Chapter 70: The Search for Sima Jiao Begins
A new day dawned over Yan City, carrying the rich aromas of street food that drifted through the palace gates. Over the years, the city had grown vibrant with countless food stalls, shops, and eateries, each vying to earn the favor of Liao Tingyan.
As city lord of Yan City and Demon Realm Master, Liao Tingyan presented a stark contrast to her predecessor, Sima Jiao. Calm, approachable, and measured, she exuded an air of composure, yet no one dared underestimate her. Possessing the Spirit Fire—the same power that once struck terror into all—her authority was absolute.
Rumors lingered from Sima Jiao’s mysterious demise. Many believed such an apex predator could not perish without betrayal from someone closest to him. Whispers suggested that Liao Tingyan had killed Sima Jiao to claim the Spirit Fire. These rumors gained credence after she ruthlessly eliminated rebellious demon generals, cementing her reputation as both cunning and formidable.
Now, the most calculating woman in the Demon Realm soaked in her semi-open-air spirit pool, wearing a despondent expression as she muttered, “I’m going to die.”
Hong Luo arrived along a tree-lined path, turning past a wall of blossoms taller than a person. She leaned on the jade railing and called softly, “Have you soaked enough today? Do you want breakfast?”
“Yes, yes. Wait for me to get out.” Liao Tingyan struggled from the pool, her long hair and nightgown clinging wetly to her pale skin. Behind a screen, she changed and combed her hair, applying lipstick as she grumbled, “I’m fed up with this damned fire. It’s been hurting me all day again.”
Hong Luo sighed softly, “This is the price of possessing power.”
Anger flared within Liao Tingyan as thoughts of Sima Jiao surfaced. Once, he had overused his bloodline Spirit Fire and merged recklessly with a new fire nurtured by the Shi clan, collapsing his body. In a desperate inspiration, he transformed himself into a candle, intending to burn his flesh and soul to refine the Spirit Fire for her.
Her fury surged. She seized the power, forcibly terminated the Spirit Fire transmission, and yanked back his barely-burned soul. The transfer succeeded, but without Sima Jiao’s soul guiding the process, it had almost killed her. Since then, every month for a few days, she suffered burning, excruciating pain—a cruel echo of a standard menstrual cycle.
Liao Tingyan had thought she was free from menstruation in the cultivation world, but Sima Jiao, that scoundrel, had created a new “cycle” for her. Floating in the water was her only relief, making her feel like a dead fish.
Sima Jiao’s soul, fragile from refining the Spirit Fire, had required a soul-transfer rebirth. Liao Tingyan had arranged for Hong Luo’s reincarnation to witness and understand the process. But with most Sima clan bloodlines wiped out, finding a suitable host was near impossible. She had wrapped his soul in a secret technique, sending it out to seek a compatible fetus. Even seventeen years later, she did not know where he had reincarnated, and the soul-returning pill could not help until the birth.
Her search had spanned countless mortal worlds and the Demon Realm. She had screened anyone with even diluted Sima clan blood from Gengchen Immortal Mansion, then extended her search to gifted children in major sects. Yet, Sima Jiao remained elusive.
Hong Luo sensed her worry. “Why rush? So many years have passed. If he hasn’t been found, it means he doesn’t remember, or he’s too far to return. We are searching even the remote mortal villages; we’ll find him soon.”
That morning, accompanied by the black snake and snow spirit fox, Liao Tingyan went out for breakfast. The food stall owners greeted her warmly, each eager to impress. Accustomed to their attention, she chose her usual eatery.
Suddenly, a travel-worn demon cultivator arrived at the entrance. “Demon Master, the Demon General searching the Southern Continent has sent news. They report the incarnation of that person. The soul lamp responded, and he bears the same name and appearance!”
Liao Tingyan’s hand trembled, sending a soup dumpling rolling across the table. “Damn it,” she cursed, standing abruptly. “Prepare the carriage. We’re leaving!”
The incarnation had been located in Hu Kingdom on the Southern Continent, a region scarce in spiritual energy and nearly devoid of cultivation sects. Time and distance had hidden him well, but Liao Tingyan could not wait.
They traveled incognito, disguising themselves as ordinary people to enter the nearest prefecture city. The Duan Xia Festival was in full swing; dragon boats raced on the river, and townsfolk adorned themselves with mugwort, calamus, and colorful strings. Liao Tingyan glimpsed a sense of familiarity, recalling Dragon Boat festivals from her original world. Yet she quickly lowered the carriage curtain—finding Sima Jiao was urgent.
Elsewhere, on a pleasure boat by the lake, Liyang Prefecture Governor Wei Xianyu cautiously addressed the young ruler before him. “Your Majesty, there are many people here. With only a few guards, it is safest to return to your residence.”
Sixteen-year-old King Sima Jiao already carried a reputation for cruelty. Left as the sole heir, he ruled with whims that terrified ministers. Displeasure, impatience, and violence marked his youth—he had once killed a tutor at twelve. Benevolent rulers were easily manipulated, but tyrants like him inspired fear among their court.
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