"Ming Teng, come here."

The cold, bright moonlight streamed into the secluded room through the open door.

Fu Yu stood against the light, his whole body seemingly coated with a faint glow.

Like the unattainable moonlight, even when it falls into the mud, it remains sacred and pure.

"Master."

Ming Teng's dark, serpentine eyes narrowed.

He really wanted to follow his instincts and crawl to Fu Yu's side, to wrap his hard bones and strong muscles around her, to seduce her...

Will the aloof master show even the slightest unusual reaction because of him?

The hand holding the bell tightened suddenly.

He cannot afford to make another mistake, lest his master discover that the long period of imprisonment has not only failed to cure his rebellious nature but has instead made him even more eager to possess his master.

Ming Teng stood up, walked to Fu Yu, knelt on one knee, straightened his shoulders, and bowed his head slightly.

He had a humble and submissive demeanor.

"Master."

His tone was quite proper, without the suggestive panting sounds he had made before.

Fu Yu lifted his chin, looking down at his expression.

The prolonged imprisonment had turned the boy's face an unnaturally pale white, even his lips were bloodless.

Because he recited scriptures day and night, he slept very little. His eyes were bloodshot, and the veins in his neck would bulge with each breath.

Like a dog that has made a big mistake and is afraid of being abandoned by its owner, it removes its stubbornness, changes its bad habits, and hides its sharpness, obediently lying in its owner's palm.

Anyone who sees it will feel a pang of pity.

Fu Yu narrowed his eyes.

"Come out."

"Your punishment is over."

How could it be a punishment?

He would rather spend his whole life in his master's secluded room.

Or, let the master enter his secluded chamber...

Ming Teng licked his lips with suppressed emotion and followed Fu Yu away.

Under the cover of night, a tall man followed closely behind the woman in front of him.

The enormous silhouette looked as if it could swallow the woman's slender shadow whole, and it would occasionally overlap with her shadow.

The woman's shadow seemed oblivious, continuing to walk forward at its own pace.

Until she was completely swallowed up by the man's enormous black shadow...

During the period of confinement at Mingteng Pass, the Six Realms not only failed to find peace, but the situation even showed signs of further escalation.

The emperor of the mortal realm died suddenly from an unknown poison shortly after ascending the throne.

On the seventh day after he was buried in the imperial mausoleum, his grave was dug up again.

Ancient artifacts hidden in the tomb have vanished without a trace.

After finishing the homework that Fu Yu had arranged, Ming Teng was about to go to the study when he heard the fairies discussing the matter not far away.

Legend has it that this ancient artifact, called Qilin, was forged by throwing a living Qilin into pure Yang fire.

In excruciating pain, like being skinned alive, the Qilin harbored a resentment that sought to destroy the world and slaughter humanity.

This resentment brought out the maximum power of the artifact.

Once activated, everything in its path will turn to ashes.

"Who is it that would rather live a good life than see ordinary people suffer, become displaced, and be thrown into chaos before they feel at ease?"

"What else could it be for? It's all about power!"

"I've heard that the officialdom is rife with infighting, factions, and rapid dynastic changes. The lives of ordinary people are already difficult enough, and now..."

“I don’t think it has anything to do with the human world. Activating a divine artifact requires extremely high cultivation. The human lifespan is at most 30,000 days. In their hands, the divine artifact is just a pile of useless scrap metal.”

The fairies chattered amongst themselves, discussing the matter animatedly.

Fairy Xue clutched her chest and patted it reassuringly, "In any case, as long as it wasn't Ming Teng who did it, that's fine."

Upon hearing this, all the fairies fell silent.

Yes, because of Ming Teng's identity as a demon, many immortal lords suspect that Ming Teng was responsible for this.

However, Ming Teng was kept in a secluded room by Immortal Lord Fu Yu, unable to use his magic power or communicate with the outside world.

Even after being released, he was confined to his residence by Immortal Lord Fu Yu and forbidden from leaving the mansion.

Although their freedom was restricted, this also cleared them of suspicion.

When the topic of Ming Teng came up, the fairies looked at each other, their faces filled with an urge to gossip.

They dared not speak loudly.

They can only chirp softly.

"This is the first time I've ever seen Lord Fu Yuxian lose his temper like this. What outrageous things did Ming Teng say?"

"I asked the fairies who work at Ningguang Immortal Mansion, and they didn't know either, but when Immortal Lord Ningguang returned to the mansion that night, his face was ashen, and while cultivating, he suddenly vomited a mouthful of blood..."

"Ah...why? Ming Teng didn't do anything wrong, why are the two immortal lords so angry?"

"Who said that Immortal Lord Fu Yu was angry? A few days ago, I saw Immortal Lord Fu Yu come out of the secluded room with a smile on his lips, like this..."

The fairy who spoke lifted the corner of her mouth with her finger.

"I think the Immortal Lord is clearly enjoying the feeling of keeping Ming Teng locked up."

"Yes, yes, and another time, I was passing by the secluded chamber when I heard the immortal lord saying something about being an obedient dog, being good..."

"A dog? Isn't Ming Teng's true form a bronze snake?"

The fairies blinked in confusion.

Ah Xue realized something and blushed, "Nonsense. Ming Teng is just a demon. Even if he is a disciple of a Celestial Lord, he is not worth the attention of Celestial Lord Fu Yu!"

Ming Teng hid in the corner, clutching the bell at his waist tightly.

A near-impossible thought flashed through my mind.

The master disciplined, punished, and disciplined him, and locked him in a secluded room, all to silence public opinion and clear his name of suspicion.

The master did all this because he cared about him so much.

Is that really the case?

Does he hold such a heavy place in his master's heart?

The roar in Ming Teng's ears was incessant, and the blood in his entire body was trembling.

He maintained his aloof expression, but a hint of morbid infatuation and longing flickered between his brows.

He clearly remembered that his master had never told him to be an obedient dog in the secluded room.

Ming Teng had every word she said deeply etched in his mind, and he would never make a mistake.

If what the fairies said is true, then Master took advantage of his exhaustion and unconsciousness to look down at him and call him "little dog".

What kind of expression or action would she take to make him behave?

Ming Teng couldn't help but fantasize, his Adam's apple bobbing rapidly, instinctively conjuring snake fangs, and the fresh venom seeping out slid down his throat.

Master, why can't you tell me this openly and honestly?

That way, my disciple will be really happy, really happy...

He walked toward the study in a daze, when suddenly he tripped over something.

Looking down, I saw Ling Xiao peeking out from the gap in the wooden steps, blinking his eyes.

Ming Teng pulled out Ling Xiao without expression, silently stuffed him into his arms, and threw him into the bushes when they reached a secluded spot.

“Ling…Xiao…”

Upon hearing the Demon Lord's deep and chilling voice, Ling Xiao knelt down with a thud.

The paper-mache body trembled in the wind.

"Demon Lord, I am innocent!"

"I did make paper dolls, but they were stolen before I could infuse them with evil energy!"