The Little Peacock Raises a Snake (GL) Chapter 34

People said immortals and mortals were different. But were immortals and demons not separated by just as many walls?
For tens of thousands of years, the heavenly realm had governed human fates while sharing the Nether River border with the devil clan. Each side kept to itself.
To the immortals and gods, humans were their people, and devils were opponents they should not provoke lightly. Only demons had always been looked down on by the gods and immortals.
The reason was simple. Demons could cultivate toward immortality, but demons with immortal fate were very few. Most demons could not truly become immortals, yet they had powers of varying strength. They could not become immortal, and they were not willing to obey the heavenly realm’s control.
The honest ones followed the unwritten rules between the three realms and mostly stayed in deep mountains and wild forests with few humans. Even if they occasionally went to the human world, they usually blended in quietly and did not use magic to disturb human peace.
But there were also many demons who gained a little cultivation and then entered the mortal world. Relying on their skills, they caused trouble among humans from time to time. If the heavenly realm stepped in, it easily made a large disturbance, leaving the immortals and gods with no end of headaches.
Because of this, the heavenly realm’s immortals and gods had always held deep contempt toward demons. To them, demons who could not achieve proper cultivation were wicked beasts, hard to control and easy to hate.
This prejudice, rooted for tens of thousands of years, made the heavenly realm see “forming ties with demons” as a sign that an immortal heart and divine nature had fallen. They avoided it as if it were filth.
In ancient times, gods and devils had sometimes married. But if a god or immortal wanted to stay with a demon, they were often stripped of their immortal roots, removed from the immortal registry forever, and burned by heavenly lightning to cleanse the heart.
The Blue Luan Fairy Yun Su came from the phoenix clan. Her bloodline was rare, and her status was noble. She also had a marriage agreement with Zhiming Divine Lord of the Black Tortoise. If she formed a bond with a demon, and even with a female demon who had once broken into the heavenly realm, it would be no different from sweeping away the heavenly realm’s face. It would surely anger the Heavenly Emperor.
Zhiming had been hiding this matter from the Star Lord of Fate. But an immortal descending to the mortal world for a trial and failing to return for five hundred years was already unheard of. Many young immortal maids had started gossiping wildly, so how could the many immortal officials not grow suspicious?
This doubt gave the Star Lord of Fate the courage to visit Northern Xuan Palace and carefully ask Zhiming for the Reincarnation Mirror back.
Ciyin happened to pass by and saw the Star Lord of Fate carrying the Reincarnation Mirror toward the Star-Watching Pavilion. She quickly chased after him. “Star Lord of Fate, you… you got the Reincarnation Mirror back from Zhiming Divine Lord?”
The Star Lord of Fate nodded. “Back then, when the Blue Luan Fairy jumped into the wrong reincarnation path, I was punished. Now the Blue Luan Fairy has not returned for five hundred years, and the Heavenly Emperor and Heavenly Empress are anxious. If I do not keep watch and something happens, I will be blamed.”
Ciyin blinked guiltily and followed his steps. “Can I look too?”
“Little Flower Goddess, you have been running to Northern Xuan Palace again and again lately. Did Zhiming Divine Lord never let you see the mirror’s images?”
Ciyin shook her head. “You know what Zhiming Divine Lord is like. How would I dare speak to him? I only went to deliver flowers and add some color to Susu’s future home for her ahead of time.”
“True.” The Star Lord of Fate thought for a moment. Since this was not exactly secret, there was no harm in letting Ciyin see. He nodded and agreed.
After Ciyin followed the Star Lord of Fate back to the Star-Watching Pavilion, she saw him cast a spell and open the Reincarnation Mirror. Following the Blue Luan Fairy’s spiritual aura, the mirror found Wuyou Valley in the human world.
Deep in the valley, inside a bamboo courtyard, a green-necked peacock was yawning lazily in the yard with a comfortable look on its face. That lazy manner was exactly like the Blue Luan Fairy of the past.
The Star Lord of Fate could not help finding it strange. “This…”
Ciyin reacted quickly and hurriedly said, “Susu dislikes cultivating most. She was like that back then, and even after descending to the mortal world, she is still like that… Who knows when we can wait for her to return?”
Hearing this, the Star Lord of Fate helplessly patted his head. The words “rotten wood cannot be carved” got stuck in his throat, and he did not dare say them in front of Ciyin. After struggling for a long while, he changed to a gentler way of speaking. “Is there truly no one who can manage her?”
Ciyin said, “Did the Star Lord not say that when an immortal undergoes a trial, other than someone who entered reincarnation with them, no other immortals or gods may interfere?”
“…” The Star Lord of Fate thought for a moment. “Is this Wuyou Valley not Fu Zhuochen’s place? I heard Zhiming Divine Lord has some friendship with this demon. Did he not ask him to guide her?”
“Is she not living in his home?” Ciyin lied with her eyes wide open. “That demon came to the heavenly realm some time ago and insisted on seeing Zhiming Divine Lord. Does the Star Lord know why?”
“Why?”
Ciyin said, “He said he would not teach her anymore. No matter what, he would not teach her.”
The Star Lord of Fate nearly choked. “Did the Blue Luan Fairy make this demon so angry?”
Hearing him say this, Ciyin knew the lie had been patched over. She said, “Perhaps. Back then… who could urge Susu to cultivate?”
Blue Luan Fairy Yun Su and Zhiming Divine Lord of the Black Tortoise had long had a marriage agreement, but the wedding had been delayed again and again.
Zhiming had once said that they would discuss marriage only after the Blue Luan ascended as an upper god. This had drawn many people to laugh in private, saying that with the Blue Luan Fairy’s nature, even another three thousand years of cultivation might not let her ascend as an upper god. Zhiming Divine Lord simply did not want to marry the Blue Luan Fairy.
These words were exaggerated, but they were not without reason.
The bloodline power inside the Blue Luan Fairy was strong, but she had never liked cultivation. If she had not somehow heavily injured the black flood dragon whom many heavenly soldiers and generals had failed to capture five hundred years ago, the position of upper god truly would not have fallen to her.
Back then, when she descended and jumped into the wrong reincarnation path, some people whispered behind her back that a Blue Luan Fairy who disliked cultivation so much might not even be able to cultivate a human form in five hundred years.
At the time, the Star Lord of Fate had thought it could not be that bad. But now that five hundred years had passed, he had taken the Reincarnation Mirror back from Zhiming and looked. The Blue Luan Fairy truly was still a peacock…
More than five hundred years, and she still had not cultivated a human form. This was truly…
No wonder every time he asked Zhiming about the Blue Luan Fairy’s state, Zhiming said nothing. With such an unimpressive fiancee, who would have the face to speak of it?
Thinking this, the Star Lord of Fate sighed heavily. Ciyin let out a breath of relief, thinking that Fu Zhuochen truly had some skill. He had actually relied on one Light-Dust Sword to hide from the Reincarnation Mirror’s watch.
But Susu… are you truly not planning to come back?
Ciyin suddenly bit her lower lip. A trace of worry and loss flashed in her eyes, hidden from everyone.
Paper could not wrap fire forever. This could be hidden for a while, but how could it be hidden for a lifetime?
*
The news that the black flood dragon would marry a woman from the bird clan spread through the demon realm in a short time.
Just as Qu Linyan had said, she wanted everyone to know she had married Fu Xiaoba. She wanted to give Fu Xiaoba a proper name. So what if people laughed at them?
Within ten days, invitations for the flood dragon clan leader’s wedding were sent to every clan in the demon realm. Unfortunately, for over a thousand years, the relationship between the flood dragon clan and the whole demon realm had been tense. Though many invitations were sent out, very few people dared or wished to come.
On the day of the wedding, there were very few guests from outside clans. In recent centuries, the flood dragon clan’s population had slowly withered, and most of them did not approve of the marriage. Their attitude was cold, making the wedding feel especially lonely.
Fortunately, from childhood until now, aside from that New Year she had spent in the human world, Fu Xiaoba had never seen any lively scene. With nothing to compare it to, she felt no loss at all.
She wore the beautiful wedding dress Qu Linyan had prepared long ago. With Xiangsi’s help, she had her hair put up in a heavy style for the first time, and bright makeup was painted on her face. She became a bride waiting to be married.
Now, Qu Linyan led her down from the wedding carriage. A red bridal veil embroidered stitch by stitch with mandarin ducks playing in water covered most of her sight. From under the veil, her eyes could only see Qu Linyan’s bright red hem and the hand holding hers tightly, its fingers long and clear.
Before she had been sent into the flower carriage, Fu Xiaoba had carefully asked Xiangsi about things she needed to pay attention to during the wedding. Luckily, demons were not humans after all. Though everything imitated human customs, many complicated rituals were still skipped. That lightened the pressure in her heart by a lot.
She had held a small bit of hope in her heart, but until the time they bowed in the wedding hall, Fu Zhuochen still had not arrived. Neither of them had parents or family present, so they bowed to the clan elders.
With the bridal veil covering her, Fu Xiaoba could not see the displeasure in those elders’ eyes. But though many people sat around them, there were very few voices of blessing.
She was not foolish. How could she not know that in the whole flood dragon clan, and even among those outside guests, not one person truly blessed her and Qu Linyan?
She simply did not care. Whether in the human world or the demon realm, her world could be very small, so small that as long as one person stayed with her, everything could be filled.
Qu Linyan had pushed through all objections to marry Fu Xiaoba. The clanspeople were angry but did not dare speak. On the wedding day, they were not only forced to come support the scene, they also had to pretend it was lively. It was truly difficult for them.
After the wedding bows, Fu Xiaoba was sent into the bridal room. Qu Linyan held a cup alone and toasted the guests from outside clans who had come from different places.
She could tell that although those people had tried hard to hide their expressions, their eyes still showed looks that made people uncomfortable. Some were scornful, some disdainful. It was not hard to see they had come to watch a joke. She simply did not want to point it out.
A wedding feast without joy always scattered especially quickly.
At the end, Qu Linyan chose a table with leftover dishes and sat down, drinking a few cups of bitter wine alone.
Xiangsi slowly walked over and sat beside her. When no one else was around, she drank a cup with her.
For some reason, Qu Linyan’s eyes suddenly reddened. “I should have hosted a full hall of guests properly, but they left so quickly. Will she notice that no one blesses us at all…”
Her mouth said she did not care, but in the end, she could not help feeling sad. Sad that she could not give Fu Xiaoba the best, and that in the future, Fu Xiaoba would likely suffer many cold looks because of her.
Xiangsi asked softly, “A-Yan, in your heart, is she heavier than everything?”
Qu Linyan said nothing.
“This time after you came back, your eyes and heart were full of her. All your sadness and pain, all your courage and weakness, are connected to her… You were not like this before.” Xiangsi frowned. “A-Yan, I am very afraid to see you like this.”
Qu Linyan raised her eyes and met Xiangsi’s gaze. In Xiangsi’s eyes, she saw a flash of distrust, and her heart panicked. “I am not…”
“You are too attached to her. I fear that if you can fight everything for her, you may also lose your will because of her… A-Qing is waiting for us. She has always been waiting for us to save her.”
“Xiangsi, believe me. Xiaoba is very important to me, but Sister is too! Xiaoba said that from now on, she will stay with me. We will find a way to save Sister. We…”
“A-Yan, I do not need you to promise me anything. I only hope you keep a sense of measure and do not lose sight of what matters most.” After Xiangsi said this, she spoke no more.
Qu Linyan was silent for a long time. “I have a sense of measure. She is my sister. More than anyone, I hope she can wake.”
“I hope that is truly so.” Xiangsi rose with her back to Qu Linyan and sighed softly with her eyes closed. “Miss Fu is waiting for you.”
After saying this, she turned and left.
Qu Linyan lowered her brows. After thinking for a long time, she finally stood and walked toward the bridal room.
She lifted the red silk at the cave entrance and pushed aside the bead curtain she had strung by hand, bead by bead. The moment Qu Linyan raised her eyes, she saw Fu Xiaoba sitting by the table with cakes all over her hands. Joy rose in her heart, and all her worries were thrown away in that instant. She put both hands on her hips and pretended to be angry. “Fu Xiaoba! The bridal veil is supposed to be lifted by your spouse. Why did you take it off yourself?”
“It was… it was too stuffy. I waited so long for you.” Fu Xiaoba spoke with great grievance. She wiped her hands on the tablecloth, grabbed the bridal veil from the side, and messily covered herself again, feeling a little guilty.
Seeing Fu Xiaoba look so pitiful, Qu Linyan quickly softened her tone and stopped teasing her. She stepped forward quickly and sat beside Fu Xiaoba, then gently lifted the red veil.
The woman beneath the veil was beautiful beyond words, yet a few crumbs of sweet cake still clung to the corner of her mouth.
Qu Linyan smiled and reached out to wipe them away. Then she put her finger between her lips and teeth to taste them, curving her brows. “Very sweet.”
Fu Xiaoba’s face reddened at once. She lowered her head, picked up a piece of cake, and wanted to feed it to Qu Linyan.
Qu Linyan gently held her wrist and made her put the sweet cake down. Then she poured two cups of wine and smiled. “We should drink the wedding cup first.”
“Ah, that tastes so bad.” Fu Xiaoba frowned.
She had been bored waiting alone in the room just now. Smelling the sweet human-world cakes on the table, she could not hold back and had taken off the veil to eat. When she got thirsty and wanted something to drink, she picked up the wine pot and poured a mouthful into her mouth, only to be burned by the spice so badly she almost spat it out.
She had not drunk wine while in the human world. Now, after one sip, she remembered that burning feeling and disliked it very much.
“Mortal couples all have to drink it,” Qu Linyan said.
Fu Xiaoba bit her lip and was about to give in when she saw Qu Linyan pick up one cup and say, “It is all right.”
After saying this, Qu Linyan drank the wine in one breath. When she set the cup down, the empty cup had somehow been filled again.
Fu Xiaoba looked at the cup marked with Qu Linyan’s lips, confusion showing in her eyes.
“This cup will not taste bad.” Qu Linyan lifted the other cup and stretched her arm forward a little, signaling Fu Xiaoba to perform the wedding-cup ritual with her.
Fu Xiaoba hurriedly picked up that cup of sugar water and, following what Xiangsi had taught her before, drank this wedding “wine” with Qu Linyan.
The “wine” in the cup was not wine, but sweet sugar water.
When they crossed arms to drink, Fu Xiaoba smelled the faint scent of wine on Qu Linyan. For some reason, even though it was a smell she disliked, on Qu Linyan, it became especially intoxicating.
The moment she set the cup down, Fu Xiaoba suddenly felt her heartbeat grow far too fast. She had just wanted to say something when she cried “ah” and was lifted around the waist by Qu Linyan, who carried her to the bedside in a few steps.
“Little Black…”
“Xiaoba, do you know what comes next?”
“Sleep… sleep?” Fu Xiaoba swallowed. “No, it is… consummating the marriage.”
The stories of the mortal world had mentioned it. After bowing in the hall, entering the bridal chamber, and drinking the wedding cup, the next step was to consummate the marriage.
“Right.”
“But what does consummating the marriage mean?” Fu Xiaoba’s hands hooked around the back of Qu Linyan’s neck, and her eyes were full of curiosity.
Qu Linyan gently placed her on the bed. Her face was slightly red. She reached out and touched Fu Xiaoba’s collar. Under that confused and curious gaze, she opened her mouth.
“I… will teach you.”