Chapter 980: The Rivers and Mountains Truly Like a Painting
Over the past five years, Luo Luo had received only a very few letters.
Her longing had nowhere to settle, and her concern could only be known to herself. Fortunately, she had once lived in the Detached Palace for a long time, had formally studied under Mao Qiuyu, and also had some rapport with Archbishop Anlin. Thus, she was still able to learn many tidings concerning Chen Changsheng.
Especially after Chen Changsheng left the Snow Ridge and reappeared in the world, Anlin frequently wrote to her.
She knew everything that had happened in these recent days.
She knew what he had done at the Songshan Military Prefecture, knew that he had passed through Hanqiu City, knew that he had gone to Wenshui and killed the White Stone Daoist before the Dao Hall.
Before the divine gate of the Wenshui Dao Hall stood a pear tree. In the depths of winter, a night’s spring breeze suddenly arrived, and the entire tree burst into bloom with pear blossoms.
A gentle breeze came, and countless tiny white flowers fell from the branches, scattering onto his shoulders, as clean as fresh snow.
This scene was written by Anlin on letter paper.
Thinking of it, Luo Luo felt fondness, so she drew it very seriously, and afterward, she still liked it very much.
Madam Mu did not know that scene had truly appeared at the Wenshui Dao Hall, nor did she understand why her daughter liked this painting so much.
After some deliberation, she felt that her daughter’s springtime thoughts had been stirred by the upcoming Grand Selection Ceremony.
In the depths of winter, White Emperor City was still warm. Even if the pear trees on the viewing terrace suddenly bloomed, it would not seem too extraordinary.
Thus, the spring breeze came to the banks of the Red River, making the branches heavy with white blossoms. Thus, the Demon Lord ascended the stone steps from before the imperial city, came to the pear tree, and never left again.
All of this was for the sake of a single scene.
Just as Luo Luo had said, this scene was indeed very beautiful—whether it was the pear tree full of blossoms or the Demon Lord himself.
Madam Mu’s thoughts were indeed meticulous, her methods truly extraordinary.
Regrettably, she still could not turn the Demon Lord into the person in the painting.
Because Luo Luo’s painting already had a person in it, someone who could not be replaced.
“You can paint a new picture. Whatever scenery you like is fine.”
The Demon Lord looked at Luo Luo and said with a smile.
It must be said that up to this moment, his demeanor was perfectly flawless, with nothing to criticize.
No matter what scenery you like to see, I can become part of that scenery.
This was a very moving declaration of love.
Unfortunately, it still could not move Luo Luo.
She said, “I’m sorry, but the scenery I like to see does not include you.”
The Demon Lord raised an eyebrow slightly and said, “But it must include him?”
Luo Luo said, “I like the spring breeze, I like fresh snow. My teacher is the fresh snow, and also the spring breeze. But you are not.”
The Demon Lord’s ink-black brows rose higher and higher, a chill gradually emerging. He asked, “Why?”
Luo Luo said, “Fresh snow and the spring breeze are the purest things. My teacher is that kind of person.”
A dead silence fell over the viewing terrace.
The meaning of these words was very clear.
The Demon Lord smiled bitterly to himself and shook his head.
There was no trace of mirth in his eyes; instead, the chill deepened severalfold.
So-called scenery was always a matter of the viewer’s heart.
The person in the painting was naturally the one in one’s heart.
If he continued to press the matter, it would inevitably be somewhat embarrassing.
He was the master of the Demon Domain’s Snow Plains, the most honored divine race in the world. How could he endure such humiliation?
“So what Xuan Yuan Po said was true. Chen Changsheng actually has an improper relationship with you.”
The corner of his mouth lifted with a hint of mockery as he said, “You are his student, and he could still lay hands on you. How can someone like that be called pure?”
“You are wrong again. I do indeed like my teacher, but he has always only seen me as a student. What fault is that?”
The viewing terrace remained silent, only Luo Luo’s voice could be heard.
She spoke these words to the Demon Lord, to the great figures of the demon race all around, and to the entire continent.
As she said this, she clenched her fists tightly, her voice trembling slightly, but her face showed no shame, only extraordinary determination.
The Demon Lord looked at her expressionlessly and said, “To actually like your own teacher—do you even know how to write the word ‘shame’?”
Luo Luo stared into his eyes and said, “You killed your own father and all your elder brothers. Do you have the right to teach me how to write the word ‘shame’?”
The Demon Lord remained expressionless, but anger was beginning to stir within him.
He realized that the young girl before him possessed a strange, genuine charm.
Every word she spoke was utterly sincere, impossible not to believe—even when she was attacking someone.
And it was precisely because of this sincerity that he truly became angry.
No one could see the Demon Lord’s true emotions at this moment, except for Luo Luo.
She was very serious and asked with genuine curiosity, “You want to kill me?”
The Demon Lord was momentarily stunned, discovering another peculiar trait of this young girl.
She seemed able to clearly perceive the emotions of those around her, no matter how perfectly they were hidden.
Of course, her curiosity was also genuine. She truly wanted to know if he dared to kill her here.
Hearing Luo Luo’s question, the demon generals and guards around the viewing terrace looked over warily.
The gaze of the Xiang Clan chieftain also seemed to grow infinitely heavier, settling on the Demon Lord.
This was White Emperor City. Even the Demon Lord could not do anything excessive to her.
And now, the Demon Lord had developed some new interest in her.
“You are right. This scenic painting was indeed designed by your mother herself.”
The Demon Lord looked at her and said, “It’s clear to see that she doesn’t want you to be too heartbroken, so she hopes you can marry a man you like.”
Luo Luo asked, “I can see that you don’t like me.”
The Demon Lord said, “Correct. I am willing to cooperate out of respect for you.”
Luo Luo said, “I like this kind of honest conversation.”
The Demon Lord said, “I also dislike those pretentious matters, so I hope you understand: you will definitely marry me. This cannot be changed.”
Luo Luo’s voice grew somewhat faint as she asked, “Just for the alliance?”
The Demon Lord’s voice was calm and indifferent: “Chen Changsheng snatched away the woman I had my eye on. Bringing you back to Snow Old City counts as a small revenge.”
Luo Luo sighed helplessly and said, “If you have the ability, go to Nanxi Zhai and snatch away my teacher’s wife. Saying such things and doing such things really doesn’t suit your status.”
“Then let’s talk about what we should be talking about.”
The Demon Lord walked to the railing, looked out at the streets and alleys of White Emperor City and the mountains across the Red River, and said, “Soon, your imperial edict will be proclaimed to the world. At the same time, my divine decree will leave Snow Old City and fly to all corners of the continent. Within two hours at most, the Congzhou Military Prefecture will begin to assemble. Then, at Yonglan Pass, the Heaven Pillar Stone will fall. Before tonight, the Songshan Military Prefecture will issue orders from Xiaya Slope. Within three days at the latest, the human race will gather a million troops, arrayed before more than ten great passes. The great war is about to begin.”
If an ordinary person spoke such words, there would not be much impact—like a storyteller who only talks idly.
But coming from his mouth, these words carried a completely different weight.
Because he was the Demon Lord, ruling over the vast Snow Plain continent, commanding the death-sworn loyalty of countless powerful demon warriors.
Luo Luo knew that the words he spoke could very well turn into reality, and her small face turned somewhat pale.
“But this war will not begin, because the human race does not dare to start it.”
The Demon Lord said, “The story between Shang Xingzhou and Chen Changsheng has yet to be understood. Most crucially, they lack experience, and therefore they lack courage.”
By experience, he naturally meant the human race’s experience of facing both the demon race and the demon race simultaneously.
From before Emperor Taizong’s time, through several thousand years, and into the more distant history, the human race had never had such experience.
The Demon Lord said, “All you need to do is marry me, and there will be no war. At least millions of lives on this continent will survive because of you.”
Luo Luo looked at his back and was silent for a long time before asking softly, “Are you threatening me?”
“No, I am talking about scenery.”
The Demon Lord looked at the distant mountains and said, “People like you, me, and Chen Changsheng—the only scenery worthy of our gaze is the rivers and mountains. If you only want to look at scenery with him, then this painting-like land will be burned to ashes by the flames of war. That would be far too selfish.”