Gu Yunkai struggled for a moment, but the ice ribbon tightened more and more, embedding itself into his flesh. Realizing this, he ceased struggling. He opened his eyes, and his eyelashes lifted like the feathers of a crow, staring calmly at Lu Ran. His face, backlit by the light, had the same cold and pale quality as jade.
In this disheveled state, he was nothing like the calm and collected person he had been earlier, yet he remained as breathtakingly beautiful as if he were carved from ice and snow, making it impossible for anyone to look away.
Lu Ran, seeing his indifferent expression, felt an inexplicable anger rising within him. His gaze seemed to contain a kind of disdain, almost disgust. “It seems, Master, that you are forever aloof, always so composed.”
Facing his gaze, Gu Yunkai remained silent for a moment, speaking hesitantly, “The absurdity of our master-disciple relationship brought us to this point…”
He hadn’t finished his sentence when a violent fit of coughing erupted, making it almost impossible for him to speak. People instinctively curl up when they cough, but because his hands were bound, he couldn’t stop trembling from the intense coughing.
Lu Ran’s brow furrowed, his gaze as cold as an icy abyss. Yet, deep inside, he couldn’t help but admit that, at this moment, he felt no satisfaction. Instead, a piercing sensation, sharper than hatred—even a hint of sourness—welled up in his heart. Lu Ran stood there stiffly, not knowing what he should do next. His face remained emotionless as he looked at Gu Yunkai.
He had never imagined that such a day would come. He had always believed that no matter how much his Master despised him, he would never betray him or the Floating Light Sect.
How ridiculous it was that during the hundred years when his cultivation was crippled, he had been trampled upon like an ant, yet he never found it unbearable, never despaired, and never considered falling into the demonic path. It was because he knew that if his Master saw his disciple, whom he had personally taught, fall into the demonic path, the pain and disappointment would be unbearable.
Back then, he thought that as long as he could achieve something significant in the battle within the Demonic Realm, his Master might change his opinion of him, and the disgust would diminish.
But even when he gave his all, covered in wounds and blood, waiting for the moment they would meet again, all he received in the Demonic Realm was his Master’s cold and heartless gaze when he opened his eyes. It was as though his Master was not looking at him—not at his disciple, whom he had carefully nurtured for over twenty years, but at a notorious demon lord.
Not even a single word of explanation was heard.
He had deluded himself into thinking that the person closest to him in the world had never truly believed in him. His Master could unhesitatingly, without a trace of compassion in his gaze, cast him aside.
With this realization, his century of perseverance and hope seemed like nothing but a cruel joke. In his Master’s eyes, perhaps he had always been wayward and incorrigible from a young age, with a corrupt heart. What did it matter if he became a demon or not?
Lu Ran took a step forward to the edge of the bed, looking down at him with an exceptionally cold and stiff expression. His back was rigid, and if you listened closely, you could hear his clenched teeth as he spoke, “Master, I have only one question for you.
“Are you truly so hostile toward demons in general, or… is it only me?”
Upon hearing this, a tremor passed through the lashes of Gu Yunkai’s eyes. He looked up at Lu Ran, lips parched, and asked in a hoarse voice, “What’s the difference?”
“Of course, there is a difference…”
“Is it not the case that you now only regret not exterminating your sinful disciple when you had the chance back then… But why, when I never committed any atrocious acts and faithfully followed your teachings, am I still despised by you to this extent?” Sensing his own restlessness and the faint weakness and emotions creeping into his words, Lu Ran’s heart trembled, and the hand behind his back unconsciously clenched tighter.
Gu Yunkai’s complexion changed slightly, displaying a painful expression on his face. Cold sweat soaked his forehead, dampening the scattered hair. Under the stark contrast of black and white, his face appeared even paler and more haggard.
“At this point, no matter how much we say, it’s useless. In the end, it’s just fate that cannot be defied,” he said with a painful tone.
“What an unalterable fate,” Lu Ran replied, his voice slow and deliberate. For some reason, he felt a sudden, intense pain as if a blade had pierced his heart. It spread through him, numbing his limbs and rendering him unable to control himself. In his eyes, it was as though a terrifying beast had broken free from its cage. “So, Master, do you find the taste of being a prisoner now equally unalterable fate, as you mentioned earlier?”
Lu Ran’s eyes turned slightly red, and his aura visibly churned. The pain in his soul made Gu Yunkai’s body tremble incessantly. Due to the agony, his clothes were soaked in sweat, and his face had turned deathly pale.
“If it’s really like this, it’s just too absurd…” Lu Ran looked at Gu Yunkai, offering a faint smile, but his voice and smile seemed tinged with an indescribable desolation. His gaze shifted from Gu Yunkai’s hand to his face, and although a shadow of darkness briefly surfaced in his eyes, he quickly suppressed it. With a subtle movement of his eyes, Lu Ran clenched his fists tightly. In the end, he didn’t say anything more and hastily left his sleeping chamber.
Lu Ran’s sleeping chamber was a place where no one would enter except for him. Gu Yunkai’s soul was completely restricted by Lu Ran, and now he had no spiritual power, making him no different from an ordinary person. After being tormented like this for a day and a night, he felt as though his entire body was no longer his own.
Fortunately, although Lu Ran was angered and left, he didn’t forget about Gu Yunkai’s lack of spiritual power. He had someone deliver food to him.
The female demon cultivator who entered the room saw Gu Yunkai meditating. The Demon Sovereign had only instructed her to bring food for one person. In fact, under the harsh conditions of the demon realm, where crops couldn’t be cultivated, and only humans needed such sustenance, they, the demon race, could survive on demon beasts, demon plants, and demon stones. Therefore, such things simply did not exist in the entire demon realm.
With so much effort…
Originally, the female demon cultivator had many questions, but upon seeing this man, her eyes were filled with astonishment and awe.
He sat there quietly, exuding an otherworldly aura, with flowing ink-black hair and an unparalleled handsomeness that resembled a cold moon in the mountains. When he looked up, his sharp and stunning gaze pierced through everything. The fusion of these two extremes in his demeanor made him captivating, even in his injured and disheveled state. He could steal anyone’s heart with just one glance.
The Demon Realm was not lacking in attractive individuals, but here, strength reigned supreme, and looks were merely a bonus. Before this, she thought their current Demon Sovereign was handsome enough, and she found the comments from those female cultivators in the mortal realm about “real handsome men being in the immortal sects” to be absurd and laughable, claiming that one could hardly resist the urge to sleep with them after just one look…
Now, it seemed that such praise was not an exaggeration at all.
And why such a person would appear in the Demon Sovereign’s chambers was beyond her need for explanation.
However, what slightly disappointed her was that the Demon Sovereign seemed to prefer cultivators from the Daoist path from beginning to end. No wonder there hadn’t been a single female demon cultivator who had caught his eye in all these years.
“Are you the Demon Sovereign’s male partner?”
She spoke without any pretense, lacking the subtle nuances or tactful expressions. Moreover, as one of the three direct disciples of the No-Man’s Land, she held a supreme status in the Demon Realm. There was no need for her to be polite to an imprisoned individual.
What’s more, the Demon Realm and the Immortal Sects had been at odds for many years, so whenever she encountered a Daoist cultivator, she would usually take direct action.
However, Gu Yunkai didn’t respond. The female demon cultivator was tall and slim, with an iron whip coiled around her waist. Her black hair was tightly tied at the back of her head, and her aura was impossible to ignore, indicating her high cultivation level.
Seeing that he had only glanced at her and then closed his eyes again, paying her no heed, the female demon cultivator couldn’t help but feel a bit angry. After some thought, she continued, “You are a disciple of the Immortal sect, and judging by your attire, you must hold a prestigious position. I know you may not be willing, but now that you belong to our Demon Sovereign, it’s also a supreme honor…”
Gu Yunkai immediately opened his eyes and gave her a cold, piercing look.
The female demon cultivator was momentarily intimidated by his aura. She took a step back involuntarily after speaking, realizing that something was very wrong with this person…
In the blink of an eye, she was momentarily stunned. After carefully examining the person’s face again, a name slowly emerged in her mind.
—Gu Yunkai…
This name was known throughout the entire Purple Cloud Realm. Not only because of his extraordinary appearance and unmatched demeanor, but also because of his cultivation level and his achievements in swordsmanship that made others envy. Despite his young age, there were very few cultivators in the Purple Cloud Realm who could be considered his equal.
But for someone of his stature to appear in the Demon Realm and become a prisoner under their Demon Sovereign’s custody…
Before she could delve deeper into the intricacies of this situation, the man suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse and icy, “Is that what he told you?”
The female demon cultivator was momentarily taken aback by his unexpected words, and it took her a few seconds to regain her composure. However, before she could respond, several maids outside the door immediately spoke in a respectful tone, “Your Excellency.”
The female demon cultivator fell silent, but she noticed that Gu Yunkai had closed his eyes again.
As Lu Ran entered the hall, he gestured for the female demon cultivator by his side to withdraw. His gaze first fell lightly on Gu Yunkai for a moment before he calmly looked away.
[Host, are you afraid?]
[Afraid of what?]
[Don’t forget, the male lead in this world is quite ruthless. After all, he has been coveting you for several centuries.]
[If he dares, I’ll break his bones.]
The system felt a shiver down its virtual spine when it heard such a blunt statement coming from the host. Even though it didn’t have a physical body, it still felt an eerie sensation.
Several maids entered with clothing and departed after a while, leaving the chamber quiet, with only the sound of gently rippling water in the background.
In truth, Gu Yunkai couldn’t help but want to laugh. Was this guy trying to… seduce him?
After what seemed like a while, the water sounds finally ceased. Soon after, Gu Yunkai felt the presence of a looming shadow in front of him, accompanied by the refreshing, moist scent of water vapor. Before he could even open his eyes, he suddenly felt a pang on his chin, and when he did open his eyes, he saw Lu Ran standing in front of him.
He was only wearing a white inner garment, with his black hair flowing freely. His long and pale fingers gripped onto Gu Yunkai’s chin as he coldly said, “Why is Master so unwilling to even look at his disciple now? Are you really so concerned about tarnishing your own eyes?”
This kind of action carried an obvious hint of insult and mockery. Perhaps, because he had never been treated this way before, when Lu Ran noticed him opening his eyes to look at him, there was a moment of bewilderment in his gaze
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