“His Lordship has abstained from food for years. Why is he suddenly in the mood for wine today?”

“Who knows? But it’s a good thing. Wine, beauty, wealth, and power go hand in hand. Maybe once he drinks, he’ll be in the mood to try a taste of beauty, too.”

“If that really happens, then we’re in luck. We just happened to be assigned to Bi’an Terrace, where the spirit wine is stored. That’s why this task fell to us. But let’s agree on one thing: no matter who His Lordship favors tonight, we must all help her. If one of us wins his favor, the rest will surely have more opportunities.”

A group of stunning beauties, their elegant white robes unable to hide their charm, giggled as they fantasized about the future.

Le Gui, however, was worried that someone might take their frustration out on them once Di Jiang died. She carefully recalled the plot to confirm they were safe, then continued pretending to be invisible.

[This is my last errand. Once I finish this, I’m quitting for good!]

After being bedridden for so long, Le Gui had finally recovered, and even her delusions of grandeur seemed to have been cured along with her illness. She had come to a realization—she wasn’t some chosen heroine, nor did she have any plot armor to protect her. If she acted recklessly like that night again, she’d be the next corpse hung out in the courtyard.

She wanted to go home, but her life was more important.

Cradling the two jars of wine, she started planning how to support herself once she returned to the mortal realm. She was lost in thought when Senior Sister Li suddenly spoke coldly, “Enough talking. His Lordship’s divine senses are everywhere. Do you want to be punished for disrespect?”

The beauties, who had become accustomed to living like mortals, had forgotten about this. Their expressions stiffened as they fell silent, looking slightly embarrassed.

Senior Sister Li glanced at them with a proud air, then led the way up the mountain, while the others followed in pairs with their heads lowered.

As the youngest, Le Gui obediently took the last position in line. This allowed her to overhear the quiet whispers of the two senior sisters ahead of her.

“If she knew our words would reach His Lordship’s ears, why didn’t she warn us earlier?” one muttered.

“Because if she had, how would she stand out?” the other replied.

They exchanged a knowing look, both fully aware of the game being played.

Diyun Peak was the highest of the three thousand demon mountains in Wuyou Palace, located at the far west. According to legend, the peak was originally a vast lake formed by condensed demonic energy. Ten thousand years ago, after great upheavals in the Demon Realm, the lake inexplicably transformed into a towering mountain. Di Jiang was born atop this very peak.

Later, after conquering the Demon Realm and dominating the Three Realms, Di Jiang could have chosen a more prestigious residence, yet he chose to remain here. He named the mountain “Diyun” and personally built a palace upon it. The other 2,999 demon mountains and their structures were all constructed by his subordinates and followers.

Essentially, among the three thousand mountains of Wuyou Palace, only Diyun Peak truly held meaning for Di Jiang. Given its significance, it should have been the most private and restricted place in the realm. However, it was actually the most populated mountain, so lively that even from nearly two thousand mountains away, the commotion could be heard at Bi’an Terrace. Le Gui often wondered if they were tearing the place apart.

Despite the large number of attendants at Diyun Peak, not just anyone could enter. It was said that Di Jiang had his own strict selection criteria, and for the past two thousand years, not a single new servant had been added.

This was why the women of Hehuan Sect were so excited. Just being allowed onto this mountain, even for something as simple as delivering wine, was a great honor.

Le Gui couldn’t share in their joy. In fact, ever since she accepted her reality and gave up struggling, she had been feeling a strange sense of detachment—just waiting to see Di Jiang off so she could leave this godforsaken Demon Realm.

[Ah, before I leave, I’d love to see a Shui Ling.]

Shui Ling was Di Jiang’s pet. Apparently, they existed in the real world too, but Le Gui had never seen one before. She only knew that, both in reality and in the novel, these creatures had a ring of white fur around their rear ends. She wondered if they looked the same.

As she was lost in thought, something felt off. She reached out and poked the person in front of her.

“What?” the senior sister frowned.

Le Gui lowered her voice. “Where are we going?”

She had never been to Diyun Peak before, but based on the novel’s description, the peach blossom tree where Di Jiang would meet his end should be in the back mountain. Yet, they were clearly heading toward the mountain’s summit.

“Where else? We’re going to the Cangqiong Palace at the peak,” the senior sister replied impatiently.

[…Wait. This is the wrong way. We’re supposed to go to the back mountain! In the novel, Di Jiang drank himself to death there—his entire existence just… vanished.]

Le Gui was about to speak when the person in front turned away. She curled her lips slightly, knowing that her words carried little weight and that no one would listen even if she spoke. So, she simply chose to keep quiet.

The group continued their ascent toward the mountain peak. Along the way, they encountered many people. At first, Senior Sister Li maintained a polite demeanor, offering smiles and greetings. Unfortunately, the people of Diyun Peak were all cold and aloof. They ignored even a great beauty’s friendly gestures. After several unsuccessful attempts, Senior Sister Li gave up and stopped speaking altogether.

Diyun Peak towered into the clouds. They had started from the foot of the mountain, and the higher they climbed, the more exhausting it became. Just as Le Gui was about to reach her limit, the dense forest on either side of the stone steps suddenly disappeared. The steep mountain path transformed into a luxurious golden platform. The sky was shrouded in purple demonic mist, resembling a daytime starry river. The clouds and mist constantly shifted, sometimes forming mountains and rivers, sometimes turning into dazzling waterfalls. Among the magnificent scenery, there were even glimpses of whales swimming through the air.

The radiant glow cast upon the beauties, making them instinctively hold their breath in awe. They were mesmerized by the breathtaking view.

As the only mortal in the group, Le Gui was too exhausted from climbing to be impressed. She barely glanced at the scene before inwardly cursing Di Jiang. With his abilities, he could summon wine from miles away, yet he insisted on making people deliver it in person. Not only that, but they weren’t even allowed to use spiritual power. Of course, it wouldn’t have mattered in her case—she had none. But at the very least, someone could have carried her part of the way.

“This little bit of scenery has already captivated you? What will happen when you see the most exquisite palace in all three realms?” Senior Sister Li cast a disdainful glance at the group. “Another half an hour, and we’ll be there. Stay sharp. If any of you lose composure in front of His Lordship and offend him, don’t blame me for being harsh.”

Everyone quickly bowed in acknowledgment, filled with anticipation for the legendary Cangqiong Palace.

Half an hour later—

“…Senior Sister, is this really the most exquisite palace in all three realms?” Someone raised their voice, trying to be heard over the blaring music, as they stared at the massive eight-meter-high pile of ruins before them.

Senior Sister Li said something, but no one understood. Realizing her voice was too soft, she also had to raise it. “It must be an illusion… Yes, definitely an illusion. Once we pass through this illusion, we’ll see the real Cangqiong Palace.”

As if to prove her own words, Senior Sister Li pointed toward the musicians playing nearby. Their loud performance was the reason they had to shout in the first place. “If this weren’t an illusion, why would there be a music troupe performing here?”

Before she could finish speaking, several stones suddenly tumbled from the ruins, striking the musicians on the head. A few of them were knocked over, groaning as they let go of their instruments.

The world fell into silence.

Senior Sister Li: “?”

“This doesn’t seem… like an illusion,” someone hesitantly said. Illusions were meant to deceive, but there was always a flaw to be found. Yet the reactions of these musicians seemed all too real.

Everyone fell into deep thought, trying to make sense of the bizarre scene. Before they could figure anything out, a sudden noise came from the back of the group. All eight beauties turned around at once.

“The stones in this illusion are way too realistic.” Under their gaze, Le Gui nonchalantly tossed away a rock she had just picked up, secretly slipping the red gemstone she had pried off into her sleeve.

[Yes! I got a ruby. I’ll sell it once I’m back in the mortal world!]

Seeing that it was just their most invisible junior sister making trouble, the others instinctively ignored her. They returned to discussing whether to continue forward or contact Steward Niu Jiao first. As they debated, more stones came tumbling from the top of the ruins. Everyone instinctively took two steps back and looked up.

Le Gui followed their gaze. The first thing she saw was a pile of architectural debris mixed with rare treasures. Then, a large stone was pushed aside, revealing a pale, slender hand as white as porcelain. Before she could get a better look, the sky suddenly darkened, and a massive bolt of lightning struck, illuminating the entire Diyun Peak as if it were broad daylight.

Momentarily blinded by the lightning, Le Gui blinked and refocused on the ruins. At the very top, a figure stood tall amidst the rubble. He wore a loosely draped red robe that barely clung to his frame, with a black cloak casually draped over his shoulders. The wind at this height howled fiercely, making his robes billow and twist. His collar was blown open, revealing starkly pale collarbones devoid of color.

The man lowered his gaze, his expression serene like a god descending to the mortal realm, his cold and refined demeanor striking.

Le Gui stared, momentarily dazed. Before she could react, the raucous music blared again.

It wasn’t the kind of melody that evoked flowing rivers or epic battles. No, it was the same jubilant, gaudy tune played at village weddings when the wealthiest man in town took a bride. The lively music clashed absurdly with the ominous atmosphere of Diyun Peak, making the moment feel more eerie than festive.

…What on earth was happening? Le Gui wordlessly turned to look at the injured but still cheerful musicians.

“Greetings, Your Lordship.” Amidst the cacophony, Senior Sister Li was the first to kneel in salute.

The others, snapping out of their daze, immediately lowered their heads. “Greetings, Your Lordship.”

Le Gui shrank back behind the others, sneaking another glance at Di Jiang.

If she had known Di Jiang looked like this, she would have given up trying to seduce him that night at Bi’an Terrace.

[He already has the kind of face that could bring nations to ruin. Even if the entire Hehuan Sect combined their efforts, they couldn’t outshine him. What was the point of seducing him in the first place?]

Clearly, she wasn’t the only one thinking this. His mere presence had already crushed everyone’s self-confidence. Combined with his overwhelming aura, they all obediently kept their heads lowered. Only the sound of scattered rubble marked his slow approach.

Le Gui stood at the very back, shielded by the tall beauties in front of her. Taking advantage of the cover, she continued to steal glances. Di Jiang moved through the uneven ruins as if strolling through a garden. His black and red attire stood out starkly against the ashen landscape. Then, she noticed something else—he was barefoot.

[Barefoot… He really doesn’t care about stepping on sharp debris, huh.]

Le Gui marveled at that thought, then spaced out again amidst the joyous yet unsettling music.

…She was about to leave this place for good. The big boss was standing right in front of her, but it was hard to feel any workplace anxiety when she was already mentally checked out. All she wanted to do was slack off.

Di Jiang finally reached them. Ignoring the group’s fear and nervousness, he casually picked up a jar of wine from Senior Sister Li’s tray.

“The years are too short, but it will do.”

A voice, cool and indifferent, sounded lazily. It was not raised deliberately, yet it cut through the noisy music with ease, reaching everyone’s ears clearly.

Though the words were not directed at Senior Sister Li, her face had already turned crimson. The grace and allure of Hehuan Sect’s number one beauty were nowhere to be found.

Di Jiang gave her a fleeting glance, then quickly lost interest. Just as he was about to tear open space and leave, his gaze happened to sweep past the crowd and land on a “familiar face.”

“Filthy thing, you’re still alive.”

His tone was flat, as if merely stating a fact.

Everyone else was confused by his words, but Le Gui felt an inexplicable weight press down on her.

“Take the wine to the back mountain.”

The next moment, the man who had just been standing before them vanished. Only his ethereal voice lingered in the air. The musicians, well-trained in their escape tactics, swiftly shouldered their instruments and fled, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

The disciples of Hehuan Sect exchanged looks. A moment later, they erupted into barely restrained cheers, their excitement clear yet difficult to express. They could only share their joy with their companions.

Standing among the excited crowd, Le Gui’s brain finally caught up with reality—

[So that night, when Di Jiang told Steward Niu Jiao to clean up the ‘filthy thing,’ he wasn’t talking about Senior Sister’s corpse… but me?]

“What are you spacing out for?”

A hand suddenly landed on her shoulder. Le Gui jumped in fright, her face turning pale.

“What’s with that spineless look? Don’t tell me you were overwhelmed by His Lordship’s presence?” Someone teased, causing a round of laughter.

Le Gui twitched her lips but couldn’t bring herself to laugh along.

“Alright, it’s getting late. Let’s go.” Senior Sister Li’s expression darkened as she took the lead.

“Hey, don’t you think Senior Sister Li is starting to resemble Senior Sister more and more?” Someone whispered to Le Gui.

[Well, she’s in charge now. Leaders are different from regular employees.]

Le Gui blinked. “Really? I don’t see it.”

“Forget it. You don’t understand anything.” The person clicked their tongue, then sashayed away, carrying a wine jar.

Now that she had confirmed her status as a “filthy thing,” Le Gui felt a strong aversion to seeing Di Jiang again. But there was no way for her to turn around and leave, so she could only drag her feet forward unwillingly.

[Is this the helplessness of being a working-class nobody? Why does a university student who hasn’t even graduated yet have to suffer like this?]

Earlier, Le Gui had rested a little at the ruins and regained some strength. When they set off again, she still had the energy to admire the scenery. But as they walked, that energy quickly drained away.

After about half an hour, her facial expressions started slipping. Another half-hour later, she was cursing Di Jiang in her mind for being a heartless employer. When her arms could barely hold the wine jar anymore, familiar music suddenly rang in her ears.

Almost the instant the sound reached her, the view before her opened up.

On the flat cliffside, a lone peach tree stood, towering at least three stories high. Its vast canopy was filled with delicate pink blossoms. Di Jiang leaned against the trunk with his eyes closed, seemingly dozing.

A gust of wind stirred the petals, sending them fluttering down—some landing on his brows, some on his robes, and others drifting onto the table beside him.

A breathtaking scene, with an even more breathtaking figure…

If it weren’t for the absurd amount of performing troupes scattered around, Le Gui might have actually been dazzled by the sight—

[So Di Jiang is really out of his mind, isn’t he? He has to be out of his mind! What kind of normal person hires six full performing troupes to dance, sing, and juggle all at once?!]

They say the suona is the king of all instruments, capable of overpowering a hundred others.

Well… Le Gui gave a quick scan of the area and counted at least twenty.

Twenty suonas, each playing their own tune, accompanied by a chaotic mix of other instruments. Even the Hehuan Sect disciples—masters of music and seduction—were left stunned by the cacophony.

Under the peach tree, Di Jiang lifted his gaze and swept it over the approaching group.

Senior Sister Li snapped out of her daze and quickly signaled for everyone to present the wine.

As before, they walked up in pairs to deliver their offerings. Once they had placed their jars, they stood in two orderly rows on either side of Di Jiang.

Nine people in total, each pair moving forward together.

By the end, Le Gui realized that as the odd one out, she had to face the big boss alone.

[This is as unlucky as hearing crows at a wedding or stepping on your own fart—just pure bad luck!]

With deafening music still blaring, Le Gui felt immense pressure standing before the man who had nearly disposed of her. But now that she was here, she had no choice but to go through with it.

Yet as she reached the table, she broke into a cold sweat—

The Hehuan Sect disciples clearly had no sense of teamwork. When placing their wine jars, not one of them considered leaving space for the next person.

Now the table was completely full.

“Ha! Die, you scoundrel!”

“Beloved, you must not abandon me!”

A deep male voice and a shrill female cry rang out at the same time.

Le Gui’s hands trembled, nearly dropping the jar. She steadied herself and stared at the overflowing table, feeling stuck.

Presenting wine to Di Jiang—surely, she couldn’t just put it on the ground?

As if sensing her predicament, Di Jiang’s pale gaze fell upon her.

Le Gui stood frozen for a long moment. Under Senior Sister Li’s silent but urgent stare, she had no choice but to start rearranging the jars on the table, trying to make space.

The performing troupes continued their relentless racket, the never-ending noise making Le Gui’s head throb.

Di Jiang leaned lazily against the tree, watching her struggle with an unreadable expression. Even without actively exerting his presence, his aura alone was enough to suffocate those around him.

At first, the Hehuan Sect beauties had suspected Le Gui was trying to draw attention to herself by going last.

But as time passed, they gradually stopped mocking her and instead began to pity her.

Le Gui was also feeling the pressure.

As one of the performances reached its climax, her hands grew shakier and shakier.

Finally, just before disaster struck, she managed to clear a space and quickly placed her two wine jars down.

A perfect fit—just enough room.

Le Gui let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Lifting her head, she met Di Jiang’s gaze. Though his expression was unreadable, his presence alone was overwhelming.

Feeling flustered, she couldn’t help but think to herself—

[What are you looking at? Have you fallen in love with me?]

Di Jiang: “?”