Chapter 6: This Matter Is Top Secret

Outside the bedchamber, Shuang Yi stood motionless. After a moment, the door opened, and a woman of about thirty, with a kind face and a warm smile, spoke to her, “Miss Shuang Yi, my young lady requests your presence.”

“My young lady?” Shuang Yi asked, puzzled.

“Yes, my young lady,” Ah Jiu replied with a smile.

Shuang Yi took a deep breath, composed herself, and stepped inside.

Her eyes immediately fell upon Lin Xihe, who sat upright. Shuang Yi knelt and bowed deeply. “Shuang Yi pays respects to the Demon Sovereign.”

Lin Xihe, dressed in a loose red robe, rose from her cushioned chair and came over to Shuang Yi, helping her to her feet. “No need for such formalities just because you’re seeing me,” she said gently.

Shuang Yi felt somewhat overwhelmed by the gesture.

Lin Xihe’s gaze lingered on Shuang Yi’s face, and she couldn’t help but smile.

“Tell me, Yun Yun, have you also transmigrated? How did you come here? Can we return?” Lin Xihe asked rapidly.

Shuang Yi was speechless.

What had happened to the Demon Sovereign? Could the rumors be true—that she had gone mad?

There were whispers that the Demon Sovereign had become deranged from a cultivation mishap. Some even said she was dead.

Seeing Shuang Yi’s bewildered expression, Lin Xihe lightly patted her head. “Are you pretending with me?”

Sure enough, she was mad.

Shuang Yi shifted her gaze to Ah Jiu. “Your young lady is…?”

Ah Jiu was equally confused and called out, “Young lady!”

Lin Xihe met their eyes, raised a hand to rub her temple, and sat back down.

It seemed she had made a mistake; this woman was not her close friend Xiao Yun, merely someone who resembled her.

Yet, the resemblance was uncanny—even the tiny black mole on the tip of her nose was identical.

“So you say your name is Shuang Yi?” Lin Xihe asked, feigning contemplation.

Relieved that the Demon Sovereign appeared sane, Shuang Yi’s eyes brightened. “Yes, Demon Sovereign. I come from the Tiger Clan.”

“Tiger? A tiger demon?”

“Yes, Demon Sovereign.”

Lin Xihe inquired, “What brings you to me?”

Shuang Yi nodded repeatedly before kneeling once more and carefully recounting the entire matter. “I beg the Demon Sovereign to make a decision for her subordinate.”

“Meng Zhe… dead?” Lin Xihe felt a strange sorrow. To the Demon Sovereign Wan Wan, Meng Zhe was a loyal minister, utterly devoted. And yet, he was gone—killed by his own younger brother. It seemed Yu Tingye sought to strip her of all support, leaving her utterly alone, with no refuge… left to fend for herself.

Lost in thought, Lin Xihe shivered and was grateful she was not Wan Wan herself.

“Please, Demon Sovereign, make a decision for me,” Shuang Yi raised her voice when Lin Xihe remained silent.

Lin Xihe, struggling to protect herself, pondered and then said, “This is what we’ll do: you return for now. I will discuss matters with Yu Tingye and see if someone more capable can be appointed Tiger King. Does that sound acceptable?”

“Can the Demon Sovereign not decide?” Shuang Yi’s eyes filled with disbelief. The Demon Sovereign was the founder and supreme ruler of the demon realm—could she not even handle this?

Lin Xihe sighed. “Come here, I’ll tell you.”

Shuang Yi rose and approached.

Leaning close to her ear, Lin Xihe whispered, “Actually, I am not the Demon Sovereign. I am her stand-in, temporarily filling in until the true Sovereign masters her divine arts and returns. We only need to wait patiently. This is top secret—only you and I may know. We must not speak of this outside. For now, we obey Yu Tingye. When the Demon Sovereign returns, we will deal with him. Understand?”

So that was it. Shuang Yi nodded excitedly. “Understood.”

Lin Xihe waved her hand. “Go back now.”

“Yes!” Shuang Yi happily departed.

After Shuang Yi left, Ah Jiu was about to ask Lin Xihe what she had just said when Lin Xihe yawned. “I feel so sleepy, Ah Jiu. Let me rest a little more.”

Before Ah Jiu could reply, Lin Xihe had already lain down.

Ah Jiu had no choice but to give up.