He felt rather complicated and couldn’t really describe his emotions at that moment. When he looked at Qiang Wei, not only did he not feel surprised or seduced, he just wanted to laugh. He wanted to open his mouth and let out a burst of laughter, but fortunately, managed to hold it back, otherwise, Sword Sovereign Xuan Qing’s persona would collapse.
But he really couldn't make other expressions at this time, so he could only look at Qiang Wei blankly.
Qiangwei had tried her best. Although she was an Elder of the Acacia Sect, she had always disdained seduction and the use of dual cultivation to increase cultivation so she had not studied this aspect much. The only thing she knew was what she had been forced to learn by her master when she was still small and weak. This was only the first level.
She heard that the Acacia Sect compiled these lower-level methods into a picture book and took them to the mortal world to be sold by the outer disciples. Qiang Wei regretted it very much at this time. If she had been willing to listen to Master's words and studied harder, then there would be no need to use some mortal tricks to seduce Sword Sovereign Xuan Qing.
The two looked at each other in silence for a long time, then Tao Ran said sincerely, "Don't worry about me, you can continue. It's good to exercise your muscles and bones."
"..." I'm not exercising my muscles and bones...
Qiang Wei sat up, feeling rather fed up. After tidying up her clothes, she was a little aggrieved. "Sword Sovereign, you must listen to me. The Demon Emperor really won't exchange your apprentice for me."
Tao Ran sighed and thought, As long as you stop liking the Demon Emperor, even if my little apprentice never comes back, I will let you go. There were a thousand words in his heart,but Tao Ran couldn't say it. He could only comfort her, "You don't have to worry, I will surely protect you."
What the Sword Sovereign Xuan Qing said was naturally worthy of belief. But what Qiang Wei was worried about was not just that she would be in danger in Penglai. She was afraid that the Demon Emperor will truly fall in love with He Wan sooner or later if he and Hewan get along day and night. When that time comes, even if she goes back, it would be too late.
She had been cultivating for many years and has seen countless kinds of men in the Acacia Sect since she was a child. These men had one common problem, that is, lust. She hated these people very much, so even if she suffered, she wasn’t willing to choose the easy dual cultivation to improve her cultivation. She thought that she would not be moved by men in this life until she was summoned into the Demon Palace and saw the man atop the throne.
That man was more handsome than all the men she had ever met, and he never showed any interest in women. Qiang Wei couldn't help being attracted to him, but because of his immunity to female charms, she dared not express anything. Now, she found out that he wasn’t totally immune to female charms, he was just not interested in herself.
Qiang Wei sat in the formation array blankly, looking at Xuan Qing who was reading the book seriously, and suddenly said, "Sword Sovereign."
Tao Ran tilted his head slightly and Qiang Wei continued, "Are you really as cold and ruthless as rumored?"
Neither the original owner nor Tao Ran were ruthless people, but admitting that they were sentimental would be a bit out of character. So, Tao Ran shook his head and said, "I don't know."
Qiang Wei looked at Tao Ran and suddenly said, "You really have no feelings. Otherwise, why would you be so unfeeling to your only apprentice."
Tao Ran looked puzzled. When did he appear unfeeling towards He Wan?
"Do you think you were saving your apprentice when you came back after capturing me? I have said earlier that the Demon Emperor will never send your apprentice back. My cultivation level is far lower than yours. You can tell if what I say is true or not. But you… But you didn't listen to me, you’re just waiting for the Demon Emperor to send your apprentice back. Do you know what she will experience in the Demon Palace?"
Of course I know. Tao Ran expressionlessly said, "Psychological methods will not work on this Daoist.
"You..." Qiang Wei was anxious. "Who’s using psychological methods on you?"
Tao Ran thought that because Qiang Wei’s plot had been exposed, she would become angry. He ignored her, turned around and picked up the guqin, and then a calming guqin tune floated out.
Qiang Wei’s teeth immediately felt sore. This stinky Daoist either practiced austerities or played the guqin all day long. What is the difference between being this boring and being dead? Why not just die?
At this moment, she was already furious and desperate, and she didn't pay attention to what she was saying. She hated Tao Ran playing the guqin and said directly, "Hateful Daoist, don’t play it anymore. It's terrible. If I listen to it more, I'm going to go crazy."
Tao Ran paused. Why would she say that it is bad? Doesn't she like this song? Thinking about this, he changed the music. This piece was even more calming. Tao Ran felt that Qiang Wei would definitely not be so irritable after listening to it.
Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Qiang Wei almost burst into anger. What does he mean by this? Doesn't he realize his playing is unpleasant to hear? Did he think she was just irritable? Qiang Wei looked at Tao Ran and gritted her teeth. "Stop playing. It's even more ugly, do you think everyone likes to hear you play the guqin?"
Tao Ran paused, and suddenly the style of music changed. It changed from the previous quiet and ethereal, the guqin sound became more rhythmic and the melody richer. Qiang Wei experienced the variation for the first time. This tune did not make people irritable and had a lingering feeling. Qiang Wei was stunned on the spot, this tune evoked her sadness.
As if returning to the garden in the Demon Palace, she saw the always serious Demon Emperor smiling happily at the righteous female daoist. Even if the righteous woman was very rude to him, he didn't care. That kind of sweetness that she likes, and her sorrow of not receiving such a response...
When the song finished, Qiang Wei was already teary eyed.
Tao Ran put his hand on the strings and said: "So you like this kind of tune."
Qiang Wei said on the ground. "What kind of tune is it?"
"I learned it from the mortal world." Tao Ran said, "It’s a very vulgar tune."
Qiang Wei’s tears hung on her eyes, then suddenly fell. It cannot be taken back, cannot be...
Tao Ran said, "If you didn’t like elegant ancient music, you should’ve said it earlier. Why would you say it's ugly?"
"..." Qiangwei wiped her tears away and said in her heart, how could such an annoying person exist? Fortunately, he doesn't go out often, otherwise, he would have been beaten to death when he was a child and he would never have the chance to grow into Sword Sovereign Xuan Qing.
Tao Ran didn't know she was slandering him in her heart, but only thought that she liked it. So he started to play some of the popular songs he had heard before with the guqin. The effect was really good, because Qiang Wei listened very seriously, looking at him with a serious little expression...
Qiang Wei was also very conflicted because these tunes were really good but Xuan Qing called these good tunes vulgar mortal tunes. If she admitted that she liked to listen to these songs, she would indirectly admit that she was a vulgar person. But because she really liked it, she didn't want to interrupt Tao Ran.
So, she could only listen with a frown and entanglement...
While Tao Ran and Qiang Wei were happily exchanging music together, He Wan, who was far away in the Demon Palace, was feeling particularly terrible. She felt that the Demon Emperor was as arrogant and unreasonable as the rumors. Why didn't her Master come to save me? This disciple really couldn't understand it...
When the Demon Emperor saw He Wan, he had a very wonderful feeling. He felt that if he needed a person's company in the long years to come, then that person should be He Wan. But what distressed him was that He Wan didn't think so. He Wan was very afraid of him, even annoyed with him.
He walked into the garden while He Wan was staring at a bunch of flowers in a daze.
He walked over and took the initiative to speak, "Do you like this kind of flower?"
He Wan bit her lip and said, "When will you send me back to Penglai?"
The Demon Emperor refused coldly, "This Seat will never give you away to Penglai."
"But your Left Guardian is now in Penglai." He Wan said, "Don't you want to save her?"
The Demon Emperor said with a cold face, "She’s just a guardian, we can find another one. But I can’t find another you, you must stay with This Seat."
He Wan was shocked and she hated the Demon Emperor even more. He could give up even his loyal subordinate as soon as he wanted to. This shows just how ruthless this person was. Compared with him, her Master was simply too humane.
He Wan was very angry on one hand, but couldn't do much on the other. With her Golden Core Stage cultivation base, even a gatekeeper in this Demon Palace wouldn’t be beaten by her. Even if the Demon Emperor was not in the Demon Palace, she would not be able to escape. Now she could only hope that her Master would save her soon, or she would become crazy if she stayed in the Demon Palace any further.
Tao Ran, who was far away in Penglai, didn't know that his apprentice was going crazy. He thought He Wan and the Demon Emperor were off kissing each other in the Demon Palace. He planned to give them more time to make their feelings more stable, and then he would let Qiang Wei leave.
He Wan didn't know that she had been pitted by her master. She stayed in the Demon Palace every day and looked forward to his coming from the sky to rescue her and bring her back to Penglai. From that time forward, she would never leave her master’s side again, and would follow him every day like shadow to a body.
Seeing He Wan ignoring him, the Demon Emperor thought that the both of them were cultivators anyway. The days to come would be long, and there would be plenty of time for He Wan to fall in love with him. So, he took off a flower, forced He Wan to wear it on her head, and said gently, "This Seat has something to do. When This Seat is finished, I will accompany you."
You'd better be busy for ten thousand years!
He Wan cursed the Demon Emperor in her heart, thinking in frustration that she couldn't escape even if the Demon Emperor wasn't there. She took the uncomfortable flower off her head, threw it to the ground, and then trampled the flower with her feet. She was still angry after that. She turned around and uprooted the flowers in the garden, and then stepped and crushed them crazily as if it was not the flower under her feet but the nasty face of the Demon Emperor.
"Miss He."
"Who?" He Wan turned her head, "Who is calling me?"
"It's me." A covered face appeared behind He Wan and said, "Do you want to leave the Demon Palace and return to Penglai? "
“Of course." He Wan said, "What do you mean by asking me this?"
"I can send Miss He back to Penglai. I only ask Miss He to help me when you have returned."
He Wan: "What of it?"
"Please ask Sword Sovereign Xuan Qing to release the Elder of my Acacia Sect."
He Wan: "You mean... the Left Guardian?"
"Yes, it's her. Can you promise me?"
"Of course." He Wan rushed over. She took her hand and said, "Hurry up and take me away."
The person said, "The Demon Emperor is now meeting with the people of the Soul Refining Sect and have no time to care about you. Take this opportunity to leave quickly or else there will be no chance again."