This is quite a task. Jian Lin couldn't help but chuckle.
The Demon Lord shot her a glare, and Jian Lin's smile froze on her face. She lowered her head, feigning innocence.
Why was he so fierce? Rage born of impotence!
Thinking this, Jian Lin subtly glanced at the Demon Lord again and found him looking cold and displeased.
Jian Lin was puzzled. To be honest, no matter what their true forms were, those seductive women were undeniably beautiful. A kiss wouldn't be difficult.
What was he unhappy about? The more Jian Lin thought about it, the more shocked she became. Could it be that the Demon Lord was truly devoted to his deceased beloved?
Jian Lin took a step forward and leaned closer to the Demon Lord. As a test, she whispered to him, "Young Master, this trial isn't difficult. If you step forward, you'll pass quickly."
The Demon Lord crossed his arms, his refusal evident. He asked loudly, "What if I refuse?"
The seductive women smiled with hidden daggers. One said gently, "Then don't blame us sisters for being impolite. If a kiss is not acceptable, then we shall take a bite."
Jian Lin excitedly grabbed the Demon Lord's arm. "Young Master, calm down! A wise man knows when to retreat. You must be adaptable. There's no need to fight unless it's absolutely necessary!"
Without further ado, the Demon Lord raised his hand and threw Jian Lin out.
Familiarity breeds contempt. Jian Lin's heart had already calmed. Following the force, she landed within the red silken tent. She expected to fall to the ground, but instead, she stuck to it.
What was this? Jian Lin applied pressure with her hand. Sticky red threads wrapped around her, pulling her back and adhering her even tighter.
Her gaze shifted. The seductive women on the ground had spread out, shooting silk threads like sharp blades at the Demon Lord!
Good heavens! They were spider spirits!
The more Jian Lin struggled, the faster the red silken tent wrapped around her, quickly encasing her into a human cocoon. The silk threads were thin yet strong, digging into her skin and causing pain. She felt as if she would be strangled at any moment.
Outside the cocoon, the Demon Lord was engaged in a lively battle with the spider spirits. Jian Lin had to find a way out herself.
She used her demonic energy to cut through the cocoon bit by bit. However, the moment she finished cutting, the threads automatically reattached. They were truly spirits!
Just as she was about to take a drastic measure and try setting it on fire, the cocoon suddenly opened. Before she could rejoice, a dark figure was thrown in, landing on Jian Lin.
Jian Lin focused her gaze and met the Demon Lord's stern, handsome face. The red silken tent quickly coiled and closed, trapping them both within the same cocoon.
Their eyes met, their breaths intertwined. They were so close, Jian Lin's scalp tingled with awkwardness.
She forced a fake laugh and pretended indifference. "Young Master, you told me to throw myself, but look, you've come in too..."
The Demon Lord lowered his gaze to her eyes and said in a low voice, "Are you happy that I came in?"
Jian Lin could feel the vibrations of his chest as he spoke. This was too much! As a single person who had never dated, she had never experienced such a situation!
She had to say something to kill the mood and prevent herself from going crazy!
"Young Master, why didn't you agree to kiss them?" Jian Lin asked, confused.
"They are spider spirits. Spiders," the Demon Lord emphasized.
So that was it. Asking someone who disliked fuzzy things to interact with arthropods was indeed asking a lot.
"Oh," Jian Lin said, utterly confused, and posed a risky question, "Young Master, if it were a species you didn't dislike, would you agree to such a request?"
The Demon Lord fell silent, his eyes fixed on her. The red silken tent tightened its grip, bringing them closer and closer, exceeding reasonable boundaries.
Jian Lin's face turned bright red. She had no choice but to look directly into the Demon Lord's eyes, breathing rapidly. Just as she thought her life was over, the Demon Lord waved his hand, splitting open the cocoon and charging towards the spider spirits to begin the second round of battle.
Later, Jian Lin learned that the Demon Lord had been poisoned by accident the first time. He had quickly circulated his energy within the cocoon to detoxify himself, which led to their brief intimate contact.
Soon, the Demon Lord finished dealing with the spider spirits and waved his hand, releasing Jian Lin. Their eyes met, and Jian Lin pretended nothing had happened, offering an awkward smile.
Inwardly, she was filled with regret. She reflected on herself, thinking she was terrible at flirting. It had been a good opportunity for intimacy, but she had turned it into an awkward situation!
In the blink of an eye, they reached the third level. A rhinoceros spirit stood on the arena, brandishing a long saber, awaiting challengers.
The Demon Lord said nothing. He began fighting bare-handed, pounding the large rhinoceros with his fists until it was covered in bloody wounds.
Jian Lin watched, her heart in her mouth, feeling as if those fists were aimed at her.
The fourth level involved solving riddles and overcoming traps. The Demon Lord was skilled in both literary and martial arts, passing the trial in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
The sixth level tested cultivation. Shattering the Black Xuan Stone would grant passage.
The seventh and final level presented them with a formation, a labyrinth that kept them going in circles, unable to find the exit.
The Demon Lord seemed tired and sat down to rest. Jian Lin leaned against a nearby wall, her tail swaying, unsure of what to say.
The opportunity was here again, she had to seize it! Jian Lin roared inwardly.
Unfortunately, she was a giant in spirit but a dwarf in action. Her tail was wagging so fast it looked like a propeller, yet not a single word came out.
"You're disturbing me," the Demon Lord suddenly said after a long pause.
Jian Lin froze and whispered, "Young Master, I haven't said a word."
The Demon Lord tilted his head, his gaze falling on her. He said faintly, "I can feel your tail."
Ah, ah, ah, save me! Jian Lin wanted to die.
Seeing her expression of wanting to die, the Demon Lord suddenly became interested and asked, "I do have a question. Please enlighten me. Ever since we first met, I've sensed your ill intentions towards me. What is it you truly want?"
I want you to fall for me.
Jian Lin sighed deeply, abandoning her desire to flirt. She knelt beside the Demon Lord and said earnestly, "I want to be your wife."
The Demon Lord scoffed and said decisively, "Impossible."
So direct, so hurtful. Jian Lin's tail drooped, and she felt her existence was meaningless.
"However," the Demon Lord suddenly interjected, "you can try. If you can make me marry you, I will... give you one of my magic treasures to help your cultivation progress by leaps and bounds."
Jian Lin's tail immediately perked up, her eyes burning with intensity. "Young Master, don't go back on your word."
"Naturally," the Demon Lord seemed to be in good spirits. He closed his eyes to meditate and instructed, "Be quiet. I'm going to meditate for a while."
Jian Lin nodded in agreement. She sat beside the Demon Lord, daring not to move her tail again. Instead, she started chatting with the system.
"A'Zha, do you have anything to break formations? Where is the exit, give me a hint."
The system had long given up on Jian Lin browsing the store herself and dutifully searched for her. "Host, you currently only have 30 points. The only item that meets your requirements and can be exchanged is the Lucky Fortune Scratch Card."
"Lucky Fortune Scratch Card. Show me the usage instructions." Jian Lin closed her eyes and quickly read the instructions. No wonder this thing was cheap; it could only be used once and required sincerity to be effective.
"Sincerity to be effective" sounded quite unreliable. It didn't guarantee she would choose the correct exit. What if she chose the death gate? That would be disastrous.
Jian Lin hesitated, unsure whether to exchange it. She still wanted to save up 60 points to exchange for the Scent-Attracting Charm.
Torn and distressed, she glanced at the Demon Lord's cold, handsome face and gritted her teeth, deciding to give it a try.
They had just had a friendly conversation. It was time to show off and earn some favor in front of him.
After spending 28 points, Jian Lin held a peach wood sign in her palm. She clasped her hands together and prayed earnestly, hoping this thing could feel her sincerity.
After only ten seconds, the upper part of the peach wood sign broke and fell to the ground with a crisp sound. Jian Lin opened her eyes and saw the sign pointing towards the southeast.
Was that the exit? Honestly, Jian Lin didn't dare to believe it, as she didn't feel any special fluctuations.
In the end, she decided to try it herself. If it was the exit, she could break the formation. If it was the death gate, it didn't matter; at least she wouldn't drag the Demon Lord down with her.
Putting away the peach wood sign, Jian Lin quietly got up and walked towards the supposed exit, admiring herself. Who pursued someone by risking their life? She was truly working hard!
Jian Lin took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and charged forward. A faint sound of breaking bubbles echoed in the air, and she felt a barrier on her skin. Disbelieving, she used all her strength to charge forward. Between the alternating sensations of cold and heat, she heard a thunderous collapse.
At first, Jian Lin thought the brothel had collapsed. She opened her eyes and looked carefully. The familiar bluestone walls and torches meant she had broken the formation!
The Demon Lord opened his eyes at the same time. Upon discovering the formation was broken, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. "You understand formations?"
He had thought she was ignorant and knew nothing.
"A little bit," Jian Lin said humbly on the surface. Inwardly, she ran back to the Demon Lord and actively sought praise. "Young Master, see? I am useful. Am I quite likable?"
The Demon Lord scoffed. "You're likable for doing this little thing? Then, in your eyes, what level am I?"
Jian Lin was speechless, utterly defeated. This man! He was so hard to please!
Jian Lin puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. The Demon Lord reached out and tugged her tail, urging her on. "Hurry up. We've passed the seventh level and will soon see Granny Saint Fox. Are you ready?"
Oh, she was so dizzy from the trials that she almost forgot the purpose of their journey.
At the end of the seventh level's exit, the gate still bore the mark of a nine-tailed fox, but this one was sculpted from pure gold, flashing with ostentatious brilliance under the torchlight.
From the first to the seventh level, Jian Lin judged from the markings on the gates that Granny Saint Fox was a wealthy, money-loving, and showy old fox demon, a true winner in life.
The seventh level's gate slowly opened, and a dazzling golden light instantly blinded Jian Lin's eyes. Oh well, her guess was correct!
The room inside had a very high ceiling and was entirely made of pure gold. Bright red lanterns hung within the room. An old person with a tortoise shell on their back slowly approached, guiding them forward. "Esteemed guests, please wait a moment. Granny Saint Fox is changing her attire."
Jian Lin stepped on the gold bricks, marveling at every step. So rich!
Suddenly, a charming female voice was heard. "Esteemed guests, thank you for waiting. My body is frail in my youth, I hope you will forgive me~"
Amidst the charming teasing, two red sashes descended from the high ceiling, and a woman in a white dress and red robes gracefully landed.