When Destiny Brings the Demon

When the divine blessing descended from heaven and the miraculous appearance of the canal spread, Marquis Nanyan was preparing his heretical brainwashing package to propagate the tyrannical deeds of the current emperor, Sima Jiao, intending to use it as a fuse to ignite the six northern counties.

He had everything ready. The next step was to further argue that Sima Jiao had lost the Mandate of Heaven due to the severe drought in the northern six counties this summer, spreading rumors to shake the people's faith.

By his side was a divine path practitioner, quite capable, who asserted that Sima Jiao's dynasty would not last long—this was a short-lived reign—and that he, Marquis Nanyan, was the true Son of Heaven. As long as he rebelled in accordance with the Mandate of Heaven, he would surely achieve ultimate victory.

Apart from predicting the summer drought, the old sage also foretold heavy snow disasters in the southern counties this winter and a plague next spring—all major events Marquis Nanyan planned to exploit for his rebellion.

But just as he was about to make his move, this happened.

A bad start. Marquis Nanyan was so troubled he couldn’t even eat breakfast. Stroking his receding hairline, he summoned the old sage and asked, "What do we do now? Didn’t you say Sima Jiao had lost the Mandate of Heaven?"

The old sage’s eyes drooped, his face as expressionless as a clay idol. After twitching his fingers like an epileptic for a moment, he said, "I observed the celestial phenomena last night. A demon star has appeared by Sima Jiao’s side! It is this demon star that has obstructed your grand plans. She must be eliminated!"

......

"We might have to stay here for a few more years. Let’s set up a Demon Realm branch office in Yancheng. If there’s another project like building a canal, we’ll have people to handle it." Liao Tingyan finally found a moment to talk to Hongluo. "Keep an eye on things in the Demon Realm for me. If anyone causes trouble... well, probably no one dares anymore. Most troublemakers have been burned to ashes over the years."

Hongluo crouched on the windowsill, ready to retreat at any moment, and said, "That part doesn’t worry me. But this backwater place has zero spiritual energy. No one would want to be stationed here permanently. How about rotating the staff yearly? Also, I’m not comfortable leaving you here alone. I’ll send your son and pets over in a while."

Liao Tingyan: "Wait, how am I supposed to explain that to Sima Jiao?"

Tell him, "This snake is named Sisi, your illegitimate child. Though he can turn into a little boy who looks a lot like you, he’s not actually your biological son. This fox is named Angang, a rare pet you once gave me, but I overfed him into a fox-pig"?

Hongluo: "Who cares? Just act cute. You’ve got him wrapped around your finger—he’ll agree to anything you say."

Liao Tingyan: Honestly, it feels more like he’s the one who’s got me wrapped around his finger. Last time, I almost lost control. Ah, young people—so easily impulsive.

While chatting nonsense, Hongluo kept glancing at the door. Though she could sense someone approaching and avoid them in advance, facing a Sima Jiao who was no longer the Demon Lord still filled her with subconscious awe... or rather, a bit of fear.

Hongluo: "Alright, that’s enough. I’ll head out now. Take care."

Not long after Hongluo left, Sima Jiao arrived. He spent hours with Liao Tingyan every day, and lately, she had been exhausting herself worrying over his diet and sleep. Getting this ancestor to eat was harder than coaxing her little nephew to finish his meals years ago.Helpless, she could only wait until he fell asleep each night, using external means to make him sleep more soundly. Then she would seize the opportunity to feed him some spirit dew to nourish his body and use her Divine Soul to gently soothe his damaged one, reducing the frequency of his headaches.

From Sima Jiao's perspective, this meant that every night when he slept beside Liao Tingyan, he would fall into an unusual deep slumber. Upon waking, he would feel refreshed and energetic, with no trace of his headaches. Each night, he slept profoundly.

This led him to ponder: What kind of monster wouldn’t drain a person’s vitality but instead benefit them?

He didn’t know why he was fixated on the idea of her being a monster.

A few days later, the Demon Realm’s outpost in Yancheng was established. Ten demon generals led over a thousand demon cultivators to officially take up residence. Of course, their first order of business was to pay respects to the Demon Lord.

Coincidentally, Liao Tingyan was sitting in the garden admiring flowers and sipping tea when dark clouds suddenly gathered overhead. A horde of demon cultivators descended like dumplings into boiling water, filling the garden in an instant. Had they not concealed themselves, it would have caused quite a commotion. Liao Tingyan remained unfazed, dismissing the oblivious palace attendants to stand farther away. She pretended to enjoy the scenery while listening to the demon general’s report.

The demon general was midway through explaining how they had settled just outside the city when he abruptly stopped. Liao Tingyan glanced up and saw Sima Jiao approaching with an impassive expression.

Noticing how the demon generals instinctively took a step back and fell silent, Liao Tingyan mused to herself, The ancestor’s authority runs deep. Even in this state, he still makes people cower.

Since he couldn’t see the crowd of fierce-looking demon generals and cultivators, Liao Tingyan remained calm, acting as if they weren’t there. She addressed Sima Jiao, “Your Majesty, what brings you here?” He should have been in court listening to the ministers’ flattery.

Sima Jiao had indeed been enduring the ministers’ nonsense, but when he saw the dark clouds gathering over the palace, he sensed something amiss and came to investigate.

And what did he find? Over a thousand strangely dressed individuals, who clearly looked like trouble, surrounding Liao Tingyan. At first, he thought she was in danger, but upon closer observation, he realized these people seemed to regard her with reverence, more like subordinates. Moreover, the palace attendants in the distance showed no reaction—it appeared others couldn’t see them.

Sima Jiao quickly grasped the situation. He, too, acted as if the crowd was invisible, walking straight through them to approach Liao Tingyan.

Liao Tingyan watched as Sima Jiao passed through the crowd without hesitation, the demon cultivators instinctively parting to make way. He sat beside her and began studying her with a peculiar look.

Liao Tingyan: “…What now?”

She took a sip of water and subtly signaled the demon general to continue. The general sidestepped a meter away from Sima Jiao before lowering his voice to report, “And the Young Lord—he’s trailing slightly behind us but will arrive shortly.”

The “Young Lord” was Black Snake.

Liao Tingyan massaged her temples, feeling a headache coming on. She could only hope Sisi wouldn’t appear in his giant serpent form—it would be hard to explain otherwise.

Sima Jiao listened to the murmurs nearby and observed Liao Tingyan’s act, narrowing his eyes.Liao Tingyan truly felt that Sima Jiao was acting strangely here, inexplicably making her feel immense pressure. So without further ado, she directly ordered her subordinates to withdraw. Little did she know, such a simple illusion might fool ordinary mortals, but it couldn’t deceive Sima Jiao. Even as a mortal, he was no ordinary man.

A group of demon cultivators rode away on black clouds just as they had arrived. Whether it was an illusion or not, Liao Tingyan felt they left rather quickly, as if some fierce beast were chasing them.

Sima Jiao sat there impassively, watching the group fly away.

They could fly—so they were indeed demons. Sima Jiao reevaluated Liao Tingyan. She seemed lazy, hardly the type to amount to much, but judging by the earlier situation, she might actually be a demon king of considerable status. His Majesty thought calmly to himself: This is somewhat unexpected.

Late at night, Liao Tingyan, as usual, coiled around Sima Jiao beside her, lulling him into deep sleep. Just as she was about to go back to sleep, she heard a noise outside the window.

Knock, knock, knock. Someone was tapping on the window.

Could it be Sisi? Liao Tingyan sat up in bed and waved a hand, remotely unlocking the latched window. Sure enough, a round black head popped into view. The Black Snake had actually come in his little boy human form. Though he hadn’t grown in height or intelligence over the years, he had at least made some progress.

Sisi crawled in through the window, carrying a very plump snow spirit fox in his arms.

The snow spirit fox, Angang, let out two squeaky sounds before charging at Liao Tingyan like a little wild boar. She caught it and began stroking its fur. Meanwhile, the Black Snake circled Liao Tingyan’s feet before quickly making his way to the bedside, where he sprawled out and stared at Sima Jiao. Recognizing his master’s aura, he excitedly spun in place twice before nuzzling his head vigorously against Sima Jiao’s arm.

Holding the fox-pig, Liao Tingyan whispered, "Hey, don’t push too hard—what if you wake him up—"

Before she could finish, she saw Sima Jiao open his eyes.

Liao Tingyan: "…" Damn, how did he wake up?!

Sima Jiao: "…" So she really was trying to hide this from me.

Sima Jiao glanced at Liao Tingyan’s stiff expression, then at the little boy beside him, who was gazing at him with adoration. The boy bore an uncanny resemblance to him—if someone said they weren’t related by blood, he wouldn’t believe it.

At this moment, Sima Jiao finally believed the nonsense Liao Tingyan had spouted earlier about being destined for three lifetimes together.

This must be the child we had in the past. In the stiff silence, Sima Jiao picked up the Black Snake by the bedside, pinched his face, and examined him closely for a moment before calmly declaring, "Since you’re here, you might as well stay."

Liao Tingyan: "???"

Liao Tingyan: "Uh… he’s… do you remember who he is?"

Sima Jiao: "I can guess."

Liao Tingyan: "…" But I don’t think you’ve guessed correctly.

Sima Jiao didn’t give her a chance to explain. "I already know everything. There’s no need for you to hide it anymore."

Liao Tingyan: "What exactly do you know??"

Sima Jiao: "I know you love me deeply." Otherwise, why would she bring their child to find him, even abandoning her demon identity to become his imperial consort? She must truly adore him.

Liao Tingyan: "…" What nonsense is he imagining?! Why didn’t she have Sima Jiao’s old mind-reading ability?!

The next day, Sima Jiao took the Black Snake to court with him.

Scaring the living daylights out of a whole crowd of ministers.Who is this little boy? Judging by his face, he's definitely the Emperor's own child. But he looks about five years old, and His Majesty is only sixteen. That would mean His Majesty was eleven when... gasp Although some do marry at twelve, to have a child at eleven—His Majesty is truly... gifted.

Sima Jiao led Black Snake before his ministers, not caring whether they could accept it or not, and said in a tone that sounded indifferent but was actually quite pointed, "My child."

The ministers: It really is his own! As expected of His Majesty, who performed divine miracles!

After exchanging glances, of course, they began with praise. Moreover, this little prince sat there obediently, not saying a word—so unlike his father. It was truly moving! The late emperor had died young, and Sima Jiao had ascended the throne as a child. Many of these ministers had watched him grow from a brat, and even as a child, he had been that same violent, murderous tyrant. How could he compare to this little prince's docility?

How wonderful! He seemed like a successor who would be easy to control. As long as they could endure Sima Jiao's reign, their good days would come in the next era!

What these ministers didn’t know was that the "docile little prince" was actually a giant serpent larger than the palace, capable of swallowing them all in one bite—and still not filling the gaps between its teeth.

"And who is the little prince’s birth mother?"

Sima Jiao: "The Noble Consort." He thought of Liao Tingyan’s stubborn, embarrassed expression last night when she refused to admit it and smiled slightly, finding this mute child much more agreeable now. Well, since she had given birth to him and even brought him specifically for his father to see, he might as well raise him properly to make her happy.

The crowd suddenly understood. So that’s why he had suddenly brought back a Noble Consort out of nowhere—there had been a prior connection, and a secret pregnancy! That Noble Consort was quite the ruthless one too. She seemed quiet and young, yet who would have thought she’d dare to do something like this?

Rumors swept through the rear palace like the wind. The melon-eating Noble Consort dropped her seeds: "..." Damn it, my reputation is ruined again!

Sima Jiao—a Dao companion who slanders her reputation wherever he goes.

Author’s Note:

Liao Tingyan: All the villainous forces trying to mess with me are paper tigers—after all, the biggest villain in this story is Sima Jiao.