Outside the Ten Thousand Demons Tower, things were much quieter, with the demons orderly queuing to enter.
The two joined the end of the line. Jian Lin tilted her head to look forward. The grand hall on the first floor was brightly lit, with small demons in blue tunics bustling about, serving the visiting demons.
Jian Lin looked up at the towering building that reached into the clouds and chatted with the system. "A Zha, what kind of business does the Ten Thousand Demons Tower do?"
"Business related to desires. Whatever you want, as long as you pay enough, you can enjoy it within the Ten Thousand Demons Tower," the system explained diligently. "The three most popular businesses are brothels, fine dining, and bathhouses."
Jian Lin suddenly understood. With that explanation, she got it. The Ten Thousand Demons Tower was quite something.
Habits from her previous life kicked in. As soon as she entered the hall, she noticed the way the small demons greeted guests. They handled number taking, token issuance, and crowd diversion very well, efficiently and without error. The management was excellent.
In the blink of an eye, it was the Demon Lord's turn. A goat demon sat behind the counter, smiling politely and asking, "Esteemed guest, what are your needs?"
The Demon Lord's expression was blank. He said briefly, "I wish to make a transaction with Granny Sacred Fox, face to face."
The goat demon's eyes immediately widened. He carefully examined the guest before him. Seeing the guest clad in black with an extraordinary aura, he quickly made a judgment and said respectfully, "Esteemed guest, to conduct a transaction with Granny Sacred Fox, there are a few rules that need to be explained. The entry fee is 100,000 spirit stones."
"After paying the spirit stones, you may enter the pleasure house and challenge the trials. If you reach the top floor through your own skill, Granny Sacred Fox will naturally open her doors to welcome you. If you lose, please leave quietly. The entry fee is non-refundable," the goat demon said with a smile. "Do you understand? Do you have any other questions?"
Jian Lin, listening from behind, gasped. Good heavens, 100,000 spirit stones just to start? Was that not just price gouging?
Moreover, that was just the entry fee. There were still trials to pass, and meeting Granny Sacred Fox would require exchanging precious items. She couldn't help but wonder, was it really worth it?
As Jian Lin was silently complaining, the Demon Lord took out a spirit stone deposit slip from his embrace and elegantly handed it to the goat demon. "100,000 spirit stones. No questions. Please arrange it as soon as possible."
Jian Lin was startled and immediately leaned forward, staring at the 100,000 deposit slip. She admitted she was ignorant; she had never seen what a spirit stone deposit slip looked like.
The goat demon stood up, solemnly extended both hands to receive it, unfolded it for verification, and then raised his hand to ring the large bell overhead. The bell's resonant sound instantly drew the attention of everyone in the hall.
"Pleasure House, heed the command! A guest—has—arrived—" the goat demon announced loudly.
The busy small demons in blue in the hall immediately formed two rows to clear the path for the distinguished guest, shouting in unison, "Pleasure House, heed the command! A guest—has—arrived—"
The other guests were kept outside. They looked in through the small blue-clad demons, whispering and discussing amongst themselves.
Jian Lin sighed. Regardless, the display of respect was certainly grand, befitting a transaction of 100,000 spirit stones.
The Demon Lord flicked his cloak, turned, and strode forward. Jian Lin held her head high and followed closely behind him. Amidst the gazes of the crowd, they walked along the corridor into the depths of the hall.
Torches were lit along both sides of the corridor. At the end, there was a thick, heavy redwood door, with the Nine-Tailed Fox emblem imprinted on it.
The two arrived at the door, and it slowly opened. Inside, it was pitch black, and the situation was unclear.
The Demon Lord did not hesitate. He stepped forward. Jian Lin's heart pounded. He might not be afraid, but she was. She quietly tugged on the Demon Lord's cloak, bracing herself, and entered the world of pure darkness.
Behind them, the large door creaked shut slowly. The last bit of light disappeared, and the surroundings became silent, with only the sound of their breathing audible.
The Demon Lord stood still, calm and collected. Jian Lin also dared not move rashly, fearing she might hinder the Demon Lord's important business.
After a long silence, the Demon Lord suddenly reached back, grabbed Jian Lin's shoulder, and lifted her into the air. The sound of rushing wind indicated an attack. Someone, no, a demon was attacking them!
Jian Lin knew her own limitations. She raised her hands and hugged the Demon Lord's waist, freeing his hands to retaliate.
In the darkness, the Demon Lord moved up and down, fighting with the demonic entity. Both sides maintained an eerie silence, with only the sound of the wind during their clashes audible.
After several rounds of this, the Demon Lord landed on the ground and suddenly pulled Jian Lin back, forcefully throwing her out.
The suddenness of the action made Jian Lin let out a short scream. Instantly, she felt tiny sounds surrounding her. Her hand even brushed against something furry.
Jian Lin cursed inwardly, "You stinking man, using me as bait!"
Indeed, men were unreliable. She had to rely on herself for everything. Jian Lin turned in mid-air, her large tail helping her maintain balance, giving her ample time to react. She hugged herself tightly, accumulating demonic energy, and then shot out in all directions like an arrow.
As long as she shot enough, she was sure to hit something. Indeed, she heard the sound of something falling to the ground with a thud.
She flipped and landed, smelling a familiar cool, chilling scent. The Demon Lord approached and placed a small, cold object into her palm. As she moved, it emitted a crisp bell sound.
It was a bell! Good heavens, the Demon Lord wanted her to be a mobile lure!
Jian Lin gritted her teeth. Fine, she was a person of her word. She had said she would go all out for the young master, and now was certainly not the time to complain.
Holding the bell, she ran around with all her might until she was panting, her demonic energy depleted, and a familiar taste of blood appeared in her mouth. "Young... Young master, I really can't anymore..."
Jian Lin stopped, collapsing onto the ground. The subtle, disgusting sounds around her surged towards her like a tide.
She had actually guessed what they were. They were probably mice. She wasn't afraid, just incredibly disgusted, so disgusted she wanted to die.
She closed her mouth, preparing to feel pain. Suddenly, in a corner to her front left, a beam of firelight appeared.
Turning her head, she saw the Demon Lord holding a candlestick. Where the light shone, the demonic entities disappeared along with the darkness.
"Come here, it's safe over here," the Demon Lord said calmly.
Jian Lin reacted and scrambled to his side. She saw him standing before a stone platform, about six inches long and wide. The stone surface was carved with a small, intricate maze. In the bottom left corner was a small black ball, clearly meant to be pushed through the maze.
"Hurry up. The candle's length is limited and will burn out soon. If you miss this chance, you'll have to find another candle."
Jian Lin felt immense pressure. She extended her finger and pressed the small black ball, trying frantically. She said nervously, "Ahhh, I can't do it. Why don't you do it, young master? You're smarter than me, you'll definitely take less time."
"I am smarter than you, and I would certainly take less time, but I don't want to do it. Anyway, it's not me trapped in the darkness as bait, so I'm not in a hurry," the Demon Lord said calmly and composedly.
Jian Lin realized this man was doing it on purpose! He just wanted to see her in trouble, scared, and embarrassed! How malicious!
No, now was not the time to be angry. Jian Lin commanded herself to calm down and used her speed to navigate the maze. As long as she was fast enough, she wouldn't have to worry about reaching a dead end!
The candlelight flickered. The Demon Lord deliberately placed the candlestick in front of her, indicating the length of the candle.
Jian Lin didn't care. If she had to talk about pressure, when she gambled all her assets to snatch clients back then, she felt more pressure than now. After all, that was real life.
And now, she was just a virtual symbol that could be reset.
She fought with increasing vigor. Just as she was about to finish the last row, the candle couldn't hold on and suddenly extinguished. The subtle, disgusting sounds reappeared. Jian Lin endured it all, her hands steady, and completed the last row in the darkness.
The black ball rolled off the stone platform, hitting the ground with a clatter. Then, torches ignited around the walls, illuminating the dark room and driving away all the demonic entities.
Jian Lin let out a long sigh of relief, leaned against a supporting pillar of the stone platform, and looked up at the Demon Lord, smiling. "Fortunately, I succeeded. No need to start over."
The Demon Lord stood to the side with his arms crossed, asking with interest, "Don't you have anything to say to me?"
Jian Lin's gaze involuntarily drifted upwards, staring at the two zeros above his head. She shook her head silently, saying with great magnanimity, "No, I said I would give my all. Please believe me, young master."
The Demon Lord still had that deadpan expression, showing no sign of being moved. He turned his head to look in another direction. "Let's go. We'll head to the second floor."
Jian Lin's body ached with fatigue, but she had no complaints. She took a deep breath and followed the Demon Lord's steps. As she moved, a crisp bell sound came from her other palm.
Oh, it was the bell the Demon Lord had given her.
Taking advantage of the light around them, Jian Lin brought it closer to examine it carefully. This little thing was exceptionally exquisite, emerald green in color, and likely made of jade. It was clearly valuable at first glance.
The Demon Lord was already climbing the stairs through the passage ahead. Jian Lin quickly caught up, shaking the bell in her hand. "Young master, your bell..."
The Demon Lord didn't look back. "It's yours. Consider it your reward."
She knew it. The Demon Lord would never take it back. He had always been a generous person.
Jian Lin happily tucked the item into her Qiankun bag, planning to find an opportunity to exchange it for spirit stones after they left. This way, she wouldn't have to worry about running out of spirit stones!
Her mood was good, and her stamina recovered quickly. By the time they reached the second door, Jian Lin had almost fully recovered.
It was still the Nine-Tailed Fox emblem, but this time, it was adorned with fine red rubies for the fox's eyes. At a glance, it looked like a living creature, exceptionally enchanting.
With the experience from the first floor, the two stood before the door, fully prepared, fearing that some demonic beasts might leap out.
The large door slowly opened. To their surprise, the second floor was brightly lit with red candles, warm and inviting, with constant charming laughter from women.
With the tinkling of ornaments, a line of veiled demonesses appeared. They were all slender, dressed boldly, and their eyes were fixed on the Demon Lord, sending seductive glances without reservation.
Jian Lin couldn't help but laugh. "My heavens, what a shocking scene."
She secretly glanced at the Demon Lord's expression. He remained unhurried and composed, stepping into the second floor and heading straight for the "gentle haven."
Jian Lin followed him in, awkwardly clearing her throat. She felt out of place in such a setting.
The Demon Lord put his hands behind his back, scanned the surroundings with his gaze, and said sternly, "How do we pass this trial? Do we have to fight?"
A demoness raised her fan, covering her cheeks, and said charmingly, "Esteemed guest, you are so rough. Fight, fight? Our sisters are not built for fighting. This trial is very easy to pass. You just need to kiss each of us sisters, and the door to the third floor will naturally open."