After confirming that the person in his arms had fallen asleep, Wenren Li found it even harder to move his gaze away from Chen Yixin’s face. And what he was looking at was not merely Chen Yixin’s beauty.
He held his body rigidly still, allowing Chen Yixin to lean against him without moving an inch. Only after the medicinal effects of the spirit spring faded did he finally lift him up, and those suddenly overflowing emotions vanished along with their rising movements.
Compared to when they had arrived, when he had leisurely carried Chen Yixin through nearly half the Demon Palace, now he merely took a single step and directly appeared inside the sleeping chambers with him.
He changed Chen Yixin into comfortable sleepwear and, according to his request, used Weaving Cloud as his blanket. Only after confirming that Chen Yixin had fully fallen asleep did Wenren Li leave the chambers. He needed to return to the medicine room and prepare more things. Chen Yixin’s injuries were even more severe than he had anticipated.
Outside the sleeping chambers, the sixteen demon guards led by Nan Ke still stood watch. Originally, they had been demon guards serving directly under Wenren Li, but when they traveled north to Zhenhai, they had already been assigned as the personal guards of Chen Yixin, the future Demon Consort of the Demon Palace.
Nan Ke was the captain of the demon guards. Judging from the special treatment their Demon Lord showed toward Chen Yixin, the promotion he had originally assumed was merely a nominal elevation now seemed entirely different. Perhaps their Demon Palace truly was about to welcome another master.
As Wenren Li passed Nan Ke, his steps paused slightly. “Tell Wu Fei to gather more Weaving Cloud.”
The mass of Weaving Cloud Chen Yixin currently used was already quite large, but it still was not enough to furnish every place Chen Yixin might need.
“Yes.”
Nan Ke accepted the order and departed, yet inwardly became even more convinced of his earlier conclusion. Their Demon Lord truly treated Chen Yixin differently from everyone else.
This sleep was a rare peaceful one for Chen Yixin. It felt as though he had once again found some scenery-filled paradise within the territory of the Jade Cauldron Sect, drinking a pot of wine while sleeping carefree from sunrise to sunset, carefree and immortal-like.
Slowly opening his eyes, he found the dark crimson furnishings strangely similar to the blood-red sunsets of the Jade Cauldron Sect. He continued lying there lazily before voicing another request.
“I don’t like dark red. Can you change it to another color?”
Wenren Li once again helped Chen Yixin sit up. He nodded without asking why. Immediately afterward, Nan Ke outside the chambers received the order to redecorate the sleeping chambers.
Seeing Wenren Li nod, Chen Yixin smiled too. This Demon Lord was even easier to talk to than he had expected. From yesterday until now, rather than continuously making demands, he had actually been testing the limits of Li Kui Demon Lord’s tolerance toward him. Only by figuring out those boundaries clearly could he survive better within the Demon Palace.
“My surname is Chen, my given name is Yixin. What about you?”
Yixin—heart of joy. That had been his mortal name. After establishing his foundation at sixteen, he received a Dao title. At forty-nine, after forming his golden core, the title Heart-Slaying Master spread throughout the cultivation world.
What he asked now was not the title “Li Kui Demon Lord,” but the name this man had possessed in the mortal world. Perhaps he had one. Perhaps he did not.
At the question, Wenren Li’s eyes darkened slightly. Only when Chen Yixin had already assumed he would not answer did he finally speak.
“Wenren Li.”
To take “Li” as one’s name, Wenren Li’s life had likely been filled with hardship and separation. That thought crossed Chen Yixin’s mind briefly before he laughed lightly at himself. What qualifications did he still have to lament the fate of others? Besides, as a Soul Transformation cultivator who had lived who knew how many years, Wenren Li surely did not need such sympathy.
“Wenren Li…”
Chen Yixin softly repeated the name. Looking up to meet Wenren Li’s gaze, he leaned forward again until he was resting against Wenren Li’s shoulder once more. Aside from this ruined body, he possessed nothing. And so, he feared nothing. Using the Demon Lord as a pillow became increasingly natural.
“This name feels somewhat familiar…”
Wenren Li lowered his gaze toward him, only to find that the person who claimed the name sounded familiar had already closed his eyes again to rest.
For Chen Yixin, rest was merely rest. He had no intention of pondering where that sense of familiarity came from. Even such great hatred could be set aside in an instant by him, much less a fleeting encounter from a century ago that no longer stirred any ripples in his heart.
Wenren Li’s hand shifted slightly lower from Chen Yixin’s shoulder. Before Chen Yixin could react, he was lifted into Wenren Li’s arms once more. Could it be this Li Kui Demon Lord had become addicted to carrying him?
Chen Yixin pursed his lips, cracking his eyes open slightly to stare at Wenren Li’s profile.
Sensing Chen Yixin’s gaze, Wenren Li did not pause his steps. He carried him out of the chambers, through several corridors and past multiple doors, before entering another sleeping chamber dominated by deep purple and black tones.
The size and layout were similar to the chambers Chen Yixin had occupied the previous day, but compared to those luxurious and warm furnishings, this place felt considerably gloomier.
Wenren Li lowered his eyes, meeting the gaze Chen Yixin had only just withdrawn. Then he finally explained:
“You will stay here for the next few days.”
“Oh…”
Chen Yixin responded softly. So he had spent half the journey wondering why Wenren Li carried him out of the chambers, only to discover it was because of his request to redecorate them.
Wenren Li carefully placed Chen Yixin upon the bed layered with Weaving Cloud. After hesitating slightly over his wording, he raised a hand somewhat stiffly and brushed it lightly through Chen Yixin’s hair before withdrawing it again.
“You… don’t think too much. I won’t let you die.”
Chen Yixin suddenly raised his eyes and met Wenren Li’s completely unreadable gaze. His expression paused slightly before the corners of his lips lifted into another smile. Yet Wenren Li still maintained that icy expression.
“Wenren Li.”
Chen Yixin called softly. Clutching Wenren Li’s arm, he slowly sat upright. In truth, he had not yet deteriorated to the point where he needed others to care for every aspect of his daily life. He simply disliked moving when unnecessary. But Wenren Li’s words had made him want to sit up himself.
Though Wenren Li did not directly support him, he controlled the Weaving Cloud to gently prop Chen Yixin up, allowing him to rise with little effort. Silently, Wenren Li watched him, waiting to hear what he wished to say.
But after sitting up, Chen Yixin leaned even closer. Only when barely a finger’s breadth remained between them did he stop.
Fearlessly, Chen Yixin stared directly into Wenren Li’s eyes. The faint smile disappeared from his lips as his eyes narrowed slightly, revealing traces of sharpness. The cold edge belonging to Heart-Slaying Master returned fully to him once more.
“What do you want?”
To live was a temptation he could not reject. Therefore, as payment, he would inevitably have to give Wenren Li something in return. Whatever it was, he would exchange it willingly for the chance to survive. Still, some matters needed to be made clear beforehand.
Meeting Chen Yixin’s gaze, Wenren Li’s eyes suddenly drifted downward toward the lightly pressed lips before him. As though recalling something, he turned his head slightly aside, completely avoiding eye contact.
That sudden trace of shyness from Wenren Li instantly made Chen Yixin’s questioning seem utterly absurd. As though his leaning close had actually been an attempt to flirt with the Li Kui Demon Lord.
Chen Yixin raised a brow faintly. He prided himself on understanding the hearts of men, yet at this moment, he found himself unable to comprehend Wenren Li’s thoughts at all. How could a dignified Soul Transformation demon cultivator become unable to withstand the proximity of a mere mortal?
“You’re overthinking again.”
Wenren Li’s gaze returned as he once again repeated what he had already told Chen Yixin before. He indeed harbored ulterior motives toward Chen Yixin. But they were absolutely not the kind Chen Yixin imagined.
From the moment they met until now, Wenren Li still had not figured out the proper way or tone with which to speak to Chen Yixin. Yet one thing was certain: the methods he used with subordinates would absolutely not work here.
As a result, already taciturn by nature, Wenren Li became even quieter when facing Chen Yixin.
Still, this was clearly not a moment where silence remained appropriate. After hesitating, Wenren Li once more lifted a hand to brush gently through Chen Yixin’s hair. Yet the words he spoke remained the same.
“Don’t think too much.”
In another context, those words might have sounded cold or heartless. Yet somehow, spoken by Wenren Li now, they carried a warmth capable of soothing the heart.
No matter how guarded Chen Yixin remained, he could no longer maintain it. Elegantly, he rolled his eyes.
The moment his guard fell, his knees softened too. Wenren Li instinctively reached out and caught him, and Chen Yixin collapsed directly into Wenren Li’s arms.
Wenren Li’s chest was firm and solid—far less comfortable than Weaving Cloud. Chen Yixin parted his lips, clearly intending to complain, yet the words lingering at the edge of his mouth never emerged.
Two grown men embracing each other left Chen Yixin stiff and Wenren Li equally stiff. But after sensing Wenren Li’s awkward rigidity, Chen Yixin gradually relaxed instead. Chuckling lightly, he finally dismissed the most absurd possibility he had considered.
“I possess nothing now. There’s nothing I can repay you with. But don’t worry—I’ll remember this.”
Wenren Li’s hand already rested upon Chen Yixin’s back. He patted him lightly once before remaining silent for a moment. Then he answered:
“Good.”
If he did not answer, Chen Yixin would never truly feel at ease. And this time, he would not allow Chen Yixin the chance to forget him again.
Hearing this, Chen Yixin’s brows relaxed, and his smile brightened several degrees. He remained just as pleasing to the eye as ever. Yet this smile differed somewhat from the faint polite smile he habitually wore while awake.
Unwilling to trouble a Soul Transformation demon cultivator to adjust his posture for him, Chen Yixin happily shifted into a more comfortable position himself.
He did not fear Wenren Li wanting something from him. What frightened him was Wenren Li wanting nothing. The Heavenly Dao was impartial, but human debts were the hardest to repay. And barring unforeseen circumstances, what he owed Wenren Li now was likely a life. That was a debt exceedingly difficult to repay.
“Oh, right. I meant to tell you this yesterday. You don’t need to personally take care of me. Just let A-Da and the others come in…”
As a Soul Transformation cultivator and Demon Lord of the Demon Palace, Wenren Li personally attending to his daily needs was truly an outrageous waste of talent. Chen Yixin firmly believed this. Yet under Wenren Li’s gradually cooling gaze, his voice grew softer and softer.
“Fine then… they’re busy.”
As though the entire Demon Palace contained only Wenren Li himself as an idle person. Besides, Chen Yixin did not intend for Nan Ke and the others to personally serve him either. He merely wanted them to use talismans and spells according to his instructions to make life more convenient.
“They protect your safety. I heal you.”
Wenren Li stared seriously at the somewhat guilty-looking Chen Yixin and repeated himself carefully.
“I’m not busy.”
“Alright then. You’re the most free.”
The corners of Chen Yixin’s lips curved upward again, though he himself did not quite understand why he found it amusing.
Yet one thing was certain. The Soul Transformation demon cultivator before him differed entirely from all the Soul Transformation cultivators he had known in the past.
Wenren Li could roughly guess what Chen Yixin found amusing. But when it came to personally caring for Chen Yixin, there was absolutely no possibility of him entrusting the task to anyone else.
Futile Devices Scans 
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