An hour later, the sky grew dark. Black clouds pressed low over the city. It looked like rain would start before long.
A young man arrived at the cave entrance, carrying a chicken in his hand.
“Tch, tch! This chicken was really hard to catch.”
Chu Feng still felt like he hadn’t spat all the feathers out of his mouth.
He was holding a chicken, but this one was different from an ordinary one. Its tail had eight feathers, with each being a different color.
An Eight-Treasure Chicken. Its meat was tender and delicious, and it was especially excellent for making soup.
Among the demon race, the law of the jungle was on full display. Members of the same kind wouldn’t devour each other, but if you were a tiger and the other was a cow, then you couldn’t blame the tiger for eating the cow.
Fortunately, the seasonings and cookware in his storage bag hadn’t been completely destroyed by the sword energy.
With practiced movements, he plucked the feathers, removed the innards, cleaned it, then tossed it into a pot and added spices.
Su Tiantian sat on a rock, watching the little rascal busily at work. Scenes from her previous life kept surfacing in her mind. She remembered that when she first met him, it had been just like this.
Before long, an enticing aroma began to drift from the pot. Chu Feng took out two bowls. One with two large drumsticks, and the other with wings and claws.
“Little rascal, what kind of seasoning did you use? It smells so good.”
Su Tiantian inhaled the aroma of the food. Whether in her past life or this one, she had never been able to recreate such a fragrance.
“It’s nothing, just a mix of random spices.”
In truth, they were just some medicinal herbs used by mortals. The spices from before his transmigration were all regarded here as ordinary herbal medicine, and Chu Feng had noticed that cultivators looked down on anything used by mortals.
Having learned from two past wilderness survival experiences, he had stocked up on quite a few of these seasonings.
Chu Feng handed the bowl with two large drumsticks to the Demon Empress, while he began gnawing on the chicken claws and wings.
Su Tiantian looked at the two drumsticks in the bowl. Honestly, just like in her past life…he hadn’t changed at all…
She picked up one drumstick and placed it into Chu Feng’s bowl. Meeting his gaze, she smiled gently. “This Empress has a small appetite. One is enough. The other, I’ll reward to you.”
Chu Feng quietly let out a sigh of relief. he had thought she didn’t like his cooking.
“Your Majesty should eat a bit more. It’ll help your injuries recover faster.”
As he spoke, he put the drumstick back into Su Tiantian’s bowl.
“Little rascal, still as stubborn as ever. You never change.”
Su Tiantian murmured. She picked up the drumstick, her red lips parting slightly as she took a small bite.
The rich, delicious flavor spread across her taste buds and surged into her mind—
It was exactly the same as the taste in her memories.
For a moment, her thoughts seemed to drift far away.
***
“Your Majesty! This is far too reckless. If you fail to break through, your cultivation will be sealed for a period of time. It might even decline!”
“This Empress has made her decision. Say no more.”
She had believed that after breaking free from her bloodline shackles and awakening her ancient bloodline, advancing to Demon Ancestor would be effortless.
But in the end, she failed. Fortunately, her cultivation was only sealed and did not regress.
However, having just failed her breakthrough, she was temporarily unable to move. At that moment, a human approached her.
“I used to wonder if I’d ever see a girl fall from the sky right in front of me. Today, no girl fell…but instead, a fox demon big sister did.”
That was the first time she met that little rascal.
She had thought that this human would kill her, but to her surprise, he carried her into a cave.
Back then, he had also cooked a chicken and gave both drumsticks to her.
From their conversation, she learned that the little rascal had come to the demon territory in search of a legendary treasure. Encountering her failed breakthrough had just been a coincidence.
Later, during the days they spent in the cave, she remained on guard against this human every single day….until her cultivation recovered, and she left without a word.
She had believed that there would be no further interaction between her and this human.
The second time they met was when war broke out again between the demon race and the human race. Yet this little rascal did not stand with the humans. Instead, he came to the demon race, saying he wished to meet the Demon Empress.
When she met him again, he had already reached the seventh rank of cultivation.
As for the fact that this little rascal, a human, actually chose to cooperate with her, she was naturally curious. After asking about it, he simply said, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
She had originally thought that a mere seventh-rank cultivator wouldn’t have much impact on the overall situation. But to her utter surprise, it was precisely this seventh-rank cultivator who beheaded two eighth-rank cultivators with his sword.
Under pressure, the human side began peace negotiations, and in the end, the war came to an end.
When she asked what reward he wanted, he merely smiled freely and said, “How about we become friends?”
She had assumed this human would ask for rare treasures, but unexpectedly, all he wanted was to be her friend.
She agreed to his request.
The third time they met, the little rascal had already broken through to the eighth rank. Such terrifying speed of advancement shocked her. When she asked why he advanced so quickly without properly consolidating his foundation, he gave a wry smile and said, “No choice. I’m up against someone with cheats. If I don’t level up fast, I can’t beat them.”
Later, when the demon race encountered difficulties and was in urgent need of help, she thought of the little rascal.
Originally, she didn’t want to seek help from a human. It would damage the dignity of the Demon Empress after all, but in the end, she had no choice but to send him a message.
Who would have thought that without hesitation, he firmly stood on her side…even though the opposing side had the advantage and offered more attractive terms.
In the end, he single-handedly turned the tide of the entire situation. She asked him why he chose her side when clearly the other side offered him better benefits.
In the demon race’s view, the strong prey on the weak, and most people are opportunists who would stand with whoever is stronger.
The little rascal smiled calmly. “What are you talking about? We’re friends. Even if there’s a mountain of blades or a sea of fire ahead, I’d still brave it for a friend. In this world, it’s all about loyalty and righteousness. And taking a stab for your friends. Isn’t that what friendship is?”
For the first time, a voice echoed in her heart—just… friends…?
As time went on and she spent more time with him, she gradually realized that she had hopelessly fallen in love with a human.
When she confessed her feelings to him, the little rascal was stunned for a long time before ultimately rejecting her.
Hearing that answer, she froze in place. Rejected by the one she loved, tears welled up in her eyes, but she was the Demon Empress. She could not cry!
When she asked for the reason, he only mocked himself with a bitter smile. “Someone like me, who isn’t a protagonist….there’s no telling if I’ll even survive in the future. Being just friends is enough.”
She did not fall into despair. Instead, she made up her mind. She would make the little rascal completely fall for her. After all, she was a nine-tailed fox!
And so, time passed. Eventually, the little rascal broke through to the ninth rank and became a sword immortal revered throughout the cultivation world.
Then one night, he came to find her and said, “Tomorrow, I’ll face my mortal enemy in a decisive battle. If I come back alive, I’ll marry you.”
That night, she didn’t sleep at all.
She believed he wouldn’t lose. Because the sword immortal who dominated the cultivation world had never known defeat.
The next day, the entire demon capital was adorned for celebration, stretching for three thousand li, filled with festivity.
And she, dressed in bridal attire, waited for news of his triumphant return.
However, the news she ultimately received was that the Sword Immortal had engaged in a great battle with the Great Emperor and the undefeated Sword Immortal had fallen.
At that moment, her heart died along with him.
***
“Y-You… why are you crying!? Did I make it taste that bad?!”
Chu Feng looked at the Demon Empress. After taking a bite of the drumstick, she chewed for a moment, then tears began streaming down her face.
He quickly took a bite himself. It wasn’t bad at all. Actually, it tasted pretty good.
Suddenly, a soft delicate body threw itself into his arms, and a warm fragrance enveloped him.
He saw the Demon Empress gazing at him gently with tears slowly trailing down her cheeks.
Su Tiantian held the young man tightly, as if afraid this was nothing more than a fleeting dream.
Then, her soft red lips pressed against his.
“Mmm!!”
Chu Feng’s eyes widened. He couldn’t understand why the Demon Empress had suddenly rushed forward and kissed him.
Unable to resist, he could only passively accept the kiss, as intense as a raging storm.
But unlike the sweetness from when he had secretly kissed her before, this time, the kiss carried a salty taste.
Leave a Reply