Chapter 20: The Amnesiac Demon’s Deal

Golden butterflies danced through the night, their fluttering wings scattering specks of gold dust.

Lu Hongzhuang, with Su Qinghan on her back, pursued them relentlessly.

The butterflies moved with surprising speed, weaving through streets and alleys, and soon led them to the edge of Qingcheng Town.

This was the eastern end of town, where the houses grew sparse and gave way to dilapidated courtyards.

Before a crumbling courtyard gate, the butterflies circled once, then flew straight inside.

“Looks like this is the place,” Su Qinghan remarked, her voice languid as she rested on Lu Hongzhuang’s back.

Lu Hongzhuang halted outside the gate, her gaze sweeping over the yard.

The dilapidated wooden gate was ajar, its panels draped with wisps of spiderwebs, and the walls were mottled with age.

Yet, the interior was surprisingly tidy.

“This is Luo Li’s home?” Lu Hongzhuang murmured, her brows furrowing.

She recalled that this address was registered with the Demon Exorcism Division as Luo Li’s residence.

‘To think that cat demon would be hiding here…’

Just as Lu Hongzhuang hesitated, debating whether to enter, a sudden, chilling wind swept out from the courtyard.

A dark figure shot out from within, carrying a cloyingly sweet demonic aura as it lunged straight for her face!

Lu Hongzhuang reacted in a flash.

With a sharp clang, the sword at her waist was unsheathed, its cold gleam flashing as it precisely intercepted the dark figure.

A loud CLANG!

The deafening ring of metal on metal echoed through the air.

Lu Hongzhuang felt a tremendous force travel up the blade, causing her to stumble back several steps.

Caught off guard, Su Qinghan was thrown from her back and landed hard on the ground.

“Ouch!” Su Qinghan cried out, grimacing as she rubbed her bruised backside.

“Hey, be careful! She’s stronger than she looks.”

Lu Hongzhuang had no time to spare her a glance; she steadied herself and faced her opponent, sword at the ready.

The dark figure also came to a halt, and the moonlight revealed a petite young woman.

She wore worn-out cloth garments, her hair was disheveled, and her face was smeared with dirt, but it was unmistakably the face of Luo Li!

“You fiend!” Lu Hongzhuang roared, leveling her sword.

“How dare you wear Junior Sister Luo Li’s face and use it to launch a sneak attack on me!”

The cat demon didn’t answer.

With a flicker of movement, she lunged again.

She bore no weapon; sharp claws extended from her fingertips as she swiped at Lu Hongzhuang’s throat, her hands wreathed in a demonic wind.

Instead of retreating, Lu Hongzhuang advanced.

Her longsword traced an elegant arc, a ribbon of light deflecting the demon’s claws, before she executed the ‘Azure Dragon Emerges from the Water’ technique, thrusting straight at the cat demon’s face.

The strike was swift and precise, imbued with a sharp, killing intent.

The cat demon seemed to sense the danger instinctively.

She threw up a hand to shield her face, and the grating shriek of claws scraping against steel filled the air.

Lu Hongzhuang’s blade sliced across the back of her hand, leaving a gash so deep the bone was visible.

“Hiss—” The cat demon hissed in pain, letting out a low growl as she retreated to put distance between herself and Lu Hongzhuang.

The exchange was over in an instant.

Lu Hongzhuang stood with her sword held ready, its tip angled toward the ground, her chest rising and falling slightly.

The cat demon clutched her injured hand, her eyes fixed warily on her opponent.

“Hmph!” Lu Hongzhuang snorted, her voice dripping with disgust.

“You treacherous fiend. You wear Junior Sister Luo Li’s face, yet you dare to protect it?”

Su Qinghan pushed herself into a sitting position, dusted off her backside, and slowly ambled over to lean against a nearby tree.

Listening to Lu Hongzhuang’s tirade, she couldn’t help but press a hand to her forehead.

“You know, Heroine Lu, have you ever listened to yourself? That was incredibly convoluted,” Su Qinghan quipped.

“She probably has no idea what you’re even yelling at her about.”

“Shut up!” Lu Hongzhuang snapped, whirling to face Su Qinghan.

“A treacherous monster like this deserves to be sliced into a thousand pieces!”

The cat demon stood there blankly, Lu Hongzhuang’s words seemingly throwing her into a state of confusion.

She clutched her wounded hand, her gaze lost and bewildered.

“Luo Li… Who is Luo Li?” the cat demon asked softly, her voice trembling slightly.

She tilted her head, as if deep in thought, or perhaps struggling to remember.

“Why… why does my heart ache when I hear that name?” Her voice dropped to a whisper, tinged with an ineffable sadness.

“I don’t know.

I was gravely injured and lost my memories… I don’t remember anything.”

She lifted her head, her gaze falling upon the dilapidated courtyard.

“But my instincts told me I had to come back… I had to return to this town.”

As she spoke, the cat demon suddenly clutched her head and sank into a pained crouch.

Her body trembled, and low whimpers escaped her lips.

Watching the cat demon’s obvious distress, Lu Hongzhuang felt a flicker of uncertainty.

She sidled up to Su Qinghan and asked in a low voice, “Do you think… she’s telling the truth?”

Su Qinghan shrugged, indicating that she didn’t know either.

Then, in a calm voice, she asked the demon, “Then why did you attack the carpenter’s daughter?”

The cat demon slowly raised her head.

It was still Luo Li’s face, now a mess of tears and grime.

“Someone… forced me to do it,” the cat demon said, her voice hoarse.

“He wore an official’s uniform and carried a sword… I couldn’t defeat him.

He said he’d kill me if I didn’t obey.”

She pointed toward the dilapidated courtyard.

“And… he was the one who guided me to this place.”

Hearing this, Su Qinghan fell silent.

She studied the cat demon, who didn’t seem to be lying.

“He told you to come, so you just came? Weren’t you afraid it was a trap meant to kill you?” Su Qinghan asked.

The cat demon shook her head, a note of despair in her voice.

“I had… no choice.

He was too strong.

I couldn’t fight back.”

Her gaze returned to the courtyard, her expression a mixture of complex emotions.

“Besides… this place feels comforting, familiar.

I couldn’t defeat him, and if I hadn’t listened, he might have killed me on the spot.

I can’t die.

I feel like… there’s something I still have to do.”

Lu Hongzhuang’s brows were now knitted into a tight knot.

She clearly hadn’t expected events to take such a turn.

“Let’s make a deal,” Su Qinghan said, looking at the cat demon.

Her tone was calm, yet it held an undeniable authority.

The cat demon looked up at Su Qinghan.

“I will help you recover your memories, everything you’ve forgotten,” Su Qinghan stated.

“In exchange, you will return the carpenter’s daughter’s face.”

She paused, a subtle, almost imperceptible nuance entering her tone.

“However… it might be better for you to leave these memories forgotten.

Because… for some things, it’s already too late.”

At the words “too late,” the cat demon’s body trembled violently.

She clutched her head, shaking it in anguish.

“No… I have to know! I have to know why I was so desperate to come back!” The cat demon’s voice was thick with tears, her emotions spiraling.

“I can’t remember anything right now, only this deep sorrow and pain in my heart… Fine, I accept your deal!”

Lu Hongzhuang glanced from the cat demon to Su Qinghan.

‘This woman always seemed to have some incredible trick up her sleeve; it was as if nothing was impossible for her.’

A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched the corners of Su Qinghan’s lips.

“Then… we have a deal.”

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