The Master and His Wealthy Fiancée

Liu Ling smiled faintly. "I was in such a panic yesterday that I failed to notice. You and I... we both have a heart full of compassion for the world!"

Chen Dong's grip on his Thunder Spear tightened.

"A joke. As if I'd feel compassion for the Demon Race!"

"Oh, but you would. Besides, if you were going to kill me, you would have done it yesterday. You wouldn't have waited until now, and it wouldn't matter who I was!" As she spoke, Liu Ling's gaze shifted to the little wolf cub in the courtyard, comfortably basking in the setting sun.

Just yesterday, the cub had been snapping and growling at Chen Dong, but today, it had dropped its guard completely. It showed no reaction to Chen Dong threatening Liu Ling, clearly viewing him as being on the same level as its savior, Liu Ling—perhaps even more important.

To cause such a drastic change in the cub overnight, without using any beast-taming techniques, was something no other human could possibly do.

Chen Dong knew what her gaze implied.

"That creature isn't very bright; it proves nothing. Besides, you're Liu Ling, not some common demon. Killing you would be a service to the entire Human Race!"

Liu Ling looked quite confident.

"Thank you for your medicinal pills and Spirit Stones. After last night, I've recovered a sliver of my strength and can use some of my innate abilities. Your heart may be even purer than mine. It's not just filled with pity, but with true compassion. I've never met anyone like you! And that is why you won't kill me!"

Without a hint of fear on her face, she reached up and gently pushed aside the Thunder Spear pressed against her throat.

The condensed lightning crackling on the spear had absolutely no effect on her!

Chen Dong's brow furrowed. 'Have I been completely seen through? It's over. She's figured out I'm a damn bleeding-heart and has me right where she wants me!'

He truly had no intention of killing Liu Ling. From the moment he'd used the Great Divination Divine Art to look at her yesterday, killing her had become impossible.

Her entire being was suffused with Holy Dao Radiance. If he killed her, Chen Dong's Saint's Dao Light Pillar wouldn't just be completely depleted; it would turn black and fall into the negative!

Chen Dong had always coveted the Great Divination Divine Art not only for its powerful predictive abilities, but also for its power to see the true essence of all things. Under its gaze, good people were cloaked in sacred Holy Dao Radiance, while the wicked appeared red or black. It was the one Divine Technique Chen Dong currently craved most.

And he had once killed a good person by mistake—an act that had become his greatest Heart Demon, one he had yet to overcome. That was why, even when he heard Liu Ling's name, though a murderous impulse had flared, he held no true will to kill.

Chen Dong's heart hardened. 'I can't let her have this hold over me.' He dispelled the Thunder Spear, grabbed Liu Ling by the neck, and faint flames from his Fire Technique flickered to life in his hand.

"I don't know what your true form is. You might not fear lightning, but are you immune to fire as well? I might not plan on killing you, but I can certainly imprison you here forever."

If she were just some Little Demon, he might have saved her out of compassion, seeing as she was a "good demon," and that would have been the end of it. But Liu Ling was different. She wasn't just the High Priest of the Demon Race; she was incredibly famous. Chen Dong felt like he was holding a hot potato: he couldn't kill her, but he couldn't release her either.

If he let her go, Fu Xiao, a Nascent Soul Cultivator, was right here in Lexian City. If the current Liu Ling were discovered, she would face certain death. If she *wasn't* discovered, it was an even bigger headache. Should Liu Ling escape back to the Demon Race, the threat she posed would be no less than that of a Late-stage Nascent Soul fiend. Chen Dong was already entangled in this mess, unable to withdraw or escape.

"I... want... to ask you... to help me... return to the Demon Realm!" Liu Ling choked out.

"Impossible! Do you take me for an idiot?"

A flush crept onto Liu Ling's face. Some of it was from his hand on her throat, restricting her breathing, but most of it was from embarrassment. Chen Dong was far too close!

Chen Dong had her pinned against the wall, their faces mere inches apart.

"Let... me go... first. I'll explain... everything to you!"

Only then did Chen Dong realize he'd been so stunned by her name that he had lost his composure.

Chen Dong tossed her to the ground, his mind on high alert. Ever since learning she was Liu Ling, he couldn't afford to be careless around her.

Liu Ling rubbed her neck and got to her feet, speaking softly. "If you can escort me back to the Demon Race's territory, not only will I gift you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but I will also swear a Celestial Dao Oath to never again participate in the conflict between the Human and Demon Races!"

Chen Dong scowled. "Do you take me for an idiot? Have you forgotten who you are? If anyone finds out about this, the people of the Floating Shadow Realm won't let me go!"

Chen Dong didn't understand what she gained by revealing her name. But on second thought, he realized that if she were just an ordinary demon, he'd be even less willing to wade into these muddy waters. 'She's just trying to make her so-called opportunity sound more plausible by throwing her famous name around. Ridiculous!'

"What if that opportunity... is a complete Dao Essence?"

Chen Dong's heart pounded in his chest. Dao Essence represented the fundamental laws—the very essence of the Dao itself. A Cultivator who completely refined a Dao Essence was invincible among those at the same level. Only another Cultivator who also possessed Dao Essence could ever hope to stand against them.

Zisang Jin, for instance, was a Cultivator who possessed Dao Essence. Even though hers was wood-elemental, if she were to fight Feng Fu—a cultivator on the verge of Divinity Transformation—Zisang Jin would still emerge victorious, even if Feng Fu's element was a perfect counter to her own. The one with Dao Essence would always win.

Chen Dong felt a flicker of temptation. His experiences in the Wangyou Realm had taught him a harsh lesson: only with personal strength could one truly control their own destiny.

Though his heart trembled, Chen Dong quickly composed himself. He narrowed his eyes and asked, "If you have a Dao Essence, why not refine it yourself?"

Liu Ling shook her head. "My true form is incompatible with that Dao Essence."

Chen Dong chuckled. "It's been two years. How can you be so sure the Dao Essence is still there? And let me guess... it's located in the territory of the Demon Race, isn't it?"