Nectar for the Little Fish

Xiyue stood, two jars of flower nectar offered by the Flower Clan clutched in her hands, her gaze fixed menacingly on Su Xiaoxiao.

Not only was Su Xiaoxiao terrified, frozen in place as if her very breath had ceased, but even Gu Yan, who had been laughing merrily just moments before, now felt her heart tremble.

To say her heart trembled was an understatement; Gu Yan was utterly petrified.

‘When did Xiyue arrive? Did she hear anything?’

‘If Xiyue heard…’

‘I’ve heard there’s a vast forest and a small lake on the eastern side of the Nine Provinces Continent. The sunlight is perfect, the scenery beautiful, and at night, countless fireflies linger around the lake. If it came to choosing a burial spot there,’ Gu Yan thought, ‘then yes, that would be acceptable.’

****

Several hours earlier—

Xiyue, having lost control of her inner demon in a moment of carelessness, had swept a perfectly good table of dishes onto the floor. Su Xiaoxiao’s face had gone utterly pale with fright.

Yet, a demon like Xiyue actually felt a pang of guilt.

She had accidentally killed Su Xiaoxiao’s fish, leaving her upset for days. Then, last night in bed, consumed by her own pleasure, she had made Su Xiaoxiao weep repeatedly.

As the formidable Demon Lord, she felt not only guilt but also a twinge of unease and a headache.

‘If this little fish kept dwelling on it, wouldn’t she be sulking for ages?’

‘Such a bother.’

Xiyue considered this, then ordered her demon soldiers to search for beautiful fish fry to give to Su Xiaoxiao.

She then recalled that a few days prior, Gu Yan had given Su Xiaoxiao a small jar of flower nectar. Su Xiaoxiao had treasured it like a precious gem, miserably scooping a tiny spoonful after taking her medicine each day, savoring it on her tongue, unwilling to swallow.

While Xiyue hadn’t thought much of it then, now it seemed a viable way to appease her little fish.

Flower Clan nectar was rare and precious across the entire Nine Provinces Continent, and even more so in the barren Demon Realm, where flora struggled to survive.

Leaving the Demon Realm, Xiyue headed straight for the Flower Clan’s territory.

The Flower Clan, being plant-based, was inherently fragile, with meager spiritual power that was difficult to cultivate. Their entire race was gentle and peace-loving.

Yet, all beings under heaven possessed their own methods of survival.

The Flower Clan, from top to bottom, besides living in peace and prosperity, simply couldn’t cultivate anything substantial.

If a race wasn’t strong, it was destined to be bullied.

Xiyue considered that Su Xiaoxiao would likely be drinking medicine for a long time. Since she liked the flower nectar, Xiyue naturally couldn’t annihilate or cripple the Flower Clan.

She had originally intended to stealthily infiltrate the Flower Clan, snatch a few small flowers or plants, act like a bandit for once, and simply rob them of two jars of nectar.

As fate would have it, she unexpectedly stumbled upon the Bird Clan, allowing her to witness a grand spectacle of flowers and birds.

Having had their leader decapitated and many warriors slain by Xiyue previously, the Bird Clan, despite such heavy losses, still dared to stir up trouble and lord it over the Flower Clan.

Xiyue shook her head. Clearly, the Flower Clan was truly weak.

Xiyue watched the drama unfold from the shadows for a while.

It turned out that after Xiyue had turned their world upside down, the Bird Clan, short on manpower, had brazenly captured the small flowers and plants of the Flower Clan, forcing them into slavery.

Today, they were still not satisfied, pressing relentlessly. They had directly confronted the Flower Clan Chief, demanding he prepare a thousand Flower Clan members to be sent to the Bird Clan.

The Flower Clan Elder, a man of advanced age, trembled with rage, looking as if he might ascend to the heavens in a fit of pique at any moment.

“You… you are simply going too far!”

The Bird Clan leader retorted provocatively, “So what if we are? We are still patient enough to reason with you. If you refuse to listen, don’t blame us for being ruthless.”

“This land of yours looks rather good, I think. Annexing it as Bird Clan territory wouldn’t be out of the question.”

The Chief collapsed onto his seat, unable to stand. The surrounding small flowers and plants also trembled, on the verge of tears.

Xiyue understood that the Bird Clan was desperate.

War between Immortals and Demons was imminent. The Merfolk Clan had sent envoys, subtly indicating their unwillingness to side with the Immortal Clan. Meanwhile, the Bird Clan, loyal to the Immortal Clan, had nearly been annihilated by Xiyue just days prior.

Not only Immortals planted spies; Xiyue had also received news from Upper Heaven. Heavenly Emperor Weili’s machinations were stirring, prompting many races to begin their movements. When the command was given, it would be the time to eradicate the Demon Clan.

The Bird Clan had always curried favor with the Immortal Clan. Now was a critical time to prove their worth, yet they had been thwarted by Xiyue. Thus, they were forced to set their sights on other races.

Aside from the Flower Clan, naturally subdued by the Bird Clan, where else could this half-dead Bird Clan find such a soft target to bully?

Thus, the current scene unfolded.

Xiyue found the leading bird, that ‘dead bird,’ chirping incessantly, utterly annoying.

She was here today to retrieve two jars of flower nectar to appease her fish.

The show had run its course. Any further delay, and she would miss Su Xiaoxiao’s medicine time.

Xiyue disdained sneak attacks. She emerged slowly from the shadows, speaking with a faint tone: “To meet me again, what ill luck for you.”

Instead of her usual dark-gold armor, Xiyue had deviated from her norm today.

Her moon-black, cinched-sleeve gown swayed gently with the breeze, silver patterns shimmering subtly at the cuffs. Ice crystal tassels adorned her waist, and as she moved, she exuded an ethereal beauty, like moonlight spilling forth. Coupled with her cascading silver hair, her already captivating allure was now even more profound!

Before the Flower Clan could even react, the Bird Clan was scared out of their wits by Xiyue’s sudden appearance.

“Demon Lord Xiyue!!!”

“You… how could you be here?!”

The very definition of birds scattering was when Xiyue merely stepped out and spoke a sentence, and the Bird Clan immediately began to flee.

Their speed was astounding; not even a shadow remained.

The Flower Clan members were slower to react. By the time the Bird Clan had vanished, the timid small flowers and plants began to shriek, hide, and scramble wildly, a truly sorry sight.

The Flower Clan Chief choked on his breath, wailing mournfully, “It is the Heavenly Dao! The Heavenly Dao seeks to destroy our clan!”

He looked ready to face death, a sight Xiyue couldn’t bear to watch. She spoke coldly, “I am not here to annihilate your clan.”

Even the Immortal Clan disdained the Flower Clan, and Xiyue naturally felt the same.

A flicker of hope appeared in the Flower Clan Chief’s eyes. He asked Xiyue, “Then you are…?”

“Flower nectar.” Xiyue’s reply was succinct. “I’ve come for flower nectar.”

The Flower Clan Chief stared at Xiyue in silence, his eyes visibly widening.

Xiyue couldn’t quite discern his meaning. Her patience was thin, and she was already contemplating that she shouldn’t bother with idle talk; simply taking it would be easier.

Yet the Elder hesitated, asking again as if uncertain, “You said flower nectar?”

Xiyue’s brow furrowed. “Are you giving it or not?”

“Yes! Of course, yes! Immediately!”

‘Only a fool would refuse.’

This was the notoriously bloodthirsty and capricious Demon Lord Xiyue! They had thought this great demon would wipe out the Flower Clan, but she had indirectly driven away the Bird Clan and only wanted flower nectar. Wasn’t this a godsend?

The Flower Clan might lack many things, but flower nectar was certainly not one of them.

“Quick! Bring the best flower nectar for Miss Demon Lord!” The old clan chief, whose face had been ashen moments before, now spoke with booming energy.

‘The little flowers dared not make the Demon Lord wait. What if she grew impatient and suddenly went berserk?’

As Xiyue awaited the flower nectar, she observed the small flowers and plants nearby. Some didn’t dare to move, others trembled, and it seemed they had even forgotten how to breathe.

The small flowers and plants also observed Demon Lord Xiyue. When she wasn’t ‘acting up,’ her mere presence was a delightful sight. Enveloped in a soft, ethereal glow, she seemed like a celestial maiden from the Nine Provinces emerging from the morning mist, embodying all the beauty of a blooming garden.

‘If she ‘acted up,’ well, that was another story entirely.’

‘A living King Yama, pure and simple!’

Incredibly quickly, several jars of the finest flower nectar were selected. Fearing Su Xiaoxiao might eat too much and neglect her proper meals, Xiyue only took two jars.

As she departed, the Flower Clan dared not breathe a sound, wishing only for this great demon to leave swiftly.

Xiyue walked two steps, then suddenly stopped.

When she turned her head, the Flower Clan members’ hearts leaped into their throats. The Chief mustered his courage and asked, “Does the Demon Lord have any further commands?”

“If I help you eliminate the Bird Clan menace, would you be willing to send a jar of excellent flower nectar to the Demon Realm each month?”

The Flower Clan members stood dumbfounded.

The Flower Clan Chief was nearly moved to tears of joy. “How was this any different from a pie falling from the sky? How was it different?!”

“Willingly! Our clan shall certainly select the finest flower nectar and deliver it to the Demon Realm every month on time. Many thanks, Demon Lord, for your patronage!”

Xiyue had no patience for such grandstanding words.

She walked away with the flower nectar, thinking to herself that they shouldn’t be thanking her, but rather that little fish who loved sweets and disliked bitterness.