Chapter 570: Chapter 539: Fatal Weakness

The Capital of the Demon World is mostly a place of ghosts and demons, where the sky is as arrogantly red as blood.

Even the naturally hanging moon is an inauspicious crimson, occasionally streaked by currents from other dimensions sweeping across the sky and earth.

The moonlight, like a curtain of gauze, fills the Capital, casting the towering Ming Continent as huge gray silhouettes, as if a dormant beast.

Blood moons are not uncommon in the Demon World, but most are fragmented red phases. A full blood-red moon like tonight, however, is extremely rare.

The faint crimson moonlight scattered in the Demon Realm carries a hint of brutality.

When the full moon looms over the city, the demons within this domain inevitably become more bloodthirsty and savage.

Even the Demon Guards at the Royal Hall show a subtle increase in malevolence in their eyes.

In the Netherworld Palace, Ning Feiyan sat quietly on a cushion, her pale, slender hands holding a Jade Token, her head bowed in serious concentration as she adjusted the Heart Protecting Incense in the Golden Furnace.

Tonight, she was to act as protector and guard the heart for the Demon Lord.

She lifted her hand to glance at the crimson moon outside the window.

The Demon Lord’s every move and thought is intimately connected to the Demon World’s seasons and climate.

The appearance of a crimson full moon must be related to the Demon Lord’s mood.

Yet she was somewhat puzzled. She had not yet taken action, so why had His Majesty already succumbed?

In the palace, the ever-burning lamp emitted a faint glow. The Demon Lord was draped in a black fox fur robe, lying on her couch, deep within the soft canopy.

Beaded curtains surrounded her, and the incense in the incense burner burned inch by inch. The faint and hazy smoke was ethereal, and her pale, delicate face blurred within the wisp of cold fragrance, as elusive as a mirage.

Her eyes were closed, but the whimsical charm between her brow could not be concealed. As the surrounding mist rose, a faint red vertical line faintly appeared between her brows.

Before the incense in the Golden Furnace was exhausted, Ning Feiyan expertly and methodically prepared a new batch of Heart Protecting Incense and lit it.

Hearing the faint sounds from the outer hall, the Female Demon Lord slowly opened her eyes, her dark eyes reflecting a sliver of light.

With a calm expression, she watched Ning Feiyan’s silhouette from the back as she adjusted the incense, then suddenly spoke, “I heard that the River Lord recently found his cat that was lost in the Mortal World thirty years ago?”

Ning Feiyan’s fingers paused slightly, finding it difficult to discern the hidden meaning in her words, yet she maintained her composure with a slight smile, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

She had thought that the Female Demon Lord might harbor some suspicions about the cat’s identity.

But to her surprise, it seemed to be just a casual inquiry. The Female Demon Lord responded with a low “Hmm,” indicating, “What’s lost and found is good.”

Ning Feiyan brought over the newly lit incense to her couch and went to collect the burned-out cold fragrance from the other two furnaces, preparing to take them down for cleaning and remake the incense.

The listless Female Demon Lord’s gaze suddenly fell on Ning Feiyan’s slender arm reaching out to her, a layer of light gauze barely concealing the flesh beneath the white sleeve.

The Female Demon Lord narrowed her eyes imperceptibly and gently pressed down on Ning Feiyan’s white wrist, “When did River Lord’s protective charm vanish from his arm?”

Ning Feiyan was taken aback, then pressed her lips into a smile, saying, “Since when did Your Majesty start caring about a subordinate’s private affairs? It is normal for an Enchanting Demon to indulge in pleasures.”

Releasing her wrist, the Female Demon Lord frowned and said, “If I’m not mistaken, you are to become the Young Princess Consort to my brother.”

Ning Feiyan lowered her gaze, “Does Your Majesty intend to blame me?”

The lips of the Female Demon Lord curved into a shallow smile, “The Demon World has always revered the strong. The fact that you, with the frail body of an Enchanting Demon, have climbed your way to your current position proves your temperament and means are far superior to my brother Mi Lu.

In some ways, you and I are very similar, Ning Feiyan. We are both Evil Ghosts who clawed their way up from the very bottom. In terms of value, you surpass my brother. If you truly became the Demon Clan’s Young Princess Consort, he would certainly not hesitate to drain your cultivation to suppress the Disaster Beast within him.”

Her gaze amused, the Female Demon Lord suddenly twined a strand of Ning Feiyan’s hair around her pale fingertip, “To deplete River Lord’s cultivation just to atone for my brother’s past wrongdoings would indeed be an extravagant trade. I too find it quite a pity.”

Ning Feiyan’s demeanor remained unchanged, her eyes void of any emotional fluctuation. She smiled softly, “This is a duty that I am obliged to fulfill. There’s no need for pity.”

The expression of the Female Demon Lord became enigmatic as she gazed into Ning Feiyan’s eyes, her voice unexpectedly tender and sincere,

“If River Lord feels aggrieved and unwilling to marry my brother, you should speak openly with me. I will decide for you.”

“You jest, Your Majesty.” In the light of the lamp and green incense, Ning Feiyan’s brows were like painted ink, she elegantly replaced the Golden Beast, her eyes lifting slightly as she earnestly said, “I prefer to make my own decisions.”

The Female Demon Lord’s eyes lifted subtly, “Are you speaking of the Monarch’s Return Banquet ten days from now?”

The Monarch’s Return Banquet, a time for rank exchange.

It goes without saying that this list pertains to the River Lords, and the rankings of the Demon World’s Six Rivers are not fixed. Every hundred years, the Demon World holds a ceremony for exchanging the ranks.

At that time, from all over the Ming Continent, Demon Kings and Demon Generals gather in one place, and any courageous soul can challenge any of the Six River Lords.

If the challenge is successful, they may take over and become the new River Lord.

The Demon Clan has always believed in the survival of the fittest as a principle. Even among the Six Rivers, this belief holds true.

During the banquet, lower-ranking River Lords have the opportunity to challenge those above them. Victory in battle will see their rankings rise.