The Little Peacock Raises a Snake (GL) Chapter 75

Chi Heng had never been very popular in the devil realm to begin with. After the truth was made public that he had used evil puppet arts to control the old Devil Venerable and Chu Yuebai, all those who supported him gradually fell silent.
Chu Yuebai overcame all objections and temporarily took the Devil Venerable’s position.
When the Devil Venerable’s awareness still existed, the person he valued most had always been Chu Yuebai. He had always treated this woman of another surname like his own child, and Chu Yuebai had indeed shared many of his worries.
Many old ministers loyal to the Devil Venerable saw that she was still caring carefully for the Devil Venerable, who could never wake again, and that under such great pressure, she handled the crown prince’s rebellion extremely well. She even used swift, decisive means to press down everyone who was ready to move. For a time, they all gave her their approval and support.
After gaining the support of those old ministers, Chu Yuebai could be considered steady in the position of heir to the Devil Venerable.
Once all the dust settled, Chu Yuebai privately held a farewell banquet for Qu Linyan’s group.
She smiled and said that devils could not leave the lower realm, and immortals rarely entered it. This was the first time she had eaten with two fairies.
Ciyin listened and thought for a long time. “I hope one day the relations between the two races will ease, and devils can also be like demons, freely entering and leaving the human world as long as they do not do evil or hurt people. When that time comes, perhaps we will meet again?”
Chu Yuebai shook her head. “How could there be such a day?”
Ciyin said, “Was it not like that five thousand years ago?”
Hearing Ciyin say this, Chu Yuebai no longer refuted her and smiled with curved brows. “That is true. The great war passed so long ago. Time can always slowly change many things.”
Perhaps there really would be such a day.
Even if she could not wait until then, her clansmen in the future might see it, see the light that belonged to the devil clan.
When they parted the next day, Chu Yuebai did not come to see them off.
They had come secretly, and now they left openly. At least that let everyone breathe a sigh of relief.
On the road out of Yuntian City and back to the demon realm the way they came, Yun Su suddenly heard a melody that was unfamiliar yet felt a little familiar.
In the dimness, a devil woman was singing softly by a stream.
“I see the mountain, I see the water. The mountain is not mountain, the water is not water. So this is the human world, heaven’s light burning the eyes. Born in darkness, never knowing blue sky. Winter snow melts, and I too should return. Should return, yet do not return, lingering and refusing to leave. Spring wind brushes me, summer comes to welcome. The blazing sun burns, turning me forever to ash.”
“I think I heard Miss Chu sing this song before…” Yun Su stared in the direction of the singing, dazed.
Three hundred years ago in the human world, Qu Linyan had told her this was a devil clan song.
Ciyin asked curiously, “What is she singing?”
Fu Zhuochen said, “Light and freedom.”
Ciyin pouted. “It does not sound like it.”
Qu Linyan smiled and explained, “Because its meaning is not praise, but longing.”
Fu Zhuochen added, “Aside from Yuntian City, there is no place of light in the devil realm. In this world, the more unreachable something is, the more easily people long for it.”
There were always people who spent their whole life longing for light and freedom, willing to shatter themselves for it.
But in the vast three realms, even more people carried responsibilities and compromised themselves.
The devil clan’s song was only a song after all. It was full of desperate longing, yet in the end, it was still only a faintly sorrowful melody in the mouths of the people.
Ciyin lowered her head and quietly savored it for a long time before she understood what the song truly meant.
A devil who had left the lower realm would rather die than return to that dark, cold, harsh homeland.
It was very much like those who disregarded everything to seek what their heart desired.
Unfortunately, she did not have that kind of courage.
On the road back to the human world, Ciyin, who usually spoke the most, suddenly became much quieter.
When they sat down to rest, Yun Su could not help pulling Ciyin’s hand and sitting beside her. She asked softly, “A-Yin, why do you seem unhappy?”
Ciyin lowered her eyes and shook her head. “It is nothing. I only…”
“Only?” Yun Su asked, then suddenly remembered something. For a moment, she fell silent with Ciyin.
After a long while, Ciyin raised her eyes and smiled. In a very small voice, she said, “It really is nothing. I only remembered that I have left heaven for too long this time. Divine Lord Zhiming has been covering for me all this time. It must have been hard for him. When I go back, he will probably scold me.”
Yun Su said, “You…”
Qu Linyan had sharp ears. She immediately looked over from the side and asked loudly, “Little Flower God is leaving?”
Her shout could be heard from far away.
Ciyin frowned and instinctively raised her eyes to secretly glance at Fu Zhuochen, who sat leaning beneath a tree not far away.
Their eyes met for an instant. She hurriedly looked away in panic. Fu Zhuochen showed no extra reaction and only asked, “When are you leaving?”
“I do not know…” Ciyin lowered her head. “Susu, I cannot bear to leave you.”
If she wanted to go, she could go at any time.
No matter where she was, her true body was in heaven. Her detached primordial spirit only needed a single instant to return to its shell.
But she could not bear to go.
After returning this time, she feared she would never find another excuse to leave heaven.
After going back, she would no longer be able to eat the lower-realm food Qu Linyan cooked, and she would be separated from her best friend for a long time.
Most importantly, there were some things she still had not dared say to that person.
Without Yun Su in the future, what reason would she have to approach him?
Yun Su was silent for a long time, then raised her eyes toward Qu Linyan.
She could not bear to part with Ciyin, but she did not know how to comfort people, and she did not dare drag Ciyin and refuse to let her leave.
Heaven had its rules. Not everyone was as lucky as her, able to receive the help of so many people and successfully break free of heaven’s control.
At this moment, she suddenly felt that this luck and specialness made her a little unable to lift her head before Ciyin.
She even wondered whether Ciyin would mind. Would Ciyin mind that Yun Su had gone alone into the mortal world to seek happiness, and that for Qu Linyan, Yun Su had left her behind?
Qu Linyan sensed the worry and guilt in Yun Su’s eyes. She quickly rose and sat beside the two of them, then smiled at Ciyin. “Little Flower God can come play with us again when she has time.”
“I… I do not know whether Divine Lord Zhiming will allow me to come down again.” Ciyin buried her head in her knees, her tone especially wronged. “I already promised Divine Lord Zhiming that when I go back this time, I will destroy this incarnation.”
Qu Linyan said, “It is only an incarnation. If it is gone, it is gone. At worst, you can come down in your true body for a few days at a time. Then let Zhiming cover for you. He is so capable. He could even hide Xiaoba’s aura. It will definitely be fine.”
Ciyin looked unconvinced. “Will Divine Lord Zhiming really allow it?”
Qu Linyan said, “You and Xiaoba are so close. If you want to see Xiaoba, Xiaoba will surely want to see you too. For Xiaoba’s sake, Zhiming should allow it, right?”
Ciyin thought about it, then shook her head. “But are you not going to travel everywhere? In the future, I will not even know where you are. How can I persuade Divine Lord Zhiming to let me come down?”
Qu Linyan propped up her chin and thought for a moment, then clapped her hands. “That is easy!”
Ciyin said, “Ah?”
Qu Linyan turned and pointed at Fu Zhuochen. “Xiaoba and I are traveling everywhere. He is not coming with us.”
Ciyin froze.
Qu Linyan continued, “Your Big Brother Fu has always been in Wuyou Valley, has he not? Little Flower God, how about this? No matter where Xiaoba and I go, we will send word to Wuyou Valley. Whenever you miss us, go to Wuyou Valley and find him. He will definitely know where we are.”
“Really?” Ciyin raised her eyes hesitantly toward Fu Zhuochen, a trace of hope rising in them.
Fu Zhuochen thought for a moment. Looking at Ciyin’s eyes, he could not bear to refuse in the end. “If Zhiming allows it, I have no objection.”
Ciyin unconsciously raised the corners of her mouth, and her mood instantly improved a great deal.
“I will go get you something to eat.” When Qu Linyan stood, she lightly patted Ciyin’s shoulder, then closed her eyes, stretched both hands, turned, and walked away.
“I will go help Little Black.” Yun Su quickly rose and chased after her.
The two walked one after another for a long time. Only after they had gone far from the place where they had rested did Qu Linyan let out a breath and say with emotion, “I knew it. Ciyin that girl truly cannot bear to part with you, that is true. But every day, she says Susu this and Susu that. In truth, the wine drinker’s heart is not in the cup.”
Qu Linyan had seen through it long ago. What Ciyin wanted was only an open and proper reason to contact Fu Zhuochen. As long as they found one for her, it would be enough to make her happy.
Yun Su: “…”
Qu Linyan asked, “Are you blaming me?”
Yun Su took two seconds to react, then shook her head. “Why would I blame you? I only… I only do not know whether this is good or bad for Ciyin.”
“But if she truly wants to try, no one can persuade her otherwise, can they?” Qu Linyan said.
Yun Su lowered her head.
It was too hard for immortals and demons to be together.
Moreover, with Ciyin and Fu Zhuochen, the fallen flower had feeling but the flowing water was heartless. No matter how one looked, no result could be seen.
Qu Linyan said, “Let it happen naturally.”
Qu Linyan took Yun Su’s hand and raised her eyes toward the dim sky in the distance. She suddenly remembered everything she and Yun Su had gone through over the past three hundred years, and emotion surged in her heart.
Ciyin was right. Between her and Yun Su, there was fate and there was tribulation.
During those three hundred years, she had faced countless choices. If she had not been firm every single time, she could not have walked with Yun Su to this day.
“Fu Xiaoba!” Qu Linyan could not help shouting that name that already seemed from another lifetime.
“What?” Yun Su raised her brows.
“Fu Xiaoba!” Qu Linyan called again, holding Yun Su’s hand and swinging it playfully back and forth.
“What are you doing?” Yun Su turned and glared at Qu Linyan.
Qu Linyan suddenly burst into laughter. She spun from Yun Su’s side to stand in front of her, reached out to lift both her hands, and silently looked into her eyes.
Yun Su blinked blankly and tilted her head. “What exactly do you want to say?”
“Do peacocks not all spread their tails?” Qu Linyan slightly pouted, looking wronged. “I have even seen your brother spread his tail, but I have never seen you do it.”
“A female peacock’s tail fan is not pretty. When it opens, it looks like a chicken-feather fan. What is there to see?” Yun Su said.
“I have never seen it. I just want to see!” Qu Linyan said. “I heard that if a peacock spreads its tail and it is not to scare enemies, then it must be to court a mate… To attract females, they dance elegantly and show off their beauty.”
Yun Su shook her head. “But I am not a peacock now.”
Qu Linyan said, “Then… Then I have never carefully seen your true body now either. Will you let me see it or not?”
Yun Su stared blankly for a moment and thought, What exactly is wrong with Qu Linyan today? Why does she want to see me when I am not human?
Qu Linyan continued, “Will you dance elegantly to attract me and show off your beauty?”
“Little Black, are you all right?” Yun Su could not help reaching out to touch Qu Linyan’s forehead.
It was not hot. It was normal!
“Xiaoba, are you unwilling?” Qu Linyan kept asking stubbornly. Her eyes and tone were both like a person acting spoiled.
Yun Su truly could not argue with her. She stepped back several paces, changed back into her Blue Luan form, and flew into the sky.
Qu Linyan raised her eyes blankly, her gaze following the blue-green divine bird that was much larger than her.
It spread its blue-green wings, trailing a long phoenix tail. Soft spiritual light surrounded every blue-green feather on its body. Gorgeous and elegant, it danced in circles around her in this dark, lightless land.
It was dreamlike and beautiful enough to make a person lose themselves.
Qu Linyan did not know why, but her vision suddenly blurred with tears.
The Blue Luan descended from the sky, opened its wings, and gently drew her into its embrace.
A soft spiritual light flashed. Yun Su shed the wings on her body, reached out, and gently wiped away the tears at the corners of Qu Linyan’s eyes. She asked anxiously, “Little Black, why are you crying?”
Qu Linyan held the hand Yun Su was touching to her face. “Eight hundred years ago, you once stabbed me with a sword…”
The corner of Yun Su’s eye twitched. “You cannot hold a grudge like this!”
But Qu Linyan only shook her head. She pulled Yun Su’s hand to rest over her own heart. “It turns out that from the moment you stabbed Qingchen into my chest, this heart no longer belonged to me.”
“It was only after a very long time that I finally knew… In every year and month after that, I went muddled through heaven and earth, crossed mountains of blades and seas of fire, and endured tribulations of life and death…”
“What I sought, what I asked for, was only you.”
How fortunate that you and I finally reached sweetness after all that bitterness.