1 Chapter 1
◎The demon lord Lu Yue is licentious and tyrannical; you may even have to serve him many times…◎
Thick fog obscured the bright sunlight, while the clash of swords echoed incessantly. This great battle between immortals and demons had lasted seven days and seven nights, and the outcome was now clear. The immortal sects were suffering a crushing defeat, clearly aware that they were powerless to reverse the tide. But some still struggled desperately, attempting a counterattack.
If this last Shangqing Mountain-Protecting Formation is breached, the opponent's thousand-year reputation will be ruined in an instant.
Several people nearby were leisurely watching this bloody battle, waiting for the Shangqing to send someone to sue for peace.
"Your Excellency, we will surely win this battle."
Hu Mei proudly swayed her fluffy nine tails behind her, leaning lightly against the Demon Lord's shoulder.
The person before her sat languidly on a chaise longue. The chaise longue was made of white jade, inlaid with gemstones, and adorned with red fox fur. It was as if she were not on a battlefield at all. Dark ink flowed across Lu Yue's body as she casually observed the still-unresolved farce below.
The large bed could accommodate three people, but it would be too empty for Lu Yue to enjoy it all by herself.
Hu Mei, the Left Protector, couldn't wait to claim credit and reward, and whispered in his ear to continue praising, "This battle was very fruitful, all thanks to Your Majesty's strategic planning. The Shangqing Sect, which claims to be the number one sect, is nothing special. We defeated them and made them run away with their tails between their legs."
With cold purple eyes, Lu Yue looked at the valiant demon general in the distance and said with a smile, "You have made great contributions this time, so you will naturally be rewarded handsomely."
"This is what a subordinate should do. Countless demons would be eager to serve Your Majesty."
The man beside Lu Yue simply smiled and remained silent. He seemed somewhat frail, and only after coughing twice did some color return to his face. He was thin and weak, like a refined scholar, and stood meekly to Lu Yue's left.
“Indeed, without Your Excellency, this battle would not have gone so smoothly. In the end, what Shangqing fears is you.” After saying that, he coughed a few more times.
Hu Mei rolled her eyes at the old man's words. What kind of skill is it to just flatter the Venerable One all day long?
Worried that Wen Ruo would cough himself to death, Lu Yue conjured up a cloak and carefully draped it over his body.
"It's windy where you are, don't catch a cold, sit down."
"Thank you, Your Excellency."
The man smiled calmly, glanced casually at the Left Protector, and then leisurely sat down on the chaise longue. Hu Mei was so angry her face turned ashen, and she almost couldn't catch her breath.
That weak, good-for-nothing who only knows how to talk is not worthy of standing with me. All he does is use despicable tricks and flattery; even I, a fox spirit renowned for my seductive arts, am ashamed of myself.
"Once this last barrier is breached, Shangqing will be yours for the taking."
Wen Ruo's features were delicate, and he looked into the distance with a soft smile, then gazed at his lord with reverence. He was willing to serve such a noble and powerful demon lord for the rest of his life.
However, after an incense stick's time, the Shangqing barrier remained unbroken.
Lu Yue's expression turned cold, and after a long silence, the Right Protector took out the Mirror of Observation. With a casual glance, she saw the battle situation ahead.
The man, dressed in snow-white robes with ink-black hair, had his neat Taoist robes stained with blood. The demonic cultivators beside him could see the purity of his inner energy and wished they could swallow his blood whole. His damaged inner strength caused foul blood to flow from the corners of his mouth, adding a touch of alluring beauty to his flawless white face.
Even knowing that Shangqing was already a piece of cake for them, this fool still refused to retreat, even at the cost of his life. The formation beneath his feet gradually collapsed, and desperate sighs echoed in his ears, yet he still used his last strength to desperately guard his sect behind him.
This is his home, the Shangqing that his predecessors have protected. Even if his soul is scattered, he must never allow any outsiders to set foot here.
Lu Yue found his figure somewhat familiar; his disheveled black hair obscured his cold, handsome features, preventing her from seeing his true face, only revealing an air of unyielding pride. She then had the Mirror of Observation zoom in, and upon seeing the man's face, Hu Mei was initially startled.
As a fox spirit, she had seen many beauties, but such stunning beauty was truly rare in this world. Even among women, she would be considered an absolute stunner. Not to mention, she was a disciple of the Shangqing Sect, possessing an ethereal and otherworldly air.
How interesting it would be if such a cold, aloof man were tormented and broken.
"Hmph, this kid is quite persistent. He sent a message to the people of Shangqing, asking them to take him hostage in exchange for a chance to catch their breath."
Seeing the Demon Lord's intrigued gaze, Hu Mei naturally understood his thoughts. In hundreds of years, she had never seen the Demon Lord show such intense interest in any man.
"Yes, I will inform them immediately."
Wen Ruo noticed that the Venerable One kept a close eye on the Shangqing disciple who was struggling in his death throes, his eyes growing increasingly deep and dark. His cloak suddenly came undone, revealing his snow-white neck and slender back.
He shivered in the north wind, as if an autumn leaf would crumble into dust with the slightest touch. Wen Ruo pursed his thin lips, clutching the cloak that had fallen onto his forearm. He feared the cold would seep into his body and harm his already frail health.
Seeing this, Lu Yue casually draped the cloak back over him. She also made sure to carefully cover his long, slender, snow-white neck, as if afraid he would get cold.
Upon seeing this, the Right Protector quickly closed his eyes, silently thinking that if the jealous Young Master Bai saw this, he would surely whisper many sweet nothings in his ear.
Hu Mei arrived at the Shangqing Sect, hands on her hips, eyes full of arrogance, and said, "Our Venerable One doesn't want to waste time with your little Shangqing. Hand over that little beauty obediently, and we might let you off the hook."
The Shangqing disciples, barely clinging to life, were furious upon hearing this, but they could only report the truth.
The disciple knelt on the ground with a thud, unable to speak but forced to say, "That demon seems to have taken a fancy to Junior Brother Xueji, and he made outrageous remarks that he would not be satisfied until we send him away."
Upon hearing this, Master Erkong was so angry that his eyes bulged and his mouth twisted. Xueji was exceptionally beautiful; no wonder she had caught his eye.
Looking into the distance, he saw the demon Lu Yue on the chaise longue, being intimate with a man. It was truly an insult to civility to do this in public.
If Xue Ji were to fall into the hands of this dissolute Lu Yue, how could she possibly return unscathed?
She may not truly intend to conquer Shangqing. If they were to fight to the death, what advantage would the demons gain? They merely wish to humiliate the millennia-old Shangqing tradition.
Master Erkong forcefully flicked his sleeves and entered the main hall alone. He clasped his hands in a fist salute and said fiercely, “Sect Master, that demon is truly despicable! He actually took a fancy to Xueji and even dared to demand that she serve him. This is an utter disgrace to our Shangqing Sect! I heard she has countless beautiful servants, and just now she was seen in public arguing with a little demon on a large couch. If this pure and innocent child goes to that demon's lair, I'm afraid…”
Xue Ji's beauty is exceptional even in the cultivation world, and that demon will certainly not let her go easily. If she were truly sent there, she would surely be defiled. He is proud and can only prove his innocence with his death. But in the current situation, if Xue Ji is not offered up, Lu Yue will not easily stop the war.
The sect leader's expression was cold and stern; knowing it was an insult, he could only nod. However, he still needed to inform his senior sister, who was currently in seclusion.
However, upon arriving at the cave entrance, the sect leader found it difficult to speak, caught in a dilemma, pacing back and forth.
The person inside spoke first, coldly mocking, "Shangqing has become quite lax in the last hundred years. The demons have even managed to invade our doorstep. You, as the sect leader, have truly failed in your duty. You might as well die and meet our master."
"Junior brother requests to accept the punishment."
The sect leader was also embarrassed, but the other party's actions this time were too swift, and he simply couldn't react in time.
"A message has already been sent from over there. The demon Lu Yue is fond of Xue Ji and wants him to go and serve as his concubine."
“A pet is a pet, and a servant is a servant. Why make it into the name of a pet? If he can really seduce Lu Yue into being obsessed with beauty, that would be a real skill.”
The sect leader felt a burning pain on his face, but he could only endure it. Fortunately, his senior sister had already agreed; Xue Ji was intelligent and sensible, and would certainly be willing to bear the humiliation for the sake of Shangqing.
Xue Ji, who had just returned to the sect from the battlefield, was unaware of this matter. However, his senior brother was so angry upon hearing it that he abandoned all decorum and confronted the sect leader on the spot.
"Why should Xueji suffer? It was Shennong Peak that caused trouble by recklessly entering the demon territory for the sake of so-called immortal herbs."
The demon realm has always operated on the principle of reciprocity, repaying kindness tenfold. To launch a massive attack on Shangqing simply because they gathered some precious medicinal herbs is utterly despicable. We might as well fight them to the death.
But no one in the hall responded; the battle had come on so suddenly and they were simply caught off guard. If offering the Snow Clearing could persuade the Demon Lord to leave, that would be a fortunate thing.
The eldest brother wanted to fight for his junior brother's life; they were both men. Xue Ji, with her proud nature, was unwilling to lower herself and submit to the demon Lu Yue. But entering demon territory meant certain mistreatment; it was a dead end.
No matter how many times he pleaded, he was only met with prolonged silence. Even when he begged Xueji's master to come out of seclusion, the person inside only replied with four light words.
Prioritizing the overall situation
A prodigy from the prestigious Shangqing Sect is forced to serve a demon he usually despises. If he were in that situation, he might as well just die; it would be an immense humiliation.
Moreover, it is said that the demon race offered her many beauties, but after a short while, she grew tired of them and rewarded them to her capable subordinates. Those beauties were not allowed to continue serving her; instead, their demon cores were ripped out while they were still alive, and their centuries of cultivation were absorbed.
The eldest brother was so angry that he vomited blood, and he also resented his junior brother for being born at the wrong time. Shangqing had never suffered such a calamity before, so why did Xueji have to encounter it?
He was busy arguing his case, while the sect leader had already informed his junior brother.
Upon hearing that the other party wanted him, Xue Ji was stunned at first. His cold, dark eyes darkened slightly, and after a long while, he nodded. He was willing to sacrifice himself for Shangqing, even at the cost of his life.
"We had no choice. Your senior sister has always been the best to you. Now she is seriously injured and recuperating at Shennong Peak."
"I know."
His senior sister had shown him immense kindness, how could he abandon her? But before leaving, he wished to see his master one last time.
Upon hearing Xue Ji's agreement, the eldest brother was furious, cursing, "Are you stupid? If you really go to that place, it won't just be being a male concubine; having your essence stolen is the least of your worries. Lu Yue is licentious and immoral; you might even have to serve many..."
He simply couldn't bring himself to say it; who could bear such an insult?
Xueji remained indifferent, simply straightening her clothes before heading to see her master one last time. Having been taken in by her master as a child, she felt it was her duty to repay his kindness in raising her.
Ke Xueji knelt at the cave entrance for a long time, until a few snowflakes fell on his shoulders, but the sealed stone door never opened. His master didn't even say a word to him.
Xue Ji was eventually brought back after being knocked unconscious by his senior brother. He had been guarding the mountain-protecting formation for seven days and seven nights and was already exhausted. His master never liked him, and might not even care if he died in the Demon Realm.
What exactly did I do wrong?
While Xueji was in a deep sleep, he dreamt of the past. When he was seven years old, his hometown was invaded by demons, resulting in countless deaths and injuries. It was at that time that his master saved him, carrying him through a sea of corpses and blood.
She gently coaxed him as he trembled, saying, "Don't cry, Shangqing will be your home from now on."
However, Xueji never saw such a loving master again.
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