Marrying the Soft-hearted Villain

Brown Bear Xiong Yuan heard his younger brother's words from afar and raised the firewood in his hand quizzically, "Roar? (Duo Duo, what are you saying?)"

Xiong Duo Duo wrinkled his nose, taking a deep breath of the icy air. Confirming he hadn't smelled wrong, a strong scent of willow branches permeated the air. "Hoo— (I smell a Willow Demon.)"

Hearing this, Xiong Yuan also became alert, carefully scanning their surroundings.

However, with the falling snow and rain, they couldn't spot any suspicious demons.

"Hoo… (Was it an illusion?)" The scent of willow branches gradually dissipated. Xiong Duo Duo shook his semi-circular ears, wondering if the Willow Demon scent he'd smelled was just his imagination.

"Roar~ (Duo Duo, let's quickly gather firewood and find shelter. The rain is so cold.)" Seeing no danger, Xiong Yuan, growing uneasy in the darkness, couldn't help but growl softly.

Xiong Duo Duo hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward—

"Crack," "Crack."

The sudden sound of something shattering came from behind, accompanied by Lu Zi Ran's pained roar. Xiong Duo Duo turned around in surprise and saw a bloodstained willow branch, not yet retracted.

"Roar—! (There really is a bad demon!)" Xiong Duo Duo bared his fangs, throwing down the firewood. His second-tier, late-stage earth-elemental power surged as he violently lifted the ground beneath Lu Zi Ran, sending it hurtling towards the Willow Demon.

"Bang!!"

The earth crashed against the rock face with a loud boom, but Xiong Duo Duo missed the "Willow Demon" that had suddenly appeared and attacked Lu Zi Ran. Instead, he accidentally hit Lu Zi Ran, whose right leg bone had just been shattered by the Willow Demon.

Fortunately, Lu Zi Ran was currently in his lion form, with reactions and speed far exceeding his human form. His hide was also much tougher. Otherwise, he wouldn't have survived this sudden attack.

Who? Who suddenly attacked him?

Was it that high-tier transparent monster from near Ruan Qiu Qiu's cave? But he was sure he'd shaken it off!

The intense pain contorted Lu Zi Ran's face. He rolled forward twice, limping pathetically to Xiong Duo Duo's feet.

Although Xiong Duo Duo and Xiong Yuan didn't know what had happened, they had promised to protect Lu Zi Ran in exchange for medicinal herbs. The two honest, simple bears stood before him.

A gentle female voice echoed from the dimly lit rock face, seeming both distant and close. "Don't be alarmed, Bear Clan. I mean you no harm."

The dust settled, and a gentle breeze swept through the scattered willow catkins. Standing there was a young girl with a delicate and gentle appearance.

"Huh??" Xiong Duo Duo's eyes widened as he looked at the little girl, no older than eleven or twelve. He let out a shocked roar, "Roar~ (What's going on with you, little female demon? If you mean no harm, why did you attack?)"

The "little girl's" face still held a smile. "I said, I mean you no harm."

Lu Zi Ran "…" No harm to the bears, but harm to him? But he didn't recognize the demon before him.

No, wait.

This little girl, who looked like a Willow Demon, wasn't entirely a demon. Though she had the form of a Willow Demon, the willow branch that had crushed his right leg bone was clearly imbued with a significant amount of demonic energy.

This "little girl" was a high-tier monster in disguise.

Quickly reaching this conclusion, Lu Zi Ran's mane bristled—

What had he done to deserve encountering two high-tier monsters in a single day??

He had to escape, flee back to the Wind Lion Tribe, far away from the damned Flame Wolf Tribe.

"Don't be afraid." The gentle, childlike voice sounded again. The "little girl" smiled at Lu Zi Ran, seemingly seeing through his thoughts. She raised a hand to cover her mouth, letting out a small giggle. "I mistook you for someone else. I mean you no harm either."

Lu Zi Ran's eyes widened. He watched as the little girl, wearing soft clothes he'd never seen before, sat down on the rock face. Willow branches twirled above her head, shielding her from the falling rain and snow.

She spoke slowly, "Little lion, were you injured near the Flame Wolf Tribe? Answer me this, and I'll let you go." It must have been Yuan Jue who injured him, leaving that unique demonic energy within him, causing her to mistake him.

Hearing her words, Lu Zi Ran's lion face twisted. He figured that perhaps this high-tier monster happened to have a grudge against the transparent high-tier monster near Ruan Qiu Qiu's cave.

Although he had completely dispelled the demonic energy left by that transparent monster, a trace of its aura probably remained, leading to the attack.

Lu Zi Ran should have been furious, but judging from the willow branch attack and the level of demonic energy, he knew this little girl, disguised as a Willow Demon, was around fifth-tier. He was no match for her.

Instead of fighting her for pride and risking the lives of the two clueless bears, it would be better to surrender before her patience ran out. Perhaps there was still a sliver of hope.

Thinking this, Lu Zi Ran shifted back to his human form, answering the little girl's question, "…Yes, Senior, I was indeed injured near the Flame Wolf Tribe."

"…You're quite sensible, little lion." Lu Zi Ran's use of "Senior" pleased Qing Ruyi.

She hadn't intended to harm any demon or human besides Yuan Jue and Ruan Qiu Qiu. Hearing his answer, she decided not to press further. She didn't apologize for mistaking him, but simply covered her mouth with a giggle. "You two bears are quite cute. Goodbye."

With that, the slender legs beneath her cotton skirt transformed into willow branches, and she vanished into the night.

"Senior, do you have a grudge against the monster near the Flame Wolf Tribe?" Lu Zi Ran asked her retreating figure, unwilling to give up, but received no response. "Please, Senior, avenge me."

Lu Zi Ran clutched his injured right leg, nearly fainting from the pain, collapsing in the rain.

"Help me up," he said through gritted teeth to Xiong Yuan, who had also shifted back to his human form.

But Xiong Yuan, who had been foolish, simple, and agreeable before, didn't help him up this time.

Lu Zi Ran looked up in confusion and heard Xiong Yuan's angry voice, "Lu Zi Ran, didn't you say you were injured by the former chief of the Flame Wolf Tribe? How did it become a monster near the Flame Wolf Tribe?"

Damn it. Lu Zi Ran realized he'd let something slip.

Xiong Duo Duo plopped down beside him, angrily rubbing his round head. "The deal's off. We're not protecting you anymore."

Lu Zi Ran panicked. "Don't you want medicinal herbs from the Wind Lion Tribe? What about the injured bears in your tribe?"

Xiong Duo Duo sighed, rummaged through his pocket, plucked two leaves from the herb left by the giant eagle, and stuffed them into Lu Zi Ran's hand. "You're injured like this; you probably don't have any extra herbs for us."

"We won't hold it against you for lying. This herb is for you. Brother, let's go check with the Elephant Tribe." Xiong Duo Duo had always felt uneasy about going to the Wind Lion Tribe. Now that he knew Lu Zi Ran was lying, he was even more reluctant.

They might not be the smartest, but they weren't fools.

Xiong Yuan had no objections to his brother's decision. He thought for a moment, then kindly helped Lu Zi Ran to the rock face and built a fire for him. Ignoring Lu Zi Ran's furious curses and enticements, the two bears turned and left briskly.

…

Meanwhile, Qing Ruyi, the fifth-tier mid-stage monster disguised as a little girl, slowly made her way towards the Flame Wolf Tribe, holding a "umbrella" woven from willow branches.

Her Lord was busy dealing with several monsters who opposed his claim to the new Demon King title. For the time being, he had no time to deal with the delicious morsel he'd spent over twenty years searching for, the one who had been hidden away.

"Qing Ruyi, go to the Flame Wolf Tribe. Watch Yuan Jue. When the time is right, kill his human wife and capture him alive, bringing him back to the Abyss."

"Haven't you always wanted to become a pure-blooded demon and revive your deceased human companion? It's simple. Once this plan is complete, I'll grant your wish."

"Come, I will bestow upon you a new body."

The words of the monster, just a step away from becoming the Demon King, echoed in her ears. Qing Ruyi touched her smooth, youthful cheek, but a deep sorrow lingered in her light brown eyes.

After more than twenty years, she had finally transformed from that monstrous, hideous creature, back to the form she had when they first met.

However, the human youth she had met in the Cat Clan tribe on the other side of the continent, the one willing to offer his body to the demon, was gone.

She had killed him.

As a half-demon, a hybrid of willow and monster, Qing Ruyi had been unaware of the tainted monster blood within her for the first twenty years of her life.

By the time she realized it, the demonic energy was uncontrollably surging from her body.

She began to grow uglier, the killing intent within her intensifying.

He had endured excruciating pain being with her, yet still smiled, saying her demonic energy was sweet.

But she had become so hideous, gradually unable to maintain her human form.

That day, he had fed her his blood as usual, trying to satiate her growing bloodlust, but she lost control of her demonic energy.

Qing Ruyi didn't remember what happened next.

When she awoke, she was already in the Abyss with her Lord.

Her Lord hadn't devoured her but had nurtured her carefully. However, her talent was limited, and after so many years of cultivation, she was only at the early fifth-tier.

Perhaps because she was the weakest and couldn't assist her Lord in the Abyss, she was assigned to this surveillance mission.

Her Lord had shown her kindness. No matter what, she had to complete this task.

Even though she knew that even if her Lord became the Demon King, he couldn't resurrect the dead. At most, he could create a lover for her based on her memories.

But what did it matter? As long as she completed this task, she could return to being a demon and be with him again.

Although she felt sorry for Yuan Jue, who was also a demon-monster hybrid, as long as her Mo Ge could return, she wouldn't care how much innocent blood stained her hands.

The little girl-like Qing Ruyi hummed the song he used to love, slowly making her way towards the Flame Wolf Tribe—

Having waited for over twenty years, she had plenty of patience.

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