She had to ask him in person. If her grandfather had truly agreed, then she would just have to accept her fate.
Standing beside the dressing table was a woman helping Su Rushi with her hair and makeup. The woman was quite beautiful herself, but she paled in comparison to Su Rushi in her bridal gown.
But this woman was actually a Rank Three Demon Spirit who had undergone Transformation. Her true form was a crimson rabbit, and while her task seemed to be helping Su Rushi get ready, her more important duty was to keep the bride from running off and causing any trouble.
"Miss Rushi, the Great King is outside receiving honored guests right now. You have no idea—hundreds of Kings of the Race from all over the Yaoling Mountain Range have come to congratulate you today. You’re so fortunate to be able to marry the Great White Demon King," the Crimson Rabbit Demon said with a chuckle, her eyes filled with envy.
Su Rushi wasn’t listening to any of it. "I just want to know if my grandfather is here."
"He’s here, he’s here. You’ll see your grandfather during the wedding procession."
"Really? My grandfather really came to the Yaoling Mountain Range?"
The Crimson Rabbit Demon smiled and nodded, spouting nonsense with a perfectly straight face. The first priority was to pacify this little troublemaker.
"Come now, Miss Rushi, work with me. Let me touch up your eyebrows."
Like a puppet, Su Rushi let the demon work on her face. Her pale hands clutched the front of her dress, her expression full of sorrow.
’Xiaoleng, you big liar. You promised to take me away, but you ran off by yourself.’
Su Rushi seethed with indignation. She recalled how in the Purple Bamboo Forest, her pet snake had transformed into a behemoth and then vanished without a trace.
So many days had passed, and it had never returned.
She didn’t want to get married. In the flower of her youth, she was full of romantic dreams. ’Shouldn’t you marry the person you love?’
’Love is supposed to be sacred and romantic, radiant and flawless. It should grow from a chance encounter into a deep and passionate romance, from the magic of love at first sight to a vow until death do us part.’
Brother Bai was extremely good to her. It wasn’t that she disliked him for being a Demon—a hedgehog—but she just didn’t get that heart-pounding feeling.
At the very least, she knew it wasn’t love.
"Miss Rushi, what are you sighing for? You’re about to become the Demon King’s wife. That’s the kind of fortune one accumulates over eight lifetimes! It’s an even more prestigious match than when you humans used to marry an Emperor in ancient times."
Su Rushi shook her head, her eyes blinking. "I don’t want to marry him. Since you want it so badly, why don’t you marry my Brother Bai? You’re very beautiful. Maybe Brother Bai will like you."
"Miss Rushi, please don’t joke around. A rabbit like me could never be so fortunate."
’They say a Rank Three Demon Spirit is extraordinary, but in the eyes of a Demon King, they’re nothing.’
’If strangling this bride meant she could take her place, she would kill the human woman without a moment’s hesitation.’
’She’s been handed a great fortune and is still complaining. Does she think just anyone can marry the Demon King?’
"But I really don’t want to get married..." Su Rushi felt so wronged she wanted to cry. If it wasn’t what she wanted, then no matter how good it was, it was all for nothing.
...
The Azure Bamboo Forest Demon King’s Castle was bustling with activity. Behind the castle lay a vast medicinal field, where all sorts of colorful flowers and strange Spirit Fruits were grown.
The beautiful blossoms were like goblets brimming with nectar, enough to make one’s mouth water.
The dazzling variety of Spirit Fruits were all of the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures Level, enough to drive countless Demons into a frenzy.
Yet no one dared to covet anything from the medicinal field. The reason was simple: it was the White Demon King’s private property.
Furthermore, the medicinal field was heavily guarded. A single glance revealed hundreds of Demons scattered in every corner, guarding it with their lives. Even on the mountainsides flanking the field, there were Demons on watch.
Each one had the head of a beast, either holding a Weapon or with one tucked into their belt. They were all Peak Second Rank creatures, with a half-human, half-beast appearance.
Inside the medicinal field stood a fruit tree that looked as if it were carved from a single block of ice. It was exquisite, looking as if it had been sculpted by the heavens themselves, and on its branches hung ten nearly-ripe fruits.
Interestingly, the air around the fruit tree was frigid, like the dead of winter.
The icy temperature was actually radiating from the tree itself. It was called the Centennial Ice Divine Fruit. Although it was a Second Class Spirit Fruit, it was one of a kind; you couldn’t find a second one in the entire Yaoling Mountain Range.
At that moment, while the perimeter of the medicinal field was heavily guarded, the security inside was even more extreme. A Deep Mountain Great Demon was standing guard right beside the Centennial Ice Divine Fruit, flanked by two Demon Spirit Level masters. Suddenly, one of them said excitedly, "It’s almost time! The Ice Divine Fruit will be ripe in less than an hour. The Great King has ordered us to pick them the moment they’re ripe and deliver them immediately!"
"If they don’t ripen soon, we might miss the Great King’s wedding feast!"
"Get this done right, and the Great King will reward you handsomely," the Deep Mountain Great Demon said. "This Centennial Ice Divine Fruit is the Great King’s engagement gift to Miss Rushi. We can’t afford a moment’s delay. The new mistress is depending on this fruit to live."
"We know, we know. This is a huge deal. Otherwise, the Great King wouldn’t have sent the three of us Demon Spirits just to pick some fruit. It shows how cautious he is."
The other Demon Spirit added, "The Great King is being overly cautious. Sending a Great Demon like you, Brother Black Tiger, just to pick fruit? The two of us would have been more than enough. Is he really afraid someone would dare to try and steal it?"
"Haha, I almost hope someone does. Otherwise, there’d be no way to demonstrate our value."
So, the Deep Mountain Great Demon’s true form was a black tiger, and his combat prowess was even greater than that of the former Bloodthirsty Wolf King.