Author's Notes

The jiaoren is taken to...

A-Ji is...

The youngest princess decides...

Chapter 20 – Demon Valley

At the end of the day, she manages to follow the group to the Demonic Valley because her family members didn't care where she was and what she was doing, thus ensuring that the young princess was able to go where she wanted and unlike her sister, she didn't had an escort.

For many it could be bad, but for the young woman it was good because it was thanks to not having an escort that she was able to meet her shifu, the first person who cared about her and took care of her. They were the happiest years of her life and they were cut short on that fateful day.

The friendship of Lin Haoqing, Ru Jun, Luo Jinsang and Qu Xiaoxing was what gave him the strength to carry on living. They were the pillar that supported it.

However, that column was cracked and was on the verge of collapsing from overwhelming guilt towards Chang Yi.

The princess comes out of her thoughts after sighing as she accompanied the entourage inside the royal palanquin, which stood out from any others used by other nobles or rich people and with an outfit worthy of the nobility made of very expensive fabric when it was washed and then dressed by servants on orders from the queen after a shower of flower petals, with her wearing high-status jewelry that came from her mother and that were lent to the young woman, in addition to being accompanied by an escort selected only for that one-way trip and then, from return to the capital. This was all part of the kings demands upon learning her fate because appearance was everything to them.

After all, as disadvantaged as she was within the royal family, her status was not supposed to be public knowledge and the few who did know within the palace complex were effectively kept silent for fear that something would happen to their family members.

A-Ji hated all of that and hated those jewels, in addition to the clothes that were so different from those she wore in her day-to-day life and when she explored the capital city, which was something common when she wasn't studying or hanging out with her only friends. who managed regular departures from Devil's Valley.

Even when she left the room with those clothes and jewelry, the quartet of friends were astonished because they had never seen her so elegant and with an aristocratic air at the same time that they knew that she was hating everything because it was visible in her eyes, with all of them knowing it was against her will.

The princess felt sorry for her friends who were forced to go in the lead group because two of them were the biological sons of Lin Canglan, current Leader of Demonic Valley while the other two were disciples of the brothers.

Leading the retinue was his sister's eunuch official and doormat, Zhang, while Zhu Ling, leader of Shuang Tower and head of the palace guard, accompanied them, with Ling's longtime friend, Ji Chengyu, beside him. Ning Qing's most powerful disciple and the only one in the entourage who showed A-ji a kind smile and warm eyes, and greeted her the same way he would greet any member of royalty.

Then her eyes focus on her friend Ru Jun and A-ji always wondered why looking at him was like looking at his deceased martial arts shifu.

After all, the gentle countenance and warm eyes along with some gestures reminded her of him. The voice was also another factor that evoked her memories and she could have sworn they were the same, with the difference that this was a younger version of the voice.

Furthermore, the first time she met him along with his brother and his disciples, for some reason foreign to her, the girl felt that she had met him before. It was a surprising and equally disconcerting feeling.

Then, the princess comes out of her thoughts and as she watched the group approaching the barrier of the demonic Valley that prevented any demon from leaving the valley if there wasn't a demon master voluntarily opening the passage, the young woman begins to plan a way of being able to return the jiaoren to the ocean despite the enormous distance they were.

As he started to think about it, he recalls the conversation he heard from the servants about the events in the Royal Hall and that he was saddened, as well as his friends that the trio of bastards did not die while he wished that he possessed such power because he would be able to subjugate the entourage and could take the shipping box from there to return the merman to the ocean.

The princess confessed that she would love to meet who did this, to thank her and to take some lessons, if it were possible to learn.

Then, the entourage arrives in front of the gate that gave access to the demonic Valley and that was inside the invisible spiritual barrier that surrounded the entire valley.

They stop at the same time as some demon masters led by the Demon Slave of the Master of the Valley leave through the gate.

Qing Hua is a woman with onyx eyes and black hair tied in an elaborate hairstyle, wearing a black robe with orange details. Her true form was that of a large white bird with sharp claws and a curved beak that was extremely venomous and her venom could resemble potent acid if she so desired or was ordered to. The demon was personally tamed by her master after being captured decades ago in a rocky area.

Including, the taming was done in the prison destined for the most powerful demons due to its power. Canglan managed to break through her psychological line of defense and after a few days, got her to enter into a master-slave contract with him.

Even though she was a slave, as she was Lin Canglan's property and was cursed by a master-slave contract, the demon often acted on his behalf even before her master was confined to a wheelchair.

The demon poison bird was her spokesperson and possessed the highest status among demon slaves while being above other demon masters because it acted on behalf of the demon valley master, thus becoming an extension of him.

A-Ji knew why he was in a wheelchair and confessed that he had taken great satisfaction in knowing that it was caused by Chang Yi's father when he was hit by one of the gusts coming from the ocean emperor's imposing and majestic tail when the his formation was broken and he only didn't die because his slave acted as a shield taking most of the attack.

Even with her acting as a shield, there was damage to his spine, causing him to be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life and considering the fact that he was originally going to be chosen to tame Chang, the act of him losing the mobility of his legs could be considered poetic justice.

She learned about what happened through his biological children.

As usual, the usual introductions take place and then Shun De's wishes are revealed.

"Crown Princess Shunde's wish is that he be tamed and not broken because she wants him to enter into a master-slave contract with her. The jiaoren must also speak human words and as punishment for his refusal to serve her, his tail It has to be split in half." Zhang speaks while smoothing one of his thin mustaches.

Qing Hua bows respectfully just like the other demon masters when the eunuch showed the royal family's seal.

"It will be as the honorable princess wishes. We will designate the best tamer in the Valley. Once he is tamed, speaking human words and with his tail split in half, we will communicate as soon as possible and take him personally to the palace." She speaks respectfully as she keeps kneeling on one knee.

"Demon Valley is the most famous of the four demonic regions. The demon masters in this valley were responsible for most of the demons successfully tamed, with many of them being powerful and in the distant past they even managed to tame a mermaid. It was a pity that she died in a battle. But the fact that you managed to tame a mermaid made you famous. Now, you have to tame this merman."

"We will do so and thank you for your trust in Demonic Valley."

"The Crown Princess is eagerly awaiting good news. I must also inform you that the second Princess will remain in Demonic Valley until the merman is tamed."

"We will dedicate our finest house to accommodate the second princess and she will be treated with all the luxury and respect accorded the honorable royal family."

"Fine. Tame this jiaoren as soon as possible. He's powerful."

"Since he's powerful, we'll send jiaoren to the cell meant for the most powerful demons because the prison meant for ordinary demons won't be able to handle his power. We have a special cell for demons with that level of power."

"Well, tame him as soon as possible. Princess Shunde is very anxious to have her slave."

"We'll do it as soon as possible."

Then, the entourage moves away after A-ji descends from the palanquin, following the transport box after Qing Hua and the demon masters bow in respect to her who enters through the gate following them to the place where Chang would be confined to the at the same time that she had decided to order the servants, assigned to her in the name of appearance, to stay in the house they were going to furnish so that she could talk peacefully with her friends.

She turns to the two girls who bow respectfully to her, awaiting her orders, "Proceed to the dwelling assigned to me and wait for further orders. Afterwards, I'll ask someone to take me."

"As you wish, princess" They say in mill, bowing again and then following the little one that would designate their temporary home.

After they leave, A-Ji follows the group again and while watching the bird demon, she remembers that the brothers shared her story.

Originally, she was the queen of a bird tribe and fell out of favor when it was discovered that she had the king of the bird tribe poisoned.

In the end, the woman had to flee and that led her to the rocky area where she was captured by their father all those years ago.

When he found out where her tribe lived, they had moved to a location Qing Hua was unaware of with Lin Canglan knowing that she had not lied because the curse of the master-slave contract forced her to speak the truth to her master.

Probably, upon learning of her escape and knowing the fame of the demon masters, the tribe must have decided to move out as a precaution and that was the best decision they made because they prevented the tribe members from being captured.

The princess snaps out of her thoughts after entering the confines of the Demonic Valley.

Then, a man with onyx hair and eyes wearing an elaborate silver hair clip that held a part of the strands in a small bun while wearing a black shenyi hanfu with green details and a narrow waist band with silver details at the same time in which his shoes were black, he joined the group that escorted the box to the most powerful prison they had.

At a certain point, the newcomer turns his face to the group, focusing on Lin Haoqing and Ru Jun, and then showing an arrogant look towards the brothers along with a smug smile among his sparse, narrow beard.

However, the demon master was furious to see that they both shrugged, demonstrating that they didn't mind his teasing, causing him to snort as he walked away by taking another path.

A-ji identified him as Yin Song, adopted son of the Master of the Valley, causing him to be called Young Master while Lin Canglan's legitimate sons Lin Haoqing and Ru Jun were ignored. Only Song received the title of Young Master in Demonic Valley.

The princess knew that both of her friends were more powerful than Yin Song and that they could defeat him easily, but, to avoid doing atrocities with demons and sometimes against people, they preferred to pretend to be weak to do only bureaucratic work, something that no one liked it, but that allowed them a lot of freedom in the end.

Therefore, his arrogant gaze didn't affect them and it made the young master furious, with the brothers knowing this at the same time enjoying making him angry.

Yin Song was a veritable monster in their eyes and he was so cruel that even looking at him you could feel the purest evil emanating from him.

Furthermore, he was sadistic and loved to see others suffer.

Therefore, when he tortured the demons, he appreciated their pain at the same time that he loved the torture and when he heard that he would be responsible for the jiaoren for being the best tamer with his adoptive father, A-ji is anguished and with her heart immersed in pain and despair.

After they walked away from the group carrying the box, with the brothers and their respective disciples approaching the princess, Lin Haoqing sadly commented on the merman's fate, "This species is too proud and due to his status as crown prince, he will not submit."

"I don't doubt it. After all, the ocean does not bend to the wishes of men." Ru Jun comments as he looked sadly out of the corner of his eye at the box being taken to the prison destined for the most powerful demons.

"Yes. Of course, he would rather die." Qu Xiaoxing spoke while showing sad eyes in the direction the merman was taking.

"From what I've heard, there's only been one mermaid who submitted despite having captured quite a few over the millennia. But since she was a female and not a male, perhaps her pride wasn't as intense as a male's, this jiaoren is the tiazi (crown prince) of his kind. He certainly won't submit to anyone." Siyu comments thoughtfully as she stands beside her beloved Lin Haoqing.

"Yes. In fact, I believe he will try to take his tormentor with him when he dies." Luo Jinsang comments thoughtfully, with the other four nodding their heads in agreement.

A-ji sighs deeply and decides to follow the group back to the prison when she is stopped abruptly by Lin Haoqing's arm, causing her to arch her brows when she sees that Ru Jun, Qu Xiaoxing and Luo Jinsang are blocking the way in front of her.