Su Su took a moment to compose herself, then raised her head and gritted her teeth at him. "This is my answer to you."
She struck and immediately retreated, knowing her current strength likely couldn't match Tantai Jin's, and quickly put distance between them.
Tantai Jin hunched over slightly, his youthful face deathly pale with red-rimmed eyes fixed on her, his jaw muscles tensing visibly.
Most of Su Su's anger had dissipated, and she suppressed a laugh. "Maybe you should go see the imperial physician."
Tantai Jin stormed off with an angry flick of his sleeve.
His walking posture was clearly abnormal. Su Su made a face at his retreating back, feeling somewhat gleeful. It would be a good thing if he were truly rendered incapable of having children—why should the Demon God leave behind any descendants?
A eunuch nervously moved to support Tantai Jin but was pushed away.
With a dark expression, he stood up on his own and walked off.
The eunuch glanced back and saw the young girl in white ceremonial robes standing under the candlelight, looking at their emperor with contempt. The chief eunuch felt an odd sensation, as if... Tantai Jin had tried to bed his own woman but ended up being beaten by her.
Though he thought this, the chief eunuch quickly hurried after him.
Watching the door close before her, Su Su rubbed her hair in frustration.
Tantai Jin was becoming deranged, wanting to salvage the Corpse Demon—what should be done about this?
While other emperors trained soldiers to attack cities, he—not even having become the Demon God yet—was constantly obsessed with using demonic power to overthrow Great Xia.
Naturally, Su Su didn't want him to actually destroy Great Xia.
But she understood in her heart that Tantai Jin would never stop. The inherent cruelty in his bones would drive him to point his sword at Great Xia, then torture and kill every person who had ever humiliated him.
He hated Xia Kingdom, and of course, he hated Zhou Kingdom too.
He didn't see the people of Great Xia as human beings, nor did he value the lives of Zhou soldiers. He manipulated them recklessly to satisfy his own pleasure.
He was a madman who cared about nothing.
No, perhaps he cared somewhat about Ye Bingshang. At least in front of Ye Bingshang, he behaved more obediently and restrained.
Su Su's head ached from thinking, unable to come up with any good plan to eliminate the Corpse Demon.
That evening, maidservants entered, carrying several buckets of water for her to bathe and change clothes.
Su Su was somewhat surprised. She nodded with a smile. "Thank you."
The maidservants hurried out, not daring to look at her for too long or get close to her, as if Su Su were some dangerous figure.
Su Su took off her clothes and finally enjoyed a comfortable bath.
When she picked up the replacement dress, she froze momentarily. This outfit remarkably resembled the ceremonial robes—a white ruqun skirt edged with solemn gold thread, the hem patterned with ancient designs that looked quite sacred.
She glanced at the ceremonial robes she had taken off, her feelings complicated.
The curved jade, which had been pretending to be dead, seized the chance to remark, "He likes seeing you in this kind of dress."
Su Su said angrily, "You should go back to sleep."
The curved jade chuckled silently and indeed stopped speaking.
It had now recovered and rested enough that staying awake wasn't as exhausting as when it first brought Su Su through time.
Both master and artifact knew perfectly well that Tantai Jin held some subtle feelings toward Su Su. Only, the young Demon God's emotions were unpredictable—whether they were like a warm river or frozen ice.
The curved jade thought to itself that Su Su must not develop any feelings for Tantai Jin. She held the Soul-Extinguishing Pearl Tears and would eventually strike against him. Without any emotional attachment, she wouldn't be hurt later.
Having suffered a setback with Su Su, Tantai Jin didn't come for several days.
Once, the curved jade said, "He's outside."
After a while, it added, "He's gone now."It was unclear whether he was just passing through or had other business, but Tantai Jin had been quite busy. Su Su, confined under guard, had no knowledge of the outside situation, but she was certain Tantai Jin was up to no good.
Not long after, it was time for Tantai Jin to send people to retrieve the Corpse Demon.
Su Su finally got to leave her confinement.
The weather was far from pleasant, with a continuous drizzle. She looked up and noted the heavy Yin energy in the air. Retrieving the Corpse Demon on such a day would bring no benefit to ordinary mortals—it was highly likely the Corpse Demon would kill many people.
But it would be advantageous for the Corpse Demon.
Truly a born Demon God—he protected demons, not people.
A stern and imposing woman, holding a sword, scrutinized Su Su.
A guard called out, "Lord Nian."
Nian Muning nodded. "I'll keep a close watch on her. She won't escape."
Hearing the surname Nian, Su Su immediately knew this person was connected to Nian Bai Yu—likely his sister or older sibling.
Nian Muning’s sword was made of Peach Wood. Su Su thought to herself, She seems to be a skilled practitioner, no wonder Tantai Jin assigned her to guard me.
As Su Su observed Nian Muning, Nian Muning was also studying her.
She had long heard from her younger brother Bai Yu that a woman had repeatedly deceived His Majesty.
Now, face to face with her, Nian Muning found it hard to maintain a pleasant expression. The young woman before her wore a white streamlined dress with exquisite golden embroidery, and even on this overcast day, her holy and beautiful aura remained undiminished.
The girl lifted her long black lashes, her eyes like pools of clear water. Sensing Nian Muning’s hostility, she did not smile, her cool and detached demeanor harmonizing perfectly with her attire.
Nian Muning shoved Su Su roughly. "Behave yourself. Don’t try any tricks. His Majesty has summoned you. You’d better come up with a way to control the Corpse Demon, or you’ll regret it."
Bound by Ruoshui rope around her wrists, Su Su truly couldn’t overpower Nian Muning at the moment. But she was never one to take insults lying down. Stumbling slightly, she turned back to Nian Muning and asked, "Do you like Tantai Jin?"
Nian Muning glared at her. "Nonsense!"
Su Su smiled faintly. "So it’s true."
Nian Muning’s expression darkened as she sneered coldly. "Stop wasting your breath. If you can’t think of a solution, you’ll be the one to feed the Corpse Demon."
Like Nian Bai Yu, Nian Muning was a member of the Yiyue tribe. From a young age, she had known her mission: to assist Tantai Jin in becoming a ruler.
She had diligently studied Daoist arts and martial skills, only recently emerging from seclusion, her abilities finally put to use.
While her martial prowess might not match her brother Nian Bai Yu’s, her mastery of Daoist arts was profound.
At least among mortals, she was considered exceptional.
By the time Su Su and Nian Muning arrived at the Mohe River, many people were already there, dredging for the Corpse Demon.
They wore shackles on their feet, their faces filled with panic—all of them were Great Xia slaves captured by Tantai Jin.
Su Su took a deep breath and looked toward the young man seated on the high platform.
A light drizzle fell from the sky, but a black canopy sheltered him from the rain. Tantai Jin lounged lazily in his chair, watching the slaves retrieve the Corpse Demon.
When the first Corpse Demon was hauled up, it immediately tore apart a slave who couldn’t struggle free.
A gentle smile played on Tantai Jin’s lips as he watched the slave’s body being ripped in half and the Corpse Demon feasting upon it.
Su Su felt a chill in her heart, but Nian Muning showed no reaction, leading Su Su before Tantai Jin.
Tantai Jin glanced at her, the smile on his lips fading.
His slender fingers brushed over the creases in his black dragon robe—He had a peculiar fondness for this cruel color, even the dragon patterns embroidered on it were stitched with silver thread. Though called an emperor, he was too lazy to ascend the throne, yet to say he had no ambition would be wrong—he took great pleasure in conquering cities and killing people.
"You saw how pitifully they died. Tell me, how can I control the Corpse Demons, hmm?"
Su Su stared at him expressionlessly. "There is no way."
Tantai Jin let out a low chuckle, the curve of his lips straightening as he sighed, "What a shame."
In those few words, several more slaves died. Su Su frowned tightly, compelled to speak, "I truly have no method. Ordinary Corpse Demons can be dealt with using Peach Wood and black dog blood. If that fails, glutinous rice can also work. But these are different—they were born from absorbing millennia of resentment at the riverbed. You can seek experts to kill them with spiritual artifacts, but you cannot control them!"
Tantai Jin remarked indifferently, "Is that so?"
His gaze shifted past Su Su to the Mohe River, where people kept falling. Fortunately, over the past few days, the resentment at the riverbed had been entirely absorbed by the forty or so Corpse Demons, and the dead no longer transformed into new ones.
While they killed, the Night Shadow Guard and soldiers herded them into the Black Iron Cages.
Gradually, the cages filled densely with captured Corpse Demons.
Tantai Jin looked pleased and asked Su Su, "How many do you think Xiao Lin's army can handle?"
Su Su didn't even glance at him.
The moment her fingers twitched, Nian Muning grabbed her from behind, warning, "No tricks!"
Su Su pressed her lips together, feeling somewhat defeated.
There were times when she, too, was powerless—like watching the Immortal Sect and mortals perish under Demonic Beasts five hundred years later, or like now, witnessing mortals die at the hands of Corpse Demons.
After who knows how long, all the Corpse Demons were finally fished out. Yang Ji ran over through the light rain to report to Tantai Jin, "Forty-two in total. One escaped."
Tantai Jin's brow twitched slightly. "Escaped?"
Yang Ji explained, "The Mohe River connects to other waterways. Corpse Demons have no consciousness; carried by the current, it might have drifted to another river."
Tantai Jin fell silent. He glanced at the gloomy sky and said wearily, "Let it be."
After all, it would just kill people elsewhere—a few deaths meant nothing.
But Su Su's heart raced suddenly. Could it be... that Xiao Lin and his men had secretly captured one to study?
Knowing Tantai Jin would use Corpse Demons against Great Xia, it was possible they had taken one in advance to find a solution.
Tantai Jin's dark pupils fixed on her, and he suddenly propped his chin up, smiling. "Do you think Xiao Lin will have a way?"
Su Su was startled—he had actually guessed what she was thinking.
Tantai Jin yawned and said casually, "You can wait and see."
He looked at the blood-soaked land with interest and asked Su Su, "Does it sadden you to see these mortals die?"
Su Su's lips curled coldly as she spat out, "Psychopath."
He covered his eyes and laughed heartily.
Su Su thought she must not have kicked him hard enough the other day—otherwise, a man who had lost his manhood shouldn't be able to laugh like this.
She understood now: Tantai Jin had probably known all along that she had no way to deal with the Corpse Demons. He had deliberately provoked her a few days ago and brought her to witness this bloody spectacle.
If she grew agitated or pleaded for the Great Xia captives, it would excite him.
Even her current cold, expressionless demeanor brought him pleasure.She took a deep breath, realizing that anything she did would please him, so she simply turned her head away—out of sight, out of mind.
Tantai Jin didn’t mind. He was genuinely quite pleased.
Having achieved his goal, he led the grand procession back to Mohe City.
Seated in the gilded carriage, he watched Su Su walking in the rain.
She hadn’t been of any use today—this was her punishment. Nian Muning also walked in the rain, following behind Su Su.
The young woman hugged her arms as the light rain fell on her white feathered dress. Made of the finest ice silk, the fabric wouldn’t get wet. Glittering raindrops slid down the golden hem, shimmering brilliantly.
Nian Muning glanced back at Tantai Jin and noticed His Majesty gazing at the figure ahead. A faint bitterness suddenly stirred in her heart.
Nian Bai Yu had already told her that the girl was named Ye Xi Wu, His Majesty’s wife from Great Xia.
She had often mistreated His Majesty when he was still a youth. Yet… despite Tantai Jin’s cruelty, he hadn’t killed her.
Nian Muning gripped her sword, coldly staring at Su Su. She was indeed somewhat beautiful, but her heart didn’t belong to His Majesty. Sooner or later, he would lose patience and kill her.
Su Su was forced to witness a scene of bloodshed.
Curved Jade sighed in relief when it saw her calm demeanor. The young mistress’s Dao Heart was steady—her path was one of relentless forward momentum, not one of pitying the world.
She understood the true essence of cultivating immortality. Instead of wallowing in self-pity over her current disadvantage, she calmly began considering her next steps.
This journey to the mortal realm had matured her considerably.
No wonder the sect had insisted on sending her despite her youth. If someone overly righteous had come instead, they might have spat in disgust today, fought Tantai Jin to the death, and ended up losing everything.
Su Su was still pondering the matter of the Corpse Demon but had no leads.
Curved Jade said, "It’s alright. We should also try to trust Xiao Lin. They’re all intelligent people, and their abilities aren’t weak. Young mistress, don’t try to shoulder everything alone."
Su Su nodded. "You’re right."
The Three Realms belonged to everyone—relying on her alone would never suffice. Considering Xiao Lin’s wisdom and the heart protecting scale in Ye Bingshang’s possession, things surely wouldn’t turn out too badly.
It had been raining for several days, with thunderstorms even at night. This weather was ideal for a surprise attack, yet for some unknown reason, both Mohe River and the opposing Yuzhou remained at a standstill.
An atmosphere of brewing conspiracy lingered in the air.
One night, when festive red lanterns hung outside, Su Su leaned against the window to peer out and asked Nian Muning, who was guarding her, "What’s happening?"
Nian Muning replied displeased, "It has nothing to do with you."
Su Su tilted her head to listen—the sound of strings and flutes drifted in. The rain had finally stopped tonight, and the front courtyard seemed unusually lively. The celebratory atmosphere clearly indicated a happy occasion—Tantai Jin’s happy occasion, which equated to bad news for her.
His displeasure was her joy; by that logic, she assumed nothing good would come of tonight.
Nian Muning’s expression darkened as she looked toward the front courtyard.
While Su Su didn’t understand what was happening, Nian Muning knew. Today was His Majesty’s capping ceremony birthday, and Yang Ji, along with other officials, were celebrating it for him.
Tantai Jin was arrogant and cruel—no one dared offend him. For this birthday, everyone was doing their utmost to curry favor.
Yang Ji had arranged an extravagant affair. With the Corpse Demon captured, this banquet served as a pre-war celebration to boost morale. Battle was likely imminent.
The Zhou Kingdom loved music, dance, and beautiful women—one could easily imagine how lively the front courtyard must be.Were it not for the girl in the chamber, Nian Muning would have had the chance to remain by His Majesty's side as often as Nian Bai Yu did, and this thought brought her no joy, leaving her rather resentful of Su Su.
Inside, Su Su found her confinement equally tedious. Nian Muning, a perfectly young maiden, was regrettably taciturn. Only by mocking Tantai Jin could Su Su provoke her into speaking a few more words; otherwise, she was as dull as a wooden stump.
Unable to gather any information, Su Su simply sat cross-legged and began cultivating.
This body lacked a Spiritual Root, but with the World-Toppling Flower, even if she couldn't cultivate Spiritual Energy, refining her mental state was still beneficial.
The music and festivities outside gradually faded from her awareness.
Nian Muning, standing guard, watched ants moving beneath the eaves with disinterest, assuming the night would pass uneventfully.
Unexpectedly, as night deepened, hundreds of palace lanterns lit up.
A black nine-headed bird carriage approached slowly, its wheels rolling over the blue stone steps.
A slightly intoxicated youth, leaning on his hand, sat in the carriage. His cheeks were flushed with a peach-blossom hue, and his expression held a trace of excitement as he gazed toward the courtyard.
Nian Muning froze, realizing who resided within. She pressed her lips tightly together.
Suddenly, she recalled an absurd tradition in the Zhou Kingdom: when a prince came of age.
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