Jian Lin struggled to turn her head, her movements jerky, and met the gaze of a head suspended in mid-air. It had a green face, fangs, and disheveled hair, looking utterly terrifying.
To say Jian Lin’s hair stood on end would be an understatement. Ahhh, when had she, a modern person from a civilized world, ever seen such a sight!
She tried to reassure herself not to be a coward. The other party was a ghost, but she wasn’t an ordinary person either. What was there to fear? She should just fight!
Yet, she couldn’t control herself. Trembling uncontrollably and feeling nauseous, she waved her hand. Her demonic energy went wide, failing to harm the head in the slightest. Instead, it provoked the head to open its mouth wide and attack Jian Lin’s face.
Jian Lin turned and fled, darting through the dark imperial chambers. She quickly sought help from the system, asking for advice.
The system unhelpfully reminded her, "Host, this head is a simple illusion. You can directly condense your demonic energy into a sword and pierce it to make it disappear. It's very simple."
"Very simple," Jian Lin heard the system's disdain in its emphasis on those four words. But she didn't care. What was the point of mocking her?
How long had she transmigrated? She had never fought anyone before. It was natural that she wouldn't know how!
She would learn! Jian Lin stopped, recalled the incantation for condensing a sword, and clumsily formed hand seals. At the last moment before being devoured by the head, her demonic energy condensed into a sword and pierced it.
With a bang, the head exploded. The scene was too impactful. Jian Lin raised her hand to cover her face and collapsed onto the ground. Please, don't let the brain matter splatter on her!
In reality, she had worried too much. After all, it was just an illusion. Only a sharp, hot gust of air brushed past her, and then it quickly calmed.
Jian Lin slowly lowered her arm and found that the surroundings had drastically changed. The night-blooming pearls shone brightly, and the floor was covered with thick animal hide carpets. The Demon Lord sat on a small couch not far away, holding a tiny white jade cup, his face cold as he looked at her.
The environment was completely different from the previous eerie and terrifying one. While not exactly cozy, it was quite comfortable, finally resembling a place to sleep.
Jian Lin realized that the illusion was the Demon Lord's doing. He was testing her.
She quickly stood up, trembling, her face pale, and said, "Please forgive my rudeness, Demon Lord. I lost my composure."
She had run around in the illusion, and the Demon Lord must have seen it all. Fortunately, she hadn't done anything more embarrassing.
The Demon Lord's hand movement paused. He raised his eyes and swept a glance over her, his gaze as sharp as an eagle's. Jian Lin felt guilty and immediately lowered her head to avoid his gaze.
The great demon was indeed a great demon, with a cunning mind. It was quite frightening.
"Why are you dodging? If you dodge... I'll assume you're guilty," the Demon Lord said as he got up and walked over, standing before Jian Lin from above. "What move was that sword strike you just made? It doesn't look like a technique from our Demonic Sect."
Jian Lin immediately broke out in a cold sweat. In her haste, she had used a technique from the Guanlan Sect.
Now, the Demonic Sect and the Guanlan Sect were sworn enemies, locked in a life-or-death struggle. If she were exposed, her life might be in danger.
"Replying to the Demon Lord, I have only focused on practicing my dance. I have not cultivated any martial arts," Jian Lin said, lowering her head and steadying her voice. "That sword strike was an unintentional act of desperation."
"Raise your head and look me in the eyes when you say that again," the Demon Lord commanded coldly.
Jian Lin's heart pounded. She slowly raised her eyes, this time genuinely trembling, and said, "Demon Lord, that sword strike was unintentional."
As their eyes met, Jian Lin clearly realized in that instant that she had underestimated him.
She had transmigrated, and with the system's help, she thought she was sure to win.
In reality, the other party was the Demon Lord, who managed the demon realm, equivalent to a monarch of a country. She, on the other hand, was just a company boss. On what grounds did she assume she could definitely win against him?
Jian Lin's heart grew colder, her eyes filled with despair. Just as she thought she was finished, the Demon Lord suddenly spoke.
"You may go. Before you leave, I have a word for you: I have no interest in women. Don't bother trying to seduce me, or don't blame me for suspecting you."
After speaking, the Demon Lord waved his sleeve, placed his hands behind his back, and leisurely walked back to the small couch, lying down like a lord and closing his eyes as if dozing off.
Jian Lin suddenly understood. She had thought her seduction tactics had worked and that the Demon Lord was interested in her. In fact, the Demon Lord found her behavior abnormal and suspected she was a spy.
Of course, the most important point was that the Demon Lord had personally stated he had no interest in women...
No interest!
Emerging from the Demon Lord's chambers, Jian Lin clenched her fists and fiercely questioned the system, "Did you hear that! The Demon Lord said he has no interest in women! Are you reliable at all? Did you target the wrong person for攻略!"
The system remained silent for a long time before confirming, "Host, it is confirmed that there is no mistake."
"What did you base that on?"
"Heaven's secrets cannot be revealed."
"Get lost!" Jian Lin cursed the system, "I don't believe you. You have to give me a convincing reason!"
The system fell silent again, and finally, hesitantly said, "Host, if you do not believe me, I can apply for an extra opportunity for you to be reborn and loaded, becoming a male."
Jian Lin: ...
She was going crazy.
She ran all the way back to the dancer's courtyard and buried herself under the covers to sleep.
Even in her dreams, she couldn't escape the nightmares.
In her dream, the Demon Lord's gaze was gentle, his lips curved in a smile, and he was speaking softly to her. As they talked about something, he burst into laughter, pulled her into his arms, and gently caressed her cheek, leaning in to kiss her...
Help!
Jian Lin woke up with a start. The sky outside was bright. She patted her chest, relieved that... it was just a dream.
However, why did the dream scene feel so real? How did she know what the Demon Lord looked like when he smiled? Come to think of it, he did look quite handsome when he smiled.
Jian Lin was puzzled. Just as she was about to ponder further, there was a knock on the door. It was Sister Yu Yao.
"A Pei, are you awake? I have something to tell you."
"I'm awake," Jian Lin replied, quickly getting out of bed to open the door and welcome Sister Yu Yao in.
Jian Lin was still wearing yesterday's outfit: a seductive red gauze skirt and a white gauze wide-sleeved top, white with a hint of red, very alluring.
Sister Yu Yao's eyes darkened. Jian Lin quickly put on an outer garment, covering the alluring scenery of her chest.
Sister Yu Yao nodded with satisfaction, then pulled Jian Lin to sit at the small round table and said earnestly, "A Pei, you've just arrived. If you don't experience some things yourself, you won't listen to me. Now, after I explain some truths, you'll be convinced."
Jian Lin chuckled. Indeed, at this point, she was convinced.
She stopped playing dumb and beating around the bush, confessing to Sister Yu Yao, "To be honest, sister, I thought that after last night, I could stay by the Demon Lord's side and gain a lifelong reliance. Who knew... alas, I was too foolish."
"It's not your fault. As dancers, we fear the day our beauty fades. Who wouldn't want an early reliance? Your thoughts are not wrong, but the Demon Lord... he's not an option." Sister Yu Yao spoke from the heart.
Jian Lin raised her eyes, seizing the opportunity to ask, "Sister, forgive my presumption, but why is the Demon Lord... not an option?"
Sister Yu Yao leaned closer, covering her mouth with her hand, and whispered, "The Demon Lord is actually a man of deep affection. A hundred years ago, his beloved passed away, and since then, his heart has been sealed, and he has never fallen in love again."
Jian Lin was stunned. It was hard to associate the Demon Lord's terrifying, icy face with the term "man of deep affection."
Sister Yu Yao continued, "In short, regarding the Demon Lord, I advise you to let it go and stop here. There's also something I need to tell you: Chief Steward Hei Yu said that the harem has been unstable lately and told us all to behave. You, on the other hand, should cultivate more when you have time and don't always think about going out. If you're caught by the Demon Lord again, no one can guarantee you'll come back alive."
Sister Yu Yao got up to leave, reminding her to practice the new dance together in the flower hall after lunch.
Jian Lin responded, then rested her chin on her hands, lost in thought. What should she do about this?
The man had someone he cared about, he was a man of deep affection, and his rejection was obvious. What else could she do to攻略 him!
The system let out a prompt sound, aggressively asserting its presence.
Jian Lin got angry, "Why are you bothering me? Didn't you hear? The Demon Lord has someone he cares about!"
The system replied, "Host, please calm down. The mission cannot be without any difficulty. Please view it rationally."
While that was true, it was really discouraging!
She really hated this world and wanted to leave, to go back, to continue her own wonderful life. Everything now was meaningless.
However, speaking of which, if she wanted to go back, she could only complete the mission and攻略 that cold, unfeeling great demon who had sealed his heart.
Jian Lin suddenly thought of a serious question, "A Zha, what will happen if I never complete the mission?"
"Survive in your current identity until death. The system will restart, and we will meet again," the system replied helpfully.
Jian Lin was startled, "What do you mean? Will I be in an infinite loop?"
"The current program is set up that way."
No, she couldn't! To become a mere symbol, to lose herself, to not even be considered a person.
This was worse than death for her. The torment of the eighteen levels of hell would be nothing compared to this.
The thought of repeating a meaningless life made the mission of攻略ing the Demon Lord suddenly seem much easier.
Jian Lin's fighting spirit was ignited. She gritted her teeth and encouraged herself, "Jian Lin, you're not one to give up easily. Keep going!"
Having made up her mind, even though Sister Yu Yao had warned her to behave, Jian Lin still inquired about information everywhere and sought opportunities to approach the Demon Lord.
During this period, the demon palace was indeed unstable. Many people were arrested, and cries could be heard daily. They said they were arresting spies from the Guanlan Sect.
Every cry Jian Lin heard made her tremble in empathy. If she hadn't persevered that day, she might have been the one crying.
It was a big fuss, and many people were expelled, but Jian Lin heard that no one was caught, which made the Demon Lord so angry that he smashed things in the main hall.
Jian Lin thought long and hard and couldn't help but summon the system, "A Zha, the original work didn't mention it, but are there any spies from the Guanlan Sect in the Demonic Sect?"
If there were, Jian Lin decided to report them and gain favor with the Demon Lord.
The system dutifully replied, "No, it was false information released by the Guanlan Sect to cause internal strife within the Demonic Sect."
Jian Lin was shocked, "So, you're saying the Demon Lord was tricked by the Guanlan Sect?"
"Yes," the system replied dutifully with a single word.
Jian Lin paused and asked in disbelief, "Why?"
"The reason for the war between immortals and demons was the Twelve Peaks Massacre. The Guanlan Sect held a great deal of evidence and had righteous cause. The Demon Lord could not produce evidence to prove it was not their doing, so he had to suffer in silence and bear the infamy."
As the system reminded her, Jian Lin recalled the plot of the book. Much later, the male and female protagonists of the original work coincidentally discovered that the culprit of the Twelve Peaks Massacre was someone else. However, by then, the Demonic Sect had already suffered a great defeat, and everything was meaningless.
Jian Lin slammed the table and stood up abruptly. Others might not know, but she did!
She had planted demonic energy, but she hadn't colluded with the Demonic Sect. She had been wronged and died. Originally, she didn't want revenge, but who knew she would end up back here after all this.
Since that was the case, she had to intervene!
Seduction was nothing. Helping greatly was the beginning of gaining favor!
Jian Lin straightened up, prepared her speech, and went out to see the Demon Lord.
The cold wind howled. On the road leading to the demon palace hall, those who had committed crimes were periodically carried out.
Jian Lin watched them leave, her heart not faltering in the slightest. If she didn't try her best, when would she be able to return to her original world?