However, at this moment, the emotion in Wenren Li’s heart outweighed desire far more. He pressed a gentle kiss to Chen Yixin’s lips before tightly locking the unconsciously seductive youth in his embrace. They remained like this, necks entwined, soothing the unease in each other’s hearts.
Chen Yixin’s eyes still sparkled brightly. Quietly held in Wenren Li’s arms, after a long while he could not help licking his lips before the corners of his mouth lifted, finally revealing a genuinely delighted smile.
“A-Li kissed me again…” he murmured softly, his voice filled with surprise and sweetness. Held like this, his expression gradually became more natural and comfortable as well.
“Mhm,” Wenren Li responded while slowly closing his eyes. Yet the more Chen Yixin thought about it, the more excited he became, utterly incapable of falling asleep.
He shifted slightly, lifting his head from Wenren Li’s embrace before leaning close to his ear and shyly asking, “Then… can I kiss A-Li too?”
Upon hearing this, Wenren Li slowly opened his eyes again. A faint smile likewise lingered within them. Before he could nod or respond, a soft kiss had already landed upon his cheek. Yet Chen Yixin was clearly not satisfied with that alone. Tilting his head again, he kissed Wenren Li directly on the lips.
“Chu.”
The sound was crisp and sweet.
Their gazes collided. Chen Yixin’s eyes curved like trembling galaxies, breathtakingly beautiful. Wenren Li lost focus for a moment before being kissed several more times in succession. Yet beyond that, Chen Yixin no longer dared continue taking the initiative.
To be able to share such intimate kisses already felt like he had profited enormously. Closing his eyes, he pressed tightly against Wenren Li and soon drifted asleep.
Wenren Li lay on his side upon the bed while holding him. His hand lightly patted Chen Yixin’s back over and over again, impossibly gentle.
He did not fall asleep, yet neither could he think too deeply. Lying peacefully together like this felt as though it belonged to some distant time long ago, and he could not help wanting to remain with Chen Yixin like this for a little longer.
Outside the command tent, many people worried over Chen Yixin’s condition. They feared he might have injured himself during the duel with the Roc Demon Emperor. Otherwise, why would Wenren Li stay shut inside with him for a full three days without emerging or issuing a single order?
“Please return, Sect Master Han. Without orders from the Demon Lord, we will not investigate anything.”
The Demon Guards once again turned Han Zichuan away. Even though they themselves worried, with their abilities they simply could not investigate anything. Such thoughts and actions were taboo around Wenren Li and Chen Yixin; they did not dare entertain them in the slightest.
“If the Demon Lord gives any instructions to the outside, please inform me immediately. Many thanks.”
Only after saying this did Han Zichuan retreat two steps and turn to leave. Yet before he had fully turned around, the tent flap—which had not been lifted in three days—was brushed aside by a hand. Then two figures, one tall and one shorter with a conspicuous height difference, stepped out from within. They were none other than Wenren Li and Chen Yixin, who had slept for three entire days.
Swinging Wenren Li’s hand happily, Chen Yixin’s face overflowed with delight. His eyes never once looked at the road. Even after walking four or five steps, his gaze still revolved entirely around Wenren Li.
He failed to notice even the Demon Guards standing nearby, much less Han Zichuan, who had already half turned away.
“Let’s stroll around Nether City. Whatever you like, we’ll buy it,” Wenren Li said. Though he noticed Han Zichuan, he had no intention of speaking to him. What had originally been a casual walk through the military camp was instead changed into a trip into Nether City.
“Alright, alright!” Chen Yixin bounced happily, biting lightly at Wenren Li’s cheek before blushing himself red and continuing forward in delight.
Wenren Li glanced sidelong at Chen Yixin, silently indulging both his clinginess and shameless flirting. Releasing Chen Yixin’s hand, he instead wrapped an arm around his waist, and the two vanished from the military camp together.
Han Zichuan had neither reason nor qualification to follow. He outwardly returned calmly to the guest tent within the camp, but only he himself knew that he was anything but calm.
Each additional meeting with Chen Yixin caused him to sink one step deeper. Especially outside the Northern Sea Immortal Light Secret Realm, when Chen Yixin single-handedly stood against the cultivators of the Northern Sea, unmatched in both intellect and strategy—not only had that nameless cultivator been dazzled by him, but Han Zichuan, secretly observing from the shadows, had been equally captivated, perhaps even more deeply so.
He had not escaped his love tribulation. He had merely delayed it. In the end it still arrived, and he still found himself moved by Chen Yixin, still found himself falling for him.
Wenren Li brought Chen Yixin on a stroll through Nether City’s market district before, under Ze Fang’s guidance, arriving at the underground treasury beneath the Nether Palace to inspect one of the greatest spoils from this campaign—the treasury of Demon Lord You Ruo.
Spirit stones piled into mountains, countless spirit herbs and materials, and shelves upon shelves of rare treasures sealed within jade boxes. Though You Ruo could not compare to Wenren Li in wealth, she was nevertheless a genuine Demon Lord ruling an entire domain. Without exception, every rare treasure here was something nearly impossible to find elsewhere.
“This is a map…”
Before Ze Fang could finish speaking, Chen Yixin had already leaned his head over. He recognized the two characters Ze Fang did not.
“Ice Spirit… tasty!”
As Chen Yixin spoke, he swallowed unconsciously. Clearly he had been fed such rare treasures often in the past by either Qingruo or Wenren Li. After staring at the map for two moments, he snatched it directly from Ze Fang’s hands.
Only when Wenren Li approached did Chen Yixin reluctantly pull the map back out from his robes. Then he stared up at Wenren Li pitifully, looking utterly greedy for it. Yet originally, Wenren Li had intended to use the Ice Spirit to help Chen Yixin practice swordsmanship.
“Judging by where the box was stored, You Ruo must have possessed it for quite a long time.”
Wenren Li did not take the cherished map from Chen Yixin. After one glance, he simply took Chen Yixin’s hand back into his own. Looking toward the opened jade box, he fell silent for a moment before speaking to Ze Fang instead.
“Have people send word back to the Demon Palace and tell Wu Fei to investigate. We must determine its origins clearly.”
“Yes.” Ze Fang bowed and retreated several steps to dispatch Demon Guards to carry out the order.
Wenren Li continued touring the treasury with Chen Yixin, selecting nearly all the important treasures. The remaining items that neither of them cared for were recorded by Ze Fang and would later be sent back to the Demon Palace treasury for future rewards and incentives.
Ze Fang accompanied Wenren Li and Chen Yixin into a palace hall that had already been tidied up for resting. His expression clearly showed that he had something he wished to say.
“Speak,” Wenren Li said after glancing toward Ze Fang. Chen Yixin likewise tilted his head and looked over at him.
Ze Fang instantly felt immense pressure. He suddenly realized just how much of an eyesore and nuisance he had become. Better to say everything quickly and leave quickly.
“This subject has a suggestion. Demon Lord might establish a merit system for all officers and soldiers. Killing enemies or contributing treasures could each earn a certain number of merit points. Merit points could then be exchanged for cultivation techniques or needed treasures, thereby motivating everyone.”
In truth, Ze Fang’s suggestion was hardly original. Both the righteous and demonic sects already possessed similar reward systems, though they were not referred to as “merit.” The Li Kui Demon Palace had once possessed such mechanisms as well. However, in the past they valued loyalty among subordinates above all else, causing these systems to become little more than empty formalities attached to various trials and examinations.
Yet now the Li Kui Demon Palace was expanding rapidly. Simply slaughtering all enemies was neither humane nor necessary. Inevitably, they would need to absorb some of these people, and such a system was currently the most effective way to help them integrate quickly into the Demon Palace. At the same time, it could increase morale and fighting spirit to some extent, accelerating the process of unifying Taixuan.
Under both present and future circumstances, the advantages of such a system far outweighed the disadvantages. Wenren Li had no reason to refuse.
“Very well. You and Ping Cheng will draft the detailed regulations together. Once it’s completed, let A-Rong review it. If he approves, then begin implementing it.”
“Yes.” Ze Fang knelt on one knee, accepted the order, and withdrew.
Chen Yixin and Wenren Li continued toward another nearby palace hall. Chen Yixin had already been in an excellent mood simply from coming out to play, and after Wenren Li entrusted him with a task, he became even happier. Once Ze Fang left, the last traces of restraint disappeared completely.
He nearly jumped directly onto Wenren Li, legs suspended in midair, before grabbing hold of Wenren Li’s face and showering him with kisses and saliva.
“Chu chu chu… A-Li, I’m so happy! I can finally help you too! I definitely won’t mess things up. Definitely, definitely!”
Wenren Li supported Chen Yixin beneath the thighs and continued carrying him toward the palace while listening to his nonstop chatter beside his ear.
“I actually know lots and lots of things. I’ve read so many jade slips—the ones from Yuxu Palace, Elder Brother’s private collection, Big Brother Linyu’s… There are countless cultivation techniques inside my head that can all be used as rewards…”
“I also understand restrictions, and many pill formulas too… Wow, I’m really amazing…”
The more Chen Yixin spoke, the more precious he found himself. Tilting back his slender neck, he looked impossibly proud.
Originally Wenren Li had merely listened casually, but hearing Chen Yixin describe all this only made him feel even more precious than before.
“A-Rong is amazing,” Wenren Li praised, setting him down and rewarding him with a kiss to the forehead. Casually pulling the map from Chen Yixin’s sleeve, he settled him onto his lap again so they could study it together.
Chen Yixin wriggled his hips slightly, unconsciously cupping his own face with both hands before obediently shrinking down and studying the map together with Wenren Li.
“The more I look at it, the less it resembles a map. It’s more like the Zhou Tian Star Chart hanging in Elder Brother’s room…”
Blinking, Chen Yixin muttered quietly. At the same time, some of his greed faded. According to his experience, once a treasure became connected to star charts, it meant it definitely would not end up in his mouth anytime soon.
“Zhou Tian Star Chart?” Wenren Li repeated doubtfully. He had never seen such a chart himself and naturally could not judge. Yet he had seen something similar recently. “There was also an Immortal Script Wall inside the forbidden grounds of the Heaven’s Secret Sect that looked very similar…”
The Immortal Script Wall constantly changed, yet Wenren Li had once spent more than ten years observing it there. He distinctly remembered seeing images resembling those on this map. Could it really have originated from the Heaven’s Secret Sect before eventually making its way into You Ruo’s possession?
“Immortal Script Wall… Could it be an immortal tome? Or did they steal Elder Brother’s treasure map?” Chen Yixin asked as two flames rapidly ignited within his eyes.
He had always possessed a monopolizing desire toward treasures. Yet among the treasures of Taixuan, very few could actually catch his interest. Now that this one might even be connected to relics left behind by his Elder Brother Qingruo, Chen Yixin was determined to obtain it.
Glancing at Chen Yixin’s expression, Wenren Li made no attempt to stop him from dwelling on the disappearance of Qingruo and the others. Perhaps this approach was the true way to soothe the unease still lingering in Chen Yixin’s heart.
After continuing to study the map for some time, Wenren Li finally had Chen Yixin put it away.
“There are also cultivation methods specifically for soul bodies. I’ll teach you.”
Once the playing ended, it was naturally time to cultivate again. For now, Wenren Li did not intend to let Chen Yixin relax too much in this regard.
“Alright,” Chen Yixin responded, though he first rubbed his cheek affectionately against Wenren Li’s before finally sitting properly and adopting a serious expression.
Feeling the lingering touch still remaining upon his cheek, Wenren Li sighed softly before slowly closing his eyes. Moments later, the silver hair and silver eyes vanished. In their place sat Wenren Li in black robes, black hair, and faint wisps of mist drifting around him.
This was Wenren Li’s soul body. During the ten years of slumber within the Northern Sea, he had fully recovered. Combined with cultivating both the Ascendant Demon Scripture and the Ascendant Immortal Scripture simultaneously, the growth of his soul body far surpassed what it once had been.
Chen Yixin immediately reached out to touch Wenren Li’s cheek before slowly sliding his hand downward, unable to resist stroking him again and again.
Wenren Li helplessly rubbed Chen Yixin’s hair. “Cultivate first.”
“Oh,” Chen Yixin replied, though his tone carried obvious reluctance. Yet Wenren Li pressed a finger against the center of his brows, and both the Ascendant Demon Scripture and Ascendant Immortal Scripture simultaneously poured into Chen Yixin’s sea of consciousness.
“Hm?” Chen Yixin did not begin cultivating as instructed. Instead he opened his eyes and shook his head. “This cultivation method is incomplete. At least one-third is missing. Let me think about it more carefully. I think I once saw the complete version inside A-Li’s Sacred Pavilion…”
Futile Devices Scans 
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