Chapter Thirty-One: A Salted Fish Has No Love

Page (1/3)

Ning Xianyu was startled, about to rush over, when the system quickly called out to her: [What are you afraid of? If the Demon Lord dies, you’ll finally be free.]

That made sense, she thought.

Xuan Yuan Tunhan raised his hand, his expression icy. He might as well crush the woman and the system together, rid himself of their noisy presence.

But just then, his raised palm was gripped by a large hand, and a tall figure, scented faintly of fruit, appeared by his side.

Whenever this woman spoke, her mouth was filled with the fragrance of fruit. Who knew what she’d eaten using his body before going to sleep?

“Ancestor, are you alright?” she asked.

Her mind was blank, she didn’t respond to the system, but moved to his side.

Xuan Yuan Tunhan glanced at her, seeing her genuinely concerned.

A strange woman, weak in power, yet always worrying about others.

“I’m fine. This is the blood of a beast,” he replied, shaking off Ning Xianyu’s hand as he stood.

“Stand back and guard my body,” he commanded, then strode out alone.

At that moment, Ning Xianyu realized that even in her own body, she could sense a towering presence, nearly three meters tall.

So, it turns out, height isn’t what gives someone a sense of security.

[System, suddenly I think the Demon Lord is a real man.]

The system teased: [What, are you falling for him?]

Ning Xianyu shook her head quickly: [No, I’m a salted fish. Salted fish can pursue a harem, but never love.]

[What kind of twisted logic is that?]

[Scoundrel logic.]

Ning Xianyu curled up in the courtyard for a while, listening to fierce cries outside.

The Demon Lord had said there was a beast out there, but she had never seen one. What kind of beast could drive the Demon Lord back?

As a salted fish, her curiosity couldn’t compete with her desire to sleep.

She planned to return for more rest, but hadn’t made it far when Yi Tianling got up.

He stood at the door, puzzled, and asked, “Senior Xuan Yuan, where is Senior Ning?”

Me...

Why are you everywhere?

Ning Xianyu dared not break character, and said with mysterious composure, “Go back and close the door. I shall return shortly.”

With that, she leapt into the air, vanishing in a streak of light.

Damn this character. She should never have used someone else’s body.

Page (2/3)

Yi Tianling stood in the courtyard, gazing at the sky and murmured, “Senior Xuan Yuan’s feelings for Senior Ning are truly deep and genuine, something to envy.”

Ning Xianyu’s keen hearing caught his words, nearly sending her straight into the beast.

To hell with genuine feelings! As the male lead, why must your imagination run wild?

She steadied herself, dodged the beast’s attack, and kept retreating.

She had reached the outskirts of town, and before her loomed a monstrous creature, resembling a huge, red, hairless dog covered in sharp spikes, maw agape.

The beast radiated thick black energy, its stench unbearable.

Ning Xianyu covered her mouth and hurried backward.

“What is this? Where’s the Demon Lord?”

No sooner had she spoken than the beast spotted her, belching a mouthful of flames.

Ning Xianyu was about to flee, but the stench nearly knocked her out, slowing her reaction.

Seeing the flames speeding toward her, she prepared to withstand them with spiritual power.

But a force tugged her from behind, flinging her aside, and the flames swept just past the hem of her robe, the heat lingering.

Ning Xianyu was stunned, deeply relieved.

“Who told you to come out?” came Xuan Yuan Tunhan’s cold interrogative from behind.

She shrank in fright, but remembering his prohibition, quickly straightened up.

Standing upright, she was taller than Xuan Yuan Tunhan’s current form, giving her the odd feeling of having done wrong yet stubbornly defending herself.

“I—I was worried about you, so I came to check, haha. Are you alright, Ancestor?”

Worried?

Xuan Yuan Tunhan eyed her skeptically, not believing a word.

She’d clearly been about to return to sleep; if not for Yi Tianling, she wouldn’t have come out.

“I don’t need you. Since you’re here, stand aside and don’t get in the way.”

With that, he flung her aside.

Meanwhile, the beast sprayed another blast of fire, engulfing Xuan Yuan Tunhan. He was instantly swallowed by the flames.

Ning Xianyu was thrown far off, watching in terror, convinced she could smell burning flesh.

[No way, that’s my body!]

[Don’t worry, we’ll get you a new one in time.]

As they conversed, the flames receded, revealing Xuan Yuan Tunhan, unscathed. He stood upright, not even his clothes singed.

Though he was currently short and soft in form, standing before the massive beast, he was overwhelmingly powerful.

His white robes billowed in the wind, handsome and elegant.

Ning Xianyu stared, suddenly feeling her heart beat a little faster.

Page (3/3)

This man was far too handsome.

In a blink, Xuan Yuan Tunhan transformed his aura into a sword, leaping forward to strike at the beast.

Ning Xianyu remained in place, witnessing a display of overwhelming power.

The beast was formidable, but before the mighty Xuan Yuan Tunhan, it stood no chance.

They fought briefly before the beast collapsed in defeat, its heavy body thudding against the ground, making the earth tremble. Ning Xianyu felt her own heart shake with it.

If she ever fell in love, it would probably feel like this.

But unfortunately, she was a salted fish; love wasn’t for her.

Xuan Yuan Tunhan had already turned, pointing at her: “Come here.”

Ning Xianyu obediently approached. “Ancestor, you are mighty, your powers boundless.”

The Demon Lord frowned. What nonsense is that?

He gestured to the beast’s head. “Split open the skull and retrieve the demon core.”

What?

Ning Xianyu looked at her clean hands, then at the beast’s enormous head.

“Me? Shouldn’t you, with your mighty sword, just extract it as well?”

Xuan Yuan Tunhan stepped aside and nodded, “Hurry up.”

What the...?

[See, System, this is the kind of man you shouldn’t marry. The moment there’s work to do, he has no qualms about ordering me around.]

The system laughed: [Just get on with it. Maybe he’ll reward you with the demon core. This is a Fire Lion Beast, at least fifth grade, worth hundreds of high-quality spirit stones.]

[But it should live in the Demon Realm. According to the original plot, the male lead enters the Demon Realm to slaughter beasts. How did it end up here?]

Hearing about the money, Ning Xianyu’s spirits lifted, ignoring everything else.

She drew a dagger from her storage pouch and started working.

Splitting open the beast’s skull was a gruesome task, but with the Demon Lord watching, she could only stomach her disgust and get on with it.

After considerable effort, she finally found a fiery, translucent demon core amid the gore, quickly wiping it clean. Inside, flames seemed to flicker, making it stunningly beautiful.

“So pretty… Eh? Eh, eh, eh?”

The demon core landed directly in Xuan Yuan Tunhan’s hand. With a wave, the beast’s corpse vanished.

What did that mean?

Where was her reward?