After Being Struck By The Love Gu, I Reached A Happy Ending With My Frail Best Friend - Chapter 4

Gray clouds stretched endlessly across the sky, while the crescent moon hung like a hook.

A vast, majestic palace stood upon the banks of the River of Death. Countless lanterns flickered uncertainly, their flames circling the immense and imposing structure like nails driven into the curtain of darkness, barely supporting a weight too heavy to bear.

Above, the vault of heaven glittered with innumerable broken stars.

Whenever one looked up at the night sky, it was impossible not to sigh at one’s own insignificance. No cultivator failed to dream of attaining the Great Dao, ascending to immortality, and standing shoulder to shoulder with the stars as a mere mortal.

Thus, after enough wine had been drunk and faces had grown warm with intoxication, someone would often slap the table and declare that there were truly only two places in the world worthy of serving as an observatory.

The first was Kunlun’s Eastern Peak.

Unfortunately, it remained sealed beneath ice throughout the year. Anyone below the Golden Core or Nascent Soul realms could not enter. To miss such boundless scenery simply because one’s cultivation was insufficient was truly a lifelong regret.

Someone unfamiliar with the subject would laugh as they refilled the speaker’s wine cup.

“Then what is the second place?”

The speaker suddenly froze.

The hand holding the wine cup trembled, spilling precious drops onto the dusty ground.

“The Demon Palace.”

The conversation immediately fell silent.

The very words Demon Palace felt like chewing flesh and drinking blood.

During the earth-shattering war between immortals and demons a thousand years ago, no one knew how many mighty immortals had fallen.

Now, only the Demon Lord, Zhou Han, remained alive.

Even after losing an immeasurable amount of cultivation, she still stood as the supreme existence across both realms.

Some claimed she had slaughtered her rival’s entire clan to seize power.

Others said she had once massacred twenty-one cities.

Beneath the Demon Palace, which towered seven hundred and thirty zhang high, lay the blood and tears of countless mortals and cultivators.

Yet the legendary bloodthirsty and ruthless Demon Lord was, in the end, only one person.

Zhou Han reclined lazily upon her throne, her fox-like eyes gently closed.

She seemed a little sleepy.

Her shoulders relaxed ever so slightly.

Her black hair cascaded like a waterfall, while her black robes embroidered with golden patterns draped loosely over her body, outlining a frame as gaunt as bare bones.

They also revealed the famous sword hanging at her waist—

Hatred Eternal.

The Demon Lord’s face possessed a pallor that was almost corpse-like.

Her lips and breath were as cold as the snow atop Kunlun.

Her breathing was so faint that whenever she rested like this, the ordinary little tabby cat kept in the palace would often climb onto her lap and gently sniff her nose to make sure its master was still breathing.

When Zhou Xu entered with the Black Tiger Clan Chief, this was the sight that greeted them.

She steadied herself before daring to speak.

Although her elder sister treated her more uniquely than anyone else in the world, there were still times when merely seeing her standing within the boundless palace—meeting those cold, merciless eyes—made every hair on Zhou Xu’s body stand on end.

It felt as though an ancient ferocious beast had fixed its gaze upon its prey.

Fortunately, the sensation passed in an instant.

“Sister… the battle report from the front…” Zhou Xu stammered. Whenever bad news arrived, the clan elders always begged her to deliver it instead. “Huizhou Pass… wasn’t breached. The Black Tiger Golden Core leading the assault also died.”

“…Died?”

Two icy words.

Utterly devoid of emotion.

The Black Tiger Clan Chief’s face turned deathly pale, as though he had long foreseen what would happen.

Seeing this, Zhou Xu hurriedly nodded.

“They say the Tianji Sect Master happened to pass by and joined forces with someone from the Sword Pavilion to kill the Black Tiger Demon General.”

After speaking, she frantically nudged the person beside her.

The Black Tiger Clan Chief snapped out of his daze.

He fell to his knees with a loud thud, trembling violently while murderous hatred filled his eyes.

“Your Majesty! Please grant us another chance! This time I will personally lead the army! I guarantee not a single living soul will remain in all of Huizhou Pass!”

No answer came.

Silence filled the hall.

It was empty and deathly quiet, like the depths of hell itself.

Even the little tabby inexplicably became quiet, letting out a single meow before running away.

Zhou Xu lowered her head, her heart pounding like thunder.

Only after a long while did she hear her sister speak.

“No need.”

Despair flashed across the Black Tiger Clan Chief’s face.

The next moment, everyone in the hall was shocked.

“I’ll go myself.”

Zhou Xu abruptly raised her head in disbelief.

“Sister?”

“There is still the lingering aura of half a crane feather within Huizhou City.”

Zhou Han rose calmly.

Her black robes wrapped around her skeletal body.

Had the questioner not been her younger sister, the Demon Lord likely would not have explained even a single word.

“The only hope that has existed in these thousand years lies there.”

Zhou Xu’s expression changed.

“But the Immortal Alliance will likely arrive within ten days. If the Sword Pavilion Master is among them…”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Zhou Han looked at her younger sister.

For the first time, a tiny crack appeared in those eyes as cold as solid ice.

“The one who must be careful is you.”

“Take Buzhanyi and the crane feather to the Boundary-Sealing Monument.”

“Long Can.”

Long Can stepped forward respectfully.

“Your servant is here.”

The attendant lowered her eyes and presented one of the demon race’s most famous medicines.

Zhou Xu accepted the porcelain bottle from Long Can, still looking puzzled.

“Going to the Boundary-Sealing Monument isn’t difficult. I’ve accompanied you there many times before. But there’s something I’ve wanted to ask for a long time.”

“Sister, why do we smear poison onto the very center of the monument’s formation?”

“I have my reasons.”

Zhou Han instructed calmly.

“Just do as before. And be careful when taking the medicine. Don’t confuse Buzhanyi with the other drugs.”

Zhou Xu looked away guiltily.

“What are you saying, Sister? Am I really that unreliable?”

Zhou Han let out a cold laugh.

“For the past several years, you’ve had Long Can concoct all sorts of bizarre things. Half a month ago, you even had her refine a Love Gu.”

“Zhou Xu.”

“Don’t force me to ask what you intended to use it for.”

“I know, I know.”

Zhou Xu coughed awkwardly and quickly stored the porcelain bottle inside her storage ring.

She declared confidently,

“I absolutely won’t mix up Buzhanyi with the gu worms!”

“It had better stay that way.”

---

“Junior Sister.”

Bian Yingxue spoke quietly, every trace of her expression filled with disapproval.

“When exactly did you decide to lead a team into Two Realms Mountain? It’s extremely dangerous. Why didn’t you discuss it with me first?”

It was already late at night.

The banquet guests had all departed.

Only three people remained in the great hall—

Shen Fangzhou.

Bian Yingxue.

And Xie Guiwan, seated quietly beside them.

Huizhou City had gradually fallen silent.

The City Lord’s Residence became even quieter.

The banquet itself had ended happily, with host and guests alike well satisfied.

Only a pool of dried blood remained near the lowest seat, reflecting the lonely crescent moon.

Shen Fangzhou merely smiled.

She teased,

“Senior Sister, are you blaming me for not consulting a Golden Core sword cultivator like you?”

“Don’t change the subject.”

Bian Yingxue scolded her.

“Even you said the Demon Lord may arrive within days. If you encounter Zhou Han along the way, wouldn’t you… wouldn’t you…”

Bian Yingxue found herself unable to continue.

No matter how worried she was, she simply could not bring herself to utter such ill-omened words to her junior sister.

Shen Fangzhou blinked innocently and shamelessly played dumb.

In any case, she had already announced the matter publicly during the banquet.

The water had been spilled.

There was no turning back.

As long as she was the one making the journey, neither of the two female leads would be in danger.

Perhaps, while spending time together, the tiny spark of romance between them would even burn a little brighter.

Seeing that she could not persuade her junior sister at all, Bian Yingxue grew even more frustrated.

Unfortunately, she was never good with words.

So she simply turned elsewhere.

“Sect Master Xie.”

“Perhaps you should persuade her.”

Xie Guiwan heard this.

The hand that had only moments ago flicked a sword talisman now steadily supported a wine cup.

Yet the words she spoke left Bian Yingxue stunned.

“Sword Master, you jest.”

“What is there to persuade?”

“If Zhouzhou has decided to do something herself, then she surely has her reasons.”

“And besides…”

She smiled gently.

“She is currently the acting city lord.”

“We ought to follow her orders.”

Bian Yingxue blinked.

“…?”

Wait.

Xie Guiwan merely smiled faintly.

“Isn’t that right, Acting City Lord Shen?”

Shen Fangzhou nodded so enthusiastically it was almost comical.

She was deeply moved.

Senior Sister worries about my safety.

Senior Sister is wonderful!

The Sect Master respects my decisions.

The Sect Master is wonderful too!

Three whole years.

Her painstaking care for the two protagonists had not been in vain!

The system clicked its tongue.

“Honestly, Shen Fangzhou. You’re moved this much over something so small?”

It was far more than that.

On the morning of the third day, Shen Fangzhou was so touched she was practically in tears.

In her left hand, she held the reins of an excellent horse Bian Yingxue had found for her.

In her right, she carried a thick stack of sword talismans gifted by Xie Guiwan.

Leading ten Foundation Establishment cultivators, Shen Fangzhou rode out through the pass.

Traveling lightly, the group headed deep into Two Realms Mountain.

No one noticed the resentful pair of eyes hidden among the crowd gathered before the city gates.

Horseback riding was not Shen Fangzhou’s specialty.

However, Two Realms Mountain stretched for thousands of li and was filled with difficult terrain.

The route ahead twisted endlessly.

According to the original novel, Zhou Xu was traveling toward the border where Two Realms Mountain met the demon realm.

In other words, they would have to cross the entire mountain range.

Traveling by horse was by far the easiest option.

The immortal and demon realms floated above the human world of the Thirteen Provinces.

As the border between them, Two Realms Mountain possessed unstable space.

Occasionally, ordinary civilians also ventured there.

After all, the fighting was usually concentrated around the Four Passes.

The mountain itself was enormous.

Most of it remained untouched by war.

Countless cultivators and demons had died there, enriching the land with spiritual energy that nurtured rare medicinal herbs.

If someone managed to find one and sell it to cultivators, a single stroke of good fortune could support an entire family for years.

It was another kind of cycle between life and death.

So finding inns and relay stations scattered through the mountains was hardly unusual.

After riding for an entire day, everyone in the group was exhausted.

When they spotted an inn, they all breathed sighs of relief.

Ning Ruyue, the youngest cultivator among them, lit up with excitement and impulsively urged her horse forward—

“Stop.”

Holding her sword sheath in one hand, Shen Fangzhou blocked Ning Ruyue’s path.

Her tone was calm but left no room for argument.

“Get off your horse.”

Ning Ruyue pouted.

“Shen… Shen Fangzhou, we’ve known each other for a while now. Why are you still so cold toward me?”

Shen Fangzhou glanced at her with a suppressed smile before addressing the entire group.

“Be careful to hide your spiritual swords, storage rings, and anything similar.”

Without further explanation, she simply carried the Longming Sword on her back and entered the rather run-down inn first.

Ning Ruyue snorted.

Beside her, Cheng Che paused thoughtfully.

“Acting City Lord Shen really is cautious.”

“Hm?”

Ning Ruyue rubbed her chin and turned to her.

“That doesn’t sound like something Sister Cheng would usually say. I don’t often hear you praising people.”

“This is an inn for mortals.”

“There may be low-level demons hiding here.”

“She’s telling us to conceal our spiritual swords to avoid exposing ourselves.”

“That’s why I said she’s being careful.”

Ning Ruyue nodded repeatedly, though it was obvious she cared little about such things.

Walking alongside Cheng Che toward the stables, she asked,

“By the way, Sister Cheng, what made you suddenly volunteer for this mission?”

Cheng Che was usually quiet and dependable.

Among the cultivators present, she naturally served as one of the leaders.

She disliked taking risks.

That was precisely why her volunteering had surprised Ning Ruyue so much.

“My one-year border assignment is almost over.”

She paused.

“Being impulsive once in a while won’t hurt.”

Lowering her eyes to conceal the darkness within them, Cheng Che simply laughed softly and changed the subject as they entered the inn together.

Shen Fangzhou was already seated on the first floor.

“I’ve arranged everything.”

“The entire third floor has been reserved for us.”

“The owner will bring hot water and dinner shortly.”

“It’s late, so everyone should get some rest.”

Several people smiled and thanked her.

Even while traveling on official duty, it was rare to meet a leader generous enough to arrange accommodations like this.

Shen Fangzhou smiled as well.

The wavering lamplight reflected in her clear eyes.

For a brief moment, Ning Ruyue nearly lost herself staring.

Realizing what she had done, she became slightly flustered.

She gave a huff, deliberately avoiding Shen Fangzhou’s gaze before hurrying upstairs without another look back.

Resting her cheek against one hand, Shen Fangzhou watched Ning Ruyue’s indignant retreating figure with smiling eyes.

There was not the slightest trace of displeasure.

Sometimes she truly felt that transmigrating into a novel was fascinating.

Making friends.

Roaming the world together.

Raising wine cups in moments of joy.

Singing aloud in times of sorrow.

It was a kind of generosity and youthful spirit completely different from her homeland.

As her thoughts drifted, the innkeeper soon served the food and wine.

Shen Fangzhou let out a long breath, thanked him, and warmed herself a cup of wine.

Outside, the cold wind swept across the river, carrying bits of floating ice.

Inside, however, the inn was comfortably warm.

Leaning against Longming, Shen Fangzhou softly hummed a folk song from the Sword Pavilion in Shu.

Travelers passed only a few steps behind her.

Yet sitting alone beside the window, she somehow seemed impossibly distant, as though standing at the edge of the heavens.

Suddenly—

She heard an extremely familiar melody.

Shen Fangzhou paused.

Only then did she notice a white-robed figure seated at the neighboring table, quietly humming along.

That silhouette…

Looked strangely familiar.

The system exclaimed,

“Oh? Zhouzhou, take a look who that is.”

Shen Fangzhou frowned.

“White robes embroidered with patterns…”

“Sect Master?”

The system clicked its tongue in amazement.

“No way… don’t tell me she actually chased you all the way here?”

Shen Fangzhou immediately became suspicious.

“Excuse me…”

“Are you from Shu as well?”