The Demon Lord accepted the bowl of medicine and drank it down in one gulp, mockingly inverting it to signal completion. Then, with chilling indifference, he declared, "If he doesn't leave, I will."
Jian Lin was stunned. "My Lord Demon Lord, where are you going?"
"To Guanlan Sect, to attend to business," the Demon Lord said, re-inserting the bamboo branch into the wall. He turned and strode away, leaving only his parting words, "You two have fun together; I won't be joining you."
"Wait!" Jian Lin tossed the medicine bowl to Xie Jin and hurried after him, "My Lord Demon Lord, I am loyal to you. Don't leave me behind!"
Xie Jin, holding the medicine bowl, paused for a moment. He lifted the hem of his robe and also chased after them, "My Lord Demon Lord, I'll go with you!"
When the Demon Lord decided to do something, he acted swiftly. If he said he was going to Guanlan Sect, he would depart that very night.
This time, Jian Lin was more experienced. She rushed back to the side hall to pack her clothes, jewelry, the storybooks that Tao Niang loved to read, and various other odds and ends.
She ran back to the Demon Lord's study, breathless, and bumped into Xie Jin, who was equally out of breath.
They exchanged a smile, both deciding to stick close to the Demon Lord from this moment on, fearing he might leave them behind.
Knocking and entering the study, they discovered the Demon Lord was not there. A jolt went through them, and they immediately ran back, heading straight for the Demon Lord's bedroom.
Fortunately, before they could enter, they heard the Grand Steward's rambling voice, which finally put their minds at ease.
They pushed the door open and stumbled in, clumsy and disoriented. The Demon Lord glared at them with disdain and said unhappily, "No manners. What's all the commotion?"
Jian Lin, however, was taken aback, finding it hard to believe that the Demon Lord before her was indeed the Demon Lord.
It turned out the Demon Lord was changing his clothes. He had uncharacteristically shed his black, opulent robes and was now wearing a plain, light-colored, coarse linen Daoist robe.
It was like a high and mighty figure suddenly deciding to go incognito for a private visit, and that kind of contrasting charm was truly captivating.
The Grand Steward found another robe. "Oh dear, My Lord Demon Lord, you need to leave in a hurry. These are all old clothes. How about we postpone it for a day? I'll have someone make you a few new sets."
"No need. Old clothes are best," the Demon Lord said, tying a black belt and then donning a coarse, off-white, slightly yellowed outer robe. He examined himself in the bronze mirror. "This is perfect. It makes me look like a rogue cultivator who's achieved nothing."
Jian Lin, however, disagreed. Coarse linen couldn't conceal his innate aura. Looking at the Demon Lord, one could tell he was a powerful individual, a significant figure.
"Jian Musheng, you should change too," the Demon Lord said, tilting his head with a discerning gaze. "This isn't like going to the demon realm. Human hearts are unpredictable. Let's be careful and disguise ourselves as rogue cultivators. You shouldn't wear such fine clothes."
Jian Lin nodded in agreement and immediately went back to change.
Seeing that the Demon Lord hadn't addressed him, Xie Jin proactively offered, "Then I'll pose as the Demon Lord's attendant. I'm good at that!"
"Xie Jin," the Demon Lord called out to him, speaking earnestly, "You don't have to. After leaving the Demon Sect, we will go our separate ways. You have more important things to do."
Xie Jin also dropped his playful demeanor, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "My Lord Demon Lord, I... I want to follow you."
The Demon Lord raised his arm and clasped Xie Jin's shoulder, saying softly, "Xie Jin, you are sharp, intelligent, and dependable. You are a Right Protector who can stand on his own. It would be a disservice to you to stay by my side as an attendant. The Demon Sect needs you more."
"I..." Xie Jin's eyes flickered, and he said with a touch of grievance, "My Lord Demon Lord, we grew up together. I was always your attendant and follower."
"No, you are my brother," the Demon Lord patted Xie Jin's shoulder and suddenly raised his voice, "If you dare to cry, I'll throw you out immediately."
Xie Jin held back his tears, breathing heavily. After a moment of struggle, he said indignantly, "My Lord Demon Lord, then you must promise me one thing. Next time you get injured, don't push yourself. You must inform me immediately."
The Demon Lord's lips curved slightly, his tone carrying a hint of indulgence. "Alright, I promise. I will!"
Xie Jin felt a little better, his expression softening, and he revealed a relieved smile. "Fine, let's go then. After all these years, I'm used to it."
Of the Demon Sect's two protectors, the Left Protector operated in the open, while the Right Protector worked in the shadows.
Xie Jin spent most of his time incognito, acting alone, enduring immense loneliness and solitude. But for the Demon Lord, he was willing to bear it all.
As night fell, the three of them quietly left the Demon Palace under the cover of darkness.
Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, they switched to horseback. After two hours of rapid travel, they arrived at a ferry crossing, where they were to part ways again.
The Demon Lord and Jian Lin headed south, leaving the Demon Realm, while Xie Jin was to remain in the Demon Realm to complete his mission.
Although they had only spent a few days together, Jian Lin had already come to regard Xie Jin as a friend. A feeling of reluctance arose within her, and she secretly slipped him a bamboo tube.
This was a unique communication method of the Demon Sect. By placing a letter into the bamboo tube and activating it with demonic energy, the message could be sent to another bamboo tube.
The number of messages one could send depended on personal ability. As powerful as the Demon Lord was, he could send messages to the entire Demon Sect at will.
Jian Lin, who was just learning, could only use the specific twin tubes for transmission, which was the simplest, beginner version.
Jian Lin shook the bamboo tube in her hand and said to Xie Jin, "Divine Physician Xie, I'll send you messages. You must take good care of my twin tube and not lose it."
Xie Jin revealed an understanding smile. "I understand. I await good news from Miss A Pei."
The Demon Lord stood at the bow of the boat, impatiently urging them on. "Alright, hurry up!"
Jian Lin smiled at Xie Jin, then turned and quickly boarded the boat. The ferryman pushed his oar, and the small boat turned, heading downstream. She waved vigorously at the shore until her arm ached, unwilling to stop.
"That's enough. It's so dark, he can't see you anymore," the Demon Lord said indifferently. Yet, he remained at the bow, looking back towards the ferry crossing, his gaze lingering for a long time.
It wasn't until a fog rose on the river in the middle of the night that the two of them retreated into the boat's cabin, swaying as they settled down to rest.
Jian Lin drifted in and out of sleep, and for some reason, her mind was filled with the image of the Demon Lord in his light-colored Daoist robe. She felt a sense of familiarity, closeness, and affection.
Suddenly, the small boat lurched, startling Jian Lin awake. She saw the Demon Lord sitting opposite her. He had tied his hair in a casual, loose bun, which added a touch of unrestrained charm.
Jian Lin was puzzled. Wasn't this still the Demon Lord? Why did changing his clothes make her so captivated? Did she prefer white robes? She didn't even know she had such a preference!
It was truly strange!
The night passed quickly. In the morning, the sun pierced through the thick fog, casting a pale green light. The air was exceptionally sharp and cold. Jian Lin emerged from the cabin, stretched her arms, and took a deep breath, realizing they were drifting along a mountain stream.
Looking up, she saw smooth, sheer cliff faces on either side, with rugged, strangely shaped rocks on the peaks. The scenery was breathtakingly beautiful. Jian Lin was momentarily mesmerized by the natural landscape, finding it absolutely stunning.
As the mist gradually dissipated, the Demon Lord emerged and stood with her at the bow of the boat. He suddenly turned to the boatman and said, "Old man, there's a shallow beach ahead. Stop there for a moment. We have some business to attend to."
The old man, wearing a straw hat, nodded slightly, acknowledging the request, but continued to row without pause.
Jian Lin asked curiously, "What? Where are we going?"
"To visit an old friend," the Demon Lord replied, his hands behind his back. He glanced at her and instructed, "Don't speak out of turn when we get there. My friend is very particular about rules. If he gets angry, I won't be able to stop him."
Jian Lin didn't believe him, thinking he was just trying to scare her. However, she obediently agreed, knowing that not speaking out of turn was always a good idea.
They soon reached the shallow beach, covered in smooth pebbles that made a crisp sound when stepped on, like walking on fallen leaves, which was incredibly satisfying to hear.
Before Jian Lin could enjoy the sensation further, the Demon Lord, without any prior warning, reached out and embraced her waist. He then leaped with her along the cliff face towards the mountaintop.
Before Jian Lin could react, they had already reached the summit. Looking down, she saw a vast basin covered by dense forest. The trees were incredibly lush, packed tightly together, resembling a giant broccoli.
The Demon Lord seemed to be searching for something, still silent, and with Jian Lin, he leaped off the peak.
This was far more thrilling than climbing up. Jian Lin held her breath, clinging tightly to the Demon Lord. She watched as he tapped his toes, leaping across the branches of the dense forest, quickly crossing the center of the basin and landing in a corner to the southwest.
They plunged directly into the foliage, the leaves rustling loudly, startling a flock of birds. Finally, they landed steadily on a thick tree branch.
Jian Lin felt the scenery rapidly changing before her eyes, from water to mountains, and now to the jungle. It all happened in mere moments.
"Alright, you're on your own from here," the Demon Lord released her and leaped to an adjacent branch ahead of her. "This is a great opportunity to practice your Qinggong. Don't miss it. Keep up with me."
Jian Lin hesitated, then finally sighed in resignation. The scoundrel had made the decision for her, but he was right. She had no reason to refuse.
She focused her mind, circulated her demonic energy, tapped her toes, and Jian Lin quickly followed the Demon Lord. Soon, she adapted to the sensation, transforming into a Tarzan, enjoying the feeling of flying.
As she flew faster and faster, Jian Lin almost rear-ended the Demon Lord when he suddenly braked.
"Why did you stop so suddenly?" Jian Lin slowly, leisurely regained her balance.
"I've found my old friend," the Demon Lord replied softly. Then he suddenly shouted, "Huai Yin Jun, it is I, Mo Yan, come to pay my respects. It has been a long time."
Jian Lin looked in the direction of the Demon Lord, her mind filled with questions. Where was anyone? Was she blind?
Just then, a large tree in front of her rustled. Its branches suddenly shot upwards, and on its rough, gnarled bark, a pair of eyes appeared. The tree opened its mouth and spoke in a deep voice, "Young friend Mo Yan, it has been a long time."
Jian Lin's eyes widened in disbelief. Was this a treant? He was so tall, surely over fifty meters!
"And who is this?" the treant asked, his dark eyes fixed on Jian Lin.
Jian Lin immediately regained her composure, cupped her fists in a salute, and said formally, "I am Jian Musheng. Greetings, Huai Yin Jun."
"A pleasure to meet you," the treant replied slowly. He suddenly raised his arm, and with the sound of other trees breaking, a thick, rough finger of wood extended towards Jian Lin. "Young friend, for some reason, you give me a very familiar feeling."
Jian Lin blinked, then remembered Tao Niang. Were they both tree demons or spirits? Perhaps they had a connection.
She looked uncertainly at the Demon Lord, asking with her eyes if she could release Tao Niang to meet Huai Yin Jun.
Was this a polite gesture? Would it displease this treant?