The Demon Realm was located in the southwest of the continent, known for its treacherous terrain and the corrupting miasma that clouded the minds of those who entered. The demons within were cruel and bloodthirsty, making it a place where ordinary cultivators dared not set foot. It was called the “Realm without a Master” because even though the demons were savage and combative, strength reigned supreme within the realm. Those with higher cultivation were the rulers, and every demon willingly submitted to the most powerful.
The Lord of the Demon Realm resided in the Demon Palace within the heart of the “Realm without a Master.” The palace was shrouded in layers of intricate formations, and it emanated an eerie silence, as if any living being that entered would become cold and lifeless.
The Demon Palace never saw sunlight and was perpetually frozen, much like the Frost Peak, but the Frost Peak was known for its elegance and purity, while the Demon Palace was a desolate, icy labyrinth.
Lu Ran carried Gu Yunkai to his sleeping quarters in the Demon Palace. The “Realm without a Master” knew no day or night, and the dim palace was filled with ghostly blue flames that flickered in the air. Lu Ran’s figure was not clearly visible in this darkness, and he was surrounded by a formidable and unhidden aura of demonic energy.
Lu Ran gently placed the person from his arms onto his own bed and lowered his gaze to look at him. Those eyes, originally sharp and cold, were now hidden beneath long lashes. His black hair scattered around him, and his face still retained its ethereal, cold beauty, unchanged from years past. This sight gave Lu Ran a surreal feeling, as if time were flowing backward.
Back when he had been accepted as the first disciple under the Peak Master’s seat, many had come to congratulate him. However, Gu Yunkai hadn’t said anything to him at the time. He had simply arranged for Lu Ran to stay in the ** Hall. Lu Ran continued attending the morning lessons with the other disciples of the Cloud Crane Peak. Some had even ridiculed him, suggesting that Gu Yunkai had reluctantly accepted him as a disciple due to the sect’s reputation, insinuating that he wasn’t worthy of being Gu Yunkai’s disciple. After all, why would someone as prestigious as Gu Yunkai take him in?
Lu Ran had initially believed those words and felt heartbroken. He had spent a long time in sadness. However, after the sorrow had passed, he had become stubborn. He had thought to himself, “If Gu Yunkai accepted me as a disciple but didn’t teach me any cultivation techniques, then it would be better for me to return to being an outer disciple. At least that way, I’d have more freedom.”
It wasn’t until half a month had passed like this that Lu Ran finally saw his nominal master again.
At that time, fresh snow had just fallen, and the world was blanketed in pure white. The sky and the earth merged into a realm of pristine beauty, with thousands of miles covered in silver.
Lu Ran had initially started running toward Gu Yunkai in small steps. However, he suddenly stopped, and both his feet sank into the snowy ground. He gazed at the person standing alone on the chilly mountaintop, his white Daoist robe fluttering in the cold wind. Gu Yunkai’s features were as cold and pure as if they were created by heaven itself. It was as if all the frost of the nine heavens had gathered on him alone, like the lingering crescent moon in the sky or drifting icebergs on the sea, distant and aloof.
Hearing the voice, Gu Yunkai turned his head slightly and said to Lu Ran, “Come here.”
Lu Ran stood still, pursed his lips, and bowed to Gu Yunkai. “Master.”
Gu Yunkai didn’t dwell on formalities and walked up to Lu Ran, asking, “Do you know why I asked you to come here today?”
“Disciple doesn’t know,” young Lu Ran replied with a childish voice.
“Your constitution is extremely unique. I’ve been searching through our library for days, but I haven’t found a suitable cultivation technique for you,” he paused briefly, hesitating for a moment before continuing, “Although the path of cultivation is often determined by one’s own circumstances and destiny, choosing the wrong cultivation technique can lead to wasted efforts and unnecessary detours.”
“Originally, the most suitable cultivation technique for the sword path should be the ‘Transcendent Stone Expander.’ However, this technique is far too domineering for you. While it can bring rapid progress, it’s also more prone to self-harm.”
…
Lu Ran’s eyebrows twitched slightly as he lowered his head, and his slender fingers glided over Gu Yunkai’s face. The wounds caused by the ice blades in those few places instantly disappeared as if ink marks had turned into water and vanished into thin air.
In the vast passage of time, tranquility and happiness were but fleeting moments. What followed was an endless, eternal agony, scorching to the point where it nearly consumed one’s very soul.
Lu Ran stood up, hands behind his back, and remained silent for a long time.
“Dark Lord.”
The voice was gentle and ethereal, accompanied by a clear bell-like tone. A graceful and exquisite woman, her face radiant with beauty, and her figure alluring, appeared on the layered steps of the grand hall. She gracefully bowed to Lan Ran.
This woman was dressed in fine, translucent silk that left little to the imagination. Her fair skin was exposed, captivating the eyes, and her figure was alluring and voluptuous. She was undoubtedly the flower of the demonic realm, Vice Sect Master Ye Lingsha of one of the three major sects in the demon domain.
In the Demonic Realm, the culture around relationships was incredibly open. Unlike cultivators, demonic cultivators didn’t have fixed partners, and even if they had partners, they didn’t require fidelity or exclusivity. Most demonic cultivators led chaotic private lives, pursuing their own freedom and instincts. The successive Dark Lords were exemplary in this regard, indulging in relationships with both men and women. However, Ye Lingsha was different. Despite her formidable cultivation and captivating beauty, she was not like other demonic female cultivators who indulged in promiscuity. It wasn’t that she was arrogant or self-righteous, but rather, more than a hundred years ago, she had already fallen deeply in love with the then-cultivator, Lu Ran.
Faced with such a stunning beauty, there were originally no men in the world who could resist her charms. However, Lu Ran remained unmoved and spoke with a cold tone, “Take some people and go to the Hengyue Sect. Bring back two individuals for me.”
Ye Lingsha smiled, and her beautiful eyes shimmered like rippling autumn water. “Understood, Dark Lord.”
“The two elders of the Hengyue Sect, Yu Xu and Qing Wei.”
Ye Lingsha’s gaze passed through Lu Ran, and she could vaguely see a snow-white, slender figure on the white jade bed. She was puzzled, but then she felt a gaze scanning her face. Immediately, Lu Ran’s cold voice came, making it impossible for her to discern his emotions. “Do you have any more questions?”
Ye Lingsha let out a muffled hum, feeling the overwhelming pressure and swallowing the rising bitterness in her throat. She quickly lowered her head and said, “No more questions.”
However, Lu Ran didn’t even look at her, just waved his hand to signal her to leave.
Ye Lingsha knew that this Dark Lord had a volatile temperament, so she didn’t dare to provoke him further, even though she was extremely unwilling. She reluctantly retreated.
But before leaving, she couldn’t help but glance at the white jade bed in the corner of the hall. She found it extremely strange, full of questions.
The figure lying there was clearly that of a man.
…
[Who would have thought that the protagonist would turn into the antagonist? My goodness, the storyline in this world is so absurd.]
[Who says the protagonist can’t become an antagonist? The Demon Realm has an open-minded culture, and I think he’s doing quite well here.]
As Chu Yan contemplated the transformation of the once obedient little cabbage, Lu Ran, into the one who had severely injured him, he couldn’t help but feel a bit nostalgic.
[…Master, can I interview you? As a prisoner now, what are your thoughts?]
Chu Yan thought for a moment and summarized: [Probably another experience of being pampered to the fullest, an extremely enjoyable mind and body experience, or perhaps a few days of touring the local customs in the Demon Realm…]
[Master, don’t you feel a sense of contrast? Also, seeing your own disciple, whom you’ve watched grow up, turn into this, doesn’t it grieve your heart?]
[…In the end, he will understand. Your master has put in so much effort for him.]
When Gu Yunkai woke up, the entire hall was deserted, enveloped in a profound silence.
Only the night wind stirred the icy silk curtains in the hall, and the candlelight flickered in rhythm with the moonlight.
However, Gu Yunkai knew that Lu Ran could easily tear through the spatial barrier. He could enter this place as effortlessly as he would his own backyard, and there was no certainty that he wouldn’t arrive in the next moment.
Although the wounds on his face had already healed, the injuries on his body had been left untreated, and the bloodstains had long dried up.
In theory, these injuries were minor for someone of Gu Yunkai’s cultivation level, hardly worth mentioning. However, his soul had been completely sealed by Lu Ran, and his spiritual energy was obstructed, preventing him from healing himself.
The two of them locked eyes, and in Gu Yunkai’s gaze, Lu Ran detected a hint of disbelief mixed with a sudden realization.
Lu Ran chuckled and took a seat at the table, pouring himself a cup of tea. He spoke calmly, “Master.”
In the demonic realm, Lu Ran’s demonic energy was completely unrestrained. His robe bore intricate and eerie blood-red patterns that seemed to shift with the light. The robe itself was pure black, with only the collar and cuffs in snowy white. This contrast accentuated his cold and indifferent demeanor, his smile seemingly mocking. His features were as if carved from ice, and he possessed a cultivation level that was beyond the reach of most cultivators in the Purple Cloud Realm. Over the past hundred years, he had received no shortage of adoration and admiration from others. He had the capital to be arrogant and haughty, and his slightest smile, even if tinged with disdain, could captivate thousands of female cultivators. He was no longer the obedient disciple in the Floating Light Sect.
Similarly, his thoughts were no longer as easily decipherable. The cruel laws of the Demonic Realm could lead anyone with a kind-hearted nature to plunge into darkness, and Lu Ran himself was not a completely innocent person. He had witnessed many of the darker aspects of human nature and was no longer as easily deceived or fooled as he had been initially.
If it weren’t for knowing about his deep attachment to Gu Yunkai, Chu Yan would never have been so self-indulgent, believing that he had the ability to make someone like Lu Ran let go of his resentment.
However, he did know how Lu Ran felt about Gu Yunkai.
“Why isn’t Master curious about where this is?” Lu Ran tapped his fingers lazily on the table, reclining elegantly in his chair. His whole aura exuded a sense of nobility and elegance.
Gu Yunkai raised his gaze to look at Lu Ran and calmly replied, “This is the ‘No Master’s Territory’ of the Demonic Realm, and this place… is your residence.”
Clearly, Lu Ran’s voice trembled slightly upon hearing Gu Yunkai’s words, but it wasn’t due to fear or panic. Instead, there seemed to be a complex emotion resembling sadness and helplessness.
Lu Ran paused briefly and then leaned back in his chair, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He said, “Master, the grace of teaching you’ve bestowed upon me, and the various kindnesses you’ve shown me, I dare not forget. So, there’s no need for Master to be so alarmed.”
While he spoke these words sincerely, Gu Yunkai couldn’t help but feel that Lu Ran was genuinely mocking him. He didn’t think he had truly taught Lu Ran any valuable skills; it was more like he had provided him with various techniques and elixirs and allowed him to learn and improve on his own. Upon reflection, the only time he had put in full effort was when he had struck Lu Ran with his palm.
“You are now practicing the demonic path, and I have not bestowed any teaching upon you. As for your claim that I have been kind to you, I doubt you believe it yourself. So, what’s the point of saying it?”
Lu Ran slowly stood up from his chair and looked at Gu Yunkai, saying, “Master, you are as unyielding as ever, showing no mercy.”
His change in demeanor was quite remarkable. Seeing Lu Ran stand up, Gu Yunkai couldn’t help but take a step back.
“Back then, you stripped me of all my cultivation, turning me into a useless waste who could never cultivate again… Now, naturally, I must make you experience the feeling of being at the mercy of others…”
As he finished his sentence, a cruel smile played at the corners of his lips. A silk-like ice ribbon appeared out of thin air, cold and menacing, seemingly alive. It swiftly and accurately bound Gu Yunkai’s hands. After a few sounds of the ribbon cutting through the air and fabric, Gu Yunkai’s body was suspended, hanging directly above the white jade bed.
The ice ribbon appeared soft like silk but had the toughness of steel. It tightened inch by inch, making it impossible for Gu Yunkai to break free.
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