Chapter 2 My Name Is Night Nine妖

Dawn descended from the heavens, and the horns of the Great Zhou Dynasty sounded out in solemn chorus.

“Let’s go,” Night Ninth Demon said, gently taking the delicate, boneless hand of Luo Qingyu and leading her forward. He intentionally fell half a step behind, allowing Luo Qingyu to walk ahead.

By now, the civil and military officials lined both sides, and those of greatest renown in the Great Zhou stood along the path to the Celestial Stairway. As Luo Qingyu took her lotus-like steps forward, every eye followed her.

At that moment, all attention was focused on Luo Qingyu.

Night Ninth Demon, holding her hand, walked with her beneath the burning gazes of the crowd toward the Celestial Stairway, at the end of which stood the Emperor’s Hall—the seat of ultimate authority in the Great Zhou.

Yet, those nine hundred and ninety-nine steps seemed to span an endless century. Throughout the ascent, Luo Qingyu’s slender form trembled uncontrollably; were it not for Night Ninth Demon’s hand supporting her, she might have been unable to finish the climb.

“Bow to the Empress!” Luo Yuanhuang called out in resignation. At his command, all the assembled officials knelt, as did those who had come to witness the Empress’s majesty.

Only Night Ninth Demon remained an exception. He simply stood quietly at Luo Qingyu’s side, saying nothing. The crowd ignored him at first, only remembering his presence as they knelt.

“Beloved ministers, loyal subjects, please rise!” Luo Qingyu, doing her best to suppress her trembling, imitated Luo Zhowu’s manner, her pearly teeth gently parting as she spoke.

“Thank you, Empress!” the assembly replied, rising. Yet now, their gazes shifted from Luo Qingyu to Night Ninth Demon, each with their own thoughts—some curious, some envious, others jealous.

“In such a grand ceremony, does the Great Zhou not invite the Imperial Clan of the Eastern Emperor from the Central Realm? Are you looking down on us?” An arrogant voice exploded from the sky, and a figure strode through the air.

He was clad in golden robes embroidered with a five-clawed dragon, a nine-tiered jade crown upon his head, and his feet shod in purple-gold cloud boots. He stood imposingly in midair, looking down upon the world.

At this, Luo Qingyu’s slender form quivered almost imperceptibly—only Night Ninth Demon, holding her hand, noticed and gently soothed her, stepping forward to shield her behind him.

“Who is this crowing thief making a ruckus in the sky? Do you mean to pollute the air of my Great Zhou?” Night Ninth Demon pointed at the figure above, his tone flippant and full of disdain.

Behind him, Luo Qingyu let out a silvery laugh—only the two of them heard it—and Night Ninth Demon’s lips curled into a smile.

“The Eastern Emperor Clan, Patriarch Huang Wuji, has come to pay respects to the Empress!” the figure announced.

“Get lost!” Night Ninth Demon roared, his voice echoing through the clouds. The stairway fell deadly silent, then suddenly erupted in thunderous laughter.

“Hahaha… So the Imperial Clan is nothing after all, to be cowed by the scolding of an unknown youth!” Luo Yuanhuang clutched his belly with laughter, his mockery undisguised.

“You seek death!” Huang Wuji’s expression darkened. At first, he paid no mind, but being provoked again and again, did they think him so easily bullied? At once, a vast hand reached down from the sky to seize them.

“Get lost!” This time, the voice was crisp and piercing as thunder. All eyes turned to Luo Qingyu, who now stood boldly before Night Ninth Demon, the imperial seal in her hand and fury on her face.

“Huang Wuji, I took you for a distant guest and wished to avoid conflict on the day of my ascension, but you should not have bullied him!”

As soon as Luo Qingyu finished speaking, the imperial seal in her hand spun wildly, unleashing a torrent of terrifying energy like the surging Yellow River.

“The nation’s fate?!” Huang Wuji’s face twisted in terror. Without hesitation, he tore open the fabric of space and escaped. The crowd exploded into laughter once more.

“Put it away, you’ve scared him off,” Night Ninth Demon said softly, taking her fragile hand. Only he knew Luo Qingyu’s current strength was but a paper tiger—no match at all for a being like Huang Wuji.

“Luo Qingyu, in three days, the contention for the Primordial Crystal Mine in the Central Realm begins. I don’t believe you can protect him!” Huang Wuji’s voice echoed again. Luo Qingyu’s face clouded with worry, for the Primordial Crystal Mine was the foundation of cultivation and development. If the Eastern Emperor Clan seized it, Great Zhou would have no hope of rising again.

“Leave it to me. Now that you’re the Empress, you mustn’t show yourself everywhere—otherwise, I’ll be at a disadvantage,” Night Ninth Demon said with a grin, obvious jealousy in his tone. Luo Qingyu laughed, her beauty dazzling all present.

The onlookers below were utterly entranced. Night Ninth Demon’s expression grew even more sullen, but Luo Qingyu only smiled dreamily at him before stepping into the Emperor’s Hall.

Once she had entered, Night Ninth Demon’s face turned grim. He clasped his hands behind his back and declared, “I, Night Ninth Demon, have married into the Luo family. From this day forth, I am a son-in-law!”

Silence—an utter, deathly quiet. No one had expected Night Ninth Demon, usually so irreverent, to say something so absurd with such grave seriousness.

“Now, let’s proceed to court.”

Night Ninth Demon cared nothing for the looks or laughter of these people; his attention was fixed solely on Luo Qingyu, now seated on the dragon throne.

“Ninth Demon, do you think I can bear the weight of Great Zhou?” When the court session ended, Luo Qingyu returned to her gentle, girl-next-door manner, but her face was drawn with exhaustion, evoking nothing but pity.

“You will. Trust me,” Night Ninth Demon said, holding her hand, his gaze deep and full of tenderness. Luo Qingyu did not doubt him for a moment, smiling as she nodded.

…

“Oh, Night Ninth Demon, you’ve spent thirteen years eating and sleeping, and your cultivation has reached the heavens. But what’s the use, if you can’t even protect the woman you love…”

In truth, Night Ninth Demon harbored a secret he had never shared—not even with Luo Qingyu.

Within his dantian resided a scroll, a painting that encompassed all things—the heavens, the myriad realms, all contained within. This was the Canglang Scroll.

Night Ninth Demon had been an abandoned infant, found and raised by Night Cold Prefect outside a border town. Swaddled with him was the Canglang Scroll.

At three years old, by chance, he had recognized the scroll as his master with a drop of blood, and from then on, his life was forever changed. While others slept, he ate ravenously; while others feasted, he slept.

His talent was nothing short of monstrous. He could master anything with a single glance; even many profound arts he only needed to study for a few days before perfecting.

For thirteen years, Night Ninth Demon indulged in eating and sleeping, yet his cultivation surpassed most, only slightly weaker than Huang Wuji of the Eastern Emperor Clan.

Such progress was unprecedented—a peerless existence in the entire Newborn World.

Most maddening of all was that as long as he ate and slept, his cultivation soared as if by magic.

If ever he encountered a bottleneck, where others would retreat to meditate for decades, he needed only to eat to break through effortlessly.

And if food failed, he would sleep; upon waking, his powers would have advanced again.

Was that not infuriating?

The path of cultivation was divided into many realms: the Body Opening Realm, Qi Cultivation Realm, Qi Breaking Realm, Profound Qi Realm, Qi Merging Realm, and so forth.

Within the Body Opening Realm itself were further divisions: Bone Tempering, Meridian Unblocking, and Subtlety. Afterward, each realm was split into early, middle, late, and peak stages, with the Qi Merging Realm marking a new level altogether.

Night Ninth Demon was at the early stage of Qi Merging. Imagine—a man who spent his days eating and sleeping, yet whose cultivation rivaled the mightiest of the Imperial Clan. Was that not enough to make one spit blood in envy?

“Why would my father have me marry in as a son-in-law? It doesn’t make sense. He sent word so hastily—there must be a reason…”

Perhaps… my father’s intent was to use his reputation to suppress the petty schemers within the court and deter our enemies on all sides.

Lying atop the roof, Night Ninth Demon’s eyelids began to droop as he mused, a faint smile curling his lips as he drifted off to sleep.

Here we go again…

He found himself once more in a strange space within the Canglang Scroll—mountains and waters intertwined, verdant peaks, crystal streams, and wisps of mist rising gently.

Above, figures soared through the sky: some wielded giant swords, others practiced blade arts, yet others played music, chess, calligraphy, or painting. Each seemed at one with the world, as if they themselves were small universes.

“Ninth Demon, you’re here.” Someone greeted him, but Night Ninth Demon was not surprised. Strictly speaking, all these people were his teachers—masters of sword, of arrays, of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

Each was a legend of the heavens and realms, teaching Night Ninth Demon only the highest arts and techniques.

But Night Ninth Demon did not wish to learn.

Yes, he was willful. He felt life should be simple and lazy; after all, with the Canglang Scroll, eating and sleeping alone would make him stronger—why work himself to death?

But now, things were different. He needed to shield Luo Qingyu, to avenge the fallen Luo Zhowu. He needed true strength—the power to command the heavens with a word, to see through eternity with a glance.

“Esteemed masters, will you teach me how to cultivate? Any technique will do, I won’t be picky…” Night Ninth Demon put on a pitiful face. Every time he entered the Canglang Scroll in sleep, he had to play the humble apprentice—if he failed, he was beaten. And when beaten, he grew hungry, and when hungry, he was ejected from the scroll.

And so, for thirteen years, under the hands of these merciless teachers, Night Ninth Demon suffered, but the gains were immense. After each meal, he felt his body and soul grow stronger, until he was numb to it all.

But now, he could not afford to be complacent. If he did not cultivate with all his might, even someone like Huang Wuji could crush him. Great Zhou could be expelled from the Central Realm at any moment, reduced to a minor dynasty or even a kingdom—something he could never allow.

“What’s gotten into you today? Not whispering sweet nothings with Luo Qingyu?” The figures above all paused in their tasks, glancing at Night Ninth Demon with surprise—it was unlike his usual ways.

“I want to become strong—like you!” Night Ninth Demon declared earnestly, but the others only chuckled and returned to their pursuits.

“Ninth Demon, didn’t you say you’d never cultivate again, just eat and sleep well? Why this change of heart?” A woman of breathtaking beauty descended from the sky, her steps as light as lotus petals but swift as lightning, appearing before Night Ninth Demon in an instant.