Chapter 61: Demon Lord (6)

The sudden burst of crying echoed throughout the Demon Palace. The gathered protectors, elders, and demon generals awaiting the Demon Lord’s judgment were all dumbfounded, staring at the real Demon Lord and the “fake” one interacting above.

Could it be… that this child wasn’t some avatar or decoy the Demon Lord deliberately sent out to draw attention?

Two of the protectors exchanged meaningful glances, a suspicion forming in their minds. After all, they knew that this little Demon Lord’s blood had also been recognized by the demonic parasites within their bodies.

Frowning at the cub’s loud wailing, Huai Younong found it irritating. Without hesitation, he stuffed his hand into her mouth to shut her up.

“Gah!” Caught off guard by having her mouth suddenly blocked, Qian widened her eyes in surprise. The next second, realizing what had happened, she bore a grudge and bit down on the large hand.

Huai Younong let the child hang from his hand, completely indifferent, as if he were merely carrying a small clip.

Turning back to the gathered crowd, his gaze swept across their faces before finally landing on the Sixth Elder.

The Third Elder, She Ling, had already been dealt with by the Grand Elder. As for the Sixth Elder, he had been captured by Luo Ye and hadn’t yet been punished. At this moment, as he faced the real Demon Lord, he desperately wished he could kill himself. Unfortunately, he was restrained and unable to act.

Huai Younong opened his other hand, and the Sixth Elder was immediately pulled into his grasp.

The Demon Lord’s hands were broad and strong, his nails black and sharp, resembling the claws of a wild beast. Those razor-like nails pierced into the elder’s eye sockets.

The Sixth Elder, who had the bloodline of the Red-Eyed Demon Clan, had his demonic eyes gouged out by Huai Younong’s magic. The two eyes, as red as glazed beads, vanished into the Demon Lord’s palm.

Extracting the recent memories contained within those demon eyes, Huai Younong raised an eyebrow, finally understanding the situation.

Having lost his most powerful demonic eyes, the Sixth Elder let out a bloodcurdling scream, even louder than the child’s earlier cries.

Huai Younong said nothing. His hand tightened around the elder’s neck and, without hesitation, tore his head from his body. The agonized screams ceased instantly.

Frightened by the sight, Qian, who had still been biting his other hand, quickly let go. She stared, round-eyed, and clapped her little hands over her mouth in horror.

Huai Younong paid no attention to her small reaction. His gaze turned to the ashen-faced Xing Bozhong.

Watching the Sixth Elder’s headless corpse collapse, his severed head and body rapidly transformed, revealing the original form of a Red-Eyed Demon before turning inch by inch into black ash, Xing Bozhong trembled like a leaf.

“D-Demon Lord! I swear I had no thoughts of betrayal! I knew nothing of this assassination attempt—I was merely…”

Before he could finish, Huai Younong kicked him hard, sending him flying.

The man’s large frame crashed down the steps of the throne, his skull shattering upon impact.

“Idiot,” Huai Younong muttered in disgust.

The people left standing in his line of sight immediately lowered their heads.

“Ugh!”

Apart from the Grand Elder, the other elders were suddenly enveloped by a layer of Huai Younong’s demonic energy. The magic manifested like whips, lashing at their bodies.

The Ninth Elder, Changchun Jia, clenched his fan tightly, his face twisted in pain as he gritted his teeth to keep from crying out. Finally, his knees buckled, and he fell to the ground.

One by one, others collapsed, writhing in agony.

This was the Demon Lord’s punishment—a punishment for their wavering loyalty and the silent treachery within their hearts.

The torment was brief, yet to the elders, it felt endless. When it finally ceased, Huai Younong simply said, “Get lost.”

Then, he turned and walked toward his chambers.

“Liusha, Luo Ye.”

“Yes!”

The two immediately responded, quickly following behind him, maintaining a respectful distance—just as they always had.

However, they couldn’t help but glance at the child hanging from the Demon Lord’s hand.

He had grabbed her by the back of her robe, and she swayed with each of his steps.

Few living beings could get this close to the Demon Lord without being killed. Could she really be his child?

Arriving at the jade pool in his private chambers, Huai Younong shrugged off his outer robe, stepping into the water clad only in his inner garments.

The cub in his hand was treated like an ornament—casually placed on the edge of the pool.

Leaning against the pool’s side, his body gradually absorbed the dark energy within the water, allowing his terrifying aura to ease slightly.

Liusha and Luo Ye knelt behind the gauzy curtains.

“I was in seclusion these past days. What happened?” Huai Younong asked, eyes closed.

As Liusha’s gentle voice recounted the events, Huai Younong stretched his arms. His hand bumped against the small cub, so he grabbed her again and gave her another once-over.

Dangling in the air, Qian felt uncomfortable. She struggled slightly, managing to step onto Huai Younong’s chest.

His damp inner robes clung to his skin, revealing his well-defined muscles.

Noticing that the surface beneath her feet was soft yet firm, Qian curiously bounced on it twice.

Her new father had the most terrifying presence, the fiercest temper, the sharpest teeth… and the biggest chest.

Hearing Liusha mention that they had mistaken this child for him, Huai Younong’s expression turned indescribable. He didn’t hold back his disdain, cursing, “Idiots.”

The two protectors’ ears drooped as they hung their heads in shame, not daring to make a sound.

Reflecting on their actions and thoughts over the past few days, both felt utterly mortified.

Meanwhile, the little one in his hand was still stepping on his chest. Annoyed, Huai Younong let go, dropping her into the water.

Her wet hair, much like his own, curled even more at the ends, sticking up in all directions.

“Where did you come from?”

Huai Younong absentmindedly pinched her chubby little arm as he asked. His thumb brushed over two small bite marks—wounds that had already mostly healed thanks to her powerful demonic bloodline.

Floating in the water, Qian blinked and answered, “From Dragon Island.”

“Dragon Island? Where is that?”

“It’s in the clouds!”

“Which region of the Demon Realm?”

“Region?” Qian tilted her head in confusion.

“What’s your name?”

“Qian!”

“Qian? Who gave birth to you?”

“Gave birth… hmm, the System!”

“System? Which demon clan is that?”

“It’s really bad! It’s blue and it flashes!”

Lacking patience, Huai Younong struggled through a conversation that felt like a chicken talking to a duck with the child and quickly lost interest in asking further.

“I don’t know where you came from, but since you’ve inherited my bloodline, I acknowledge you as my offspring.” Huai Younong didn’t even think twice before recognizing this child who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

At this point, it’s necessary to explain Huai Younong’s origins.

He was a half-blood, born of the top-tier Heavenly Demon lineage and the lowest-ranking Charming Demon bloodline in the Demon Realm.

In the Demon Realm, the rarer the bloodline, the fewer its numbers. At present, Huai Younong was the last remaining demon with Heavenly Demon blood. The last few who had shared his lineage perished over a decade ago when he ascended to the position of Demon Lord, their precious blood essence completely drained by him.

Among the Heavenly Demons, strength was paramount. It was in their very nature to kill their kin—fathers slaying sons, sons assassinating fathers—such things were commonplace.

They had no regard for children. Some even birthed offspring solely to use them as nourishment.

In stark contrast stood the Charming Demons.

They were weak and timid, easily crushed with little effort. Most had strikingly beautiful appearances, with their only skill being the ability to enchant others, surviving by clinging to stronger demon clans.

Unlike the Heavenly Demons, the Charming Demons cherished their children deeply. They were born with an instinct to sacrifice their own lives to protect them.

Being a mix of these two bloodlines, Huai Younong was considered an anomaly. He was never meant to be conceived, yet he was born—and not only that, he had risen to become the supreme ruler of the Demon Realm.

His personality was equally eccentric. No one could get close to him—not even his most trusted two protectors were allowed to remain by his side.

“Since you are my child, you must be as strong as I am—stronger than I am!”

Huai Younong pressed a finger against the child’s small shoulder. “Do you understand?”

The child’s chubby face turned red, looking at him in confusion.

“Hmm?”

“If you can’t become strong, I’ll eat you.” Huai Younong threatened, baring his sharp white fangs at the foolish child before him.

“If you stay weak, you’ll eventually be killed by other demons or cultivators. Rather than that, wouldn’t it be better for me to eat you first?”

“Do you hear me?”

The child wobbled unsteadily, as if drunk.

Then, all of a sudden, her eyes shut, her head tilted, and with a plop, she collapsed into the water, bubbles rising from her mouth.

Huai Younong fished the unconscious child out, shaking her dripping-wet body.

“What’s going on?”

Liusha and Luoye had been listening in on their Demon Lord’s conversation with the child from outside the jade pool. Suddenly, they heard the splash of water, and the Demon Lord stood up.

The silk curtains parted, and with a furrowed brow, the Demon Lord walked past them, holding the unconscious child.

“Demon Lord, perhaps it’s an issue with that Creation Rebirth Pill.” Liusha speculated.

Huai Younong suddenly remembered that. He pressed his hand against the child’s chest and belly.

He was only skilled in slaughter, not in healing.

“Go find a medical cultivator.”

“Understood.”

Luoye went to fetch Han Qiu, a medical cultivator who had been trying to pack up his things and sneak out of the Demon Palace.

“Come on, you’re coming with me.”

Caught again.

Han Qiu’s face fell as Luoye dragged him toward the Demon Lord’s chambers.

The pressure of standing before the true Demon Lord was incomparable to dealing with the little one. The moment Han Qiu saw the figure sitting by the bed, cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

“Come here and examine her.”

Han Qiu cautiously approached and performed a diagnosis.

After a thorough check, he wiped his sweat and took his time mustering the courage to report.

“It’s the… Creation Rebirth Pill. The pill was indeed genuine, but it seems to have contained a strange Gu parasite. The parasite was in a dormant, death-like state before, making it undetectable. However, once triggered by the pill’s energy, it awakened inside her body. It feeds on cultivation and demonic energy. Since it has begun absorbing her magic power, she fell unconscious. Once the magic is entirely consumed or dissipates, she will wake up.”

The child had never cultivated before and thus had no spiritual power of her own. However, while in the Demon Lord’s exclusive jade pool, her body had instinctively absorbed the dense demonic energy within, awakening the parasite, which then started feeding.

Huai Younong turned slightly. “Luoye, investigate the origins of that Creation Rebirth Pill. Find out exactly who prepared such a grand gift for me.”

He wasn’t angry, but that was far more terrifying than if he had been. Luoye didn’t dare joke anymore and solemnly took his orders before departing.

“You—figure out how to remove the parasite.”

Han Qiu’s face was full of bitterness and despair. How did this happen? Why did such a life-threatening task fall on him again?

If the parasite were so easily dealt with, how could it have been worthy of targeting the Demon Lord?

Huai Younong grasped the child’s arm, drawing out the small amount of demonic energy within her and dispersing it into the air.

The redness on her face faded, and she quickly woke up.

Unaware of what had just happened, she yawned.

Huai Younong considered explaining the situation to her but, recalling how difficult it was to communicate with her, pointed at his protector instead. “Liusha, explain it to her.”

Liusha: “…”

Her feelings toward the child were complicated, but since the Demon Lord had acknowledged her identity, she was now their Young Miss. So, Liusha patiently explained everything.

After listening, the child suddenly brightened with joy.

She turned to Huai Younong with a serious expression and said, “Did you hear that? There’s a terrifying bug in my belly. So, you can’t eat me! If you do, the bug will crawl into your stomach and eat you!”

She was actually trying to scare him, looking quite pleased with herself.

Huai Younong: “…”

The terrifying Demon Lord suddenly grinned, revealing a cruel smile. He grabbed her chubby arm and pulled her toward him.

“In that case, I just won’t eat your belly. I’ll eat the other parts instead!”

The child hadn’t expected this loophole. She struggled with all her might, but it was useless. Seeing his sharp, gleaming fangs getting closer and closer, she was so terrified that she burst into tears with a loud wail.