Growing A Forest, Step by Step

"A flower you plant may not necessarily bloom; but the seed of a tree you happen to drop may grow into a forest." - Chinese Proverb

Author's Foreword & Disclaimer

This is a fanfiction based on the light novel "The Demonic King Chases His Wife," aka 一世倾城 by Su Xiao Nuan. This story takes place between chapters 675-676 and veers off into an AU from there. I can't read Chinese and sadly haven't mastered the nuances of the language and culture. Therefore, this story may sound jarringly western. I'll do my best to not obliterate the cultural differences. This work is un-betaed; the short chapters are on purpose to keep the feel of the light novel. Leave a review if you enjoy reading this, please!

一世倾城 is the intellectual property of Su Xiao Nuan; I claim no rights nor ownership to any part of it. This is a work of fanfiction intended for entertainment purposes only and to show appreciation for the original work. No financial gain or profit is being made from this work, nor will any be sought in the future.

Please see footnotes for the glossary of untranslatable Chinese terminology.

Chapter 1

"Brother! Sister-in-law!"

Su Luo looked up at the rowdy shout; the small smile lifting her lips didn't reach her eyes. "It looks like we'll have to continue this later," she said coolly to Nangong Liuyun, whose face was thunderous. A small part of her exhaled heavily, glad that she managed to keep the relief from her voice. While Nangong's affection was genuine, his reactions were often childish and overbearing. How could it be otherwise, when almost no one could oppose his fearsome strength? It was the way of things; the strong took what they wanted, and the weak ate the bitter tears of defeat.

Her lip curled even higher. I won't be weak forever, Nangong. And I certainly will never be defeated. Then she checked her expression and turned her attention to their unexpected guests. The sudden distraction from Nangong's amorous overtures was secretly welcomed in her heart. Nangong seemed to think forcibly pulling on the sprout of her blossoming love for him would encourage it to grow. It was, she thought as she tugged at her sore wrists still trapped in his grip, often smothering.

Reluctantly, Nangong Liuyun released her and directed his black stare onto the three interlopers invading the courtyard. "Beichen Ying. Is there a good reason my brothers chose to interrupt Luo Luo's cultivation?"

Lan Xuan and An Ye Ming stepped back automatically, already sweating under the force of Nangong's fierce glare. Beichen Ying was similarly affected, but he pasted a wide smile onto his face and held out his hands in an offering of peace, pushing towards them.

"Now now! Don't be like that, brother. It hardly looked like the two of you were cultivating anyway. Or is this a dual cultivation method you were practicing, hmm? Were you about to share a new secret technique? Are you sure little Lan-ér is ready for a demonstration of such activities?" His eyes cracked open with a gleam of mischief as he regarded the two lovebirds; Su Luo huffed at him noisily.

Beichen Ying! Don't encourage him, ah! Beichen Ying's smile only broadened in response; it was as though he could smell trouble, and was unable to resist poking at it. He missed his targets, however, instead downing an innocent bystander with the collateral damage of his joke.

Lan Xuan's face flushed even redder than it was before. "Brother! Don't be so crude!" Even as he spoke, his wide eyes fixed on Su Luo and his hand shot up towards his nose which released a small trickle of blood.

Laughing, An Ye Ming recovered and shoved Lan Xuan in the shoulder. "Why don't you just clap your hands over your ears if you don't want to hear it? Brother Nangong can cultivate whenever and however he wishes to anyway. Although I do wonder what Sister-in-law has to say about the matter…?"

"Hmm. Not a bad idea," Nangong Liuyun said offhandedly to Beichen Ying, whose smile faltered.

"Hey, Nangong, you aren't really - " Now Beichen Ying was beginning to sweat once more; this time the Su Luo's gaze had landed on him, and the level of chill she pinned him under made Nangong Liuyun's regard seem like a bracing layer of morning dew.

Ignoring the Beichen Ying's protests and Lan Xuan's now-vigorously guttering nose, Nangong Liuyun turned to Su Luo with a gleam in his eye. "Well, little Luo Luo? You never know until you try." He was already leaning in with his lips puckered!

Su Luo blew out a breath and barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. When did this guy ever give up? Did he really think she was going to drape herself all over him like a fawning puppy in the presence of his friends? Did he think she'd do that for him even if they were alone?

… well, it was Nangong. Who still had a look of hopeful expectation on his face as he waited for her answer.

"Try to rein in those lecherous fantasies," she told him crossly, pressing the palm of her hand directly into his face and pushing him away. "You may be cruel to your friends, but I'm not interested in making Lan Xuan lose any more blood."

Lan Xuan gave her a small wave of thanks as he tilted his head back and wiped his nose off on the small scrap of silk An Ye Ming had silently handed him.

Seeing a chance to explain their visit while Nangong Liuyun was distracted, Beichen Ying threw himself towards Nangong Liuyun and Su Luo...

Footnotes / Glossary

"Dual cultivation technique" means "have sex to raise your levels together" here. From what I've seen, it often, but doesn't always, mean raising your level via sex. It does always require two people, though.

Chinese names list family name first, then first name last. Generally unless very close it seems people refer to one another by their full name, or their last name, rather than their first name. So Jane Doe would be, in Chinese, "Doe Jane" and you'd refer to her in casual conversation as "Doe" rather than "Jane."

Also, and this may be specific to women, for those really close (like a boyfriend, or a father) sometimes the first name repeated twice is used as a pet name. So Jane Doe's boyfriend might call her "Jane Jane" as a term of endearment.

-ér is the suffix attached to names of younger friends; literally it means "son." It can also be used as a term of endearment for either gender, such as a friend or family member referring to Jane Doe as "Jane-ér."