Little Alpaca – Chapter 201

Volume 6: Bound by the Life Soul

I Want to Ask for a Sun for the Demon Realm.

If one didn’t count that Kunlun Dreamscape, these were perhaps the most obedient few days of You Yan’s entire life.

Watching the little bird shivering by the wall beneath the window, Yi Qiu found she couldn’t muster an ounce of anger. After a long silence, she finally walked over, pushed the window open again, and picked You Yan up, setting her down by the tea table where the sun shone.

            

She held the Qinyuan in one hand and the Round Fan in the other, gently fanning a breeze that made the little Qinyuan’s soft, red feathers stir.

The little bird squinted, huddling listlessly in Yi Qiu’s arms. She was so weak it seemed anyone could put an end to her. It looked like recovering enough for normal movement wouldn’t be a matter of ten days or half a month.

This time, You Yan’s injuries were truly too severe. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so harsh with her.

            

After all, that Bird Woman had never been one for pleasantries; it was a temperament carved into her bones over three thousand years.

“You can hold on to the fan for me. I’ll ask for it when my injuries have recovered,” You Yan’s voice interrupted Yi Qiu’s chaotic thoughts.

Yi Qiu froze for a moment, then pouted. “Didn’t you look down on it?”

            

“Who said that?” You Yan said helplessly. “I didn’t say a single bad word about it, yet you convicted me without distinguishing cyan, red, soap-black, and white.”​¹

“You called them sparrows, and you said the tree looked weird…”

“I’d like it even if you embroidered a worm. What’s wrong with sparrows and a weird tree?” The little bird tilted her head back to look at Yi Qiu.

            

A warmth spread through Yi Qiu’s heart, but when she looked down and saw You Yan gazing up at her like that, she panicked. She reached out and covered the little bird’s head with her palm, blocking her line of sight.

From You Yan’s perspective, she thought, I probably don’t look very good…

“What are you doing…”

            

“Just sunbathe by yourself!” Yi Qiu said, taking a few steps past the folding screen and returning to sit on the bed.

A moment later, the prickly little red bird flapped her wings and flew over, perching high on the folding screen. She looked down at Yi Qiu, striking a pose that clearly said, “I’m going to stare at you.”

Yi Qiu couldn’t help but look up and ask, “You’re not sunbathing anymore?”

            

“It’s too hot,” You Yan said flatly.

“It’s not even summer yet,” Yi Qiu said.

“Perhaps it’s the Huodou’s fault,” You Yan said. She flew down beside Yi Qiu, brushed past her with a flap of her wings, and hopped a few steps onto the pillow, where she settled down lazily.

            

Yi Qiu took off her shoes and socks, hugged her knees, and sat beside You Yan, lost in thought for a long while. Finally, she couldn’t resist a light chuckle. “What did Little Hot Dog do wrong?”

You Yan thought for a moment and replied with a light laugh of her own. “Or perhaps, with no green plants and only sunlight, the weather just can’t cool down.”

Well, now it was unclear whether she was throwing the pot​² to the Jinwu or to the currently absent Goumang.

            

But speaking of which, spring was nearly over, yet the entire Mortal Realm remained a scene of decay. The grass and trees had not met the spring, and it was as if all living things had endured another long, snowless winter.

The only good news was that because Jiang Yuyao had scattered the Fusang Branches across the mortal world, the gods of the Heavenly Realm could use them to spread their divine power. The flower goddesses could finally cause seasonal flowers to bloom near the branches, returning some color to the world.

But this was only a temporary suppression of the resentful qi everywhere; it was not a long-term solution.

            

Spring was the head of the four seasons. Without a head, how could there be a tail? A Mortal Realm that had lost its spring god was equivalent to a world that had lost its seasons.

Without the four seasons, it wouldn’t be long before the Mortal Realm fell into a state of deathly stillness.

The Fei was indeed dead. But if the Mortal Realm was left to continue like this, who could guarantee that a second Fei, or some other chaotic mess of demons and monsters, wouldn’t be born from the resentment?

            

In the original novel, the Fei’s existence had turned the Mortal Realm into a living hell. The power of the sun, which represented light, had gradually weakened until it no longer posed much of a threat to the Demon Clan. The demons were thus able to leave the Earthly Realm, and in an instant, this once-vibrant land was turned into Demonic Land.

A great war between the Heavenly and Demon Realms had then unfolded on this new “Demonic Land,” even dragging the Yao Realm into it.

The fires of war between immortals, yao, gods, and demons had almost completely destroyed the lands where humans lived.

            

Now, the Fei was gone, and the Demon Clan couldn’t come to the Mortal Realm. If a great war between the Heavenly and Demon Realms was inevitable, did that mean the Heavenly Realm would have to invade the Demon Realm?

Xun Chi, who had been traveling back and forth between the Heavenly and Mortal Realms, could provide an answer to this question.

It was difficult for gods and immortals to set foot in the Earthly Realm. The Heavenly Court was still trying to negotiate amicably with the Yao Realm, hoping to borrow their power to find the Heavenly Realm’s Wood God. Unfortunately, the Yao Realm’s attitude remained cold. The Heavenly Realm had no choice but to send troops to temporarily station themselves in the Netherworld, ready to march at a moment’s notice.

            

According to Xun Chi, if gods and immortals from the Heavenly Realm were to be tainted by demonic qi on a large scale by entering the Demon Realm, it would create an uncontrollable situation that would be difficult to purify. If the Yao Realm was still unwilling to act by summer, the Heavenly Realm seemed to be planning to use some extreme method to sever their own Divine Veins, allowing the gods and immortals to forcibly enter the Earthly Realm without being corrupted by demonic qi.

But in that case, the Divine Veins of the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals who forced their way into the Demon Realm would inevitably be obstructed. Even if they could return, their cultivation bases would be severely damaged, and it would take hundreds, if not thousands, of years to recover.

It was a decision that required no small sacrifice. Unless absolutely necessary, the Heavenly Realm didn’t want to take this step. They wanted to wait, too, but the Mortal Realm couldn’t afford to.

            

Although this choice was risky, at least the Heavenly Realm was taking action, which was much better than the do-nothing version in the novel.

But then again, in this world, the human race was created by the heavenly gods. If the Heavenly Realm didn’t protect the Mortal Realm, wouldn’t it be completely doomed, just like in the novel?

Xun Chi hadn’t told Luo Mingyuan and Jiang Yuyao any of this, as they were still recovering. After all, they were acquaintances and knew a bit about each other’s temperaments. This matter was, in the end, closely related to them. If they found out, they would surely rush to the front lines.

            

Those two had only just passed their thunder tribulations and hadn’t had many days of being able to walk around in human form. She didn’t want them getting their Divine Veins severed by the Heavenly Realm’s unknown, extreme methods to enter the Earthly Realm. If they clashed with the demons of the Demon Realm, who only respected fists and not reason, she would have to worry herself sick all over again.

Right now, all she wanted was for the little tree and the little bird, who had worked so hard for over a year, to be able to recuperate properly on this little mountain in the Mortal Realm. The Demon Realm was You Yan’s territory, after all. Once You Yan returned, any problem would surely be resolved with ease.

Just not now.

            

In You Yan’s current state, forget crossing the Netherworld guarded by the Heavenly Realm; even if she could successfully return to the Demon Realm, she would probably be finished off by those who had long coveted the Demon Lord’s throne.

After all, in the Demon Realm, the strong were revered. Whoever could cut off the Demon Lord’s head would have all the clans of the Demon Realm bow to them without objection.

The Demon Lord away from the Demon Emperor’s Palace was like an emperor on an incognito tour in a TV drama. If she was assassinated on the street, she would just be dead. Only by surviving would she have the chance to use her status to convict others.

            

Whether by bluffing or by trickery, if You Yan wanted to go back, she had to recover to the point where no one could tell she was injured. Only that would be enough to intimidate the Demon Realm.

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As the days passed, You Yan’s injuries showed clear improvement.

The little bird who initially couldn’t even hop could now fly all over the room. A while ago, she had even been able to circulate her spiritual power to heal herself. It seemed that returning to her human form wouldn’t take too much longer.

            

Once You Yan could circulate her spiritual power for healing, she wasn’t as idle as before. When she was healing, she didn’t pay much attention to Yi Qiu, so Yi Qiu naturally started wandering around the Xianlu Sect grounds in her free time.

When Yi Qiu had followed You Yan here last midsummer, the people of Xianlu Sect had still been avoiding yao like the plague. Moreover, most of them carried a baffling arrogance unique to cultivators, which made them quite unlikable.

Now, less than a year later, she, a little alpaca yao, could stroll around and be met with respectful bows wherever she went. The disciples on the mountain had also become much more humble, with none of their former pride.

            

It made sense. The immortals, yao, gods, and demons that had appeared before their eyes this past year were enough to make them realize their own insignificance.

But there was one thing that had been weighing on Yi Qiu’s mind.

You Yan had told her many times that the reason Luo Mingyuan and Jiang Yuyao could be her friends was that they were currently only human.

            

The high and mighty gods and immortals had always looked down on the Yao Clan and despised the Demon Clan. This hadn’t changed for tens of thousands of years.

A mortal life was but a grain of millet in a vast ocean​³ in the thousands of years of a god’s memory, let alone a single short year within that life.

Once they recovered their memories, would the Jinwu and Fusang still be the Luo Mingyuan and Jiang Yuyao she knew?

            

Because of this question, she hadn’t dared to speak to them for a long time. Even when she saw them from afar, she would subconsciously walk the other way, afraid of accidentally stumbling upon a truth she didn’t want to face.

But they were all on the same mountain. How could she truly avoid them?

Yi Qiu had just found a cliffside to wander along. When she got tired, she found a rock to sit on, only to be caught by Jiang Yuyao.

            

She swore she was just staring blankly at the lifeless distant mountains. When she came to her senses, Jiang Yuyao was suddenly sitting beside her, giving her a huge fright.

“Long time no see, Yi Qiu.”

“It has been… Lately, You Yan has needed looking after, so I haven’t been out much,” Yi Qiu said, looking down, not knowing how to face the person beside her.

            

After a few seconds of silence, Jiang Yuyao asked, “How is Miss You doing? She always likes her peace and quiet, so I haven’t dared to disturb her.”

Yi Qiu replied, “She’s doing well. She should be able to return to her human form soon. When she does, she’ll take me back to the Demon Realm. We’ll help with Chao Yun’s matter. Before spring next year, we’ll definitely bring her back to the Mortal Realm. We’ll drag her back if we have to…”

“She probably doesn’t know what’s happened in the Mortal Realm. If she knew, she would never be so reckless,” Jiang Yuyao’s tone was just as it had been before, yet Yi Qiu could sense a certain steadiness that shouldn’t belong to this body.

            

“Mm,” Yi Qiu nodded. After a long, awkward pause, she finally changed the subject in a low voice. “Right, have you recovered your memories? The ones belonging to Fusang.”

“How did you know? I haven’t told anyone but Mingyuan,” Jiang Yuyao said, a trace of curiosity flashing in her eyes. “Did he tell you?”

“No, You Yan guessed,” Yi Qiu said with a pout.

            

In truth, the System had told her, but she didn’t want to explain the existence of such a thing to Jiang Yuyao. Some secrets could only be shared with the closest of people.

Jiang Yuyao sighed softly, wrapping her arms around her knees. “We plan to keep this a secret. After all, our lifespans in this life are not yet over. No matter who we were before, we shouldn’t face our parents, our Martial Uncle, or our junior martial brothers and sisters with that identity. They would be afraid.”

“Mm, that makes sense… In any case, congratulations,” Yi Qiu said, then couldn’t help but ask in a small voice, “After this life, will we… still be friends?”

            

“Why wouldn’t we be?” Jiang Yuyao asked in return.

Yi Qiu thought for a moment, then said seriously, “I’m a yao, and You Yan is the Demon Lord. I’ll have to go back to the Demon Realm with her eventually. We… are on opposing sides.”

“I don’t think there are so many absolutes in this world,” Jiang Yuyao said. “I’ve remembered some things. Over two thousand five hundred years ago, something happened on Kunlun Mountain that shook the Heavenly Realm. Yi Qiu, given your relationship with Miss You, you must know what I’m talking about.”

            

“I know.”

“If I were her, having experienced such injustice, I probably would have taken my anger out on Mingyuan the very first day I met him in Moshui and gotten my revenge, don’t you think?” Jiang Yuyao shook her head and smiled. “But she didn’t. I couldn’t understand why at first, but then I did. It’s because she has you by her side. If it weren’t for you, he would have remained in the mortal world forever after this life, and I would have returned to the Jade Sea to guard all my regrets alone.”

Yi Qiu puffed out her cheeks, thinking, That’s not it at all. The truth is, you both would have been killed, crippled, or driven mad by You Yan.

            

“I can’t quite explain it either. The memories of this life are nothing compared to the thousands of years in the Jade Sea, but I treasure them dearly. Sometimes I even feel like… I am Jiang Yuyao, and all the memories of Fusang are just a very, very long dream,” Jiang Yuyao said. “I want to hold on to the memories of this life forever. My parents, my Martial Uncle, my fellow disciples, and that includes you, Miss You, Xun Chi, Jian Li, and Yue Zhuo… I want to be friends with you all, forever.”

“Does Little Pig Trotter think so too?” Yi Qiu couldn’t help asking.

“Why don’t you call him that and see if he answers?” Jiang Yuyao replied with a smile.

            

Looking at the smile in Jiang Yuyao’s eyes, Yi Qiu felt a sense of relief. She thought for a moment, then said in a low voice, “If he still answers to that, then I’m going to have to shamelessly ask him for a favor.”

Jiang Yuyao was curious. “What favor?”

Yi Qiu was silent for a moment, then propped her chin on her hand and said seriously, “When the dust has settled, I want to ask for a sun for the Demon Realm.”

            

Yi Qiu thought that since she and You Yan had helped the Heavenly Realm so much, asking for a little something in return shouldn’t be too much.

If the Demon Realm could be like the Mortal Realm, You Yan would surely be very happy.

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The author has something to say:

            

Actually, this is already the last volume. I meant to add a volume title a few days ago but kept forgetting. This last volume is the wrap-up, so it’s quite short. The countdown to the finale has begun. Please read and cherish it, everyone.

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