Liye’s eyes widened slightly.
This news was far more shocking than hearing that Li Xie had taken so many treasures from the underground palace!
Everyone knew that Li Xie’s birth mother was a lowly succubus, which meant that half the blood in Li Xie’s veins was succubus blood as well.
And succubi were the species most likely to form a blood-bond with someone.
This was no ordinary act of submission. It was a bond bound by the shackles of a bloodline contract—a bond that would affect them for the rest of their lives!
If Li Xie had truly pledged himself to an ordinary demon, then the throne of the demon race would have nothing to do with him anymore!
Liye was thrilled, but he suppressed his surging emotions and asked again, “Are you certain?”
“This subordinate is willing to stake his life on it. It’s absolutely true!”
Liye smiled. An evil, sinister smile spread across his handsome face, making him appear especially cold and dangerous.
“Good. Very good. Then I’ll have to properly test my dear elder brother!”
…
Li Xie had been in excellent condition lately. Whenever he had free time, he would secretly come to see Yuan Shu.
Yuan Shu possessed the soothing power that a master could bestow upon a succubus.
Even if she merely hugged him, kissed him, or let him breathe in her scent, he would feel much better.
What was more, Yuan Shu never let him leave empty-handed.
Every time, they would indulge in one another completely, their souls intertwining.
The excitement of the succubus bloodline within him had even affected his demonic bloodline.
His strength seemed to have improved once again!
In addition, with Yuan Shu’s help, he had replaced all his people’s equipment with high-grade magical treasures. The strength of his entire team had increased considerably.
Even the Demon King had acknowledged it, giving him several extra glances.
“You’re saying the Demon King wants you to lead the team with him and go ahead first?”
Yuan Shu frowned as she listened to Li Xie. For some reason, she felt that something was wrong.
Li Xie’s expression was not very good either, but he still nodded. “That’s right. And he won’t allow me to bring any of my subordinates.”
“After I leave, you’ll probably have to follow the rest of the team and come later.”
The Demon King had always been highly suspicious. Whenever he undertook something important, he generally forbade his subordinates from bringing their own people.
Thus, the group traveling this time consisted entirely of the Demon King’s trusted aides. It was unrealistic for Li Xie to bring Yuan Shu along.
Yuan Shu looked up at him. She knew that if Li Xie had brought this up with her, then the matter had most likely already been decided and could not be changed.
“Don’t worry. I’m not a three-year-old child. I can take care of myself. Besides, isn’t Black One here?”
Black One was also at the peak of the Nascent Soul realm. As long as they did not provoke anyone too powerful, he should still be able to keep Yuan Shu safe.
Li Xie knew that Yuan Shu had ways to protect herself and would not be easily harmed.
He was simply reluctant to part with the warmth they had shared during this period.
Once he left with the Demon King, he would be unable to hold her in his arms again for a long time!
Li Xie swallowed, his eyes turning slightly moist as he gazed at Yuan Shu. Then he pulled her into his arms.
“Take good care of yourself. Wait for me!”
As if responding to him, Yuan Shu patted his back.
The Demon King’s orders came swiftly. Once the team was assembled, they entered the underground palace passage ahead of them.
To Yuan Shu’s surprise, the Demon Race’s Third Prince, Liye, did not leave.
At the dim entrance to the underground palace, Liye wore a tight-fitting dark green outfit. One leg was bent, the tip of his foot touching the ground, while the other was stretched straight out. He leaned lazily against the stone wall behind him.
A blade of grass hung from his lips. He watched as the Demon King led his people into the underground palace passage ahead. Only then did the corners of his lips curl upward as he casually swept a glance toward the rear.
Yuan Shu’s brows furrowed. Acting on instinct, she lowered her head and hid herself behind Black One.
His languid gaze, tinged with a hint of bloodlust and several degrees of coldness, lingered on Black One for a moment before shifting away as though nothing had happened.
It was almost as if the interest that had flashed through his eyes just now had been nothing more than an illusion.
“Everyone, stay where you are and await further orders!”
With the Demon King and Li Xie gone, Liye became the leader of this demon contingent.
Even Li Xie’s people had to obey Liye’s orders for the time being.
“Miss Yuan, don’t wander around for the next two days. Stay near the caves in this part of the underground palace.”
Black One drew his brows together and quietly reminded Yuan Shu after withdrawing his gaze from the direction in which Liye had left.
For some reason, he always felt that the Third Prince’s gaze had been drifting toward their side a few extra times.
Yet whenever he looked carefully, there seemed to be nothing unusual.
To be safe, Black One still instructed Yuan Shu not to wander off. It would be best if she could remain there until the Eldest Prince returned with his people.
The Demon King had probably discovered something ahead and needed more manpower, which was why he had taken people there this time.
He should be back soon.
Yuan Shu understood Black One’s concerns.
When Li Xie was present, she could turn to him if she encountered trouble among the demons. Now that he was gone, being targeted by someone with ulterior motives would put her at a serious disadvantage.
She nodded in agreement.
…
Yuan Shu’s meals were freshly prepared each day by the team’s chef and then personally delivered by Li Xie.
Now that Li Xie was gone, Black One delivered them instead.
After setting down the food, Black One turned to leave. He had barely stepped outside the cave entrance when a member of the group hurried over to deliver a report.
“Lord Black One, something has happened with the team. Several people have started fighting, and the situation is serious. Please go and take a look!”
Black One’s expression changed slightly. The team this subordinate referred to consisted of Li Xie’s people.
“How did they suddenly start fighting?”
“It’s the two young masters of the Moxuan and Mingxu families. They got into a fight over a treasure from the underground palace. Both of them are extremely powerful, and their identities are special. We can’t stop them!”
The messenger quickly explained the situation.
“Lord Black One, there’s no time to lose. Please go and take a look!”
Black One grew anxious.
Most of the clansmen the Eldest Prince had brought with him this time belonged to families that supported him within the demon race.
Some of them were even young masters of their respective families—their future heirs.
If anything happened to them, the Eldest Prince’s situation would become even more difficult!
Black One hurried two steps forward, then remembered something and turned to look at the cave behind him.
Miss Yuan’s strength was not weak either. She should be fine for a short while, shouldn’t she?
After a brief moment of thought, Black One returned to the cave and, just to be safe, formed hand seals and cast a black barrier.
Only after completing this did Black One turn around and swiftly leave the area near Yuan Shu’s cave with the messenger.
Not long after he departed, a pair of dark green boots emerged from around the corner and headed straight toward the cave entrance.
When he stopped before the black barrier, he slowly raised a hand.
Powerful spiritual energy spread out, clinging to every part of the barrier.
“Psh.”
With an extremely soft sound, the black barrier blocking the way silently transformed into ashes of spiritual energy and dispersed into the air.
…
Yuan Shu felt that Li Xie must have gone to considerable trouble to find this demon chef.
The chef’s dishes had exactly the right balance of salty and sweet flavors for Yuan Shu’s palate, and everything tasted delicious. Yuan Shu liked them very much.
Whenever a meal arrived, she would take the initiative to withdraw from her cultivation and focus on eating.
Today was no exception.
However, just as she was eating happily, her mood brightening with every bite, a strange breeze drifted in through the entrance of the underground palace cave.
It carried with it a faint, unusual fluctuation of spiritual energy.
It was so subtle that it was almost indistinguishable from an illusion.
Yuan Shu’s lowered brows moved ever so slightly. The spoon she had just brought to her lips suddenly came to a halt.
