One morning as Lingye walked through the bustling streets of the imperial city, taking in the sights and sounds of the vibrant marketplace. She had been feeling cooped up in the palace, and Chunchui had suggested a trip into the city to clear her head.
As she navigated through the crowded stalls, Lingye noticed a commotion at the end of the street. A group of rough-looking men were surrounding a figure, shouting and gesturing angrily.
Lingye's curiosity got the better of her, and she pushed her way through the crowd to see what was happening. That was when she saw him - the Demon King, Jiǎo Lóng, who had destroyed the heavenly realm and killed her loved ones.
Lingye's eyes widened in shock and fear as she took in the sight of the Demon King. She had thought she would never see him again, and yet here he was, standing in front of her in the mortal realm.
But as she looked at him, she saw something that gave her pause. The Demon King, who had once been so powerful and feared, now looked...broken. His eyes, which had once burned with malevolent intent, now seemed dull and lifeless.
Lingye felt a pang of emotion as she realized that the Demon King was not the powerful being she had once known. He was now just a mortal, sent back in time to prevent his own awakening.
She felt a surge of pity for him, and her fear began to dissipate. She took a step forward, her voice soft. "Leave him alone," she said to the men, who were still taunting and teasing the Demon King.
The men turned to her, their faces twisted in anger, but Lingye stood her ground. "He's not hurting anyone," she said. "Just leave him alone."
The men backed off, muttering under their breath, and Lingye turned to the Demon King. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
The Demon King looked up at her, his eyes flashing with surprise. "You...you can see me?" he asked, his voice rough.
Lingye nodded, feeling a sense of wonder. "Yes, I can see you," she said. "But who are you, really?"
The Demon King's eyes clouded, and he looked away. "I...I don't know," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I just woke up, and I was here. I don't remember anything."
Lingye's heart went out to him. She knew what it was like to lose your memories, to feel like you didn't know who you were or where you belonged.
"Come with me," she said, her voice soft. "I'll give you a place to stay."
The Demon King looked up at her, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Why would you do that?" he asked, his voice rough.
Lingye smiled, feeling a sense of kindness wash over her. "Because I think you need help," she said. "And I'm willing to give it to you."
The Demon King nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. Lingye could see the skepticism there, the doubt. But she could also see a glimmer of hope.
As they walked through the streets, Lingye couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder. What was she doing, taking in the Demon King? But as she looked at him, she knew that she had made the right decision.
When they arrived at General Ming's mansion, Lingye was greeted by Chunchui, who looked at the Demon King with a mixture of surprise and curiosity.
"My lady, who is this?" Chunchui asked, her voice soft.
Lingye smiled, feeling a sense of determination. "This is...Jiǎo," she said, using the Demon King's given name. "He's going to be our new servant."
Chunchui's eyes widened in surprise, but she nodded quickly. "Yes, my lady. I'll show him to his quarters."
As Chunchui led the Demon King away, Lingye couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. What had she just done? Had she made a mistake by taking in the Demon King?
But as she looked around the mansion, she knew that she had made the right decision. The Demon King needed help, and she was willing to give it to him.
As the days passed, Lingye grew accustomed to having Jiǎo around. He was quiet and reserved, but he was a hard worker, and he seemed to be genuinely grateful for her kindness.
Lingye found herself wondering about his past, about what had driven him to become the person he was today. She found herself wanting to know more about him, to understand him.
But she was also wary of getting too close. After all, she knew who he really was.
One night, as Jiǎo Lóng lay sleeping in his quarters, he was beset by a vivid dream. In the dream, he found himself standing in a dark, foreboding landscape, surrounded by twisted trees that seemed to writhe and twist in the flickering moonlight.
A figure emerged from the shadows, its eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. Jiǎo Lóng felt a jolt of fear as the figure drew closer, its presence seeming to fill the air with an unspeakable evil.
But as he looked into the figure's face, Jiǎo Lóng's fear gave way to shock. The figure looked...just like him. It had the same piercing red eyes, the same jet-black hair, the same chiseled features.
"Who are you?" Jiǎo Lóng whispered, his voice barely audible over the pounding of his heart.
The figure smiled, its eyes glinting with malevolence. "I am you," it hissed. "Or rather, I am the part of you that has been waiting to be unleashed."
Jiǎo Lóng's mind recoiled in horror as the figure's words seemed to echo through his mind. What did it mean? What part of him was waiting to be unleashed?
The figure began to laugh, its eyes flashing with an evil light. "You have been living a lie, Jiǎo Lóng," it hissed. "You have been pretending to be something you're not. But it's time to stop pretending. It's time to awaken to your true nature."
Jiǎo Lóng felt a shiver run down his spine as the figure's words seemed to stir something deep within him. He didn't know what it was, but he could feel it rising up, like a beast awakening from a deep slumber.
"What do you want from me?" Jiǎo Lóng whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of his own heartbeat.
The figure's smile grew wider, its eyes glinting with an evil light. "I want to help you become what you were meant to be," it hissed. "I want to help you become the true Demon God."
Jiǎo Lóng's mind recoiled in horror as the figure's words seemed to echo through his mind. Demon God? What did that even mean?
But as he looked into the figure's eyes, he saw something there that made his blood run cold. He saw a deep, burning ambition, a desire for power and destruction that seemed to know no bounds.
And Jiǎo Lóng knew that he was in grave danger. He was in danger of losing himself to this dark, malevolent force that seemed to be rising up within him.
As the dream faded away, Jiǎo Lóng sat up with a start, his heart racing with fear. What had just happened? And what did it mean?
He threw off his covers and got out of bed, pacing back and forth across his small room. He felt restless, agitated, as if his body was urging him to do something.
But what?
As he paced, Jiǎo Lóng felt a strange, creeping sensation in his mind. It was as if his thoughts were being influenced by some external force, as if his very mind was being manipulated.
He tried to shake off the feeling, but it only seemed to grow stronger. Jiǎo Lóng felt himself becoming more and more agitated, as if he was being driven towards some unknown destiny.
And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the sensation stopped. Jiǎo Lóng was left standing in the middle of his room, feeling shaken and confused.
What was happening to him? And what did it have to do with the strange figure in his dream?
Jiǎo Lóng didn't have any answers, but he knew one thing - he had to be careful. And he had to stop it, no matter what it took even though he was already greedy for power because of the tragic past he passed through in the mortal realm since young.
The next morning, Jiǎo Lóng woke up feeling unsettled. The dream he had the night before still lingered in his mind, and he couldn't shake off the feeling that it had been real.
As he lay in bed, he couldn't help but think about the figure in his dream. Who was it? And what did it want from him?
Just as he was starting to get lost in his thoughts, he heard a knock on the door. "Come in," he called out.
The door opened, and Lingye walked in with a tray of food. "Good morning, Jiǎo," she said with a smile. "I brought you some breakfast."
Jiǎo Lóng's eyes widened in surprise as he took in the spread before him. There was a steaming bowl of rice, a plate of stir-fried vegetables, and a cup of hot tea.
"Thank you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Lingye smiled and set the tray down on the table. "You're welcome," she said. "I thought you might be hungry."
Jiǎo Lóng felt a lump form in his throat as he looked at Lingye. No one had ever taken care of him like this before. No one had ever shown him such kindness.
"Lingye," he said, his voice cracking with emotion. "No one has ever cared for me like you do."
Lingye's expression softened, and she reached out to touch his hand. "Of course I care for you, Jiǎo," she said. "You're a part of our household now."
Jiǎo Lóng felt a wave of emotion wash over him, and he looked away, trying to compose himself.
As he did, Lingye's eyes narrowed slightly, and she thought to herself, "Is that why he turned to the dark side and became the Demon king in the future? Because no one ever showed him kindness?"
She looked at Jiǎo Lóng, really looked at him, and saw the deep-seated pain and vulnerability in his eyes. She saw the scars that crisscrossed his heart, and she wondered what had caused them.
"Jiǎo," she said softly, trying to bring him back to the present. "Eat with me breakfast too. You must be starving."
Jiǎo Lóng nodded, still feeling a little emotional, and began to eat. Lingye sat down beside him, watching him with a thoughtful expression.
As they ate in silence, Lingye couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation.
But for now, she was content to simply sit with him, to enjoy the quiet companionship that they shared. And as she looked at Jiǎo Lóng, she felt a sense of hope that she hadn't felt in a long time.
Maybe, just maybe, she could help him to heal. Maybe she could help him to find redemption.
And as she thought about it, Lingye felt a sense of determination wash over her. She was going to help Jiǎo Lóng, no matter what it took. She was going to help him to find his way, to discover the truth about himself and his past.
And as she made that promise to herself, Lingye felt a sense of peace settle over her. She knew that it wouldn't be easy, but she was ready for the challenge.
She was ready to help Jiǎo Lóng to heal, to help him to find redemption. And as she looked at him, she knew that she would do whatever it took to make that happen so that she could change the future and prevent Jiǎo Lóng from becoming the Demon king.