Upon saying those words, Zhang Yuanqing clearly felt Yin Ji go rigid throughout her body. Her face first displayed neither astonishment nor joy, but rather a state of dazed bewilderment—she was truly stunned! It wasn't until a few seconds passed that the gentle, luminous gaze in her eyes ignited with deep shame and anger, and her fair complexion flushed. In her eyes, Yuan Shi Tian Zun was openly mocking her. She had already sensed something off about Yuan Shi Tian Zun's gaze earlier, and now, by deliberately imitating the Magistrate's tone and calling her out this way, he was making it unmistakably clear—this was a direct, personal affront. Although she had long sensed Yuan Shi Tian Zun's interest in her, it had been restrained. As a renowned beauty from Tai Men, she had received interest from many young, handsome men. Thus, she had not taken it seriously—so long as Yuan Shi Tian Zun didn't make any overt gestures, such as a formal declaration of love, she could simply regard it as unremarkable. Compared to the fluttering admirers, Yuan Shi Tian Zun at least didn't make her feel uncomfortable, and she could see him as a friend. To his surprise, after becoming the sovereign of the Sun, he no longer pretended or performed—he mocked the Mage King, thus both dishonoring him and himself. Yin Ji took a deep breath, suppressing her embarrassment and anger, her eyes glinting with cold frost. "Now that you are the sovereign of the Sun, the most powerful half-deity, if you wish me, I can only yield—my death will be of no avail; I shall still be transformed into a spirit servant or a shadow corpse. But you cannot humiliate me by bringing up the Mage King, nor can you humiliate him, knowing very well our relationship!" Yin Ji was known for her outward gentleness and inner strength. After the Mage King's passing, she had draped a black veil over her face and refused marriage, a silent protest to her teacher and her order. In fact, she could have simply pretended to die, refusing to acknowledge her status as the Mage King—neither the evil half-deities nor anyone else would have exposed her. Zhang Yuanqing suddenly realized this. The Mage King's lover had already accepted his passing, and by quietly maintaining his own death, the matter had been quietly covered up. In the past, Zhang Yuanqing might have simply endured and Yet after fusing with the sun's essence, his personality had been subtly influenced, carrying an inherent dignity and composure. The sun symbolizes order and authority—everything else in the world may be obscured, but the sun's radiance remains eternal, unshaken by any force. Therefore, Zhang Yuanqing had never considered concealing his identity as the Magistrate of Magic. He gazed at her, sighed, and said, "I have the Cat King speaker inherited from the Magistrate. It's natural for me to mimic his voice, but it doesn't capture every detail—some nuances the speaker simply doesn't record. Pausing a moment, he added softly, 'Our first meeting took place in the Capital. At that time, I was assigned the task of the Ghost-Eye Judge to assassinate the Night-Wanderer of the Taiyuan Sect. The Night-Wanderer I killed was named 'Summer Sounds,' a promising up-and-coming talent. By then, you had already reached the rank of Level 5 Saint. The Taiyuan Sect dispatched you to investigate this matter. You spent six months tracking me down, relentlessly pursuing me, and each time, I managed to escape your relentless pursuit." "You initially held me in deep contempt, because I was a fallen one—constantly lustful, and every time we clashed, I'd use crude, offensive remarks to provoke you, precisely the kind of behavior you most detested. Our true bond formed during the Song Dynasty's 'Ever-Alive Palace' instance—we matched in the same instance, and we were teammates there. Over the course of six months, I closed the gap in our level difference. For the greater good, you didn't choose to face me to the death or maintain a vigilant, defensive stance. I understood your nature well and deliberately spoke in low, vulgar terms to tease you—then, I genuinely admired you, yes, more precisely, I was deeply attracted to your beauty and wished to win your favor, to sleep with you. In that instance, I shone brightly and saved you twice. Though you kept saying that your gratitude was gratitude and your displeasure was displeasure, that you wouldn't soften your stance or allow me—this fallen one—to be eliminated by the lawful order, in truth, from that point on, your pursuit of me gradually became more casual and less intense." Later, when the Master of Illusion noticed my rank gradually catching up with yours, he devised a targeted hunting strategy against you. He compelled me to use myself as bait, drawing you into the trap. At that time, six of the highest-ranked saints ambushed you. "I couldn't disobey the Master of Illusion's orders. I resolved to kill you, repeatedly telling myself in my heart that you were merely a woman—there were countless beautiful women in the world—and that it was unnecessary to risk my own safety for her. "Yet, when I watched you being surrounded and besieged by the fallen, growing more and more endangered, my instincts overpowered my reason. I attacked and killed six of my companions to save you. At that moment, I became clearly aware that I truly liked you—not merely for your beauty, but for you as a person. Still, at that time, I didn't know exactly what about you I found so endearing. "In that battle, I nearly died from my companions' counterattacks—thanks to you, I was saved and brought to a safe room. You asked me why I had to save you, why I had to betray the Judge of the Riddle, a betrayal that, as a fallen one, would surely mean a life of suffering and hardship." Zhang Yuanqing smiled at Yin Ji, watching the frost in her eyes gradually melt, awe and emotion spreading across her face. "My answer was: In your eyes, I may be a worthless person deserving of being cut to pieces a thousand times over. But before the Holy Grail was tainted by decay, I too had once been a good man!" Yin Ji trembled, lifting her hand gently to caress the face of Yuan Shǐ Tian Zūn. As the shimmering light danced, she saw once again the young, ordinary face, etched with the lines of time and experience. In that instant, tears streamed down her cheeks. She was certain that the person before her was indeed the Demon King—the one she had long cherished, the one she would never forget, the one she would love until the very end. These memories, she knew, could only be spoken by the Demon King himself. Gazing at him with lingering affection, Yin Ji dispelled the illusion and fixed her eyes on Yuan Shǐ Tian Zun, her voice trembling as she asked, "Is this truly your true form?" She knew that the魔 king had worn a mask of disguise, and that the face he had cherished so deeply was not the genuine one of his beloved. Yet she had never dared to explore the face beneath the mask, for she knew it was the king's last dignity and his unyielding strength. Zhang Yuanqing nodded, and his solemn, resonant voice softened into tenderness: "Sister Yin, I am back!" At that moment, Yin Ji's heart surged with a powerful beat—overwhelmed by the joy and exhilaration of having her beloved returned after so long lost, she could hardly breathe. Yet a lingering doubt remained; she could not believe the魔 king was still alive, for it was a well-established truth among the half-gods. But she dared not ask, fearing that the truth might be a mere deception, a humbling irony. She could not bear to lose him a second time. Zhang Yuanqing seemed to have read her thoughts, saying, "Last year, I was surrounded and slain by the Lords of the Stars and the Lady of the Moon, my body and spirit seemingly extinguished. Yet I had not truly died yet..." He then recounted in detail how he had been revived, carefully concealing his connection to the Void Half-Deity, and instead referring only to his investor relationship. "It was you all along," she smiled, tears welling up and spilling over. "I have already seen you, already met you..." She couldn't help but rush into Zhang Yuanqing's arms. After a long while, having finally calmed her emotions, she clutched his hand tightly, as if afraid of losing him again, and hesitantly asked, "Do you have confidence in defeating the Lord of the Stars?" "Do my best and accept what the heavens decree!" Zhang Yuanqing's composure remained as timeless as ever. Yin Ji bit her lip. "Your other lovers..." Zhang Yuanqing's composure remained as timeless as ever, though this time it carried a hint of effort: "In my youth, I was often reckless. I will do my best to avoid disturbing them and to offer adequate compensation." "Then Guan Ya..." Yin Ji said again. This was the one she cared most about—she was the magus king's first love, and Guan Ya was the primordial sovereign's first love. Zhang Yuanqing said nothing. So Yin Ji stopped asking, smiled gently and said, "My position is too low to be of much help, but I will stay in the capital waiting for you. Is the magus king's identity something that needs to remain confidential?" About five minutes later, the Elder Hong Ying arrived at the courtyard, gazing at the student with tear-streaked face, her heart startled. She softly inquired, "What did he tell you?" What she truly wanted to know was what he had done to you! Yin Ji wept and laughed, "Master, he's back—he's back!" He's back? Elder Hong Ying furrowed her brows, "What do you mean?" Yin Ji said, "The Prime Immortal is actually the Demon King!" Elder Hong Ying was struck dumb, as if struck by lightning. ... Northwest. In a small, economically underdeveloped city, far from the city center, in a suburban villa with a garden, the eighth protector of Dark Night Rose—the "King of the Forest"—was dancing gracefully between two young women in bikinis in the spacious living room, dynamic music blasting from the speakers. In his early thirties, he possessed a striking appearance and well-proportioned, strong physique. His identity as a wood spirit endowed him with a gentle demeanor; even without using his abilities or relying on wealth, he could attract countless high-quality women. There are two dining tables in the living room, each covered with white cloth, laden with fruits, beverages, and dishes, with a continuous rotation of chefs serving hot courses. Nine stunning, sensually attired women are present, each with model-like long legs yet possessing cup sizes that surpass typical models—perfect body fat ratios, full busts, a well-defined waist, a slender back, and round, graceful legs. All of these women are members of the Night Rose and are of the Wood Spirit profession. They belong to the Eight Guardians, the "King of the Forest." After the Grand Guardian, Shan He Yong Cun, announced his decision to step back into a more low-key, hidden role, the King of the Forest convened the nine most beautiful female subordinates to host daily and monthly parties at the villa, dedicated to joyful, life-enriching celebrations. As a reproductive deity, the King of the Forest has an innate yearning for mating and procreation; however, traditional methods of reproduction have proven rather monotonous, so he has adapted and innovated numerous new approaches. For instance, in the "Treasure Spin," nine female wood spirits form a circle. As the wheel spins and stops on a particular spirit, the Forest King tends the land behind that spirit. The spirit who causes the Forest King to shiver upon their body receives a gift of spiritual materials or equivalent monetary value. Similarly, events such as the "Lychee Race," "Dragon's Sip," and "The Three Burrows of the Clever Rabbit" take place without further detail. After an hour of vigorous dancing, the Forest King picks up the remote, switches the lively music to a soft piano melody, and prepares to invite the ladies to play games. Suddenly, all nine female subordinates close their eyes and collapse one after another, falling into deep sleep. The Forest King's eyes flash with sharp intensity, shifting into battle mode, while the potted plants arranged in the living room surge with vigorous growth, as though coming to life. The three Huskies outside the courtyard and the two tabby cats in the side hall simultaneously rise, their pupils glowing with a deep light, their fangs and claws lengthening, and muscles rippling beneath their fur. As the Spring God, he is always surrounded by high-powered animal companions. A figure wearing a baseball cap and a mask emerged from the body of a sleeping female tree spirit, her gaze beneath the brim dark and charged with madness. Upon seeing her, the King of the Forest's alertness softened slightly, his brow furrowed. "Master of Pure Yang? What brings you here? How did you find me?" Master of Pure Yang chuckled, her voice hoarse. "Last time we met, I planted a seed within your soul. Now, don't react so dramatically—I've planted seeds in the souls of every Night Rose guardian, except those three Day-Wanderers." Pausing, she stated directly: "I've lost contact with the Mountain-Heaven Everlasting. That's why I've come to you." Hearing this, the King of the Forest felt a slight relief and replied, "The Grand Guardian has ordered all Night Rose guardians to remain hidden. No one may leave or undertake any mission without his explicit permission." Master of Pure Yang frowned. "Why?" She had only maintained communication with the Night Roses, and thus her information remained relatively isolated. The King of the Forest bowed with reverence, "The war for the essence of the Sun has already begun!" The Queen of the Moon and the Lord of the Stars are vying for the Sun's essence? Pure Yang Master felt a surge of fury and jealousy. As a madman, once the Golden Bird, he had always harbored a deep yearning and ambition for the Sun's essence. He immediately calmed his turbulent emotions and said, "Through the connection with the eternal rivers and mountains, I have vital information—information of great significance concerning the Primordial Sovereign."