As they entered the mansion, a hundred or so men, who Lian believed to be soldiers, immediately greeted Bai Ye. They stood at ease, saluting him in unison. The apparent leader of the group shouted, "Pay your respects to His Highness!"
The rest of the soldiers responded, "Welcome back, Crown Prince Lord Bai Ye!"
Bai Ye didn't respond, instead continuing on his way. The soldiers parted, creating a pathway for him. Lian followed closely behind, still trying to process the scene unfolding before him.
As they approached the palace, Lian's confusion grew. The demons, or so he thought, showed him the same respect they afforded Bai Ye. He couldn't understand why.
Upon entering the palace, they stopped in front of a massive door. Bai Ye knelt down, bowing three times. Lian, still perplexed, followed suit.
After bowing, Bai Ye remained kneeling and shouted, "May I come in, Great Lord?"
Lian's eyes widened as he realized that the "Great Lord" must be Bai Ye's father. He thought to himself, Why would Bai Ye call his father "Great Lord"? Doesn't he mean "Father"?
But before Lian could ponder further, the doors swung open, revealing a man seated on a throne. He looked like an older version of Bai Ye, with shiny black hair that cascaded down his back. A majestic headwear adorned with intricate gold designs sat atop his head, complementing his black robe with silver patterns.
The man's presence was imposing, exuding an aura of ruthlessness and intimidation. Lian's fear spiked, and he remained silent, unsure of what to expect.
Bai Ye, still kneeling, awaited his father's response. The air was thick with anticipation, and Lian held his breath, wondering what would happen next.
The man, who Lian believed to be the Demon King, took a deep breath before responding in a bold, thick, and deep voice, "You may stand up."
Bai Ye stood up and walked in, followed by Lian. As they entered, Lian realized that this might be the Demon King's chambers, but he didn't say anything, instead following Bai Ye.
The Demon King locked eyes with Lian and, with a wave of his hand, summoned a dark force that lifted Lian off the ground. Lian hung in the air, choking and struggling to breathe, wondering why the Demon King was doing this to him.
Bai Ye, seeing Lian's horrific situation, immediately gasped, worry etched on his face. He knelt down and pleaded, "Great Lord, please spare him. He's my servant."
The Demon King's anger was palpable. "Your servant? And he's wearing the royal headwear? You were supposed to give this to Princess Liangxi. Why is he wearing it?"
Lian, still struggling for air, looked at Bai Ye, who seemed vulnerable and scared for the first time. Bai Ye explained, "But Great Lord, I never agreed to the marriage settlement. I never gave my consent to the betrothal."
The Demon King laughed, his voice dripping with malevolence. "So, you think you can defy me? You will marry Princess Liangxi, as I have chosen her for you."
Bai Ye protested, "But Father—"
The Demon King's free hand shot out, summoning another dark force that lifted Bai Ye off the ground. Both Bai Ye and Lian hung in the air, choking and struggling to breathe.
The Demon King's eyes blazed with fury. "You will obey me, Bai Ye. You will marry Princess Liangxi, and you will do as I say."
The dark forces holding Bai Ye and Lian in place seemed to grow stronger, making it harder for them to breathe. Lian's vision began to blur, and he wondered if they would survive the Demon King's wrath.
Bai Ye's face twisted in a mixture of anger and desperation. "Father, please—"
But the Demon King's dark forces only grew stronger, making it harder for Bai Ye and Lian to breathe. Lian's vision began to blur, and he wondered if they would survive the Demon King's wrath.
Just as it seemed like the Demon King would suffocate them, Bai Ye's eyes flashed with a fierce determination. He began to struggle against the dark forces, his body trembling with effort.
Lian, sensing Bai Ye's struggle, found a surge of strength within himself. He, too, began to resist the dark forces, his body straining against the invisible bonds that held him captive.
The Demon King's eyes narrowed, his face darkening with rage. "You dare to defy me?" he thundered.
But Bai Ye and Lian refused to back down, their bodies trembling with effort as they continued to resist the Demon King's dark forces.
Bai Ye looked at his father, his eyes blazing with anger. But then, his expression changed, and he said, "Yes, Father, I will do as you say."
The Demon King, Wang Hu, immediately smiled, his face twisted with sinister intent. He released Bai Ye and Lian from the dark forces holding them captive.
As Lian was let down, he was seething with anger. He couldn't believe what he had just witnessed - Bai Ye agreeing to marry someone else. He was angry at the Demon King for treating his son this way and angry at himself for opening up to Bai Ye, only to hear that Bai Ye was promised to another.
The Demon King turned to Lian, his eyes narrowing. "Young lad, you must be a mortal. What is your name?"
Lian laughed, his anger and frustration boiling over. Bai Ye was taken aback, surprised by Lian's bravery.
The Demon King raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You don't seem scared of me. Why do you laugh?"
Lian's laughter died down, and he looked the Demon King straight in the eye. "You want to know my name? Tell me yours first."
Bai Ye's eyes widened in shock. Nobody had ever asked his father's name before. They only knew him as the Demon King or the Great Lord.
The Demon King chuckled, seemingly amused by Lian's boldness. "Oh, so you want to know my name? Very well. I am Wang Hu."
Lian's eyes sparkled with defiance. "Wang Hu. Wait, Wang Hu. How come your son doesn't have your surname?"
Wang Hu's expression turned cold, his eyes glinting with warning. "That's a story for another day, and it's none of your business. You are just a servant."
Lian's face twisted in anger. "Point of correction, I am not a servant. And I would never be, not in this lifetime, not in the next, not in any lifetime."
Wang Hu was taken aback by Lian's bravery, his eyes narrowing as he studied the young mortal.
Wang Hu's eyes narrowed, his expression a mixture of surprise and amusement. "You're a bold one, I'll give you that," he said, his deep voice dripping with intrigue. "But you're still just a mortal, and you should do well to remember your place."
Lian stood tall, his eyes flashing with defiance. "I know my place," he said, his voice steady. "And I know I'm not a servant. I'm Wen Tianlian , and I'm here with Bai Ye."
Wang Hu's gaze shifted to Bai Ye, who was watching the exchange with a mixture of fascination and wariness. "Ah Ye, it seems your...friend has strong spirit," Wang Hu said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "But a strong spirit alone won't keep him safe in this world."
Bai Ye stepped forward, his eyes locked on his father's. "Father, please," he said, his voice low and urgent. "Don't harm Lian. He's under my protection."
Wang Hu's expression turned cold, his eyes glinting with malevolence. "We'll see about that," he said, his voice dripping with menace.
Before Lian could say another word, Bai Ye quickly bowed to his father and said, "I will take my leave now, Father."
Wang Hu waved his hand, granting Bai Ye permission to leave. Bai Ye immediately turned to Lian and grasped his hand, pulling him outside.
Lian hesitated, trying to pull his hand free, but Bai Ye's grip was too strong. Just as they were about to exit the throne room, Lian managed to break free from Bai Ye's grasp.
He spun around, his eyes locking onto Wang Hu's. For a moment, they stared at each other, the air thick with tension.
Then, just as the doors were about to shut, Lian mouthed a single phrase to Wang Hu: "I'm not done with you yet."
The doors slammed shut behind them, leaving Wang Hu's expression hidden from view. Bai Ye's eyes narrowed, his grip on Lian's hand tightening.
"What did you just do?" Bai Ye whispered, his voice low and urgent.
Lian's smile was enigmatic. "Just giving your father a little something to think about."
Bai Ye's eyes flashed with warning, but Lian just chuckled, his eyes glinting with mischief.