CH 15

T/N: I'm finally back!!! Don't worry, I haven't dropped this novel. I just lost the motivation to translate this since I have many other things to do.

After reading a lot of translated/untranslated yuri novels, I've finally come back! If I say I'll translate something until it's completed, I'll do it even if it takes me 1-2 months to translate 1 chapter (I've no excuses for this...)

Like I've said before, my schedule isn't fixed and I apologize if I've kept you guys waiting for so long, here's chapter 15!

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Han Shengyao was stunned when she heard her disciple's voice. The other party's hands held her shoulders intimately.

When she turned her head, she saw that her disciple was standing beside her in her human form, affectionately wrapping her arms around her neck.

The pair of bright and glassy eyes behind the veil were curved into a pair of crescent moons. They glittered as they looked at herself, seeming to wait for her to praise the other party.

Han Shengyao wanted to take her hands away, but when she touched the scar on her hand, she instead wrapped the other party's hand with her palms with no intention of letting go. She gently whispered, "Shuang'er, you are too reckless. Did you know that I placed an enchantment around you and if you leave it, no one will be able to protect you?"

At the thought that her disciple had saved Bai Wan, who was usually against herself, she remembered that the Demon Emperor had once greeted her disciple's body with 50 whips for Bai Wan's sake.

Han Shengyao's heart ached once again, and she smeared ointment onto the scar on the back of her disciple's hand.

Lin Qianshuang hugged her neck and mischievously twirled Han Shengyao's hanging strands of hair with a foolish look in her eyes. She said in a childish manner, "Master, which part of your disciple is so weak? Hehehe, look, aren't I fine?"

Han Shengyao pulled her ears with a look of disapproval. Seeing her in pain, she flicked her forehead and said, "Learn your lesson, I still haven't settled the accounts for your sudden intrusion into the banquet."

Despite being taught a small lesson, instead of moving away timidly, Lin Qianshuang took her hands from Han Shengyao's neck and wrapped them around her waist before placing her chin on her shoulder. Their faces were very close to each other. Under her veil, Lin Qianshuang said with a bright and clear smile, "Understood, master."

For a while, the look in Bai Wan's eyes were strange and difficult to discern as they watched the master-disciple interaction between Han Shengyao and Lin Qianshuang. When she noticed the Demon Emperor's gaze on her, her eyes turned red and she plunged into his embrace.

Feeling wronged, tears flowed from her eyes. Her hands trembled as she shielded her bulging abdomen and reached out to touch his face. She felt lost as she said, "Ah Heng... Wan'er thought that the next time she could meet you again would be in the underworld. Fortunately, I came back alive..."

The Demon Emperor grabbed her hand and pressed his face against her palm. He looked at her with deep affection and gently patted her back to soothe her and said, "Xiao Wan, everything is fine. This deity is by your side."

Lin Qianshuang looked at the everlasting love between the Demon Emperor and Bai Wan, and in her heart, she couldn't help but click her tongue a few times.

Within the arms of the Demon Emperor, Bai Wan was just putting on an act. In actuality, her eyes were empty, and nobody knew where she drifted off to.

No one knew who pretended to watch the false display of affection between these two people.

For a while, the two people fawned over each other before the public. Looking at the Right Protector, Su Qing, and the demon cultivators beneath the platform, they all appeared to be blushing. They glanced at the couple and did not dare to look again.

The Demon Emperor comforted Bai Wan. His gaze lingered on Lin Qianshuang before he looked towards Han Shengyao and said, "Sage, since your disciple saved this deity's beloved concubine and her unborn child, she should be rewarded. What do you think?"

Han Shengyao led Lin Qianshuang to kneel down and said, "It is an honour for my disciple to receive a reward from his majesty."

The Demon Emperor expected to hear those words and smiled triumphantly. He looked at Lin Qianshuang with no intention to conceal his hot gaze, and said as he became increasingly riled up, "The position of the Left Protector of this deity has been idle for a long time, and this deity is worried that there are no suitable candidates. Right Protector, what do you think of the personal disciple of the Sage?"

Su Qing noticed that the Demon Emperor constantly looked up and down at Lin Qianshuang for a long period of time. Since the Demon Emperor liked her, how could he dare to refute?

He knelt respectfully at the side, bowing his head as he clasped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, the Sage's disciple is indeed a talented figure and has good qualifications. She will become a prestigious figure of the Demon Dao in less than six months."

After hearing his words, the Demon Emperor smiled and turned to Lin Qianshuang as he said, "Then it's decided, this deity's Left Protector is this girl. What is your name?"

Lin Qianshuang secretly glanced at Han Shengyao from the corner of her eye. Her hair covered her expression, but she could see her hand under her sleeve clenching slightly as if she was holding herself back.

Han Shengyao's mood was downcast. It seemed that there was something fishy about the position of the Left Protector.

Lin Qianshuang thought and lowered her head. Her voice trembled slightly as she said, "I... My name is Lin Qianshuang."

The Demon Emperor repeated her name in his heart and savoured it carefully as he thought of the vague figure of the beauty who stepped on the water while cloaked in the afterglow of the sun. The person underneath was veiled which brought about an air of mystery, making him fall into a reverie and somewhat made it hard for him to endure the temptation.

The veiled beauty kneeling on the ground seemed to feel that what she had said was not enough and explained, "Lin is the one of two trees(1), Qian is thousands of mountains and rivers, and Shuang is the Shuang of frost and snow.(2)"

When she gestured, she looked at him with pure and bright eyes. Those azure blue eyes were like lake water, appearing as if they could illuminate his ugly innermost being and reveal his true colors.

The Demon Emperor realized his mistake and immediately assumed a dignified posture, smiling as he said, "Lin Qianshuang... This is a really good name."

He instructed Su Qing by the side, "Right Protector, send someone to clean up Tianyi hall where the Left Protector will be moving to. This deity remembers that there are more than a thousand hundred-year-old frost trees in the Spiritual Garden. Remember to move all of them to the borders of the palace."

"Your majesty, this is..."

Su Qing looked at the Demon Emperor with a stunned expression. The frost trees in the Spiritual Garden were considered rare sources of magic that appeared once every 100 years. They were so easily moved to the hands of this young demon cultivator?

The Demon Emperor looked at Lin Qianshuang for a while, before turning to Han Shengyao and saying, "The Left Protector of this deity is the personal disciple of the Sage, so naturally, she can not be neglected."

He smiled lightly and met Lin Qianshuang's eyes as he said, "Besides, if the frost trees were planted all around the Left Protector's chambers, wouldn't it fit the meaning of the name 'Qianshuang'?(3)"

Lin Qianshuang was covered in goosebumps at the Demon Emperor's sight. On the surface, she looked flattered, but she secretly cursed several times in her heart.

Scumbag! The girlfriend is pregnant but is still thinking about picking up girls.

The prodigal son, for the sake of the person he fancied, gave away the precious frost trees so easily.

This Demon Emperor is indeed a scumbag and a wasteful person.

Lin Qianshuang suddenly felt that usurping the Demon Emperor was indeed a very wise choice. According to the Demon Emperor's current behaviour, if it continued, he would bring about his own destruction.

Bai Wan shrunk in the arms of the Demon Emperor, both jealous and envious of Lin Qianshuang. She naturally saw through Lin Qianshuang's deceitful expressions and demeanor. She seemed to have met a well-matched opponent and felt a sense of tension in her heart, secretly cursing the fox-like woman.

For a moment, Su Qing's expression was awkward. He glanced at Lin Qianshuang on the ground before finally retreating and said, "Your subordinates will do it at once."

Seeing that everything was done properly, the Demon Emperor left with Bai Wan, leaving the group of demon cultivators to continue repairing the collapsed walls and pillars of Wanhua Hall.

Jiuyang peak is the place where Han Shengyao's cave is located and goes to during her daily practice. It is a good place for cultivating in seclusion because it is snowy all year round, making it inaccessible and isolated from the world.

After leaving Wanhua Hall, Han Shengyao brought Lin Qianshuang to Jiuyang peak and the two of them competed on the top of the mountain for an hour.

The cool moonlight fell on the two tangled shadows, one white and one red.

Before long, the white shadow was the first to be beaten to the ground. It seemed to have taken a heavy blow as it took a long time to get up.

"Master, stop fighting. My Demonic Energy has depleted."

Lin Qianshuang lost count of the many times she had been sent flying. She felt physically uncomfortable and hurriedly called Han Shengyao to stop.

Han Shengyao squatted down slightly. She looked at Lin Qianshuang's sweaty appearance and took out a handkerchief to wipe her sweat. She said seriously, "Shuang'er, it's not easy to be the Left Protector. Before the fall of the previous Demon Emperor, his Demon Empress also sat in the position of the Left Protector. This position is the symbol of the future Demon Empress.

Your current situation is very dangerous. Not only will Bai Wan regard you as an enemy, but the three demon sects will also test you and find a way to get rid of you.

I originally wanted you to see the Demon Emperor after a year, but I didn't expect to be caught off guard by this matter."

Lin Qianshuang took her handkerchief into her hands, sat crossed-legged on the ground and solemnly looked at her, "Master, I know what you mean. I am the personal disciple of the Sage of the Demon Realm. With such a prominent position and a clean identity with no involvement with the three demon sects, if I become the Demon Empress in the future, the Demon Emperor will be free from the constraints of the three demon sects, and you can also secretly tear down the forces that have infiltrated the three sects behind Bai Wan."

Han Shengyao looked at her disciple in surprise. She did not expect her to appear dull, but actually had a sharp mind.

Lin Qianshuang pursed her lower lip at the innumerable thoughts in her heart that twisted and turned. She had long known what the Left Protector had to do from Su Qing's voice transmission.

After that, she will have to complete the assassination mission sent by the three demon sects and deal with those difficult favored concubines of the Demon Emperor's harem.

These were all tests to test her qualifications as the future Demon Empress.

Once something happens to her, Bai Wan can take her place, but Han Shengyao would definitely be unable to escape the vortex of power and would certainly be implicated because of her.

Lin Qianshuang thought of the ending of Han Shengyao where she was used as a pawn and given to Liang Jingxuan. Her eyes narrowed and she stood up to hold Han Shengyao tightly.

Han Shengyao was a little puzzled by Lin Qianshuang's sudden hug and was about to remove her hands from her waist when a sweet and slightly nasal voice filled with dependence rang in her ears. Her heart softened and she no longer tried to withdraw from her embrace.

"Master, let me hug you one last time. In the future, there will be fewer opportunities for us to meet. This disciple will miss you."

Lin Qianshuang glanced over Han Shengyao's shoulder and watched the snow falling on the vast expanse of whiteness. Her face was firm with a trace of cold-hearted indifference.

No matter what method must be used, she will definitely change that ending!

That was the purpose of her arrival, as well as the most important task she must complete.

"Hey! It's so late at night but sister Shengyao is still stuck with our newly appointed Left Protector. Is she reluctant to let go of her precious disciple?"

A provocative female voice filled with ridicule came from above.

Bai Wan placed her hands on her abdomen and steadily landed on the ground in a graceful posture with the support of Su Qing, the Right Protector.

"Master, I'm leaving."

Lin Qianshuang gently parted from Han Shengyao with those words and walked over to Bai Wan's side.

Bai Wan lightly glanced at Lin Qianshuang, snorted, and waved her hand. Soon, their figures vanished.

Han Shengyao watched Lin Qianshuang leave and suddenly felt as if her heart was filled with emptiness. A sense of loneliness, which could not be erased for a long time, slowly spread.

As for what was missing in her heart, she did not dare nor did she want to think about it.