The small demon village was a village of tiger demons. A hundred years ago, a tiger demon from their clan cultivated a golden core. After a period of wandering, he returned to lead the entire clan in cultivation, and they imitated the human world, forming a small settlement.
The entire tiger demon village was obsessed with cultivation and was very friendly to passing cultivators. They were particularly impressed by the Demon Lord's extraordinary aura and profound cultivation, their admiration overflowing.
A little tiger demon named Ah Zhuang, with a tiger-like head, circled the Demon Lord. He was not afraid of the Demon Lord's cold demeanor and curiously asked, "Big guy, what kind of demon are you? I can't tell."
Jian Lin watched the spectacle from the side, eager to see how the Demon Lord would handle this simple, harmless, and slightly annoying creature.
The Demon Lord's thin lips parted, and he coldly uttered two words, "Fox demon."
Ah Zhuang looked doubtful, glancing at Jian Lin and then at the Demon Lord. "Are you the same as the pretty sister? Why do I feel you're much more powerful?"
The Demon Lord's lips curved slightly, and he said with a sharp tongue, "Because she's lazy and doesn't like to cultivate."
Not liking to cultivate was a fatal flaw in the eyes of the tiger clan.
Ah Zhuang's eyes flickered, clearly thinking Jian Lin had a problem. He quietly leaned closer and whispered, "Fox demon sister, it's a good thing you're pretty. Otherwise, if you don't like to cultivate, you definitely won't be able to get married."
Innocent words that struck a painful chord.
Why, even after transmigrating to another world, could she not escape the discussion of marriage!
The Demon Lord clearly found a kindred spirit and, in tandem with Ah Zhuang, launched an unsparing lecture at Jian Lin.
Soon, Ah Zhuang's mother prepared a guest room and invited them to rest. Jian Lin was relieved, finally freed.
The guest room was furnished very simply. There were no thick, soft bedding, only a thin layer of straw. Jian Lin lay down to try it out but found it completely unaccustomed.
The Demon Lord sat on a straw cushion. Seeing Jian Lin tossing and turning, he said with disdain, "Since that's the case, why not come and cultivate with me? Why insist on sleeping?"
Jian Lin lay flat on the hard bed, recalling the words of the Demon Lord and Ah Zhuang. She said stubbornly, "Because I'm lazy."
The Demon Lord seemed to sense Jian Lin was angry. The sound of clothes rustling gently reached her. Jian Lin opened her eyes to see the Demon Lord standing by her bed.
Jian Lin was already accustomed to the Demon Lord's bad habits. She lay on his arm and said comfortably, "You have nothing more to say, young master. What can you do to me now?"
Actually, Jian Lin didn't intend to not cultivate. Her original plan was to sleep for two hours, cultivate for three hours, and then idle for one hour, a perfect balance of work and rest.
The Demon Lord, however, believed that not a single second should be wasted; all of it should be dedicated to cultivation.
He stood by her bed, seemingly in a battle of wills, and asked, "What cultivation technique are you practicing now?"
"Why ask about this?" Jian Lin was surprised that the Demon Lord wanted to have a serious conversation. She sat up and answered earnestly, "I'm cultivating the Heavenly Demon Art."
The Heavenly Demon Art was the most basic cultivation technique for demonic cultivators, simple, direct, and crude, not withstanding close scrutiny.
Those who fell into demonic cultivation generally only used the Heavenly Demon Art for entry. After any slight breakthrough, they would seek other demonic cultivation techniques.
The Heavenly Demon Art and the Yin Yuan Pill were both given to Jian Lin by that shadowy figure, solely to frame her. Of course, they wouldn't give her any precious cultivation techniques.
Jian Lin knew this too. She had already asked the system to find her a peerless secret manual. Once she accumulated 1000 points, she would exchange them for the manual and practice a more advanced cultivation technique.
However, she had never managed to accumulate enough points, and the matter was repeatedly postponed.
"I guessed as much," the Demon Lord said, hands behind his back. "However, for you now, cultivating the Heavenly Demon Art is meaningless. It would be better to make plans early and switch to a more profound cultivation technique."
Jian Lin nodded. "I know, originally Iā"
"Would you like to cultivate the Moon God Art with me?" the Demon Lord interrupted Jian Lin.
Jian Lin was stunned. The Moon God Art was a profound cultivation technique practiced by successive Demon Lords, generally not passed down. She was very surprised that the current Demon Lord would say such a thing.
In Jian Lin's understanding, wasn't the Moon God Art usually taught to cultivate the next generation of successors? How could she be qualified to learn it?
Jian Lin reacted a moment later and quickly refused, "Young master, isn't that a bit inappropriate? I, I'm an outsider..."
"It's fine. Judging by your aptitude, you can at most cultivate to the fifth level. I will only teach you up to the fifth level, and it will not have any impact on the Demonic Sect," the Demon Lord said calmly.
Even so, Jian Lin's heart was complicated, filled with both joy and trepidation. She stared at the "00" above the Demon Lord's head with confusion.
Logically, if the Demon Lord was willing to teach her the Moon God Art, he must have included her in his inner circle, indicating a close relationship.
But the favorability value remained at zero. Had she turned the Demon Lord into a good buddy?
Jian Lin's expression was indescribable. Wouldn't that be even worse? If she had no romantic appeal in the Demon Lord's eyes, her mission would essentially be declared a failure!
"Young master," Jian Lin said with a solemn expression, "Please allow me to consider it."
"What is there to consider?" Now it was the Demon Lord's turn to look incredulous. "You once said you were unwilling to be a nobody and wanted to seek breakthroughs. Now the opportunity has arrived, why are you backing down? Are you lying to me?"
Jian Lin felt like crying but had no tears. This conversation was becoming more and more like that of good buddies. What a disaster!
"I'm not. Everything I said is true," Jian Lin said heavily.
"Then come here. I will teach you the first level of the cultivation technique. Start practicing from now on," the Demon Lord said forcefully.
Jian Lin could find no further words to say. Resigned, she got out of bed, took a cushion, and sat opposite the Demon Lord, beginning to practice the Moon God Art.
"The Moon God Art is our Demonic Sect's strongest cultivation technique, with a total of twelve levels," the Demon Lord said slowly. "I will only teach you up to the fifth level. Although it won't touch the core, it is still precious. Therefore, I hope you will swear a solemn oath not to leak the cultivation technique."
Jian Lin raised three fingers and swore to the heavens, "I, Jian Lin, hereby swear that I will never leak the Moon God Art, or I shall be struck by lightning and die without a burial place."
"Very good. But rest assured, you won't die without a burial place," the Demon Lord snorted coldly. "If you leak it, I will personally provide you with a burial place."
Heh, not much better!
This person, when she thought he was good, he would always do something to sober her up. He was inherently that wicked!
"Alright, listen closely. I will only say it once, the incantation for the first level of the Moon God Art," the Demon Lord's voice was deep and exceptionally pleasant. "Still the form, still the mind, still the qi, seek stillness, stillness can lead to concentration, concentration can lead to wisdom..."
The incantation and cultivation technique were very much like a philosophical analysis. Jian Lin pondered for a long time and summarized the Demon Lord's lengthy discourse: to practice, one must first calm their state of mind.
Simple to say, difficult to achieve.
Take circulating demonic energy, for instance. Jian Lin was afraid of touching her internal organs, which would cause her to flinch in pain, so she had always practiced very cautiously, muttering prayers to heaven and earth, making it difficult to achieve calmness.
As Jian Lin practiced, she began to feel drowsy. Her head nodded, and she gradually drifted into sleep.
The Demon Lord noticed her breathing was off. When he opened his eyes, he saw her sleeping soundly with her head bowed. He stared at her for a while, but ultimately did not reach out to wake her.
Forget it, let her sleep. There was no need to rush.
The day passed in a flash. As night fell, Ah Zhuang began to run wildly in the courtyard. Jian Lin suddenly looked up, her eyes hazy, her expression blank as if she didn't know where she was.
The Demon Lord opened his eyes and saw Jian Lin's appearance. He suddenly remembered something Saint Fox Granny had said: she was not of this world.
How interesting. So, where was she from?
Jian Lin came back to her senses and gave the Demon Lord an embarrassed smile. "I really shouldn't have. I think I fell asleep."
"It's fine. Get up and clear your head. We need to be on our way," the Demon Lord stood up abruptly, opened the door, walked into the small courtyard, and called Ah Zhuang over to play.
Jian Lin had slept all night sitting up, her back aching and her body stiff. She closed her eyes and stretched. To her surprise, her point balance displayed 104.
She closed her eyes and confirmed it again and again. She wasn't mistaken. That was 104!
Good heavens! This was the first time she had reached a three-digit number. Jian Lin immediately summoned Ah Zha, asking what had happened.
The system's explanation carried a hint of helplessness. "Host, you switched to a high-level cultivation technique, and you cultivated all night, so naturally, you accumulated so many points."
Jian Lin was confused. "But I didn't cultivate all night. I only remember chanting the cultivation technique and falling asleep."
The system said somewhat exasperatedly, "Yes, you fell asleep, but the cultivation technique didn't stop. The demonic energy continued to circulate, which is why you kept earning points."
Jian Lin suddenly understood, and even began to suspect that perhaps, while she was sleeping, she had arduously achieved calmness.
This Moon God Art was indeed quite powerful.
After bidding farewell to the tiger demon village and setting off, Jian Lin unexpectedly discovered that the Demon Lord had left a considerable amount of spirit stones for Ah Zhuang's mother and had also left Ah Zhuang a set of boxing secret manuals. He was truly thoughtful. 138 Reading Network.
The carriage set off along the village path. The moon was bright and the stars were sparse. A single lantern cast its glow. One dark and one white figure leaned against the carriage door, moving slowly forward in the lonely night.
Jian Lin gazed at the sky, contemplating a serious question. The Demon Lord was not a simple, ruthless, brainless villain. He was very friendly to people and good at expressing gratitude.
In Ah Zhuang's eyes, the Demon Lord was even a powerful fox demon, a great person who left him a boxing secret manual.
Thinking deeper, the reason the Demon Lord was a villain was due to his position and circumstances, determined by inherent concepts. What exactly defined him as a demon? Jian Lin did not understand.
As she was lost in thought, the Demon Lord suddenly nudged her with his shoulder, signaling her to look to the left.
On the mountain peak to the left, a flock of large birds suddenly flew out. They were enormous in size, agile and swift, stealthily moving through the dark sky, and soon disappeared into another mountain peak.
"It's the Demon Emperor's guards," the Demon Lord stood up, his gaze fixed on the distant mountain peak. "They must be investigating something important. I'll go take a look. You continue driving forward."
Jian Lin's heart tightened. She reached out and grabbed the Demon Lord's cloak. "No, I'll go with you."
She dared not be alone now; it was too terrifying.
The Demon Lord looked down at her and said softly, "It's very dangerous. Are you sure you want to go with me? If a fight breaks out, I won't be able to look after you."
"I know. I'm not afraid," Jian Lin stood up and declared actively, "I just want to be with you!"