Three ex-husbands and a marriage

Demoness Bai Mingling

"Hu Xuan, you fool. Why did you fall for her tricks and leave my protective barrier?" I exclaimed. She smiled at me, a faint mirth detectable in her large, round eyes. The dimples on her cheeks and her small heart-shaped face seemed oddly out of place, just like the red palanquin and the red wedding dress she wore, contrasting with the kindness in her eyes that contradicted her cold words.

"Fools get killed, it's that simple to understand. Now, I must ask, what is your name? You're too beautiful to be following this fool here. Your powers are not weak, yet you remain still, watching your partner get thrashed," she laughed cheerily, her entire demeanor an enigmatic contradiction.

"I knew he would not die. Tell me, who are you, and why are you trying to save us?" I asked simply, my voice steady and unaffected, as if I was asking about the weather.

Hu Xuan's eyes widened as he stared at me with disbelief.

"Are you crazy? Why would I want to save you?" she asked, looking embarrassed. Then she pressed her foot harder against Hu Xuan's throat, squeezing as much air from his lungs as possible before releasing it.

"Whether you are or not, and even if you're playing with us, we deserve to know," I replied dismissively.

"Why?" she asked, her round eyes widen with curiosity.

"Because then we can choose to play along or bring you down without mercy. The choice is yours," I replied with a cold smile.

The girl laughed, her clear laughter vibrating throughout the clearing, sending the winged creatures into another frenzy. She flew towards me, only stopping when her nose nearly touched my invisible barrier. "Bai Mingling, pleased to meet you. I am the daughter of a fallen celestial who refused to submit to the tyranny of the celestial rulers. Now, the Bai family resides in Huangshan. It is our home, and we protect it and its inhabitants with the jealousy befitting gods."

"You lie."

"Oh? Which part?" she asked with a mischievous smile.

"You are not a fallen celestial. You are a demon," I stated simply.

A fleeting look of surprise flashed on her face until she nodded and smiled. "Right. But do you know that there is no difference between demons and celestials? The only difference is the label and whether you are born above or below the line?"

This time, it was my own face that flashed with surprise. "Above the line and below the line? No difference between demons and gods? That is impossible. Demons are vile creatures that feed on the misery of others while gods are..." Then, I thought about the White Dragon, Bai Longwang, and the Divine Lotus Goddess. Maybe there is some truth to those words.

"Bai Mingling, tell me the truth. Did you capture Liu Sha?" I asked.

"I will tell you one last time, it matters not. If you proceed further, you will be disappointed and will lose your life," she said.

"Help us," I pleaded.

"No."

"You must!" I reiterated.

"Why must I?" she replied.

"Because you want to prevent more people from getting hurt from whatever is happening up there," I shouted.

"I am curious to see how far you can go and what you will feel when you know the truth. Keep walking up there, I will not stop you. Instead I will observe and watch your fall," she said with a chuckle before vanishing into thin air. I turned to Hu Xuan, who was slowly getting up on his feet, and shrugged helplessly. Her words were ominous. What would we come across that would make us disappointed?