Jian Lin retracted her hand, which had been taking liberties, and asked with concern, "Lord Chong Yuan, what's wrong with you? Listen to me seriously. Bai Xian is a schemer. If you have any thoughts about me, you must say them directly and not give him any chance to sow discord."
Though she said this, and understood the logic, the Demon Lord would rather die than voice his humble feelings. He could not bear to expose such a cowardly side of himself to others.
After careful consideration, the Demon Lord responded in a low voice, "It's nothing. Don't worry, I've always believed in you. We won't be driven apart by discord."
Various thoughts swirled in Jian Lin's mind. Recalling the inexplicable increase in her affection points last night and the Demon Lord's unusual behavior, Jian Lin finally arrived at a conclusion.
She took the Demon Lord's hand and mustered her courage, saying, "Lord Chong Yuan, I want you to understand one thing. If you truly want it, I am willing. For me, whether we get married or not makes no difference. Don't feel pressured."
Jian Lin felt her guess was correct. The Demon Lord liked her, and she imagined it from time to time, but he hadn't reached the point of wanting to marry her, which was why he was so conflicted every day.
However, for Jian Lin, this was not a big problem. As a modern woman from a civilized world, kissing and hugging in a relationship was normal. Everything should happen naturally, without waiting for marriage.
To be honest, her words stunned the Demon Lord.
He had decided to treat Jian Lin better and no longer reject their previous intimacy, but he had never thought of going that far!
Both of them were considering each other, and their misunderstandings deepened. They looked at each other in silence, unsure of what to say.
"This matter..." the Demon Lord began cautiously, "Let's wait a bit longer, shall we? Until the right time, then we can decide what to do."
Jian Lin was indifferent. Her understanding was that the Demon Lord still found it difficult to overcome moral constraints, so she let him be.
"No problem, I'll do whatever you say. Come find me when you're ready," Jian Lin said considerately.
"Alright, then let's go back. It's getting late. He should be rested by now," the Demon Lord said, turning to leave.
"No rush, no rush," Jian Lin grabbed him and leaned in affectionately, "Look how beautiful the moon is tonight. It's perfect for a date. Let's admire the moon a bit longer."
After they had admired the moon to their heart's content and returned, their feelings had visibly warmed. Bai Xian, witnessing this, began to plot again in silence.
Jian Lin threw him a bottle of tonic and instructed, "Eat it sparingly. Once this bottle is gone, it's truly gone."
Bai Xian took it, his gaze falling on the Demon Lord, and asked meaningfully, "Really? There's no more in the entire Demon Realm? I don't believe it."
The Demon Lord ignored him, sitting in the carriage and flicking the whip, almost flinging Bai Xian out.
Jian Lin chuckled, quickened her steps, and leaped onto the carriage, leaning affectionately against the Demon Lord's shoulder.
They continued like this until the early morning.
They crossed the mountain peaks overnight and reached the river ferry crossing in the early morning. Misty vapor filled the sky and earth, bringing a hint of desolation.
The surroundings were quiet, save for the sound of the carriage wheels. Jian Lin squinted at the water's surface, not seeing any traces of boats.
"It might be obscured by the fog," Jian Lin comforted the Demon Lord, "When it's a bit brighter, we'll definitely see it."
"No rush, it's not time yet," the Demon Lord said confidently, resting his hand on his knee, "They will definitely come. Don't worry."
Jian Lin took a deep breath and held the Demon Lord's hand to ease her anxiety.
The journey had been smooth and safe, and with only the final step remaining, it was natural to feel nervous.
Coughs could be heard intermittently from inside the carriage. The weather was cold and damp, and Bai Xian couldn't bear it.
Jian Lin, listening from outside, worried that Bai Xian might suffocate. She reached into her Qiankun bag and fumbled for a bottle of loquat syrup, which she had prepared earlier to drink as a beverage.
She handed the medicine back, saying impatiently, "Dissolve it in hot water and drink some. Stop coughing. My ears are hallucinating."
Bai Xian reached out to take it, gasping for breath, and said, "Thank you... Ah Pei... Miss..."
The Demon Lord's gaze swept over them. After last night, he found he could tolerate this behavior. He told himself that Jian Lin had her reasons, and this was not favoritism.
Amidst the continuous coughing, the sky gradually grew colder. A pale white sun appeared, dispersing the thick fog.
The river surface remained calm. Jian Lin's heart was in her throat, fearing that the rendezvous would go wrong and they would fall into a trap.
As the agreed-upon time drew closer, the Demon Lord became restless. He jumped out of the carriage and walked to the riverbank, contemplating whether to go and find them.
Jian Lin walked beside him, hugging his arm, and said, "Lord Chong Yuan, do we need to think of another way?"
The Demon Lord nodded, turned his head to look at Jian Lin, and was about to say a few words when a splash suddenly erupted from the calm water.
The Demon Lord immediately shielded Jian Lin behind him. A tall sailboat suddenly rose from the calm river. As the sound of the splashing water subsided, an excited voice emerged.
"My Lord! Miss Ah Pei! Long time no see!!" The speaker was none other than Xie Jin.
Jian Lin was taken aback and asked the Demon Lord excitedly, "Why is he here? Wasn't he supposed to be waiting in the Demon Realm?"
"I don't know. By rights, he shouldn't be here," the Demon Lord snorted coldly, "He must have acted on his own. How reckless."
Xie Jin directed the large ship towards the dock and leaped down, rushing excitedly to the Demon Lord to bow, "My Lord, I've arrived!"
The Demon Lord said displeasedly, "Why are you shouting? Do you want the whole world to know you're here?"
Xie Jin's smile froze, "I just... haven't seen my Lord in a long time."
Jian Lin couldn't stand it and reached out to shake the Demon Lord's arm, saying softly, "Forget it, forget it. He's here now. Let's focus on the important matters. You can scold him later."
The Demon Lord took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and directed them to carry the boxes, disguised as cargo, onto the large ship.
The Demon Lord reached into his embrace and took out a small booklet, handing it to Xie Jin. "It's good that you're here. It saves me from sending someone with a message. These are the specific steps to remove the seal. Unseal it when we reach the Demon Realm. Do not be careless. They are all severely injured. You must treat them well. If you need any medicinal herbs, contact the Grand Steward directly. I've already spoken to him."
"After Protector Liu wakes up, let her rest in the Demon Sect for a while, and then let her be with you. You must keep a close eye on her, understand?"
The Demon Lord meticulously explained each matter, and Xie Jin memorized it carefully. It took a long time before they finished discussing the important affairs.
Just as the cargo was loaded onto the ship, the Demon Lord cautiously looked around. He found Bai Xian to be quite useful, as their appearance had not triggered the Twelve Peaks' forbidden curse.
There were no problems at this moment, but it was uncertain whether the ship would encounter any accidents while sailing in the Immortal Realm's territory after they separated.
"Don't hesitate. After we separate, you must leave with all your might, sailing day and night. You can relax only when you enter the Demon Realm, understand?" the Demon Lord emphasized again.
Xie Jin nodded repeatedly, his face serious as he assured, "My Lord, please rest assured, I will be extremely careful."
The Demon Lord glared at him, "You are the one I worry about the most. You were supposed to meet me halfway, why are you here?"
"It just happened to be a coincidence, so I came along," Xie Jin said aggrievedly, "I wanted to see you and Miss Ah Pei."
Xie Jin's small round face creased like a kitten's. Jian Lin couldn't help but soften, "Alright, Doctor Xie. You've seen me now, so you can leave with peace of mind."
Xie Jin gave a sly smile, secretly winked at her, and gave her a thumbs-up, saying, "Miss Ah Pei, I want to tell you personally, you are truly amazing. I, Xie Jin, admire you greatly."
Realizing what Xie Jin was referring to, the Demon Lord became enraged. He reached out and slapped Xie Jin on the back of his head, gnashing his teeth and saying, "What do you admire? Don't think I don't know about the vulgar words you've written. How dare you say such things? Do you have any shame at all!"
"I only have the compassion of a physician," Xie Jin argued righteously, his neck stiff, "My Lord, I was worried about you! I've been worried for almost a hundred years. You wouldn't say anything, and you wouldn't let me ask. Do you know how difficult it was for me? I failed to fulfill anything I promised the Old Demon Lord back then. Do you know how much pain I was in?"
"The Old Demon Lord, the Old Demon Lord, he's been dead for so long. What's the use of listening to him? Why don't you put me in your eyes?" The Demon Lord increased the force of his hand, as if intending to kill Xie Jin.
Seeing that the two were about to fight, Jian Lin quickly intervened, "Don't fight, don't fight. Your subordinates are watching you. Be mindful of your image! Lord Chong Yuan, mind your image!"
After a moment of struggle, the Demon Lord abruptly pushed Xie Jin away, pointed at his nose, and said, "Scram, scram, scram! Hurry up and leave!"
Xie Jin looked indignant, bowed to the Demon Lord, and said in a muffled voice, "Your subordinate takes his leave."
With that, Xie Jin flicked his robe and left. Jian Lin looked around and quickly chased after him, escorting him to the dock.
In the quiet and desolate early morning, the Demon Lord stood by the river. Jian Lin chased after Xie Jin, and the two stood by the dock, talking over the whistling wind.
"Xie Jin, listen to me," Jian Lin called out to him, saying softly, "Don't be angry with him. He actually values you very much. It's just that the Old Demon Lord sealing his memories has made him feel very frustrated. It's not your fault."
The Demon Lord being defeated by his father was a great blow to his pride. Whenever this wound was touched, he naturally became angry.
"Miss Ah Pei, please don't worry. I will never be angry with my Lord," Xie Jin smiled helplessly, "I know my Lord doesn't like to hear it, but I mention it every time because it is my mission. A life with a significant missing memory is incomplete. Miss Ah Pei, you must understand me, right?"
"I understand, and that's why I'm helping you," Jian Lin urged with a smile, "Don't forget, you promised to tell me about that mortal girl. You still haven't told me."
"I haven't forgotten, but I've been a bit busy lately," Xie Jin cupped his fists in a salute, "Miss Ah Pei, give me some more time, and I will tell you everything in detail."
"Alright, I understand. Hurry up and go," Jian Lin glanced back at the Demon Lord, "Look at your Lord's face; it's about to turn green with anger."
Xie Jin chuckled, stood on tiptoe, and leaped up, waving goodbye to Jian Lin from the bow of the ship.
As the large ship slowly departed, Jian Lin happily ran towards the Demon Lord and stood before him, saying, "Don't worry, Xie Jin isn't angry. I apologized for you."
The Demon Lord snorted coldly and said arrogantly, "Who gave you permission to apologize for me? You're so meddlesome!"
Jian Lin glared at him. This scoundrel was truly asking for a beating!