Chapter205 – soon？
Wayne swallowed. He felt like he was developing inner demons right now.
Oh. Right.
He still hadn’t drunk the calming elixir Briar had given him earlier—the one that supposedly prevented inner demons.
“Briar,” Wayne said weakly, “change back. Now.”
“Why?” Briar asked, genuinely puzzled. “Doesn’t it look good?”
“It’s ugly,” Wayne blurted. “Horribly ugly.”
Tarot: “…” How is that ugly?!
“You were much cuter before,” Wayne continued desperately. “Still pretty and obedient. Change back.”
Briar hesitated. Then slowly transformed back into the small wooden-bodied flower fairy.
“Wayne-nii-san,” Briar asked shyly, “you’re prettier, right? What do you look like?”
Wayne: “…”
Tarot couldn’t help laughing despite the pain.
“I’m not pretty either,” Wayne said quickly. “Briar is the prettiest.”
“But when I changed my face to look like Wayne’s,” Briar said seriously, “everyone said I was very cute.”
“That’s just your face,” Wayne insisted. “Your own body is best.”
Briar thought about it, then nodded solemnly. “Okay. I’ll listen to you.”
.......
After Tarot’s first medicinal bath session, Lauren returned to check on him. “Senior Brother, how’s the effect? Feeling any better?”
Tarot gave her a flat look. “Didn’t the healer say six months? How fast do you think this works?”
Lauren sighed. “I was hoping for a miracle.”
She hesitated. “I’m a little worried.”
“About what?”
“The three from above. I tricked them into chasing the Demonic Lord. It’s been several days—no news. Once they’re done with him, they’ll definitely come looking for trouble.”
Tarot leaned back weakly. “It won’t be that easy.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re dazzled by their cultivation,” he said calmly. “But the Demonic Cult has existed for millions of years. You think they survived on luck?”
Lauren went quiet.
“They’re cunning. Ruthless. And that’s their home territory,” Tarot continued. “Three Mahayana cultivators walking in blind? They might be the ones who got lured into some ancient killing formation.”
Lauren’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
He nodded faintly.
“Dark Castle and Red Demon Castle both have layers of buried formations. And don’t forget the Demonic Cult’s former saintess—she activated an ancient array once and wiped out entire regions. That land is still barren.”
Lauren blinked. That had to be related to the Flower Wife incident.
“So you think… after several days with no news… those three are dead?”
“I’d say the odds are high,” Tarot replied. “But ask the Sect Leader again.”
Lauren stood up immediately. “Rest. I’ll go check.”
“Wait.”
She paused.
Tarot looked strangely uncomfortable. “That little flower fairy… where did you get it?”
“I found it.”
“You found it?” He looked skeptical.
“Yes. In the Icefield Secret Realm. I’m serious.”
“…Fine.” He hesitated. “Is it male or female?”
Lauren coughed. “It doesn’t distinguish between male and female.”
“It’s asexual,” she said firmly. “Why are you asking?”
“I…” Tarot’s ears turned faintly red. “Nothing. Just asking.”
Lauren narrowed her eyes. You absolutely did not “just ask.” But she let it go. “Rest well. I’m leaving.”
“Mm.”
She walked out—but couldn’t shake the feeling he still hadn’t finished what he wanted to say.
Gerald had already stationed observers near the Demon River.
Several days had passed. No sign of the three cultivators.
After the recent conflict, he didn’t dare send anyone across the river to investigate. The most reasonable guess? They were already dead.
When Lauren heard that, she brightened immediately. “If that’s true, that’s perfect!”
Gerald looked at her gravely. “What’s so perfect about it? If those three die, the next group that descends will likely be stronger. And more numerous.”
He sighed. “And who knows when Mr. Drake will recover…”
Lauren fell silent. She thought of the people trapped on the glacier in the Far North. “How’s the situation there?”
“The cold is leaking,” Gerald said. “The ice is thinning. It won’t hold much longer.”
It’s almost over here. It’s almost over there. But how soon is “soon”?
No one knew. The uncertainty was suffocating. At least the time difference between realms bought them breathing room. Even if more people descended, it wouldn’t be immediate.
Lauren calculated silently. If Edmund recovered on schedule, he should be back soon.
With that thought, she went to find White. White, at this point, was practically glued to Dante.
“White.” The moment she heard Lauren’s voice, White came sprinting over.
“Sister! You were looking for me?”
“Yes.” Lauren crouched down to her level. “Go back to the South Sea. Your ancestor should be recovering soon. Go check on him. If he’s better, tell him to come back immediately.”
White blinked. “And me?”
“You stay there. It’s safer with your brother.”
White pouted. “But Dante said he’d teach me alchemy.”
Lauren’s eye twitched. “What did Silent Fang tell you?”
“He said I’m supposed to help Ancestor with something important.”
“And what important thing are you doing?”
White answered very seriously, “Dante said if I follow him closely, that’s helping Ancestor with something important.”
Lauren pressed a hand to her forehead. What kind of bullshit logic is that?
“Dante,” she called.
Dante stepped forward awkwardly. “Miss Lauren, it’s like this. When she first came looking for you, you were in seclusion. I thought she seemed… a bit simple. I was worried she might cause trouble, so I brought her to see my master. My master told me to keep an eye on her.”
He cleared his throat. “She refused to stay unless I told her that following me was helping the Ancestor with something important.”
Lauren stared at him. “…I see.”
“So,” she continued, “could you make another trip to the South Sea and send her back?”
“Of course.”
Lauren watched White cling to Dante’s sleeve and sighed inwardly.
White was still a demon beast—innocent and naïve. If real danger came, would the immortal cultivators truly risk themselves to protect her?
With Silent Fang, it was different.
Silent Fang had that array his mother left behind. Whatever it was, it sounded terrifying enough. He would definitely protect his little sister.
Better safe than sorry.
.......
The next day, Dante escorted White back to the South Sea. And for the first time, he met the so-called Great Demon King of the South Sea.
“…I didn’t expect him to look like White’s kind,” Dante muttered under his breath.
He cupped his hands respectfully. “Senior, Miss Lauren asked me to check on your injuries. If you’ve recovered, she hopes you can return.”
At that moment, a man stepped out from within the cavern.
He wore a loose black robe, silk-dark and slightly open at the chest. A matching belt tied at his waist.
Long black hair fell freely down his back, blending into the fabric.
Dante recognized the face immediately. It was the same man he’d seen at Starfell Summit—
Only then, his complexion had been deathly pale. Now, up close, Dante noticed something worse.
Dragon scales still clung to the exposed skin of his chest, as if barely attached. The flesh beneath looked newly stitched together, as though one wrong movement might make it split open and bleed.
Dante’s expression changed. He quickly bowed again.
“Senior… you seem seriously injured. Should I inform Miss Lauren that you’ll remain here to recuperate?”
Edmund tugged his robe closed, expression indifferent. “I’m fine.”
“Fine?” Dante blurted before he could stop himself. “Your scales look like they’re about to fall off.”
Edmund’s gaze turned glacial.
Silent Fang hurriedly explained from the side, “Ancestor’s flesh was only just pieced back together. Don’t worry. Nothing will fall off.”
Dante’s heart skipped. Only just pieced back together? How badly had he been injured?