognize you. You saved me.”
That was their first meeting. He didn’t seem like a god—more like a male fox spirit.
Many years later, whenever Chu Huang recalled that smile, she could still remember how it had captivated her.
What did she love? She loved the untamed freedom of this world, loved the three parts charm, three parts mockery, and four parts aloofness in his eyes and brows.
How could there be someone who fit her preferences so perfectly, so exquisitely?
Thus, the bold and radiant princess, in the throes of rebellion, cupped his face and declared, “Hey, how about being my male consort?”
Hearing this, he lowered his gaze and chuckled, “Alright. My name is Mian.”
Mian did not always look like this in the beginning.He was born in the ancient land of demons and monsters, having devoured countless primordial great demons until he eventually became the Demon King.
Most primordial demonic forms were grotesque, just like Siying—who had no hair, a bulging scalp, pale and cracked lips, and fangs.
Mian, in his earliest form, was a chaotic mass of flesh—ugly, fierce, and terrifying enough to make anyone tremble at the mere mention of him.
All who followed the Demon God were eager for a grand undertaking, and Mian was no exception.
The living conditions for demons were harsh; even primordial demons received no offerings from mortals.
Where drought demons appeared, the land would suffer from famine and barrenness; where Mian appeared, storms and earthquakes would ravage the human world.
After slaying many ancient gods and forcing them to condense their soul-destroying pearl tears, Mian was given another mission.
The Demon God said, "We need a new heavenly order, but the opportunity to initiate it is far from sufficient. I command you to infiltrate the Phoenix Clan and obtain the Crimson Feather Divine Fire."
Mian's voice was eerie and unpleasant: "How shall I obtain it?"
"The key lies with Chuhuang, the only princess of the Phoenix Divine Clan."
The Demon God did not understand love, viewing it as nothing more than a dispensable tool to manipulate others.
At that time, Mian also did not understand love. He desired supreme power and a world ruled by demons, so he agreed without hesitation.
The Phoenix Divine Clan was famously reclusive and extremely difficult to enter.
Following the information gathered by his subordinates, he spent two hundred years refining his voice and another eight hundred years tempering his body, shedding his terrifying demonic form to take on a strikingly handsome and charming appearance. He extracted the divine essence of another ancient god to conceal his own aura.
Suppressing his cultivation and deliberately inflicting severe injuries upon himself, Mian successfully entered the Divine Phoenix Realm, just as he had planned.
No one in the world knew that he had been crafted to perfectly match Chuhuang's preferences.
So it came as no surprise to him when she fell for him.
But he never expected that this princess would be so bold as to demand he become her male consort.
And not just any consort—one with no status whatsoever.
Mian smiled, his fists already clenched. This little peach-blossom-faced girl probably had no idea that he was old enough to be her ancestor.
If the Phoenix Clan were to discover that a demon king of his caliber had infiltrated their ranks, even the eldest phoenixes would ruffle their beautiful feathers in alarm.
Yet this little phoenix truly had no fear of death.
She made Mian wear peach-colored robes, lay on his lap, and asked him to play melodies for her.
The princess’s jade-like feet were bare, adorned with little bells. They looked so tender and utterly adorable that Mian couldn’t help stealing a few glances before forcing himself to look away.
He gently stroked her hair and asked mischievously, "Your Highness is betrothed to the young Qilin Crown Prince. Aren’t you afraid of being punished for fooling around with someone like me?"
Chuhuang nodded. "Of course I am. But I’d rather face punishment than spend my whole life as a caged bird. I’m not suited for the young prince. If he thinks I’m not a good woman, all the better—we can call off the engagement. Or if the Phoenix Clan casts me out, that would be fine too."
She rested her head comfortably on her arm, gazing up at the phoenix trees above. "Is continuing the divine bloodline really so important? Should two people be bound together against their will?"
"Mian is but a lowly god. I dare not comment on Your Highness’s views," he replied with a smile.
Her eyes sparkled as she sat up, grinning, and pinched his chin. "You’re quite self-aware, my little consort."
His smile stiffened for a moment before he gritted his teeth and said, "As you say, Your Highness."
There were many times when Mian felt the urge to strangle her.She urged him, "Little godling, do you know how to cook? Make some mortal-style pastries for this princess to try."
"I don't."
"Then go learn! How do you even serve as a male consort?"
"Little godling, what about singing? You know, those lilting tunes."
"I don't."
"I'll conjure one for you with the water mirror. Learn from it and come here."
Mian felt that one day his mission would fail—and the reason would be strangling this phoenix princess to death.
He had to wash her clothes, bathe her feet, and even tell her stories.
On the night he gritted his teeth and learned to sing opera, while the princess opposite him burst into laughter a hundred times, he finally became her "male consort" in truth—sharing her bed for the night.
Mian felt a surge of pride, wishing he could overpower her in that very aspect.
She merely looked at him with a smile, gently touched his ear, and whispered softly, "Little godling, why did you come to my side? Do you want the heart's blood of a phoenix?"
The heart's blood of a phoenix's true form could cleanse the marrow of a lowly god, transforming them into a gifted high god. Unfortunately, a phoenix that lost its heart's blood would never advance in cultivation again.
Startled, Mian narrowed his peach-blossom eyes and smiled. "If I asked for it, would you give it to me, Princess?"
Chu Huang propped her chin on her hand, tilting her head to look at him. "Yes, I would. If I give you my heart's blood, I won't be able to remain the phoenix princess. Then we'll face punishment together, but don't worry—since I'm the one who dragged you into this, I, as your princess, will protect you. I'll take the blame for you."
"Though we might be expelled from the phoenix clan, becoming two ordinary gods without the protection of our families, free to roam anywhere in the six realms. Are you willing?"
Mian was taken aback. For a moment, he was mesmerized by her clear, sincere eyes, almost believing he was just a lowly godling coveting her divine blood.
His emotions tangled, he nodded and said, "Alright."
A light sparked in Chu Huang's eyes, her brows curving into a smile. "Then it's settled. After my mother's birthday celebration, I'll give you my divine blood, and we'll leave together to see the mountains and rivers from your stories."
But Mian knew the little princess would never live to see that day.
Who would spend a lifetime with her? The affections of demons and monsters were always fickle. It was all just an act.
On the day of Chu Huang's mother's birthday, the truth came to light. Mian was taken away and secretly executed.
The phoenix clan would never allow a lowly god like him to taint their princess. In their eyes, the marriage alliance with the qilin clan was paramount. By killing Mian, Chu Huang would be willing to marry Prince Huan Qi.
By the time Chu Huang rushed over, Mian was already on his last breath, his soul on the verge of scattering.
Before that day, Mian had never thought Chu Huang held such intense feelings for him. She always teased him, calling him "little male consort" or "little godling," rarely even using his name, A'Mian.
But that day, scalding tears fell on his face.
"I'm sorry, it's my fault you're like this."
"A'Mian, don't be afraid. I will save you."
A light, tender kiss fell on his forehead as the heart's blood of the phoenix flowed from her heart into his.
Long ago, Mian had heard that when immortals and gods married, they would exchange a single drop of heart's blood to express their deepest love and mutual understanding.
He didn't know how much of her heart's blood she had given him—enough to nearly cost her half her life.
Dazed, he wondered: What did it mean for Chu Huang to give him so much of her phoenix divine blood? Wasn't their relationship just a frivolous game?
Even if it was out of guilt, she shouldn't have done this."Don't be afraid. When you wake up, we'll leave together." Chuhuang still remembered the promise from that night.
But to awaken Mian required the Crimson Feather Divine Flame, which had always protected the phoenix clan. With its presence, the divine parasol tree flourished endlessly, providing the phoenix tribe their home.
Chuhuang said, "I'll take you there, let the divine flame wake you."
She naturally wouldn't dare harm her clan's foundation, but Mian, having received so much of her heart's blood, could now be considered a member of the phoenix tribe. The divine flame was thus his foundation too.
She carried Mian on her back, placing him beneath the phoenix tree where the divine flame drifted above.
Chuhuang formed hand seals to summon the divine flame for his rescue.
Yet she didn't know that the "flower" she had nurtured for years, who had been by her side day and night, was actually a thief.
That day, the divine flame extinguished, and the phoenix tree collapsed.
The man who loved to laugh, was full of passion, cooked for her, sang opera and told her stories, now held the Crimson Feather Divine Flame in his hand, looking down at her coldly from midair.
"A-Mian?" Her face turned pale.
"My name is Di Mian." He curved his lips. "Thank you for the divine flame, Princess."
Only then did Chuhuang understand that what she thought was love at first sight was merely someone else's carefully laid scheme. He had acted so well that he eventually became the image of her beloved.
The parasol trees began to wither, the boundary monuments crumbled.
When Di Mian fought his way out of the phoenix tribe, he grabbed a phoenix clansman by the neck, hesitated for a long time, then coldly furrowed his brow and threw them aside.
Di Mian didn't know what punishment Chuhuang would bear for this.
She was imprisoned in the phoenix clan's dungeon, subjected to thirty-two streams of weak water torturing her body, relentlessly tormenting her soul.
Until the newly adult Huanqi carefully lifted her from the underground prison.
Huanqi had shed his childish appearance, having grown quite handsome.
"I will marry Chuhuang, and I will protect the phoenix tribe," he said. "Do not harm her."
Looking at his cyan robes and anxious face, Chuhuang realized for the first time how terribly wrong she had been. She had abandoned the pearl and fallen for the fish.
But Huanqi deserved to meet someone better. The mistakes she made shouldn't be borne by Huanqi.
She went alone to the demon realm, scheming to retrieve the divine flame.
But as she was leaving the demon realm, she was discovered.
The Demon God looked at her with interest. "So you're the Phoenix Princess. Well, Di Mian, I heard she tortured you quite badly before. Do you want to deal with her yourself?"
A man emerged from the shadows, the mark of the Demon King between his brows, his face pale as he looked at Chuhuang.
"Do it," the Demon God narrowed his eyes.
After a moment of silence, Di Mian raised his palm and struck Chuhuang.
She coughed up a mouthful of blood. At the last moment, struggling, she sent the divine flame away, slamming an emei piercing imbued with her power into Di Mian's shoulder. Chuhuang curved her lips into a smile: "How about that? I hold grudges well! Did you really think you could take my clan's treasure and escape unscathed? You demons and monsters, dreaming of obtaining the divine flame—wishful thinking!"
The magatama carrying the divine flame fled, tearing through space-time in an instant, disappearing without a trace.
The Demon God's expression turned cold: "You!"
Beside him, Di Mian suddenly struck, dispersing Chuhuang's soul.
The Demon God frowned, seeing she had no breath left, and could say no more.
After everyone dispersed, a long time passed before Di Mian walked over, hands trembling as he picked her up.
He pulled out the emei piercing carrying karmic flames from his own shoulder and carried her out of the demon realm.
Using hidden phoenix heart's blood he had saved, he rescued her, wandering through the six realms until she was reborn from flames.
Before she awoke, it was also the eve of the divine-demon war.
Di Mian could only watch helplessly as Huanqi took her away.The Demon Lord's heart was cold and indifferent, and Di Mian initially thought the same. He believed those years, when he closed his eyes and watched Chu Huang tirelessly busy herself for him, meticulously tending to his wounds, were nothing but a farce.
He thought his patience in wearing peach-colored robes, holding her while telling her stories, was merely to obtain the Crimson Feather Divine Flame.
He thought that night, under the hazy moonlight, when the candid Princess described the future to him, his rapidly beating heart was not a sign of affection.
But he forgot—from the very beginning, he was born for her preferences.
Long before he took human form, when he was still an ugly monster, he already knew the slender curve of the Princess’s waist, its exact measure. He knew the colors she loved, the tone of voice she adored.
Di Mian spent a thousand years enduring the pain of refinement to become the form she would favor.
In the years that followed, missing her again and again, he recalled countless times that moment when he pretended to wake and saw those dazzling eyes.
His heart beat wildly, like a startled deer.
Chu Huang would never know just how many years he had waited for that first encounter.
OpenNovel