Chapter Twenty-Two: Dark Garments, Obsidian Night

Seeing the monster approaching, Jiang Lan secretly cursed Obsidian once again.

Obsidian stood tall and straight on the edge of the cliff, his bearing distinguished and elegant.

"My lord seems rather at ease. The demon realm is in turmoil, and yet you linger in the human world, idly passing your time."

Jiang Lan’s face flushed, but even when at a disadvantage, she stood with hands on her hips, chin lifted defiantly.

"Obsidian, is this how you speak to your own master?"

Obsidian’s thoughts were inscrutable as he glanced at the woman reclining not far away.

"Qingtian saw your soul stone extinguished and assumed it was the work of the gods or immortals. He charged in alone."

Jiang Lan clicked her tongue inwardly. So the strange phenomena she’d witnessed recently were all Qingtian’s doing. She wondered if he’d been bullied.

Thinking of someone bullying her own, Jiang Lan unconsciously clenched her fists. Then, glancing at her now-mortal body, she sighed helplessly.

"Now that trouble has arisen, I cannot leave this mortal shell for the time being, and I have no magic powers. Affairs of the demon realm must fall to you for now," Jiang Lan suddenly looked up and smiled at Obsidian, "Why don't you handle things for me?"

"...Are you sure you've managed it even once in these hundreds of thousands of years?"

"I can clean up the demon realm’s mess, but as for Prince Ji Wu, that’s your responsibility, my lord."

The mention of "Ji Wu" made Jiang Lan’s head ache and her whole body weak.

"What’s the matter with that child now?"

"Prince Ji Wu is rallying the demon kings to pull you from your throne."

Obsidian spoke calmly, as if discussing some trivial, everyday occurrence.

Jiang Lan’s eyes widened, incredulous and agitated. "How can that be! Not a single sign—I had no idea."

Sensing Jiang Lan’s agitation, Obsidian looked over.

His master wore an expression of disbelief. "I told that child, next time he should take me along—it’s guaranteed to succeed. Why won’t he call for me?"

Watching her rub her hair, looking troubled and frustrated—

...

Jiang Lan patted her bottom and stood up, still muttering.

"Obsidian, you’re young, you don’t know. That job as head of the household isn’t fit for any demon!"

...

So, am I not a demon? Is she insulting me?

"Up before dawn, busy until dusk—not a moment’s peace. One demon king steals someone’s wife, another covets someone’s daughter. Mediate here, play matchmaker there. Exhausting!"

Jiang Lan beat her chest and stamped her feet, nearly in tears. "I said I wouldn’t do it, but grandfather insisted, claiming the Ji family couldn’t handle great responsibilities, so I had to shoulder it. I told him Ji Wu was a promising seed, but grandfather refused."

"I knew he favored Ji Wu, so all these dirty, tiring tasks fell to me. What a pity!"

...

Only you, my lord, would think that position is a dirty, thankless job.

Suddenly, Jiang Lan rushed at Obsidian, stopped abruptly, and grasped his hand, eyes brimming with tears.

"Obsidian, dear Obsidian, please help Ji Wu. You raised him, after all."

Her words made Obsidian twitch.

Recalling how his master had handed the infant Prince Ji Wu to him, and those endless days in the dark, Obsidian felt his mouth twitch.

"Regarding Prince Ji Wu, my lord, you must handle it yourself."

Seeing Obsidian about to leave, Jiang Lan quickly grabbed his sleeve. "You won’t help me?"

"Qingtian’s whereabouts are unknown. I must investigate."

Jiang Lan withdrew her hand, half-lowering her eyelids.

"Qingtian possesses immense power; the celestial realm cannot touch him, the divine realm finds him formidable. But he lacks sense—please find him quickly."

After a moment’s thought, Jiang Lan took the spirit jade from her bosom and handed it to Obsidian. "If you encounter danger, use this to save yourself."

Obsidian was shocked. "This is the life-saving token the demon king left for you! How can you just hand it over?"

Jiang Lan patted his chest reassuringly.

"What do you mean, 'just'? You and Qingtian are family to me. That fool is bound to provoke the gods and immortals. Once, I could protect him—no one dared say a word. But now, haven’t I already died?" Her tone grew poignant and lonely. "I died over a hundred thousand years ago."

Obsidian clenched the spirit jade tightly, the veins in his neck prominent.

"Rest assured, my lord. The grudge of the Yin family is etched in our hearts. One day, Qingtian and I will wipe out all those who betrayed you."

Watching the black aura swirling around Obsidian, Jiang Lan sighed.

"Grandfather told me to let go, but forgot to tell you two."

Obsidian’s black aura tripled in intensity. "You may let go, my lord, but I never will."

"If Qiqi saw you like this, she’d be heartbroken." Jiang Lan reached out to comfort him, but he moved aside, avoiding her touch.

Visibly, the black aura around Obsidian grew thicker.

Jiang Lan sighed. Over a hundred thousand years, Obsidian still couldn’t bear to hear the name "Qiqi."

Her charming little cousin, the jewel of the Yin family, adored by all the realms, pursued by sons of countless immortal families, courted by a formidable demon lord—none caught her fancy.

Yet she fell for the Obsidian Jiang Lan had "picked up."

The outside world knew only that Yin Xun, the demon god, had acquired an Obsidian divine stone, refined with Yin family blood, awakening Qingtian’s divine consciousness and shaking the six realms.

Qingtian did awaken, but because of the powerful Yin bloodline, his consciousness took human form and became an independent being—Obsidian.

Obsidian, born from the divine stone, was naturally reserved.

Her poor cousin’s tender heart crashed against stone, failing again and again, but each defeat only made her more determined. She once swore to Jiang Lan that she would make Obsidian love her.

Ten thousand years had passed, and her cousin’s smile still lingered in Jiang Lan's memory.

That pure-hearted girl died beneath another’s blade.

"Take the spirit jade and find Qingtian. Tell him I am unharmed."

Obsidian nodded slightly, his tone growing colder. "Take care, my lord."

Jiang Lan ached for him and for her cousin. Grandfather was right—surviving was nearly impossible. She could not let anger drive her to challenge the five realms; the events of the past must be thoroughly investigated.

Her immediate task was to fulfill the original owner’s wish and leave this mortal body.

Grandfather stood behind her, leading the demon realm. Now, whatever happened, she must protect them and not let them erode the demon realm while she inhabited this body.

Since Yin Xun "died" over a hundred thousand years ago, perhaps it was time to live openly as a demon.

Having resolved herself, Jiang Lan flicked her sleeves and gazed at the towering mountains around her. The oppression in her chest dissipated, and she saw dawn light spill across the starry sky.

"It's getting late; time to return."

She touched her clothes. "Oh no!"

Looking around, she realized she hadn’t brought any talismans today. She was far from home—how to get back?

After searching carefully, she finally found hope.

Looking at the worn-out pouch, Jiang Lan shook her head. "I have no other choice."

She untied the brown string on the pouch. At first, nothing happened. Suddenly, a violent wind burst forth from the bag.

Jiang Lan’s hair was blown upright, her face darkened to pitch black.