Chapter 2: The chicken is sent before the mission is accomplished
Li Xingruo slammed the coffin lid to the ground with a muffled thud as she rose from it.
The moment her feet touched the floor, countless tangible strands of spiritual charm swirled around her, orbiting slowly as if guarding her.
Her silver hair, cascading down to her slender waist, swayed with the spiritual energy, complementing her snow-white, flawless skin.
Her impeccable beauty and graceful figure could make any man in the world lose his senses at first sight.
Even the Demon Lord and the elders guarding the Holy Coffin were momentarily stunned by the radiant beauty of the girl emerging from the coffin.
“Lord Demon Lord, esteemed elders, have you all been waiting here?”
Noticing the gazes of the demonic path’s great powers converging on her, Li Xingruo clasped her hands and asked.
But as soon as the words left her mouth, she realized something was wrong—her voice was different.
It was soft, melodious, and delicate, like the chirping of a hundred sparrows, unmistakably the voice of a young girl in her prime.
Li Xingruo’s expression froze, a deep sense of unease surging within her.
She lowered her head, her smooth silver hair falling forward, and her gaze landed on the rounded curves that strained the buttons of her demonic sect uniform.
“The Holy Coffin’s baptism was even more successful than expected, Xingruo. All traces of demonic aura have been cleansed from you. Even the saintesses of the immortal sects couldn’t match the pure, untainted aura you now possess.”
Elder Lin’s satisfied exclamation snapped Li Xingruo out of her shock.
Swallowing hard, she lifted her delicate face and asked with a mix of hope and nervousness:
“Lord Demon Lord, esteemed elders, this… this isn’t right, is it? Which elder is playing a prank on me, using some illusion?”
“This is no illusion, just a minor side effect of the Holy Coffin’s baptism. Someone, take Xingruo to change into women’s clothing,” Elder Lin said, beaming at her with eyes full of amazement and approval.
“Wait!” Li Xingruo’s heart raced as she pushed away the approaching maid. “Elder, no one told me the Holy Coffin’s baptism would have this kind of side effect!”
Elder Lin’s face darkened, and he asked sternly: “What’s that? You swore to shoulder the burden of reviving the demonic path, and now that you’ve received the Holy Coffin’s baptism, you want to back out?”
“I wouldn’t dare, but turning into a woman is just too…”
“Cultivators are not bound by mortal norms. What difference does it make, man or woman?” the Demon Lord interrupted, resting his chin on his hand as he spoke leisurely. “This mission to the immortal sects concerns the rise or fall of the demonic path. To achieve this great cause, I had to resort to extraordinary measures. Xingruo, if you bear this temporary inconvenience and complete the task I’ve entrusted to you, the throne of the Radiant Sect’s leader will be yours in the future. I give you my word!”
Li Xingruo was momentarily stunned. She hadn’t expected the Demon Lord to offer such an enticing reward.
Since the previous sect leader perished in the immortal-demon war, the Radiant Sect’s leadership position had been vacant for centuries, with the Demon Lord acting as its steward.
Becoming the leader of the Radiant Sect was the dream of every elder—a position of unparalleled authority second only to the Demon Lord, along with access to countless cultivation resources.
“At such a young age, you have a chance to vie for the sect leader’s position, Xingruo. This is a dream come true for so many in the sect,” Elder Lin said, smacking his lips. Though his tone was teasing, there was a hint of genuine envy.
“We old bones toiled for years to become elders, yet Xingruo could become sect leader with just one mission. It’s enough to make us jealous.”
“If only I could gain the Holy Coffin’s approval, I’d gladly take on the mission myself!”
“…”
Listening to the elders’ mix of persuasion and pressure, Li Xingruo took a deep breath.
Calming herself, she raised her head and asked:
“Lord Demon Lord, I will never shirk the duty of revitalizing the demonic path. But I have one question: if I successfully complete the mission, can this side effect from the Holy Coffin be reversed?”
“Of course it can. When you return victorious, if you still wish to revert to the original Li Xingruo, no one will stop you,” the Demon Lord said with a smile and a nod, then waved his hand. “Now, go with the maid to change and prepare to depart. Elder Lin will brief you on the remaining details.”
Hearing the Demon Lord’s final decision, Elder Lin tactfully rose, bid farewell, and led Li Xingruo out.
“What do you all think of her? How confident are we in her mission to the immortal sects?”
After Li Xingruo’s figure disappeared from the hall, the Demon Lord was silent for a moment before asking faintly.
“Exceptional talent and composure in the face of challenges—she’s a fine candidate,” one elder replied with a smile. “As for our chances, that depends on fate.”
“Stealing the Nexus and disrupting the spirit vein… both tasks are as difficult as ascending to the heavens. Alas, with the demonic path in decline and the immortal sects flourishing, we’re left with no choice but to treat a dead horse as if it were alive,” another elder sighed.
“Do what we can and leave the rest to destiny.”
The Demon Lord sighed softly. “By the way, are the arrangements with the immortal sects in place?”
An elder rose and answered:
“Reporting to Lord Demon Lord, everything is arranged. We’ve secretly bribed the Li family, who are vassals of the Huangji Sect. The Li family’s daughter, Li Xianer, is betrothed to the third disciple of the Huangji Sect. Their wedding is set for an auspicious day in a few days, and Xingruo can take Li Xianer’s place in the marriage.”
He paused before adding, “Li Xianer has been raised in seclusion and has never shown her face to outsiders. Xingruo should be able to impersonate her without being discovered.”
“Impersonate Li Xianer and marry?” An elder new to the plan was taken aback. “Xingruo was already so displeased about becoming a woman. Will she agree to marry?”
“Heh, I believe she will,” the Demon Lord said with a chuckle. “If we had told her from the start that she’d need to marry as Li Xianer, Xingruo would have resisted with all her might. So, I first used the Holy Coffin to transform her body into a woman’s, and now Elder Lin will persuade her to accept the marriage. It’ll be much easier this way.”
“And your promise to let her change back…?”
“Just something I said offhand.”
“…”
Meanwhile, in the disciples’ quarters, Elder Lin and Li Xingruo were discussing the Li family.
“What? I have to marry into the Huangji Sect as someone else?”
Hearing the identity the elders had arranged for her in the immortal sects, Li Xingruo thought to herself, ‘I’ve long heard that the Demon Lord and other demonic seniors are shameless, but the rumors understated their depravity. Shameless doesn’t even begin to describe these old monsters!’
Mentally cursing the Demon Lord and the elders’ entire families, she clasped her hands and said:
“Elder Lin, I’m willing to bear the sect’s great mission. But marrying as a woman? That’s something I absolutely cannot do!”
“Do you think you can just say no and be done with it? Don’t you know the Demon Lord’s temper? Defy him, and you’ll be reduced to ashes, your soul obliterated,” Elder Lin said, shaking his head. “Besides, you know the Demon Lord’s son is brutal and lustful. If…”
“Elder, stop!”
Imagining what might happen if her current beautiful form fell into the hands of the Demon Lord’s son, Li Xingruo quickly waved her hands.
After all, a female cultivator with a water-type Heavenly Spirit Root was the ideal cauldron for certain people, and the Demon Lord might actually gift her to his son.
Resisting the marriage outright seemed too dangerous.
Maybe… she could find a chance to kill her betrothed instead?