A Chilling Choice in the Demon Realm

Su Xiaoxiao finally looked at the dress she was wearing. The long blue and white gown was truly magnificent, adorned with sapphires. While it was somewhat revealing, it was also exceptionally abrasive against her skin.

Su Xiaoxiao’s skin was far too delicate; the gown chafed uncomfortably. After changing, she looked up at Xiyue and asked, “Could I possibly change into something else? This is really uncomfortable.”

The gown was a vivid blue and white, a long dress with a low neckline and a high slit, revealing a significant expanse of pale skin across her chest.

Her waist was perfectly curved and slender, while a pair of fair, soft thighs and calves were subtly exposed beneath the long skirt.

Since she wore no shoes, her small toes were bare, resembling tiny pastries, almost inviting one to taste them.

Faint kiss marks and bite impressions left by Xiyue were visible on her chest and neck. Dressed so alluringly, her beautiful face, however, held an expression of innocence and bewilderment.

This extreme contrast made Xiyue’s heart burn, and her throat felt parched.

Su Xiaoxiao genuinely hadn’t noticed, but Xiyue took it all in, believing she was feigning discomfort to avoid something.

Xiyue paid her no mind, leading Su Xiaoxiao out of the small courtyard.

****

The weather in the Demon Realm truly changed too quickly. Only two or three months had passed since the last extreme cold spell, and now a new one had already descended.

Snowflakes began to drift from the sky. Su Xiaoxiao, having no shoes on, had been fine indoors, but stepping outside, the ground felt both rough and freezing beneath her feet.

Shivering from the cold, she pondered what she might have done wrong these past two days to displease Xiyue, leading her to devise such a method of tormenting a fish.

Her face was frozen blue, and her exposed thighs, left bare to the cold air, felt uncomfortably chilly. Su Xiaoxiao was so cold that her words came out haltingly. “Xiyue, it’s… it’s so cold…”

Xiyue turned, seeing her lips trembling. It didn’t seem like a pretense, yet Xiyue remained resolute, refusing to offer her own cloak. Instead, she said coldly, “Endure it.”

The path to the main hall was not short. When Xiyue had abducted Su Xiaoxiao, she hadn’t intended to kill her, but seeing her still brought displeasure, so she had arranged a bedchamber far from the main hall.

Su Xiaoxiao had often wandered aimlessly through the Demon Palace before, but this was the first time she felt the distance was so immense.

Finally enduring the journey to the main hall’s entrance, Su Xiaoxiao’s feet ached terribly. She lifted her skirt, tilting her head to inspect her feet.

Xiyue stated calmly, “We’re here. Your Elder is inside.”

Su Xiaoxiao instantly forgot about her feet, moving to push open the door and enter, only to have Xiyue grasp her arm.

Su Xiaoxiao turned back to look at her, not understanding Xiyue’s intention. Xiyue, however, spoke in a deep voice, “Before you go in, there’s something I need to make clear to you.”

“Wh-what is it?” Su Xiaoxiao felt Xiyue’s gaze was somewhat terrifying.

Xiyue’s hand suddenly pressed against Su Xiaoxiao’s lower abdomen, sending a shiver of fright through her.

“You wish to keep this little bastard? You may, but it can only be born in the Demon Realm.”

Su Xiaoxiao looked at her with hesitation.

The falling snow grew heavier, and the howling wind swept through, disheveling Su Xiaoxiao’s blue and white hair.

Seeing her somewhat dazed, Xiyue continued, “You don’t understand what I mean?”

She explained, both patiently and cruelly, “I know what you’re thinking. Waiting for your Elder to rescue you?”

Xiyue suddenly reached out, touching her icy cold cheek. “Xiaoxiao, if you want to leave, you can go with your Elder right now. But this child, you cannot keep.”

“I’ve had Gu Yan prepare two bowls of medicinal soup. Your choice depends on what you say once you go inside.”

“Don’t even think about playing tricks. You should already know what the cinnabar talisman on your foot means. If you don’t obey…”

Xiyue’s hand, pressed against her cheek, felt like a sharp blade. Though it was a mere caress, it terrified Su Xiaoxiao into immobility.

She seemed to lose patience. Before Su Xiaoxiao had fully grasped her words, Xiyue had already seized her hand, pushed open the door, and led her inside.

****

The殿门推开, the warmth that rushed out failed to revive Su Xiaoxiao.

“Xiaoxiao.” Yunli, unable to sit still any longer, rose and called out to her.

Su Xiaoxiao paused slightly, then said numbly, “Elder…”

Yunli had not come alone. Behind her were two merfolk, playmates who had grown up with Su Xiaoxiao.

Like calves unafraid of tigers, they saw Su Xiaoxiao and immediately crowded around her, completely disregarding Xiyue, the demoness standing nearby.

Xiyue, however, showed no anger. She ignored them, walking directly to her seat as the Demon Monarch and sitting down.

The moment Su Xiaoxiao stepped through the hall’s entrance, Yunli noticed her attire. A surge of anger flared, and she admonished Xiyue, “What have you dressed her in?!”

Xiyue merely tugged at the corner of her mouth, stating indifferently, “While she remains with me, what she wears is naturally my decision.”

“The weather outside is so cold, and it’s snowing, yet you let her wear so little,” Yunli snapped, growing agitated.

After the young merfolk of the Merfolk Clan were born and raised by their parents for a period, specialized Elders would then take charge of their initial schooling, much like children attending private academies in the mortal realm.

Several Merfolk Elders each had their duties. Empress Yunjie was originally meant to instruct the young merfolk in martial arts and cultivation, but since she had not returned from Shanghuatian, the task fell to Yunli.

Yunli had spent the most time with Su Xiaoxiao’s generation of young merfolk; she had watched Su Xiaoxiao grow up. Originally, Yunli had been invited to Shanghuatian with Su Xiaoxiao, but unexpectedly, she hadn’t brought Su Xiaoxiao back completely unharmed.

Wracked with guilt day and night, she had tried numerous methods, coming to the Demon Realm multiple times. Today was the first time she had seen Su Xiaoxiao again.

The innocent, naive, and obedient young merfolk from the South Sea was now significantly thinner. On such a cold day, she was dressed in… attire meant for amusement.

Xiyue had stated that Su Xiaoxiao was pregnant, yet only a flat abdomen was visible through the dress. In such freezing weather, Xiyue seemed utterly unconcerned that it might harm Su Xiaoxiao’s foundation.

Upon arrival, Yunli had considered that what was done was done. If Xiyue treated Su Xiaoxiao with care and concern, then perhaps she could accept their relationship.

However, it now appeared that Xiyue held no genuine affection, instead merely bullying Su Xiaoxiao for her youth, naivety, and low cultivation.

How could Yunli tolerate this? Even if it meant losing her life here today, she would take the child she had raised back to the South Sea.

The atmosphere was tense, a sword-drawn standoff. Just as Yunli seemed about to act, Xiyue sat languidly on her Demon Monarch’s throne and said, “Elder Yunli, why grow angry? I know you wish to take her, but why not ask her if she truly wants to return with you?”

“How could she not want to? If it weren’t for you, demoness, trapping her here, she would have long ago…”

Xiyue “tsk”ed, impatiently cutting her off. “Su Xiaoxiao.”

From her elevated position, she called down to the still-numb little fish, “Tell your Elder, do you want to stay in the Demon Realm, or do you want to return to the South Sea with her?”

Su Xiaoxiao stood in the center of the hall, her feet feeling as heavy as lead, looking at Xiyue with utter helplessness.

Xiyue’s deep eyes, like those of a venomous snake fixated on its prey, made Su Xiaoxiao’s mind go blank; she even felt a little dizzy.

Xiyue’s words from outside the hall still echoed in her ears.

Only then did Su Xiaoxiao fully understand. Xiyue was forcing her to make a final choice.