Chapter 71: The Three Lifetimes of Love Are All Sorrow

Curiosity stirred within me—what kind of girl could frighten such an immortal into such a sorry state? I turned to look, and a girl entered from outside the door, her brows adorned with a floral mark, her eyes clear as emerald springs.

From her appearance, she could be no older than eight, yet every aspect of her radiated an intense, deadly allure that drew the gaze and refused to let it go. It was nothing like the innocence and purity expected of a child her age.

She blinked her large eyes, circling the room a few times, then walked up to the Demon King, lifting her head to ask, “Uncle Demon King, have you seen Brother Peach Blossom?”

The Demon King simply smiled, neither nodding nor shaking his head, and did not utter a single word.

“Hmph!”

Seeing his silence, the little girl grew angry, moved to Maodou’s side, and bent down with a gentle, sisterly expression, coaxing him, “Maodou, tell your sister quickly—where is Brother Peach Blossom hiding? Why have I searched the whole house and still not found him?”

Little Maodou furrowed his thick brows, pursed his lips in annoyance, and replied, “How are you my sister? You’re younger than me. You should call me Brother Maodou instead.”

“Brother or sister, sister or brother—it’s all the same, isn’t it?” The girl’s bewitching face was tinged with puzzlement as she pouted, “Come on, Little Maodou, tell me! Where did Brother Peach Blossom go? Why does he run so fast whenever he sees me? Am I really so… so ugly… so frightening?”

After speaking, the girl lowered her head uneasily, twisting the corner of her clothes with her small fingers.

I glanced at Maodou, curious about how he would answer her questions at such a moment.

He opened his mouth, gnawed on his tiny fists a few times, hesitated, then spoke in a soft, childlike voice, “Uncle Qingcheng ran to the backyard just now. I think the reason he avoids you whenever he sees you is probably because you’re too pretty. He’s afraid he’ll fall for you, so he hides from you.”

Ahem… These children of the demon realm are even more mature than those of the demon clan. So young, and already they know what it means to like someone.

The little girl called Yiyi, whose face had been angry moments before, now broke into a syrupy sweet smile. She skipped over to Li Ruoshui, looked up, and asked, “Aunt Ruoruo, why does Brother Peach Blossom always hide from me? Why won’t he see Yiyi?”

Li Ruoshui crouched down and replied softly, “Your father is our peer, so by seniority, Yiyi shouldn’t call Peach Blossom Immortal ‘Brother Peach Blossom’—you should call him ‘Uncle Peach Blossom.’”

As she spoke, Li Ruoshui reached out to gently pat the girl’s head, smiling.

“Calling him uncle sounds old. Yiyi likes to call him brother.” The little girl pouted stubbornly. “When Yiyi grows up, she’ll marry Brother Peach Blossom and become his wife. Yiyi doesn’t want to call him uncle, Yiyi won’t.”

Her words made everyone in the room laugh.

“All right, all right. Since Yiyi wants to be Uncle Qingcheng’s wife, I’ll take you to the backyard to find him!” Maodou stepped forward, took Yiyi’s little hand, and led her toward the backyard.

Zilian cast a glance at the girl, then her gaze shifted to the cup of wine on the table, her fingers lightly tapping the surface as she asked, “Who is this little girl?”

“She’s the daughter of the Moon God and Xin’er.”

“The Moon God’s daughter?” Zilian looked up, a hint of surprise on her face.

“Yes!” The Demon King replied with a smile, tightening his grip on Li Ruoshui’s hand. “Immortal Zilian has been on Lingyun Mountain for over three thousand years. During those millennia, the Six Realms have changed greatly. The Demon King, Moyan, abdicated his throne and vanished overnight. The Demon King of the demon realm—that’s me—also gave up the position for the sake of a mortal woman, settling here among humans. The Moon God and the flower demon, Flower in Shadow, shared three lifetimes of love, each ending in sorrow, and never found a happy ending. Fortunately, in the end, the Moon God found Flower in Shadow’s scattered soul in the lair of the ghost clan. He tried countless ways, and finally, he gathered her soul so she could be reborn for one more lifetime.”