The Demon Lord turned and exchanged a glance with Jian Lin. They stepped forward side by side and stood before the steward.
The steward's gaze first fell on the Demon Lord's face, then shifted to Jian Lin, probing with veiled words, "I heard you two are siblings, yet you don't resemble each other at all."
"Resemblance isn't important," the Demon Lord stated calmly, without betraying any emotion. "My sister and I are mere rogue cultivators, without power or influence. Are we not at the mercy of the Golden Scale Manor?"
"Haha," the steward chuckled twice, reaching up to stroke his small mustache, and said appreciatively, "You know what's good for you. You seem like a smart person. Come in, keep our young lady company."
Entering the grand manor, the first thing they saw was a screen wall made of fine white jade, carved with a pattern of two fish playing with a pearl.
Beyond the screen wall lay a small, exquisite garden with lush foliage. A covered corridor was nestled within, creating a scene of beauty at every turn, dazzling the eyes.
Although the Golden Scale Sect was a cultivation sect, there was no trace of cultivation to be seen in this manor; it was filled with the opulence and luxury of the mortal world.
The two following the steward exchanged a silent glance, understanding each other's thoughts.
The steward led them along a small path, turning directly towards the east. They passed through a flower wall and arrived at a moon gate. Inside, a delicate two-story building stood. The young lady of the Golden Scale Manor was seated before the entrance, flanked by two maids, with guards arranged in two rows in front, displaying an air of supreme authority.
The steward announced their arrival loudly. The young lady glanced over lazily, tilting her chin as she spoke, "I've been waiting for you. You're lucky. If you were any later, I would have sent people to tie you up."
"Then I must thank you. What is it you wish me to do to settle this matter?" the Demon Lord asked with a playful glint in his eyes. "I presume you don't intend to keep us as friends, young lady?"
"Dream on," the young lady sat up straighter, then tightened her grip on the long whip in her hand. "You were able to easily catch my whip that day, so your cultivation must be above mine. I want you to pretend to be my friend and teach someone a lesson for me. If you defeat him, I will let you both go."
Jian Lin heard this and thought that while the matter seemed simple, there must be more to it. The key was that the young lady wanted to teach someone a lesson, which was surely not a simple affair.
"Why don't you use the many experts around you, young lady? Why must you have me teach him a lesson?" the Demon Lord shrewdly guessed. "That person must be someone difficult to deal with. If you have me strike, wouldn't that be forcing my sister and me to offend someone?"
"You don't need to worry about that. He and I merely made a bet. He saw my low cultivation and allowed me to find someone to substitute. My subordinates are all from the Jin family, and it's inconvenient for them to act against him. But it's fine for you. As long as you win, not only will I let your sister go, but I will also give you a large sum of spirit stones. Do you want them?"
The Demon Lord pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Who is that person? Could it be the young lady's future husband?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the young lady seemed to have her tail stepped on. She stood up abruptly, her face flushing, and said guiltily, "What nonsense are you talking about!"
"Not only that, but you don't want to marry him and want to bet and compete with him," the Demon Lord said slowly. "If I win, this marriage will be nullified, won't it?"
The young lady froze, her hand gripping the silver whip tightly. She stared at the Demon Lord without moving, then said with a resigned air, "So what if it is? Why do you care so much? Just tell me if you want to agree to this matter!"
Jian Lin stood behind the Demon Lord, her expression one of sudden enlightenment. It made sense now; the matter had to be this complicated to be worthwhile.
She also didn't know how the Demon Lord would decide. She looked at his profile, anticipating his answer.
"No," the Demon Lord said firmly, crossing his arms. "Young lady, your conflict with my sister was a minor matter. For reasons both moral and logical, you shouldn't drag me into this. Besides, I might not win. For such an important matter, you should find someone you can trust. We are strangers who met by chance and are truly not qualified to bear such a heavy responsibility."
The young lady's chest heaved, clearly burning with anger. Her eyes red, she stared intently at the Demon Lord, then suddenly took a step towards him.
Jian Lin flinched back two steps, startled. The young lady was clearly about to attack the Demon Lord, and it would be safer for her to stay further away.
The Demon Lord clearly thought the same. He raised his hand to his chest, adopting a defensive posture, ready to meet the young lady's attack.
Unexpectedly, the young lady rushed towards him, stopped about a step away, and then suddenly knelt down with a thud. She raised her proud face and said through gritted teeth, "No one is willing to help me, so I can only hire people. But I was still rejected by many experts. They all dare not act against the Gu Lan Sect. The moment I saw you, I knew you wouldn't care about these things. If you are willing to help me, you will surely be able to."
Gu Lan Sect. Jian Lin's ears perked up. Since when did the Gu Lan Sect arrange marriages? What had happened?
Could cultivators get married? Yes, especially low-level rogue cultivators. After becoming husband and wife, they lived like mortals, earning spirit stones and managing daily expenses.
But the Gu Lan Sect was different. They emphasized the need for cultivators to be pure and abstemious, and they opposed dual cultivation. Anyone discovered practicing dual cultivation would be scorned and cursed, and in severe cases, expelled from the sect.
This very Gu Lan Sect was now discussing marriage. Was something wrong?
"Young lady, who are you marrying from the Gu Lan Sect?!" Jian Lin walked over and asked curiously. She secretly thought it couldn't be one of the chief disciples from the twelve main peaks; perhaps it was some nominal rogue cultivator.
"Gu Lan Sect, Chi Yan Peak, Chief Disciple, Hao Jun," the young lady said, her voice trembling.
Jian Lin's jaw dropped. She frantically tried to recall the plot from the original novel. She was one hundred percent certain there was no mention of a marriage alliance between the Golden Scale Sect and Chi Yan Peak.
In the war between immortals and demons, the Golden Scale Sect was mentioned as the financial provider, described briefly as the immortal sects constantly demanding money from them. By the end of the war, they were financially ruined.
After the dust settled from the great battle, Da Liang City gradually transformed into a human city, and the foremost immortal cultivation city disappeared. The boundary between humans and the cultivation world became increasingly distinct.
Jian Lin was absolutely sure that was how it was written, with no mention of a marriage alliance.
Something must have gone wrong, causing the plot of this book to deviate. Jian Lin couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with her...
As she was lost in thought, the Demon Lord suddenly nudged her, calling her back to attention. "What are you spacing out about?"
Jian Lin returned to her senses and met the Demon Lord's gaze. She understood his words had a hidden meaning, and he wanted to ask for her opinion on the matter.
The young lady of the Golden Scale Manor was still kneeling before the Demon Lord, with the two maids kneeling on either side, urging her to get up. A large number of guards around them also knelt.
Jian Lin wasn't entirely sure. She bent down and said to the young lady, "Young lady, my brother and I are also hesitant to offend the Gu Lan Sect lightly. This is a matter of great importance. Please get up first, and let me discuss it with my brother, alright?"
The two maids also advised her to get up and give the siblings some time to discuss it privately.
After some back and forth, the young lady of the Golden Scale Manor was helped up. Jian Lin then pulled the Demon Lord to a quiet corner to plot.
"I know Hao Jun. He's arrogant, relying on being the chief disciple of True Monarch Yuan Shuo, acting recklessly, and bullying junior disciples with lower cultivation. His character is problematic," Jian Lin muttered softly.
"Did he bully you?" the Demon Lord, adept at grasping key points, asked.
"Sort of. Our group was all bullied by him," Jian Lin said indifferently. According to the original body's memories, this chief disciple had done many wicked deeds, and the original body had suffered greatly at his hands.
"Alright, I understand," the Demon Lord said cryptically, then turned to leave.
"Hey? What do you understand?" Jian Lin pulled him back, asking in confusion. "He's the chief disciple of Yuan Shuo. Although I'm sure you can defeat him, don't forget our identities. Drawing attention and offending the Gu Lan Sect will bring us no benefits. I still want to sneak back and investigate things."
"Don't worry. When the time comes that I want to enter the Gu Lan Sect, I'll have plenty of ways. I'll deal with him properly for you first," the Demon Lord said confidently.
Jian Lin was stunned, her heart blooming with joy. Her eyes sparkled as she stared at him, her smile sweet enough to be cloying. "So you want to stand up for me? Oh my, you don't have to be so good to me, or I might become spoiled."
The Demon Lord frowned, unable to stand her coy demeanor. He said coldly, "Speak properly."
"I am speaking properly," Jian Lin couldn't suppress her sweetness. "Then go if you wish. I won't stop you."
Thus, the matter was settled.
When the Demon Lord agreed, the young lady of the Golden Scale Manor was on the verge of tears. With red eyes, she bowed gracefully to the Demon Lord, looking truly pitiable.
Jian Lin watched her, a thought gradually forming in her mind.
When they finally had a moment alone, Jian Lin said to the Demon Lord, "You said yesterday that the young lady of the Golden Scale Manor had no schemes. I don't think so. This young woman kneels when she needs to and can bend and stretch. Her arrogant and overbearing demeanor yesterday was intentional. You should be careful."
The Demon Lord raised an eyebrow, agreeing. "You're right. Previously, because the Golden Scale Sect posed no threat, the Demonic Sect never investigated them. Now, it seems we cannot underestimate them."
Jian Lin recalled the plot from the book and quickly gave the Demon Lord a spoiler. "Indeed, we cannot underestimate them. The reason Yuan Shuo wants to marry the young lady of the Golden Scale Manor is because he values the Jin family's money. Once they prepare to encircle and attack the Demonic Realm, they will need a lot of spirit stones. I think the immortal sects don't want to spend the money themselves, and have secretly decided to target the most easily bullied Golden Scale Sect."
When the immortal realm mobilized, although they didn't need to prepare provisions, all other supplies were essential, such as weapons, magical artifacts, spirit pills, and herbs, all of which required spirit stones.
The Demon Lord was somewhat surprised, showing a look of admiration. "I didn't expect you to understand these things. I underestimated you."
Despite the spoilers from the book, Jian Lin calmly accepted the praise. "Of course. My cultivation is just a bit low; otherwise, I'm not lacking in anything."
"Cultivation is a bit low..." the Demon Lord smiled indulgently. "Fine, then it's a bit low."
"What do you mean by that? Are you trying to mock me again?" Jian Lin raised her hand, preparing to punch the Demon Lord, when suddenly there was a knock on the door.
"Brother Lin, it's me. Lunch is ready. Please come out to dine."
It was the young lady of the Golden Scale Manor, personally inviting them out for a meal.
The two inside exchanged a glance and stood up together, walking towards the door.