When Destiny Brings the Demon

As His Majesty grew older, he increasingly disliked staying in the palace for long periods. He often traveled to various provinces with his ministers and guards on a whim, ostensibly to observe the people's conditions privately. In reality, everyone knew the Emperor was merely bored, hence the grand excursions despite court opposition. This time, he even abandoned the Spring Sacrifice and came to Liyang.

Wei Xianyu had served as the governor of Liyang for many years. Though his thoughts remained hidden, he had been diligently catering to the Emperor's entertainment these past days. Today, with the lively festivities outside the city, the Emperor wanted to watch the dragon boats. Wei Xianyu made thorough arrangements, even preparing a troupe of beauties to sing and dance by the lakeshore.

Yet upon arrival, the Emperor showed little interest in the dragon boats. He sat by the boat's edge, idly toying with a jade pendant at his waist.

As the hours dragged on, Wei Xianyu, standing in attendance, grew increasingly uncomfortable. His back was drenched in sweat, his legs sore. Accustomed to a life of luxury, he could hardly endure this. Tentatively, he spoke up, hoping to persuade His Majesty to retire and rest—so he, too, could relax.

The sixteen-year-old Emperor had a face as fair as a maiden's, with porcelain-like skin, jet-black hair, and dark eyes—undeniably handsome. Yet an inexplicable air of cruelty clung to him, his gaze piercing and oppressive, as if he could see through a person's soul.

He seemed not to hear Wei Xianyu's words, his expression unreadable, lost in thought.

"Your Majesty..." Wei Xianyu, having long resided in Liyang, had little interaction with this rumored tyrant. Seeing no response, he cautiously tried again.

Without warning, Sima Jiao—who had been sitting calmly—suddenly flicked his sleeve, sending a teacup flying at Wei Xianyu without even a glance. The cup struck his forehead, drenching him in tea leaves.

Wei Xianyu's eye twitched, but he dared not utter a word, lowering his head to hide his expression.

Just then, he saw Sima Jiao rise abruptly and tear open the translucent embroidered curtain hanging by the window, his gaze searching for something outside.

The jade hooks and tassels holding the curtain were yanked loose, falling to the ground. The beads bounced and rolled beneath a nearby table.

Not only Wei Xianyu but even the eunuchs attending the Emperor looked on in astonishment.

One of them swallowed nervously and stepped forward, whispering, "Your Majesty, what troubles you? Are you searching for something?"

Sima Jiao pressed a hand to his temple. "A woman in a lavish carriage passed by earlier. Find her for me."

......

"What? He's now the Emperor of Hu?"

Liao Tingyan was first shocked, then found it fitting. She had always felt this ancestor had the makings of a tyrant—now it was official.

But what now? Should she simply abduct Sima Jiao back to the Demon Realm, or first approach him to test if his memories had returned before gradually revealing the past?

Black Snake had stayed behind in the Demon Realm to keep subordinates in line, leaving Liao Tingyan with only Hongluo and a group of demon generals and cultivators.

Hongluo said, "Of course, take him back first. Right now, he's just a mortal—he can't resist. You can do as you please with him. Besides, he must cultivate again. Even if his body's aptitude is poor, with that ancestor's comprehension, he’ll surely make something of himself."

Liao Tingyan listened but remained silent for a long time.

She was lost in thought.The courtyard where they had temporarily settled was overgrown with clusters of gardenias, their dark green leaves and white flowers right outside the window. She stared blankly at the blossoms for a while before suddenly saying, "No, we'll stay here. I won't take him back to the Demon Realm, nor will I let him cultivate."

I want him to live as an ordinary mortal for this lifetime.

Hongluo couldn't understand at all, her eyes widening as she exclaimed, "Not let him cultivate? Mortals only live for a few short decades. Do you really intend to watch him live out those years and then just die like that? What will you do then?!"

Liao Tingyan wanted to say that she had once been a mortal too, and she had never imagined she would one day possess such a long life. Truthfully, she didn't want to live that long—it was terrifying. Just these dozen or so years had already left her utterly exhausted.

Mortals were fine; a few decades of life were enough.

Perhaps for Sima Jiao, being an ordinary person would be the luckiest thing. He was originally supposed to have his Divine Soul completely annihilated—it was she who forcibly kept him here. If they insisted on pursuing longevity, it would seem too greedy.

She didn't speak, but glanced at Hongluo. Hongluo understood then that she wouldn't change her mind. In their stubbornness, she and Sima Jiao might truly be a perfect match.

Though Hongluo still couldn't comprehend her thoughts, she knew she couldn't persuade her otherwise. She could only point out the immediate problem: "Since you don't want to take him away, you'll have to stay here with him. But what identity will you use to approach him? Have you thought about what to do afterward? You've searched for him all these years—surely you don't mean to just watch him secretly from the sidelines."

That definitely wouldn't do.

It was indeed a problem.

After a moment's thought, Liao Tingyan said, "How about this: I'll use Spells to give him a dream, and then enter it." Wasn't there that trope where someone dreamed of a beautiful older sister and fell in love at first sight?

She recalled the "Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River" and decided to improvise, borrowing a timeless template. "The dream will be set by a river where he's playing, and suddenly he sees a celestial maiden standing by the water. At first sight, he'll be awestruck by her beauty."

After repeating this dream a few times, she would find an opportunity to recreate the scene in reality. For her, this would be quite simple. Making her debut as a goddess would set such a lofty standard that any unusual traits she displayed later could easily be explained.

Absolutely brilliant.

Liao Tingyan nodded in satisfaction, feeling this operation had a very mythical flair.

Hongluo: I feel like this isn't very reliable, sis. Are you really going to do this?

Liao Tingyan: This is basic strategy. What could possibly go wrong?

The two discussed in detail how to convincingly pretend to be a descending immortal and effectively captivate a tyrant, when suddenly a demon general's voice came from outside: "Demon Lord, a group of mortal soldiers has arrived outside."

What soldiers? They had just arrived here and hadn't even had time to do anything wrong yet. How could soldiers already be at their door?

Could it be because they hadn't obtained entry permits or prepared fake identities, and now their water meter was being checked? But were the household registration systems of these mortal nations really so strict nowadays?Liao Tingyan was even more bewildered when she saw the group of people accompanied by guards. The leader was a soft-spoken, fair-faced young man. He wasn’t there to investigate unregistered residents but instead smiled at Liao Tingyan, who was seated in the host’s position, and said, “My lord caught sight of you by the riverside and has been unable to forget you. Thus, he sent us to find you. We hope you will come with us to meet him.In the Hu Kingdom, "nǚláng" was the term used for unmarried young women, while "lángjūn" referred to men.

Liao Tingyan: “…”

She understood now. She had encountered a lecher on the street who had taken a fancy to her looks and sent people to track her down, intending to forcibly take her as his own.

To think she’d actually experience this kind of plot in her lifetime? Honestly, Liao Tingyan had almost forgotten that she was supposed to be a great beauty.

Hongluo and the other demon generals and cultivators disguised as servants and guards exchanged glances upon hearing this. This… Liao Tingyan had once been the Dao companion of Sima Jiao, the world’s greatest Demon King. Later, she herself became the Demon Lord of the Demon Realm. Who would dare to covet her? Even if someone did, they wouldn’t dare say it out loud. Who could have imagined something like this happening?

Perhaps because it was so absurd, Liao Tingyan didn’t even feel anger. Only the towering, fierce-looking demon generals beside her wore expressions of offended fury.

What kind of little bastard dared to lust after their boss?! Skin him alive! Tear out his tendons! Refine his soul!

Sensing their hostility, the previously haughty fair-faced man now trembled, his voice shaking involuntarily. “Our lord… is no ordinary man. If you are willing, untold riches and honor will be yours…”

Liao Tingyan almost laughed. “Oh? How much honor are we talking about?”

The man straightened slightly. “My lord’s surname is Sima, and he hails from Yancheng.”

Yancheng was the royal capital, and Sima was the royal surname. There was only one person who could claim that name—Sima Jiao, the ruler of the Hu Kingdom.

Liao Tingyan: “…”

Who? Did you just say who?

Liao Tingyan: “…Sima Jiao?”

The man’s expression darkened. “How dare you address His Majesty by his full name!”

Hongluo and the demon generals fell into silence. This time, no one was angry—they all felt like this couldn’t possibly be real.

Liao Tingyan: I definitely haven’t started dreaming or making up scenarios yet, right?

In the strange silence, Hongluo patted Liao Tingyan’s shoulder and whispered, “Well, you know… fate ties people together across great distances. Maybe cherish this… connection?”

Liao Tingyan suddenly realized: “!!!” Sima Jiao! He had turned into a scoundrel who, upon seeing a beautiful woman on the street, would send people to forcibly bring her to him! And he was so practiced at it—this probably wasn’t his first time!

Damn you, Sima Jiao! You’re dead!

I’m telling you, you’re dead!

Liao Tingyan boarded the carriage sent to fetch her and rode in silence to the residence of Wei Xianyu, the governor of Liyang.

She thought about how she would vent her anger when she saw Sima Jiao—slap that fair face of his, kick him flying first, or say a few words before acting…

But when she finally saw that familiar face again, she found herself frozen, staring at him as a flood of tangled emotions surged within her.

A line of poetry came to mind:

“Long parting in the mortal world does not bring sorrow.”

No sorrow—until the sudden reunion.

A thousand words rose in her throat, but she didn’t know where to begin. Liao Tingyan gazed at the man who sat there, looking at her with idle indifference. When she met his eyes, tears instantly fell.She wanted to say, "I've been searching for you for so long." She also wanted to say, "I often dream, but I rarely dream of you." She even wanted to scold him, to berate him harshly, and most of all, she wanted to go over and hug this person she had finally found after so much difficulty. But whether it was affection or anger, she couldn't bring herself to approach him. It was as if she were rooted to the spot, watching him with tears streaming down her face.

Sima Jiao: "..."

He had been sitting there, watching her cry with an indifferent expression, until the jade cup he'd been toying with slipped from his hand and shattered on the ground. He stood up, walked over to Liao Tingyan, and roughly wiped away her tears with his thumb. "Why are you crying?"

Irritated, he shot a glare at the attendant who had brought her in. "I told you to find her, not abduct her."

The attendant paled under his gaze. "Your Majesty, this lady truly came of her own will!"

Of her own will? If she came willingly, why was she crying as if her husband had just died?

Sima Jiao felt a headache coming on from all the crying. Hesitating for a moment, he rubbed the traces of tears left on his fingers, sensing the familiar throbbing pain of his chronic headache creeping up, pulsing at his temples.

Liao Tingyan, still sobbing, found a spot to sit down, steadying herself against a small table by the couch.

Sima Jiao, pressing his temples in anticipation of an outburst: "..."

How are you so natural at this?