Thriving after the Moon Falls (I Can’t Possibly Take Pity On A Demon) - Chapter 38
Chapter 38
Yan Chaosheng pushed Liu shuang out and poured himself a cup of tea, gulping it down.
His brows furrowed deeply.
What did she mean by this?
Was she deliberately teasing him to see his reaction? His mind was in turmoil.
The room in the immortal pavilion was cramped, and the air seemed to still carry her lingering fragrance.
Knowing it was impossible, what was the point of testing him like this?
He couldn’t understand her intentions, nor could he fathom any ulterior motives.
Yan Chaosheng lowered his eyelashes and sat back on the couch, resuming what he had been doing before Liu shuang interrupted him.
He untied his dark robe, revealing the bloody mess where his heart-protecting scale was missing.
Fresh blood was seeping out again.
His entire right arm, where flesh and scales had been sliced off, hadn’t yet regenerated.
At a glance, some wounds were so deep that the bone was visible.
Expressionlessly, he threw away the now-empty jade bottle, his face calm.
Although he had been in Kongsang for three years, the amount of spiritual medicine he could obtain was minimal.
This bottle was something he had acquired when he was still a mountain forest demon, exchanged with a wandering immortal.
It was the best thing he had on him, and Yan Chaosheng had never been willing to use it.
But just moments ago, he had used it to treat Liu shuang’s scratches.
Yan Chaosheng lay flat, re-dressed, his mind in disarray.
For a demon, losing the heart-protecting scale was equivalent to exposing one’s weakness.
Kongsang might seem peaceful, but for someone like him, returning would inevitably mean facing countless dangers.
Before that, the heart-protecting scale wouldn’t grow back.
Not only did he need to find a way to restore his cultivation, but he also had to find a substitute for the heart-protecting scale, something to shield the most vulnerable part of a demon’s body—the heart.
These thoughts distracted him, helping him avoid thinking about Chishui Liushuang’s current appearance.
In the Eight Wilderness, demons shouldn’t care much about looks because everyone is attractive, and beauties are everywhere.
Yet, demons are inherently and annoyingly shallow.
Just like when Yan Chaosheng first experienced love, passing through a mountain forest, female demons, despite looking down on his bloodline, still wanted to have a fling with him because of his looks.
This almost lustful, detestable nature was something Yan Chaosheng couldn’t rid himself of.
He was also a demon, possessing all the traits that the Eight Wilderness found mocking and filthy.
Even now, Yan Chaosheng felt somewhat ashamed and pulled the blanket over himself.
The nature of snakes is inherently lustful…
Even the fox lineage couldn’t compare to the promiscuity of the snake lineage.
Foxes excel at seduction, but snakes… Yan Chaosheng thought with a grim expression, are almost incapable of resisting any temptation.
Yan Chaosheng remembered a large snake demon from the mountain forest of his childhood.
Day and night, regardless of time or place, it would mingle with others, always leaving behind strange smells.
Yan Chaosheng loathed that lustful snake.
He always felt that the snake lineage shouldn’t be so filthy.
But the silver Ten Commandments Ring on his wrist shone brightly, clearly reminding him of what he had just done.
He pressed his lips tightly together, never having hated his own nature so much.
The wounds ached.
Although a demon’s healing ability is fast, the process is extremely painful.
Flesh can regenerate, but the heart-protecting scale won’t grow back.
It might take a hundred years, or a thousand—Yan Chaosheng couldn’t be sure.
After all, no demon had ever been foolish enough to rip off their own heart-protecting scale before.
His lips were pale as he activated his demon eyes to check if anyone was around.
Seeing no one, he allowed the scent of blood to fill the room.
Yan Chaosheng remained vigilant, not daring to sleep all night.
Just before dawn the next day, he opened his eyes, barely managing to cast a spell to clean the blood scent from the room, as he had done countless times before.
He added layer after layer of seals to his wounds.
The living conditions for demons are harsh.
From a young age, all demons know never to reveal their weaknesses.
For immortals, showing weakness might earn them sympathy.
But for demons, showing any sign of vulnerability could mean being killed or eaten.
When Yan Chaosheng stepped out, his expression was as composed as usual.
He saw Liu shuang and the young masters of the Bai family. Liu shuang was bidding farewell to Shaoyou.
Today, she wore a blue dress. Without the Huanyan bead, the immortal mark from the ancient Chishui era naturally appeared on her forehead.
The ice-blue feather-like half-flower was noble and elegant.
She rested her cheek on her hand, her gaze following Jimo Shaoyou.
Yan Chaosheng sat down below, listening indifferently to Bai Zhuixu’s polite farewells.
He resisted the urge to look at her more than once.
Despite the blood roaring in his veins, he suppressed this irritating nature, not showing the slightest sign of losing control.
Liu shuang was reluctant to part with Shaoyou.
Having finally met him in this lifetime, she hadn’t expected to separate again in less than a month.
Bai Zhuixu said, “Young Miss, it’s time to go.”
She mounted the immortal sword and looked back at Shaoyou. The green-robed immortal was bathed in sunlight, seemingly not expecting her to look back, and their eyes met.
Neither looked away, their gazes locking.
Just as Liushuang was about to smile at this tacit understanding, Shaoyou coughed lightly and averted his eyes: “Safe travels, Chishui young miss.”
Beside him, Wo Jiang smiled and said, “Little girl, after spending this time together, what do you think of our young master?”
“Shaoyou is naturally wonderful.”
Yan Chaosheng suddenly looked up, his dark eyes unfathomable, showing no emotion.
Wo Jiang: “Then do you regret what you did last time you came to Kunlun?”
Liu shuang thought he was referring to the original host coming to humiliate Shaoyou: “Of course I regret it.”
Wo Jiang chuckled, his smile becoming more and more unrestrained.
His white hair and beard couldn’t salvage his originally immortal-like demeanor.
Since she regretted breaking off the engagement with the young master, there was still room for reconciliation.
He was about to say more when Shaoyou calmly interjected, “Master, your alchemy furnace is about to explode.”
Wo Jiang was startled, let out a yelp, and without even saying goodbye, hurried off to his peach forest.
Shaoyou smiled at Liu shuang and said, “Take care.”
Liu shuang said, “Shaoyou, I’ll come visit you again soon. By the way, I heard from the eldest young master that the Four Seas Banquet is coming up. Will you be attending?”
He nodded gently.
Liu shuang was very happy.
She would be able to see Shaoyou again soon.
Once she got used to life in Kongsang, she would definitely prepare a gift for him.
Bai Yuxiao impatiently urged, “Alright, alright, enough already. Are we going back to Kongsang or not? She’s so long-winded. Brother, you just indulge her.”
Bai Zhuixu shook his head in amusement: “Young Miss, hold on tight.”
He activated the immortal sword, and they set off with the group.
Liu shuang waved at Shaoyou.
The young man in the immortal realm looked up at her until their figures gradually faded into the distance.
This scene overlapped with her memories from her past life.
The last time she had bid farewell to Shaoyou like this, she was riding in a grand wedding carriage pulled by golden crows, and she never saw Shaoyou again after that.
Last time was a permanent farewell, but this time they would meet again soon.
Reuniting with old friends one by one made her feel very at ease and content.
Thinking of old friends, she suddenly remembered a little one who was almost completely dead and quickly looked at Yan Chaosheng, who had been thoroughly ignored.
He sat at the other end of the immortal sword, his back to her, his gaze cold.
From the moment the group started bidding farewell to Shaoyou, he hadn’t said a word.
Now, he seemed to be surrounded by a low pressure, as if someone had provoked him again.
Liu shuang walked over and squatted in front of him, quietly asking Yan Chaosheng, “Where’s the egg?” She tried to find out where Yan Chaosheng had hidden Qingluan.
It couldn’t be discovered by the Bai family.
If Bai Zhuixu found out about Qingluan’s existence, he would definitely kill it.
And if Bai Yuxiao found out, he would probably put on a live show of roasting a demon bird egg.
But after scrutinizing every possible place Yan Chaosheng could hide the egg, she still couldn’t find Qingluan.
Liu shuang was puzzled. Had he secretly thrown it away?
Yan Chaosheng turned and said, “Why do you care so much? Why not continue your heartfelt farewell with Immortal Jimo?”
After saying this, he realized something and suddenly fell silent, his gaze turning cold.
Liu shuang was utterly baffled.
What did her farewell with Shaoyou have to do with asking about Qingluan? She blinked and gently negotiated with him in a good-natured tone: “Where did it go? The deal I mentioned earlier still stands. You save it, and I’ll give you my cultivation, okay?”
Yan Chaosheng coldly retorted without thinking, “Ate it.”
“Ate it! You ate it?”
His voice carried a faint sneer: “It’s just a demon bird egg. Why the hypocrisy now that you’re bringing it up?”
Liu shuang used her spiritual consciousness to carefully search, but she couldn’t detect any trace of the demon bird egg on Yan Chaosheng.
She searched again and again, but the result was the same.
For a moment, her mind went blank.
Originally, seven hundred years later, Qingluan hadn’t died.
It could still follow Chiyuan and fight alongside Yan Chaosheng.
But now, Qingluan’s mother had shed tears of blood, transforming into an immortal artifact and gifting it to Yan Chaosheng, willing to become his eternal servant.
Yet, he had turned around and killed Qingluan.
How could this be? Wasn’t Qingluan Yan Chaosheng’s right-hand man in the future? Could Yan Chaosheng really bear to eat it?
She couldn’t believe it and was momentarily unable to accept it.
Looking at Yan Chaosheng’s expression, he was staring coldly at her.
Suddenly, Liu shuang had an epiphany and her gaze fell on the new pouch at his waist.
It was a colorful pouch shaped like a auspicious cloud, completely out of place with Yan Chaosheng’s overall gloomy demeanor.
The bright colors made it hard to miss.
As far as she knew, Yan Chaosheng never carried pouches or jade ornaments.
He only ever had weapons and medicine on him.
Where did this pouch come from?
No, that couldn’t be right.
When she went to find Yan Chaosheng last night, his room was simply furnished.
Where would he have cooked and eaten Qingluan?
Besides, Qingluan was an ancient demon bird.
It had been swallowed by the Henggong Fish, and its eggshell hadn’t even broken yet.
If he had said he had thrown it away, that would have been more believable—but eating it? Absolutely impossible.
Realizing this, Liu Shuang let out a breath of relief but was still deeply puzzled.
If he hadn’t eaten it, why had Yan Chaosheng lied to her? And with such an unpleasant tone at that.
Last night, when they talked about Mi Chu, hadn’t he been in a good mood?
“You put Qingluan in that brocade pouch?” Liu Shuang asked in a low voice.
But why couldn’t she sense the slightest trace of Qingluan’s aura?
Yan Chaosheng lifted his gaze, his eyes still carrying a thin chill.
“No. Don’t overthink things.”
“Then where did that brocade pouch come from?”
That brocade pouch was so exquisitely complex in design—there was no way a Kunlun female disciple had given it to him.
Besides, his heart had always been steadfastly devoted to his childhood white moonlight.
Would he even accept a gift from someone else?
She crouched beside him, staring intensely at that beautiful brocade pouch, convinced that Qingluan was most likely inside.
What kind of powerful artifact was this, capable of concealing even a demon’s aura? After all, even Yan Chaosheng himself couldn’t completely suppress his own aura.
She scrutinized his waist for a long time before Yan Chaosheng finally ground out a few words through clenched teeth, “Does the Young miss have too much free time?” His tone carried a hint of irritation.
“Not at all.”
She wasn’t staring at him for no reason—if she had that kind of spare time, she might as well use it for cultivation.
Liu Shuang couldn’t shake the feeling that ever since last night, Yan Chaosheng had been acting strangely.
When she took out the Huanyan bead, he had recognized her almost immediately and had even used the Ten Commandments Ring to bind her.
Then, after some haggling, he had agreed to let bygones be bygones—on the condition that when she became the ruler of Kongsang, she would betroth Mi Chu to him.
Now, even his reaction to leaving Kongsang made it obvious to everyone that he was in a foul mood.
This kind of erratic behavior—she had never seen from him before.
Yan Chaosheng was, after all, her future ally, and a crucial figure tied to the fate of two great immortal realms.
If he were to become moody, lose his mind, or start speaking recklessly, she would need to revise her plans as soon as possible to prevent any unexpected mishaps.
She knew that Qingluan was destined to be his beast one day.
But after spending a hundred years with it—even if her heart had been crushed, her memories remained, and those recollections were still warm and precious.
If she didn’t think of Qingluan as a demon beast, it was one of the few old companions she had left.
Liu Shuang wanted Qingluan to live.
But now the real question was—what on earth was wrong with Yan Chaosheng? Was this future ally of hers still sane?
Yan Chaosheng was in a terrible mood.
Liu Shuang’s suggestion last night—that he could be granted a beauty in exchange for letting go of his past grievances with Kongsang—was beyond absurd in his eyes.
He was just an outer disciple who hadn’t even entered the inner sect, while she was the esteemed Young miss of Kongsang.
How could she possibly think he had the ability, or the audacity, to hold a grudge against Kongsang?
He hadn’t slept the entire night—half because of his injuries, the other half because of that statement.
What did she mean by that?
It wasn’t paranoia—his mind had immediately connected it to his past experiences wandering through the mountains, where many female demons had coveted his appearance and sought to seduce him.
He had encountered plenty of this kind of frivolous teasing before.
Could it be that Chishui Liushuang was just like them…?
His teeth clenched. He couldn’t tell if he felt more mockery or shame in that moment.
Demons often had beautiful appearances, and many weaker demons even relied on charm techniques to survive.
But Yan Chaosheng had never even considered walking that path.
Even in his most desperate moments, he had gritted his teeth and killed a panther demon that had tried to take advantage of him.
Yet Chishui Liushuang was truly debauched and shameless.
It was bad enough for demons to be licentious—but she, an ancient immortal being, could speak so lightly of such matters?
A “beauty” for him?
This morning, when he came to find her, he had already decided he wouldn’t let her have her way.
Immoral were even more cold-hearted than demons.
Even though he had never entered the immortal sects, he still understood that a person’s Dao heart must be resolute.
Yet, the words that had troubled him all night—she seemed to have completely forgotten.
Before leaving Kunlun, he had seen Liu Shuang part ways with Jimo Shaoyou with a reluctant gaze, her expression so sincere.
When Wo Jiang asked if she had any regrets, she had answered without hesitation—yes.
Regrets about what? About breaking off her engagement with that man?
Yan Chaosheng couldn’t stop himself from recalling the time in the Eight Sufferings Valley when he had carried her on his back all the way to the Ghost King’s Tomb, shielding her from the suffocating ghostly miasma.
In that moment of peril, the name she had called out was…
Yan Chaosheng suddenly found it laughable.
If that was how she felt, then why had she said those things to him last night?
So when she approached him now, filled with expectation, and asked him where the demon bird egg had gone—
Yan Chaosheng had coldly replied, “It’s dead.”
He didn’t want to deal with her.
Either way, he had no intention of saving that demon bird egg.
In fact, he still didn’t understand why she cared so much about it.
Did demons owe her something? Did she have to interfere with both the living and the dead? He would find an opportunity later to get rid of that troublesome egg.
He had thought she would believe him—after all, demon auras were hard to conceal.
There were few artifacts in the world capable of completely masking a demon’s presence, and even he himself was easily recognized.
If the demon bird egg still existed, she should have been able to sense it on him.
At first, she had indeed believed him.
Shock, disbelief, confusion, and sorrow all flashed across her face.
For a moment, he had thought she might say something.
But then, after thinking for a while, she scrutinized him, her gaze finally landing on his waist.
“You put Qingluan in the brocade pouch?”
Yan Chaosheng hadn’t expected her to figure it out. A flicker of surprise crossed his face.
The pouch at his waist was made from Qingluan’s mother’s feathers.
Before its death, knowing that its child’s birth would cause a great commotion, it had left behind its most precious demon feather to conceal the egg’s aura.
Even he hadn’t expected Qingluan’s feather to have such a powerful effect—let alone Liu Shuang.
Suspicion flared up in his heart once again.
How could she be so certain that the demon bird egg was in the pouch? And why did she instinctively assume he hadn’t killed it yet?
His gaze turned cold.
She lowered her long, delicate eyelashes, her eyes slowly trailing from his chest down to his waist, lingering there.
Yan Chaosheng suddenly realized how close she had leaned in. If not for the etiquette of the ancient immortal clans, for a moment, he had even thought she might reach out and take the pouch herself.
Her eyes were a disaster—born with a natural softness, as if the vast eight wilderness contained only the person she was looking at.
And now, those eyes were…
Yan Chaosheng gritted his teeth.
“Do you have too much free time?”
“Not at all.”
She shook her head, her gaze unwavering, even tinged with curiosity.
Curiosity…? Just what exactly was she curious about?!
A wave of heat surged up his body.
Yan Chaosheng wished he could cover her eyes.
Shameless! Absolutely shameless! So last night, that really was what she meant!
What was even worse—he realized, to his disgust, that the demon blood within him was reacting.
His already terrible mood spiraled further downward.
His mind went blank for a moment, and then, almost violently, he tossed the pouch into her arms.
“If you want it, take it. Just stay away from me!”
She caught the pouch, quietly opened it for a peek, and muttered under her breath, “So it really was in here. Then why did you say you ate it?”
Yan Chaosheng’s face remained cold.
He refused to answer.
