Chapter 116: Going Solo

Because of their bloodline instincts, most demons were born with a worship of the strong. Zhi’an had originally just wanted to stay under the radar, but unfortunately, the humans had dragged her out into the open and listed her as a high-priority target on par with Zuo Yuanxi. Her photo was posted on the Cultivator Alliance’s internal network, so there was no chance for her to keep a low profile anymore.

Because of this, the demons also learned that they had a mysterious big shot on their side—a Pallas’s Cat who was currently single.

No one knew who had started the rumor that this expert could fight the Merman Clan Chief to a draw, with exceptionally formidable strength and perhaps some unknown noble bloodline.

Just like that, Zhi’an inexplicably gained a huge group of demons who admired her.

If it had only been that, it might have been fine, but then, without knowing the full story, some demons said right in front of her official wife’s face that they wanted to bear little Pallas’s cats for Zhi’an.

They were just a bunch of kids spouting thoughtless nonsense from their mouths. If Zuo Yuanxi didn’t hold it against them, then she wouldn’t be Zuo Yuanxi.

The last impression those demons had was of the Merman Clan Chief’s smile. When they woke up again, they found themselves struggling in the sea. In their panic, they swallowed several mouthfuls of salty, bitter seawater before scrambling miserably onto the shore.

After this incident, the first thing Zuo Yuanxi did once their wedding was settled was to go to the intelligence agencies of both the humans and the demons. She intimidated the staff there into changing Zhi’an’s status from single to married. As for anyone who dared question it, they ended up doing a cringe-inducing raunchy dance right in front of all their colleagues—an eye-searing spectacle.

Once the dance was over, that person could declare social suicide achieved.

Zhi’an nearly burst out laughing at her wife’s rare childlike antics, but her wife was still fuming, and she didn’t want to become the punching bag. So she turned her head away, looking at the sky and the ground, deliberately avoiding the pleading gazes of those staff members.

Her wife had nearly started suspecting that she was fooling around outside. How could she dare speak up? They were on their own.

Later, the intelligence was updated, but the staff went crying to their own superiors. The Demon Alliance Leader happened to receive Zuo Yuanxi’s wedding invitation at the time. After hearing about this mix-up, he couldn’t help but chuckle wryly. Then he docked the pay of the entire intelligence agency from top to bottom, teaching them a lesson they’d remember.

And why only a fine? Because most of that intelligence had come straight from his own precious daughter’s mouth.

The Alliance Leader was getting on in years, and he still hadn’t unraveled the secrets of the Dragon Vein. He could sense his end approaching. The son-in-law he’d originally favored turned out to be an ungrateful wolf, shattering his initial plans. So he had to leave some reliable people for his daughter and find a faction that could protect her before he died.

Before Fu Jun, he had planned to marry his daughter to the Flood Dragon Clan. He knew she couldn’t hold the Alliance Leader position securely, and the power and treasures he left behind would make her a fat sheep in others’ eyes. So he needed someone who could protect her for life. Since the Flood Dragon Clan had produced a young talent, he wouldn’t have minded merging the two families for mutual benefit.

But after Fu Jun, the old Alliance Leader was left with lingering fears. Rather than choose the Flood Dragon Clan, whose motives were never pure, it was better to find another way to entrust his daughter to someone whose character he trusted. Now that he thought about it, even having her recognize a godparent in the Merman Clan would be better than marrying into the Flood Dragon Clan.

He had to scheme more for his daughter while he was still alive. The Alliance Leader watched his daughter grinning foolishly as she chatted endlessly on the phone with her friend and sighed helplessly. His daughter’s friend was a smart kid, but unfortunately, his daughter hadn’t picked up even a shred of cunning from her after several hundred years.

He waited until she finished her call before calling out to her. He told her that in a few days, they needed to attend the Merman Clan Chief’s wedding banquet, and she should prepare a gift in advance.

The Merman Clan Chief showed what true wealth and power meant. For this wedding, she had specially rebuilt a palace in the sea using materials that the Flood Dragon King recognized as salvaged from the Seabed True Dragon Ruins. The bride wore all sorts of rare treasures as mere decorations, a clear sign of how much the Merman Clan Chief doted on her wife.

“I really… want to ask if the Merman Clan Chief’s family needs any more pets? The kind you can put a leash on!” one demon muttered, voicing the thoughts of countless others present.

The Flood Dragon King thought his own display was flashy enough, but then he met newlywed Zuo Yuanxi. Suddenly, his own home seemed shabby. An inexplicable competitive streak flared up, and before the wedding even ended, the Flood Dragon King slipped out, chewed out his descendants, and ordered them to rebuild his house from scratch.

By the end of the wedding, the blessings for the newlyweds might not have diminished, but the number of jealous sour grapes had definitely increased.

After the wedding, the Merman Clan Chief, who had never been one for wandering outside, vanished even more completely. She took her wife with her and rarely appeared before the world. If not for major events requiring the Merman Clan Chief’s input, hardly any demon could catch a glimpse of her.

It wasn’t until over a hundred years later, when the Old Demon Alliance Leader’s lifespan reached its end and the demons urgently needed to elect a new Alliance Leader, that the seemingly retired Merman Clan Chief suddenly reemerged. Then she nominated a candidate.

It wasn’t the most favored Flood Dragon Clan prince, nor any heir from the other major clans. It was an ordinary demon without any noble bloodline inheritance—someone Zhi’an recognized as the Eldest Young Lady Zou Yuanyuan’s friend.

That person knew exactly what kind of personality Zou Yuanyuan had: naive, easily fooled, and carrying a massive treasure. No matter which of the major clans took the Demon Alliance Leader position, Zou Yuanyuan would be the biggest loser.

To protect her “good friend,” that person secretly manipulated events, turning the demon world upside down. The major clans grew suspicious of each other, even coming to blows and depleting their own forces. Finally, she, who had bided her time for years, reaped the rewards and shattered the Alliance Leader dreams of several clans.

Who could have imagined she would be the ultimate winner? She was just an ordinary demon without noble blood, yet this girl managed to ascend without a single demon daring to object.

Once the dust settled, her plan came to light. Never mind the schemes still hidden at the seabed, unknown to outsiders—the parts that could be revealed were already a series of interlocking traps that made Zhi’an’s scalp tingle. She couldn’t help but marvel at how impressive it was. Some people—no, some demons—had brains she couldn’t fathom. If only she could have half of one.

But this girl’s rise also brought benefits for them. Even the old Alliance Leader hadn’t fully trusted Zuo Yuanxi, but this girl was exceptionally magnanimous. After a long talk with Zuo Yuanxi, she not only promised to protect the Merman Clan as long as she lived but also ensured no one disturbed them thereafter.

Dealing with smart people was always straightforward.

After that, Zuo Yuanxi devoted herself entirely to studying this Dragon Vein.

The moment Zuo Yuanxi extracted the Dragon Vein, the last protective power shielding Fu Jun vanished. All the heavenly blessings the Heavenly Dao had once fed him came roaring back in backlash, killing him on the spot. Zhi’an didn’t even have time to kick him one more time.

However, Zuo Yuanxi was injured by the residual force while trying to conceal the Dragon Vein’s power. Zhi’an couldn’t be bothered with that corpse oozing poison. Sensing her wife’s unstable aura, she rushed over as fast as she could.

It was, after all, a force that could shake the foundations of the world. The Heavenly Dao seemed to detect her intent and stirred the Dragon Vein’s power.

Zuo Yuanxi had no choice but to take the blow head-on, ensuring not a shred of power leaked out. Otherwise, she and Zhi’an would have no peaceful days ahead.

“Cough, cough…” Zuo Yuanxi coughed up a mouthful of blood. Fortunately, Zhi’an’s calculations had been spot on. The instant Fu Jun’s Protagonist Halo shattered, the target switched. A few bolts of thunder rumbled in the sky but hesitated to strike. It seemed to realize the attack had locked onto the true culprit. After a moment’s pause, the heavy pressure in the sky dissipated.

Zhi’an carried Zuo Yuanxi back to their room and helped her lean against the bed.

“Is the injury serious? I told you to be careful and wait until I got back before starting. Let me see…” Zhi’an checked Zuo Yuanxi’s wounds, her eyes red-rimmed.

“I’m sorry. I just suddenly found the Dragon Vein’s core, and I was afraid that if I let it slip this time, who knows how long it would take to find it again.” Zuo Yuanxi held Zhi’an’s hand to comfort her. “Don’t worry, it’s just a minor injury. A couple of days’ rest and I’ll be fine.”

“It’s minor only because the Heavenly Dao reacted so quickly! If It had glitched and those thunderbolts had been a bit slower, they’d have struck you! No acting cute! It won’t work on me!” Zhi’an grumbled, but even as Zuo Yuanxi hugged her and begged for mercy, her momentum softened.

Fortunately, the injury truly wasn’t severe. With Fu Jun’s position taken, the world’s resources began tilting toward Zuo Yuanxi. Even if she were down to her last breath, she wouldn’t take long to recover fully.

Though her recovery was steady, Zuo Yuanxi racked her brains during her healing period to cheer up her sulking wife. To that end, she specially instructed the butler to deliver a set of dessert-making tools and ingredients, and she made sure to tell A Fu not to let that little cat demon girl handle the delivery.

That tortoiseshell cat had apparently once mistakenly eaten some kind of spiritual item. After spending a few years in a place rich in spiritual energy, it naturally developed spiritual intelligence. A few years ago, under the butler’s guidance, it had successfully taken human form. Although it came across as a rebellious teenage girl with a wild streak, it was actually quite obedient to A Fu and could be considered a good kid.

The one thing that never changed was the clashing aura between that cat demon girl and Nian Zhi’an, as if they were complete opposites.

Whenever they met, they always ended up trading barbs.

Zuo Yuanxi absolutely dared not let that little girl deliver the items at such a critical moment. Otherwise, if her wife lost an argument and got upset, she would be hoist with her own petard.

She bought a cookbook and spent half a month experimenting with different desserts before finally coaxing her wife into a good mood. The Pallas’s cat demon, who had been bristling for half a month, at last allowed her to pet it again.

Later, while meditating, Zuo Yuanxi began to hear faint, indistinct voices. That voice kept urging her on, pressing her to ascend to immortality as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, its picker seemed to have poor judgment. The first choice lacked the ability to ascend, and the second had no desire to do so. So it would have to wait until after her death to find a third.

Zuo Yuanxi never mentioned this to anyone. She continued petting her “cat” every day, studied the power within the Dragon Vein, grew bored of the mountain after a while, and then accompanied Nian Zhi’an on trips around the world. Human technology advanced by leaps and bounds, and they always discovered novel gadgets. Or they would seek out ancient secret realms to rummage for treasures.

The system made no demands and simply stayed quietly in standby mode. Compared to the previous two worlds, Nian Zhi’an lingered in this one far longer than the combined time of those before—long enough that she thought she had plenty of time left. But one day, when she noticed her original body’s fur was no longer as glossy and smooth as before, she suddenly realized this body was heading toward decline.

With only half a Demon Core left, the Pallas’s cat demon could no longer advance its cultivation, and its lifespan would be shorter than that of others at the same level.

Zuo Yuanxi had already lived a very long time. Without ascending, she had at most a few centuries left. Nian Zhi’an figured she could probably outlive her by just a little, but she had miscalculated.

“System, is there anything that can extend lifespan?”

Nian Zhi’an applied some nutrient cream to her fur to maintain the illusion of healthy glossiness, lest Zuo Yuanxi notice anything amiss. Then she brainstormed solutions with the system.

She wanted to live a bit longer—not much, just a little more than Zuo Yuanxi.

【Host…】 The little system sounded reluctant.

The one left behind always suffered the most.

But luckily, this parting might not be forever—they could meet again.

“Don’t talk nonsense. Search for something!”

【I’ve searched, but cases like yours are tricky…】

The late autumn wind carried a chill, but in the afternoon sun, it was quite comfortable.

Zuo Yuanxi sat outside basking in the warm sunlight, cradling her fluffy bundle. Nian Zhi’an’s ears twitched, and at a single glance, her merperson wife could tell she had something weighing on her mind.

“Zhi’an.”

At some point, Zuo Yuanxi had stopped calling her Lin Ying’an.

Nian Zhi’an lifted her head to look at Zuo Yuanxi and wrapped her tail around her wife’s right wrist.

Zuo Yuanxi stroked her head. “My clan has a Secret Technique that can glimpse the future. Since I refused to believe you had died, I used it to foresee what was to come.”

“You saw me?” Nian Zhi’an asked.

“Yes, but only a very vague shadow.” Zuo Yuanxi smiled, though it carried a hint of bitterness.

“To see more clearly, I sacrificed half my Demon Core. Looking back now, I regret it deeply.”

Nian Zhi’an shifted to human form and kissed her wife, offering comfort. “It’s okay. If it were me, I might not have stayed as composed.”

“I wasn’t composed at all. If I’d been even a little more rational, I’d have realized this wasn’t foresight—it was a warning.”

“A warning sent back by my future self. Only at the moment of death did I finally understand.”

Nian Zhi’an’s eyes widened abruptly. Her mind blanked for an instant before it started turning again. Once she grasped Zuo Yuanxi’s meaning, her lips trembled uncontrollably.

“You—you… are you reincar—”

Zuo Yuanxi smiled. “But in the end, waking up to it wasn’t too late. Be good, don’t cry. Do you remember what today is?”

“Our wedding anniversary. I prepared a gift.” Nian Zhi’an sniffled, her tears swirling in her eyes, held back on the brink of falling.

“What is it?”

“A plush made from the fur I shed, an exact replica of my original form.” Nian Zhi’an hadn’t shed much fur before, but ever since her body began to weaken, it had come out in greater quantities—enough to make a decent-sized Pallas’s cat plush.

Nian Zhi’an felt a liquid drip onto her shoulder, soaking through. Then a thick scent of blood filled her nostrils.

“A Xi!” Nian Zhi’an jumped up from Zuo Yuanxi’s lap at once. As she feared, blood was gushing from her wife’s mouth.

Nian Zhi’an’s prediction hadn’t been wrong. She could indeed outlive Zuo Yuanxi by a little. However, the Dragon Vein’s power suffused her body, making her seem vibrant and full of life on the surface while her inner vitality was nearly depleted.

For years, she had kept the Dragon Vein’s power hidden within herself, tinkering with who knew what. She hadn’t even told Nian Zhi’an. If her wife asked, she simply said she was preparing a surprise.

But this “surprise” brought no joy.

“Zhi’an, listen to me.” Zuo Yuanxi gripped Nian Zhi’an’s wrist tightly, refusing to let her go inside for medicine.

Nian Zhi’an didn’t dare struggle too hard and could only sit beside her, channeling her own life force into Zuo Yuanxi. Such an act was suicidal, so Zuo Yuanxi gently interrupted the spell.

“The Dragon Vein’s power is immense—strong enough to shatter the world’s barrier.”

When the Dragon Vein exploded back then, she had nearly died in the disaster. It was her obsession that kept her clinging to life, unwilling to go just like that. In that hazy interval, she seemed to sense Nian Zhi’an’s presence.

She regained partial awareness, only to witness a girl undergoing punishment.

There were incomprehensible things there—eerie forces—and a cold voice saying to the girl, “s863, I hope this punishment teaches you a lesson.”

Every time she recalled that brief memory, Zuo Yuanxi wanted to destroy the prison-like place that held her little girl captive. But she was powerless to reach it.

“I know you’ll leave this world. You may have a long road ahead, but I can’t walk it with you anymore. I’ve always worried: what if I’m gone and those things bully you again?”

【She—wha-what is this?! What is she talking about? The system space? What does she know?!】 The system let out a shriek.

Nian Zhi’an caught on and promptly shut the system back in the Little Black Room.

What her wife was saying… it sounded just like the system space? Impossible! How could a native of this world know…? No, wait—her wife had appeared in three worlds. Could she really be called a native anymore?

“A Xi… I’m sorry.” Nian Zhi’an couldn’t speak of anything related to the system space, so she could only apologize.

Sorry for lying to you for so long.

“It’s okay. I know.” Zuo Yuanxi smiled and said it was fine.

“I’ve studied it for a long time, but I couldn’t find a foolproof method.”

“But if I fuse all my power with the Dragon Vein, it might buy you a chance to break out of that prison. If not, this power will at least protect you in the future.”

Zuo Yuanxi could no longer maintain her appearance. Fish tail, ear fins… her body began to turn transparent.

Without the support of her power, her decaying life force was laid bare.

Her lifespan ending like this wasn’t cause for sorrow. But she worried for her wife, who was sobbing so hard she could scarcely breathe, and for her future.

She held Nian Zhi’an close, placing her nearly transparent hand gently on her wife’s back—over a “birthmark” identical to her own.

“Don’t cry. My power will protect you forever.”