Thriving after the Moon Falls (I Can’t Possibly Take Pity On A Demon) - Chapter 78
Chapter 78
The construction of the Demon Palace was in full swing.
What was once a desolate place now teemed with demons seeking refuge—so many that the existing halls could no longer hold them, forcing expansion into the ruins of the old demon territory.
Demons, each with their own innate talents, worked swiftly.
By the time winter had barely settled in the mortal realm, the foundations of the Demon Palace already resembled its former glory from a past life.
The war between immortals and demons had not reignited.
Only the immortal soldiers from Changliu remained stationed outside, under orders to maintain a blockade.
At first, the demons feared a second wave of battle, but to their surprise, the Changliu soldiers acted as if they didn’t see them, merely putting on a show of containment.
Feng Fuming should have launched another attack after his previous failure, yet he, too, remained silent.
The eerie tranquility of the demon mountain unsettled everyone.
The strategists in the Demon Palace speculated that Feng Fuming, newly ascended as Heavenly Lord, was likely bogged down by the mess left by his predecessor.
With Kunlun in turmoil, he had more pressing matters to attend to—leaving the demon issue aside for now.
Su Lun listened and smiled without comment.
Yan Chaosheng also remained silent for a long while, neither confirming nor denying.
But since Feng Fuming was doing nothing, they couldn’t afford to panic prematurely.
Yan Chaosheng was busy too.
As the master of the Demon Palace, he had countless matters to consider—like the scarcity of spiritual herbs, the uneven quality of demon soldiers.
Even if the four great immortal realms didn’t unite against them, the current demon mountain was no match for any one of them alone.
With the bloodline of the Xiangliu royal family, he knew the challenges ahead.
The pressure on him was far greater than what Feng Fuming faced.
He dispatched cunning demons to infiltrate the immortal realms, gathering intelligence and sowing discord where necessary to prevent alliances from forming.
Yan Chaosheng pondered.
The Changliu soldiers’ passive stance suggested their lord had his own agenda regarding the immortal-demon conflict—one that wasn’t as obedient to Feng Fuming as it seemed.
Feng Fuming must have realized this too, hence his reluctance to push the other realms too hard, lest he provoke rebellion.
Having witnessed the ferocity of the demons, none of the immortal realms were willing to sacrifice their soldiers needlessly.
Kunlun’s internal struggles were a blessing.
As for Chishui Chong, Liu Shuang’s father, now in possession of a new spiritual vein—it was impossible for ambition not to stir within him.
Until the demons solidified their position, strategy would always outweigh brute force.
Yan Chaosheng thought to himself: If necessary, inciting Chishui Chong to seize the Heavenly Throne might not be a bad idea.
Yet he didn’t speak of these tangled matters to Liu Shuang.
After all, she was still a daughter of Kongsang.
He had promised her that if they ever crossed blades, he would spare Kongsang where possible.
After Silkworm Maiden finished the wedding dress, she was supposed to take Liu Shuang to see the Demon Palace’s treasure vault.
But Su Lun appeared out of nowhere, smiling.
“Let me escort the Immortal.”
He volunteered so eagerly that Liu Shuang gave him a look.
Su Lun grinned.
“After you, Immortal.”
“Aren’t you busy building the palace?”
Su Lun’s expression stiffened.
He sighed, his voice tinged with melancholy.
“The little demons there beat me up. The Mountain Lord, fearing I’d be beaten to death, reassigned me to move things instead.”
Liu Shuang couldn’t help but laugh softly.
Lord Su Lun really has fallen on hard times.
“This way, Immortal Liu Shuang. Let me show you the Demon Palace’s treasury. Much of it was, ah, liberated from my own collection.”
This was Liu Shuang’s first visit.
The previous Mountain Lord’s hoard had been tainted with cruelty and bloodshed.
Now, the treasury was filled with treasures offered by those who had pledged allegiance since Yan Chaosheng took over.
All of Yan Chaosheng’s possessions were packed into violet chests, ready to be stored in a storage bag—intended as her betrothal gifts.
Little demons bustled about, taking inventory.
“This much?” Liu Shuang was surprised.
Given the Demon Palace’s current state, the vault was packed to the brim.
Su Lun smiled cryptically and flicked open a chest with a wave of his hand.
“Immortal, take a look. Are they to your liking?”
Liu Shuang turned and saw a chest filled to the brim with luminous pearls—Jiao pearls.
They shimmered under the sunlight, exuding a faint, intoxicating fragrance.
“Immortal, do you know what Jiao pearls are?” Su Lun asked.
“I remember… they’re the tears of the Jiao people.”
“Correct. The tears of the Jiao.”
Su Lun’s lips curled, his tone meaningful.
“Though you know what they are, you may not know their origins. Demons seldom weep. To collect a single Jiao pearl requires immense suffering. A chest like this holds countless tales of agony. Some were harvested by slaughtering their parents or children before their eyes.”
Liu Shuang looked at him.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Originally, the Mountain Lord forbade such things from remaining in the Eight Wilderness,” Su Lun said lightly.
“Some are forged from demon cores. Others are made from their eyes, their skins. These ‘treasures’ are a humiliation to every demon. To the Mountain Lord… especially so.”
Liu Shuang listened quietly.
“You’re saying… this is for me.”
“Yes. For you.”
Su Lun tapped his folding fan against his palm, sighing.
“The Demon Palace is poor. He has no priceless jewels to offer you—only these, the finest things demons possess. You are a noble immortal of Kongsang. This is all we have. That fool… with all the fervor of his heart, he’d give everything to please the one he loves. If he had anything more precious, our Mountain Lord might even gouge out his own eyes to gift you as a betrothal present.”
The last sentence carried a mocking edge.
Liu Shuang fell silent.
Su Lun wasn’t entirely wrong.
Yan Chaosheng had already given her something more precious than his eyes—the bead around her neck, crafted from his own heart-scale.
Seeing her quiet, Su Lun tapped his fan against his lips, eyes crinkling.
“Ah, forgive my loose tongue. Immortal, see if anything is missing. I’ll have it prepared and sent to Kongsang. Though I’ve done many wicked things since coming to the Demon Palace… I suppose none compare to you—”
Before he could finish, a halberd shot through the air, piercing Su Lun’s robes and pinning him to a pillar several feet back.
Su Lun’s face twitched, his usual composure shattered.
His expression darkened as he glanced down—the halberd had nearly castrated him.
Even demons fear that!
Gritting his teeth, he said, “Mountain Lord, I hadn’t even touched your beloved. Was that necessary?”
Yan Chaosheng strode in, draped in an ink-blue cloak.
He spared Su Lun no glance, going straight to Liu Shuang and taking her hand.
Her fingers were cold—almost as icy as his own.
Frowning, he said, “Whatever Su Lun told you, don’t believe it. Tomorrow, I’ll send him back to build palaces.”
Liu Shuang shook her head and wrapped her arms around his waist.
Yan Chaosheng stiffened, his voice softening.
“What’s wrong? Did Su Lun bully you?”
“Yan Chaosheng,” she said softly, “I just wanted to tell you—none of this is urgent. I won’t return to Kongsang yet. I need to go to Kunlun first.”
He looked down at her.
“I’ll go with you.”
This time, she refused.
“The Demon Palace needs you. I know you’re stretched thin. After what happened in Kunlun, I couldn’t go then. Now, I must see for myself. Jimo Shaoyou is my old friend. If Kunlun is in trouble, I can’t stand by.”
His grip on her waist tightened.
Jimo Shaoyou—that name was still a thorn in his heart.
The only comfort was that during his demonic mating season, she had chosen him.
Reading his unease, Liu Shuang added, “You don’t need to come. When spring arrives, come to Kongsang to fetch me. That’s how the customs go.”
The young demon lord’s expression eased.
A faint smile touched his eyes.
“Alright.”
That small sweetness was enough to make him agree to anything.
Seeing it, her heart ached faintly.
She really not cut out for this.
“Don’t worry. I’ll convince my father to set aside his hostility toward you.”
He smiled.
“It’s fine.”
She cupped his face, her gaze solemn.
“Yan Chaosheng, while I’m gone, take care of yourself.”
Don’t inexplicably become a ghost cultivator.
If that happens, the Eight Wilderness might truly descend into chaos.
Her soft tone melted his heart.
He didn’t press about what Su Lun had said.
Instead, he wrapped her in his cloak and leaned down, shielding her from view.
Liu Shuang startled, pushing at his chest—but he didn’t budge.
Behind them, Su Lun—still pinned to the pillar by the halberd—sighed.
He sliced his robes free with a finger and gingerly stepped away.
He tried pulling the halberd out, but damn, the Mountain Lord had embedded it deep.
Giving up, he walked off—only to witness the scene unfolding.
This tender, lovestruck Mountain Lord was a far cry from the one who’d nearly impaled him moments ago.
Su Lun chuckled darkly, shook his head, and strolled away, fan in hand.
Yan Chaosheng once again lent Liu Shuang the young Qingluan.
Though dim-witted, the bird was no weakling—raised on rare treasures, it counted as a formidable demon in its own right.
As Liu Shuang mounted the luan, she waved at Yan Chaosheng.
“See you when spring comes,” she said.
A sudden, inexplicable dread gripped him.
Watching her and Qingluan fade into the distance, it felt as if she were vanishing from his world. Without a word, he leaped onto Qingluan’s back and stopped her.
Qingluan, attuned to his will, halted mid-flight.
Liu Shuang turned, puzzled.
“What’s wrong?”
He hesitated, then removed his cloak and draped it over her.
“Keep the heart-scale with you. If anything happens, send Qingluan back for me.”
She looked up at him and nodded.
“Alright.”
He cupped her cheek.
Behind him, voices urged him to return—urgent matters awaited.
His gaze darkened.
“Promise me. You will come back.”
She had so much to say, but under his burning stare, the words died in her throat.
Should I say I care for you? That I’ll definitely return?
Empty reassurances wouldn’t fool him.
And if she spoke too earnestly… it would only hurt them both.
When she stayed silent, his grip on her arm tightened—not enough to hurt, but enough to convey his desperation.
“Don’t lie to me, Liu Shuang. I’ll wait for you here. When spring comes, I’ll fetch you from Kongsang. No matter what stands in our way, I won’t back down. I’m not afraid of your father’s hatred, nor of paying for Bai Zhuixu’s death—even if it means a thousand cuts. As long as you’re willing to come back with me.”
The intensity in his eyes was undeniable.
Staring into them, her resolve wavered.
“Alright.”
“I know Immortals seldom spare a glance for demons like me.”
His voice dropped, half-threat, half-plea.
“If you don’t return, I’ll come for you. I’ll drag you back if I must. Once you’ve promised me, you can’t leave. Ever. Or I’ll hate Kongsang. I’ll hate you.”
Despite the harsh words, she saw the fear beneath.
If you don’t return, I’ll be devastated.
She nodded.
She’d meant to push him away, but the memory of that chest of Jiao pearls—of the vault filled with treasures that symbolized his people’s suffering—stopped her.
To him, as a demon, these were marks of shame.
Yet because she was an immortal—because immortals prized such things—he had gathered them anyway, offering them to Kongsang.
She couldn’t tell if it was Bai Zhuixu’s soul in the Huiling that burned… or her own.
Her hands, meant to push him away, instead wrapped around him in an embrace.
“I’ll remember.”
All of it. The good. The bad.
Yan Chaosheng trembled, holding her tighter.
He nearly changed his mind—nearly abandoned everything to follow her.
But behind him lay the unstable Demon Palace, countless lives depending on him.
So he held her fiercely, as if imprinting her into his bones.
And then—he let her go.
Watching Qingluan disappear into the horizon, he steeled himself.
Don’t dwell on it.
To demons and immortals, time was fleeting.
Winter had just begun.
Spring was barely two months away.
When spring comes…
Once he dealt with Feng Fuming, he would bring her home.
And they would stay together, forever.
