Adam couldn't understand what Xiao Man was thinking, and actually didn't want to know it all.
But a job was still a job. He had to have faith.
Put some effort into it and maintain this mentality as a Demon King. Make sure he didn't sympathise.
All would be over if he did…
He didn't want be called the Demon King of McPushover Sympathy. Things were getting real.
Dastardly evil plan he most definitely had. GO!
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Xiao Man had a simple dream in her heart.
She wanted to be a member of the Orthodox Faction. Gain fame and respect for her deeds.
Be known by everyone.
Save the damsels and be the hero(ine)!
She wanted to find a suitable master and train under them. Slowly discarding her own techniques.
Once done, the Blood Demons would be no more.
She would finally be free of her family's curse…
But now, she couldn't possibly dare to even 'dream' anymore. Everything had died along with her hope.
She didn't care anymore.
Come, sun. Come, rain. Bring down all the pain and cruelty you can give. Living means to survive today.
Make a puppet out of herself and call her a clown.
Because though dreams may die, she was happy so long as there was someone still by her side.
"Little Xiao..." Her mother opened her arms, and instantly dived in to cry her heart out like a child.
"I… wanted us to change. I did my best…!" Her heart broke when she thought it was all useless.
No matter what she did, it was… all useless.
Now they were back to square one. No, maybe they'd even taken a few steps back because of her.
If only she didn't dream. If only she didn't care.
There was no point pretending nothing happened at this point, but she had to move forward in life.
Even if that meant going against her principles.
A darkness appeared in her eyes as she remembered the kind of rituals used for demons.
She felt her now lengthened canines, which were like vampiric fangs, and the horn on her head.
There was no longer a choice anymore.
Xiao Man was at the deepest point in her life. The lows were here, and her mother stayed by her side.
She chose that companionship over her virtues…
"Little Xiao, go gather some things for me in the meantime. I'll make us a place we can rest." Xiao Yin used this oppressive to apply the skills Adam was passing over. Her mind was working hard.
Sometimes, it was best to distract oneself with work. That's what she did by piling it on Xiao Man.
Her daughter readily taking this as a responsibility.
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It was an unexpected mindset.
He'd expected her to be stronger than that, but somehow felt jealous of the love these two had.
Jealousy, and a melancholic misery.
His heart hurt after feeling the brokenness of Xiao Man. Something that was entirely his own fault.
Though that was so, he had no choice.
A lot rode on this.
But it wasn't like knowing her heart had no impact when it came to his next decision. He coughed.
Crackling his neck to move the 'camera' of his System somewhere had become familiar with.
At the disposal area where the Northblade Sect members got rid of Xiao Man. A person stood firm.
I noticed some bandages on his face, and the signs of medicine having been applied onto his wounds.
There was a juicy story in why one of the killers of my 'minion' was injured. Let me have a look.
I decided to take a peek into a new 'perspective'
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Through the sun and the rain, only a hero could stand among the masses with his head held high.
Because heroes were not commoners.
They were beyond the ordinary. Able to break rocks with their fists and cut iron with their longswords.
I remember the words my father told me…
"Wu Tong, you will be a fine man of the Wu Clan when you're older." He spoke to me expectantly.
Showering me with praise as a genius of my village.
I became prideful that day. Someone as ignorant as me didn't know how high the heavens really were.
Only realising the day after that I was selected by the Northblade Sect, that… I was merely average.
A lucky commoner to be chosen with my talent level. Even though it couldn't compare to others.
Even if I was taken in as their junior apprentice, I couldn't wash away the roots where I'd originated.
The history that made me a person.
That girl also couldn't do such a thing…
I didn't know her name, but she came to the Northblade Sect often to try and join our 'family'.
To become one of the forces of good. One that protected the emperor's assets and security.
Protecting the citizens by proxy.
She seemed like quite the hardworking type in the past… It's truly a pity. To think she was barbaric.
Only someone as wise and knowledgeable as Elder Du could've predicted that she was an Unorthodox.
Those gutless swine that disrupted law and order.
But why is it I couldn't feel happy about this…?
The look she gave me just before she died. It felt like we were the bad guys. Like we were wrong.
That couldn't be possible, right?
Maybe I was getting courted by my Heart Demon or something. Yeah, these doubts must be…
…They must be my weakness.
Even so, even though she was Unorthodox, wasn't it too cruel to dump people in the forest like this?
I had to give her a proper burial.
She must've been in pain. I'm glad Elder Du's sword techniques had reached the expert level.
It's likely she didn't even sense she died…
I walked into the forest while trying to remember the path me and my apprentice brothers took.
My seniors were quite the jokers these days.
They made me spar with them a lot. It must be that they were trying to train me to become greater.
A man worthy of respect.
Unlike others, I wore the standard garb and armour guards of our Sect used to keep my resolution firm.
It was my conviction…
These wounds were nothing. A man of iron didn't feel pain. Nothing would move me, as it always did.
But when I got there, I saw no corpse.
Only a splash of blood that indicates that someone had picked up the corpse and left somewhere else.
The tracks seemed to have been covered.
At least, that's what I could guess.
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After figuring out what the armoured freak was up to, Adam felt like his two minions were in danger.
"Xiao Yin." He spoke out loud harshly.
[Yes?]A message appeared in front of him.
After having set up a stable connection, he was able to see around her even without Narration.
"In the area where you found your daughter, there is a man of the Northblade Sect who thought of giving her a proper burial." I told her everything without withholding a single detail from my end.
[…You must be mistaken about his intentions, Your Grace.] The woman didn't seem to believe it fully.
"Do you deny my claim?" If she dared to call me her 'Lord', then she must accept its consequences.
[I do not dare give any opinion.] (Xiao Yin)
"My eyes are keener than you think." (Adam)
[What are you suggesting I do to him?] (Xiao Yin)
"I said I'd support you. Knowing how much hatred you feel, I gave you an opportunity to take revenge on your enemies. Or will you leave him?" He put on an indifferent look while seeing what she would do.
[…Is there any other wisdom?] (Xiao Yin)
"I can tell you anything about him. From his battle habits to his family history." He leaned on his fist.
Looking at her with an air of superiority.
Unexpectedly, she didn't hold back on requesting more information. He wondered what she wanted.
"Are you going to fight? I'm not sure you could win with your own strength." Adam's head tilted at her.
"Don't worry." She didn't elaborate at all.
Although the Demon King could've easily checked what she was planning, there was no fun in it at all.
Overly relying on 'Narration' had almost made his mind degrade earlier. Thus, he decided to take a different approach to this. Waiting to see exactly what she would do. He was in no hurry to rush her.
There was a long time for him. If building up forces in this timeline didn't work, he'd try another time.
Minions should always be disposable for a 'Lord'.
Especially for a Demon Lord.
From what he saw, Xiao Yin was nowhere near close enough to have understood how to transmute Qi Techniques into technical skills that utilised Divine Data. So she would be powerless.
Her body was strong, but that was it.
A uselessly strong body wouldn't be able to beat someone who had properly trained with a sword.
Moreover, she was only asking about his habits.
Some things about his past were added in there.
Regardless, it all seemed incomplete.
What was the use of disjointed information?
If she was going to ask for something, wasn't it better to ask the full package? What was all this?
Xiao Yin didn't elaborate.
She took a deep breath before walking in the direction on where that man, Wu Tong, had stood.
At first, her steps were wide and firmly planted.
This started to become more staggered and seemingly exhausted the closer she was getting.
Until she was finally there!
The two of them locked eyes momentarily…
Wu Tong saw the 'exhausted' Xiao Yin and was entranced by her appearance. It was easy to see.
Of course, this minion was like a butterfly at times.
The way her clothes fluttered in the wind to the way her exquisite features interacted was enticing.
Making Wu Tong blush…
But this was immediately suppressed so he could look at the woman objectively. Thinking broad.
"What are you doing here?" Wu Tong asked with a patient tone, and spoke gently to not startle her.
Or course, it was because she was of the fairer sex.
Adam expected her to be outraged and lash out at the man for underestimating, but she knelt instead.
Tears were streaming down her face wordlessly.