SQLJBFDTW Chapter 81

“Boom!” The city gate slowly opened.

Countless flying blossoms were blown by the long wind from the cracks, along with the excited shouts of the demons, like a sea wave, overwhelming and deafening.

The Ascension Festival is a big day in the demon realm, even more important than the New Year’s Eve in the human realm. Because this day symbolizes that demons can shed their so-called animal skins and ascend to enlightenment like the self-proclaimed noble humans. It is the sublimation of the demon’s personality, a symbolic node where they no longer have to be inferior to humans.

Drums were lined up on both sides of the long street, and a magnificent giant vehicle slowly drove out from inside the gate.

With each drumbeat, it moved forward a step. Attendants dressed in celestial envoy robes walked alongside, holding flowers, fruits, jade stones, pearls, and more. The demon citizens on both sides danced with excitement, scooping up flowers from the prepared flower baskets and throwing them into the air.

“May the Demon Lord bestow blessings—”

“Demon Lord bestow—”

The attendants shouted loudly, and the person on the vehicle then lifted the layers of curtains, revealing the face of the demon immortal within. The citizens on both sides erupted in an even more deafening roar, opening their arms to welcome the blessings. Some even transformed into their demon forms, their demon arms growing longer and more numerous, raising them high in the jostling crowd.

The demon immortal waved his arm, and a fragrant breeze flew out from his sleeve, then transformed into shimmering feathers, falling from the air. The demons jumped up and down excitedly, but there was no need to fight for them, because these feathers would calmly land on the head of each one.

This grand occasion would last for three days and three nights because the first demon immortal who ascended had experienced three days and three nights of ascension tribulation. Once the Demon Lord’s vehicle passed, the demons would begin a grand celebration.

As the attendants and the vehicle moved further in, the sound grew louder and louder. Chao Jianxue covered Yu Wei’s body with his sleeve, so he wouldn’t be knocked to the ground by the sound waves.

A thin piece of paper pressed against the palm of his hand, and he didn’t know if it was an illusion, but it seemed to carry the warmth of Yu Wei’s body. Although he knew he wouldn’t feel pain in this form, Chao Jianxue tried to lighten his movements as much as possible, not daring to press too hard, yet not daring to let go and let him float away.

Yu Wei’s voice was muffled in the palm of his hand: “Demon Lord, why don’t you put me on the table? I’ll hold on tight.”

Chao Jianxue carefully put him on the table, clamping him with something. The small piece of paper swayed, quickly regaining its balance.

It raised that comical face, its black bean eyes looked around, finally settling on Chao Jianxue’s face.

“Demon Lord has taken off his mask…” it said slowly. Chao Jianxue appeared before him with his true face for the first time in years, and he was still nervous.

He pursed his smiling lips, not speaking, looking calmly and happily at the citizens on both sides, now his citizens.

Yu Wei suspected that the heat in his heart was about to burn a hole through the torso of this paper body.

His Shixiong has always been good-looking. Now that he was accepting the worship of the people, he finally knew that such a person was born to have so many followers.

He did not belong to the Wuwu Sect, but was indeed perfectly suited for the demon realm, suited for this more gorgeous world.

Here, there was chaos full of vitality, and a calm frankness.

This place and the territory of human cultivators were completely two different worlds.

Yu Wei’s mind was stirred, and colorful petals flew from the top of the vehicle. Those petals seemed to have traveled through time, allowing Yu Wei to see his former self.

The only heir of the Yu clan, when he saw such petals flying over his head, wanted to reach out and grab them. He stood up, but had barely taken two steps when he was ordered and reprimanded to sit back down, to maintain his demeanor at all times.

As for the common people on both sides, they also stood in an orderly manner.

Someone congratulated him: “Congratulations to Young Master Yu on entering the Foundation Establishment stage and embarking on the path of immortality!”

Was it really congratulations?

If it was really congratulations, why couldn’t he laugh, couldn’t he jump up, couldn’t he run…?

He could only respond to that person in a rigid language under the elder’s teachings, and accept the congratulatory gift wrapped in layers of boxes – his congratulatory gift, which he was not allowed to open.

Those petals had nothing to do with him. No matter how accessible, no matter how beautiful, he could not actively reach out to touch them.

This was etiquette, this was the rule, this was the destiny of being Yu Wei.

A complex large red sleeve was raised, blocking his vision. A fair and strong wrist was wearing a golden bracelet, the golden light reflecting in fragments. Then the wrist turned, and this person’s palm was open towards him, a handful of colorful petals.

The paper slowly swayed in the wind, without a sound.

Chao Jianxue lowered his eyes to look at it, and said, “Are you cold? Should I weigh you down with these?”

The paper unfolded paper hands and hugged the handful of petals.

So, Shixiong was still fond of him, wasn’t he?

But what about the spiritual bracelet he gave Shixiong? The spiritual bracelet recognizes its master, it cannot be taken off. Was it hidden?

Otherwise, he wouldn’t always have to hide when calling out his name.

He had been hiding for decades. If he had just called out once, he would have been able to know where he was…

When he first entered the demon realm, when he was suffering, had he not called out his name even once…? Clearly, as long as he called, he would be able to come and take him away…

The petals clung to the body, gradually stained with bright red juice.

Chao Jianxue glanced at it, and sure enough, he saw red and green juice on it. He hurried to brush it away, but Yu Wei’s paper hand actually hugged them very tightly. He couldn’t tear off the petals at all, so he had to let him be. He hoped that Yu Wei’s real body wouldn’t be stained as well.

Before departing, he had seriously asked Qing Tu Liu if there was any possibility of this puppet technique being broken. Qing Tu Liu said that unless Yu Wei still had the strength of the Great Ascension stage, but if he did, how could he be tied up like this? Qing Tu Liu told him not to worry unnecessarily.

Pitiful, a Great Ascension cultivator. If the old men of the human realm knew that he had kidnapped the leader of the righteous path using such means, wouldn’t they be furious and rush to the demon realm?

Chao Jianxue felt a little guilty again. He asked, “Can you see sitting here? Do you want to sit on my shoulder?”

The small piece of paper hugged the petals and nodded.

So Chao Jianxue put him on his collar, pressing him down. The small paper hand was tightly pressed against the skin of his neck, the paper could feel the real pulse beating under the flesh.

The paper didn’t have much strength. If he used force, creases would appear on his body. Yu Wei watched as his paper hand pressed out marks inch by inch, and always felt it wasn’t enough, it wasn’t enough…

It was clearly a noisy scene, but all the sounds gradually faded away in his ears, only the breathing of the person in front of him, every frown and smile, the vibration of the heartbeat that his paper was the only thing able to feel.

If he reached his hand upwards, he could rub a bit of the gold foil on his lips.

It would be like a kiss that only he knew about.

Chao Jianxue lowered his head and saw that the small piece of paper seemed unable to hold on, so he stuffed it deeper into his collar, only revealing half of its body.

The fragrance lingered, and Yu Wei couldn’t help but take a deep breath, but the puppet paper had no sense of smell.

The celestial vehicle traveled a long road, turning and turning. Chao Jianxue didn’t feel tired. Qi Wu used to dress up as a demon immortal like this and travel many times in the vehicle.

He had never met Qi Wu, but he knew from others that his biological father was a powerful Demon Lord, whose body could be as tall as a mountain, but who was tolerant and loving to his subjects, a good monarch.

Now that he inherited his mantle and accepted their worship, more than the joy under the rejoicing, there was a responsibility that was born out of fate.

He suddenly had a grand wish. If possible, he wanted the demons and humans of the Xuanzhen world to coexist peacefully. Even half-demons would not have to be frightened and coveted by demons.

This wish appeared in his mind, startling him as well.

How many predecessors of humans and demons had wanted to achieve this? When was it his turn, a half-demon, to consider it? But the face of the half-demon youth who had let him go in the black rain appeared in front of him again.

He hoped that he would prove on his behalf that half-demons would not degenerate into demons. Just one result would be enough.

Just like the demon immortal of this Ascension Festival. As long as one appeared, it would be an encouraging medicine, a sharp blade to break the fate of half-demons.

He wanted to be this sharp blade.

Chao Jianxue’s blood surged throughout his body. He stood up and responded loudly to the crowd of his subjects. The demon mark on his forehead was very bright. Qing Tu Liu, who was standing by, was also extremely excited when he saw this. He jumped off the vehicle and walked to the front, transforming into a huge snake, clearing the way for the convoy.

The blessing continued for three days. The demons celebrated wildly without fatigue, singing and dancing with thunderous drums.

Yu Wei had been staying beside Chao Jianxue’s neck, rarely emptying all his thoughts, and just traveled with him like this.

But as the convoy returned to the city where it had departed, he was extremely reluctant and sad. If, at this moment, Yu Wei could sit next to Shixiong in Yu Wei’s appearance, that would be great.

A kind of restless desire surged from his heart. If he fell down now, would Shixiong stop the convoy to look for him?

If this paper figure of his was torn apart, what would Shixiong do?

…

“Eh, what’s going on?” A demon pointed to the sky.

It should have been the time when the morning light was breaking, but there were faint signs of darkness in the sky. There was also no moisture in the air, not a sign of rain.

Chao Jianxue ordered the demons to stop making noise. In an instant, all the drums and music were quiet, and they stared at this strange celestial phenomenon.

The demons might not know, but Chao Jianxue had seen such darkness before. He calmly said in a deep voice, “It’s demonic energy.”

On a day like the Ascension Festival, when the people were celebrating, there shouldn’t be any loopholes to exploit. All the demons were here, all looking normal, so what had attracted the demonic energy?

Chao Jianxue later thought about it. When the demonic energy came to the Wuwu Sect that day, it was because his own mind was unsettled that he had attracted the demons. But what could be the reason now? Was it also related to him?

Without thinking carefully, Ming Qianli immediately appeared in his palm. He completely stuffed the small piece of paper, Yu Wei, into his collar, and leaped up.

Flying into the air, he saw that luckily, it wasn’t a large mass of demonic energy, only a little, not enough to be a threat.

After Chao Jianxue cultivated to the Great Ascension stage, he had cut down many such demonic energies, so he was not afraid.

Seeing him start to act, the demons below wanted to witness the Demon Lord slaying demons, and they beat the drums even harder, shouting to cheer him on.

Ming Qianli’s light was dazzling, instantly cutting out a crack-like ray of light in the black cloud.

The sounds of pearls and jade on his body rang out, the drums on the ground were in full swing, like a surging wave, lifting Chao Jianxue alone into the sky.

The more he fought, the more heartily he fought, and the ground beat louder and louder.

One ball, then another, the scurrying demonic energy was cut down by him one after another.

He somersaulted in the air.

Just then, a small piece of paper flew out from his clothes, flying to the black cloud of demonic energy along with the rolling gale of demonic spirits.

Not good!

Chao Jianxue’s pupils shrank, and he immediately turned upwards, reaching out to try to catch the paper figure.

He had clearly stuffed Yu Wei in tightly, how could he have fallen out?!

Yu Wei had no cultivation to protect himself, and the paper was connected to the real body. The paper was fragile and would tear easily, and if it rolled into the demonic energy, it would turn into powder in an instant!

Yu Wei would die!

The fact that was placed before his eyes made Chao Jianxue’s whole body tense.

He opened his five fingers with force, the fingertips reaching to touch, just a little bit, already touching the edge of the paper figure, just a little bit more to catch it—

The small paper figure was swallowed into the black cloud.

“Yu—” He opened his mouth. The name that he hadn’t called out for a long time was already unfamiliar at his lips. He cried out in grief, almost incoherently, “Yu Wei!”

He used all his strength but couldn’t grab it back.

But with this cry, a great white light suddenly burst out in the cloud, and the booming spiritual wave instantly shattered the black cloud.

Chao Jianxue opened his mouth wide, staring blankly, but he saw a hand stretching out from that dazzling light, grabbing the wrist of his own hand that was also stretching forward with force.

The black clouds swirled into smoke and dissipated. Yu Wei’s white clothes fluttered, his long hair scattered and danced, the spiritual power of the Great Ascension stage returned to his hand. On the wrist that Chao Jianxue was grabbed by, a jade-colored spiritual bracelet manifested, emitting heat.

“I heard it…”

Like a sigh, like a tremor.