After risking her ‘life’ to drag all six trays into the hall, Le Gui finally had her first full meal since arriving at Diyun Peak. Overwhelmed with gratitude, she nearly wept.

The mirror, which had been ranting moments ago, fell silent as it observed her. Hesitantly, it asked, “Did I scold you into crying?”

Le Gui paused, then looked at it with teary eyes.

The green ivy and Le Gui locked gazes in silence. After a long moment, she nodded. “Yeah, you scolded me into crying.”

The green ivy immediately puffed up with pride, crossing its leafy arms. “If you dare disrespect me again, I’ll scold you even harder next time!”

“Ugh…” Le Gui covered her face with her sleeve, pretending to sob. Meanwhile, under the cover of her sleeve, she sneakily stuffed a mung bean cake into her mouth.

The green ivy, satisfied, finally stopped throwing tantrums.

That night was unusually peaceful. Le Gui lay down by the window, rubbing her overstuffed belly, and felt a rare sense of happiness.

An hour later, she stared at the black blood she had just coughed up and fell into silence.

[I swear, this damn novel world is out to get me.]

For two nights in a row, she had coughed up blood. This time, it was clearly worse than before. Even someone as carefree as her couldn’t ignore the warning signs any longer.

[Am I really going to die?]

She knew that in this world, human lives were as cheap as weeds. As a complete weakling, she had never expected to live to a ripe old age. But now that death was actually looming over her, she couldn’t help but feel stunned.

“Someone’s about to die,” the Seer Mirror taunted.

Once midnight passed, it transformed from a green ivy into a rose.

Le Gui stared at the blood in her palm for a long time before quietly lying back down, preparing to sleep again.

The rose hesitated for a moment. “…Aren’t you afraid?”

“Of course I’m afraid. I’m scared to death,” Le Gui replied with her eyes closed.

“Then why are you still sleeping?”

“Will staying awake stop me from dying?” Le Gui retorted.

The rose faltered. “…Well, no, but—”

“Exactly,” Le Gui said, turning over and pulling the blanket over herself. “Since I’m going to die no matter what, I might as well eat well, drink well, and enjoy whatever time I have left.”

The rose was momentarily stunned by her open-minded attitude and fell silent.

Le Gui, who had just acted all high and mighty, quietly turned toward the corner and let a single tear fall.

[Boohoohoo, why do I have to die? I haven’t even graduated from university yet! I’ve never worked a real job! My parents are still waiting for me to come home on vacation so we can go on a family trip! I haven’t even gotten to eat the salted duck eggs that my grandparents specially pickled for me! How can I die now? Boohoohoo…]

The night passed without further incident. When the morning sunlight streamed through the window, Le Gui opened her eyes—

—and became a strong warrior once again.

Le Gui mixed everything from the six trays together and began carefully sorting them. A slime resting on the stand beside the throne couldn’t help but hop over and ask what she was doing.

She glanced at the green, snot-like creature and generously handed it half a banana. The slime thanked her and took a big bite. Hearing the commotion, the other slimes also came running over.

“Make sure you all return to your spots after eating. I don’t want to go around putting you back one by one,” Le Gui warned.

These slimes were actually called Youning, small magical creatures born in swamps with simple minds and short lifespans. This group of little ones must have been given too much Wanghuan Water by Di Jiang, allowing them to survive far beyond their natural span.

Le Gui picked one up, and the little creature reflexively began to sing, “Blue-faced Dou Erdun—”

“Stop!” She immediately got a headache. “I’m not Di—uh, His Lordship. I didn’t tell you to sing.”

Hearing that, the little one quickly jumped out of her hand and went back to eating its banana.

“Poor things. What’s the point of living so long if you’re just stuck in Cangqiong Palace as a singing machine?” Le Gui sighed with sympathy. “And you only know one song.”

The Seer Mirror sneered maliciously. “At least they’re not the ones about to die.”

Le Gui ignored it and continued sorting the items.

The Younings finished their bananas but refused to leave. Instead, they all squatted nearby, watching her intently. When she turned her head, she saw a row of identical curious expressions staring at her.

“What are you looking at?” she asked with a smile.

The Younings flinched, and one of the bolder ones finally asked, “Le Gui, what are you doing?”

“I’m sorting things, dividing everything into two parts,” she replied.

“Why into two parts?”

“Because good things should be shared with friends,” she said seriously.

The Younings exchanged confused looks, seemingly not understanding what she meant.

“Oh right, do you guys know why that old man keeps sending me food?” Le Gui suddenly remembered the question.

The smallest Youning immediately answered, “Because you’re His Lordship’s person!”

“But I was before too,” Le Gui frowned. “Back then, he never sent me anything good. He was even mean to me.”

“Wow, he was mean to Le Gui!”

“Wow, he was mean to Le Gui!”

“Wow, he was actually mean to Le Gui!”

“Le Gui, wuwuwu, I’m so scared…”

“…Guys, there’s no need to repeat the same thing so many times,” Le Gui was speechless and pushed away the one wiping its nonexistent tears on her sleeve. “He was mean to me, why are you scared?”

The Younings couldn’t explain, they just gazed at her with teary eyes.

Le Gui tried to steer the conversation back on track. “So why did his attitude suddenly change?”

“Because you’re His Lordship’s person!”

Le Gui: “…”

[I don’t know if it’s just me, but I feel like we’ve gone in a circle.]

The Seer Mirror, which had been silent, suddenly burst into laughter. “They’re just a bunch of short-lived, brainless creatures who can barely string a few sentences together. And yet you actually hoped to get an answer from them? Looks like you’re even dumber than they are. Unbelievably stupid.”

Le Gui shot it a glance. “Mirror, have you ever had a normal conversation with anyone?”

Seer Mirror: “?”

“No wonder…” Le Gui suddenly looked at it with pity.

The Seer Mirror bristled. “What do you mean by that?!”

“Nothing, nothing,” Le Gui said casually. “I was just thinking—having no family or friends isn’t your fault. And it’s not your fault that no one talks to you either. You don’t have to take it to heart.”

She patted one of the Youning on the head. “I’m heading out. Go back to your places.”

The Younings responded cheerfully and hopped back to their spots.

Le Gui stretched lazily. After dividing everything into two portions, she grabbed one half and left the palace. Even after walking a good distance away, she could still hear the Seer Mirror grumbling behind her.

“Is it really that serious…” she muttered.

She was heading to the lake again after two days. Thinking of the bodies she had seen that night, she felt some reluctance, but her steps did not stop.

The weather was nice today, with bright sunshine. She still remembered how shocked she was when she first arrived in the Demon Realm and saw the sun in the sky. Her reaction had been so dramatic that the other disciples of Hehuan Sect laughed at her for a long time. Later, she learned that the Demon Realm had not only a sun but also a moon, stars, and clouds—all created from demonic energy.

Le Gui braced herself mentally over and over again. Finally, as she pushed aside the grass blocking her view of the lake, she forced herself to keep her eyes wide open—

The sun was shining. The water was clear. The grass was green.

No bodies. No blood.

It was as if that night had been nothing more than a nightmare.

She blinked slowly, still processing this realization, when a massive shadow suddenly loomed over her.

Before she could react, she was tackled to the ground with a loud thud.

“Juzi, what the hell are you doing?! Trying to kill me?!” Le Gui shouted, pinned beneath two massive front hooves, struggling furiously.

Juzi loomed over her, his usually blank round eyes now filled with an imposing sense of superiority.

“Let go of me!” Le Gui struggled again, her hair becoming disheveled. She had no choice but to soften her voice. “I didn’t abandon you. I was just too scared that night, so I followed His Lordship. See? I came back, didn’t I? Now get off me. I brought you something good to eat.”

Juzi stared at her suspiciously, as if trying to determine whether she was telling the truth.

Le Gui was nearly rolling her eyes in frustration. She struggled to pull an apple out of her bag.

Seeing the fruit was real, Juzi reluctantly released her. The weight on her body disappeared, and she quickly rolled to her feet.

“You damn Juzi, you actually dared to attack me! I’m going to fight you!”

Juzi perked up his two horns, his expression blank as he braced himself.

Fifteen minutes later—

Le Gui lay sprawled on the ground like a wilted flower, staring blankly at the sky while clutching her chest.

“It was already flat to begin with… but after getting stomped on, it’s even flatter now…” she murmured lifelessly.

Juzi didn’t understand a word. He just lay beside her gracefully, munching on his apple.

Le Gui rolled over and sat up, staring at Juzi. She thought about how she didn’t have many days left and realized that, ever since arriving in this world, the only one who had truly treated her sincerely was this water antelope in front of her. A surge of warmth filled her heart, and she couldn’t help but reach out to stroke it.

But the moment she extended her hand, Juzi warily clutched its apple tighter.

Le Gui: “…”

[This ungrateful beast doesn’t deserve a friend’s affection.]

She stayed with Juzi until the afternoon before slowly making her way back to Cangqiong Palace. Along the way, she ran into five or six people. Each one of them, upon seeing her, was momentarily stunned before hastily stuffing something into her hands—some brought food, others handed her pills—but not a single one left her empty-handed.

Le Gui was completely baffled. By the time she arrived at Cangqiong Palace, her arms were full. As soon as she stepped inside, she heard someone singing, “Blue-faced Dou Erdun steals the imperial horse”

She was speechless for a moment, then obediently carried her load inside. Sure enough, she saw Di Jiang leisurely seated on the throne, eating.

Eating… her food.

Just as he was about to take the last piece of mung bean cake, Le Gui’s heart let out a silent wail.

[No! That’s mine!]

She stepped forward, gave a formal bow, then straightened up—only to suddenly notice that Di Jiang’s complexion looked even worse than yesterday.

[…It must be an illusion. His skin is just too pale, making him seem weak. In reality, he’s strong enough to take down a whole ox.]

Di Jiang glanced up at her and casually picked up the mung bean cake. “Where did you go?”

“I went to see Juzi and brought it something to eat.” Knowing that nothing could escape his notice, Le Gui simply told the truth.

Di Jiang took a bite of the mung bean cake.

[Nooo!]

His fingers loosened slightly, and the cake nearly fell from his hand. He steadied himself and gave her a silent look.

“What’s wrong, Your Lordship?” Le Gui asked sweetly. “Go on, eat it. This cake is delicious.”

[Don’t eat it don’t eat it don’t eat it! That’s mine! Mine!]

Di Jiang smirked and, right in front of her, finished off the mung bean cake in one bite.

Le Gui: “Ugh…”

Clearly in a good mood, Di Jiang beckoned her over with a lazy flick of his finger.

As she walked over, Le Gui complained internally that this gesture was no different from calling a dog. Yet, just like a little pup, she obediently trotted forward—only to watch helplessly as he wiped his fingers, the ones that had been holding her cake, on her clothes.

Le Gui: “…”

“You were coughing up blood again last night?” Di Jiang asked calmly, withdrawing his hand.

Le Gui glanced at the Seer Mirror on the nearby table. The rose within the mirror immediately flared its petals in a taunting display.

“…Yeah, I coughed up blood.” She pulled a miserable expression. “Your Lordship, is there really no way to save me?”

“Do you still have the fasting pills that woman gave you?” Di Jiang asked.

Le Gui paused. “…Yes.”

“Keep taking them,” Di Jiang said with a smirk. “It’ll be a good lesson for you. In your next life, maybe you won’t trust so easily.”

Le Gui: “…”

They locked eyes for a long moment before she, expressionless, picked up an apple.

[If I act fast within three steps, will I manage to smash this apple into his head first, or will he kill me first?]

Gripping the apple tightly, she suddenly smiled. “Your Lordship, would you like an apple?”

Di Jiang studied her for a long while, then, unexpectedly, chuckled.

Le Gui: Apple -1.

It seemed like Di Jiang had come to the grand hall purely to hear the slime creatures belt out “Blue-faced Dou Erdun steals the imperial horse” Once they finished, he got up and headed toward the inner halls.

Le Gui mournfully eyed her dwindling pile of food. Just as she was debating whether it would be too shameless to go back and ask Juzi for more, Di Jiang suddenly turned back.

“Did you tidy up the hall?” he asked.

Le Gui glanced at the neatly arranged magical artifacts and strange creatures on the shelves, then nodded obediently.

“Come here.” Di Jiang said only two words before continuing on.

After a moment of processing, Le Gui quickly followed him.

They entered a long, dark corridor. The instant she stepped inside, a chill ran down her spine.

The corridor stretched on endlessly. She felt as though she had been walking for an eternity—so long that her mind began to blur—before finally reaching a corner. Rounding it, she was greeted with an astonishing sight: the sky, the earth, drifting clouds, and floating palaces suspended in midair.

Di Jiang walked upward as if treading solid ground. After a brief hesitation, Le Gui tried mimicking him, lifting her foot carefully. She had braced herself for a fall, but to her surprise, her foot landed firmly on something invisible.

There was an unseen staircase here.

Her eyes lit up. Looking at the palace so close at hand, she suddenly realized where they were—

The back of Cangqiong Palace.

Di Jiang’s residence.

The place where Wuliangdu was kept.

“Your Lordship, wait for me!” she called, excitedly chasing after him. Because she couldn’t see the steps, she nearly tripped multiple times.

By the time she stumbled to the palace entrance, Di Jiang suddenly stopped. She was caught off guard and crashed into him, nearly knocking him off balance.

Di Jiang turned, unimpressed, and grabbed her by the collar. “Trying to get yourself killed?”

Le Gui squirmed in his grip, looking aggrieved. “I didn’t mean to…”

[It’s not like I used that much force. You’re the one who can’t stand properly. How is that my fault?]

Di Jiang let out a cold laugh and kicked the palace doors open. “Clean this up.”

“Clean… what?” Le Gui trailed off as she looked inside.

The room was packed—overflowing—with thousands upon thousands of magical artifacts. She was utterly stunned.

Di Jiang crossed his arms. “These are all the spoils of war I’ve collected over the years. Whenever I won a fight, I’d toss one in here. Over time, it became like this.”

“…Since it’s been this way for years, why the sudden urge to clean it up?” she asked cautiously.

Di Jiang glanced at her. “Aren’t you good at tidying up?”

“So just because I can clean, I have to do it?!” The overworked, soon-to-be-dead laborer exploded. “Your cultivation is so high. Shouldn’t you be even better at cleaning? Why don’t—”

Halfway through her rant, her eyes caught sight of something embedded in the beam above, something about the size of a palm.

Instantly, she switched gears. “Why don’t… you say so sooner! I’m a very diligent person, Your Lordship. Just wait right there—I’ll get started right away!”

Le Gui hesitated for a moment before speaking again. “Your Lordship, before I go in, could you remove the restrictions in this room? I’m afraid I might accidentally trigger something and lose my life.”

Di Jiang stared at her for a moment, then reached out and tapped her forehead.

Le Gui’s lips twitched. Just as she was about to ask what he was doing, a chilling sensation surged from his fingertips straight into her mind, making her shudder.

“From today onward, you are free to go anywhere within Cangqiong Palace,” Di Jiang said slowly.

[Does that include your heart?] Le Gui couldn’t help but think mischievously.

Di Jiang responded with a cold smirk.