Chapter 56: Demon Lord (1)

Magic City, Nine Ridges, was built atop the leveled Zhu Ding Mountain, towering at a lofty altitude.

The Demon Palace, where Demon Lord Huai Yunong resided, stood even higher than any other building in the city, symbolizing his supreme and unshakable authority.

The entire palace was primarily black and gold, grand and imposing, yet devoid of vitality.

Few were permitted to walk within the Demon Palace, and even fewer could approach the inner palace where Huai Yunong resided. As for his bedchamber—there was no one to be seen.

This palace, with its tightly shut doors, sat high upon a cloud-covered terrace. Everything inside was exquisitely crafted. Precious Fragrant Mountain Wood, known for its calming properties, had been carved into various shapes for the master’s use.

Golden lamps and jade trees adorned the space, golden woven carpets lined the floors, red cloud gauze draped over the bed, and even the paintings on the walls were gilded. The air was filled with the rare and priceless Suppressing Demon Incense.

In the vast and empty palace, a breath suddenly emerged from nowhere.

A small child’s hand flailed atop the bed, and then a tiny head peeked out from behind the bed’s gauzy canopy. Large, round eyes curiously surveyed this unfamiliar world.

When a body crafted within the system arrived in a new world, it would randomly appear within the target character’s activity range.

This time, Qian had landed directly inside Demon Lord Huai Yunong’s bedchamber.

But—there was no one here.

Her new father was absent.

Barefoot, Qian hopped off the bed, stepping onto the not-so-soft golden woven carpet, and wandered around the room.

Looking up, she saw vividly carved evil ghost deities atop the pillars. Each grotesque figure was frozen in a pose as if swooping down.

Staring at them for too long made her uneasy. She quickly turned and climbed back onto the bed where she had first appeared, pulling the gauze canopy over herself, leaving only half her head exposed to observe her surroundings.

—

On the eaves of a small pavilion outside the Demon Lord’s chamber stood Luo Ye, one of the Demon Lord’s most trusted confidants. He appeared to be a young man, lean and slender, dressed in a black fitted combat outfit. Over it, he draped a loose, wide robe that billowed in the wind.

He gazed idly at the Demon Palace beneath his feet and the distant Magic City. Lowering his head, he called into the pavilion, “Liu Sha, do you think there’ll be any fools trying to test their luck while the Lord is in seclusion? Ah… I hope a few come to throw their lives away, at least to make this dull time more bearable.”

Inside the pavilion, a composed young woman was seated. Her features and attire bore some resemblance to Luo Ye’s, though she lacked his bloodthirsty aura, appearing more like a noble lady raised in seclusion.

She was carefully embroidering a design on a silk hoop.

“Most of those harboring ill intent have already been dealt with. There shouldn’t be anyone left who dares.” Liu Sha spoke in a gentle tone.

These two were siblings of mixed demon blood. In their youth, Huai Yunong had saved them, and they had since been unwaveringly loyal to him. As his most trusted left and right hands, they were responsible for guarding the palace while he was in seclusion.

As two of the most infamous enforcers in the Demon Palace, their hands were steeped in blood. Luo Ye, in particular, was known for his reckless, unruly cruelty, earning him the moniker of “Mad Dog” in private. Few dared to provoke him.

As Luo Ye yanked at his sleeve in boredom, constantly complaining about having nothing to do, Liu Sha suddenly tilted her head slightly, her gaze shifting toward the direction of the inner palace.

Noticing her movement, Luo Ye immediately followed her gaze, eyes narrowing.

He sensed it too.

“There’s movement inside the Lord’s bedchamber,” he murmured.

“The Lord shouldn’t be coming out of seclusion this soon.” Liu Sha set down her embroidery.

“Then who’s the audacious rat sneaking into his domain?”

“To have made it past us unnoticed… quite impressive. I’ll be sure to give them a warm welcome.”

Luo Ye grinned, but his eyes gleamed with murderous intent.

Liu Sha spoke no more. She disappeared from the pavilion in a flash.

“Let’s go. We can’t allow them to disturb the Lord’s seclusion.”

Luo Ye stepped onto the eaves and flew toward the inner palace.

Locking onto the faint breath within the bedchamber, the siblings appeared outside the door like shadows. Exchanging a glance, they reached out and pushed it open.

With their cultivation, they immediately sensed the presence hidden behind the bed canopy.

Luo Ye’s eyes narrowed. He reached out to release his silk threads, ready to bind and drag the intruder out.

But Liu Sha, ever cautious, stopped him. In a soft voice, she asked, “Has the Lord emerged from seclusion?”

It was strange. If an assassin or traitor had truly managed to infiltrate the Demon Lord’s chambers unnoticed, why wouldn’t they even attempt to hide their breath?

Moreover, the intruder remained in place, showing no intention of fleeing—even as the two of them stood at the entrance.

Luo Ye didn’t believe for a second that it was their revered Lord behind the canopy. He was about to break free from his sister’s grasp and strike first when—

A small head peeked out from the canopy.

The siblings froze upon seeing the child’s face.

Dark red hair, slightly curled at the ends.

Eyes of a deep golden hue, a hallmark of celestial demon blood.

Pale skin, delicate features—

Even in this youthful form, one could tell that this child would grow into a strikingly handsome figure.

This was unmistakably their Lord, Huai Yunong!

Coaxed out by Liu Sha’s gentle voice, Qian poked her head out and gazed at the two strangers.

“Lord…?” Luo Ye was stunned.

Liu Sha, worried, cautiously stepped forward and knelt down. “Lord, did something happen during your seclusion? Why have you reverted to this form?”

Luo Ye followed suit, lowering himself onto one knee, his expression equally filled with confusion and concern.

Huai Yunong, the supreme Celestial Demon and a hybrid of a lesser demon race, had risen to the pinnacle of the demonic realm through the power of the Celestial Demon Sacrificial Scripture.

However, this formidable scripture came with risks. A single misstep could result in severe backlash—causing the cultivator to regress into childhood.

Years ago, when Huai Yunong had first ascended to his throne, he had suffered such an incident, temporarily regressing to an eight-year-old form.

That time was extremely dangerous. The Great Demons who disapproved of his rule united to attack him, and it was only through Luo Ye and Liusha’s desperate efforts to protect him that he managed to buy enough time to recover. In the end, he turned the tables and slaughtered those treacherous Great Demons, leaving the demon race drenched in blood.

It was because of this that Luo Ye and Liusha earned Huai Younong’s trust.

Now, seeing the Demon Lord once again regress into a child’s form—this time even younger, appearing only five or six years old—how could they not be concerned?

The little “Demon Lord” on the bed remained silent, hiding instead. This made the siblings gradually sense that something was amiss.

Doubt flickered in their eyes.

Upon closer inspection, although this child looked identical to the Demon Lord, his temperament was completely different.

Even when their Demon Lord had turned into a child before, he had remained arrogant and imperious, exuding a bloodthirsty and malevolent aura that made others incapable of harboring even the slightest disrespect.

But the child before them seemed harmless, his eyes clear and pure—just like any ordinary child.

Was he really the Demon Lord?

The siblings exchanged a glance, and Liusha stepped forward to test him.

She moved with a gentle yet vigilant posture, kneeling by the bedside, prepared for the small Demon Lord to lash out in fury. At the same time, she activated the demonic parasite within her body.

“Demon Lord, the parasite within me is becoming restless. May I request a drop of your blood?”

To gain Huai Younong’s complete trust, the siblings had voluntarily allowed him to implant his bloodthirsty demonic parasites in their bodies. These parasites not only enhanced their demonic bloodline abilities but also put them entirely under his control.

Every so often, they required a drop of Huai Younong’s blood to keep the parasites at bay.

If he was truly the Demon Lord, this test would provide an undeniable answer.

Qian clutched the bed curtain, using it to shield herself as she watched the beautiful young lady approach.

She didn’t understand anything about demonic parasites, but she understood that the lady was asking for her blood.

This child wasn’t just lazy—she was also afraid of pain. So when she saw the woman coming closer, she instinctively backed away.

Her evasive movement caused a shift in the siblings’ expressions.

If there was nothing suspicious, why would she dodge?

Liusha’s actions became more forceful. She suddenly reached out, grasped Qian’s chubby little arm, and swiftly pricked her fingertip.

A drop of fresh blood, tinged with golden threads, surfaced on her fingertip.

Liusha’s expression changed instantly.

She quickly released Qian’s hand and felt the specially agitated parasite in her body settle into calmness, confirming the child’s identity.

She immediately lowered her head. “I have overstepped my bounds. May the Demon Lord punish me.”

Since his sister had confirmed his identity, Luo Ye no longer doubted either. He silently knelt by the bed as well.

But after kneeling for a long time, the little Demon Lord on the bed neither became angry nor punished them. In fact, she didn’t say anything at all.

Their hearts grew uneasy, and they raised their heads to look at her.

“Demon Lord?”

Luo Ye scrutinized the little Demon Lord’s every move and boldly speculated, “Could it be that the Demon Lord encountered an issue during cultivation and no longer remembers us?”

Liusha also found this highly probable. She gently asked, “Demon Lord, do you still remember us?”

Qian shook her head honestly.

As expected—he had lost his memory. This was a major problem.

Liusha reassured, “I am Liusha, and he is Luo Ye. We are the protectors under your command. Please rest assured, Demon Lord, we will protect you at all costs.”

Luo Ye added, “Back then, we were too young, which allowed those traitors a chance to harm you. Now that we are stronger, we will ensure your safety, so please rest easy.”

Regardless of their personalities or past actions, their loyalty to Huai Younong was unquestionable. After all, if not for him, they would likely still be trapped in the filthy underground demon city, treated as mere playthings and subjected to endless humiliation.

“Given the Demon Lord’s current state, it is best that no one outside learns of this. Wherever you go, we will accompany you until you recover.”

“We should discreetly seek out a healer to examine him. If he is injured, we need to begin treatment immediately.”

The two discussed how to conceal the “Demon Lord’s” true condition and how to nurse him back to health.

They had completely accepted Qian as Huai Younong.

Even though they were the Demon Lord’s most trusted subordinates, they had never been privy to his exact retreat location. Each time, they merely stood guard at the demon palace, awaiting his return.

At this moment, Huai Younong was still secluded in an undisclosed, safe place, entirely unaware of what was happening outside.

Since the real one wasn’t appearing, the newly arrived Qian had effortlessly (and temporarily) ascended to the position of Demon Lord.

Liusha and Luo Ye discussed their plans for a while, then noticed the little Demon Lord watching them intently.

“Demon Lord, do you remember anything?”

Qian shook her head.

“Why has the Demon Lord not spoken? Are you unable to speak?”

Qian hesitated for a moment, then pointed at the beautiful young lady and said, “Liusha!”

Then she pointed at the sinister-looking young man. “Luo Ye!”

Hearing her finally speak, the two of them smiled.

“Yes, these are the names you gave us.”

Sensing their goodwill, Qian finally relaxed and smiled as well.

Her smile made Liusha and Luo Ye freeze.

They had never seen the Demon Lord smile before. Their lord had always disliked his own appearance, which might have been why he rarely smiled.

And with his overwhelming presence, few had ever dared to focus on his looks.

Now, without his usual malevolence and murderous aura, this young face—pure and radiant with a bright smile—was truly disarming.

A faint blush appeared on Liusha’s cheeks, while Luo Ye’s eyes lit up. He declared once more, “Demon Lord, rest assured! We will protect you with our lives!”

—

—A gauze canopy is a sheer fabric covering used for beds, outdoor spaces, or decor, adding elegance and light protection.