The Demon Lord’s Cruelty

Xiyue’s spiritual power infused warmth into Su Xiaoxiao’s previously cold belly.

Her depleted spiritual meridians felt as if warm spring water flowed through them, and the faint, tormenting ache also dissipated.

Su Xiaoxiao was still muttering, “Don’t touch my belly…”

Su Xiaoxiao was young and inexperienced, not even an adult among the Merfolk.

Yet, Xiyue seemed even more childish than Su Xiaoxiao, declaring, “I insist on touching it.”

“This little one has received so much of my spiritual power; why should I not be allowed to touch it?”

Su Xiaoxiao was not in good spirits.

Her eyes gradually dimmed, losing their sparkle, and her eyelids were swollen and red. Her voice, too, was hoarse.

Xiyue called for fresh water.

She dampened a cloth to wipe away Su Xiaoxiao’s bloodstains, then took the leftover medicine to apply to her.

As Xiyue reached out to part Su Xiaoxiao’s legs, the previously dazed girl instantly began to struggle.

This sudden ferocity caught Xiyue entirely off guard.

Xiyue, lacking patience, cast a spell to ensure Su Xiaoxiao remained still while applying the medicine.

The bed slowly transformed into binding chains.

Perhaps it would have been better not to act.

The moment Su Xiaoxiao was restrained, she began to cry and scream.

Her throat was already hoarse, but now her chest heaved violently.

She exhaled more than she inhaled, and her cheeks and neck were terribly swollen and red.

In a panic, Xiyue quickly released Su Xiaoxiao and helped her sit up.

She placed a hand on Su Xiaoxiao’s back to soothe her breathing, gently rubbing her nape and spine.

Though now sitting up in Xiyue’s embrace, Su Xiaoxiao still struggled, pushing Xiyue away.

She then collapsed back onto the bed, covering her mouth as she began to cough.

“Why are you so stubborn with me?!” Xiyue exclaimed, her head throbbing.

A blood-red mark appeared between her brows, and a wave of growing frenzy made Xiyue even more impatient.

Su Xiaoxiao’s eyes were bloodshot.

Once her coughing subsided, she forced herself to remain conscious, her voice full of anguish, “How will you treat the Merfolk? As they spoke of just now?”

Xiyue had no intention of deceiving her.

She stated plainly, “If the Merfolk stand with the Immortal Clan, then they will be enemies of my Demon Clan.”

The words were not explicitly clear, but Su Xiaoxiao already understood the implication.

Xiyue continued, “Your Merfolk are indeed foolish. The Immortal Clan is hypocritical, and Weili is an utterly shameless woman.

Thousands of years ago, she made the Merfolk fight on her behalf. I heard that many Merfolk were lost in that great battle.”

“That Weili, for no apparent reason, became another’s wife. She then used a marriage alliance with your Merfolk to ensnare your Elder Yunxi, subsequently ascending to the position of Emperor.

Now, thousands of years later, she still resorts to the same old tricks, planning to use this very tactic again.”

“My initial reason for abducting you was simply to negotiate with the Merfolk. The Ghost King’s willingness to ally with me is merely because this war, sooner or later, is inevitable for Xiyue.

Though she cannot defeat the Immortal Clan, and the Immortal Clan looks down upon the Ghost Clan, she allied with me because I promised that once the war began, as long as the Merfolk did not interfere, I would not harm them.”

Xiyue’s expression turned sinister as she continued, “That Emperor is truly cunning.

She has always kept a little princess hidden, one who never shows her face, yet she is willing to send her to your South Sea Merfolk this time.”

“Her true intention is simply to force your Merfolk to make a choice.”

Xiyue seized Su Xiaoxiao’s chin, forcing her to meet her gaze.

“Su Xiaoxiao, tell me yourself: are your cherished kin truly willing to protect Mu Xi, the Merfolk War God who suffered heavy casualties in the last Immortal-Demon War, along with the little demoness she bore with the Emperor?”

“Or will they protect you, an unknown little mermaid carrying a demon bloodline?”

Xiyue knew she shouldn’t have told her all this.

However, her inner demons were at play, clouding Xiyue’s thoughts.

As expected, Su Xiaoxiao was stunned into silence, her face growing even paler.

Her eyes widened, unblinking, yet tears streamed relentlessly down her face.

Shayue’s words were like cold, venomous snakes, coiling around Su Xiaoxiao’s heart.

She appeared haggard and fierce, her mind a blank. “No…”

Only then did Shayue realize how much she had said to Su Xiaoxiao.

She released Su Xiaoxiao’s chin, noticing that in her demonic frenzy, she had bruised it purple.

After quickly letting go, Shayue watched Su Xiaoxiao’s incessant tears.

She reached out to touch her swollen eyelids, knowing she couldn’t tell Su Xiaoxiao that the harsh truths she’d just uttered weren’t entirely her own will.

Shayue’s head still throbbed as if it would split open, yet she forced herself to suppress her inner demons.

“You are not well,” she said. “I shouldn’t have told you all this before, fearing you would overthink. But now that we’ve reached this point, there’s nothing left to hide.”

“I stand by what I said: if the Merfolk do not interfere and choose to remain neutral, then the Immortal Clan will be like a body without its left arm and right leg, incapable of stirring up any major waves.

I do not regard them highly. As for the Merfolk who do not ally with them, I can promise you, for your sake, I will not touch them.”

“But if the Merfolk are foolish enough to oppose my Demon Clan, they will be choosing between you and Yunjie.

What would you have left to cherish then? I will personally help you teach them a lesson.”

Noticing Su Xiaoxiao’s trembling body, Shayue couldn’t help but pull her into an embrace.

Her palm rested on Su Xiaoxiao’s swollen belly. “As for the child within you, I will not harm her. However, she cannot remain in the Demon Palace.”

“What do you mean she cannot remain in the Demon Palace?”

“What are you going to do?!” Su Xiaoxiao asked, looking at Shayue in terror, her voice trembling.

Shayue pressed down on Su Xiaoxiao’s shoulders.

Her red eyes gradually darkened, like bottomless abysses, and she remained silent, simply gazing at Su Xiaoxiao.

While Su Xiaoxiao was lost in thought, Shayue had already applied the medicine.

She also released the chains that had bound Su Xiaoxiao, fearing her struggles would be too violent.

Shayue glanced at the food that had just been brought to the table.

She then told Su Xiaoxiao, “Get up and eat something. Drink your medicine, then sleep.”

After speaking, Shayue departed.

Su Xiaoxiao felt utterly drained, silent tears tracing paths down her cheeks as she curled up on the bed.

Her swollen belly pressed against her thighs and chest, yet she found no comfort.

A moment later, Chitang entered timidly.

“Your Majesty,” she whispered, “Her Highness commanded me to ensure you eat and take your medicine…”

Whatever threats Shayue had uttered remained unknown.

However, Chitang’s rabbit ears were drooped and bristling, and she gazed at Su Xiaoxiao timidly, as if terrified of displeasing her.

Upon hearing this, Su Xiaoxiao subtly wiped away her tears.

Her body felt somewhat numb, and her belly made movement difficult, so it took considerable effort to sit up.

She tottered from the bed to the table, making Chitang’s heart pound with fear that she might fall and injure herself at any moment.

The Demon Clan’s geographical location was poor, leading to a scarcity of everything.

After the cold season, decent food became even rarer.

Yet, the delicacies laid out on the table were not only exquisitely prepared and appealing.

They were even foods that the Demon Clan typically would not possess.

To outsiders, Shayue was quite generous in providing for Su Xiaoxiao.

If Su Xiaoxiao were only a little more obedient, Shayue would undoubtedly dote on her even more.

Su Xiaoxiao, however, did not notice these details.

Her stomach churned violently, and she said wearily, “I don’t want to eat…”

“Her Highness said I must watch you eat,” Chitang stammered, nearly collapsing to her knees in fright.

“Otherwise, she’ll slaughter me for rabbit meat.”

Su Xiaoxiao glanced at her upon hearing this.

She merely felt that Shayue was utterly mad, so easily threatening others’ lives to coerce her.

‘If Chitang were to die because of her…’

Su Xiaoxiao said no more.

She lowered her eyes and picked up her chopsticks, as if devoid of taste or sensation.

She ate very little, feeling terribly unwell.

After resting for a while, it was time for her usual daily medicine.

Su Xiaoxiao’s spirits were low, perhaps due to her earlier emotional outburst.

The area from her belly to her chest felt as if it were burning, a sensation that was most agonizing for her.

She forced herself not to cry out in pain.

Yet, her forehead and back were drenched with cold sweat.

When it was time for the medicine, Chitang brought a tray to Su Xiaoxiao.

Beside the dark, steaming concoction, there was also a jar of flower honey, which Su Xiaoxiao particularly liked.

Su Xiaoxiao swallowed hard.

Before the medicine even reached her throat, its bitter taste had already spread throughout her entire body.

Su Xiaoxiao stared blankly at the bowl of medicine.

She only snapped back to reality when Chitang softly called out, “Your Majesty.”

Su Xiaoxiao picked up the bowl, intending to drink it all in one gulp.

However, after only half, she bent over and uncontrollably vomited everything out.

Her violent coughing even caused Su Xiaoxiao to vomit up the food she had managed to eat earlier.

“Your Majesty!!!” Chitang shrieked, her legs turning to jelly in her panic.

Lost and helpless, she quickly summoned several other junior demons to attend, dispatching some to inform Xiyue and others to notify Gu Yan.

When the hurried report reached Xiyue, she was discussing important matters with the kings of several other clans.

Xiyue’s heart sank upon hearing the news, yet she showed no trace of concern on her face.

She spoke coolly from her lofty position, “Just send Gu Yan to check on her. What good would it do for Gu Yan to tell me?”

“If she can’t eat, then don’t make her. If she can’t drink the medicine, force it down her throat.”

“Go back and tell her that if she continues to act so dramatically, I will have her locked up in the dungeon.”

As Xiyue uttered these words, even the usually impassive Ghost King frowned.

She cast a glance at Xiyue but remained silent.

With the Demon Lord having spoken, the junior demon, fearing for their life, dared not linger.

When they rushed back to Su Xiaoxiao’s small courtyard, Gu Yan had already arrived.

She was in the process of taking Su Xiaoxiao’s pulse.

Gu Yan had been speaking with Su Xiaoxiao.

Seeing the messenger return, she asked, “Did Her Highness not come back with you?”

The messenger shook their head, stammering, “H-Her Highness said that if Your Majesty continues like this, then…”

“…then she will be locked away in the military prison…”

Gu Yan was dumbfounded.

After a long moment, she managed, “Huh?”

‘Could Xiyue be going mad again, perhaps because of her inner demons?’

Gu Yan quickly looked to Su Xiaoxiao for a reaction.

However, she saw the girl’s eyelids still lowered, without even a flicker, as if this answer neither disappointed nor surprised her, nor did she care.

Gu Yan didn’t know how to respond, so she changed the subject. “Xiaoxiao, it’s time for the acupuncture.”

Su Xiaoxiao hummed in acknowledgment.

Even for an expert like Gu Yan, the insertion of the slender silver needles into the skin was not entirely painless.

Having known Su Xiaoxiao for more than a day or two, Gu Yan knew she felt significant pain, and due to her mermaid nature, she feared sharp objects.

Yet, Su Xiaoxiao had gradually grown accustomed to the acupuncture, not even frowning.

She was like a soulless doll, oblivious to pain.

“Xiaoxiao, are you alright?” Gu Yan asked, a hint of worry in her voice, but received no reply from Su Xiaoxiao.

Su Xiaoxiao was utterly exhausted.

She closed her eyes, feigning rest, but Gu Yan knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep.