"Your enemy is in the Immortal Realm?"
This question… Lin Mian immediately took control of the situation.
"Are you scared?"
"If my enemy is truly in the Immortal Realm, and is very powerful—do you still have the confidence to avenge me?"
Ling Qianhe merely glanced at her, not pursuing why she, a mere maidservant, would have an enemy in the Immortal Realm.
He still appeared full of confidence, not seeing this as any problem at all.
"Of course."
He smiled, the curve of his lips exuding a chilling dominance.
"In my presence, no one is my enemy."
"Moreover, immortals are not entirely pure. So-called immortals, in my opinion, can also be hypocritical figures."
Lin Mian mused thoughtfully.
Ling Qianhe lowered his head to look at the figure before him.
The Empress and the National Teacher clearly felt that dire trouble was brewing and trembled.
Yet, they still wished to preserve some dignity before this demonic figure, Ling Qianhe, and dared not bow their heads to beg him. Ling Qianhe merely glanced at them, swung his sword, and blood flowed.
Lin Mian watched him in silence, thinking he would next unleash a massacre.
At least the soldiers present would likely not escape death.
But the young man merely turned and walked towards her.
"Let's go, it's boring."
His gaze was bone-chillingly cold, a hint of ferocity appearing on his handsome face.
But it was evident he forcefully suppressed the malevolent aura in his eyes. Then he turned and walked away.
Lin Mian followed beside him. After walking for an unknown duration, they returned to the lakeside. The young man seemed to reach out and embrace her tightly. He was still covered in the scent of blood, and she instinctively wanted to push him away.
But the young man opposite her held her even tighter.
"I thought I would be happy..."
"But my heart is still empty. They hate me, fear me, are afraid of me, and wish to kill me."
"What is a demon? Am I destined to be filled with sin?"
His voice was hoarse and deep, carrying an inexplicable pain—Lin Mian's fingertips slowly brushed through his hair. He met her gaze, his pupils as dark as ink.
"No one wants me to live, do they?"
"You don't want me to live either."
"That immortal said you came to my side to kill me."
Lin Mian's heart tightened. She hadn't expected Ling Qianhe to have overheard Zi Yanling's words. She frowned, simultaneously pursing her lips. Her voice was gentle, slowly resonating in her heart.
"That's not true."
"It's not as she said—don't believe what she says."
"I didn't want to kill you."
Her mission… was only to prevent him from becoming a demon, not to kill him.
A cold smile touched Ling Qianhe's lips, but it was tinged with an indescribable desolation, making him seem even more pitiable. His fingertips traced her brow inch by inch. He leaned closer and asked her.
"So, can I trust you?"
Lin Mian replied without hesitation, her voice firm and resonant.
"Of course. You can always trust me."
Her gaze shifted, falling into his eyes. The depths of her pupils seemed to momentarily conceal the brightest stars in the sky, brilliant and clear. She reached out and embraced him, his breathing momentarily quickening.
The young girl, however, said.
"I told you, you are the person I saved."
"Since I saved you, I will not kill you."
His chest pounded like a drum. He lowered his head to look at her lips, instanty wanting to taste the sweetness between them again.
Like flowing water... the sweetness between their lips and teeth was intoxicating, making him unable to stop.
Lin Mian was caught off guard as he kissed her again. The fine, gentle kisses made her dazed, and then the kiss turned into a mad, possessive claim.
He seemed to want to drain the last breath from her lungs.
She could only widen her eyes. The kiss, accompanied by his breath, surged over her. She clenched her fists, and a booming sound echoed in her mind, bringing forth the obsessive and intense possessiveness in his eyes.
"Demons do not understand love."
"Demons only possess."
For some reason, such words surfaced in her mind. Nervous and anxious, she frantically called out to her little system in her heart.
"What to do, what to do..."
"He... he's kissing me again!"
"What should I do!"
She was utterly flustered and lost.
The little system mumbled.
"What can you do—he's already kissed you... you can't just give it back, you'll be at a disadvantage if you give it back."
The little system was also a bit baffled, but things had reached this point, and even if she wanted to give it back, it wouldn't work. The little system said.
"Don't worry, Ling Qianhe won't be jealous."
"Isn't his original form Ling Qianhe?"
Lin Mian was still dazed. The moonlight was like water, and she tightened her grip.
His breath slowly approached her body, and she could feel him pressing against her lips. A wave of cold, bloody scent washed over her. Under the moonlight, his face was exquisitely handsome, yet it held a hint of desolate finality.
He released her.
And asked her.
"If you are from the Immortal Realm—did you have someone you liked there?"
"Whose jade token was that? Why did the owner of the jade token lose his mind because of you, allowing me to seize the opportunity?"
"Who is he?"
"Do you love him?"
He tightly gripped her hand, staring intently into her eyes. Lin Mian was all too familiar with his expression—dealing with a jealous Qianhe was not easy.
She sighed, pondering how to phrase her answer appropriately. After hesitating for a long time, she finally decided to tell the truth.
"That jade token... should belong to the Human Emperor Xuanyuan Yuting."
"He owes me a favor."
"Years ago, he destroyed a very important magical artifact of mine."
"Of course, I didn't let him off easy either... he should still be in seclusion in the Immortal Realm and won't come out for the time being. The woman who came down yesterday has some connection with him, which is why she carried his jade token."
"But their matters have nothing to do with me."
"My descent to the mortal realm does indeed have a purpose..."
There was no point in deceiving him about this matter, Lin Mian hesitated again and again, but still chose to tell the truth.
"They hope I can prevent you from becoming a demon..."
As soon as she finished speaking, a cold, knowing smile spread across Ling Qianhe's lips.
He looked at the young girl opposite him, who lowered her head as if she had made a mistake. Her lips were still flushed from his kiss, and a hint of embarrassment flickered in her eyes, but she mustered the courage to look up and meet his gaze.
"But I know you are not a wicked, monstrous person!"
He leaned closer, his fingers tightening on her shoulder. In his heavy, dark eyes, unfathomable emotions were hidden. He whispered in her ear.
"How do you know I'm not?"
"Perhaps I am."
He said.
"Don't you know? The first time I kissed you—I wanted to possess you."
"Anyway, I'm a demon, a wicked, unbridled devil, the object of suppression by the Immortal Realm—regardless, I am fated to be a solitary star."
"Since they all call me a demon, I'll be a true demon for them to see."
"Anyway, I am only happiest when I am killing."
The young man's dark eyes hid an air of indifference as he spoke his thoughts without restraint. But the young girl reached out, gripping his arm and meeting his gaze.
In the depths of her pupils, there was a certainty more steadfast than anyone else's. Then the young man heard her say.
"But you are not."
She took a deep breath, paused, and said.
"You want to, but you haven't, have you? You don't need to pretend to be indifferent. I didn't descend to the mortal realm to suppress you and watch you perish—as long as you don't become a demon, no one has the right to kill you—not even the Immortal Realm has such a reason."
The young man looked at her eyes, and a faint sadness inexplicably appeared in them. His fingertips slowly touched her forehead, and after a moment, he retracted his fingers.
Lin Mian heard him say.
"Unfortunately, this world is hardly a place where reason prevails."
"If reason prevailed, my mother wouldn't have died."
"Does one need a reason to kill?"
Lin Mian could feel the sorrow emanating from him. His eyelashes trembled slightly, and then the young man said.
"I will reclaim my spiritual脉 and spiritual bones. I will make them repay a hundredfold for the suffering I have endured. I do not believe in any justice in this world. Good and evil ultimately—debts will be settled. In my eyes, only I can give myself justice; no one else matters."
He spoke with such conviction.
Lin Mian sighed inwardly.
Knowing she couldn't persuade him.
Lack of power.
For him, was absolutely unacceptable.
He would never give up his power, so words were useless.
He looked at her again, his eyes once more displaying faint red glints. Under the vast, blood-red moon, he leaned towards her. The clear moonlight fell upon him and the young girl before him. His fingers traced her strands of hair inch by inch.
He said.
"Demons do not fear."
"What they desire."
"They must obtain."
Ling Qianhe's heart was ice-cold, a chill seeping into his very bones, driven by the obsessions of everyone in this world, the demonic thoughts of all. He himself was the greatest evil in this world, so why should he care what others thought of him?
Even if she had a purpose.
Since she had come to his side, she could not escape.
The young girl's nose twitched slightly, her expression flustered.
"What—what do you want to do?"
The wind, moon, and stars—he reached out and traced her skin inch by inch, dreamlike and ethereal. His palm was cold, but merely looking at her, the ice-cold heart of the demon felt a slight warmth.
"To possess you."
With heaven and earth as his pillow and mat, he wanted to invite her into the world. He wanted to brand her as his own, so that no matter where she went, she could not escape, and he could find her!
"Didn't you want to be my maidservant?"
"I don't want you to be my maidservant."
"How could I be short of a maidservant—I want you to be my woman."
Stay by my side.