On a late summer night, Shi Li lay alone on a hillside, unable to fall asleep. The sky was clear and the mountain grass swayed gently, but Shi Li’s mind was in a tangled mess. Earlier that day, Jun Yanye had calmly spoken about taking him back to the Demon Realm to hold a grand ceremony for their union. Shi Li had replayed those words in his mind over and over, contemplating them endlessly. He felt as though he were being overly sentimental, as Jun Yanye had not stated a reason for the ceremony, yet he had subconsciously assumed it was because Jun Yanye loved him. He was the one wandering into the realm of romantic assumptions.
Shi Li took a deep breath and smoothed his hair. He tried to imagine his future life with Jun Yanye, such as the life they would lead back in the Demon Realm after the ceremony. His mind went blank, and he could not imagine anything or rather, he dared not. The moment a flicker of fantasy appeared, he ruthlessly trampled it back down. Shi Li feared imagination, feared expectation, and even avoided divining these matters. He was afraid that the result of a divination would not be what he wanted, and that he would be powerless to change it.
The first half of Shi Li’s life was defined by too many expectations and too many fantasies. When the truth was finally revealed, it felt like falling from a high building with no floor beneath his feet, and the landing was painful. This descent was continuous and slow, and whenever Shi Li thought he had reached the bottom, fate would tell him, “Not yet, it can get even worse.” As the Young Master of the Changming Sect, he had hoped to master the most exquisite arts of divination to solve problems for his adoptive father, his fellow disciples, and the common people. Yet, in the end, his incompetence brought shame to the sect and disgrace to his peers. As the adoptive son of Yan Moqiao, Shi Li had admired his father since childhood, grateful for his upbringing and hoping to become someone his father could trust. He never expected that his adoptive father viewed him merely as a pawn, to be discarded at any time.
Now, Shi Li did not want to think about any of that. He no longer dared to hope for anything. He only knew that when life goes well, one should enjoy it, seize the moment, and know when to stop. Jun Yanye was truly good to him, and it would be a lie to say he was not moved by the way he was treated. Being cared for and cherished was a wonderful feeling, one so good it threatened to melt his very bones. Beautiful things should end at their peak; one must never wait or drag things out. If one waits or delays, there is no telling what one might end up with.
Shi Li closed his eyes, but he was completely unable to sleep. Every time he shut his eyes, his mind was filled with the persistent and puzzled gaze of Jun Yanye. “God of the Dark Night, grant me sleep,” Shi Li whispered, casting a slumber spell on himself. It was, as expected, ineffective. Since he could not sleep, he decided to go for a walk. As he walked, he suddenly spotted something glittering in the grass. He fished it out, finding a bracelet inlaid with red agate that emitted a flame-colored glow. Just by being near it, Shi Li felt the spiritual energy around him flowing steadily. This bracelet was particularly beneficial for cultivators with fire spiritual roots; wearing it constantly meant one’s cultivation could grow even while sleeping. He did not know which “kind soul” had dropped it here, but it was quite a coincidence that Shi Li had found it. “What a treasure,” Shi Li said with a smile, wrapping the bracelet in a handkerchief.
The next day, the Demon General Du Yuanzhong was patrolling the cave entrance when he suddenly saw Shi Li flying toward him. Shi Li wore a red silk robe with clear, jade-colored lotus flowers embroidered on the sleeves and collar. His long hair was loosely pinned up with a sky-blue silk ribbon. His cloud-riding technique was highly proficient, and he looked as graceful as an immortal. Knowing the close relationship between Shi Li and Jun Yanye, Du Yuanzhong felt as if he were seeing the Demon Lord’s consort. Feeling uneasy about getting too close, he took two steps back and bowed with a smile, “Good morning, Young Master Shi.”
Shi Li’s actions were truly unpredictable, and Du Yuanzhong could not guess what he was up to. “General Du, it is hard work patrolling and keeping watch every day,” Shi Li said with a bright smile, his hands behind his back. “It is my duty,” Du Yuanzhong replied, still feeling a bit confused. Shi Li reached out, holding a shimmering gold bracelet in his palm. “I know the General has fire spiritual roots, and this bracelet is perfect for assisting with cultivation. I would like to gift it to you, General. I hope you will accept it.”
Du Yuanzhong glanced at the bracelet. It was indeed a treasure, with pure fire energy and a ceaseless flow of spiritual power. However, he could tell that Shi Li also possessed fire spiritual roots, so he said, “This is such a wonderful treasure, shouldn’t you keep it for yourself, Young Master?”
“I am only in the Golden Core stage now. Though the treasure is good, its energy is too fierce, and one needs to be in the Spirit Severing stage to properly control it,” Shi Li handed the bracelet to Du Yuanzhong. “The General is already in the late Spirit Severing stage and has no time to cultivate while guarding the cave. This treasure is perfect for helping you break through to the Integration stage.”
Hearing this, Du Yuanzhong became interested, his bold eyes brightening. “So, Young Master is also well-versed in advancement?” He looked at Shi Li with newfound admiration. It was usually difficult for those with low cultivation to perceive the realm of a higher-level cultivator, yet Shi Li had seen through his boundary and even thought of this for him, gifting him such a convenient treasure.
“I wouldn’t say well-versed, I just know a thing or two,” Shi Li smiled modestly. “General, you should put it on.”
“Then thank you, Young Master.” Du Yuanzhong laughed heartily, took the bracelet, and put it on his wrist. They began to chat about cultivation, and the conversation was very engaging. Du Yuanzhong now found Shi Li more and more pleasant to look at, his voice was pleasing to the ear, and everything about him seemed wonderful. Suddenly, however, Du Yuanzhong felt a strong chill. Even though it was the height of summer, his back felt cold.
The sight of the two of them chatting happily fell into the eyes of Jun Yanye. “General Du, the Demon Lord has issued an urgent summons for you,” a small demon soldier said, trembling as he delivered the message.
“Ah, then I will not disturb you, General,” Shi Li said.
Du Yuanzhong was led by the demon soldier to find Jun Yanye. Before he even entered the cave, he felt a powerful, sharp pressure that made it nearly impossible for him to move forward. “Demon Lord, I am here,” Du Yuanzhong said.
“Get in here,” came a voice, cold to the bone.
Du Yuanzhong braved the pressure and with difficulty reached Jun Yanye. The Demon Lord sat in the shadows, and Du Yuanzhong could not see his expression, but he felt an instinctive, uncontrollable fear. The Demon Realm was closer to the animal kingdom, characterized by the absolute dominance of the strong over the weak. It had been a long time since Du Yuanzhong had experienced the intense fear and the survival instinct that the weak feel when faced with death. He thought he must have made a grave mistake, but after racking his brain, he could not think of any serious transgression.
Jun Yanye stepped closer. Du Yuanzhong tried his best to restrain himself from backing away. Jun Yanye used his sword, Xuanhuang, to lift Du Yuanzhong’s arm, revealing the bracelet worn underneath. “He gave this to you,” Jun Yanye said. Du Yuanzhong could sense Jun Yanye grinding his teeth.
“This, he.” Du Yuanzhong did not know how to explain. Should he say Shi Li was being considerate of his hard work? That it was just a whim of Shi Li’s?
“This is the first time he has ever given anyone a gift,” Jun Yanye said, staring into Du Yuanzhong’s eyes. Du Yuanzhong felt as if Jun Yanye were looking at a corpse.
“Demon Lord, I was just patrolling at the entrance today when Young Master Shi arrived. He said this treasure was very suitable for my cultivation, and so.”
“This is the first time he has ever given anyone a gift,” Jun Yanye repeated.
Du Yuanzhong quickly took the bracelet off. “If the Demon Lord likes it, I am willing to offer it to you!”
Jun Yanye closed his eyes, and the stone table beneath his hand instantly shattered into powder.
“He, he would surely also give something to you, Demon Lord!” Du Yuanzhong cried out, his heart full of tears.