Luo Tangtang lay bored on a large tree branch, smacking the candy in her mouth.
Sunlight filtered through the dense layers of leaves, dappling the ground. Luo Tangtang squinted, then raised an arm to shield her eyes. The hem of her long dress draped casually over the tree. Scattered below were fruit peels and a few dropped snacks.
“Tangtang, it’s been days. Are you going to keep hiding from Yun Shayi like this?”
The system watched the ‘salted fish’ Luo Tangtang lying there, feeling a bit exasperated at her lack of ambition.
“What else can I do?” Luo Tangtang’s expression was also somewhat glum. She took a few deep breaths and quietly pulled a sachet from her sleeves.
Inside was a painting. Luo Tangtang carefully unfolded the paper, and a cold, stunningly beautiful figure leaped onto the page.
“Just missing Senior Disciple Sister every day!”
“Enough already!” The system saw the unconscious upward curve of Luo Tangtang’s lips and immediately felt like it couldn’t bear to watch.
Luo Tangtang didn’t mind the system’s mockery. She let out a rather unrestrained laugh.
The apricot grove covered the mountainside, in full bloom with spring flowers. Luo Tangtang wore a red dress today, making her stand out particularly in the center of it all.
Swish. A feather flew through the air, instantly caught tightly in Luo Tangtang’s hand.
“This is?” A faint ripple of spiritual energy came from her palm. Luo Tangtang closed her eyes, and the message the feather carried entered her mind.
Luo Tangtang was stunned for a moment. A complicated emotion flashed across her usually carefree face.
“What’s wrong?” The system intuitively sensed that Luo Tangtang’s emotional shift was unusual and asked.
Luo Tangtang shrugged and said, “It’s nothing much, just the Monster Race wants me to put some things inside the Supreme Immortal Sect!”
“What things?”
“I don’t know, but it’s definitely nothing good.”
System: “…Isn’t that obvious!”
Hiss—! Luo Tangtang leaped down, her figure agilely jumping from the tree. She stretched, loosening her somewhat soft muscles and bones.
The feather had invited her down the mountain for a meeting.
The Supreme Immortal Sect was formed by continuous, interconnected mountain ranges. At its foot was a vast plain.
Due to the protection of the Supreme Immortal Sect, it was peaceful and stable. Over time, a market town developed at the foot of the mountain.
Luo Tangtang casually cast a concealment spell on herself and swaggered onto the street.
People came and went in an endless stream. The shouts of vendors and the conversations of travelers from all over were constant.
Luo Tangtang looked at the sugar figurine stall to the east, then wandered over to the magic artifact shop to the west, buying many odd and interesting things. She spent the entire process with a relaxed, smiling face and curved eyes.
Around noon, people on the street started heading in twos and threes to small inns. Luo Tangtang narrowed her eyes, repeatedly surveying the inns along the street. Finally, she entered a particularly grand-looking one.
As soon as she stepped onto the red silk carpet laid on the ground, a fragrant breeze greeted her. Several slender, elegant women covered their mouths, smiling, and walked over with graceful swaying steps.
“Are you the little guest from Lingyu Pavilion?” The most stunning woman among them asked softly, her tone carrying a hint of charm.
Luo Tangtang’s expression didn’t change. She just curved her brows and lips, revealing two small canine teeth. She took out the feather from her bosom and said, “Yes! Please, Sister, lead the way.”
Lian Rong heard Luo Tangtang’s words and immediately burst into radiant smiles. She covered her lips with an embroidered handkerchief and laughed, “Little one Lian Rong. Your esteemed self may call me by name. This one cannot bear the address of ‘Sister’.”
Luo Tangtang’s smile became even sweeter. She followed closely behind Lian Rong’s steps, feeling quite surprised along the way.
The inn was massive, built like a maze inside. The corridors were intricate and complex. Luo Tangtang lowered the smile in her eyes, observing seriously.
After walking for who knew how long, the surroundings opened up. An elegant private room appeared in view.
“Young Master, drink a little more~” A delicate, sweet female voice emerged from inside the room, making Luo Tangtang inwardly admire how much she had to pinch her throat to make such a sound.
Knock, knock! Lian Rong lightly tapped on the door. A refined, somewhat deep male voice from inside replied, “Come in!”
Luo Tangtang glanced at Lian Rong. The other woman’s expression was unchanged; she just smiled slowly, her eyes full of meaning.
Luo Tangtang instantly felt a bad premonition in her heart. However, she had come this far, and there was no reason to turn back. Thinking this, Luo Tangtang braced herself and walked in.
“Came in?” Yin Chen raised an eyebrow, looking at Luo Tangtang standing awkwardly by the door.
“Monster King!” Seeing the person inside the room, Luo Tangtang almost cried out in shock, losing her composure. After reacting, she hurriedly knelt down.
Damn! Why is it him? Are subordinates useless these days? Straight to the final boss?
Yin Chen smiled, leaning back carelessly in the arms of a beauty, his tone somewhat teasing. “Get up, little cat. Seeing you stand at the door, I thought you were feeling guilty and didn’t dare come in?”
Cold sweat instantly broke out on Luo Tangtang. She lowered her head even further and said awkwardly, “How could that be! I am absolutely loyal to Your Highness the Monster King, loyal to the Monster Race.”
“Heh!” Yin Chen chuckled lightly. Luo Tangtang couldn’t tell if the laugh was mockery or something else. She consciously stood up quietly, found an inconspicuous corner to sit in, trying not to be an eyesore.
Yin Chen didn’t bother with Luo Tangtang, engrossed in playing with the beauties himself. Their flirtatious laughter was constant.
A tall woman wearing a sheer dress was even pulled into his arms and kissed deeply when she was feeding him wine.
Luo Tangtang: “…Can’t watch, truly pretending I’m not here.”
Cough, cough! Luo Tangtang pretended to cough twice.
Yin Chen’s gaze slowly shifted to Luo Tangtang. “What? Little cat, with fur so smooth and soft, are you sick?”
“N-no.” Luo Tangtang suddenly felt a bit cold.
“It’s just… I wonder what matter brings Your Highness to such a dangerous place as the Supreme Immortal Sect.”
“And I wonder if the esteemed elders know that Your Highness is here?” Luo Tangtang secretly raised her eyes, staring intently at Yin Chen’s expression. As expected, she saw his expression stiffen for a moment.
Yin Chen looked a bit annoyed. “Go away, go away!” He pushed away the women beside him.
Luo Tangtang’s heart instantly made a guess. “Did Your Highness sneak out?”
“How dare you question This Venerable One’s actions?”
Yin Chen’s cold face paused, then the next moment he was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, instantly erupting in rage. Powerful spiritual energy instantly overflowed, but seemed to consider something and was withdrawn in an instant.
“Those old geezers told me to come and see if you’ve betrayed us, and if so, to kill you.”
“Truly boring.”
Luo Tangtang listened to Yin Chen’s complaining tone, feeling a trace of relief in her heart.
In the original story, Yin Chen was a big baby despite his age. His nature wasn’t bad; he did things entirely based on others’ instigation, plus his own subjective assumptions.
Right now, he was probably in his rebellious phase, Luo Tangtang silently added in her heart.
“How could I betray Your Highness? Our White Tiger clan has always been loyal to the Monster Race!” Luo Tangtang continued to pledge her loyalty.
Who knew, Yin Chen heard this and showed disdain. “Your White Tiger clan has been part of the Demon Race since ancient times, then became part of the Divine Race after the ancient war.”
“Now—” Yin Chen glanced at Luo Tangtang, “You say you’re loyal to the Monster Race?”
Yin Chen had an expression that said, Do you think I’m stupid?
Luo Tangtang’s face also felt a bit awkward. She chuckled dryly, “Well, Your Highness, I even caught a spy from the Demon Race.”
“You still have the nerve to mention that?” Yin Chen’s eyelids flickered up and down, scanning Luo Tangtang. “When dealing with the righteous path, we and the Demon Race have always had a tacit understanding; it’s a matter of who schemes against whom.”
Luo Tangtang’s heart tightened. She stared intently at Yin Chen’s thin lips, listening as cold pronouncements came from their beautiful shape. “You actually helped the Demon Realm get rid of Mo Yu, that piece of trash!”
“Ah!” Luo Tangtang looked at Yin Chen with some disbelief.
“Could it be that you are truly a Demon Realm spy?” Yin Chen’s phoenix eyes narrowed dangerously.
“No, how could I be a Demon Realm spy!”
“It’s just that Mo Yu’s actions were improper and could possibly ruin Your Highness’s plans.”
“Moreover, we are ultimately different from the Demon Realm. Even if Mo Yu kept saying I was a spy for the Monster Race, no one would believe it.”
“Others would just think he held a grudge and was framing me.”
Yin Chen waved his hand, his face full of impatience. “Whatever, do what you want. Just complete the task This Venerable One gave you.”
He took a storage ring from his bosom. “That group of old geezers wants you to put the Dragon Crystal Flame in the Yanshui Pool.”
“Yanshui Pool?”
“The elders found out that Mo Yu added Filth Condensing Powder to the Yanshui Pool.”
“Do they from the Demon Realm want to start a war and make our Monster Race their target?”
Speaking of this, a flash of anger crossed Yin Chen’s face.
Luo Tangtang understood. The Monster Race was stuck between the Demon Realm and the Human Realm/Immortal Sects. Once war started, the Monster Race was bound to become the target of all sides.
When Luo Tangtang walked out of the inn, she put on a happy appearance again, but the system could feel the heaviness in her heart.
“If the Monster Race and the Immortal Sects go to war, who will you help?” the system asked.
It expected Luo Tangtang to hesitate because she had received the original host’s body and would therefore inherit her emotions and experiences. But it hadn’t expected Luo Tangtang to answer as a matter of course: “Help Senior Disciple Sister!”
System: “…”
“Why?”
“This body of yours belongs to the Monster Race.” The system paused, speaking with deep meaning.
Luo Tangtang rolled her eyes at the words. “Now the White Tiger clan only has me, a sole seedling, left. I don’t have any elder pressure or anything!”
System: “Well, she has a point.”
Yes, indeed. Actually, when Luo Tangtang usually said “we White Tiger clan,” it was just to give herself courage and make herself seem more important. In reality, she was very honorably an endangered species, the one and only under heaven.
“Sigh~!” Luo Tangtang’s expression suddenly turned a bit mournful. Even though my people have changed for the better and don’t want conflict, I’m still a monster and not human. Because we’re so different, how can we ever truly fall in love or be together?
Luo Tangtang walked onto a quiet, secluded path. Her long tail emerged behind her. She stretched out a slender finger, gently stroking the somewhat messy fur on her tail.