Sima Jiao, this former patriarch who once brought down the number one immortal sect in the World of Cultivation, now a genuine Demon Lord whose forces are currently unifying the Demon Realm, had actually brought her all the way here to some obscure city in the World of Cultivation for a vacation—all because she craved some local delicacies... What an utterly moving boyfriend he was.
Liao Tingyan thought about it and realized that all those stories she'd heard before—like a roommate's boyfriend getting up in the middle of the night to buy barbecue and cake just because of a phone call—paled in comparison.
Given how considerate her boyfriend was, even if he forced her to soak in the water with him, she could endure it.
Besides, the scenery around them was truly breathtaking, refreshing to both mind and spirit. Having lived in the Demon Realm for so many years, she had to admit the views there weren’t much to speak of—vast stretches of barren deserts and desolate forests, with few lush green plants. Winter City did have some vegetation, but most plants in the Demon Realm were different from those in the World of Cultivation, often oddly shaped and lacking in vibrant colors.
So, after years without seeing such beautiful scenery or breathing in the crisp, pure mountain air, she felt like she was melting into the water, becoming a drifting leaf.
Floating idly on the water, Liao Tingyan let her mind wander. Sima Jiao watched her drift, then rested his head on her stomach, gazing up at the sky just like her.
The red maples and bamboo groves rustled softly, and a crimson maple leaf drifted down. Liao Tingyan blew lightly on it, sending it spiraling back up, fluttering in the air like a butterfly. The two of them formed a T-shape, their eyes lazily following the leaf as it danced.
"Did we used to do this before?" Liao Tingyan asked.
"Mhm," Sima Jiao grunted through his nose, sounding half-asleep.
Liao Tingyan glanced at him. Compared to when they first met, he seemed increasingly lazy—almost like her. She had always been like this, prone to lounging around doing nothing in her free time. Friends often joked that spending too much time with her would infect them with laziness. Apparently, even a Demon Lord wasn’t immune to this "lazy disease."
Lost in thought, she absentmindedly twisted Sima Jiao’s hair between her fingers, then, out of habit, popped it into her mouth and chewed.
She couldn’t remember when she’d developed this bad habit of chewing on things while soaking in the bath. Back when she worked at Rouge Terrace, they had employee dormitories and bathhouses. Though Liao Tingyan lived at home, she occasionally bathed in the employee bathhouse, chewing on a kind of herb stem that whitened teeth and freshened breath. The bathhouse stocked plenty of these cleaning supplies, so she’d chew them idly—until it became a habit.
Realizing this wasn’t a teeth-cleaning herb but her Demon Lord boyfriend’s silky hair, Liao Tingyan froze. Under Sima Jiao’s deeply unimpressed stare, she carefully removed the hair from her mouth, rinsed it thoroughly in the water, then even pulled out a comb to smooth it before tucking it back in place.
"Was it tasty?" Sima Jiao asked.
Liao Tingyan: "No."
His expression darkened, and she quickly corrected herself: "Yes!"
His expression remained displeased.
Boyfriends were so hard to please.
Sima Jiao sat up, casually sweeping his hair back as he remarked, "You really are that gluttonous, huh? Even eating hair now."
I’m not! I didn’t!
"Get up. Let’s go eat," Sima Jiao said.The small lake was quite shallow, with a wooden corridor built over it. Sima Jiao stepped onto the wooden walkway, pushed aside some of the carved lattice panels, and turned to extend his hand to Liao Tingyan, who was standing in the water. With a firm tug, he pulled her up as well.
With a flick of his sleeve, all the moisture on his body vanished, leaving him looking as sleek and polished as ever—a true demon lord.
Liao Tingyan, who was busy wringing water from her hair while draped in a bathrobe, thought to herself: "…So you’re just going to dry off like that? Not even considering a change of clothes?"
Honestly, she was starting to suspect he never changed his clothes. Every day, his outfit looked more or less the same. Sure, he loved soaking in baths and was a cultivator who didn’t accumulate dirt or grime, but that didn’t mean he could just never change clothes—it was psychologically unsettling.
Back in her own space, she had discovered quite a few men’s outfits in various styles and colors, likely belonging to her "boyfriend." After some thought, she pulled out a robe embroidered with white celestial birds and auspicious clouds, holding it up for Sima Jiao to see. "How about changing into this one?" she asked.
Sima Jiao remained silent as he eyed the garment. Undeterred, Liao Tingyan produced another set—this one white with intricate black patterns. "What about this one? If you want a different look, this would work too."
She even brought out a more refined purple set, which exuded an air of luxury.
Her experience as a corporate drone had taught her that winning over a client required strategy. Instead of asking outright whether he wanted to change, she presented multiple options at once. That way, the question wasn’t whether to change, but which outfit to choose.
And just like that, with three options laid out, the odds were high that Sima Jiao wouldn’t even consider refusing—he’d just pick one.
Sima Jiao asked, "You prepared these for me?"
Liao Tingyan replied, "There are plenty in my space. They must have been yours before."
Sima Jiao suddenly smiled, leaning in close to whisper in her ear, "I didn’t know you’d prepared new clothes for me in the past."
…Ah. So the "past her" had indeed prepared clothes for her boyfriend but never actually given them to him—much like the ring she’d bought but never presented. Now, her amnesiac self had unwittingly exposed that fact.
Watching the demon lord’s smug grin and the barely concealed delight on his face, Liao Tingyan could only pretend nothing had happened.
Sima Jiao lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers.
He shed his outer robe, tossing it aside. Liao Tingyan quickly gathered the clothes and closed the wooden lattice windows. The dim, golden light of dusk filtered through the intricate carvings, casting a hazy glow over the room. As Sima Jiao removed his robes, his pale skin was bathed in a warm, dreamy radiance.
There was something captivating about the way he undressed—the graceful motion of slipping on an inner garment, the way the white fabric draped over his exposed chest before being covered by the black middle robe and outer layer, leaving only a hint of white at the edges. He adjusted the collar casually, his fingers deftly tying the sash, the elegant curve of his knuckles particularly striking.
His long hair had gotten caught under the robes, so he lifted a hand to free it from the collar. Every movement—the sway of his sleeves, the flow of his hair—combined with the play of light and shadow, evoked the nostalgic charm of old Hong Kong films from her childhood memories. Though she hadn’t understood much back then, she had instinctively grasped the concept of beauty.
Liao Tingyan clutched one of his belts, her gaze fixed on him, unable to look away. She felt as though she’d been bewitched.Sima Jiao took the belt from her hand with one hand, while the other cupped the back of her neck, pulling her in for another kiss. It wasn’t just a peck—he squeezed her neck, signaling her to part her lips.
Their elongated shadows stretched across the room, mingling with the floral patterns cast by the wooden window, like the silhouette of a lantern depicting a romantic scholar and beauty.
When Liao Tingyan snapped out of her daze, she realized Sima Jiao had already fastened the belt. It was tied beneath his outer robe, and as he withdrew his hands, the robe fell back into place, concealing the line of his waist. Once done, he sat down nearby and looked at her. “Alright, your turn.”
Liao Tingyan: “My turn?”
She glanced at her own clothes and thought, Was I so enchanted by his looks that I stood here watching the big boss change his clothes the entire time? Now, as courtesy dictated, it was his turn to watch her change.
Ignoring her boyfriend, whose posture exuded an air of dominance, she went behind a nearby screen to change.
As she put on her dress, Sima Jiao burst into laughter outside. Hidden behind the screen, Liao Tingyan secretly rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue in his direction.
His laughter gradually faded, but his gaze remained fixed on her shadow through the screen, still smiling. Perhaps it was because the twilight glow was too tender, but his expression held an unusual softness, almost unlike the solitary figure who once wandered like a shadow on Three Sage Mountain.
Once Liao Tingyan finished dressing and stepped out, Sima Jiao was already waiting by the door. “Let’s go.”
She approached and reached up to adjust his hair. He had dressed himself carelessly, leaving a few stray strands tucked into his collar. After smoothing them out, she finally walked out with him.
This was a private estate, sprawling and vast. The courtyard with its lake, bamboo grove, and red maple trees belonged exclusively to them. Beyond the gate, wide paths branched out in all directions. Wind-palanquins awaited by the walls, and the attendants carrying them eagerly ushered the two aboard. Moving at a leisurely pace, the ride allowed them to enjoy the scenery along the way.
“Are you two heading to the Gourmet Tower?”
Upon receiving confirmation, the accompanying guide enthusiastically began recommending the local delicacies in a warm, polite tone.
Guests at this private estate each had their own secluded courtyards, and meals could be delivered if desired. But for those who preferred livelier settings, the Gourmet Tower was a must-visit—a place where diners could enjoy performances and entertainment while eating.
Along the way, Liao Tingyan spotted other guests riding wind-palanquins. These palanquins moved as silently as a breeze, gliding past each other effortlessly whenever they crossed paths.
The Gourmet Tower was ablaze with lights, dazzling and resplendent. Hundreds of private pavilions encircled a central lake, connected by elevated walkways. At the heart of the lake, performers entertained on a small island.
The wind-palanquin delivered Liao Tingyan and Sima Jiao to one of the pavilions, where another attendant welcomed them inside. The impeccable service made Liao Tingyan marvel—this place must cost a fortune.
Once again, she felt like she had married into wealth. Wherever they went, Sima Jiao was never short on funds, so Liao Tingyan didn’t hold back. She ordered one of everything on the menu.
“Just serve them slowly—no need to bring everything out at once,” she instructed, rubbing her hands in anticipation of the feast.
Sima Jiao, uninterested in food, leaned to the side and waited.Liao Tingyan hadn't enjoyed such a sumptuous and delicious meal in a long time. After all, the Demon Realm had different regional flavors, and the taste wasn't quite the same. Moreover, at her cultivation level, eating these foods with low spiritual energy wouldn't make her feel stuffed at all, so she could indulge freely, satisfying both her mouth and taste buds.
There were also various beverages available for her to pour and drink at leisure from white jade pots, creating a very pleasant atmosphere. Soft music played in the background, accompanied by graceful dances, while an endless stream of delicacies—each a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate—brought overwhelming joy to all her senses.
It was right at this moment that a fight broke out outside.
Hearing the commotion, Liao Tingyan looked up.
A pavilion across the lake exploded, and three figures emerged from the wreckage. Opposite them stood over a dozen people in purple robes, pointing at the ruined pavilion and laughing loudly.
"Truly, it's been a long time. Who would have thought that Dongyang Zhenren, once a master of Clear Valley Heaven, would now join another sect? And by the looks of it, you're doing quite well," the leader of the purple-robed group said mockingly, his tone laced with resentment.
Among the three in green robes, the one at the front—a young man who appeared to be in his early twenties—replied, "Brother Xia has also joined White Emperor Mountain, hasn't he? I haven’t had the chance to congratulate you yet."
The purple-robed man sneered. "Since you know I'm now with White Emperor Mountain, you should also know that today marks your death. A mere Guyu Dock can't protect you!"
The young man sighed helplessly and cupped his hands in a polite gesture. "No matter what, we were once fellow disciples. Now that our paths diverge, why must you cling to past grievances?"
One side was aggressive, while the other, though soft-spoken, remained unyielding. Before long, the confrontation escalated into a full-blown fight.
Liao Tingyan only glanced at them briefly before returning to her meal. Unfortunately, her position was unlucky enough to be caught in the crossfire. The arrogant purple-robed cultivator, whose cultivation surpassed that of the green-robed man, sent his opponent crashing into Liao Tingyan’s pavilion, overturning her table in the process.
Still holding her chopsticks, with a piece of braised meat dangling precariously, Liao Tingyan glanced at the green-robed man, who coughed up blood as he struggled to stand. She silently ate the meat, set down her chopsticks, and then kicked the pursuing purple-robed cultivator—who was about to continue the assault—sending him flying back into his own pavilion.
Only after delivering that kick, under the stunned gaze of the green-robed man, did Liao Tingyan realize her mistake.
Oh no, she had forgotten—this wasn’t the Demon Realm.
Having lived in Crane Immortal City for so long, she had developed a reflex: the moment someone provoked her, she instinctively fought back. In the Demon Realm, showing weakness would only invite further bullying—a lesson learned through painful experience. The habit had momentarily made her forget the differences between the World of Cultivation and the Demon Realm.
Hesitantly, she turned to look at Sima Jiao, who was lying nearby.
But just then, the green-robed young man clutched his chest and called out uncertainly, "You… are you my disciple, Tingyan?"
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