Shi Yan reacted swiftly. She quickly grabbed the breakfast shop owner who was about to abandon his stall and flee, settled the bill for her meal, and then hurried back home.
After all, there was still her disabled old father, Shi Qianlv, at home! Though he wasn’t her biological father and often lamented her lack of progress, and though he harbored reservations about her true form, they had still lived together for several years. Even if they were just landlord and tenant, it wouldn’t be right to abandon him now.
On her way back, she caught sight of the chaotic scene near the distant city walls. Illegally constructed high-rise buildings collapsed with a thunderous roar, sending clouds of dust into the air. Half the sky was filled with swarms of ferocious beasts—rumor had it that the Great Demon Lord of Winter City raised all sorts of creatures indiscriminately, and he had plenty of such beasts under his command. Using them to attack a city was a testament to his extravagance.
If these beasts were to enter the city, it would be like throwing a cat into a pond full of fish. She could already imagine how brutal the scene would become.
The ruler of Crane Immortal City was Elder Crane, a seasoned city lord of the Demon Realm. Having held control over Crane Immortal City for so many years, the strength of its outer barrier was undeniable. Yet, in such a short time, Shi Yan saw a section of the city wall collapse.
A colossal black serpent, thicker and taller than the city wall, raised its head. Its terrifying visage exuded an innate ferocity, and its pair of blood-red eyes gleamed with cold cruelty. This prehistoric behemoth of a monster had shattered Crane Immortal City’s barrier and walls with sheer physical force, a sight Shi Yan could see clearly even from afar.
Though this was her first time seeing it, Shi Yan knew exactly what this black serpent was—the pet and mount of the Great Demon Lord Sima Jiao of Winter City. The giant serpent had no name, but its reputation in the Demon Realm was as formidable as its master’s. Out of respect, everyone referred to it as the Demon Dragon.
Watching it twist its body and instantly flatten half of the northern district, Shi Yan gasped. She was genuinely afraid of snakes, and one this size only amplified her fear.
The serpent writhed amidst the dust, stirring up clouds that made it seem as though it were riding the mist. The demon cultivators within Crane Immortal City were terrified, their eyes wide with fear, while the demon generals from Winter City who had come to attack stood behind the serpent, not yet entering the city—they all knew they had to wait until this serpent ancestor had its fill of fun before they could act.
In Winter City, this enormous black serpent held a uniquely privileged status. Their Demon Lord Sima Jiao was capricious and ruthless, and no one dared to defy him. Over the years, countless demon generals under his command had met their demise at his hands, yet there was never a shortage of people eager to serve him.
After all this time, the only one who had remained by his side unscathed was this black serpent.
Even though the serpent was dim-witted and fond of mischief, they had to cater to its whims. This time, the Demon Lord hadn’t come in person, but the black serpent had. If anything were to happen to it, none of them would fare well upon their return.
Who would have thought? Outwardly, they appeared formidable and respected, but back in Winter City, they had to tread carefully—living in fear, even less esteemed than a serpent with no spiritual intelligence.
The demon generals stood with imposing auras, leading hordes of ferocious beasts and demon cultivators, poised to storm the city and wreak havoc once the serpent had its fun. But before long, Elder Crane, the lord of Crane Immortal City, emerged with his own demon generals. The two sides met in the sky, and Elder Crane promptly surrendered, pledging allegiance to the Demon Lord.
The Winter City demon generals: "..."Damn it, why did they surrender so quickly! They had actually hoped for a fight—looting and pillaging after storming the city would have been far better than this!
But since the people had already surrendered and would soon be colleagues, it wasn’t exactly easy to turn hostile all of a sudden. Elder Crane noticed the discontent among the crowd and quickly ushered the demon generals into the city, preparing to host them properly.
Though the great battle had been avoided, Crane Immortal City was still thrown into chaos, with many locals restless and uneasy.
Shi Yan returned to her family courtyard to find her father and brother both present, deep in discussion with grim expressions. Her aunt, however, was nowhere to be seen.
At the sight of Shi Yan, Shi Qianlv immediately said coldly, "Pack your things. We’re leaving this place."
Shi Zhenxu explained briefly, "Sima Jiao’s men arrived faster than we anticipated. Though we’ve confirmed he hasn’t come in person, we can’t risk being discovered. So we’ll have to leave soon."
Shi Yan wasn’t surprised. The Shi family’s fear of the Great Demon King Sima Jiao was practically branded on their foreheads. They cursed him endlessly in private, yet the moment they faced any real threat from him, they’d flee in terror. She asked, "Are we leaving now?"
Shi Zhenxu shook his head. "No. The situation is tense right now—Winter City’s demon cultivators are guarding all the exits. Leaving now would only draw attention. We’ll wait a couple of days and assess the situation before moving. But for these next two days, don’t leave the house. Stay put."
Shi Yan agreed. She had moved around often while job-hunting, so relocating again didn’t bother her much. The only thing she regretted was leaving behind her friend Hongluo.
Hongluo was the only person in this world she had grown close to. When Shi Yan first arrived here, she had to adjust to many things, but her father and brother forbade her from interacting with outsiders, treating her almost like a prisoner. The Demon Realm wasn’t exactly brimming with potential friends either, so over the years, Hongluo had remained her only true confidante.
Now that she had to leave, she had no idea when she’d see Hongluo again. She at least wanted to say goodbye.
Shi Yan made up her mind, but her father and brother were keeping too close an eye on her, making it impossible to slip out. She’d have to wait for an opportunity.
Though she had grown somewhat lazy over the years, she was still generally obedient. Seeing her stay home quietly for a day, sleeping in without a fuss, Shi Qianlv and Shi Zhenxu soon stopped paying her much attention—they had other matters to attend to.
Shi Yan was used to them keeping secrets from her. It didn’t bother her; after all, she wasn’t their blood relative. On the morning of the third day, she finally managed to sneak out and headed straight for Rouge Terrace.
The northern district was still in disarray, with no one having cleaned up the mess yet. Most of Winter City’s forces remained outside the city, but Crane Immortal City was now filled with unfamiliar faces—arrogant and aggressive, even more so than the locals. As Shi Yan made her way to Rouge Terrace, she didn’t encounter any petty thieves or troublemakers. Everyone was keeping their heads down, watching and waiting.
Rouge Terrace was just as it had been days ago, seemingly unaffected by the sudden upheaval. The old man who swept the floors and collected corpses still wore the same lifeless expression. Shi Yan nodded at him as usual, but this time, he suddenly spoke: "Wait."
Shi Yan glanced at him in surprise. In all her time working at Rouge Terrace, this was only the second time she had heard him speak.
"Is something wrong?" she asked.
The old man looked at her and said, "Follow me."His cultivation wasn't very high, and he was blind in one eye. Shi Yan didn't perceive him as a threat, so she followed him. Then, unexpectedly, she saw a corpse.
Leading her to the body, the half-blind man said, "A corpse swept out last night," gesturing for her to take it away.
Shi Yan stared at Hongluo's body, momentarily dazed, before thanking him. Then she stepped forward, lifted Hongluo's corpse, and left.
The half-blind man watched her go, his expression unchanging, before returning to deal with the other unclaimed bodies. Yet, he suddenly recalled how, over the past few years, these two girls had chattered and laughed together every morning as they passed through this gate. Perhaps that was why he had deliberately kept this corpse, waiting for someone to claim it.
Shi Yan left the Rouge Terrace and stopped slowly outside the wall. She placed Hongluo on the ground and crouched to look at her cold, pale, swollen, and wounded face.
Since arriving in this world, she had seen countless corpses—from initial disgust to eventual indifference. She thought she had grown entirely accustomed, that no corpse, no matter how gruesome, could make her sick. But now, staring at her friend's body, she suddenly felt a tightness in her chest. Leaning against the wall, she vomited.
An indescribable revulsion.
Hongluo had always been alone. During their breakfasts together, she had talked endlessly. Much of Shi Yan's understanding of this unfamiliar world had come from this friend. Her bond with Hongluo even ran deeper than with her supposed father and brother from this body's past life.
Perhaps because Hongluo had befriended her for who she was—whether she was called Zou Yan, Lü Yan, or Shi Yan. The two family members from the Shi household, however, had only ever treated her as Shi Yan.
Leaning against the wall on this chilly morning, she suddenly remembered another morning years ago. She had been heading to work when she spotted Hongluo by the ninth-floor window of that opulent red tower. Exhausted, Hongluo had waved at her as she flitted across rooftops and said, "Hey, if I ever die here, could you collect my body? I don’t want to end up unclaimed and sold to corpse refiners. Who knows what monstrous thing they’d turn me into."
Back then, she had thought Hongluo was joking—the woman was always spouting nonsense. So she had flashed an OK sign from afar.
Today, she had planned to bid Hongluo farewell and tell her: "I'm moving away. Might not be able to collect your body if you die. So you’d better live—live a long life."
Now, there was no need to say it.
After vomiting, Shi Yan wiped her mouth and searched Hongluo’s body, gathering the few remaining belongings. Typically, corpses like this were already picked over by the cleaners who collected them. Yet some of Hongluo’s things were still there—seems the old man hadn’t touched her.
She cremated Hongluo’s body, placing the ashes into a small cloth pouch.
Shi Yan returned to the Rouge Terrace. She had worked here for years—unremarkably, without standing out—but she had a few acquaintances. After spending some demon stones, she quickly learned the truth behind Hongluo’s death.The night before last, many demon generals from Winter City and their subordinate cultivators arrived at Rouge Terrace. Hongluo died at the hands of a pair of twin brothers, though no one knew why. But then again, what reason was needed? Such was the Demon Realm—if someone stronger than you took a dislike to you, you died.
After confirming their names and appearances, Shi Yan left Rouge Terrace, not forgetting to resign from her position with one of the stewards there.
Crane Immortal City had thus submitted to Winter City. The demon generals and cultivators who had come to stir up trouble were left unsatisfied, feeling they hadn’t had their fill of excitement. Such was the temperament of those raised in the Demon Realm—most were restless and aggressive. Some stayed behind to handle matters, while others prepared to return to Winter City with news and excess personnel.
Brothers Zhi Hunji and Zhi Hunyi were among those returning to Winter City to report. Both were at the Transformation Stage, and though they hadn’t yet attained the rank of demon general, they were somewhat renowned. The Zhi Hun name carried weight in the Demon Realm, and their service under a high-ranking demon general of Winter City was partly due to their family’s prestige.
The brothers were broad-shouldered and powerfully built, having cultivated the demonic physique path among demon cultivators. Even in their normal forms, they were towering figures, but when they transformed into their demonic bodies, they became like giants—impervious to blades, with astonishing strength and defense.
They traveled in the middle of the procession, behind the demon generals’ mounts and ahead of the ordinary demon cultivators. Boisterous and loud, they mocked the collapsed walls of Crane Immortal City as they departed, their tone dripping with arrogance.
Shi Yan blended into the ranks of demon cultivators not far behind them, her body wrapped in black cloth as she listened to their raucous laughter.
They spoke of many things, including the women they’d slept with in Crane Immortal City—none of whom had satisfied them, so they’d killed a few in the heat of the moment.
Hongluo was likely one of those few.
Silently, Shi Yan followed them out of Crane Immortal City. The group marched without rest for two or three days before finally stopping to recuperate. Everyone relaxed, finding places to eat and drink.
At dusk, everything was dim and indistinct. The landscapes of the Demon Realm were never bright or vibrant, as if veiled by some other hue—trees not quite green, flowers not quite vivid. Only the sunset burned brilliantly red. And so too did freshly spilled blood—vivid and striking in color.
Shi Yan wiped the blood from her hands and stood up. At her feet lay two corpses—Zhi Hunji and Zhi Hunyi, their heads gone, necks still gushing blood that soaked the yellow soil around them.
The days of observation, the tracking, and the sudden eruption of violence had left her weary. As she wiped her hands and walked away from the scene, she replayed the events in her mind.
The brothers had been too confident. Some forgotten sage once said that overconfidence led to ruin, and so they’d died without even a chance to unleash their demonic forms.
Perhaps they’d been caught off guard when she suddenly reversed her spiritual power and used the spells of orthodox cultivators. In any case, it had gone smoothly.
Shi Yan had long realized she was different from other demon cultivators in the Demon Realm. Not only could she channel spiritual power into demonic cultivation, but she could also reverse it—wielding the spiritual power used by orthodox cultivators.She didn't know how this had happened, but after studying hard for a long time, she had finally become proficient in both. Moreover, she was more familiar with immortal cultivation spells and could subconsciously use many of them.
In this world of the Demon Realm, Shi Yan had killed many people. She didn't like killing, but there were times when she had no choice. No one around her treated her sincerely, leaving her feeling insecure. To live more comfortably, she could only rely on herself.
Yet, every time she killed someone, she still felt uneasy. She quietly returned to the ranks of the demon cultivators, sometimes thinking about when she could find an opportunity to leave the group and return to Crane Immortal City, and other times imagining how her father would surely scold her when she got back. At this moment, her post-killing trauma flared up again, and she sat there, not wanting to think.
Subconsciously wiping her fingers, she lowered her eyes and inexplicably recalled the first time she had killed someone. Back then, she had encountered a pervert—not the kind who groped people on subways or buses, but the sort in the Demon Realm who would rape and murder in broad daylight. So, she had crushed the skull of the man who approached her.
Honestly, she still didn't understand why, in that moment of tension and blank-mindedness, her subconscious method of killing had been to crush someone's skull. She didn't think she was that brutal. Because of that incident, she developed a phobia of the sticky mess on her hands and never ate anything resembling mush again.
During that period, she would wake up from nightmares every night, questioning whether she had some hidden, twisted side to her.
Moreover, at the time, she had been terrified, covered in cold sweat and tears, only to see her original body's father and brother. Her father had looked at her with disappointment and said, "Even killing someone—you're this useless. What's wrong with you?"
So, she truly felt heartbroken for the original owner of this body. What kind of father was that? Probably the reason she couldn't get close to them later was because of this. A prime example of terrible parenting leading to estranged children.
Lost in her chaotic thoughts, Shi Yan suddenly noticed some commotion ahead. She immediately became alert and saw the enormous Black Snake at the front of the group, carefully surrounded by people, heading toward her crime scene.
"The Demon Dragon has sensed fresh blood! Something must have happened—stay sharp!" A demon general riding a flying beast shouted in all directions.
Shi Yan: "..." Damn it! What kind of dog nose does this snake have? Wait, can snakes even smell? Is this thing mutated? It could detect the blood from so far away? She had already fooled the demon generals up ahead, and now this happens?!
Cursing inwardly, Shi Yan quickly tried to hide herself.
Amitabha, please let that big black snake not trace this back to me!
But whichever deity she prayed to didn't bless her. Before long, the terrifying Black Snake excitedly flicked its tongue and slithered toward her.
Shi Yan: "…!" Don't come over! Go away!
Others noticed the giant snake's movement and sensed something was wrong. A demon general shouted something, and chaos erupted all around. Shi Yan suddenly threw out a "smoke bomb" ahead—something she had crafted by drawing inspiration from martial arts dramas throughout history. A must-have for murder, arson, and diversion.
Seizing the chance to escape, she leaped forward—only to be caught mid-air by a massive serpent's maw.Shi Yan: "..." Heaven wants me dead! My life is over!
Stuck between the grotesquely mutated fangs of the giant serpent, she couldn't move an inch. The massive Black Snake clamped down on her as it swiftly slithered forward, pursued by a horde of bewildered demon generals, demon cultivators, and ferocious beasts. Shi Yan faintly heard one of the demon generals shouting, "Demon Dragon! Wait for us!"
Black Snake moved at terrifying speed. Clenched in its jaws, Shi Yan found herself surrounded by airborne and landbound demon generals, cultivators, and beasts—all glaring menacingly. The situation felt dire.
Extremely dire!
Not only did she feel this way, but the other demon generals shared her sentiment. Their Demon Dragon had directly carried that unidentified person back to Winter City in its teeth, then with lightning speed, crashed thunderously through the inner city walls and slithered straight into the Forbidden Palace.
Within the Forbidden Palace resided the world's most terrifying Great Demon King, Sima Jiao. If the Demon Dragon provoked his wrath, it wouldn't be the dragon that suffered—but their miserable subordinates. Subordinates, written as "underlings," read as "punching bags."
In Winter City's Forbidden Palace, a dark figure sat by the window. Hearing the thunderous commotion, the perpetual frown between his brows deepened further. A murderous aura radiated from him as he turned toward the now-shrunken foolish snake that had returned to the palace. Noticing something in its mouth, he cursed:
"Little beast, what have you brought back this time?"
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