Chapter 85

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Chapter 85: Name And Life

Aji and Ji Ning were brought to the top of the great hall.

The Demon Terrace had originally been set up by the court for managing demons in the north. The hall was simple and well lit. A black robed jiaoren sat on the main seat up at the top, his face cold and majestic. Logically speaking, he should instil fear into the people down below, but for some reason, Aji did not feel afraid.

Even though she had just been beaten by him...

She even thought this jiaoren sitting up there looked so lonely, too lonely… Her heart absurdly ached for him.

Aji did not know what was wrong with her, but she knew this jiaoren had to be the reason Lin Haoqing did not want her in the north. Why else would she feel so complicated upon seeing him? This jiaoren must have been in her life before, and he was very significant.

An enemy, or a lover?

Aji had no idea since she could not remember anything. She could only make the most preliminary judgment -- her relationship with this jiaoren was most likely not very good.

Because Lin Haoqing was the one who saved her. He treated her well, became her master and taught her survival skills. And most importantly, he wanted nothing from her...

After leaving the plum grove, Aji had thought about her relationship with Lin Haoqing. He kept so much hidden from her, but one thing she could be sure of was that he wanted her to be safe. So anyone that Lin Haoqing did not want her to see must be somewhat detrimental to her.

Was the jiaoren her enemy? She felt such strong emotions with him, but he did not seem to know her… Then it dawned on her.

Aji touched her face.

So that was why she had to master the art of transformation. Why she must never show her true face or use her spiritual power. They would give her away to this jiaoren...

Aji was escorted to the top of the hall and made to kneel down. The jiaoren on the main seat closed his eyes. Soon after, footsteps came from behind along with some shouting.

"Stop pushing! I have feet!"

Hearing this familiar voice, Aji turned her head and saw two people being escorted up with their hands tied behind their backs.

Lu Jinyan and the snake demon...

Surprisingly, they had also been captured again.

So... this jailbreak of theirs immediately ended in failure after they parted ways?

They also saw Aji and Ji Ning. Lu Jinyan stuttered with shock as he was forced to kneel down next to her, "You guys too...?"

Ji Ning weakly replied, "We ran into the jiaoren..."

Lu Jinyan looked at the high and mighty lord sitting up top, then gave a long sigh and shook his head.

Aji asked him, "And how did you guys get caught?"

Lu Jinyan gritted his teeth. "This dog fought with me again on the road..."

No need to hear any more, Aji understood. She looked at the snake demon and Lu Jinyan for a while. "You two are destined to clash, why not go separate ways?"

The snake demon said, "I wanted to..."

"I also fucking wanted to!" Lu Jinyan said angrily. "You shut up!"

"Why don't you shut up?"

After listening to the four of them bicker for a while, the jiaoren opened his eyes. A sergeant standing next to him immediately ordered, "Quiet!"

The hall fell silent, and the head of the prison walked up along with two guards. They bowed and knelt down, "Your Highness, we have failed you. We subject ourselves to punishment."

The jiaoren looked at him for a while then nodded his head. "Okay, kill."

As soon as the word "kill" was uttered, the head of the prison was so frightened his legs went weak and he fell to the ground. All the people in the room were shocked.

Aji felt unbelievable. She frowned at the jiaoren and wondered how he could issue that command.

The jiaoren turned to Aji. "If you don't want to stay in jail, you can be executed immediately."

The other three turned pale.

The jiaoren stood up and walked away. Aji watched him head for the exit as if everyone in the hall were just a lifeless corpse to him. His indifference stirred up a wave of emotional turbulence inside her. She could not tell whether it was anger or disappointment, or the mysterious ache that had been haunting her since the moment they met.

She stood up. "Stop."

One word, loud and clear. Everyone stared at her.

Changyi paused and turned his head slightly.

Aji stepped forward.

The guards immediately pressed their hands to the hilt of their swords, and the situation grew tense.

"You can't kill anyone here." Fox fire lit up and four black tails appeared as she struggled to maintain her transformed face.

Everyone knew a fox demon grew much stronger with each additional tail. They looked at Aji and saw her black gas suddenly swirl up, breaking the chain around her wrists.

Sounds of swords leaving their sheaths instantly filled the hall.

In Changyi's eyes, Aji was obviously a man. But she spoke with a familiarity that he could not ignore, and he watched until her black demonic gas darkened his blue pupils.

The familiarity was fleeting, but it was enough to make him stay and survey the tails behind Aji.

A black, four-tailed fox demon...

He still remembered that Ji Yunhe's demon half was a black, nine-tailed fox...

"On what basis?" he asked her. "Why should you be allowed to live?"

The fox fire died down and Aji stepped up. "On the basis of my belief that the Northlands should not be like this," she said. "I also believe the venerable Lord of the North, who's able to convince an army of demon masters to join him, is not a cruel tyrant."

Changyi's eyes fluctuated.

After sealing Ji Yunhe at the bottom of the lake, Changyi forced himself to forget her and their past. But at times of weakness, all the images and memories lying dormant would break through and rip into his mind.

Just like now.

Two horses outside the Demon Terrace, walking through the wind and snow, and Ji Yunhe's composure and demeanor, they all surfaced.

The fox demon in front of him spoke with confidence, just like Ji Yunhe when she fearlessly faced the army that day.

"Lu Jinyan joined the north because he placed his trust in you. The snake demon knew the world was full of suffering, him coming to the north was also a promise to trust you. If you kill them, not only do you fail their trust, you also fail all the demon masters and demons that have joined. They all came seeking survival and dignity. If they are executed because of personal grudges, and the jailer killed because of prisoners escaping, then this place will be no different from the imperial court. And you will be no different from the Grand Master -- feared by the world and abandoned by the people."

Everyone listened to Aji as she spoke. Lu Jinyan even nodded his head a few times.

"I refuse to believe that you do not understand this."

Changyi understood, he just did not care anymore...

Aji continued, "I think you've been sitting too high for too long, and have completely forgotten your original cause. I am afraid right now you are not worthy of all those who have died for the north!"

The guards looked at one another, visibly moved by her words. A few gathered up enough courage to peek at Changyi. He stood alone and silently watched the fox demon in the hall.

Aji was not done. "With your power, you can kill me easily. But I will also place my trust in you today, and believe that you will not take my life."

She stared at Changyi. The hall was now so quiet one could hear the drop of a pin.

Changyi eventually broke the silence. "What is your name?"

"My name is Aji."

His gaze drifted away for a moment then he turned to leave. "Your lives are spared," he said in a low voice as he walked out.

Well, that went better than expected.

As soon as Changyi left, Lu Jinyan stood up and said to Aji, "Awesome! You got quite a mouth on you! Even I believed everyone would rebel if he were to kill us! I've never felt so important before!"

Ji Ning wiped away some nervous sweat. "I'm the one who was really scared to death. Brother Aji, you kept arguing why they should be spared, I thought I'd be the only one dragged out and beheaded..."

Lu Jinyan laughed and smacked Ji Ning on the head. "Scaredy cat! Even your hair is wet!"

The three guards also came over to show gratitude. "Aiya! Thank you, Mr. Aji, thank you!"

Amidst the cheering of the crowd, Aji blankly scratched her head and looked to the direction where Changyi had left.

The snake demon saw her expression and laughed. "What's wrong with you? After that incredible speech, now you've dumbed down?"

Aji shook her head and smiled. "No... I just think maybe it wasn't the speech that saved us..."

"What else could it be?" Lu Jinyan laughed too. "Your name? Hahahaha!"

Aji looked squarely at Lu Jinyan and said, "It was exactly my name."

They saw it as a joke and did not take her seriously.

Aji glanced back again as she exited the hall with everyone else.

Proofreader: Gem